For madame_muppet, avaaricious, and silverthoughts...
And for anyone else who's NOT in the US!
Here are the other finalists for the Queer As Folk USA Fanfic Contest:
Finalist #1
"Do you remember when I sobered up?"
"Yeah, I remember you were mean as shit for months."
"That last weekend..."
"The last infamous weekend. How did we survive with all those drugs?"
"It was pure debauchery."
"That's when we got the tattoos," Michael smiled. Their Rage and Zephyr tattoos were only complete when they stood together. "What was that Justin called you? 'A pill popping drunken …"
"The professor was pissed too."
"Ben," Michael paused, "was … a good guy."
"He was hot. I'll give him that." Brian teased, "what kind of luck do you have to have to survive HIV, never develop AIDS, and die in an avalanche?"
"I thought we were being serious," Michael grimaced.
"That weekend changed everything. Justin had issued his get sober ultimatum."
"Yeah, you sobered up for him."
"I didn't do it f-o-r him. It was time."
"You've done alright. You've been together forever."
"Y-e-a-h, I k-n-o-w." Brian's face radiated pride. "That weekend, I needed you. I had to … feel … to … touch everything I thought I'd leave behind for Justin…but every minute that we shared - I was less sure." Brian paused and looked intently at Michael, "Mikey, we fucked that Sunday night."
"We did not." Michael laughed.
"When we finished you looked at me so sweetly and told me you loved me. I'll never forget it." His words hung in the air. "The next morning, you didn't even remember, as if nothing happened. "
Michael turned his head from Brian, trying to protect his years of pretending. He had filed that memory under fantasy. "Why now?"
Brian moved to where Michael was sitting and kneeled to look him in the eyes.
"Everyone said that what held us together was that I never got you off. I didn't believe them. I wanted you to have every part of me. Then you could decide - Take it or leave it. When you didn't remember, the choice was made."
Michael hadn't forgotten - but admitting it to Brian was another thing entirely. Brian gently wiped two tears from Michael's face.
"I've watched you most of my life; amazed at the depth of how you love: David, Ben and even Ted. Watching you taught me to love myself … and Justin." Brian said sweetly, "But … even Jesus got down off the cross. You don't have to wait for me - you've already had me. In every way that is possible … you've had me."
Michael's wet eyes searched to focus on something, anything other than Brian. He found the mantle and painfully glanced from picture to picture of Brian and Justin. But, there on the far right was a picture of Brian and Michael.
"This way is best … as friends." Brian whispered in Michael's ear, "Best friends … like Rage and Zephyr."
Michael added, "Batman and Robin."
"Superman and Lois Lane."
In unison, "You're Lois Lane!" Laughter erupted.
They kissed with a passion few lovers would ever know, but they were much more than that.
Mine is Finalist #2.
Finalist #3
MICHAEL: (youthful smile) What? You're not really gay? I knew it.
BRIAN: (stern) I'm serious. I...
Brian sets his cola on a nearby table, and stands with perplexed posture.
BRIAN: I'm not... I'm not Gus' father.
MICHAEL: (stunned) What? That's not funny Bri. I think that adult diaper of yours is a bit TOO tight.
BRIAN: No joke, Mikey.
The two of them stare at each other with unsure glances. Michael shocked curiosity hanging heavily over them.
MICHAEL: (flustered) How?
BRIAN: (clenched jaw) I couldn't do it, Mikey. I mean, ME... be a father? I could never be what a kid needs.
MICHAEL: I can't believe this, Brian.
BRIAN: (pacing) Remember that hot trick I took home from Babylon? The one with the Prince Albert?
MICHAEL: The guy who was on Jeopardy?
BRIAN: Let's just say his BRAIN wasn't the only organ he had that was talented.
MICHAEL: You're full of it!
BRIAN: It's true, Mikey. He snuck into the room where I was suppose to jack off in that cup... and.
Michael stands from his sitting position, holds up an out turned palm, and silences Brain with a disgusted SHHH!
MICHAEL: (mad) Does Lindsay know about this? Melanie?
BRIAN: (pained) No. You're the only person who knows. You and...
MICHAEL: (interrupting) Mr. Jeopardy Jizz?! Jesus! I can't believe this!
The two friends rigidly part from each other. They stand in silence, the anger and frustration fuming off of them like vapor.
BRIAN: (softly to Michael) You know I don't have what it takes to be a dad, Mikey. Look at my family tree for Christ's sake. My roots are drenched in booze and self pity.
MICHAEL: (angry) So you pick one of your bed fillers to... FATHER A CHILD!? BRIAN: (evil grin) We never made it to the bed, Mikey.
MICHAEL: You're insane Brian Kinney!
BRIAN: See. Even more reason to avoid parenthood.
The men slowly gravitate toward one another again.
MICHAEL: Why now? Why tell me this... now?
BRIAN: Because I have a problem.
MICHAEL: Just one?
BRIAN: The bastard swore to me that he wouldn't cause any trouble... but…
MICHAEL: Oh yeah. We all know how secure those sex contracts are. God, Bri!
Brian simply stands, the sharpness of his jaw line flexing in the moonlight that streams in through the open windows.
BRIAN: Remember that call I got on my cell the other night at Woody's?
MICHAEL: Yeah. You said it was your trainer.
BRIAN: Well...-
MICHAEL: OH, let me guess. Another lie. Imagine that!
BRIAN: It was him. He's talking to a lawyer.
MICHAEL: What?!
BRIAN: He's threatening to sue for custody of Gus if I don't fork over some cash.
MICHAEL: Jesus, Bri! Well... how much cash?
BRIAN: (long pause) ... Three million dollars.
There you have it. :)
Here are the other finalists for the Queer As Folk USA Fanfic Contest:
Finalist #1
"Do you remember when I sobered up?"
"Yeah, I remember you were mean as shit for months."
"That last weekend..."
"The last infamous weekend. How did we survive with all those drugs?"
"It was pure debauchery."
"That's when we got the tattoos," Michael smiled. Their Rage and Zephyr tattoos were only complete when they stood together. "What was that Justin called you? 'A pill popping drunken …"
"The professor was pissed too."
"Ben," Michael paused, "was … a good guy."
"He was hot. I'll give him that." Brian teased, "what kind of luck do you have to have to survive HIV, never develop AIDS, and die in an avalanche?"
"I thought we were being serious," Michael grimaced.
"That weekend changed everything. Justin had issued his get sober ultimatum."
"Yeah, you sobered up for him."
"I didn't do it f-o-r him. It was time."
"You've done alright. You've been together forever."
"Y-e-a-h, I k-n-o-w." Brian's face radiated pride. "That weekend, I needed you. I had to … feel … to … touch everything I thought I'd leave behind for Justin…but every minute that we shared - I was less sure." Brian paused and looked intently at Michael, "Mikey, we fucked that Sunday night."
"We did not." Michael laughed.
"When we finished you looked at me so sweetly and told me you loved me. I'll never forget it." His words hung in the air. "The next morning, you didn't even remember, as if nothing happened. "
Michael turned his head from Brian, trying to protect his years of pretending. He had filed that memory under fantasy. "Why now?"
Brian moved to where Michael was sitting and kneeled to look him in the eyes.
"Everyone said that what held us together was that I never got you off. I didn't believe them. I wanted you to have every part of me. Then you could decide - Take it or leave it. When you didn't remember, the choice was made."
Michael hadn't forgotten - but admitting it to Brian was another thing entirely. Brian gently wiped two tears from Michael's face.
"I've watched you most of my life; amazed at the depth of how you love: David, Ben and even Ted. Watching you taught me to love myself … and Justin." Brian said sweetly, "But … even Jesus got down off the cross. You don't have to wait for me - you've already had me. In every way that is possible … you've had me."
Michael's wet eyes searched to focus on something, anything other than Brian. He found the mantle and painfully glanced from picture to picture of Brian and Justin. But, there on the far right was a picture of Brian and Michael.
"This way is best … as friends." Brian whispered in Michael's ear, "Best friends … like Rage and Zephyr."
Michael added, "Batman and Robin."
"Superman and Lois Lane."
In unison, "You're Lois Lane!" Laughter erupted.
They kissed with a passion few lovers would ever know, but they were much more than that.
Mine is Finalist #2.
Finalist #3
MICHAEL: (youthful smile) What? You're not really gay? I knew it.
BRIAN: (stern) I'm serious. I...
Brian sets his cola on a nearby table, and stands with perplexed posture.
BRIAN: I'm not... I'm not Gus' father.
MICHAEL: (stunned) What? That's not funny Bri. I think that adult diaper of yours is a bit TOO tight.
BRIAN: No joke, Mikey.
The two of them stare at each other with unsure glances. Michael shocked curiosity hanging heavily over them.
MICHAEL: (flustered) How?
BRIAN: (clenched jaw) I couldn't do it, Mikey. I mean, ME... be a father? I could never be what a kid needs.
MICHAEL: I can't believe this, Brian.
BRIAN: (pacing) Remember that hot trick I took home from Babylon? The one with the Prince Albert?
MICHAEL: The guy who was on Jeopardy?
BRIAN: Let's just say his BRAIN wasn't the only organ he had that was talented.
MICHAEL: You're full of it!
BRIAN: It's true, Mikey. He snuck into the room where I was suppose to jack off in that cup... and.
Michael stands from his sitting position, holds up an out turned palm, and silences Brain with a disgusted SHHH!
MICHAEL: (mad) Does Lindsay know about this? Melanie?
BRIAN: (pained) No. You're the only person who knows. You and...
MICHAEL: (interrupting) Mr. Jeopardy Jizz?! Jesus! I can't believe this!
The two friends rigidly part from each other. They stand in silence, the anger and frustration fuming off of them like vapor.
BRIAN: (softly to Michael) You know I don't have what it takes to be a dad, Mikey. Look at my family tree for Christ's sake. My roots are drenched in booze and self pity.
MICHAEL: (angry) So you pick one of your bed fillers to... FATHER A CHILD!? BRIAN: (evil grin) We never made it to the bed, Mikey.
MICHAEL: You're insane Brian Kinney!
BRIAN: See. Even more reason to avoid parenthood.
The men slowly gravitate toward one another again.
MICHAEL: Why now? Why tell me this... now?
BRIAN: Because I have a problem.
MICHAEL: Just one?
BRIAN: The bastard swore to me that he wouldn't cause any trouble... but…
MICHAEL: Oh yeah. We all know how secure those sex contracts are. God, Bri!
Brian simply stands, the sharpness of his jaw line flexing in the moonlight that streams in through the open windows.
BRIAN: Remember that call I got on my cell the other night at Woody's?
MICHAEL: Yeah. You said it was your trainer.
BRIAN: Well...-
MICHAEL: OH, let me guess. Another lie. Imagine that!
BRIAN: It was him. He's talking to a lawyer.
MICHAEL: What?!
BRIAN: He's threatening to sue for custody of Gus if I don't fork over some cash.
MICHAEL: Jesus, Bri! Well... how much cash?
BRIAN: (long pause) ... Three million dollars.
There you have it. :)