Ignorance is Bliss

Justin was yet at another snobby party.

They were slightly more bearable knowing he had someone he knew there, but this time he was on his own.

It was the fifth party Justin was attending in the span of a month. Simon introduced him to various people, and Justin made sure to slip the important ones his card.

His plan was to detach from Simon before it was too late.

Justin always hung with Ethan at the parties, when he wasn't schmoozing.

The sad part was that Ethan couldn't make it at this one, because his boyfriend got a nasty cold which he had passed on to Ethan.

"Seduced and abandoned by my violin player?" Simon joked, approaching Justin with two glasses of scotch.

Justin winced at the bad joke. "We're just friends. I understand he couldn't make it tonight."

"Yes, too bad. I had to hire this two-dimes piano player." He waved a hand in the general direction of the piano.

"He's pretty decent," Justin commented, accepting one of the glasses.

"You artists have odd tastes. Anyway, let's mingle. Lots of people to meet." Simon steered him to a large group, discussing heatedly. "Gentlemen," Simon said loudly, grabbing their attention. "Allow me to introduce to you one of the best new talents I discovered in Pittsburgh last year." He paused for effect, making Justin squirm uncomfortably as everyone seized him up and down. "Justin Taylor."

Justin noticed realization in the men's eyes. They knew his paintings.

He shouldn't have been surprised. He'd had three shows in the gallery so far.

The men before him started exclaiming names of his paintings, nodding appreciatively. Some of them even admitted to have bought one or two, which made Justin's heart grow and beat faster.

Simon winked at Justin, leaving him amongst the group of admirers.

Justin smiled politely, accepting all the praise with modesty. He offered them his card, saying he was planning a big show that spring.

In his mind, it was a farewell show to Simon, but he still needed at least ten solid clients. He couldn't leave the man who was leading him to success.

He was so busy between painting and bartending that he barely had time to think of his sorrows.

Being February and not having run into Brian for a month was an accomplishment. He'd heard he managed to open the branch of Kinnetik.

"I researched your work," one of the men stepped closer to Justin, once the group scattered away after praising Justin on his art.

"Oh?" Justin smiled, slouching the ice cubes in his glass.

"You even use a computer, don't you? Have you thought of a career in graphic designs?"

"Funny you say that. I worked in an advertising company once, then tried my hand at writing a comic book, which ended up with me in Hollywood to help the Art Department to make my characters come to life."

The other man eyed him impressed. "How old are you?"

"Twenty-three."

"I can't believe it! You have more experience than many so-called artists out there."

"Thank you. Though, I decided to stick to painting when I moved here."

"If you ever change your mind, or simply would like to go out for a coffee…" The man offered him a business card, smiling.

Justin was too shocked to react. This stranger had sort of invited him out. He had never been invited on a date so bluntly.

With a shaky hand, he accepted the card. His eyes widened when he saw where this Roger Byrnes was working. What were the chances? He squeezed his eyes shut, before looking at him seriously.

"Sure. Thanks."

"I'm the Art Director. This company is expanding to New York market. You might have heard of it from Pittsburgh, since you're from there."

Justin bit back a snort. I came up with the name, but you don't have to know that. "Sounds familiar."

"Well, I had an interview with Mr. Kinney, that's the president and CEO, and it was unlike any other interview." Roger smiled excitedly. "I've never had such a sudden connection with anyone. I could anticipate what he wanted for the projects he had lined up. And he liked every idea I had, which landed me this high position."

"Congratulations!"

"Thank you. I still can't believe it. Many of my friends told me I'm risking a lot by going blindly with this unknown agency. But I have a feeling it will top many old ones pretty soon."

"It sure will," Justin said automatically. At Roger's surprised look, he shrugged. "I've heard of Kinnetik in Pittsburgh. It was the best ad agency within a few months after the grand opening."

"So I'm not going to regret it?"

"I doubt it."

Roger watched the young artist intensely. "How about a cup of coffee tomorrow?"

"Mr. Taylor!"

Justin stifled a groan, turning to face his number one adoring fan. Mr. Rochester kept calling him about commissions, though Justin had a feeling he wanted more.

He gave Roger a stiff smile. "I need to go to…" He gestured to the man approaching them.

Roger nodded. "Already swamped in fans?"

"Yeah." Justin chuckled. "It was nice meeting you, Roger."

"Likewise."

After shaking hands, Justin went to Mr. Rochester.

oOo

It was close to one in the morning when Justin made it back to the apartment.

He was surprised to find Izzy at home and awake. She was in the kitchen, and something smelled suspiciously good.

"Hey! Are you cooking?"

She spun around to face him. "Are you nuts? I ordered in. Is Chinese okay?"

"Sure. I'm famished. The sad thing about these parties is that the food is scarce." Justin tugged at his tie, undoing the top buttons of his shirt.

"But there's booze, so don't complain," she pointed out. "Fuck. They made my favorite rice spicy. Assholes. I told them not to."

Justin went closer to inspect the food. "You can have the noodles. I'll eat the rice. I don't mind spicy."

"How many Shanghai chicken strips do you want?"

"Divide them equally like a good roommate that you are." Justin kissed her cheek. "I'm going to hop in the shower."

"See if there's hot water. It wasn't working earlier."

Justin groaned, not having faced such problems in Pittsburgh, not even in his crappy apartment, or at Ethan's.

After his much needed shower, though the water was lukewarm at first and eventually got freezing cold, Justin joined Izzy on the couch.

He noticed she had a look of concentration of her face. And she wasn't even eating, which meant she was trying to master the art of eating with chopsticks.

"What's up? How was Oliver tonight?"

"It was crazy. He let me go early because I wasn't feeling well."

"Oh, shit." Justin watched her, concerned.

"Girl stuff," she explained. "I found that in the mailbox." She pointed to a small package.

"It's probably from my mom."

Izzy shook her head. "Guess again."

"Daphne?" Justin said fearfully, his heart beating out of his chest.

"Again," she whispered, catching his eye.

"Where's that food? I told you I'm hungry." He wanted to ignore the fact that Brian sent him a gift or whatever was in that package.

Izzy brought over the boxes, along with the chopsticks.

Justin tried for the fifteen hundredth time to teach her how to use them.

"I don't get it. How did you learn? They are so slippery." She moaned.

Justin bit his lip. "Brian taught me. It's finger play. That's all. Here." He took her hand, placing the chopsticks the correct way between her fingers, then showing her how to move her fingers.

"Huh. Not bad." Izzy beamed when she managed to get spaghetti wrapped around her chopsticks.

Justin was grateful for the small talk Izzy initiated by asking about the party he'd attended. Then she told him about her night at the bar.

"This is mine." She snatched one of the fortune cookies, hugging it to her chest.

Justin picked the other one, rolling his eyes.

Izzy burst out laughing. "This! It's about time I got out of that cookie!" She wiped her eyes. "Hilarious."

Justin stared at the piece of paper in his hand, tears blurring his vision. Only you can make my heart crumble. He glanced up at the package, stifling a sob.

Izzy read over his shoulder, wrapping her arms around him. "I'm sorry. If I got that one, we'd have laughed. I bet you'd have many jokes. We can still switch."

"I'm going to lay down. Thanks...for bearing with my depressed self."

"Justin, you know I'm here. I mean it."

"I know." He took the package with him to his bedroom.

He carefully unwrapped it. There was a note on top of a wooden box.

I've seen your latest art. Exquisite, like always.

Though, I couldn't help but notice things...you used to complain about odd fine lines on the canvas when the brushes were too used.

So here's a new set of them. Use them to create the next masterpiece.

Brian

Justin gasped when he opened the box. The most expensive set of brushes out there...in his hands...courtesy of Brian.

Brian, who didn't have any right to buy him such things.

Brian, who'd actually paid attention to his complaints about his old brushes.

Brian, who apparently still loved him.

Justin ran a finger under his nose, sniffing. He'd return the gift the next day. He didn't need Brian spending money on such expensive things.

Justin could only imagine how smoothly the brushes would draw on the canvas, but he shook his head. He couldn't accept that extravagant gift.

A knock on the door, distracted Justin from feeling the soft hair of each brush. "Yeah?"

Izzy came in with a bottle of beer for each of them. "You don't mind if we move the party to your room? You looked like you needed company. Oh, my God! Kolinsky Sable! The ones made of mink hair!" She gushed, sitting next to him and depositing the bottles on the floor. "Can I touch?"

Justin laughed. "I know what these are. And they're a variety too."

"Oil brushes. God, Justin! You know how much these things cost?"

"The very reason I'm returning them tomorrow."

"Are you crazy?"

"Izzy, I can't accept this. Now, if you want to get drunk together, remember the rule. No talk about Brian."

"Fine. Let's talk about my new painting...which I'm never going to finish."