What a Picnic

It was far later than usual when the guys got around to lighting the fireplace but it was a foregone conclusion that this day would end in front of the flickering flames, The kid had a satisfied look on his face as they settled themselves into their customary positions.

"Take that satisfied look off your face," Brian commanded good-naturedly.

"Nope," Justin refused. "I'm entitled to have a satisfied look on my face. I pulled a surprise birthday party on you and you never even suspected."

"No I didn't," Brian grinned at him. "That was a master stroke - having my birthday party a couple of months away from my birthday. Justin Taylor at his most cunning. Maybe you really should have that satisfied look on your face after all."

"A mere technicality, Kinney, to insure the element of surprise," Justin crowed. "I thought a big picnic party out at South Park would be a great idea for your birthday so we had to have it when the weather was good. You don't like birthday parties on your birthday anyhow. We signed up for the grove about six months ago and you never suspected a thing."

"What I did suspect was that you were getting a bit daffy when you suggested that we pack a picnic lunch and eat out at South Park - just the two of us, Baby," Brian told him. "And when I peeked into the basket this morning and saw like about 100 pounds of potato salad and nothing else, I was pretty sure you were daffy - but I'll admit I never figured it was a birthday party for me."

"You weren't supposed to look in that basket, Brian Kinney," Justin complained. "I told you not to. I told you it was a surprise."

"Well it was a surprise, all right," Brian admitted unapologetically. "I was glad to see the other people when we got there though. There was way too much potato salad for just us and the ants and gnats."

"But you could have been just a little bit disappointed that it wasn't just the two of us, Brian," Justin pointed out. "That would have been all right, I guess. Just a little bit disappointed."

"Well you can be sure I would have been very disappointed if there hadn't been so much potato salad in that basket," Brian replied. "All carbs and fat. And of course I knew that you wanted the crowd there - so I was happy that you weren't disappointed that it wasn't just the two of us."

"Cut it out, Bri," Justin laughed. "You are not going to diminish my triumph. You had a good time and you know it. And everybody had a good time too. It was a great idea and I thought of it all by myself."

"Well you had a lot of help in the execution of your great idea," Brian reminded him. "Actually, I think a neutral observer would have thought that Debbie was in charge."

"Yeah," Justin remembered. "Debbie looks like she's in charge wherever she is. But you know Debbie, Bri. She has a tendency to take over stuff and she can be pretty overwhelming - but she did coordinate the food - like who was bringing what - and she got all the hot dogs and hamburgers and stuff."

"And she also appointed Michael to work the grill?" Brian asked.

"Nope," Justin told him. "Mikey volunteered for that. He said you'd want him to handle the grill at your party. He said it would bring back some old memories for you but he didn't say why though."

"Because we had this boy scout picnic once. Yeah I was in the scouts for a couple of months before they threw me out," Brian reminisced, "And Mikey burnt all the stuff to a crisp and the whole troop ended up their picnic eating at McDonald's"

"Well he did a lot better this time," Justin defended Michael. "Everything was fine today."

"Yeah but Ben was there next to him today - and I also saw Malcolm and Hunter sticking close by - with fire extinguishers," Brian expanded on the scene.

"They did not have fire extinguishers at all, Brian," Justin remonstrated. "And you know it too."

"Dangerous oversight," Brian grinned. He squeezed the kid right then, which served to turn off the discussion for a while.

"Putting Jason and Brandon in charge of the games was pretty smart too, Kiddo," Brian resumed the discussion a little later. "But I was kinda surprised too. I don't think either of them could hold a ball, of any size or shape, in their hands for a whole minute without dropping it. Real natural athletes, both of them."

"Pretty bad, Bri. I was surprised too. But not everybody can be a natural athlete - like you - and me, Sweetheart" Justin told him. "And if I remember correctly, you were on the losing volleyball team."

"Yeah, and I know who picked the teams too, JT," Brian conjectured. "That was the only time I wasn't on your team and that was the only game I lost. Your team won every game. So I guess I know who picked the teams."

"You know darn well the teams were picked at random, Bri," Justin stood his ground. "The teams were computer generated."

"Your computer?" Brian wanted to know.

"As a matter of fact, I think it was my computer," Justin recalled. "So…?."

"Nothing," Brian shrugged with a grin on his face. "Nothing at all…."

Justin snuggled up closer to Brian and rubbed his hair against Brian's cheek, producing the expected and desired result - a not overly brief time-out. And there was no complaint from Brian either.

"Gus really had a good time today," Brian said a while later, reopening the discussion of the day's activities. "He wants us to do it again soon. Maybe we should have a birthday party for you at South Park. Gus will be really happy and the ants and gnats will thank us too."

"Well…." Justin started to reply, just a little hesitantly.

"Oh it wouldn't be your only birthday party, Baby," Brian interrupted. "I think I know what you really want to do on your birthday. We won't have your birthday picnic anywhere near your birthday either."

"Sounds good to me then," Justin seemed more enthusiastic.

"You know what, Honey," Brian branched off in another direction, "I'd like to know what that concoction was that Mel and Linz brought. It tasted OK, but… .Brandon thought maybe it was …."

"You know what, Bri, Sweetheart," Justin suggested, breaking Brian's stream of consciousness. "We need to talk more about the picnic - but that could be postponed till another time if you don't mind.. There is something I would really rather do right now if it's OK with you."

"Yeah," Brian anticipated. "I guess if there's something you've got your heart set on, I should go along with you - after that great party you planned and everything."

"Thanks, Brian," Justin seemed pleased. "I really want to know what you did in the boy scouts."

Brian responded by pulling Justin up onto his lap and rubbing his hair against Justin's cheek, achieving the expected and desired result - an end to the discussion. And there was no complaint from Justin either.

It seemed then that Brian's boy scout history had also been postponed till another time. The guys did know how to prioritize.

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