"Coup de Foudre" 58
Slam!
By Gaedhal
Pittsburgh, July 2016
Justin left the loft first, the way he usually did. They drove to the building separately and left separately at Brian’s insistence, which Justin thought was ridiculous. They weren’t fooling anyone. Except, perhaps, themselves. But Justin went along with it. Besides, he didn’t want to be any later than he had to be. Brian could dwaddle all he wanted - he was the boss and could afford to wander in whenever he felt like it. Justin could not.
Justin parked the Jeep and went up in the elevator. Everything seemed status quo this afternoon at Kinnetik. There were no client meetings today, or any looming deadlines, both of which always meant a frenzy of activity. So Justin sauntered in, putting on his most casual attitude, and headed directly to his office.
He’d been working on Ramson’s Bonevil campaign. Putting finishing touches to the completed ads and jotting down new ideas for future ones. This was creative work that Justin enjoyed. He knew his work was good and he was proud of it. People might be gossiping about him behind his back, but no one could deny that his work on Ramson was rock solid.
Justin was making some notes to give to Murph when his eye caught something - someone - outside his office. The door was partly shut, so he couldn’t see who it was.
“Come in!” Justin called.
He heard a shuffling and then movement - fast movement - away from his door.
“I know who it is,” Justin said to himself. “I told Brian this would be trouble and it is.”
He got up from his desk and peered out the door. He saw a figure lurking at the end of the hallway. A dark-haired figure.
Justin walked purposefully down the hall. The figure bolted, but there was really nowhere for him to go.
“Gus,” said Justin.
The boy turned around, his face flushed with embarrassment. “Yes, sir. Do you want me for some reason?”
“Yes,” said Justin. “Come with me.”
Gus hung back. “Where?”
“To my office,” Justin said. “Now.”
But the boy dug in his heels. “What for?”
Justin stared him down sternly. “I’d like to speak to you. Follow me.”
Gus followed Justin down the hall and back to his office. Justin went in, but Gus lingered in the doorway.
Justin sat down at his desk. “Come in and shut the door behind you.”
Gus did as he was instructed, but he didn’t come any closer.
“You know who I am, don’t you?” asked Justin.
Gus nodded warily. “Mr. Taylor. From the Art Department.”
“And?”
Gus crossed his arms in front of him. “And what?”
“I’ve known you since the day you were born, so don’t pretend you don’t know who I am,” said Justin. “Because I know you do.”
“You work here at Kinnetik doing art stuff,” said Gus sullenly. “That’s all I know.”
“Don’t bullshit me,” said Justin. “You’ve seen Deb’s photo albums. You’ve seen pictures of me. And of me and your father.”
“So?” Gus said defiantly. “You’re in a bunch of old pictures. Why should I give a shit?”
“Then why have you been lurking outside my door, watching me?” Justin demanded. “Or following me around the office? You might think I don’t know, but you aren’t very subtle about it. If you have something to say to me, or something to ask me, then do it.”
“I don’t have anything to say to you!” Gus retorted. “What would I have to say to someone like you?”
“Someone like me?” Justin’s heart was racing. “What the fuck does that mean?”
Gus made a disgusted face. “I don’t need to tell you. You might be a big deal at Kinnetik, but I know what you’re up to. I know the truth about you.”
“I’m hardly a big deal,” Justin sniffed. “But I would like to know what you think ‘the truth’ about me is. That your father and I lived together once upon a time? That’s obviously not a secret. Deb or Carl or anyone who was around back then could have told you that. Your father could have told you - if he’d wanted to. But you should take that up with him.”
“Yeah, sure,” said Gus. “Make my dad the bad guy! Blame it all on him!”
Justin frowned. “I’m not making Brian into a bad guy. I don’t know what you’re talking about. I also don’t know what you think you know about us, but you might as well spill it, because I’m tired of you stalking me. If you’re going to be working in this office for the summer, I’d prefer there not be any tension between us.”
“There’s no tension between us,” Gus returned. “there’s nothing between us. It’s what’s between you and my dad that’s fucked up!”
Justin took a deep breath. Obviously Gus knew. It had been ridiculous to think he wouldn’t, given the gossipy atmosphere in the office. Damn Brian! They should have been honest with Gus from the start.
“What exactly do you think is going on between your father and me?” Justin said carefully.
“Fucking,” Gus said flatly. “You’re forcing my dad to have sex with you! That’s what’s fucked up!”
At this Justin couldn’t help but burst out laughing.
“You think that’s funny?” Gus spat.
“Yes,” said Justin. “The idea that I’m forcing Brian Kinney to have sex with me is funny. It’s beyond funny. It’s freaking hilarious! No one forces Brian to do anything he doesn’t want to do. That’s Rule Number One in the Brian Kinney Playbook. But if you want to know the truth - yes, we have a relationship, if you want to call it that. Brian wouldn’t, but others would. The real point is that my sex life and your father’s sex life isn’t anyone’s business but our own. If you want to confront anyone about this, then you should talk to Brian.”
“I knew you’d try to weasel out of it,” Gus sneered.
“I’m not weaseling out of anything!” Justin cried. “I’m admitting it. I’ve known your father for as long as you’ve been alive - literally. And that’s as long as we’ve been having sex. That is, except when he was with Ron. You father loved…” Justin paused. It was harder to say the words than he’d thought. “He loved Ron. But Ron is gone. I’m an… an old friend. We feel comfortable together. It’s hard to explain, but that’s the truth. I’m not trying to replace Ron. I know how much you loved him and…”
“Someone like you could never replace Ron, either for me or for Dad!” Gus’s face was red with anger. “You used my dad and hurt him and now you’re trying to do it again!”
Justin was stung. “Who told you I hurt your father?”
Gus’s eyes were cold. “Everybody! I know you lived with him and leeched off him and that you stole from him! And you left him and hurt him. You broke his heart! Thank God my other dad came along and made him happy again. Now Ron’s dead and you’re back again, worming your way into his life. You’re even working at his company, still leeching off him. Why don’t you go away somewhere? Why don’t you get out of Dad’s life and leave him alone? He’s vulnerable and you’re taking advantage of him. You’re a creep and you can’t deny it!”
Justin swallowed. He had no idea how to respond. No idea what to begin to say. “Listen, Gus, let me try to explain. I have no idea what Deb told you, or Michael, or Emmett, or… or whoever, but you don’t know the whole story. It’s complicated…”
“I don’t want to hear any of your bullshit stories,” Gus replied. “Can I get out of here now? I have stuff to do.”
“Yes,” said Justin, feeling like all the air had been kicked out of his body. “You can get out of here. I’m… I’m sorry I bothered you.”
Gus opened the door. “Maybe you’re a boss here and I’m just an intern, but don’t ever try to talk to me again. I suppose you’ll rat me out to Dad. That’s what I’d expect from someone like you. But remember one thing - I’m his son! He loves me. And you… you’re nothing! You’re just a fuck to him. That’s all you’ll ever be, no matter how much you might try to be something more. A creepy, crummy fuck!”
Gus slammed the door behind him, leaving Justin sitting at his desk, shaking.
By Gaedhal
Pittsburgh, July 2016
Justin left the loft first, the way he usually did. They drove to the building separately and left separately at Brian’s insistence, which Justin thought was ridiculous. They weren’t fooling anyone. Except, perhaps, themselves. But Justin went along with it. Besides, he didn’t want to be any later than he had to be. Brian could dwaddle all he wanted - he was the boss and could afford to wander in whenever he felt like it. Justin could not.
Justin parked the Jeep and went up in the elevator. Everything seemed status quo this afternoon at Kinnetik. There were no client meetings today, or any looming deadlines, both of which always meant a frenzy of activity. So Justin sauntered in, putting on his most casual attitude, and headed directly to his office.
He’d been working on Ramson’s Bonevil campaign. Putting finishing touches to the completed ads and jotting down new ideas for future ones. This was creative work that Justin enjoyed. He knew his work was good and he was proud of it. People might be gossiping about him behind his back, but no one could deny that his work on Ramson was rock solid.
Justin was making some notes to give to Murph when his eye caught something - someone - outside his office. The door was partly shut, so he couldn’t see who it was.
“Come in!” Justin called.
He heard a shuffling and then movement - fast movement - away from his door.
“I know who it is,” Justin said to himself. “I told Brian this would be trouble and it is.”
He got up from his desk and peered out the door. He saw a figure lurking at the end of the hallway. A dark-haired figure.
Justin walked purposefully down the hall. The figure bolted, but there was really nowhere for him to go.
“Gus,” said Justin.
The boy turned around, his face flushed with embarrassment. “Yes, sir. Do you want me for some reason?”
“Yes,” said Justin. “Come with me.”
Gus hung back. “Where?”
“To my office,” Justin said. “Now.”
But the boy dug in his heels. “What for?”
Justin stared him down sternly. “I’d like to speak to you. Follow me.”
Gus followed Justin down the hall and back to his office. Justin went in, but Gus lingered in the doorway.
Justin sat down at his desk. “Come in and shut the door behind you.”
Gus did as he was instructed, but he didn’t come any closer.
“You know who I am, don’t you?” asked Justin.
Gus nodded warily. “Mr. Taylor. From the Art Department.”
“And?”
Gus crossed his arms in front of him. “And what?”
“I’ve known you since the day you were born, so don’t pretend you don’t know who I am,” said Justin. “Because I know you do.”
“You work here at Kinnetik doing art stuff,” said Gus sullenly. “That’s all I know.”
“Don’t bullshit me,” said Justin. “You’ve seen Deb’s photo albums. You’ve seen pictures of me. And of me and your father.”
“So?” Gus said defiantly. “You’re in a bunch of old pictures. Why should I give a shit?”
“Then why have you been lurking outside my door, watching me?” Justin demanded. “Or following me around the office? You might think I don’t know, but you aren’t very subtle about it. If you have something to say to me, or something to ask me, then do it.”
“I don’t have anything to say to you!” Gus retorted. “What would I have to say to someone like you?”
“Someone like me?” Justin’s heart was racing. “What the fuck does that mean?”
Gus made a disgusted face. “I don’t need to tell you. You might be a big deal at Kinnetik, but I know what you’re up to. I know the truth about you.”
“I’m hardly a big deal,” Justin sniffed. “But I would like to know what you think ‘the truth’ about me is. That your father and I lived together once upon a time? That’s obviously not a secret. Deb or Carl or anyone who was around back then could have told you that. Your father could have told you - if he’d wanted to. But you should take that up with him.”
“Yeah, sure,” said Gus. “Make my dad the bad guy! Blame it all on him!”
Justin frowned. “I’m not making Brian into a bad guy. I don’t know what you’re talking about. I also don’t know what you think you know about us, but you might as well spill it, because I’m tired of you stalking me. If you’re going to be working in this office for the summer, I’d prefer there not be any tension between us.”
“There’s no tension between us,” Gus returned. “there’s nothing between us. It’s what’s between you and my dad that’s fucked up!”
Justin took a deep breath. Obviously Gus knew. It had been ridiculous to think he wouldn’t, given the gossipy atmosphere in the office. Damn Brian! They should have been honest with Gus from the start.
“What exactly do you think is going on between your father and me?” Justin said carefully.
“Fucking,” Gus said flatly. “You’re forcing my dad to have sex with you! That’s what’s fucked up!”
At this Justin couldn’t help but burst out laughing.
“You think that’s funny?” Gus spat.
“Yes,” said Justin. “The idea that I’m forcing Brian Kinney to have sex with me is funny. It’s beyond funny. It’s freaking hilarious! No one forces Brian to do anything he doesn’t want to do. That’s Rule Number One in the Brian Kinney Playbook. But if you want to know the truth - yes, we have a relationship, if you want to call it that. Brian wouldn’t, but others would. The real point is that my sex life and your father’s sex life isn’t anyone’s business but our own. If you want to confront anyone about this, then you should talk to Brian.”
“I knew you’d try to weasel out of it,” Gus sneered.
“I’m not weaseling out of anything!” Justin cried. “I’m admitting it. I’ve known your father for as long as you’ve been alive - literally. And that’s as long as we’ve been having sex. That is, except when he was with Ron. You father loved…” Justin paused. It was harder to say the words than he’d thought. “He loved Ron. But Ron is gone. I’m an… an old friend. We feel comfortable together. It’s hard to explain, but that’s the truth. I’m not trying to replace Ron. I know how much you loved him and…”
“Someone like you could never replace Ron, either for me or for Dad!” Gus’s face was red with anger. “You used my dad and hurt him and now you’re trying to do it again!”
Justin was stung. “Who told you I hurt your father?”
Gus’s eyes were cold. “Everybody! I know you lived with him and leeched off him and that you stole from him! And you left him and hurt him. You broke his heart! Thank God my other dad came along and made him happy again. Now Ron’s dead and you’re back again, worming your way into his life. You’re even working at his company, still leeching off him. Why don’t you go away somewhere? Why don’t you get out of Dad’s life and leave him alone? He’s vulnerable and you’re taking advantage of him. You’re a creep and you can’t deny it!”
Justin swallowed. He had no idea how to respond. No idea what to begin to say. “Listen, Gus, let me try to explain. I have no idea what Deb told you, or Michael, or Emmett, or… or whoever, but you don’t know the whole story. It’s complicated…”
“I don’t want to hear any of your bullshit stories,” Gus replied. “Can I get out of here now? I have stuff to do.”
“Yes,” said Justin, feeling like all the air had been kicked out of his body. “You can get out of here. I’m… I’m sorry I bothered you.”
Gus opened the door. “Maybe you’re a boss here and I’m just an intern, but don’t ever try to talk to me again. I suppose you’ll rat me out to Dad. That’s what I’d expect from someone like you. But remember one thing - I’m his son! He loves me. And you… you’re nothing! You’re just a fuck to him. That’s all you’ll ever be, no matter how much you might try to be something more. A creepy, crummy fuck!”
Gus slammed the door behind him, leaving Justin sitting at his desk, shaking.