~*~ “So where is Bradley this morning?” Justin rolled his eyes. “You know it’s Brandon.” “Ahh, Brandon,” Brian repeated slowly, “the boyfriend.” “Asleep. Which is where I should be. Christ, Brian. Eight o’clock on a Sunday morning?” He rubbed his eyes and stifled a yawn. “Fuck.” “If you would stop hitting the club every night…” Brian seemed amused, even though they both knew Justin hadn’t been out anywhere since his first night back at Babylon four weeks ago. Justin gave him a ‘what the fuck’ look and then rubbed his chin, feeling the remnants of the stubble he hadn’t had time to shave. Brian had called him late the previous evening asking if he’d meet him at the diner. So here they sat, Justin barely awake, Brian uncharacteristically fresh for a weekend morning. In the past month since Brian had been trying to mend their friendship, they’d actually shared several mornings at the diner. First by accident, both showing up at the same time and awkwardly easing into conversation, then by choice, always keeping the topic light and neutral. After the first meeting, Justin was feeling a lot more at ease about where they were headed. He wouldn’t say they were friends, exactly, but little by little he was beginning to forget how much their friendship had hurt. They say time heals all wounds. In this case, Justin would probably agree. “So what was so important it couldn’t wait until a respectable hour?” Brian nodded for the waitress to refill his coffee cup. “I hear you’re in the market for your own place.” “Yeah. I think Em and I have finally decided his apartment is only big enough for one person,” he smiled. “Besides, it’s time for me to go out on my own. It’s not like I can’t afford it. I’ve just gotta stop relying on other people always being around to help out.” “Well, my place… the apartment is going to be available next week. I thought you might be interested.” “You’re moving?” He hadn’t meant to sound so anxious, but the thought of Brian leaving… “I’m buying a loft on Tremont.” “A loft?” “On Tremont.” Justin shook his head. “I heard you, I just… isn’t that a little pricey?” “I landed a huge fucking account that’s guaranteed to make me partner. I can afford it.” Justin smiled. “I’m glad for you. You deserve it.” “Fucking right I deserve it. Ryder’s just afraid I’m gonna take over the fucking company. If he’s not careful, I will.” They both smiled. It was probably true. “So what about it? Should I hold onto the lease?” “Yeah,” Justin nodded, “I think I’d like that.” “Well then I guess it’ll work out for both of us.” “And Emmett. He’ll be happy.” Brian sighed dramatically. “Or he might be disappointed. No more listening to you and Bradley fucking at all hours of the night,” he goaded. “Whatever will he do for entertainment now?” “It’s Brandon, and I’m sure Emett’ll be just fine.” Brian took a sip from his cup and slowly sat it down on the saucer. “So, how is the not so better half anyway? Everything all happy happy in queer land?” “Don’t be sarcastic.” “I was just wondering how things were going for you, that’s all.” Justin stared for a moment, trying to figure out if he was actually seriously interested or not, and then finally said, “Things are okay. He’s been working a lot of late hours so I haven’t been able to see much of him the last couple of weeks.” Brian’s thoughts drifted to Babylon. Brandon definitely hadn’t been making himself scarce there. “So what does he do?” “He manages a restaurant downtown. You know that ritzy place… uhm, Catatelli’s?” “Yeah, I know it.” “All of a sudden they have him working all these weird hours. It seems like he’s always busy during the day and then he’s not available at night either. It’s been kinda hard.” Brian’s brow rose. “You ever consider he may be unavailable for other reasons?” For a moment, Justin was confused until he realized what Brian was suggesting. “What? No, of course not.” “I’m just saying, how well do you really know this guy? He hasn’t been around for too long.” “Long enough to know I can trust him,” he answered, clearly annoyed. “Are you sure?” “Yes, I’m sure. Not everyone’s like you, Brian. Some people can be happy being with just one person.” “Yes. Some people can,” he fired back, assuming now wasn’t the best time to bring up Brandon’s hobby of fucking. “But not everyone wants to. Are you sure he’s into monogamy?” “Not everyone has to prove something by fucking five guys a week.” “Maybe you shouldn’t care about what I do and pay more attention to what your boyfriend is doing.” Justin’s eyes found the table. “I don’t care what you do,” he said softly, and then looked up again. “We’re happy, okay? Can you just leave it alone?” Brian held up his hands in retreat. As much as he wanted to blow Brandon’s cover, hurting Justin wasn’t something he was willing to do in the process. There had definitely been more than enough of that to go around already. Maybe the subtle hints would be enough to get Justin’s mind wandering. “Not another word.” “Good.” “Why don’t you meet us at Babylon Saturday night? Just because the boyfriend’s too busy to play doesn’t mean you have to sulk at home alone.” Justin shrugged. It would be nice to have a little fun. Especially since it looked like he’d be spending most of the weekend moving. “Yeah, okay. I think I can get out for a while. 9:00?” Brian nodded, throwing a twenty down on the table before sliding out of the booth. “Later.” ~*~ “You really lecture about homosexual content in comic books?” Ben nodded at Justin. “Well, it’s not all I teach. But it’s a small part of this semester’s curriculum… yeah.” “And that’s how you and Michael met?” Justin still couldn’t wrap his mind around the fact that he and Brian were no longer fucking and that Michael was now hot and heavy with a college professor. “He spoke to my class, and the rest as they say is history.” “Wow. I never thought I’d see the day when he would…” he stopped. Ben took a sip from his bottle. “When he would what?” Justin shook his head, glancing toward Brian and Michael dancing out on the floor. “Nothing.” Ben followed his gaze. “If you were going to mention his fixation on Brian, I already know all about their history.” “You do?” “Yeah. He told me they’d been fucking for a couple of years.” Justin shook his head. “And that doesn’t bother you?” Ben shrugged. “Why should it? Whatever they were doing, it was over a couple of months before I met him. Michael didn’t tell me why, but I don’t have any intention of stirring anything up about Brian.” That was interesting. He’d assumed Brian would never give up having Michael at his beck and call whenever a trick disappointed him. “Speaking of which, I think I’d better go wrangle Michael away and take him home. They look like they’ve had enough fun for one evening,” he said, smiling. Justin nodded and watched as Ben retrieved Michael and then as Brian made his way back to him at the bar. Two Beams, a beer and a bump later, Brian was past wasted and was tugging on his shirt, pulling Justin out onto the dance floor. He leaned into him, his chin resting against Justin’s shoulder, his eyes fluttering closed. “We need to get you home, Brian.” “It’s early. I haven’t fucked anyone yet.” “It’s 2:30 and you’ve been to the backroom twice.” Brian snorted. “Mediocre blowjobs. No one in this Burg knows how to give good head anymore.” Justin sighed and began pulling Brian through the crowd, stopping when they made it outside. “Where’d you park the jeep?” Brian pulled out a tab and placed it on his tongue, offering another to Justin, who refused. “No and you’ve had enough, where’s the jeep?” Brian shook his head and moved close, putting his arms around Justin, sliding against his hip. “Never enough.” He was trying to stay annoyed, but fuck if it didn’t feel good. Too good in fact. Brian shifted, moving in front of him and pushed his hand between them, rubbing against Justin’s cock. “Come home with me.” “I am taking you home.” “No,” Brian breathed against his neck, working the button and then reaching for the zipper, trying to move his hand inside. “I want to fuck you.” Justin pushed his hand away. “Stop, Brian. You’re so fucked up, you don’t know what you’re doing.” Brian smiled and glanced down. “I think I was making you hard.” Justin ignored him and asked sternly, hoping Brian wouldn’t notice the shakiness in his voice, “Where’s the fucking jeep?” Brian shrugged, handed Justin the keys and started walking down the street, leaving Justin to follow. He relied on the alarm and began pushing the button, happy when the lights blinked. Finally maneuvering Brian into the passenger side, he leaned his head on the wheel. “If I get you to Tremont, think you can safely find your place?” Brian grinned and leaned closer. “Top floor, Sunshine. Only the best for Pittsburgh’s finest Ad man.” Justin started the ignition and tried to ignore Brian’s eyes staring at him. He shifted in his seat, self-conscious of the bulge, hoping it wasn’t as noticeable as it felt, but knew that it was just wishful thinking. Of course Brian saw it. And knew he was the cause. The tab of E appeared again and Brian’s index fingers slowly began rubbing Justin’s lip, trying to get him to open up. “You know you want it. You love the way it makes you feel.” “I’m dropping you off and then I’m going home. I’ll bring the jeep back tomorrow.” Brian’s voice was suddenly in his ear. “Just a half. And you can stay for a little while.” Justin sighed and Brian smiled, biting the tab and giving Justin half. Before they made it to the loft, Justin was already smiling, giving in to the E, doing the bump Brian held up to him, and only half aware they were already turning onto Tremont. Brian reached across to unfasten Justin’s seat belt and lingered, their lips barely touching before he pulled away and fumbled from the jeep.