6 Weeks

Chapter 4

A couple days later things were almost back to normal between Brian and Justin. It was like they had made a secret pact to never speak about the kisses again. Justin figured it was best to steer clear and save himself the grief. It was hard enough concentrating on his recovery without having to worry about what Brian was feeling about him. No wonder you aren’t supposed to start new relationships while you’re in rehab. It really fucks with your head and the drugs had done a good enough jobs of that before Brian came along. If Justin were honest with himself, he would have to admit that he missed the way things used to be with Brian. The comfort level that had been established was broken and neither one knew how to fix it without admitting there was a connection between them. Justin was doing his best to avoid eye contact with Brian when a shrill voice called out his name. Justin smiled as he turned to greet his friend.

“Hey Daph, I was wondering how long it would take you to find me.”

“Jesus Justin, I was worried sick when I hadn’t heard back from you. Your mother was being purposefully vague. I think she’s trying to keep your whereabouts out of the country club gossip rags. It’s like just saying the word ‘rehab’ will cause her to lose all social standing. Thankfully being gay is the in thing right now or you’d be doubly screwed.”

“You always look on the bright side,” Justin said warmly, reaching out to embrace the energetic girl. Justin had planned on calling her when everything settled down but then it never did. It felt good to hold a little piece of home and have one person that would never judge him.

Brian had been playing solitaire at a table in the corner where he could nonchalantly check up on Justin, when the dark haired tornado blew into the rec room. From the bright smile shining on Justin’s face, Brian could tell this was a welcomed visitor. The reception was quite the opposite of the one he had given Lindsay a few days ago. It was nice to see Justin without his guard up and filled with genuine happiness. Although they had spoken several times since the kiss, there had been an invisible line drawn between them. They never spent time alone and rarely made any sort of body contact. He missed being on the receiving end of Justin’s openness and hoped someone was there to help him through the program, since he no longer could.

“So Justin Taylor, what the fuck happened?”

Justin laughed, surprised by Daphne’s forwardness.

“Mommy checked me in. End of story.”

Daphne sighed with frustration.

“Bullshit, I heard there was some sort of an accident with Molly.”

Justin visibly winced as soon as she said Molly’s name. During the last week he had managed to not focus on that particular event every ten minutes and wasn’t ready to be confronted with it again. Daphne reached out to touch his hand but Justin jumped slightly and backed away from her.

“It’s OK Daph, I’ve been going through everything with my counselor and apparently I’m making great headway. Of course I still feel like a complete ass. That doesn’t stop me from craving a vicodin every night.”

“How did it get this far? Why didn’t I see it happening?”

“Don’t you dare blame yourself Daph. You’ve been away at school and enjoying your freshman year at college. That’s what you should be doing.”

“No, I should be hearing what my best friend is telling me without him outright saying it. I was there when you were bashed and a real friend would have known that just because you’re out of the hospital, it doesn’t mean you’re no longer hurt,” Daph practically whispered, the words getting choked in a sob.

“Don’t say that, please don’t say that. There is no one to blame but Chris Hobbes and me for not handling it better. I knew I was in trouble but I didn’t tell anyone. You’re not a psychic. You only saw what I wanted you to see. This,” Justin said, motioning around the room, “was inevitable. You couldn’t have stopped it. Who knows, you may have ended up like Molly or worse if you tried. Now let’s not focus on stuff we can’t change and just enjoy being together at this moment. Tell me about you. Meet any cute boys while attending higher education?”

Daphne nodded her head and smiled. Justin wanted something normal and she could do that. It’s what best friends were for.

“Well actually I met someone a couple of weeks ago.”

“Straight?”

“Yes, straight.”

“Single?”

“Yes, this time I specifically asked on the first date. I didn’t want any repeats of the Jaime incident.”

“Thank god, now spill the dirt. I’m so horny here, even hearing about breeder sex is a step up,” Justin whined.

The two friends continued to chat for another fifteen minutes or so, when Daphne noticed a very good-looking auburn haired man continuously looking in Justin’s direction. At first she thought she had just been seeing things but it was too frequent to be a coincidence. He was trying not to be obvious, which made it all the more endearing. Justin was in the midst of a story when Daphne abruptly interrupted him.

“So what about your love life. Anyone new?”

Justin was taken aback by the question.

“Course not Daph. I’m in rehab, not on a single’s cruise.”

“I know but you still might meet someone in here. It’s not like the place is filled with trolls.”

“It’s kinda against the rules,” Justin explained, feeling very uneasy with the direction of the conversation.

“Since when have you ever played by the rules Justin Taylor? You can’t help who you fall for or when it happens. Sometimes things are just meant to be,” Daphne mused.

“Said like a true breeder,” Justin scoffed, “so you want to tell me what brought all this up? You on the rag?”

“No, I was only trying to get you to tell me what’s going on between you and tall dark and sexy over in the corner. He’s been periodically staring at you the whole time I’ve been here. The guy is so into you.”

Justin glanced over his shoulder, surprised to see Brian near the window. Their eyes met briefly before Justin turned back to look at Daphne.

“Sorry Daph, you must be mistaken. That’s Brian Kinney and he has no interest in me whatsoever except for a possible scratching post if his needs get too strong.”

Daphne shook her head vehemently.

“Sorry Justin, but you’re the one that’s wrong. That man’s got it bad for you and it’s not just lust I see in his eyes, although there’s plenty of that too. Just give it time and you’ll see what I mean. And when you do, I want pictures and videotape too if you can swing it.”

Both friends giggled, as Daphne stood up to leave. She grabbed her sweater off the chair and pulled Justin into one more hug.

“Get better and come home. Feel free to bring a souvenir because there’s no way you should leave a man that dreamy behind,” Daphne whispered in his ear, before pulling away and making her way to the door. When she looked back one more time, the two men were openly staring at one another across the room. She couldn’t help but smile, knowing Justin was no longer alone.

Later that night, Justin was tossing and turning with another nightmare. This time Justin was the one watching while Chris Hobbes took a swing at Brian’s head. He was too far away to stop him and could only scream from across the garage. The moment Brian’s lifeless body hit the ground Justin woke up coughing and gasping for air. Jumping out of bed, Justin hurried out of the room and down the hall to the bathroom. Tears had already started to run down both cheeks. His breathing was still erratic when he flung the door open and allowed it to slam behind him.

Brian had been restless all night, unable to get clear blue eyes out of his head. He was just starting to drift off when the bathroom door across his room banged shut. Brian was irritated until he heard the soft sobs, coming from inside. There was something familiar about the voice, so he decided to investigate. Quietly Brian got out of bed and walked across the hall. Barely making a sound, Brian eased the door open and found himself staring at Justin’s trembling back.

“Justin?” Brian said softly.

Justin picked his head up and turned to look at Brian. His eyes were filled with pain and fear but there was something else there too. There was a need and Brian knew exactly what it was. Without another word Brian did something so uncharacteristic he wasn’t even sure it was real. Taking a few steps toward Justin, Brian opened his arms and signaled for Justin to come to him. Justin was operating purely on instinct as he ran into Brian’s arms and took the comfort offered to him. Brian held him tightly, gently stroking through his hair and down his back. In the safety of Brian’s arms, Justin could completely let loose and allow all the fears and self doubt to ooze out. His tears soaked Brian’s wife beater but neither seemed to notice.

“Shhhhhh Justin, it’s OK. You’ll be OK. I’ll make sure of it,” Brian whispered in his ear, even believing the words himself.

Once Justin had quieted down, Brian escorted him over to his room. Justin leaned heavily on his shoulder and Brian kept his arm close around him. Brian gently tugged Justin over to the bed and sat him down. Justin stared down at his feet, apparently oblivious of his surroundings. After watching him for a little while, Brian decided it would be best to get him to sleep. Carefully, Brian began to undress him. Justin was like a rag doll, completely immobile, while Brian tugged his t-shirt over his head. He then took off his socks and pulled loose the drawstring that kept his oversized pajama bottoms from falling off his hips. As Brian began to ease the material down, he looked up and met Justin’s watery gaze. The deep blues that he had been dreaming about earlier on stared unflinchingly at him. This time there was a different need radiating out of them. Brian was moving on autopilot as he reached out and cupped Justin’s cheek, wiping off the wetness he found there with the pad of his thumb. Justin nuzzled into his hand, like a cat looking for attention. Leaning forward, Brian questioned Justin with his eyes. A slight nod of encouragement was all Brian needed to finally give in to his own desires and press his lips to Justin’s.

The kiss was soft and gentle, barely allowing their lips to touch. Another one immediately followed it, this time Brian began to explore Justin’s mouth with his tongue. Their kisses became more frenzied but filled with passion and lacking in persistence. Brian only wanted to touch Justin and make him feel beautiful and safe. Tenderly, Brian laid Justin back on the bed and finished pulling off his pants. He was both surprised and pleased to see Justin wasn’t wearing any underwear. Looking down at Justin’s completely naked body, Brian smiled and lightly traced his fingertips down Justin’s jaw line and continuing to his waist.

“You’re absolutely perfect. Are you sure this is what you want?”

Justin nodded his head and smiled shyly up at Brian. Then grabbing the hem of Brian’s wife beater, he yanked it up and over his head. Brian took off his shorts himself, so their naked bodies were pressed up against each other with nothing in-between them. Justin arched into Brian’s body, causing him to gasp in surprise. Brian took the time to touch Justin’s entire body, from the crown of his head to the soles of his feet. Every part was explored first with his hands and then with his mouth. Justin was practically panting in need by the time Brian had settled between his thighs. Knowing what was next, Justin swallowed nervously.

“Do you have something?”

Brian smirked down at him, before reaching into his nightstand and pulling out a condom and lube.

“Don’t worry, I always come prepared. You never know, even in rehab”

Brian swiftly put on the condom and covered his finger in lube to prepare Justin. Right before his fingers made contact with Justin’s hole, he was stopped by a quick hand.

“Just be gentle.”

Brian nodded his head in understanding.

“Been a while?” Brian asked.

“Yeah, like my whole life,” Justin chuckled.

Brian’s eyes went wide with shock.

“You mean, you’ve never…”

“Nope, wasn’t ready before the bashing and couldn’t stand to be that vulnerable after it. Not until now.”

“We don’t have to if you don’t..”

“No, I want to. I need you inside me. Just take it slow.”

Brian took extra time to stretch Justin, explaining things as he went. When he finally entered Justin for the first time, it felt like a whole new beginning for both of them. His thrusts were slow and deep, waiting for Justin to adjust with every push. The lack of recent fulfillment, as well as Justin’s tightness brought Brian’s orgasm on quicker than usual. Reaching down to grab Justin’s cock, Brian stroked him to completion at the same time he erupted into the condom. Both men lay gasping for air, as Brian pulled out and lay down on his side, dragging Justin’s body in close. Neither said a word following their encounter and instead allowed themselves to be lulled to sleep by each other’s heartbeat.

Brian awoke the next morning disoriented for a moment by the feel of someone in his arms. He never let tricks stay over and tried to think back to the night before when reality set in. He was in rehab and Justin was the man in his arms. His mind was flooded with memories of finding the younger man crying in the bathroom; of taking him back to his room and of their pairing. Brian had to admit, at least to himself, that even though Justin had been a virgin, it was the best sex of his life.

That thought caused a rush of panic to course through him. How had this kid managed to provoke such thoughts in such a small amount of time? He looked over at Justin as he started to stir and knew that they needed some kind of ground rules. It was obvious that they weren’t going to be able to avoid each other, but the last thing he needed was to have some love struck kid following him around. He was Brian Kinney and Brian Kinney didn’t do love.

“Morning,” Justin mumbled as he awoke and saw that Brian was watching him.

“Hey, did you sleep well?”

“Yeah, better than I have in months. Thanks for last night. For being there again and for…well, you know,” Justin said shyly.

“Anytime, but we have to get a few things straightened out though. Last night was great, but it was just for fun, understand?” Brian asked, seeing confusion cross Justin’s face. “I mean, there’s nothing wrong with getting our needs met while we’re here, but you know that’s all it is, right? It’s not like this place has a large gay population so it might be nice to have a regular thing but I don’t believe in love and relationships and all that lesbian shit. We’re queers; we fuck and move on.”

Justin felt his heart begin to drop, but something about the way Brian was looking at him made him think that the older man didn’t necessarily believe everything that he was saying. He quickly thought back to the days since they had met and saw a pattern forming between them. Brian may claim to be unaffected by what was happening between them, but Justin was beginning to think he was trying to fool himself into believing it meant nothing. Maybe he just needed to give him time to see what was developing between them. He’d have to tread carefully for the next few weeks, but he wasn’t ready to give up hope just yet.

“Right, I know. I understand completely and you’re right, a regular thing might help to keep the edge off,” Justin replied casually.

Brian wasn’t sure he liked the speed in which Justin agreed with him. For some reason he expected some kind of protest and knowing that Justin didn’t utter a single objection bothered him more than he was willing to admit. He pushed those thoughts aside, reminding himself that it was what he wanted as he climbed out of bed.

“Okay, as long as we understand each other; although we’re going to have to be careful. Chuck and Blake would freak if they found out what we’re doing.”

“Yeah, I agree…even though we aren’t together; a fuck is just a fuck. They still wouldn’t be too happy. Besides, I’m sure there’s some rule against it anyway, so we’ll have to be very careful,” Justin agreed as he got up and got dressed.

“Right,” Brian said, ignoring Justin’s careless words. “So as long as we’re careful and both in agreement, we shouldn’t have any problems.”

“No problems,” Justin assured him. “Thanks again for last night. I’ll see you around.” Justin walked out of the room as casually as he could. He hoped he was doing the right thing, because if he misread the situation and Brian really didn’t care, he was the one that would get hurt in the end.

Brian watched Justin walk away, wondering why Justin’s cavalier attitude was suddenly pissing him off.

Justin was waiting around outside of the group room when Damon appeared by his side later on that day.

“Can’t wait to share?” Damon teased when Justin noticed him.

“Hey,” Justin replied with a smile. “Actually, I’m just anxious to get in and out of there. These group sessions are nerve racking.”

“I know what you mean. I still don’t understand the whole concept. What is the point of listening to others going on and on about their problems? Don’t they think we have enough of our own?”

“I think that’s the point. This way we don’t feel like we’re the only ones this is happening to.” At least that was Justin’s opinion on it.

“Yeah, well after spending way too much time on the streets, I know I’m not the only one who’s fucked up,” Damon chuckled.

“Not even close. So, after this thing is over, do you want to go watch some TV? I haven’t spent much time in the day room since I’ve gotten here. I kind of miss vegging out in front of the TV.”

Before Damon had a chance to reply he saw Brian approaching out of the corner of his eye. “Uh oh, watch out. Here comes Mr. Gloom and Doom himself.”

“Who?” Justin asked, turning to see who Damon was referring to. “You mean Brian? He’s not all that bad.”

“If you say so,” Damon mumbled, more to himself, as Brian joined them.

“Hey, what are you doing loitering out here in the hall. Shouldn’t you be inside, getting ready to pour your heart out?” Brian asked, addressing Justin but ignoring Damon completely.

“We were just talking about the significance of group therapy. Care to share your views?” Justin teased.

“It’s all bullshit. Now we better get inside and find a good seat.” Brian led Justin away, tossing a smug smile in Damon’s direction as he went.

Damon watched the way Brian seemed to get possessive of Justin, leading him away while he was in the middle of a conversation and wondered what was going on between the two men. He decided to go inside and watch them, looking for signs of anything that would explain what had just happened. Once the session was over Damon had his answer. Brian was the guy that Justin was interested in. There was no doubt to anyone who might have been paying attention to the couple just how into each other they were. They sat side by side, rather closely, silently offering comfort to one another. Not to mention the way they kept looking at each other when they thought no one was watching. Brian even laid a gentle hand on Justin’s knee during a difficult moment while Justin was sharing.

All clues pointed to the fact that there was definitely something going on between them; something deeper than just two friends helping each other through a difficult time. Damon was intrigued. He liked Justin and didn’t want to see him get hurt by someone like Brian Kinney. He’d seen Brian’s type enough during his years on the streets and wanted to protect his new friend. He silently devised a plan to help the blond by either causing Brian to come clean with his obvious feelings for the younger man, or to push him away completely; something that would benefit Justin in the long run if Brian’s intentions were not what would be best for Justin. Who knows, maybe one day he’d be able to handle his own relationship with the blonde. He left group with a bounce in his step, anxious to put his plan in motion.

Justin once again found his way to group. He hadn’t seen Brian since their session ended the day before, choosing to give Brian a little time to himself and hoping he’d notice the absence. By the time Brian appeared at the session, Justin had found his seat, sitting between Damon and one of the other patients. The look he gave Justin wasn’t a happy one, but Justin just smiled apologetically at the man and resumed his conversation with Damon.

Damon watched Brian’s face change into something filled with anger, and possibly jealousy, when he spotted his favorite patient sitting between him and one of the others. He smiled to himself when he realized that his plan was going to work much better than he anticipated. All through the session, Damon kept close to Justin’s side, offering comfort when needed by an arm on his shoulder or a hand on his thigh. He could feel Brian’s eyes burning a hole in him, but refused to meet the glares he was receiving. Once the session was over, Damon led Justin away, making sure that Brian was watching. He brought Justin outside to the garden, figuring it wouldn’t be long before Brian followed them. He wasn’t disappointed.

“Shit, I forgot I had to make a phone call,” Damon announced as he saw Brian approaching. “I better get back inside. I’ll talk to you later, Justin.”

Damon refused to look at Brian as he quickly made his way back inside, holding back his amusement over the situation.

Brian walked outside in search of Justin, trying not to let his anger show. He couldn’t figure out what it was that Justin saw in Damon. Sure he was good looking but here was something about the other man that had turned Brian off the moment they’d met and his dislike was continuing to grow as he watched him and Justin becoming friends. If he didn’t know better, he would swear he was jealous, but that idea was ridiculous. He didn’t do jealousy.

As soon as he saw the two men together, something inside of him snapped. Damon was really starting to piss him off with the way he was following Justin around like a lost puppy. He stood watching them for a moment, getting ready to go throw the infuriating man into the bushes when he saw Damon walking away, leaving Justin behind. Without thinking, Brian made his way over to Justin, grabbing him from behind and kissing him deeply. Justin kissed him back willingly and it took Brian a few minutes to remember where they were and pull away.

“Hey, what was that for?” Justin asked, holding back the smirk that was threatening to show.

“Wait about ten minutes then come to my room,” Brian demanded gently.

“But…” Justin didn’t have time to finish his reply and stood there in shock watching Brian walk away. This time he didn’t hold back the smile.

Ten minutes later, Justin lightly knocked on Brian’s door then entered slowly, startled when he felt himself being dragged inside. All too quickly, the door was being shut and locked behind him as he was pushed up against it and his mouth was taken in a searing kiss. The sudden intrusion sent a wave of heat coursing through his body while he kissed the older man back with everything he had. When the kiss was broken he tried to speak, but Brian silenced him with another kiss, at the same time leading him over to the bed.

Brian make quick work of discarding their clothing, needing to feel Justin’s naked body pressed up against him. He urged Justin down on the bed, climbing on top of him, covering the smaller frame beneath him. Grabbing Justin’s wrists, he drew them up over the blond head, holding them in place while kissing and biting down his neck, shoulders and chest. At one point he noticed the reddened marks he was leaving behind, but seeing the passion in Justin’s eyes caused him to ignore his concern and continue on with the careful assault.

Justin writhed beneath Brian, confused and very turned on by the force Brian was using. It was as if he was a man possessed and Justin knew that the tiny bites Brian was giving him were going to leave a mark, but he didn’t care. He had never been so turned on before and he could feel his cock leaking in anticipation of what was to come. As his wrists were released, he felt Brian working his way down his body and groaned when he felt Brian’s mouth wrap around him.

“God Brian…” he rasped, entangling his hands in Brian’s hair as the man began licking and sucking him in earnest.

Brian heard Justin’s husky voice and it only encouraged him to move things along, his own cock becoming painfully harder. He reached up into the night stand and grabbed a condom and lube, setting the condom aside while coating his fingers. He swiftly inserted a finger, relishing in the incoherent mumbling that Justin was doing. Once a second finger was buried deep, Brian quickly prepared the man, his mind reeling with the thought of burying himself inside the tight opening.

“Brian…fuck me,” Justin pleaded, unable to wait any longer to have Brian inside of him.

Brian pulled his hand away, sheathing himself quickly before entering the waiting hole. As he sank inside, he felt something shift inside him, something that he didn’t understand, but when he felt Justin pulling him closer, all thoughts left him as he began a steady rhythm, concentrating on keeping his orgasm at bay until Justin could be brought along with him. It didn’t take long before Justin reached the edge, and Brian picked up the pace, sending them both into oblivion.

Once Brian got his bearings again, he pushed himself up and glanced down, his face darkening at the sight of the small bruises that he had caused to appear.

“Shit!”

“Brian? What’s wrong?” Justin asked in confusion.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to hurt you,” Brian replied, ignoring his no apologies motto.

“Hurt me? You didn’t hurt me. I’m fine; great actually,” Justin assured him.

“You’re starting to bruise,” Brian whispered, placing soft kisses on a few of the marks.

“Oh…well, I tend to bruise easily. It comes with the fair skin. Really Brian, I’m fine.”

Brian searched Justin’s face for any signs of discomfort and felt better when he didn’t find any. He got up out of bed and reached for his clothes, wondering what had come over him. His need for Justin was like nothing else he ever experienced and he wasn’t sure where it had come from. They agreed to get their needs met with each other, but taking Justin like he had and almost forcing himself on the younger man was not what he had in mind.

Justin could sense Brian’s trepidation and was confused by the older man’s reaction. He decided the best thing to do for the moment was to reassure him once again that he was okay and leave him alone for awhile. He got dressed quickly before turning to him, pulling him closer for a gentle kiss.

“Brian, you’re thinking too much. I’m okay and what just happened was great; better than great.” He kissed him again before pulling away. “I better get going. I have to meet with Chuck to go over my “future plans”. I’ll see you later.”

Brian sat in his room, letting darkness set in as the sun when down, thinking about what could have caused his reaction to Damon. He realized that seeing him and Justin together set things in motion for their afternoon romp that left Justin marked and he didn’t like what he had become. He didn’t usually get so rough with his tricks, yet Justin seemed to enjoy it; actually get off on Brian’s forcefulness. It was almost as if he was trying to mark his territory, and Justin was letting him do it. Shaking away the thoughts that were plaguing him, Brian rose from the bed and headed towards the shower. Justin was right; he was thinking too much.

Justin had just gotten out of yet another session with Chuck and was pleased to discover that his current cravings focused more on food than drugs. His stomach had been growling practically the entire time he was in there and even hospital style mac and cheese was sounding good to him. Lunch wasn’t for another half an hour, but Justin wanted to be first in line. Standing just outside the cafeteria door, he could smell the food being prepared and decided he would wait right there until it was time. He was so engrossed with his food obsession that he didn’t even hear someone come up behind him.

“Hey Justin. Are you stalking the kitchen staff now?”

Justin laughed, slightly embarrassed about being caught.

“Hey Damon, I swear I could eat a horse I’m so hungry right now. I figured if I just waited here then I could be the first one in and maybe if I’m lucky they’ll open the doors a little early.”

“You know how pathetic that sounds?”

“Don’t care. If I’m the most pathetic person here than we are definitely in the wrong place. So what brings you down this way? Stalking me?”

“Maybe. Would it help any if I was?” Damon asked seductively.

“Depends what you want help with. If it’s getting a one way ticket into the psych ward then hell yeah but if you want in my pants, I think you already know the answer to that question," Justin responded in amusement.

Damon smiled back, enjoying the innocent banter. He really would have liked a chance with the blonde but now wasn’t the time. There were too many issues on both sides and his problems were too deep seeded to bring into a new relationship. Justin deserved more, although he wasn’t sure Brian Kinney would be any better. The attraction was obviously mutual but how far could things possibly go if Brian didn’t acknowledge it. As he was thinking about it, of course that’s the moment he noticed the black and blue mark partially hidden under Justin’s t-shirt. It was in a place obviously visible and completely in plain view if Justin chose to wear a shirt with even the slightest open collar. Justin didn’t seem to notice or was trying to be nonchalant. Either way, it was apparent to Damon that his little display had ruffled the feathers of one Brian Kinney. Damon grinned in appreciation of his own deviousness. He was about to say something to Justin about it when Brian approached them, sending a glare in his direction.

“Well hello Brian, so good to see you today. Justin and I were just discussing the finer points of the local cuisine. What are your thoughts?” Damon asked casually, swinging an arm around Justin’s shoulders.

Brian visibly cringed at the gesture before gently tugging Justin away by the belt buckle. Damon bit the inside of his lip to keep himself from laughing at the obvious jealousy. Brian wrapped a possessive arm around Justin’s waist, daring Damon to refute his claim. Justin was startled by the development but relaxed into the embrace, happy to feel Brian so close. He was just getting comfortable when the cafeteria door swung open and he darted in without a moment’s hesitation, leaving Damon and Brian behind.

“Well I guess we know where you stand,” Damon teased.

“I didn’t see him sticking around for you either so don’t be so smug,” Brian said under his breath.

“Oh I’m not, don’t worry. But I can appreciate a healthy appetite so no skin off my back. Speaking of skin, I noticed you left a little parting gift on Justin’s.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Brian claimed innocently.

“Sure you don’t. You can tattoo your name all over his body and I still won’t disappear. I’m not an idiot. I do know there’s something going on between you guys and I accept that. What I don’t accept is you doing this whole push and pull thing with him. He’s better than that.”

“What, you think you could do better? You haven’t said shit in group yet but I’d bet you have a pretty interesting story to tell. Maybe something that might make you look a little less saintly in dear sweet Justin’s eyes. How would you like that?” Brian asked menacingly.

“You can go ahead and try to dig up all you want if it makes you feel better. But I’ll be spending time with Justin while you do it.”

“You fucking stay away from him.”

Brian stepped closer to Damon so they were less than a foot apart. They were practically breathing the same air when Damon countered with another step.

“I’ll back off as long as you’re good to him. But we’re friends and if he tells me how much of a shit you are then all bets are off. For some reason he seems to think you’re more than just a pretty face and I’d like to think he’s right. You’ll just have to prove it to me yourself.”

“I don’t have to prove shit to you.”

“We’ll see. He already trusts me so let’s see how long it takes for him to return my affections once you’re out of the picture. Or maybe you’ll prove me wrong. I’ll be waiting regardless,” Damon said casually and turned to walk away. Brian watched him go and wondered how much of what he said was really bullshit. There was no doubt the man wanted Justin but how did Justin feel? What if Brian pushed him too far, would he go to Damon? Brian wasn’t ready to think about that yet because if he did, he’d have to admit he cared.


End of part 4
9/16/04

 

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