An Insistent Admirer

"Are you sure you don't mind?" Oliver asked Justin for the tenth time.

"Yes! I don't mind closing up. Look, we have three more people. Go to your sister. It's not every day when she'll give birth to your nephew."

"I sincerely hope not. If anyone bothers you, let me know."

"I can take care of myself." Justin dismissed him with a wave of hand.

With Oliver gone, Justin leaned on his elbow against the bar. He was alone behind the bar, Luke having left three hours earlier. There was only one waiter left in the place, Steve, who barely looked legal, but eager to help.

The three customers left in Raging Bull where a couple of drunks who sang along with every song playing, and none other than Justin's stalker.

It was nearing five am, and fatigue was catching up with him. He decided to let the patrons know closing time was near.

After shutting off the music, he smiled tightly at the drunks. "Sorry, guys! Closing time."

While Steve gave their tab, and helped them sort through the money, Evan slid closer to Justin.

"How much?"

"Fifty-seven."

"I'm not drunk enough," Evan declared, pulling out his wallet. He handed Justin his black AmEx, making Justin's stomach squirm.

He had one of these in his wallet too, burning a hole through it.

Steve brought the drunks' tab and money, before leaving. It didn't take long for Justin to realize he was alone with his stalker. He wanted to shout after Steve to wait since they were headed in the same direction, but the boy was long gone.

Shutting off the lights and locking up the cash register, Justin led the way outside. As he fumbled with the locker, he noticed Evan standing a few feet away, waiting for him.

"You shouldn't have waited," Justin said quietly, turning to head down the street. The city was coming alive.

"Like I told you, I can't leave a pretty young thing like you walk alone. Do you want a ride?"

"I think you're drunk."

"Let me be the judge of that." Evan put a hand on Justin's arm.

"Don't touch me!" Justin snapped, pushing him away. "Seriously. What part of I'm not interested and I have a boyfriend don't you get, sir?"

Evan's eyes caught sight of Justin's bracelet, and he seized his hand, frowning at it. He remembered seeing it somewhere, but he couldn't place where.

"You're hurting me, sir."

"Quit calling me sir."

"Quit harassing me!"

oOo

To Justin's relief, Evan had stopped his advanced after that fateful morning. He'd put the older man out of his mind as he concentrated on his upcoming show.

Simon found him a place at a local gallery. He called it small, but Justin had never stepped in a grander building.

He had a small area allotted only for his paintings. When Beatrice, the curator, spoke to him for the first time, he hadn't expected to have five pieces displayed. She'd come to his place to see his work, and together they selected the pieces.

On his big night, Justin was a mass of nerves. He was wearing the suit Brian had insisted on bringing to New York, the new pale blue shirt and a striped tie, also courtesy to Brian.

He'd never been more nervous in his life. He was on his second glass of wine, staring blankly at one of his paintings, when an arm wrapped around his shoulders, pulling him back into a strong chest. If he hadn't smelled Brian's cologne, he'd have started screaming like a banshee, without any trace of embarrassment.

"How's the artist?"

"Shocked," Justin whispered, turning in Brian's arms. "What are you doing here?"

"It was in Out this morning, about Pittsburgh's new brilliant artist having his paintings displayed at Gladstone Gallery, New York City. They said the artist was daring and had a good eye for the human form." Brian glanced at the painting of himself. "I must say, I agree."

"Could you get any more vain?" Justin teased, wrapping his arms around Brian's neck, careful not to spill his drink. "I missed you so much!"

Brian placed his hands on Justin's hips, lifting him up, before kissing him deeply, even slipping him the tongue. Justin responded with gusto, moaning lowly.

"Is this responsible behavior from my favorite bartender?"

Justin pulled away to stare over Brian's shoulder at Evan.

"I thought it was you." Evan smirked. "You've been keeping secrets. And is this the Imaginary Boyfriend?"

Brian helped Justin back down, before turning to scold the person behind him for speaking like that to his boyfriend. His words died on his lips and he made a choking sound, his mouth dropping in shock at the sight before him.

"Brian Kinney!" Evan exclaimed, pulling Brian closer by the sleeve of his shirt, enveloping him in a tight hug.

Justin stared at them, counting the endless seconds they stayed embraced. He was reaching about seventy when Brian extricated from Evan's arms, taking his spot beside Justin, with an arm around his waist.

"Evan, long time, no see," he managed to say.

"Thirteen years," Evan said, nodding, still not taking his eyes off Brian.

Justin shifted uncomfortably. "You know my stalker."

Brian glanced at Justin, then narrowed his eyes at Evan. "You were the asshole who bothered him?"

Evan raised his hands. "I had no clue he was taken."

Justin gritted his teeth. "It must have escaped your hearing due to your advanced age, sir. I only told you about a hundred times to leave me the fuck alone and that I have a boyfriend!"

"Feisty little fireball you have here, Brian."

Justin saw Beatrice waving for him to approach her and a group of people. "I have to schmooze. Catch you later." He grabbed a fistful of Brian's hair, bringing his head closer and devouring his mouth.

When he reached Beatrice, he was satisfied to see Brian light-headed and looking after him that way, the way that made Justin's heart speed-up.

As Justin talked to some people interested in his art, he kept his eyes on Brian. He was still too close to Evan. His eyes narrowed when Evan touched Brian's elbow, squeezing it. The green-eyed monster within him wanted to lunge across the room and beat up Evan for touching Brian, for even looking at him. It didn't escape Justin that Brian leaned into Evan's touch, that he smiled warmly and naturally like only Justin had seen him. Brian didn't allow himself to act human around people, except Justin and, sometimes, Michael.

After a tour of the gallery and meeting with the right people, Justin returned to Brian's side.

"Whenever you're ready, we can head home. Beatrice will hand me the checks when the exhibition is over. I sold three out of five."

"You sound surprised," Brian murmured, kissing Justin's cheek. "Is that one still available?" He pointed to the one representing a lamp post in shades of black and white.

Justin smiled luminously. "You're in luck. It's still available. It's not even much—only five hundred."

"You sell yourself cheap," Evan commented. "How much for that one?"

The painting represented the sinew muscles of a male's body while lounging on his side on the bed. Justin had captured Brian's back muscles, his hips, and his strong legs perfectly.

"The price is displayed there. Do you need your reading glasses, sir?" Justin asked sweetly. He couldn't wait to be away from that annoying man.

"I'm going to place my order with Beatrice, then we can leave." Brian departed, leaving Justin and Evan alone.

"That's two grand," Justin told Evan.

"It says nine hundred here."

"I've changed my mind. As the artist, I'm allowed to change my mind when it's about my painting. Don't you think, sir?"

"Fine. Two thousand. I'd pay all the money in the world to see Brian's ass again." He stared wistfully at the painting.

Justin felt bile rising in his throat.

"I'm ready." Brian appeared at Justin's side, smiling brightly.

"It was a pleasure as always," Evan said with a smirk. "I hope to see you around."

Brian shrugged, but didn't say no. Taking Justin's hand and leading the way out of the gallery. He wasn't ready to deal with a ghost of his past. He knew Justin would have questions, but he hoped they wouldn't be addressed until after their reunion.