“I think you need bread,” Justin said grabbing the bread in front of him. Brian shrugged and kept on walking with the blond. “Ok, but I’m not really eating that. It’s for when you’re at the loft. I’m never going to eat again. I think I’m coming down with something. I’m not feeling to too well.” Justin stopped the cart to stare at Brian. “What?” “I think I might have food poisoning,” Brian told him. Justin frowned. “What the fuck are you talking about?” “The food,” Brian groaned. He and Justin had lunch with Daphne earlier. “It’s all her fault.” “Oh shut up,” Justin told him. “She knows how to cook and you wanted more so it’s your fault if you feel like you’re going to explode.” “Whatever. I just didn’t want her to feel bad,” Brian muttered. Justin laughed. “Right.” “You know how much exercise I’m going to have to do thanks to all the calories I consumed,” Brian explained. “I can help you with that,” Justin told him and wiggled his eyebrows. Brian smirked and kissed Justin’s neck. “I’m going to get some condoms. We’re running low.” Justin nodded and kept pushing the cart. He smiled when he got to the bakery section. He felt like he was in wonderland with so many delicious desserts all around him. He grabbed a box of double chocolate cup cakes knowing that Brian liked those no matter how much the man bitched about them being at his loft. He knew that he hadn’t finished them alone; in fact Brian had eaten most o the ones he had bought before which had surprised him. Then he moved to grab a blueberry pie. He could eat it whole if they let him. He was about to grab some doughnuts when a hand appeared out of nowhere and stopped him. The man turned Justin around and kissed him hard. “Stop,” Justin said when he pulled back. His eyes widened when he saw who it was. “Cameron!” “In the flesh,” Cameron told him. He had been planning to go see the blond. He never imagined he was going to find him there. He had left his cart right away and rushed to the blond when he saw him. “I see you don’t change. It’s a miracle you haven’t gotten fat,” he said as he looked at Justin’s cart. Justin frowned and took a step back. “Leave me alone. I told you to never come back.” “I’m a changed man,” Cameron assured him. “I did it for you. There is a new person standing in front of you.” Justin shook his head. He had heard that line before from the man and like a fool believed it, but not now. “I don’t want to ever see you.” “Justin,” Cameron said sweetly. “We were so great together.” “I’m with someone,” Justin said quickly as if he remembered suddenly. Technically he really wasn’t in a real relationship but was pretending to and if that helped him get rid of Cameron so be it. “Don’t make me laugh,” Cameron said. “Don’t tell me you’re with one of those pathetic boys from P.I.F.A.,” the man had met Justin when he was still in college and had been dating Ethan. “You know what you need is a real man,” Cameron informed him. “Are they selling those in here?” Brian asked hearing the last part of what the man in front of Justin had said. Brian looked at the blond with a smile. “Maybe we can take one home, Justin,” he said sarcastically. “But it would have to be one that looks better than this one,” he said and then he threw in the cart the six boxes of condom that he had gotten. Cameron frowned and looked from Brian to Justin to the condoms and then back at the guys. “Who the fuck is he?” Justin swallowed and looked at Brian. “I’m his partner,” Brian informed the man. “Who the fucks are you?” “He’s my ex,” Justin told him. “Well, I thought that he was hotter by the way you described him,” Brian said as he stared at Cameron with a grin. He had never heard about the man before but Cameron didn’t have to know that. Justin never wanted to talk about his past and he never was one to pry about it. Cameron was pissed. He thought that Justin was joking about being with someone and if he was it would be someone similar to the idiot Ian. He could have swept Justin off his feet like last time. But the guy in front of him presented a challenge. “We were just leaving,” Brian said. Justin moved to the cart and started pushing it. He didn’t even care that Brian had stayed behind. He just wanted to get out of there. “What?” Cameron asked smirking. “Scared that I’m back?” “Not one bit,” Brian told him. “Look at me,” the brunet said as he opened his arms and took a step back with a grin in place. “Why would he want to go back with you?” Cameron glared at Brian before he left. He had to come up with a plan to recover the blond. “Brian,” Justin said when Brian stood behind him. “So,” Brian said as they waited in line. “What’s up?” “What do you mean?” Justin asked. “You look a bit nervous,” Brian told him. “I’m not nervous. I’m perfectly okay, Brian. I have nothing to worry about. He’s only someone from the past and it was quite a surprise to see him but I’m not affected by it. He’s history and plus I’m with you; well, you know what I mean by that. You don’t have to worry about anything,” Justin assured him. Brian smirked. “You’re babbling.” Justin opened his mouth to say something and stopped. He smiled at Brian amazed that the brunet knew him so well. “Yeah,” he whispered. “What do you want to do?” Brian asked as they advanced on the line. “I don’t know,” Justin said. “He wants to get back together with me but I told you I was going to do this for you. If I quit now you would lose,” Justin answered. But the truth of the matter, which he never dared to tell anyone, was that he was terrified of Cameron. Their relationship had been wonderful in the beginning before it turned into a living hell. Brian licked his lips and shrugged. “It’s up to you.” “How can you say that, Brian?” Justin asked. “I agreed to this and I’m not going to leave you hanging.” Brian thought about it. “Maybe if you get back with him you could tell him what’s going on.” “Are you nuts? Eventually he would get angry or jealous about the whole thing and he would tell everyone. Plus I like fucking you just fine,” Justin said gripping the handle of the cart. He wished that Brian stopped talking about Cameron. Brian grinned and hugged Justin from behind. “Good, he’s not even that good looking. You could do much better so forget him,” he informed the smaller man. He knew he was cross-examining Justin but he wanted to be sure that Justin didn’t want to go back to his ex. He kissed Justin on the neck and sighed happily. Justin smiled from ear to ear knowing it was true, there were hundreds of better men in the world, present company included. *** “Where did Justin get those clothes?” Emmett asked. Brian looked towards the blond who was dancing with Michael. The blond was wearing a pair of black leather pants and a red tight silk shirt with a black line going vertically through it on the left side. He smiled and turned to look at Emmett. “He’s been updating his wardrobe. He looks more sophisticated and very hot.” Emmett laughed. “You really like him?” “What do you mean?” Brian asked. Emmett remembered not to corner the brunet. “He could be a good friend.” Brian frowned. “What?” “Well, I’m hoping that when you break up with him you go easy on him,” Emmett said. “We could all still be friends.” Brian shrugged as he grabbed his drink. He looked towards Justin again who was laughing with Michael. He didn’t know how they were going to break up. He thought Emmett’s idea was brilliant. He and Justin could still talk to one another and no one would be the wiser. He could still see the blond whenever he pleased and it wouldn’t mean anything more beyond a simple friendship. “Yeah,” Ben said who had been quietly listening. “Michael likes him.” “What?” Brian asked, his head snapping to look at Ben. He gazed at Michael and Justin and scowled before he looked back at the professor. “Like the brother he never had,” Ben pointed out very slowly for Brian. Emmett was laughing. “You should’ve seen your face.” Brian glowered at the man. “Hey guys,” Ted said arriving there. “What’s new?” “Not much,” Emmett told him kissing Ted on the cheek. “Are you okay?” Ted nodded and asked for a beer. Michael appeared and hugged Ted quickly before he moved to Ben’s side. “Where did you leave Justin?” Brian asked grimacing. “Some guy he knows started talking to him,” Michael answered. Brian turned to look at Justin and found him talking with Cameron. They were standing in the middle of the floor without dancing. Brian exhaled noisily not sure what to do. He didn’t want to look like a jealous boyfriend, not that he really was one. “Who is that?” Emmett asked. Brian didn't answer but if looks could kill Cameron would no longer be standing. The man was talking to his blond and touching him. He put his drink down and walked towards them. “Hey,” he said as he grabbed Justin from behind and kissed Justin on the neck. “Do you want to get a drink?” “Yeah,” Justin said. Cameron looked at Brian briefly before his gaze returned to meet Justin’s. Cameron had to do something; he wanted Justin back with him. “Why don’t you get it for him? Justin and I were about to dance,” Cameron stated. Justin glared at Cameron. “Fine,” Brian said and tightened his jaw. “One dance.” Justin nodded and started dancing with Cameron while Brian walked back to the bar. He was fuming. “Are you going to tell us who he is?” Emmett asked. “He’s Justin’s ex,” Brian grunted. “So, that is Justin’s old flame?” Michael asked then he looked at Ben with a smile. They were both thinking the same thing; Brian was jealous as hell. Brian nodded. “And you’re jealous?” Emmett asked smirking. Brian couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “Of course I’m not,” Brian hissed. “This is all a big fat lie, remember? But if Justin goes back with him I lose. So now you understand my predicament. That’s all there is to it drama queens. I’m trying to protect my investment.” Ben wasn’t sure he believed the brunet. “I see,” Emmett said and believed that Brian did protest too much. He was willing to make his own wager that Brian was jealous for real. Then he started to realize that perhaps Ben wasn’t wrong; maybe Brian had fallen for the blond at some point during their pretense and he had fallen hard. “Take him away,” Michael suggested. “You can spend the weekend away from the ex’s constant intrusions.” “Michael,” Ben said still pretending that he didn’t appreciate how Brian’s walls were non-existent when it concerned the blond. “Don’t give him any ideas. Justin could be happy with this guy and you’re giving Brian a way to fuck that up.” Brian glared at Ben. “They’re having such a great time by the looks of it,” Emmett pointed out. He could see Cameron hugging the blond close to him. “Justin doesn’t want to be with him. If he would have wanted him he would not have left a long time ago,” Brian barked at them. “Easy there,” Emmett said and chuckled. “Are you sure...?” “Shut the fuck up,” Brian shouted and headed towards Justin and Cameron. “Hello boys.” Justin moved towards Brian and hugged him. Brian frowned not sure why Justin was trembling. He didn’t want to think that Justin was nervous by being in Cameron’s arms because he still felt something. He had felt the blond shake in his arms and he wanted to be the sole cause of eliciting that response. “I was saying goodbye to Justin,” Cameron said grinning. “I’ll see you guys around.” “Jus,” Brian whispered not sure what he wanted to ask. “Yeah?” Justin asked but never looked Brian in the eyes. “Nothing,” Brian replied as he put his arm around Justin’s shoulder. “Let’s go have a drink.” “Okay,” Justin said a bit sadly. He glanced back towards the direction that Cameron had left and sighed. Brian started considering Michael’s suggestion. Even if Justin had told him that it was okay he didn’t want Cameron seeing the blond. Justin was his blond for the reminder of the year and no one was taking him away any sooner than necessary. *** Brian grabbed the third condom of the night. He put it on and pulled Justin’s legs onto his shoulder. He entered the blond slowly. He didn’t need to prepare him since he had already fucked him earlier that night. He kissed Justin hard as their hips started moving. Justin shut his eyes and moaned. Brian was trying to kill him; he knew it. “So good,” Brian moaned and started to lick the blond’s nipples. He bit one of them and Justin jumped and then laughed. “Brian,” he said caressing Brian’s face. “Fuck me.” Brian growled when the blond gripped him. He let go of Justin’s left nipple which he had been sucking and moved to kiss the blond. He grunted and his mouth opened with a gasp when Justin’s gripped him tightly. He couldn’t get enough of the blond. “Brian,” Justin moaned as he pulled on Brian’s hair. He knew he was going to be very sore in the morning but he could care less right now. Brian wouldn’t have minded if he had to spend the rest of his life like that; buried deep inside the blond. He kissed Justin hard moaning at how good it felt. “Fuck me,” Justin groaned as he pushed back against Brian. He was so close already; Brian always made him lose all control. With one hand at Justin’s neck and the other one at the blond’s hip the brunet started hammering inside Justin. He grunted and moaned with each wave of bliss that hit him. Then it all came to an end with each of them exploding and satisfying one another. “I think I can’t move,” Justin said and laughed. “God, Brian. You’re always so fucking good.” Brian pulled out of the blond and stayed quiet. He took off the used condom and frowned. He knew that the blond was watching him. He looked at Justin and was surprised to find a pair of blue eyes scrutinizing him intensely. “What’s wrong?” Justin asked. “You look a bit stressed, Bri.” “I’m okay,” Brian answered as he got up from the bed. “Brian,” Justin drawled. “Come on,” he said as he kneeled on the bed and moved closer to the edge. “You want to suck me?” Brian asked arching a brow. Justin laughed and put his arms around Brian’s waist when the brunet came closer. Justin kissed Brian’s collarbone and then looked up at him. “I can help you.” Brian stared at the blond expressionless. Justin wasn’t being fooled. He could feel how stiff Brian’s body was. “Tell me what’s wrong. This doesn’t have to do with Cameron, does it?” “That fucking asshole,” Brian said pulling away. “Of course not.” “Then what’s wrong?” Justin asked getting out of the bed and following Brian into the bathroom. “I’m just thinking about something,” Brian muttered. “It has nothing to do with you and me.” “Okay,” Justin said. He was about to exit the bathroom when Brian grabbed his hand. “I need someone to wash my back,” Brian said in a low voice before he kissed Justin hard. They moaned into the kiss and each pulled away with a big smile. They entered the shower and started washing each other. Justin was still concerned for the brunet. Brian could see Justin’s worry was real so he decided to tell him what he had been thinking about. “It’s about Lindsay and Melanie,” Brian said. “What?” Justin asked looking up at Brian. He was trying to figure out what was Brian problem. Therefore he didn’t grasp right away what Brian was telling him. “Oh,” he whispered. “They...want to have a baby,” Brian related. “That’s going to be a bit difficult considering they don’t have all the necessary equipment,” Justin pointed out. “Don’t you think?” Brian laughed a bit and nodded. He bent down a bit and whispered to the blond, “This is where I come in.” Justin stared at Brian and finally understood what the man was telling him. “Oh.” “Yeah,” Brian drawled. “They talked to me about it yesterday,” Brian said as he turned Justin around so he could wash the blond’s back. “They told me how they want my sperm to have a kid,” Brian said. Justin smiled. “And do you want to?” “I don’t know,” Brian answered honestly. “What do you think I should do?” Brian asked the blond. Justin turned around and shrugged. “What do you want to do, Brian? Do you want to have a kid or not?” “I never thought about it,” Brian said. “Then do think about it,” Justin told him smiling. “It wouldn’t be so bad to have a mini you around.” Brian chuckled at the thought; it was crazy. “First, figure out what you want not what the girls really want, then follow your intuition. You’re usually right,” Justin told him. Brian nodded and put the soap in Justin’s hands. “I thought you were washing my back.” Justin smirked happy that Brian was beginning to share more of him. He figured that there was a possibility that they would get to be close friends. He would even settle for that in the end. *** Justin was falling asleep when he heard a knock on the door. He sat up and looked at Brian’s sleeping form. He smiled before he got up and went to see who it was. He checked the clock on the wall and saw that it was one in the morning. He wondered whom the fuck it was. With the chain on Justin unlocked the door and looked at who it was. He was surprised to see Cameron there with a big smile in place. Justin closed the door again and took off the chain. He opened the door and glared at his ex. “What the fuck are you doing here at this hour?” “Hey,” Cameron said. “How are you doing?” “Cam,” Justin whispered he was so tired of fighting his ex. “What do you want?” “Can I come in?” Cameron asked. “Uh, not really,” Justin told him. Cameron smiled and pushed himself inside the apartment. “This place looks the same.” Justin left the door open and went after the man. “Can you please leave?” “No,” Cameron told him. “I think you should give me a beer and we should talk.” Justin made two fists. He wasn’t going to let Cameron tell him what to do anymore. He was stronger than that. Daphne had told him a hundred times that he could have tried harder and he believe at that moment that she was right. “Get the fuck out of my house.” Cameron sat down and smiled. “Come on, Jus. Be a good little boy.” Justin took a deep breath. He remembered Cameron repeating those words when he would force himself on him. He tried to keep such thoughts away before they overwhelmed him again. “You remember how good we were,” Cameron said getting up. “Justin,” he said and caressed the blond’s face. “Leave my apartment,” Justin said trying to sound authoritative instead of the fear he was feeling. “Jus,” Cameron whispers as his hands moved to touch Justin’s chest. “You don’t mean that.” “Fuck off,” Justin said pushing the man back. “Get the fuck out of my apartment!” Cameron grabbed Justin by the neck and pushed him all the way into the wall. “Don’t you talk to me like that you fucking cunt!” Justin struggled to get free. “Let me...go.” Cameron raised his hand and slapped Justin hard. “No,” Justin grunted and punched the man on the shoulder. He had never dared to do something like that before. He stopped and stared at Cameron somewhat in shock. Cameron was beyond angry. “I guess I have to teach you a lesson.” He punched Justin hard in the face making the blond fall to the floor. Justin felt like he was trapped in the past. He couldn’t help but cry; he wished he was stronger. “I’m going to show you,” Cameron said undoing his belt. “You know you want me to.” “What the fuck is going on?” Brian asked rubbing his face. “Cameron?” Cameron turned a bit stunned to see the brunet there. “What are you doing here?” Brian asked and moved closer to them. That’s when he saw his blond on the floor bleeding. “What are you doing here?” Cameron asked. But Brian didn’t answer and Cameron didn’t have a chance either since Brian punched the man in front of him. “What the fuck is your problem?!” he asked screaming the question with anger; madness driving his every move as he started punching Cameron. Justin was so stunned to see Brian’s blind fury that it even scared him. He finally reacted when he realized that Brian was not stopping. He got up and pulled the brunet away from his ex. Cameron groaned and rolled on the floor. Justin was ready to pull away from Brian. He was terrified of what was happening before him. But then the brunet hugged him tightly. “Are you okay?” Brian asked. Justin wanted to cry and rant with fury. His emotions raged within him, threatening to overwhelm him. He wanted to be stronger. He didn’t want to be a scared faggot who was too afraid to act. He wished that he didn’t need anything or anyone. He didn’t want anyone to protect him or come to his rescue. But, when Justin looked into Brian’s eyes Justin thought he saw love; he smiled knowing that the brunet would never harm him. “Fuck you!” Cameron hissed. “Fuck you!” Brian got up and practically kicked Cameron out of the apartment. He closed the door and turned to look at the blond. “I think we need to talk. You have to tell me everything, Justin. But we’re going to the hospital first.” Justin crossed his arms and looked at the floor. All he could do at that moment was cry. He didn’t want anyone to know but when Brian hugged him and told him that everything would be okay he started realizing that Brian wasn’t just anyone. Brian was his unconventional lover and Justin loved him.