“Brian, there’s a Jennifer Taylor and her son Justin to see you.” 

Brian heard the words from the intercom and sat stunned for a moment. Justin had brought his mother here? The consequences of fucking a seventeen year old, no matter how hot, were now crashing down on him. “Send them in,” he managed to say, doing his best to sound normal so Cynthia wouldn’t know how he felt.

“Mrs. Taylor, Justin,” Brian said, standing up behind his desk. Fuck, Justin looked hot in the damned uniform from St. James. “Have a seat and tell me what I can do for you.” 

He and Justin had been having an affair, been fuck buddies, had a relationship, been fucking for the past two weeks, ever since he’d picked him up outside of Babylon. It had gone against everything Brian had believed in, but damned if he could stop himself. The boy was damn hot, young, and infatuated with him. What more could a guy want?

Jennifer nodded her acknowledgement of his greeting as she sat, stiff backed in one of his guest chairs. She didn’t look happy. Justin on the other hand walked around Brian’s desk, kissed him on the cheek and then sat down. He was a combination of bravado and nervous energy. He noticed Jennifer’s wince when her son kissed his cheek. He almost returned the kiss with one much, much hotter, but thought better of it at the last minute. After all he was the adult in this relationship or whatever the fuck it was.

“Brian…” Justin began and then looked at his mother with desperation. “Mom can you at least give us five minutes alone?” 

“Five minutes Justin, you have a plane to catch.” She stood up. “Mr. Kinney,” she inclined her head in a stiff nod before leaving his office.

“What the fuck is going on Justin? This is my office.” 

“I know it’s your office Brian, I’m not two.” Justin grinned at Brian in a familiar grin that traveled directly to the well-dressed man’s groin. “I only have five minutes and believe me, my mother, will have it timed to the second. I’m being sent to my aunt’s place in California. Auntie Kelly is my mother’s sister and she’s really cool. Things around home aren’t good. Dad is freaking because I’m gay. Mom keeps thinking it was something she did and my little sister doesn’t give a shit.  Which is okay, I can deal with all that. But I kind of got caught giving a hand job to one of the jocks at school and now my life is hell. I was given a choice to either be expelled or transferring out and I took the transfer. Damned if I’m going to give up everything I worked for to get into a good university over one fucking hand job.”

Brian could understand this. He’d been driven much the same in his high school years. “But California? Isn’t that overkill?” Why the fuck am I feeling like <i>my</i> life was ending. Justin was only a fuck buddy wasn’t he?

“I know, that part sucks. Except Auntie Kelly is really cool. She’s some kind of big deal for Paramount, has an awesome house, and I’m her favorite nephew; well her only nephew. It’s not like it’s going to be forever and I can call you and we can talk on MSN or email.”

“Whatever,” Brian drawled, struggling to understand what Justin was saying. He was feeling like a school girl that was being dumped by her steady. “So you’re leaving now?” 

“Yeah, it was the only flight that made sense with Auntie Kelly’s schedule and with this being my final year and having to transfer to a new school, I have to make sure I’m there for all the important stuff.” He walked around Brian’s desk and climbed on the man’s lap, straddling him. “I’m going to miss you so much,” he whispered before claiming Brian’s lips in a kiss filled with passion that left them both wanting more. “I know this really sucks; I mean for you and me, but I figure you’d be dumping my ass soon anyway. Just because I’m madly in love with you, doesn’t mean you return the feeling. I know you’re twelve years older than me, but someday that difference in our ages won’t mean as much. I just hope we can hook up again when that happens.” 

Brian wanted to shout and rail against Justin leaving. He felt sick to his stomach and desperate to hold onto the boy in his arms. What was happening to him? “Justin, keep in touch okay?” was all he said, even though his eyes… his eyes said much, much more and Justin read every word in them, his heart breaking. But he knew it was for the best. Michael had talked to him and told him that Brian’s career would be gone if word got out he was fucking a seventeen year old. This chance to leave was really all he could do. He knew he’d never be able to stay away if he stayed in the Pitts. 

“I’ve got to go,” Justin said as he got down from Brian’s lap. “I’ll call you when I get there.”  He forced himself to not cry. There would be time enough for tears later when Brian couldn’t see him.

“Yes, call and give me your address.” Brian’s smile wavered and then stiffened. “I’ll walk you to the door.”

“No don’t, please. I want to remember you like this. All gorgeous and handsome and fuckable in your office. I’ll be seeing you in my dreams,” he grinned as he repeated Brian’s own words back at him. “Meet you there.” He blew a kiss and then disappeared through the door. As the door shut behind him, Justin angrily brushed away a tear that had escaped before straightening his back and walking to the reception area where his mother waited. Fuck, if he’d ever let her know how this was killing him.

“Let’s go,” Justin said as he all but ran past his mother on his way to the elevator. He needed to get away quickly. There was no fucking way he was going to break down in the lobby of Brian’s office. It was also why he’d brought his mother. No one could fault Brian for having him in the office if his mother was there.

“Justin, please wait,” she called as she hurried to catch up with her son. She knew his heart was breaking, but she also knew that at his age, it was best that things happened this way. Anything else would have been hell for everyone, including Brian Kinney.

Brian felt like he’d been sucker punched. He leaned back in his chair and shut his eyes. He knew deep inside that having a relationship with someone Justin’s age would never work. There were just too many things against the whole idea, even though they always came back to the same old twelve years difference in age.

The very best he could hope for would be the chance that, in time, like Justin said, the twelve years would mean little in the grand scheme of things. 

Justin said little on the ride to the airport. There wasn’t much that he could say. He was forced by circumstances to move to L.A.; a place he’d always loved whenever he visited. He even liked staying at his Auntie Kelly’s place. He’d stayed there often over the years. Not having Brian, however, that was something that he hated. As the car moved to the airport and then later as the plane traveled across the continent, he wove fantasies of what he’d like to do to Michael, and none of it good. For he was sure it was him who had somehow engineered this whole fiasco.  It was better to direct his anger Michael than toward himself, because if he hadn’t been such an ass, he might still be in Pittsburgh. The hand job with Chris Hobbes hadn’t been worth all of this.

In L.A. 

“Justin Taylor, you are such a handsome young man,” his aunt gushed as she enveloped him in a hug. “I’m so pleased that you’ll going to spend time with me. It’s been lonely since your uncle passed.” 

“Thanks, I guess,” he said and kissed her cheek. “I forgot how hot it was here.” His school uniform was definitely not suited to the L.A. airport. 

“You’re hardly dressed for the local climate,” she laughed, and “I’m afraid that your new school doesn’t believe in uniforms. It’s every kid for themselves.” 

“Swell.” Just what he needed, a school that put you into groups according to how you dressed. He was going to need some time to think of the statement he was going to make, which basically consisted of not getting his ass kicked.

“Oh it won’t be that bad. After all these kids are just like you.”

“You mean gay and in love with an older man?” Justin smirked. 

“No dear, I mean kids with some kind of family problem.”  

“I don’t have any family problems.” He shouldered his heavy bag and grabbed the handle of another one. 

“Of course not. Every teenage boy looks forward to moving across the country for the last half of his senior year in high school.” She raised her eyebrows and smiled. 

“Whatever,” he replied and followed his aunt to her car. 

Kelly resisted the urge to roll her eyes as they walked. She’d never had children of her own and had always enjoyed borrowing her sister’s. But maybe this time it was going to be a struggle to remain sane.  “I’ve moved since you were here last. Now I have a condo downtown, but I’m sure you’ll love it.”

“Does mom know?” Justin began. “I mean I never heard her say anything.” 

“It just happened actually. The truck left earlier today, so the two of us get to unpack and decorate. I took the liberty of ordering some things for your room. Your mother really didn’t give me much notice.” 

“Yeah, well, she didn’t know I was going to give Hobbes a hand job and get kicked out of school,” he tried to snicker, but he was losing his bravado. 

“No, I suppose she didn’t,” Kelly sighed. “Justin, I don’t have any kind of agenda here, so if I were you I’d lose the attitude. You’re a young man, almost an adult, and as such I expect you to behave that way. I know it sucks that you’re here and not with the man you love, but from what I hear from my sister, he’s a great deal older than you.”

“He’s older in years, but he doesn’t look a lot older and emotionally he’s about the same age as I am. I don’t think that life was very kind to him when he was a kid. It’s complicated,” Justin sighed. “I’ll try not to get in your way.”

“You won’t be in my way. If I hadn’t wanted you here, you wouldn’t be here. You’d probably be learning to march in a straight line and calling some asshole ‘sir ’,” she grinned. “There’s a McDonalds on the way, want to eat before we head to the condo?”

“Sure, but it isn’t very healthy.” He couldn’t believe he was channeling Brian. 

“I know, but there are times when eating at the golden arches is the only way to feel warm and snuggly.”

“I think that’s stuffed and uncomfortable,” Justin laughed.

“That too,” Kelly agreed.  The rest of the trip was filled with Justin and Kelly catching up with one another on the various happenings in their lives. 

In Pittsburgh, Brian looked at the clock on the wall for what had to have been the zillionth time. Just how long was a flight to L.A. he wondered. Justin said he’d call as soon as he arrived. He stood up and strode across the room to look out the loft windows as if seeking divine intervention. The phone rang and his heart stopped. 

“Hey,” Brian answered, sex in his voice.

“Hey Brian, we’re all going to Woody’s and then Babylon tonight, want to come?” It was Michael and it was all he could do not to throw the receiver across the room. 

“No, I’m busy,” Brian quickly replied and started to hang up.

“Brian, you haven’t been out with just the guys like forever. Now that the kid has left town you can actually have some fun without your little stalker.”

Brian went cold inside. “Michael, how do you know that Justin’s left town?” His voice sounded dangerously pissed, not that Michael heard it, he barely heard his friend’s question. 

“Well didn’t he? I mean he was in the diner yesterday talking to Ma about something. You know how dramatic kids can get. I told him that he had to stop being such a little drama queen. I mean, what if your boss found out you were fucking a kid. Not that you are, fucking him much, but still. I know how it would look. I mean I can’t even be out at work, much less fuck somebody who’s still in school. My ass would be grass so fast,” he chuckled. “I don’t know what they were talking about, but Ma said something about you understanding. I guess he was having second thoughts or something about you being so much older.” 

Brian barely acknowledged what Michael was saying. What he heard was the fact that Justin had taken his problems to Debbie, like a lot of gay boys, himself included when he was Justin’s age. And that Michael, in his petty jealousy, had managed to twist things around so the kid no doubt figured he was doing the best thing for him. The fact that Justin was infatuated with him to the point of imagining he was in love, hadn’t escaped Brian, Debbie or Michael. “Shut the fuck up Michael,” Brian finally managed to say. He wanted to say much, much more, but that would mean letting Michael know just what Justin had come to mean in his life and that wasn’t going to happen. That was private for his heart only and not to be shared with all of fucking Liberty Avenue. It was something that would happen within seconds of Michael finding out. 

“What?” 

“I’m busy, but I could come by for a beer at Woody’s. Some of us actually have to work for a living; not stock shelves. And I have a meeting first thing tomorrow morning.” Brian hung up without waiting for Michael’s reply. He couldn’t deal with his friend right now. He was sick and tired of all of them interfering in his life as if he was some kind of mental defective who couldn’t handle it himself.

He checked his phone; the red light was blinking meaning a message had been left while he talked to Michael. He’d been so pissed at him that he hadn’t heard the beep that indicated another call was coming in.

“Hey Brian, it’s me. I guess you’re out already. Sorry I couldn’t call sooner, but my aunt moved into a new condo and we’re unpacking shit. I finally unpacked the phone. When my computer surfaces, I’ll email you my address in case you want to send yourself in a big box – kind of a horny care package. I could keep you in my closet. I guess that’s wishful thinking. That’s me sighing heavily. I guess……” there was a pause while Justin considered what he should say. “I love you Brian,” he whispered before disconnecting.

“I…l….” Brian almost returned the words, but then thought better of it. He was after all talking to a recording and he was too old to feel something that was, after all, 99% lust and 1% illusion. 

Instead, Brian carefully replaced the receiver without erasing the message. It was nice to hear someone say they loved him, even if that someone was no doubt only in the first throws of a schoolboy crush. 

Justin glared at the phone. He couldn’t believe he’d told Brian he loved him. He did, but it wasn’t something he actually wanted to say. 

“Justin, how’s your room coming along?” his aunt called. 

“Okay, but I think we should paint it.” He stared at the white walls that looked more naked than interesting.

“I was thinking that about the whole damn place.“  Kelly came in and threw herself down on the mattress that lay on the floor. “This condo thing sucks. My poor beautiful house is gone and all I have are a bunch of white walls and a stinking awful floor plan.” Her voice went up in a wail. “How am I going to be a good mommy aunt to my poor boy if we live in a place that stifles our creativity.” 

Justin stared at his aunt who now had her eyes covered with a pillow. He started to grin until his grin turned into full-blown laughter. He threw himself down on the mattress beside his aunt. “We need paint.”

“We need painters.”

“We need a designer.”

“Why did I do this?” she sighed. “I can’t believe I didn’t have this stupid condo finished before we moved in.” 

“I can do it you know. I can make it all work.” Justin looked around. “This place is laid out a lot like the loft a friend of mine owns. Well, except you have two bedrooms and an office. Oh, and a patio garden and two bathrooms.”

“But we each have a kitchen,” she giggled. “Sounds good, I mean why not, we’ll do it together. Jameson and Taylor Interior Design and I even have the requisite gay guy on staff.” 

Justin made a limp wristed gesture, “Whatever Honey,” he said in imitation of Emmett. It was the beginning of a grown up friendship with his aunt. 

In two days, Justin and Kelly had all of the furniture they owned packed tightly in the center of the main room. Computers were forgotten as well as email incoming or outgoing in the excitement of decorating their space. Both of them were crazy for color, the condo apartment was soon awash with color blocking techniques as were the two painters. By Monday morning the end result was a condo like no other. As well as a bond forged between Justin and his aunt that would last a lifetime. 

He didn’t forget about Brian during any of this time. In fact, he never stopped thinking about the man he loved. Twice he called and hung up before the phone was answered. He couldn’t hear Brian’s voice yet without breaking down, and he was damned if he was going to do that. Instead he called, hung up and imagined the conversation they’d have. 

<i> “Hey”, he’d say and would begin putting all the love he had for Brian in his voice. 

“Sunshine”, Brian would answer back, in that special voice he used only for him. “I miss you already. I’m never going to Babylon again.” Of course he knew that Brian would hardly say that, but still, it was his fantasy. And then they would have hot and wild phone sex with Brian screaming his name when he came. </i> 

“Justin, baby, you’re off in that day dream world of yours again,” Kelly laughed as she handed him a glass of iced tea.” She took the lounge chair that was beside her nephew. They were resting in the patio garden off the living room. “Want to talk about it?”

“Not now Kelly,” he sighed. “Life sucks sometimes.” He was glad of the dark glasses he wore as protection from the sun’s rays and his aunt’s inquiring looks.

“Yes, yes it does.” The intercom rang. They looked at each other and shrugged. “Did you order food?”

“Nope, too tired to eat, too tired to move,” Justin sighed and sipped his tea. 

“Me too,” Kelly laughed as they both ignored the peal of the intercom buzzer again. On the third ring, Justin reluctantly got up and answered the intercom. “Hey,” he said trying to sound authoritative. 

“Delivery for Justin Taylor. Shall I have it brought up?” the concierge asked.

“Hey Zack, sure. What is it?” It hadn’t taken Justin long to know all of the staff in the large building. 

“It came overnight express, and it looks important. I’ll run it up to you.” 

“No, you have enough to do. I’ll just put on my shoes and be down in a minute.” He turned to his aunt. “Kelly, it’s a delivery for me. I’m going to go down and get it.”

“Mail order already little buddy?” she asked with a laugh. “Take some money and pick me up a Starbucks; something too sweet and too cold and completely bad for me.” The building had a Starbucks just off the lobby, both Justin and his aunt indulged frequently.

Justin laughed. “I’m not your little gay houseboy, but okay, you have to get the next one.” 

“Of course you are, why else would I want you to live here,” Kelly laughed when Justin flipped her the bird as he left. It was an ongoing joke between the two of them. 

Justin jiggled impatiently on one foot and then the other as he rode down in the elevator. He debated about hitting Starbucks first, but his curiosity won out and he headed for the concierge’s desk. “Hey Zack.” A tall and icy Starbuck’s container sat beside a brown paper parcel. 

“I knew Miss Kelly would be sending you across the hall,” Zack laughed. 

Justin fished in his pocket and handed Zack the money for Kelly’s drink. “Thanks, I hate waiting.” He looked at the parcel and his heart almost stopped. The bold printing of his name and address was Brian’s. It had to be Brian’s. He demanded it be Brian’s. His breath hitched in his throat. Fuck, Brian didn’t have his address. Nobody had his address, even his mother. “Uh, thanks again Zack.” Justin’s eyes were on the parcel in his hand as he began to walk to the elevators.

“Hey, the Starbucks,” Zack laughed. 

“Oh, right.” Justin turned back and picked up the cold drink. His mind still on the parcel in his hand. He was sure he could feel Brian on it, smell his cologne, taste him even. 

The trip back to the penthouse condo seemed to take forever. If it wasn’t for the chill of the drink in his one hand, he’d have been sure that he was in some other dimension. And that this was all a dream. “I think the parcel is from Brian,” he managed to say when his aunt opened the door to the kick of Justin’s foot. “Sorry, I forgot my key.” He handed her the parcel and then took it back and gave her the drink. 

“What’s the return address?” she asked. “Wouldn’t that tell you?” She steered him to the sofa and gave him a small push so he sat down with his parcel. “Do you want help opening it?”

“No, I can do it.” But he continued to hold the brown paper wrapped box turning it over and over not sure what to do. “I really think it’s from Brian, but he doesn’t have this address.” 

“From what you’ve told me, your Brian is rather resourceful wouldn’t you say.” 

“I guess.” Justin reverted to teen speak. “The return address is blurred.”

“Oh for God sake just open the damn thing before I stab my eyes out in frustration,” Kelly said with drama as she slumped on the chair across from him.

“Who’s the drama queen now?” Justin asked with a laugh as he carefully pulled the packing tape off a box. “Holy shit it’s a cell phone, one with a camera, internet and everything. Do you know what this thing costs?” 

“Actually yes, I have one,” she drawled recognizing the packaging as being from the same company, just a slightly newer and no doubt more up to date version than her own. “There’s an envelope taped to the back of the box. Maybe you should open it up.” 

“There is?” Justin turned the box over and sure enough an envelope with Justin written across it in Brian’s scrawl was taped securely to the box. He ripped it off and opened it with care, taking out the single sheet of paper. 

1.	Don’t say you are going to email and then don’t email.

2.	I’m not a dummy; finding out your address barely took fifteen minutes from my day. Although it was rather strange that your mother didn’t have it. Should I tell her or have you moved in with a cult?

3.	The phone has all the numbers of your friends and family programmed in. The first three spots reserved for my loft, cell and office. The bills will come to me so don’t worry about how much you use it.

4.	Of course it’s a generous gift, I’m not cheap, just easy.

5.	The advantages of having an older <i>friend</i> is having him give you the occasional great gift, don’t be a little shit and return it, it’ll hurt your friend’s feelings assuming he has any.

6.	Say hi to your aunt for me and explain that I’m really not some child molester pervert.

7.	Gus says goo or is that gurgle, maybe he had gas.

Kelly watched Justin’s face as he read the boldly printed piece of paper. She could see his face reflect everything from sadness to joy to outright laughter. He held out the note for her to read and even she had to admit that this Brian had style; not to mention some damn big balls to find Justin and send him this phone barely a couple of days after he’d arrived.  “Not a bad pressie for a little boy,” she snarked

“I’m not a little boy,” he deepened his voice. “I’m a man, a manly man.” And then he grinned at her. “With a fucking awesome phone.” 

“You know your father would shit three kinds of bricks if he knew,” she commented as she sipped her drink.

“That’s what makes it awesome.” He was taking it out of the box along with the small booklet that had come with it. “Fuck, he has my name engraved on the case.” 

“Because I think your father is a prick of the first order, I’m not going to even comment on this rather strange and oddly romantic gift, no matter how inappropriate it is considering the cost. You might want to mention to Mr. Brian that this is the last of this kind of gift until I get over the drama of the whole thing. And that Justin isn’t spelled b.o.y.t.o.y.  She sat up and looked hard at her nephew, “Please tell me you never called him <i>daddy</i>.

Justin snickered,. “That would be gross to the extreme times ten.”

“I’ll take that as a no,” Kelly said, her straw making slurping noises as she sucked up the last of her drink. “Thank the gods and little fishes for something.” She pulled herself up off of the chair. “I know it’s killing you not to phone. Take that monster away and call Mr. Brian to say thank you like a nice little boy. I’m going to get a beer, maybe three.” 

“Are you sure you’re not a gay man, ‘cause you are sooooo like my friend Emmett, it’s uncanny,” Justin asked with a laugh. He scooped up his new toy and headed for his room, but not before grabbing the note. He was saving that forever.

He’d barely made it into his room when the phone rang. “Hey,” he said giggling. “Thank you.” 

“Now I don’t have to wait for you to call me. I can call you. It will save me thousands of hours of wondering what the fuck you’re up to when you forget to call.”

“Nice to hear your voice too,” Justin said as he lay on his bed. “I can’t believe you knew this address. I mean the only person I’ve been able to get a hold of since I got here is Daphne. I didn’t have time after I talked to her. Kelly and I have decorated her whole apartment in two days. I’m exhausted.” 

Brian couldn’t help but smile. He’d missed Justin’s never-ending need to fill all the silence with the spoken word. “Glad you’re having fun Sunshine.” He managed to get in before the teen took another breath and began to tell him moment by moment what he’d been doing since he stepped off the plane. 

When he finally wound down, Brian said, “I wasn’t really concerned, but I figured that your aunt shouldn’t have to worry about phone bills and I know how you like to talk. Besides, I can use the tax write off. You’re my L.A. connection,” he laughed. “Actually sounds kind of hawt.” 

Justin blushed. “What are you wearing?” he said in an imitation of a sultry blond. 

“Blue jeans, tee shirt and boots, I’m going to the diner for something to eat. It’s almost midnight here, and I’ve been working at the loft all day on an account. If I eat another take out order of Thai, I’ll start speaking the language.”

“You could order in pizza.” 

“I could also walk to the diner and have a wilted salad, a greasy frozen chicken breast and a nice big glass of cold milk,” he snickered. “Not to mention the delightful company of Mikey and the gang who no doubt will have arrived from Woody’s by now. It’s a work day tomorrow after all.” 

“Yeah, I have to register with the school. I’m living right downtown, and a car actually comes and picks me up each day for school; a limo, no shit,” Justin sighed. “Kelly knows lots of people. I guess a friend of hers has a kid going to the same school. I get to buddy up with him. Can’t wait.” 

“I’ve got to go. You call if you want to talk,” Brian sighed. He had so many things he wanted to say, but couldn’t, not now, maybe some day.

“Thanks Brian, I really mean it. I love the phone, but what I love the most is the fact that you found me.”

“That was easy, Sunshine. I saw you in my dreams,” Brian whispered before disconnecting. 

Brian had been talking to Justin while he was in bed. He wasn’t planning on going anywhere, the past forty-eight hours had taken a lot out of him, not that he wanted to admit it. He thought back to the beginning.

Pounding at his loft door with what sounded like maybe a shoe, finally woke him from a deep sleep. He’d only just managed to drift off when dawn hit the horizon, so three hours later wasn’t when he’d planned to wake up. Brian stumbled to the door and opened it. The screeching of the alarm traveled through his brain like a million knives and he clutched his head only to watch with astonishment as a small black girl put her shoe back on, marched in and reset the alarm. “Much as I admire the view, you should put some pants on,” she drawled. “I don’t think Justin likes to share his toys. Or at least he’s never shared them with me.”

“The alarm,” Brian said still trying to comprehend what was happening. 

“Justin told me the code. He tells me everything.” She eyed him up and down. “And apparently he only exaggerated a little, or is it cold in here,” Daphne snickered as she made her way to his fridge, found the juice and poured him a glass. “Here, drink this, it might liven you up.” She looked into the interior of the fridge again. “You really don’t keep food in here. I guess it’s easier to clean that way.”

“You’re Daphne,” Brian finally managed to say after he’d swallowed the juice, shuddering at the taste so early in the morning. He flushed realizing he was naked. At first he thought he’d brazen it out. After all it was his home and she wasn’t invited. But the dark eyed scrutiny made him retreat to his bedroom where he found his sweats and pulled them on. 

“Don’t worry Brian, you actually look better with your pants on,” Daphne remarked as she observed from the bedroom door. “Cool bed.” Her eyes were taking in everything. “Justin says you’ve fucked like a million guys in there. Did you keep count, like make lines in the wall or something to keep track?” She pulled back a pillow and looked at the wall. “Not there I guess.”

Brian, finally fully awake, walked over to Daphne, took her by the arm and marched her out of his bedroom and over to the sofa. He considered throwing her out the door, but figured she’d only start pounding on it again and his head couldn’t take that. She was worse than Mikey; at least with him he could be nasty too. Something about Daphne made him want to protect, not insult her. “Okay, Missy, explain yourself.” 

She reached in her pocket and pulled out a piece of paper. “I thought you might want Justin’s address. He’s been kind of busy. His aunt just moved and they’ve decided to decorate her new place, but they only have two days to do it in. Justin has to start school on Monday and his aunt has to go to work. So they’re having like this marathon painting thing, it’s really cool.”

“Why would I want his address?” Brian drawled. “It’s not like we’re going to ever see each other again.”

“Oh get over yourself, Justin told me how anal you are about your friends. There’s no way you’d be able to let him disappear to L.A. without at least checking up on him once in awhile. I know you guys spent most of your time fucking, but I figure you had to have come up for air once in awhile and talked about something more than where to stick your dicks.” She glared at Brian who flushed under the sparkling brown eyes of Justin’s protector. 

“I could drop him a line I suppose. If I have time.” He studied the address, committing it to memory in case she took it back. “Justin didn’t have much time to tell me what happened, care to fill me in.” 

“It really, really sucked.” Daphne looked gloomy. “I mean Justin and I have been friends since like forever and now he’s been spirited away to California because he’s gay. I mean apparently his freaking father has never heard that there are fags in L.A. What a moron. 

“Who knew?” Brian said with sarcasm. “And this has to do with me how?” he asked, slouching on the chaise, all long legs and bare feet. 

“Because he loves you,” she said, glaring at Brian again. “And you fucked him more than once.”

“I knew there was a reason I had that fucking rule,” Brian grumbled. “It leads to complications if you do anyone more than once.”

“Yeah, well he’s in trouble because of you. You were the one who gave him the confidence to give Chris a hand job. He never would have done it before.”

“Hey, I fucked him. I didn’t tell him to run around your private little hell of a school and blow the football team.”

“It was one hand job and now his life is ruined.” Her bottom lip went out.

“That’s right, spending time in L.A. in a fancy house with money to burn is definitely a fucking hardship. I can see how it might warp his impressionable little mind,” Brian drawled. “Let’s see what was I doing at the same age. Oh yeah, working my balls off at two after-school jobs, playing soccer for the rep team, keeping my grades at a 4.0 average and in my spare, fucking time, getting my ass kicked by my drunken old man. I can see how that is much more appealing than what’s happened to Justin.” 

“Boo fucking hoo,” Daphne snarled. “You lived to tell the tale, that doesn’t mean Justin has to do it too. He’s worked hard, he’s got a 4.0 average too and he’s an awesome artist. His parents might not hit him, but they suck just the same. His mother is more concerned about Molly than Justin, and his father is a homophobic prick who only cares about banging his latest secretary. After all that’s the manly man thing to do.” 

Brian decided to use another tactic, it was getting out of hand with Justin’s little, fag hag and he wasn’t sure why she was here yet. “Daphne, I know you’re upset that Justin was sent to the other side of the country. But what I don’t understand is what you think I’m going to be able to do about it.”

“You can’t do anything,” she said and burst into tears, sobbing uncontrollably. 

Brian watched for a moment, she didn’t appear to be letting up. He had no idea what to do in a case like this, but he eventually got up and sat beside her, pulling her in close to his chest. He immediately regretted it, when tears and snot smooshed onto his bare chest. “Uh, let me get you some tissues,” he said looking around frantically for a box and then remembering some under the sofa. Used for emergency clean ups that were much more fun than this one. He patted Daphne’s shoulder with one hand while shoving a handful of tissues in the general direction of her face. Justin was soooo going to pay for this, he thought.

“The thing is,” she sobbed. “Justin has to live with his aunt and he has to use her phone. He can’t call me whenever he wants because it costs too much. His parents aren’t going to give him any spending money; he has to get a job. I know that doesn’t mean much to you, but he’s never worked at a job in his life. But he’s going to find something somehow and go to school. He’s going to a school where everyone is rich except him. They don’t care if he’s gay, but they do care about background and money and stuff. He’s going to be worse off than when he was here. He’s stubborn, way more stubborn than you know. He’ll never tell anyone how much this is bothering him. This weekend he’s helping his aunt fix the apartment, but he’s really, really worried about stuff. He told me working 15 hours a day on the apartment makes him too tired to think. He’ll deal with it on Monday. But when Monday comes he still needs money and he still can’t talk to me and I’m like his only friend except for you. His computer is one that sucks, so he has to get a new one and everything is just awful.” 

Big wet brown eyes stared up at him, bottom lip quivering, and then her face crumbled again. “I’m soooo worried about him and scared and stuff.”

Brian sighed, but he was getting the hang of crying women and held her tight. He just imagined what he’d do if it was Justin in tears. This wasn’t a lot different. “Daphne, if he had his own phone, then he could call you right?”

“No, he can’t afford it.”

“What if I gave it to him, maybe a cell phone; one he can use for email and even take a few pictures with.”

“That would be cool, but you don’t know Justin, there’s no way he’ll accept something like that. He’s like super proud.”

“I think I may be able to persuade him,” Brian smirked. “After all, I do have ways that are much more subtle than yours.” He kissed her forehead. “Let me look after it. I promise you that by the end of this weekend, Justin will have a phone that does everything but fuck him.” 

“Ewwe,” she said turning her nose up. 

Brian couldn’t resist and kissed the end of it. “Now if you let me shower and change, I’ll take you for breakfast and phone shopping. After all, you know Justin’s taste. I wouldn’t want to get him something that would clash with his principles.” 

“There’s a great phone place at the mall,” Daphne said, perking up. “I’ve got mom’s car, I can drive.”

Brian’s shudder was almost comical. “I think I’ll drive.” He headed for his bedroom wondering what one wore when shopping with a teen-age girl. 

It was Emmett who noticed Brian and Daphne first. He was walking arm in arm with his friend Ted, window-shopping. It was one of their favorite things to do on a Saturday morning. They walked past Brian and Daphne who were sitting at a table in the food fair of the mall. Daphne was feeding Brian something sweet and gooey from a spoon. He was making faces, but laughing as he allowed her to continue. The chairs beside them were filled with bags and boxes from their earlier shopping. Brian’s hair was out of place and Daphne was wearing his favorite black leather jacket, only it was sporting a bright red rose pinned to the kid leather. Emmett and Ted walked past, turned around and walked past again. Finally taking a chance that it really was Brian and not some doppelganger, Emmett stopped. “Brian?” he asked. 

“Hey Emmett, Ted, have a seat. This is Daphne.” Brian grinned at the two of them. “Daphne two of my dearest friends.” This was said with a bit of snerk in his voice. “Boys, what brings you here today?”

“Well honey, we were window-shopping, all the good stuff was bought by some hottie and his little chicken,” Emmett smirked as he pulled another chair over to join Brian and Daphne. “Hey baby cakes, you aren’t Brian’s usual type, even if he does like them young lately.”

“Fuck off Emmett. Justin told me all about you and Ted.” Daphne’s nose went up in the air. “He said you were only a big pussy cat but or was that catty as an old queen.” The tip of her tongue stuck out and Brian burst out laughing.

“I guess you’ve met your match.” He high-fived Daphne and then stood up. “Well boys, the lady and I have to go. We have parcels to wrap and clothes to try on.”  He picked up most of the bags and Daphne took the rest. “Oh, I’ll be at Woody’s later, if you boys want to meet for a drink.”

“Sure Brian,” Ted finally said. He’d been tongue tied by the whole scene he’d just witnessed. “I’ll be there. We’ll all be there.”