So, I woke up this morning and as I was brushing my teeth, I got this idea for a conversation between Michael and Brian.

Specifically, in 309, in the aftermath of Brian and Justin getting back together. Because I'm about to re-watch that whole thing with my friend Heidi (QAF convert # 3).

Unbetaed. Kinda short. Would not go away until I'd written it down.


Michael hadn’t planned on saying anything. In fact, he had resolutely planned on keeping his mouth shut. But his mouth spoke without his consent, like it did quite a lot of the time.

“You took him back.” He blamed his upbringing, personally. As if to punctuate this, his mother shouted a side order at the kitchen.

Across the booth from him, Brian shifted bonelessly in his seat. He looked up at Michael from underneath dark brows, in what Michael thought of as his dangerous look. It wasn’t directed often at him, and he doubted Brian was even aware how scary he looked when he did it.

After the punching incident, Michael chose his words around Brian with a little more care. At least when they had to do with Justin. But he couldn’t stop himself now. Brian could get by without talking about things forever. Michael couldn’t. As if in demonstration of this, Brian opened his mouth to say something, then closed it and shrugged.

“What’d he do? Offer to suck your cock forever?” To Michael’s relief, Brian laughed, although Michael wasn’t sure he’d been trying to be funny.

“He ambushed me in my office, the twat. And gave me a clever little speech that--had anyone overheard us--would have sounded like we were talking about his job. Then, he closed the door.”

Brian’s face softened and his mouth had a reluctantly wide smile on it, as if Brian hadn’t meant to smile but couldn’t stop himself.

“What about Ethan?” asked Michael, and wondered why he insisted on digging his own grave.

“The fiddler is out of the picture permanently.” Brian took another sip of his coffee and Michael understood that the subject was closed. But he had one more thing to say.

“I know you love him, Brian, but if he ever hurts you again, I’m going to kill him.”

Brian looked taken-aback, but when he made no immediate moves to deck him, Michael relaxed fractionally.

“What about the other way around? What if I hurt him?”

Michael shrugged. “I’d chew you out, but Justin doesn’t need my help in killing you.”

“I see how it is,” murmured Brian. And then the conversation was well and truly over because Emmett had come sashaying into the diner and slid into the booth next to Brian. Ted was on his heels and shoved Michael over. Not thirty seconds after, Justin came in, gave everyone an enormous sunshine smile, and leaned across the table to French Brian before he went off to get his apron.

Michael thought everything would probably be okay after that. He thought of what Brian had said, about helping Justin if Brian hurt him. It hadn’t occurred to him that Justin needed help. But maybe, sometimes, when Brian was being an asshole about something, Justin could use a little help from the only other person who had a full copy of the Brian Kinney Manual. Well, he amended, it was missing a fairly large chunk that had to do with getting Brian off, but Michael was starting to realize he was glad he’d never gotten that part. Life was turning out great without it.

***

And now I'm off to cover a TKD class. My Korean terms aren't at their best in the morning. I wouldn't be surprised if I blanked on how to say simple things like "front kick" (ahp-cha gi. Remember, damn it!)