Justin watched as Brian literally fucked himself, the pain nearly crushing him. For the last few months, Justin had been swayed Ethan's pretty little words and sweet nothings, but in the end they didn't create anywhere near the intense emotions he felt for Brian. Justin knew this was the final straw. He wouldn't be welcomed home tonight, but he wasn't going to let himself be pushed into a relationship with a man for whom he didn't feel a fraction of what he felt for Brian.

Justin turned around slowly, refusing to meet Michael's regretful eyes or everyone else's curious expressions. He brushed past Ethan, his mind turning ignoring him as the man called after him and followed him out of Babylon.

"Justin" Ethan's voice finally reached his ears as Justin stood on the sidewalk, letting the fresh air wash over him.

"Ethan" Justin said, his voice tight, almost angry.

"I was practising Beethoven and it sounded like shit. I realized it was entirely your fault" Ethan began. Justin fought the urge to roll his eyes.  Brian's most recent shove off Mount Kinney had abruptly brought him to his senses, leaving

"Ethan, that's bullshit" Justin said, shooting down Ethan's cheesy romantic notions, his voice harsher than he would have liked. With a sigh trying to tamper down his emotions, he watched as Ethan took a rather forceful step forward, obviously hurt.

"I'm just going to take a leaping guess that you've made your final decision" Ethan snarled, his voice rough as he took a step into Justin's personal space. You know he'll never love you; you'll always be Brian Kinney's personal whore."

"Shut the fuck up" Justin snapped, his eyes narrowing in anger. Ethan grabbed his shoulder, yanking Justin forward, surprising the blond. "Let go" Justion said, ignoring the pain as his back hit the wall of Babylon.

"I loved you; we would have been good together" Ethan hiss
"Why would I settle for good, when I already had great?" Justin questioned, his eyes blazing with the truth of that statement. " I let myself be clouded by a wave of romantic notions that were all bullshit; love doesn't slam you against a wall when it's angry. That I do know."

Justin felt himself being pulled forward and shoved against the wall a second time; this time his head connecting with the wall. "Brian can't even ask you to stay; he doesn't care where you are or if you're okay as long as you make it home in time for the final fuck of the night."

Justin knee-jerked Ethan in the crotch before pushing him with all his strength, sending the fiddler to the ground. "You don't know shit. Stay the fuck away from me or you'll regret ever knowing me. Goodbye Ethan!"
Justin watched as Ethan finally left. The relief washed over him as he found his way to a cheap hotel a few blocks from Babylon.

Justin sat and blindly watched an info commercial, trying to think of what he would do next. He could move home, or to Debbie's, or hell even Daphne's, but none of those options seemed pleasing.

He knew he was financially stable thanks to his penny pinching ways. A part of him was always afraid of being homeless, especially after he had run off to New York City with Brian's credit card. After paying Brian back every cent, he hadn't spent a dime of what he earned at the diner unless he was using what little Brian called contributing, groceries, hygenie products for himself and his phone bill.

Justin rolled over and finally drifted off to sleep, only to awake in terror with his gimp hand throbbing. He made his way to the dollar store to buy a plain white t-shirt so he wouldn't show up at work wearing what he had on last night.

Justin spotted Brian and the gang in their typical booth. Brian looked polished and normal; an amused smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. It took everything Justin had to place the small smile on his face as he entered the diner.

The routine was normal; he kept his head down and stayed away from the gang. It didn't take long for him to realize they were rallying around Brian. After all, he was the cheater.

The fifteen hour shift was long, and after the stress of the past few months, he felt drained. It wasn't until he was standing outside the diner that he realized he didn't have a place to go. He made his way back to the cheap motel.

Instead of watching crappy television, he found the pen and small notebook that motels usually provide, and used them to make a plan. Justin couldn't stand the thought of being around the gang, hearing the whispering, the hateful words, or seeing Brian looking so normal as though it didn't matter that Justin was no longer a partof his life.
Tomorrow he would start his search for a place to sleep, and a new way to earn money.