One on the House

Kip Thomas leaned against the bar, to scan the prospects that had gathered at Babylon to celebrate the end of the workweek. It had been a long time since he visited the popular dance club, and as usual the Friday night crowd was a hot one. The last time Kip was there things had gotten a bit too hot when he ran into Brian Kinney in Babylon’s infamous backroom. There Ryder Advertising’s senior partner had made it jaggedly clear that Kip’s brief encounter sprawled across Brian’s desk was a one time only deal, with no corporate strings attached. Insulted that his best efforts had been shunned, the revengeful young executive filed a sexual harassment law suit against his former employer naming Brian Kinney as the offender. The plan backfired miserably when an anonymous, underage, blonde twink came to Brian’s rescue. “Good crowd tonight.” The bartender made light conversation with the stranger at his station. “Yeah.” Kip continued to scan the dance floor. Amidst the sea of revelers his eyes came to rest on two familiar faces locked in an embrace, and swaying on the dance floor. “That’s the royal couple” the bartender said. “What?” “Brian Kinney, and his boy Justin Taylor. We call them the royal couple of Babylon.” The bartender clarified himself. “Why do you call them that?” Kip asked. “Look at them!” The bartender chuckled, as he mixed another drink. “What about them?” “They’re crazy about each other.” “Bullshit. The only thing Brian Kinney is crazy about is his dick.” Kip downed the last of his drink. “Hit me again.” The bartender retrieved a bottle of bourbon from the shelf, and refilled Kip’s glass. “I majored in anthropology in college.” he said. “We learned that you can tell a lot about a couple by the way they kiss. I’ve noticed it here at Babylon as well. For example, a kiss on the cheek means let’s be friends, while a kiss on the hand means everything is already over. Check out the royal couple. Did you see that kiss on the mouth? That means I love you.” “Guys are always kissing each other on the mouth in the backroom. It doesn‘t mean anything.” Kip scowled. “Not necessarily.” The bartender said. “At that moment, however brief the encounter may be it is a show of affection, love if you will.” Kip looked on as Brian’s lips caressed the side of Justin’s neck. “That means I want you.” The bartender continued to school his patron. Justin closed his eyes, and slowly rolled his head from side to side, as he accepted more kisses on his neck, his throat, his ears. The bartender smiled. “A kiss on the ear means I can’t live without you.” he said. “Hit me again.” An increasingly wrathful Kip slammed his empty glass on the bar. Justin pulled his lover tighter into his embrace, and kissed Brian’s hair just above his ears. “Now Justin is telling Brian that he wants more.” The bartender poured Kip another drink. “Those kisses don’t mean shit.” Kip snorted. “They’re just a couple of horny fuck buddies.” “Wait a second. Here comes the clincher.” The bartender said. Kip, and the bartender watched as Brian cupped Justin’s face in his hands, and kissed him in the middle of his forehead. He then whispered something in Justin’s ear, and the two of them began heading back toward the bar. “Did you see that kiss on the forehead? That means I’m faithful to you.” The bartender said. The lovers didn’t notice their old nemesis as they walked up to the bar. Brian quickly finished his idle drink, and placed a twenty dollar bill on the counter. “Brian Kinney.” Kip made himself known. Brian turned to the vaguely familiar voice. “Why hello Kip Thomas.” He smiled sardonically, then lifted Kip’s hand to his lips for a princely kiss. “Why hello Kip Thomas.” Justin smiled in kind, then leaned over and gave his former trick a light peck on the cheek. Brian plopped another five on top of the twenty, and pushed it over to the bartender. “His next drink is on me. You keep the change. Let’s go baby.” He said to Justin, and whisked him away. The suddenly at-a-loss for words bartender poured Kip a double bourbon, and sat it on top of Brian’s five dollar bill. He cautiously eased the money, and the drink over to his red faced customer. “This one’s on the house.” he said.

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