Fic: QAF Fic "Blade and Scabbard" (3/4)
Title: Blade and Scabbard (part 3 of 4)
Rating: PG-13 for now, NC-17 by the end
Summary: A medical breakthrough changes Brian's life in more ways than one.
Disclaimer: It belongs to CowLip and Showtime. They have all the luck.
Feedback: Yes, please.
Author’s Note: seanmegansean, this one's for you.
Earlier Installments: Part One, Part Two
Title: Blade and Scabbard (part 3 of 4)
Rating: PG for now, NC-17 by the end
Summary: A medical breakthrough changes Brian's life in more ways than one.
Disclaimer: It belongs to CowLip and Showtime. They have all the luck.
Feedback: Yes, please.
Author’s Note: sesanmegansean, this one's for you.
Earlier Installments: Part One, Part Two
November 12, 2014
Sunlight is starting to filter in through the grime-laden windows that line one side of Justin’s apartment. The price one pays for good light to paint by is six flights of stairs each trip, but neither of the men in bed seems inclined to go anywhere. At least, they're not moving much any more-daylight seems to have brought them to something of a standstill.
Justin places another soft kiss on the tan stomach and strokes a hand up and down the gently rising ribcage before him. He’s sprawled across Brian, with a good view of his lover’s Adam’s apple.
“I knew you’d come last night.”
“I said I’d come back. Why last night?”
“Well, after the email I sent, I figured….”
Brian lifts his head from the pillow and takes a good look at Justin. “You didn’t send one yesterday.”
“So you have been reading them! You bastard!” Justin punches his arm playfully.
Brian rolls his eyes. “Of course I read them. I just wasn’t answering them. Stupid pride.” The two men share looks of mutual exasperation, knowing they’re both capable of the same mistake, though this isn’t one they’ll be repeating any time soon.
Brian shakes his head again. “I didn’t get an email from you yesterday. I cleared out everything before I left work and caught the plane.”
Justin gazes carefully at Brian, sees he isn’t kidding. “You honestly don’t know? About the news?”
“No, I don’t. But whatever your news is, I can top it. Twice.”
“Not this time.” Justin gets up and walks over to the lone countertop on the other side of the room that serves as his kitchen table-supply storage-drinks bar-junk mail deposit area and retrieves an opened envelope. He goes back to the bed and hands it to Brian, happiness radiating out of every pore. “Read this.”
The return address in the corner is “Museum of Modern Art, 11 West 53rd Street, New York, NY 10019-5497.” Brian’s eyebrows go up a notch before he pulls out the folded sheet inside the envelope and starts reading. About halfway through, he looks over at Justin, who’s crawling back under the duvet and sliding closer.
This kind of news doesn’t require words. Brian carefully puts the paper back in the envelope and places it on the nightstand before he turns to take Justin in his arms. The kiss he gives his lover is long, lingering, and something else. Something hard to put into a kiss, though Brian gives it his best try: admiration.
When he pulls away for a moment, Brian says softly, “I always said you were a genius. So how’s it feel, knowing your work is going to hang next to Rothko, Pollock, and Johns?”
“I’m not sure. It hasn’t sunk in yet.” Justin looks a little dazed when Brian asks him. An ecstatic kind of dazed. “I still can’t believe the curators want to buy a painting. From me.”
“Believe it. You’ve made it. Like I knew you would.” Brian’s arms tighten around Justin’s waist, emphasizing the words. “The Chinese may have to stop calling this the Year of the Snake and rename it the Year of the Justin. Think about all those placemats that will be reprinted in your honor.”
Justin grins broadly. “Yeah. It’s been some year. Almost as soon as you left, the checks began arriving, and orders for more paintings came in nearly every month. I’ve been so busy, I quit my job at the restaurant.”
Brian nods in approval. “I always said you should.”
Justin wrinkles his nose slightly. He’s heard this one before. “Yeah, but I couldn’t afford to, before. I’ve got enough in the bank now to….”
“To what?”
“To move out of this shithole apartment.”
Brian’s eyes light up. “Fantastic. That means we can look for a place together. I’ll be moving here next year.”
Justin scrambles to sit bolt upright in bed, wanting to see Brian more clearly. “What? Here?! How?!?”
“Calm down, and I’ll explain.” Justin’s reaction is everything Brian had hoped for. The sex last night had been awesome-after a year apart, they hadn’t lost a single move-but the look in Justin’s eyes tells him that this news is even better.
“Brrriiiiaaannnn. Tell me.”
“Kinnetik is opening a branch in New York. I’m handing over Pittsburgh to Ted and Cynthia, and moving here to run it.”
Jubilation shines out of Justin’s eyes at Brian’s words. “A New York office at last! You always said it would take doubling Kinnetik’s revenues to compete in New York against the big firms.” There’s a pause before he continues, as he figures something out. “I guess you made the ten million mark and then some-how long have you known?”
Even as he says the words, some of Justin’s happiness is melting away, thinking that Brian could have come to him months ago, after he passed his target. After a moment, he looks down at the bedding, starts picking at a stray thread.
Brian can read all these responses, knows exactly why Justin’s happiness is now mixed with a hint of doubt. He reaches over, takes Justin’s left hand into his and weaves their fingers together. “Yesterday morning, Kinnetik was worth about 8.5 annually.”
Justin’s head jerks up. “But you said you wouldn’t be bac-“
Brian interrupts him. “Yesterday afternoon, Kinnetik became worth about 50 million. Annually.” He waits for Justin’s reaction.
Blue eyes widen into shock. Softly, he asks, “What happened?”
“Remson Pharmaceuticals needs a new national campaign starting in February. They’re releasing a vaccine that will be selling worldwide by the end of next year. A vaccine against HIV.”
Shock gives way to amazement. “You’re kidding.”
“Told you I could top your news.”
“I was sure you couldn’t. My God, Brian, that’s-“
“Amazing? Incredible? You can go through the dictionary and you won’t find enough adjectives to describe it.”
In a flash, Justin’s got Brian pinned backwards against the pillow and is smothering him in a hug that could crack one of Brian’s ribs. Then the kisses start, across his chest, upwards across pecs and collarbone, before Brian gets a chance to join in, returning them with enthusiasm, pulling Justin’s mouth up to meet his, tongues and lips fighting for recognition.
In between kisses, Justin murmurs, “Moving to New York, and a vaccine? Yeah, you topped my news twice. Asshole.” The licks he’s giving to Brian’s neck as he says it suggest that he’s anything but angry.
Brian pulls him back by the shoulders, eyes glazed over with lust clearing a bit as he shakes his head. “No. The vaccine is only the first one. There’s more.”
Justin’s still caught up in their kisses, obviously uninterested in conversation because he tries to pull Brian closer, even as Brian holds him away. Justin licks chapped lips before he asks, “More? I’m not sure I can take anything more today.”
“Not today. But in February.” Brian leans closer, whispering to Justin what the second surprise is. Then he leans away, so he can look into Justin’s face, see his reaction. Will he want it? After all these years?
Disbelief, a touch of wildness in Justin’s eyes, then slowly dawning recognition. Justin starts nodding, rapidly. “Absolutely. Yes.”
Brian pulls Justin close, crushing him breathless in gratitude. He’d been worried for months that he’d gone too far, left things hanging between them too long.
Now he knows all things can be mended. The blond man in his arms offers whatever absolution Brian needs for the wrongs he’s done. And for now, that is everything Brian wants.
Part Four
Rating: PG-13 for now, NC-17 by the end
Summary: A medical breakthrough changes Brian's life in more ways than one.
Disclaimer: It belongs to CowLip and Showtime. They have all the luck.
Feedback: Yes, please.
Author’s Note: seanmegansean, this one's for you.
Earlier Installments: Part One, Part Two
Title: Blade and Scabbard (part 3 of 4)
Rating: PG for now, NC-17 by the end
Summary: A medical breakthrough changes Brian's life in more ways than one.
Disclaimer: It belongs to CowLip and Showtime. They have all the luck.
Feedback: Yes, please.
Author’s Note: sesanmegansean, this one's for you.
Earlier Installments: Part One, Part Two
November 12, 2014
Sunlight is starting to filter in through the grime-laden windows that line one side of Justin’s apartment. The price one pays for good light to paint by is six flights of stairs each trip, but neither of the men in bed seems inclined to go anywhere. At least, they're not moving much any more-daylight seems to have brought them to something of a standstill.
Justin places another soft kiss on the tan stomach and strokes a hand up and down the gently rising ribcage before him. He’s sprawled across Brian, with a good view of his lover’s Adam’s apple.
“I knew you’d come last night.”
“I said I’d come back. Why last night?”
“Well, after the email I sent, I figured….”
Brian lifts his head from the pillow and takes a good look at Justin. “You didn’t send one yesterday.”
“So you have been reading them! You bastard!” Justin punches his arm playfully.
Brian rolls his eyes. “Of course I read them. I just wasn’t answering them. Stupid pride.” The two men share looks of mutual exasperation, knowing they’re both capable of the same mistake, though this isn’t one they’ll be repeating any time soon.
Brian shakes his head again. “I didn’t get an email from you yesterday. I cleared out everything before I left work and caught the plane.”
Justin gazes carefully at Brian, sees he isn’t kidding. “You honestly don’t know? About the news?”
“No, I don’t. But whatever your news is, I can top it. Twice.”
“Not this time.” Justin gets up and walks over to the lone countertop on the other side of the room that serves as his kitchen table-supply storage-drinks bar-junk mail deposit area and retrieves an opened envelope. He goes back to the bed and hands it to Brian, happiness radiating out of every pore. “Read this.”
The return address in the corner is “Museum of Modern Art, 11 West 53rd Street, New York, NY 10019-5497.” Brian’s eyebrows go up a notch before he pulls out the folded sheet inside the envelope and starts reading. About halfway through, he looks over at Justin, who’s crawling back under the duvet and sliding closer.
This kind of news doesn’t require words. Brian carefully puts the paper back in the envelope and places it on the nightstand before he turns to take Justin in his arms. The kiss he gives his lover is long, lingering, and something else. Something hard to put into a kiss, though Brian gives it his best try: admiration.
When he pulls away for a moment, Brian says softly, “I always said you were a genius. So how’s it feel, knowing your work is going to hang next to Rothko, Pollock, and Johns?”
“I’m not sure. It hasn’t sunk in yet.” Justin looks a little dazed when Brian asks him. An ecstatic kind of dazed. “I still can’t believe the curators want to buy a painting. From me.”
“Believe it. You’ve made it. Like I knew you would.” Brian’s arms tighten around Justin’s waist, emphasizing the words. “The Chinese may have to stop calling this the Year of the Snake and rename it the Year of the Justin. Think about all those placemats that will be reprinted in your honor.”
Justin grins broadly. “Yeah. It’s been some year. Almost as soon as you left, the checks began arriving, and orders for more paintings came in nearly every month. I’ve been so busy, I quit my job at the restaurant.”
Brian nods in approval. “I always said you should.”
Justin wrinkles his nose slightly. He’s heard this one before. “Yeah, but I couldn’t afford to, before. I’ve got enough in the bank now to….”
“To what?”
“To move out of this shithole apartment.”
Brian’s eyes light up. “Fantastic. That means we can look for a place together. I’ll be moving here next year.”
Justin scrambles to sit bolt upright in bed, wanting to see Brian more clearly. “What? Here?! How?!?”
“Calm down, and I’ll explain.” Justin’s reaction is everything Brian had hoped for. The sex last night had been awesome-after a year apart, they hadn’t lost a single move-but the look in Justin’s eyes tells him that this news is even better.
“Brrriiiiaaannnn. Tell me.”
“Kinnetik is opening a branch in New York. I’m handing over Pittsburgh to Ted and Cynthia, and moving here to run it.”
Jubilation shines out of Justin’s eyes at Brian’s words. “A New York office at last! You always said it would take doubling Kinnetik’s revenues to compete in New York against the big firms.” There’s a pause before he continues, as he figures something out. “I guess you made the ten million mark and then some-how long have you known?”
Even as he says the words, some of Justin’s happiness is melting away, thinking that Brian could have come to him months ago, after he passed his target. After a moment, he looks down at the bedding, starts picking at a stray thread.
Brian can read all these responses, knows exactly why Justin’s happiness is now mixed with a hint of doubt. He reaches over, takes Justin’s left hand into his and weaves their fingers together. “Yesterday morning, Kinnetik was worth about 8.5 annually.”
Justin’s head jerks up. “But you said you wouldn’t be bac-“
Brian interrupts him. “Yesterday afternoon, Kinnetik became worth about 50 million. Annually.” He waits for Justin’s reaction.
Blue eyes widen into shock. Softly, he asks, “What happened?”
“Remson Pharmaceuticals needs a new national campaign starting in February. They’re releasing a vaccine that will be selling worldwide by the end of next year. A vaccine against HIV.”
Shock gives way to amazement. “You’re kidding.”
“Told you I could top your news.”
“I was sure you couldn’t. My God, Brian, that’s-“
“Amazing? Incredible? You can go through the dictionary and you won’t find enough adjectives to describe it.”
In a flash, Justin’s got Brian pinned backwards against the pillow and is smothering him in a hug that could crack one of Brian’s ribs. Then the kisses start, across his chest, upwards across pecs and collarbone, before Brian gets a chance to join in, returning them with enthusiasm, pulling Justin’s mouth up to meet his, tongues and lips fighting for recognition.
In between kisses, Justin murmurs, “Moving to New York, and a vaccine? Yeah, you topped my news twice. Asshole.” The licks he’s giving to Brian’s neck as he says it suggest that he’s anything but angry.
Brian pulls him back by the shoulders, eyes glazed over with lust clearing a bit as he shakes his head. “No. The vaccine is only the first one. There’s more.”
Justin’s still caught up in their kisses, obviously uninterested in conversation because he tries to pull Brian closer, even as Brian holds him away. Justin licks chapped lips before he asks, “More? I’m not sure I can take anything more today.”
“Not today. But in February.” Brian leans closer, whispering to Justin what the second surprise is. Then he leans away, so he can look into Justin’s face, see his reaction. Will he want it? After all these years?
Disbelief, a touch of wildness in Justin’s eyes, then slowly dawning recognition. Justin starts nodding, rapidly. “Absolutely. Yes.”
Brian pulls Justin close, crushing him breathless in gratitude. He’d been worried for months that he’d gone too far, left things hanging between them too long.
Now he knows all things can be mended. The blond man in his arms offers whatever absolution Brian needs for the wrongs he’s done. And for now, that is everything Brian wants.
Part Four