Another Tuesday

Brian slides the heavy door back revealing Justin holding a plastic bag and wearing a cautious smile. He nearly slides the door closed if it weren’t for the sight of the delicious flush on Justin’s cheeks from the cold.

“I brought Thai,” Justin announces, bringing the large bag up to view.

“You’ve been talking to Mikey-”

“-and I came here to explain about what happened last night and apologize. Although, I know you think sorry is bullshit and that I don’t owe you anything.”

“-And Emmett and Ted as well.”

“They came to the shop today and cornered me. It was actually kind of scary.”

“Oh, how ever did you manage to survive a visit from the Power Puff Girls?” Brian asks jokingly, leaning against the door frame in his jeans and a white t-shirt, trying to hide his embarrassment at the idea of his friends defending him. It always made him uncomfortable when his friends showed they care.

“With my innocent good looks and complete honesty,” Justin replies easily. “Also with free coffee. A lot of it.” With a grimace, he continues. “I’m so going to end up getting fired.”

Brian smirks. “We wouldn’t want that, now would we?” Justin nods, shuffling from foot to foot.

Brian must admit that he’s a little intrigued by Justin’s visit. After last night, after Justin hadn’t shown up, he planned to write him out of his life completely. Cut off ties with all things Justin related which included Coffee Monster and his free but delicious coffee’s. Justin’s impromptu visit put a wrench in those plans.

“Could I come in?”

Brian hesitates for a few seconds before stepping back abruptly, swinging his arm out into the loft, in a welcoming gesture for him to come in. Justin smiles gratefully as he wanders inside, looking around in amaze as he gets a full view of the place before placing the bag of goods on the bar counter. Brian follows him over to the kitchen, walking straight to the refrigerator to grab a water. He offers one to Justin, but he shakes his head in decline.

“Your place is amazing.”

“It does the trick,” Brian replies, leaning against the sink counter, as he takes a sip of water. Justin loiters uncertainly at the edge of the bar gazing over at him.

He feels a million miles away, although they’re no more than six feet from each other. Brian doesn’t necessarily need to be touching Justin, but he would like to be a lot closer to him, closer than six feet. He saunters over to Justin, when that doesn’t feel right, he grabs a hold of his wrist, dragging him a long behind to the living room. Maybe this conversation shouldn’t be done in the kitchen, Brian considers, but in a more comfortable place.

Brian settles onto to the couch and Justin perches next to him. They’re only a hair strand away from each other, barely inches, but Brian still feels antsy.

Justin clears his throat a few times, scooting back into the cushions of the couch, he turns towards Brian and places a hand on his arm. “First off, you must understand that I really wanted to hang out with you and your friends last night, like really.”

“What happened?”

He sighs. “I don’t want this to sound like a stupid, immature excuse, but it kind of is.” Brian arches a brow and gestures for Justin to continue. “Okay, I live in a house with a gazillion roommates, literally. And not all the time, but it happens. Fights and arguments break out. Usually, I don’t give two shits about what happens and I go about my day like usual because I’m so not one for physical violence, but for my friends, I have been known in a fit of rage to break windows and slash tires. Last night invol-“

“And how often does this tend to happen?” Brian interrupts, stretching out his arm around the back of the couch. “The slashing tires and breaking windows, because I’m not sure my insurance covers incident protection against crazy baristas.”

“Oh, not nearly enough,” Justin states, almost succeeding for the nonchalant tone if not for the slight tinge of pink emerging on his cheeks. “But anyways, last night involved my best friend.” It takes Brian a second to recall who Justin’s best friend is. ‘Daphne,” he remembers the name tag reading. The barista with the bad attitude and foul mouth. If her behavior last weekend was her default setting, he couldn’t fault anyone for wanting to set her straight.

“Daphne?”

Justin nods. “I know she can be a little rough around the edges, but she’s my friend and I couldn’t just leave her to the wolves. And no,” Justin shakes his head at the look of askance on Brian’s face. “I’m not going to go into the details because it’s ridiculous and stupid and because I don’t want you to look badly upon me or-”

“-More so than the slashing tires and breaking windows business.” Justin smacks him in the chest, Brian latches onto his hand, keeping it there. “I thought this was supposed to be an apology, not a reenactment of last night.”

Justin huffs. “Daphne and I can’t fight. We fought aggressively with our words and then passively made our escape.” Brian laughs. “I would’ve called you or Ted but I didn’t get your numbers. That won’t happen again.”

 “Again?”

Justin blushes. “Ye-ah-h. I mean, if you ever want me to hang out with you friends,” he answers with a stutter. “Or you know, if it were just us, planning to hang out alone, that would be cool too.” Then sighs. His clear blue eyes gaze searchingly into Brian’s. “Because if it hasn’t been made obvious by last week or even by your friend yesterday, I like you, like a lot.”

Brian pulls the hand on his chest closer to him, making Justin lean in and their knees touch. He’s never been good at expressing his feelings, especially the ones that make the insides of his stomach quiver and his chest cave in. But he’s always been magnificent at expressing himself physically.

With his other hand, he cups Justin’s left cheek and leans in. Watching in a daze as Justin’s bright eyes flutter close in anticipation. “I think I would like that,” Brian reveals, tracing his thumb along Justin’s lips. He plants a soft kiss there, just a press to the rose bud lips; smelling the faint aroma of coffee, he grins. “The, us, hanging out part. How about we start now?”

Justin hums his agreement.

THE END.