Brian came into the diner to find the three stooges sitting at a booth already.  He went and joined them.  

“Hey, Brian,” Emmett said.

“Hey,” Ted whispered.

“Hello,” Brian said, sitting down with a big smile.

Then Debbie came to take his order.  He smiled at her after she told him that she would get it right away.  She worked there part time and he liked it because they got extra food and sometimes it was free.

“What’s with you?” Michael asked.  “Did something happen at work?”

“No,” Brian told him shrugging.  “Why?”

“Did you just fuck someone?” Ted asked.

Brian shook his head again.  “What is with you people?”

“Never mind you,” Emmett said.  “We were talking about me.”

“Well sorry, you big queen,” Brian said.

Emmett rolled his eyes.  He was getting used to the brunet more everyday.  “So he said he was going to try and come see me.  Isn’t that great?”

“I’m happy for you, Emmett,” Ted told him truthfully.

“Isn’t that kind of crazy though?” Michael asked.  “I mean he’s so far away.  He can fuck as many guys as he wants to and you would never find out about it.”

“So?” Emmett asked.  “I haven’t been an angel you know.  And Slater and I don’t have a relationship.  It’s just a thing.  We had fun that night.”

Brian’s ears perked up at the mention of Slater.  It had been a month and he still had dreams of Justin.  In some of them he had the older man under him begging for more while he fucked him.  He cleared his throat and jumped back in the conversation where Michael was planning a get together where they could meet Slater.

“No way,” Emmett said laughing.  “Michael, I’m serious.  Slater and I are not together.  We just fuck and very good at that.”

Ted laughed.

“Here you go, Bri,” Debbie said putting Brian’s burger and fries in front of him with his drink.  “Are you boys going to Babylon later?”

“Yeah, ma,” Michael said.

“You watch out for Brian,” Debbie told him.

“I’m not a fucking kid,” Brian told her.  

“Watch your language,” Debbie said hitting the brunet in the back of his head. “You don’t talk to me that way.”

Emmett giggled as she walked away.  

“Hey, didn’t you say you were going to watch what you ate?” Michael asked.

Brian shrugged.  “I exercise enough.”

“What gym do you go to?” Ted asked and then took a sip of his coffee.

Brian stared at them and then laughed as he shook his head.

“Oh,” Ted said getting it.

Emmett and Michael rolled their eyes. 

“So tonight is King of Babylon,” Michael said.  “Are you guys going to enter?”

Brian laughed.  “Right, like that’s going to happen.  When they do Ugliest Queen of Babylon you guys feel free to participate.”

“Oh shut up, asshole,” Emmett said.  “Do you always have a smart ass comment to say?” 

Brian stared at Emmett.  “Does the truth hurt?”

“Just because you think you’re the hottest thing in here does not give you the right…” Emmett said.

“Its okay, Emmett,” Michael said.  “Brian doesn’t mean anything by it.  He’s just joking.”

“He doesn’t know how to joke,” Emmett informed them.

“I’m going to head out.  Come on, Emmett.  We’ll see you at the club,” Ted told them.

Emmett waved goodbye to Michael.  

“I’m glad they left,” Michael said.

“You don’t like them either?” Brian asked smirking.

“It’s not that,” Michael said.  “I haven’t been able to spend alone time with you.”

Brian looked at his best friend and Emmett’s words were circulating his brain.  He felt nauseous and his stomach flipped on him.  He sighed and wondered what the fuck he was going to do with Michael.  He looked at his friend, gave him a weak smile and kept on eating.  

When the brunet looked up again, Michael was watching him with a little smile.  It was starting to worry him that Emmett might be right about the whole thing.  Brian smirked because he thought it was hilarious.  Maybe he could milk it for all his worth and get Michael to do things he never liked doing with him, like going to the baths and orgy parties.  There are plenty of possibilities, the brunet thought.  But then he decided he would never do that to his best friend.

“So, uh, have you met any interesting guys?” Brian asked. 

Michael frowned a bit and shrugged.  “No one.”

“You should go out and find someone,” the brunet told him.

“Why?” Michael asked.  “You say love is crap.”

“But that’s me, Mikey,” Brian said and smiled.  He popped a fry into his mouth and arched a brow at his friend.

Michael shrugged.  “I prefer hanging out with you.  It’s fun and you know it.”

“Mmm mph,” Brian muttered and grabbed his soda. “Well, let’s go to Babylon tonight.  Maybe we’ll find you someone hot.”

Michael sighed; all he wanted was to spend time with the brunet.  He wondered if Brian knew how much he loved him.  He wanted to tell him but he didn’t know how.  He knew Brian loved him as well.  They knew each other so well.  They were perfect for each other.

“You’re hot, Mikey,” Brian told him.  “You can have anyone you want.”

Michael beamed at that.  Brian hoped that his friend’s infatuation would die sooner rather than later.

***

Brian came out of the bathroom feeling a lot better than when he woke up.  He and Michael had gone to Babylon and they had met up with Emmett and Ted.  They had a few drinks, danced a bit and drank some more.  Brian had fucked two guys in the backroom; one of them was a trick that Cole had been eyeing all night and he was pretty proud that he was the one that snuck him away.

The brunet walked to the kitchen and opened the fridge.  There wasn’t much in it but a few bottled waters, some beers, a half gallon of milk and one of guava juice, plus a few fruits.  There was a jar of peanut butter that Brian wondered how long had been there.  He wasn’t one for going to the grocery store and buying food.  He ate out most of the time.  He grabbed the milk and closed the door. 

Brian grabbed the box of cornflakes and sat down in the kitchen island to eat.  When he opened the milk he frowned.  He looked at the date and groaned.  

“Well, fuck me,” he said and got up, leaving everything where it was. 

He went back to his bedroom and threw the towel around his waist on the floor.  He got dressed quickly.  A pair of faded jeans, his favorite boots, his wife beater with a black shirt over it and he was out of the door.  He smiled when he got out of the building and his Jeep was waiting for him.  Ryder had told him he deserved it after he’d managed to win an important account.  His boss kept telling him that he had potential and that he would be at the top in no time.  

When he got to the grocery store he groaned.  There were people everywhere.  He walked to get the milk.  When he had it in his hand he noticed the chocolate milk.  He grabbed one of those too.  He thought of what else he needed and decided to stock up for a while so he didn’t have to come back.  He went back near the entrance and grabbed a cart. 

First he went to get another box of cornflakes.  He ended up with a box of Frosted Flakes, one of Pop, one of Captain Crunch, two of Lucky Charms and one of Cocoa Puffs.  Then he moved to get some bread and since he was near the bakery he went to see what he could get.  He had a sweet tooth for all sorts of candy.  He got some éclairs, some glace doughnuts as well as the powdered ones, a strawberry cheesecake and a double chocolate cake.  

Brian didn’t remember that well what else he was supposed to get but by the time he went to check out, his cart was full.  He paid for everything and walked to his car.  On the drive home he had opened a bag of mini Oreos and was munching away.

When he got home he carried the bags to the elevator and went to his apartment.  Once he was in there, Michael was inside.  He groaned wondering what his friend was doing there.  He had given the man his key for emergencies only.

“Michael,” Brian said.

“What is all this?” Michael asked.

“What?” Brian asked.  “It’s food, Mikey.”

“I know that,” Michael told him and helped him.

Between the two of them they put everything away. 

“Do you want me to make breakfast?” Michael asked.

Brian smiled.  “Sure, make me an omelet with ham and onions and peppers, the green ones.  And some slices of tomato and potato and when it’s done, some cheese on top so it melts,” the brunet explained.  “The white one, though.”

Michael frowned.  “Mr. Picky wants what?”

“Oh shut up,” Brian told him.  “What are you doing here?”

“I got bored at home,” Michael said.

Brian scoffed.  “That’s just great, Mikey.  Should I expect you each time that happens?”

Michael shook his head with a smile.  He knew Brian was being sarcastic and he really didn’t care.  “So I was thinking,” Michael said as he started cooking.

“What?” Brian asked as he cleaned the kitchen island.

“Emmett is looking at apartments,” Michael said.  “He has been staying with a cousin or something like that.  He’s looking for a roommate because he doesn’t have much money.”

“And?” Brian said throwing the rancid milk down the drain.

“I was thinking this is like a sign,” Michael said.  “I could move in with him.”

“You don’t know him that well,” Brian said.

Michael sighed.  “So you think it’s a bad idea?”

“No, no,” Brian said. “I think it’s great; you’re ready to move out of your house.  I think you should do it.”

Michael smiled brightly.  “I’ll do it.”

Brian nodded slowly and hoped that Emmett would keep Michael entertained enough.  

***

Emmett, Ted and Michael entered the diner and Brian was sitting alone having lunch.  Emmett walked ahead and put his hand on the brunet. 

“What the fuck do you want?” Brian asked angrily.

“Back away from the rabid animal,” Ted joked and laughed.

Emmett raised his arms up in surrender.  

Michael rolled his eyes and sat across from Brian.  “We found a place.”

“Good for you,” Brian told him coldly.

Emmett sat with Michael and looked up at Ted.  Ted bit his lower lip, looked at Brian and then went and sat with the guys.

“Michael wanted to talk to you about it,” Emmett said.  “He says he’s not sure.”

Brian rolled his eyes.  

“They can afford it,” Ted said.  “I calculated it.”

Brian stared at the oldest man of them all.

“I’m an accountant,” Ted pointed out. 

Brian really didn’t care at all.  “What do you want me to do about it?”

“I thought you would like to see it,” Michael pointed out.

“I don’t have time now,” Brian said flatly.

Emmett looked at Michael and arched a brow.  

“What’s wrong, Brian?” Michael asked.  “Is everything okay at work?”

“Peachy,” Brian snapped.

“So,” Debbie said coming to them.  “What is going to be?”

“We’re leaving,” Ted said getting up.  “Come on guys.  We have to act fast before someone else takes it from under you.”

“I’ll see you, Brian,” Michael said frowning.

“What’s wrong, honey?” Debbie asked.

“Nothing ma,” Michael assured her.

Debbie sat in front of Brian.  “My baby is moving on.”

Brian rolled his eyes.  “He should have a long time ago.  He’s not a kid.”

Debbie looked at Brian and sighed.  She smirked and leaned forward.  “You don’t fool me Brian Kinney.  I know you, remember, since you were a kid.  I know you’re happy for him.”

“Uh, uh,” Brian muttered and finished his meal.  

“I’m going to go back to work,” Debbie said.

“Can I get a few strips of bacon?” Brian asked.

Debbie nodded and went to get them.  When she put them on front of Brian the brunet smiled up at her.  She bent down and kissed him on the cheek before she started cleaning the lipstick away from his cheek.  She hated that Brian and Michael had grown up so fast. She loved them so much, she even saw the brunet as her own.   She sighed and went back to work before she got too emotional.

***

“Home, sweet home,” Brian said, entering the loft with the trick behind him.

The guy smiled and looked around.  “Not bad.”

Brian went to the fridge and grabbed two beers out.  He gave one to the man.   Then he walked to the bedroom.  Then the trick came inside the bedroom and the bottle of beer was gone as well as the man’s shirt.  The brunet put his away and took off his shoes and socks.  He walked over to the man who was about his same height and kissed him hard.

“Mmm,” the trick moaned.  “Those lips of yours are driving me crazy.”

Brian smirked and attacked the man’s neck.

“I can’t wait to have you,” the trick moaned as he wrapped an arm around the brunet.  “I’m going to fuck your tight hole.”

Brian pulled his head back and smirked.  “I’m a top.”

“That’s what they all say,” the man whispered.  “I’ll have you begging for it.”

“No, I don’t think so,” Brian told him.

The trick squeezed Brian’s ass.

“Stop it,” Brian said and pushed him away.

The man, who was older and more muscular, moved closer to the brunet.  “It’s okay, pet.  I’m not going to hurt you.”

“You have to leave,” Brian told him.

“Excuse me?” the man asked putting his hand on Brian’s chest.  “Relax, we’ll take it easy.”

Brian cringed when the man ran his hands up and down his chest.  “You have to go.”

“What? You’re serious?” the man asked.  “We haven’t even started.”

“I don’t care,” Brian told him.  “I changed my mind.”

“You’re a fucking cock tease,” the man yelled at the brunet.

“Fuck off,” Brian hissed.

The guy punched Brian in the face.  Brian glared and his chest heaved as he tried to breathe.  He was a bit scared but a lot pissed off.

“Get out,” the brunet said in a shaky voice.  “Just get the fuck out!” he yelled more firmly.

The trick walked away, grabbed his shirt and walked to the door.  He slid it open and went through it.  Brian walked to it and closed it.  He locked it and set the alarm.  He went to the bathroom and stared at his face.  He sighed, happy that there was no damage and then took off his clothes quickly.  He jumped in the shower and put the water as hot as he could stand it.  

He stayed under the shower for a long time.  He couldn’t believe how shitty his night had turned out.  He was definitely not going to bring any tricks into the loft for a while; at least not ones that had an advantage on him.  He knew the man had been a top, he just had wanted to dominate the man and show him what he could do.  That just went to hell, the young man thought.

When he got out he put a pair of sweats on.  He grabbed his cell phone and called Michael but the man didn’t answer.  He sighed and went to the kitchen where he got the ice cream out.  He put some in a bowl and searched for the pack of Cameos he had bought.  Then he sat down in the sofa and turned on the TV.  He ate for a while before he started to doze off.  The last thing he thought of was how it sucked to be alone. 

***

Michael came into the loft after having called Brian’s work to set up a lunch date with Brian and finding out that the brunet had called in sick.  He’d seen the call Brian gave him the night before but he’d been out with Emmett and Ted celebrating their new apartment and somehow forgot that his phone had been turned off.

“Brian?” Michael called and went to the bedroom.

Brian opened his eyes and stared at Michael.  “What?”

“You look horrible,” Michael said.

“Thank you, Mikey,” Brian growled.  “Leave me alone.”

“They said you were sick,” Michael said putting his hand on Brian’s forehead.  “Holy shit.  You are burning up.”

“I’ve always known I’m hot,” Brian said.

“That’s not funny,” Michael said.  “Get out of bed.  You’re going to the hospital.”

“I don’t want to,” Brian protested. 

“Brian, you never get sick,” Michael fought him on it as he tried to get Brian out of bed.

Brian was too tired to fight his friend.  So he let Michael take him to the shower and help him.  He let Michael dress him and then take him to the Jeep and drive him to the hospital. Brian entered the emergency room with a pair of jeans, his tennis shoes and shirt and right then he knew he had made the biggest mistake not bringing something warmer.  He was going to freeze his ass off.

“Hi,” Michael said to the nurse behind the glass at the small office.  “We need to see a doctor.”

“Can you sign here and we will call you soon enough,” the nurse, Tina, told them.

Michael signed them in and they sat down and waited.  Ten minutes later they were being called. 

“How old are you?” the same woman asked once they were through the door and sitting in front of her.

“Twenty two,” Brian told her.  

“Do you have insurance Mr. Kinney?” she asked.

Brian sighed and nodded.

“Did you take any pills today?” she asked him.

“No,” Brian told her.

“Any pains?” Tina asked and looked at the brunet.

“I had a headache for a few days,” Brian told her. "It's gone now."

“Did you take anything for that?” she asked jotting something down.

“No,” Brian told her.  

“Any other kind of pains?” She asked.

“My back,” Brian told her.  “And my stomach.”

Tina looked at him and then and Michael.  She looked back at Brian and gave him a little smile.  “Have you been coughing or sneezing?”

“No,” Brian assured her.

“Have you have trouble keeping your food down?” Tina asked and raised a brow while she reached for the thermometer.

“A few times but that’s after I eat really fast,” Brian told her.

She put the plastic over it and shoved it in Brian’s mouth.  She started jotting down a few things and when she was done she took the thermometer out and proceeded to do everything else she needed. Michael was standing behind the brunet looking at everything she did.

“Are you sexually active?” the woman asked.

“Yes,” Brian told her.

“Do you have a partner?” she asked.

“No,” Brian informed her.

“Do you practice safe sex?” Tina asked.

“Of course I do,” Brian snapped.

Tina nodded and jotted it down.  “Do you smoke, use alcohol or any other drugs?”

“I smoke and drink,” Brian told her.  “But that’s it.”

Michael said ‘liar’ in his head but kept quiet.  From time to time they would smoke pot but that’s all they had ever tried so far.  

“Are there any illnesses in your family?” she asked him.  “Like diabetes, asthma, cancer, mental illness, etc.”

“Not that I know of,” Brian hissed.  “Is all this necessary?”

“Yes,” she assured him.  “Any operations?”

Brian shook his head.

“Are you allergic to any drugs?” she asked.

“No,” Brian answered.

“We’re done,” she told him smiling.  “You can wait over there,” she said pointing at the waiting room where they came from.  “The doctor will be with you soon.”

Brian and Michael went back to the waiting room.  Brian rested his head on Michael’s lap and the rest of his body occupying at least three seats.  There weren’t many people around.  Half an hour later he was called. 

Michael stayed back and paced around until he got tired of waiting.  When he asked for the brunet they told him that he’d been placed in a hospital room and were waiting for the results to be back.  He walked to the room and smiled when he saw the brunet.  There was an empty bed next to Brian.  He hoped they didn’t place anyone there, even if they could always pull the curtains around. 

“Brian,” Michael whispered.

Brian looked up at Michael as he lay on the hospital bed.  There was an IV line connected to his hand and it was dripping awfully slowly.

“How are you feeling?” Michael asked.

“I’m better, Mikey,” Brian told him.  “I want to go.”

“I know you do,” Michael said. “But let’s just wait and see what happens, okay?”

Brian sighed.

“Since when were you sick?” Michael asked.

“Last night,” Brian told him.  “It must be something I ate.”

Michael nodded.

“I’m hungry,” Brian said.

“That’s good,” Michael said.  “Do you want me to bring you something?”

“A burger,” Brian told him.  “With double bacon.”

“I don’t think so, Brian,” Michael said.  “I’m going to go call Ma.”

Brian groaned and watched his friend go.  Two hours later when Brian opened his eyes he was surrounded by people.  Ted, Emmett, Debbie and Michael were all there.

“Hey, there sleepy head,” Debbie said caressing his face.

Brian sighed and moved back.  He felt like shit and the last thing he wanted was someone hovering over him.  “What’s going on?”

“You fell asleep,” Michael said.

“I brought soup,” Debbie told him. “It’s still warm.  Do you want some?”

“No,” Brian hissed.

Debbie frowned.

“Excuse me,” the doctor said. “I’m Doctor Henry Panache.”

"What's going on?" Debbie asked.

"Could I speak to Mr. Kinney in private?” the doctor asked.

“But we’re his family,” Debbie said.

“Come on, Ma,” Michael told her.  “It will be okay,” he said sure that Brian would tell him whatever it was.

When they exited the room the doctor closed the door.  He pulled a chair closer to the brunet.

“Am I dying?” Brian asked.  The doctor in front of him wasn’t the one that had come to him at first.  It had been a woman with red curly hair and big brown eyes.  She had been very nice and for some reason she was gone now.

The doctor smiled and shook his head.  “It’s nothing that bad.  We have to talk about a few things.”

Brian nodded and sat up.

“You’re gay, Brian,” the doctor said.  “Am I correct?”

Brian swallowed.  “Yes, I am,” he said not sure what that had anything to do with his current situation and then he started thinking about HIV and a lot of other things and that maybe he’d failed to be as safe as possible.

“You’re a bottom or a top?” the doctor asked.

Brian frowned but answered anyways.  “I’m a top.”

“Have you ever bottomed?” the man asked.

“One or twice when I was younger,” Brian told him.

Henry frowned when he heard that.  “Did something happen to you, Brian?”

“What do you mean?” Brian asked.

“Were you attacked?” the doctor asked concerned at that point.  “Raped?”

“No way,” Brian told him.  “Just tell me what’s going on.”

“I was looking at your chart and it says you’re single,” the doctor said.  “You know how recently we’ve discovered a few men that can have babies?”

Brian felt his stomach turning every which way.

“You’re pregnant,” the doctor informed him.

Brian was sure he was going to puke.

“This is a very sensitive matter,” Doctor Panache said.  “It’s very risky.”

“What do you mean I’m pregnant?” Brian asked.  “I mean…there was this guy that fucked me about...three months ago but he used a condom each time.  He did, I saw him.”

“Condoms are not one hundred percent safe, Brian,” the doctor said. “There have been pregnancies occurring even when people use them.  It’s for a number of reasons. A faulty condom, it broke, it was expired, etc.”

Brian felt tears coming to his eyes.  He couldn’t be pregnant.  He had his job to think about.  How he just started and how far he was going to go.  He couldn’t have a kid tying him down.  He just couldn’t.

“There are options to this,” the doctor said.  “You can terminate the pregnancy but there is a high risk you never will be able to have kids again.”

The brunet stared at the doctor like he was speaking Chinese.

“Also it can be dangerous for your health, Brian,” the man said.  “I’m not going to lie to you, either way is risky but having the baby is the safer bet.”

Brian rubbed his face and a few tears fell down.  The doctor got up and put a hand on Brian’s shoulder.  

“Mr. Kinney…Brian,” he said.  “Do you want me to call your family in here?”

“No,” he said.  “Just…don’t tell them.”

The doctor nodded.  “I’m going to keep you here until tomorrow.  We need to do a few more tests and then you and I will be seeing each other soon.”

“Why?” Brian asked.

“I’m the resident specialist,” the man told him. “I was called when your results came back.”

“Oh,” Brian whispered.

“I’ll see you tomorrow, Brian,” the doctor said.  “Get some rest.”

Brian nodded and as soon as the man was gone, everyone was back inside asking a bunch of questions.  “It’s nothing.  He said I was a bit dehydrated and that I had to take it easy.  He was just being a big drama queen about it.”

“Thank god,” Debbie said kissing Brian on the forehead. “I’ve told you a hundred times to take it easy.”

“I know, Deb,” he said smiling.

“I’m glad, Brian,” Michael said smiling and hugged his friend.

“Okay,” Debbie said.  “Everyone out. He has to rest.  Brian, eat your soup.”

Brian rolled his eyes.  “Later,” he told her.

After they were all gone the brunet turned in his side and closed his eyes.  He fell asleep with his hand protectively around his stomach.