Set straight after Brian promises to take Justin away for the week

oOoOo

Brian had been amazing tonight, hornier than Justin had ever seen him. They'd fucked in the backroom, again in the jeep and twice when they got back to the loft. Justin had loved every second of it. He could just imagine what it would be like when they were in Vermont. If it was as hot as this, he was pretty sure they'd melt the snow. Justin just smiled as the post-coital haze started to take over but just as he was dozing off, he got a sudden spurt of energy and decided he wanted to start looking at hotels and resorts. He slid as carefully as he could out of the bed but it wasn't carefully enough as he heard Brian moan,

"where are you going?"

"To look up ski resorts in Vermont," Justin grinned.

"Can't it wait until I'm not trying to sleep?"

"You won't even notice," Justin reassured him.

He heard Brian huff something but he couldn't quite make it out as he went to switch the computer on.

An hour and a half later, he'd bought and paid for everything, using Brian's credit card of course. Brian felt the twink crawl back into the bed.

"How much have I spent?" he asked.

"Not as much as you'd think," Justin promised but Brian didn't believe him. He knew this was going to cost him a fortune. Justin came from Country Club upbringing, money was a thing that grew in the pockets of middle-aged men for him to spend at will. Not that Brian was middle-aged. Justin was just lucky that Brian liked him so much.

.

Set after Brian leaves for Chicago and Justin makes the decision to leave without him.
(A decision that SHOCKED me, by the way)

oOoOo

"I can't believe you're doing this."

"Shut up, Daph."

"Isn't he going to kill you?"

"No," but Justin didn't look convinced. And neither did Daphne. "Look," he continued, "we've already paid for the holiday. It would be a waste if I don't go."

"You want to go alone?"

"He'll turn up."

"You sound pretty sure," Daphne said, more than a little concerned by her friend's optimism, as she pulled her car out from another traffic lights that seemed to be every five yards from Brian's loft to the airport.

"He loves me," Justin said. Daphne looked at Justin carefully but opted to say nothing. She admired Justin's perseverance in the idea that Brian loved him and from what she'd heard, she believed he did but whether he loved Justin in the way her friend wanted him too was unlikely. She knew at some point her friend was going to get his heart broken. She knew this whole choosing work over their holiday had already cut Justin deep and she had a horrible sinking feeling that if Brian didn't decided to go to Vermont, Justin was going to be completely broken-hearted. Still, she drove him all the way to the airport and waved him off with a big smile on her face.

.

The next morning after Brian finds out Justin went to Vermont on his own

oOoOo

"Sir, who do you want working on the first Brown Athletics' Campaign?"

Gardner looked up at his secretary as though she'd suddenly grown two extra heads and a few more limbs.

"Mr Kinney?" she guessed.

He continued to stare at her and she blushed and wrote it down.

"I'll let him know, sir."

"No need, Tricia," he said. "He's on his way here. Says he's got something important to tell me." Gardner was unable to keep the excitement out of his voice. When he'd first heard about Brian Kinney, he was all ready to fire him. He'd known people like Kinney before. Good at his job and knew it, the kind of guy Gardner Vance, as a novice in the world of advertising, was more than a little concerned would try to usurp his position. And when he'd seen Brian Kinney, his feelings of concern had only worsened. But now … now he hailed Brian as his miracle worker. He was sure Brian would save his company time after time.

At that moment, Brian strolled through the door as though he owned the place, which, of course, he did.

"Ah, here's the genius," Gardner beamed, clasping his hands together with excitement. Brian raised an eyebrow but he didn't say anything. He wasn't one to ignore compliments from anyone. "Don't you knock," Gardner complained.

"Why would I need to? Unless you're doing that straight guy fantasy of fucking your secretary?" They both looked at the rather plump and very, scruffy woman. "Never mind," smiled Brian, sitting in the chair opposite his business partner and twirling around a little. He waited patiently until it dawned on him that the secretary wasn't going anywhere.

"Leave," he said to her about as rudely as he could manage. Her eyes slid to Gardner for confirmation and as soon as he nodded she left. Brian rolled his eyes. This was one of the reasons Cynthia was so invaluable. She knew when to fuck off.

"It's difficult to get decent help these days," Gardner explained, when the plump half-secretary, half-imbecile had closed the door.

"Mmm," Brian agreed. "Actually, that's one of the things I want to talk to you about."

"Oh?"

"I keep my secretary. She stays and she's mine." He said sternly. He was not sharing Cynthia with some know-nothing Gardner had insisted on bringing in.

"Oh, of course," Gardner nodded enthusiastically, noting that request on a piece of paper. Brian grinned. Ever since he'd won the Brown Athletics' account Gardner Vance had become his one man cheerleading team. He was pretty sure he could have demanded anything in the world and Gardner would have allowed it. Perfect for his next request.

"I need some time off."

"Absolutely. When?"

Brian smirked, this was too easy. "The rest of this week," he said, getting up to leave.

"This week?" Gardner exclaimed.

"Yeah." Brian was about to leave when he heard;

"No. Sorry Brian."

Brian turned around and looked at the bald man with pure anger in his eyes.

"We're just setting up," Gardner explained. "You can't go away now."

"But it's…" he sighed heavily. "It's important."

"More important than you're job?"

"What are you gonna do; fire me? I thought I was a genius."

Gardner took a deep breath and let the air out slowly through his nostrils. Brian did have a point, maybe if it was important then Brian could be allowed the time off.

"What's so crucial that you have to leave work this week?

"A holiday."

"Holiday? You're kidding me."

"No. I promised someone," Brian blinked and gritted his teeth a little before concluding, "someone important."

"A boyfriend?" Gardner asked knowingly.

Brian just stared at him defiantly. That was none of his business and damned if he was going to let it become his business.

"Well, I'm sorry," Gardner said, and to his credit he did sound almost genuine. "You'll have to rearrange. This company can't afford to lose you at this time. How about in six months?" He took out his pocket organiser. "July. You can take two weeks off in July if you want, in fact, I'll pencil it in now. And if you leave your cell phone on during the time, well, I might even give you a weeks pay while you're away."

Brian just stared at the man ahead of him. July? That was his fucking best offer. Two weeks in July with fifty percent pay if he could still be contacted. Well, as long as Gardner didn't mind discussing business to the sound of two men fucking he supposed that would be fine but July! However, it was clear from the look on the other man's face that that was the best deal he was going to get.

"Wow, Gardner," he replied, every word dripping with sarcasm, "you're a real pal." He turned to leave and just as he was about to disappear, he popped his head back in the office and said, "tell me, what are the snowboarding conditions like in July?"

... because I like to believe Brian would have at least TRIED to join Justin on holiday!