A/N: I will update this tomorrow. Ran out of time. Feedback is 3

The driver asked, "Where to?"

Brian and Justin both let their heads fall and looked away, each to their respective sides, purposely avoiding each other's eyes. Both had reacted to the 'unasked question' in the same way, by moving (figuratively and literally) closer together. Both wanted to spend the night together. BUT both had earlier decided that they would not.

As it turned out, Daphne managed to weigh in and alter the course of the night's events. She took that moment (not that she knew the appropriateness of the timing) to text Justin. The beeping distracted both men. Justin read the text but held the phone so that Brian could not. It said, "COME HOME. 'The trends you establish at the beginning of the relationship set the stage for everything that follows.' That's a direct quote from a dating guru. Recognize."

So a second after looking up, Justin answered the driver. Interestingly, Brian also looked up (at that exact same moment) and also answered the driver. Unfortunately, they both gave different addresses.

:-O

Brian gave the address for the loft. Justin gave the address for his apartment.

The driver asked in annoyance, "Well, which is it?"

Brian and Justin exchanged an uncomfortable glance.

Brian gritted his teeth for a moment, but then gave Justin's address.

It had been decided. Justin nodded and smiled weakly. He thought, "Yay. I win." That thought was immediately followed by another very different thought. "I'm so fucking stupid! Guess it's the greenis* for me tonight." *The greenis was a green penis (a dildo), Justin's favorite.

So Justin thought 'it' had been decided. But actually IT had not. The question had simply changed. Instead of Do we fuck? Or do we each go to our separate spaces? … Brian was asking himself …. "Do I go home? OR do I stay at Justin's tiny, stuffy, filthy, incontinent dog-infested hovel?" He was kind of leaning toward the second option, but that had some obvious drawbacks. First and foremost, it was a tiny, stuffy, filthy, incontinent dog-infested hovel. Second, staying the night at someone else's 'home' would require a transfer of power. Even if the situation only occurred once, the balance of power would shift.

Brian spent the long car ride to Brooklyn pondering. He wanted to fuck Justin that night and even to hold him after, but did he want it badly enough to give up a little power?

And to sleep in a queen-sized or (gasp) twin-sized bed? (Brian had not seen Justin's bedroom yet.) To piss in a filthy toilet and shower in a one-person-sized stall with a moldy plastic shower curtain? Brian assumed that Daphne and Justin were like all college kids, lazy as fuck AND too poor to pay for a cleaning service.

Brian shuddered to think what cheap-ass coffee brand they subsisted on. Folgers? Café Caribe? Brian drank espresso roast imported from Italy. No way anything they bought could measure up. They would have no guava juice. And Brian would have to change at the office. Even worse, Daphne would probably ruin the mood with her giggling.

Yeah, no. Brian could never abide these conditions, not while also giving up power. It was against everything Brian-Fucking-Kinney represented. Brian conveniently 'forgot' about the fact that he'd already betrayed his persona by agreeing to the boyfriend label and not to trick. Staying over at Justin's? Simply could not be done.

Justin was likewise in his own head. Mentally berating himself mostly, but occasionally taking pride in his resolve. He'd made a decision and was sticking to it. He was awesome! He would one day soon reap the benefits he was now earning with his awesome-ness. An I Love You perhaps. Or a drawer at the loft. Or simply Brian's wanting to continue their exclusive relationship on day 91. Yes, this was the omega-3 he had to ingest to ensure the longevity and health of his relationship. He just wished he could (figuratively) stop burping up fish oil. Very unpleasant.

When they arrived at Justin's building, Justin had to use all his willpower to disembark. Nearly every part of him wanted to simply remain in the vehicle and continue onto the loft with Brian. Once outside on the pavement, he smiled as brightly as he could manage and moved to shut the door. Justin couldn't bring himself to prolong the goodbye. Every second Brian remained was another second he would have to stave off his nearly desperate desire to change his mind and invite himself over to the loft.

Needless to say, Justin was surprised and slightly annoyed when Brian stopped Justin from shutting the door and actually exited the vehicle himself. Justin mentally implored Brian not to draw this out.

Brian stepped out of the car, but did not say anything to the driver. He was simply going to walk Justin to the outer door and kiss him goodnight. He didn't want to be rude.

Justin tried to kiss Brian right there on the sidewalk, but Brian actually turned his face so that Justin ended up kissing him on the cheek. Then Brian took Justin's hand in his and led him to the front entrance. Dragged was actually a better term.

Once there, Brian decided that he should walk Justin all the way upstairs. Not to do so was nearly as rude as beeping instead of going to the door upon arrival for a date. Besides, if the dog had not left a 'gift' in the hallway, Brian might be able to get a quick blow job. Not as good as an hour or two of fucking, but better than nothing. Or jerking off.

At the outer door, Justin tried to give Brian his goodnight kiss but was similarly rebuffed. Brian actually took Justin's keys out of his hand and unlocked the outer door, which, miraculously, was shut that night (normally it was propped open). Then he led (read dragged) Justin up the many steps to Justin's apartment door.

Brian knew the second they rounded the last corner that the dog had indeed left his special trademark in the hall. And based on the strength of the smell, Brian guessed recently. He mentally cursed. No blow job. Not even a proper kiss could be had under these circumstances. Brian briefly contemplated taking Justin to the roof.

Then before he knew what he was doing, before he felt the full force of the implications of his actions, he found himself texting the driver ("Staying here. Take off"), unlocking and opening Justin's door, and walking inside, still dragging a now ASTOUNDED Justin behind him.

Justin didn't shut the door behind him. He stood a few inches away staring at Brian, who was now removing his outer coat. He asked, more himself than Brian, "What's happening?"

Brian froze and glanced back at Justin. He slid his coat back on and said, "Am I not welcome?"

Justin's eyes widened. "What?"

"You don't want me to stay over?"

"What?"

Brian shrugged. "Alright." Then he headed back to the door.

Justin stared at Brian as he approached, still in shock, but just before Brian reached the door, Justin slammed it shut and threw himself back against it. His entire body and all his senses, every cell, and his brain were beginning to overload, as it dawned on him what Brian's words implied. Brian wanted to stay over. Brian wanted to be with Justin so much that he was willing to sleep in Brooklyn.

Justin could not have produced a coherent thought if his life depended on it.