Under normal circumstances Brian took very little interest in Justin’s day to day goings on when he worked on an art project.  Justin would show the finished piece to Brian and ask for his opinion.  Brian never questioned, he thought it was an artist thing.  When Justin was in full artist mode Brian rarely saw him.  Justin could be holed up in his studio for days.  Brian got used to calling Justin’s cell to make sure Justin was alive and well and reminding the artist to eat.  Sometimes Brian would order food and have it delivered to the studio.   He remembered Justin’s first big important commission.  Justin became completely engulfed.  It was a week before Brian or for that matter anyone one else of their family finally saw Justin.  When they did Justin had dropped 10 pounds.  The painting was miraculous but it took Justin 2 weeks to recover.  One week spent in bed sleeping then eating non-stop for the second week.  Brian never wanted to live through that again, hence the phones calls and the insistence on meals breaks.

 

When Brian really felt neglected he’d go to the baths.  He and Justin were, for the most part, monogamous but every once in a while he’d let some twink suck him off and only suck him off nothing else.  Justin had a vague idea but he was secure in their relationship and it rarely happened.  Justin had learned to accept Brian just as he was.

 

Brian, on the other hand, still had trouble was his little green-eyed monsters.  He almost made a terrible mistake when he showed up at the studio and caught Justin posing a big buff model.  Justin was on his knees and from where Brian was standing…well you get the picture.

Brian managed not to hit or break anything but he fumed for days.  It took Emmet of all people to get through to him.  Justin and Emmet talk about everything including Justin’s art.  Em learned about the big buff model, Em also wanted to see just how big and how buff he was.  During his visit he learned that Donald was very straight, wife, kids and he modeled for extra cash.  This information went straight to Brian and for some reason Brian was able to accept it from Emmet.  It wasn’t that Brian didn’t believe Justin’s explanation, deep down he did, it was that the green-eyed monster had a strong grip.

 

This new project was no different except that Brian actually had a little hand in it.  One of Brian’s new clients admired the paintings and sketches that filled Brian’s office.  The client was intrigued and had an idea in mind for a new men’s club he was opening.  The client wanted to meet the artist; of course Brian could arrange it.   When Justin came home after his meeting the artist mode started to kick in, Brian just stood out of the way.  Out came the sketchbooks, charcoals and pencils.  Justin was in the zone, his hand raced furiously over the pages.  After several hours Justin seemed satisfied and then put everything away.  He thought Brian had gone out but he saw a note taped to their TV…J-no I didn’t go out, I’m in bed, food in frig, eat something then come to bed-B.  

 

 Justin had to laugh, he so loved Brian and was forever grateful for the care Brian never stopped showing.  So he ate something and then went to bed.  Justin crawled in trying not to wake Brian but Brian’s a very light sleeper.

“Welcome back baby”

“I love you Brian”

“Love you too baby; now are you too tired for a quickie with your old man, I miss you”

“Never too tired for my old man”

“Good now shut up and fuck”

“HMMMMMM”

 

Uh, well like I said Brian wasn’t interested in all the artsy bits just very interested in the artist, HIS artist.

 

Since Brian brought artist and client together he couldn’t help but be a little curious on how it was going.  On his 3^rd night alone Brian noticed one of Justin’s sketchpads, normally it would be with the artist.  He picked it up and saw it was completely filled, not an inch of space left without some doodle or complete sketch.  Brian sat dumbfounded on the sofa slowly turning each page.  Sometimes a small tear would form.  Justin’s sketches always touched his heart and no one ever touched Brian Kinney’s heart except for Gus and Justin, or so he would like to think.  It was all beautiful.  At the site one sketch, more than one tear flowed.  It was a drawing of a pair of rings like the rings the two of them wear.  Somehow the rings were intertwined with little portraits of the two of them.  Why Justin didn’t frame it he’d have to ask.  Well maybe Brian would go through Emmet.  Sometimes Justin got pissed if Brian pressured him about his stuff, that artist thing again.

 

As Brian came to the end of the book he saw a group of sketches entitled ‘men’s club’.  This he figured was what his lover was working on for the new client.  Brian flipped through.  He giggled; the subjects were all too familiar.  There were sketches of him with way too much showing, one that was complete right down to the freckle that only Justin knew.  Then a few more faces he recognized, even one of Emmet looking too sexy, whoa, note to self, have a serious talk with Emmet.  One of Mikey, uh okay; Ben—oh boy too much of Ben; even one of Dr. Dave.  Well the Dr. may have been an asshole but a hot asshole nonetheless.  The last one stopped Brian’s heart and sent chills up and down his spine.  It wasn’t finished just light penciling and enough changes so that no one else could ever recognize the subject, but Brian knew.  The eyes, those ‘I’ve fucked your boyfriend’ eyes.  Ethan.

 Brian poured a large glass of Beam and downed it one gulp.  As it burned his throat he let the glass fly smashing in the kitchen.  Why him of all people, Justin could have drawn anyone else even Ted, no not Ted but anyone, why the fiddler?  Brian paced then he couldn’t breathe, he ran out of the loft.  He went to the jeep but his hands were shaking too much, he couldn’t drive.  No-where-the baths?  No, he’d probably kill the first blond twink that he saw.  Then something in his pocket vibrated-“Hey” 

“Hey old man just checking in and yes I ate” 

“Good” 

“Bri?  something wrong?” 

“No, all peachy here, you go now and create something wonderful”  

“Don’t I always?” 

“Brat” 

“Love you too, later”  

 

“UGHHH” Why didn’t he say something?  Oh god sometimes he hated himself, “ASSHOLE”, he shouted to no one but himself.  The green-eyed monster was winning.  The studio, he would confront Justin, no he couldn’t; not now he’d say or do something unforgivable.  Emmet---out came the cell. 

“Hellooo” 

“Em” 

“Brian?” 

“Yeah, meet me now” 

“Uh why are you calling me?” 

“Emmm”, he growled. 

“Okay, ok honey, where?” 

“Diner now” 

“Okay, be there in 5”  click

 

Brian was already there sitting in his booth, steam rising from his coffee and rising from his ears.  Emmet came in took one look and went to Deb first. 

“What’s going on?” 

“I don’t know Em but whatever it is I hope it doesn’t last long, he’s scaring away my customers” 

“Wish me luck” 

“Ok sweetie, luck”

“EMMET SIT NOW”

“Yes Brian, you bellowed”

“Tell me now is he seeing that fucking fiddler”

“Brian what are you talking about?”

“Em if you lie to me I swear I’m going to strangle you; now I repeat is he seeing the fiddler?”

“No Brian the fiddle boy has left the building, the country, deep in Europe somewhere; they haven’t had contact in years-why?”

“I found this”

 

Brian showed Emmet the book; he didn’t have the nerve to rip out just the one page.  Emmet flipped through gasping and crying at all the beautiful work, Brian grabbed at the book, “no this”.  He opened the book to the offending page.

“Oh sweetie, that’s not him”.  Brian looked up, took off the shades he was wearing, Emmet saw the red swollen eyes.  Ever the mothering soul, Emmet slid over to Brian.  “Honey I swear to you that’s not him, I admit the eyes may be a little…” 

“A little?---oh god Em if I loose him” 

“Shhh, no baby, the client has a younger brother.  I met him at the studio a real dreamboat and he’s all gay, actually we’ve been seeing quite a lot of each other lately.” 

“Huh?” 

“Read my lips; the eyes belong to a sweet young thing named Bobby, I met him at Justin’s studio.  Bobby and I have been getting acquainted if you know what I mean.”  The great Brian fuckin’ Kinney leaned into Emmet and lost it.  “Oh sweetie, that’s it let it out, we all know how much you love our princess and he loves only you, I swear.”  And Em gave Brian a big hug.

 

After a moment Brian was back in full glory, he looked up at Em was immediately released from the hug.  Emmet stood up and exclaimed, “My work here is done; you’re welcome Brian” 

“GRRRRRR”

“That’s music to my ears, now call him honey he could do with a break.”

As Emmet headed for the door, Deb smiled and a voice floated over the diner noise “thanks Em.” 

“Bye y’all!”

 

Brian asked for a refill then called his lover.

“Hey”

“Hey yourself, do you think you can make time for your very foolish old man- I’m at the diner”

“Oh Brian for you anything, give me 10”

click

After ten long minutes in came the subject of the green-eyed monster.  Wearing very artist like overalls, splattered with paint, smudged with charcoal, bare-chested with long golden locks flowing over his shoulders.  He was gorgeous.  All eyes stared at the beautiful blond.  Brian got up and greeted him with a hug and a deep kiss.  Debbie mumbled something about them fucking in the middle of the diner.

 

Justin stood wide-eyed, “I know I’ve been neglecting you lately but what’s this about you being foolish?”

“I promise, I’ll explain everything later at home, I’m just glad you’re here, I missed you; come, food first, then this foolish old man will help you clean all the paint off of you.”

“Ok, Bri, whatever you say and whatever it is you’re never foolish.”

Another hug and kiss and the two huddled in the booth.

 

After Brian watched his lover gobble down a bacon cheeseburger, fries and shake Brian said, “so tell me about your latest work.”

“Bri you never want to hear about the gory details.”

“Well now I do, I intend to show more interest, spill.”

“Okay then…”

 

Green-eyed monster defeated.

 

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