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

Gus is up to something new and gains a pet.  Ted and Em find a home just for them.

Justin twisted and turned and woke up screaming.  Brian stood at the end of their bed tying his tie and looking worried.

 

“Are you okay?” he asked.

 

Justin rubbed his face.  “Yeah.  Sorry.”

 

Brian nodded and left the room.  Justin heard him telling Daphne to keep an eye on him.  He dropped his head back on the pillow and closed his eyes.  He heard the loft door slide open and shut.  He felt the bed tip as Daphne jumped on the bed.

 

“I heard you screaming from next door, so fess up.” 

 

Justin wasn’t ready to talk about it.  He hurriedly got up and rushed to the bathroom to shower.  He found Daphne looking at a large box.  “What’s that?”

 

“I’m not sure.  It was just delivered.”

 

Molly came up the stairs with Gus holding her hand.  Gus saw the box and rushed over to it shouting.  “Mine, mine.”

 

Daphne looked at the name on the label and sure enough it said Gus Kinney.  Neither her nor Justin noticed the wide-eyed look on Molly’s face.  She quickly grabbed two slices of toast, put an egg inside and called out goodbye on her way out the door.

 

Justin and Daphne, in the meantime, opened the box and took out what appeared to be a tricycle already put together.  Gus immediately got on and while his feet didn’t meet the pedals looked to be having fun.  There were two items not attached.  One was and umbrella and the other a handle.  The paperwork with instructions said that it was a stroller.

 

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Gus was very excited to go for a walk with his new stroller.  Justin and Daphne both wondered who had sent it.

 

“Brian must have ordered it,” Justin said.  “I’ll ask him later.”

 

It was a good thing that the lift was big. 

 

Daphne was quiet as they walked down the street pushing Gus.  She figured Justin would tell her when he wanted to about his nightmare. 

 

Sure enough, it wasn’t long before Justin sighed and began talking.  “You remember when I told you about Ethan?”

 

Daphne kept her mouth shut and nodded.

 

“Well, it wasn’t quite as bad as I made it out.”  Justin rolled his lips in and like side-eyed at Daphne.  “There were a couple of times when he pissed me off, but for the most part, he was rather sweet.  He even bought us rings.  I thought it was a pledge he planned for us to be monogamous.” 

 

“You didn’t…?” Daphne couldn’t even finish her question.  She was worried that they’d done it raw.

 

Justin seemed to know what she was asking.  He shook his head vehemently.  “Ugh, no, no.  As it was he asked me to keep our relationship secret, we arrived at the apartment to find him giving an interview and he introduced me as his cousin and you as my girlfriend.   You insisted that after everything I’d gone through it was fucked up for me to want to go back in the closet.”

 

“I’m pretty smart.  I hope you listened to me.” Daphne preened.

 

Justin shook his head.  “Stupidly I didn’t.  I thought he loved me, he told me so.  But then he got an opportunity to play with an orchestra in Harrisburg.  It was only for one night and his agent requested that I not go.  But I wanted to surprise him, so I went anyways.  People were congratulating him right and left and I was proud of him.  Before I could add mine I saw him flirting with some groupy.  Contrary to what you might think I’m not stupid.  He was giving him the same look he would give me when he wanted to fuck.”

 

“What a shitty thing to do.”

 

Justin nodded head in agreement.  “It wasn’t that I didn’t care for Ethan, but he wasn’t Brian.  He said what I wanted to hear but didn’t mean it.”

 

“Do you regret not getting together with Ethan this time?”

 

“No.  You know I think the bashing was the catalyst for Ethan.  Before that I had no self-doubts about how Brian felt.  The only thing I regretted this time around was not seeing Wolfram.”

 

“Who?”

 

“Wolfram Von Eschenbach.  Ethan’s cat.”

 

Daphne giggled.  “I didn’t know he was into pussy.”

 

“Kitty!” Gus shrieked happily.  Sure enough, the cat in question walked over to the stroller and jumped up into Gus’ lap, purring. 

“Wolfram.”

 

Justin looked up to find Ethan coming out of the apartment building carrying a suitcase and his violin.  As a cab pulled up Ethan loaded his bag and violin before coming over for the cat.

 

“Hey, cute kid.  I don’t suppose you want a cat?  I’m going to be touring and I’m going to have to get rid of him.”

 

Justin really wanted to take the cat, but he didn’t think Brian would be please.

 

“We can keep him at my place,” Daphne suggested.

 

“Great,” Ethan said then he pointed to the curb where all of Wolfram’s things had been tossed.  Justin had the feeling that Ethan had just planned to up and leave the cat with no place to go.

 

They pushed Gus up the street to find Michael pulling on the door and yelling, “Briiiian.”

 

 “What’s he doing here,” Daphne whispered.  

 

Justin shook his head having no answer.   He felt like hiding, Michael still wasn’t his favorite person.  He was debating going around to the back entrance when Ted’s car pulled up.

 

Emmett got out and the first thing he saw was Michael pushing all the buttons on the door.

 

“Michael, what are you doing here?”

 

“What does it look like I’m doing.  Trying to get in to see my best friend.  Why are you here and you guys can let me in can’t you?”

 

“Michael, even if we let you in it wouldn’t do you any good.  I told you earlier that Brian is out of town.”

 

“Then why are you here?”  Michael crossed his arms over his chest and pouted.

 

“We’re here to pick up Justin to help Ted pick out a new home.”  Emmett spotted Justin before Justin could getaway.  “There you are, Baby.  Is that a cat?  Where did you get a cat?”

 

Gus was sleeping in his stroller the cat sleeping with him.

 

“We just found him, and he sort of followed us home,” Daphne quipped.

 

“Brian isn’t going to want a cat in his home,” Michael shouted, waking up Gus and the cat.

 

“Well, it’s a good thing the cat’s going to be in “my” home,” Daphne snarked, she turned to Justin who was doing his best to calm Gus.  “I need to get some supplies, you know, food, litter box.”

 

Emmett clapped.  “Shopping!  Let me do it.  Teddy, we can look for houses after we get … does he have a name?”

 

“Woofie,” Gus said as the cat curled on Gus’ chest and purred.

 

Michael came close and squatted to Gus’ level.  “That’s a stupid name for a cat.”

 

Gus’ lower lip stuck out, but the cat hissed than took a swipe at the mean man.  Michael just barely managed to escape claw marks on his face.  Daphne took the opportunity to push the stroller to the stairs, where Emmett and Ted helped lift it while Justin held the door open swiftly shutting it after Daph and Gus were inside before Michael could follow.

 

Emmett pushed Justin into Ted’s car before Michael could turn around. “Go.  Go.  Go.”

 

Ted put the car and gear and asked.  “Where to?”

 

“First to a pet store to get supplies for the little cutie, then you need to call the realtor and reschedule.” 

 

Ted just nodded.  “Brian tried calling you, Justin.  He’s working with the mayor and is going to be on the go.  You might want to give him a call.  That new stroller is something I was going to ask you about.  I saw the charge on your card.”

 

Justin’s eyes widened.  “Um, I didn’t order that stroller.”

 

Ted’s brow rose, and he glanced in the rearview mirror.    He had a few questions he wanted to ask.  One being if Justin hadn’t ordered it who had.  Before he could however Emmett was shaking his arm and shouting and pointing, “Ew, ew, Teddy, pull over there.”

 

Ted sighed and pulled into a parking place in front of a pet store.  Emmett was clapping, so excited that pulled Justin out of the back seat and rushed into the store.  Soon Emmett had a cart and was rushing through the aisles. 

 

He stopped to look at litter boxes and decided to go with something simple.  He tossed in everything that would be needed to keep it clean than grabbed a clerk to find out which litter was considered the best.  He grabbed a few toys and a couple of outfits before going to the food aisles.  His eyes crossed as he saw how many different types of food there were.  The clerk went over soft versus hard and asked how old the kitty was.  That brought Emmett up short.

 

“He’s an adult, if that helps,” Justin tossed out.  Frankly, all he knew for sure is that Wolfram was not a kitten.

 

“Em, we need to go.  The realtor refuses to change the schedule,” Ted said hanging up the phone.

 

Emmett sighed.  “I suppose we can drop these off.”

 

Justin called Daphne after he paid for it all, so she was waiting when they rolled up. 

 

“What did you do?  Buy out the store?” Daphne asked.

 

Justin looked pointedly at Emmett in answer.  He didn’t understand why Emmett was so adamant about his coming along.

 

They pulled up to the house that Ted was to check out and got their first look at the realtor.

 

“Mom?”  Justin had been racking his brain trying to remember what had occurred around this time.  He remembered that his mother had been a realtor about then and divorced, but things have changed so much he had no idea what was going on with her.

 

Jennifer Taylor ignored her son and introduced herself to her clients.  The first house was a row house in grey brick.  She unlocked the door and ushered them inside.  “This one’s a steal.  Brand new, never been occupied.  The builder went bankrupt, so I’m sure you could get it for a song.”

 

The three of them followed her down some stairs, taking in the white walls everywhere.

 

“Well, I’m enjoying the music.  I say we go for it.  How about you, Em?  Don’t you love it.”  Ted was enthusiastic.

 

Justin was puzzled.  Wasn’t Ted looking for a place for himself?

 

“Well, loves a strong word,” Emmett reluctantly said.

 

“What’s wrong with it?”

 

“It’s not exactly my dream home,” Emmett said, causing Justin to wonder what the hell was going on.  “What do you think, Justin?”

 

“It does seem a little bland,” Justin reluctantly admitted.

 

“I don’t think it’s any of your business,” Jennifer said pissily.  “Of course, you have to picture it with your possessions, your furniture, prints on the wall.”

 

“Right use a little imagination,” Ted agreed.

 

“Oh, I am.”  Emmett didn’t seem to find it agreeable.

“Why don’t we look at some other house?”  Ted suggested.

 

Jennifer is not happy but agreed to show them a couple of more houses that she has lined up.

 

When they get into the car, Justin asked if Ted knew that his mom was their realtor.   Ted was quick to assure him that they had no idea.  They merely contacted the first realtor in the area and never thought to ask for anyone specific.  They drove behind Jennifer’s car going to the other side of town closer to where Emmett currently lived before pulling up to an older home.

 

Jennifer led them into the house.  “This was built in the 40’s.  Bathrooms and kitchen, all original.”

 

Justin looked around and found he had no trouble believing it.  The wallpaper alone was dark and drab. 

 

“And don’t you just adore the little picket fence out front with the rosebushes?”  Emmett gushed.  “It’s got character.”

 

“It’s got character, all right.  You’d have to be one to live here,” Ted responded.

 

Emmett looked around.  “I don’t see anything the matter.”

 

Ted, on the other hand, looked at his friend with disbelief.  “It needs new plumbing, new wiring, a new roof.  I mean, do you have any idea what it would cost to renovate this place?”

 

“It could use a little updating,” Jennifer reluctantly agreed.

 

“What it could use is a wrecking ball,” Ted responded.  It was more than obvious that Ted did not like the second house, but Emmett did.

 

“Are you two moving in together,” Justin asked.  He vaguely remembered that time and hearing that Ted had been arrested and his picture plastered over the papers.  He’d been too involved with Ethan to really pay attention to what was happening with the gang. 

 

“I’m tired of being alone,” Ted confessed.

 

Emmett sighed.  “I feel like a third wheel at Marcus’.”

 

Jennifer was biting her lip.  “I have another house down the road you might be interested in.”

 

They walked down the sidewalk admiring the trees that lined the road until they came to another house with a picket fence.  Half the yard was filled with rose bushes, the other half box hedges. 

 

Jennifer opened the door and led them into a nice sized foyer with doors leading off to each side.  They went into the door on the left.  The walls were painted a soft beige, the floors were hardwood.  The open floor plan let them see straight down into a kitchen.  It wasn’t huge but contained stainless steel appliances and granite countertops.  Under the stairs was a half bath.  The upstairs held two bedrooms and a large bath.  It looked perfect for Ted.

 

Then Jennifer led them back to the foyer and through the door on the right.   In a way it had the same footprint as the other, but the floors were covered with shag rugs and every wall was wallpapered.  There was furniture left, all of which looked to be from the 70s.  While Justin and Ted stood there in shock, Emmett pranced from room to room taking it all in.  The only drawback is that the kitchen was small as was the living and dining room.  The stairway was wider to accommodate the handicap seat that ran up one side.

 

“This was a one-family home, but as the parents grew older their son had the house renovated so he could live in one side and they in the other.  Last year the parents passed away and now the son had decided to move on.  While one side increased in value the other side brought it down, so you can probably get it for a song.”

 

Emmett looked at the kitchen and shook his head.  “This side of the house is perfect, but the kitchen is a major drawback.”

 

“Oh, I forgot.” Jennifer led them to a door in the kitchen.  They expected it to lead to a pantry and were surprised to find another well-lit stairway along with another handicap seat. They made it to the bottom to find an enormous kitchen.  “They were bakers.”

 

Emmett and Ted looked at each other.  “We’ll take it.”  They said at the same time.

 

Justin smiled as he watched Ted and Emmett fill out the paperwork to buy their homes.   Last time he’d been so engrossed into his own life that he missed a lot of what was going on.

He was in a happy mood when he got back to the loft until he found another package waiting for him. 

 

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