Fun and Games

The light from the fake fireplace flickered in the loft. The heating element was turned off in keeping with the warm July temperatures outside - so the guys were enjoying their fireplace and their air-conditioning at the same time. Things seemed more peaceful than they actually were - or maybe than they were going to become - especially for the younger denizen.

"Isn't there something you should be wanting to tell me, Twink?" Brian was asking as the discussion began.

"What about, Brian?" the kid responded. "Give me a clue."

"What's the matter, Sweetheart," Brian grinned at him. "It can't be that the inestimable Justin Taylor is clueless."

"Looks like a long evening coming up," Justin surmised. "What am I gonna get blamed for now - that I bet I didn't even do either? Go ahead, Kinney. Make whatever accusations that you've been alluding to."

"No accusations at all, Baby," Brian laughed. "It's just that this year's Gay and Lesbian picnic at Kennywood Park is only two weeks away and you haven't even brought up the subject. Seems strange to me, that's all."

"But you said last year that you'd go again this year," Justin countered, "And I put it on your calendar and in your computer and Cynthia has the date listed at Kinnetics. "It's sure not a secret."

"Didn't I say that I knew the picnic was two weeks away?" Brian reiterated. "I know the date all right. I just wondered what the arrangements are going to be."

"Well, us two will probably want to take Gus to Kiddieland in the afternoon like we did last year. That was fun," Justin proposed. "Then afterwards we'll meet up with some of the other guys. Jason and Brandon are going. And Ted and Blake - and Mikey and Ben - and Malcolm and Hunter….

"And that will be a lot of fun too," Brian said. "Sounds like more fun."

"Yeah, it will be," Justin agreed cautiously. "We always have fun at that picnic. You know we do."

"Yeah, we do," Brian agreed, squeezing the kid slightly. "That's the fun part. Now what about the games?"

"What games, Bri?" Justin wondered. "I don't know what you're…."

"Yeah you do, Baby," Brian insisted. "You know exactly what games I'm talking about. Like maybe the list of out-of-town-guests. Is Abelard coming, for instance?"

"He's gonna try, Bri," Justin replied. "He likes the picnic and he hasn't been here for a while. He's involved in some stuff in Columbus but he's hoping to be here. Gee whiz, Bri, I guess I'd have told you if I knew for sure that Abelard was coming. I don't keep secrets from you and you should know that too."

"Nah," Brian agreed in an unconvincing voice. "You wouldn't keep any secrets from me. So I guess you don't know if Penelope is coming either. I heard she's in the States this summer between terms at Oxford. I guess you don't know anything about whether Penny is coming and bringing her damn yipping dog, Henrietta the Eighth."

"I know how you feel about Henny and Penny, Bri," Justin smiled ever so slightly. "She really bugs you all right. I know how Penelope likes Kennywood too. But I haven't heard that they are coming, Bri. You know, if I heard, I'd have to tell you and I would tell you too. She'd be staying with Linz if she came but I haven't heard anything from Linz or Mel at all about Penny."

"And they'd be sure to tell you," Brian opined. "Unless maybe there was some kind of agreement that they not mention Penelope to you so you wouldn't have to tell me till maybe the very last minute…. Gus has big ears, Baby, and he tells Daddy everything too.'

Justin did not immediately respond, so Brian continued. "It's OK, Baby," he comforted the kid. "I wouldn't want the job of telling me that Henny and Penny were coming either. That wouldn't be an easy job at all. It's OK. They are trying to get here but they're not sure either. We'll have to wait and see."

"Yeah, but I feel pretty guilty, Bri," Justin said. "You wouldn't do anything like that to me. I don't know why I try to play these games. I'm pretty mad at me, Brian, but I hope you aren't.."

Brian decided to take some actions to cheer the kid up and they worked. There was a quiet period in the loft which both of them seemed to enjoy - but the conversation was not yet finished - not by a long shot."

"Hey, Baby," Brian eventually resumed. "Maybe I have something I better tell you too. Maybe about out-of-town-guests…."

"You heard from Abelard?" Justin conjectured.

"Nope," Brian replied. "It's not Abelard."

"What's going on, Bri?" Justin sensed a potential problem. "What don't you want to tell me? I'm not you. People can tell me stuff."

"Well maybe Wilson and Alan might be with us at the picnic this year," Brian revealed. "Alan needs to come up here sometime soon to see our art department about something - and I kind of asked if he wanted to come for the picnic and bring Wilson. That's not a problem, is it? You like Wilson and Alan."

"Disaster, Brian," Justin announced. "Utter disaster. Wilson looks just like me, Bri. You know that. Lots of people will think he is me. Him and Alan can't keep their hands off each other. You know that too. They'll be smooching all over Kennywood and everybody will think it's me with somebody else. Sounds like a disaster to me. I don't even know if I want to go to the damn picnic."

"If you're not there," Brian cautioned him unperturbedly, "People will be sure it's Justin Taylor messing around with Alan. Not many people know Wilson. Lots of folks know Justin Taylor."

"Revenge, Brian Kinney," Justin accused him. "You're just out for revenge. You're really mean. I said I was sorry."

"Nah, Sweetheart," Brian smiled at him. "I don't do revenge all that much. And never against you. I kinda like you, Kiddo - maybe a lot."

"Damn it, Bri," Justin told him, cozying up and placing his head on Brian's shoulder. "I can't be mad at you. I guess I kinda like you too - maybe a really lot - maybe a really really lot - but didn't you see the possibility of a problem when you invited them here for the picnic?"

"You know what, Baby," Brian answered him knowingly. "Nobody who knows us will think you'd be running around Kennywood Park with some other guy - not when you could have me."

"Guess not, Brian," Justin concurred with at least minor smugness, "And anybody who knows us knows I can have you - and I do have you too. Everybody knows that. But you know what else too. We're gonna stick with Alan and Wil all day long - so anybody who sees them will also see us - and they'll know Wil isn't me."

"Unless they think you're with Alan and I'm with Wil," Brian posited provocatively. "They just might think that. Maybe we could even try that switch for a while. Whaddaya think?"

"Not a chance, Kinney," Justin insisted. "Pull anything close to that and you better hope Wil can protect you from Henny and Penny if they happen to show up - cause I won't. You may just get what you deserve, Sir Brian - just exactly what you deserve."

"Sounds like a fun day to me," Brian concluded, grinning broadly. "Fun. Fun. Fun."

"Fun and games," Justin reminded him, through a grin every bit as broad. "Maybe fun - and games too."

"Fun and games sounds good to me," Brian threw both arms around the kid - who seemed to get the message accurately.

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