Chapter Two:

Brian didn't come back for coffee the following morning, but then again, no one was suprised. It was obvious that he was teed off at Lindsey and Mel. Then again, he had every right to be. They let Mikey have his parental rights, yet they had asked Brian to give up his own? He actually enjoyed being Gus's father. He enjoyed watching his son smile, and though he'd been a little shaky at first, he had been there. He had taken care of Gus. He'd given them money every time they needed. Offered it to them when they hit the bad times.

He didn't approach Justin this time in front of everyone, instead he waited until when the diner closed that night, when Justin was taking out the trash, behind his back the rich voice would curl behind his ears.

"Well, who hit you? You never told me the truth." He pushed off of the wall, eyes narrowed on Justin. . . and gods, he had a way of burning into the blonde with those eyes. He knew if Justin was lying. At times, it was a wonder if he could just read his mind, but he couldn't. It was Brian's JOB to know what people were thinking.

If it had been Mikey or anyone else, Justin would've just snapped at them and tell them it wasn't any of their business or that he'd already told them what had happened, even if his statement had been a lie. He could deny anyone but Brian. It was a miracle he hadn't already gone crawling back to the other, asking to be taken in once more, to be loved like he had before they split up. Had Brian loved him? Justin only shook his head, not even bothering to turn around as absently were the sleeves of his turtleneck rolled down, hiding the bruises which had literally been fingerprinted into his skin.

"It's not like it matters. . . I didn't see his face." He'd lied to Brian before, he could do it again.

After pulling down the lid to the dumpster, the blond finally turned, brushing the golden hair out of his face, trying to ignore the fact that the bruise there shone as brightly as the moon overhead. "What's it to you anyway?" I'm just a little piece of blond boy ass after all. He scowled mentally, the thought coiling a chain around his heart and wrenching it viciously.

When Brian had made the reference, he had been more referring to giving up everything for something else. For Brian. He never had wanted Justin to give up happiness just because he was his first. His eyes narrowed and he swept in front of the other when he began to walk back inside, cornering him in the alley, and his face seemed unchanging, uncaring of whether or not the other thought he was leaving.

"I've lied like that before too, you know. Now, you're going to tell me the truth, Justin."

Pretty dark eyes narrowed and a hand slammed against the door, shutting it when the other tried to open it to flee back to the safety of Debbie. He would not tolerate Justin lying to him. But. "You've lied to me before. You can lie about how you broke the rules. You can lie about fucking around with the fiddler, but you don't lie about this." His hand lifted, gesturing rather angrily to that mark that seemed to make bile rise up in his throat at the thought. He didn't like people hitting Justin. Maybe before the accident, he could have tolerated it, but ever since that night. Ever since those weeks he'd sat in the hospital praying that he would just open his eyes. .

Brian watched as the other wrapped his arms around himself, drawing over his chest as blue eyes dropped from those of intense chocolate, focusing on the filthy concrete below. Justin didn't want to tell Brian. . . if Daphne's reaction had been bad, Brian's would most certainly be ten times worse. Or perhaps the other wouldn't even give a shit, would just shrug and say 'stop being a pussy and fight back'. Yes, that sounded like Brian. The thought that the man might not care hurt more than he cared to imagine though and somewhere in the back of his mind, Justin was afraid he wouldn't. Perhaps he still had hope that Brian would come to, would say he loved him, utter the words he didn't think he'd ever hear from the man's lips. That was hopeless dreaming though. . . Justin should know better.

"Ethan," the blond finally whispered, still not daring to look up at him. "Ethan did it." Lips pursed for a second before he just huffed and pressed his back to the wall with a sigh of defeat, blond locks moving with the warm breeze which reminded him of how irritable this turtleneck was in this awful weather. It wasn't supposed to be like this. This was Pittsburg for God's sake. Where was their frigid weather? And to think, it was autumn! It really didn't matter, but stupid topics such as these kept Justin's mind off of Brian and Ethan, the two men which seemed to play with his heart like a puppet on strings.

Meanwhile, the older man seemed oblivious to the other and his need for distraction. "And you went back to him?" Brian just seemed amazed as he stepped forward, his movements stiff, and angered. That much was certain as he tugged the collar of the other's turtleneck down. Bruises. Bruises. He knew it. The stupid fuck. He jerked his hand back and glared at him. "You're stupid, Justin. Why would you go back to someone that hit you." He jerked his eyes away. For a moment, he was going to just off, find Ethan, and beat the living shit out of him. He realized though, it was futile. Justin would probably go crawling back to him. "That isn't love. You know it's not." He eyed him a minute. . . He wanted him to say it. He knew he could have the other back in a heart beat. . .he let his own focus fall down for a moment, catching the sight of that pearly white bracelet in the light. . . Aah. He got it in Mexico. He never took it off, but it was a painful reminder of things that happened in the past. Things that made Brian Kinney the man he was today. "If you want to stay around someone that's going to hit you, then that's your choice." But my door is open. He wanted to say. Chocolate hues focused on the other again, and narrowed. Gods, why couldn't he say it. "Don't lie to me again. I think you've done enough lying for both of us."

With that, Brian turned his head and started to walk away.
It left a burning sensation in his eyes for some reason, Brian's words. . . they made them sting with an emotion which consumed him utterly and entirely and Justin hated it. It really was awful how Brian always got to him like this, though he supposed it was his own fault for falling in love with the man. . . One can only take so much rejection before they give up and that's what the blond had done; given up on Brian. Oh, it certainly didn't mean Justin had stopped loving him quite the contrary, no. It was hard to not want Brian Kinney in any way, shape or form. Unconsciously, fingertips moved to straighten out the neck of his shirt, concealing the bruises there from sight once more while his blurred vision lifted to the retreating figure. Hah. It figured. "Well it's not as if I have anywhere else to go." Asshole, he wanted scowl, to scream at him and then shake him roughly all the while asking why he couldn't seem to feel. . . to love like a normal human being. But it wouldn't make a difference either way. Brian was as indifferent as they come, almost sickeningly so. All he really cared about was his own preservation. Hell, he'd even join with the Nazis if it'd keep him alive one more day (as Ethan had so conveniently said). Huffing, Justin only shook his head, arms wrapping around himself once more as he glanced at the backdoor into the diner which he was now moving towards.

Brian, in turn, stopped walking at the mouth of the road, and didn't even look backwards. He couldn't for some reason. It was like his vision was frozen in front of him. . . Numb. He felt numb, as always, but oh well. "Yes, you do have somewhere to go. You know you do." He would leave that invitation open to the other. However he wanted to take it, but he would never turn down Justin if he was being beaten. "Hopefully you know me better than I think you do," and with that he was around the corner. Thank god it was getting later. . . A change of clothes, and as night fell, Brian was just as predatory as ever. He picked up Mikey on his way to Babylon, eyeing him from one corner of his eye.

"Glad your boyfriend let you come." Brian knew about what he was doing. For some reason, he didn't have the heart to tell him just yet. Maybe this was something Mikey needed to deal with on his own. He just rolled his eyes a little.

"He's not my parent. Plus he went down to the Gym tonight anyway. . ." Silence ensued between the two. "You alright, Brian? You haven't been acting like yourself. You haven't even been to Babylon all week. . . haven't come by the diner but once, and that was just to piss everyone off."

"Listen, Mikey. Don't play that innocent bullshit with me. I'm pissed because the dykes can't make up their fucking minds, and they're acting like heteros." His head tilted to give a wide smile to the other. "But hey. Who gives a fuck." Brian's tone fell flat as he focused his eyes back on the road. "Let them fuck up Gus's life even more, by having to try and explain to them how many fathers they have."

Mikey just watched the other a moment, glaring and leaning against the opposite door to stare out the window. "You're still upset over Justin, aren't you? Ever since he left you you've b—"

There was a sudden screech of the breaks, enough to send Mikey jerking forward in his seatbelt, nearly hitting the front dash board, and angry brown eyes were glaring at the other in the darkness.

"Mikey. Do yourself a favor. Stop thinking everyone's like you. I don't need anyone." He jerked the car door open and walked out, slamming it shut behind him. Gods. Babylon. Sanctuary.