Summary: An alternate S5. It starts in the same place, and ends more or less in the same place, it even covers a lot of the same plot points, but quite a few things get tweaked along the way into something that seemed to me more true to the characters as I understand them (especially, of course, Brian and Justin).
Rated: R
Categories: QAF-U.S. FICTION Characters: Brian,
Justin
Challenges: None
Series: Homecoming
Chapters: 20
Completed: Yes
Word count: 103596
Read: 203444
Published: July 13, 2017
Updated: July 13, 2017
Story Notes:
Almost immediately after the ending of the show in 2005 I started writing a post S5 series called Homecoming.
I started writing Reverberations at the point where it became obvious to me that I couldn't write Homecoming the way I wanted to if I had to base it on canon S5. I didn't know the Justin in canon at all. I had no way of understanding or interpreting that character that left me with someone I could feel much liking or even respect for. And even with Brian (and I am an expert apologist for Brian) didn't emerge with much credit. There were three particular things that I wanted to "rewrite" ...
The first was the syphillis arc and especially Justin's reaction to it. The fact is that while not as sexually active as Brian (who is?), I think we're meant to understand that Justin has his fair share of casual sex, and that he wasn't exactly a poster boy for celibacy while he was out among the beautiful people in LA. So his self-righteous reaction to Brian catching an STD struck me as completely OTT and also fairly OOC. I didn't like that Justin at all - he reminded me way too much of Mikey and Mel - snide, judgemental and hypocritical. (The Rage drawings alone I found really disturbing.)
The second was the whole "competition" arc. We've always known that Brian was going to find it hard to deal with when age started to put an end to his reign as Stud-King of Liberty Avenue. But the whole competition thing was both laughable and insensitive. As if! The Brian I know and understand in that situation would say "fuck you!" and do his best to ignore Brandon's existence completely, not glorify it by getting into some lame-assed openly acknowledged competition with him. I hated this arc with a passion because of how it reduced Brian's very real issues about ageing and how they played into his in many ways fragile self-image to a kind of bad joke. I also hated the fact that Justin didn't seem to have any understanding of, or compassion for, the very real struggles that Brian was going through. He was far too busy pouting over the fact that he wasn't going to be a Daddy any time soon. (Again, as if! how many 21 y.o. guys actually think this way? where did it come from? - there was no sign of it when he headed off to the bright lights of LA and where did it go? - because it vanished as soon as NY called,. Pod!Justin strikes again.) The fact that the parallel story line also reduced Ted to something close to a laughing stock just added fuel to the furnace of my hatred of this arc. Again - if you're going to deal with the issue of how physical beauty/ sex appeal weigh far too heavily in the balance in gay culture then do it with some sensitivity and compassion.
The third, as I've said many times, was the whole proposal scene in Justin's studio. That entire conversation was so OOC for both of them that I had to keep checking to see if it really was Brian and Justin and not some other characters. My thoughts on that scene are fairly well expressed here: 511 Rant.
The problem was, that once I started trying to tweak just those few things, all sorts of other stuff cropped up that had to be dealt with - and before I knew it I had a whole alternate S5 on my hands.
So ... that was the genesis of Reverberations which wound up being 20 chapters and over 80,000 words. Just a few small tweaks. Really.
1. Reverberations #1 by Wren [Reviews - 1] (2958 words)
It always seemed to me really dumb that they gave Brian syphilis and then had Justin freak out and go all holier-than-thou about it. I believe that we’re clearly meant to understand that Justin was definitely not sitting around reading Brothers Karamazov out in LA - he out was getting laid. So it seemed to me that this would have been a much more real and effective way to deal with this issue, and wouldn’t have had Justin coming across like a sanctimonious little prig.
2. Reverberations #2 by Wren [Reviews - 1] (5112 words)
Just to set the scene - in 504 Justin and Brian were at Mikey’s infamous dinner party. In 505, Brian found out he had syphilis, Justin and Daph were babysitting JR and Brian saw Brandon for the first time. He came home, having survived his period of enforced celibacy, to celebrate with his lover, only to find a very cool and aloof Justin who insists that he can’t come to bed because he’s “working”. The work is a sketch of a diseased Rage with sores all over his face. In the Reverb universe, however, it is Justin who has been diagnosed with syphilis. From there, I thought things might go a bit like this.
3. Reverberations #3 by Wren [Reviews - 2] (5697 words)
This one is a little angsty. The boys are lined up for some major misunderstandings. (And remember, I don't like Michael. Never have, never will.)
4. Reverberations #4 by Wren [Reviews - 1] (2697 words)
<i>A short one. The boys share a little down time together.</i>
5. Reverberations #5 by Wren [Reviews - 1] (4182 words)
Last time, Brian and Justin came close to disaster - thanks to the rumor mill working overtime. This time, the boys blow off some steam, and raise the temperature at Babylon.
6. Reverberations #6 by Wren [Reviews - 2] (4458 words)
Justin gets to show Brian his new "studio".
7. Reverberations #7 by Wren [Reviews - 1] (3456 words)
Justin gets the request from Michael to do the Marriage issue of Rage. Then he needs to break that news to Brian.
A few other issues begin to be addressed. If you think I'm way off base in this chapter, then you could try reading this post, because it gives some of my reasoning, and my thinking as I've been working through the issues that S5 raised for me.
some thoughts on S5
8. Reverberations #8 by Wren [Reviews - 1] (4609 words)
Justin has put aside his annoyance with Michael to work on the wedding issue of Rage. They clash over some of the panels. Then Michael and Ben hold their housewarming party.
9. Reverberations #9 by Wren [Reviews - 0] (3435 words)
Well, here's the next part. Only a short one.
Know that some of you were waiting to see what the fallout was, but this contains some stuff I wanted to deal with before moving on to all that (although there's a bit of a teaser at the end *g*).
10. Reverberations #10 by Wren [Reviews - 1] (4949 words)
Justin let Mikey have it at the housewarming party over Mikey's shennanigans with the comic.
Now the fall out begins.
11. Reverberations #11 by Wren [Reviews - 1] (6480 words)
Brian finally explains his concerns about having Gus spend time with them. Lindsay pays a visit to the loft.
(Remember I don't like the lesbians.)
12. Reverberations #12 by Wren [Reviews - 0] (6131 words)
<i>The boys find a way to escape all the drama for a while. Brian prepares for a trip to Chicago to meet with Leo Brown.</i>
13. Reverberations #13 by Wren [Reviews - 1] (5810 words)
The bombing and its aftermath.
14. Reverberations #14 by Wren [Reviews - 1] (4018 words)
Brian faces criticism for not doing more to help Ben. Justin is nervous about his show.
15. Reverberations #15 by Wren [Reviews - 1] (4379 words)
Justin has his show. Brian still needs to get to Chicago. He's also made a resolution.
16. Reverberations #16 by Wren [Reviews - 1] (3108 words)
The morning after Justin's show. Brian feels that Kinney cliff calling.
17. Reverberations #17 by Wren [Reviews - 1] (4896 words)
Kinney cliff dodged, Brian returns to his resolution. He has a plan. But Justin surprises him.
18. Reverberations #18 by Wren [Reviews - 1] (7385 words)
After a detour to see the house, they finally make it to Chicago.
Oh, and btw - I've always kind of figured Justin's "West Virginia" remark was one of their snarky little jokes.
19. Reverberations #19 by Wren [Reviews - 1] (5091 words)
I'd been battling with the last few chapters of Reverb. And I was going to put some of the angst into this one and some into the next, and that, I expected would be the end and then I could go on with Homecoming.
But for various reasons, that plan wasn't working (despite going through three versions of this chapter), so here is the next chapter, relatively angst free (although with a couple of anvils tap dancing in the background).
20. Reverberations #20 by Wren [Reviews - 4] (14745 words)
Well, it's been a far longer ride than I'd thought when I started this exercise, but my S5 re-write is finally drawing to an end.
I especially want to thank the wonderful 
sandid who did the image you'll find in the last chapter.
I'm guessing that some of you might be disappointed in the direction I take the guys in this one. To me, it's the way that I think would best work for them ... but I know everyone may not agree.
And if you find the ending a bit of a downer, I can only remind you that this was always intended as a prequel to Homecoming, which is kind of where all this started, really.
