notreallyme10 (notreallyme10) wrote in qaf_challenges, @ 2009-07-12 16:56:00 |
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Entry tags: | clusterf#ck |
31. Full Length Fic: Opposites Attract, 2/2
Title: Opposites Attract, 2/2
Author: thymewriter
Theme: Opposites
Beta: Thanks to Arwen and Sabina for their help and suggestions.
Notes: Takes place four months after the end of the series.
Chapter 4
As Brian approached the front door of Kinnetik to begin his work day, he couldn’t stop himself from looking around the front steps to see if Justin had left him some kind of message. He had done the same at the loft when he first got up, checking outside the door to see if an envelope from Justin might be taped to the door or leaning against it. He had been disappointed then as he was now.
Fucking Justin Taylor! He said he’d leave some more of his clues, but it appeared Brian would have to wait god knew how long to figure out this mystery. Brian just wanted it to be over. He wasn’t sure how much longer he could keep turning Justin down … and away … and pretending that he wasn’t interested. He knew Justin wasn’t buying it. He’d have to try harder, be more persuasive.
Brian steeled himself for his day of work and opened the door of Kinnetik. Cynthia was behind her desk. She didn’t wish him a good morning as she usually would. Brian glared at her.
“Coffee,” he ordered. She merely nodded and Brian continued into his office.
In a couple of minutes she appeared with his mug of coffee. She set it on his desk and then held out an envelope to him. It was white, an envelope like most letters came in. Brian looked at it not taking it from her.
“It was on the doorstep this morning,” she finally said.
Brian took it from her then and she turned to leave without a further word.
“Wait,” he said. “I wasn’t sure you’d be back today.”
“Neither was I.”
“So why are you?”
“I’m hoping you’ll come to your senses.”
“Do you think that’s likely?” Brian asked snidely.
“Probably not, but I live in hope.”
“And you’ll die in despair,” Brian added, using an expression his mother had sometimes used. It had been very appropriate in their fucked up family.
“Fine,” Cynthia said tersely and started towards the door.
Brian stared at the envelope. Justin wanted him to take Ted back too. Fuck! The envelope had his name printed on the outside like the other one had. He ran his finger under the flap to open it. He pulled out another small magnet covered with paper clips that adhered to it through the power of the magnet. He looked at the magnet and realized that the magnet itself was in the shape of a sun, a magnet like you would use on a fridge, like one the Munchers used to hold Gus’ drawings to the door of their fridge.
The sun made him smile. Sunshine! That had been Justin’s nickname. He even used it on occasion; it did suit the young man. But why the paper clips? To show that things stick to a magnet, to remind him of all the tricks who had got in their way over the years, to prove once again that magnets attract. Brian already knew all that.
“Come on, Sunshine,” Brian murmured. “What are you trying to tell me?”
Picking up the envelope, Brian realized that there was a piece of paper inside. He pulled it out and unfolded it. The message made him frown.
Brian,
I hope you get the message I intended from this. Magnets attract anything – paper clips, iron filings, coins. We had that kind of attraction to begin with, still do to some extent, although you’re fighting it like hell. It’s easy to pull the paper clips off the magnet, but they keep going back when you release them. It’s not so easy to get rid of me either, because there’s a lot more to our attraction than meets the eye.
I love you, Brian, never doubt that. We may be opposites in many ways, but we’re the perfect complement to each other.
TBHICB
PS: Don’t forget about Ted.
Brian,
Did you enjoy playing with the paper clips? I did. Magnets are fun. We were fun … at times. We can be fun again.
I hope you like the sketch. I think that night was one of the times we really bonded. I loved you so much when you did the right thing, the thing that Gus needed. Now I need you to do the right thing for me.
Meet me at Babylon at eleven o’clock sharp tonight. Maybe that will help you figure out the acronym.
TBHICB