BEWITCHED AND BEWILDERED - 2
Author: Elsarose
Plot bunny and collaborator: Judy Uhrich
Post 513 – hey it could happen
Justin leaned into Brian, only to find himself standing on the front porch of a rather old and decrepit house. He turned around to face the street and it was apparent he was no longer in New York, but rather for some reason, back in Pittsburgh. He recognized a few distant landmarks, though nothing seemed quite the way it should.
He shivered. He wasn’t dressed for being outside on a winter Pittsburgh night. The wind was picking up, he was sure he heard it howl, or at least he hoped it was the wind that was howling. “Brian?” he called, his voice tentative. “Daphne?” Another blast of wind had him shivering even harder. There were no lights on in the house and from what he could tell, there was not only no one home, but no one had occupied the place for years.
“Shit, talk about haunted houses.” He mumbled to hear his voice. He fumbled in his pocket for his cell phone, quickly hitting the speed dial for Brian. “Hey.” He whispered, afraid to speak louder now that he heard his lover’s voice.
“Where the fuck did you go?” Brian yelled.
“I think I’m in Pittsburgh.” Justin looked around. “In front of a haunted house.”
“PITTSBURGH?”
Justin held the phone away from his ear, so much for being quietly discreet. “Yeah.”
“STOP FUCKING AROUND BLONDIE.” Brian was pissed. Justin had scared him senseless when he’d disappeared, not that he was going to admit this to Justin. “Daphne is freaking out here.”
“Well, maybe the two of you should think about what I’m feeling. I’M FUCKING STANDING IN A SNOW STORM ON THE FRONT PORCH OF A HAUNTED HOUSE IN PITTSBURGH.”
The fact that Justin was in a full-blown queen out, made Brian stop the next tirade. Justin didn’t do it often, but when he did, there was usually a darn good reason for it. “Okay, okay, calm down.” Brian pinched the bridge of his nose. “Go find a taxi and get to the loft.”
“Snowstorm here Brian, I can’t see my hand in front of my face. Not to mention I’m freezing my ass off on this porch.” Justin had instantly calmed when Brian had spoken in his take charge voice.
“Get inside the house, you need to be out of the storm, you aren’t dressed for it.”
“And now I’m going to add breaking and entering into teleportation.” Justin snickered.
“The key, does Justin have the key, I bet he’s at Shadow Manor.” Daphne jumped up and down trying to get Brian’s attention.
“Hey, you’re right.” Justin had heard her over Brian’s attempts to keep the phone from his friend. “I’ve got that key.” He fished around in his pocket, finding the key. “Let me try it out.” The key was a strange looking one, covered in carvings, looking more ornamental than practical. “Hey, it fits the front door.”
Brian glared at Daphne, he was going to have to talk to her about what the fuck was going on. “I’m getting the next plane to the Pitts. I’ll find you.”
“Snow storm Brian.”
“I don’t fucking care if it’s a class 5 hurricane. I’m coming. Don’t move away from the front door, but get inside. And an address might be nice.”
“Don’t have an address, but it’s in the old section of the city. The lot is pretty big and it’s really overgrown.” Justin shivered. “Brian, this is kind of freaking me out here. I’m going to call my mom; maybe she knows where this place is. She goes all over the city selling real estate.”
“Call your mother. Keep your phone on. I want to be able to talk to you. Daphne and I are heading for the airport.”
“Mom can come and get me. I’ll be okay.”
“Not fucking likely, I’m going to Pittsburgh.” He paused. “Justin, hold on Sunshine. I don’t know what this is all about, but we’ll deal with it together. No more secrets, no more lies, no more dealing with shit on our own.”
“I love you Brian.” Justin whispered. “Hurry.” With a sigh he closed his phone, feeling that Brian was a million miles away once the connection had been severed.
The next number he hit before going into the house was his mother’s. “Mom.” He began, “Something kind of strange has happened to me. Don’t freak out, but I think I was teleported to Pittsburgh. Which as we know is impossible, so there is a chance I’ve just gone crazy. Except I phoned Brian and he thinks it happened too, because I was in his arms when it happened. And even Daphne was there, but no one is here so I can’t really be sure.” He had to pause to take a breath.
“Justin, open the door to the house.” His mother’s voice was calm. “Things will become more clear when you do.”
“Why?” Justin had to ask, though he fingered the key, reluctant to turn it in the lock.
“Justin, for once in your life just do as I ask, please.” And she disconnected.
“Fuck, fuck, fuck.” Justin looked around; his teeth were chattering he was so cold. The snow was almost up to the top step. He’d never seen it snow so hard, though he’d never actually been out when it snowed, so maybe this was normal.
Turning the key in the lock, he opened the door and stepped inside to another world. Or at least it seemed like another world. The house was majestic in its splendor. Marble floors in the foyer led to intricately inlaid hardwood in other rooms. Chandeliers, crystals sparkling, all glowed, and the smell of freshly polished wood filled the air. Justin was afraid to move. And then he saw his mother. “Mom?” his head cocked to one side, not sure what he was seeing.
“Come in Justin, there’s a fire in the living room. You’ll be able to get warm. Happy Birthday dear, this birthday has been a long time coming.”
“Uh, it’s just a birthday.” Justin hesitated, but followed his mother nonetheless. “Mom, what’s going on? Where are we? And why are we here?”
“All in good time Justin.” She smiled. “I’ve hot chocolate here. I made it just the way you like it, with lots of marshmallows and a sprinkle of cinnamon.”
“I like it without the mystery.” Justin grumbled as he sat on a stool in front of the fire. He was grateful for the heat, but still had no idea what was happening.
“The ceremony of your twenty second birthday will begin soon. And then when it’s over, I’ll be glad to answer any of your questions.” She looked around. “Do you like the house? Would you like a tour? There’s a lovely artist’s studio and a marvelous den where Brian would be able to work at home. Six bedrooms and seven bathrooms, that includes the powder room on this floor. Oh, and there’s a pool, conservatory, hot tub spa, library and a kitchen that’s to die for.”
“Mom, I’m not here to view the damn place. I’m sure it’s not for sale and even if it was, did you see the outside? It would give me nightmares.”
“Visual misperception is often a way to make sure the obvious is hidden. Think of it as a disguise of sorts.” Jennifer placed a tray filled with a mug of hot chocolate and a sandwich in front of Justin.
“Where did you get that? I didn’t see you leave.”
“Oh, I have a few hidden talents.” Jennifer smiled. “Enjoy your little snack. The elders will see you as the clock strikes one.”
Justin rolled his eyes. “You do know that it’s the twenty first century and we don’t belong to any..... court or cult that has elders.” He looked at the food and shuddered. “I’m sorry mom, but this food that suddenly appeared is kind of freaking me out.”
“Justin, there’s something you should know about my family. Something.... well, a bit unusual. It’s kind of a genetic thing, that’s passed through each generation, usually to the first born, though once in awhile it has been passed on to more than one child per generation.”
“Is it dangerous? Should Brian be in on this conversation? Do I have some kind of disease?” Justin looked at his hands. He didn’t look or feel any different.
Jennifer looked away. “I have to admit that Craig would never believe or allow any discussion of my ability to be mentioned. It was a constant irritant that eventually drove a wedge in our marriage until it was too late to do anything about it. But Justin dear, I couldn’t really deny who I am. I hope this isn’t going to affect what you and Brian have worked so hard to achieve.”
“Geez Mom, you’re scaring me. Is it some kind of disease.” He repeated.
“No, no.” She leaned forward and patted his hand. “It’s a gift really. A wonderful gift that is part of who you are. Who we are. Some might call it magic, but it’s more like an inborn ability to manipulate what’s around us to create, oh this and that.” She indicated the hot chocolate. “Like your snack.” She made a motion with her fingers and his hot chocolate changed to a cup of peppermint tea.
“FUCK.” Justin jumped back. “What in hell was that?”
“I told you, it’s manipulation of molecules to create, in this instance, peppermint tea.” She smiled as she picked up a cup and sipped the tea. “It’s really rather good. Would you like some?”
Justin’s eyes went back and forth around the room, looking for some kind of escape or the answer to the trick. He desperately wished Brian was with him, or at the very least, Daphne. “Mom, you’re freaking me out.” He managed to whisper, his breath catching. “You’re fucking freaking me out.”
“Oh Justin, stop being a drama king.”
“Princess, drama princess.” He muttered.
“Whatever. The point is dear; you should embrace your gift. You will be granted access to your abilities today, on this birthday. This time was chosen generations ago as the perfect time between adulthood and all the responsibilities it brings, and your childhood with its freedom and innocence.”
“Mom, this is way too bizarre. Have you been drinking? I mean you know that Brian and I would be glad to get you into a program to get your life in order. We can afford it. And don’t worry, Molly will be okay.” He looked around. “If we leave now, your client will never know you’ve been using his house.”
Jennifer looked at her son and laughed. “This is your house Justin. It’s been in the family since 1824. Oh, we’ve done a few renovations over the years, but this house and the house that was here previously, has always belonged in our family.”
“Then it’s your house.” Justin sighed. “It’s nothing to do with me.”
“Of course it’s mine for now, but I’ve signed it over to you. I don’t really need something this large. Your father would never allow me to live here. So it’s been somewhat neglected. I knew it would be perfect for you and Brian. Besides, part of family, shall we say gift, is that you need to live here for a year while you develop your skills. It doesn’t just happen all at once. This isn’t some kind of fairy tale. It takes time, patience and practice. And there are rules, well one rule that’s more important than any other. You must never use your power to willingly hurt, either physically or mentally, any living being, animal or human.”
“Mom, I have no fucking idea what you’re talking about.” Justin stood up and walked to a window. The snow was even deeper than when he’d arrived. Only now the front yard was filled with dozens of tiny twinkling electric lights, making the whole place look like some kind of winter magic. He tried to quickly call Brian, only to find that there was no service in the house. He shook his phone as if that would fix it. But nothing happened. His battery was full, but there was no connection.
“Sorry dear, but you haven’t attended the ceremony yet. I really can’t have you bothering Brian. For one thing, he wouldn’t understand and for another, you can’t refuse what you really don’t know. If on the eve of your twenty third birthday, you wish to deny your heritage and have your abilities lie dormant until your own child reaches his twenty second birthday, then you can do so, as I did. This is the only night I can be who I was meant to be. I gave it all up for your father, more fool I. I hope you learn from my experience.” She was beside Justin. “If I hadn’t denied who I truly was, you’d never have suffered at the hand of Chris Hobbs. I could have protected you or at least seen to it that you would recover quickly.” She put her hand on Justin’s arm. “Please use this year to become the best man you can be. And think long and hard before you deny your true self. For unless you have a child of your own, our heritage dies with you, for Molly hasn’t inherited the gene that makes you special.”
Justin looked into his mother’s eyes. He could see that she was serious and that she told the truth as she knew it. He wasn’t sure just what he was getting himself into. And he sure as fuck didn’t know how he was going to explain this to Brian. But he was curious; curiosity had always been something he’d dealt with ever since he was a child. And more than once it had come and bit him in the ass. But who could resist the temptation of doing magic. “Okay, I’m in.” He grinned at his mother. “Will my nose twitch or something?”
Jennifer laughed and gave him a quick hug. “Only if you want it to, dear. Now come with me. It’s time to meet the elders.”
“Justin, happy birthday.”
Justin turned around. “Hey Uncle Raine, Granny M” he greeted his uncle and grandmother. “So both of you aren’t just weird.” He giggled, feeling on the verge of hysteria. “Who knew?”
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Brian was barely holding it together. He was within one crying child, or snotty adult of going ballistic. Daphne wasn’t helping, she’d barely stopped for breath as she continued to talk. First on the taxi ride to the airport, next for the entire two hour wait in the terminal and then for the next four hours that they were in the plane, half of that time spent waiting to take off. Considering the plane trip should have taken an hour, it was damn near dawn and they were only now taxiing up to the terminal. The snow was deep, the wind having whipped it into wildly creative drifts, making any kind of landing dangerous. The minutes dragged and Brian had to be held back from making a break for the plane door when it finally stopped moving.
“Brian, don’t have a cow.” Daphne pulled on his jacket. She had her knees pressed against the rear of the seat in front of her so he couldn’t pass. “The seat belt light is still on.”
“Daphne, get your hand off my jacket.” He growled.
“I’m going to grab your one good ball and twist if off you don’t freaking sit down. Be patient.” She growled back at him with a fierceness that made him do just that. “Now you running off like a wild man to rescue your princess, isn’t going to work if you kill yourself or me in your attempt to be RAGE. In case you haven’t noticed, it’s snowing outside, lots and lots of snow. Which means slow driving, calm driving, even by a taxi.”
“Did I miss the memo where you became my mother?” Brian snarked, but he sat back and waited somewhat patiently for the announcement that he could leave the plane.
Daphne grinned at him. “I have a feeling that Justin is okay. I mean we’ve been hours and hours and hours since he last called and there isn’t even a phone message on my phone. I checked.”
Brian pulled his phone out of his pocket. He turned it on and checked. Daphne was right, there were no messages. “That could mean he’s hurt and can’t phone.” He glared at her.
“Or that he’s too busy with this weird ass birthday thing and he’s forgotten to call.” She looked out the plane window. “Look, the snow’s stopped. In fact, it looks kind of nice out.”
“You can’t see fuck out these windows.” Brian tried to peer through the glass. But what he could see, not that he’d admit it, was a calm winter day.
The next few minutes were spent getting off the plane to head to the arrivals lounge and out of the airport. Brian’s head was down as he attempted to steer the shorter Daphne through the crowds, so when a bundle of blond man threw himself into his arms showering him with kisses, he was startled to say the least. “Justin, what the fuck?” he growled but pulled him close, not caring if anyone was piled up behind him in the line of passengers leaving the plane.
Daphne couldn’t stop smiling, even as she directed traffic around her best friend and his man. “Hey Jus, what’s up?” she asked. “Happy birthday, by the way.”
“Brian, I love it when you come to my rescue. You’re my hero.” Justin grinned up into Brian’s eyes.
Brian didn’t know whether Justin meant it, or whether he was just being sarcastic. He suspected there was a little of both in the words. “What the fuck are you doing at the airport?” he finally asked.
“Meeting your plane. Did you know it was snowing? Do you guys have much luggage?”
“Like Brian gave me time to pack.” Daphne snorted.
“Good, then we can leave right away. My car is just outside the terminal.”
“You can’t park outside the terminal, you’ll be towed.” Daphne shook her head. “I hope you have enough money on you to get the car out of the impound lot.”
Brian’s arm was around Justin. He wasn’t about to let him get away from him. “We can take a cab if it’s towed and deal with it tomorrow.”
“It won’t be towed.” Justin led them out the terminal doors into the cold.
“Where’s the car?” Daphne looked around. Despite the weather, there were dozens of taxis and limos lined up waiting to snag a passenger.
“Right in front of us.” Justin blinked. He was right, his mother’s car stood warm and waiting for them to get into.
“Hey, I didn’t see your mom’s car there.” Daphne looked at Justin and then Brian.
“Don’t look at me. I didn’t see it either.” Brian shrugged. “But I’m not standing here freezing my one ball off. Get in and let’s go.”
The drive into Pittsburgh from the airport wasn’t what any of them had expected. Justin couldn’t stop grinning and his grin was pissing Brian off. It was a decidedly cat who caught the canary grin. “So,” Justin began. “What do you think of black cats?”
“I don’t.” Brian stared out the window, wondering where in hell the snow had disappeared. What had been a snow-covered vista when the plane landed, was now only wet from the melted snow.
“I like cats.” Daphne offered. “I don’t care what color they are. Remember Nanna’s cat, it was one miserable beast.”
“No shit, that cat gave me nightmares.” Justin giggled. “I was thinking more of a nice quiet cat, not a small bad tempered, people eating cat like Nanna’s.”
“I don’t want a fucking cat.” Brian turned and glared at Justin.
“Oh, guess what? Mom gave me the family....” he hesitated. “I guess manor would cover it. We can live in it for a year before we have to decide if we want to stay. I thought it would be a great spot for us. And what’s better, it’s right in Pittsburgh only a few blocks from Kinnetik. It has a great place for me to paint and what’s even better, it’s decorated in a style I know you’ll love Brian. Of course we can make changes if you want. There’s even room for Gus and JR.”
“We have that with the West Virginia place.”
“But we agreed to sell it. We need something closer.” Justin reached over and placed his hand on Brian’s thigh. “I promise you, you’ll love this house.”
“Why haven’t we heard of it before?” Brian had to ask.
“I bet it’s because of Justin’s birthday.” Daphne leaned forward to rest her chin on the back of Brian’s seat. “Though isn’t it kind of weird that your mom never said anything before? And why doesn’t she live in it?”
“She said it’s not something my dad wanted, so she gave it up. It’s kind of a family tradition. You get to live in it on your twenty-second birthday and for the next year and then you decide. It goes into some kind of family trust if you don’t want it.”
“There has to be more to it than that Sunshine.” Brian was skeptical.
“Well, maybe a bit more.” Justin admitted, still grinning. “A bit more.”
“Are we going to the new house?” Daphne asked.
“Yes, mom is there and my Grandma M and Uncle Raine, oh and of course Nanna is there. She’s always with Grandma M.”
“Nanna says that she’s been best friends since they were three.” Daphne sat back, smug. “Just like us.”
“How very BFF.” Brian snickered. “Can’t wait to meet the family.” He looked at Justin. “I hope you detected the sarcasm. Drop me off at the loft, I’ll come and see your little birthday present when there’s less of an audience.”
“Nope, it’s my birthday, you have to come with me.”
“Are you twelve?” Brian glared as he removed Justin’s hand from his lap. “I can’t believe I came to your rescue.”
“You love me. You sooooooo love me.”
“Twat.” Brian turned his head to look out the window once again.
“Here, have a no fat latte and stop being such a grouch.” Justin handed Brian a steaming cup. “There’s a full fat one for you Daphne, in the cup holder in the back.” And sure enough there was.
“What the fuck is going on Justin?” Brian asked, taking the cup in case Justin decided to drop it on his lap.
“I kind of know some.... well, magic.” He admitted.
“I can see that.” Brian turned around to Daphne. “What do you know about this?”
“Hey, don’t blame me. I don’t have a magic bone in my body. I can barely shuffle cards.” She leaned forward. “Good trick with the latte though. I needed the caffeine.”
“Do you think your Grandma M knows magic too? Remember all the neat stuff she used to have around her house. Remember the talking dog?” she snickered. “My mother almost had a coronary when he looked up her skirt and whistled.”
“Yeah, she knows magic.” Justin admitted, “But it isn’t really magic, it’s just some kind of thing some of my family can do. It’s like being able to manipulate molecules or something. I don’t know, it’s hard to explain. I just thought Granny M was weird. I hadn’t seen her in years. My dad wasn’t exactly nice to her when she’d visit. I guess she stopped coming around because he was being a jerk.”
“Sunshine, are you trying to tell me that you are now some kind of witch in a twitch your nose and I’m a frog, kind of witch?” Brian’s voice wobbled slightly, but he remained calm.
“Sort of.” Justin admitted. “Hey, we’re almost home.” He leaned toward Brian, keeping his eyes on the road. “I’d never turn you into a frog. There’s some kind of rule that I can’t do anything to physically or mentally harm a living being. You definitely qualify.”
“That’s a relief.” Brian sighed. “So it’s just parlor tricks.”
“Oh, I wouldn’t go so far as to say that.” Justin smiled. “I mean I might want to turn Mikey into a reptile of some kind, which is of course a no no. But I could do other things that would give him something to think about.”
“Don’t even go there.” Brian warned. He watched as Justin turned into a driveway blocked by a large intricately carved iron gate. The gate opened as they approached, allowing them to drive through. The house was beautiful. “This doesn’t look like the scary house you described.”
“Oh, I fixed that. I’m not so much for the haunted house look. This is a lot better. My mom liked the other look, because it kept people away. But if we live here for a year, we need it to be elegant, like you Brian.” He batted his eyelashes.
“Flattery will get you nowhere, Twat.” Brian mumbled, but he did have to agree. He couldn’t live in a dump, no matter how great it looked inside.
“Hey Justin, how come you’re telling us this stuff? Isn’t it supposed to be a secret? I mean, what if we tell? Daphne hit him on the back of the head.
“For one thing, you can’t tell anyone. And for another Granny M said that it’s nice if you have a friend who you can talk to about stuff that you can do and kind of run things by. It keeps you from getting too full of yourself. And it’s okay to tell your husband. That’s you Brian.”
“I must have forgotten that memo as well.” Brian muttered. “Last I heard we weren’t married.”
“We are married in our hearts.” Justin stopped the car and turned in the seat to Brian. “I think we are.”
Brian, unable to resist Justin’s questioning blue eyes, touched his forehead to Justin’s, “We are.” He whispered, making both Justin’s and Daphne’s hearts melt at his breathy words. A quick kiss and a soft smile completed, Daphne and Justin sighed with pleasure and Brian shook his head, a tongue in cheek grin held firmly in place.
“Okay.” Justin pulled away. Maybe bringing Daphne hadn’t been a good idea, if they’d been alone he could have given Brian aan quick blow job, thus ensuring he’d remain mellow for at least a few minutes. “Time to show you our new home.”
“Don’t get ahead of yourself Sunshine.” Brian cautioned, but he did get out of the car, making sure to open Daphne’s door for her. He was always a gentleman, something Daphne appreciated in the land of fags who barely noticed her existence. He stood for a moment stretching and looking around. He took in the impressive iron gates and the high stonewall that appeared to surround the property. From what he could tell of the gardens, they were impressive, though it was hardly the time of year to make an accurate assessment.
“Come on Brian.” Justin ran up the wide stone steps to stop at double doors lacquered black, a gold lion head knocker in the center of each. “Everybody is waiting. I wanted you there for my party. You too, Daphne.”
“Can’t wait.” Brian drawled. He took the stairs two at a time to stand beside Justin. “Family gatherings are my favorite, didn’t you know that Sunshine?” He put his hand on the back of Justin’s neck and pulled him close for a quick kiss.
“I can call Mikey and the gang if you want more people here?” Daphne said with a giggle.
“That’s okay.” Justin pretended to shudder as he pulled open the door. “Hey Mom, Granny M, we’re here.” They were standing inside a sleek and sophisticated foyer, gone was the former wood paneling and carved ceilings, replaced now with Venetian plaster and marble.
“Justin dear, there’s no need to shout. We knew you’d arrived. Hello Brian.” She leaned up and kissed his cheek. “Let me introduce you to my mother and her best friend Celia. We’ve all come to call them Granny M and Nanna because of the children. And of course my uncle Raine, my mother’s brother.”
Brian looked at an older version of Jennifer who stood arm and arm with a short, dark woman with a mane of dark curls. “Ladies,” he bowed, kissing first one and then the other’s hand causing them both to flush and giggle. He looked over at Justin’s grand uncle, “Raine.” Brian held out his hand to shake, only to find himself enveloped in a hug from a man so tall and broad, he made Brian feel as short as Justin.
“Let’s all retire to the main sitting room. We have a lovely lunch or I suppose it could be breakfast, after all it is morning. And Justin went to such a lot of trouble to make sure it was decorated to suit your taste Brian.”
Justin flushed, he hadn’t been ready to spring that fact on his lover just yet. “It was kind of old fashioned.” He mumbled as they walked into the large room furnished with chrome and white leather, Italian furniture and art deco design. “It didn’t look like you.”
“This is how you see me?” Brian asked, looking around.
“No, but I see you in rooms like this one. Besides, I can change anything you don’t like.” With a wave of his hand, a hard back chair was an exact replica of a certain chaise where they’d spent long hours having sex or just holding one another.
“Hey cool.” Daphne said as she reached for a sandwich.
“Sunshine, will you stop with the tricks please.” Brian sat down on the chaise. “It feels the same.” He ran his hand over the leather. Suddenly the legs turned to mush and he found himself on the floor. “What the fuck?”
“Oops, sorry, I need a bit more practice. Be careful where you sit.” Justin said to Daphne.