Prodigy

The guys had just settled themselves in front of the fireplace. Brian had his arm around Justin and a smile on his face. He was waiting for Justin to say something. He didn't have to wait long.

"Brian, there's something I want to tell you," Justin opened up.

"I know that, Baby," Brian told him, "I can always tell when you have something to tell me. I know you pretty well."

"You know how my mind works?" Justin queried.

"Oh no," Brian answered. "I don't know how you're mind works. I don't think anybody knows how your mind works, and I don't think you know how your mind works either. There may even be a question as to whether your mind works at all."

"Well I know how your mind works," Justin countered. "It's on a constant search for things to pick on me about. Well let me tell you, Brian Kinney, even though I love you a lot, you are sometimes hard to tell anything to, and don't look so surprised either. Actually you are always hard to tell anything to."

"I'll settle for you loving me a lot," Brian laughed. "And to prove that I'm not hard to tell things to, I'll help you out. Since you spent the whole day taking care of Gus, I'm guessing it's about him, n'est-ce pas?"

Justin laughed back. "You can forget your high-falutin' French too, Bri," He said, "But you're right, it is about Gus."

"Did he set some new record at the playground?" Brian guessed further.

"If you let me, I'll tell you," Justin replied. "It's something that you have to know, so you're just going to have to listen to me whether you like it or not."

"Doesn't sound very different to me from how it always is," Brian retorted.

"OK, Kinney," Justin gave up, "I'm going to call Ethan and have him tell you. I wanted him to tell you in the first place but he said I should do it. And get that grin off your face, Bri. This is not about me and Ethan. It's about Gus and Ethan."

"Actually, you've got my interest," Brian announced. "Please continue."

Justin had a wise remark he could have made but in the interest of getting his story told, he decided to forego it. "We didn't spend the whole day at the playground, Bri," Justin began. "Gus got bored after about an hour and we went looking for other things to do. We ended up stopping at Tom and Ethan's."

"Bet Gus had a lot of fun there," Brian interjected.

"He did, Brian," Justin ignored the pretended sarcasm. "Bet you don't know what Gus' favorite song is, Daddy?"

"Three Blind Mice," Brian told him.

"I didn't think you'd know that," Justin reacted with surprise.

"He's my son too," Brian responded. "I think you and Mel and Linz sometimes think you're his only parents. Well you're not. I am a caring and doting father. Maybe not as caring and doting as you three, but I'm Brian Kinney, remember?"

"I never forget that," Justin smiled at him and tousled his hair. "I don't ever want to forget that. Not that you wouldn't remind me if I did. Is it OK if I continue?"

"Nobody stopping you," Brian pointed out.

"Well Gus sat down at Tom's piano. You know how kids do," Justin continued. "He just hammered a bit at the keys. It may have been the first time he ever saw a piano, Bri. Well in about three minutes, he was picking out 'Three Blind Mice' with no trouble at all."

"I'm impressed," Brian told him, "I really like 'Three Blind Mice' too,"

"I'm going to ignore you, Bri. That's the only way to get this story finished," Justin announced. "Anyhow, Tom sat down at the piano and played 'Twinkle Twinkle Little Star', and Gus played it right after him. We have a musical prodigy in the family, Brian. "What do you think of that?"

"And where would that come from?" Brian wanted to know. "I'm practically tone deaf, and Linz is even worse than I am."

"You are not tone deaf, Bri," Justin responded, "Maybe a bit musically challenged but not tone deaf. You like music, Bri. You've always liked music."

"Well, you play the piano, Baby," Brian suggested, "So maybe he got it from you."

"And Melanie plays the violin," Justin laughed, "But if Gus got his talent from us, Darwin will have to rethink evolution."

"Melanie plays the violin?" Brian seemed surprised. "I've known her for ten years and I didn't know she played the violin. And you did."

"I guess they figured it would just be another thing for you to pick on Melanie about," Justin laughed, "And maybe they decided what you didn't know wouldn't hurt them."

"I never picked on Melanie," Brian claimed.

"Of course not," Justin had to laugh, "And you never pick on me either, B. K."

"Brian let that slide. "I guess we'll have to buy Gus a little piano," Brian decided, "With little keys for his little fingers."

"That's not how it's done, Bri," Justin answered. "Tom and Ethan said he should have full-size keys but they thought an electronic keyboard would work."

"OK," Brian seemed enthused, "I'm glad you told me about this first. Let's go get one."

When Justin did not answer immediately, Brian figured it out. "I'm not the first one you told, am I?" he accused the kid. "Melanie and Linz are already out buying the keyboard, aren't they?"

"Well I had to take Gus home, didn't I?" Justin defended himself. "And Ethan went with me. Yeah, they're getting the keyboard, and they're also checking out the lady Tom suggested for a teacher."

"No doubt they'll come to me when it comes time to pay the teacher," Brian pretended to grouse.

"All of which shows how important you are in this whole process," Justin reminded him. "You're not mad at me, are you, Bri?"

"You know I love you a lot," Brian told him, "But yeah, I am mad at you. You should have told me first."

"I'll settle for you loving me a lot, Bri," Justin said, as he cuddled closer to Brian.

It was a while before the conversation continued. "There's just a little bit more about Gus, Bri," Justin said. "Ethan thinks he should try violin lessons too. You know, that Suzuki method where they start kids out real young."

"I thought Suzuki was a Japanese car," Brian responded.

"Honey," Justin laughed, "If you don't handle their advertising, you don't seem to have a clue about who does what. We didn't tell Mel and Linz about the violin stuff because there was a time when you were dead set against violin music and I wanted to run it by you first."

"It's good to know you are still afraid of me," Brian chortled, "So what are we supposed to do.'

"Of course I'm afraid of Mighty Brian Kinney," Justin chortled back. "Everybody is. We're supposed to check out this Suzuki teacher. But you're right, Bri. Gus will need a miniature violin."

"I'm glad I thought of that," Brian smiled. "And I guess I'll get to pay for the miniature violin too?"

"Of course, Honey," Justin told him. "You'll be in complete charge of Gus' musical education, right up till we go to see him at Carnegie Hall."

Brian was happy. He was glad to be in charge and make all the decisions.

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