Emmett had watched Brian's reactions to Justin with acute accuracy. He very much noticed the inner struggle his friend was participating in. The first round with the ice cream, he had fought desire. Round two with the hot young Cody, Brian's opponent was jealousy.
The longer he watched, the more intense his unease grew. He was convinced Hunter had been right. Brian Kinney had absolutely already bedded Mr. Blond. He was losing this bet, he'd accepted. Though he was very nervous as to what Hunter was going to make him do.
He let his eyes glance at the young man and smiled; following Hunter's line of sight he spotted the delightful Miss Daphne.
"Hey Gus Buddy, How about I take you into the maze now that you've eaten?" Hunter asked.
Gus smiled and looked at his Daddy for permission. Daddy simply nodded and flashed the lamest attempt of a smile Emmett had ever seen.
Hunter and Gus (not surprisingly) entered the maze with Daphne. Emmett smirked and raised an eyebrow to Mr. Kinney.
"Hm, it looks like someone else is hot for Teacher," ignoring Brian's heated glare he continued "direct me towards a hunk of a gym instructor and we'll have us an epidemic."
"Don't start that shit Em." the brunet warned.
Emmett of course found the man's warning about as menacing as a puppy dog in a tutu.
"Mio? Oh Baby, if anybody's gone and started something they shouldn't have, I'd say you win." he said through lips of annoyance.
The emotional enigma that was Brian Kinney was fucking frustrating.
"Well, that Cody sure is a right little slice of sexy. Him and Justin together? (he fanned himself) They'd have more heat than a bushel of Aunt Lula's petrified peppers." he really was enjoying that image, but not nearly as much as the reddening of Brian's face.
'He doesn't do jealousy my nelly bottom.' Emmett thought.
"Why are you hiding bouncing blond baby away?" despite the limerick lyrics, his tone was serious. Typical Emmett.
"Hell Honey, if I'd had him I'd proudly announce 'It's a boy!'"
Brian's lips struggled not to smile at the other man's enthusiasm, 'He was right. Not that Brian would ever let him know that.' He feigned indifference.
"Just stay out of it Honeycutt. Besides, it's nothing. He's though certainly the best fuck in three states. Well, aside from me." mask of arrogance firmly in place.
Emmett wasn't buying anything Brian was selling, and he was steadily growing pissed at the blatant disrespect he was showing Justin.
Irritated he snapped "Well, you'd know." he sighed heavily, though not in defeat.
His eye's demanded a meeting with Brian's.
Hazel braced for the berating.
"Look," Emmett softened "for some reason or another were friends." (he rolled his eyes and shook his head in mock disbelief)
This elicited a very light chuckle from the brunet, he too relaxed his posture. He decided to genuinely give his friend's words a listen.
"In all of the years I've known you I've never seen you look at anyone the way you look at him."
Brian remained quiet and averted his eyes. Emmett felt satisfied.
'Brian Kinney was actually taking his words to heart (so he did have one). Hell must be pretty chilly today.'
Emmett felt his cell phone vibrate in his pocket, he stood, and flipped it open.
It was a text from Micheal wanting details. He looked at Brian then back at the phone.
'Nothing to report. Came for Gus. Boring and bland like Mama's macaroni. Honeyrider Over and Out.'
He lightly caressed the brunet's shoulder. (he didn't pull away)
"So you have a heart? Don't worry, I won't tell anybody."
At that Brian raised his eyes. 'Was he really not going to relentlessly taunt him about this?' He quickly searched Emmett's face but found nothing but sincerity. Friendship. He simply nodded.
Emmett smiled warmly, excitement flashed in his eyes.
"I'll be sure to save that perky blond bottom a seat at Deb's table."
Brian gulped, 'Now that was not going to happen.' he declared. 'At least not yet, hell, if Justin would even want to anymore.' he added in spite of himself.
He glanced towards the maze and saw Hunter and Daphne emerge with all three kids. Something very much like panic and anger turned his tanned, toned tummy.
'Where-the-fuck were Justin and What's his name?' His feet had walked him half way to the maze's entrance before he'd even noticed.
The look on Brian's face when he'd parroted his own callous words left Justin conflicted. On one hand the hard hitting realization in hazel, had excited the blond. It had given him a sense of (flimsy as it were) vindication. On the other hand, that same look had broken yet another piece of his steadily crumbling heart.
Though it appeared that the other man had had next to no reservations when it came to spouting hateful words; Justin had no desire to cause Brian any form of pain, well deserved or otherwise.
There were some part(s) of him that wanted to just forget. Forget the immense blow to his soul those words had delivered. Forget the stinging he felt as his eyes flooded. Forget that he had pride and self respect, and just give in. 'No. Everyone was always giving into to Brian Kinney. Not him.'
Brian's overly obvious jealousy towards Cody had filled Justin with an unexpected dose of hope. 'Brian cared. Cared more than the brunet himself was probably even aware.'
If he wanted to mend this (whatever this was) then he was going to have to actually apologize. He was also going to have to actually mean it. Justin would accept nothing less.
Since walking around in this maze, the artist had been metaphorically lost in a labyrinth of thoughts.
Cody was sweet, fun, honest, and not too hard on the eyes. He was everything he could ask for. He was everything he should want. He was everything he would deserve. 'Coulda. Shoulda. Woulda.' The man had one flaw that Justin could not easily overlook...he was not Brian Kinney.
Not surprisingly, 'Mr. everything' had asked Justin out. He had respectfully declined. 'His heart was already spoken for, even if never by actual words.' The artist was convinced he'd heard the words that no one ever spoke, for the first time through a chocolate infused atmosphere three weeks ago.
He'd come to learn that Cody was a great listener as they sat now on one of the benches facing the wishing well. The man had sweetly absorbed every ounce of emotion that Justin's heart poured out. Sometimes it helped to do this with a stranger. A stranger never had the power to break it.
"Well, if it's any consolation," Cody began through a smile "he was totally trying to melt my face with his green eyed glower."
Though he had sincerely hoped that Justin would have agreed to a date; after listening to the teacher speak about Mr. Kinney, Cody knew there was no available room for anyone else in his pretty blond heart. 'A new friend was better than nothing.'
At the other man's words, Justin laughed lightly (on the outside.)
At the other man's words, Justin giggled with glee (on the inside.)
"We never would have worked out anyway," Cody joked through mock disappointment "I just can't get passed that fucking ugly hat."
Justin laughed and playfully punched his new friend in the shoulder.
"I just want to make a wish in the fountain, then we can go back." Justin announced.
Cody proudly produced two coins from his pocket and handed one to the blond.
Blue closed tightly and tossed copper into crystal clear. 'I wish Brian cared about me as much as I do him.'
Brian was quickly concluding that he didn't particularly enjoy nature. Twigs, grass, bushes, trees, flowers, fucking birds and goddamn butterflies. All of which surrounded him in every direction. A fact of which he was certain for he had indeed been in every direction.
He hadn't expected a maze marketed towards children to require the navigational skills of a skipper on the high seas. The seemingly endless twists and turns did there best to match the swirling of his insides and thoughts; as he pictured Justin with that Cody somewhere around one of these infinite corners.
'Why had they handed the kids off to Daphne? Why were they taking so long? Had Cody tried anything? Worse yet, had Justin? Why was he thinking these fucking questions?'
On what he'd estimate to be his seven hundredth time circling this same rose bush, he'd heard it. His laugh. He sent his mind a disgusted glare at the fact that he'd actually recognized it. That he'd fucking know it anywhere. 'Christ when had he grown a vagina?'
Brian stopped and tried to gauge the location of the beautiful sound. It was close. Extremely so. Glancing down he saw an ornate garden bench.
With the grace of a gazelle, he mounted the seat and peered over the perfectly symmetrical rose hedge.
To his ridiculous relief he hadn't found the two younger men in a passionate embrace. However, he saw Justin playfully punching Cody's arm, and he laughed again. 'This was worse.' He fleetingly found himself preferring the embrace. Confusion surfaced in Brian's mind. Though he hadn't understood the reason, he knew he hated the idea of Justin sharing that smile (that heart) with anyone that wasn't him.
He watched further as the blond closed his eyes and tossed a penny into the dramatically decorative well. All the while wishing himself to read the teacher's mind. 'Did that wish include me Sunshine?' He more that definitely hoped so.
Incessant fluttering swirled around him. 'Hummingbirds? Butterflies?' He didn't know. He didn't care. Both were equally as annoying and too fucking close for comfort. As he reached up to swat the unwelcome intruders of his personal space, he lost his balance.
With the grace of an elephant, he tumbled through the perfectly symmetrical rose hedge.
Widened blue eyes starred down at him, filled 'With...With? He hadn't a clue and he hadn't really wanted to find out.'
