GAY DIVORCE

The guys were just a little late settling down in front of their fake fireplace this particular evening. They had entertained guests at dinner and those visitors had just left. Mike and Ben had been there along with Emmett and Ted. The evening had gone very well, Brian thought, except for one thing. He figured he had to fix that, so he inaugurated the conversation in front of the flickering fire.

"OK," he said to the blond kid nestling up to him, "Go on and tell me what's bothering you and why."

"What makes you think there's something bothering me, Bri?" Justin responded semi-quizzically.

"Come off it, Baby," Brian told him. "I know you, and, as a matter of fact, I already know what's bothering you, and I also know why. But I want you to tell me so that I can tell you how crazy you are. So out with it."

"Brian, Jimmy and Bobby were really in love. They even went to Canada to get married, like Ben and Mikey did," Justin explained. "They were really in love - like we are - and now Emmett says they're going back to Canada to get a divorce."

"Well they have to go back to Canada if they want a divorce, Kiddo," Brian reasoned. "They have to go somewhere that recognizes that they're married if they expect to get a divorce. They can't get one here in Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania doesn't even think they're married."

"Cut it out, Brian," Justin insisted. "You know what I'm talking about. They were in love and now they're not. That's what's bothering me. How could that happen?"

"I thought Emmett explained that too," Brian reminded him. "There's this guy Ralph, that works with Bobby and somehow or other Bobby decided he wanted Ralph more than he wanted Jimmy. It happens all the time in the straight world and you're always telling me that we're pretty much like straights, so how come you're surprised?"

"But how could that happen, Brian?" Justin continued. "How could they be so in love and then end up getting a divorce?"

"Baby, in the straight world, about half the marriages end up in divorce," Brian reasoned. "If us gays want to get married, we're bound to have our divorces too. Maybe even half of the marriages, like the rest of the world. The only reason we haven't heard of very many gay divorces so far is that there aren't that many gay marriages yet. We just have to get used to the idea."

"But if it could happen to Jimmy and Bobby…." Justin responded.

"It could not happen to us, Baby," Brian interrupted. "It could not happen to us. We can't get a divorce. We're not married."

"Well that's not very comforting, Honey," Justin protested, "If the only sure way to avoid divorce is not to get married. Is that the only reason we're not getting a divorce?"

"Well it works for sure. No wedding, no divorce. But you know that's not the real reason we won't ever need a divorce. Baby. And you know what the real reason is. And you also know why we're not married, Taylor," Brian smiled at him. "And it's not because of me either. I've actually asked you a couple of times and you turned me down because you want to wait till it's legal everywhere, or at least here."

"Well you haven't asked me lately," Justin seemed to grouse.

"Do you want me to?" Brian asked him in return.

"I don't think so," Justin admitted. "But you know I want to spend the rest of my life with you, and I want you to want to spend the rest of your life with me, and maybe I do want to get married eventually but I don't want to get a divorce. You know what I mean, Brian? What happened with Jimmy and Bobby?"

"Maybe they got married too young," Brian conjectured. "I think they were both in their early twenties. Myself, I waited till I was over thirty before I settled down."

"Gee whiz, Bri," Justin protested. "Maybe you were an old man but I was like, under twenty. I'm younger than both Bobby and Jimmy. And anyhow, I'll bet if I had come along ten years earlier, you would still have settled down then, even if you were only twenty, and we wouldn't be looking for a divorce either."

"Well, that would have been interesting - us dancing at Babylon and you seven years old," Brian laughed. "Nah, security is lax at Babylon but I think they would still turn away a seven year old. The thought is scary though - a seven year old stalker."

"Thanks a lot for making fun of me, Brian Kinney," Justin kind of laughed back. "Actually I'm beginning to understand this divorce thing now - thanks to you."

"Baby," Brian assured him. "I don't think you were ever seven years old. I think you must have been about fifteen when you were born, which made you about thirty-five when you decided to settle down."

"Yeah, you're right, Brian," Justin agreed. "I am a very mature person. I think I know what you mean."

"Maybe," Brian wondered. "I'm not even sure exactly what I meant though, so maybe you don't know what I mean either."

"Yes I do," Justin insisted. "Maybe you don't know what you meant but I do know what you mean and that's that…. Do you think you could ever fall out of love with me, Bri?"

"I don't think so," Brian informed him, "But you ought to know that better than I do since you know so much about what I mean."

"Cut it out, Bri," Justin stopped him. "You meet all kinds of hot guys all the time. How do I know that you won't meet somebody like Bobby met Ralph?"

"Because you know me so well, Twink," Brian answered. "You know that I know I'm stuck with you for life because I want to be. Anyhow, how could I ever find anybody more lovable than you are?"

"That sounds like sarcasm to me," Justin informed the big guy with at least a partial grin.

"I didn't think it was sarcasm, Baby," Brian assured him, "But since you know so much more about what I mean than I do, maybe it was sarcasm. I really don't think so though."

There was a short pause in the discussion while the guys assessed the discussion up till them. It was Justin who smiled as he resumed the conversation

"OK, Brian," Justin concluded. "I guess I feel a little better. You are a really difficult person. Nobody but me would ever put up with you so I guess we won't end up like Bobby and Jimmy. I guess I shouldn't be worried."

"You're absolutely right," Brian told him. "You should not be worried."

"Anything that works," Brian thought to himself - but did not say - as the kid put his head on Brian's should and partially closed his eyes. Brian was very satisfied with himself.

About the time that Brian thought that Justin had drowsed off, the kid murmured, "I know what you were trying to do, Kinney."

"Well, did it work?" Brian smiled as he asked the twink.

"Yeah," Justin drawled, "But only because I love you so much."

"And I love you too," Brian whispered, "And you're never getting away from me - not ever." But Justin was already asleep.

Or maybe not. A kind of smile erupted on the kid's face.

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