Numero Uno

Usually, when the guys lit the fake fireplace, it was early evening. So it was therefore much out of the ordinary when Brian and Justin entered the loft at 2 AM and Justin proceeded to turn it on. Brian seemed to agree to that action because he sat down on the floor in his accustomed position and waited for Justin to join him. They had just returned to the loft from a night out - an unusual night out in a place that had become unusual for them.

"We are Number One, Bri," Justin gushed. "Still the hottest couple at Babylon."

"Numero Uno," Brian agreed. "But we might have been the only couple there. It seemed to me that everyone there was looking for a one-night stand."

"Nah," Justin told him. "There were other couples there, but you were so busy fighting off the predators that you didn't have time to notice."

"And when did you have time to notice, Baby?" Brian wanted to know. "I had plenty of time to notice that you were getting hit on as much as I was."

"Not as much as you, Sweetheart," Justin corrected him. "There were a lot of guys there who didn't know who we were and when they found out you were the legendary Brian Kinney, they all wanted to try their luck with you. The name Justin Taylor didn't mean much to the crowd."

"Well if it didn't mean anything to the crowd," Brian laughed, "You still had plenty of opportunities. Did you see anybody interesting?"

"Yeah," Justin answered. "I did. But he was unavailable - already taken. He never even hit on me at all. Name of Kinney. Brian Kinney, I think."

Brian squeezed the kid closer to him. "He's available now," he told the kid. "The name Justin Taylor means something to me. But you are right, Baby, we were definitely the hottest guys there."

"Were you surprised that we were the hottest guys there?" Justin asked.

"I guess I did wonder sometimes what it would be like," Brian admitted. "I'm happier now than I ever was in my Babylon days, but I guess I did wonder a little bit."

"Are you glad we went?" Justin continued the interrogation.

"Yeah," Brian mused. "I guess so. I guess it's good to know you're still attractive to the crowd. I don't think I need to go back though. Now can I ask you a question and get a straight answer?"

"What do you mean 'straight answer'"? Justin complained. "You always get a straight answer from me and you know it."

"My apologies, Baby," Brian grinned. "I forget sometimes how sensitive you are. But I would like to know why you wanted us to go to Babylon in the first place. I don't think you ever really liked Babylon."

"Wrong, Bri," Justin informed him. "I always liked Babylon when you were there and I still do. I guess I don't much care for Babylon if you're not there."

"Which is really nice to know, Sweetheart," Brian kept grinning, "But which does not answer the question of why you wanted to go. It was your idea to go and I wonder where that came from. But I guess I'll never know that."

"I just thought it would be a good idea." Justin responded.

"Now there's a straight answer if I ever heard one," Brian laughed.

"There's this girl at school, Bri," Justin confessed. "Her name is Donna and she's an expert on 'relationships'. Everybody goes to her for romantic advice. But not me, Brian. I didn't need any advice. I don't even know Donna very well, but she's a pretty good friend of Malcolm's because she a dramatics major too. I guess Malcolm told her we were the perfect couple, and I guess a little bit about us too. Anyway, she was sitting with me and Malcolm in the cafeteria last week. She asked me how things were between us and I said they were perfect. You know what she said. 'You two need to go back to Babylon. You'll see how much better you have things now and you'll both be happy you went.' I thought she was crazy, Bri, but I think now maybe she was right."

"How did she know, Baby?" Brian wondered. "She's never seen us together and she doesn't even know me."

"I don't know, Bri," Justin said, "But I think she was right."

"Maybe, Honey," Brian agreed, "But I wish you'd stay away from those fortune-tellers at school. The Institute should have a major in meddling in other people's business. In fact, that might even be a good major for you."

"Cut it out," Justin interrupted. "I feel silly enough telling you all this without you picking on me about it too. OK?

It was OK by Brian and the conversation paused for a while.

After a bit, Justin returned to the subject of Babylon. "Do you think Babylon was different from the old days?" he asked Brian.

"Well, we used to have our own gang there in the old days," Brian thought aloud. "Mikey and Emm and Ted, and those guys. That was fun. I saw some guys I knew but none of the old gang was there. So that was different. And that Brandon guy gave me a couple of dirty looks too. I thought he might come up and reissue his challenge."

"Not a chance, Brian," Justin reassured him. "When Brandon saw all those guys flocking around you, he would have known he couldn't win. He gave me a couple of dirty looks too. I don't know why. If I hadn't taken you away from all that, Brandon might have had to deal with competition from you every night." Then changing the subject before Brian had a chance to reply, Justin added, "You know what I really thought was funny though. That blond twink who came up to you and asked for your autograph. He was cute but I also think he looked kind of dumb."

"Cute and dumb, eh, sounds like a great combination to me. But, you know, I must have this odd attraction for blond twinks," Brian laughed. "They're always coming on to me."

"So I guess that reminded you of the old Babylon days too," Justin groused in jest. "But that twink tonight was not really asking for an autograph. That's not what he wanted at all."

"Yeah, but that's what he got. I signed his T-shirt," Brian replied in kind. "And you know what, there was something else that was just like in the old days?"

"I'm afraid to ask," Justin grinned. "But I guess I do want to know."

"I picked out the guy I wanted to take home and brought him back with me to the loft," Brian told him. "Just like I always did back then."

"Gee whiz, Brian," Justin marveled. "That's really romantic. I think you say romantic things better than I do. But I still think I love you more than you love me."

"Forget about trying to start an argument, J. T.," Brian ordered. "That is not at all what I have in mind for us tonight."

That brought a big smile to Justin's face. "Can I please have your autograph, sir?" he asked the big guy.

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