“I hate parties.”  Jake said, looking around the room at the people gathered there.

Ben closed his eyes and shook his head.

“You already told me.”  Ben said dryly.

“I’m just saying.”

“You already have said.”  Ben hissed.  “Just go bother someone else.  Go tell Kevin or Brian or the fucking wall, I don’t care.”

“Gosh, you always treat me this way.”  Jake said.  “I’m so calling mom.”

“I do not.” Ben calmly said watching Justin closely.  

“Yes, you do.”  Jake told him watching the door.

“Could you two stop fighting?”  Brian asked smirking.  “Leave your brother alone, Ben.”

Ben took a deep breath and tried to control himself.  His little brother could sometimes get the better of him.

“Hey, who is that kid that Justin is talking to?”  Jake asked.

Brian looked around just as Justin started laughing about something the other guy had said.  Ben and Jake turned to look at Brian.  Brian frowned and looked at his watch.

“It’s kind of late.  Shouldn’t we be leaving?”  Brian asked.

“Hey, are you…” Jake was about to ask but Brian stopped him.

“If you dare say I’m jealous, I’m going to make you eat a bullet.”  Brian hissed.

Ben giggled even thought he was trying really hard not too.

“Oh my god.  I didn’t know you were clairvoyant.”  Jake mocked.

Brian moved as to hit Jake but Ben got in the middle.

“Jake, go get Kevin and check the perimeter.  And please don’t get into any trouble.”  Ben instructed his little brother.

Jake smiled and nodded.

“God damn it.”  Brian whispered.

“So, uh, should I go get Justin?”  Ben asked looking at the blonde.

Brian glared before he left Ben standing by himself.  Ben smiled and felt a lot better than when Jake had been bothering him.

Justin had watched the whole scene from afar.  He wondered what had Brian so rattled and made a mental note to ask later.

“So, do you think you can come tomorrow?”  

Justin frowned not wanting to be anywhere near Ethan now or any other time.  Plus he already had made a brunch appointment at Louis restaurant to show the guys what breakfast food look like.

“I can’t, Ethan.  I have a brunch appointment and then I have to go shopping for some supplies.”  Justin said. 

“What about after that?”  Ethan asked.

“Nah, I don’t think I can.  My dad wants to talk to me and mom is having this fancy dinner thing.”  Justin told him.

“Oh.”

“Yeah, can you excuse me a minute?”

“Sure.”  Ethan said smiling.

Justin walked over to Daphne and smiled at her charmingly.

“Could I talk to you for a second?”

“What is it?”  Daphne asked.

“I hate this party.” Justin murmured.  “I really hate it.  I want to go.”

“But Justin I just met this wonderful guy.  He is great.”  Daphne begged.  “Please, one more hour.”

“Daphne, people are getting drunk.  They look pretty horny to me and there is no one here for me.”  Justin told her.

“There’s Ethan.”  Daphne suggested.

“I prefer to be boiled alive.”  Justin told her.

“Brian.”

“I’m going to pretend like I didn’t hear that.”  Justin said.

“Come on Justin, just a little while more.”

“Great, now I know that I’m going to be traumatized by a bunch of straight people.  In one more hour they are going to be humping each other.”  Justin said looking around.

Daphne giggled but stopped when Brian stood in front of them.

“We are leaving soon.”  Brian told them and then kept on moving around.

“Who the hell does he think he is?”  Justin asked angrily.  

Daphne frowned.

“But Justin, you wanted to leave.”  

“I don’t care.  He doesn’t own my life.”  Justin told her.  “God, he thinks just because he is so fucking gorgeous he can order me around.”

“Okay now.” Daphne said seriously.  “You SO want him to order you around.”

Justin eyes went big and he turned and looked at Daphne.

“Fuck off, Daph.”

Daphne stood there not at all fazed by Justin’s attitude.  She smiled when she saw Justin walking in Brian’s direction.  It was going to be quite a trip watching Brian and Justin around each other.  

~~~~~

Kevin looked around the table and shook his head.  Then he looked around the restaurant and wondered what he had done to deserve such treatment.  Kevin liked to be outside just watching anyone that look suspicious.  He did not like to sit down and have brunch with a bunch of straight people looking at him like he was from another planet.

“Kill me now.” Jake whispered to Kevin.

“I would do it if I wasn’t planning on killing myself.”  Kevin told him.  

The waiter came around and smiled at them.

“Hello, my name is Mark and I will be with you shortly.”  Mark said before he left.

“Why do we have to be here again?”  Kevin asked.

“Because those are the rules.” Justin said smugly. “Right, Ben?”

Ben nodded with a fake smile in place.

“Do all of us have to be here?”  Kevin asked.  “Brian, please tell me I can go check the place out or hang myself.”  Kevin whispered the last part.

“What can I get you?”  Mark asked.

“I’ll have scramble eggs with bacon and toast.  I also want a cocktail and orange juice.”  Justin said.

Mark nodded and jotted it down.

“I’ll have a cup of black coffee and some toast.”  Brian said.

“Me too.”

“And me.”

“I’ll have the same.”  Ben agreed.

“No way, that’s not a brunch.”  Justin complained.

“So?”  Jake asked.

“Bring them some scramble eggs and pancakes and sausages and juice.”  Justin said to Mark.

“Coming right up.” Mark said.

“I think I should be in the lookout.”  Jake said.  “Just a suggestion.”

“I feel like one of the girls.”  Kevin told them.  “If anyone starts swapping stories I’m out of here.”

Ben smirked and looked at Brian who was fuming.

“Come on guys, it will be fun.”  Justin said cheerfully.  “After this we are going shopping.”

Jake looked like he was getting ill.

“Jake and Kevin can go with you.”  Ben said.

“Why aren’t you two coming?”  Justin asked but he only looked at Brian.

Jake and Kevin looked at each other with a knowing smile.

“We have things to do.”  Brian said.

Justin started to pout.

“So Justin.” Ben began.  “Do you have any idea why they are threatening you?”

Justin’s head snapped towards Ben.  He looked straight at Ben before he shook his head.

“Are you sure?”  Jake asked.  “Maybe…”

“No, I have no fucking idea, okay?”  Justin hissed.

Kevin mouthed wow to Jake who only shrugged.  They waited in silence for their food.

“Here we go.” Mark said bringing them their food.  “I’ll bring the rest in a minute.  If you need anything else let me know.”

Jake took his fork and stabbed a piece of sausage.  He brought it up to his face and recoiled.

“I think I know now how a pregnant woman feels.”  Kevin joked.

Kevin shook his head and pushed his plate away.

“Guys, come on, eat something.  All of you look like sticks.”  Justin said trying to persuade them.  

“It’s called a figure.”  Jake said.  “We have to keep in shape.”

“Fine.” Justin whined.  “It’s not like the food is going to kill you.”

“It might.” Ben told him.  

“I’m going to go.  I’ll go see if I see anything strange outside.”  Jake said getting up.

“I’ll go with you.”  Ben told him.

“I’m going to the bathroom and puke.”  Kevin murmured getting up to check the place out.

“Aren’t you going to eat yours?”  Justin asked Brian.

“Is that something I have to do because you say so?”  Brian asked and lifted his cup of coffee.  “Next thing you know you will be telling me when to walk and what to wear.”

“Some color wouldn’t hurt.”  Justin said smiling but started to pout when he saw Brian’s reaction.  “I’m sorry about what I said last night. You were right about getting home early.  It was a safe move and I’m sorry for everything.”

Brian arched a brow.

“I’m still not going to eat that.”  Brian told him.

“Oh, you are so hard to deal with.”  Justin grunted.

Brian smiled.

“What the fuck is this?”  A guy came screaming up to the table.  “Who the fuck is he?”

“Jimmy, it’s not what you think.”  Justin said getting up.

Brian got up and stood in front of Justin.

“Who is he?”  Brian asked.

“None of your fucking business.”  The screaming guy stated. 

“His name is James Hunter Montgomery.”  Justin said.  “He is…was…”

“I was Jason’s cousin.  He is dead now.”  James spat out.

“I think it’s better if you just leave.”  Justin pleaded.

“He’s only been dead for three months and you are already with someone else.”  James grated.  “You are a fucking monster.  First you get him killed and now it turns out you don’t fucking care.”

“Fuck you, Jimmy.  Get the fuck away from me.”  Justin yelled.

The people around them were starting to stare and whisper among themselves.

“You are going to get yours.”  James said swinging at Justin and missing him by an inch.

Brian pushed him away and Ben came inside and rushed towards them.  James started pushing Brian so Brian used his momentum to throw him on the floor.  Ben took Justin by the arm and pulled the young man out of the restaurant.  Jake came inside to pull Brian away from Jimmy who was still on the floor getting kicked.  Jake knew Brian well enough to know that he wasn’t going to stop; even more so when it involved Justin.

When they were outside, Ben got into the car with Justin and Jake in the back seat.  Brian got behind the wheel and started the car.

“Where the fuck is Kevin?”  Brian asked.

“He was checking the place out.  I’ll call him and tell him to meet us at the corner.”  Jake said.

They went around the block and waited for Kevin to get there.  While they waited Justin just kept on crying because of what had happened.

“You know, I leave for one second and all this shit happens.”  Kevin argued when he got in.  “It’s not fair.”

"Shut up." Brian told him.  “We are going back to the house.”

“No, take me to Daphne’s house.”  Justin whimpered.

Brian looked through the rearview mirror at Ben who just nodded.