Justin opened his eyes slowly and smiled when he saw that Brian was the one caressing him.  “Hey,” he whispered.

“Hey,” Brian said and kept caressing Justin along his forehead until he reached the blond’s hair before his hand would go back to the blond’s forehead and do it all over again.  “Are you feeling okay?”

“Yeah,” Justin told him as he sat up.  “It’s nothing.  I’m going to be okay.”

Brian nodded slowly and moved back.  He put his hands in his pockets.  “Your friend told me what happened.”

“Where are my clothes?” Justin asked.

“Right there,” Brian said pointing at a gray bag that was on one of the hospital chairs.  “Daphne brought them.  I think the ones you were wearing are in that closet.”

Justin got out of bed slowly.  “I don’t like hospitals.  I want to get out of here now.”

“The nurse came and took off the IV.  They are discharging you today but the doctor is coming to see you first,” Brian said.  “He came but you were sleeping and I...”

“What?” Justin asked turning to look at the brunet.

“I told him to...to let you rest,” Brian muttered and then sighed.  He let out the part where he had watched closely what the nurse had been doing and told her a couple of times to be careful.  He didn’t know what was wrong with him.  He was acting out of character and he knew it.  

“Thanks,” Justin told him.  “I’m going to go get dressed.”

Brian nodded and stepped away so the blond could go gather his things.  

Justin went into the bathroom and closed the door.  He stared at himself in the mirror and couldn’t help but smile.  “You’re fucking up,” he whispered suddenly.  “Don’t fall for him, not him.”

“Hey,” Daphne said as she stood in the doorway of Justin’s room.  “Where is Justin?”

“He’s in there,” Brian said pointing to the bathroom.  

Daphne nodded and went inside with a cup of coffee.  “Here, this is for you.”

Brian grabbed it but didn’t drink from it. 

“Its coffee,” Daphne informed him.  “You were kind of nervous earlier,” she said and ran her hands over her arms a few times trying to get the cold out.  She felt so tired and was sure there were bags under her eyes.  She looked at Brian and saw that the man looked even worse.

Justin came out then happy that he was in his own clothes.  He couldn’t wait to get back home to take a shower and go back to sleep.  He felt so tired.

“I’ll go get the doctor,” Brian said quickly.

Daphne looked at the retreating brunet and then back at her friend.  “Why didn’t you tell me you were going out with him?” Daphne asked.

“What?” Justin asked a bit surprised.

“He said you two were boyfriends,” Daphne replied.  “Was he lying?”

Justin shook his head as he put the bag on the bed.  “No,” he answered.  

“Then why didn’t you tell me?” She asked crossing her arms.

Justin shrugged.  “I was seeing how things worked with Brian before I told anyone, you know.”

Daphne sighed.  “I see.”

“It’s wasn’t a secret, Daph,” Justin assured her.  “I just...I was testing things,” he told her.  He wondered why Brian had said they were together to Daphne.

Daphne frowned and moved closer to Justin.  “He’s a bit...rude.  Visiting hours were over and I decided to stay anyway because I couldn’t go home, I would have been just as worried.  So, he said he would stay too and all that time I try to talk to him and he would have something sarcastic to say each time.  I guess it was the stress of your hospitalization.”

Justin smiled even thought he tried not to.  He couldn’t believe that Brian had stayed all night at the hospital just waiting to see him.  “He’s normally like that.”

“Great,” Daphne dead panned.

“Brian is a nice guy,” Justin told her.

“Are you sure?” Daphne asked worried for her friend.  She didn’t want a repeat of past events.   If she had known how Cameron truly was she never would have encouraged Justin to go out with the man.  She didn’t want a guy that was going to break her best friend’s heart again.

Justin smiled at his friend.  “Daphne, he’s okay.  Trust me.”

“The doctor is coming in a bit,” Brian said when he came back.  He looked at them wondering what they had been discussing.

Daphne looked at Brian with a raised brow.  “Yeah, okay.”

Justin knew that she was only being overprotective.   He was happy that he had someone that cared so much for him.  Then he looked at Brian and wondered if Daphne was the only one that cared so much.  Then he reminded himself that Brian needed him alive to win his bet, he sighed heavily.

“Are you okay?” Brian asked.

“Yeah,” Justin answered.

“I should go get the car,” Daphne said.  “Or are you leaving with Brian?”

“You should go with her,” Brian intervened.  “She’s been really worried.”

Justin nodded.  “Yeah, that’s fine with me.”

Brian nodded and stayed in the room.  The three of them kept quiet looking at each other.

“Okay,” Daphne said suddenly.  She knew something was wrong.  “I’ll go get the car then.”

Brian licked his lips as Justin stood there.  The blond was playing with the hospital sheets.  Brian walked over to him and kissed him on the forehead.  

Justin looked up and smiled.  “I didn’t mean to worry you...if you were worried.”

Brian smiled a bit.  “It’s okay,” he muttered and then bent down to kiss the blond.

Justin moaned and wrapped his arms around the taller man.  He could feel himself hardening and thought that at that moment he preferred to leave with Brian.  

Brian pulled back and attacked Justin’s neck.  The blond was definitely leaving with him, he thought.

“Mr. Taylor,” the doctor said as he came into the bedroom.  “I can see you are doing much better.”

Brian and Justin had pulled away from each other a bit startled.  Then they looked at one another and smiled broadly.  They looked like two teenagers who had been caught doing something they shouldn’t have, yet they couldn’t stop grinning.

***

Brian finished his coffee and was about to leave when Ted came into the diner smiling widely.  He looked at Emmett who was humming as he ate his oatmeal.  He shook his head and grabbed a napkin to clean his mouth.  “So, what’s with Ted?”

Emmett looked at Brian and then up at Ted when the man stood in front of their booth.  “Morning, Teddy.”

“Isn’t this day great?” Ted asked with a big smile and sat down.  “Don’t you think, Brian?”

“What’s so fucking special about it?” Brian asked.

“It’s February and not only that, it’s the eighth of February,” Ted informed him.  “This means that in six more days will be...” Ted said and waited for Brian to fill in the blank.

Brian arched a brow.

“Look around you,” Ted said.

Brian looked around the dinner and saw nothing but a disaster of colors.  Debbie was in one corner climbing onto one of the chairs to put a big red heart on the wall.  He looked back at Ted and shrugged.  “It looks like a Sherwin William store exploded here.  Like any other day.”

“He’s playing with you,” Emmett assured Ted.  “Come on, Brian.  Don’t act stupid.”

“Valentine’s Day,” Ted finally said.  “And you know what?”

“What?” Brian asked fixing his tie.  He looked at his watch and decided it was time to leave.

“You are going to buy him a present,” Ted said.

Brian had been getting up already but sat back down and glared at Ted.  He shook his head because there was no way in hell that anyone was going to persuade Brian Kinney to give presents on Valentine’s Day.

“You have to buy him something, Brian,” Ted repeated.

“You want me to what?” Brian asked.

“Buy him a present,” Ted said very slowly this time.

Emmett laughed and put his hand on top of Brian.  “Do you need help sweetie?  You’re looking kind of pale.”

“Fuck off,” Brian hissed pulling his hand away.  “This is not part of the deal,” Brian protested.

“But it is,” Emmett said.  “Presents, picnics, romantic stuff, etc.”

Brian groaned.  “What the fuck am I going to get him?”

Ted shrugged.  “But it has to be something nice that he would like.”

Brian sighed.  He started thinking of what he could give the blond.

“And you have to give it to him in front of us,” Ted said.  He didn’t know why he hadn’t thought of that before.  He knew Brian didn’t like displaying affection to anyone in public.

“Why the fuck?” Brian asked.

“So, we can see his face,” Emmett pointed out.  “What if he doesn’t like it because it is something stupid or something he doesn’t want?  Besides he won’t tell us if your gift was awful.  He would protect you and you know it,” Emmett said but he just really wanted to see Brian’s face when he gave the present to the blond.

“Then he won’t like it, big deal,” Brian pointed out.

“Come on,” Ted said.  “What are you afraid of?”

Brian got up and dropped a few bills on the table.  He couldn’t believe it.  He was having such a great day and then Ted had to appear.  He thought of firing the man but voted against it.  He needed Ted and it would be priceless to see Ted’s face when he won the bet.  Now, he just had to find something nice for his blond.

***

Ted kicked Brian under the table.  The brunet glared at the man and then kept eating his food.  Emmett was waiting anxiously to know what Brian had gotten the blond.

“I have something for you,” Melanie said to Lindsay.  “And I wanted everyone to be here before I give it to you.”

Lindsay started blushing.  “I got you something too.”

Melanie took out her present first.  She watched as Lindsay opened with a big smile.  The blonde smiled even wider when she saw her present.  It was a white cashmere sweater and Lindsay loved it.  

“What did you got her sweetie?” Debbie asked.

Lindsay then proceeded to give her present to Melanie who loved it.  She had gotten the woman a necklace.  Then after that Ben and Michael exchanged presents.  Michael received a comic book from Ben and the man received in return a book.  Vic and Debbie exchanged gifts and so did Ted and Emmett.  Some of them bought things for their friends as well.

“Hold on a minute,” Ted said and turned to look at Brian.  “Don’t you have anything for Justin?”

Justin started coughing and looked at them.  “Oh, we decided not to buy each other anything,” he said when he calmed down.

“No way,” Michael protested.  “You had to.”

Justin shrugged and looked at Brian with a smile.  He frowned when he saw Brian’s grim look.  “What’s wrong?”

“I have something for you,” Brian told him.  He got up slowly and went to where he had left his coat hanging.  The present was in one of the pockets.

“What?” Justin asked taken aback.  They hadn’t discussed giving each other presents at all.  Justin didn’t want to make Brian look bad in front of his friends.  The brunet had told him how much he hated Valentine’s Day so they decided no presents would be the best thing.

“What?” Melanie asked and laughed.  “The world is really ending.”

Brian took the present out and looked at Justin.  “Happy Valentine’s day,” Brian said as he walked towards Justin.  He bent down and kissed Justin before putting the small black box on the table.

Justin stared at Brian like he was crazy.  Then he rolled his lips inside his mouth trying not to laugh.  He looked down at his present and then back at Brian.

“Aren’t you going to open it?” Lindsay asked.

Justin nodded and started unwrapping the little box.  He smiled when he saw the bracelet.  He looked at Brian and laughed.  He couldn’t believe Brian had given him something.  He didn’t know what it meant.  He got up and kissed the brunet. 

“It says something,” Brian whispered.

Justin went back to stare at his bracelet.  He looked inside and laughed his heart out.  It was something that Brian had told him when he first met him and he was trying to convince the blond to accept the job of being his boyfriend.  “The perfect union,” he whispered.

“That’s right,” Brian said.

“They are so cute,” Emmett commented to everyone else.

Brian rolled his eyes at the comment and took the stainless steel bracelet to put it on the blond.  Then he looked at Ted and smirked.  

“I love it,” Justin said out loud and kissed Brian again.

“Too bad you didn’t get him something,” Vic said and smirked.  “Or did you?”

“Well, I did,” Justin said a bit shyly.  “Since we agreed on not giving each other anything I was going to give it to him later on.”

“Aww,” Lindsay said.  “They are so in love.”

“What did you get him?” Emmett asked.

“Well it’s kind of big and...” Justin started saying.

“Your cock?” Brian asked smirking.

“Brian,” Justin said and laughed.

Mel rolled her eyes.  “What is it?”

“A painting,” Justin answered as he looked at Brian.  “It’s back at home.  Maybe you’ll want to put it in you loft.”

Brian nodded.  He knew that Justin did amazing works and he would like whatever the blond did.  Then he frowned not sure if Justin had done something.  They were always saying things that they hadn’t done so the others could think they were the perfect couple.

He didn’t have to wait long to find out if Justin was telling the truth.  After a while people started leaving and so did they.  When they reached Justin’s apartment Brian found himself a bit anxious.  They were exchanging gifts and that was something they didn’t have time to discuss before.  They really weren’t supposed to be exchanging gifts; it was never part of their original arrangement.  For the first time Brian felt like he was in a relationship and he didn’t know how to feel.

“Come on,” Justin said smiling as he walked to the part of his apartment that he had turned into a studio.  “I think you will like it.”

Brian didn’t make any comments on the matter.

“Here it is,” Justin said grabbing the present with a smile and then he gave it to the brunet.

Brian took it and stared at the blond for a few seconds before he looked at the wrapped present.  Then slowly he started to rip the paper.  

Justin leaned against the doorway with his arms crossed.  He was smiling as he watched the brunet act like a five year old.  He enjoyed seeing Brian this happy.

“Fuck,” Brian said in a really low voice.  He looked at himself in the painting and then at Justin.

“Don’t you like it?” Justin asked arching a brow, worried about Brian not approving.

Brian swallowed not sure how to answer.  He smirked and put the painting down.  “When did you do it?”

“One of those mornings when I woke up before you did,” Justin whispered.

Brian smiled and nodded slowly.  He walked over to Justin and wrapped his arm around Justin’s waist and pulled him closer.  “Thanks.”

“Happy Valentine’s Day,” Justin whispered and kissed Brian’s neck.  

The two of them hugged each other afraid of what was happening.  But for some reason they couldn’t pull away from one another.

***

Brian kissed Justin’s neck and pulled back.   He grinned as he saw the blond grunting and thrashing under him.  He caressed Justin’s face and kissed him hard.

They rolled around in bed a few times and when they stopped Justin was on top of Brian.  “You want to fuck me?” Justin asked and then licked behind Brian’s neck.

Brian closed his eyes and pushed his hips up.  His hands gripped Justin’s hips and smiled when Justin started sucking his earlobe.  

“Stop playing,” Justin whispered.

Brian laughed and turned them around once again.  “You want me to fuck you, don’t you?”

Justin’s tongue came out slowly and Brian couldn’t help but to stare thinking how sexy the blond looked.  In a quick motion he bent down and sucked Justin’s tongue into his mouth.  Justin moaned and buried his nails in Brian’s back.

“Easy,” Brian whispered when he pulled back.

“I want to suck you,” Justin said in a murmur.

“What was that?” Brian asked pulling back and sitting on his haunches.

Justin laughed and sat up.  He crawled up to the brunet and pushed him back into the bed.  He kissed Brian and then moved to the man’s chest.  His hands ran up and down the damp, tan skin while his tongue played with the brunet’s nipples.

“Who is playing now?” Brian asked and laughed.

Justin started kissing Brian’s body down until he reached the man’s cock.  He licked the man’s shaft while one of his hands played with Brian’s balls.

Brian closed his eyes and arched his hips into Justin’s mouth.  Justin let Brian fuck himself on his mouth for a while.  His hand moved lower and into Brian’s ass.

“What are you doing?” Brian asked opening his eyes suddenly.

“I’m going to fuck you,” Justin whispered and moved up.  “Couples can do that with each other.”

“We’re not really a couple,” Brian pointed out.  His cock responded when Justin’s finger rubbed against his hole.

“I know,” Justin said.  “But I thought I would try anything to convince you,” he said slowly and pushed his finger inside.

Brian closed his eyes and threw his head back.  His hips arched automatically liking the pleasure he was receiving from the blond.

Justin kissed the brunet’s neck as he started to finger fuck Brian.  His tongue licked from the base to the top of Brian’s neck and then kept going to his jaw and then his lips.  He kissed Brian slowly, his tongue slipping inside the warm cavity as another finger pushed inside Brian.

Brian groaned and shook his head.  He was trying to find strength to push the blond away.  But soon enough found out that he was cooperating due to Justin’s ministrations.  Brian turned around onto his stomach when Justin told him to.  He squeezed the pillow under him and waited.

“You’re fantastic,” Justin whispered behind Brian’s ear as he put on a condom.

Brian closed his eyes as he felt the blunt tip of Justin’s cock at his entrance.  He groaned when the blond pushed inside of him.  He breathed in and out as he tried to control the pain.  It had been such a long time.  He didn’t know why he was letting the younger man fuck him.  He knew he didn’t have to.

“Brian,” Justin growled.  “Fuck.”

Brian forgot everything around him.  He didn’t want to think.  All thoughts just faded into the background and the only thing present was him and the blond.  

Justin gripped Brian’s hips as he fucked him.  Their pace getting faster and faster by the second.  The sweaty body under him was moving recklessly.  He couldn’t believe that he was fucking the older man.  Justin was enjoying each second of it.

“Ah,” Brian groaned when the blond started plunging into him over and over all the while rubbing his prostate.  He reached for his cock to jerk himself.

“That’s it,” Justin moaned as Brian moved his hips decadently.  “Fuck!  You’re wonderful!”

Brian arched his back into the blond and splashed his cum all over the sheets and himself.

Justin grunted as his orgasm rippled through him.  His body dropped on top of Brian’s in complete bliss.  Neither of them moved in their post coital haze.  The room was silent except for their heavy breathing. 

“Get off,” Brian said.

Justin pulled out of the man careful not to tear or hurt Brian.  He got on his side and frowned as Brian moved away as if the bed was burning him.

“I have to go,” Brian told the man as he sat at the edge of the bed.

“Brian,” Justin said putting his hand on Brian’s shoulder.

Brian pulled away.  He got up and quickly started searching for his clothes.

“What are you doing?” Justin asked confused.

“I said I had to go,” Brian said harshly.

Justin didn’t know what to think anymore.  He followed Brian out of the bedroom not saying a word.  He didn’t know what he could say to make Brian stop his erratic behavior or stay in the room.

“I’ll call you,” Brian muttered and opened the door to the apartment.

Justin threw the door in Brian’s face; it shut with a loud bang.  He was angry and confused at what was happening.  He covered his mouth not sure what had happened to them in a blink of an eye.  He closed his eyes as he rested his back against the door.  He felt his eyes watering and shook his head.  He was going out of his mind.  They weren’t a real couple, if Brian wanted to storm out of his apartment it didn’t mean anything.  It couldn’t mean anything, Justin kept telling himself.  He repeated the mantra over and over again but he never believed it.