QaF Fic "Through a Mirror, Darkly" Chapter 5
Hi everyone!
As promised (I know I said morning but it's been an experience this morning with Donovan!), here's the next update.
Also, something's up with my mood theme. I seem to have lost part of it! *groans in frustrations*
Enjoy!
This is about two parallel worlds. One which we know about and another that our Brian has found himself in. There will be a major character death in the other world - actually - there already has been. There is nothing squicky, per se. It's just a dark story. Our boys will still be together in the end and no, they won't be dead but very much alive - this is the best way I can think of to show once and for fucking all how much Brian Kinney wants to be with Justin Taylor. Just trust me but yes, this will get angsty.
Title: Through a Mirror Darkly
Chapter: 5
Pairing: Brian/Justin - duh!
Genre: Angst/Horror
Warnings: Character Death but not what you think.
Summary: Takes a strange turn at the end of Episode 217, when Brian goes to tell Justin about his new partnership.
Disclaimers: I don't own Cowlip or the boys - and I don't own a million dollars so don't sue.
Author's Note: For the purpose of this story - Justin never went on the trip to Vermont since Mikey was a good friend to BOTH Brian and Justin and convinced Justin to stay and wait for Brian.
Chapter 1 Brian comes home from Chicago
Chapter 2 Brian tries to get some answers
Chapter 3 Brian confronts the blond in his loft
Chapter 4 Brian runs into Kip
"Brian," Michael asked, "isn't Justin with you?"
Brian looked at all three men in confusion. "Who's Justin?"
Ted scoffed while Emmett looked mildly shocked.
"What do ya mean, who's Justin? Did you guys have a fight?" Michael asked while chuckling.
It was then Brian's turn to scoff. "How could I have a fight with someone I don't even know." Brian then shook his head and bounced up and down on his heels. "Can we go in, I'm fucking freezing!"
"Ah, the old Kinney-in-denial. Yep, they had a fight," Ted said.
Brian then headed into Woody's, the guys closely on his heels.
"So what's with the big news Brian?" Michael asked, meaning to ask him later what happened with Justin. He hoped that he had done the right thing by convincing Justin to stay home instead of going snowboarding like he had originally planned.
Thoughts started to race through Michael's head all at once. Could he have misread his unpredictable best friend again? Was he hoping Justin had gone so he wouldn't have felt guilty about having to cancel their trip? Michael had been sure that Brian, although he wouldn't have admitted it to anyone, would have been disappointed to have come home to find Justin gone.
"So," Brian said, interrupting Michael who had been deep in thought, "say hello to Vance's new partner." Brian then smiled smugly.
There was a round of congratulations and Emmett even bounced up from the table to hug Brian.
"So? What did Justin say when you told him? Ted asked.
Brian looked around the table at the expectant faces and then sighed. "Is someone going to explain to me who Justin is?"
"Brian," Michael started but then Brian put his hand up to stop the man from talking any further.
"No wait, first off, I would like to thank you for the wonderful present you arranged for me up in my loft on my returning home, but fuck Michael, leaving a trick in the loft alone? What the fuck were you thinking? Wasn't it bad enough I had my loft broken into just over a year ago and had most of my stuff taken?" Brian asked.
"Brian," Michael started again when Ted interrupted.
"You're getting tricks now for Brian?! Some friend you are. He's already got sex on tap whenever he wants but for your friend here who is floundering..."
"I did not get Brian any trick," Michael screamed while turning to Brian. "What are you talking about and what do you mean 'who is Justin?' I just don't get you right now."
"The blond, that was waiting for me at the loft," Brian replied, confused more than ever now. "He seemed to know who you were."
"Maybe he's Justin's friend. Where was Justin during all this?" Michael asked.
"Michael," Brian said while he got down at Michael's level, "I can't tell you where 'Justin' was or is because I don't know who you're talking about, unless," Brian started but was then cut off by the new arrival at the table.
"Hi guys."
Brian looked up and noticed the blond kid from the loft. There was a small part of him, small he reminded himself, that was relieved to see him.
"Him! That's the trick you left for me," Brian said while pointing to Justin and addressing Michael.
"What? You mean...Justin?" Michael screeched.
"Oh," Brian said, "this is Justin?"
Okay, Brian thought, it now made sense.
"Brian, what are you..." Michael started once again and then had a hand put on his shoulder.
"Never mind Michael, he's been acting this freaky ever since he got back," Justin said.
Justin sat on one of the stools, once again mindful of the pair of hazel eyes that were watching him from across the table.
Brian watched how Justin sat at the table and seemed quite comfortable with his friends, just like he had been at the loft. This unnerved Brian a bit but he was willing to watch how the evening unfolded to see how the blond enigma fit in with his little extended family. He knew enough to know that every time that he opened his mouth since he had gotten back, he seemed to not only agitate his yet-to-be-trick, but also the gang so he decided to keep it low key until things sorted themselves out.
He couldn't complain too much though. He was partner now. He had the prospect of possibly a very fun night with a very hot blond. And Vance had taken care of a problem he had had to deal with for the past year, namely the 'Kip' problem as he had labeled it.
"Ah Mikey," Brian said as he turned to his best friend and put his hand on his shoulder, "life is good, you know?"
"Oh and how is that?" Michael asked, still looking over at Justin who seemed to be going farther and farther within himself. Justin may have appeared to not care what Brian was doing but Michael knew that it was a front and Justin was indeed hurting from whatever game his best friend was currently playing.
"Being made partner and, and, getting rid of my Kip 'problem' once and for all," Brian said smugly as he leaned back on the stool.
"Kip?" Michael asked in confusion.
Brian suddenly noticed the entire table go quiet. Emmett and Ted had been chatting to themselves but had stopped to hear what Brian was talking about.
Justin's head had popped up instantly, a look of trepidation showing on his face. It was also the first sign of life by Justin since he walked into Woody's.
This did not go unnoticed by Brian.
"Yeah, Kip," Brian said. "Vance fired him and he can't come back," Brian said while taking a sip of his Beam. "He'll probably still try but there's nothing he can do about it at this point. I mean he could technically, but it would only come across as sour grapes now."
Justin started to trace patterns in the wood of the table with the beer that had spilled over his glass.
"Why," Justin cleared his throat, "why would Kip be a problem now, or what I meant to say...is...why did you bring Kip up now, Brian?" As Justin said this, he looked directly at Brian.
The kid was doing it again, Brian thought. Looking directly at him, into him, trying to read what was going on. And once again, it was unnerving Brian in a way he couldn't quite explain. He had never met Justin before, yet it felt as if Justin had known him. He then shook his head clear again (a habit which was annoying him immensely as the night progressed) and addressed Justin.
"Why don't you let the boys explain it to you. You seem to be really...cozy with them," Brian said.
Justin stopped and stared at Brian open mouthed.
Again.
"Brian!" Michael screeched.
Again.
Brian noted the pattern his night was taking.
"Now what is the fucking deal on Kip?" Michael said, this time maintaining his voice so he wasn't yelling. "That 'problem' was taken care of a year ago when he dropped the suit. Why are you bringing it up now? And why should we explain it to Justin. He knows just as much as we do, but now I'm starting to think we know nothing about it!"
Brian stopped leaning back on his stool and took in the expression of his best friend's face. He took in the faces of everyone at the table.
They were all the same. All confused. All blank.
Now Brian knew you didn't survive in the corporate world too long if you didn't know when to keep your mouth shut and just listen to what was going on around you.
Brian also knew that this kind of thinking carried well over into your personal life as well.
And this was one of those times.
"Go ahead, Michael, tell the lad what happened with Kip," Brian said. Now he'd find out what had gotten into all of them.
Michael wasn't sure who he was addressing at the moment but he just decided to start talking, "you fucked Kip once at the office..."
"Actually Michael, it was twice."
"Twice?! Brian! Twice? At the office?" Michael asked.
"No, the second time was at the loft."
"I knew it! You two did it when I was studying for my SATs! I knew it!" Justin jumped up.
"You're not on any medication, are you?" Brian asked.
"Brian!" but this time the shout came from all the men at the table. He did it again. He had opened his mouth and everyone had jumped on him. "Please, Michael, continue."
"So Kip, being the ever pushy and corporate ladder climbing asshole he was," Michael continued, "took it upon himself to seek a promotion within by holding this little information over your head and when you didn't cave in, he filed a sexual harassment suit."
So far, this was the way Brian remembered it.
"May I?" Ted asked. "I find this so entertaining...you know, reliving your past mistakes. So you hired Mel, because the suit was quite serious..."
"Hold on. Did you say I hired Mel?" Brian queried.
"Yes. You know Mel. Short woman, always has your number, the bain of your existence," Ted said. "May I continue?"
Brian nodded his head in the affirmative. Now, Brian thought, this was getting interesting.
"So, she told you your odds, it looked pretty grim and then you showed up with Mel on the day of the hearing and poof!" Ted said while blinking his eyes.
"Poof?" Brian said.
"Well, you know," Ted said with a laugh. "I mean, yeah Poof! Problem was gone. Kip dropped the suit and no one ever found out why."
"He just dropped it," Brian repeated.
"Yeah," Emmett continued. "We were all just as stumped as you were when it happened a little over a year ago," Emmett said, completely misreading Brian's reaction. "You know, I think it was about a month later, I heard through the Babylon grapevine that he couldn't find work in the Pitts. He had to move to Atlanta."
"Hey," Ted exclaimed. "I just remembered. It happened on Justin's birthday!"
"Yeah, that's right!" Emmett jumped in. "I remember that day too. I came back to my senses after that whole 'see the light' fiasco," Emmett said and shuddered.
Everyone laughed around the table except for Brian. He looked directly at Justin.
"Speaking of birthdays...how old are you?"
Everyone stopped laughing. Justin had that gobsmacked expression again.
Come to think of it, so did everyone else.
"What? And if this happened a little over a year ago, you must have just had another birthday, right?" Brian said offhandedly.
Justin stood abruptly, glared at Brian and stormed off in the direction of the bathrooms.
"Now what did I say?"
"Do you take lessons in being a Class One asshole or does it just come naturally?" Emmett asked.
"Fuck Brian! What the fuck is your problem? How could you...you just...his birthday...," but Michael didn't finish his incoherent thoughts as he stormed off in the direction Justin had taken.
"Now where's Michael off to?" Brian asked.
"I know this is an alien concept on your homeworld, but it's called 'comforting someone,' and in this case, your best friend has to go comfort your boyfriend," Ted said.
Brian's head whipped around quickly. "What did you just say?"
"See Teddy, 'comforting' is not in the man's vocabulary," Emmett said.
"No, the other part," Brian said and then swallowed. "The...'boyfriend' part."
"Wow Brian," Teddy laughed, "you just said the 'boyfriend' word and your head didn't spin around on your neck and someone had to call a priest."
"This is a red-letter day for Mr Brian-I-don't-do-relationships-Kinney," Emmett said matter of factly.
Brian was trying to process what the Stooges were saying when he looked across the bar. At first, he thought he had been seeing things but then it happened again.
A mild distortion in the wall...as if the wall were moving. But the wall wasn't moving. It was different. It was different in the way your chest rises and falls in a particular rhythm.
It appeared as if the wall were to be breathing.
Brian rubbed at his eyes, because that seemed to always be the first thing you do when confronted with something so odd and the wall appeared to be solid again. He watched the wall for any more sign of movement (no Brian thought, breathing) but the wall seemed to just continue what it had always been meant to do.
Be a wall.
A non-breathing, stationery wall.
Brian contemplated asking the guys if they saw it too, but decided that now was not the time.
He then looked around the bar to see where Michael and Justin had run off to.
Michael ran out the back door of the bar and finally found Justin, leaning against the brick wall and smoking a cigarette.
"You know, Ma would hate to see how much you've been smoking lately," Michael said as he approached Justin.
When the kid raised his head to respond, Michael noticed the utterly defeated look on Justin's face.
Michael had at once wished Justin would have just gone away. But those days were long gone now. Brian was his best friend, and despite what people thought that he himself wanted, he only wanted what was truly best for Brian. And he knew that without a doubt, Brian cared for Justin. He would also go so far as to say Brian loved the kid. And he didn't doubt Justin's love for Brian. They shared a bond that was very real, very tangible and not even the great Brian Kinney could deny that it existed. But Brian, with his walls, and his fears, was trying desperately to get back into control something he just couldn't.
Well, Michael thought, he could, but he was currently going at it in the worst possible way.
And then there was Justin himself. Michael had also come to like him just as much as the rest of the family - maybe even better. It wasn't just the fact that Justin was turning his dream into a reality - his own comic book - but that he was brave, brave in a way that Michael himself could never be, and that that was what Brian had needed all along.
But lately Brian's denial and Justin's own lack of self-confidence were pitting themselves against their relationship, and yes, Michael thought, they did have a relationship. If they could get over all the obstacles that life and their own shortcomings kept throwing at them, Michael was convinced they would have something that no one could come between. Ever.
"Justin, it's okay, come back in," Michael said. "You know Brian..."
"Yeah, I do," Justin said vehemently, "he's pissed off with me about something. I don't know what. Well, or maybe I do." Justin backed off from the wall and flicked his cigarette onto to the ground where he then proceeded to crush it under his foot, thinking about the odd turn of events at the table and how Brian kept bringing up Kip. Justin was worried about the fact that Brian had found out and was now playing with Justin, to see if he knew something.
Or Justin thought, he could be paranoid.
"Actually, I don't," Justin said, not wanting to drag Michael into the whole sordid mess. "Brian is just..."
"Brian, yeah I know," Michael said with a smile. "Was it the birthday thing that got you upset?"
"Shit Michael!" Justin paced back and forth waving his arms around wildly. "He made such a point to not celebrate my birthday. I mean, he was actually making it his life's mission to make sure I knew how just how little my birthday meant to him! But I thought this was all over and now...now he just acts as if he doesn't even remember I had a birthday." Justin slumped against the wall.
"He didn't mean it like that Justin. You know how he feels about celebrating birthdays. God! Remember his own?"
"He gave you a big party at the loft on your thirtieth!" Justin pointed out.
"Yeah, to throw me off a cliff!" Michael said back while chuckling. "And after Ben's birthday party...I mean attempted birthday party, I think Brian might have the right idea."
Justin winced remembering Ben's party. "Maybe that should be a lesson to all of us - no more birthday parties," Justin said with a smile.
"Yeah, but we throw a helluva wedding!" Michael said and then put his arm around Justin. "Come on, let's go back in. I'll have Ted and Emmett take you somewhere tonight and find out what's up with him, okay? And I promise there won't be any recreational drugs involved."
Justin shook his head in the affirmative. "Could you bring back some for me?"
Both the men laughed and reentered Woody's where they saw Ted, Emmett and Brian still sitting at the table.
"Look, this is a good sign. Brian hasn't gone off yet to find a trick for the night," Michael said and laughed.
Justin smiled and then stopped to address Michael. "Thanks Michael," and Justin hugged the man before walking up to the table.
"You okay baby?" Emmett asked.
"Yeah," Justin replied, "just a little hungry, I guess."
"And when is he not?" Michael asked. Justin hit Michael on the side of the arm. "Why don't you guys go to the diner. Brian and I'll catch up with you later."
Emmett and Ted looked at each and got the hint. Sometimes it didn't take much. "Oooh goody! I was hungry anyways. Oh Teddy, I'm a little short, could you..."
"Yes, Emmett," Ted said while shaking his head. "Come on Sunshine," Ted said and all three men vacated the table.
While Brian was watching the men start to leave, he called out, "what about us? I thought we had plans?"
Justin looked at brian, shook his head and exited Woody's.
"What the hell?" Brian said and turned to leave Woody's also.
"Not you Brian," Michael said. "We need to talk."
"We can talk anytime." Brian looked at the exit, "did you see that ass?"
"Brian! What the fuck is wrong with you?" Michael yelled.
"What's...what's wrong with me?! Look, now I don't get what the fuck is..." Brian started to shout when another presence made themselves known at the table.
Both men looked up and saw Mysterious Marilyn staring at Brian. The normally self-assured and detached Marilyn looked anything but at the moment. Her face was panic-stricken, her hands were shaking profusely.
"You're not supposed to be here," she said as she looked at Brian.
"What the hell? Has everyone gone insane today?" Brian yelled. "Should I be at Babylon instead?" Brian asked while smirking.
"Brian," Michael put a hand on his best friend's forearm. "What do you mean by that?" Michael swallowed, knowing he wasn't about to like what was going to come out of her mouth.
"You're not him. You shouldn't be here."
"I'm not him? Him who?" Brian asked while trying not to laugh. "What? Are you saying I'm not Brian Kinney?"
"Oh, you're Brian Kinney alright. But your aura...it's wrong. It's...skewed. You're not him, the one that should be here." She looked around the bar nervously. "You're the other one."
"The other one?" Michael asked.
"This should not have happened, this is not good, it's bad, very bad," Marilyn started to say as she continued to anxiously wring her hands together. "They will not be happy when they find out."
She once again looked around Woody's, seemingly staring off into space. "Unless they already know."
And in that other dimenion...
As all three men turned toward their table while laughing, Michael stopped and turned around. He noticed he was not the only one who had been watching as Brian had run out of the bar. Michael saw that Mysterious Marilyn had her eyes on the door Brian had just vacated. She then turned and looked straight at Michael.
Michael gasped as he took in the very pale face and trembling form of the normally stoic Marilyn.
Michael watched as Mysterious Marilyn quickly turned on her heel and left for the nearest exit. Michael ran after her, ignoring Ted and Emmett's queries as to where he was off to.
Michael caught up to Marilyn outside of the bar. He stopped her by placing his hand on her arm. "What? What's wrong? Why did you flip out like that? What did you see?" Michael was pleading with her to say something.
Marilyn's voice, which usually took on a false earthy, spiritual tone, was harsh and cold. "Who cares what I saw, right? I'm a fake, right? You should just go. It'll just be the ramblings of a fucked up, washed out drag queen." Marilyn turned to go.
"No!" Michael kept hold of her arm. "Just tell me."
"No, I don't think so. I'm...I'm a coward. I don't want them to see me talking to him, your friend. Or you."
With one last tug, Marilyn broke free of Michael's grasp and fled into the night.
TBC
I love feedback. Unlike the other Marilyn, I'm not a coward and I love to hear what you have to say!
As promised (I know I said morning but it's been an experience this morning with Donovan!), here's the next update.
Also, something's up with my mood theme. I seem to have lost part of it! *groans in frustrations*
Enjoy!
This is about two parallel worlds. One which we know about and another that our Brian has found himself in. There will be a major character death in the other world - actually - there already has been. There is nothing squicky, per se. It's just a dark story. Our boys will still be together in the end and no, they won't be dead but very much alive - this is the best way I can think of to show once and for fucking all how much Brian Kinney wants to be with Justin Taylor. Just trust me but yes, this will get angsty.
Title: Through a Mirror Darkly
Chapter: 5
Pairing: Brian/Justin - duh!
Genre: Angst/Horror
Warnings: Character Death but not what you think.
Summary: Takes a strange turn at the end of Episode 217, when Brian goes to tell Justin about his new partnership.
Disclaimers: I don't own Cowlip or the boys - and I don't own a million dollars so don't sue.
Author's Note: For the purpose of this story - Justin never went on the trip to Vermont since Mikey was a good friend to BOTH Brian and Justin and convinced Justin to stay and wait for Brian.
Chapter 1 Brian comes home from Chicago
Chapter 2 Brian tries to get some answers
Chapter 3 Brian confronts the blond in his loft
Chapter 4 Brian runs into Kip
"Brian," Michael asked, "isn't Justin with you?"
Brian looked at all three men in confusion. "Who's Justin?"
Ted scoffed while Emmett looked mildly shocked.
"What do ya mean, who's Justin? Did you guys have a fight?" Michael asked while chuckling.
It was then Brian's turn to scoff. "How could I have a fight with someone I don't even know." Brian then shook his head and bounced up and down on his heels. "Can we go in, I'm fucking freezing!"
"Ah, the old Kinney-in-denial. Yep, they had a fight," Ted said.
Brian then headed into Woody's, the guys closely on his heels.
"So what's with the big news Brian?" Michael asked, meaning to ask him later what happened with Justin. He hoped that he had done the right thing by convincing Justin to stay home instead of going snowboarding like he had originally planned.
Thoughts started to race through Michael's head all at once. Could he have misread his unpredictable best friend again? Was he hoping Justin had gone so he wouldn't have felt guilty about having to cancel their trip? Michael had been sure that Brian, although he wouldn't have admitted it to anyone, would have been disappointed to have come home to find Justin gone.
"So," Brian said, interrupting Michael who had been deep in thought, "say hello to Vance's new partner." Brian then smiled smugly.
There was a round of congratulations and Emmett even bounced up from the table to hug Brian.
"So? What did Justin say when you told him? Ted asked.
Brian looked around the table at the expectant faces and then sighed. "Is someone going to explain to me who Justin is?"
"Brian," Michael started but then Brian put his hand up to stop the man from talking any further.
"No wait, first off, I would like to thank you for the wonderful present you arranged for me up in my loft on my returning home, but fuck Michael, leaving a trick in the loft alone? What the fuck were you thinking? Wasn't it bad enough I had my loft broken into just over a year ago and had most of my stuff taken?" Brian asked.
"Brian," Michael started again when Ted interrupted.
"You're getting tricks now for Brian?! Some friend you are. He's already got sex on tap whenever he wants but for your friend here who is floundering..."
"I did not get Brian any trick," Michael screamed while turning to Brian. "What are you talking about and what do you mean 'who is Justin?' I just don't get you right now."
"The blond, that was waiting for me at the loft," Brian replied, confused more than ever now. "He seemed to know who you were."
"Maybe he's Justin's friend. Where was Justin during all this?" Michael asked.
"Michael," Brian said while he got down at Michael's level, "I can't tell you where 'Justin' was or is because I don't know who you're talking about, unless," Brian started but was then cut off by the new arrival at the table.
"Hi guys."
Brian looked up and noticed the blond kid from the loft. There was a small part of him, small he reminded himself, that was relieved to see him.
"Him! That's the trick you left for me," Brian said while pointing to Justin and addressing Michael.
"What? You mean...Justin?" Michael screeched.
"Oh," Brian said, "this is Justin?"
Okay, Brian thought, it now made sense.
"Brian, what are you..." Michael started once again and then had a hand put on his shoulder.
"Never mind Michael, he's been acting this freaky ever since he got back," Justin said.
Justin sat on one of the stools, once again mindful of the pair of hazel eyes that were watching him from across the table.
Brian watched how Justin sat at the table and seemed quite comfortable with his friends, just like he had been at the loft. This unnerved Brian a bit but he was willing to watch how the evening unfolded to see how the blond enigma fit in with his little extended family. He knew enough to know that every time that he opened his mouth since he had gotten back, he seemed to not only agitate his yet-to-be-trick, but also the gang so he decided to keep it low key until things sorted themselves out.
He couldn't complain too much though. He was partner now. He had the prospect of possibly a very fun night with a very hot blond. And Vance had taken care of a problem he had had to deal with for the past year, namely the 'Kip' problem as he had labeled it.
"Ah Mikey," Brian said as he turned to his best friend and put his hand on his shoulder, "life is good, you know?"
"Oh and how is that?" Michael asked, still looking over at Justin who seemed to be going farther and farther within himself. Justin may have appeared to not care what Brian was doing but Michael knew that it was a front and Justin was indeed hurting from whatever game his best friend was currently playing.
"Being made partner and, and, getting rid of my Kip 'problem' once and for all," Brian said smugly as he leaned back on the stool.
"Kip?" Michael asked in confusion.
Brian suddenly noticed the entire table go quiet. Emmett and Ted had been chatting to themselves but had stopped to hear what Brian was talking about.
Justin's head had popped up instantly, a look of trepidation showing on his face. It was also the first sign of life by Justin since he walked into Woody's.
This did not go unnoticed by Brian.
"Yeah, Kip," Brian said. "Vance fired him and he can't come back," Brian said while taking a sip of his Beam. "He'll probably still try but there's nothing he can do about it at this point. I mean he could technically, but it would only come across as sour grapes now."
Justin started to trace patterns in the wood of the table with the beer that had spilled over his glass.
"Why," Justin cleared his throat, "why would Kip be a problem now, or what I meant to say...is...why did you bring Kip up now, Brian?" As Justin said this, he looked directly at Brian.
The kid was doing it again, Brian thought. Looking directly at him, into him, trying to read what was going on. And once again, it was unnerving Brian in a way he couldn't quite explain. He had never met Justin before, yet it felt as if Justin had known him. He then shook his head clear again (a habit which was annoying him immensely as the night progressed) and addressed Justin.
"Why don't you let the boys explain it to you. You seem to be really...cozy with them," Brian said.
Justin stopped and stared at Brian open mouthed.
Again.
"Brian!" Michael screeched.
Again.
Brian noted the pattern his night was taking.
"Now what is the fucking deal on Kip?" Michael said, this time maintaining his voice so he wasn't yelling. "That 'problem' was taken care of a year ago when he dropped the suit. Why are you bringing it up now? And why should we explain it to Justin. He knows just as much as we do, but now I'm starting to think we know nothing about it!"
Brian stopped leaning back on his stool and took in the expression of his best friend's face. He took in the faces of everyone at the table.
They were all the same. All confused. All blank.
Now Brian knew you didn't survive in the corporate world too long if you didn't know when to keep your mouth shut and just listen to what was going on around you.
Brian also knew that this kind of thinking carried well over into your personal life as well.
And this was one of those times.
"Go ahead, Michael, tell the lad what happened with Kip," Brian said. Now he'd find out what had gotten into all of them.
Michael wasn't sure who he was addressing at the moment but he just decided to start talking, "you fucked Kip once at the office..."
"Actually Michael, it was twice."
"Twice?! Brian! Twice? At the office?" Michael asked.
"No, the second time was at the loft."
"I knew it! You two did it when I was studying for my SATs! I knew it!" Justin jumped up.
"You're not on any medication, are you?" Brian asked.
"Brian!" but this time the shout came from all the men at the table. He did it again. He had opened his mouth and everyone had jumped on him. "Please, Michael, continue."
"So Kip, being the ever pushy and corporate ladder climbing asshole he was," Michael continued, "took it upon himself to seek a promotion within by holding this little information over your head and when you didn't cave in, he filed a sexual harassment suit."
So far, this was the way Brian remembered it.
"May I?" Ted asked. "I find this so entertaining...you know, reliving your past mistakes. So you hired Mel, because the suit was quite serious..."
"Hold on. Did you say I hired Mel?" Brian queried.
"Yes. You know Mel. Short woman, always has your number, the bain of your existence," Ted said. "May I continue?"
Brian nodded his head in the affirmative. Now, Brian thought, this was getting interesting.
"So, she told you your odds, it looked pretty grim and then you showed up with Mel on the day of the hearing and poof!" Ted said while blinking his eyes.
"Poof?" Brian said.
"Well, you know," Ted said with a laugh. "I mean, yeah Poof! Problem was gone. Kip dropped the suit and no one ever found out why."
"He just dropped it," Brian repeated.
"Yeah," Emmett continued. "We were all just as stumped as you were when it happened a little over a year ago," Emmett said, completely misreading Brian's reaction. "You know, I think it was about a month later, I heard through the Babylon grapevine that he couldn't find work in the Pitts. He had to move to Atlanta."
"Hey," Ted exclaimed. "I just remembered. It happened on Justin's birthday!"
"Yeah, that's right!" Emmett jumped in. "I remember that day too. I came back to my senses after that whole 'see the light' fiasco," Emmett said and shuddered.
Everyone laughed around the table except for Brian. He looked directly at Justin.
"Speaking of birthdays...how old are you?"
Everyone stopped laughing. Justin had that gobsmacked expression again.
Come to think of it, so did everyone else.
"What? And if this happened a little over a year ago, you must have just had another birthday, right?" Brian said offhandedly.
Justin stood abruptly, glared at Brian and stormed off in the direction of the bathrooms.
"Now what did I say?"
"Do you take lessons in being a Class One asshole or does it just come naturally?" Emmett asked.
"Fuck Brian! What the fuck is your problem? How could you...you just...his birthday...," but Michael didn't finish his incoherent thoughts as he stormed off in the direction Justin had taken.
"Now where's Michael off to?" Brian asked.
"I know this is an alien concept on your homeworld, but it's called 'comforting someone,' and in this case, your best friend has to go comfort your boyfriend," Ted said.
Brian's head whipped around quickly. "What did you just say?"
"See Teddy, 'comforting' is not in the man's vocabulary," Emmett said.
"No, the other part," Brian said and then swallowed. "The...'boyfriend' part."
"Wow Brian," Teddy laughed, "you just said the 'boyfriend' word and your head didn't spin around on your neck and someone had to call a priest."
"This is a red-letter day for Mr Brian-I-don't-do-relationships-Kinney," Emmett said matter of factly.
Brian was trying to process what the Stooges were saying when he looked across the bar. At first, he thought he had been seeing things but then it happened again.
A mild distortion in the wall...as if the wall were moving. But the wall wasn't moving. It was different. It was different in the way your chest rises and falls in a particular rhythm.
It appeared as if the wall were to be breathing.
Brian rubbed at his eyes, because that seemed to always be the first thing you do when confronted with something so odd and the wall appeared to be solid again. He watched the wall for any more sign of movement (no Brian thought, breathing) but the wall seemed to just continue what it had always been meant to do.
Be a wall.
A non-breathing, stationery wall.
Brian contemplated asking the guys if they saw it too, but decided that now was not the time.
He then looked around the bar to see where Michael and Justin had run off to.
Michael ran out the back door of the bar and finally found Justin, leaning against the brick wall and smoking a cigarette.
"You know, Ma would hate to see how much you've been smoking lately," Michael said as he approached Justin.
When the kid raised his head to respond, Michael noticed the utterly defeated look on Justin's face.
Michael had at once wished Justin would have just gone away. But those days were long gone now. Brian was his best friend, and despite what people thought that he himself wanted, he only wanted what was truly best for Brian. And he knew that without a doubt, Brian cared for Justin. He would also go so far as to say Brian loved the kid. And he didn't doubt Justin's love for Brian. They shared a bond that was very real, very tangible and not even the great Brian Kinney could deny that it existed. But Brian, with his walls, and his fears, was trying desperately to get back into control something he just couldn't.
Well, Michael thought, he could, but he was currently going at it in the worst possible way.
And then there was Justin himself. Michael had also come to like him just as much as the rest of the family - maybe even better. It wasn't just the fact that Justin was turning his dream into a reality - his own comic book - but that he was brave, brave in a way that Michael himself could never be, and that that was what Brian had needed all along.
But lately Brian's denial and Justin's own lack of self-confidence were pitting themselves against their relationship, and yes, Michael thought, they did have a relationship. If they could get over all the obstacles that life and their own shortcomings kept throwing at them, Michael was convinced they would have something that no one could come between. Ever.
"Justin, it's okay, come back in," Michael said. "You know Brian..."
"Yeah, I do," Justin said vehemently, "he's pissed off with me about something. I don't know what. Well, or maybe I do." Justin backed off from the wall and flicked his cigarette onto to the ground where he then proceeded to crush it under his foot, thinking about the odd turn of events at the table and how Brian kept bringing up Kip. Justin was worried about the fact that Brian had found out and was now playing with Justin, to see if he knew something.
Or Justin thought, he could be paranoid.
"Actually, I don't," Justin said, not wanting to drag Michael into the whole sordid mess. "Brian is just..."
"Brian, yeah I know," Michael said with a smile. "Was it the birthday thing that got you upset?"
"Shit Michael!" Justin paced back and forth waving his arms around wildly. "He made such a point to not celebrate my birthday. I mean, he was actually making it his life's mission to make sure I knew how just how little my birthday meant to him! But I thought this was all over and now...now he just acts as if he doesn't even remember I had a birthday." Justin slumped against the wall.
"He didn't mean it like that Justin. You know how he feels about celebrating birthdays. God! Remember his own?"
"He gave you a big party at the loft on your thirtieth!" Justin pointed out.
"Yeah, to throw me off a cliff!" Michael said back while chuckling. "And after Ben's birthday party...I mean attempted birthday party, I think Brian might have the right idea."
Justin winced remembering Ben's party. "Maybe that should be a lesson to all of us - no more birthday parties," Justin said with a smile.
"Yeah, but we throw a helluva wedding!" Michael said and then put his arm around Justin. "Come on, let's go back in. I'll have Ted and Emmett take you somewhere tonight and find out what's up with him, okay? And I promise there won't be any recreational drugs involved."
Justin shook his head in the affirmative. "Could you bring back some for me?"
Both the men laughed and reentered Woody's where they saw Ted, Emmett and Brian still sitting at the table.
"Look, this is a good sign. Brian hasn't gone off yet to find a trick for the night," Michael said and laughed.
Justin smiled and then stopped to address Michael. "Thanks Michael," and Justin hugged the man before walking up to the table.
"You okay baby?" Emmett asked.
"Yeah," Justin replied, "just a little hungry, I guess."
"And when is he not?" Michael asked. Justin hit Michael on the side of the arm. "Why don't you guys go to the diner. Brian and I'll catch up with you later."
Emmett and Ted looked at each and got the hint. Sometimes it didn't take much. "Oooh goody! I was hungry anyways. Oh Teddy, I'm a little short, could you..."
"Yes, Emmett," Ted said while shaking his head. "Come on Sunshine," Ted said and all three men vacated the table.
While Brian was watching the men start to leave, he called out, "what about us? I thought we had plans?"
Justin looked at brian, shook his head and exited Woody's.
"What the hell?" Brian said and turned to leave Woody's also.
"Not you Brian," Michael said. "We need to talk."
"We can talk anytime." Brian looked at the exit, "did you see that ass?"
"Brian! What the fuck is wrong with you?" Michael yelled.
"What's...what's wrong with me?! Look, now I don't get what the fuck is..." Brian started to shout when another presence made themselves known at the table.
Both men looked up and saw Mysterious Marilyn staring at Brian. The normally self-assured and detached Marilyn looked anything but at the moment. Her face was panic-stricken, her hands were shaking profusely.
"You're not supposed to be here," she said as she looked at Brian.
"What the hell? Has everyone gone insane today?" Brian yelled. "Should I be at Babylon instead?" Brian asked while smirking.
"Brian," Michael put a hand on his best friend's forearm. "What do you mean by that?" Michael swallowed, knowing he wasn't about to like what was going to come out of her mouth.
"You're not him. You shouldn't be here."
"I'm not him? Him who?" Brian asked while trying not to laugh. "What? Are you saying I'm not Brian Kinney?"
"Oh, you're Brian Kinney alright. But your aura...it's wrong. It's...skewed. You're not him, the one that should be here." She looked around the bar nervously. "You're the other one."
"The other one?" Michael asked.
"This should not have happened, this is not good, it's bad, very bad," Marilyn started to say as she continued to anxiously wring her hands together. "They will not be happy when they find out."
She once again looked around Woody's, seemingly staring off into space. "Unless they already know."
And in that other dimenion...
As all three men turned toward their table while laughing, Michael stopped and turned around. He noticed he was not the only one who had been watching as Brian had run out of the bar. Michael saw that Mysterious Marilyn had her eyes on the door Brian had just vacated. She then turned and looked straight at Michael.
Michael gasped as he took in the very pale face and trembling form of the normally stoic Marilyn.
Michael watched as Mysterious Marilyn quickly turned on her heel and left for the nearest exit. Michael ran after her, ignoring Ted and Emmett's queries as to where he was off to.
Michael caught up to Marilyn outside of the bar. He stopped her by placing his hand on her arm. "What? What's wrong? Why did you flip out like that? What did you see?" Michael was pleading with her to say something.
Marilyn's voice, which usually took on a false earthy, spiritual tone, was harsh and cold. "Who cares what I saw, right? I'm a fake, right? You should just go. It'll just be the ramblings of a fucked up, washed out drag queen." Marilyn turned to go.
"No!" Michael kept hold of her arm. "Just tell me."
"No, I don't think so. I'm...I'm a coward. I don't want them to see me talking to him, your friend. Or you."
With one last tug, Marilyn broke free of Michael's grasp and fled into the night.
TBC
I love feedback. Unlike the other Marilyn, I'm not a coward and I love to hear what you have to say!