Midnight Whispers
QAF Brian and Justin Fanfiction
Story Notes:

STORY DISCLAIMER:  QAF and its characters are the sole property of Showtime and Cowlip Productions. No copyright infringement is intended. 

 


Author's Chapter Notes:

Emmett Honeycutt has the best birthday of his life only to lose one of the most important people in it the very next day. As he fights with himself on whether or not to return to a family and town that hates him in order to say his last goodbyes, he gets support from an unlikely friend.

This is a pre-series story based around Emmett Honeycutt and his strange but undeniable friendship with Brian Kinney.

Emmett Honeycutt was never one to get many presents on his birthday. His family had always been poor but that hadn’t stopped his father from getting his older brother, Tommy, a new dirt bike. It didn’t stop his mother from buying his other older brother, Pete, a new cassette tape player or his younger brother, Dwayne, a new, albeit secondhand, wardrobe. It didn’t stop his father from giving his twin brother, Ryan, his old pickup truck on their sixteenth birthday. And it didn’t stop their mother from buying his older sister, Hallie, a makeup kit. But Emmett benefited from that particular gift since he used it whenever he had a bit of alone time. If Hallie had noticed that the makeup was depleting more quickly than it should have, she never said anything. If that was the case then he owes Hallie his gratitude. But, knowing her, she probably didn’t even catch on. Hallie had never been the brightest plus she had a mean streak a mile wide. So if she had caught on, Emmett would have definitely suffered the consequences.

 

He tried to keep his chin up about it though. His parents didn’t have the money to spend on all of their children. And Emmett has never been one to find value in material things. But one present or a party meant for and not just his twin brother past the age of six would have been nice. Ryan did feel guilty about how their parents treated him though. They tended to make each other drawings or steal packs of gum, something to have to give to each other on their special day. He didn’t blame Ryan for getting the attention. That wasn’t his fault. The majority of their family wanted to ignore the fact they had a sissy son. But Ryan was one of the more accepting ones, even though he didn’t really understand why Emmett was the way that he was. Despite their differences they did used to have an unspeakable bond. It was one of the perks of having an identical twin. So, even though Ryan didn’t hang out with him outside of their home, they did make sure the other got a present even after they were adults. Emmett was grateful for the loyalty. He didn’t have any other friends outside of his twin brother to think of him on his birthday. The only person who gave him presents growing up was his Great-Aunt Lula.

 

This birthday is different. He has friends now. Moving had been terrifying but he knows that his Aunt Lula was right. She had been the one to tell him to get out of town and never look back. That he deserved to be happy and make a decent life for himself. If he would have stayed in Hazlehurst, he would probably be dead by now. One can only have lit matches thrown at them by classmates so many times before starting to fear for their lives. And to be chased by a group of drunk men almost twice his age, wielding knives and pistols to terrify him and send a message of die die die...that only had to happen once for him to realize that the tiny and intimate town he grew up in, the town he was born in, didn’t love him and wanted him gone.

 

Here, people actually liked him and accepted him for who he was. Not everyone, of course. He knew that his personality, no matter how nice he tried to be to everyone, would rub some the wrong way. But he lived in a neighborhood where there were other people like him and were open about it. He had friends, something he never really had before.

 

It had been a surprise when he came back to the new apartment only to see Michael leading Ted, Lindsay, Melanie, Debbie, Vic, Kenny, and Godiva in singing happy birthday. He felt himself gasp when he looked around the living room and saw decorations hung around the room. He felt tears spring to his eyes when he saw the banner that said, “Happy 24th Birthday, Emmett!” He had to hold back cries when they all enveloped him in a group hug and Debbie asked, “What’s got you so teary eyed, baby? I know the song states otherwise but this is going to be a fun party! Look over there! We’re going to play pin the dick on the stud after we have cake! There’s no reason to cry!”

 

“I’m sorry, Debbie,” Emmett waves off, “I’m just crying because I’m so happy!”

 

“Well, your tears are still depressing,” Godiva said with her deep husky voice, “You’re crying about being 24 and Vic and I are sickly old queens. Chin up, doll. You have many birthdays ahead of you.”

 

“So do you,” Emmett says sternly.

 

“We’ll see,” Godiva smiles, “Now come here. Vic, Debbie, and I worked hard on this cake for you and you’re going to have piece after dinner. You can always work it off later.”

 

Emmett willed the silly overwhelming emotions away and sat down with his friends. His real friends. God, he had always been jealous of other kids growing up and how they were able to fit in and find people with similar interests. If he knew it felt this wonderful, he doesn’t know if he would have been able to handle the envy and the consequent depression. They have been so nice to him this past year and he just loves them all so much.

 

“Michael, you didn’t have to do all this,” Emmett frets as they usher him to one of the chairs.

 

“Of course I did,” Michael smiles, “You’re not only one of my closest friends, but we’re living together now. Besides, it gave us a good excuse to ask Mom and Vic to make a big dinner.”

 

“I would have made one anyway,” Debbie insists, “You are too lanky and need some meat on your bones. So you’re going to have a plate of this spaghetti and meatballs and make that happen.”

 

“Well, I don’t know about that,” Emmett laughs, “My metabolism has always been fast. I expanded up instead of out!”

 

“If only I could be so lucky,” Debbie sighs before putting a plate of food in front of him, “Now let’s eat!”

 

The food tastes great and, even though his family tended to go for country fried chicken, roasted brussels sprouts, and baked potatoes, the home cooking brings him comfort and the sound of laughter, conversation, and well-wishes bring him more comfort than the majority of his family ever did.

 

After cake, the gang surprises him with several presents.

 

“Oh, you shouldn’t have spent money on me! Dinner and dessert were more than enough!” Emmett tells them, voice high pitched and excited.

 

“Emmett, just open your presents,” Ted tells him, a little exasperated.

 

Emmett opens all of his gifts and they are just so wonderful. Godiva gave him her most beautiful fur coat. He tried to give it back, insisting that it was too valuable and sentimental for her to part with and she reminded him that he didn’t make how much he loved it much of a secret during the months he stayed with her. He laughed at that and told her he would take good care of it.

 

Michael gave him a blender, which was very thoughtful since he had been talking about how they needed one so he could make fruit smoothies in the morning. He’d clear a space for it on the kitchen counter tonight.

 

Debbie gave him several gift certificates for the Liberty Diner as well as a beautiful orange lycra top. It would go over great at Babylon!

 

Ted gave him a VISA gift card. Not the most thoughtful of gifts but a very useful one. He would definitely put it to good use a little shopping spree.

 

Lindsay and Mel gave him a colorful and beautiful new bed set with a high thread count to boot! He thanked both girls for splurging on it, especially since his current sheets and comforter were the cheapest thing he could find at The Big Q. The new ones looked so beautiful and comfy. He couldn’t wait to make the old ones spares! They also gave him All About Eve so he already knew he would play that over and over.

 

Vic gave him sets of baking sheets, pans, and a mixer since he knew how much Emmett loved to bake. The fact that he went out shopping for all of that, just for him, really means a lot. He’s been pretty sick lately so he hopes that means he is feeling a little better.

 

“Why don’t we watch a movie?” Lindsay asks as she gets up to look at what he and Michael have.

 

“Why don’t we pop in the one you just got me? Oh, I love Bette Davis,” Emmett sighs, “She has such a dramatic flair to her, don’t you think?”

 

“We know your love for her, baby,” Godiva drawls, “The way you talk about her and Lana Turner you’d think you were straight.”

 

“Well, I don’t think I could ever be that,” Emmett huffs good naturedly.

 

Lindsay puts the movie in and they all sit down to watch the drama unfold. It’s only fifteen minutes in when they hear a knock at the door.

 

“I wonder who that could be?” Debbie asks as Michael pauses the movie and gets up to check.

 

“Hey Mikey,” Emmett hears a slightly inebriated voice greet his friend. He recognizes it in a heartbeat.

 

“Hey!” Michael greets, stepping aside, “I told you to be here at 7 for the party.”

 

Brian looks around, “Quick party. It’s already over. Oh well. Wanna go out??”

 

“I don’t know. We all planned on just hanging out here tonight for Emmett’s birthday dinner.”

 

“Oh. I forgot,” Brian says before he turns to Emmett, “How old are you now, Honeycutt?”

 

“Twenty-Four,” Emmett tells him slowly.

 

“Oh. Glad I’m not that old.”

 

“You’ll be that old in a month,” Michael says, laughing, “You got Emmett a present, right?”

 

“Presents should only be given for accomplishments,” Brian says seriously before getting a chair and plopping down in it then looks at the paused screen, “Shit, this movie? Jesus, you lot really are a bunch of queens.”

 

“It’s a classic,” Debbie snaps, “If you aren’t going to be nice then you can just get out.”

 

“Ah, Ma. Don’t be like that,” Brian tells her leaning over to kiss her cheek.”

 

“Well, quit being a little asshole. Lots of people like this movie, including Emmett. It’s his birthday and we’re going to finish it.”

 

“Maybe we can go out after the movie,” Emmett reasons as he looks at Brian.

 

“Hey, I knew you were a fun one, Honeycutt...I guess I can get behind that compromise.”

 

Brian is mostly well behaved throughout the movie, save a couple of sarcastic quips he throws out during inappropriate moments. By the end, Brian seems to be itching to go out the door. So the four young men of the group say their goodbyes to the rest of the party and Emmett gives a big hug to each and every one of them. After they leave, Emmett turns to them.

 

“So where do you want to go?” Emmett asks, up for anywhere.

 

“You pick!” Michael exclaims.

 

“It’s your birthday,” Ted asserts.

 

“Babylon,” Brian says, not suggesting it but ordering.

 

“Brian, come on-”

 

“Babylon sounds grand,” Emmett says as he does a spin, “I think I may put on that new delectable top your mom bought me.”

 

“It’ll make you the life of the party,” Michael says, grinning.

 

After Emmett changes his shirt, the four of them get in Brian’s new jeep and drive to the club. There is NOTHING like Babylon in Hazlehurst, Mississippi. There’s a bar in Jackson that he sometimes used to go to if Ryan decided to take some pity on him and let him borrow the truck so that he could go have some fun but that had eventually gotten both of them in trouble. He didn’t like to think about that. He’s sure Ryan still hated him for what happened. He couldn’t blame him if he did.

 

“I’ll get us in. I let the bouncer blow me sometimes so it should get us to the front of the line,” Brian informs them before he goes straight up to the front to let the man know they wanted in. About fifteen seconds later, Brian is beckoning them to come inside with him. They ignore the insulting jabs from the waiting crowd and head into the club.

 

The blue lights illuminate the floor and the fit bodies dancing close to one another. Brian leads them to the bar and gets a round of shots.

 

“To Honeycutt’s ever present reminder of his mortality. Your drinks are on me for the night,” Brian declares before downing his shot.

 

“All of our drinks?” Ted asks, intrigued.

 

“No, just Emmett’s. Make that shot count, Theodore, because that’s all you’re getting from me.”

 

Ted rolls his eyes and downs his shot, grimacing at the overwhelming taste.

 

Emmett can see Michael out of the corner of his eye glancing at the dance floor and back at Brian several times, hoping to score a dance with the man of his dreams. Emmett holds back a sigh at that. He really feels for his roommate. It’s so obvious how crazy he is about Brian. In all honesty, Michael deserves better. He doesn’t go quite as far as Debbie and Ted, who both think Brian is a total asshole by leading Michael on. Not that Brian doesn’t. He tends to. But Emmett doesn’t think he means to lead his friend on. He just doesn’t want to lose him. Emmett could tell from day one that Brian Kinney was a damaged young man. He loves Michael, that much is true. He’s just not in love with him. He thinks Brian is scared for Michael to figure that out, as though he thinks Michael will break all ties once he realizes things will always be platonic and brotherly between the two of them. Emmett thinks higher of Michael. He really is a friend to the end to everyone he forms a close bond with. And Emmett thinks higher of Brian too. He should value himself more than that. He should realize that Michael valued their friendship more than that too.

 

“Wanna dance, birthday boy?” Brian asks him suddenly, taking his hand to pull him towards the dance floor.

 

“Oh! Um...:” Emmett starts as he looks towards Michael to see if it’s okay. Michael seems fine with it.

 

“He’s so good looking that it’s hard to spot at first but he has two left feet,” Michael says low enough so Brian doesn’t hear, “Watch out for your toes.”

 

Emmett stifles a giggle at that as he follows Brian to the middle of the floor and dances to a remix of Like a Prayer with him. The conversation is light for about a minute but then a tall muscular man in his late thirties taps Brian on the shoulder and Brian lets his tongue stick out. The man puts a pill on his tongue and Brian swallows before accepting a filthy kiss from the guy. Emmett’s taken aback by the exchange and wonders if he’ll step in to take over dancing with Brian but he walks away soon after to go to talk to someone else on the other side of the floor.

 

“Friend of yours?” Emmett asks, looking back and forth between the man and Brian.

 

Brian shakes his head, “Not really.”

 

Emmett clears his throat, “You know, you shouldn’t take drugs from strangers.”

 

Brian laughs at that, “Simon gets premium E from New York every month or so when he goes away for business conferences. The stuff is grade A. I’ve been getting it from him for months.”

 

“Oh, so he just gives it to you for free,” Emmett says skeptically.

 

Brian shrugs, “I’m loyal to Anita so I’m not going to buy anything from him. He’s not really into dealing anyway. He just gets enough to last him and a few people in his inner circle for the month before going back to New York to get more. The guy’s loaded.”

 

“I thought you said you weren’t friends with him.”

 

“I’m not. We don’t hang out or go to the movies. We’ve only danced together once or twice. I go back to his place to fuck him every once in a while and he rewards me whenever he sees at Babylon.”

 

Emmett looks back at the guy and raises an eyebrow, “That guy definitely doesn’t look like a bottom.”

 

Brian smirks but something in his eyes tell Emmett that he’s probably caught him red handed. He’s not surprised. Brian’s 23 years old and, while he’s already starting to be considered a stud on Liberty Avenue due to his handsome features, impressive new job, and his sheer abilities in the sack, he is still young and that alone makes everyone ten or more years older initially see him as a twink. He has seen Brian prove those people wrong by taking them in the back room to fuck them until they beg but he could also see Brian using his youthful looks as an advantage to get what he wanted.

 

“Look, don’t say anything to Michael, alright? He worries about every fucking thing so he doesn’t need to know whatever you are coming up with in your head.”

 

Emmett holds his hands up then zips his lips, “It’s not my business. My lips are completely sealed.”

 

Brian looks dubious but shrugs his shoulders and keeps dancing with Emmett until the end of the song. Afterwards, Emmett does what he always does at Babylon. He dances with every beautiful man he can find, gets his dick sucked, gets his ass fucked, and takes the drinks Brian is paying for in between. He’s well past tipsy by the time Ted comes to fetch him with a, “Come on, birthday boy! Looks like you have had too much fun for the night, huh?”

 

Ted keeps a steadying hand around his waist as he leads him outside. Emmett immediately feels guilty about his own state when he sees Michael struggling with Brian. He didn’t mean for them to have to deal with two drunk friends. Michael takes Brian’s keys and Ted sits up front after they put Emmett and Brian in the back. Michael drops off Ted first and tells Brian that he’s staying at their apartment tonight. Brian just grumbles incoherently in response. Emmett is pretty sure Brian doesn’t mind. He knows that ever since Brian moved in with his roommate, he’s been a little pissy about it to say the least. He remembers him saying once, “You think it will be amusing living with a drag queen but it’s not. They get their makeup everywhere and leave it all over the fucking bathroom sink. If I wanted to live with a woman, I would have been straight.” He doesn’t think that Brian dislikes Blossom though. Emmett personally loves her and thinks she’s a lot of fun, whether she’s presenting as male or female.

 

Emmett manages to get back up to their apartment without Michael’s help. It’s a good thing too because Brian definitely needs it with his singing, stumbling, and carrying on.

 

“Bri, come on. You’re going to wake everyone up!” Michael hisses, lifting Brian back up as he starts to slump over.

 

“Whooo would be in bed righ now?”Brian slurs out, “Hetros, that’s who.”

 

“Hetros?” Michael thinks for a second before understanding what he’s saying, “Oh, heteros. Brian, we live on one of the gayest blocks in the neighborhood yet people still have their lights off.”

 

“Whas their excuse?”

 

Michael just rolls his eyes and gets Brian up the stairs and through the door, “You’re lucky it’s a Friday and you don’t have to go into Ryder in the morning, Mr. Junior Executive. You wouldn’t want your boss to see his youngest protege hungover."

 

Brian mumbles and just falls into the couch. He’s asleep in under a minute.

 

“Sorry for all the trouble you had to go through tonight, Baby,” Emmett tells his friend sincerely, “I should have been more responsible.”

 

Michael waves him off, “It was your birthday. You had every right to let loose.”

 

“Well still,” Emmett smiles, “I’ll try to not let it happen again.”

 

Michael raises an eyebrow disbelievingly.

 

“Okay, okay. I will try to make sure it doesn’t happen for a while.”

 

Michael gives him a grin before growing serious, “You good for the night? You don’t feel sick or anything do you?”

 

“Oh no, I’m already sobering up. I’m just going to brush my teeth then get a tall glass of water, my new romance novel, and my favorite afghan my Great-Aunt Lula made me on my 18th birthday. I loved all the presents I got today but I do have to say that this particular present will always bring me the most comfort.”

 

Michael smiles, “She sounds like an amazing lady, the way you talk about her.”

 

“Oh, she is. I miss her a lot...Well, goodnight! I’ll see you in the morning.”

 

“Goodnight, Emmett.”

 

Emmett does what he said he was going to do. He brushes his teeth, gets his glass of water and his book, then cuddles up on his bed with his favorite afghan. With the new bedspread and the warm blanket from his aunt, he does have to say that he’s very comfy.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Morning comes much too soon when someone starts banging on his bedroom door.

 

Emmett forces himself to sit up and, before he can walk more than a few steps, the door swings open and Brian comes stumbling in with the cordless phone in his hand.

 

“Your phone has been ringing off the hook and no one fucking answered it. I did you and Michael a favor by getting up so you owe me. It’s for you. I’m going back to bed.”

 

Brian shoves the phone into his chest and staggers out the door and throws himself back down on the couch. Emmett goes to shut the door and puts the phone to his ear.

 

“Emmett Honeycutt speaking.”

 

“...Hey.”

 

Another thing about being born already having a close bond with another person is that you can recognize your twin’s voice in a heartbeat.

 

“R-Ryan?...Oh, Ryan. I’m so glad you called. You got my letter? You never answered so I wasn’t sure.”

 

“...Yeah, I got it.”

 

Ryan isn’t giving him much. He’s never been a talkative one, always the gruff and silent type. But Emmett could always see through it. He’s having trouble with that now.

 

“H-Happy Birthday. Did you celebrate with Mom and Dad or did-”

 

“Look, I didn’t call to exchange pleasantries. I called to tell you that Aunt Lula passed in her sleep in the middle of the night. Her caretaker called Mom and told her. They don’t want you knowing because they don’t want you around but...I know how much you cared for one another. I think Lula would have wanted you to know and I wanted to give you a chance to decide for yourself.”

 

Emmett feels his pulse quicken and tears spring to his eyes at the words.

 

“A-Aunt Lula’s d-dead?” he chokes out, his vision blurred.

 

“...Yeah. Sorry.”

 

Emmett lets out a sob and tries to calm down a little but can’t. And why should he? One of the only people who ever loved him is gone.

 

“Shit, Emmett. She was a hundred years old. She died quickly and in her sleep. Be grateful.”

 

Emmett takes a few breaths, “I am. I am grateful that she passed sharp as a whip and without pain. But I should have been there.”

 

“It would have just hurt the whole family if you were. Look, I didn’t call to talk. I just thought you should know. Bye.”

 

“Ryan,” Emmett prompts.

 

He doesn’t hear the click on the line but a quiet sound of breathing. He has to say this now.

 

“I’m sorry. I am so sorry. I love you and I never-”

 

The line clicks and Emmett keeps the phone to his ear until he hears the busy signal. With a shaky sigh, he presses the end button. After he lays the phone down on the end table, he takes his Aunt Lula’s afghan, wraps himself in it, and tries not to cry.

Chapter End Notes:

So this story was meant to be a one-shot but it will be about five chapters, maybe less. I hope you enjoy it. There is no Brian/Justin in this story due to it being pre-series but if you love Emmett and/or wanted to see more of Brian and Emmett's friendship in Queer as Folk then I hope you like this. Please let me know if you want to see more. I know since it isn't Britin a lot of readers might not be interested but I always loved Emmett so I wanted to write a story for him.

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