Mind Reading

Justin was tired as he headed back to the loft. It had been a long and reasonably unsuccessful day at the Institute. It was one of those days when anything that could go wrong did go wrong. Justin was glad those days seldom came along but he was dragging as he pulled his car into its place. And he was late, too. For some reason, Brian had wanted him to commit to getting home at 7:00. Justin wasn't sure why but he suspected that Brian was going to make one of his rare attempts at cooking - not that Brian was not a good cook when he decided to test his culinary skills. It was almost 7:30 now. Justin had told Brian that he would have a hard time making 7:00 under the best circumstances but he was still sorry he was late when Brian had something special planned, whatever it was.

When he opened the door to the loft, Justin was surprised to find the inside dark. He wondered if he had the day wrong. Before he had time to think about that, the lights flashed on and he was hit with a group cry of "Surprise."

When his eyes focused, he saw the loft decorated in a birthday motif, and a large group of his friends welcoming him. It was a birthday party - for him - and it was a genuine surprise for a lot of reasons. That may have been a very good thing because otherwise he might have remembered that most of Brian's parties ended in disaster, and it was coming at the end of a day that had already been a kind of disaster.

The crowd was not particularly a surprise to Justin: Mike and Ben, his mother and Molly, Ted and Emmett, Melanie and Lindsey with Gus, Debby and Carl, Vic, Daphne and Andrew. And then there was a surprise; Ethan and Tom were also there. Justin had known that Ethan was going to be in town. Ethan came back to the Institute periodically for some coaching with Professor Green, and he and Justin always got together when Ethan was in Pittsburgh. Tom did not always come with Ethan but Justin was glad to see him. Ethan had told Justin in their e-mail correspondence that he and Tom were very happy together and it looked to Justin like that was true.

The surprise gave Justin a new lease on life. He enjoyed himself immensely and appreciated the attention. It made turning twenty less painful. Vic had produced his buttercream birthday cake speciality, and there was lots of food to go with the good company.

They asked Ethan to play his violin, and while none of them were music critics, they could tell that this major talent was developing ahead of schedule. While Ethan was playing, Justin was reminded that it was on his nineteenth birthday that he had met Ethan for the first time, and that Brian had refused to celebrate his birthday with him. These were painful memories for him. Brian saw the look on Justin's face, and quickly came over to throw his arm around his blond twink.

"Shit, Baby," he whispered to Justin, "Ethan's going to be a world-famous fiddler; Andrew is going to be a world-famous basketball star; you are going to be a world-famous artist; and I'm still going to be a backwoods ad exec. What will you think of me then?" "I'll still love you more than anything else in the world," Justin assured him, but then he added, probably to keep Brian from getting a big head, "All of us world-famous stars keep a few friends from the old days." Justin appreciated that Brian had noticed his moment of distress and Brian appreciated the reassurance, so that brief encounter pleased them both.

It wasn't a long party but everybody had a good time, and this was a rare Brian-planned party that ended as successfully as it had begun. It was a week-night and everybody had to get up the next morning. Justin made arrangements with Ethan and Tom to meet them for lunch and Brian was invited to come too if he could get away from the office. Debby and Vic helped get everything straightened up in the kitchen. Brian wanted the decorations left up so when the last guest had departed, the apartment was in very good order. It was just about 11:15.

"Can we sit for a while by the fireplace?" Justin asked Brian, "I'm still too excited to try to sleep." "I thought you'd never ask," Brian answered him, "But please, no marshmallows. I couldn't eat another bite." "I could," Justin teased. "If you couldn't, I'd have to rush you to the emergency room," Brian countered. So they kindled the fireplace and sat themselves down in front of the fake flames, a very happy couple indeed.

Justin just stared at Brian without saying anything. Brian looked back at him and asked, "Well, was it a surprise?" "Yeah, it was. It was great, Brian," Justin replied, "Thanks."

They sat in silence for a few minutes till Brian smiled at Justin and said, "You have always been able to read my mind, Baby, and it's rubbing off. I know what you're thinking and I'm disappointed that you would think that about me."

"What are you talking about, Brian?" Justin wanted to know. "I didn't get the date wrong," Brian told him, "I know that your birthday is not till next week. I wasn't sure it would be a surprise if I waited till then, and Ethan wouldn't have been in town, and, never mind. Anyhow, I do know when your birthday is."

"And what, Brian?" Justin insisted, "And what? I can still read your mind too and I think I know what that 'and' is all about, but I want you to say it. - so say it." "If you know so much, Sunshine, why don't you tell me?" Brian challenged.

"You are the greatest guy in the world, Brian," Justin replied, "And I love you so much it hurts, but you are also the least romantic person in the world. I can't tell myself. You have to tell me, and that will make it 'ridiculously romantic,' so tell me."

"I love you," Brian said. "I know you do." Justin laughed, "You tell me that all the time and I love to hear it. Last year you couldn't say it, and last year you didn't celebrate birthdays. You've made great progress and if you keep improving, by next year I won't have to drag stuff out of you, but that is not the 'and,' so just give up and tell me."

"Well," Brian took the advice and gave up, "I kind of thought that I wanted to spend your real birthday alone with you - just the two of us. I'm keeping my schedule clear for all of your birthday and I want to spend as much of it with you as I can, depending on your schedule. We can do anything you want, all day"

"Gee," Justin responded, "I'm supposed to address a joint session of Congress that morning and have lunch afterward with the President and the Queen of England but I can easily reschedule those and spend all day with you, if that's what you'd like, Honey."

"That's what I want," Brian admitted, "And I also want to do some kind of birthday thing with you every day till then. That's why I wanted to keep the decorations up." "Oh Brian," Justin kissed him, "You are ridiculously romantic."

"I think a lot of the credit goes to you," Brian told him, "And I do feel guilty about last year." "Don't feel guilty, Brian, a lot of it was my fault too, and maybe we had to go through all that to get to where we are now," Justin consoled him, "But you know multiple birthday celebrations for me will not lessen the vast age difference between us." "I know," Brian admitted, "No matter how hard I try, you'll never grow up, my own dear little Peter Pan." "I love you, Brian," Justin said as he climbed up onto Brian. They stayed that way for a long time, each of them wishing it could be forever.

"This is the very best birthday of my life," Justin finally said, "I am so happy. I wish every day could be my birthday." "That wouldn't work for me at all," Brian answered, "In just a few weeks you'd be too old for me and I'd have to go out looking for…." He didn't get to finish. Justin kissed him so hard he couldn't finish.

"I think I'm ready to go to bed now," Justin told Brian. So they put out the fire and went.

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