Story Type: AU
Word Count: 2684
Warnings: Anti-Michael, Passion and Lust…
Beta Queen: Bigj52
Summary: Justin’s new client is an arrogant prick, but he’s rich and has great taste. So, who’s he to turn down the huge commission for his interior design.
Chapter Summary: After sweet talking, promising, and begging Justin to keep him as a client, they negotiate a path forward. There’s just something about Brian that makes it impossible for Justin to stay mad at him, even if it’s against his better judgment.
Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, plot, etc. are property of their respective owners, including, but not limited to Russell T. Davies, Cowlip, and Showtime. The author of this story is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended…
Rich, Arrogant Prick
Part Six ~ Negotiations
“Hello? Hello, is anyone here?”
Justin was startled to hear a voice echoing around the empty old garage space below. Who the fuck would be downstairs? His mind shifts as he remembers that he didn’t lock the front door. He was carrying a couple of boxes he had packed up from Ethan’s apartment. He still refuses to think of it as his apartment, he rarely slept there, preferring to sleep at his mom’s. Hearing whistling brings him out of his reverie.
“Taylor? Are you up there?”
Brian! Of course, it’s Brian. But how did he know I was here?
“There you are. I saw the lights on, and I took a chance that you might be here.”
“Brian. There’s really nothing to talk about.”
Brian holds up a large paper bag. “I brought Chinese food. I didn’t know what you liked so I got, Moo Shu Pork, Kung Pao Chicken, Mongolian Beef, and Shrimp with Lobster sauce. A half dozen eggrolls, Pot Stickers, and Fortune Cookies. I figured we both could use a new outlook on our future.”
Justin was irritated that Brian just showed up. But it’s starting to get late, and he hasn’t eaten anything since breakfast. After the fiasco with Michael, he was too angry to eat anything.
“Please hear me out. I’m not too proud to beg.”
Exasperated, Justin says. “Alright. Come on. Let’s go upstairs.”
They walk up the large stairway. When they reach the landing, Brian’s amazed by how much open space there is. He looks around, liking how there’s basically solid five-foot windows all around the building. Just like the front of the building all the corners have rounded glass, and now that it’s starting to get dark, he notices that there’s a thin blue neon light above and below the windows. He bets if he walked all around the outside of the building, he’d see that the chrome façade also circles the whole building as well.
“The architecture is amazing, and this space is great! This would be perfect for Kinnetik’s art department.”
“Dream on, ad man!”
Justin motions towards the dinette set he’s set up near the front of the building.
“Wow! Your furniture fits the place perfectly. I really like it.”
“Thanks. Emmett helped me pick it out. I got everything from that secondhand store, Retro something.”
“I’ve never been inside of the place.”
“I’m sure you haven’t. Mister Brand New and Shiny. I’m sure it’s below your standards.”
“I’ll have to be more open minded. Just like I’m hoping you’ll be, and reconsider completing Gus’s bedroom.”
“You really are a salesman, being able to twist this conversation back around to your ultimate goal.”
“That’s not the main reason I’m here. “
Justin looks at him, frowning.
“Okay, it is. But it’s not the only reason I’m here.”
“Oh?”
“I’d like to be friends.”
“You mean, you’d like to fuck me!”
“No!”
Justin raises his eyebrows…
“Okay, yes. Of course, that’s a given. But that’s not all I want. I really do like you. You’re not like other men I’ve known.”
“My guess is that you’ve never really taken the time to know anyone before.”
“That’s because none of them were like you. You’re special, Justin. Don’t you know that?”
Justin can feel himself getting sucked in by Brian’s praise. But Ethan’s never said anything even remotely kind to him like this, so he can’t help listening. It’s nice to hear someone compliment him, instead of criticizing him, and cutting down his artwork.
“You think flattering me is going to change my mind?”
“Forget about the design project for now. I’m trying to tell you something, something I’ve never said to anyone else before.”
Brian really is trying. He isn’t just spouting some dribble to manipulate him.
“Okay. I’m sorry I interrupted you.”
“Like I said. I like you, Justin, and I’d like to be your friend. I’ve never met anyone like you. Someone who’s witty and intelligent, who stands their ground, and tells it like it is. The fact that you just happen to be stunningly beautiful, with an angelic smile is just a bonus. I understand if don’t want to be my friend. I know I can be a jerk, and an asshole. But I wish you’d take the time, and just consider it. I think we just might really get along if we tried.”
“Wow! That’s quite a speech.”
“It wasn’t a speech. I was just speaking from my heart. If you knew me, you’d know that it’s not something I do very often. Well ever, really. I have a hard time expressing my feelings, but then again there’s just something about you that makes me feel things I’ve never felt before.”
Justin can’t help blushing, because there’s something about Brian that makes him feels things that he’s never felt before himself. He’s more than attracted to Brian. Brian’s really very sweet when he leaves his snarky attitude behind, and lets his true self shine through.
“Come on, let’s eat something. I’m starving and it smells great!”
Over the next hour, they enjoy the feast Brian brought with him. During dinner Brian couldn’t help hear all Justin’s yummy sighs, and moans of pleasure. He knew the twink loved to eat, but listening to him makes Brian wonder if he makes all those little moans and sighs during sex.
“Oh God. I love Chinese food. How did you know?”
“Just a wild guess.”
“Thanks, Brian. That was really nice of you to bring me dinner. I didn’t realize how hungry I was.”
Brian stands up and takes out his wallet, putting a stack of cash on the table.
“What’s this?”
“That’s the nuisance fees for Michael’s bad behavior.”
Justin picks up the cash and counts it.
“You carry around with you fifteen one-thousand-dollar bills?”
“No. Of course not. I went to the bank.”
“Listen, Brian. I know what Michael did wasn’t your fault. But it was really outrageous, and uncalled for. I also know that you need to have Gus’s bedroom done in ten days. It was really pushing it to get it completed before all of Michael’s shenanigans. Vince, my contractor was so angry I thought he was going to kill Michael. So, it’s going to take a lot of arm twisting and begging to get him to return to the job.”
“I’ll pay whatever he wants, just so it gets finished.”
“I’ll see what I can do. But I’m pretty sure he won’t be willing to put you ahead of his other jobs anymore. So, it will probably be another couple of weeks before it will be completed.”
“Okay. I understand. I know you’ll try your best.”
“Brian?”
“Yeah.”
“Do you think you could drop me off at home?”
“You don’t live here?”
“No. Of course not. I don’t even have a bed yet.”
~~~
Brian walks into the loft, fuming that Michael has fucked everything up, and now he has to explain to Lindsay why he’ll have to put off Gus’s visit for a couple of weeks. Fucking Michael! Why does he have to be so manipulative and jealous? What was with him telling Justin they’re a couple… an engaged couple. ‘Fuck, he really has lost his mind! I just hope he heard me. I’m done! I really am done with him!’
The light on his answering machine is blinking with dozens of messages. He pushes the button and the first, second, third and fourth ones are from Michael, delete, delete, delete, delete! The next ones from Emmett, all panicked that Michael’s been arrested, delete. Two more from Michael, delete, delete. The next one is from Deb, sounds remorseful, saying that Michael mouthed off to the night court judge, and the Legal Aid lawyer couldn’t get him released on bail tonight. The judge hoped that a few nights in the slammer might bring a change of attitude for Michael.
Ted’s the next call, saying that he got the keys to the comic book store, but the landlord showed up at the same time to put a deadbolt on the door. He was able to convince him to give him twenty-four hours to remove all of Michael’s belongings. Ted arranged to have Bruce and Norm, a couple of the bouncers from Babylon help move everything to the basement of Babylon. Tomorrow he’ll start looking for someone who can research the value of everything, and start liquidating all the merchandise.
Deb ended up telling Michael that they would be selling all of the toys to cover his back rent on the store, and his apartment. So, of course, the rest of the calls were from Michael screaming that they had no right to steal all of his collectables. He was going to sue us if they even touched them. Delete, delete, delete, etc…
Brian pours himself a tumbler of Beam before he calls the Munchers. Surprisingly Lindsay was very sympathetic, and agreed to postpone Gus’s visit. He’s grateful for something going right. He considers going to Babylon to gets his needs met, but he opts for going to bed and daydreaming about a blond twink as he brings himself to fruition.
~~~
It took a lot of arm twisting, promises and begging to get Vince to return to the Kinney remodel. He insists on completing the other projects he is already in the middle of first. Vince won’t be starting again on Brian’s place for two weeks. It was the best he could do, and he knows Brian wasn’t happy, but neither was he. He now has plane tickets, and hotel reservations for a vacation he can’t take. They’re nonrefundable, nonexchangeable. Just great! More money down the drain. He feels like making Mikey pay for all the expenses he’s incurred because of his petty jealousy. He knows Michael doesn’t have any money, but he’s having his attorney send him a bill anyways, just to give him a heart attack.
Justin’s POV
I know all this isn’t Brian’s fault, but I can’t help taking it out on him. We had finally got to a place where we weren’t fighting every day, and then this happens. It was sweet of him to bring me dinner the other night, and I’m trying to be friends because he really seemed so sincere.
I’m sitting in the diner, drinking my morning coffee when he comes in. He slides in across from me, and tells me not to worry about all the extra costs. He says once the project is complete he’ll book me a deluxe vacation. All airfare, hotels, meals, theater tickets, museums, tours, whatever I want, it’s all on him. I feel bad, like I shouldn’t accept it. It’s too much to expect him to do. But for whatever reason he simply won’t take no for an answer.
A half an hour later Ted comes in and stops by my booth.
“Hey, Justin. Brian mentioned that you have a vacation scheduled to go to Italy.”
“Yeah. But I won’t be taking it.”
“That’s what Brian said. I was hoping maybe I could buy the vacation package from you? I’d like to surprise Blake, and Italy would be a great romantic getaway for us.”
“Really? You’d really do that for me?”
“Absolutely. I’m already dreaming of all the great restaurants, and the operas we’ll see.”
How can I stay mad at Brian when he’s going out of his way to make things better, even when it’s not his fault? Yeah. He’s a pretty great guy, sometimes.
Ted leaves the diner with a bounce in his step, excited about taking Blake away for their first major vacation.
~~~
Michael finally gets released on his own recognizance, after spending the weekend in jail. He promised the judge he’d show up for his court date, because the last thing he wants is to go back to jail. The first thing he does is head to Kinnetik, to have it out with Brian. He barges right in during the staff meeting. He’s screaming about how Brian is his best friend, and best friends don’t treat each other like that.
“Michael! In my office. Now!”
Michael goes and sits on the sofa, flipping through magazines, waiting for Brian. He’s getting pissed that Brian didn’t follow him in, and he’s ready to go back into the conference room to get him.
“Sit! Back! Down! Now!”
“Brian! You owe me an explanation!”
“I don’t owe you shit, Michael! How dare you interrupt my staff meeting! I’m running a professional business here. Now I know how Justin felt, when you just barged in, interrupting him while he was working! What is wrong with you?”
“I’m sorry. I just really needed to talk with you.”
“There’s nothing to talk about, Michael! I think I’ve already made myself clear!”
“I wanted to thank you for paying my rent.”
“I didn’t, you did. Since I co-signed for your business venture, that makes us business partners. I loaned you the startup funds, and kept you afloat for years. I made an executive decision. I’ve paid off all your creditors and your land loans.”
“Thank you! Thank you so much, Brian.”
“Stop speaking! Don’t interrupt me again!”
“Sorry, Brian.”
He blushes, realizing he just interrupted Brian again. “Oops, sorry.”
“As I was saying. I’ve paid all your outstanding debts, personal and business. Emmett’s concerned that you’ll just fall back into old habits. He’s not willing to be responsible having to cover your share of the rent and utilities anymore. He’s already given notice to the landlord that he’s moving out at the end of the month. Meaning you’ll also have to find someplace else to live.”
“Where is Emmett going? I’ll just go with him.”
“I don’t think Drew’s interested in having you live with them.”
“Where am I supposed to go?”
“You’ve got a month. Find someplace, or move back in with your mom.”
“This is bullshit! I’ll just live at the store.”
“There is no store, Michael!”
“What the fuck does that mean?”
“It means that Ted ran into the landlord and had to convince him to give you another twenty-four hours to move everything out, or he was going to keep your inventory in lieu of your back rent.”
“Oh, thank God! Where are all my collectables?”
“Sold!”
“No! No, you can’t do that! They’re mine!”
“No. They belonged to the business, and like I said, I made a business decision. Michael. You should be happy you’re out of debt, and no one’s breathing down your neck, demanding payment. Now you just have to find a job and a place to live.”
“What about the rest of the money?”
“There is no money, Michael! After everything was sold, I’m still out thousands and thousands of dollars.”
“Why would you get any of my money?”
“Michael! It was my money that paid all your business expenses, for years! You signed promissory notes, and I simply paid myself as one of your creditors. If you actually had any other assets. I’d liquidate them and pay it towards the remainder of your debt to me. But sadly you don’t. You should be grateful that I’m writing the remainder of your loan off as a loss. You can now consider yourself debt free.”
“What are you talking about? Promissory notes? I never intended to pay you back!”
“I figured as much.”
“Brian. Why are you doing this to me? Now I’m broke!”
“You were always broke, Michael! Only I was the one keeping you afloat. Like I said when we talked in jail. Your account at the Bank of Kinney is now closed!”
“But… Brian…”
“Your puppy dog eyes, tears and all your pouting aren’t going to work this time. I’m serious. I can’t take it anymore. I need a break from all your drama, and you need to grow up!”
“Fuck you! You’d never treat me this way if that blond fat ass wasn’t sleeping with you! He’s turning you against me!”
“Sadly, he isn’t… Not yet, anyways… And you’re the one who’s turned me against you. You have no one to blame for all of this but yourself!”
TBC…
