Brian stomped up to his bed and flopped on it, his body still a tight bowstring of rage. "Fuck him," he said to the empty loft. "Fuck. Him." He was not going to think about his nosy ex-partner.

He barely heard something hit the loft door, then some scrambling and stomping outside. Good – he's gone. Hopefully he'll stay gone this time.

"Fucking nosy twat has to know everything – why can't he just stay the fuck out of my business for once?"

He turned off the amber light above and tried to will his mind to relax. He was doing a fine job of it until he heard the door slam open. He looked out past the panels and wasn't surprised to see a furious Justin Taylor standing there.

"I would choke the shit out of you right now, but I have a feeling you'd actually like it," Justin said through clenched teeth.

"What part of `get the fuck out' don't you understand?"

"All of it, you chickenshit motherfucker! How dare you keep this from me? You've got some fucking nerve playing God with people! I knew damn well you weren't in fucking Ibiza when you didn't come home with either a tan or a goddamn sunburn! If you weren't injured right now I'd kick your lily white ass!"

"It was none of your fucking business!"

"How fucking stupid do you think I am? Four years ago that would be the truth. You ARE my business, Brian – everything you go through is my fucking business – otherwise, what's the point of being partners?  And if you think being a one-balled wonder is going to make me leave you, then you're dumber than I thought!"

"This is something I had to do alone without anyone hovering over me like a mother hen."

"That's your fucking problem – you don't want to need anybody. If you think for one second I'm going to baby you and fawn over you, you're fucking mistaken. The Justin Taylor of four years ago would have; not this one. I've been through way too much shit, especially with you,  to throw it all in the toilet over a goddamn ball. You owe me."

"I don't owe you shit!"

"You owe me some fucking respect! You're going to get on the couch, eat some Chinese, and watch some goddamn movies with me, and tell me what the fuck is going on for one. Secondly you're not going to hide shit like this from me again – because I'll fucking kill you."

"Maybe that wouldn't be so bad."

"Oh, you and that `blaze of glory' martyr bullshit is getting old.  Give it up. It's high time you started acting like an adult."

Brian looked up at Justin and knew he could argue until dawn, but Justin wouldn't budge. He wondered if his recent experiences with Cody made him crazy enough to endure this crap with him. He didn't want Justin to see him this way, and he was running out of ways to hide.

He got up from the bed and followed Justin into the living area.  They'd put each other through Hell for four years, and if tonight were any indication, they'd put each other through Hell for more. But at least Justin wasn't backing down this time. That was all he'd wanted.

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