Midnight Whispers
QAF Brian and Justin Fanfiction
Author's Chapter Notes:

-The boys prepare to spend the night on the island and get to know each other better. Some parents are very unhappy...


 

The boys walked through the rainforest for a few minutes before they came across a cave. “This’ll do”, Justin said, already walking inside.

 

 

Brian eyed the cave warily. “Are you kidding? I’m not sleeping in a cave!” he said dramatically.

 

 

“Oh, relax, you baby. It’ll be fine”, Justin chided. “Hey, use your lighter so we can see in here.”

 

 

Brian reached into his pocket and pulled out his trusty lighter. He flicked it to create a flame, lighting the cave up enough to reveal several bats hanging from the top and side of the cave. The light startled the bats and they began flying around frantically.  “Whaaaaaa!” both boys yelled as they dived out of the cave, falling on top of each other on the ground. Groaning, they rolled off of each other. Once they were laying side-by-side, Justin burst out laughing, Brian joining in a couple seconds later. Their wild cackles echoed through the trees, scaring many of the nearby animals.

 

 

After two minutes of incontrollable laughter, the two castaways eventually managed to settle down. “Well I guess the cave’s a ‘no’”, Brian said.

 

 

With one more laugh, Justin replied, “Yeah, I guess not.” The boy stood up, ready to find a place to settle. “Okay. Let’s head back to the beach, I guess”, he suggested.

 

 

“That’s a good idea”, Brian said, nodding. “That way if a boat or plane passes by, we’ll have a better chance of getting their attention.” With that, the companions made their way back to the beach and gathered some palm leaves nearby to sleep on.

 

 

“Know how to start a fire?” Justin asked, gathering a pile of sticks and leaves.

 

 

“Yes indeed”, Brian said, reminding Justin of his lighter. Justin chuckled at his silly moment and stood back while Brian took the time to light their fire. “There we are”, he said once the job was done. “That’ll warm us up.” Justin nodded and sat down near the fire, Brian sitting across from him. Brian stared at Justin, noticing a slight distressed look on his face. “You’re freaked out about what’s going to happen, aren’t ya?” Brian asked him.

 

 

Justin looked up at the brunet and nodded. “I mean…what the fuck are we gonna do? This is insane!”

 

 

“Hey, I hear ya, buddy. All that’s happened is totally nuts. But it’s not like we’re gonna be stuck here forever, kid. We’re going to get found”, Brian reassured his companion.

 

 

Justin gave Brian a small appreciative smile before his face lit up with an idea. “Hey, wait”, he said. “I just remembered I have something.” He reached for his satchel and searched through it, pulling a muesli bar out triumphantly. “Aha!” he declared at his find.

 

 

“Hey, way to go, nerd”, Brian said with a smile.

 

 

“Glad I have the bag now, aren’t you?” Justin asked in a joking manner. “And I thought you weren’t going to call me ‘nerd’ anymore.” He broke the food item into two halves.

 

 

Brian smirked cheekily. “Okay, okay…Sunshine.” With a small chuckle, Justin handed one half of the muesli bar to Brian. “Thanks”, he said, taking the offered food. “You know, normally I don’t really eat these things, but right now I’d eat a horse.”

 

 

Justin stifled a laugh as he munched on his half of the bar. “Tell me about it. I’m fricken STARVING!” the boy declared. At that very moment, his empty stomach let out a very long, very loud rumble. A moment of silence passed before Brian erupted into a burst of laughter. Justin blushed and smiled shyly as he took another bite of his muesli bar. “So, what were you doing in Trinidad anyway?” Justin asked after a couple more minutes, interested to know more about the young man he was marooned with.

 

 

The brunet sat up and looked at the boy, inspecting him. The look on his face implied that he really was genuinely interested in what Brian had to say. He wasn’t just making forced small talk. Okay, Brian thought, the fact for some reason pleasing him. “I came here with my friends for the fall break. I wanted to bring them somewhere that wasn’t cliché. Hence Trinidad and Tobago instead of Maui or Fiji, as nice as those islands are.”

 

 

“That’s great”, Justin told Brian genuinely. “You planned the trip?” Brian nodded, his eyebrows raised. “You must be a really great friend to do that for them.”

 

 

Brian smiled softly at being told this. “I guess…maybe I am, Sunshine. I am great.” Justin chuckled at Brian’s words. “That doesn’t stop my friends from calling me names all the time. But I think that’s kind of our way of showing our…affection”, Brian uttered the word out with disgust lining his voice, again making Justin laugh. Brian really enjoyed making this kid laugh. “Alright, we did me. Now, why don’t you tell me why you’re here.”

 

 

“We’re on our senior humanitarian trip”, Justin revealed.

 

 

“Humanitarian?” Brian pried.

 

 

Justin nodded enthusiastically. “Yeah. We were supposed to be spending our time helping to build a new school building and fix old ones in underprivileged areas. I mean, some kids thought that was lame, but I think it was a great use of our time. What an experience to have, you know? All the stories we’re all gonna be able to tell.” Brian watched the kid in amusement as he talked animatedly. “But…uh, I guess the trip would’ve been cancelled once they found out about everyone sneaking off to the party and all. I mean, there’s no way the cops wouldn’t have busted the underage people there. And with me missing and all…”

 

 

Brian shook his head. “Well, I gotta say, Sunshine, I’m impressed”, he admitted. “I mean, a humanitarian trip? And here I was planning to go to clubs and get drunk and high and fuck the whole time. But you were out making the world a better place.”

 

 

The teenager smiled and flushed in pleasure at Brian’s compliment, despite the odd wording. “Thanks”, he said quietly. “And you know you shouldn’t mix drinking with illicit drugs. Especially not if you’re in a crowded club, dancing”, he added, remembering what Brian had said about his intentions.

 

 

“Another PSA, huh? That’s two in one day. Lucky me”, Brian joked, a smile on his face. “Who needs awareness programs when the world has you?” Again, this inspired another cute little laugh from the blond. Fuck, I love hearing that laugh, Brian thought. “Anyway, as I recall, you were drinking on that boat too, young man.”

 

 

“Yeah”, Justin laughed. “Yeah, I was.” He thought for a moment. “You know…I even like to get drunk. A lot, actually.” The teenager began to laugh again, feeling himself relax around his companion. “I just like telling people what to do.”

 

 

“And you’re really good at it, Sunshine”, Brian told him through a smirk, which Justin returned. “So…what’s with your bag of stuff, anyway? Why are you such a neat freak?”    

 

 

Justin thought for a second before coming up with a clever remark. “Let’s just say I like to be prepared.”

 

 

Brian huffed a laugh. “What, channelling the boy scouts, Sunshine?”

 

 

“Actually, I was a boy scout”, Justin admitted. “I thought it was awesome.”

 

 

“Well, what do you know. I was a boy scout when I was growing up as well. I was always getting in trouble for causing some kind of shenanigan”, Brian revealed. Justin looked surprised but impressed. “I guess we have more in common than either of us would have thought”, he added.

 

 

Justin shrugged with a nod. “I guess so”, he said in a friendly manner. “So, you’re a college student?” he asked. Brian nodded in confirmation. “Where do you go?”

 

 

“University of Pittsburgh. I’m studying marketing and advertising,” Brian told him.

 

 

“Cool”, Justin responded. “You want to be an Ad Exec or something?”

 

 

Brian shrugged, not really wanting to talk about himself any longer. “I guess. But I’m more interested in what school you’re at”, he said, trying to avoid another question about himself.

 

 

As an observant, intelligent boy, Justin caught on to this but chose to respect Brian’s wishes and not say anything about it. He barely knew the guy, so he didn’t know how he would react to anyone really pressing his buttons. Deciding to play along, Justin responded, “I go to St. James Academy.” Brian surprised Justin by asking him what he was studying. “You really want to know?” Brian shrugged and nodded with a ‘why not’ attitude. “Okay… well, I study regular boring stuff, I guess. Stuff like english, math, history, geography, graphic design, physics and art.”

 

 

“Art, huh?” Brian said, taking a real interest in the boy. “You any good or are you one of those kids who are just kidding themselves?”

 

 

Justin laughed and kicked some sand at his companion. “Hey!” he chuckled as Brian smirked and dodged the flying sand. “I’ve been told I’m pretty good, actually. Good enough to win art competitions and prizes. Drawing and painting is my favourite thing to do in the world, so I should think I’m good…shit what the fuck am I going to do to amuse myself on this island if we’re really stuck here?”

 

 

“What, don’t have a sketch book in that satchel of yours?” Brian joked, his signature smirk plastered across his handsome face as he gave the boy a cheeky look.

 

 

Justin rolled his eyes at Brian but couldn’t resist smiling back at him. “Shut up”, he said light heartedly.

 

 

“You’re not a superhero after all”, Brian teased.

 

 

“I never said I was”, Justin pointed out with the same teasing tone in his voice. The boys’ joking was interrupted by a strange rustling that came from the forest behind them. Justin jumped at the sound and looked to the direction it came from, his eyes wide. “What was that?!” he said in a frightened voice.

 

 

Brian sat up slightly and looked towards the same direction Justin was looking to. With a raised brow, he said, “It’s probably nothing.” Justin seemed unconvinced. Brian sighed, “Look, kid, just relax. We’ll be fine. Now, it’s kind of an understatement to say that this has been a long and eventful day, so we should try and get some sleep. Although I doubt that’s going to take much effort, considering how exhausted you were earlier.”

 

 

“Yeah, but…don’t you think it’s creepy out here? I mean, there could be anything in that rainforest. Something that could try and kill us!” exclaimed Justin.

 

 

Lying back, Brian replied, “Quit being such a drama queen and get some shut-eye, Sunshine. Nothing is going to hurt you out here, alright?” he tried to assure the boy in a stern voice. “I’m telling you; we are going to be fine.”

 

 

Pouting for a moment, Justin hunched his shoulders and sighed. “Yeah, I guess…We won’t be here for long, anyway”, he said, more to himself than to Brian, who was already falling asleep. Hugging his knees, the teenager looked around his surroundings again, still feeling afraid. “They’ll find us”, he assured himself. “They’ll be out there looking for us and they’ll find us quickly. We won’t be stuck here for long…not forever.” He looked at Brian’s sleeping form and realised how very tired he really was. Sleep sounds like a good idea, he thought as he lay down on the palm leaves he and Brian had lain out earlier. Though his mind was whirling, the boy’s fatigue won and he quickly fell into a deep sleep, hoping that they would be saved in the morning.

 

 


 

 

ST. JAMES HIGH SCHOOL, PITTSBURGH 10AM

 

 

Craig Taylor’s face went dark as he yelled at the imbecile teachers at St. James High. “What in the world happened?!” he demanded. “Why is my son missing?”

 

 

Mr. Christianson sighed as the man yelled in his face. He understood the anger and the concern, but he’d just gotten off a several hour flight and could feel a head ache forming. The teacher knew that no matter what he said, he would not be able to calm Mr. and Mrs. Taylor down. He knew these people. These people were neurotic perfectionists whom he could hardly stand. And he knew that this was his fault. That was something he would not be able to get away with. “I apologise, Mr. Taylor. It seems your son was part of the group of several students that snuck off to attend the illegal boat party that night.”

 

 

“Illegal?!” exclaimed Craig. “How in the hell did those kids even find out about it?”

 

 

Mr. Christianson shook his head regretfully. “I’m afraid that part of the story is unclear. We asked the students but they all refused to give us an answer. But trust me, we will uncover the truth”, he told them.

 

 

Both Taylor parents shook their heads, unimpressed. “I just…do not understand how this could have happened”, Jennifer said. “Why wasn’t our son being taken care of better ?”

 

 

“As I said, I am very sorry for what happened. The kids snuck out, it was a mistake on our part-“ Mr. Christianson began.

 

 

“It wasn’t just a mistake, Sir!” Craig shouted. “It was an absolute fuck up! Our son is missing, and probably off with some…creep, and it is all at the fault of the incompetent teaching staff!”

 

 

Mr. Christianson blinked rapidly while he was yelled at and insulted. He knew this was what he could expect. “Now, it isn’t certain that your son is with that man but from what we were told by his friends, he is a young and kind person who would bring no harm to Justin in any way”, the teacher ranted, trying his best to come up with anything he could to calm the parents down.

 

 

It was all to no avail. “Either way, our son is likely in danger thanks to you people and my wife and I are very angry!” Craig said.

 

 

“Understandably, Mr. Taylor. But I can tell you that the Trinidad Police have issued a full search for them and that we will all be notified of any information acquired”, Mr. Christianson nervously told the Taylors.

 

 

“Well, thank you, Mr. Christianson, but that will not suffice. Craig and I will be flying over to Trinidad later today to help find our son”, Mrs. Taylor informed the teacher before grabbing her husband’s arm and pulling him out of the door. “Good bye, Sir”, she farewelled.

 

 

As the husband and wife made their way down the school corridor, they held each other’s hands tightly, as if gaining strength from each other. “We’ve got to find him, Craig”, Jennifer whispered emotionally. Craig squeezed his wife’s hand and assured her that they would. “I just don’t know what we’ll do if we don’t”, the woman added, tears welling up in her eyes.

 

 

We will find our son, Craig vowed silently. We will find him safe and well and we will bring him home…

 

 

TO BE CONTINUED    

       


Chapter End Notes:

How long do you think the boys will be stuck on the island?

Do you think any dangers are on the island?

What do you think of Craig's reaction to his son's disappearance? Did it surprise you?

Thanks for reading and please do let me know what you thought :)

xoxo

 

You must login (register) to review.