Justin asked softly, "Brian?"

Brian answered cool as you please, "Yes, Sunshine?"

Incredulously, Justin inquired, "Did you just…?"

Brian replied casually, "What? Tell you that I love you? Yes, yes, I did."

Brian was trying to be light, acting as nonchalantly as possible. He didn't want Justin to know how scared he was, scared that his "I love you" was too little too late or had a much smaller impact than Justin had expected. He didn't want Justin to know how much he needed reassurance. He desperately needed Justin to tell him that he wouldn't be returning to the fiddler, that night or ever. But he couldn't ask; in fact, he couldn't even look at Justin right now because the boy would surely see the vulnerability in his eyes. He thought bitterly, "This is why I have never made such declarations. Opens you up to a world of pain."

Justin pulled back, needing to confirm in the man's eyes what he'd said, but Brian looked down as soon as Justin started to move.

Justin breathed, "Brian, look at me, please."

Brian closed his eyes for a moment and willed himself to appear confident, self-assured. Taking a deep breath, he opened his eyes and looked up at Justin.

But the moment hazel met crystal blue, all his walls, all his defenses vanished. Justin was shocked to the core by what he read in the man's eyes. Brian couldn't take the tension. He stood up and walked over to the kitchen counter.

Brian, his back turned to the boy, cringed as he suggested nastily, "Isn't it time for you to go back to your boyfriend? Don't forget to pick up roses and chocolate on your way home. Why the hesitation? Oh right, your belongings are still here, aren't they?"

On a self-destructive bent spurred by his insecurity, Brian's outburst picked up speed and veered out of control. Justin watched in horror as Brian started packing his clothes and other sundry belongings. Justin just sat there speechless. Once Brian was finished, he picked up a bottle of scotch and headed to the bedroom. He called out coldly, "Be sure to set the alarm on your way out."

Finally, Justin reacted. He stood up and hissed, "Oh hell fucking no."

Brian turned around slowly, trying to appear as though he had little interest in what the boy had to say.

He asked coolly, "Did I forget something?"

Justin eyes filled with tears as he replied, "Only the most important thing. I love you, too, jackass."

Brian just stood there silently, looking at Justin with his patented blank stare.

Justin made it over to the man in just three steps, knocking the bottle from his hand, grabbing him by the neck, and sending his lips crashing onto the man's. He kissed him passionately, thrusting his tongue into the man's mouth and exploring every inch. Brian couldn't help but respond, wrapping his arms around the boy and kissing him back desperately, running his hands up and down the boy's back as he pulled the boy's body more tightly against his.

Justin pulled back after a few minutes, breathless and flushed, and started pulling the man's clothes off and licking, sucking, and nibbling on every inch of skin he exposed. In between open-mouthed kisses trailing the man's body downward and punctuated by moans, both his and Brian's, he whispered urgently against Brian's skin, "I can't believe how stupid you are. Trying to send me away again. Well, you fucked up, Kinney. If you ever hoped to get rid of me, you should never have said that you love me because now you're stuck with me. Forever." That declaration caused Brian to moan even more loudly, even as he blinked furiously to push back the tears that threatened to fall.

Moments later Justin's hot wet mouth was enveloping his cock. Brian moaned, "Oh fuck, Justin!" and threaded his fingers through blond silky hair. Suddenly, Justin's cell phone started ringing. Without thinking, the boy dug it out of his pocket and answered quickly, "Can't talk now, sucking Brian's cock." Then he dropped it, so eager to continue sucking, licking, and swallowing the man's engorged cock that he neglected to hit the 'end' button. Brian noticed but said nothing and soon forgot about the phone.

On the other end, Ethan turned white and then red as he heard Brian moaning Justin's name over and over. Unfortunately for the fiddler, his phone volume was all the way up and Justin's phone was very sensitive, so he could hear the sounds of Brian's slick cock moving in and out of Justin's mouth and the attendant sucking noises. It was like a car wreck, so horrifying, but, as much torture as it was, he just couldn't end the call. Suddenly, a shout rung out, presumably as Brian came, and Ethan could actually hear Justin swallowing greedily. He felt ill.

Then, Justin moaned, "I love you, Brian, always have, always will."

Brian whispered back, "I love you, too, Sunshine."

Ethan knew then that he'd lost. The last thing he heard before he blacked out was Justin begging Brian to fuck him.