QAF Fic: Exquisite
May. 30th, 2008 03:58 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
jule1122This is the third challenge story I wrote, and quite possibly the shortest story I've ever written outside a drabble. As a reminder, if you have not checked out the challenge, go right now. There are 41 stories inspired by 24 banners. The quality of both the art and writing is amazing. A masterlist of art and stories can be found HERE
Title: Exquisite
Fandom and Pairing: QAF Brian/Justin
Timeline: One year after 513
Rating: PG
Warning: None
Author’s Notes: Thank you![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
tweedygal for being will to beta this for me. You’re the best!
Graphic: This story was inspired by a stunning graphic done by the incredible and multi-talentedtestdog65
Justin woke up alone. He found Brian, as he had many times before, staring out the window. Justin always wondered what he saw out there. Stepping up behind him, he wrapped his arms around him and pressed his cheek to Brian’s back. Brian remained still; he must have heard Justin coming.
“Come back to bed.”
“Not yet,” Brian shook his head. “We should have gone somewhere warm.”
“No time,” Justin was leaving the following evening.
“There never is.”
Brian sounded resigned, and Justin wondered for the first time if this visit had been a mistake. It had seemed so important to be here, in Pittsburgh, on this day. One year from the wedding that wasn’t. But maybe his presence was a reminder of the wrong things.
“There will be,” Justin hoped he sounded as confident as he felt.
“You’re sure?” Brian asked, and Justin could picture his upraised eyebrow.
“Positive.” They wouldn’t always be apart; Justin knew this. “It’s only time.”
Brian’s back shook with silent laughter. Justin kissed the base of his neck, tracing the nearest vertebrae with his tongue. He stepped back and tugged at Brian’s hands, hoping to lure him back to bed.
“I still have the rings,” Brian said abruptly as he turned to face Justin.
“I know,” Justin held back a smile.
“Snooping?” Brian sounded amused.
Justin shook his head slowly. “I don’t have to.”
Brian’s eyes drifted to the painting propped up against the wall. “I guess you don’t.”
The painting had been shipped to the loft the week before. Brian had waited to unwrap it until after Justin arrived. He hadn’t said a word, simply stared at it for several long minutes before crushing his mouth to Justin’s.
Like all of Justin’s work, it was large. He’d sized it roughly to fill the empty space left by the painting Brian lost after Stockwell. He started it shortly after moving to New York, and it had taken months to complete. When he couldn’t sleep or when he felt alone, it was the piece he worked on. His loneliness, his frustration, his fears and doubts filled the canvas. But he’d also painted all his love, his desire, his faith, his unwavering belief into it as well. He hoped Brian could see both.
“Do you like it?” Justin couldn’t resist asking.
Brian looked back at Justin, his expression serious. “It’s exquisite,” he said, his eyes never leaving Justin’s.
“You always say that.”
Just a hint of smile crossed Brian’s face, and he brought his hand up to stroke Justin’s cheek. “It’s always true.”
I loved this graphic from the first time I saw it. To give an idea of how powerful the central image is, 3 of the 4 stories inspired by this graphic start with that image. My original idea didn't focus on that image, and I might still write that someday, but every time I looked at the graphic I came back to Brian at the window and Justin behind him. And so Exquisite was born.
I love fics that take a moment of time, share it with you, and let it stand on it's own. I hope this story is able to do that. One of the hardest thing for me to do is end a story. I hate every last line I write and usually end up taking on an extra sentence or two. This is why a good beta rules. I askedtweedygal for her advice on where to end the story. She guided me, as my other betas have done as well, back to my first instinct. Maybe someday I'll learn to trust it.
Title: Exquisite
Fandom and Pairing: QAF Brian/Justin
Timeline: One year after 513
Rating: PG
Warning: None
Author’s Notes: Thank you
tweedygal for being will to beta this for me. You’re the best!Graphic: This story was inspired by a stunning graphic done by the incredible and multi-talented
testdog65Justin woke up alone. He found Brian, as he had many times before, staring out the window. Justin always wondered what he saw out there. Stepping up behind him, he wrapped his arms around him and pressed his cheek to Brian’s back. Brian remained still; he must have heard Justin coming.
“Come back to bed.”
“Not yet,” Brian shook his head. “We should have gone somewhere warm.”
“No time,” Justin was leaving the following evening.
“There never is.”
Brian sounded resigned, and Justin wondered for the first time if this visit had been a mistake. It had seemed so important to be here, in Pittsburgh, on this day. One year from the wedding that wasn’t. But maybe his presence was a reminder of the wrong things.
“There will be,” Justin hoped he sounded as confident as he felt.
“You’re sure?” Brian asked, and Justin could picture his upraised eyebrow.
“Positive.” They wouldn’t always be apart; Justin knew this. “It’s only time.”
Brian’s back shook with silent laughter. Justin kissed the base of his neck, tracing the nearest vertebrae with his tongue. He stepped back and tugged at Brian’s hands, hoping to lure him back to bed.
“I still have the rings,” Brian said abruptly as he turned to face Justin.
“I know,” Justin held back a smile.
“Snooping?” Brian sounded amused.
Justin shook his head slowly. “I don’t have to.”
Brian’s eyes drifted to the painting propped up against the wall. “I guess you don’t.”
The painting had been shipped to the loft the week before. Brian had waited to unwrap it until after Justin arrived. He hadn’t said a word, simply stared at it for several long minutes before crushing his mouth to Justin’s.
Like all of Justin’s work, it was large. He’d sized it roughly to fill the empty space left by the painting Brian lost after Stockwell. He started it shortly after moving to New York, and it had taken months to complete. When he couldn’t sleep or when he felt alone, it was the piece he worked on. His loneliness, his frustration, his fears and doubts filled the canvas. But he’d also painted all his love, his desire, his faith, his unwavering belief into it as well. He hoped Brian could see both.
“Do you like it?” Justin couldn’t resist asking.
Brian looked back at Justin, his expression serious. “It’s exquisite,” he said, his eyes never leaving Justin’s.
“You always say that.”
Just a hint of smile crossed Brian’s face, and he brought his hand up to stroke Justin’s cheek. “It’s always true.”
I loved this graphic from the first time I saw it. To give an idea of how powerful the central image is, 3 of the 4 stories inspired by this graphic start with that image. My original idea didn't focus on that image, and I might still write that someday, but every time I looked at the graphic I came back to Brian at the window and Justin behind him. And so Exquisite was born.
I love fics that take a moment of time, share it with you, and let it stand on it's own. I hope this story is able to do that. One of the hardest thing for me to do is end a story. I hate every last line I write and usually end up taking on an extra sentence or two. This is why a good beta rules. I asked
tweedygal for her advice on where to end the story. She guided me, as my other betas have done as well, back to my first instinct. Maybe someday I'll learn to trust it.
