By the Beautiful Sea

All was quiet in the loft with the two inhabitants comfortably ensconced in front of their fake fireplace. Not a word had been spoken in the half hour since they had placed themselves there. It looked like a peaceful pleasant evening was ahead. Then Brian spoke two words.

"Atlantic City," he said.

"Atlantic City?" Justin echoed "Like in New Jersey? That Atlantic City?"

"You get an 'A' in geography, Sunshine," Brian confirmed. "Just like in New Jersey. By the beautiful sea. Wanna go?"

"Atlantic City?" Justin repeated slowly.

"You get an 'A' in hearing too, Baby," Brian said. "That's what I said. I also said 'Wanna go?"

"You're asking me if I want to go to Atlantic City?" Justin seemed to have some problem speaking.

"Geez, you're quick on the draw too, Kiddo," Brian laughed. "I ask you three times and you finally seem to get it. I'm asking if you want to go to Atlantic City."

"Sorry, Brian," Justin apologized unapologetically. "There are a lot of things you could say that would surprise me, and that's one of them. Even a mind as sharp as mine takes a while to process that."

"What's the matter with a week-end in Atlantic City? Don't you think we could have some fun there?" Brian wondered. "Or are you worried that the sharks might get you - or me, considering you're the big swimming champion."

"Well I'm not worried about the sharks in the ocean," Justin stated confidently. "I could scare them off. No old shark is going to bite into my guy. My guy's mine. I'm not sure about the sharks at the casinos, though. But I bet I could scare them off too if I had to."

"Do you want to go is really the question I asked you," Brian reminded him.

"If you want to go, Honey," Justin smiled, "Then I want to go too. But you already knew that as well as I do. What I don't know is why you want to go. Atlantic City is so not Brian Kinney. There is a story here that I don't know and I guess you're going to tell me - right now, I bet."

"Well it does so happen that there is a little bit of a background story," Brian laughed, "And I guess I don't have much choice about telling you so listen up. I didn't know this but Mikey has been in contact with his dad. Mikey got this letter yesterday from him. He's playing some club in Atlantic City this week-end and he wants Mikey to come down. So he and Ben are going. Ben is as surprised as me about it. He didn't know Mikey was in contact with his father either. Mikey's kind of nervous about meeting the old man and he wants me - or actually us - to go along. You'll be doing Mikey a favor by going. And that's the story. So do we go?"

"Of course, we go," Justin replied. "You want to go and I'm glad to tag along as moral support. Mikey will be so glad to have you with him. Are Hunter and Malcolm going too?"

"No," Brian answered. "Mikey asked them but they said they couldn't get away."

"That seems funny to me," Justin wondered. "Seems to me they'd want to go to Atlantic City more than any of us."

"Maybe this time I get to tell know-it-all Taylor something," Brian chortled. "I think they want to stay here to get some time without Mikey watching their every move."

"But they won't do anything different than if he was here," Justin reasoned.

"Would you want Father Michael watching your every move and checking on you all the time?" Brian wanted to know.

"I guess I wouldn't," It was Justin's turn to chortle. "He never did that with me. I figure he always trusted me. But I guess you're speaking from experience."

"You are still a brat, my little Twink," Brian told him, "But I guess I'm glad you are my little Twink."

"Suits me," Justin responded and silence returned to the loft. Apparently the issue of Atlantic City was settled.

Finally, Brian broke the silence. "You are a brat," he told the kid. "A genuine first-class brat."

"I thought we established that already," Justin yawned.

"You weren't surprised at all about Mikey's father, Twink. You knew all the time that Mikey was in contact with his dad, didn't you?" Brian accused him. "And I'll bet you knew about Atlantic City too. It's probably you Mikey wants to be with him and not me. Can you deny that?"

"Well," Justin responded, looking innocent, "I can deny a lot of it. I did not know about Atlantic City, and I'm sure it's you that Mikey needs and not me. I don't know why you always think the worst of me anyhow?"

"Oh I can't imagine why I always think the worst of you, Baby," Brian laughed. "Except that I'm usually right when I do. So you did know that Mike was corresponding with his father?"

"Yeah," Justin admitted. "We did talk about it a couple of times. He asked me what I thought and I told him I thought he should maintain the contact. I told him that both of us missed a relationship with our fathers in some ways, and that we regretted it. He had no relationship with his father - ever - and this was his chance."

"You told him I missed a relationship with my father?" Brian objected. "I don't think so."

"I think that needs to be a separate argument, Bri," Justin told him.

"OK," Brian agreed. "I'm afraid I'll lose that one and I stand a good chance of winning this one. Why did Mikey talk to you and not to me about his father, or don't I want to know?"

"He thought you'd tell him he was pathetic," Justin responded.

"I probably would have," Brian laughed. "I guess Mikey knows what he's doing all right. And I guess I'm losing this argument too."

"Not at all, Honey," Justin told him. "You're the clear winner."

"Maybe I am," Brian allowed. "But not of the argument." Brian squeezed the kid a little harder and Justin rubbed his head against Brian's cheek. Silence took over once again.

"Baby," Brian eventually said to Justin. "Everybody in the world comes to you for advice when they have problems, and you always help them out. Who do you go to when you have problems?"

"That's really a dumb question, Brian," Justin nuzzled him. "I always come right to you. You always help me as much as I ever help anybody else. And you never tell me I'm pathetic."

"Maybe because you're never pathetic?" Brian suggested.

"Yeah, I'm pathetic sometimes," Justin informed him. "But you never seem to notice."

"Wonder why?" Brian wondered.

"I don't have a clue, " Justin lied.

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