Surprises  

  **************************************

 

The morning after the art show Brian walked into his office building, feeling great.  The first person he ran into was his assistant, Kevin.

 

“Can I meet with you this morning?” Kevin asked, somewhat apprehensively.

 

“Sure,” Brian replied.  “Come with me to my office.”

 

Brian sat down behind his desk, and Kevin shifted from one foot to the other, looking rather miserable.

 

“Well?” Brian said.

 

“I...I’ve been trying to finalize the “Glow” cosmetic commercials, but I had a lot of trouble finding the right music.  You know, after that other song.  I think I’ve found something, but you need to approve it.”

 

Brian smiled, remembering his reaction to the last music Kevin had brought him.  “Let’s hear it.”

 

Kevin set the small recorder on the desk and pushed the play button.  Brian realized that each of them was holding his breath.  “Walking On Sunshine” began to play.

 

Brian relaxed and let out a breath.  “I like it.  More sophisticated than the other song.  Bouncy and upbeat.  It fits the image much better.”

 

Kevin’s relief was evident.  “I’m glad you like it.  So we can go ahead with the campaign?”

 

“Go for it.  Good work, Kevin.”

 

“Thanks.”

 

“And, by the way, I hope I didn’t shake you up too much with my reaction to that other song.”

 

“You did throw me for a loop.”

 

“No, I threw the tape recorder, and I don’t think that will happen again, so get this campaign under way.”

 

“Sure Brian,” and Kevin left, looking very relieved.

 

That was as close to an apology as he was going to get.  Even the new, improved Brian Kinney thought that ‘sorry’ was largely bullshit.

 

'When did I become new and improved?' Brian asked himself.  'Since I have hope, and especially since I told Justin I was a work in progress,' he realized.

 

As Brian was mulling over these thoughts, Cynthia buzzed him.  “There’s a Ted Schmidt here to see you, Brian.”

 

“Who?”

 

“Ted Schm...”

 

“Yeah, yeah, I heard you.  Send him in.”  Brian couldn’t  believe Ted was there.  He had never been to Brian’s office before, even when he had briefly worked there.

 

Ted opened the office door, and hesitated.

 

“What do you want?” Brian asked brusquely.

 

“I thought I needed to clarify a couple of things.”

 

“Any more stupid comments about twink bashings and I’ll have your nuts in a vise.  Got it?”

 

“Sure, Brian.  I didn’t come here to make more trouble.”

 

“Then come in and shut the door,” Brian said.

 

Ted did so, noticing the “Rage” poster on the wall, as he turned around.

 

“So that’s what you did with the poster,” Ted observed.

 

“Yeah.”  Brian’s eyes twinkled, and he thought he would have a little fun at Ted’s expense.  “I needed it to cover up a little spot in the wall.”

 

“A little spot?” Ted asked.

 

Brian walked around the desk and pushed “Rage” aside to show the dent in the wall.  “That’s where I shoved the head of the last ignorant dickhead who crossed my path.”

 

Ted blanched, as Brian repositioned the poster.

 

“Consider yourself warned,” he said.

 

Ted gulped and tried to look calm.  Brian knew he wouldn’t hear any more of Ted’s crass comments any time soon.

 

“So what do you want?” Brian asked again.

 

“I got thinking about what I said at Babylon, and I want you to know that I am really sorry.”

 

“You already told me that.”

 

“But I really mean it.  I thought about Blake and being in a coma myself.  That’s not funny, and I shouldn’t have made light of it.  Sometimes I just say things without thinking them through.  I like Justin and I wouldn’t want bad things to happen to him or anyone else.”

 

Brian was tempted to say something about comas improving Ted’s faltering grip on reality, but he reminded himself that he was trying to be a better person.  All he said was, “Agreed. There’s no more need to say anything about it.”

 

“Thanks,” said Ted, looking somewhat shocked, but definitely relieved.  “I thought you’d be a lot tougher on me.”

 

“Well, I could chew you a new asshole or we could try for another dent in the wall over there,” said Brian, sarcastically, but without malice.

 

“No thanks.  I think I’ll quit while I’m ahead.”

 

“It’s been lovely, Ted, but I do have work to do.”

 

“I can take a hint,” and Ted got up to leave.  “Are things okay between us?”

 

“As much as they can be between a brilliant young ad exec and a doddering member of the geriatric set.”

 

“Things must be back to normal, now that you’re insulting me about my age.”

 

“You got it.”

 

Ted opened the door, and said, "Thanks, Brian,” as he left.

 

Brian smiled.  Ted had a good heart, even if he couldn’t control his mouth.  He was glad he hadn’t given him too hard a time.

 

What other surprises did this day have in store for him?

 

  **************************************

 

Cynthia buzzed him about 10:30 to say that Michael was on the line.  Brian said to put the call through.

 

“Hey, Mikey.”

 

“Hey.  I was just talking to Justin and he said you had some ideas for the next 'Rage' comic.”

 

“Yeah.  I told him I’d help, if you guys wanted me to.”

 

“Well, we do.  We’re getting desperate.  Nothing seems to work.”

 

“Why don’t you swing by the loft about eight tonight, and bring Justin with you.”

 

“He thought you might suggest that, but he’d rather meet at my place. More neutral.”

 

“Sure, if that is what will work best.”

 

“Great.  Justin said to tell you he was glad that you came to his show and that you liked his project.”

 

“He could have told me that himself,” Brian stated, rather disappointed at the secondhand compliment.  He had hoped to hear from Justin directly.

 

“He still feels pretty awkward around you, but he does really appreciate how you helped him.”

 

“Great.  See you at eight.”

 

Brian hung up.  He was annoyed that Justin hadn’t called him.  He had thrown out the idea of helping them to have more contact with Justin, and he had gotten Michael instead.  'Oh well,' he thought, 'I do want to help them both, and I will get to spend some time with Justin tonight.  I’ll just have to make the most of it.'

 

  **************************************

 

A little after 8 pm he pulled up in front of Michael’s building.  He wondered how things would play out tonight.  He did have some ideas about “Rage”, but his real purpose was to reestablish ties with Justin.  He hoped he would be able to talk to him alone for a while.

 

When Michael answered the door, Brian saw that Justin was already there, and Emmett was nowhere in sight.

 

“Hey,” he said to Justin.

 

“Thanks for offering to help,” Justin replied.

 

“What seems to be the problem?”

 

“We can’t find a good, relevant story line for the next issue,” said Justin.  “Whatever we’ve tried seems kinda lame.”

 

What have you tried?”

 

“We had Rage rescuing a couple of gay friends being harassed by homophobic bullies, but it seemed too much like the first issue.”

 

“I wanted Rage to rescue a young, gay car thief from homophobic cops,” Michael said, “but Justin thought that might be giving mixed messages.”

 

“I see,” said Brian.  “I don’t like either idea.  I see why you’re having trouble.  The first idea is like Issue #1 and the other idea isn’t really something you are familiar with.  I think the best route to take is to write about something you are familiar with, like you did with Justin’s bashing.”

 

“But what?” Michael asked.

 

“What about a homophobic father who kicks his gay son out and attacks the boy’s lover?”

 

Justin’s eyes widened.  “Make it about my dad?  I don’t know, Brian.”

 

“It could be an entertaining story.  I know I was sure riveted by it,” Brian quipped.  “Besides, it might teach people like your father that there are consequences to their behavior.  Rage could turn his attitude around or he could just make him self-combust.  Whichever way you want to go.”

 

“I like it.  Some ideas are coming to me already.  What do you think, Justin?”

 

“Yeah, I guess it could work, but my father would be really pissed if he found out.”

 

“He’s already pissed with you.  Do you think it’s likely that he will read a gay comic book, even if his son did create it?  Besides, it could teach him something too.”

 

“It is a good idea, and I guess I need to stop worrying about what my father thinks,” Justin said.

 

“So, is my superhero work done here?” Brian wanted to know.  “Any more floundering artistic types who need my expertise?”

 

“We’ll let you know,” Michael said.

 

“Want a ride home, Justin.  I’m going to go, Mikey.”

 

“Thanks, Brian, I think I can take the story from here,” Michael said.

 

“I could use a ride to PIFA, if you don’t mind, Brian.  I have a new piece I’m working on.  Since you got me started again, I have tons of ideas.”

 

“Sure.  Come on.  Talk to you tomorrow, Mikey.”

 

Brian and Justin walked out to the Jeep.  Brian had so many things he wanted to say and to do to Justin.  The urge to throw him down on the front steps of the building and ravish him was almost more than he could bear. 

 

He also wanted to find out more about Justin and Ethan’s relationship, but he couldn’t figure out how to broach the subject.

 

They rode in silence for awhile.

 

“Why are you helping me and being so nice to me, Brian?”

 

Here was the opening.  Now could he do it?  Could he actually start to tell Justin how he felt?  This was the moment of truth.  He felt fear grip his gut.  What if he told him how he felt and Justin still went back to Ethan?  What if he said the wrong thing and scared Justin off?

 

“Brian?”  He heard Justin repeat his name.

 

“I told you I was trying to make some changes.  One of them is to be nicer to people.”

 

“Nicer?  You aren’t serious, are you?  I can’t picture you doing nice.”

 

“What do you mean?  You just asked me why I was being nice to you.”

 

“I know, but that was nice to me, after what I did to you.  I can’t see you making nice with Mel and Ted and strangers.”

 

Brian was getting ticked off.  Justin was making fun of his changes, and even sounded like he didn’t believe that Brian could be nice.

 

“I’m not a monster, you know.”

 

“I never said that, but there are people who would put you in that category.”

 

“Well, fuck them!” Brian said, really irritated now.

 

“I didn’t mean to make you mad.  I’m glad you’re trying to change some things.”

 

“You just don’t believe I can.  Well, fuck you too!  Here’s the entrance to PIFA.  Get out and walk the rest of the way.”

 

“Brian, I ...”

 

“Out!  Damn it!”

 

Justin opened the door, and his feet had barely hit the ground when Brian peeled away, the door swinging back and forth.

 

The Jeep screeched to a halt up the street, and Justin heard the door slam shut.  Brian pulled away with squealing tires.

 

“Fuck,” said Justin, wondering what just happened.

 

“Fuck,” said Brian, wondering what just happened.