FIC: Indebted (QaF, Brian/Justin, series) Chapter Thirteen: Where There Is Hope

[freakykat]

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Title: Indebted
Chapter: Thirteen - Where There Is Hope
Sequel/Series: series
Author: freakykat
Time Frame: Takes place during 3rd season starting after 3.04 - AU timelime
Summary: Justin and Brian find their lives intertwine no matter what they do.
Rating: NC-17
Notes: I know this took forever. Hope it's worth it. Feedback loved and appreciated but not required. Beta by the awesome wouldbedorothy! Thank you, darling!
Disclaimer: I own none of this. I has no money. Please don't sue.

All previous Indebted chapters



Indebted

Chapter 13

Brian blinked repeatedly in the hope that this was just one of those fucked up side effects of the anesthesia. Dr. Rabinowitz hadn’t mentioned hallucinations in his endless list of everything Brian could expect, but it didn’t mean it wasn’t possible. He was unique, wasn’t he? And if he were going to have some fantasy, he was pretty sure it would star Justin.

Shit.

They already did.

“Brian? Are you okay?”

The figment of his imagination took a step forward, touching his arm with a warm hand, blue eyes tinged with worry, and Brian realized that, yeah, that actually was Justin.

Motherfucking hell.

“What the fuck are you doing here, Justin?”

The confusion turned to amusement and Justin pulled up his arm, showing Brian the large portfolio he was carrying. Brian had no idea what that meant. When he didn’t respond, Justin smiled brightly… god damn it that wasn’t fair… and stepped into the loft.

“Cynthia told me eight. That was the time, right?”

Brian turned to follow Justin, leaving the loft door open. The little shit would be going right back out.

“Wait, what?”

Justin placed his bag on the dining room table, turning and walking past Brian to reach into the hall. He brought Brian’s briefcase and a box back into the loft, closing the door deftly behind him.

“Justin, what the fuck is going on?”

Justin looked steadily at him. “I’m here to work.”

“Work?”

“Yes, work. I’m your new intern.”

Brian’s heart stopped for what felt like a full second.

“The hell you are.”

*

“So, where did you and Rodney stay again?”

Vic rolled his eyes, flipping the page of his newspaper, answering without looking up. “I already told you, Debbie.”

“Uh-huh. The Marriott, right. And did you run into anyone at the White Party?”

“Aside from the thousands of gay men, no, not really.”

Debbie harrumphed - that was really then only way Vic knew to describe it - hip cocked to the left, one hand on waist, lips pursed and eyes narrowed in his direction. She had been on his case since she’d heard on Entertainment Tonight that some closeted actor had shown up at the White Party, making the headlines. When she’d questioned Vic about it, he couldn’t come up with a reason that made sense why he’d not been aware of it.

So, being Debbie, and his big sister, she’d figured out he was lying.

He’d been avoiding her as much as he could, hoping that she’d let it go. He glanced at his watch. Brian’s first treatment was at ten and he needed to head to the hospital. Debbie was still glaring at him, chewing hard on her gum, while she waited for his response.

He looked up at Mel, willing her to understand his silent plea for help.

Mel’s eyes widened and she nodded quickly, picking up her coffee cup. “Hey, Deb. You think you can get me another decaf, please?”

“Sure thing, honey.” Deb smiled at Mel, patting her slightly swollen belly, throwing one last withering stare at Vic before heading to the counter.

The minute Deb’s back was fully turned, Vic folded his newspaper, throwing money on the table and dropping a quick thank you peck on Mel’s cheek. “I owe you one, doll.”

“You bet your ass you do, Grassi.” She shoved his shoulder, tilting her chin towards the door. “Now go before Mother Inquisitor comes back.”

Vic hesitated for a second and Mel waved him off.

“I can handle Debbie. Brian needs you. Go.”

Mel watched Vic speed past Kiki, a couple of pierced, tattooed twinks, and out the door wistfully. Lucky bastard.

“Hey, where’s Vic?”

Debbie placed Mel’s coffee on the table, searching the diner for her brother, bringing her gaze back to Mel’s when she came up empty.

Mel shrugged, sipping her coffee slowly. “Not sure. Something about meeting Rodney for some antique shopping.”

Debbie snorted. “Antique shopping, my generous ass. That little shit is avoiding me so I don’t catch him in a lie.” She sat down across from Mel, folding her arms across her chest. “He and Rodney didn’t go to the White Party.”

Mel took another gulp from her cup, shrugging. “So what if they didn’t, Deb? Maybe they decided to do something romantic. Something they want to keep for themselves. Is that so bad?”

Jesus, she was getting too good at this.

Debbie shook her head. “They didn’t. I saw Rodney at the grocery store yesterday morning. I asked him about the trip and he looked completely clueless before he covered it up fast.”

Mel cleared her throat, making a mental note to talk with Rodney as soon as she could. She wasn’t sure how much Vic had told him, but she needed to make sure he kept everything he did know to himself.

“I don’t know what to say, Debbie.”

“Say that my little brother is a lying asshole.”

Mel shifted uncomfortably in her seat, grimacing when the movement brought attention to her full bladder. This was not one of the perks of pregnancy. She sighed, sliding out of the booth. “This kid is starting to show her true colors now.”

Debbie grinned as Mel made a fast retreat to the bathroom. She didn’t miss those days. The diner was starting to fill up so she decided that she would deal with Vic later and concentrate on work until then. Her hand knocked some of the papers Mel had been working on to the floor as she got up.

“Shit.”

They looked important, and she examined them as she picked them up to make sure they weren’t dirty from the debris on the diner floor. Her eyes caught on Brian’s name and she blinked in surprise. Mel had refused to work for Brian for the most part, stating that no amount of money was worth the headache. Debbie’s heart skipped a beat altogether when she noticed the title in bold letters at the top of the page.

Last Will and Testament.

“Debbie, what the hell are you doing?”

She froze at the angry tone in Mel’s voice, turning to stare at her.

“I knocked them down and was just making sure they weren’t dirty.”

Mel snatched the paper from Debbie’s hands. “That doesn’t mean you can read them, Debbie. These are my clients’ personal, legal documents.”

“Why does Brian have a will?”

She wouldn’t have noticed the slight pause in Mel if she hadn’t been looking. But she had and it was there.

“Brian lives a risky existence, Deb. He is a smart man. He is just keeping all his affairs in order.”

Debbie caught the slight cringe Mel gave at that bullshit reply and raised an eyebrow.

“Brian would never-”

“Gus is important to him. And Justin. He would.”

“And you’re the one he left in charge of his affairs? You? The woman who hates his guts?”

Mel shrugged, stuffing the papers out of sight and looking over her shoulder at Debbie.

“I’m one of the mothers of his son. He knows I’ll look out for Gus.”

Glancing at her watch, Mel took one last sip from her coffee, grabbing her briefcase, dropping too much money on the table before brushing a quick kiss on Debbie’s cheek as she headed out.

Debbie gripped one of Mel’s arms gently, meeting her eyes.

“That boy - I’ve known him longer than he has known himself, Melanie. He grew up in my house with my kid. If something is wrong with him, I want to know.”

There had been this worry growing in her gut for weeks about Brian. The few times she’d seen him, his color had looked off, and his smirk more titled than usual. Her first thought had been that Justin leaving was affecting him more. So, she had let it go. Brian wouldn’t ever admit that, especially not to her.

But now…

Mel couldn’t quite meet her eyes, and that shot fear straight through Debbie’s heart.

“I can’t say, Debbie.”

She opened her mouth but Mel shook her head, pulling out of Debbie’s grasp.

“Even if it weren’t client-attorney privilege, it’s not my truth to tell, Debbie.”

With those words, Mel walked out of the door, leaving Debbie shaking in the wake of what they could mean.

*

Brian gritted his teeth as he watched Justin walk across the loft to the kitchen table, which he had designated as his desk. He flipped through a magazine, eyes scanning but not reading the words on the pages.

“I’m not going to pay you.”

Justin laughed softly. “No. Vanguard will be paying me.”

“You don’t know the first fucking thing about advertising, Justin.”

Brian watched Justin readjust something on the computer before turning in his chair to look at him.

“That’s true. But I know a fucking lot about art, and that’s my main job with you.”

He pushed his feet against the floor, rolling across the room to Brian, who narrowed his eyes at the approach.

“This is part of my credits, Brian. The program requires hands-on experience. I got this job fair and square.” He ignored Brian’s snort. “I’m here to learn and get my education so that I can graduate. You are paying for my schooling, remember? I know you expect your money back, with interest.”

He was too fucking close.

Brian could smell him, the shampoo he used, that stupid twenty dollar kind that Brian had gotten him so he would stop using up his. He could feel him - that familiar buzz under Brian’s skin that reminded him of everything that they had been. Or almost been.

Or could have been.

He was going to make himself sick.

“You’re not going to go away are you?”

Justin smiled wide - all teeth and sunshine - and Brian felt that kick in his gut. He gave nothing away because, cancer or no cancer, he was still a bastard at heart.

“I’m staying, Brian.”

He knew enough about Justin to realize that fighting would only make him try harder and that would make everything worse. Brian’s only real option was to distract Justin with so much work that he wouldn’t notice Brian puking his guts up in the bathroom.

That could be easy enough.

“What was the snort about?”

Brian looked up at him. He hadn’t realized he’d done that out loud.

“I don’t snort.”

Justin rolled his eyes, inching closer to Brian, who steeled against the onslaught of want that pooled for a second in his stomach then died away just as quickly. When Justin was only inches from him, he crooked his head to side, studying Brian’s face.

“You look tired.”

Brian pulled away, grimacing when he got up too fast, putting as much distance between them as he could.

“Did you hurt yourself?”

“Pulled a muscle in Ibiza.”

Justin laughed a little. “I wonder which one.”

Brian turned, smirking slightly. “This is me, right?”

Something about his tone must have revealed too much, and Justin’s smile fell completely.

“Brian…”

“I have a ten o’clock appointment.” He moved to his bedroom, sensing Justin right behind him.

“I didn’t see that in the schedule.”

Brian turned in the doorway, stopping Justin off at the pass.

“That’s because it’s my personal appointment.”

He waited for that look from Justin. The one he had learned to hate all those months. It made him feel like a shit, still, but he was Brian Kinney. He never changed. That was expected of him.

All he received was a quick flash of a smile and Justin’s blue eyes warming up as he looked at him.

“Okay. What time will you be back?”

Brian was thrown but he played along.

“Before noon. I’ll need you to go into the office for a few hours in the afternoon every other day. You’ll have to coordinate everything with Cynthia. So, when I come back, we’ll go over what I expect. Cynthia will cover the rest.”

He walked into his room, stopping when Justin called to him.

“You’re going to let me stay?”

He heard the hope Justin tried so hard to hide and swallowed that need to touch him, to let him make Brian not hurt for even just a minute.

But all he said was, “Yes. You can stay.”

|Chapter Fourteen|

*

Yeah. You all read that right. *GRINS*