Poison Ivy

Justin had just finished his last class for the day and decided to stop off and see Daphne. He’d been readmitted to school the week prior and didn’t really have any projects and he hadn’t seen her since he’d moved back in with Brian. All of their free time was spent fucking with very little time for their friends. Justin knocked on the door and smiled when Daphne answered.

“Hey.”

“Hey, long time no see,” she said punching him in the arm.

“I’ve been busy.” Justin smirked.

“With Brian I’m sure.” She returned the smirk and moved so he could come in. Justin removed his jacket and turned to look at his friend as she shut the door. “I thought you had classes or something,” she asked.

“Just finished my last class of the day and I have some free time.”

 “Brian doesn’t want you home?” She winked and he laughed.

“He’s out looking for work right now.”

“Well, I got you something. Kind of a going away/moving in with Brian present.”

“Oh?” Justin asked. Daphne smiled and went into her bedroom, then came out with a hanging basket over flowing with the greenest ivy Justin had ever seen. “Oh wow, thanks. It’s gorgeous.”

“I thought you might like it. And I noticed some plants in the loft the couple of times I was there so I didn’t figure Brian would mind.”

“I think he’ll love it. Thanks.” He smiled and kissed her cheek. Just then, Justin’s cell phone rang. He pulled it out and smirked. “It’s Brian.”

“It figures.” She rolled her eyes.

“Hey…….yeah……okay…..be there soon.” Justin then hung up the phone and took the plant from Daphne. “Thanks again for the plant Daph. I gotta get going.”

“Tell Brian I said hi.”

“I will,” Justin said as he left.

Before going to meet Brian for lunch at the diner, Justin went to the loft and hung the plant over his computer desk so that he could look at it every day. He gave it some water and then left, making sure to lock the door and set the alarm. What he didn’t notice was the slow but steady leak of water from the bottom of the pot right onto his computer monitor.

After a playful lunch at the diner with a lot of innuendo and teasing, Justin asked Brian to come on home. Brian said he had one more thing he had to do and about that time Justin’s cell rang. His mom needed him to pick up Molly.

“I’ll see you at home,” Justin said, kissing Brian lightly on the lips before leaving the diner. Brian smiled and watched him leave before getting up and heading to his final destination. Justin picked Molly up from her play date and took her home, then headed back to the loft. Since Brian wasn’t home yet he decided he’d do some work on his computer. He walked over to his desk and took a seat before turning the computer on. The computer was acting a little funny and he wondered what the problem was. After a few minutes he noticed the smell of burning plastic. He started to look around the loft for a minute. When he didn’t notice anything he looked back at his computer. Just as his eyes landed on the thin trail of smoke coming from the top of the monitor the computer exploded sending him flying across the room.

Brian had just stepped off the elevator when he heard the loud boom come from inside the loft. He quickly opened the door and the first thing his eyes landed on was Justin lying there in the middle of the living room. He was unconscious and had some burns and cuts on his face and arms. Brian looked over and saw that the computer had exploded. That’s when he noticed the steady drip from the bottom of the plant that hadn’t been there that morning. Brian went over and picked Justin up, not wanting to wait for an ambulance to come. He carried the teen out of the loft and down to the street where he hailed a cab to the hospital. He’d forgotten to set the alarm or even lock the door but none of that mattered. Over behind Justin’s computer desk what had started out as a spark was soon becoming a raging inferno.

When they got to the hospital the emergency room was blessedly empty. Brian took Justin over to an empty gurney and laid him down. He then looked around to see if he could find anyone. Just then a nurse came out from the break room.

“I need some help,” Brian said and the woman came over to where he was standing next to Justin. She immediately started taking the younger man’s vitals.

“What happened?” she asked.

“His computer exploded,” Brian explained. She nodded and then called for a doctor. They started to take Justin back to one of the exam rooms and Brian started to go with him. Another nurse, a man this time, stopped him.

“I’m sorry you can’t go back there.”

“I need to be with him.”

“Are you family?”

“I’m his partner,” Brian answered with a defiant glare.

“Family only,” the man said, his gaze just as firm as Brian’s.

“I am his fucking family,” Brian said.

“Not according to the law you’re not,” the man replied.

“You’re a fucking asshole, you know that?” Brian answered angrily before stalking off to call Jennifer and Debbie.

After about three hours of sitting around the waiting room wondering, Brian was starting to go insane. He was mentally reliving the prom fiasco over and over again in his head. He tried to stay calm but nothing he did worked. At least this time Jennifer wasn’t blaming him for Justin being hurt. That was the only plus Brian could come up with. Finally the doctor came out from the back. Brian walked up to him and looked him square in the eye.

“Is he okay?”

“Are you family, sir?”

“I’m his partner.” Brian’s tone said, “I dare you to make something of it.” The doctor simply nodded and smiled. By that time Debbie and Jennifer had walked up behind him.

“He’s going to be fine. He’s got some cuts and some minor burns but nothing that won’t heal. He’s very lucky.”

“Can I see him?” Brian asked.

“I’m assuming you’re Brian?” the doctor questioned. When Brian nodded, a little confused, the doctor smirked. “He’s been asking for you constantly since he woke up.” The doctor led Brian back to the room they’d moved Justin to. He looked good. He had some bandages on his arms and some scrapes on his face, but other than that he looked perfectly fine. Brian smiled as he sat down on the edge of the bed, taking one of Justin’s hands gently.

“Hey,” Justin said.

“Hey,” Brian replied.

“What happened?”

“Your plant leaked into your computer,” Brian answered. Justin simply nodded. After a minute, Brian looked down at their clasped hands. “You really scared me,” he said softly.

“I’m sorry,” Justin said, lightly squeezing Brian’s hand.

“It’s okay. You’re okay, that’s what matters.” Brian smiled and leaned down to kiss Justin lightly on the lips.

“How long have you been here?” Justin seemed to have lost all track of time.

“Three or four hours,” Brian said. He looked at his watch and noticed that it was getting late.

“You look tired. You should go get some sleep.”

“I’m fine,” Brian smiled.

“At least go take a shower and change clothes. You’ve been in that suit since six this morning.”

“Yeah, I do need to change. And Debbie and your mom might want to see you.” Brian chuckled.

“You called them?” Justin rolled his eyes.

“I thought you were hurt more seriously than it turns out your were,” Brian said with a shrug.

“Okay, well. Go ahead and send them in.”

“I’ll be back to rescue you in a little bit,” Brian said before kissing Justin again. He stood and left. As he passed Debbie and Jennifer he told them that Justin wanted to see them, trying to hide the smirk on his face.

He caught another cab back to the loft and stood outside the building totally stunned. There were fire trucks everywhere, the building ablaze. The worst part of the fire seemed to be coming from the top floor. Brian sighed heavily as he sank down to sit on the curb, staring at the burning building. Not only was he jobless and carless, but now he was homeless as well.

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