Seating Arrangements

It was August and it was hot in Pittsburgh. Brian had lit the fireplace and was sitting in front of it alone while Justin dawdled in the kitchen.

"Get in here, Sunshine," Brian called out. "There is a reserved seat for you right here on the floor next to the biggest stud on Liberty Avenue. If you don't come in here and fill it, maybe somebody else will."

"I better hurry then," Justin called back. "I want to see who the biggest stud on Liberty Avenue is." Justin came in and plopped himself on the floor next to Brian. "Hi Brian," he said, "I was wondering who was in here in your reserved seat. But are you sure you want to sit in front of the fireplace tonight? Today is the hottest day this summer."

"Baby," Brian reasoned. "The loft is air-conditioned and the fireplace gives off no heat, so I don't see the problem."

"You want to tell me something, Brian," Justin responded. "That could be the problem. You want to tell me something and maybe I don't want to hear it because I'm already in such a good mood."

"Well maybe I want to ask you something," Brian told the kid. "Maybe that's all I want to do."

"So go ahead and ask," Justin surrendered. "Ruin my mood."

"I promise I won't ruin your mood," Brian assured him. "You know the Pirates are having a great big give-away night next Thursday with fireworks after the game. Did you buy tickets for that game and are you planning to 'surprise' me?"

"No and no," Justin told him.

"You don't want to go to the game?" Brian was a bit surprised.

"I didn't say that, " Justin clarified his position. "It's just that I'm trying to grow up and not be dragging you places you don't want to go to. So I'm going to skip the game. I'm not a kid anymore."

"Did I say I didn't want to go to the game?" Brian answered. "I do not recall saying I did not want to go to the game. Nor do I remember saying I didn't like you being a kid."

"Well you don't want to go to the game anyway," Justin insisted, "So I didn't get tickets and now they're all sold out so don't tell me that you want to go to the game cause that will really ruin my good mood."

"Well I do want to go to the game and I'm going to the game, I think, and so are you," Brian explained. "I'm throwing a little party for you at the ball park. I got Applegate's private luxury box for the night. Twelve seats. You pick who we invite to go."

"You're kidding?" Justin gulped. "Why are you having a party for me?"

"Maybe to celebrate you being in a good mood for a change," Brian said, "Or maybe because I love you."

"I like the second reason best," Justin decided. "Well, let's see who I'll pick to invite, Mikey and Ben, Hunter and Malcolm, Emmett and Ted, Ethan and Tom, Chuck,…."

"Whoa, Baby," Brian interrupted, "I was presuming that Brian Kinney would be invited."

"Of course, Brian Kinney will be invited," Justin gushed. "He can even sit next to me if he wants to."

"Well you're in charge of the seating arrangements, Kiddo," Brian stated. "So I'll sit wherever you put me."

"Wouldn't you be disappointed if I sat you somewhere else?" Justin replied, just a bit smugly.

"Well it might be fun to sit between Mikey and Ben, Brian suggested. "Ben knows a lot about baseball and Mikey and I can talk about the old days at Forbes Field."

"OK, Kinney," Justin countered. "You are as old as the hills but you're still too young to have been to Forbes Field. You went to Three Rivers Stadium just like I did. And you can't sit between Mikey and Ben because they love each other and so they'll want to sit together,"

"You're right, Baby," Brian allowed. "Mikey and Ben love each other more than any couple I can think of,"

"Brian Kinney - and I'd put your middle name in there too if it wouldn't make me laugh," Justin gritted his teeth, "You're the only person who could get those tickets and throw a party for somebody who loves you more than anything else in the world, and still ruin his good mood."

"So you're saying I'm pretty talented, eh?" Brian came back. "I guess I should thank you for the compliment."

"You win, Brian," Justin gave up. "But only because I love you too much to argue with you. And you will sit next to me at the game and with any luck, and of course with me there to protect you, you will not fall out of the box and down three tiers on top of some poor fans down there."

"It's your party," Brian assured him. "Whatever it takes for you to have fun. Don't I always do whatever it takes for you to have fun?"

"Cut it out, Bri," Justin smiled as he snuggled up to the biggest stud on Liberty Avenue (retired). So the discussion went on hiatus while the guys communicated in other ways.

"Brian," Justin broke the silence. "You are really so good to me. I am serious about growing up and not trying to con you into doing stuff just because I want to."

"Well that'll take some getting used to," Brian responded. "But you can try it and if I don't like it, I can tell you."

"Oh yeah," Justin agreed. "If you don't like it you can tell me. Don't you always?"

"It's going to be strange though," Brian posited, ignoring Justin's provocation, "Not wondering what surprise you have up your sleeve."

"Well maybe it would be a good idea to go through the change gradually," Justin suggested. "Like just maybe a few surprises every once in a while."

"Like the one you're planning to spring right now?" Brian asked him.

"It's not a surprise, Bri," Justin objected. "It's a suggestion. Only a suggestion and it's two weeks away so I'm just bringing up the subject. That's not a surprise."

"No, it's not a surprise," Brian agreed. "It really isn't."

"Well I thought we'd go to Kennywood for Gay and Lesbian Day like we did last year," Justin told him.

"I think we should," Brian immediately concurred. "And I also think we should take Gus up early and let him do Kiddieland and then meet Mel and Linz about 2:00, just like you already arranged it."

"How did you know that?" Justin choked. "Mel and Linz were the only ones who knew and they'd never tell you."

"Gus," Brian said. "Gus knew all the details. It's amazing what kids know about trips to amusement parks."

"Gee whiz," Justin sighed. "Another spy for Brian Kinney loose in the world. But it'll be fun, Brian. After Gus goes with Linz and Mel we can ride the coasters."

"I guess I'll have to sit with that nerdy kid who hangs on to me for dear life and pretends he isn't scared," Brian conjectured.

"That so-called nerdy kid is holding on to you for dear life, Mr. Kinney, only for your own protection," Justin announced, "Only to make sure you don't fall out. You need constant protection, in case you don't know it."

"Well I admit you're always there to protect me, whether I need it or not, or whether I want it or not. So that's why you're always hanging on to me. And that's the only reason, I suppose?" Brian did not really suppose.

"Well it's a reason," Justin smiled at him, "But maybe not the only reason. I wish you'd quit complaining."

"I wasn't complaining at all," Brian told him. "In fact, if you want to practice hanging on to me for dear life, now might be a good time."

Justin decided that was a very good idea. Brian wondered who was going to protect him. Justin read his thoughts. "Hire a bodyguard," he suggested. For reasons of his own, Brian ignored that advice.

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