<p>My updating has slowed down a lot, I know -_- Hopfully I'll find time to write a little more now that things have slowed down on this end. Thanks to my Beta, Sheila XD

<p>___________________________________________

<p>Brian’s eyes fluttered open. He instantly winced at the light filtering through to his bedroom. He sighed and looked down at the mass of blonde, tangled hair lying under his chin. He smiled. Memories of the previous night bombarded him and his smile turned into a smirk. Who knew this devious little bombshell was related to Theodore Schmidt? Maybe Justin was adopted and his real parents were run away convicts or porn stars that the state deemed unworthy of Justin being around… 

<p>The brunette shook his head realizing how stupid that thought was. Justin’s eyes opened a minute later before closing again as he yawned. He looked up at Brian and the man nearly melted at the sight of the boy’s perfect blue eyes. The older man mentally slapped himself at the lesbianic thought. Justin smiled a sleepy smile before letting out a small ‘morning’. Brian didn’t reply, instead he just smiled at the blonde and kissed him gently. He tried working his tongue into Justin’s mouth before the blonde recoiled. Brian gave him an odd look.

<p>“What?” he asked, confused at the boy’s rejection.

<p>“Morning breath.” Justin replied. 

<p>Brian gave him a look that told Justin of his offence towards that statement. Justin rolled his eyes and chuckled. 

<p>“It’s not just you, Brian… I have it too.” he said softly, trying to make the man feel better. Brian glared at him. Justin sighed.  “Okay, fine…” he said while leaning towards the man and stopping close to his lips. “but don’t say I didn’t warn you.” he finished and captured the mans lips. The two kissed for a few minutes before Brian pulled back. He had and unidentified look on his face. Justin smirked. 

<p>“Told you.” he said smugly. Brian rolled his eyes while sitting up.

<p>“Fine. Let’s go brush out teeth then, smart ass.” he said standing up out of the bed. Justin’s eyes lingered on the older man’s lean body. Starting at his feet he slowly made his way up to Brian’s face, which was now sporting a smirk. 

<p>“Like what you see, Sunshine?” he asked teasingly. Justin smirked in return.

<p>“Actually, I was just thinking… have you gained weight?” he asked in the same teasing voice, however, Brian didn’t seem to find the humor in what Justin had said. Justin had to stop himself from smiling at the horrified look that crossed Brian’s face. 

<p>“You’re evil.” Brian said seriously before turning and heading towards the bathroom, and slamming the door for dramatic effect… as much as you can slam a sliding door anyway. Justin laughed good-naturedly before standing up and walking to the bathroom. He tried to open the door but found it locked.

<p>“Oh come on Brian, I was just kidding!” he tried and only got a grunt in reply. “Honestly Brian, you don’t look a day over 25!” he tried again. The door slid open to reveal a hurt looking Brian glaring at him. He didn’t say a thing to the blonde before slamming the door shut again. Justin laughed. He didn’t hear any movement inside the bathroom for a few minutes before he heard the faint sound of Brian stepping on the scale. 

<p>Justin laughed harder.

<p>~~~~~

<p>Brian glared at the blonde sitting across from him in the booth, looking at the menu. He wasn’t REALLY mad at the blonde, more peeved really. Justin wasn’t groveling at his feet for forgiveness at his little “joke” this morning. Brian’s glare intensified, wanting to get the man’s attention yet not wanting to say anything. Justin ignored him in favor of the menu. Brian made a small annoyed noise in the back of his throat. Blue eyes shot up to meet his. Instead of acknowledging the blonde, Brian turned up his nose in a true aristocratic manner and promptly ignored him. He knew he was acting childish but he couldn’t help himself. He saw Justin rise and eyebrow out of the corner of his eye. 

<p>“It was a joke, Brian.” Justin stated calmly as he looked back at the menu. 

<P>Brian didn’t reply. He continued to look away, eyes now lingering on a tall, dark man leaning against the counter. Justin saw this and rolled his eyes. He smirked silently as he put the menu down and got out of the booth. He walked to Brian’s side of the table and slid into Brian’s lap. He began to lay butterfly kisses on the man’s neck. Brian groaned involuntarily. 

<p>“I’m so very,” kiss “very,” kiss “sorry, Brian.” Justin began to say in between kisses. “How could I ever think that your superior,” kiss “toned” kiss “body could be anything less than perfect?” he asked against the man‘s neck. Brian smirked. 

<p>“Can you ever forgive me?” Justin asked in a small, pleading voice while pouting. Brian chuckled.

<p>“I might be able to… but I don’t know how sincere you are.” he reply, smirking. 

<p>“Oh I’m very sincere, Mr. Kinney.” Justin said seductively. Brian felt himself harden at the look on Justin’s face. 

<p>“Hey!” the two jumped as they were pulled out of their own little world. They looked up to see Debbie standing at the end of the booth, hands on her hips while smacking her gum. “Get a room, will ya?” she asked and Brian smiled. 

<p>“Mind if we use yours, Deb?” he ask tongue in cheek. Justin hid his face in Brian’s neck to keep from laughing. 

<p>“Very funny, kiddo.” she replied while shaking her head, “besides, you two are giving the OTHER diner patrons false hope for a show!” she exclaimed. Brian and Justin looked around the diner. More than half were looking at the couple as if expecting the two to go at it right there. Brian snorted and Justin laughed. He slid off of Brian’s lap and sat next to the man.

<p>“Oh, and by the way… since you two decided to go off on a little adventure last night instead of showing up for family dinner, its been moved to tonight. So I expect you two to be there.” she said and Brian knitted his eyebrows together.

<p>“Who told you about that?” he asked and she rolled her eyes.

<p>“Mikey, of course, he said that you were fretting over a date with Sunshine here. Why the HELL didn’t you two tell me?” she asked angrily, eyes shooting between the two males who now seem to have lost their voice. A silence drifted over the table and soon Debbie snorted in a very unladylike fashion. “Fine. You want to be all secretive and not tell me, which may I remind you Brian I am the woman who practically RAISED you, then great. Keep me out of it, I don’t care.” she finished giving Brian a look. The man sighed at the obvious guilt trip. Justin saw this and cleared his throat.

<p>“Actually Deb, I was the one who didn’t want to tell anybody… I didn’t know how everyone would react so I asked Brian to keep it a secret.” he defended, “I’m sorry.” he finished. Debbie and Brian both gave him a look that told him they both knew he was lying, but much to Justin’s relief they let it go.

<p>“Anyway, I expect you two to show up tonight…” she said and stopped at Justin’s wince. “What now?” she asked annoyed. Justin smiled sheepishly.

<p>“A few friends of mine are here from New York… I haven’t seen them in awhile so I promised them I would catch up with them tonight.” he said quietly, as if he were afraid of the response. He saw the look on Brian’s face at the mention of his friends. The blonde knew Brian didn’t like Ben, he made it quite obvious. 

<p>“So bring them to dinner! There’s always plenty of food. You’re not getting out of this Sunshine so you might as well call you friends and tell them there is a change of plan, you got it?” she asked and Justin sighed but nodded none the less.

<p>“Good, so what’ll you two have?” she asked, changing the subject, getting her note pad ready. 

<p>“Eggs over easy, bacon, sausage, hash browns, toast and a glass of OJ please.” Justin replied eagerly. Brian rolled his eyes.

<p>“Coffee, black.” he deadpanned in contrast to Justin’s large, cheery order. It amazed Brian how he could be so attracted to someone so completely different than him. He looked over at the blonde to find him staring up at the taller man, with a look which clearly told Brian that his little Sunshine was horny. 

<p>“I have to go to the bathroom.” Justin said. He slowly climbed over Brian making sure to brush the man’s crotch with his hand before finally climbing out of the booth. 

<p>‘Okay,’ Brian thought ‘so maybe not COMPELTELY different.’ 

<P>He stood up out of the booth and followed Justin into the bathroom, but not before catching Debbie’s knowing look. 

<p>~~~~~

<p>Michael walked into the diner with a smile on his face. He saw Brian and Justin sitting in their usual booth eating breakfast and he made his way over to them. Seeing the flush on their face made him smirk, knowing exactly what they had been up to. Brian was right… they were made for each other. He sat down and nodded to the two as a greeting before picking up the menu, even though he knew it by heart, and began scanning the paper with a happy expression. He saw Brian looking at him out of the corner of his eye.

<p>“And what’s Mikey so giddy about this morning?” Brian asked with sickeningly sweet voice. Justin chuckled as Michael rolled his eyes. 

<p>He wanted to tell Brian to ‘fuck off’ but the words never left his mouth, instead…

<p>“I met someone.” he stated. He heard a gasp behind him and he winced. 

<p>“That’s fucking great sweetie!” Debbie nearly yelled. Brian smirked and Justin covered his mouth with his hand to keep from laughing.

<p>“Ma!” Michael hissed, blushing a lovely shade of red before ducking down in the booth a little.

<p>“Don’t ‘Ma!’ me! Who is he? What does he do? Is he hot? Is he HUNG?” Debbie started in with the questions putting emphasis on the last one in particular. Michael groaned and covered his face with his hands. 

<p>“Maaa…” he whined again and Debbie rolled her eyes. 

<p>“Just answer the questions Michael; she’ll leave you alone quicker.” Justin advised with a playful smirk on his face. Michael glared at him.

<p>“She’ll never leave me alone.” he deadpanned and Debbie wasted no time in slapping him upside the head. 

<p>“Listen to Sunshine, you little shit, and answer my questions!” she demanded. Michael looked over at Brian hoping the man would save him; he had no such luck as he saw that Brian too was interested in Michael’s answers. He sighed.

<p>“I have to go to the bathroom!” Justin suddenly stated and Brian smirked. 

<p>“Again?” he asked slyly and Justin narrowed his eyes. 

<p>“No… I really have to go this time, so scoot!” he demanded. Brian shook his head and slid out of the booth. Michael could see the small smile that graced the man’s lips as he watch the blonde scurry to the men’s room. Brian sat back down and looked at Michael. 

<p>“So?” he asked and Michael looked confused.

<p>“So what?”

<p>“So who is he?!” Debbie answered for Brian and Michael sighed once again. 

<p>“His name is Ben, he’s a college professor. Yes he is hot, and I don’t… really know if he’s, um… hung.” Michael recited, he stumbled a long the last part as the blush on his face deepened. 

<p>Debbie let out a noise that sounded something between a gasp and a squeal. Michael wanted to crawl into a hole. 

<p>“A professor?! That’s so great honey!” the redheaded woman let out and Michael groaned. He heard Brian laughed. 

<p>“Oh we simply just HAVE to meet him Mikey! Why don’t you bring him to dinner tonight?” Brian asked is a sarcastic bubbly voice. Michael’s eyes widened as he shot daggers at Brian. It was too late though; Debbie had already heard it and gasped. 

<p>“Great idea Brian! You invite him to dinner okay? I want to meet this guy… I won’t have another repeat of David, you hear me?” Debbie cornered Michael who was still glaring at Brian. The bell chimed at the kitchen window signifying an order. Debbie said something about being right back and walked off to get it.

<p>“Why? Why would you do that?” Michael asked almost pleadingly. Brian smirked.

<p>“It’s what you get for telling her about Justin and I…” he said, sipping his coffee. The smaller man narrowed his before he stopped and smiled.  

<p>“’Justin and I’?” he mocked and Brian glared at him.

<p>“Shut it Mikey.” he replied calmly. Michael smiled. 

<p>“Brian and Sunshine, sittin’ in a tree!” he started. Brian groaned. “F-U-C-K-I-N-G…”

<p>“What are you, twelve?!” Brian interrupted him. Michael didn’t falter. 

<p>“First comes love, then comes marriage…” he sang as Brian began to rub his temples “then comes a baby in a baby carriage!” Michael finished while bouncing in his seat. The two heard a giggle from a little ways a way. They looked to see Justin making his was to the table from the bathroom. 

<p>“What are you doing, Michael?” he asked with an amused smile on his face. Michael blushed suddenly embarrassed. Brian just shook his head, no explanation for his friend’s behavior. Justin smiled brightly. 

<p>“I have to get to class.  I’ll see you guys tonight, ‘kay?” he said. He leaned over and gave Brian a kiss which lasted a good minute before he pulled back. 

<p>“I’ll give you a ride.” Brian said starting to get up. Justin shook his head. 

<p>“I’ll take the bus, see you guys later!” he said happily walking out of the diner. Michael watched the exchange with a knowing look. Brian finally looked away from where Justin was standing and put his attention on his childish friend. 

<p>“F-U-C-K-I-N-G…” Michael sang in almost a whisper and Brian rolled his eyes. 

<p>“If you stop now I’ll consider giving you a ride to the shop.” Brian said and Michael pouted, but stopped singing none the less.

<p>~~~~~ 

<p>Justin stepped off of the city bus and started walking towards the vast PIFA campus. His messenger bag and portfolio slung over his shoulder and his face was slightly flushed due to the cramped inside of the bus. 

<p>‘I should have let Brian give me a ride.’ he thought glumly as he picked up the pace. Thinking of Brian brought thoughts of last night to Justin’s mind. He smirked. He’d have to thank Hunter for teaching him how to pick locks. He stopped, remembering Debbie telling him to ask his friends to dinner… okay so she demanded it. He still had to call them. 

<p>Justin took out his cell phone and dialed the number to Ben‘s cell phone. He waited for a few minutes before hearing the man’s voice on the other end. 

<p>“Hello Justin.” he said in his usual calm, happy voice.

<p>“Hey Ben, what are you doing tonight?”  Justin asked getting to the point.

<p>Justin waited at Ben paused.  

<p>“Nothing, I don’t think. Hunter was kind of hoping to hang out with you tonight, but I told him not to get his hopes up… I know you’ve got to be pretty swamped.” Bed replied in a gentle, fatherly tone.

<p>“Well that’s why I’m calling. I was looking forward to hanging out with you and Hunter tonight but Brian’s surrogate mother wants us to go to her family dinner. She told me to invite you guys.” Justin said while he continued to walk to the building which held his first class of the day.

<p>“Brian? Uh, I don’t know Justin… call me crazy but I don’t think he likes me much.” Ben said chuckling.

<p>“He doesn’t like anyone he meets… not at first anyway. Plus I don’t expect you two to be great friends.” 

<p>“I know Justin. He just gives me an odd feeling, just like any other guy in his position. After your… ‘history’ with guys you can’t really expect me to think this Brian is any different.” the older man said worriedly. 

<p>“Not Brian, he’s not like the others, he’s different.” Justin defended.

<p>“That’s what you said about-”

<p>“About Cody, I know.” Justin deadpanned. He heard Ben sigh.

<p>“You know I care about you Justin. You, Hunter and Daphne are like my family… my highly dysfunctional, ‘Jerry Springer’ type family…” Ben said lightheartedly. Justin laughed. “I worry about ANY guy being with you, not Just Brian. Can you blame me? Chris nearly killed you; Ethan made you afraid to even go outside and Cody… Cody-”

<p>“I know what Cody did to me, Ben, I was there remember?” Justin snapped bitterly. The line went silent. Justin stopped walking and sighed. “Brian is different. I don’t know how else to put it and I would really like it if you and Hunter came tonight.” Justin said in almost a whisper. 

<p>“Okay Justin, Hunter and I will be there. See you tonight.” Ben said simply. Justin gave him directions to Debbie’s house before the other man hung up. Justin shook his head and hung up as well. He felt bad for snapping at Ben. He knew the man was simply worried for him, but Justin couldn’t help but feel a strange need to protect Brian. Sighing once more and started walking towards the entrance of the building.

<p>~~~~~

<p>Brian smiled. He was currently driving his best friend to his comic shop, listening to him go on and on about this Ben guy. Michael never did this over David, and even though Brian wanted to gag when Michael started talking about the two meeting, walking together to a small café as they discussed books and movies, he was glad that the other man had met someone who didn’t put him down every chance he got. 

<p>“Oh god, he’s hot too Brian, tall, built, blue eyes and dirty blonde hair. He wears glasses and has such a gorgeous smile…” Michael rambled on. Brian furrowed his brow. 

<p>‘Dirty blonde hair, blue eyes… built, glasses…? He sounds like Justin’s Ben…’ Brian thought and growled to himself at the “Justin’s Ben” part. He shook his head. ‘What are the odds of it being THAT Ben, it’s got to be someone else.’ he thought, making up his mind. He pulled to the side of the rode by the shop. Michael turned to him and beamed. 

<p>“Thanks for the ride, Brian!” 

<p>~~~~~

<p>Ben sat down on his bed in his and Hunter’s hotel room. Hunter was in the bathroom trying his best to get a look that in his words was a “I don’t give a fuck what I look like look, even if it took me three hours to get it.” Ben chuckled at his adopted son. The two were going around looking at houses today. He promised Hunter when he first adopted him that they would have a house one day, and not some shitty apartment. His need to fulfill that promise grew after the boy had told him that he had never lived in a house before.

<p>Ben shook his head. He wasn’t sure how he had come to have such a mismatched family. 

<p>Daphne came to mind first, the bubbly yet tough girl who could do nothing right in the eyes of her parents. The girl who always put her friends first no matter what and did everything in her power to make sure they were happy. The girl who broke Chris Hobbes’ leg after he bashed Justin, succeeding in ruining any chance the boy had at a football scholarship or normalcy after prison, the girl who would give the clothes off of her back to help a complete stranger and expect nothing in return, the one who stuck by Justin’s side after his many ups and downs when all she wanted to do was strangle him. 

<p>Then there was Justin who befriended “The Littlest Hustler” and eventually got him to stop. He took a bat to the head, stood up and dared anyone to do it again. Still slightly naïve and unable to relinquish his trust in people in general, even after his own father threw him, his mother and his little sister out on their asses, he made sure Molly got up every morning to brush her teeth, get breakfast and go to school while his mother sunk deeper into depression. Even stripping for a little while after he insisted that he had to pay his part of the rent and getting into one of the most prestigious art schools in the country against all odds…

<p>Finally there was Hunter, the kid who started hustling his ass at age 12 for his mom, who had gotten him into it in the first place, running away a year later and lived on his own until meeting Justin. He had been beaten and raped more times than he could count by age 14 and found out about his HIV status when Justin made him get tested.  The kid with a wicked sense of humor who had dug himself a nice little home in Ben’s heart over the years…

<p>Ben was brought out of his musing by said teenager, who was now standing outside the bathroom with an amused look on his face.

<p>“Did you space out or are you having fantasies about that Michael guy?” he ask while smirking “’Oh Michael, Michael harder, fuck me harder!’” Hunter deepened his voice in attempt to sound like Ben while flailing his arms. Ben threw a pillow, hitting the lanky teen on the head. Hunter looked like he was about to throw it back when they heard Ben’s cell phone ring. He smiled widely when he recognized the personalized ring which signified that Michael was calling.

<p>“Hey Michael!” he said happily into the phone and tried to ignore Hunter, who had turned around and was pretending to make out with someone.

<p>“Hey Ben, how are you doing?” Michael answered back.

<p>“I’m great, you?”

<p>“Perfect. Hey, I was wondering if you would like to have dinner with me tonight at my Mother’s… she’s, uh, eager to meet you.” Ben smiled at the other man’s stuttering. He could almost see the blush spreading across his handsome face.

<p>“I’d love to Michael, but I can’t… I sort of promised a friend of mine I would catch up with him tonight, some sort of family dinner, I don’t know…” he said sadly and felt bad when he heard Michael’s small ‘oh’ on the other end. 

<p>“But Hunter and I are going house shopping today, if you’d like to join us…” he offered spur of the moment, and ignored the glare that Hunter shot him. 

<p>“Really? I wouldn’t want to intrude…”

<p>“Nonsense, Hunter really wants to meet you.” Ben lied once again ignoring the look his son was giving him. 

<p>“Well, if he doesn’t mind, I’d love to… I mean I could close the shop for a few hours.” Michael agreed and Ben couldn’t help the smile that spread over his face. 

<p>“Great! I’ll pick you up at the shop in about an hour alright?”

<p>“Sure!” Michael chirped happily on the other end. Ben hung up a few minutes later and looked over that Hunter who was giving him a look which clearly told him he wasn’t happy about the situation. 

<p>“What?” Ben asked, feigning cluelessness “I thought you said you wanted to meet him…”

<p>Hunter rolled his eyes.

<p>“Just don’t fuck him in any of the houses please… wouldn’t want to scar me, would you?” he joked.

<p>“Oh yes, ‘cause THAT would be the thing that messes you up, THAT would hurt your fragile little mind.” Ben said and Hunter growled. 

<p>“Justin would be on my side.” he pouted. Ben sighed.

<p>“Give me a break James… I really like this guy.” 

<p>The teen gave him a look before he sighed. 

<p>“Fine… but I still think you and Justin should be toge-”

<p>“Don’t even start, James Hunter Montgomery Bruckner!” Ben hissed and Hunter winced at the use of his full name.

<p>“Okay, okay… I’m just saying…”

<p>“Yeah, well don’t.” Ben said while picking up his jacket and keys. He shook his head at his adopted son. Hunter always had this odd idea about him and Justin being together, and he couldn’t really seem to understand that it wasn’t going to happen. The two walked out of the hotel room and made their way down the main floor. A part of him wanted to be able to stand up to Hunter and not let his opinion of Michael sway him… 

<p>…and the other part of him really wanted to Hunter and Michael to get along.