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

Mention of animal death

 

 

“Dad?”

Justin looked up and saw Matthew standing at the end of his bed. He looked so uncertain that it broke his heart. He stretched and sat up, he was alone in bed so that meant Brian was already up for the day. Probably was already in the city trying to get his mind off of Reece.

“Come here,” Justin said, patting the bed at his feet.

Matthew walked over and sat down, his shoulders hunched.

“I’m sorry.”

“For what?” Justin knew, but after six years he wanted to hear it.

“For thinking you were cheating on Pop. For treating you so bad. For not calling you dad anymore.”

“I forgive you.”

Matthew’s head shot up and looked at Justin. “Just like that?”

“I won’t lie. It hurt. It hurt worse because you wouldn’t tell me why you hated me so much. But you’re my son. No matter what you do I would love you. I can’t always say that everything you do I’ll forgive. I hope you never do anything that I’ll have to say that to you for. But I will always love you.”

Matthew leaned over and hugged him. “Thanks, Dad. By the way, why are you still in bed? It’s almost noon.”

“Sorry, your father and I-

“I don’t want to hear it,” Matthew said, covering his ears.

Justin couldn’t help but laugh. “Fine. How are you doing? I know you won’t completely calm down until you talk to Anna yourself.”

Matthew sobered. “I’m worried about her sure, but I can feel she’s alright. She’d be pissed if we were still making a big deal about her after she said she was fine. She’s tougher than most of us.”

He couldn’t deny that. “Fine, but now we have to figure out who tells her about Reece.”

“That sounds like a parent’s job to me.”

“Smartass.”

“Yep.”

“What are you doing today?”

“I’m hoping that I can get Shorty to go somewhere with me.”

“Like a date?”

“A date? No. He asked the same thing. Can’t two guys just hang out without putting a fucking label on it.”

Justin shook his head. Brian and Matthew were too much alike. Matthew didn’t have the issues Brian did. Matthew’s were completely his own. Unlike Brian, Matthew did trust his family, for the most part. But Matthew had problems connecting with women except Anna. He loved his Grandma Jen, Aunt Molly and Deb but he couldn’t trust them. The child psychologist they got when he was younger said it was because his ultimate trust was broken by his mother.

“Fine, you want to take Shorty on a non-date. I wish you luck.” He didn’t want to cause another rift in between him and his son, so he let it go. He would have to figure his feelings out on his own.

“Dad,” Maurice whined as he walked into the bedroom, followed by Caleb, Sean and Kenyon. Gus and Devin had gone back to their homes, Gus in Nashville and Devin to New York.

Sean climbed up on the bed and snuggled into Brian’s side of the bed. “What is wrong with you guys?” Justin asked.

“We’re hungry,” Caleb whined.

“And you forgot how to use the stove or microwave?” he asked. The last three weeks had wiped him out, he just wanted to sleep in for once and let his kids take care of themselves. Avery was the only one that really needed someone to cook for him, but he had three college-age brothers and two high-school brothers to feed him.

“We want your world-famous hamburgers,” Caleb pouted.

They just didn’t want to cook for themselves, he wasn’t born yesterday.

“Can I have a dog?” Sean asked out of nowhere.

Justin narrowed his eyes at his older sons. Who seemed to be looking everywhere but at him now.

“What?” he asked, not taking his eyes off the older boys.

“Why can’t we have a dog. I mean, it’s been a while since Pop killed Scooter,” Maurice said.

“Wait, I thought we were calling it ‘the unfortunate incident’,” Kenyon said.

“Oh, yeah. Sorry,” Maurice said looking from Kenyon back to Justin. “It’s been a while since ‘the unfortunate incident’, so can we get another dog?”

“Your father did not kill Scooter. He feels terrible about the…incident.”

“The unfortunate incident, Dad,” Caleb spoke up.

Justin glared at him. “You were too little to remember the incident.”

“Not true. Pop hated Scooter so he ran him over.”

“For the millionth time, your father did not purposely run over Scooter. And your assumptions hurt him. True, he didn’t like the dog, but the dog ruined quite a few of his suits and shoes.”

It killed Brian when the kids started saying that he killed Scooter on purpose. They had gotten Scooter right after adopting Caleb and Sean. Sean was so much in his shell the doctor suggested it as therapy. It worked too, Sean had loved that damn, stupid dog; but Sean was only four so he didn’t know any better.

Early on, Scooter and Brian became mortal enemies. The dog would leave everyone else’s things alone except Brian’s. It was like he sought out everything that Brian owned that he loved. His favorite Armani suit. His favorite shoes. His anti-aging cream. Everything.

But one rainy morning, Scooter had gotten out of the door without them knowing. Just as Brian was backing his car out of the garage, Scooter ran behind the car. Brian didn’t know until he felt the car come in contact with Scooter. His hard-hearted husband had rushed the dog to the emergency vet and spent a fortune just for the chance of Scooter living. There had been too much damage and they suggested Brian let them euthanize him, he was in too much pain. So, Brian agreed. None of their children knew how much it hurt Brian to make that decision. He didn’t want them to know that he cried the night they buried the damn dog, hell, he didn’t want Justin to know but he had woken up to it.

“No dog.” Never again. “Get out of here and I’ll get dressed and make lunch.” The kids started heading out the door. “Oh, and no one mention this dog talk to your father or Avery.” Avery had been asking for one for almost a year.


Brian was driving through the city when he saw a familiar blonde head. He pulled over, throwing his car into park before jumping out and rushing to his son.

“Reece,” he called. The boy turned around but didn’t stop. Soon he bumped into someone.

“Watch where you’re going, fucker,” a tall, man said to Reece. He watched as Reece cowered in the man’s eyes

“Leave him the fuck alone, asshole,” Brian snapped.

The man just scoffed and walked away. Reece stood there, not looking at Brian anymore.

“Hey, kid. Let’s go.”

“I’m not going home,” Reece said adamantly.

“Alright, but a man can buy his son dinner, right?”

Reece looked like he was going to argue but then just nodded. “Not the diner, okay?”

“Sure, how about the new Indian restaurant by the Warhol Museum?”

“That sounds good.”

They were seated at the restaurant before they spoke again. “Where have you been staying?” Brian asked.

It had been two weeks since Reece had gotten out of the hospital. He had only heard about his son from Alex and one of the cops, a Lt. Martinez. But he knew Reece wasn’t staying with Alex, Maurice had gone to Alex’s to see him a week ago.

“A friend is letting me use his apartment.”

“That’s nice. Someone from school?”

“What’s with the third degree? You didn’t want to know anything about me for six years, let’s go back to that,” Reece spat.

“And I’m sorry about that. I’m trying to fix it. I never stopped loving you, I’m just not great with emotions and shit.”

Reece laughed bitterly. “You don’t say?”

“Fine, I’m a shitty father.”

“I didn’t say that. In fact, you were a great father the first fourteen years of my life. Also, you were a great father to all the other kids. I just don’t understand how I’m so different?”

Brian ran his hand over his face. “I was scared I would fuck up raising you, alright? You were already trying to be like me…my life is not one that someone should reenact.”

“I think it is. Look what you did without anyone’s help. You went to college and worked your ass off to pay for it. You graduated top of your class while working two jobs. You had your own agency by the age for thirty-five. Pop, anyone would want to be like you.”

“Yes, my business success was something I did alone. But my life isn’t just my career. It’s you kids and your dad. Uncle Mikey, Grandma Deb, Aunt Lindsay.”

“Yeah I know.”

“Reece?”

“Yeah?” he said asked, not looking up.

“Can we try and fix this?”

“I’ll try.”

“That’s all I ask. Now, can we talk about the elephant in the room?”

Reece sighed. “I’m pressing charges, I’ll testify. I’ve given my statement. I’ve done all they want me to do. Now it’s just a waiting game.”

“I was wondering, if you want to see anyone.”

“I don’t.”

“Alright, just remember if you do, we’ll get you the best.”

“I will.”

“I wish you’d tell me where you were staying, I know it’s not with Alex.”

“If I tell you the truth, you have to promise not to freak out.”

Brian didn’t like the sound of that, not at all. “Fine.”

“I’m staying at my boss’s apartment. My first day of work is tomorrow.”

“You better not say you’re gonna be working for Alex’s father. He’s the enemy, you know,” he said jokingly, at this point working for that asshole would be preferable.

“Don’t worry about that, Pop.” Brian’s heart swelled, he was scared he was going to be Brian for life to Reece. “I’m just going to be doing some videos.”

“Videos? Meaning?”

“Well, I’m going to be in some porn movies.”

Brian could hear blood rushing in his ears. He did his best to not lose his cool. He was unsuccessful. “You will not.”

“I don’t think it’s really your choice. I’m an adult, I can do what I want. Kade said that I could make a lot of money for my first video, being it’s my first time with sex and everything.”

“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me. Some perv offers you money to make a video where you lose your virginity and you think that’s a good idea?”

“I’m tired of not being in control of my life. This is something I can control, not only that I’ll make money.”

“You want money, I’ll make your trust fund accessible to you. You don’t need to do this. Please, don’t do this.” He knew he was begging but this was his child. He’d get on his knees and grovel to stop him from making this mistake.

“Kade’s not a perv. I’ve known him for two years and he’s never laid a hand on me.”

“Kade? What kind of name is Kade?”

“It’s his stage name. Kade Kage.”

Kade Kage. Why did that name seem familiar? He pushed that thought away, he’d ask Ted later about the guy. Even after his run in with the law he still knew people in the industry.

Then like a hit, he remembered where he heard the name Kade Kage before. Years ago, Ted started bitching and yelling about the little asshole that faked his ID, and got Ted in trouble. It started the whole path to meth for Ted. He was ranting about learning the kid was now an actor on a popular pornsite. He was going by the name of Kade Kage. Ted bitched for full day about that.

“What do I have to do that will stop you from this?”

“I’m doing this, there is nothing you can say that will change my mind.”

“I’ll give you the loft. I’ll put it in your name, it will be yours. I’ll give you a job at Kinnetik.”

“I don’t want to work for you.”

“Okay, we’re getting somewhere. You do want the loft though?” Brian could see he was right, Reece looked interested. “I know a lot of people, you have great grades and a great work history. Tell me where you want to work and I’ll put a good word in for you.”

“I don’t want you to get me a job. I can get my own job.”

“Of course.”

“My dream job is working at Falstaff.”

Brian did his best not to smile. He loved his children but they weren’t that good at keeping quiet. Especially not about something they want.

“Falstaff, that’s the video game company, right?”

“Yeah, they just opened an office here in Pittsburgh, but their main one is in Ohio.”

“Tell you want, you apply to this place. You worked for Emmett last summer, I’m sure he’ll right a reference for you.” Brian would be making a few calls but Reece didn’t need to know about that.

“There’s not that much time left in summer. It’s not even worth it.”

“Maybe they can offer a part-time job. Then you can work and go to school.”

“I don’t know.”

“Reece, I know you feel so out of control now that you want a piece of it back. But this isn’t the way. You will regret this, trust me I know.”

“You did porn?”

Brian closed his eyes. “Not porn, no. But I did some things in college to make ends meet, things I regret.”

“What did you do?” Reece asked, eyes wide.

“I don’t really want to talk about it.”

“You want me to be honest, I think you need to be too.”

Sighing, Brian knew he was in a corner and have to tell the truth. “My freshman year of college, I barely had two nickels to rub together. I was working every night in janitorial at the school and weekends in the library. It still wasn’t enough. Most of everything I needed I had to pay upfront. One Saturday night I finally had off. Instead of going clubbing, I went out to a bar hoping some old guy would buy me a drink.”

“Well, did you find one?”

Brian laughed. “Yeah, I did. It was an older guy named Ira. He bought me drinks that night, then asked if I wanted to go home with him. I didn’t, he wasn’t my type. But he looked at my clothes and made me an offer. If I stay with him for two months, he’d give me ten thousand dollars.”

“Wow, ten thousand?”

“Yeah, ten thousand would take care of a lot of things and I could finally breath for a while. So, I took him up on the offer.”

“You prostituted yourself?”

“Yeah, I did. I don’t regret that though. I did what I had to do.”

“Wait, you said that you had regrets and that I would.”

“Oh, once I got high and sang Bette Midler for the contest money.”

Reece laughed. “Pop, be serious.”

“I am. Please, don’t do this.”

“But I already took some money from him.”

“I’ll pay him back the money.”

“You’d really give me the loft?”

“It’s yours if you want.”

“Umm…I want.”

Finally, things were turning around. A shiver when up Brian’s spine at the thought of not seeing Reece today. What if he had gone and did that movie the next day.

Brian’s phone started ringing in his pocket. He pulled it out and looked at the ID. He didn’t recognize the number.

“One second,” he told his son before answering. “Hello.”

“Pop, what the hell is this I hear about Reece? And why did I hear if from Jenny?” Anna railed at him.

She was just getting geared up, it would be a long conversation. Hopefully, he wouldn’t have any lasting wounds.  

 

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