As the World Stops

The guys had just settled themselves onto the floor in front of their blazing fake fireplace. Brian had mentioned earlier that he had some questions that needed to be answered and when he failed to immediately circle Justin’s shoulders with his arm, the kid felt a little uneasy – so he waited a little anxiously for Brian to speak – and it was not a long wait at all.

“OK, Baby Doll,” Brian began quickly, “Melanie stopped by the office today to talk to Ted about some new charity thing coming up at the Center – there doesn’t seem to be any charity that those two aren’t willing and able to support – with a little – or maybe a lot – yeah I think maybe a lot this time - of help from you. So they’re talking about this rickshaw – or something like that – and how it’s gonna insure the most successful event ever – and how you’re really involved somehow – that I didn’t get … And I think Cynthia knew what they were talking about too – and she’s not even gay – but she did say she’s coming to this big event for sure – said she wouldn’t miss it for the world – and how it’s bound to be a complete sell-out – at high prices too. But I didn’t know what they were talking about – and I wasn’t gonna let them know I didn’t know what they were talking about either– because I think maybe I should have known - because you’re right in the middle of the whole damn thing – and you haven’t seen fit to say anything to me yet – and maybe I didn’t want them to know that – since we never keep any secrets from each other – or at least that’s what some people think So … The only rickshaw I know anything about is some kind of cart where poor people haul rich people around in China …You planning to sell rickshaw rides? I guess you expect me to pull rich people around in some cart? Well forget it …”

“Gee whiz, Brian,” Justin seemed to relax a bit – as if he figured he could easily extricate himself from this particular situation. “That whole business hasn’t been settled yet – and you were going to be the very first to know as soon as it is – and that should probably be tomorrow. But maybe I’ll tell you all about it so far – if maybe you’d like to put your arm around me…”

“Yeah, Sweetheart,” Brian concurred. “I think I would really like to put my arm around you. It’ll make it easier to strangle you if it has to come to that …”

“OK, Kinney,” Justin exuded confidence. “I’ll take that chance. Actually you do already know a lot about Rickshaw. You know our friend, Ricky, the actor in the soap opera – that we saw in New York last month?”

"And every scene he’s done since on video tape too,” Brian reminded him. “Him and that new guy are pretty hot, I’ll admit – even if the story line is pretty lame – worse than us even I hear they’re like – real famous all over the place …”

”See how much you already know, Kinney,” Justin replied smugly. “Now you know Ricky’s character is also called Ricky – and what’s the new hot gay boy-friend’s name?”

“Shawn,” Brian remembered accurately. “You think I don’t pay attention, I guess – or maybe I’m just getting old and forgetful. The boy-friend’s name is Shawn – and that’s my final answer too.”

“And you are – as usual – my fair genius-prince – knower of everything,” Justin praised him. “Exactly correct. Now if you will kind of put those names together you will get …”

"Rickyshawn?” Brian responded correctly. “Rickyshawn?”

“Real good, Kinney,” Justin pointed out. “And if you were hip to pop culture – as you aren’t exactly – and you don’t need to be either cause you’ve got me to take care of that for you – you would know that all the hottest couples these days get like - merged names – like Brangelina and Bennifer - and our Ricky and his Shawn are …”

"Rickshaw,” Brian saw the light. “Rickshaw is Ricky and the TV boy-friend …”

“Bingo, BK.” Justin agreed. “So you actually did already know about Rickshaw all along. So much for that secret… Well they are really a hot property all around the whole country – the first big gay love affair on TV soaps – like – ever. The gay community has adopted them as some kind of poster guys – and straight people seem to like them too. They’ve already been in TV Guide and on all the entertainment programs on TV – and they have actually even been mentioned in the New York Times so you know how important they are. Naturally the Times said the show was ‘awful’ and their plot was ‘dreadful’ but admitted the guys were ‘impressive’ in their roles.”

“So I guess Rick is too famous for us ordinary folk these days, Honey,” Brian presumed. “But we can always say we knew them way back when …”

“Au contraire, Mr. Kinney,” Justin informed him otherwise. “I am in like – pretty constant contact with both Ricky and Robert – the real life boy-friend – through the wonder of e-mail - Robert is in Toronto now – taping that new cable show – but it hasn’t premiered yet. I think they see me as some kind of a mentor and they always want to know what I think too – but sometimes I get the idea that they think that what I think is really just what you think … so maybe it’s you they think of as the real mentor.”

“I might be getting the picture now, Baby,” Brian mused. “At least I think I might …”

“And you’ve got it right too, Brian,” Justin assured him. “Ted and Melanie wanted to make sure this was the best fund-raiser ever – and I suggested maybe we could get Rickshaw to come to Pittsburgh and appear at the event – if it fit their schedule …”

”Which it will, Baby,” Brian teased him, “Without a doubt. Because the whole world shuts down so as not to get in the way of any Justin Taylor project. The world is not stupid …”

“Cut it out, Brian,” Justin laughed. “The network and the sponsors want Rickshaw on the road for publicity purposes, and Ricky wanted to come here – for us – and Shawn wanted to come – for Ricky – so it was just a question of checking the shooting schedule to see if they could be away …”

“And the shooting schedule was clear?” Brian supposed. “And they’re coming …?”

”Not exactly, Bri,” Justin told him. “There was a scheduling conflict but the producers were trying to get it changed so that they could come …”

”And so the world actually does stop, Sweetheart,” Brian reiterated, “to accommodate the needs and desires of Justin Taylor – just like I said before …”

“OK, Kinney,” Justin laughed, “But we’re not sure yet if the world was able to stop. Rick should get the final word maybe this evening so we should know like - no later than tomorrow …”

“Didn’t you say that Shawn wanted to come because of Ricky?” Brian asked, shifting the emphasis. “Something going on there?”

“I don’t think so, Bri,” Justin opined. “Just good friends – and they’re both like – so elated at suddenly being famous …”

“OK, Twink,” Brian took command, “I want you to make sure that Robert comes down from Toronto for this shindig too. He should be here. He might be feeling just a little left out right now – with Rick all over the media. If we’re gonna be their friends we need to …”

“Gee whiz, Brian,” Justin protested. “They’re shooting up there and I don’t know if …”

”Like if the world stops,” Brian reasoned, “Canada doesn’t stop too, Sweetheart. I bet it does. Get Robert down here.”

“Yessir,” Justin promised. “If Brian Kinney wants the world stopped, I, Justin Taylor, will do all I can to get it stopped … So do you think maybe - you still want to strangle me like you were threatening to?”

“Well, not right away, Baby,” Brian decided. “Not right now. Maybe tomorrow or some time soon though – but not right now. Right now I think I’d like to … “ as he tightened his hold on the kid. “Oh never mind, Sweetheart – there’s still a lot more I guess you want to tell me …”

“Hey, Brian,” Justin reminded him. “Didn’t I just say that if Brian Kinney wanted the world stopped, that I, Justin Taylor, would …

Justin didn’t get to finish his reiteration. Brian got the drift immediately. And anyhow, Brian figured that he already knew more about the damn charity event than he needed to know.
 

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