Strange Encounter

 

Well the fireplace was lit, the flames aflicker, and the occupants of the loft seated in their usual places. But both of the guys felt there was something different afoot. And were they ever right….

"OK," Brian began. "I gotta tell you what happened today. I just gotta. You'll be upset if I don't. It would be easier if you just let me tell you – without any smart remarks from you along the way. That would be most efficient."

"So Brian Kinney is an efficiency expert when he has something he's gotta tell me," Justin laughed. "But not so interested in efficiency when it's the other way around. OK yourself, Kinney. I'll give you an example of the patient listener and I hope you'll learn how it's done. Shoot."

"Well," Brian began rather too confidently. "Me and Brandon were supposed to have lunch today…."

"You and Brandon were having lunch?" Justin interjected. "What were you and Brandon having lunch about? You didn't say anything about having lunch with Brandon before…."

"Maybe it was about getting something to eat, Baby," Brian retaliated. "To keep us strong enough for our afternoon's work. Some people do eat, you know – and some people interrupt too – even when they say they won't."

"Well I bet it was you guys getting together to figure out something about Jason," Justin grouched. "I bet you were giving Brandon some advice about how to 'handle' Jason. Not fair - ganging up on Jason."

"Or maybe Brandon was giving Brian some advice about how to 'handle' Justin," Brian laughed. "That might be helpful and welcome too. But I guess you and Jason never do any plotting together concerning me or Brandon?"

"You know I see Jason pretty often, Bri," Justin admitted, "Because I don't keep secrets. And I guess you and Brandon get mentioned every once in a while - but we never gang up on you guys."

"Nah," Brian got the point, "You guys wouldn't do that. I'm sorry I even suggested that you might. And I guess there's no Association of Blond Twinks either."

"Beautiful Blond Twinks, Bri," Justin corrected him archly. "It's the Association of Beautiful Blond Twinks that there isn't any of."

"Right," Brian conceded with a trace of irony. "I got it now."

"So have you decided not to tell me what you were gonna tell me?" Justin commented. "You seem to have changed the subject, Mr. Kinney."

"Well maybe I won't tell you after all," Brian suggested. "Let me think about it for a minute."

There was a pause of medium length – way more than a minute - in the discussion at this point, which might have gone on even longer, but Brian eventually did return to the subject.

"OK, Twink," Brian reopened the conversation. "You know we're having some electric work dome in the office?"

"Yep," Justin confirmed. "Cynthia told me you're having the whole place rewired. I don't remember if you mentioned it or not."

"Probably not," Brian said. "I knew you'd hear from Cynthia so I didn't need to say anything, did I?"

"Well Cynthia didn't tell me you were having lunch with Brandon," Justin pointed out, "And you didn't feel the need to tell me that either."

"Cynthia didn't know, Baby," Brian told him, "And she doesn't know what else happened that I was going to tell you either – so if I don't tell you, you may never know."

"And I think it's obvious that you don't want to tell me either," Justin replied. "No matter how hard I try to pry it out of you."

"No," Brian disagreed. "I do want to tell you – and I will. See, I was walking through the outer office and I hear one of the electricians call the other electrician – the one who was giving me the eye all morning and who is majorly hot by the way - he called him 'Oswaldo.'"

"Oswaldo," Justin echoed. "That's not a common name, Bri. The only 'Oswaldo' I ever heard of is the guy who is currently the big stud at Babylon. Like the new Brian or Brandon maybe."

"That was exactly what I thought," Brian now continued without interruption to a very attentive listener. "I never saw the Babylon Oswaldo but Ted had. Ted confirmed that it was the same Oswaldo though."

"Do you think Oswaldo knew who you were?" Justin wanted to know.

"Yeah, he did," Brian confirmed "He'd have to know since he was working at Kinnetics. Anyhow, he definitely knew – and he also figured out that I knew who he was – so he came up and introduced himself – said he'd always wanted to meet me and was sorry he missed us the couple of times we were at Babylon lately."

"I don't think I like this, Brian," Justin decided. "Not at all. Well what did you do? What did you say?"

"Not much right then," Brian said. "But a little while later, I called Brandon and we talked a bit – and then I invited Oswaldo to go to lunch with Brandon and me."

"You took Oswaldo to lunch," Justin couldn't believe his ears. "You actually took Oswaldo to lunch. You and Brandon must be crazy."

"Nah," Brian assured him. "It was a pretty decent lunch. Oswaldo is smart and a hell of an electrician too – not really all that bad of a guy - but he's kind of a mean critter. I hope me and Brandon weren't ever as mean as Oswaldo."

"Yeah, you were," Justin opined. "You and Brandon were both as mean as Oswaldo. But both of you were redeemed by the love of a pure and innocent boy-friend. That's what saved you guys – an innocent and pure unselfish love."

"Geez, Kiddo," Brian responded. "If I ever meet that guy, I'll want to thank him. I wonder why I can't remember him. A magic spell I guess."

"Nah," Justin came back. "You wouldn't thank him either. You'd probably just make fun of him and pick on him and that kind of stuff. That's what you'd do…. You don't think there's any chance of Oswaldo getting redeemed then, I guess?"

"I don't think so, Baby," Brian told him. "Oswaldo seems pretty happy the way things are. He said he thinks he has four or five good years ahead. He says when he gets real old maybe he'll pick out some twink and settle down some. But he told me and Brandon that we quit way too soon."

"That wasn't exactly all your decision, Brian," Justin grinned at him. "Not that I like to brag…."

"Well I didn't really like Oswaldo all that much," Brian pointed out, "But maybe I did warn him about the Association of Blond Twinks. I thought he ought to have a little warning. Brandon told him too – so he's been warned."

"Beautiful Blond Twinks, Bri," Justin reminded him. "I know this is another case of your selective forgetfulness but…. Anyhow, no blond twink would be crazy enough to want Oswaldo so he's not going to get saved that way. Not a chance."

"Maybe a beautiful brunette twink?" Brian suggested.

"More savage than blond twinks by far, Kinney," Justin informed him. "Not as smart but way more savage. Oswaldo deserves to get mixed up with a beautiful brunette twink. He'll get eaten up alive."

"Geez, Baby," Brian wiped his brow in a sarcastic gesture. "I guess maybe I was lucky to get you."

"Yeah, you were, BK," Justin told him. "Really lucky. You don't even know just how lucky you were."

"I think maybe I do, Baby," Brian intensified his hold on Justin. "Yeah, I'm sure I do. I don't think I'd like to be Oswaldo even though….."

"I love you, Brian," Justin told him. "I love you more than anything and you always say just the right thing too."

"And you know what, Sweetheart," Brian replied, "You know that socket work you wanted done in the kitchen, Well…."

"Shut up, Brian," Justin kissed him on the cheek. "I think you should shut up while you're ahead."

Brian took that good advice – and found no reason to regret it.
 

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