Straight!Brian
Untitled Straight!Brian Fic
aka: Conviction
Summary: Justin's dad gets him a job working with Brian Kinney, a straight guy with a past. The simple internship turns into something a whole lot more.
Rated: NC-17/Adults Only
Disclaimer: I made Brian "straight". I use those quotations in jest. Also, unbeta-ed like whoa. Characters belong to Cowlip and Showtime, and all those people.
Warnings: heterosexuality, Brian/Other, Justin/Other. References to abuse. Violence.
Prologue -- Chapter 2
Chapters 3 -- 5
Chapters 6 -- 8
Chapters 9 -- 11
Chapters 12 -- 14
Chapters 15 -- 17
Chapters 18 -- 20
Chapter 21 - Forged
--- --- ---
"JUSTIN TAYLOR, Brian?! You're having an affair with a boy I used to BABYSIT! "
Brian watched Lindsay pace back and forth in the living room, her reflection on the blank TV screen swirling and bending and making Brian kind of sick. If her voice wasn't already having the same effect. He wasn't disgusted with her, just... felt like the entire life he had here was somehow obsolete, beyond him. Not him.
"Saves you the trouble of meeting the in-laws," he offered pathetically, and tried to decide whether he should grin or hang his head in shame.
Lindsay stopped pacing and planted her hands on her hips, eyes narrowing at him.
"The in-laws? Brian is this... I mean, you and Justin aren't..." she trailed off, disbelief over her pretty features. Maybe some embarrassment, rage, and a little bit of her own shame there too. "Do you love him?"
Her voice was cracked and whispered, blue eyes round as she watched Brian stand from the couch and walk towards the mantel.
"Yes."
She bowed her head into her hands, maybe crying, Brian wasn't sure.
"And he... loves you?"
She sank down on the couch, her eyes raised to look at him, and Brian nodded.
"When Daddy called me... I didn't want to believe. I mean, it's so... I should have known, right?"
Brian shook his head then and came to sit next to her. Took her hand.
"I don't even know if I knew, Linds, I mean, really knew. The thing with Justin... it came out of nowhere. All of a sudden he was... we were... it felt right. For once in my fucking life."
"And with me, you aren't?" Her tone very very vulnerable, like it was about to shatter into a billion pieces.
Brian grabbed her other hand, pressing her long, manicured nails into his skin and savoring the feel of them.
"Linds, you're my best friend. If nothing, you gave me the freedom to discover this... and I still love you. I hope... I mean, I was sure that even when you found out, you'd still..."
"Love you back."
He blinked slowly in response, looking down into her watery eyes, and hoping that he wasn't too presumptuous to figure that even eventually, Lindsay would be on his side.
"It's too soon, I'm too... overwhelmed, this is just... so fucked. I mean, JUSTIN!?! Brian, what the fuck were you thinking? Even if you feel that you are gay or something... I'd figure you'd experiment with someone your age but JUSTIN TAYLOR?"
And she was back on her feet again. Pacing. Arms waving dramatically. Brian sighed.
"Were you fucking him when we had that dinner? Were you in a relationship with him, right under my nose?!"
"No, Lindsay. Fuck, no."
"Well, then when?" She stopped and stared at him. It was like a song on repeat. "Give me details, Brian! When, why, where. how? Tell me! I think I have the right to know!"
"It started after the accident, when he broke his arm at work. We were talking, and then... he slipped, and I caught him, and then we were kissing and it was... fuck."
"And you've... had sex with him?"
Brian nodded slowly, just twice.
"How was it?"
"Lindsay!" he practically gawked at her. And she looked pretty astonished at herself.
Her cheeks flushed and she looked away, "I'm sorry! I shouldn't have..." her eyes cut back to him, "But how was it?"
"Is."
"What?"
Brian swallowed, "How is it. Present tense. We did it more than once, and I plan on doing it again."
She bowed her head in understanding, hands folding over her biceps as if she were holding herself. Shrugged her shoulders, encouraging him to answer her embarrassingly curious question.
"It's... hot," he grinned slightly, awash with memories. "It's like... he crawls inside my head and becomes apart of me. I've never really had sex like th - "
Interrupted.
Cut off by the sound of a puttering rumble, the squeal of bad brakes, and the slam of car door then. Lindsay tossed aside the curtain to see who had pulled into the driveway.
"It's your father," she said, and Brian felt the flashing panic strike his gut... and then, the steely bolt of courage. Kind of the same steely color Justin's eyes became when he was passionately stubborn about something. Strong.
Jack violently knocked on the front door, and entered without waiting for a response.
Brian was suddenly glad Lindsay had never insisted on getting a screen door. His dad just would have torn it right off. He'd done it before.
"I just got off the phone with Tom. He had quite the story to tell me, son. Can you guess what it was?"
Cruel, cruel face, red and angry; shoulders hunched like he was preparing his fist to fly. Brian couldn't do anything but stare at him. And answer him. Man to man.
"He told you I was gay. That Vance fired me because he caught me having sex with a man in the conference room."
Oh my god, he said the words. Out loud. To his fucking father.
Jack laughed, humorlessly, and Brian saw Lindsay shiver at the sound of it out of the corner of his eye. Her eyes were on Brian - accusing and protecting at the same time.
"Tell me it isn't true. Tell me you're not a fairy, sonnyboy."
"It's true. I am."
Jack hissed, "Fucking FAIRY!"
"Don't call him that!" Lindsay shouted, head whipping to stare at her nearly-father-in-law, "Don't you fucking call him that, Jack."
"Lindsay, sweetheart - that's what he is. A cheating fudge-packer! You like it up the ass, huh? Like a little pussy!?"
"He doesn't deserve that kind of treatment!" She was angry. Her claws had come out. And Jack was puffing himself up for the challenge.
"Well someone should make him feel ashamed of himself!"
"I didn't do it to cheat on Lindsay, Dad. I wasn't trying to hurt her, or whatever the fuck you think I'm capable of in your sick, twisted mind."
"I don't think you're capable of much more than being a stupid fucking disgrace to the Kinney name. If only little Joanie would have had that abortion like I told her to, we never would have had to deal with this bullshit. Never shoulda let her have you. Hurt this poor girl," he pointed at Lindsay, "hurt your mother, fucking embarrassed me. The Peterson's are outta their minds right now, 'cause of you. All because of you, the faggot!"
He slammed his fist into the wall. Lindsay jumped.
Brian was ready to throw off the noose.
--- --- ---
He heard the shouting from the street. The bitter angry words of abortion and faggots. It was like Cody's evil twin and arch-rival. So much anger packed into such small words. Justin found himself hoping that Gus wasn't in that house, that Gus wouldn't be awakened, only a few days old, by the sound of hatred. He hadn't even met the infant yet, but he was apart of Brian, and that meant everything to Justin.
The door was open. Justin could see Jack standing just inside the living room, his fist had just hit the wall, plaster rippling around it. Lindsay's eyes flew to his, and Justin had a brief moment, standing there in the foyer, behind Jack, and wondering if he should run and hide.
Then his eyes met Brian's, and Justin wouldn't run away even if he were offered the world.
"You listen to me Jack. And listen well, because I'm never going to communicate with you again after this," Brian began, voice unwavering and resolved. Entire days and weeks and months and years of his childhood were finally getting purified. Justin had opened the doors, but it was Brian who was taking the steps out into the sunshine. It was all Brian.
"Let's face it- you've always known I was gay, Jack. Always. From the very first day you punched me, to until this day when it was finally put into fucking words for you. And I used to be a coward, I used to let the fea- the ANGER - I had for you, I used to use it to let myself avoid who I actually was. But now... I'm not going to be that person anymore, Jack. I'm QUEER. And whatever that means for Lindsay and me, it's our business. Not yours. Never yours, ever. again.
"So now I'm going to ask you to get the fuck out of my home and my life. And you won't say anything to the young lady standing behind me, and you will ignore the young man standing behind you. Because I'm finished with you."
Jack turned and looked at Justin, his face growing sour and dark.
"Jack!" Brian shouted sharply, "Don't even make EYE-CONTACT with him or I will gladly demonstrate on you your punishment and anger-management techniques that I grew up with."
The old man seemed speechless, finished, for the first time in his life, and practically skulked out of the house, leaving the door wide open behind him, like a mouth that was spewing him out.
"You think it's over?" Justin asked, watching Jack climb into his clunky car and puttering away.
"No. But for now it is. For me, it is." Brian replied, stepping over to watch the car disappear up the street.
Justin turned and looked up at him, "That was twenty-nine years of waiting to have that confrontation."
Brian nodded, rubbed his chin before putting his index finger across Justin's lips, "Wouldn't have happened if it weren't for you."
Lindsay's voice came from the blurred darkness behind Brian, "Justin, may I have a word, please?"
She jerked her head in the direction of the back porch, and waited for Justin to acknowledge her and obey before she lead him to the steps, overlooking a green and sprawling backyard.
"I feel like you're about to write down my name on that little notebook you used to have, and write down how I misbehaved so my mommy can ground me," joked Justin feebly, heavily sitting down next to her soft, post-pregnancy body.
"You're in more trouble than that."
"If it helps, I love him, Lindsay. More than I've ever loved any man in my entire life."
Lindsay smiled faintly, gazed out towards the horizon as she spoke,
"He said something kind of like that about you." She paused, glanced over at him, waiting for his reaction. Didn't get one and continued, "And you're not surprised."
Justin shrugged, "I know he loves me. I am secure in what we have."
Her eyes returned to the horizon. "I was never secure. Ever. And then you weasel your way in, and are completely satisfied, completely trusting in what he feels for you, and what you two have created together. It makes me feel..."
She trailed off or choked up, and Justin felt the shame rush into his gut.
"Linds, I didn't mean.... I mean, I wasn't trying to..." he took a breath, "It had nothing to do with you, or the families."
"I know."
"Do you... Do you hate me?"
"No, I don't," her voice was reassurance and gentle piano music, and the orchestra strings rose in a relieved crescendo inside of Justin, "I'm hurt. I won't deny it. It wouldn't be right if I wasn't. But I guess... part of me is glad that this whole lie is over."
"He wasn't trying to lie. He just wasn't ready yet."
"And I know that. I... accept it," she combed her fingers through her hair, leaned her forehead on her palms, "Shit. I should feel more... betrayed or something, shouldn't I? Like, isn't my self-esteem supposed to plummet because I feel like I can't be good enough for my fiancee? Aren't I supposed to have the sudden urge to call Oprah to get some sort of counselling on national TV?"
Justin chuckled at his words, and it must have been infectious because soon she was laughing with him, a chattery, relieved sound. Tears were in her eyes, and Justin slung his arm over her shoulders.
"What'd your father have to say to you?" Lindsay asked him. Justin rolled his lips and sighed.
"We aren't speaking."
"It went that well, huh?"
Justin laughed, "Yeah..."
"Our parents think we're all nuts. My parents yelled about suing Brian for being gay, Brian's dad came over to beat it out of him, and your father is pretending you don't exist. We ARE fucking nuts, aren't we?"
"Only in the best way. Who cares what the fuck anyone thinks, that's my new motto."
Brian's voice came from behind them, door creaking as it swung open on it's hinges, and Brian's long body folded itsself to sit down between Justin and Lindsay. A small bundle wiggled in the cradle of his arms. "Justin, meet Gus."
Justin stared in awe at the baby's small face, and huge hazel eyes. Brian grinned faintly at him and passed the infant over, all cotton and small warm body. Gentle and watchful, father's hands to lover's.
"Oh my god, he's incredible," Justin breathed, his nose touching the end of Gus's. He felt Brian's hand on the back of his neck, fingers tangled in the shaggy hair at his nape. Justin looked up at him, strong and knowing, and the world shifted into final focus.
"Brian..." is all he could say and Brian nodded at him, lips curved in a soft smile; expression bright, open...
And pure.
THE END.
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E P I L O G U E ::
Brian's subconscious image for the future wasn't that far off. It was everything he secretly wanted, and more. Like when you go to a much-anticipated movie with low expectations and feel warmly surprised at how good it was afterwards.
"Daphne, how many times do I have to tell you to get your fucking feet off of my very expensive coffee table?"
"At least one more time, Brian!" she replied cheekily, raising her bottle of Snapple in salute.
"Justin, did you finish those boards for Eyeconic?"
"Yes, Cynthia took them to be matted." His voice was low and bemused as he sat on the couch next to Daphne, perusing through a magazine and pointing out advertisements that he admired to his friend.
"What about - "
"I took care of it, they'll be here by two," Justin said without looking up. Flipped a page.
"Did - "
"Yes."
"You don't even know what I was going to say."
"Of course I do," He finally raised his chin and looked at Brian as he got up off the sofa. "Relax. You're being anal. "
"Yeah, lucky for you," muttered Brian, shuffling through his papers.
Justin chuckled and settled on the edge of the small [and also very expensive, goddamnit ] conference table in Brian's office.
"Stop freaking out. We're business partners for a reason, remember? I've got your back."
"Twat."
Justin grinned slyly in Brian's direction. "You better hope not."
Brian smirked back at him, and sauntered across the expansive room, glowing white and pristine business art deco, to join his smug blond partner, lounging so casually on the table.
"Partners," Brian repeated. "Took me hell of a long time to admit that."
"Two years. Well worth it."
They kissed, soft and slow, tongues touching lightly. Tasting and savoring.
"Mmmm," Justin hummed through his nose as he pulled back and licked his lips, "When's Linds bringing Gus over?"
Brian glanced at his watch. "'bout an hour. He's staying with us all weekend... Linds has a hot date."
He rolled his eyes at the last word, and pushed his nose against Justin's cheek.
"Male or female?"
"Who knows?" Brian shrugged, "I don't care, as long as she's happy."
"And I don't care as long as you are."
"Are you offering to give me a happy, kid?"
Daphne spoke up, mouth full of potato chips,"Can you guys wait until I leave? Or at least until I get a camcorder?"
Brian groaned and let his forehead fall to Justin's shoulder with a frustrated thump. "Daphne, you know, lunch break is over. You can go whenever you want."
"I thought you liked me here."
"I do. And truth is, when you're gone you're all I ever think about. I fantasize about you when I'm making love to my boyfriend. But I feel that absence makes the heart grow fonder, don't you agree darling?"
Daphne laughed and waved him off. "Okay, okay, I got it. See you tonight at our secret rendezvous?"
"Can't wait!" he said with big fake grin that was sarcastic, playful, and affectionate all at one time.
She practically skipped over to give them both innocent pecks, brown curls bouncing, and winked on her way out the door. Justin shook his head with a smile, cheeks flushed and eyes sparkling.
"You two are priceless. One of these times I should demand you act on all this verbal foreplay."
"Why? Wanna watch?" He slid his hand into Justin's pants, "Does it make you hard?"
"YOU make me hard. What is it about us and offices, huh?" Justin chuffed in a laugh against Brian's neck.
"Must be our kink. Our aphrodisiac," purred Brian, stroking Justin's cock.
"I mean, seriously - " he cut off to groan, "we have sex in offices more than we do in our own bed. Our first fucking time was in your office. Jesus, Brian, that feels amazing."
"I know," Brian said smugly, hand moving from dick to balls to ass, in long, sure sweeps. Over and over until he was using the moisture from Justin's cock to slick his hole.
"I hate to interrupt, boys, " Cynthia's voice buzzed over the intercom, "But the fine partners of Kinnetik have a meeting with Liberty Air in about fifteen minutes, and I was thinking they should probably be presentable for it. So um, Brian? Remove your fingers from Justin's ass so he can get the boards from the art department."
Brian growled something about firing Cynthia and telling Liberty Air to fuck off, because his dick was fucking hard, goddamnit, but Justin shut him up with a long winding tongue shoved into his mouth.'
"Success gets you hot, Kinney, don't deny it," Justin murmured, sucking Brian's spit from his lips.
He shrugged in response, admitting that Justin was right without words.
The decorative glass doors on the other side of the room rattled with a knock, and Cynthia yelled through them "Fourteen minutes!"
Brian pulled his hand from Justin's pants. "We're continuing this later."
"Like it's even an option not to," Justin joked, sticking his tongue out.
"Don't tempt me, Sunshine. Next time you stick your tongue out, I'm eating it."
"We have to wait until our son falls asleep before we go at it tonight, you know."
"Well, you know what they say..."
Justin zipped up his pants and put his hands on Brian's shoulders, tilting their foreheads together, "Absence makes the heart grown fonder?"
Brian shook his head and rolled his lips in amusement.
"Punctuality is a virtue?"
Brian laughed.
"Anticipation is half the fun?"
He shook his head again, their noses nudging into each other's.
"Hmmm... I love you?"
"No, that's just what I say."
Justin grinned, "Well, luckily, I think they are fucking morons. I'm only interested in what you have to say."
"I knew I hired a smart kid."
And they kissed until Cynthia barged in with their five-minute warning.
T H E E N D (for realz, yo. This is it. Straight!Brian, signing off.)
-- -- --
For riddlev who believed enough to write haikus and cheers, and _pocket_rocket_ who named it.
aka: Conviction
Summary: Justin's dad gets him a job working with Brian Kinney, a straight guy with a past. The simple internship turns into something a whole lot more.
Rated: NC-17/Adults Only
Disclaimer: I made Brian "straight". I use those quotations in jest. Also, unbeta-ed like whoa. Characters belong to Cowlip and Showtime, and all those people.
Warnings: heterosexuality, Brian/Other, Justin/Other. References to abuse. Violence.
Prologue -- Chapter 2
Chapters 3 -- 5
Chapters 6 -- 8
Chapters 9 -- 11
Chapters 12 -- 14
Chapters 15 -- 17
Chapters 18 -- 20
Chapter 21 - Forged
--- --- ---
"JUSTIN TAYLOR, Brian?! You're having an affair with a boy I used to BABYSIT! "
Brian watched Lindsay pace back and forth in the living room, her reflection on the blank TV screen swirling and bending and making Brian kind of sick. If her voice wasn't already having the same effect. He wasn't disgusted with her, just... felt like the entire life he had here was somehow obsolete, beyond him. Not him.
"Saves you the trouble of meeting the in-laws," he offered pathetically, and tried to decide whether he should grin or hang his head in shame.
Lindsay stopped pacing and planted her hands on her hips, eyes narrowing at him.
"The in-laws? Brian is this... I mean, you and Justin aren't..." she trailed off, disbelief over her pretty features. Maybe some embarrassment, rage, and a little bit of her own shame there too. "Do you love him?"
Her voice was cracked and whispered, blue eyes round as she watched Brian stand from the couch and walk towards the mantel.
"Yes."
She bowed her head into her hands, maybe crying, Brian wasn't sure.
"And he... loves you?"
She sank down on the couch, her eyes raised to look at him, and Brian nodded.
"When Daddy called me... I didn't want to believe. I mean, it's so... I should have known, right?"
Brian shook his head then and came to sit next to her. Took her hand.
"I don't even know if I knew, Linds, I mean, really knew. The thing with Justin... it came out of nowhere. All of a sudden he was... we were... it felt right. For once in my fucking life."
"And with me, you aren't?" Her tone very very vulnerable, like it was about to shatter into a billion pieces.
Brian grabbed her other hand, pressing her long, manicured nails into his skin and savoring the feel of them.
"Linds, you're my best friend. If nothing, you gave me the freedom to discover this... and I still love you. I hope... I mean, I was sure that even when you found out, you'd still..."
"Love you back."
He blinked slowly in response, looking down into her watery eyes, and hoping that he wasn't too presumptuous to figure that even eventually, Lindsay would be on his side.
"It's too soon, I'm too... overwhelmed, this is just... so fucked. I mean, JUSTIN!?! Brian, what the fuck were you thinking? Even if you feel that you are gay or something... I'd figure you'd experiment with someone your age but JUSTIN TAYLOR?"
And she was back on her feet again. Pacing. Arms waving dramatically. Brian sighed.
"Were you fucking him when we had that dinner? Were you in a relationship with him, right under my nose?!"
"No, Lindsay. Fuck, no."
"Well, then when?" She stopped and stared at him. It was like a song on repeat. "Give me details, Brian! When, why, where. how? Tell me! I think I have the right to know!"
"It started after the accident, when he broke his arm at work. We were talking, and then... he slipped, and I caught him, and then we were kissing and it was... fuck."
"And you've... had sex with him?"
Brian nodded slowly, just twice.
"How was it?"
"Lindsay!" he practically gawked at her. And she looked pretty astonished at herself.
Her cheeks flushed and she looked away, "I'm sorry! I shouldn't have..." her eyes cut back to him, "But how was it?"
"Is."
"What?"
Brian swallowed, "How is it. Present tense. We did it more than once, and I plan on doing it again."
She bowed her head in understanding, hands folding over her biceps as if she were holding herself. Shrugged her shoulders, encouraging him to answer her embarrassingly curious question.
"It's... hot," he grinned slightly, awash with memories. "It's like... he crawls inside my head and becomes apart of me. I've never really had sex like th - "
Interrupted.
Cut off by the sound of a puttering rumble, the squeal of bad brakes, and the slam of car door then. Lindsay tossed aside the curtain to see who had pulled into the driveway.
"It's your father," she said, and Brian felt the flashing panic strike his gut... and then, the steely bolt of courage. Kind of the same steely color Justin's eyes became when he was passionately stubborn about something. Strong.
Jack violently knocked on the front door, and entered without waiting for a response.
Brian was suddenly glad Lindsay had never insisted on getting a screen door. His dad just would have torn it right off. He'd done it before.
"I just got off the phone with Tom. He had quite the story to tell me, son. Can you guess what it was?"
Cruel, cruel face, red and angry; shoulders hunched like he was preparing his fist to fly. Brian couldn't do anything but stare at him. And answer him. Man to man.
"He told you I was gay. That Vance fired me because he caught me having sex with a man in the conference room."
Oh my god, he said the words. Out loud. To his fucking father.
Jack laughed, humorlessly, and Brian saw Lindsay shiver at the sound of it out of the corner of his eye. Her eyes were on Brian - accusing and protecting at the same time.
"Tell me it isn't true. Tell me you're not a fairy, sonnyboy."
"It's true. I am."
Jack hissed, "Fucking FAIRY!"
"Don't call him that!" Lindsay shouted, head whipping to stare at her nearly-father-in-law, "Don't you fucking call him that, Jack."
"Lindsay, sweetheart - that's what he is. A cheating fudge-packer! You like it up the ass, huh? Like a little pussy!?"
"He doesn't deserve that kind of treatment!" She was angry. Her claws had come out. And Jack was puffing himself up for the challenge.
"Well someone should make him feel ashamed of himself!"
"I didn't do it to cheat on Lindsay, Dad. I wasn't trying to hurt her, or whatever the fuck you think I'm capable of in your sick, twisted mind."
"I don't think you're capable of much more than being a stupid fucking disgrace to the Kinney name. If only little Joanie would have had that abortion like I told her to, we never would have had to deal with this bullshit. Never shoulda let her have you. Hurt this poor girl," he pointed at Lindsay, "hurt your mother, fucking embarrassed me. The Peterson's are outta their minds right now, 'cause of you. All because of you, the faggot!"
He slammed his fist into the wall. Lindsay jumped.
Brian was ready to throw off the noose.
--- --- ---
He heard the shouting from the street. The bitter angry words of abortion and faggots. It was like Cody's evil twin and arch-rival. So much anger packed into such small words. Justin found himself hoping that Gus wasn't in that house, that Gus wouldn't be awakened, only a few days old, by the sound of hatred. He hadn't even met the infant yet, but he was apart of Brian, and that meant everything to Justin.
The door was open. Justin could see Jack standing just inside the living room, his fist had just hit the wall, plaster rippling around it. Lindsay's eyes flew to his, and Justin had a brief moment, standing there in the foyer, behind Jack, and wondering if he should run and hide.
Then his eyes met Brian's, and Justin wouldn't run away even if he were offered the world.
"You listen to me Jack. And listen well, because I'm never going to communicate with you again after this," Brian began, voice unwavering and resolved. Entire days and weeks and months and years of his childhood were finally getting purified. Justin had opened the doors, but it was Brian who was taking the steps out into the sunshine. It was all Brian.
"Let's face it- you've always known I was gay, Jack. Always. From the very first day you punched me, to until this day when it was finally put into fucking words for you. And I used to be a coward, I used to let the fea- the ANGER - I had for you, I used to use it to let myself avoid who I actually was. But now... I'm not going to be that person anymore, Jack. I'm QUEER. And whatever that means for Lindsay and me, it's our business. Not yours. Never yours, ever. again.
"So now I'm going to ask you to get the fuck out of my home and my life. And you won't say anything to the young lady standing behind me, and you will ignore the young man standing behind you. Because I'm finished with you."
Jack turned and looked at Justin, his face growing sour and dark.
"Jack!" Brian shouted sharply, "Don't even make EYE-CONTACT with him or I will gladly demonstrate on you your punishment and anger-management techniques that I grew up with."
The old man seemed speechless, finished, for the first time in his life, and practically skulked out of the house, leaving the door wide open behind him, like a mouth that was spewing him out.
"You think it's over?" Justin asked, watching Jack climb into his clunky car and puttering away.
"No. But for now it is. For me, it is." Brian replied, stepping over to watch the car disappear up the street.
Justin turned and looked up at him, "That was twenty-nine years of waiting to have that confrontation."
Brian nodded, rubbed his chin before putting his index finger across Justin's lips, "Wouldn't have happened if it weren't for you."
Lindsay's voice came from the blurred darkness behind Brian, "Justin, may I have a word, please?"
She jerked her head in the direction of the back porch, and waited for Justin to acknowledge her and obey before she lead him to the steps, overlooking a green and sprawling backyard.
"I feel like you're about to write down my name on that little notebook you used to have, and write down how I misbehaved so my mommy can ground me," joked Justin feebly, heavily sitting down next to her soft, post-pregnancy body.
"You're in more trouble than that."
"If it helps, I love him, Lindsay. More than I've ever loved any man in my entire life."
Lindsay smiled faintly, gazed out towards the horizon as she spoke,
"He said something kind of like that about you." She paused, glanced over at him, waiting for his reaction. Didn't get one and continued, "And you're not surprised."
Justin shrugged, "I know he loves me. I am secure in what we have."
Her eyes returned to the horizon. "I was never secure. Ever. And then you weasel your way in, and are completely satisfied, completely trusting in what he feels for you, and what you two have created together. It makes me feel..."
She trailed off or choked up, and Justin felt the shame rush into his gut.
"Linds, I didn't mean.... I mean, I wasn't trying to..." he took a breath, "It had nothing to do with you, or the families."
"I know."
"Do you... Do you hate me?"
"No, I don't," her voice was reassurance and gentle piano music, and the orchestra strings rose in a relieved crescendo inside of Justin, "I'm hurt. I won't deny it. It wouldn't be right if I wasn't. But I guess... part of me is glad that this whole lie is over."
"He wasn't trying to lie. He just wasn't ready yet."
"And I know that. I... accept it," she combed her fingers through her hair, leaned her forehead on her palms, "Shit. I should feel more... betrayed or something, shouldn't I? Like, isn't my self-esteem supposed to plummet because I feel like I can't be good enough for my fiancee? Aren't I supposed to have the sudden urge to call Oprah to get some sort of counselling on national TV?"
Justin chuckled at his words, and it must have been infectious because soon she was laughing with him, a chattery, relieved sound. Tears were in her eyes, and Justin slung his arm over her shoulders.
"What'd your father have to say to you?" Lindsay asked him. Justin rolled his lips and sighed.
"We aren't speaking."
"It went that well, huh?"
Justin laughed, "Yeah..."
"Our parents think we're all nuts. My parents yelled about suing Brian for being gay, Brian's dad came over to beat it out of him, and your father is pretending you don't exist. We ARE fucking nuts, aren't we?"
"Only in the best way. Who cares what the fuck anyone thinks, that's my new motto."
Brian's voice came from behind them, door creaking as it swung open on it's hinges, and Brian's long body folded itsself to sit down between Justin and Lindsay. A small bundle wiggled in the cradle of his arms. "Justin, meet Gus."
Justin stared in awe at the baby's small face, and huge hazel eyes. Brian grinned faintly at him and passed the infant over, all cotton and small warm body. Gentle and watchful, father's hands to lover's.
"Oh my god, he's incredible," Justin breathed, his nose touching the end of Gus's. He felt Brian's hand on the back of his neck, fingers tangled in the shaggy hair at his nape. Justin looked up at him, strong and knowing, and the world shifted into final focus.
"Brian..." is all he could say and Brian nodded at him, lips curved in a soft smile; expression bright, open...
And pure.
THE END.
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E P I L O G U E ::
Brian's subconscious image for the future wasn't that far off. It was everything he secretly wanted, and more. Like when you go to a much-anticipated movie with low expectations and feel warmly surprised at how good it was afterwards.
"Daphne, how many times do I have to tell you to get your fucking feet off of my very expensive coffee table?"
"At least one more time, Brian!" she replied cheekily, raising her bottle of Snapple in salute.
"Justin, did you finish those boards for Eyeconic?"
"Yes, Cynthia took them to be matted." His voice was low and bemused as he sat on the couch next to Daphne, perusing through a magazine and pointing out advertisements that he admired to his friend.
"What about - "
"I took care of it, they'll be here by two," Justin said without looking up. Flipped a page.
"Did - "
"Yes."
"You don't even know what I was going to say."
"Of course I do," He finally raised his chin and looked at Brian as he got up off the sofa. "Relax. You're being anal. "
"Yeah, lucky for you," muttered Brian, shuffling through his papers.
Justin chuckled and settled on the edge of the small [and also very expensive, goddamnit ] conference table in Brian's office.
"Stop freaking out. We're business partners for a reason, remember? I've got your back."
"Twat."
Justin grinned slyly in Brian's direction. "You better hope not."
Brian smirked back at him, and sauntered across the expansive room, glowing white and pristine business art deco, to join his smug blond partner, lounging so casually on the table.
"Partners," Brian repeated. "Took me hell of a long time to admit that."
"Two years. Well worth it."
They kissed, soft and slow, tongues touching lightly. Tasting and savoring.
"Mmmm," Justin hummed through his nose as he pulled back and licked his lips, "When's Linds bringing Gus over?"
Brian glanced at his watch. "'bout an hour. He's staying with us all weekend... Linds has a hot date."
He rolled his eyes at the last word, and pushed his nose against Justin's cheek.
"Male or female?"
"Who knows?" Brian shrugged, "I don't care, as long as she's happy."
"And I don't care as long as you are."
"Are you offering to give me a happy, kid?"
Daphne spoke up, mouth full of potato chips,"Can you guys wait until I leave? Or at least until I get a camcorder?"
Brian groaned and let his forehead fall to Justin's shoulder with a frustrated thump. "Daphne, you know, lunch break is over. You can go whenever you want."
"I thought you liked me here."
"I do. And truth is, when you're gone you're all I ever think about. I fantasize about you when I'm making love to my boyfriend. But I feel that absence makes the heart grow fonder, don't you agree darling?"
Daphne laughed and waved him off. "Okay, okay, I got it. See you tonight at our secret rendezvous?"
"Can't wait!" he said with big fake grin that was sarcastic, playful, and affectionate all at one time.
She practically skipped over to give them both innocent pecks, brown curls bouncing, and winked on her way out the door. Justin shook his head with a smile, cheeks flushed and eyes sparkling.
"You two are priceless. One of these times I should demand you act on all this verbal foreplay."
"Why? Wanna watch?" He slid his hand into Justin's pants, "Does it make you hard?"
"YOU make me hard. What is it about us and offices, huh?" Justin chuffed in a laugh against Brian's neck.
"Must be our kink. Our aphrodisiac," purred Brian, stroking Justin's cock.
"I mean, seriously - " he cut off to groan, "we have sex in offices more than we do in our own bed. Our first fucking time was in your office. Jesus, Brian, that feels amazing."
"I know," Brian said smugly, hand moving from dick to balls to ass, in long, sure sweeps. Over and over until he was using the moisture from Justin's cock to slick his hole.
"I hate to interrupt, boys, " Cynthia's voice buzzed over the intercom, "But the fine partners of Kinnetik have a meeting with Liberty Air in about fifteen minutes, and I was thinking they should probably be presentable for it. So um, Brian? Remove your fingers from Justin's ass so he can get the boards from the art department."
Brian growled something about firing Cynthia and telling Liberty Air to fuck off, because his dick was fucking hard, goddamnit, but Justin shut him up with a long winding tongue shoved into his mouth.'
"Success gets you hot, Kinney, don't deny it," Justin murmured, sucking Brian's spit from his lips.
He shrugged in response, admitting that Justin was right without words.
The decorative glass doors on the other side of the room rattled with a knock, and Cynthia yelled through them "Fourteen minutes!"
Brian pulled his hand from Justin's pants. "We're continuing this later."
"Like it's even an option not to," Justin joked, sticking his tongue out.
"Don't tempt me, Sunshine. Next time you stick your tongue out, I'm eating it."
"We have to wait until our son falls asleep before we go at it tonight, you know."
"Well, you know what they say..."
Justin zipped up his pants and put his hands on Brian's shoulders, tilting their foreheads together, "Absence makes the heart grown fonder?"
Brian shook his head and rolled his lips in amusement.
"Punctuality is a virtue?"
Brian laughed.
"Anticipation is half the fun?"
He shook his head again, their noses nudging into each other's.
"Hmmm... I love you?"
"No, that's just what I say."
Justin grinned, "Well, luckily, I think they are fucking morons. I'm only interested in what you have to say."
"I knew I hired a smart kid."
And they kissed until Cynthia barged in with their five-minute warning.
T H E E N D (for realz, yo. This is it. Straight!Brian, signing off.)
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For riddlev who believed enough to write haikus and cheers, and _pocket_rocket_ who named it.