Something Different

The fireplace was lit even though the late summer sunlight was still pouring through the windows into the loft. Brian and Justin were cuddled together watching their fake fire. It was a cozy situation. Probably too good to last.

"Hey, Brian," Justin broke the silence to announce. "We won't be going to Mel and Linz' place this Labor Day."

"OK," Brian responded. "But I see you're making decisions for us now without even pretending to see what I think. You used to act like I had some kind of say in the matter but I suppose we've been together long enough now that you don't need to bother. I guess I should have expected it."

"Dammit, Brian," Justin scowled, breaking up the cuddle and folding his arms. "You know that's not true at all and I am not happy that you'd even think that. So if you want to go to Mel and Linz' for Labor Day, that is just what we'll do. I think I should warn you though that we'll be only ones there."

"And what would be so bad about that?" Brian grinned.

"Nothing at all," Justin laughed, reestablishing the cuddle. "It is really hard to stay mad at you, you know."

"But I bet you'll practice till you're real good at it," Brian laughed back at him. "And that's OK with me too."

"Cut it out, Bri," Justin cuddled a little closer. "Anytime you want me to get mad at you, just tell me, and I'll try my best."

"So I do get to make some of the decisions then," Brian concluded.

"Except that I've already been mad at you once tonight and that's enough," Justin was still smiling, "So you can save that crap for another night."

"Whatever you say," Brian agreed.

"Can I tell you what the Labor Day plans are," Justin continued, "Subject of course to your 'veto' since you're the big boss around here?"

"Oh yeah," Brian replied, "As if I had a choice."

Justin decided to continue. "Since Mikey and Ben have the house now, they wanted to have the garden party in their back yard this year." He told Brian, "The gang thought that it would be enough for Ben and Mikey to do the holiday decorations and others would do the food preparation. Vic and Emmett are doing part of it, and if Your Highness decides that we can go, we are to do some of the cooking too. Honey, it's not definite. If there's something else you have planned to do or want to do, that's what we'll do."

"Baby, if you want to go," Brian squeezed the kid, "Then that's what I want to do too. You know that as well as I do. But you also know you can't count on me for much help with the cooking. That just ain't my strong point."

"OK then," Justin seemed satisfied. "We'll go and we'll get the food prepared too."

"If you can do that without help," Brian repeated.

"Honey, I will have some help," Justin informed him. "Didn't I tell you that your mother is going to come over and help with the preparation?"

It was Brian's turn to break the cuddle, and fold his arms. "No, you didn't tell me and 'No' you didn't forget either." Brian groused. "You are guilty of deliberate obfuscation, Twink."

Justin tried with some success to reestablish the cuddle. "Well I didn't really mean to be an obfuscator. Are you mad at me, Honey?" He asked.

"Nah," Brian assured him. "That doesn't really work. But why would my mother be coming over here to help with the food preparation when she won't be at the party?"

"Maybe because she's a nice lady and she wants to help," Justin began.

"And maybe because she is going to be at the party," Brian finished for him. "Right?"

"Well you didn't want her to be alone on Labor Day," Justin pointed out. "Debbie said to bring her. Clare and the kids will be out of town."

"Or else they would have been invited too," Brian surmised.

"Cut it out, Bri," Justin demanded. "You're not mad at all. I wouldn't be surprised if you were happy about the whole thing. But you'd never say so. That would be something really different. Brian Kinney actually liking something."

"I do like it," Brian told him.

"You do like it," Justin mumbled. "You like it and you're admitting it."

"Yep," Brian affirmed.

"What's the catch, Kinney?" Justin demanded. "Trying to give me a heart attack?"

"Just deciding that if you're not going to be an obfuscator, I shouldn't be either," Brian responded. "I'm really happy about what you've done for me and my mother and even Clare and the kids. I almost wish you would have had a shot at my father. Not that I think you could have ever done anything with him."

"You weren't an easy job yourself, Mr. K," Justin smiled archly.

"I don't think you could have got my dad to fall in love with you like you did me," Brian observed, "Not that I'm complaining, Baby. I'm not complaining at all."

"Guess not," Justin allowed, "But I would have tried something different with your dad. Different strokes for different folks."

"I don't think I'd want to bet against you," Brian admitted. And the guys lapsed into silence for a while.

Justin broke the silence eventually. "I'm glad we're doing what we're doing on Labor Day this year, Bri. We'll have a good time," He told the big guy, "But remember when we went to New York last Labor Day. I had a really good time. I'll miss that this year but we should do that again soon."

"What about the weekend after Labor Day?" Brian suggested. "We could have the same room and do the same things except maybe see a different show."

"Sounds great, Bri," Justin told him, "But it's a little late to make all the arrangements now. I want everything to be exactly the way we want it. I'd rather wait. I don't want anything different."

"There won't be anything different, Baby," Brian informed him. "I made all the arrangements last month. I figured we'd be doing something with the gang this Labor Day so I just scheduled it for a week later."

"I love you, Brian," Justin told him. "You are the greatest guy in the world and I am the luckiest. I can't believe how great you are. I'm never going to get mad at you again."

"Well, that will be something different," Brian laughed. "By the way, did I tell you your mother will be coming with us to New York?"

Justin was laughing too. "You're funny, Brian," Justin told him. "At least you better be."

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