the conversation (7/?)
Sep. 30th, 2010 12:50 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
amelialourdesTwo in a row. I'm on a roll!
Refresher links:
The Conversation 1/?
The Conversation 2/?
The Conversation 3/?
The Conversation 4/?
The Conversation 5/?
The Conversation 6/?
Fic: The Conversation
Fandom: QaF
Word Count: 1,250
Summary: Brian and Michael talk.
Notes: All mistakes are mine (feel free to point them out!), characters belong to their respective owners, and that's about it.
It's not as if Brian and Michael never saw each other, but they have their own lives now, and it's difficult to get together. Sometimes, they have lunch or dinner and catch up like old friends should. It feels weird for Brian when he stops to think about that. For someone he used to see almost every day, catching up on anything is still a really strange feeling.
Today, they aren't catching up. He knows that Michael's called him to talk to him about what to do about the Rage and Brett situation. As much as he wants to tell him that it's none of his fucking business and he wants to stay the fuck out of it and this is something that he needs to talk to Justin about, he agrees to meet.
They meet after work. Michael doesn't want to meet at Kinnetik and Brian does want to go to the comic book shop. Instead, they meet at Babylon. It's a bit of a middle ground for them. Brian's still running the club but he's mostly taken on a managerial role instead of slipping into old habits.
They walk upstairs to the office and Brian closes the door behind them.
"Offer you a drink?" Brian goes straight for the private liquor cabinet he has there and pours himself a couple of shots.
"No, thanks. I'm okay." Michael takes a seat on the couch and Brian follows, sitting on the opposite end.
"So, what's on your mind, Mikey?"
"I just don't know what to do about this whole Rage thing," he speaks quickly, clearly frustrated. "Justin got to go to LA last time and it's not like ... they didn't want me there. It's not like I would've helped but I could've! Rage is part mine and I help come up with the stories and ideas. I get that they had to use some Hollywood screenwriter but the reason they're making it in the first place is because they thought that it was interesting and they liked it for more than the animations, right?"
Michael's thoughts are a blur, jumping from one topic to another so fast that Brian tuned out in the middle of it. "What?"
"Brian!" he berates him using that special Michael tone. Brian recognizes it instantly. It's the Michael Whine, in use since 1986.
"What do you want me to say, Mikey? You want me to tell you to leave your husband, son, and daughter here to fend for themselves while you frolic in Hollywood rubbing dicks with the stars?"
"Jesus, Brian. We're not you and Justin ---"
"Hey," he interrupts him, using some force in his tone. "This is about you wanting to live out your dream. I get that. I get that more than anyone else gets that, okay?" Michael nods, folding his hands in his lap, sitting forward, and eyes cast down to the ground. "But, I also know that -- and if you fucking repeat this to anyone, I will chop your balls off -- it is fucking hell being without your partner while you're getting to do the things that you want."
Your partner, just made partner.
"I've been through a bashing, a fiddler, movies that were canceled before they got started, a bomb, a broken engagement, and a move to New York that I thought was going to be permanent until recently. So, you got that right. You and Ben aren't me and Justin and you better thank your fucking lucky stars that you never had to go through all that."
Michael's just staring at him. It's the most honest that Brian's ever been with him in several years. They just haven't been close anymore and even if they were, Brian isn't sure that he wouldn't have said these things. Michael needs to get it in his head that Justin isn't the twink on the corner anymore and he needs to listen to whatever advice he's given him.
"Brian, I ..." Michael shakes his head and runs his fingers through his hair. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean anything by it," he speaks quietly, diverting his gaze again before turning it back on Brian.
"You did," Brian's tone isn't accusatory. He's just stating a fact. "I know what you meant," he admits but doesn't admit that he probably took it a little further than he should've. "Have you talked to Ben about this?"
"Some. But, you know how he feels about this whole thing. He still gets a little jealous. Years ago I thought it was because he couldn't get a book deal and he was just taking it out on me. But, he's already been published again and the minute I told him about this, he got that look on his face. It's not as if I didn't think about him. He's got three months of summer vacation to be with me. Hunter would probably love the beaches and surfing and Jenny Rebecca can come out with Mel and Linds. Ma would love to go out there."
Brian shrugs his shoulders and downs the familiar liquid in the glass he's been holding. "Sounds like you've made up your mind."
"No, I haven't. I was just thinking that it'd be nice. But, Justin's right too. If he wants us, there are other ways to keep in touch with us than having us there. He needs us and if we're not taking an active role in the creation then there's no reason for us to be out there." It seems like a tough thing for Michael to admit and Brian reaches over, placing his hand on his shoulder.
"Mikey's all growed up!" he coos and Michael laughs, slapping his hand away.
"Asshole."
Brian smiles and puts his glass down on the table in front of them. "Just give this some more thought."
"Yeah, I will. I've got a lot to think about." He looks down at his watch then and sighs. "First though, I gotta get home. Hunter's taking some literature class and he's decided to do a comic project. Need to bring him some reading material."
"How is the littlest hustler doing in his first year of college?"
"I think he's taking after Ben in that department. Wants to finish school and everything."
"Hmm, if he ever decides to quit, you can tell him the story of the day that you decided to be a naked waiter. That'll scare him into getting a college degree." Brian smiles widely, unable to forget that story. Mikey never would've shared that but thankfully Emmett can always be counted on.
"Ha ha."
Brian stands when Michael does and leans down to press a kiss to his forehead. "Off you go. Go home to the husband and child." Brian walks past him to sit at the desk.
"And what are you gonna do tonight?" he wonders before he reaches the door.
"Paperwork," he holds up a folder for him to see.
Michael laughs and shakes his head. "Definitely not the activities that we used to do here at Babylon." They share a smile and he walks out the door, closing it behind him.
A few minutes after Michael leaves, his cell phone begins to ring. "Kinney," he says without looking at the ID.
"Still at work?" he hears Justin ask.
"Other work. Ted hired new security so I'm going over their forms."
"So, you're at Babylon?" Justin guesses.
"Brilliant deduction."
"I'll be right over."
Brian stares at the phone and sees that he's already hung up. Quickly putting two and two together, Brian decides to quickly plow through these forms before he plows Justin in the private VIP room.
Refresher links:
The Conversation 1/?
The Conversation 2/?
The Conversation 3/?
The Conversation 4/?
The Conversation 5/?
The Conversation 6/?
Fic: The Conversation
Fandom: QaF
Word Count: 1,250
Summary: Brian and Michael talk.
Notes: All mistakes are mine (feel free to point them out!), characters belong to their respective owners, and that's about it.
It's not as if Brian and Michael never saw each other, but they have their own lives now, and it's difficult to get together. Sometimes, they have lunch or dinner and catch up like old friends should. It feels weird for Brian when he stops to think about that. For someone he used to see almost every day, catching up on anything is still a really strange feeling.
Today, they aren't catching up. He knows that Michael's called him to talk to him about what to do about the Rage and Brett situation. As much as he wants to tell him that it's none of his fucking business and he wants to stay the fuck out of it and this is something that he needs to talk to Justin about, he agrees to meet.
They meet after work. Michael doesn't want to meet at Kinnetik and Brian does want to go to the comic book shop. Instead, they meet at Babylon. It's a bit of a middle ground for them. Brian's still running the club but he's mostly taken on a managerial role instead of slipping into old habits.
They walk upstairs to the office and Brian closes the door behind them.
"Offer you a drink?" Brian goes straight for the private liquor cabinet he has there and pours himself a couple of shots.
"No, thanks. I'm okay." Michael takes a seat on the couch and Brian follows, sitting on the opposite end.
"So, what's on your mind, Mikey?"
"I just don't know what to do about this whole Rage thing," he speaks quickly, clearly frustrated. "Justin got to go to LA last time and it's not like ... they didn't want me there. It's not like I would've helped but I could've! Rage is part mine and I help come up with the stories and ideas. I get that they had to use some Hollywood screenwriter but the reason they're making it in the first place is because they thought that it was interesting and they liked it for more than the animations, right?"
Michael's thoughts are a blur, jumping from one topic to another so fast that Brian tuned out in the middle of it. "What?"
"Brian!" he berates him using that special Michael tone. Brian recognizes it instantly. It's the Michael Whine, in use since 1986.
"What do you want me to say, Mikey? You want me to tell you to leave your husband, son, and daughter here to fend for themselves while you frolic in Hollywood rubbing dicks with the stars?"
"Jesus, Brian. We're not you and Justin ---"
"Hey," he interrupts him, using some force in his tone. "This is about you wanting to live out your dream. I get that. I get that more than anyone else gets that, okay?" Michael nods, folding his hands in his lap, sitting forward, and eyes cast down to the ground. "But, I also know that -- and if you fucking repeat this to anyone, I will chop your balls off -- it is fucking hell being without your partner while you're getting to do the things that you want."
Your partner, just made partner.
"I've been through a bashing, a fiddler, movies that were canceled before they got started, a bomb, a broken engagement, and a move to New York that I thought was going to be permanent until recently. So, you got that right. You and Ben aren't me and Justin and you better thank your fucking lucky stars that you never had to go through all that."
Michael's just staring at him. It's the most honest that Brian's ever been with him in several years. They just haven't been close anymore and even if they were, Brian isn't sure that he wouldn't have said these things. Michael needs to get it in his head that Justin isn't the twink on the corner anymore and he needs to listen to whatever advice he's given him.
"Brian, I ..." Michael shakes his head and runs his fingers through his hair. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean anything by it," he speaks quietly, diverting his gaze again before turning it back on Brian.
"You did," Brian's tone isn't accusatory. He's just stating a fact. "I know what you meant," he admits but doesn't admit that he probably took it a little further than he should've. "Have you talked to Ben about this?"
"Some. But, you know how he feels about this whole thing. He still gets a little jealous. Years ago I thought it was because he couldn't get a book deal and he was just taking it out on me. But, he's already been published again and the minute I told him about this, he got that look on his face. It's not as if I didn't think about him. He's got three months of summer vacation to be with me. Hunter would probably love the beaches and surfing and Jenny Rebecca can come out with Mel and Linds. Ma would love to go out there."
Brian shrugs his shoulders and downs the familiar liquid in the glass he's been holding. "Sounds like you've made up your mind."
"No, I haven't. I was just thinking that it'd be nice. But, Justin's right too. If he wants us, there are other ways to keep in touch with us than having us there. He needs us and if we're not taking an active role in the creation then there's no reason for us to be out there." It seems like a tough thing for Michael to admit and Brian reaches over, placing his hand on his shoulder.
"Mikey's all growed up!" he coos and Michael laughs, slapping his hand away.
"Asshole."
Brian smiles and puts his glass down on the table in front of them. "Just give this some more thought."
"Yeah, I will. I've got a lot to think about." He looks down at his watch then and sighs. "First though, I gotta get home. Hunter's taking some literature class and he's decided to do a comic project. Need to bring him some reading material."
"How is the littlest hustler doing in his first year of college?"
"I think he's taking after Ben in that department. Wants to finish school and everything."
"Hmm, if he ever decides to quit, you can tell him the story of the day that you decided to be a naked waiter. That'll scare him into getting a college degree." Brian smiles widely, unable to forget that story. Mikey never would've shared that but thankfully Emmett can always be counted on.
"Ha ha."
Brian stands when Michael does and leans down to press a kiss to his forehead. "Off you go. Go home to the husband and child." Brian walks past him to sit at the desk.
"And what are you gonna do tonight?" he wonders before he reaches the door.
"Paperwork," he holds up a folder for him to see.
Michael laughs and shakes his head. "Definitely not the activities that we used to do here at Babylon." They share a smile and he walks out the door, closing it behind him.
A few minutes after Michael leaves, his cell phone begins to ring. "Kinney," he says without looking at the ID.
"Still at work?" he hears Justin ask.
"Other work. Ted hired new security so I'm going over their forms."
"So, you're at Babylon?" Justin guesses.
"Brilliant deduction."
"I'll be right over."
Brian stares at the phone and sees that he's already hung up. Quickly putting two and two together, Brian decides to quickly plow through these forms before he plows Justin in the private VIP room.
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no subject
Date: 2010-09-30 10:47 am (UTC)LOLOLOLOLOL!! Awesome last line! :D
no subject
Date: 2010-09-30 02:39 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-09-30 11:18 am (UTC)More please - see what you've created? Oh BTW, are you watching Just Desserts? I want to kill Seth. He's way too annoying to live.
*hugs*
Amy
no subject
Date: 2010-09-30 02:44 pm (UTC)Gonna get this wrapped up, whee! I'm not watching it yet. So many shows this season. I'm gonna have to get caught up in a marathon sometime. Thanks, Amy!
no subject
Date: 2010-09-30 11:39 am (UTC)Recap of love! <3 I'm so glad Brian is aware of all that he and Justin have overcome over the years.
I dig that the whole Hollywood shebang is dealt with very differently this time around and that Justin is slightly jaded and above it all.
And also, while I totally support Justin's decision to get his own apartment, I just realized that I kind of keep hoping secretly for Brian to deliver some passionate speech on why they have to live together.
e.g. Because he wants to go to sleep with Justin every night and wake up with him every morning.I can't help it, it's the sap in me.Keep it up, bb!
no subject
Date: 2010-09-30 04:53 pm (UTC)I do too. I always thought that if Justin were offered anything like this again in the story, he'd realize that it's all a crock of shit and not fall for it. But, he did still like it but he doesn't love it.
Omg, I feel your sap tendencies, bb. I have them too.
Thanks for the encouragement! Really hope that it's not sucking and won't suck.
no subject
Date: 2010-09-30 12:57 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-09-30 04:54 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-09-30 02:11 pm (UTC)I can definitely see Brian and Michael having a conversation like this one in the future.
Love thinking about Justin's plans for the evening. LOL
no subject
Date: 2010-09-30 05:36 pm (UTC)Me too. Character development. I need it.
Hahaha, Brian's got things to do! Namely, Justin.
no subject
Date: 2010-09-30 11:50 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-10-01 02:49 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-02-12 10:18 pm (UTC)*draws a big fat heart around Brian*