The Nature of Things

Chapter 5

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Brian was still standing in the kitchen drinking from a fresh bottle of Beam when Michael let himself in.

"What the fuck happened here?"

"Nothing. Go away."

"I'm not going anywhere Brian. Now come on, let's get you in the shower, you fucking reek."

Michael put his best friend in the shower and went back downstairs to clean up the kitchen. Hearing the water turn off he put the last of the glass in the trash and waited for Brian to come down.

"So want to tell me what really happened here? Did you do this?"

"It's not like anyone else is here, Mikey. Why aren't you home with the professor and the little hustler who could?"

"Because you need me."

"I don't need anyone but my new best friend Jim."

"Stockwell?"

"No you fucking dimwit, Beam."

"You can't fix this by getting drunk. Have you been to the office today?"

"Nope, Theodore can handle it for a few days. I'm just going to sit back and relax for a change. I've earned it, don't you think?"

"Earned what? Being an asshole?"

"Fuck you, Mikey. Get the fuck out of my house. Go home to your happy little life and leave me to my misery."

"You're the one making yourself miserable Brian. Get dressed, go to the diner, eat and be a productive member of society. Otherwise, the little asshole wins."

"Don't you ever fucking call him an asshole again. You know I listened to you badmouth him all the time. It stops now. If you ever so much as speak his name again, I'll make that punch at the muncher's party look like a fucking blowjob. I will kill you, Michael. Now get out of my house."

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Justin slid into a back booth and ordered his usual. He was just starting on the chocolate shake when Casey sat down.

"You look tired? Did you find a place today?"

"No but my mom is pulling up a list for me tonight and Emmett is going to go house hunting with me tomorrow."

"Well you're welcome to stay as long as you want. It's kinda fun having someone there to talk to and share meals with."

"Thanks. But I think it would be better for me to have my own place."

"So you really aren't going back to Brian?"

"No."

"If that's what you want, I'll support you. But I still think you should talk to him."

"If he wants to talk, he can call me. Until then, he doesn't exist."

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Brian sauntered into the diner and sat at the counter. Looking around he spotted Justin sitting in a back booth with another young man and his heart broke. Turning back towards the door he tried to ignore them. After ordering a turkey on rye and fries, he stepped outside to have a cigarette.

Just as he was taking the last drag Emmett walked up.

"Brian."

"Hey, Em, have you talked to Justin?"

"Yeah, I have. Maybe you should try it sometime."

"I tried, it didn't work out. Is he okay?"

"He's doing fine considering you broke his heart again. Do you get off on that shit, Brian? I mean I thought you two were doing good. What happened?"

"Fuck if I know."

"Well maybe you should find out."

"Gee, I hadn't thought of that, your Majesty."

"I thought we were past Brian the cold hearted asshole a long time ago. A few days without the twink and you're back to your old ways. Pretty soon you'll be burning up the backroom just like old times."

"Been there, done that, created the best selling t-shirt."

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Justin watched Brian sitting at the counter and tried to keep his heart from racing. Even now Brian affected him. He still got the sweaty palms everytime he was close to him.

Tonight was no different, he couldn't take his eyes off of him.

Casey noticed this and felt an annoying little tug at his heart. Trying to get Justin's attention he spilt his Coke on purpose. Justin grabbed napkins and quickly turned his attention back to the man seated across from him. When he looked back up, Brian was gone.

Excusing himself Justin headed towards the bathroom until he knew for sure that Casey wasn't watching. Turning instead towards the kitchen, he let himself out the back door and snuck around front.

Seeing Brian and Emmett, he stood hidden behind the bushes at the corner and listened to Brian questioning Em about him. When Brian stormed back into the diner, Justin hightailed it back in the back door.

As he was turning the corner he noticed Casey staring at Brian and jealousy took hold. Sliding back into the booth Justin asked, "Find something interesting while I was gone?"

"Oh, I was just enjoying the scenery. Are you okay? You look like you've seen a ghost."

"I'm fine, just a little tired. Can we get some boxes and take this to go?"

"Sure. I'll even have them box up some of those famous lemon bars you like so much."

Justin thought about what Casey had said when asked about staring at Brian and remembered that the two had never met. And Brian was still beautiful and Casey was single and young. It was no surprise that he would be enchanted by the Brian Kinney aura.

Taking the bag from his friend, they made their way out of the diner. Justin ignored Brian's gaze and stifled the desire to turn around and beg to come home.

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Brian ate in silence. Justin was gone, not only from the diner, but from his life. He had stopped himself from running after him as he walked out. There was no sense in it. He knew that when Justin made up his mind, there was no talking him out of it.

Throwing a twenty on the counter, he waved bye to Debbie and stepped out into the rain that had begun to pour while he ate. Running for the 'vette, he searched his pockets for the keys only to look in and see them hanging from the ignition.

Without thinking Brian put his fist through the driver's window and let himself in. He ignored the blood dripping from his hand and drove home faster than usual.

Leaving a trail of clothing and blood across the hardwood floors he headed up to the bathroom to clean the glass from his rapidly bruising hand and to try to control the bleeding.

Holding his hand under the cold water, he pulled at the tiny shards of glass and washed away much of the blood that had started to dry on his numerous cuts. Wrapping a towel around the still bleeding hand, he went back downstairs to grab a bottle of Beam before heading up to bed. Lounging in the middle of the bed he watched the smoke curl towards the ceiling and took a long drink.

Before long Brian had passed out from the alcohol and loss of blood. Without realizing it Brian Kinney was once again taking his life in his own hands, so to speak.

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