Making it Through Another Summer: Chapter 10
Making it Through the Summer & Making it Through Another Summer
by Kim
Making it Through Another Summer
Chapter 10
Thursday, April 15th
10:30 a.m.
Brian's Office
Kinnetik
Brian was sitting in his office, reviewing his latest notes for Brown Athletics when Ted entered carrying a stack of papers.
"Let me guess. You have my tax return?" Brian surmised. April 15th had not gone unnoticed by him.
"Good guess," Ted said before handing Brian his return along with Kinnetik's.
"Jill Forge assured me that everything is in order. Is that your assessment, Theodore?" Brian wanted to make sure there were no fuck-ups this time around.
"I had adequate time to review the returns and I'm confident they are accurate."
"Good," Brian nodded as he thumbed through his own return. "Christ, could Uncle Sam have taxed me any fucking more this year?"
"Well, you are in the highest marginal tax bracket," Ted pointed out. "And having the loft paid off doesn't help matters in terms of your itemized deductions," he added.
"Obviously," Brian rolled his eyes.
"You could always move. Perhaps purchase something larger?" Ted suggested.
"Move?" Brian was horrified he would even make such a suggestion.
"Well, it was just a thought," the accountant grimaced.
"An insane one. Justin and I are more than happy at the loft. There's no way in hell we're moving into some godforsaken breeder neighborhood like yours," Brian declared.
"I should have known better than to have made such an undignified suggestion."
"That's right you should have," Brian agreed. "While you're here, Theodore, why don't you give me Justin's return as well," he motioned to the papers Ted was still holding.
"I, uh, can uh, take it to his office," Ted offered uncomfortably.
"I don't think so, Theodore. He'd rather not waste his time dealing with pathetic backstabbers."
"Brian, that's really uncalled..."
"I think not," Brian cut him off. "Now hand me his return and I'll have Cynthia send the signed copies to you later this afternoon," he instructed. "Oh and Ted, do yourself a favor and stay the fuck away from him for the next few weeks."
"Will do, Brian," Ted promised regretfully as he handed his boss Justin's return. It was obvious he had his work cut out for him when it came to repairing his relationship with the couple.
8:00 p.m.
The Loft
Returning home from the office, Brian set his briefcase down and headed into the bedroom to change. With Justin in class, he hoped to get in a few miles on the treadmill before the blond returned home. As he pulled on a pair of Adidas track pants, his eyes fell on the sketchbook resting on Justin's nightstand. While there was nothing unusual about finding Justin's sketchbooks in various places throughout the loft, Brian couldn't help but think back to the odd way Justin had acted a few nights before.
Curious, Brian reached for the sketchbook and sat on the bed. As he opened the book and began flipping through the pages, Brian's eyes widened in shock. The last thing he expected to see were pages filled with either half-finished sketches or scribbled out drawings. He immediately wondered if something might be wrong with Justin.
Brian attempted to rationalize the idea that his lover could merely be suffering from a dry spell. Wasn't it normal for artists to go through occasional phases like this? Yet, for whatever reason, Brian couldn't shake the feeling that it was more than a creative drought. While he wanted to help, Brian wasn't sure if there was anything he could do, at least not until Justin chose to confide in him.
Friday
1:00 p.m.
Brian's Office
Kinnetik
Returning to the office from a lunch meeting with Liberty Air, Brian paced his office thinking about his discovery the night before. After finding Justin's sketches, he had decided to ask him about school, hoping his partner might provide some clues regarding his behavior. However, Justin had been vague in his responses, complaining that he was tired from a long day at work and school and wasn't in the mood to discuss PIFA. Normally Brian would have believed his excuse, but now he wondered if Justin had intentionally been avoiding the conversation. He couldn't help but recall the blond's hesitation over Rage. While he knew Justin's schedule was busy, Brian had a sneaking suspicion that Justin's reluctance to start the new issue was somehow related to what he had observed in his sketchbook. Concerned for his partner, Brian wondered if perhaps he should bump up their trip to Ibiza. However, before he could consider the option further, Cynthia burst into his office.
"I see you still haven't grasped the concept of knocking," Brian observed dryly, turning his thoughts away from Justin.
"Who gives a fuck about knocking? The nominees for the Clio Awards were just announced!" Cynthia announced excitedly, referring to the most prestigious and coveted awards in the advertising industry.
"I see it's that time of year again," Brian observed.
"That it is, and you'll never guess who just got nominated."
"Yours truly," Brian offered in a smug voice. He knew his fall campaign for Liberty Air was a stronger contender for a nomination.
"I'm afraid Mr. Kinney you're not the only person in this agency worthy of Clio," Cynthia revealed as Brian raised an eyebrow in shock. "Kinnetik has a new star, and his name is Justin Taylor."
"Justin?" Brian stared back at his assistant in disbelief.
"Isn't it amazing?" Cynthia gushed. "Apparently he's made quite an impression with the campaign he did for Sherbourne Hotels last fall."
"I don't believe this," Brian shook his head with incredulity. The Sherbourne account had been his. The only reason Justin had worked on the campaign was that Brian had been swamped with Liberty Air at the time and had known Jake Connolly wouldn't have a problem placing the fall campaign in Justin's capable hands.
"Aren't you excited for him?" Cynthia questioned, surprised by her boss' unenthusiastic reaction.
"Yeah, sure," Brian shrugged, attempting to downplay his displeasure over Justin's nomination.
"Justin doesn't know about the nomination yet, but August just spoke to him and he's on his way to the office. A group of us are going to surprise him in the boardroom with champagne," Cynthia explained as Brian walked toward his desk and picked up a file. "I assume you'll be joining us?"
"We'll see." Brian chose to remain noncommittal. He was still trying to take in the shock of Justin's nomination. He couldn't believe the nominating committee had overlooked his fall campaign for Liberty Air, and had nominated Justin's Sherbourne campaign instead. He was Brian Kinney for fuck's sake, advertising genius extraordinaire and previous winner of five Clio Awards. Justin was a twenty-one year old kid. While he possessed a natural flair for the business, Brian felt he still had a hell of a lot to learn.
"August and I expect you to be there," Cynthia stated in a tone that brooked no argument. "He is your partner after all, and I don't just mean business partner," she added before stalking out of his office.
2:00 p.m.
The Lobby
Kinnetik
As Justin entered Kinnetik, he couldn't help but think of an upcoming project he had for one of his painting classes. Once again, he hadn't a clue as to what he was going to paint. While the project wasn't due for a few weeks, the sooner he came up with an idea, the sooner he could start it. The last thing he wanted was to be stuck at the very last minute desperately trying to come up with an idea.
"Justin! Thank goodness you're here!" August ran over to the blond. "Brendan and Nathan are in the boardroom fighting like cats and dogs over the campaign for DuFresne Realty. I think you're going to have to intervene."
"Shit." Solving a dispute between two friends was not on the top of his priority list for the afternoon.
"You better hurry in there quick," August stated, eager for his boss to witness his surprise.
"Alright, I'm on my way," Justin sighed.
***
"Surprise!"
"Holy shit," Justin whispered in shock. He had entered the boardroom expecting to see Nathan and Brendan. The last thing he expected was to discover Kinnetik's entire staff assembled before him.
"Congratulations Justin!" Cynthia exclaimed.
"Huh?" Confused, Justin stared at Brian's assistant.
"The Clio Awards were announced this afternoon," Brendan said, as he came up and put an arm around his friend.
"So." The blond still wasn't sure why everyone was gathered in the boardroom.
"So," Nathan grinned. "You just happen to be the youngest nominee in the history of the awards," he announced causing the room to break out into applause and cheers.
"You're kidding, right?"
"Do we look like we're kidding, sweetie?" August questioned as he uncorked the champagne bottle he and Cynthia had brought in with them.
"No, I guess you're not. What campaign was it for?"
"Sherbourne Hotels," Cynthia responded.
"That's fantastic. I can't wait to tell Jake and Sean," Justin beamed.
"I'm sure they'll be equally excited," Brendan commented before he and Nathan reached for their champagne flutes and proceeded to propose a toast to Justin.
***
"Congratulations Justin," Cynthia gave the artist a warm hug after the toast had been completed.
"Thanks Cyn. Does Brian know?"
"Uh, yes," Cynthia replied in a tight voice.
"Where is he?" Brian's absence had not gone unnoticed.
"I believe something came up with Liberty Air. However, he should be in his office."
"I guess I'll just have to convince him to join the party," Justin declared, eager to share his excitement with his partner while Cynthia couldn't help but frown in response. She had an idea why Brian had been reluctant to join the party, and only hoped her boss would stop licking his wounds for a minute to share in Justin's joy.
2:30 p.m.
Brian's Office
"The ads are good to run?" Brian questioned Eric Frasier as he studied a set of proofs for Liberty Air. He had decided against joining Justin's celebration in the boardroom and had chosen instead to finalize a few last minute details for his campaign.
"They're all set," Frasier assured.
"Good," Brian suddenly looked up from the proofs to see Justin enter his office, beaming from ear to ear.
"Hey Justin," Eric greeted the blond. "Congratulations on your nomination. I think it's fantastic."
"Thanks," the blond gave his trademark smile.
"I can't wait to call Jake and Sean Connolly. They are going to be utterly thrilled. I'm anxious to start their summer campaign. I..."
"Are these rates firm?" Brian interrupted his partner to question Frasier further about the ads.
"As firm as you can get."
"Did you hear what I just said?" Justin turned towards Brian. He couldn't believe the man was ignoring his news.
"You're excited to tell Jake and Sean about the nomination and are eager to start work on their next campaign," Brian replied, turning his attention back to Frasier. "Tell them we'll book the next 3 issues but to knock off 15%," he instructed, walking toward his desk.
"Sure thing Brian," Frasier promised before leaving Brian's office.
***
"Aren't you proud of me?" Justin demanded in excitement. "I'm going to be an amazing success. How about we go to Babylon later to celebrate?" he invited.
"No can do Sunshine. I have a shit load of work to get through this weekend before I leave for Chicago." The last thing Brian was in the mood to do was celebrate his lover's nomination.
"Oh," Justin couldn't mask the look of disappointment that washed over his face. A look that didn't go unnoticed by Brian. "I uh, guess I'll see you later," he shrugged before turning to leave.
Realizing he was acting like a selfish asshole, Brian decided it wouldn't hurt to appease the blond somewhat. "Hey, Trump," he called out to his partner. "One drink."
"One drink," Justin nodded with his trademark smile. "Later," he offered over his shoulder before walking out of Brian's office.
"Later, Sunshine," Brian murmured in response. While he was less than thrilled about Justin's nomination, he supposed having one celebratory drink wouldn't kill him.
Saturday Morning
3:00 a.m.
The Loft Garage
Justin's celebratory drink had ended up turning into more than just a single drink. While Brian hadn't been thrilled with this development, he hadn't the heart to ruin his lover's evening. Luckily, after a heated session with Justin in the backroom, Brian had soon forgotten his issues over the artist's nomination.
"What the fuck is this?" Brian uttered in disbelief as he pulled the BMW into the loft's garage only to find a bright red Maserati Coupe Cambiocorsa parked in his parking space.
"A car?" Justin offered with a drunken giggle. He was still somewhat tipsy from their celebration at Babylon.
"I know it's a goddamn car," Brian growled in irritation. "What I would like to know is what the fuck it is doing in my parking space."
"Maybe someone parked it there by mistake?"
"I think that's obvious, Sunshine," Brian retorted sarcastically. "Mistake or not, I'm not about to park my car in the street. I just had the fucking thing detailed and I'm not going to have some bird shit on it. Go get your keys," he instructed, deciding that for now Justin could park the Jeep in the street while he parked the BMW in the Jeep's normal spot.
"Brian," Justin groaned. He wanted to go to bed, not play musical parking spots.
"Justin, now," Brian ordered in a tone that meant business.
"Fine," the blond gave a dramatic sigh. "But if a bird shits on my car, you owe me a car wash and at least six blow-jobs."
"Alright, just get the fucking keys," Brian muttered in exasperation, not at all in the mood to deal with the situation.
***
"I don't care if it was a fucking mistake!" Brian yelled into the phone fifteen minutes later. After moving the Jeep onto the street and parking the BMW in the garage, Brian had stormed into the loft, eager to resolve the intolerable mix-up.
"Brian," Justin groaned sleepily from the bedroom. "Could you keep it down, I'm trying to sleep."
"I want that tawdry Italian piece of shit moved now. If it's not moved within half an hour I want it towed," Brian demanded.
"Christ, can't this wait until the morning?" Justin yawned, as he walked into the living room, having realized that any attempt at sleep was futile as long as his lover raged about his parking spot.
"No," Brian gave Justin an annoyed stare, before turning his attention back to the loft's building manager. "I don't care if Mr. Bon - whatever the fuck his name is only moved in today. That doesn't give him the right to park in whatever spot he chooses. The fucker has his own assigned spot and he should have the decency to park that fucking car of his there."
"Good grief," Justin shook his head in amusement. He could already tell that they were off to a wonderful start when it came to their neighbor.
"No. I thought I already made it clear that this cannot wait until the morning," Brian fumed. "If you won't do something to resolve the situation I will," he threatened angrily, slamming the phone and stalking toward the door.
"Where are you going?" the blond inquired, having a sneaking suspicion that his boyfriend was about to make matters worse.
"To show our new neighbor that he picked the wrong person to fuck with!" Brian declared as he angrily stormed out of the loft.
***
Taking the stairs two at a time, Brian quickly made it to the floor below and pounded on his offensive neighbor's door, eager to give the asshole a piece of his mind. The last thing he expected was to see the door slide open to reveal a naked man in all his glory. Brian immediately sized him up as being around six feet in height and 215 lbs. It was also clear that the man spent endless hours in the gym as his body was incredibly toned. In addition, Brian couldn't help but notice that his new neighbor was endowed quite nicely.
"Bon..." Brian cleared his throat, as he eyes continued to eye the man's dick.
"Bois?" the neighbor gave a smirk. "Care to come in?" he invited, causing Brian to raise an eyebrow at his thick French-Canadian accent.
"Why not," Brian shrugged, as he followed Bonbois into his loft. He immediately masked a look of surprise as he took in the virtual fuck fest laid out before him. It was clear Bonbois was a man of great lusts as Brian viewed not one but ten naked tricks all engaging their carnal appetites in various places throughout the loft.
"What are you standing there for?" Bonbois questioned. "Aren't you going to join in?"
"No," Brian murmured, as he attempted to ignore two tricks that were eyeing him in interest. "What I would like is for you to move your fucking car."
"My car?" Bonbois repeated in confusion.
"That pretentious piece of shit you parked in my parking spot," Brian elaborated.
"Ah," Bonbois nodded in realization.
"Ah? Is that all you have to say for yourself?" Brian stared at his neighbor furiously.
"I'll move it in the morning," Bonbois offered in a casual tone, not the least bit concerned by Brian's anger. "In the meantime, why don't you help yourself to a few of my tricks," he invited. "You can consider it payment for any inconvenience I may have caused you."
"I'll take it as payment this time, but the next time I find your Maserati in my spot, I can assure you, tricks aside, that I'll have the fucking thing towed," Brian warned, before quickly shedding his clothes, and intently stalking toward the two tricks that had been eyeing him hungrily. This was exactly what he needed to take his mind off the fucking Clio Awards and prove to himself just how much better he was than his blond lover....
Noon
The Loft
"What time did you get back last night?" Justin yawned as he came down the steps from the bedroom to find Brian sitting in the kitchen having a cup of coffee and reading the newspaper. "I must have fallen asleep as soon as you had left."
"I wasn't long," Brian answered, not about to fill the blond in on Bonbois' orgy or his participation in it.
"So, I take it our neighbor moved his car?"
"I suppose you could say that."
"Well, that's a relief. Although, it probably wasn't the best way to start off with him," Justin mused. "Speaking of our neighbor, what's he like?"
"He's an asshole."
"Aside from the fact he's an asshole," Justin probed.
"There's not much to say. I yelled at him about the car, he apologized, and his car has since been moved. End of story. Here," Brian said, reaching for another coffee cup, "You look like you could use this."
"Thanks," the artist said, taking the cup. "Maybe I should bake him something?" Justin thought, turning his attention back to their neighbor.
"Why the fuck would you want to do that? You're not some housewife," Brian scoffed. There was no way in hell he wanted Bonbois anywhere near Justin after what he had witnessed the night before.
"No, I'm not. However, everyone else in this building thinks we're assholes. Perhaps it would be nice to have a neighbor who tolerates us for a change. Especially since I'm not an asshole."
"Don't waste your time on him, Sunshine. If you want to bake something, bake something for me," Brian suggested.
"For you? Are you kidding? The last time I did that you had one lousy cookie and complained about the calories for days. I was the one who ended up having to eat the rest."
"Since when is stuffing your face with cookies such a hardship?" Brian questioned.
"It's not. How about I just forget about baking anyone anything. I have a lot of homework to get done today anyway," the blond commented as Brian breathed a sigh of relief, glad Justin had banished all thoughts of Bonbois from his head. Now if only he could get through the day without listening to Justin chatter incessantly about his fucking nomination.
Monday, April 19th
10:00 p.m.
The Loft
"Guess where the Clio Awards are this year," Justin entered the bedroom to find Brian packing for his trip to Chicago.
"Miami?" Brian shrugged, as he searched through his ties.
"Coincidentally enough, they're in Chicago."
"Have you seen my black Prada tie?"
"Did you hear what I just said?"
"Yeah, you told me that the Clio Awards are in Chicago this year. Now, what about my tie?"
"I don't have a clue as to where your tie is."
"Never mind. I found it," Brian breathed a sigh of relief. It was imperative he looked his best for Leo Brown.
"I heard from Pittsburgh Business Quarterly today," Justin announced, referring to Pittsburgh's most prestigious business journal. "They heard about my nomination and are interested in profiling me for their next issue."
"Which suit do you like better, the gray Armani or the charcoal?" Brian inquired, clearly more interested in his wardrobe than his partner's news.
"The gray," the blond replied. "I also heard from one of Vance's clients."
"How do you think my Gucci calfskin boots will look with the gray Armani?"
"Are you fucking listening to a word I'm saying?" Justin demanded in frustration. He could care less about Brian's wardrobe at this point.
"You heard from one of Vance's clients. Now if you don't mind, Justin, I need to focus on my packing. I have a series of important meetings this week and it's crucial that I dress to impress. We'll talk about the Clio and the other shit some other time," Brian assured before turning his attention back to his closet, making it clear he wasn't interested in what Justin had to say.
"Fine," Justin sighed as he turned to leave the bedroom, having given up when it came to communicating with his partner.
The Following Morning
Downtown Chicago
Leaning against the backseat of his taxi, Brian tried his best to prepare himself for the meetings that lay ahead of him. He didn't want to think about the month he'd had. Between the fiasco with his nephew, the disaster Fred and Emile had created, and now Justin's recent triumphs, Brian wasn't sure how much more he could take.
For now, all he wanted to do was focus on the Brown account. No matter what it took, Brian intended to do everything in his power to produce the campaign of his career. With Kinnetik thriving, and Justin looking after things, Brian intended to direct all of his energy toward his work. It was time he proved to the advertising world and everyone else once and for all just who Brian Kinney was.
8:00 p.m.
The Loft
Returning home from class that evening, Justin had decided to hit the shower. With Brian away, he thought it best to take advantage of the peace and quiet of the loft and make it an early evening. Pulling on a pair of track pants and nothing else, the blond wandered into the kitchen to make a snack. He was about to reach for a jar of peanut butter when he heard a knock on the door.
"Mrs. Kinney?" The blond whispered in shock as he slid the door open to find Brian's mother standing on the other side.
"Do I know you?" Joan Kinney stared at the shirtless blond in confusion.
"I'm Justin."
"I take it you're the boy Claire mentioned to me a few weeks ago?" Joan surmised.
"I'm hardly a boy," Justin objected, not impressed by her frigid attitude.
"Still, you're a bit young for my son, aren't you?"
"Brian doesn't seem to think so," Justin smirked. "Would you like to come inside," he offered, wondering the reason for Joan's visit.
"If I may."
***
"If you're here to see Brian, I'm afraid he's not here," Justin indicated as Joan stared at her surroundings. It had been quite some time since she had last entered her son's home.
"I can wait."
"That might be quite a long time since he's currently in Chicago," Justin explained.
"Oh," Joan's eyebrows rose in surprise. "Tell me.... Justin... how is it you came to live here?"
"While I'm sure you would love for me to tell you that your son corrupted me with his immoral lifestyle, I'm afraid I'm the one who corrupted him," the artist replied casually.
"Just how long have you lived here?" Brian's mother questioned.
"On and off for about four years now."
"F-four y-years?" Joan repeated in disbelief. "You mean to tell me my son has been a homosexual for over four years now?"
"Try since he was at least fourteen," Justin corrected. "Contrary to what you may believe, you just don't become gay overnight."
"How old are you?" Brian's mother demanded suddenly.
"Twenty-one."
"Oh my lord," Joan looked absolutely horrified by the blond's response. "You mean to tell me that you were seventeen when my son first...."
"Took me home and fucked me?" Justin finished as Joan stared back at him in sheer horror.
"Good God," Brian's mother breathed. "It's become glaringly obvious to me that my son has led you down the unmistakable path of sin. However, it's not too late, Justin. You can still find your way back to the Lord," she assured.
"Like Brian can?" Justin drawled, not at all impressed by Mrs. Kinney's assurances. "Perhaps instead of worrying about Brian and me and our obviously distasteful lifestyle, you try focusing your attention on your own problems," he advised.
"Excuse me?"
"Tell me, Mrs. Kinney, how does the Lord feel about your alcohol addiction? How does he feel about the fact that you hate your son to the extent that you would believe him capable of molesting a lying teenager?" Justin demanded as he swiftly turned the tables on Brian's mother.
"How dare you!" Joan accused.
"Oh I dare, Mrs. Kinney," Justin stared at her with pure disdain. "I dare when you subject the man I love to your venomous poison time after time. I think he's put up with more than enough when it comes to you and your verbal abuse."
"Who the hell do you think you are to stand here and judge me?"
"I love Brian and that gives me every right to tell you to stay the hell away from him. He doesn't want or need you in his life any longer. He has me in his life now. He also has a mother who loves him unconditionally and I can assure you, it's not you," the blond declared, referring to Debbie.
"You're an absolute disgrace," Joan shook her head in fury. "God will see to it that you..."
"Burn in hell?" Justin finished sarcastically as he watched Brian's mother turn and flee the loft in sheer horror.
***
An hour later, Justin was staring out the loft window replaying his encounter with Brian's mother. While he knew Joan Kinney was a piece of work, nothing could have prepared him for her cold and unyielding manner. Just being near the hateful woman had made him realize how fortunate he was to have his mother's love and acceptance. He couldn't even begin to imagine the horrors Brian must have faced growing up with Joan for a mother. Justin's thoughts were suddenly interrupted as he heard the phone ring in the background.
"Hello?" the blond answered.
"Hey," came Brian's familiar voice.
"Uh, hey," Justin couldn't help but feel uneasy hearing his lover's voice.
"What are you doing?"
"Nothing much," Justin replied, as he debated whether or not he should tell Brian about his mother's visit. "H-how did your meetings go?"
"Productive. You alright?" Brian could sense something wasn't quite right with Justin.
"Uh, yeah. I'm just tired, that's all."
"You should go to bed early, get some sleep," Brian advised.
"I think I'm going to take you up on your suggestion," Justin lied, knowing sleep was the furthest thing from his mind. "W-why don't you give me a call tomorrow and I promise I'll be more awake."
"You better be," Brian sighed, not certain he believed the blond. "Goodnight, Sunshine."
"Night, Bri," Justin breathed a sigh of relief as he hung up the phone.
While Justin knew that he should have told Brian about his mother's visit, he also knew that no matter how much Brian tried to deny it, his mother's rejection and her continued contempt hurt him deeply. Justin sensed that this was part of the reason why Brian had erected the emotional barriers he had. By hiding behind the infamous Kinney walls, Brian had been able to prevent himself from being hurt. Yet no matter how steep the walls, Justin had a feeling that no wall was strong enough to withstand Joan Kinney's venom. He'd had no qualms about telling Brian's mother exactly what he thought of her. It was also the reason why he had told her to stay from her son. When it came to his partner, Justin was willing to do whatever it took to shield him from further pain.
Meanwhile
Ritz Carlton Chicago
Staring out over Lake Michigan, Brian thought back to his phone conversation with Justin. While he wanted to believe that the distance in Justin's voice was attributable to his alleged tiredness, Brian had a sneaking suspicion that the blond had been lying. Although he had been somewhat distracted of late, Brian couldn't shake the feeling that something wasn't right.
Brian knew Justin was still hurt by Ted and Emmett's betrayal, but he sensed there was more to the artist's recent behavior than simply that. There was also the issue of Justin's sketchbook. After tonight's subdued conversation, it was becoming more and more apparent to Brian that something was wrong with Justin. The only problem was Brian hadn't a clue as to what it was....
Thursday, April 22nd
Noon
Spago
Downtown Chicago
"I can't tell you how pleased I am with the preliminary work you and your team have done for the latest campaign," Leo Brown remarked as he sat in the famous Wolfgang Puck restaurant with Brian a few days later.
"We can't have anything but the best when it comes to your latest apparel line," Brian smirked. He was pleased with the progress he had made this week. In addition to his accomplishments with Brown, he'd also found time to wine and dine Italo Grazzini the night before. If he had his way, he'd be putting together one hell of a fall campaign for Grazzini in the coming months.
"I have full confidence in your abilities, Brian. From what you've shown me thus far, I can only imagine the success Brown's latest line will be. With that in mind, why don't you see if you can obtain an earlier flight home?" Brown suggested. "You seem to have everything organized here, so there's really no need to stay another day. I would imagine with all of Kinnetik's recent successes you're probably eager to get back to the office anyway," he added.
"I think I might just take you up on your offer, Leo," Brian decided. He was anxious to get home to Justin. Although the blond had been more talkative on the phone the past two days, Brian was eager to get to the bottom of his lover's troubles.
7:00 p.m.
The Loft Garage
Since his class had been cancelled that evening, Justin had decided to return home and make it an early evening. As he pulled the Jeep into its parking spot, the blond couldn't help but notice the red Maserati parked a few spaces down. Ever since its debut Friday evening, the sports car had been conspicuously absent from the garage.
"It looks as if the prodigal neighbor has finally returned," Justin observed before proceeding into the building.
***
After checking the answering machine and changing into a pair of jeans and a long-sleeved t-shirt, Justin headed into the kitchen for a snack. Acting on whim, he pulled out his mom's famous chocolate chip cookie recipe. It had been ages since he'd last baked himself the delicious cookies and with Brian away, he'd be able to enjoy as many as he wanted without listening to his partner grumble about the calorie content.
An hour later, Justin realized he'd been a little over zealous in his endeavor, and had more cookies than even he could possibly stomach. Reaching for an additional plate, Justin decided that since it appeared his new neighbor was home, it might be a nice gesture to take him some cookies. He didn't see it causing any harm. Hell, after Brian's rude behavior about the parking situation, Justin was sure the cookies could only help.
***
His mind made up, Justin found himself in front of his neighbor's door. Holding the cookie plate with one hand, he used the other to knock on the door. However, after waiting a few moments, there was no response. As he turned to leave, the last thing he expected was to hear the door slide open.
"U-uh..." the blond's mouth dropped open in complete shock while his hand holding the cookies began to shake uncontrollably. Nothing could have prepared him for the fearsome man who stood before him. While Justin could have sworn the man's only clothing, a royal blue silk robe, was almost identical to the one Brian owned, it did little to comfort him. Instead, Justin's attention was arrested on the man's grotesque face.
"Can I help you?" Bonbois stared at the young blond standing before him in irritation. He'd been sleeping and hadn't appreciated the kid's interruption.
"I... I, u-uh..." Justin stammered as he continued to stare at Bonbois. He wasn't sure if it was the man's darkened beard, the cut on his right cheek, the swelling around his eye, the stitches on his forehead, or his missing two front teeth that frightened him the most. It was obvious with his toned body and rippling muscles that this neighbor of his could easily break a twink like him in two.
"You uh what?" Bonbois annoyingly repeated.
"B-brought you these," Justin looked down uncomfortably at his wobbling hand.
"What the fuck am I supposed to do with those?" Bonbois stared at the cookies in contempt.
"E-eat them?" the blond whispered meekly. He should have taken Brian's advice and have stayed away.
"Oh," Bonbois looked rather taken aback. "Who the fuck are you?" he suddenly inquired.
"Jus-Justin."
"Well, Justin, perhaps you could fill me in on why the hell you're offering me these infernal things."
"I-uh, w-wanted to uh, w-welcome you to the b-building," the artist responded nervously.
"You live here?" Bonbois questioned in surprise, causing Justin to nod in reply. "Huh. I thought you might be a..."
"I uh r-really, have to g-go," Justin decided to take advantage of Bonbois' surprise to make a quick get away.
"Justin," Bonbois called out as he watched the blond turn to flee. "Aren't you going to give me the cookies?"
"Oh, uh r-right, the cookies," Justin glanced sheepishly at the plate he was still holding. "Uh, here," he offered the plate to Bonbois with a shaking hand, before quickly running to the stairs, leaving Bonbois to stare back at him in wonderment.
8:30 p.m.
The Loft
Brian returned home from the airport to find the empty loft filled with the aroma of freshly-baked cookies. He wasn't surprised to find a plate full resting on the kitchen counter. Setting down his suitcases, he walked into the kitchen and reached for a cookie. He reckoned that one would be permissible as long as he made sure to run an extra mile on the treadmill at the gym the following morning.
As he headed into the bedroom, he turned around to see a clearly out of breath Justin burst into the loft. It was obvious Justin had yet to pick up on his presence, as the blond's energies were focused on locking the door and setting the alarm. Deciding to take advantage of the opportunity, Brian tread quietly across the wood floor towards his lover.
"Miss me?" Brian growled seductively as he came up behind Justin and wrapped his arms hungrily around the blond's waist.
"AH!" Justin yelped in terror.
"Christ, Justin, it's just me," Brian attempted to calm his partner. He could hear Justin's heart hammering frantically against him.
"Fuck, you scared me," Justin breathed as he turned to face Brian.
"You can say that again, Sunshine."
"I thought you weren't coming home until tomorrow?"
"I changed my mind. Maybe I wanted to surprise you," Brian gave a small chuckle.
"Obviously you did."
"You alright, Sunshine?" Brian inquired, as he noticed that Justin still seemed a bit shaken up.
"Between you and our psycho neighbor it's a wonder I didn't have a heart attack," Justin commented.
"Psycho neighbor?" Brian raised an intrigued eyebrow.
"Bonbois?"
"What the fuck were you doing with Bonbois?" Brian demanded. He didn't like the thought of
Justin being anywhere near the French-Canadian predator.
"Come into the living room and I'll tell you about it," the blond invited. "After the fifteen minutes I've just been through, I think I need to sit down."
***
"Let me see if I understand this," Brian began a few minutes later. "You went to take that asshole neighbor of ours cookies when I distinctly recall warning you not to?"
"I didn't see the harm in it. Obviously I should have taken your advice. Had I known what a fearsome-looking man he was, I would have stayed away," Justin laughed.
"Fearsome?" Brian questioned in confusion.
"Well, considering his Grizzly Adams' beard, and his..."
"Grizzly Adams' beard? Bonbois doesn't have a beard," Brian protested.
"I can assure you he does. However, coupled with his black eye, cut cheek, stitched-up forehead, and front two missing teeth, I suppose it's his most appealing quality," Justin remarked.
"Are you sure you're feeling alright, Sunshine?" Brian asked. Justin's description of Bonbois in no way matched the description of the man he had met the past weekend. It was obvious that something fishy was going on when it came to Bonbois and he vowed to get to the bottom of it.
"Now that I've gotten over my fear that he's going to kill me over a plate of cookies, I think it's safe to say that I'll be alright," the blond assured.
"I highly doubt he'd kill you over a plate of cookies,' Brian rolled his eyes. "Have you eaten yet?"
"No."
"How about I order us some take out. Then afterward, I'll see what I can do about taking your mind off our psycho neighbor," Brian promised with a seductive glint in his eyes, eager to be reunited with his lover after being apart for three nights.
by Kim
Making it Through Another Summer
Chapter 10
Thursday, April 15th
10:30 a.m.
Brian's Office
Kinnetik
Brian was sitting in his office, reviewing his latest notes for Brown Athletics when Ted entered carrying a stack of papers.
"Let me guess. You have my tax return?" Brian surmised. April 15th had not gone unnoticed by him.
"Good guess," Ted said before handing Brian his return along with Kinnetik's.
"Jill Forge assured me that everything is in order. Is that your assessment, Theodore?" Brian wanted to make sure there were no fuck-ups this time around.
"I had adequate time to review the returns and I'm confident they are accurate."
"Good," Brian nodded as he thumbed through his own return. "Christ, could Uncle Sam have taxed me any fucking more this year?"
"Well, you are in the highest marginal tax bracket," Ted pointed out. "And having the loft paid off doesn't help matters in terms of your itemized deductions," he added.
"Obviously," Brian rolled his eyes.
"You could always move. Perhaps purchase something larger?" Ted suggested.
"Move?" Brian was horrified he would even make such a suggestion.
"Well, it was just a thought," the accountant grimaced.
"An insane one. Justin and I are more than happy at the loft. There's no way in hell we're moving into some godforsaken breeder neighborhood like yours," Brian declared.
"I should have known better than to have made such an undignified suggestion."
"That's right you should have," Brian agreed. "While you're here, Theodore, why don't you give me Justin's return as well," he motioned to the papers Ted was still holding.
"I, uh, can uh, take it to his office," Ted offered uncomfortably.
"I don't think so, Theodore. He'd rather not waste his time dealing with pathetic backstabbers."
"Brian, that's really uncalled..."
"I think not," Brian cut him off. "Now hand me his return and I'll have Cynthia send the signed copies to you later this afternoon," he instructed. "Oh and Ted, do yourself a favor and stay the fuck away from him for the next few weeks."
"Will do, Brian," Ted promised regretfully as he handed his boss Justin's return. It was obvious he had his work cut out for him when it came to repairing his relationship with the couple.
8:00 p.m.
The Loft
Returning home from the office, Brian set his briefcase down and headed into the bedroom to change. With Justin in class, he hoped to get in a few miles on the treadmill before the blond returned home. As he pulled on a pair of Adidas track pants, his eyes fell on the sketchbook resting on Justin's nightstand. While there was nothing unusual about finding Justin's sketchbooks in various places throughout the loft, Brian couldn't help but think back to the odd way Justin had acted a few nights before.
Curious, Brian reached for the sketchbook and sat on the bed. As he opened the book and began flipping through the pages, Brian's eyes widened in shock. The last thing he expected to see were pages filled with either half-finished sketches or scribbled out drawings. He immediately wondered if something might be wrong with Justin.
Brian attempted to rationalize the idea that his lover could merely be suffering from a dry spell. Wasn't it normal for artists to go through occasional phases like this? Yet, for whatever reason, Brian couldn't shake the feeling that it was more than a creative drought. While he wanted to help, Brian wasn't sure if there was anything he could do, at least not until Justin chose to confide in him.
Friday
1:00 p.m.
Brian's Office
Kinnetik
Returning to the office from a lunch meeting with Liberty Air, Brian paced his office thinking about his discovery the night before. After finding Justin's sketches, he had decided to ask him about school, hoping his partner might provide some clues regarding his behavior. However, Justin had been vague in his responses, complaining that he was tired from a long day at work and school and wasn't in the mood to discuss PIFA. Normally Brian would have believed his excuse, but now he wondered if Justin had intentionally been avoiding the conversation. He couldn't help but recall the blond's hesitation over Rage. While he knew Justin's schedule was busy, Brian had a sneaking suspicion that Justin's reluctance to start the new issue was somehow related to what he had observed in his sketchbook. Concerned for his partner, Brian wondered if perhaps he should bump up their trip to Ibiza. However, before he could consider the option further, Cynthia burst into his office.
"I see you still haven't grasped the concept of knocking," Brian observed dryly, turning his thoughts away from Justin.
"Who gives a fuck about knocking? The nominees for the Clio Awards were just announced!" Cynthia announced excitedly, referring to the most prestigious and coveted awards in the advertising industry.
"I see it's that time of year again," Brian observed.
"That it is, and you'll never guess who just got nominated."
"Yours truly," Brian offered in a smug voice. He knew his fall campaign for Liberty Air was a stronger contender for a nomination.
"I'm afraid Mr. Kinney you're not the only person in this agency worthy of Clio," Cynthia revealed as Brian raised an eyebrow in shock. "Kinnetik has a new star, and his name is Justin Taylor."
"Justin?" Brian stared back at his assistant in disbelief.
"Isn't it amazing?" Cynthia gushed. "Apparently he's made quite an impression with the campaign he did for Sherbourne Hotels last fall."
"I don't believe this," Brian shook his head with incredulity. The Sherbourne account had been his. The only reason Justin had worked on the campaign was that Brian had been swamped with Liberty Air at the time and had known Jake Connolly wouldn't have a problem placing the fall campaign in Justin's capable hands.
"Aren't you excited for him?" Cynthia questioned, surprised by her boss' unenthusiastic reaction.
"Yeah, sure," Brian shrugged, attempting to downplay his displeasure over Justin's nomination.
"Justin doesn't know about the nomination yet, but August just spoke to him and he's on his way to the office. A group of us are going to surprise him in the boardroom with champagne," Cynthia explained as Brian walked toward his desk and picked up a file. "I assume you'll be joining us?"
"We'll see." Brian chose to remain noncommittal. He was still trying to take in the shock of Justin's nomination. He couldn't believe the nominating committee had overlooked his fall campaign for Liberty Air, and had nominated Justin's Sherbourne campaign instead. He was Brian Kinney for fuck's sake, advertising genius extraordinaire and previous winner of five Clio Awards. Justin was a twenty-one year old kid. While he possessed a natural flair for the business, Brian felt he still had a hell of a lot to learn.
"August and I expect you to be there," Cynthia stated in a tone that brooked no argument. "He is your partner after all, and I don't just mean business partner," she added before stalking out of his office.
2:00 p.m.
The Lobby
Kinnetik
As Justin entered Kinnetik, he couldn't help but think of an upcoming project he had for one of his painting classes. Once again, he hadn't a clue as to what he was going to paint. While the project wasn't due for a few weeks, the sooner he came up with an idea, the sooner he could start it. The last thing he wanted was to be stuck at the very last minute desperately trying to come up with an idea.
"Justin! Thank goodness you're here!" August ran over to the blond. "Brendan and Nathan are in the boardroom fighting like cats and dogs over the campaign for DuFresne Realty. I think you're going to have to intervene."
"Shit." Solving a dispute between two friends was not on the top of his priority list for the afternoon.
"You better hurry in there quick," August stated, eager for his boss to witness his surprise.
"Alright, I'm on my way," Justin sighed.
***
"Surprise!"
"Holy shit," Justin whispered in shock. He had entered the boardroom expecting to see Nathan and Brendan. The last thing he expected was to discover Kinnetik's entire staff assembled before him.
"Congratulations Justin!" Cynthia exclaimed.
"Huh?" Confused, Justin stared at Brian's assistant.
"The Clio Awards were announced this afternoon," Brendan said, as he came up and put an arm around his friend.
"So." The blond still wasn't sure why everyone was gathered in the boardroom.
"So," Nathan grinned. "You just happen to be the youngest nominee in the history of the awards," he announced causing the room to break out into applause and cheers.
"You're kidding, right?"
"Do we look like we're kidding, sweetie?" August questioned as he uncorked the champagne bottle he and Cynthia had brought in with them.
"No, I guess you're not. What campaign was it for?"
"Sherbourne Hotels," Cynthia responded.
"That's fantastic. I can't wait to tell Jake and Sean," Justin beamed.
"I'm sure they'll be equally excited," Brendan commented before he and Nathan reached for their champagne flutes and proceeded to propose a toast to Justin.
***
"Congratulations Justin," Cynthia gave the artist a warm hug after the toast had been completed.
"Thanks Cyn. Does Brian know?"
"Uh, yes," Cynthia replied in a tight voice.
"Where is he?" Brian's absence had not gone unnoticed.
"I believe something came up with Liberty Air. However, he should be in his office."
"I guess I'll just have to convince him to join the party," Justin declared, eager to share his excitement with his partner while Cynthia couldn't help but frown in response. She had an idea why Brian had been reluctant to join the party, and only hoped her boss would stop licking his wounds for a minute to share in Justin's joy.
2:30 p.m.
Brian's Office
"The ads are good to run?" Brian questioned Eric Frasier as he studied a set of proofs for Liberty Air. He had decided against joining Justin's celebration in the boardroom and had chosen instead to finalize a few last minute details for his campaign.
"They're all set," Frasier assured.
"Good," Brian suddenly looked up from the proofs to see Justin enter his office, beaming from ear to ear.
"Hey Justin," Eric greeted the blond. "Congratulations on your nomination. I think it's fantastic."
"Thanks," the blond gave his trademark smile.
"I can't wait to call Jake and Sean Connolly. They are going to be utterly thrilled. I'm anxious to start their summer campaign. I..."
"Are these rates firm?" Brian interrupted his partner to question Frasier further about the ads.
"As firm as you can get."
"Did you hear what I just said?" Justin turned towards Brian. He couldn't believe the man was ignoring his news.
"You're excited to tell Jake and Sean about the nomination and are eager to start work on their next campaign," Brian replied, turning his attention back to Frasier. "Tell them we'll book the next 3 issues but to knock off 15%," he instructed, walking toward his desk.
"Sure thing Brian," Frasier promised before leaving Brian's office.
***
"Aren't you proud of me?" Justin demanded in excitement. "I'm going to be an amazing success. How about we go to Babylon later to celebrate?" he invited.
"No can do Sunshine. I have a shit load of work to get through this weekend before I leave for Chicago." The last thing Brian was in the mood to do was celebrate his lover's nomination.
"Oh," Justin couldn't mask the look of disappointment that washed over his face. A look that didn't go unnoticed by Brian. "I uh, guess I'll see you later," he shrugged before turning to leave.
Realizing he was acting like a selfish asshole, Brian decided it wouldn't hurt to appease the blond somewhat. "Hey, Trump," he called out to his partner. "One drink."
"One drink," Justin nodded with his trademark smile. "Later," he offered over his shoulder before walking out of Brian's office.
"Later, Sunshine," Brian murmured in response. While he was less than thrilled about Justin's nomination, he supposed having one celebratory drink wouldn't kill him.
Saturday Morning
3:00 a.m.
The Loft Garage
Justin's celebratory drink had ended up turning into more than just a single drink. While Brian hadn't been thrilled with this development, he hadn't the heart to ruin his lover's evening. Luckily, after a heated session with Justin in the backroom, Brian had soon forgotten his issues over the artist's nomination.
"What the fuck is this?" Brian uttered in disbelief as he pulled the BMW into the loft's garage only to find a bright red Maserati Coupe Cambiocorsa parked in his parking space.
"A car?" Justin offered with a drunken giggle. He was still somewhat tipsy from their celebration at Babylon.
"I know it's a goddamn car," Brian growled in irritation. "What I would like to know is what the fuck it is doing in my parking space."
"Maybe someone parked it there by mistake?"
"I think that's obvious, Sunshine," Brian retorted sarcastically. "Mistake or not, I'm not about to park my car in the street. I just had the fucking thing detailed and I'm not going to have some bird shit on it. Go get your keys," he instructed, deciding that for now Justin could park the Jeep in the street while he parked the BMW in the Jeep's normal spot.
"Brian," Justin groaned. He wanted to go to bed, not play musical parking spots.
"Justin, now," Brian ordered in a tone that meant business.
"Fine," the blond gave a dramatic sigh. "But if a bird shits on my car, you owe me a car wash and at least six blow-jobs."
"Alright, just get the fucking keys," Brian muttered in exasperation, not at all in the mood to deal with the situation.
***
"I don't care if it was a fucking mistake!" Brian yelled into the phone fifteen minutes later. After moving the Jeep onto the street and parking the BMW in the garage, Brian had stormed into the loft, eager to resolve the intolerable mix-up.
"Brian," Justin groaned sleepily from the bedroom. "Could you keep it down, I'm trying to sleep."
"I want that tawdry Italian piece of shit moved now. If it's not moved within half an hour I want it towed," Brian demanded.
"Christ, can't this wait until the morning?" Justin yawned, as he walked into the living room, having realized that any attempt at sleep was futile as long as his lover raged about his parking spot.
"No," Brian gave Justin an annoyed stare, before turning his attention back to the loft's building manager. "I don't care if Mr. Bon - whatever the fuck his name is only moved in today. That doesn't give him the right to park in whatever spot he chooses. The fucker has his own assigned spot and he should have the decency to park that fucking car of his there."
"Good grief," Justin shook his head in amusement. He could already tell that they were off to a wonderful start when it came to their neighbor.
"No. I thought I already made it clear that this cannot wait until the morning," Brian fumed. "If you won't do something to resolve the situation I will," he threatened angrily, slamming the phone and stalking toward the door.
"Where are you going?" the blond inquired, having a sneaking suspicion that his boyfriend was about to make matters worse.
"To show our new neighbor that he picked the wrong person to fuck with!" Brian declared as he angrily stormed out of the loft.
***
Taking the stairs two at a time, Brian quickly made it to the floor below and pounded on his offensive neighbor's door, eager to give the asshole a piece of his mind. The last thing he expected was to see the door slide open to reveal a naked man in all his glory. Brian immediately sized him up as being around six feet in height and 215 lbs. It was also clear that the man spent endless hours in the gym as his body was incredibly toned. In addition, Brian couldn't help but notice that his new neighbor was endowed quite nicely.
"Bon..." Brian cleared his throat, as he eyes continued to eye the man's dick.
"Bois?" the neighbor gave a smirk. "Care to come in?" he invited, causing Brian to raise an eyebrow at his thick French-Canadian accent.
"Why not," Brian shrugged, as he followed Bonbois into his loft. He immediately masked a look of surprise as he took in the virtual fuck fest laid out before him. It was clear Bonbois was a man of great lusts as Brian viewed not one but ten naked tricks all engaging their carnal appetites in various places throughout the loft.
"What are you standing there for?" Bonbois questioned. "Aren't you going to join in?"
"No," Brian murmured, as he attempted to ignore two tricks that were eyeing him in interest. "What I would like is for you to move your fucking car."
"My car?" Bonbois repeated in confusion.
"That pretentious piece of shit you parked in my parking spot," Brian elaborated.
"Ah," Bonbois nodded in realization.
"Ah? Is that all you have to say for yourself?" Brian stared at his neighbor furiously.
"I'll move it in the morning," Bonbois offered in a casual tone, not the least bit concerned by Brian's anger. "In the meantime, why don't you help yourself to a few of my tricks," he invited. "You can consider it payment for any inconvenience I may have caused you."
"I'll take it as payment this time, but the next time I find your Maserati in my spot, I can assure you, tricks aside, that I'll have the fucking thing towed," Brian warned, before quickly shedding his clothes, and intently stalking toward the two tricks that had been eyeing him hungrily. This was exactly what he needed to take his mind off the fucking Clio Awards and prove to himself just how much better he was than his blond lover....
Noon
The Loft
"What time did you get back last night?" Justin yawned as he came down the steps from the bedroom to find Brian sitting in the kitchen having a cup of coffee and reading the newspaper. "I must have fallen asleep as soon as you had left."
"I wasn't long," Brian answered, not about to fill the blond in on Bonbois' orgy or his participation in it.
"So, I take it our neighbor moved his car?"
"I suppose you could say that."
"Well, that's a relief. Although, it probably wasn't the best way to start off with him," Justin mused. "Speaking of our neighbor, what's he like?"
"He's an asshole."
"Aside from the fact he's an asshole," Justin probed.
"There's not much to say. I yelled at him about the car, he apologized, and his car has since been moved. End of story. Here," Brian said, reaching for another coffee cup, "You look like you could use this."
"Thanks," the artist said, taking the cup. "Maybe I should bake him something?" Justin thought, turning his attention back to their neighbor.
"Why the fuck would you want to do that? You're not some housewife," Brian scoffed. There was no way in hell he wanted Bonbois anywhere near Justin after what he had witnessed the night before.
"No, I'm not. However, everyone else in this building thinks we're assholes. Perhaps it would be nice to have a neighbor who tolerates us for a change. Especially since I'm not an asshole."
"Don't waste your time on him, Sunshine. If you want to bake something, bake something for me," Brian suggested.
"For you? Are you kidding? The last time I did that you had one lousy cookie and complained about the calories for days. I was the one who ended up having to eat the rest."
"Since when is stuffing your face with cookies such a hardship?" Brian questioned.
"It's not. How about I just forget about baking anyone anything. I have a lot of homework to get done today anyway," the blond commented as Brian breathed a sigh of relief, glad Justin had banished all thoughts of Bonbois from his head. Now if only he could get through the day without listening to Justin chatter incessantly about his fucking nomination.
Monday, April 19th
10:00 p.m.
The Loft
"Guess where the Clio Awards are this year," Justin entered the bedroom to find Brian packing for his trip to Chicago.
"Miami?" Brian shrugged, as he searched through his ties.
"Coincidentally enough, they're in Chicago."
"Have you seen my black Prada tie?"
"Did you hear what I just said?"
"Yeah, you told me that the Clio Awards are in Chicago this year. Now, what about my tie?"
"I don't have a clue as to where your tie is."
"Never mind. I found it," Brian breathed a sigh of relief. It was imperative he looked his best for Leo Brown.
"I heard from Pittsburgh Business Quarterly today," Justin announced, referring to Pittsburgh's most prestigious business journal. "They heard about my nomination and are interested in profiling me for their next issue."
"Which suit do you like better, the gray Armani or the charcoal?" Brian inquired, clearly more interested in his wardrobe than his partner's news.
"The gray," the blond replied. "I also heard from one of Vance's clients."
"How do you think my Gucci calfskin boots will look with the gray Armani?"
"Are you fucking listening to a word I'm saying?" Justin demanded in frustration. He could care less about Brian's wardrobe at this point.
"You heard from one of Vance's clients. Now if you don't mind, Justin, I need to focus on my packing. I have a series of important meetings this week and it's crucial that I dress to impress. We'll talk about the Clio and the other shit some other time," Brian assured before turning his attention back to his closet, making it clear he wasn't interested in what Justin had to say.
"Fine," Justin sighed as he turned to leave the bedroom, having given up when it came to communicating with his partner.
The Following Morning
Downtown Chicago
Leaning against the backseat of his taxi, Brian tried his best to prepare himself for the meetings that lay ahead of him. He didn't want to think about the month he'd had. Between the fiasco with his nephew, the disaster Fred and Emile had created, and now Justin's recent triumphs, Brian wasn't sure how much more he could take.
For now, all he wanted to do was focus on the Brown account. No matter what it took, Brian intended to do everything in his power to produce the campaign of his career. With Kinnetik thriving, and Justin looking after things, Brian intended to direct all of his energy toward his work. It was time he proved to the advertising world and everyone else once and for all just who Brian Kinney was.
8:00 p.m.
The Loft
Returning home from class that evening, Justin had decided to hit the shower. With Brian away, he thought it best to take advantage of the peace and quiet of the loft and make it an early evening. Pulling on a pair of track pants and nothing else, the blond wandered into the kitchen to make a snack. He was about to reach for a jar of peanut butter when he heard a knock on the door.
"Mrs. Kinney?" The blond whispered in shock as he slid the door open to find Brian's mother standing on the other side.
"Do I know you?" Joan Kinney stared at the shirtless blond in confusion.
"I'm Justin."
"I take it you're the boy Claire mentioned to me a few weeks ago?" Joan surmised.
"I'm hardly a boy," Justin objected, not impressed by her frigid attitude.
"Still, you're a bit young for my son, aren't you?"
"Brian doesn't seem to think so," Justin smirked. "Would you like to come inside," he offered, wondering the reason for Joan's visit.
"If I may."
***
"If you're here to see Brian, I'm afraid he's not here," Justin indicated as Joan stared at her surroundings. It had been quite some time since she had last entered her son's home.
"I can wait."
"That might be quite a long time since he's currently in Chicago," Justin explained.
"Oh," Joan's eyebrows rose in surprise. "Tell me.... Justin... how is it you came to live here?"
"While I'm sure you would love for me to tell you that your son corrupted me with his immoral lifestyle, I'm afraid I'm the one who corrupted him," the artist replied casually.
"Just how long have you lived here?" Brian's mother questioned.
"On and off for about four years now."
"F-four y-years?" Joan repeated in disbelief. "You mean to tell me my son has been a homosexual for over four years now?"
"Try since he was at least fourteen," Justin corrected. "Contrary to what you may believe, you just don't become gay overnight."
"How old are you?" Brian's mother demanded suddenly.
"Twenty-one."
"Oh my lord," Joan looked absolutely horrified by the blond's response. "You mean to tell me that you were seventeen when my son first...."
"Took me home and fucked me?" Justin finished as Joan stared back at him in sheer horror.
"Good God," Brian's mother breathed. "It's become glaringly obvious to me that my son has led you down the unmistakable path of sin. However, it's not too late, Justin. You can still find your way back to the Lord," she assured.
"Like Brian can?" Justin drawled, not at all impressed by Mrs. Kinney's assurances. "Perhaps instead of worrying about Brian and me and our obviously distasteful lifestyle, you try focusing your attention on your own problems," he advised.
"Excuse me?"
"Tell me, Mrs. Kinney, how does the Lord feel about your alcohol addiction? How does he feel about the fact that you hate your son to the extent that you would believe him capable of molesting a lying teenager?" Justin demanded as he swiftly turned the tables on Brian's mother.
"How dare you!" Joan accused.
"Oh I dare, Mrs. Kinney," Justin stared at her with pure disdain. "I dare when you subject the man I love to your venomous poison time after time. I think he's put up with more than enough when it comes to you and your verbal abuse."
"Who the hell do you think you are to stand here and judge me?"
"I love Brian and that gives me every right to tell you to stay the hell away from him. He doesn't want or need you in his life any longer. He has me in his life now. He also has a mother who loves him unconditionally and I can assure you, it's not you," the blond declared, referring to Debbie.
"You're an absolute disgrace," Joan shook her head in fury. "God will see to it that you..."
"Burn in hell?" Justin finished sarcastically as he watched Brian's mother turn and flee the loft in sheer horror.
***
An hour later, Justin was staring out the loft window replaying his encounter with Brian's mother. While he knew Joan Kinney was a piece of work, nothing could have prepared him for her cold and unyielding manner. Just being near the hateful woman had made him realize how fortunate he was to have his mother's love and acceptance. He couldn't even begin to imagine the horrors Brian must have faced growing up with Joan for a mother. Justin's thoughts were suddenly interrupted as he heard the phone ring in the background.
"Hello?" the blond answered.
"Hey," came Brian's familiar voice.
"Uh, hey," Justin couldn't help but feel uneasy hearing his lover's voice.
"What are you doing?"
"Nothing much," Justin replied, as he debated whether or not he should tell Brian about his mother's visit. "H-how did your meetings go?"
"Productive. You alright?" Brian could sense something wasn't quite right with Justin.
"Uh, yeah. I'm just tired, that's all."
"You should go to bed early, get some sleep," Brian advised.
"I think I'm going to take you up on your suggestion," Justin lied, knowing sleep was the furthest thing from his mind. "W-why don't you give me a call tomorrow and I promise I'll be more awake."
"You better be," Brian sighed, not certain he believed the blond. "Goodnight, Sunshine."
"Night, Bri," Justin breathed a sigh of relief as he hung up the phone.
While Justin knew that he should have told Brian about his mother's visit, he also knew that no matter how much Brian tried to deny it, his mother's rejection and her continued contempt hurt him deeply. Justin sensed that this was part of the reason why Brian had erected the emotional barriers he had. By hiding behind the infamous Kinney walls, Brian had been able to prevent himself from being hurt. Yet no matter how steep the walls, Justin had a feeling that no wall was strong enough to withstand Joan Kinney's venom. He'd had no qualms about telling Brian's mother exactly what he thought of her. It was also the reason why he had told her to stay from her son. When it came to his partner, Justin was willing to do whatever it took to shield him from further pain.
Meanwhile
Ritz Carlton Chicago
Staring out over Lake Michigan, Brian thought back to his phone conversation with Justin. While he wanted to believe that the distance in Justin's voice was attributable to his alleged tiredness, Brian had a sneaking suspicion that the blond had been lying. Although he had been somewhat distracted of late, Brian couldn't shake the feeling that something wasn't right.
Brian knew Justin was still hurt by Ted and Emmett's betrayal, but he sensed there was more to the artist's recent behavior than simply that. There was also the issue of Justin's sketchbook. After tonight's subdued conversation, it was becoming more and more apparent to Brian that something was wrong with Justin. The only problem was Brian hadn't a clue as to what it was....
Thursday, April 22nd
Noon
Spago
Downtown Chicago
"I can't tell you how pleased I am with the preliminary work you and your team have done for the latest campaign," Leo Brown remarked as he sat in the famous Wolfgang Puck restaurant with Brian a few days later.
"We can't have anything but the best when it comes to your latest apparel line," Brian smirked. He was pleased with the progress he had made this week. In addition to his accomplishments with Brown, he'd also found time to wine and dine Italo Grazzini the night before. If he had his way, he'd be putting together one hell of a fall campaign for Grazzini in the coming months.
"I have full confidence in your abilities, Brian. From what you've shown me thus far, I can only imagine the success Brown's latest line will be. With that in mind, why don't you see if you can obtain an earlier flight home?" Brown suggested. "You seem to have everything organized here, so there's really no need to stay another day. I would imagine with all of Kinnetik's recent successes you're probably eager to get back to the office anyway," he added.
"I think I might just take you up on your offer, Leo," Brian decided. He was anxious to get home to Justin. Although the blond had been more talkative on the phone the past two days, Brian was eager to get to the bottom of his lover's troubles.
7:00 p.m.
The Loft Garage
Since his class had been cancelled that evening, Justin had decided to return home and make it an early evening. As he pulled the Jeep into its parking spot, the blond couldn't help but notice the red Maserati parked a few spaces down. Ever since its debut Friday evening, the sports car had been conspicuously absent from the garage.
"It looks as if the prodigal neighbor has finally returned," Justin observed before proceeding into the building.
***
After checking the answering machine and changing into a pair of jeans and a long-sleeved t-shirt, Justin headed into the kitchen for a snack. Acting on whim, he pulled out his mom's famous chocolate chip cookie recipe. It had been ages since he'd last baked himself the delicious cookies and with Brian away, he'd be able to enjoy as many as he wanted without listening to his partner grumble about the calorie content.
An hour later, Justin realized he'd been a little over zealous in his endeavor, and had more cookies than even he could possibly stomach. Reaching for an additional plate, Justin decided that since it appeared his new neighbor was home, it might be a nice gesture to take him some cookies. He didn't see it causing any harm. Hell, after Brian's rude behavior about the parking situation, Justin was sure the cookies could only help.
***
His mind made up, Justin found himself in front of his neighbor's door. Holding the cookie plate with one hand, he used the other to knock on the door. However, after waiting a few moments, there was no response. As he turned to leave, the last thing he expected was to hear the door slide open.
"U-uh..." the blond's mouth dropped open in complete shock while his hand holding the cookies began to shake uncontrollably. Nothing could have prepared him for the fearsome man who stood before him. While Justin could have sworn the man's only clothing, a royal blue silk robe, was almost identical to the one Brian owned, it did little to comfort him. Instead, Justin's attention was arrested on the man's grotesque face.
"Can I help you?" Bonbois stared at the young blond standing before him in irritation. He'd been sleeping and hadn't appreciated the kid's interruption.
"I... I, u-uh..." Justin stammered as he continued to stare at Bonbois. He wasn't sure if it was the man's darkened beard, the cut on his right cheek, the swelling around his eye, the stitches on his forehead, or his missing two front teeth that frightened him the most. It was obvious with his toned body and rippling muscles that this neighbor of his could easily break a twink like him in two.
"You uh what?" Bonbois annoyingly repeated.
"B-brought you these," Justin looked down uncomfortably at his wobbling hand.
"What the fuck am I supposed to do with those?" Bonbois stared at the cookies in contempt.
"E-eat them?" the blond whispered meekly. He should have taken Brian's advice and have stayed away.
"Oh," Bonbois looked rather taken aback. "Who the fuck are you?" he suddenly inquired.
"Jus-Justin."
"Well, Justin, perhaps you could fill me in on why the hell you're offering me these infernal things."
"I-uh, w-wanted to uh, w-welcome you to the b-building," the artist responded nervously.
"You live here?" Bonbois questioned in surprise, causing Justin to nod in reply. "Huh. I thought you might be a..."
"I uh r-really, have to g-go," Justin decided to take advantage of Bonbois' surprise to make a quick get away.
"Justin," Bonbois called out as he watched the blond turn to flee. "Aren't you going to give me the cookies?"
"Oh, uh r-right, the cookies," Justin glanced sheepishly at the plate he was still holding. "Uh, here," he offered the plate to Bonbois with a shaking hand, before quickly running to the stairs, leaving Bonbois to stare back at him in wonderment.
8:30 p.m.
The Loft
Brian returned home from the airport to find the empty loft filled with the aroma of freshly-baked cookies. He wasn't surprised to find a plate full resting on the kitchen counter. Setting down his suitcases, he walked into the kitchen and reached for a cookie. He reckoned that one would be permissible as long as he made sure to run an extra mile on the treadmill at the gym the following morning.
As he headed into the bedroom, he turned around to see a clearly out of breath Justin burst into the loft. It was obvious Justin had yet to pick up on his presence, as the blond's energies were focused on locking the door and setting the alarm. Deciding to take advantage of the opportunity, Brian tread quietly across the wood floor towards his lover.
"Miss me?" Brian growled seductively as he came up behind Justin and wrapped his arms hungrily around the blond's waist.
"AH!" Justin yelped in terror.
"Christ, Justin, it's just me," Brian attempted to calm his partner. He could hear Justin's heart hammering frantically against him.
"Fuck, you scared me," Justin breathed as he turned to face Brian.
"You can say that again, Sunshine."
"I thought you weren't coming home until tomorrow?"
"I changed my mind. Maybe I wanted to surprise you," Brian gave a small chuckle.
"Obviously you did."
"You alright, Sunshine?" Brian inquired, as he noticed that Justin still seemed a bit shaken up.
"Between you and our psycho neighbor it's a wonder I didn't have a heart attack," Justin commented.
"Psycho neighbor?" Brian raised an intrigued eyebrow.
"Bonbois?"
"What the fuck were you doing with Bonbois?" Brian demanded. He didn't like the thought of
Justin being anywhere near the French-Canadian predator.
"Come into the living room and I'll tell you about it," the blond invited. "After the fifteen minutes I've just been through, I think I need to sit down."
***
"Let me see if I understand this," Brian began a few minutes later. "You went to take that asshole neighbor of ours cookies when I distinctly recall warning you not to?"
"I didn't see the harm in it. Obviously I should have taken your advice. Had I known what a fearsome-looking man he was, I would have stayed away," Justin laughed.
"Fearsome?" Brian questioned in confusion.
"Well, considering his Grizzly Adams' beard, and his..."
"Grizzly Adams' beard? Bonbois doesn't have a beard," Brian protested.
"I can assure you he does. However, coupled with his black eye, cut cheek, stitched-up forehead, and front two missing teeth, I suppose it's his most appealing quality," Justin remarked.
"Are you sure you're feeling alright, Sunshine?" Brian asked. Justin's description of Bonbois in no way matched the description of the man he had met the past weekend. It was obvious that something fishy was going on when it came to Bonbois and he vowed to get to the bottom of it.
"Now that I've gotten over my fear that he's going to kill me over a plate of cookies, I think it's safe to say that I'll be alright," the blond assured.
"I highly doubt he'd kill you over a plate of cookies,' Brian rolled his eyes. "Have you eaten yet?"
"No."
"How about I order us some take out. Then afterward, I'll see what I can do about taking your mind off our psycho neighbor," Brian promised with a seductive glint in his eyes, eager to be reunited with his lover after being apart for three nights.