<p>Kudos to anyone who can figure out the title... but dont try too hard, I barely know what it means myself. Ps, blame Aki.

 <img src="stories/Crackerjaxx/images/Brian.gif">

<p>Justin tossed in his warm bed. He felt sick and had a headache. His eyes fluttered open and winced at the bright sun pouring into the small guest room. He looked over to the bedside table, and let his eyes focus on the alarm clock.

<p>It was 6:29 am.

<p>He sighed and turned back over, closed his eyes and tried to get back to sleep.

<p>Beep Beep Beep

<p>He groaned, recognizing the sound as his alarm clock and he looked back to the small annoyance. 

<p>It was now 6:30 am.

<p>'Why did I set my alarm for so early?' he thought to himself, confused. Then his eyes widened. It was his first day at PIFA... He had to get his ass up, now!

<p>He tried to stand up out of his bed, but failed. He tried again more forcefully. This time tripping on his sheets, and falling to the ground. He didn't waste any time in untangling himself and getting up, running towards the bathroom to shower. 

<p>~~~~~

<p>Brian looked at Michael, who was building a tipi out of his french fries and sighed. He wasn't sure how it was possible that he and this man had stayed friends for so long. 

<p>Michael looked up, met his gaze, and smiled.

<p>"You like it?" he asked excitedly. Brian raised an eyebrow.

<p>"Sure..." he replied and Michael frowned.

<p>"What's wrong?" Michael asked, grabbing a fry, knocking over his tipi in the process. 

<p>Brian didn't answer. Instead he looked over at the entrance of the diner at a blonde man entering the small establishment. For a split second his heart jumped, thinking it was Justin... but he quickly slumped back into his seat seeing that it was not.

<p>Michael looked over at the door and chuckled.

<p>"You thought it was Justin." he accused, looking at the brunette again. 

<p>Brian gave him a look.

<p>"No." he denied, "He's hot... but I don't want him." he finished and Michael shook his head.

<p>"Oh come off it, Brian." he demanded. "When was the last time you even HAD sex?" 

<p>Brian glared at him.

<p>"As a matter of fact, the other day..." Brian started, but Michael cut him off.

<p>"Justin doesn't count." 

<p>Brian stopped. Michael was right; he hadn't had a trick in a while. At first he convinced himself it was because of the whole Kip Thomas thing, but even then... Brian had only slept with Kip because he was trying to get the blonde out of his head. Needless to say it didn't work. 

<p>He sighed, "I don't know Mikey, Justin's..." he started, but was unable to finish his sentence.

<p>Michael saw the inner war going on in his friend's head, and wished he could help. 

<p>"He's just... built for me..." he finished. 

<p>"Built for you?" Michael inquired, and Brian nodded.

<p>"I don't know how else to explain it... I don't love him, but he means SOMETHING to me." Brian said, "I just don't know what it is yet..." he finished.

<p>"Well, I hate to say it," Michael started, "but usually when people feel like this for someone else... they get to know them... ya know... date them?" he finished.

<p>Brian stopped. God he hated that word. Date. He shuddered. Why would anyone want to put up with that? Why would anyone want to put themselves through all that bullshit?

<p>The bell over the door rung again, and Brian's eyes were drawn to the source. There stood Justin, looking tired. His portfolio was thrown over his shoulder and his hair tussled. 

<p>Brian smiled. 'Well, that would be why...' he thought as Justin smiled back and made his way over to the booth.

<p>~~~~~

<p>Justin was tired. His head still hurt and he still felt sick. He scolded himself for taking that pill Big Red gave him last night, but it was too late now. He wasn't sure how he was going to hold up. It was only lunch time, and he still had three classes to go. He didn't know if working for Sap was such a good idea now. The pay was great, there was no doubt about that, but working until two or three in the morning and then getting up for school at 6:30.

<p>He sighed, trying not to think about it. Instead he continued to walk toward the small diner on Liberty Ave. 

<p>He pushed open the door and his eyes were immediately drawn to Brian who was sitting with Michael. He had a goofy smile on his face and Justin couldn't help but smile back. He walked over to the booth and sat next to Brian who moved over for him.

<p>Brian smirked and put his arm around the blonde. 

<p>"Long day?" he asked, and Justin snorted. 

<p>"You have no idea."

<p>Brian looked down at the blonde and smiled, Justin did the same thing. 

<p>Justin saw Michael smile out of the corner of his eye, and he broke eye contact with Brian and blushed.

<p>Michael cleared his throat. 

<p>"I have to get back to the shop," he stood up, "I'll talk to you two later." Dropping a twenty on the table, he left. 

<p>Justin wiggled out of Brian's arms, and moved to the other side of the booth. Brian frowned.

<p>"You alright?" he asked, and Justin shrugged.

<p>"Tired... It's been a long morning." 

<p>Brian nodded.

<p>The silence that followed was slightly awkward. Justin sighed. 

<p>"So..." he began, but was cut off by his cell phone. His blush deepened as "Let's Hear It for the Boy" sounded throughout the diner. Brian smirked.

<p>Justin quickly answered it.

<p>"Hello?"

<p>"Justin! God it's good to hear your voice again." Justin heard Ben's voice and smiled.

<p>"Ben!?" He asked excitedly, and Brian frowned.

<p>Justin didn't notice him.

<p>"Ben, you prick, you were supposed to call earlier!" he said again, and Brian did his best to listen in on the conversation.

<p>"Excuse me? It was you who was supposed to call, blondie." Ben replied and Justin laughed. 

<p>"Anyway, I'm calling to tell you that I got that job at Carnagie Mellon... Hunter and I are moving to Pittsburgh."

<p>"Holy shit. That's great Ben. When are you to going to be here?" he asked and Ben chuckled nervously. 

<p>"Actually, we're already here..."

<p>"Yeah!" Justin heard Hunter yell, "We've been watching you make an ass out of yourself for the passed five minutes with some hot guy!" he laughed.

<p>Justin paused and stood up. He looked out of the window and gasped. Ben and Hunter were standing outside the diner looking at him. Ben was waving, and Hunter was... making out with the window. 

<p>~~~~~

<p>Brian furrowed his eye brows and looked at the blonde, who was standing and looking out the window with an excited look on his face. He sat up and turned towards the window. What he saw made his stomach drop. 

<p>He didn't notice the kid practically licking the glass... no he saw a tall, broad shouldered man with a cell phone. No doubt the one Justin was talking to. The two walked into the diner. 

<p>Brian watched helplessly as the well built man with sandy hair and glasses wrapped his arms around Justin. Justin returned the favor. 

<p>Justin pulled away from the man, and started chattering away with him. Brian, not one to be ignored stood up and placed some money on the table. He grabbed his briefcase and started to leave.

<p>"Oh wait, Brian!" Justin called after him and he turned around. 

<p>"I want you to meet Ben and Hunter... They're friends from New York." Justin told him and he shrugged.

<p>"Charmed." he said in a flat tone before turning around and heading for the door. He heard the younger one snort and reply with a ''What are you Justin, an asshole magnet?''

<p>Brian guessed that that was a reference to Justin's ex's and himself, but he convinced himself that he didn't care.

<p>He walked out of the diner and started towards his car.

<p>~~~~~

<p>Justin frowned.

<p>"What are you Justin, an asshole magnet?" Hunter asked.

<p>"Hold on." he said before following Brian out the door. He saw Brian walking towards his Jeep.

<p>"Hey!" he called out to him, and Brian ignored him.

<p>"Hey!" he tried again, louder. Brian stopped.

<p>"What?" he snapped as he whipped around to face Justin. 

<p>Justin flinched.	

<p>"What's wrong with you? Why were you so rude to my friends?" he asked accusingly, and Brian smirked.

<p>"Excuse me, I just didn't feel up to watching you and your sugar daddy go at it." he snapped.

<p>Justin blinked, once, then twice before he started laughing.

<p>"Sugar daddy?" he laughed harder, "Ben is NOT my sugar daddy, he's my FRIEND Brian, nothing more." he finished.

<p>Brian blushed.

<p>"Oh..." he said and Justin shook his head. 

<p>"It's alright Brian... You're cute when you're jealous!" he said happily and Brian frowned.

<p>"I wasn't jealous! I don't DO jealousy." he said and Justin laughed again. Brian pouted.

<p>"Okay, okay... you win." Justin said, backing off with a smile still in place. He turned around and headed back into the diner.

<p>He got to the door and stopped when he heard Brian's voice. 

<p>"Wait!" he called.

<p>Justin tuned around and looked at the man who seemed to be waging a battle within.

<p>"You.. uh," Brian stammered, which was a weird thing to witness coming out of the overly confident and cocky man.

<p>"Yes?" Justin encouraged. 

<p>"You... want to go out this weekend? Like... Saturday?" he asked and Justin looked confused.

<p>"Like, at Babylon?" 

<p>"Like, for dinner." Brian mocked him and Justin smiled but it quickly turned into a frown.

<p>"I can't," he said sadly, "I'm busy."

<p>~~~~~

<p>Brian felt sadness creeping throughout his body as the blonde declined his offer. He nodded and turned towards his jeep, intending to get out of there before Justin could recognize his sadness.

<p>"Brian." Justin stopped him.

<p>"I'm not blowing you off..." he said quickly "I just cant."

<p>Brian turned around to face the blonde.

<p>"I'm supposed to go to this stupid party of Sap's on Saturday... to make up for the day I missed." he said, and Brian felt sick.

<p>"A party at sap's? Are you kidding?" he asked and Justin frowned.

<p>"No.." he said slowly. "I'm not, but if the offer still stands I'd really like to go out with you on Sunday..." he said nervously.

<p>Brian smiled, temporarily forgetting about Sap. 

<p>"Yeah, it still stands."

<p>Justin blinded him with one of his sunshine smiles.

<p>Okay, so maybe dating Justin wouldn't be the end of the world.