Happy St. Paddy’s Day – Not!
 

 



“Evening, Mr. Kinney,” the new bartender at Babylon said as Brian approached the bar. “Happy St. Patrick’s Day.”

“There’s nothing happy about it,” Brian contradicted. He detested the ridiculous semi-holiday that St. Patrick’s Day had become.

“Can I get you a green beer?” Matt asked cheerfully.

“Fuck no!”

“Um, sorry, I thought you being Irish you’d like some.”

“Green beer is an abomination.”

“It is?” Matt asked not at all sure what his boss was getting at. He had been serving green beer all evening. All the denizens of Babylon seemed to like it. He couldn’t believe the man who owned the club would have such a reaction.

“You should know that Mr. Kinney is so anti green beer that it puts even us beer purists to shame,” Emmett said as he swished up to the bar.

“When were you ever pure about anything?” Brian snarked.

“No need to be nasty,” Emmett retorted making a face.

“Would you like a green beer?” Brian asked his friend by way of conciliation.

“God no! But I’ll have a cosmo if you’re buying.”

“A cosmo and a scotch,” Brian told the bartender.

“So, what are you up to on this fine St. Paddy’s Day?” Emmett asked as he waited for his drink.

“I’m stuck here with you,” Brian replied ungraciously.

Emmett chuckled. “You could do worse.”

“And I could do better.”

“Our boy’s still in New York?”

“Yes, my boy’s still in New York,” Brian stated.

“So that’s the source of your grumpiness,” Emmett surmised.

“I’m not grumpy!”

Emmett made a wave of his hand to indicate that he was right, but he was not willing to argue about it.

“A cosmo for you and a scotch for the boss,” Matt said as he set the drinks in front of them.

“Thanks,” Emmett said as he took a sip of his drink.

Brian tossed his drink back. “Give me a double this time.”

Matt nodded and moved away to get Brian another drink.

“Did you have corned beef and cabbage for lunch?” Emmett asked with a wicked grin on his face.

“No, why would I have that fucking slop?”

Heaving a sigh, Emmett replied, “I could give you the usual reason since it is St. Patrick’s Day and every restaurant in the city is serving it, but I was thinking more about the pinched look on your face. I thought maybe the cabbage had given you gas.”

Brian snarled, “Not bloody likely.” He took a sip of the scotch Matt set in front of him. “Justin was supposed to come home today, but there was some meeting in New York about a possible new show of his art. He said he had to go to it.”

“Aah,” Emmett replied.

Brian frowned. “I’m done here.” Brian finished the liquor in his glass and turned to leave.

“Brian, he would be here if he could,” Emmett said gently as he touched Brian’s arm to stop him from leaving. He stared into Brian’s eyes.

“Yeah, right.”

“And here I am!” a voice said from behind Brian.

Brian turned slowly and saw the sunshine smile he had grown to love. “How…?”

“It’s called a later flight,” Justin said with a big grin.

“I thought you expected the meeting to run really late,” Brian said.

“I did, but I agreed to everything, and it was over like that.” Justin snapped his fingers.

“You better not have signed your life away.”

“I was trained by the master. I got a great deal,” Justin assured him.

“Then let’s get the fuck out of here,” Brian replied letting a big smile spread across his face.

“I want a green beer before we go,” Justin said. “I’ve been thinking about it all day.”

“Instead of concentrating on getting the best deal for your show?” Brian asked with a scowl.

“I told you. That’s all taken care of.”

“Two green beers,” Emmett told Matt.

“I thought you hated green beer,” Brian noted with a glare at Emmett. He wanted to get Justin home and do what they do so well. Fuck green beer.

“I do, but I like Justin more than I hate green beer,” Emmett stated. “I want to toast our boy wonder.”

“Make it three green beers,” Brian said as his arm wrapped itself across Justin’s shoulders.

Emmett and Justin both smiled their approval as Matt got their very green drinks.
 

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