Midnight Whispers
QAF Brian and Justin Fanfiction
Reviewer: cullengirl08 (Signed) · Date: January 13, 2019 11:34 AM · On: Chapter 16: Exposure

Good chapter!!!   Justin finally figured out that Brian helped him a lot more than he ever realized after his bashing.    Recreating the dance in his living room, taking him to the garage to see if he remembered, standing there watching him walk down the street...   Brian has always been more about actions than words, and those actions were spoken in spades!!



Author's Response:

Brian helping Justin after the bashing is one of my favorite arcs in the series - Brian was so wonderful! And yes he speaks with actions not words. I have so much love for Brian. 

Reviewer: cullengirl08 (Signed) · Date: December 28, 2018 09:28 PM · On: Chapter 15: Finding the Horizon

Wow.   I'm so glad that Brian finally got Justin to go and talk with somebody, who hopefully, can help him.    This new diagnosis has really affected him, and hopefully, Regina will be able to help him manage it and even break through it.



Author's Response:

Yes now that Justin has a correct diagnosis, there will be more progress with treatment. Thanks for reading! 

Reviewer: bksbracelet (Signed) · Date: December 28, 2018 08:13 AM · On: Chapter 15: Finding the Horizon

Argh I need the next chapter 😡 Brian and Justin are on this constant emotional roller coaster of feelings.

Author's Response:

I'm glad you're so caught up in the story! I'm working on the next chapter, I promise!

Reviewer: marie-france (Signed) · Date: December 26, 2018 09:36 AM · On: Chapter 15: Finding the Horizon

Great chapter. Really hard time for Justin. I hope the therapist can help him get rid of his fears and bad thoughts.

Author's Response:

Thank you! Yes, Justin can now get appropriate treatment. It will be very helpful for him. 

Reviewer: cullengirl08 (Signed) · Date: December 12, 2018 10:55 PM · On: Chapter 14: Closer

I do love a carefree Brian, and he really wasn't in Pittsburgh.  This is new territory for both of them - Brian away from the Pittsburgh family, and away from always being blamed for whatever it is they all feel the need to blame him for, and also for Justin, who hates that Brian gets blamed for everything, and also being in a place that he really feels comfortable.    



Author's Response:

Yes! California is going to be good for them in a lot of ways!

Reviewer: marie-france (Signed) · Date: December 11, 2018 09:40 AM · On: Chapter 14: Closer

Ready for a new life. Let's see how life will be in LA just them 2

Author's Response:

They are so ready for a new life! 

Reviewer: YumYumPM (Signed) · Date: December 06, 2018 02:50 PM · On: Chapter 13: In Just Seven Days

They got a lot done in seven days with a lot of compromising.



Author's Response:

Haha yes now that Brian is learning to compromise! 

Reviewer: cullengirl08 (Signed) · Date: December 06, 2018 01:47 PM · On: Chapter 13: In Just Seven Days

Good chapter.   And I really like that it was up to Justin in a way with the application approval for the studio space.   That will go a long way to help him feel that his contributing for this move and I really hope they get it.    And I liked Brian's comment that he can only seem to get decent office space if a Taylor was involed.   



Author's Response:

Taylors are the magic charm! The idea of needing Justin involved came to me as I was writing, it wasn’t planned at all, so I’m glad it worked out!

Reviewer: marie-france (Signed) · Date: December 06, 2018 09:52 AM · On: Chapter 13: In Just Seven Days

I hope this is the beginning of another life together and that it will do them good. Let's see the move.

Author's Response:

I’m excited for the move too!

Reviewer: marie-france (Signed) · Date: November 26, 2018 09:55 AM · On: Chapter 12: Start Spreading the News

This chapter made me laugh! poor Brian is not the day he imagined!

Author's Response:

I’m glad it made you laugh! I had a lot of fun writing it.

Reviewer: cullengirl08 (Signed) · Date: November 25, 2018 11:58 PM · On: Chapter 12: Start Spreading the News

Poor Brian, this was not a good day for him at all!!   LOL   Everybody was on to him and totally switched things up on him, and basically turned the tables on him!!    That totally never happens!!     



Author's Response:

Poor Brian - I had so much fun writing this chapter so I'm afraid for what might be in store for him in the future!

Reviewer: Predec2 (Signed) · Date: November 25, 2018 02:36 PM · On: Chapter 11: This is Not That Kind of Love Story

Hi, Amanda!  What a thoughtful chapter.  I loved this part: “Rain is good. The earth needs rain. Rain is cuddling up all cozy with tea and a good book. Depression is just fucking overcast, just clouds. No sun, no rain. No nothing.”  That fits my concept of depression very well.  It's a lack of joy IMO.  That is the worst part.  You 'exist,' you don't 'live.'

And I recall how Justin abhorred everyone babying him right after the bashing with all the endearments, but I had never really given a lot of thought to how being called "Sunshine" all the time afterward would create pressure on him to live up to his nickname.  Great exploration of that. 

I always admire writers who can create 3D OC's with their stories, too, b/c I think it adds depth to a plot.  Ana and Tori can see things from an outsider's perspective and be objective to what is going on. I think that's important, as well as Brian's continuing support of his partner.

Still loving this story and will always look forward to reading the updates!  Thanks for posting this on here.  And BTW, I'm glad you feel comfortable on the site. We are very fortunate to have you as a writer. Thank you. :)  ~Kim



Author's Response:

Hi Kim, Thank you as always for your wonderful feedback. I'm glad you feel I'm capturing the experience of depression - for as common as it is, there are so many misconceptions of what it's like to be depressed. 

I hadn't even really thought about the nickname Sunshine until I started writing and thought about if it would make sense to keep calling Justin Sunshine when he's depressed. But there was so much that happened in those moments at the jeep in the prom episode that I thought Brian must have a different perspective. I'm glad I was able to explain it while still keeping Brian in character since of course he wouldn't come right out and say what he thinks. Justin has to do a lot of interpreting for the reader. 

I'm glad you're liking Ana and Tori - having someone outside the Pittsburgh family is very helpful.

I'm loving the MW community and I'm so fortunate to have this encouragement in my writing. 

-A

Reviewer: cullengirl08 (Signed) · Date: November 24, 2018 12:24 PM · On: Chapter 11: This is Not That Kind of Love Story

Yup, Brian can deny, deny, deny all he wants, but he does love Justin.   But its true what was said in this chapter.   None their friends see that Brian has changed, and he has, in many ways.   And if Brian and Justin do decide to move, his friends will be the first ones to give him grief about it.     



Author's Response:

Brian’s denial is what makes him such an interesting character! It’s hard to write because I just want to spell everything out but that’s not him. 

Yeah I still need to figure out what to do about the friends and the move. That’s going to be rough.  

Reviewer: marie-france (Signed) · Date: November 24, 2018 09:17 AM · On: Chapter 11: This is Not That Kind of Love Story

I love more and more Tori and Ana. I hope that even if they go to LA they will stay in the area.

Author's Response:

Thank you! I’m pretty fond of Tori and Ana. I’ll find a way to keep them in the story!

Reviewer: cullengirl08 (Signed) · Date: November 21, 2018 01:00 PM · On: Chapter 10: Of Dreams and Nightmares

Great chapter!!    I really liked how Brian and Justin talked through the whole LA thing and are still keeping it on the table, but doing more research about it.    That was a very smart thing to do.    But I loved how Brian was with both Justin and Molly.    He took a bad situation and calmed down Molly as well as Justin.    



Author's Response:

Thank you! Brian is a very good caretaker, behind closed doors. If only the rest of the family could see it. 

Reviewer: marie-france (Signed) · Date: November 21, 2018 08:49 AM · On: Chapter 10: Of Dreams and Nightmares

Poor Justin his nightmares are terrible, despite everything he seems to be getting a little better. Let's see if they will continue to prepare LA.

Author's Response:

He is doing a little better. Baby steps are still steps!

Reviewer: marie-france (Signed) · Date: November 20, 2018 09:46 AM · On: Chapter 9: Advice Unsolicited

OMG why is everyone involved in their business !! It's really irritating I hope they go to LA it will give them air.

Author's Response:

It is irritating! They clearly care for both Justin and Brian but don't know how to show it. 

Reviewer: cullengirl08 (Signed) · Date: November 20, 2018 01:59 AM · On: Chapter 9: Advice Unsolicited

Well, I certainly didn't see that last part coming!!   I wonder what the opportunity in LA is?    And I'm glad that Brian finally told Michael that the gang should just ask Justin about what he needs instead of just throwing ideas at him.   Now, if only Brian got the rest of the family in on in on that as well....   I give Justin a lot of credit - he sure has more patience than I would will all that.



Author's Response:

Haha and here I was trying to write Justin as irritable! I guess compared with Brian...

The family is trying...the have good intentions and they clearly care. I think Justin is able to recognize that caring ore easily than Brian is. 

Reviewer: YumYumPM (Signed) · Date: November 13, 2018 04:53 PM · On: Chapter 7: You'll Never Know, Dear

Seeing this through Brian's eyes is painful. 



Author's Response:

It is, isn’t it? He feels so much but projects this untouchable image to the world. 

Reviewer: Predec2 (Signed) · Date: November 13, 2018 12:56 AM · On: Chapter 7: You'll Never Know, Dear

Hello, Amanda!  I am so far behind in my reading, but I finally had the time to get all caught up on your story.  Waht an amazing job you are doing of evoking emotion here!  And I think you have captured Brian's, Justin's, and Daphne's characters so well.  Such an intense story as I think I mentioned before. But also very engrossing.  Yes, it's angsty, but it's also full of love.  I have suffered from depression for most of my life.  And while I've never reached the point that Justin has, I can certainly identify with some of the emotions he expresses here.  I was amazed by the chapter where he was being asked questions by the therapist. You did a very thorough job of covering every angle.

I will be looking forward to reading the rest of this. Thank you for posting this on here!  It is very much appreciated. ~Kim



Author's Response:

Hi Kim, Thank you for reading (whenever you have the chance - real life can get in the way!). Thank you thank you thank you for your kind words about the emotion of the series; that has really been my hope in writing this. And yes angst but always with hope and a happy ending (eventually). I love these guys too much to cause them any real harm. It sometimes takes a challenge like this to bring a couple closer. It certainly means a lot that you found your experience with depression reflected in this work. I work in the mental health field and my hope is to portray mental health concerns realistically. -A

Reviewer: Enohvee1875 (Signed) · Date: November 12, 2018 09:36 PM · On: Chapter 7: You'll Never Know, Dear

thank God for Daphne. She knows how to bully Brian into getting his head on straight. Great chapter.



Author's Response:

Thank you! I love Daphne - she's always rooting for Brian and Justin and will do what it takes, including putting Brian in his place. 

Reviewer: cullengirl08 (Signed) · Date: November 11, 2018 12:42 PM · On: Chapter 7: You'll Never Know, Dear

Good chapter!!   Well, Daphne, Justin and even Tori all put Brian in his place, which was exactly what he needed!!    It was about time that Brian was told that whatever happens to Justin isn't his fault.   And this was an important chapter, because he and Justin actually communicated and talked things out.   And Justin was right - it's not fair of Brian to unilaterally make decisions about he and Justin.  He should have a say as well.  



Author's Response:

Brian appreciates all the people (women) who stick up for Justin, even if it means getting upset with him. And yes, Brian needs to learn he's not the star here - they're a couple, not a one-man act! He is working on the decision making thing, it was something that was a part of the show so I'm trying to carry it through but also allow for some character growth. I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter!

Reviewer: marie-france (Signed) · Date: November 11, 2018 09:03 AM · On: Chapter 7: You'll Never Know, Dear

Daphne is really effective! They had a good discussion, ready to go to the shrink. I love Tori too.

Author's Response:

I'm so glad you're liking Tori! It's hard to develop an original character but I want her around for a bit. 

Reviewer: YumYumPM (Signed) · Date: November 09, 2018 02:09 PM · On: Chapter 6: Left

Having Brian come back should help with Justin's issues.  It's not that Justin wants to hurt Gus or Brian, he's scared something will hurt them and feels it would be his fault.



Author's Response:

Yes, Brian will need to talk with Justin more to understand what's happening. 

Reviewer: marie-france (Signed) · Date: November 09, 2018 09:23 AM · On: Chapter 6: Left

Daphne is really the friend justin needs to try to regulate his fears. Brian who comes back dressed with the clothes of Justin it's so amazing !! Great chapter.

Author's Response:

Daphne's definitely Team BriTin!

Reviewer: JoJo (Signed) · Date: November 08, 2018 11:44 PM · On: Chapter 6: Left

Thanks for not making Brian a total ass...we all know he loves Justin.Even if Justine doesn't think so right now.  This is intense. Thank you for the update

 



Author's Response:

I'm glad you're sticking with it even through the intensity. And I will never make Brian an ass...I adore him. 

Reviewer: cullengirl08 (Signed) · Date: November 08, 2018 10:42 PM · On: Chapter 6: Left

Wow, what a tough chapter!!!  I could totally feel for Justin in this chapter, thinking that Brian just left him; that he just couldn't deal with him anymore.   But that was very sweet that he called Daphne to go and visit him.   And I am so happy that he came back the next day.   I'm thinking maybe after visiting Justin, Daphne may have gone and talked with Brian.    But how sweet was it that he was wearing one of Justin's shirts?    



Author's Response:

Brian wearing Justin's clothing is the sweetest. And Daphne is a BriTin cheerleader - she will do whatever she can! 

Reviewer: YumYumPM (Signed) · Date: November 06, 2018 02:09 AM · On: Chapter 5: Walk Away

Justin is not alone.  Brian isn't exactly all happiness and light. 



Author's Response:

So true, they are each suffering in their own way. 

Reviewer: cullengirl08 (Signed) · Date: November 05, 2018 11:02 PM · On: Chapter 5: Walk Away

While I'm glad that Justin told Brian about his thoughts of possibly harming him and Gus, I hope that after it sinks in a little further, Brian will go back to see him.    Just walking about was not good at all.   I believe that is going to make Justin even more depressed.   I understand his concerns, however, Brian is his whole support system and Justin is getting help for his issues.   They aren't just going ignored.   



Author's Response:

Brian's actions are hurting Justin right now...the angst! 

Reviewer: cullengirl08 (Signed) · Date: November 05, 2018 10:49 PM · On: Chapter 4: The Interview

After everything Justin has been through - Craig kicking him out, the bashing, the side effects from the bashing, as well as his moving around a lot and never really being in one place a lot, I can see where a lot of his symptoms are coming from. 



Author's Response:

Thank you! I'm glad it makes sense! 

Reviewer: YumYumPM (Signed) · Date: November 05, 2018 07:57 PM · On: Chapter 4: The Interview

It seemed that the doctor asked a shitload of question, but even better he listened.  Great chapter.



Author's Response:

Tons of questions! 

Reviewer: marie-france (Signed) · Date: November 05, 2018 09:56 AM · On: Chapter 4: The Interview

I really like this story, even if it's dark enough. Seing Justin so badly hurt. I hope he can have the right treatment and that Brian will be near him.

Author's Response:

I'm glad you're enjoying it! Thanks for reading! 

Reviewer: YumYumPM (Signed) · Date: November 05, 2018 02:30 AM · On: Chapter 3: 5150

Umm, I'm hoping you are not speaking from experience.  It is so realistic.  Will Brian be able to keep this from Jennifer and Daphne?



Author's Response:

I work in the mental health profession so it is speaking from experience in some ways. I've also experienced depression and anxiety myself. I also hope that this fic reduces stigma around mental health concerns and seeking treatment. 

Reviewer: YumYumPM (Signed) · Date: November 05, 2018 02:12 AM · On: Chapter 2 - Back to Pitts

Was it the dullness of being back where he started do you suppose?



Author's Response:

Depression is caused by many things, not usually one thing, but probably coming back to Pittsburgh was a trigger. 

Reviewer: cullengirl08 (Signed) · Date: November 04, 2018 08:46 PM · On: Chapter 3: 5150

I just found this story!!   I am totally hooked and looking forward to seeing how it all plays out!!   



Author's Response:

Thank you! I hope you continue to enjoy it!

Reviewer: Enohvee1875 (Signed) · Date: November 04, 2018 07:13 AM · On: Chapter 3: 5150

 I am glad Brian helped Justin help himself. But something tells me its going to be a bumpy ride. Let the angst begin...



Author's Response:

Yes, Brian will always see Justin as capable of helping himself and will try to do what he can to make that happen. You called it...an angsty bumpy ride is ahead of us. 

Reviewer: Enohvee1875 (Signed) · Date: November 04, 2018 06:41 AM · On: Chapter 2 - Back to Pitts

Oh my god! Justin has left the building. This chapter was sooooo intense. Loved it.



Author's Response:

Glad you're loving the intensity because it's going to be intense for a bit! 

Reviewer: Predec2 (Signed) · Date: November 03, 2018 01:09 PM · On: Chapter 2 - Back to Pitts

Hello, Amanda!  Wow, what an intense chapter.  I could have seen this happening on the show. It had to have been a big letdown to come home after experiencing such an exciting time in LA with the movie, even though he did miss Brian.

I really liked the first part especially of this chapter when you described how Justin kept tabs on Brian by getting information from his friends.  And as I mentioned in the first chapter review, I think you have both of their characters down very well.  Loved this line, BTW:  "I was in constant contact with everyone in Pitts trying to soak up as much Brian as I could like secondhand smoke."  Great!  And so true when it comes to Brian.  And I liked how you mentioned that despite his job, he still wasn't good at written communication.  Very accurate and ironic!

Really enjoying this, Amanda, and so glad you're posting it here for us to enjoy.  Looking forward to reading the rest!  ~Kim



Author's Response:

Thank you! I'm so glad you're enjoying it. Justin has been through so much - including the movie being cancelled. He was always portrayed as doing just fine on the show but I think he must have struggled. 

And yes! Whatever contact Justin and Brian had while Justin was away would have been very limited. I just can't imagine Brian on the phone chatting about his day. Everyone else would have been more than happy to fill Justin in on the goings on of the Great Kinney, however. 

Thank you for reading! There's more to come. 

Reviewer: Enohvee1875 (Signed) · Date: November 02, 2018 08:50 PM · On: Chapter 1: Rage in LA

I enjoyed yor account of the Hollywood arc. So happy Brian decided to pay Sunshine a visit. Please update soon.



Author's Response:

Thank you! I will! I've got the next 3, almost 4, chapters drafted. 

Reviewer: YumYumPM (Signed) · Date: November 02, 2018 03:32 PM · On: Chapter 1: Rage in LA

Like all the little touches.  Did Brian get to go back?



Author's Response:

Sadly no...Rage got cancelled before he could go back out. We'll pick up in Chapter 2 back in Pittsburgh. 

Reviewer: Predec2 (Signed) · Date: November 02, 2018 10:45 AM · On: Chapter 1: Rage in LA

Hello, Amanda! Welcome to Midnight Whispers!  We're always delighted to see a new writer on MW.  Thank you for choosing to post your story on here.

I would have loved for Brian to have carried through with his desire to go visit Justin on the show, so I'm happy to see you writing about it. I really enjoyed your first chapter, and think you have their characterizations down very well. I will be looking forward to reading the next part! 

If there is anything I or the other admins can do to assist you in any way, please do not hesitate to ask.  FYI, I did space out the paragraphs one extra line to make them a little easier to read.  Hope that's okay. Did not change anything else. :)

Thanks again for joining MW and posting on here!  It's great so far!  ~Kim

 

 



Author's Response:

Thank you for the warm welcome! I figured it was time to stop lurking ;)

Brian is my favorite so to hear that I got the characterization down is a huge compliment!

Thank you for the help with formatting - I'm not tech savvy at all so I welcome any and all help!

 

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