Makes Me Wonder
Oct. 13th, 2007 04:50 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
oh_ameliaTitle: When One Door Closes
Author:![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
hsbfc
Chapter: 26/30
Rating: NC-17
Warnings: language, sex
Summary: Totally AU. Justin asks Brian for his help after Ethan won’t leave him alone. How far will Brian go to help the blond? And how far will Ethan go to make sure Justin is his?
Disclaimer: QUEER AS FOLK is property of COWLIP and SHOWTIME. I own nothing.
Author’s Notes: The title was inspired by Maroon 5’s song MAKES ME WONDER, but has nothing else to do with the song. And I want to say thanks to my wonderful betaelyxer. You rock! Without your encouragement I would not be writing. THANKS and I love ya!
PREVIOUS CHAPTERS: Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4 | Chapter 5 | Chapter 6 | Chapter 7 | Chapter 8 | Chapter 9 | Chapter 10 | Chapter 11 | Chapter 12 | Chapter 13 | Chapter 14 | Chapter 15 | Chapter 16 | Chapter 17 | Chapter 18 | Chapter 19 | Chapter 20 | Chapter 21 | Chapter 22 | Chapter 23 | Chapter 24 | Chapter 25
Ethan sauntered into Kinnetik, his agent by his side, and looked around the office. He would never admit it out loud, but he was impressed with how Kinney had transformed the old bathhouse. Not that he had spent any time in it before; bathhouses were for whores like Brian Kinney.
His agent, Anderson Fletcher, went to the receptionist’s desk and informed the girl of their appointment, going over the pitch in his head before taking a seat next to Ethan with a confident smile on his lips.
“Don’t be nervous, Ethan. Everything will go fine. Once he hears how fantastic you are, he won’t be able to say no.”
“I’m not nervous, and I know how brilliant I am,” Ethan scoffed. “How long will we have to wait?”
“I don’t know. The girl said that Mr. Kinney was on the phone,” Anderson answered. “Besides, we are early.”
“Yeah, okay,” Ethan sighed as he opened his violin case. He took a rag from his pocket and began wiping fingerprints from the instrument. Once he was satisfied, he closed the case and set it next to him.
Another woman had joined the girl at the desk and they were glancing in his direction. He smiled smugly and winked at them. He knew that part of his success would be charming his audience, whether it was men or women. The woman raised her eyebrow at him questioningly before making her way down the hall.
“Mr. Fletcher,” the girl called out. “Mr. Kinney will see you now.”
Ethan stood up and walked one pace behind his agent. He couldn’t wait to see the look on Kinney’s face. Anderson knocked on the door and Kinney called for them to enter. He closed the door behind him and stepped where he was in full view of his nemesis.
“I don’t fucking think so,” Brian said the second he saw Ethan. “What kind of game do you think you’re playing here?”
“Is there a problem, Mr. Kinney?” Anderson asked.
“You’re damn right there’s a problem. You might as well leave now. You’d only be wasting your time and mine by staying.”
“Please, let’s not be hasty,” Anderson said as he and Ethan sat down in front of Brian’s desk.
“I can tell you right now that Kinnetik will have no part in helping him in anyway.”
“May I ask why? I know this is a small account compared to some of your others, but I assure you that you will be well compensated.”
“It’s not about the money,” Brian said as he leaned back in his chair. “I just refuse to waste my time promoting something that I know won’t sell.”
Ethan scowled in his seat. Things were not going as he expected. He never knew Kinney would be so immature as to let personal issues get in the way of his business.
“I assure you,” Ethan said smugly. “People love my music.”
“I am sure that some people do, but I’m not one of them,” Brian said plainly.
“Mr. Kinney, please don’t let your personal tastes get in the way of what could be a great opportunity,” Anderson pressed on.
“Why come to Kinnetik?” Brian asked. “Surely when you told your client where his advertising was coming from he had his objections.”
“On the contrary. Coming here was actually Ethan’s idea. He said he wanted the best,” Anderson said. “And if I am to believe what I hear, Kinnetik is the best.”
“Yes, it is. But I see that Ethan neglected to mention how he’s been harassing me and my boyfriend over the past few months.”
“Excuse me?” Anderson asked, looking at Ethan and Brian.
“That’s a lie!” Ethan exclaimed, his hands clutching the arms of the chair.
Brian stood up and buttoned his suit jacket. “I’m afraid that’s all the time I have for today. I have a lunch appointment I need to get to.”
“Thank you for your time, Mr. Kinney,” Anderson said tight lipped.
“What? That’s it?” Ethan cried. “You’re not gonna try harder?”
“Let’s go, Ethan.”
Brian followed the pair to the entrance and waited until they were out of sight before going to Cynthia’s desk.
“New clients?”Cynthia asked as she handed Brian his messages.
“No, definitely not.” Brian shook his head.
“Good,” she sighed. “That kid gave me the creeps. I don’t know if I could stomach seeing him again.”
“If only I was that lucky,” Brian muttered.
“Come again, boss.”
Brian took a deep breath, pinching the bridge of his nose. “That is the guy who’s been harassing Justin.”
“Oh, shit,” Cynthia said.
“Yeah.” Brian nodded. “And can you tell Amanda that when she’s booking meetings to get more information for me. I don’t want anything like this to happen again.”
“Of course.”
“I’m heading out to lunch now, and I should be back within the hour,” he said as he made his way to the art department. “If you need me you can reach me on my cell.”
“Mr. Kinney,” Carson said when he saw his boss. “Was there something wrong with the boards we sent?”
“No, they were great, just what I wanted. I’m actually here to talk to Justin,” Brian said as he strode over to where Justin was hunched over a table. “Hey,” he said, putting his hand on the small of the blond’s back.
“Hey.” Justin looked up and smiled. “What’s up?”
“I’m on my way to the diner for lunch, and I thought you might like to join me.”
“Yeah, that’d be great. I’m famished. I just need to wash my hands.” Justin held up his ink stained fingers. He washed his hands quickly and met up with Brian in the lobby.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
“So Ethan came by today,” Brian said after Kiki took their order.
“What?!” Justin exclaimed, almost choking on his soda. “Why?”
“He got an agent, and they wanted me to do the advertising for him,” Brian answered.
“I thought you’d be the last person that Ethan would want to work with.”
“He was just trying to fuck with us,” Brian said. “He found out that you’re working at Kinnetik and he probably thought that if he were a client then he could be around you.”
“Did he actually think you’d take him on as a client?” Justin asked as he shook his head. “Will he stop at nothing?”
“I don’t think his agent was too happy at being lied to,” Brian said with a chuckle. “He looked pretty angry when he left.”
“Poor Ethan,” Justin said with mock sincerity and a smile.
Kiki brought their food out and soon they were joined by Emmett and Ted.
“Teddy has some big news!” Emmett exclaimed as they slid in the booth, opposite Brian and Justin.
“It was quite unexpected really,” Ted said as he unwrapped the scarf from his neck. “Never in a million years did I think that I’d be—”
“Get on with it, Theodore,” Brian said before biting into his sandwich.
“Lindsay and Melanie have asked me to be the father of their next child.” Ted paused for effect. “And I’ve said yes.”
“That’s fantastic!” Justin grinned. “Congratulations Ted.”
“And just think,” Brian said with a smirk. “Now you’ll have an excuse the next time I find you jerking off at work.”
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Michael watched his friends from the window. He wanted to go in and join them but he couldn’t. They wanted him to apologize and be remorseful. He shook his head and sighed. Maybe one day they’d understand why he did what he did.
He frowned when Brian started playing with the hair at Justin’s neck. It deepened when he saw his friend pull the twink in and kiss him. He was so busy scowling that he didn’t hear when Ethan came up and stood next to him.
“It didn’t work,” Ethan said flatly.
“I told you it wouldn’t,” Michael scoffed.
“And what’s worse, I think that asshole cost me my deal.”
“Don’t call him that,” Michael growled. “And how did he do that?”
“He told my agent I was harassing him and Justin.”
“Well you are, aren’t you?”
“No,” Ethan said sharply. “I’m showing Justin my devotion to him. Two very different things.”
“If you say so,” Michael sighed. “So, are you giving up?”
“No. I just need to come up with something else. Something to show Justin I’m serious about my feeling for him.”
“Good luck with that,” Michael said sarcastically, rolling his eyes. He watched Ethan disappear into the crowd and turned his attention back to his friends in the diner. That should have been him in there, sitting next to Brian, laughing with his friends. Christmas was coming up, and the holidays were all about forgiveness. They’d forgive him. It was only a matter of time.
Chapter 25 | Chapter 27
Yes, another short chapter. I promise to update again soon.
Author:
hsbfcChapter: 26/30
Rating: NC-17
Warnings: language, sex
Summary: Totally AU. Justin asks Brian for his help after Ethan won’t leave him alone. How far will Brian go to help the blond? And how far will Ethan go to make sure Justin is his?
Disclaimer: QUEER AS FOLK is property of COWLIP and SHOWTIME. I own nothing.
Author’s Notes: The title was inspired by Maroon 5’s song MAKES ME WONDER, but has nothing else to do with the song. And I want to say thanks to my wonderful beta
elyxer. You rock! Without your encouragement I would not be writing. THANKS and I love ya! PREVIOUS CHAPTERS: Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4 | Chapter 5 | Chapter 6 | Chapter 7 | Chapter 8 | Chapter 9 | Chapter 10 | Chapter 11 | Chapter 12 | Chapter 13 | Chapter 14 | Chapter 15 | Chapter 16 | Chapter 17 | Chapter 18 | Chapter 19 | Chapter 20 | Chapter 21 | Chapter 22 | Chapter 23 | Chapter 24 | Chapter 25
Ethan sauntered into Kinnetik, his agent by his side, and looked around the office. He would never admit it out loud, but he was impressed with how Kinney had transformed the old bathhouse. Not that he had spent any time in it before; bathhouses were for whores like Brian Kinney.
His agent, Anderson Fletcher, went to the receptionist’s desk and informed the girl of their appointment, going over the pitch in his head before taking a seat next to Ethan with a confident smile on his lips.
“Don’t be nervous, Ethan. Everything will go fine. Once he hears how fantastic you are, he won’t be able to say no.”
“I’m not nervous, and I know how brilliant I am,” Ethan scoffed. “How long will we have to wait?”
“I don’t know. The girl said that Mr. Kinney was on the phone,” Anderson answered. “Besides, we are early.”
“Yeah, okay,” Ethan sighed as he opened his violin case. He took a rag from his pocket and began wiping fingerprints from the instrument. Once he was satisfied, he closed the case and set it next to him.
Another woman had joined the girl at the desk and they were glancing in his direction. He smiled smugly and winked at them. He knew that part of his success would be charming his audience, whether it was men or women. The woman raised her eyebrow at him questioningly before making her way down the hall.
“Mr. Fletcher,” the girl called out. “Mr. Kinney will see you now.”
Ethan stood up and walked one pace behind his agent. He couldn’t wait to see the look on Kinney’s face. Anderson knocked on the door and Kinney called for them to enter. He closed the door behind him and stepped where he was in full view of his nemesis.
“I don’t fucking think so,” Brian said the second he saw Ethan. “What kind of game do you think you’re playing here?”
“Is there a problem, Mr. Kinney?” Anderson asked.
“You’re damn right there’s a problem. You might as well leave now. You’d only be wasting your time and mine by staying.”
“Please, let’s not be hasty,” Anderson said as he and Ethan sat down in front of Brian’s desk.
“I can tell you right now that Kinnetik will have no part in helping him in anyway.”
“May I ask why? I know this is a small account compared to some of your others, but I assure you that you will be well compensated.”
“It’s not about the money,” Brian said as he leaned back in his chair. “I just refuse to waste my time promoting something that I know won’t sell.”
Ethan scowled in his seat. Things were not going as he expected. He never knew Kinney would be so immature as to let personal issues get in the way of his business.
“I assure you,” Ethan said smugly. “People love my music.”
“I am sure that some people do, but I’m not one of them,” Brian said plainly.
“Mr. Kinney, please don’t let your personal tastes get in the way of what could be a great opportunity,” Anderson pressed on.
“Why come to Kinnetik?” Brian asked. “Surely when you told your client where his advertising was coming from he had his objections.”
“On the contrary. Coming here was actually Ethan’s idea. He said he wanted the best,” Anderson said. “And if I am to believe what I hear, Kinnetik is the best.”
“Yes, it is. But I see that Ethan neglected to mention how he’s been harassing me and my boyfriend over the past few months.”
“Excuse me?” Anderson asked, looking at Ethan and Brian.
“That’s a lie!” Ethan exclaimed, his hands clutching the arms of the chair.
Brian stood up and buttoned his suit jacket. “I’m afraid that’s all the time I have for today. I have a lunch appointment I need to get to.”
“Thank you for your time, Mr. Kinney,” Anderson said tight lipped.
“What? That’s it?” Ethan cried. “You’re not gonna try harder?”
“Let’s go, Ethan.”
Brian followed the pair to the entrance and waited until they were out of sight before going to Cynthia’s desk.
“New clients?”Cynthia asked as she handed Brian his messages.
“No, definitely not.” Brian shook his head.
“Good,” she sighed. “That kid gave me the creeps. I don’t know if I could stomach seeing him again.”
“If only I was that lucky,” Brian muttered.
“Come again, boss.”
Brian took a deep breath, pinching the bridge of his nose. “That is the guy who’s been harassing Justin.”
“Oh, shit,” Cynthia said.
“Yeah.” Brian nodded. “And can you tell Amanda that when she’s booking meetings to get more information for me. I don’t want anything like this to happen again.”
“Of course.”
“I’m heading out to lunch now, and I should be back within the hour,” he said as he made his way to the art department. “If you need me you can reach me on my cell.”
“Mr. Kinney,” Carson said when he saw his boss. “Was there something wrong with the boards we sent?”
“No, they were great, just what I wanted. I’m actually here to talk to Justin,” Brian said as he strode over to where Justin was hunched over a table. “Hey,” he said, putting his hand on the small of the blond’s back.
“Hey.” Justin looked up and smiled. “What’s up?”
“I’m on my way to the diner for lunch, and I thought you might like to join me.”
“Yeah, that’d be great. I’m famished. I just need to wash my hands.” Justin held up his ink stained fingers. He washed his hands quickly and met up with Brian in the lobby.
“So Ethan came by today,” Brian said after Kiki took their order.
“What?!” Justin exclaimed, almost choking on his soda. “Why?”
“He got an agent, and they wanted me to do the advertising for him,” Brian answered.
“I thought you’d be the last person that Ethan would want to work with.”
“He was just trying to fuck with us,” Brian said. “He found out that you’re working at Kinnetik and he probably thought that if he were a client then he could be around you.”
“Did he actually think you’d take him on as a client?” Justin asked as he shook his head. “Will he stop at nothing?”
“I don’t think his agent was too happy at being lied to,” Brian said with a chuckle. “He looked pretty angry when he left.”
“Poor Ethan,” Justin said with mock sincerity and a smile.
Kiki brought their food out and soon they were joined by Emmett and Ted.
“Teddy has some big news!” Emmett exclaimed as they slid in the booth, opposite Brian and Justin.
“It was quite unexpected really,” Ted said as he unwrapped the scarf from his neck. “Never in a million years did I think that I’d be—”
“Get on with it, Theodore,” Brian said before biting into his sandwich.
“Lindsay and Melanie have asked me to be the father of their next child.” Ted paused for effect. “And I’ve said yes.”
“That’s fantastic!” Justin grinned. “Congratulations Ted.”
“And just think,” Brian said with a smirk. “Now you’ll have an excuse the next time I find you jerking off at work.”
Michael watched his friends from the window. He wanted to go in and join them but he couldn’t. They wanted him to apologize and be remorseful. He shook his head and sighed. Maybe one day they’d understand why he did what he did.
He frowned when Brian started playing with the hair at Justin’s neck. It deepened when he saw his friend pull the twink in and kiss him. He was so busy scowling that he didn’t hear when Ethan came up and stood next to him.
“It didn’t work,” Ethan said flatly.
“I told you it wouldn’t,” Michael scoffed.
“And what’s worse, I think that asshole cost me my deal.”
“Don’t call him that,” Michael growled. “And how did he do that?”
“He told my agent I was harassing him and Justin.”
“Well you are, aren’t you?”
“No,” Ethan said sharply. “I’m showing Justin my devotion to him. Two very different things.”
“If you say so,” Michael sighed. “So, are you giving up?”
“No. I just need to come up with something else. Something to show Justin I’m serious about my feeling for him.”
“Good luck with that,” Michael said sarcastically, rolling his eyes. He watched Ethan disappear into the crowd and turned his attention back to his friends in the diner. That should have been him in there, sitting next to Brian, laughing with his friends. Christmas was coming up, and the holidays were all about forgiveness. They’d forgive him. It was only a matter of time.
Yes, another short chapter. I promise to update again soon.
