Joey/Justin #3 - bar

"Yeah, my boyfriend did the exact same thing once," said Joey, pouring the kid another shot. He knew he should have asked for ID when he'd first poked his head in the door, but he'd been doing this a couple years now and he'd learned to trust his instincts about when someone just really needed a drink, no questions asked. "Love's a bitch sometimes." Then he rested his palms on the smooth, wooden bar and waited for him to go on with his story. Joey knew he would; they always did. He had a face that people trusted.

"No, you don't *get* it," he insisted, and Joey began to realize he was *that* type: nothing that anybody else had ever experienced could compare to what he was going through. Drama queen; and Joey tried to steer clear of those. When it wasn't his dick making the decisions. "And the other guy, he was ... he was this mousy little fucker. And a *bad* dresser, too."

"And it was in your apartment?" confirmed Joey, slipping the bottle back under the counter and letting his eyes roam the bar for the moment to see if anyone needed anything. But things were under control so he turned back to the kid. "You're right, that's pretty low. Almost like he wanted you to see."

"He did, he *did* want me to see," he agreed, latching onto Joey's suggestion. "And it's like ... the mistake I made? was *so* forever ago. And we'd moved past it. But I guess *we* didn't do anything *like* that. *He* was just waiting for me to *really* fall for him so he could get me back. Bastard." And then there were tears brimming in his eyes, and Joey couldn't quite tell if it was the whiskey, or an act. Or if the kid wasn't quite as shallow as he seemed and actually *cared* beyond the damage he obviously felt like it was doing his reputation to have been cheated on.

Whichever it was, he was cutting him off now. And any objection he made could probably be countered by a subtle suggestion that Joey might ask for ID. He was okay with listening to the sob stories, it was in the job description, after all, but he drew the line at actual sobbing. "You're too good for him," agreed Joey, to placate him. And to see if he would latch onto *that*, too.

He didn't agree, but he didn't do the annoying "no, no I'm not" thing that he could have done, expecting Joey or whoever was around to stroke his ego and insiste that he was. He just sighed, and rested his chin in his hand morosely. "Maybe, now," the kid murmured, wiping his nose with the back of his hand. "Yeah, maybe now. It evens out, though, 'cause I didn't deserve him when I had him."

"Well, we all make mistakes," said Joey breezily, making another scan of the bar, habitually. "It takes a big man to admit his mistakes, and a big man to forgive them, too. Maybe the two of you just weren't meant to be."

"Maybe," he echoed, swiping at his eyes. Then scaring the shit out of Joey when he glanced back at the kid and he looked like he'd just won second-prize at the beauty pageant. It was a hell of a gameface. "He was too smart, for me, anyway. And my momma said he was too old. And it wasn't your *current* boyfriend, was it?"

Joey watched him with a half-smile as he processed all that and worked out Justin's agenda. "No," he said finally. "It was an old boyfriend. Back when I was about your age, probably. So how's it a smart thing that he got caught nailing some other guy in your apartment? You think he wanted out, wanted to make you be the one to have to break up with him?"

The kid shrugged, tugging on a lock of curly, curly hair, and lowering his eyelashes. "He wanted to make me do it, yeah," he muttered. "He also ... he knew if it was someone like me, if he was just fucking some kid like me, it wouldn't hurt me like this. But ... no, he's smart. He knew what to say to make it sting." He tried to smile bravely again. "And come on. *Way* back when you were my age? What, like, two years ago? It can't have been that long."

"More like four, I'm guessing," said Joey with a smirk, giving him a significant look that he knew now he was quick enough to catch. "Look, the guy wasn't smart, I can tell you that right now. No one who's that smart would want to hurt someone like you like that." He looked up and saw someone signalling him. "Hold that thought," he said, holding up a finger, "I'll be right back." He poured a couple of drinks for the older couple at the other end of the bar and made small talk for about a minute or so, but they were doing just fine on their own and the kid wasn't, and since no one else seemed to need him at the moment, he returned to him.

The look the kid was giving him now was much more appraising, like something he'd said had made him wake up and turn off the woe-is-me shtick and the charm autopilot. "Can I have a beer?" he asked, pronouncing his words carefully. "Just to sip? I feel a little ... obvious, without a drink."

Joey gave him a long, hard look before nodding. With a couple of the masks gone -- though not all, Joey guessed -- he just looked drained, mixed with maybe a little heartbreak. In other words, he still looked like he needed a drink and an ear. "Just this once," he said, though, and made sure he understood that. "I could lose my license if I get caught serving you."

"My fake's okay," he replied quietly. "I mean, it's a real ID. So you'd be alright. But, um. Thanks." He glanced around the bar, almost like he was finally seeing it. "So, do you have a name?"

"No, my parents decided not to bother," said Joey, grabbing a rag and wiping down the counter in front of him. "You can call me 'hey you'." Then he looked up and grinned and held out his hand. "Joey Fatone," he said. "You?"

The kid looked down, then held out his own hand. "Uh, Peter Daniels," he said awkwardly, enunciating that too. "But, um. I'll probably answer better if you call me Justin." He had a firm handshake, almost rare in younger guys. And *cold* hands, even if they were nice and big.

Joey pulled his own hand away after a moment and shivered involuntarily. "Well, Justin," he said, handing over the beer finally. "Make it last, it's the only one you'll be getting from me tonight. So tell me ... what brought you in here, of all places, in the first place?"

"Oh," the kid -- Justin -- said, looking surprised at the question, then a little embarassed. "Oh. Well. He used to come here, when we ... fought. Because he knew I didn't get served when I tried before. So." He played with the beer label. "I don't know, it seemed like a good 'fuck you' in my head."

Joey gave him a congenial smile. "That's as good a reason as any," he said with a nod, reaching for the rag again and genuinely wiping off the counter this time. He wondered if he knew this guy that Justin was talking about; he was pretty familiar with the regulars. "What was his name?"

"Oh," Justin said again. "Oh, um. Chris? He's ... like I said, older than me. Really dark hair, goatee, and, like, these *golden* eyes. You know him?"

Joey froze for a moment, the deliberately began wiping again. "You didn't say he was *that* much older," he said instead of answering outright. "I was thinking maybe a couple of years."

"So you *do* know him," Justin replied, and Joey thought he might have made him uncomfortable. Or his reaction did. "But hey, if you know him well enough to know old he is, you also know he doesn't seem thirty. At all."

"No, you're right," said Joey easily, continuing the motions long after the bar was clean. "Chris never did act his age. For better or for worse." He didn't ask how they'd met, and wasn't sure he was even going to. "He used to go with a friend of mine."

"Oh, really?" Justin cocked his head. "Who's your friend? Chris told me about most of his exes -- this way I get to make some of the same sort of conclusions you're making about *me* right now, I think."

"I don't judge," said Joey earnestly, even though it was very hard, sometimes, not to. Especially with everything he knew. "His name's JC. They ... didn't end up having a lot in common, in the end."

"No," Justin agreed quickly, looking down in his lap. Joey had to wonder just how much Chris might *have* told this Justin about his time with JC. "Well, except that they agree on that, obviously. JC? And you guys are ... friends? Or *friends*?"

"Just friends," said Joey. "Now, anyway. He's a good guy. And actually ... I always figured Chris was a pretty good guy, too. Just a little different. Needed to do a little growing up." He should have been paying more attention to the bar and less to Justin, probably, but sometimes people's stories drew him in like this. Especially when they were about mutual acquaintances. Stories like that were few and far between.

"Probably could do a little more," Justin sighed, then looked at Joey appraisingly again -- almost like he was trying to see through Joey's clothes, or something. "SO you *did*, though. With JC. Huh."

Joey frowned at him for a moment, wondering what he was getting at there. "We went to school together," he said finally. "We were close. We experimented. You want something to eat, with that? Kitchen's not open yet but I can get you something if you do."

"Ahh," Justin said, sitting back, nodding. "It was a while ago. Which ... makes sense, I guess, because JC and Chris was a while ago, too. But ... you're still friends? That's really cool. I'm not really friends with any of my exes." He blinked. "Shit. I guess that means I probably won't be friends with Chris anymore. Well ... *that* sucks."

"It doesn't mean any such thing," said Joey, back on familiar territory here. "Though given what he did, I'm not sure why you'd *want* to be friends with him anymore. Me and JC were friends before, that's what made the difference for us. It's not quite as black and what as you're making it, Justin."

"I don't want any food," Justin answered randomly. "But thanks." He picked at his bottle some more, looking all forlorn again. Like he had when he'd come in, just not as -- insincere. "And it's not that I *do* want to be friends, necessarily, just that ... he taught me a lot. I don't want to be mad at him or resent him forever. Which ... probably makes me sound like some kind of doormat."

"No," said Joey simply. He'd heard a lot of stories, learned about a lot of situation, and something like that definitely didn't make Justin a doormat. Just inexperienced. "Was he your first, Justin?"

"No, no," Justin shook his head, then seemed to remember he thought he was supposed to bristle at that -- before elaborating anyway. He seemed to really want to talk. "No, he wasn't. I don't ... I don't think Chris sleeps with guys that aren't ... more experienced. He told me about this one guy that ... well, he just thought it was a hassle. I mean, he likes the *act* and all, but not."

"Yeah," agreed Joey quietly. "I doubt he'd think it was worth the trouble. He does like them younger, though. Not virginal, but younger. So do you think you *want* to be friends with him, or would you rather just feel content with your decision. And look at the whole relationship as a learning experience."

Justin sighed and shrugged his shoulders. "Dunno yet," he murmured, hands in his lap again. "I'm still ... it's still really raw. Every time I close my eyes I see what I ... walked in on, and." He shook his head sharply. "Anyway. You seem really hung up on this age thing. How old's JC? Or, then, I mean?"

"It's not me that's hung up on the age thing," said Joey, shaking his head and thinking about the people that he'd know Chris has been with, nevermind the people that he didn't. "JC's, what, twenty-five now? Yeah, twenty-five. But they were together a couple years ago." He watched Justin just play with his drink. "You don't have to figure everything out right now. Of course it's still raw. But try not to picture it, Justin. You'll feel better that way."

"I *am* trying," Justin replied, slightly petulant. "And ... that's not that young. JC, I mean. There's not that much difference in their ages. And what's that mean, it's not you that's hung up on it? Are you talking about me? What's wrong with wanting to be with someone older than I am?"

"No, I wasn't talking about you, either, Justin," he said patiently, his eyes scanning the bar again. It was still quiet; it was still early. "And now, he's not that young, just young*er*, Nevermind about the age thing, though. It's neither here nor there, really."

"Well, sorry," Justin huffed softly. "I'll just shut up, now. Thanks for the beer." He wasn't really drinking it, though, just playing with the label, and Joey remembered that it was the kind that Chris usually had when he came in.

"Justin," he said, still patient. Patience was something he'd learned, since taking up his trade. "Just take a deep breath, okay? I know you're hurt, I know you've had a rough day. I'm gonna go take care of some things here, and then I'll come back." He didn't wait for an answer before turning to go, deciding to take care of the few glasses that had piled up, maybe pour a couple of fresh beers for his patrons.

When he looked back, he was glad it *was* so early, because Justin looked even younger than he had when he'd come in. And very sad, and very very lonely. He kept rubbing the pad of his thumb over his own full lips, then tugging on a piece of hair, then obviously realizing what he was doing and literally sitting on his hands. For thirty seconds, before he'd do the whole thing again.

There wasn't much to occupy his time, really, so he wiped off his hands on a clean towel and shot a friend of his a smile from across the room when he looked up then returned to Justin again. He hoped he *had* taken a few moments to think about things, but he was just so young, really. And not just on the outside. "Hey," he said gently. "How's that beer going down?"

"Oh, what?" Justin looked up, startled when he shouldn't be. "Oh. It's ... it's good, thanks. For listening, too. I'll be out of your hair in a little while, Joey. It ... it wasn't very nice of him, was it, to go to a place just because he knew I couldn't go. Was it."

Joey watched him fidget for a moment. "You don't need to get out of my hair," he said finally. "and no, that wasn't really nice of him. It's one thing to go somewhere to get away. It's another thing to make sure it's somewhere he can't be found. And to make sure that even if you knew where he was, you couldn't do anything about it. It's pretty hurtful and pretty juvenile."

Justin blinked. "He said that to me, all the time. The juvenile thing. I mean, he said that *I* was. That he knew that I'd always gotten what I wanted by pouting and that wouldn't work with him. And he'd always laugh at me if I tried."

Joey frowned even more, hearing that. It was one thing, to hear it about a stranger, but to hear that someone he knew was treating people like that? "He doesn't sound like a very nice guy at all," he said. "He doesn't sound like he treated you well."

"No, he did," Justin replied quietly, looking very much like he believed it. "He was, and he did. And he was right, I did pout to try and get my way, and ... I won't be young enough to pull that off forever anyway. I think he liked it anyway, though, you know? Liked watching me try and figure out other ways to get what I wanted. And he'd always give it to me, then."

It was a game, and Joey didn't know how Chris had convinced Justin that it was a fun one. JC had never let on that he was the persuasive sort, like that. "You're a beautiful boy, Justin," he told him after a moment. "And you'll be able to find someone who respects you."

And Justin didn't bristle at being called a 'boy.' Instead, his face crumpled, a little, and it looked like he was biting his lip hard to keep from letting any tears fall. "Yeah, well," he whispered. "Being beautiful isn't enough, all the time."

"Oh, Justin," said Joey softly, and quickly searched the back of the bar for the box of tissues he kept there, placing them in front of Justin. If it was gonna happen, it was gonna happen. "I didn't just mean on the outside. You seem sweet."

Justin snorted, and at least he didn't look like he was going to cry anymore. "Anybody seems sweet if they've just been dumped. It's the whole kicked-puppy thing. But ... thanks, you know. For the sentiment. Chris would be laughing too if he heard it."

"Seemed to me Chris laughed at a lot of stuff he shouldn't've," mused Joey, leaving the kleenex where it was, "but you know him better than I do. I won't tell you what to do about this Justin. I'll just tell you to think about it, and think about what you really want in your life."

"Thanks, Joey," he replied, a little more graciously. "That's good advice. I'd ask you to introduce me to JC, maybe, if we ... were more compatible. I get a feeling we'd understand each other. Or at least understand what we *don't* want, in our lives."

"JC," said Joey with a sigh, "I'm afraid is very taken now. But maybe I will anyway. He's been where you are. He knows the guy. And he has a soft spot for -- " Kicked puppies, he thought, and said, "guys like you."

"Oh, I didn't ... " Justin protested, his eyes dancing a little more. "I mean, I wasn't seriously asking. I don't think we'd ... work. Out. The two of us, I mean. I ... " he lowered his voice a little. "He's not a top, though. I mean, right? So."

"Oh," said Joey with a soft smile. "Very much no, on that. I should've thought. No, but maybe you guys could talk. He'd take you under his wing, Justin, he's just like that. Maybe it would be good for you. For both of you."

"Maybe, okay?" replied Justin. "It's ... maybe. Maybe you could, um, mention me. And then if I think about it and think it'll help, I'll come back here sometime, and you could give me his number?" He looked very serious about the prospect. "Is he terribly pretty?"

"He's terribly, awfully pretty," admitted Joey. Justin was turning out to be just the most precious thing. "And you just come back here any time, all right? Whether you decide you want to meet him or not."

Justin nodded, then carefully pushed his stool back from the bar. "I think I remember Chris saying that he was," he said slowly. "And if he was with you, too, then ... I'm sure he is. Thanks, Joey." He pulled out his wallet.

"Forget about it," said Joey, waving it off. "On the condition that you promise to come back again. Even if i'm not able to serve you. You really are a sweet thing ... and I've enjoyed your company."

"Thanks," Justin said, looking pleased and on the verge of a smile, at least. "Me too, Joey. I'll ... I will come back, okay? Just promise me something, too?"

"Sure," said Joey easily, giving him a smile. "And what would that be?"

"When I come back? Pretend you don't hear me if I ask if he ever talked about me," Justin said softly. "I'm kinda just barely keeping from doing it now. And I know I don't want to know the asnwer."

Joey nodded slightly; they would probably both be happier that way. "You have somewhere to go? You booted his ass out of your apartment?"

Justin nodded too, his eyes wide and sad. "I'll be fine," he promised. "And you'll say something to JC?"

"I'll say something to JC," promised Joey. "And you know where to find me, if you run into any trouble. I'm sure you have other friends, too, but ... well, it can't hurt to have one more."

"Thanks, Joey," Justin replied, and he *did* smile, if a little bittersweetly. "Well, um. Bye, I guess." He gave an abbreviated little wave, and stuck his hands in his pockets as he backed toward the door.

"I'll see you soon, Justin," said Joey, waving back and feeling very sure of that.

* * *

The next time Justin came into his bar, Joey had to laugh -- if he was trying not to be recognized, simply wearing a baseball cap wasn't going to cut it. And if he was trying to look *older*, so Joey wouldn't get in trouble ... well, Joey just had to assume he wasn't trying to look older. He looked like a *baby*, with these tiny little golden ringlets that poked out of the bottom of the hat, and the way he kept his head ducked and his eyes hidden by the brim.

He wiped his hands off on a towel and scanned the bar again to make sure he wasn't abandoning anyone, but Justin had come in early again and business was just about nonexistent. So he made his way down to the end of the bar and greeted Justin with a smile. "I'm still not serving you," he teased him gently. "How are you doing, Justin?"

"Oh, hey, Joey," Justin smiled, and when he climbed onto the stool and steadied himself with his hands on the bar, Joey could see that he was a little slimmer than he remembered him -- his face a little thinner, his wrists bonier. "I'm doing pretty good. No need for whiskey at 2:00, at least."

"Taking care of yourself?" he asked, reaching behind the bar for a glass and studying Justin's face at the same time. "I can at least get you a Coke. So what brings you in this afternoon? Everything okay?"

"Hmm? Yeah," Justin replied distractedly. "I just ... Chris is at my place. Um, now. Packing his stuff, and ... I kinda couldn't be there any longer. You mind? If you're busy, I can go ... to the laundromat, or something."

Joey lifted his eyebrows at him as he shook his head. "You guys lived together?" he said in surprise. "I hadn't realized it had been that serious ... "

"Well, no ... " Justin squirmed, pink spots forming on his cheeks. "I mean, he had his own ... you *knew* I caught him fucking that guy in my bed, Joey, I thought? He had keys and all."

"Yeah, I knew that," said Joey. "It makes sense. Just seems a little more ... to have him having enough stuff there to have to pack. My last boyfriend had keys to my place, too, but the most he ever kept there was a clean t-shirt and a toothbrush." He slid the glass of coke over and wiped his hands off again.

"Well, Chris is a slob," Justin replied, kicking his feet against the bar. "He left shit over at my place all the time. Clothes and CDs and CDs and books and CDs. And his TV, and ... anyway. Yes, he had stuff. And yes, we were that serious. I guess. I guess you figured I was too young for that?"

"Nah, it wasn't that," said Joey, though that had been part of it. "I just ... didn't get the impression that you were. I knew you felt pretty strongly about him, though, so maybe I should've guessed. You really doing okay?"

"Yup," Justin kicked harder. "It's good. I, like, read a whole book this week. And went and saw this really good movie. I miss him, but I ... it's probably just the sex. Maybe. Probably."

"Well, sex isn't hard to come by," said Joey easily, gesturing at the room, even though it was mostly empty at the moment. "Unless you're missing something more, too. And it's okay if you are."

"Naw," Justin waved at him, never taking his eyes off of Joey's face when he'd spoken. "I'm not. Not from him. And I'm not. Looking. For, um, sex. I'm still young enough to take it seriously," he reminded him, smiling self-depricatingly.

Joey smiled back; if anything, Justin seemed more mature now than he'd seemed the first time he'd come in. Certainly more composed. "Well then," he said. "That's what the shop up the street is for. So we can get things to help us out when we have to go it alone."

Justin blushed again, attractively, and tugged his hat down farther. "And what would a guy like you know about that," he bantered shyly.

"Sometimes," said Joey with a wink, "we even *choose* to do things on our own. And don't even try to embarass me about sex, kiddo. Bigger men than you have tried and failed." He leaned his elbows on the bar and looked into Justin's face again. "But I'm guessing a guy like you's not gonna be single for long anyway."

"I wasn't trying to embarass you, I was trying to compliment you," Justin sighed. "Given my success, I'd bet I probably *will* be single for a while. If that's the best line I can come up with, for a hot guy."

Joey just wanted to reach out and ruffle that hair. "And you did, kiddo. Flatter me. Oh, I talked to JC about you, by the way. Apparently there *were* things about Chris he never did tell me."

"Oh." Justin looked alarmed, and Joey realized maybe he should've eased into that a little better. "Oh. Like ... bad things? I'm not ... I'm sure ... me and this JC guy, we're probably pretty different. Handled things pretty different."

"Just stuff," said Joey warily, wondering what Justin *thought* JC might've said about him. "He never really talked about that relationship much before, is all. I'm sure you are very different, Justin, don't worry. You still wanted to meet JC, though, right? Cause that's what I told him."

"He doesn't think I'm trying to get you to set us up, does he?" Justin asked nervously. "I mean, he knows that's not what it's about? I don't want him to think I need to do that, to get a date ... "

"No, sweetie," said Joey with a soft chuckle. "He's taken, remember? He knows I wouldn't try to set someone up with him. I just told him I met this guy I thought he'd get along with, and why. JC's so antisocial some time; it's good to find someone he's excited about meeting."

"Oh, right," Justin nodded, and Joey knew he remembered, he was just *so* concerned with what people thought of him, still. "He's excited? He said that? Really?"

"He was excited," Joey assured him, trying not to laugh. "He said he was looking forward to it. Justin ... have you had someone around this week to talk to, about what's going on with Chris? To let you vent about it, or whatever?"

"I've talked to my mom," Justin replied, his voice starting to take on that defensive tone that Joey could already recognize. "She was really good to complain to. Otherwise ... I'm fine, really. I'm surprising myself at how much it's not ... hurting."

"If you say so," replied Joey dubiously. "I mean, I'm not suggesting you don't have any friends to talk to or anything. Just looking out for you, kid. We've all been there before."

"I have friends," Justin snapped, jerking his hat down even farther over his face. "But they'll either pull an 'I told you so,' or they'll be on the phone as soon as I leave to ask him out. So."

"Oh," said Joey knowingly, and not unkindly. "Those kind of friends. Probably why you ended up coming in to talk to a bartender, huh? Glad you did, though. And glad your mom is there for you, Justin. A lot of guys wouldn't have that."

Justin slumped back over the bar. "Yeah, I'm lucky," he sighed. "And that's not the reason I came in here, I just ... I told you why." His lower lip stuck out a little. "Guys don't usually like me unless they *like* me, you know? Hence the not-so-much with the friends in a time of need."

"Girls?" suggested Joey tentatitvely. "They make good friends too, you know." But he knew Justin wasn't asking how to make friends or anything. "Can I be honest with you, kiddo?"

"Girls suck," Justin muttered, and there was obviously a story behind *that*. "But go ahead. What did you want to tell me?" He looked up bravely, meeting Joey's eyes.

"I was just gonna say," said Joey carefully, "that you don't *sound* like you're doing okay, Justin. And you don't have to be all weepy about it or anything, but if you need to get something off your chest or whatever, just go ahead."

"I don't know you, though," Justin said quietly, after a minute. "And ... it just seems that there's nothing more pathetic than bitching and moaning to someone who doesn't know you, but's too nice to make you shut up. And I'm *not* pathetic, so." He dug in his pocket for a second, then put a crumpled piece of paper on the bar. "But ... that? that's my number. If ... if you could get it to JC. And maybe he could call."

"Just JC?" said Joey, looking up after unfolding the paper and looking at it. "Or am I allowed to give you a call, too, if the urge strikes me?" He folded up the paper more carefully than Justin had and slid it into his back pocket. "It's hardly pathetic when someone *asks* you about it, Justin. Just keep that in mind."

Justin shook his head, and squirmed in his seat. "Then it's a different kind of pathetic," he said quietly. "And of course, I'm not going to tell you that you can't call. Just say 'hi, it's Joey, the hunk with the eyelashes that'll serve you beer if you look depressed enough.' I'll remember you."

"Good," said Joey with a chuckle and a wink. "'Cause I'd have to be jealous if there's another hunk with eyelashes named Joey that'll serve you beer if you look depressed enough."

"Oh, you're the only one of those for me," Justin replied wryly, but at least he was smiling a little. And blushing again.

"You gonna drink that Coke?" asked Joey, nudging it towards him. "I promise, it's not even watered down. And Justin ... for the record? I don't think you're pathetic at all."

"Well, don't make me talk about it with you, and we can keep it that way," Justin murmured in reply. He did take a sip of the coke, though. "Tell me about what to expect from JC, maybe? Chris ... somehow I think Chris's description isn't very fair."

Joey frowned slightly and took a moment to glance around the bar, make sure everything was going all right. "I suspect if Chris had *any*thing bad to say," he said finally, "he wasn't being very fair. What do you want to know about him?"

"Just ... what he's like," Justin waved his hand. "I know you said he's pretty, and he's ... dating someone? I just wondered if he was very much like me. Or if he's ... all smart, or honestly nice. Just how you'd describe him to someone. The good and bad things. However ... however you described *me* to *him*."

"Well, he's smart, yeah, but you wouldn't always know it," admitted Joey, thinking about the best way to describe his friend. "You get him talking and he sounds like a space case but if you give him a little time to work things out before talking, he's fucking brilliant sometimes. And very, impossibly pretty. And ridiculously in love with his very butch boyfriend. But he's nice, Justin. He's always nice. And always gives people the benefit of the doubt, unless they fuck with him, or fuck with his friends."

"He sounds very nice," Justin sighed. "And, like, accepting. Which is good. And ... his boyfriend? Will be okay with us talking and all? And knows that I'm ... not at *all* trying to hit on his man? Um. Because that may or may not have happened before, is all I'm saying, but ... you reassured him that I wouldn't be someone that JC would want?"

"The boyfriend," said Joey, with more than a litlte amusement, "despite the appearance, will probably be off in the kitchen making tea for you guys or something, while you and JC are talking. Or baking a freaking *cake*. He did that for us once. Freak." Joey shook his head and grinned at Justin. "Trust me, you have nothing to worry about there."

"Oh, good," breathed Justin. "That would just be bad. It's nice that they're that ... confident in each other, or whatever. Or did you actually explain the other part?"

"No, I didn't go into detail about that part," said Joey with another grin. "Didn't need to. They're really just that sure of each other. And hey, I told them that you weren't interested in hooking up with JC, and they believed me. They know I wouldn't steer them wrong."

"That's nice," Justin murmured again, then stood up as abruptly as he had the first time he'd come into Joey's place. "Well, so. I gave you the number. Whenever he wants to call. Soon. If he wants. And ... thanks, Joey. I really appreciate you doing this. I know it's kind of strange."

"It's only as strange as you make it," said Joey with a shrug. "You never know when you're gonna meet new people, Justin. Who's to say one way is better than another? He'll get the number, don't you worry."

"I'm not worried," Justin smiled, sweet and gentle. "Not about that part. You seem to be a very trustworthy hunk with great eyelashes that'll serve me beer when I'm depressed."

"Try not to be depressed to often," Joey said, feeling his smile soften. "I'd hate to be contributing to the deliquency of a minor. Or at least come over and visit when you're depressed, so I don't have to watch my back. You'd be welcome."

Justin's lips parted a little, and under his hat Joey could see his eyes even crinkle. "Thank you," he said simply, kicking the floor. "Maybe if you decide to use that number yourself you can tell me where to find you." Then, maybe, that had crossed one of Justin's own 'too pathetic' lines in his head, and he gave that same little wave from last time and was out the door.

* * *

Joey spotted Justin coming in out of the corner of his eye and glanced at the clock. It was only eight or so, so the place certainly wasn't full yet, but it was still a lot later than the kid normally came in. "Nick, can you watch things for a bit? I need to talk to someone." His fellow bartender took a glance around the room, then shrugged and nodded. No big deal. "Thanks, man," said Joey, and clapped a hand on his shoulder before going to meet Justin at the other end of the bar.

"Hey, Joey," Justin said, sounding a little shy, which was so anachronistic from how he looked this time. He was obviously about to go out for the evening, in tight jeans with a ripped waistband, a tight shirt, tight ... everything. He barely looked like the same nineteen-or-twenty-year-old that had come in last week. Of course, he still looked nineteen or twenty.

"Hey Justin," he said, looking him up and down and knowing his attentions weren't going unnoticed. Knowing he definitely wasn't the only one checking Justin out. "What's up?'

"Hey," Justin said again, shifting on his feet. "I know ... I know it's not such a good idea to bother you when you're busy, but I wanted to stop by and thank you for having JC call me. We got together, which ... I guess you probably know. And I think it helped a lot. JC's this ... he's just really great. So, yeah. Thanks."

Joey gave him a bright smile and looked back over his shoulder to make sure Nick was doing all right before leaning forward onto the bar. "My pleasure," said Joey. "Did you managed to actually get him out of his apartment, or did he make you come over? Guy's been such a hermit lately."

"Oh, I went over there," Justin explained, his brow furrowing a little. "I didn't know I wasn't supposed to. Did ... oh, god, did he think that was totally presumptuous of me? I know he ... he probably thinks I'm a spoiled brat anyway, and to just *invite* myself over the way I did ... "

"Oh, shush," laughed Joey. "It's fine. He always brings people over to his place. Did he show off his bathroom? They just redecorated it and he's all showing it to everyone he can. I keep telling him, 'JC, it's just a *bathroom*', but he doesn't even listen. Anyway. So you had a good time?"

"It wasn't exactly a party," Justin replied wryly, but he didn't look self-conscious anymore, lounging gracefully against the bar. "But I really liked him. And AJ. And him and AJ together. They were really nice guys."

"They are really nice guys, yeah," agreed Joey. "So you talked about stuff then? Got some stuff out? Feeling better about the whole thing?"

"You mean you didn't already get the blow-by-blow?" Justin arched his eyebrow, and curled his lips into a teasing smile. "I don't believe that for a second, Joey. I think you know exactly what we talked about and exactly what JC suggested and then exactly what *AJ* suggested. And my reaction to *that*. Don't you."

"I don't!" said Joey honestly. "I haven't even *talked* to him for more than two seconds. They did tell you they were going out of town to see AJ's mother, right? They aren't even back until tomorrow. I'm totally in the dark here."

"Oh," Justin said, and he looked ... sad, a little, that Joey didn't seem to know everything already. "Oh, well, when he gets back, I guess. He'll fill you in, I'm sure. But ... yeah, we talked. It helped. Not with the eating thing, but everything else. So, thanks, again."

"Justin," said Joey with an exasperated sigh. "What's so hard about talking to me now? What did you talk about? What eating thing? What did *AJ* have to say about it? You really would rather I wait and hear it from him than tell me yourself?"

Justin was shaking his head. "The whole not-pathetic thing, remember? I'm not letting myself impose upon you. Except for the rare beer. Which, it seems, it's a little crowded in here for at the moment. And plus I'm on my way out, and ... I really just wanted to say thank you."

"Huh, so it's not pathetic to talk to JC but it's pathetic to talk to me? Gee, thanks," he said. He was still smiling slightly, even though that kinda stung a little. "Well, you're welcome. I'm glad it helped you out."

"That's not what I ... " Justin sighed, and ran his hand through his hair, making his shirt inch up over his stomach. "I like talking to you. You seem really cool. I guess I just kinda ... want to be able to talk to you about normal stuff. Friendly stuff. Pretend that I'm not just this basketcase to you?"

Joey shrugged amiably. "Justin," he said, glancing back to Nick again, but he was still fine. "I like talking to you, too. But really, you don't need to separate yourself into two different people, depending on who you're talking to. You're not a basketcase. Wasn't I the one that told you that most people have been through what you're going through? That you're normal? But ... you have to do what's comfortable, for you."

"I *know* this is normal, I *just* ... " Justin gritted his teeth before leaning against the bar again. "Look, I appreciate the offer. And it's not you. I just think I'll make myself worse, if I go through it again. Can't you just ... something. I don't know. Introduce me to the other hot bartender, or something? Or tell me something about you? I don't like all this attention." Which just sounded so strange, coming from someone who could get anybody's attention he wanted, and who -- Joey was sure -- knew that.

"Okay," he said after a moment. "Okay, Justin, I'll just ask JC about it when he gets back. You don't have to tell me anything." And that was that; Justin was obviously serious, and the more Joey pushed, the more he pushed back. They did hardly know each other, and maybe Joey had let himself get a little too caught up in the kid's situation. And he *woudln't* be jealous of JC just because Justin would talk to him and not Joey. "And," he went on finally. "I'm sure Nick would be *happy* to meet you, but I thought you weren't looking for just sex?"

"I'm not," Justin admitted, his eyes running over the part of Nick he could see from behind the bar. "But there's nothing wrong with flirting, and since you're always Mr. Serious when I come in here, I figured I could look elsewhere?"

Joey let the smile fall, finally, and nodded his head. "My pretty eyelashes aren't enough anymore?" he teased mildly, and not too happily. "Well, Nick would certainly be happy to flirt with a pretty young thing like you."

Justin cocked his head and stared at Joey, the motion just emphasizing the gorgeous line of his neck and the golden skin, but also the way his collarbone was a sharp line under his shirt. "Maybe that's just it -- he might flirt back, instead of just putting up with it, like you do." He wasn't being snide, it seemed like he really thought that's what Joey had been doing.

Joey licked his lips involuntarily. "I guess I'm out of practice," he said finally. "Haven't tried to pick up anyone out of my league in forever. I wouldn't have the first clue what to say to you. But Nick ... Nick's smooth. Nick'll charm you right out of your pants."

"Nick can *try*," Justin bantered, but he was flushed prettily, too, and Joey knew he'd caught what he said, about being out of his league. "I'm trying not to be insulted that you think I'm easy, Joey." He stood back and ran a hand down his stomach, over his hip. "Clothes don't make the man."

"Oh, I don't think you'd drop 'em for just *anyone*," Joey assured him, his eyes following Justin's hand."It would have to be someone who caught your eye, someone who treated you like gold ... "

"Something like that," Justin murmured, smoothing his fingers over his thigh and letting them rest there. They stayed like that for a moment, Joey staring at Justin's body and Justin encouraging it, until someone bumped into him and the trance was broken. "So I probably should be going," said Justin. "But ... here." He dropped another piece of paper on top of the bar. "That's my number. And I only let myself give my number to one guy a night, platonic or otherwise, so you losing it last time is really messing with my play tonight."

Joey looked at it in surprise for a moment, then lifted his head and gave Justin another bright smile. "I'll just have to make it worth your while, then," he said, curling his fist around the piece of paper protectively and not tucking it away anywhere. "Have a good night, Justin. I'll be talking to you soon."

"Good," Justin replied, and when he left this time, it wasn't with a wave and hunched shoulders; instead, he sidled out of the room like he knew he was being watched. The difference was dramatic; Joey just didn't know whether to credit the outfit, the talk with JC, or even something he did.

"Nice job," crowed Nick, clapping a hand on *Joey's* shoulder this time. "No, it's not like that," said Joey, but he carefully place the slip of paper with the number in his wallet, and he knew he'd be calling this time.

* * *

When Justin came in the next time, Joey smiled to himself at the return of the baseball cap. It was like there were two Justins he had to get to know: the young, *young* baseball-cap-wearing one, and the confident ripped-jeans-wearing one. And the one that was somewhere between the two, that had met Joey for coffee the day before, and could probably talk for hours about music and basketball and the pros and cons of going back to school. "Hey, Joe," he said, and that was a new thing, the abbreviated name. "Busy?"

Joey made an exaggerated point of looking at his watch. "Well, Justin, we've only been open for half an hour, which I'm sure you know, so ... no. Not busy. What's up?"

"Nothing," he shrugged, approaching more slowly after Joey's response. "I just wanted to say hi. But ... maybe it is a bad time." He tugged on the sleeves of his shirt, and scratched at his neck.

"Justin," laughed Joey. "I just told you I wasn't busy. And that I knew you knew I wouldn't be busy. So I'm gonna be all flattered and assume you came here just to hang out with me. You want a coke or something?"

"Sure," Justin smiled a little less hesitantly. "Diet coke, though, okay? I don't usually drink sodas with sugar." Joey wondered what it meant that he hadn't said anything about it when he gave him a coke the other day. "And yeah, I guess I came to bug you. I was out doing errands."

"One diet coke, coming up," said Joey, pouring Justin a glass. "Not like *you* need to watch your figure, but I agree, most regular soda tastes like syrup. So ... what are you up to today?" He was glad Nick wasn't in until later; already he was probably ripe for teasing.

"Buying a new TV." Justin slid onto the barstool and sipped at his drink gratefully. "Although now I'm thinking I should wait until your next day off, and ask you to come with. Make *you* carry it up four flights of stairs."

"Ouch," said Joey, wincing at the thought. "You're in a walk-up? You never mentioned that part. I'm not off again until Sunday anyway, and I don't think you'll be wanting to wait that long for the TV."

"You work too much," Justin complained lightly. "I don't even know you, and I know that much. When do you even have time to see JC and your other friends? Let alone go out on dates?"

"In the morning, for my friends," said Joey with a weak smile. "And the dates ... on those rare days off. But a guy's gotta put food on the table, you know? I need the money, so I work. And it's a good place."

"No, I know," Justin said, pushing his torso up over the bar to grab a straw. "I'm not being critical, just ... looking out for you. Like you tried to do with me, right?" He grinned and settled back in his seat. "And sometimes your friends can just come to you."

Joey smiled. "Well, thanks for looking out for me," he said. "Child support payments really dig into your income, though, you know? But yeah ... at least my friends know where to find me, and I get paid to be social. How many other jobs can you say that about?"

Justin's jaw dropped a little. "You have a kid? But I thought ... you're gay. You're not gay? And a kid? What?" He didn't look horrified, or anything, just really, really surprised.

"My little period of experimentation gone horribly, horribly wrong," said Joey with a weary sigh. "Well, except not, because my little girl is the most precious thing in the world. Even though I never get to see her." He sighed again. "What're the odds, you know? Turns out you *can* get someone pregnant the first time."

"Dude," Justin sighed, looking adorably sad. "That's ... I don't know what to say. Is it ... do you not talk about it? Or do you want to, like, tell me her name and how old she is and stuff?"

"Brianna," said Joey, feeling the corners of his mouth turn up in spite of the whole situation surrounding her. "She's just turning 6 this year, starting school. I have ... " He reached for his back pocket, for his wallet. "I mean, if you want ... I have a picture ... "

"Oh, sure!" Justin grinned, and pulled off his hat, raking his fingers through his messy curls of hair. "I can't believe you didn't tell me yesterday, about her, but you had me babbling so much about my own shit, maybe I shouldn't be surprised. Oh!" He leaned over the bar again, twisting his head. "Oh, that's her? She's so cute!"

Joey looked down at the picture he was holding out, too, unable to help sneaking a peek at his girl. "She looks an awful lot like her momma," he confessed with a grin. "All those curls. I don't ... I don't talk about her much. It's kinda had, not being near her."

"I bet. Wow. Six? You musta been *really* young, Joe." He looked back up, brushed one of his own curls out of his face. "Okay, I've got all these questions I wanna ask, but ... you just said you don't like to talk about it. So just ... know I wanted to know, okay?"

"No, I mean ... you can ask now," said Joey, leaving the picture out a little longer. Just looking at it made him smile. "That's just why I didn't bring it up yesterday at all. I don't do that much. But we're already talking about her now, so yeah ... ask away."

"Okay," Justin nodded, chewing on his lip. "So how come you don't get to see her? Does she ever get to come visit? And does she play sports?" Joey had to fight back the laughter at the fact that that was one of Justin's first questions. "I don't know anybody with a kid. Except my dad; I've got these half-brothers. But ... not the same."

"She doesn't live here anymore," said Joey with a sigh. "She hasn't since she was two. Her mom got a new job and moved to Arizona then, and ... well, I still get time with her in the summer, and we talk on the phone, and she's always sending me drawings and stuff." He finally tucked the picture away again, not wanting it to get damaged. "So yeah, I have a kid, but .... not very often."

"I'm sorry." Justin's hand still hung in the air, where he had been steadying the picture. "I bet she loves you a lot, really loves visiting you and all. Um ... thanks for letting me see the photograph." He shifted on the stool again. "For liking a job where you talk to people all day, you sure don't talk about *you* much. Even JC said so."

Joey was quiet for a moment, considering that, then smiled at Justin again. "She plays little league," he said finally. "Or, she tries. She's not very good with the bat yet, but Kelly says she's picking it up pretty quick. And she doesn't hit other players with it, like some of the kids do."

Justin burst into light laughter. "Shit, *I* totally did that in Little League! I was such a terror of a kid. All spoiled, totally capitalized on having divorced parents that tried to out-do each other. Probably explains a lot about the way I am today, I guess." He didn't look apologetic, though.

And Joey had to grin back. It was true, he could totally picture Justin doing that. And the spoiled bit ... he chose not to comment. "I only *wish* I could spoil Bri a little," he said instead. "I go nuts at Christmas, I can admit it, but I don't try to outdo Kelly. I even call her, to make sure we don't duplicate anything. We get along all right. I mean, the major problem with our relationship was pretty much that I was gay."

"Uh, yeah, I can see how that might be a problem," Justin agreed. "But you have a *kid*, you know? A lot of guys'll never get that. I won't, and that sucks to think about. Of course, to hear Chris say it, living with me was just *like* having a kid, so ... "

It didn't lake long for a frown to settle in on Joey's face again. "I'd think it would've been the other way around," he said mildly, though. "Living with *Chris* was like having a child around all the time."

"Oh, no," Justin shook his head. "No, he definitely ... made me feel like the kid. Which, you know, I was. So." He still smiled at Joey, which was nice to see. "You're getting sick of me hanging around, aren't you?"

"Sick of you," said Joey in surprise. "You just *got* here, how could I be sick of you yet?" The more he heard about Chris, the less he liked him. He'd always seemed like a fun guy, but that obviously wasn't all there was there. "I still think Chris was the kid, though. You seem way more mature than him."

Justin shrugged. "You still don't know me," was all he said, then sipped on his straw some. "So, like, what do you do when Brianna comes to visit, and you're seeing somebody? Does she know?"

"She knows," said Joey with a quick nod. "Kelly ... she struggled with it for a while but we decided in the end not to keep any secrets from her. And it might even be easier this way, to know that it wasn't because mommy and daddy didn't love each other, or her. Well ... maybe not love each other. But certainly like well enough."

"Does she get it?" Justin asked curiously. "I noticed you didn't answer my question. Has she gotten to see you with a guy, ever?"

No, Joey hadn't really answered his question, but it wasn't as black and white a question and Justin seemed to think it was. "She's seen me with a guy," he said finally. "Holding hands. Kissing. But not in a couple years now. I'm pretty sure she understands, in a general sense, but I think I have a lot of questions to look forward to in the next few years."

"Yeah," Justin murmured, resting his chin on his hand and staring blatantly at Joey. "Why so long? You never tell me about the guys you date. Except for JC, and can I say? not sure he's your type." He grinned a little, impishly. "It's not that you didn't do him justice, when you described him, you just seem really ... earthy. Solid. And boy, is he not."

"Well, that's an awfully polite way to to it," teased Joey lightly. Justin seemed so *serious* right now, even when he was smiling. So earnest. "He's very ... hmm ... he's my little sprite, what can I say? We find enough in common to stay friends. But a relationship? Would have never worked out between us. Though i have to admit ... " And he gave Justin another grin. "Him and AJ? Never would have guessed it."

Justin snorted, and then covered his face shyly. "But they're real sweet," he agreed, sighing almost wistfully, before sitting up straighter and slapping Joey on the shoulder. "And stop with the ... the not-answering my questions! I'm gonna stop telling you stuff about me at all if you don't share."

"I'm sharing," protested Joey mildly, giving Justin an indignant look. "Sometimes it just takes me a little while to figure out my answers to thing. Like ... the why so long? Partly because I don't see her very often, so she's not around when I *am* with someone. And partly because you were right before ... I work a lot and don't date much. And ... " He almost didn't want to respond to the rest of it. "I guess I'm just a better listener is all. Goes with the territory."

"Or you're just nosy, is all," Justin sniffed, but he didn't look serious. "Maybe I'll go visit JC and get all the dirt on *you*, rather than the other way around. What do you think of that, huh?"

"I think you're overestimating how much I tell JC," he replied with an enigmatic smile. JC had a lot of dirt, yes, but there was also a lot he *didn't* have. Joey hoped it didn't occur to Justin to ask Nick, too. "Besides, I'm answering all your questions. I'm just taking my time about it."

"You're being sneaky," Justin pouted. "I'm not sure I want sneaky friends. Even ones with good taste in movies and a nice laugh and ... I don't know, whatever else you have going for you." He grinned, then, *obviously* teasing, and seemed just more relaxed than Joey had seen him, in the short time he knew him.

"The eyelashes," said Joey knowingly. "Remember? I have the eyelashes going for me. And you can't call me sneaky. You can call me *slow* if you want -- God knows JC does -- but you can't call me sneaky." He grabbed a bar rag and took a couple steps back. "I gotta clean tables," he said. "Come for a walk with me."

"The eyelashes aren't a friend thing," Justin reminded him, but bounced off his stool to meet Joey by the end of the bar. "And you *are* being sneaky! Just tell me something about the last guy you dated, and I'll lay off. Promise."

"He had brown hair," said Joey with a grin, watching Justin bounce back to the young end of his spectrum again. "There, that's something, does that count?"

Justin stuck a pink tongue out at Joey and smoothed his hair back before putting his cap on again. But he accepted it, too, and stood companiably next to Joey while he started cleaning a table. "I like guys with dark hair," he offered. "That AJ? Not bad. And ... well, Chris, obviously."

"Oh right, AJ is back to having dark hair again, I'd almost forgotten," mused Joey, wiping the table clean even though it already looked to be. He'd seen what people did to those tables. "He looks better with the dark than the blond. Oh, but you should've seen him with the electric blue. Kevin was better looking than him, though, if you ask me."

"Who's Kevin? Who's Kevin?" Justin wheedled, sounding like he was four, and knowing it, probably. "Whoa, and AJ had blue hair? Cool." He tugged his hat down farther. "I hate my hair; I can't ever do anything fun like that to it."

"Kevin," said Joey, kicking at his ankle playfully, "is the brunet guy that I dated. Keep up." He reached up and grabbed hold of one of the few curls that was still visible. "I like your hair. It's fun all by itself."

Justin squeaked and pushed his hand away; then seemed embarassed at how young he was acting. Joey watched as he fought for control of his expression, and he saw the slightly spoiled, arrogant young man he'd seen glimpses of before. "It's good for some things," he said suggestively.

"I'll just bet it is," murmured Joey, giving him an appreciative look as he moved on to the next table. "Don't go blue, though. I like it just the way it is."

"You said that," Justin smiled slowly. "But thanks. You, on the other hand, would probably look fucking hot with blue. Want me to do it for you?"

Joey reached up to finger his hair and laughed. "Blue? I don't think I could get away with blue. I've done red before, though ... I kinda liked that. JC said I looked like a tool. Good thing I don't take fashion tips from JC."

"You could totally do blue," Justin insisted, stepping closer and pushing Joey's fingers away in favor of his own. It was the closest they'd been, ever, and Justin just looked at him before shrugging and turning a little. "Well, whatever. Let me know, though. I'm good at it."

"You've done it before?" confirmed Joey, moving on again and assuming that Justin would be right behind him. "And no one's hair fell out? Cause if that's the case, well, maybe I'll give it some thought. Might be worth it just to see the look on Nick's face if I do ... not to *mention* JC. AJ'll just sorta nod approvingly, probably."

"No one's hair fell out," Justin promised, his voice softer again, and Joey wondered idly what he said. "Like I said, whatever you want. I'll see you later?" Joey turned around, saw that Justin had his hands shoved in his pockets and was glancing over his shoulder at the door. He was always, always leaving before Joey really expected him to.

"You, um, gonna go get that TV then?" asked Joey awkwardly, standing up straight and watching him warily. "Or .. you have somewhere else to be?"

"The TV," Justin confirmed, reaching up to try and tuck a stray curl back under his hat. "Thanks for the soda. You gonna let me pay for it this time?"

"It's just soda," said Joey with a shrug. "It's dirt cheap, for us. Just wait until you're legal, Justin, then I'll start charging you. Or at least start legitimately buying you drinks. So ... you'll be back later then, you said?"

"What?" Justin looked confused. "I said ... ? Oh, no. I mean, not today, no. By 'later', I meant ... you know. Later. Later this week, later this month, whatever." He looked embarassed again. "I wouldn't bother you when you were really working."

"You're not a bother, Justin," Joey reminded him, wondering again what he did to make Justin want to go away. He'd been having fun with him. "I'll ... if you don't come by later, I'll call you, all right? We'll do something again."

"Sure," Justin nodded quickly. "An early lunch, maybe? If you're not seeing JC or someone." He graced Joey with a quick grin, at least, before slipping out the door.

Joey just shook his head as he watched the door swing shut. Justin was just so damn unpredictable. Some of it was from being young, of course, but some of it was just Justin, too. And Joey found himself looking forward to figuring that boy out.

* * *

"Hey, Justin," said Joey, hardly surprised at all to see him in the door in the late afternoon, looking around the place tentatively first like he always did. Joey wondered if he was looking to make sure Chris wasn't there; if so, he had nothing to worry about. Joey hadn't seen Chris in the place since before the first time Justin had come in. "C'mere, you gotta try these."

"Shots?" Justin asked hopefully, but winked at Joey as he crossed the room. Ducking his head as he passed some older men at one of the tables, and clutching nervously at something he had balled in his fist.

"No, fries," said Joey with a grin, popping one in his mouth then shoving the basket in Justin's direction. "Howie's experimenting in the kitchen today. Try them and tell me what you think. They're a little ... different."

Justin eyed them warily, but took a small one and chewed it slowly. "Oh, they're pretty good," he promised, and seemed sincere, but didn't reach for another one. Joey had yet to see him eat more than one of anything. "How was your day off?"

"The few hours I spent conscious, you mean?" said Joey, popping another fry in his mouth and shoving the basket towards Justin again. "Have more, you need to help me finish these. So ...I got to talk to Brianna for a while. That was nice. How about you?"

"How was your day off, for me?" Justin teased carefully, taking another small fry and then sitting back in his stool so Joey couldn't really expect him to reach to get any more. "No, it was a pretty good day. I, um. Did laundry." He held up what he'd had in his hands, and Joey recognized his sweater. "You left this."

"Oh," said Joey, staring at it stupidly for a moment. "Oh, right, thanks, Justin." He gave him a huge smile and took another fry for himself. "Does the fact that you did laundry mean it's clean? Cause if it is, that's one up on the state it was when I left it."

"I promise I didn't shrink it," he added nervously, but he didn't hand it over the bar to Joey. "And I'm sorry it took me so long to return it." It had been two days. "How was your girl? Did you tell her about the wonderful, good-looking young man you met recently?"

"But she's already heard all about Nick," teased Joey with a wink. "Come on Justin, eat some more. Or do you want something else? I can get Howie to make you something up. Um, anyway ... oh! Brianna says she has a loose tooth. It's her first. Isn't that just the cutest thing?" He didn't go 'daddy' around most people, but with Justin it felt okay. Maybe because he'd shown such an interest.

"I had a big lunch," Justin murmured. "And that *is* cute. Will her mama put a quarter under her pillow, from the tooth fairy? Or is it, like, a dollar now?"

"Heck, it's probably five bucks by now," laughed Joey, holding a french fry temptingly in front of Justin's face. "It's been so long since I've even had to think about it. You have little brothers, right? What do they get?"

Justin grimaced and turned away from Joey's hand. "Stoppit," he murmured. "And they get ... I have no idea what they get. That's awful, isn't it? I'm an awful big brother. I'd be better if I saw them more often, I think."

"Well, it's hard when you're so far away," said Joey, popping the fry in his own mouth. "I know all about *that*, that's for sure. I'm sure Kelly will tell me, when the time comes. Do you get to talk to them much, at least?"

"Some," Justin sighed. "They're my dad's kids, not my mama's. They're real cute, though." He tilted his head. "You look really happy today. I think you need days off way more often. Did you really just sleep through it?"

Joey nodded sheepishly. "Guess I needed it," he said. "You have to work some brutal hours, working in this place. I caught the last half of the game, though. That and talking to Bri and Kelly were probably the most productive things I did. So you didn't so much either?"

"Not besides the laundry," Justin admitted. "I started another book -- JC recommended it. It's kinda making me think about going back to school. And ... I've been sleeping a lot too." He didn't *look* it, though; his face wasn't filling back out, any, and he had dark smudges under his eyes.

Joey smiled at him, but he couldn't really hide the concern on his face. "You're a smart guy, Justin," he told him, and not for the first time. That much had been evident almost since he'd met him, no matter how many times Justin protested it. "If you want to, I think you should go for it. What've you got to lose, right?"

"Well, I definitely have more time now," Justin replied, his voice twinged with bitterness. "I'm thinking about it. And it's definitely good to know you think I'd do well." A small smile appeared on his lips. "Thanks for being so cool. I had a good time, the other day."

"Yeah, me too," said Joey, snagging one last fry then hiding the basket under the bar so he wouldn't eat anymore. "I'm always on JC's case to go out more, but I guess maybe I should, too. We need to do that again some time."

"Sure," Justin agreed. "Or even go out. Do you like to go out? It's hard to tell; sometimes people that work at bars or restaurants don't like going to bars or restaurants."

"Oh, I like to," said Joey, assuring him of that, "it's just the timing thing. This isn't exactly a nine to five job, after all. Mostly when I have free time it's more for lunch than for going out." He sighed and rested his chin on his hand. "It's nice to see the inside of *other* bars sometimes."

"We could meet AJ and JC somewhere," Justin pressed, a little more bravely. "Just ... you know, as friends. And then get you out *and* him out -- he *said* he liked to dance ... "

Justin really seemed to want to do this, and Joey thought it would probably be good for *him* to get out and do things, so he nodded his head. "It'll have to be a weird day, though," he said. "I have Thursday off, and then next Tuesday. Nothing on the weekend."

"Sure. Fine. Whatever," Justin smiled, leaning closer on the counter. Joey could see he'd shoved his arms through the arms of Joey's sweater, leaving it all bunched in front of him, the sleeves dangling over his hands. "S'okay. There's the place I usually go on Saturdays anyway, that ... I don't know, probably not your scene."

Joey lifted his eyebrows at him curiously, smirking. "What, am I too old or something? You don't think I can keep up with you?"

"No, I just ... " Justin shook his head. "It's my picking-up place. Would we be going to pick people up? I just figured on something more mellow."

"Ahh," said Joey, finally understanding. "Well, I don't know, *would* you be going to pick someone up? Not something I do much in bars anymore, unless I'm just looking for a one-night stand. Which I haven't been."

"No," Justin groaned a little, frustrated. "I'm sorry, I'm not saying this right. No, I don't want to pick anybody up in front of you. Guys. You guys. I was just saying ... there's this place I usually go on Saturdays. To do that. So it's good we're not going out on a Saturday. Because I *don't* want to do that. Does that make sense?"

Joey finally smiled again and nodded. "Okay, then," he said, relieved by that. It wouldn't be much of a fun evening, to watch Justin pick someone up. Though he was sure that he was very good at it. "We'll go somewhere else on Thursday. So ... I guess you haven't been out there in a while then, except this past week, huh?"

Justin blushed harder than Joey'd ever seen him, and would *not* meet his eyes. "I didn't go this week," he disagreed softly. "But I've been there pretty recently. It was ... Chris would take me, sometimes. He kind of ... we'd go." He obviously stopped himself from explaining, and looked uncomfortable.

Joey frowned at him and reached out to lift Justin's chin. "I don't get it," he said honestly. This wasn't something he'd heard about from JC. "Why would you ... was he picking people up in front of you, Justin, or ... ?" He didn't even really want to comtemplate what kind of dysfunction was going on there.

"Other way," Justin whispered, reaching up himself to push Joey's fingers away, but not roughly. "He liked ... he wanted to watch me pick up other people. Or watch other people hit on me. He said ... well, never mind. But so I've been there. They know me, and they serve me."

"Justin," breathed Joey before he could stop himself. He'd worried it was that, but he didn't really want to believe it. "Justin ... I mean ... did *you* like that? Was it something that you enjoyed doing?"

Justin shrugged. "I didn't really think anything was wrong with it, it was kind of fun -- you know, still getting to flirt even though you knew you were going home with someone else? Except when he said stuff. Look ... we broke up, remember? You don't have to worry."

"I know," said Joey quickly. "I know. I was just wondering. Sometimes when people are in relationships they do things they don't like just because it makes the other person happy. I hear stuff like that all the time, here. But if you both liked it -- " And he wasn't convinced of that at all. " -- then I guess that's a different thing. That's just kinky."

"Sure," Justin nodded. "Kinky, right." He shook his head. "So anyway. Not there! We'll go someplace else. Someplace we can still dance. Any ideas?" He looked very happy to change that subject.

"Not sure," said Joey, still frowning slightly, but only at Justin's reaction. Not at the idea of a night out. "We can figure it out on Thursday. I'll finally get to see you in action, see you put your money where your mouth it. You really think you're that good of a dancer?"

Justin flinched, visibly *flinched*, and stared hard at the top of the bar. "Maybe," he said awkwardly. "And that ... Thursday, okay, you'll call JC? Okay." He hugged his arms, still buried inside Joey's sweater, around his stomach and slid off the barstool.

"Yeah, I'll make sure they're in on the plan," said Joey, watching him warily but not trying to stop him. When Justin decided to go, he went, and that was that. "I'm looking forward to it, Justin. Thanks."

Justin looked up, giving him one of the sweeter smiles he'd seen yet, from him. "Thank *you*," he insisted quietly. "It'll be fun. And ... well, maybe I'll see you before that. Okay?"

"Okay," said Joey, a bit relieved by that, smiling back. "Well, you know where to find me. See you soon, Justin."

It was only after Justin left, waving carefully, that Joey realized he'd walked out wearing Joey's sweater.

* * *

"Sorry, we're closed," Joey heard Nick say again, for the third time already that night. The only reason he'd probably even acknowledged the person at the door at all this timewas because he was finally on his own way out. "Oh, hey, it's you. Yeah, it's probably all right if you come in." There weren't very many people Nick would say that to, so Joey looked up from where he was cleaning glasses to see who was there.

He watched Nick turn sideways to let Justin slip past him, but he might as well not have bothered since Justin seemed set on brushing against him anyway. He slowed when he did, pausing a minute -- with his back to Joey -- to look back at Nick. "Thanks. Nick, right?"

"Right," said Nick, a slow smile spreading across his face. Joey remembered he hadn't told Nick hands off, so he couldn't even get annoyed at how overtly he was flirting with Justin. "And you're Justin. You're out awfully late ... haven't found a reason to go home to bed yet?"

"Not one good enough, no," Justin agreed silkily, stepping a little closer, resting his weight on one leg. Joey couldn't quite help staring at him, in that *outfit*, as Justin welcomed the attention. "Don't you just hate that?"

"Sometimes it takes you all night," agreed Nick, just as smoothly, his eyes roaming Justin's body shamelessly. "But I find you usually find one ... in the end." Joey thought about letting them, just letting it go, but apparently some part of him had other ideas because he found himself calling out, "Hey, Justin."

"Oh, hey, Joey," Justin replied, turning around so Joey could actually get a good look at him, smiling shamelessly. "Nick, you're leaving Joey all alone?"

"Joey always goes home alone," said Nick, still smoothly though he gave Joey an evil glare when Justin wasn't looking. "He doesn't mind. Do you, Joey?" "No, I don't mind if you leave," said Joey witha smile and a little wave. He'd be paying for that tomorrow, but it would be worth it if it worked.

Justin laughed lightly, grinning back over his shoulder at Joey then touching Nick's arm. "I'm sure I'll see you again, don't worry," he told him, an obvious dismissal that maybe Joey shouldn't have been so proud of.

Nick smiled at Justin, still flirtatiously, and gave *him* a small wave and a nod as he slipped out the door, patently ignoring Joey. "Hey," Joey said again, letting the snub just slide right off him. "You wanna just throw the bolt on that door? I'll be a little bit before I'm finished up here, we can hang out."

"Sure," Justin nodded, sashaying back to the door to do what Joey had asked, then walking over to the bar and hopping on top of it. His long, long legs, covered in leather this time, dangled over the edge, and Joey could smell smoke and cologne and musk and heat just coming off him.

Joey just studied him for a moment, took in this relatively new incarnation of Justin, the went back to his washing. "Good to see you," he said, sincerely, looking up for another second to give Justin a smile. "What were you up to tonight?"

"Knitting," Justin yawned, leaning back on his hands. "You?" He smiled wryly, and when Joey got close enough, he could see a hint of eyeliner and glitter on his cheeks.

"Justin," he said, drawing out the name and only half teasing. "You know what I meant. I don't usually see you this late. Actually, I don't even usually see you after dark ... "

"A-ha, you thought I was a vampire," Justin nodded. "Oh, wait. No. That's not right. Anyway ... I just was leaving, and I thought of you. An' I wanted to see you and say hi, and make sure you weren't mad at me for the other day, when I was being weird, and also forgetting to give you your sweater back. And maybe to flirt with Nick a little."

"No, I'm not mad," said Joey after a moment, after processing all of that. "Just worried, Justin. Worried about a lot of things about you, really." He looked up from his work again, but he wasn't smiling this time. "You doing all right? Seriously?"

"Yeah, why?" Justin asked, smiling awkwardly and starting to kick the heels of his boots against the bar. "I went out tonight. Is it ... do you think I don't look good, or something?"

"No, you look great," said Joey, still solemnly though as he looked Justin up and down again. "You look amazing, Justin. You look like you wanted to find someone to go home with you tonight. Or something."

"That's not what I meant," Justin murmured, rubbing one of his wrists, before shaking his head a little and leaning into Joey's space. "Amazing, though? And don't you think that if I wanted to find someone to go home with, I could've?"

"You're right, you could've," agreed Joey. And with anyone else, he would have thought they'd just gone out to have a good time. But in the short time he'd known Justin, he'd already learned enough about him to know that it had probably been something more. "So it must have been something else, then ... "

"What must have been something else?" Justin asked, seemingly honestly curious. "Why I dressed up?"

"Yeah," said Joey, giving up and wiping his hands off on his jeans, then on a towel when his jeans proved to be already too damp. "Seems like you must have been looking for something else. You want to tell me what you were looking for, Justin?"

"Nothing." Justin kicked harder. "What? I just went *out*. It's what I wear when I go out. You saw me before, that time last week." He glanced down at himself. "You think it's trashy? Or ... I know, the pants aren't really fitting right, today ... "

"I didn't say it was trashy, Justin. I told you you look amazing. I just ... " Joey paused, for once not quite knowing how to approach this. It was easy to be blunt and honest with a stranger, someone who expected that from him. It was harder with someone you'd do anything not to upset or hurt. Justin had been the first, once, but now he was the second. "I worry about you. A lot. About how you see yourself."

Justin squinted. "Why? How I see myself? I'm ... I'm fine, Joey. You really think I got a lack of self-confidence?" He winked then. "I don't."

"Justin," said Joey again with a sigh, not buying it. "Can't you just ... I'd really like to talk to you sometimes, and not have you feel like it's a bad thing. It's how we met. Is it so hard to believe that I'd be willing to -- happy to -- listen? That it's *not* pathetic?"

Justin's smile faded. "Okay," he said uneasily. "Okay, we can talk. Whatever you want, Joey. What did you want to tell me? How ... why are you worried?" He swung his legs over the bar, to hang down near where Joey was standing.

Once pressed, though, Joey didn't know quite what the right way to approach it would be. Because again, Justin had become a friend, and he felt like he had to tread more delicately. "I talked to JC," he said finally, just so that would be out in the open. He was sure Justin had guessed that already, but they hadn't spoken about it. "So, you know ... I have some idea, maybe, what's going on ... "

Justin nodded, linked his fingers together in his lap. "He asked me if he shouldn't say anything," he murmured. "I told him it was ... okay. I mean, there's no point in pretending that losing Chris didn't mess me up, a little."

"Actually," said Joey, resting his hand on the bar close to Justin's leg but not quite touching him. "Losing Chris may have been a good thing. I think ... that *being* with Chris was maybe the thing that was worse for you."

Shaking his head, Justin tucked his chin even more. "Why," he said, in a small voice. "I don't think so. He was really cool. Why would you say that, Joey? Did JC tell you to say that?"

"JC never tells me to say anything," said Joey immediately, shaking his head. "Justin, you can't think that, this is just me ... seeing what I'm seeing and knowing what I know. And knowing from experience what a lot of that stuff means."

"What *kind* of stuff?" Justin pressed, leaning over to look at the bottles behind the bar. "I still don't get what you're seeing that makes you think I'm not okay. Am I not fun, or funny?"

"Oh, sweetheart," said Joey with a sigh, looking down and shaking his head. This wasn't easy, not at all. "I just don't think ... I think he's said things to you -- you've all but told me he's said things to you -- that changed the way you felt about yourself. And not for the good. And that's just not right."

Justin laughed a little, awkwardly, and nudged Joey's hip with his knee. "Well, yeah, he said stuff. But people do that when they're ... breaking up. I'm not taking it too personally. I promise."

Joey almost gave up, almost let it go, almost just let Justin believe what he wanted to believe. But then he looked at him and saw that other guy he knew, underneath the make-up and the tight clothes and the veneer of seductiveness. The guy that hung around around in baggy clothes and ball caps and just seemed to want to be liked. "I mean always, Justin," he said finally. "I mean always. I don't think he was good to you; you deserved better."

"You didn't even know him," Justin muttered. "You don't know *me*. Maybe this is how I am, however ... whatever you think I'm thinking. ABout myself, or anything. How do you know it wasn't the same before? I don't *feel* different. Except for the whole minus-a-boyfriend thing."

"No, I really don't know you that well yet," admitted Joey with a shallow shrug. "And it's not like I'm qualified to tell you how you are. I'm just telling you what I see, the patterns I see that worry me. Like ... what's the last thing you had to eat, Justin?"

"I *eat*," Justin snapped, glaring up at Joey. "What am I, some fucking girl? You think I'm a girl. Even JC wasn't that ... whatever. I didn't eat dinner, 'cause I was going out, but I *eat*. Was there anything else? You think I'm cutting myself, maybe? That might be dramatic enough."

"Fine, prove me wrong then," Joey snapped back, but he didn't move at all, stayed solidly next to him. "I'd love to be wrong about this, Justin, I really would. But you're gonna have to prove to me that I am."

"How?" Justin replied, more shrilly. "How can I prove you wrong? Would eating a big burger in front of you do it? Which, you know, might be tough 'cause I don't eat meat. Which you'd know if you *knew* me. Or is this, like, the bigger picture? And I'm supposed to prove he didn't crush my fragile ego. What would *that* take, huh? Me having you get Nick on the phone, and fucking him in front of you? Seriously, Joe."

"Well, your defensiveness isn't doing much to convince me," said Joey, forcing himself not to snap at him again; that hadn't been good at all. And still he didn't move. "It's like part of you wants me to see what's going on with you and the other part wants to forget it's there, only you can't. Justin, I'm not gonna pretend I *know* what's going on. Just that I know that something is, and it's really hard to watch you and not want to do whatever I can to help. So when *is* the last time you ate?"

"This morning," Justin said, a little more calmly, and Joey was almost amazed at how he responded so quickly to Joey's own moods. "I'm eating, I promise, Joey. Just ... not a whole lot, maybe. Nothing really tastes good. It's not ... it's not on purpose. Please don't worry about that, like I think I'm fat or something. I promise that's not it; that Chris never said anything like that. Not about that. Okay?"

Joey nodded, having to accept that, even though he planned to keep an eye on him. "Then what *did* he say?" he asked, pushing more gently now.

"Well, about what?" Justin gave him an awkward smile, blinking and rubbing at his eyes, smearing the glitter a little over his cheekbones. "Chris talked a lot."

"I'll bet he did," muttered Joey, then shook his head. "Justin ... you know what I mean. Look, it's late and I've had a long night and I *want* you here, but I'm not going to play games with you. I'm not like that."

"I didn't mean ... " Justin looked stung. "I wasn't playing. I just ... I really don't know ... you could be talking about a lot of things. Did I say something, sometime, that made you think he ... insulted me?"

"Yes, actually," said Joey, looking up to meet his eyes. "Justin, you have, and more than once. I don't even know if you *know* you're doing it, but ... " It wasn't even just that. The way Chris seemed to work, Justin might not have even known he was being put down. And that was the tragedy of it all.

"But something in particular," Justin pressed, and as Joey looked at him, it was almost like he got a little more nervous. "I mean, was it something in particular?" He reached out, and tugged on Joey's sleeve, and it felt like the first time they'd touched. Really touched.

"A few things," said Joey with a brief nod. "Like, um, when you were talking about going to that club, with Chris? And why you did it? I know you didn't tell me everything there, Justin. And that wasn't the only time."

"Oh, that," Justin said weakly. "yeah, that was ... okay, do you *promise* not to, like, insist I go see a shrink or something if I tell you this? 'cause I really want to trust you, Joe. I think I can." He took a shuddery breath. "So, um. Kind of nearer the end, when we'd go out, and Chris would tell me to try and pick somebody up, he said ... he'd say I should do it, to show him why he bothered with me. That, um. That I needed to work for it, a little. And ... some other stuff, but ... I think you probably get it."

"Yeah," said Joey dully, trying not to let his anger show. "Yeah, I get it Justin. The only thing I don't get is ... don't you know you're better than that? That that's just not right? I'm not gonna tell you to go see a shrink or something but it would be nice if you would talk to me, a little. So I could tell you that the things he said to you, they weren't true. That you didn't have to prove yourself to him like that; he should've been proving himself to you."

Justin's face softened. "Thanks. I kind of ... I know that was pretty mean. I mean, believe it or not, I have had a guy treat me well, before. I guess I kind of let it slide 'cause I thought I did deserve it, for a while, and then I just didn't want to lose him. Which ... was just dumb, because he said that one of the reasons he cheated on me was because he could, he could walk all over me."

"He could and he did," said Joey gently. "And probably not just then. I believe that you've had people treat you good, Justin, you're a good person. But you're ... you're young, and sometimes the bad hits harder than it might if you were older. And that's *not* and insult, all right?"

"Whatever," Justin waved at him, and Joey straightened, wondering if this was the precursor to one of his friend's now-infamous quick exits. "I've heard that. I'm young, I'm naive, I was in love. There's a million excuses. It was still *him* that left *me*."

"Well, no," Joey reminded him. "Technically, Justin, *technically*, you broke up with him when you caught him cheating on you. It may have felt like he already left you, but you were the one that called the shots. That ended it. And really, considering everything, that was a pretty strong thing to do."

"Yeah, well," Justin shrugged. "I couldn't very well forgive that. I think you're beginning to realize the lengths I'll go to, not to come across as too pathetic." His face was blank again, as he pulled his legs back up over the bar.

"Justin, what makes you think all these things are so pathetic?" asked Joey, finally resting a hand on Justin's leg, as though that would keep him there. "Because they're not. They're not."

Joey could feel Justin's thigh twitch under his hand, and he sort of froze mid-flee. "Staying with someone after he cheated on you in your own apartment in front of your face is pretty pathetic," he disagreed. "Especially with a guy like that."

"No," argued Joey. He wasn't really good at being soothing, but at least he knew he was good at touching, and left his hand on Justin's leg. "It would have been a mistake, but I wouldn't call it pathetic. You think of things as pathetic an awful lot."

"So?" Justin asked, starting to kick his legs again. Joey could feel his muscles bunching. "Joey, what's your point? You think I'm being too hard on myself? Okay, I'll work on it. I just ... I'm just kind of winging it, here. I've never been dumped -- sorry, ultimatumed to dump someone else, I guess -- and I'm just trying to work through it the only way I know."

"I told you," said Joey again, though pushing less now. "It's not the dumping I'm worried about. There are probably 5,000 guys dying to go out with you as we speak, you won't be alone for any longer than you want to be. It's just how he was when you were together. I hardly even know the guy and I don't like him much at all."

"JC said he sounded ... pretty bad," Justin admitted. "Worse. But ... you really don't think I'm doing any better?" He looked up, a little pleadingly, at Joey's face.

"Doing any better than what?" asked Joey, rubbing Justin's thigh gently. "Than you were when you were with him? Than you were when we first met?"

"Since you've known me," Justin clarified quietly, sitting even more still now that Joey's hand was moving over the fabric of his pants. "I don't look better? I'm ... still saying stuff that makes you think I believed what he told me?"

"Sometimes," said Joey honestly, hoping that didn't just make things worse. "Listen Justin, I just wanted you to know that I knew what had gone on, and that I'm here for you whenever. You really do look great tonight. Did you have a good time?"

Justin shrugged, his shoulders slumping a lot, and he squirmed out from under Joey's hand. "It was fine," he said. "Fun. Good music. I got to dance without ... I got to dance. And getting hit on is usually pretty good for the whole cheering-up thing."

Joey finally lifted his hand when it was clear that Justin wasn't comfortable. "Yeah, it is," he agreed. "And like I told you, there's 5,000 guys waiting in line to go out with you. You're beautiful. And sweet."

"Sweet?" Justin echoed, before twisting his lips into a wry smile. "Not when I go out, I'm not. But you'll maybe see a little of that yourself, right? 'Cause we're still on for Thursday?"

"Of course we are," said Joey quickly. "Definitely. For sure. And JC and AJ comfirmed they're gonna make it, so ... well, you won't miss out on the whole having people flirt with you thing. What with being with a group and not alone with someone."

"That's not why we're going," Justin said quickly, then rubbed his eyes again. "You said it wasn't. Unless ... I mean, of course, if you see someone *you'd* want to ... "

"Nah, I won't," said Joey with a dismissive wave of his hand and the beginnings of a grin. "Won't be looking. Besides, I'll already be with the best looking guy there, what do I need with anyone else?"

"Oh, right." Justin looked worried, instead of flattered, or pleased, the way Joey had hoped he might. "Wow, no wonder JC and AJ don't go out much, if AJ has to, like, beat people off JC with a stick."

Joey almost laughed, when he realized what Justin was thinking. "I wasn't talking about JC," he said. "Or AJ, for that matter." He reached up and tugged gently at one of Justin's curls and then just smiled.

"Oh," Justin blinked. "Oh. Th-thanks, Joe." He let Joey let go in his own time, then climbed carefully off the bar. "I'm doing better, really," he said quietly, his back to Joey.

"I know you are," said Joey, and didn't elaborate aloud. Justin was doing better, sure, he could agree with that. But things weren't entirely right with him, not yet. Like his relentless need for approval. "I can see you are, don't worry."

"I am," Justin insisted again. Then before Joey could react to any of it, he'd spun around, kissed Joey softly on the cheek, said "thank you" again, and practically ran out of the bar.

* * *

This time, when Justin slunk in the bar, he was actually smiling a little right when he arrived. Joey couldn't remember that having happened before. His eyes looked a little droopy and his curls were wild, and it was already almost 2. "Coffee?" he asked sheepishly, slipping onto what they both already thought of as his stool.

"Sure," said Joey, resisting the urge to reach out and ruffle his curls. "Let me put on a fresh pot for you. Or actually ... " He turned around toward the kitchen. "Howie!" he called out. "Throw some coffee on, would you?" Then, with a smile firmly on his face, he turned back to Justin. "How's the head?"

"S'okay," Justin yawned, folding his arms on top of the bar and resting his cheek on them. "And you look all awake. S'not fair."

"I have to be all awake," Joey reminded him, keeping his voice low for Justin's benefit. "I'm working. And I wasn't quite as ... hm ... *thirsty*, as you were last night. Don't worry, coffee'll be up shortly.*

"Thanks," Justin mumbled, yawning a little again and looking very much like he'd fall asleep on top of the bar, given half a second. "I didn't do anything stupid, did I? Stick my tongue in JC's ear? Stick my tongue in *your* ear?"

"You didn't stick your tongue in anyone's ear," Joey promised him with a smirk. "I did get a lovely lap dance, though. You're very talented."

"I did *not*, either!" Justin sat up like a shot. "Shut up. I'm not. I didn't!" He was laughing. "Don't scare me like that."

Joey broke into a grin. "Okay, no lap dance," he confessed, then held up a finger to Justin as he heard Howie call him from the kitchen, ducking in to grab the cup of coffee. He set it on the bar in in front of him and gave Justin another smile. "I'm sure you would have been very good at it if you had, though."

Justin snorted indelicately as he wrapped his hands around the steaming mug gratefully. "That wasn't nice," he complained. "But, okay, no tongues and no lapdances. That's good. Anythign else I need to be worried about? I do remember you putting me in the cab, at least. I ... thanks."

"Don't worry about it," said Joey softly. "I just wanted to make sure you were okay. If I'd known you were gonna ... well, I would've made arrangements before, to make sure you'd get home all right. You need any advil or something? I got some in the back."

"I'm okay," Justin shook his head, gesturing at the coffee. "I really didn't drink *that* much. It's just ... you know, with eating less, and the sleeping, it kind of ... hits me harder. And I was having fun with you guys, and forgot to pay better attention."

"Well, that's all right," said Joey, determined not to make a big deal about it. "It happens. I'm glad you had a really good time, though. So did I. And so did JC and AJ, I think, but to be honest I wasn't paying too much attention to them ... "

"That's okay, I think they can entertain themselves," Justin replied wryly, smiling at Joey again. "Anyway, they understand, you had to let that hot, sexy dancing side of you come out *sometime*. Always keep him cooped up behind that bar ... "

"Yeah, he does like to come out, doesn't he," said Joey, stealing a sip of Justin's coffee then replacing the mug between his hands. "It's been a while. I hadn't even realized how long 'til I really thought about it. Last guy I was going with didn't even like to go out that much, though he was pretty hot on the dancefloor, too, if you could manage to get him out there in the first place."

"Kevin?" Justin murmured, and Joey was surprised he'd remembered that. "That's too bad. You're good. I ... I really had fun dancing with you. I hope I wasn't too gropey, or anything."

"You were just gropy enough," Joey assured him. "Really, Justin, you were very well behaved, all things considered. We'll have to do that again sometime when you're not busy."

"Really? okay," grinned Justin, sipping at his coffee. "Although more like when *you're* not busy. 'Cause I'd feel bad, you giving up one of your date nights."

"Well, all that was missing was the sex," Joey pointed out, "and I was able to take care of that on my own. So I pretty much didn't give up anything, to spend the evening with you, Justin. It was really great. And if Nick ever starts talking to me again, I can use it to make him jealous."

"Nick's not talking to you?" Justin asked curiously. "Because of me? Why?"

"Long story," laughed Joey, shaking his head. "He'll all mad at me for cutting into his action. I guess ... " He stopped laughing and let his grin fade into a faint smile. "I guess I should've let you decide, though. Nick's very interested."

"Really," Justin mused, staring off into space. "Huh. I didn't ... " Then he looked back at Joey, and smiled softly. "You know I was just kidding before, about introducing us. He's not my type, Joe. You didn't do anything wrong."

Joey shrugged. "Well no, I didn't really know you were kidding. Well, I *did* but I didn't know if that mean you weren't interested. Nick's pretty popular, and good in bed from what I hear. Not that that's what you're looking for, but ... "

"I'm as much blond in my life as I can handle," Justin told him self-depricatingly. "And I told you I'm not ... looking at all? Didn't I tell you that?" He stirred his coffee a little, ducked his head. "I mean, I could go out with him, if you wanted me to."

Joey just stared at him incredulously for a moment. "Why on earth would you go out with someone just because I wanted you to?" he asked. "Not to mention, I'm the one that kinda kept him from picking you up in the first place. Or trying, anyway. So obviously I'm *not* really wanting you to go out with him."

Justin moved back almost impercptibly. "I just meant, if you didn't want him mad at you. Then I'd do it. Um. Sorry." His earlier grin was gone, just gone, and he looked tired again.

"Oh, Justin," said Joey softly, every instinct telling him to be very careful here. "Really, I can take care of Nick just fine. He's just being a bit of a bitch right now. I don't think ... I don't want you to ever think that you need to do something like that to make me -- or any of your friends -- happy. Okay? That doesn't have to be your responsibility."

"Okay," Justin nodded, looking a little relieved and giving Joey a hesitant smile. "Good. Have you noticed how super-protective you are of me? Like ... you didn't want me to go out with him, even when you didn't know whether I wanted to myself. That's pretty cool."

"Well, I guess," said Joey, worried a little by that interpretation. It sounded a lot like possessiveness and a lot like jealousy. "I just ... I don't want to stop you from doing what -- and for that matter *who* -- who want to do, Justin. I'm just ... kinda looking out for you."

"I know," Justin squinted at him. "I kinda thought that was the definition of protective. It's just *nice*. To have a friend to do that. Especially a new one. And ... Joe, you *really* think you could keep me from having what I want, if I set my mind to it?" He grinned a little more bravely, and Joey realized that even though it sounded like jealousy to *him*, Justin obviously wasn't looking at it that way.

"No," he said slowly, managing to match that grin. "No, I don't imagine I could. Not unless I tied you down or something, and I'm not that kinky. How's that coffee? I forgot to ask if you wanted cream or sugar or anything. Not really used to serving coffee to people."

For some reason, *that* was what made Justin blush. "Sorry," he repeated. "I know I come in here too much. But ... the coffee's great. I usually take it black. You know ... diet sodas, no meat ... I try to eat healthy."

"Coffee isn't exactly healthy to begin with," Joey pointed out, stealing it for another sip of his own, "but it's better than alcohol, anyway. And Justin, you definitely don't come in here too much. I *like* to see you. Is that so surprising?"

"You're just nice to me, when you don't have to be. Introducing me to your friends, and all ... " Justin's blush was starting to look like sunburn. "I feel a little like this is all about me. And I don't want it to be. I want to do something for you. I had an idea ... "

"You wanted to do something for me?" repeated Joey in surprise. That had certainly come out of nowhere. "Didn't you just, when we went out? It's not like it's a chore to hang out with you, Justin. You're fun. And JC and AJ think so, too. Not to *mention* Nick." He paused and grinned at him. "You really want to do something for me?"

"Yes?" Justin looked up. "I was thinking about it this morning. How great you were to me last night, and always. I just ... is it stupid, to want to repay that?"

"No, no, it's not stupid. It's flattering. I don't even know what I did to deserve it." Joey grinned at him again, happily. "I just don't want you to think that you *have* to. Because I really do enjoy spending my time with you, Justin."

"Well ... good," Justin replied shyly. "That'll make me cooking you dinner less painful. The part where you eat it with me, I mean. I thought ... Tuesday, you said, was your next night off?"

"Yeah, Tuesday," said Joey, blinking at him in surprise. "You cook? Really? And obviously stuff that's not burgers? And you're gonna do it for me?"

"I was," Justin said quietly, more tentatively. "Um, fish, actually, if you like fish. Just a friend thing, Joey, a thank-you thing. I wouldn't assume ... look, you seem *really* surprised at this. Maybe it's too presumptive."

"No, no, it's great," said Joey, his grin widening. "I mean, you have to know that I live on take-out and whatever I get Howie to make me here. A home-cooked meal? You have no idea how good that sounds, to me."

"Oh, good!" Justin's smile reappeared, sparkling. "Good. Okay. Here, should I write down my address?"

"Yeah, right," said Joey, rummaging around under the bar for a pen and paper. "Yeah, that'd be helpful, here." He shoved them toward him right as a bona fide customer stepped through the door. "Be right back," he said, turning to serve the newcomer.

He caught glimpses of Justin concentrating on what he was writing, sticking the tip of his tongue out as he did. When he finished, he glanced up and over at Joey and smiled, then waved impatiently.

This early in the day, all most people who came in wanted was a shot of whiskey or a beer and a nice quiet corner, unless it was a crowd that came in at lunchtime from work, which was rare. So it wasn't long before Joey was able to leave him to his business and tuck his money into the till before he returned to Justin.

"So, here," Justin pushed the paper over to him, and Joey noticed he'd even written directions. "You kinda know where that is?" At Joey's nod, he smiled and stood up slowly. "Cool. So I'll see you then?"

"If not before," said Joey with another smile, carefully putting the paper away so he wouldn't lose it and gesturing vaguely at the bar. "You know where to find me after all. And it's a few days until Tuesday yet."

"No, I know," Justin replied shyly, scrubbing a hand through his bedhead once more. "Okay, so I'll see you *soon*, then. Um. Bye, Joe. And thanks again for last night."

Joey laughed softly. "Man, I wish Nick had been here to hear *that*," he teased. "I'll see you soon, Justin. Take care."

"You too," Justin said, wavering a little before turning to leave. Which was only notable because it was the first time Joey could remember him even hesitating.

"Come see me any time," he added before Justin disappeared, just because he could. And he meant it, too. "I like your company."

Justin paused again, then gave Joey an absolutely heartbreaking smile after glancing guiltily at the other customers. "Thank you. I'll ... I'd stay, for a little while, but my bed is totally calling me."

"I understand," said Joey, nodding toward the door. "I all for bed. You'll be all fresh the next time I see you now. So ... yeah. Later, Justin." And he smiled again and desite his encouragement, still felt disappointed to see him leave.

* * *

Joey stole a couple pieces of cheese from the cooler, barely avoiding a swat from Howie, before he strolled through the main area of the bar to unlock the front door and flip the sign on. He was surprised to find someone already out there, waiting on the sidewalk. "Jeez, Justin," he laughed, opening the door wide. "You can knock, you know."

"I *did*," Justin pouted a little. "I figured you were just ignoring me, or something." He stepped closer, then shyly gave Joey a quick hug, something apparently he'd started when Joey went to his house for dinner the day before.

Joey hugged him back with one arm, using the other to hold the door open. "Nope, didn't hear you," he confessed. "How long have you been out there? Not long, I hope ... ?"

"No, no, not long," Justin admitted, brushing past Joey as he went inside. He blinked cutely as his eyes adjusted to the light. "So, you didn't call in sick. That's good. No food poisoning?"

"Well, I actually spend the night in the hospital, but I'm a trooper," teased Joey, closing the door behind him. "No, Justin, you know how fabulous it was. And I was with you for, like, hours afterward anyway." He grinned. "I like the new TV."

"You *snored* in front of the new TV," Justin teased back, settling onto his stool. "How old are you again? Sixty? Man, you weren't kidding when you said you usually just sleep on your days off."

Joey actually looked faintly embarased at that, averting his eyes as he made his way behind the bar again. "Yeah, well, I don't get a whole lot of time to sleep most of the rest of them time. I'm *here*, like, fourteen hours a day sometimes. Sorry, though ... hope that didn't suck for you."

"No, no, it was fine," Justin said. "It was really just for a few minutes, and you woke up yourself. You didn't have to stay, though, if you were that tired. I feel kind of bad."

"It was really nice, though," said Joey with a shrug, automatically reaching down to pour Justin a diet soda. "LIke ... no pressure, to be all busy impressing you. And that dinner ... wow, Justin, you're a great cook."

"My mama taught me," Justin explained, sprawling over the bar to grab a straw the way he always did now. "I like to do it, and haven't really had the chance in a while. And of *course* there wasn't pressure! We're friends. Why would there be."

"Well, exactly," said Joey. "Usually when I'm over at someone's place -- well, except JC, of course -- it's for a whole different reason. So it's nice, to do it when I don't have to worry about turning you on enough to want to take me to bed. I wish I could return to favor, but the best meal I know how to prepare comes from the Chinese place I have on speed dial."

"Oh, my god," Justin groaned. "Whatever. You are just ... do you have any idea how not-seriously I take you when you say stuff like that? What*ever*." He rolled his eyes. "And anyway, I'm sure it's barely made a dent in my running tab of two-dollar cokes."

Joey just waved it off, though, grinning at him. "Whatever," he echoed him. "You know perfectly well how much they *really* cost. Like I told you, kid, we'll start nailing you once you pass the magic age. So what are you up to today, anyway?"

Justin blushed a little, then dug in the bag that Joey now realized he had with him. "Well, I thought about what we talked about, last night? You know, the school thing? And called my old advisor. And he said to come to his class today, to sit in. It was a class I was taking last semester, before I left school. He was ... super-nice." He pulled out a math book, and a notebook, and held them up shyly.

Joey's grin grew even wider, "Oh, Justin, that's great!" he said with genuine enthusiasm. "It'll be like you never left, almost. We'll have to do something to celebrate."

"Oh, no," Justin replied bashfully, shoving the books back in his bag. "No. We'll celebrate for something else. I feel kinda dumb patting myself on the back for doing something I wouldn't even have to do if I hadn't left in the first place." He smiled. "But I wanted to say that talking to you really ... really helped me decide. So now I guess I owe you *another* dinner."

"Well, I don't think you owe me anything," said Joey, "but I'll take the dinner anyway. It was the best thing I've had in ages. And ... you know you had your reasons for leaving. And they were pretty valid ones. Maybe now's just the right time to give it another shot."

Justin nodded happily, and rested his elbows on the counter. "So what about *you*?" he asked, needling a little. "Did anything we talk about, about you, give you food for thought?"

Joey shrugged, almost shy himself for once, and poured a Coke for himself. "Yeah," he said finally. "Well, of course it did. You're a really smart guy, Justin. But mostly ... it's just so great, to have someone who really wants to hear about Brianna. And who *hasn't* already heard all my stories, like Jace has."

"She sounds just darling," Justin agreed. "But I meant ... I meant more the stuff about finding something else to make you happy? Someone else? I know you work a lot, and like it, but I think your friends would like to see you *out* more. And maybe even with someone?"

Joey clenched his jaw for a moment, but Justin had every right to say that, at this point. "I know," he said finally, with a sigh. "I know I used to go out so much more than I do know. But I guess this is what happens when you get older ... and sometimes I feel way older than I really am."

Justin's face fell, a little. "And I bet having to, like, look out for me all the time doesn't help," he murmured. "Joe, I wasn't criticizing you. I promise. Don't JC and AJ try to set you up, and stuff? I know they do. And I *know* you get hit on when you do go out. I *saw* it. It's like ... it's like you're settling, now, or something. When you don't have to."

"It's not you," said Joey, shaking his head. "God, Justin, you've gotten me out of here more than anyone else has in ages. And you're the first new friend -- *real* friend -- I've had in a long time. It's more ... how many guys do you know who are paying child support at my age? Who've been doing this -- " He gestured at the bar. " -- for as long as he's been legal. I promise you ... I *did* listen to you and I *am* thinking about it. But some things are harder to do anything about than others."

"Okay," Justin accepted that. "I know. I mean, I don't know, but I can ... empathize. Sympathize. Whichever. Joe?" He looked very, very serious. "You'd tell me, if there was anything I could do, right? Besides talk to you about Brianna?"

Joey nodded and offered him a smile. "You have no idea how much you're already doing, Justin," he promised him. "Just being there, and letting me be there for you. Now that you really *are* letting me be there for you. You're an amazing young man. I mean that."

Justin smiled proudly from the attention, and wrapped his arms around his waist happily. "Thanks. So ... but that's why I was here so early, 'cause I gotta make that class. Okay? And I didn't want you to worry if I didn't come in today. Not that you would. Worry." He laughed and pushed himself up on the bar a little, tugged Joey close for another one of his hugs, then dropped back to the floor. "Okay? So I'll see you?"

"I would've," admitted Joey, with a crooked smile, just for Justin. "Worried, I mean. So ... thanks, for stopping by. I think it's really great you're doing this, Justin. I'm proud, and stuff."

"Thanks," Justin beamed again, then impusively leaned over the bar again to kiss Joey's cheek softly. "Say 'hi' to Nick," he teased.

Joey's smile just got more crooked, and probably looked silly by this point. "I'll try," he promised him. "Wish he'd been here to see *that*, too. I'll talk to you later, Justin. Tell me how it goes, all right?"

"I will," Justin waved, then swung his bag up on his shoulder and practically bounced out of the bar. "Later. Tonight!" he called.

"Later," Joey called out back to him, but Justin had already disappeared out the door, letting it slam behind him. Staring at the closed door for a long moment after that, Joey was still smiling when he finally got to work.

* * *

Joey was pouring the poor fool another whiskey -- why was it always whiskey? -- and nodding with honest sympathy when he finally saw the movement out of the corner of his eye. It was Justin, maybe a little earlier than he'd expected, still with the backpack slung over his shoulder. He slipped into a stool a little farther down the bar than he usually did, a lot more awkwardly than he usually did.

"And I just don't know what to *do*," Joey heard his customer say, in what he uncharitably referred to in his head as the 'whinypathetic voice', and he nodded his head to show that he was at least still paying attention. "I'd go for him, if they weren't *brothers*."

"Well, you should do what's going to make you happy," said Joey, almost by rote, keeping the bottle of whiskey close. He was still watching Justin out of the corner of his eye, saw Nick be the one to go over and serve him.

Justin barely even noticed Nick at first, then shied back a little when he turned to see him leaning over the bar with *that* smile. Soon enough, though, he had Justin laughing, even if he kept glancing over to Joey and the customer that Joey realized was in the seat that Justin always co-opted as his own.

Nick was laughing too, deeper and throatier than Justin, and threw him a wink as he placed a pint on the bar in front of him.

Joey swore under his breath; Nick *knew* they weren't serving him. "What was that?" asked his customer -- Joey hadn't gotten his name -- but Joey just shook his head nothing. "You know, you're right," he went on to say, seeming satisfied with that non-answer. He drained the whiskey and tossed some money on the bar. "I should be happy. I'm gonna do it." He gave Joey a smile which Joey barely returned, and stumbled off the stool.

Another good deed done, Joey tucked the money away and put the whiskey back and was finally able to give Justin his attention. If he even still needed it.

He walked over, having to get closer than he'd expected to be able to decipher Nick's low, intimate comments to Justin. Who was, really, just sitting there; smiling every so often, but just playing with his glass. Not drinking, and not really talking.

Joey deliberately bumped Nick, then gave him a grin and hoped it hadn't just earned him another couple days of the silent treatment. "Hey," he said to Justin, but Justin didn't seem all that happy to see him, for once. "How was the class?"

"It was good," Justin said shortly, glancing away, then looking purposefully back over at the other stool. "I'm glad I went. I was just telling Nick about it." Which, really, he couldn't have been explaining in *much* detail, given how little he had been saying.

(Joey was a little taken aback, and glanced at the vacated stool as well. "Does that mean I'm supposed to ask Nick to tell me about it?" he said finally, trying to capture Justin's attention. "Or would you like to take a crack at it yourself?"

"Nick got here first," Justin shrugged. "Isn't it *my* bartender's job to pretend to care?"

Joey glanced at Nick and then back and Justin again. "Wouldn't you rather have someone who really cares?" he asked. "What's with you, Justin? Have a bad day or something?"

"It hadn't been," Justin muttered under his breath, and Nick finally got the hint and drifted down the bar. As soon as he did, Justin pushed the beer back toward Joey. "That might be nice, though," he said louder. "You know somebody you can introduce me to that really cares?"

"Justin!" said Joey, taken aback again, just staring at him now. He practically didn't know who this *was*. "What the hell? I thought we were friends."

Justin tucked his chin, but Joey could still see him start to pout. Honestly *pout*. "You seem busy making new friends," he mumbled, almost inaudibly.

"Wow," murmured Joey, still staring. "Well, first thing: I wasn't. Though there's nothing wrong with making new friends. And second thing: I'm going my *job*, Justin. You know what I do, even though you're not usually here to see much of it. So don't ... be like this. I've been looking forward to seeing you."

"You didn't even see me come in, though," Justin whispered, starting to chew on his thumbnail. "And I said that I would. And then you didn't even come say hi. What'm I supposed to think? I didn't *want* Nick to come over, and give me that beer, all ... smarmy."

"You think I didn't see you?" said Joey, lifting his eyebrows. This Justin was a bit more familiar; young, needy Justin was making an appearance. "I saw you. But I was *working*, Justin. I came over as soon as I could."

Justin slumped farther. "And he was in my seat," he finished, with a sad little sigh that was cuter than it should have been.

Joey even had to smile a little bit. "We do let other people sit there, from time to time," he said, pulling Justin's drink further away and reaching down to pour him his regular. "But, you know, only when you're not here gracing it with your own cute bottom."

"Like you've ever looked at my bottom," Justin protested softly, but Joey could see the hint of a smile on his lips too, and the tips of his ears got pink the way he did when he was pleased. "Nick, on the other hand ... "

" ... hasn't looked at much else," finished Joey with a genuine smile, sliding over the diet soda. "Don't worry, I sneaked a peek. So ... how *was* the class, anyway? Still able to keep up?"

"I think so," replied Justin, just like that letting Joey steer their conversation right to where it should've been in the first place. He even pushed Joey out of the way when he reached for his straw; a big deal considering how rarely he'd touch him. "They're about two weeks beyond where I was when I dropped out."

"And you were probably working ahead anyway," mused Joey, taking a straw of his own to just chew on. "That's great. Soon you'll actually be signing up for courses again. You feeling good about it?"

"I'm just taking it slow," Justin protested, but he was smiling and basking again in Joey's easy compliments. "But when I get the course catalog, maybe I'll bring it in and talk to you about some of the classes. See what you think." He sipped happily at his soda.

"I'm not really an expert in your field," said Joey with an easy grin, grinding his teth against the straw, "But I'd be happy to. Oops, hang on a sec -- " The problem with seeing Justin later in the evening was that he actually had other customers to serve; usually none of them really wanted his attention, though. Around this time they started coming in in groups, and weren't lacking for entertainment or a friendly ear.

When he got back, Justin had hefted his bag onto his shoulder anyway and looked ready to leave. But thankfully didn't seem annoyed. "So, sorry about earlier," he even admitted. "I was just being weird."

"S'okay," said Joey with a shrug, letting it go. "You had a stressful day. You're doing big new things with your life. So ... you're off?"

"You know me," Justin grinned. "And you're getting busy anyway. Take care, okay?"

"Will do," Joey promised him, already being pulled away again by another new group of patrons. "Have a good night, Justin. I'll see you soon."

"Bye," smiled Justin. He was still standing there the first time Joey looked back over his shoulder, but gone the second.

* * *

Joey watched the door as he cleared off tables, waiting to see Justin's face peering through the tiny window. He'd had to lock the door to keep other stragglers out, and he wasn't confident he would hear Justin's knock when -- if? Joey was starting to wonder -- he showed up.

But he did hear it when it came, and went over to unlock the deadbolt, smiling to himself at Justin's sweatpants and bedhead, again. "Hey, Joey," Justin mumbled, shuffling past him when he opened the door. "S'up?"

"Oh, man, did I get you up?" asked Joey, looking him up and down. "You should've said when I called, I wouldn't have made you come. I was just ... " He shrugged his shoulders and grinned. "Bored. Wanted to see you."

Justin smiled and blinked at him from behind small glasses before slumping into one of the booths. "S'okay," he yawned. "I was bored too. I wasn't in bed, just ... reading. How was work?"

"Exhausting," admitted Joey, falling into a seat across from and taking a break. "Nick called in sick -- meaning, probably, he was hung over or had someone in his bed -- and I couldn't reach Brian at all. I think he's out of town anyway. So I had Howie out here helping me and ... " He groaned and rested his face in his hands for a moment. "It was a long night. I needed to see you to cheer myself up." When he lifted his head again and rested just his chin on his hand, he couldn't help smiling as he looked at Justin. Just *seeing* him -- and him looking so adorable, too -- made his load feel that much lighter.

Justin smiled back, pulling his feet up on the bench and resting his own chin on top of his knee. "I wish I could have helped," he said honestly. "After I become the magic age, as you so often remind me, you can call me if you ever get in that situation again. I'm pretty good at mixing drinks. And also pretty good at playing pretty and dumb, in case someone asks for something I've never heard of, and I need them to explain it."

Joey grinned and nodded his head. "I just bet you are," he said appreciatively. "But not another word about your expertise at mixing drinks until you're legal. At least, not in here. It's hard *enough* to keep a professional mindset around you." Not like he ever did, anyway, it felt like these days.

"What's that mean?" Justin protested, laughing, turning his head to rest his cheek on his knee instead. "I'm good. I let you ignore me to talk to other people, and I haven't had a drink since that first time, and I always give Nick the brush-off. I make it *easy*!"

"I mean it's very easy to forget you're young," said Joey, careful to keep a fond smile on his face. "I look a you, just about every day now, and I don't see that, mostly. Except *sometimes*," he had to add teasingly, though, reaching out to ruffle Justin's hair but ending up just running his fingers through it.

Justin's grin softened, and his eyes seemed to open a little wider at the contact -- which was, Joey had to admit, probably more intimate than he'd intended, and obviously hadn't been expected by Justin. "Oh," he breathed. "Well, I ... I'm not young. Just ... youngER."

And *this* was what JC had probably been getting at, when he'd said to Joey in that faux casual way of his that hmm, Joey and Justin sure did flirt a lot when they were out at that club. It was just they way they were together -- comfortable and even a little bit affectionate, sometimes. And who could *help* smiling at Justin all the time? "Not young," agreed Joey, looking him over, only he *did* seem young at the moment. Well, no, what he looked like was a typical college student on the verge of an all-nighter. "What were you reading?"

Blushing, Justin tugged on his curls himself. "What was I *really* reading, or what am I going to pretend I was reading?" He bit his knee and looked up at Joey from under his eyelashes, and it all seemed so unaffected.

Joey just kept grinning at him. "Tell me what you were *really* reading," he prompted him. "Somehow I think that's going to be the more interesting of the two."

"A biography, for school?" Justin tried anyway, then flushed even pinker. "No, you're going to laugh ... it was this cheesy erotica book I forgot I had. I found it when I was getting all my notes from school last year out." He covered his face, muffling his voice. "So much for not seeming young."

Joey had to laugh. "Well, hey, that's pretty good reading for when you're in bed," he admitted. "And god, it's not like *I* go around reading intellectual stuff anymore. It's a good day if I get through the Sports Illustrated Nick always leaves in back."

Justin shook his head, still hiding his eyes. "You're just trying to make me feel better," he chuckled. "It's okay. I expected teasing; I can take teasing."

Joey reached out and curled his hand around Justin's wrist and pulled his hand away. "No, I'm not trying to make you feel better. I'll show you my collection some time. Only at least you're a little more ... literary. Which puts you up on me."

His glasses had slipped down his nose a little, and Joey could look over them to see just how blue Justin's eyes were, this time of night. "I don't know, I'm pretty dangerous to watch porn with," he mumbled self-consciously. "There's always the risk of poking someone's eye out."

Joey stared at him for a moment then laughed again. "No, no ego *there*," he said, pointedly looking down toward Justin's lap and wondering if that would make him blush even more. "Wow, so I didn't wake you up but I ... interrupted something. Sorry 'bout that!"

"Oh, no, I wasn't even!" Justin protested. "Really. I was seriously just *reading* it. And ... and that's *not* what I meant. I was being, um. Figurative. God. I think perhaps there's a reason I see you earlier in the day. Have I mentioned I get dumb when it gets dark?"

Joey just kept chuckling and shook his head, though. "No, no, it's cute," he assured him. "Seriously. This is exactly what I needed, after today. Good to hear I wasn't interrupting anything ... though I would have been *really* flattered if I had been and you came anyway. Um. Came to see me, I mean."

"Oh, God." Justin slid down in the booth so only the top of his curls were visible. "God, shoot me now." He was laughing, though. "This is so bad. No wonder you think I'm such a little kid!"

Joey couldn't stop laughing either, though, and Justin's face wasn't the only one that was reddening. "No, no, I don't," he said. "I don't. Man, this is why they never let me talk much when I was younger. I *always* used to say stuff like that, or worse."

"Okay, okay," Justin coughed. "Okay, I'm stopping. Jeez. I think I *need* a drink, after that." He sighed, and took a few audible breaths, before sitting back up. "You'd think, since we've been friends for a little while now, I'd stop letting you fluster me."

"Or maybe you're letting me fluster you even more," said Joey with a wink. Justin's cheeks were still bright, his eyes shining. "God knows you fluster *me* more, now that we know each other. Strangers don't get anywhere near me, but friends do."

"Whatever," Justin scoffed, chuckling and running his hands through his hair again, not once breaking Joey's gaze. "You do not get flustered around me. I haven't seen you do it once. Not even when I was wearing my best pants, and if *those* won't do it, then nothing will."

"I've been flustered," Joey assured him again. "I'm a little bit flustered right now, really. I totally didn't mean to embarass either of us. It kinda just ... came out, there. I used to be notorious for that."

"And now I'm interpreting *everything* you're saying as, like, something perverted," Justin moaned. "Perhaps I'd better leave before this gets messy."

Joey grinned and made another attempt to ruffle his hair, but again his hand seemed to linger. "I think we're both kinda acting like fourth graders right now," he confessed shamelessly. "It's late. No one's watching."

"You're watching," Justin insisted, but his voice was much weaker, and his eyes started drifting shut as Joey's fingers moved through his curls. "That's ... not any better."

"Why? It's just me?" said Joey, letting his hand fall finally. "Me who'd definitely rather sit here and just watch you blush than clean the rest of these tables. Did you just stay home tonight or did you go out?"

"Stayed home," Justin murmured. Joey watched him tilt his head forward, eyes still closed, almost chasing Joey's hand. "Note the lack of glittery stuff."

"No glitter, no eyeliner," agreed Joey, studying him closely. "Of course, you could've washed already, since I know you were at home when I called. But you're looking really ... yeah, stay-at-home. Did you get a lot done?"

"Hmm?" Justin slowly blinked his eyes open. "No. Not really. Just being kind of hermit-y." He yawned, then, and looked apologetically at Joey. "I'm being the worst company. Want me to help you with the tables so you can leave?"

"You don't need to help," Joey said, dismissing the offer, though *he* did have to get up and finish. "You can watch, if you want. Or ... if you're really beat, that's fine. It was really cool of you to come down here and keep me company for a while. Makes this easier."

"No, I'll wait," Justin assured him, curling up again a little in the booth and blinking at Joey as he stood. "It was ... really cool of you to call. I'm gonna be dumb again, here, and if you ask me tomorrow I'll insist I was talking in my sleep, but it was nice not to be the one to, um. Initiate it."

"Well, it's not like I can drop by where you work," said Joey with a shrug, but it made him happy that Justin seemed to be pleased. "So I had to figure out some other way to see you whenever I wanted. And ... I called, before. To go to coffee. So ... " He smiled at him then got back to work clearing and cleaning the rest of the tables.

"Yeah, you called. Once," Justin said louder, grinning and hugging himself again. "And how many times have I visited? A billion." He giggled to himself. "Maybe I need to start rationing."

"Don't you dare," said Joey, whirling around and shaking his finger at him. "If I could come to you, I would, but I'm pretty much stuck here. Not all of us are all independently wealthy, you know."

"Fine," Justin sighed, biting his knee again. "So ... when are we going out again? Are JC and AJ in town this week? or do we want to ditch them and go hit the serious singles scene?" Justin had been making more and more comments like that, that he might be ready to start seeing people again. That he might finally be getting over Chris.

"I thought just you and me might do something," said Joey, almost nervously. There was probably going to come a point when Justin *didn't* want to do things with just him anymore. Didn't want to look like they were together or anything. That was good, though, he reminded himself. Good that he was feeling confident about that, but not going out recklessly either. "Maybe dinner again?"

"Really?" Justin sounded surprised, instead of laughing the way Joey halfway figured he would, all but inviting himself over for Justin to cook for him again. When he glanced at him, the look Justin gave him was considering. "Sure, if that's what you want."

"Well, not if you don't want to,"? he amended quickly, just in case, "since us having dinner together pretty much means you cooking again, or getting takeout. But I have Sunday off and ... just thought it might be fun."

"No," Justin said quickly, glancing away. "No, that's fine. I ... I don't mind at all; I'd love to. I told you I don't get to cook much anymore, and ... I'd love to. Sunday. Okay." He duvked his chin. "Plenty of time to hide that erotica."

"If you hide yours, does that mean I have to bring mine over? 'Cause like I said ... less literary and more visual," teased Joey, releived that Justin seemed to like the idea. "Oh, and I'll want to call Brianna, but I'll call collect or something. You don't mind if I do that, right?"

"Of course not. And you don't have to call collect, just ... just don't worry about that." Justin yawned again, and looked like he might fall asleep where he sat. "Tired, Joey."

"Tell me about it," said Joey, hauling another load to the kitchen. "But thankfully that was my last table. I can leave the rest until morning. You ready to go?"

Justin nodded sleepily, hugging himself again. He still looked thin, but despite how tired he seemed at the moment he hadn't come across as *worn* any more. It was good to see.

"All right," said Joey, hitting the lights and grabbing his keys off the bar. "Let's go then." He collected Justin from the booth he was curled up in and left an arm around his waist as they walked to the door. And for the first time, they left together.

* * *

Just when Joey wasn't sure Justin could surprise him in the way he'd come visit him at work, he walked in the day after their dinner together in dressy slacks, and a button-up shirt, and really damn nice shoes. He wouldn't ever enter like he owned the place, but this was the closest he'd ever come to it. He just looked ... like a confident, smart twenty-year-old should look.

"Wow," he said, looking him up and down in frank appreciation. "What's with the get-up, Justin? Is today a special day?"

"What?" Justin frowned in confusion, cockiness dissolving, as he glanced down at himself. "Does it look silly? It's just ... clothes."

"No, it looks *great*," protested Joey, surprised. "*You* look great. Just wondering if it's for something else, of if you dressed up special, just for me."

"Oh." Justin's lips curled into a smile again, and he sauntered over to his seat. "Sure," he said lightly. "Special, just for you."

Already, Joey was pouring him a drink. "Well," he said with a smile that matched Justin's, "you can rest assured that it's appreciated. My little boy's all grown up!"

"Little nothing," Justin protested, with a full-out grin as he grabbed his straw before Joey could get it for him. "And who are you calling 'boy'? Maybe I need to get a second opinion. Nick around?"

Joey crossed his arms over his chest. "And just how would Nick know?" he challenged him, unable to keep from grinning at least a little.

"About how I *look*," Justin groaned, then just sat down. "Never mind. I *can* look nice, every once in a while, you know. Just 'cause *you* live in tee shirts and jeans ... not that I don't appreciate the worn-ness and tight-ness of your jeans ... "

Joey looked down at his jeans, then wiped his hands off on this thighs. "I was just telling you that you look really good, is all," he said a moment later, when he lifted his head to smile at Justin again. "Really different. I like it. Of course, I like *everything* I see you in."

Justin cocked his head, then smiled awkwardly. "Me too," he insisted, very seriously, his voice a little deep. "I wasn't kidding about those jeans, Joe."

"Sometimes being cheap pays off, then," he joked, but really, he'd always thought he looked all right in them, and it was nice to have confirmation. "Speaking of which, thanks for letting me take those leftovers. That was my lunch today."

"No problem," Justin replied lightly, sipping at his soda. "You know, I could bring you lunch every once in a while. You just have to ask."

Joey's eyes brightened for a moment, but then he shook his head. "I can't take advantage of you like that, Justin," he said with a sight. "I mean, I'd love if, if you did, but I don't feel right asking about it."

"You won't take advantage of me in general," Justin replied, with the makings of a pout. "You're immune to all my non-culinary charms."

"Maybe I'm waiting for the moment when you'll least suspect it," joked Joey. It was impossible to let Justin pout now, when he noticed. Unlike anyone else -- up to an including JC -- who he would let pout all they wanted. He was immune to *them*, but not to Justin.

"Maybe," Justin sighed loudly, glancing furtively down at his clothes again. "Anyway. How are you? Still feeling good about your talk with Bri?"

Now *that*, Joey had to smile at. "Wasn't she the cutest thing?" he said proudly. "Did you like saying hi to her?" He was getting the feeling that next time Bri actually saw him she was gonna have some of the tough questions he'd been readying himself for, but when they were on the phone she was nothing but precious. Mostly.

"I was so glad you let me," Justin replied honestly. "She's so smart! Sounded 8, at least. And telling me about her school, saying how if she had to go then I had to go ... " He looked cute, and energetic, talking about her.

Joey laughed, and felt warm the way Justin talked about her. "She's really excited about school, huh? And already she gives good advice. She takes after her daddy there, I think."

"And I'm sure all her lesser qualities come from her mama, is that it?" Justin teased him. "No, she was an angel. It was great. You can use me for my phone and my kitchen any time."

"I told you, she's beautiful like her mama, but she's smart like her daddy. Well, maybe not smart like me. Maybe just a little wise." He sighed happily, at the thoughts of his daughter and at Justin's great reaction to her. "She is a little angel, isn't she? Of course, it's probably easier to say that when it's not *my* carpet she's pouring kool-aid on. But still."

Justin grinned again. "Maybe you're right; maybe that is the way to have a baby. Maybe I should go straight for a while, hook up with a model somewhere, convince her to have the kid, then get to have it come visit me between bouts of extravagant homosexual excess." He was so obviously teasing that Joey couldn't even take offense.

He did sigh, though, and shake his head, even though he was smiling. "While the baby and the extravagant homosexual excess sound promising, I can't recommend the 'going straight' bit. Didn't do much for me."

"How lucky for our side," Justin murmured, leaning back over the bar to check out Joey's jeans again.

Joey felt himself get warm again. "And I'm just doing my part to keep you here, too," he commented. "You want some more to drink? That went down fast."

"Naw," Justin shook his head, barely raising his eyes to look Joey in the face. It was rare, if ever, that Joey caught him staring so blatantly, and he had to wonder if Justin was doing it on purpose. "I could recommend some tactics, you know."

"Techniques?" repeated Joey, with just a hint of a smirk. "For keeping you playing for our team? Oh, do share." He raised his eyebrows suggestive and wondered just where Justin was going with that.

Justin raised his own eyebrows in response. "Well," he drawled, "it all starts with what you can do with those jeans. But ... perhaps I shouldn't get into that here?" He looked all flushed, in his fancy, preppy outfit, like it was something in the clothes that was encouraging him to be so blatant.

"I can do a lot of things with these jeans," said Joey, still wearing that smirk comfortably. "Well, three things, really. Putting them on, wearing them right, then taking them off. Is that what you had in mind?"

"One of those three, yeah," Justin admitted, resting his elbows up on the bar and leaning over it again. His own lips curled more devishly. "Wanna turn around for me?"

Joey looked him in the eye for a moment, then -- equally devilishly -- reached for a bar rag and tossed it casually over his shoulder. "Oops," he said, bringing his hand playfully to his lips. "I dropped something." Then, solely for Justin's amusement, he turned around and bent over to pick it up.

When he stood back up, tugging his shirt back over his hips, he had to laugh at Justin's parted lips and dazed look. It was only a second before Justin shook himself out of it and started laughing too, but it was a long second, and Joey knew something had just happened. He just wasn't sure what. "Tease," Justin accused, practically starting to choke. "Jeez. See if I do anything nice for *you* again."

"Hey, you *asked* for that," said Joey, laughing too, but watching him closely. "Something wrong with the view? Should I try again and see if I do it better?"

"No, please," Justin protested, holding up his hand, grinning. "What part of calling you a tease makes you think I *didn't* like the view?"

"The part where you threatened not to do anything nice for me again," said Joey with a wink. "I'd think that I just earned myself something extra special, for that. Maybe you'll return the favor for me some day."

"Maybe," Justin murmured in agreement. "But I'm not so much for teasing, so you should be careful what you ask for." He looked down, started playing with the cuff of his shirt, cleared his throat. "Actually, maybe I *could* use another drink. If that's okay."

"Of course it's okay," laughed Joey, taking his empty glass back. "I offered, didn't I?" He gave Justin another bright smile and looked him over again, appreciatively. "And how do you know I was teasing, anyway?"

"No, I meant ... oh," Justin looked back up, serious all of a sudden. "Oh. You didn't ... weren't you?"

"English, Justin," Joey said with another, more nervous, laugh, trying to read that expression. "And try not to stop having fun. You're pretty when you smile."

"Thanks," Justin replied even more softly, automatically. "I ... I think I'd probably better go, though. I feel a little ... I think I lost a handle on this conversation, well, probably about when you bent over for me. Not like that! Oh." Justin stood up so quickly he almost knocked over his stool. "Definitely going now."

"Justin," said Joey quickly, trying to get him to stop, but Justin was the master of the quick exit. He just wanted to know what he'd done, to make him leave. To make him react like *that*. He'd though they were having a little innocent fun, but obviously Justin wasn't seeing it the same way. "Um. See you later?"

Justin nodded, apparently not trusting himself to speak anymore, and ran a nervous hand down the front of his shirt and slacks before giving Joey a small wave and turning around as fast as he could.

"You really do look good today," he added weakly, taking back the drink he'd just poured Justin and setting it down on the counter in front of him, then sighing softly as he returned to work.

* * *

Joey looked up and was surprised to see Justin slipping in the door, not when they were opening and not when they were closing, but in that hour past midnight when things were just starting to slow down. He gave him a friendly wave but was called away only seconds later to serve up another batch of drinks. He trusted that Justin would come in and sit down and not take it as a slight this time.

He should have expected that if he didn't go see him right away, though, that Nick would, and the next time he looked over the two of them were laughing and Justin was sipping out of a glass that probably had Diet Coke *in* it, but was suspiciously light. Like, diluted.

"Fucker," he muttered under his breath, thankful going underheard in the din surrrounding him. He had to wait until Nick came back, though, pressing up next to him to grab a bottle, before he could say anything. "You *know* he's underage, Nick," he hissed. "You've got to stop doing that."

"Oh, ha, ha," Nick replied dryly, and Joey frowned -- it wasn't like he was joking. "I'm definitely not gonna miss you riding my ass about that, now."

"No, you're not, because i'm not going to *stop* riding your ass about it," said Joey, trying not to make it obvious what the two of them were discussing. "I know you think the kid is hot, but don't fuck with the law just because your dick tells you it's okay."

"Uh, Joey," Nick said, frowning confusedly and holding him back. Joey hadn't realized just how much he'd gotten in Nick's face about it. "The *kid* is legal. He's got ID. It's ... you didn't know it's his birthday? Or ... well, was, until about thirty minutes ago."

"What?" said Joey sharply, drawing a couple of stares. He would have accused Nick of pulling some stupid prank on him exept he looked so serious, and he didn't think Nick could act that well. "Oh." He back off, and Nick dropped hi s hands. "No. No, he didn't tell me. Sorry."

"Well, go wish him a happy birthday," Nick smirked. "He seems to have been enjoying it so far, if you know what I mean."

Joey couldn't, not right away, but in what was probably the most selfless move of his life, Nick took over for him and nudged him in Justin's direction. "Hey," he said, leaning on the bar next to Justin and trying not to think about *why* Justin hadn't told him, because at least he'd shown up here. "So I hear I should be singing to you or something."

Justin's smile, when he saw Joey, lit up his entire face. He looked so happy that it was hard for Joey to *care* he hadn't said anything. "Joe! Do you dance, too?"

"Not while I'm singing happy birthday, no," he said, grinning back at him. "But you know perfectly well I dance. And just *how* well I dance, especially when it's just for you. Having a good night?"

"Yep," Justin nodded, his cheeks pink in a tell-tale sign of how much he'd been drinking. "But I thought you could do a little performance, maybe. Maybe up on the bar, even?"

"How about we wait until after we close and then we'll see," laughed Joey, eyeing Jusitn's drink and wondering when he was going to need another. "We don't need to share my special dances with all these people, after all, do we?"

"No, you're right," Justin agreed, swaying a little. "It's my birthday, and I don't want you dancing for anybody else. Just me. Cause it's my birthday."

"Right," agreed Joey in amusement. "It'll be your special birthday present." He looked back at Nick, ready to work again, but Nick waved him off and seemed to be handling it okay by himself. Seemed to be very insistent that Joey spend some time with Justin, and Joey couldn't say he minded. "What else did you get for your birthday, Justin?"

"Besides the promise of my very own rendition of happy birthday, complete with dancing, from you later?" Justin grinned. "Um. Free drinks. Why?"

"Because that's the kind of thing you're supposed to ask someone on their birthday," said Joey, leaning even further over the bar toward him. "So it's your big day and you decided to come here, to visit me? Or was it just the next bar on your list?"

"The *last* bar on my list," promised Justin, leaning farther over himself, mimicking Joey's movements. "I was kind of expecting spankings."

"Well, there's another thing that'll have to wait for after hours," teased Joey, but he felt his heart beat a little faster, and his tongue darted out to wet his lips. "Would those be spanking from me or spankings from Nick?"

Justin's eyes dropped to Joey's mouth and stayed there. "I got what I wanted from Nick, already," he murmured. "So, um. That should answer your question."

He was starting to feel hot, and he didn't know if if was coming from inside him or was coming in waves of Justin's body. Or possibly both. He licked his lips again. "He'll be disappointed that I won't let him watch," he said finally. "But I think that'll be just for us, too. LIke the dancing."

"Lucky me," Justin replied, and slowly his own tongue peeked out between his lips to copy that motion of Joey's, too. "Wow, what else can I get, if I ask for it?"

"Well, you never know unless you try ... " And as soon as he said that, Joey knew he meant it -- whatever Justin asked of him, he could have, and already he'd gone and stolen a few things of Joey's that Joey hadn't even noticed until just right then. "But ... but maybe not all tonight. Maybe on a night when you'll actually remember."

"I don't think they'd be things I could forget," Justin whispered, but he also finally glanced away, looking a little bit shy, a little bit pleasantly surprised.

Joey didn't want to take that chance, though. Not with something like this. Still, nothing could keep the smile off his face now. When he looked back at Nick this time, the other man smiled back and winked, and Joey wondered if *every*one had known before he did, that maybe there was something there.

"So what are you drinking?" asked Joey finally. "And can I get you another?"

"Rum and Diet Coke," Justin blushed, resting his elbow on the bar and his cheek on his hand. "And you can get me another if you don't tease me for drinking a girly drink." He blinked at Joey some more, drunk enough to either not notice that he was back to staring at him, or not caring.

"No teasing tonight," Joey promised him, pouring him another and sliding it over to him with practiced ease. "I'll say nothing for any other day of the year though. Listen, Justin ... I have to get back to work before Nick has a heart attack. You'll stay? You'll be here, after?"

"I thought I might," Justin replied, glancing back over at Nick, and Joey could help but be pleased that his gaze didn't linger at all. "But if you think you'll be busy for a while, maybe I should just see you another day ... s'why I wasn't here earlier ... "

"I'll be busy until close," said Joey regrettfully, sighing as he glanced at his watch. "I'd love it if you stayed, but ... hey, how about I take you out for lunch, tomorrow? I'll be able to treat you to my infamous hangover remedy, if you need it, and it'll give me a bit of time to shop for a gift for you. Yeah?"

"No, no gift!" Justin looked concerned. "I don't need a gift. Lunch would be great, if you have time, but ... please, don't get me anything." He blushed again. "Except, maybe, a cab so I can get home in one piece, after I finish this drink?"

"Don't worry," said Joey with a smile, still determined to pick him up something in the morning, even if it was small. "I'll definitely pour you into a cab when you're done your drink. And hey. Happy Birthday, Justin."

"Thanks, Joe," Justin replied, hugging himself in the way that Joey now recognized as being *very* pleased with how something was going. "And ... you're not mad, right?"

"Mad?" said Joey, ignoring Nick's now-frantic signalling for one more moment. "Why would I be mad?"

"Nothing, no reason," Justin shook his head. "Go. I'll just see you tomorrow. Thanks for the drink." He raised his glass in appreciation.

Joey smiled at him one last time. "I'm looking forward to it," he said, and it was absolutely heartfelt. "I'll call you that cab, Justin, okay? You take care of yourself."

"I will," Justin promised, nodding vigorously as Joey turned to rescue Nick. "Call me!" he heard him plead weakly, the first time he'd ever said that, and *Joey* felt like hugging himself.

He was smiling as he called the cab, and smiling as he watched Justin finish his drink, and even smiling as he helped Nick deal with the onslaught of patrons. The only time he stopped smiling was when he looked up and saw Justin finally sliding off his stool and heading for the door. Joey could only manage to give him a quick wave, but Justin returned it before he disappeared, and Joey found he was smiling again.

* * *

Justin was pressed up close behind him, much closer than he needed to be, as they went in the back entrance to his bar. There had been this energy between them all day, despite any hangover Justin had been feeling -- like they knew something was going to happen, that some new level had been reached, some line had been crossed. And on the other side of the line, apparently, was a much more touch-friendly Justin.

He dug in his pocket for the keys for a moment, Justin pressed against his side, then finally was able to let him in. He left the lights off as he made his way through the storage area, and almost reached back to take Justin's hand before realizing how strange that would probably seem. "We'll have to go there again some time," he said, just to be saying something, so he wouldn't focus so hard on the way Justin was breathing. "That was a really great lunch."

"Mmm," Justin nodded. "It was. It's hard to find stuff to eat out, sometimes, unless I just want salad, but ... yeah, it was good." He inhaled audibly. "So I guess ... we ... would have to go back." He came nearer, again.

"Yeah," confirmed Joey, finally flipping on a light when they stepped into the kitchen. "Us. I don't know anyone else who I'd want to take there. We could make it our thing."

"Well, it was really nice of you to pay," Justin reminded him. "You really didn't have to, especially since you wouldn't let me give you money for those drinks last night. Or anything."

"It was your birthday," said Joey and turned abruptly so they were face to face. "Of course I didn't let you pay. Look ... I know you said not to get you anything, but birthdays are a big deal to me, and ... " He reached into his pocket and pulled out an envelope and handed it over.

"Oh," Justin breathed, turning it over in his hands carefully, but not opening it. "Joe, you really shouldn't ... I mean, you'll laugh, but I was actually kind of serious, last night. What I said." He looked up to see what Joey was sure was obviously an expression of confusion on his own face, and blushed. "Did ... should I open it? Now?"

Joey nodded and smiled at him, encouraging him to open it. He didn't say another word until Justin had, and was standing there staring at the gift; his smile grew shakier as Justin didn't really react. "It's ... I asked JC, what kind of music you liked most?" he stammered out. "And so ... tickets. I thought maybe you'd like that ... "

Justin raised his hand to trail his fingers over the print on the tickets. "It's ... they're perfect," he said quietly. "I just ... you shouldn't have." He reached up to scratch the back of his head awkwardly. "Thank you."

"No, it was something I really wanted to do," said Joey earnestly. "Now, I know I gave you *both* tickets, but I thought ... well ... " He took a deep breath and smiled at him. "I thought maybe it would make a really good second date."

"Date?" Justin echoed, even more softly, his eyes flickering over Joey's face. "But I didn't even ... when was our first date? was today it? today was our first date and you didn't tell me?" He looked adorably worried. "Why?"

"I just ... " began Joey, stumbling over the words, his face falling. "I didn't know it was, at first. And maybe ... maybe it isn't, if you don't want it to be. I just thought ... you did. Maybe even as much as I do."

"But I was going to ... " Justin started, sighing. "I mean. You told me to wait. To ask you, for what I wanted. And I ... that's kind of what I figured out I wanted. For, um. You to ask me out." He looked back up at Joey. "But I had a shirt!"

"You had a what?" said Joey, unable to restrain a short laugh. It was a serious situation, and he was worried he'd done the whole thing all wrong, but just looking at Justin still tugged at his heart anyway.

"A shirt. To wear," Justin explained; earnest and pained. "For our first date. A new shirt, that supposedly shows off my eyes, or something. And I was going to wear it!" He sighed and looked down at his plain tee shirt.

"You were going to wear it," said Joey, feeling his smile grow so, so tender, "for *our* first date? Oh, Justin ... But you know I think you look great in anything, right?" He reached out to tug at the hem of Justin's T-shirt, then looked up into his eyes again.

"No," Justin mumbled, but he shuffled closer. "I think I'm doing this all backward," he admitted shyly. "I was so sure I was going to have to, I don't know. Convince you. You surprised me."

"What, I didn't take long enough as it was?" admitted Joey, tugging on Justin's shirt again. "You thought maybe I ought to make you wait a little longer? Trust me, Justin ... you've already done a lot of work convincing me, I think ... But it's nice to be able to surprise you, once in a while."

"I didn't know you knew," Justin went on, even softer. "I didn't really try to hide it, but - I just didn't know you knew. And can I say 'definitely not,' to the waiting thing?"

"Didn't know until last night," said Joey, smiling at him strongly again. "I'm a pretty perceptive guy, except when it comes to me, I guess. Sometimes it takes me a long time to figure myself out, and figure out how people see me. So ... um ... is that a yes, then? That you'd like to go out with me?"

"I would definitely like to go out with you," Justin agreed, his smile finally spreading across his face. "Are you really going to make me wait until the concert?"

"It's only three days," laughed Joey, happy to see that light in Justin's eyes again. "Do you want it to maybe be our fourth date, or something?"

"How about just the end of a really, really long first date," Justin murmured, surprisingly seductive as he slipped as close as he could without actually touching Joey yet.

"You're just saying that so you can wear the shirt," teased Joey, but he leaned in and was the first to really touch, wrapping an arm around Justin's waist. "But I think that would be all right."

"Which," Justin asked, melting easily against Joey and staring at his mouth. "Which would be alright."

"If it was just one big date," said Joey, sliding his hand along Justin's back. "Cause that means I get to take you to bed with me."

"Oh," Justin whispered weakly, even though Joey knew that's what he'd been implying in the first place. "Joe, I ... don't want to force this."

"Do you think you are?" asked Joey, honestly. "Do you think *I* am?" If there was one thing he was wary of, that was it. Making Justin do anything he didn't want to. Or worse, convincing him he wanted to do something he really didn't.

"No, not at all," Justin replied quickly, and Joey wondered if he imagined Justin's grip tightening on his arm. "We're not. So far. I just don't *want* to. I think ... I think I should go. But we're definitely on? For our, um. Date?"

Joey bit his lip -- hard -- then nodded his head. "We're definitely on," he said. "For that date and many others. At whatever pace we go at. So ... I know you have things you need to do ... I'll see you later? Sooner?" He grinned sheepishly. "Um. Soon?"

"You'll see me," Justin nodded, carefully untangling himself from Joey's grip, but definitely not being any more specific than that. "I promise. Thanks ... for everything. For the tickets, and for asking me out, and ... for everything else, Joe."

"I'll miss you," said Joey, then realized that *that* may just have been the most heartfelt thing he'd ever said to Justin. Reluctantly, he let go of him. "Come back soon. You know where to find me."

"I do." Justin's smile was crooked, but so real. "I will. And you'll be on my mind." He backed away, and Joey wasn't sure whether it was the fact that it was the back door, or the excitement of the pending date, or *what*, but it all felt new.

"You know you'll be on mine," said Joey, and he stayed where he was and waved, knowing that if he got anywhere near Justin now he wouldn't let him go. Things were that new, and he just wanted to spend time with him ... but they both had things they needed to do, and there was always later.

* * *

Joey had been beginning to worry that Justin *wasn't* coming back, a little, but in the back of his mind he'd kinda known all along that Justin wouldn't be coming until after they closed. Until they could have some time alone. And he'd been right -- minutes before they were going to lock up, there Justin was. "Hey," he said, smiling at him.

"You don't look surprised to see me," Justin said, cocking his head and shrugging off his jacket as he crossed the room. "I wasn't mysterious enough earlier, I guess. I should be keeping you guessing?"

"Oh, I don't know," said Joey, tossing his cloth and the table he was cleaning and crossing the room to meet Justin halfway. "Sometimes being a sure thing isn't so bad ... because I would have been very disappointed if you *hadn't* come." He couldn't keep a foolish grin from crossing his face, remembering what him and Justin were now. What they were going to be. "And that," said Nick, patting Joey on the shoulder as he passed by. "Is my cue to leave. Night, boys! I won't wait up."

"Bye, Nick," Justin blushed, but he didn't take his eyes off Joey either. He seemed to wait until the door closed behind him before saying anything else. "I really wasn't going to come, tonight," he surprised Joey by saying.

"You ... weren't?" said Joey, a little shakily. If he were the one going to see Nick, there would have been no question. "But I thought ... But why?"

"Well, I meant what I said," Justin said slowly, crossing his hands behind his own back but stepping closer to Joey. "About not forcing this. I wanted ... I thought we should both have time to think. I thought *you* should have time to make sure you really wanted me, that it wasn't just ... I don't know, leftover sympathy, maybe?"

"Did *you* need time to think?" asked Joey, his smile fading to nothing, pausing where he stood. "Because I wouldn't have said anything in the first place, if I did. I don't ask guys out until I'm sure." Sympathy? He would have gotten upset at Justin's low opinion of him if he didn't already know that it wasn't him, but Justin's opinion of himself, that was the real subject here.

"And no matter what you might think, I don't say yes until *I'm* sure," Justin assured him, reinforcing his words by continuing to close the distance between them. "But I knew that before I left you, earlier. I just thought ... I thought I could be patient. I can't, Joe. Not when I knew exactly where to find you, how to find you. When to find you."

"And that I want you to find me," added Joey, leaning against the bar now and letting Justin come to him. "That I'd track you down if you didn't. We don't have to wait, Justin. We don't have anything to prove, to anyone."

"I didn't mean for this to happen," Justin swore, watching Joey intently, as if his understanding of that was vital to Justin doing anything else. "I was happy being your friend. The insane attraction thing was just a bonus, and ... and I promise I tried to hide it, as often as I could."

"That's the best, though," said Joey, lifting one arm and hoping that would beckon Justin closer. "When you don't mean for it to happen. When it just does. I know you didn't set it to get us here, Justin -- neither did I. But I'm very glad it happened."

"Are you?" Justin asked, and Joey smiled to himself, knowing that his shy, insecure side was going to come out sooner or later. When he was close enough for Joey to touch, he looked up again. "I wore my shirt."

"It does bring out your eyes," said Joey, looking him up and down, and it wasn't even a line. Justin looked great. "Does that mean this is officially our first date now?"

Justin took one last step, ending up close enough that one of his feet was between Joey's and one of his hands was resting next to him on the top of the bar. Close enough that Joey could see his chest heaving slightly, and it couldn't be from anything else except anticipation. "Would it be okay, if it was?" he asked, choking a bit on the words.

"I think it would be better than okay," said Joey, feeling just as anxious as Justin looked. "I think it would be what I've been waiting for. And besides ... I think I owe you a dance on the bar. And a spanking. Which would be much more appropriate if we were on an actual date."

"I don't want you to dance on the bar," Justin told him, leaning in, barely holding himself back with the hand braced on the counter. "And I don't want you to spank me. Not yet, anyway." He shivered visibly. "I do want, very much, to know that you kiss on the first date."

"I do," Joey assured him with a smile, his hands so close to Justin but not touching, hovering over his body. "But I'm guessing you didn't want an answer to that question. I'm guessing you want proof ... "

Justin's lips -- such pretty, pretty lips, Joey didn't know how he'd ever been able to look at them objectively -- curved into a smile. "Oh, no, that's okay," he teased, pretending to step backwards even as he reached for Joey's shirt. "Knowing's half the battle, and all that ... "

That was all it took to spur Joey into action, Justin's brief motion in the wrong direction. One arm swung around Justin's waist and one hand curled around the back of his neck and Joey was tugging Justin closer and closer until finally Justin's lips met his.

And then his arms were just full of eager, excited boy, returning his kiss passionately and wholeheartedly. Justin was entirely soft mouth, and careful hands on his chest, and the slightest hint of a naughty tongue; up until Joey found himself pressed back into the bar, trapped against a body that was every bit as firm as Joey knew it had to be.

And this was it, the moment they'd been building to practically from the night they'd met. Joey moved against him confidently, with lips and tongues and body, and looked forward to many more kisses just like this one. But this was the only one that would be their first.

And Justin fought him every inch on it, refusing to be the first to pull back just as he refused to let Joey be the first. Nipping at his lips if he tried, surging back up against him if he relaxed. It was everything and nothing like he expected.

Justin was both young and eager, and at the same time experienced. It was heady, and Joey couldn't get enough of it. Wasn't sure he ever would. Justin wasn't just wonderful in his arms, but in everything else in his life, too. And it had taken him until now to see it.

Eventually, finally, hours and days and years later, their mouths parted. But Justin stayed in his arms, blinking druggedly, rolling like a wave against him, mumbling nonsense under his breath.

"Yeah, me too," laughed Joey, having no idea what Justin was saying but sure he was sharing the sentiment. Energy bubbled up inside him and he just wanted more, more more, of everything. Of Justin. "Me too."

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