“So, I noticed you’ve been less hostile for a couple of days,” Cynthia commented as he placed a cup of coffee in front of his boss.

“I could start again,” Brian gave Cynthia a fake smile.

“Wouldn’t recommend it,” Cynthia stirred her own coffee in her own mug that had a picture of her yorkie on the side.

“Why the change of heart, may I ask?” the blond sat down on the sofa in Brian’s office.

“Brown Athletics. It’s finally over. They are in. You have no idea how good that feels,” Brian clicked on his e-mail icon on his computer. He did not feel bad about lying to his assistant since he did it all the time. Brown Athletics had no connection to Brian’s better mood. But he knew a certain blond waiter did. Justin had agreed on meeting him on regular basis. It was driving them both crazy that they only felt at ease when they were in the same room. It was like having an emotional roller coaster. Brian especially didn’t like that because he didn’t know how to handle it.

Brian stirred his coffee before taking a sip as he opened the first new e-mail. “Jefferson wants to set up a meeting. Could you check out my calendar and call him?” Brian asked.

“Don’t I always?” the woman smiled as she got up and left the office to do her job.

As soon as Cynthia was out of the office Brian pulled his cellphone out. He opened his contacts and scrolled to the letter J before pressing Justin’s name and a call button.

Justin answered on third ring.

“Hi, what’s up?”

“Are you at work?” Brian asked checking the door to make sure Cynthia wasn’t coming back.

“No. I’m at home. Trying to paint something but it just…. I don’t know. I just can’t,” Brian could hear the anguish in the blond’s voice.

“Want to come over? Maybe a break could do you good,” Brian suggested.

“Are you at the loft?”

“I’m at work,” Brian answered drumming his fingers on the table surface.

“Sure, I’ll come over. What’s the address?”

Brian gave Justin the address to the building he was in. He told the blond to ask for him at the reception when he got there.

As Brian threw his phone on the table he took a deep breath. A relief was on the way.

Fifteen minutes later he heard Cynthia’s voice over the intercom. “A Justin Taylor is downstairs. He says he wants to meet you.”

“Yeah. Tell him to wait. I’ll go get him,” Brian got up from his chair and made his way downstairs.

He saw the blond sitting on a chair in the lobby and smiled inwardly. Justin got up and wrapped his hands around Brian’s middle.

“It’s good to see you,” Justin said as he felt Brian wrap his hands around him.

As Brian pulled the blond closer, Peter had an impeccable timing coming in the room. He mockingly dropped his jaw and motioned towards the blond who couldn’t see him. Who is that? He formed the words with his lips but did not let sound out.

Brian lifted his middle finger.

Peter smirked as he tapped the Mighty Mints board in his hand and then his watch. Brian nodded a little to acknowledge that it was time to go back to work.

Brian took Justin to his office and told him he could sit at the sofa and read the day’s paper. He had Cynthia to bring him some coffee as Peter smugly made his way inside the office.

“Good afternoon Mr. Kinney,” he smiled as he set the boards on a stand. Then he made his way to Justin and shook his hand as he introduced himself. Brian told Peter to drop it unless he wanted Brian to kick him off the Mighty Mints account.

Brian went through the changes in the boards and both men were satisfied with them. Brian told Peter he would make Cynthia book a meeting with their client and they could present the campaign.

As Justin excused himself to the restroom Peter attacked Brian. “Who is he? Is he the one?” Peter spoke in hushed tones.

“First of all, fuck off,” Brian also spoke in hushed tones.

“But you were hugging him! And I have noticed the change in you, you big guy!” Peter laughed.

Brian stared at him like he had lost his mind. “So what?”

“He’s so adorable! Come on, give me the goods!” Peter hurried Brian as he was afraid Justin would come back soon.

“We are not a couple. We agreed on that, we are just friends,” Brian growled.

“Aw, no you’re not. No one can be just friends with a catch like that!” Peter motioned towards the locked door.

“Believe it or not, he is not my type,” Brian pointed out.

Just then Justin came back and Brian thanked god the grilling was over.

Peter took the boards in his hands. “So we agree on the boards?” he asked

Brian nodded.

“It was nice to meet you Justin,” Peter smiled at the blond on his way out.

“He was nice,” Justin commented as Brian closed the door.

“He is. He’s one of my best,” Brian admitted and sat down at his chair.

Justin nodded and turned a page on the day’s paper.

“He actually is imprinted too,” Brian confessed looking up at the blond.

Justin lowered the paper. “Okay.”

“For twenty years now, he says,” Brian continued. “He’s the one… He actually told me that I’m imprinted. I didn’t recognize the symptoms, he did,” the brunet confessed.

Justin didn’t know what to say.

“Did you know?” Brian asked.

“Um, yes. I knew from the beginning,” Justin fumbled with the paper. “I wasn’t aware it was you, but yeah. I have a few friends who are imprinted and I was there when they went through this, so…” the blond explained and crossed his legs.

Brian nodded. “Do you have anywhere you have to be today?”

Justin shook his head.

“We could do something,” Brian suggested.

“My apartment needs cleaning, you could help,” Justin grinned.

Brian stared at the blond for a moment. “Sure, what the hell,” he laughed.

Brian didn’t know why he said yes. But three hours later he was at Justin’s apartment washing the dishes.

Brian liked Justin’s kitchen. He could see to the living room while he scrubbed Justin’s plates. Even more he liked that he could keep an eye on Justin as he vacuumed the living room and picked up dirty clothes and set them on a laundry basket.

Brian on the other hand had no idea how Justin had gotten his apartment so messy. There was a huge pile of dishes and dirty clothes everywhere. According to Justin the last time he had vacuumed was a month ago. The bedroom was in decent condition and so was the bathroom. Brian appreciated that.

Justin turned off the vacuum cleaner and put it in a closet. He took his laundry basket and disappeared into the bathroom. Five minutes later Brian could hear a steady hum as the washing machine started washing the clothes. After that Justin tidied up a little and came to Brian. He took a dish towel and started drying plates and mugs as Brian washed them.

“Thank you for the help. I appreciate it,” Justin said as he dried a red mug.

“No problem. I was just wondering how you let it get like this.” Brian smiled.

“I blame you. You showed up in my life. Life has been particularly annoying lately,” Justin placed the mug into the cupboard.

Two hours later Brian was helping Justin hang the wet clothes drying. He grinned widely as he lifted the red underwear with a text that said be my valentine. Justin blushed and snatched the piece of clothing from Brian. “It was a joke. My friends and I were drunk,” Justin tried to explain but Brian was having none of it.

At the evening when they were ready they settled in the living room with bottles of beer. They decided to watch a movie Justin had recorded yesterday. Brian smiled as he noticed Justin falling asleep towards the end of the movie. He let the blond sleep for the rest of the movie before shaking him slightly and told him it was time for bed. Justin yawned and walked into his bedroom. Brian helped him in the small twin bed and Justin told him before he fell asleep again that he could stay the night.

Brian went to Justin’s closets and found a blanket and a pillow. Then he turned off the lights in Justin’s bedroom and settled on the couch for the night.

***

Brian woke up with a serious back pain. He groaned and sat up. The floor beneath his feet was cold and Brian quickly moved them on the rug. The brunet rubbed his back as good as he could and glanced at the clock on the wall. It was 7:30 am and Justin was still sleeping.

Brian got up and walked to the kitchen in his black underwear. He made coffee and leaned on the counter as he waited it to brew. Brian took Justin’s plain white cup and poured some of the black liquid into a mug when it was ready. He searched the cupboards for sugar and poured some into the black liquid.

“Smells so good,” a sleepy voice said from behind him.

“I made for you too,” Brian motioned towards the pot.

Justin too took a cup and poured coffee for himself.

Brian yawned as he went back into the living room. He put on his clothes and folded up the blanket placing the pillow on it while drinking the rest of his coffee.

“I have to go to work. Can’t be much late this morning,” Brian placed the mug into the sink.

“Ok. Later,” Justin took a sip of his coffee.

“Later,” Brian answered and was out of the door.