In a Cage

The boys were sitting on the floor of the loft with both of them looking a bit perturbed. A conversation had apparently already started as Brian flipped the remote control to start the flames a-flickering in the fake fireplace. There was only a momentary pause in the discussion as the fire took control of the ambiance in the loft. Justin spoke next.

"Forget it, Bri," he told his companion. "I just thought maybe you'd like to go. It doesn't matter to me all that much one way or the other. But I'm really sorry I mentioned it at all cause I don't think you're about to forget it - so maybe we need to talk more about it."

"Nah," Brian replied. "It's OK, Baby. It's OK. If you want to go, I'll go with you."

"That's not even the point now, Honey," Justin told him. "All I did was suggest that we go to the Civic Light Opera to see La Cage aux Folles next week. We even saw it before and I thought you liked it then. The music is great and it's kind of funny too…."

"Two queer guys pretending they're not gay," Brian remembered. "Or worse yet, pretending one of them doesn't even exist - just to please some homophobic creeps. It isn't funny."

"But I thought you really thought it was funny last time we saw it, Bri," Justin protested, "And good too. I definitely recall you humming that Song on the Sand number as we were leaving. That's a great musical when you walk out humming the tunes…."

"I think I did like it the last time, Kiddo," Brian conceded. "And the score is great - but then I did some thinking about those two guys pretending to be what they weren't - just to please…."

"They were only thinking of the son, Bri," Justin reasoned. "He was straight and he wanted to marry that girl and her parents wouldn't have understood. But the show was a joke, Bri. It was just fun."

"The son was a real pain too," Brian opined. "These guys took great care of him all his life and then he wants them to disappear so he can marry this girl - and her awful parents. He's a big creep too."

"He's just a kid, Brian," Justin went on, "And a kid in love too. They do crazy things. I know. I used to be a kid in love so I know."

"Used to be," Brian mused out loud. "Used to be. What did you used to be? Did you used to be a kid or did you used to be in love?"

"Gee whiz, Brian Kinney," Justin had to smile. "You are definitely something else. Even when something's really bothering you, you still can be yourself long enough to pick on me - even if the recovery is only temporary."

"I guess that comes from being an old guy who's still in love," Brian smiled back at him. "Sorry, Baby."

"Sorry," Justin mused. "Sorry. What are you sorry about, Mr. Kinney? Sorry about being old or sorry about still being in love?"

"Geez, Kiddo," Brian laughed back at him. "You ain't so bad yourself in the 'picking on' business. But I think I'm really happy to have you to come home to anyhow - even if you aren't usually here when I come home."

"I'm here now," Justin told him snuggling a little closer.

"Yeah, you are," Brian agreed squeezing a little harder.

There was a pause in the discussion at this point as the guys just sat gazing at the flickering fireplace. But the conversation was not over by any means.

"You know, Sweetheart," Justin eventually returned to the discussion. "I'm still not sure what's going on with this stuff."

"It's just that I love you, Twink," Brian said. "That's what it's all about."

"You don't want to go see La Cage aux Folles because you love me?" Justin asked quizzically - and then suddenly seemed to figure it all out. "O my God, Brian," he blurted. "That could never happen to us. We're not in any Cage aux Folles."

"I hope not," Brian admitted, "But what if Gus grows up straight and he falls for some girl who's like the one in Cage - or her family is - and he's a crazy kid in love - and he wants you to disappear - after all the great stuff you've done for him. That's what the kid does in Folles. Couldn't it happen?"

"Well I guess it could - in a worse case scenario," Justin conceded. "But that's a long time in the future too, Brian. Lots of things could happen in the meantime. Things are better now than they were when Cage was written - and they'll get better too. And poor Gus is actually worse off than the kid in the play. That kid only has two fathers. Poor Gus has two mommies too."

"Yeah," Brian seemed to be coming around. "Nobody would have to disappear. There could be Daddy Brian and Mommy Lindsay, and Uncle Justin and Aunt Melanie."

"And Uncle Justin wouldn't have to be married to Aunt Melanie either," Justin surmised.

"No - but I think it would be better if they were married," Brian retorted, "Good examples of married bliss for the young couple."

"Thanks, Brian," Justin replied. "I think you must be feeling better already."

"Yeah," Brian conceded. "But there's still the possibility of that worse case scenario…."

"If we ever get into anything like that situation," Justin told him. "We'll handle it - however you want to handle it. It'll be your decision what we do. How's that?"

"OK," Brian decided. "But I'll bet you'll be available with advice - whether I want it or not."

"Yep," Justin agreed. "I sure will. Just like I'll be available with good advice every step of your life till then - and afterwards too."

"Talk about a worst case scenario…." Brian thought out loud as Justin threw both arms around Brian's neck and pulled himself up onto Brian's lap.

Another pause in the conversation followed with both of the guys feeling relieved at the course their talk had taken.

Justin figured the whole thing was settled until Brian resumed the subject once more.

"Pick out whatever night you want to go, Baby," he whispered in Justin's ear. "And get the tickets. I think it might be fun to see Cage aux Folles again. I really like the music."

And that was music to Justin's ears, and he smiled. ever so slightly. It seemed to him that the fireplace was smiling too.

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