freakykat: (touchme)
[personal profile] freakykat
Indebted
banner made by [livejournal.com profile] qafmaniac


Title: Indebted
Chapter: Ten - Somewhere in between now
Sequel/Series: series
Author: [livejournal.com profile] freakykat
Time Frame: Takes place during 3rd season starting after 3.04 - AU timelime
Summary: Justin and Brian find their lives intwine no matter what they do.
Rating: NC-17
Notes: Thanks to [livejournal.com profile] forbiddenromanc for being such a great pinch hitter. Love you to bits.
Disclaimer: I own none of this. I has no money. Please don't sue.

All previous Indebted chapters




Indebted


Chapter Ten: Somewhere in between now



Daphne leaned against the doorframe to Justin’s room, watching her best friend smoke himself into an early grave. She wanted to shake him. Hard. He had spent the last week moping around his room, listening to stupid Emo music, and filling her lungs with enough smoke to kill them both. Whatever had gone down between him and Ethan had really affected him. So, as much as she hated that he was this way over the asshole fiddler, he was her Justin. Her best friend. She had to make him feel better.

Stepping into the room, she waved a small bowl in the air. “Want some peach yogurt?”

Justin turned to look at her, blowing smoke rings into the air and shaking his head in the process. “No, thanks.”

Sighing in attempt to let out some tension and reign in her temper, she walked toward the stereo, turning the music down. If she had to hear Pete Wentz one more time…

“I hate that you’re this depressed.” She left out the words “over that asshole fiddler” from the sentence. They were implied. “You’ve been depressed the whole first month’s rent.”

Justin stared at her, pouting slightly. “I’m sorry I’m such a bad roommate. I can move out if you want.”

Daphne rolled her eyes. “Jesus Christ. You are such a fucking queen. Did I say that? I just want you to cheer up. Show me that damn smile once.” He threw her a half-hearted smile that didn’t even reach his eyes. “Oh, well yeah. That was exactly what I meant.”

Justin ran his hand through his hair. “I’m sorry. I just can’t stop thinking about him.”

Oh, gross. Daphne made a face but decided she would be the best friend she could be and sat down in the chair across from Justin. If she had to listen to ’Odes to Ethan’, she was going to at least be comfortable. That way she could zone out when it got to be too much. “I know.”

“I keep having dreams.”

“You just have to give yourself time, Justin.”

“They’re fucking disturbing and hot and fuck -- I want to live in them.”

“It’ll get better. I promise.”

“I think I need to see a shrink.”

“Tell yourself “Ethan is history.””

Justin’s head rolled to the side, eyes blinking at her and then he looked confused. “What are you talking about?”

Daphne wondered if she had missed something. “You needing to get over Ethan?”

“Ethan?” Justin shook his head, making a face of his own. “I’m talking about Brian, Daphe.”

Daphne’s heart did a bit of a boogie in her chest, and she shook her head, her voice squeaking when she said “Brian?”

Justin threw his multi-colored pillow, that Daphne had bought him at IKEA as a housewarming present when he’d first moved in with Brian after the bashing, on his face and muffled his scream.

Stunned, she fell into the chair to the side of Justin’s bed. She couldn’t have heard that right. “You said Brian.”

His “I did.” was barely audible but she was sure it had been said nonetheless.

Getting up from the chair, she jumped on the prone body, grabbing the other pillow and gently smacking Justin wherever she could reach. “You fucker! Why didn’t you tell me this was about Brian? Why would you have me racking my brain for a way to comfort you over that goddamn fiddler?”

Justin’s face appeared, pillow thrown aside and shrugged. “I didn’t know you were being tormented, Daphe.”

Palming her face, she sighed loudly. “You’re a fucking high maintenance princess on your good days, Justin. I mean. Really. What the hell else would I be doing if not trying to figure out how to keep you from queening out?”

Justin paused. “You may have a point.”

She grinned at him, then, hands gripping his shoulders, she shook him hard. “Oh my god. You still love Brian.”

Justin smiled slowly. “Yep.”

She brought her fisted hands up and shimmed on the bed. “Woo-hoo!”

Justin bit his lip, cringing when he spoke because she would be pissed for not having known earlier. “We fucked in the backroom a week ago.”

Daphne’s mouth fell open, her hands falling to her lap, eyes wide. “You fucking what?!” It took her all of two seconds to recover and when she did, it was a storm of slaps to his arms and a pillow to his face.

She sat on him for a good five minutes.

“Why didn’t you tell me?!”

His response was muffled so Daphne let him out from under her clutches and raised an eyebrow, waiting.

“It was…it was our…it was between us, Daphne. I didn’t want to share it right away.” It was sweet and romantic in their very own fucked up way and he had wanted to hold on to it as long as possible.

Daphne frowned, shaking her head as she muttered, “I guess I understand.” Folded her arms across her chest, she stared straight at him. “Have you talked to him yet?”

Justin snorted.

“I’ll take that as a no.” She glanced over, pausing for a long moment, finding the right words. “Maybe you should.”

Justin stared at her, waiting.

“You know, tell him. How you feel. That you love him and want to be with him.”

Justin made another derisive sound, patting his pockets for a lighter as he stuck a new cigarette into his mouth. “He’d laugh in my face.”

Daphne spoke cautiously. “Well, then, maybe you should write him a letter.”

“He’d tear it up.”

“Okay, then attempt suicide or something!” She rolled her eyes as she said it, lord knew she loved Justin but sometimes…

Justin responded without a pause. “He’d let me die.”

“Oh now come on! He would not and you know it! Stop being such a goddamn princess. I swear!” Leaning her head down, she rubbed one hand on the back of her neck. She was starting to get a headache. There was a quick flash of brilliance in her mind and she looked up at Justin, grinning, “I think I have an idea.”

Justin had seen that look many times since they’d met. It usually amounted to one or both of them ending up in a heap of trouble. “I don’t think I like the sound of that.”

She pointed at herself. “My plans are always brilliant.”

“Yeah. It’s your execution that sucks.”

Daphne sniffed, insulted but she was on a roll. “Well, since it won’t depend on my execution, it should work just fine.” She smiled at him, arms on her hips. “You remember what I did when I liked Billy Houser?”

“You went a little nuts and stalked him. Yeah. I remember.”

Daphne waved her hand at him. “I did no such thing. I just joined clubs he was in, made sure to run into him between classes and went to all the parties he was invited to. Wherever he went, there I was. He couldn’t miss me.”

Justin blinked, speaking slowly. “And I believe that is the definition of stalking,“ he shrugged, taking a long drag from his ever present cig, “Besides, I did that once before.”

Daphne held her hands out to her sides. “And it worked.”

Justin’s head tilted slightly, mulling over her words. “I guess it did. And he wasn’t even in love with me back then.”

“Right. So you got home court advantage.”

Justin stared at his friend for a long time before nodding his head. “I’ve got nothing to lose.” Stubbing out the remainder of his cigarette, he sat down.

“Okay…let’s do it.”



###


“When are you going to be back?” Cynthia watched as Brian gathered files and papers, shoving them alternately between the box she held and his briefcase. She hid her worry, her eyes following the line of fatigue that ran down his shoulder. It was a miracle he was still standing.

“From Ibiza?”

“If that’s what you’re calling it, sure.”

Brian glanced over once, smiling slightly despite the pain and nodded. “Three days or so. But -- I don’t think I’ll be coming back here for some time.”

He had surprised her. He could see it in the slight widening of her eyes and tension in her shoulders. “I decided to work from home for a while.”

She nodded. “So, I should start showing up at the loft? Okay, email me when you get back.”

Brian shook his head. “No, Cynthia. You’re too good to be stuck with me and my one fucking account. Gardner is making you his chief executive assistant.”

He gave her credit, she hid her shock well.

“I see. I assume it was at your insistence.”

Brian said nothing, glancing around his office one more time before stepping over to take the box from her hands. “You’re going to be running this fucking company in no time.”

She shook her head at him. He was stubborn and stupid…and god she hoped he would be okay. “Take care of yourself, Brian.” She left her offer of help silent. He knew where to reach her.

“You too, Cynthia.”

He had reached the door when she called out to him and he turned.

“What’s the one account you kept?”

His eyebrows rose up and she almost laughed at the facial expression he had when he spoke.

“You tell me.”

She nodded, and he walked through the door, closing it behind her.

Taking a deep breath, she rubbed her face gently with her hands, praying that Brian knew what he was doing and that it wouldn’t backfire on him. Smoothing the wrinkles from her suit, she straightened her shoulders and prepared to face her new boss. Brian was right.

She would be running this fucking company soon.


###

Melanie was waiting for him outside the doors, one hand holding out his passport and tickets, the other rubbing her stomach.

It was worrisome and he must have made a face because she waved him away. “It’s indigestion. Too much Indian food.”

She moved away from the car as he loaded it, checking to make sure he had everything he needed. When he faced her again, she immediately hid her fear, and motioned to the car. “Drive careful.”

“So, you ever going to tell me who my chaperone is?” His curiosity was starting to beat out his annoyance at having been emotionally blackmailed.

Not that he wouldn’t have gone to the same length but still…

Mel snorted. “Yeah. Not happening. You’ll see when you get there. They’ll be waiting. Seat next to yours.” She threw her purse over her shoulder, crossing arms protectively at her stomach. “Be careful.”

“I’ll do my best not to die.”

He smirked at her, winning an almost smile, and then he was in his car, driving away, watching as Mel grew smaller and smaller in the rearview mirror.


###

Brian had never been very fond of flying. He didn’t hate it like Theodore did. But he wasn’t in love with it like Emmett…or Justin. Both who squealed over the chance to get on a plane and take off.

He was somewhere in between. Uncomfortable with the lack of control but perfectly fine with the comfort first class traveling afforded him.

But this trip was different. There was no underlying thrill at the prospect of a new client or the ease in knowing he would be enjoying himself with a sorted number of men on a sandy beach.

He was having one ball removed.

If God did exist, the bitch had a twisted sense of humor.

Readjusting his shoulder back, he calmly stood when his row was called, going through the motions as he entered the long walkway that met the plane. He ignored the cheerful greeting of the flight attendants - though he took a quick glance at the tight-ass of the only male one on board - and headed to his seat.

His heart beat faster the closer he got.

Mel wouldn’t have told Justin.

That was his biggest fear. Finding out that waiting for him at that seat was the one person he dreaded most seeing him like this.

But no. She had promised, and though Mel was a lot of things, liar wasn’t one of them.

He couldn’t quite make out the back of someone’s head in what would be his aisle. Though he could see enough to know there wasn’t one strand of blond hair visible and he found that he could breathe just a little easier. His steps seemed heavier, slower and he hovered back just a bit.

When he finally reached his aisle, he blinked a few times.

No fucking way.

“Vic?”

Warm eyes, amused and a little worn around the edges, met his own and Brian watched as a small smile twitched on Vic’s lips.

“Take a seat, kid. Fasten your seatbelt. It’s gonna be a bumpy ride.”



Chapter Eleven


###

Dedicated to my wonderful friend [livejournal.com profile] rromantic for her birthday. Yes, dear. I am still writing that prompt for you. *lol*

###
This account has disabled anonymous posting.
If you don't have an account you can create one now.
No Subject Icon Selected
More info about formatting

Profile

freakykat: (Default)
Katicus

August 2020

S M T W T F S
      1
2345678
9101112131415
16171819202122
23 24 2526272829
3031     

Most Popular Tags

Style Credit

Expand Cut Tags

No cut tags
Page generated Jul. 16th, 2025 09:00 am
Powered by Dreamwidth Studios