Alien 3.1

Dec. 10th, 2003 04:10 pm
josselin: (Default)
[personal profile] josselin
Remember the warnings, please.



Alien 3.1
by Josselin Kohl

The psychiatrists anticipate that it will be difficult to move Justin from the loft to the psychiatric facility, and they arrive prepared with burly men in white coats and all sorts of restraining devices. But in the end, all it takes is Brian standing near the loft door, holding out his hand and calling, “Justin, it’s time to go.” And Justin comes over and takes his hand, giving Brian a wide grin even, and follows him down to the ambulance, glancing around himself and humming a little bit the way Gus does in the park.

When they get there, Justin moves to get out of the back agreeably enough, but Brian stops him by tugging on the hand he’s still holding. He pulls Justin back, and uses his other hand to cup Justin’s cheek, looking into guileless eyes. He leans in close and presses his lips chastely to Justin’s cheek as a last goodbye. Betrayal with a kiss.

Once inside the facility, Justin’s eyes begin to flicker around the facility skeptically—he doesn’t like it, or he’s starting to pick up on the tension surrounding Brian and his mother. They are led to Justin’s new room, which has sterile white bedding and disgusting mint green walls. Justin has a private room in the best facility in the state, because Brian looked everything up, and when Jennifer protested that she wasn’t sure if Craig’s insurance would cover it, Brian insisted that he’d pay the difference.

Neither Jennifer nor Brian know quite what to say—one of the nurses is giving them a little spiel about the facilities, but Brian’s attention is still on Justin, who everyone seems to be pretending doesn’t exist.

The real trauma begins when one of the orderlies takes away Justin’s colander. Justin shouts a protest, and reaches for it, the orderly holding it away and above his head, and Justin jumps for it like a little kid, screaming.

“Jesus Christ,” Brian swears. “What are you doing? Give him the fucking colander.”

“It’s regulations,” the orderly says, still holding the colander up above his head. “Violent patients aren’t allowed to have anything metal.”

“Besides,” the nurse chimes in, “it’s not good to encourage delusional behavior. Patients have the best prognosis when their delusions are countered with rational explanations.”

“Well start fucking explaining,” Brian barks, gesturing towards Justin, who has now collapsed on the floor, wracked with sobs. “You’re fucking torturing him.”

The nurse dismisses Justin with a glance. “He wouldn’t listen right now. Don’t bother indulging this kind of tantrum.”

Brian swears again, and leaves, slamming out the doors and finally finding himself out in front of the facility, leaning his palms against Jennifer’s sedan and swearing. He gets out a cigarette, blatantly ignoring the “No smoking on the premises,” signs.

Jennifer eventually emerges from building as well. “They said we can come back during visiting hours, if we want,” she says tentatively, but Brian doesn’t respond, he’s staring off into the sky.

Jennifer waits for a moment, then gets her keys out of her purse and beeps the doors of her car unlocked. “Where would you like me to drop you off?” She asks Brian.

He doesn’t say anything, but after she gets into the car, he opens the passenger door and slides into the seat. Jennifer looks over, and she can just make out a tear sliding down his cheek. “My office,” Brian says finally, and his voice is remarkably steady.

Jennifer backs the car out of the lot and starts to head downtown. “Brian, if you need any help with any of his things or anything—“

“I’ll be fine,” Brian interrupts, still staring resolutely out the window.

Jennifer nods, gripping the steering wheel tightly. “All right.”

TO BE CONTINUED

Date: 2003-12-10 04:18 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] rikkrp.livejournal.com
oh, oh, oh, poordelusionalsanscolander!Justin.

::weeps::
From: [identity profile] viola69.livejournal.com
Ohh, this is just so incredibly painful and good, and Poor Brian! and Justin!! ack! Give him back his colander!!! *wracked anew with sobs*

Date: 2003-12-10 04:23 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] altricial.livejournal.com
:( *gives Justin a colander*

Date: 2003-12-10 04:23 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] twnthcenturyboy.livejournal.com
This is so incredibly good and heartwrenching and I can't stop reading it even though it makes me teary eyed. :c

*thumbs up*

Date: 2003-12-10 05:02 pm (UTC)
From: (Anonymous)
You are breaking my heart here.

...

I will never be able to look at a colander or dishwasher the same way again.

...

Wow. Those two statements look so strange together. It is like the story. If you look at it one way, it is scary and heartbreaking. The other way - you think, aliens? In the dishwasher (or controlling the dishwasher)? Justin giving birth to an alien baby? :O!. Except, my mind is still screaming, "Give Justin back his colander, you sadistic mental people!!!" and the thing with the knife freaked me out completely. So pleasegowritemorenow?

Date: 2003-12-10 06:03 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] josselin.livejournal.com
It is odd. Part of the reason I wanted to write this fic is because someday, on some list, I want to see someone write in and be like, 'Once I read a fic where Brian attacked his dishwasher and Justin tried to eviscerate himself in the kitchen. It was really good."

Or something like that. And really, the mental image of the two of them wearing colanders is priceless. Thanks for commenting. :)

Date: 2003-12-10 05:22 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] phluphee.livejournal.com
you need to make justin/colander icons.

Date: 2003-12-10 05:41 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] valerie-z.livejournal.com
Last night in bed I was recapping QAF fic for my husband, as I often do (and remarkably he never kills me in my sleep), and I told him all about this fic. He pointed out that it was interesting that the kitchenware Justin wears on his head is the type that can't be put into the dishwasher.

I am so relieved that there was no murder/suicide.

Date: 2003-12-10 06:00 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] josselin.livejournal.com
I put colanders in the dishwasher. Is this wrong?

Date: 2003-12-10 06:41 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] rikkrp.livejournal.com
not in my book. cuz i do that too.

Date: 2003-12-10 07:01 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] valerie-z.livejournal.com
I'm probably just confused because my colander is plastic. Also, I don't have a dishwasher. Also, I might be confused as to the exact definition of "colander".

But the pot he had Brian wear, that couldn't go in a dishwasher, right? So insane!Justin, terrified of the dishwasher, is finding comfort in things which are not dishwasher-safe. Next he'll be cuddling tupperware.

I'm just trying to think happy thoughts about Justin and tupperware because this fic is making me cry.

Date: 2003-12-10 08:15 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] wrenlet.livejournal.com
I'm obviously a dishwasher heathen, 'cause man, unless it says "I WILL MELT IF YOU PUT ME IN THERE" on it, in it goes. Colanders. Pots. Tupperware. Everything.

That said. Am still enamoured of He-Man!Brian, Making Kitchens Safe for Twinks Everywhere. Possibly because I imagine his biceps rippling as he smashes the fucker.

The level of my disturbance just goes without saying by now.

Date: 2003-12-11 01:44 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] soundczech.livejournal.com
I probably wouldn't buy something that said that, and if I did I'd put it in the dishwasher anyway. I can't live without my dishwasher.

Date: 2003-12-10 05:44 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] sparkledark.livejournal.com
God, I am seriously crying. You made me cry. Only Wrenlet has managed that before. You are the evilist!! Give him back his freaking colander!!!!!!!

Date: 2003-12-10 11:23 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] josselin.livejournal.com
Oh wow. I'm like, sorry I made you cry, but also rather proud of my evilness.

Date: 2003-12-10 05:53 pm (UTC)
ext_15888: (Default)
From: [identity profile] miss-lurker.livejournal.com
I having bad thoughts about the institution. Too much 60 minutes has made me paranoid. They better not do anything bad to Justin. =(

Date: 2003-12-10 10:29 pm (UTC)
From: (Anonymous)

::sniff:: M-maybe Brian can get Justin a plastic colander that he can give to him when he goes to visit him. They said no metal, but plastic is ok, right? ::sniff:: Poor Justin. Maybe they both would have been better off if Brian had used the gun. I share other people's bad feelings about the institution, best in the state or not.

:-)
-Tina

Date: 2003-12-10 10:47 pm (UTC)
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