The Plan Title: The Plan Written By:not_yet_defined Timeline: 308 Gapfiller Rating: PG-13 Summary: Justin and Daphne come up with a plan. Told from Daphne's, Debbie's, and Cynthia's POVs. It takes place during 308, so clearly Ethan is mentioned in passing, but no angst. I promise. A/N: The biggest thank you ever to my beta, hydrangeaceae anyone who puts up with me deserves some kind of award. All mistakes are mine.
Conception: Daphne
I get home and find Justin lying on his bed, smoking. He has on the same blue plaid flannel pjs and white shirt that I left him in this morning. It feels like deja vu. I flop down into the chair across from his bed and stare at him. It doesn't take long before he starts talking.
"History has shown that stalking is a highly effective method when it comes to getting Brian to want me. But I need a plan this time. It can't look too obvious. I can't just follow him around like a puppy dog like I did in high school."
"Well...where are places you could accidentally on purpose run into him?"
"The Diner. Red Cape."
"Babylon? Woody's?"
"Woody's would be too obvious. I haven't been there since I left Brian."
"You haven't really been going to Babylon either. You've just been at school, at work, or here, moping pathetically for the last month."
"I was at Babylon one night. I saw Brian there."
"You were? When? You never mentioned it."
"Right after I left Ethan. I went there to get laid. I was fucking some guy in the backroom. I looked up and Brian was there. Like 5 feet away, getting his dick sucked."
"Get out! What did you do?"
"Kept fucking. But I couldn't stop looking at him. And he couldn't stop looking at me. It was fucking hot. And I know he wanted me."
"Holy shit. I can't believe you never told me this. Then what happened?"
Justin shrugged, "I came. I guess he did too. By the time I pulled out and zipped up, he was gone."
"Shit."
"I couldn't stop thinking about it for days. And then those fucking dreams started. I have to get him back, Daphne. Fuck, I was such an idiot. So what if he didn't tell me he loved me? He showed me he did. Even when he was being an asshole. Fuck, even after I left him. I just stopped seeing it."
I sit down next to him, nudging him with my shoulder, "No, you weren't. Brian was an idiot for letting you go."
Justin doesn't say anything, just sits there, frowning. Personally, I think they are undoubtedly two of the most fucked up, dysfunctional, drama queens on the planet, but somehow they've always made a weird kind of sense, and I've always liked Brian.
Ethan, on the other hand... I never understood that. Sure he was kind of cute. Not drop your pants right this minute hot, but cute. Plus I guess he had a certain starving for your art kind of appeal, but he was so unbelievably pretentious. And boring. Justin never had any good stories the whole time he was with him. He was like the anti-Brian. I mean, I'm the best friend so it's like my duty to listen to Justin talk about his boyfriend, but who wouldn't rather hear about the greatest orgasm ever, or tales from Babylon instead of some lame evening at home, where the most exiting thing that happened was Ethan splurging on a bottle of wine for a romantic dinner. Thank God that's done with. So if this is what Justin wants, I'm fully on board. Besides, I seriously can't take another month of moping, pajama-clad, chain-smoking Justin. It's bad for my health and depressing as hell.
"So Babylon very occasionally then?"
"Yeah. I suppose maybe I could figure out how to run into him at Deb's a couple of times too. But still, that isn't nearly enough."
"You need to figure out a reason to see him, like daily. Too bad you don't work in his office building or something."
Suddenly Justin jumps off the bed; with the biggest smile I've seen in months.
"Daphne! You are brilliant."
"It's true, I am. But humor me and tell me why."
"I need an internship for my degree."
"So you can find one in Brian's office building?"
"Better than that, I can fucking get one at Vanguard. In their art department."
I'm grinning now too. It's too perfect. "But how do you know if they even need an intern?"
"Daphne, have you seen my work? I'm brilliant. And who doesn't want brilliant, cheap labor?"
"Isn't Brian like the boss? What if he refuses to hire you?"
"Please, you think Brian concerns himself with the hiring of interns? I'll apply directly to the head of the department. He won't even know till it's too late, and I've been hired. He can't fire me for absolutely no reason when I've gotten the job on my own merit."
I'm not convinced of that. But Justin's practically vibrating with anticipation, and I'm not going to be the one to rain on his parade.
Phase I: Debbie
The diner is dead. It's pouring rain outside and the dinner rush ended an hour ago. I'd tell Justin to just go home, but no sense in leaving till the rain lets up, and if he's officially still on the clock, at least he's still making a little money. I've seen that shithole he lives in with Ethan, so I'm pretty sure they can use it. Even if Ethan has signed with some kind of agent and should be doing a bit better these days, Justin needs his own money too.
"Have a seat," I tell him, setting a burger and fries down in front of Sunshine. The kid looks fucking thin as rail lately.
After he finishes up he pulls some papers out of his bag and starts filling them out. Looks like an application, and I feel my heart drop a little. Not that I want him to work at the diner forever. Too fucking smart for that, but I hope Michael hasn't been giving him shit again.
"Whatcha doin there, kiddo?"
"Filling out an application for an internship."
"An internship?"
"Yeah," he looks up at me, smiling, "I have to do one for school."
"Suppose you won't be working at the diner anymore when you get one, huh?"
"I don't know for sure," his voice is tinged with apology.
"Do what you gotta do, Sunshine."
He smiles at me again then bends back down over the application.
"Deb?"
"Yeah, Sunshine?"
"You haven't invited me to a family dinner in a really long time."
"That's cause every time I do, you find a reason not to come, so I gave up trying."
"If you asked, I wouldn't say no this time. I miss your cooking," he quickly adds.
"I expect to see you Thursday night then. Ethan too, if he's in town."
"Actually, I broke up with Ethan about 5 weeks ago. I'm living with Daphne. She might want to come though, if it's all right."
Justin drops this tidbit of news without looking up once, as casually as if he is discussing the evening fucking news. My first impulse is to grill him. But the little shit has been keeping this to himself for 5 fucking weeks. Hell, I never even noticed anything was wrong with the kid. He clearly wasn't too broken up about it, so I don't see the sense in opening up old wounds. I choose a different tactic instead.
"It'd be nice, the next time you move addresses, if you'd let someone fucking know. What if there was an emergency, and we couldn't find you?"
He looks surprised for a fraction of second, and I know he was expecting the third degree, but he quickly changes his expression, grinning at me, the little shit.
"Will do, Deb."
A few nights later Michael, Ben, Vic and Daphne are sitting in the living room and Sunshine is helping me set the table. I hand him 6 plates.
He casually inquires, "No one else is coming?"
"Not that I know of." I see disappointment flicker across his face, "Where you hoping to see anyone in particular?"
He flashes me a grin, I'm not sure when that kid picked up the skill, but he's become almost as adept at hiding his real feelings as Brian...
"No. Just wanted to make sure I had enough plates."
"You've got enough." I turn to get the manicotti from the oven and shake my head, trying to recall a conversation I had with Kiki yesterday. She was telling me someone had called to check a reference for Justin. Who the fuck did she say had called. Can't say I'd paid much attention, I'd figured it was about the internship. I'd just cared that she'd said good things about our Sunshine. Now that I thought about it, I realized she had mentioned it was an advertising agency. I shook my head. Heaven help us all. Then I laughed.
"What's so funny?"
"Nothing, sweetie."
Brian didn't stand a chance against this kid. He never had.
"Maybe next week we can have a real family dinner. Get the girls and Gus to come, and the boys too," I offer.
This time the smile reaches his eyes too. "That'd be great," he says, not missing a beat, "I haven't seen Mel and Linds and Gus in ages."
Phase II: Cynthia
It's 7 am when I sit at my desk and flip on my computer. I glance at Brian's office. Not here yet, but he will be soon. The man's a fucking workaholic, the last six months more then usual, and I always try to stay two steps ahead. Which means that, while the rest of the office may drag their sorry asses in at 8 am, I'm here at 7. When they leave at 5, I'm still at my desk. I work my ass off for this man, and I never regret it. I'm well compensated now, and someday, when he finally goes out on his own, which I've no doubt he will, I'll be the one he takes with him.
I scan through the office email announcements, my eyes skimming over new hires, and one name catches my eye. Justin Taylor, Art Department Intern. Holy. Fucking. Shit.
Brian doesn't discuss his personal life at work. Ever. But what happened at that prom made the papers. What I find hard to believe is that no one else around here would remember. But I suppose, they might remember the big story that involved the boss, but tiny details like the kid's name tend to filter out of people's consciousness. Unless your boss off-handedly remarks one day that if anyone named Justin Taylor should happen to call you should always put him through. Or a young blond becomes a repeat late night visitor at the office. Or you discreetly help out with a small advertising campaign for a comic book launch that just happens to be drawn by one Justin Taylor. Or one day you notice that you haven't put through a call from one Justin Taylor in a really fucking long time and wonder if this is the reason your boss is even more of a workaholic pissy bitch then usual.
So yeah, when I haven't seen a certain blond in several months and haven't put through any of his calls in almost as long, I notice when his name shows up on new employee announcements. I know for a fact that my boss never reads this shit and would definitely not have been involved in the hiring process of an intern. But I sure as shit notice. I feel a tiny bit of glee. It's not that I enjoy seeing my boss squirm, it's that I never really get to see him squirm, and everyone should once in a while. And frankly, I always liked that blond kid.
Brian arrives and it's business as usual, grabbing his latte off of my desk and barking orders without so much as a hello. A couple hours later and he's yelling for some layouts and bitching about Murphy's incompetence. So I not so innocently suggest it would be much more effective if he went down to the art department and put the fear of God into him in person.
He stalks off.
Feeling rather pleased with myself, I sit back and wait. Or rather, I get back to piles of work on my desk, and wish I was a fly on the art department wall right about now.
I'm not disappointed. Less than 15 minutes later Brian's stalking into his office, cute blond in tow. He looks pissed as hell, and I feel a twinge of guilt. Not because Brian looks mad, but because of the kid about to face his wrath. Until Justin pauses at my desk as they pass by, looking totally at ease.
"Hello, Cynthia," he says as he smiles at me.
"Hey, Justin."
Brian glares at me, but I ignore it and turn back to my work. I'm still laughing to myself when I hear Brian bellow, "Close the fucking door, Taylor."
Modifications: Daphne
"He fucking fired me! And then had the nerve to tell me I didn't have any balls. I don't have balls? Is he serious? He is the one who fucking ball-less. So I fucking left him for Ethan. So fucking what? He shoved me out the goddamn door."
Justin is in full on drama-queen rant mode. His voice has a slightly hysterical high-pitched edge. I'm not even entirely sure what he's talking about. I've tried to get a word in, but it's pretty useless when he is like this. So I sit back and wait. Picking up that Brian fired him, told him words don't mean shit (duh!), and that Justin kissed him before storming off.
Wait a minute. What was that?
"You kissed him?"
"I didn't know what else to do. Actions speak louder than words, right?"
"Oh my god, Justin! Did he kiss you back?"
Justin looks at me like I'm insane. Of course Brian kissed him back.
"And then you just left? Holy shit. Justin! What are you going to do now?"
"What do you mean? Did you miss the part where he said he didn't want me back?"
I resist the urge to roll my eyes. "Did you miss the part where he said he did? Justin, you walked out on him, for someone else. At a party he threw for you. He has a right to be a little bit of an asshole. He doesn't mean it."
Justin is smirking now. "When I broke the kiss he leaned forward, like he didn't want it to end."
"So? What are you going to do?"
Justin shrugs, biting his thumbnail, wheels turning in his devious little mind. I give him a minute to work it out.
"He should take me back. It's what we both want. I know it. He knows it."
"Are you sure it's what you want? You were really unhappy at the end, you know."
"I've never been more sure of anything in my life, Daph. He doesn't have to tell me he loves me. The tricking doesn't matter. I know I'm not a trick. I know he loves me, even if he doesn't say it. Even if he never says it."
"So go tell him all of that."
Conclusion I: Cynthia
I shut off my computer, pull on my jacket, and head out the door via a walk past Brian's office for no other reason then I'm dying to know to why exactly Mr. Justin Taylor requested a meeting after hours and even more so, why Brian feigned disinterest, said that was fine, and consented to seeing the blond after firing his ass.
It's a little after 8pm when I finally leave the office. Brian's door is closed, but the lights are still on, and I swear I just heard laughter.
Conclusion II: Daphne
I get home at midnight and he isn't here. I suppose the plan could have failed and he is out dancing or fucking away the pain, but I really doubt it. Breaking up with Ethan made him seek anonymous sex; realizing he'd lost Brian made him totally pathetic. I have no doubt that if it failed I'd have come home and found him hiding under his covers. When I wake up in the morning and his bed is still unmade, I feel a twinge of worry. Until I see the text on my phone...@ loft, c u in a few days. J.