All Aboard
 

The fireplace was lit. The guys were settled in – into their places, that is. They were not “settled” in any other sense of that word. Brian even seemed a bit rattled – probably because he was.

“Ya know, Baby,” he was telling the kid, “I often claim that something you’re doing scares me. Mostly I’m kidding though and I just mean you’re crazy – but this time I really think I am scared.”

“Brian,” Justin reasoned. “You’ve been on a cruise before and you never fell off the boat or anything….”

“That argument doesn’t work, Sweetheart,” Brian told him. “On every other cruise I ever took, I was just like – one of the passengers – and so was everybody else on the cruise. We were all just looking for rest and relaxation – a little sun and a little fun.”

“Well that’s just what this is gonna be, Brian,” Justin insisted. “Six days at sea in the Caribbean with just two short port stops.”

“This is not the same and you know it, Taylor,” Brian held his ground. “If it was gonna be just an ordinary cruise, how come Rick and Shawn – who have to be brave enough to deal with those rabid soap opera fans all the time - are so scared now and need us to go along? And why do you think we need to go? Why don’t you just tell them what you’re telling me? Give them the ‘ordinary’ cruise shit….”

“So maybe it will be just a little different, BK,” Justin allowed. “But….”

“A damn six-day soap-opera-theme-cruise?” Brian reminded him. “Eight soap opera stars on some big boat filled with nutty fans - with no way to escape – and our guys are the most popular of those eight stars too.”

“But maybe they aren’t the most popular stars though, Bri?” Justin suggested. “We don’t know how popular the other stars are. We don’t watch soap operas – except for the Rickshaw scenes.”

“Hey, Kiddo,” Brian laughed, “You know this is crazy. I know you know it’s crazy. This is the first time you were ever too afraid to ask me something directly – no matter how crazy it was. So you went and got Cynthia to do the dirty work for you - at the office this time – where you were safely out of reach – which might have been smart all right. You know this is different and so do I. Anyhow, with that forewarning and a little time of my own, I had Cynthia spend the rest of the day researching this ‘cruise” and she found out that the cruise is almost fully booked five months early and – like - 80% of the people already signed up for the cruise are weird young girls - of all ages – typical Rickshaw fans – and Rick and Shawn have to know that too. That’s why they’re scared – but I don’t see how having us along would help them.”

“Cause we’re like - mature and settled maybe,” Justin proposed. “And we can advise them what to do if things get like – difficult….”

“And just how are we gonna know what to tell them, Baby?” Brian wondered. “Like – we’ve ever been stalked by crazy fans? They’ve had that experience. That’s why they’re scared. We wouldn’t be any help.”

“We could be there for them, Kinney,” Justin insisted. “Like friends ought to be.”

“Is Robert going?” Brian asked. “He’s Rick’s boy-friend. He should want to protect him. Is he going?”

“He can’t go, Brian, and you know he can’t,” Justin responded. “He’ll be taping in Toronto. And anyhow he might even be a bigger celebrity than either Ricky or Shawn - so how could he help?”

“He could attract some of the crazies away from the other guys,” Brian thought, “And take some of the pressure off….”

“Sorry, Bri,” Justin smiled. “But he’s also the wrong network. All the stars are from the same sponsoring network and that’s why they have to go. The network is not going to advertise some other network’s star.”

“And Rick and Shawn don’t have any other friends?” Brian wondered. “Just us?”

“None that they think could help as much as we could, Brian,” Justin advised him. “I really think we should go. It’s like – our duty. And it’s especially important that you go because you’re so mature and you can figure things out and – we have to decide in the next two weeks – like Cynthia told you, didn’t she?”

“Yeah she did, Baby,” Brian smiled as he pulled the twink closer to him. “And she told me more than that. I asked her if she thought I had any chance of getting out of this debacle = any chance at all - and she said she didn’t think so. She advised me not to suffer the aggravation of two more weeks of your “reasoning with me” when I had no chance….”

“So you’ll go?” Justin seemed both surprised and elated. “And you just staged this whole argument bit to get back at me a little – pretty mean - but that’s OK, I guess – you being you. Thanks, Brian. You won’t be sorry. I’ll call Rick and Shawn tomorrow morning first thing.”

”No need, Sweetheart,” Brian laughed. “They already know. I was talking to Rick this afternoon and they know we’re coming on this suicide mission. But I also found out that you had already reserved the suite next to them on the boat.”

”We could have canceled, Bri,” Justin interrupted to defend himself. “Like – we could have - I wasn’t assuming you’d go or anything….”

“Yeah you were,” Brian disagreed.

“Well you’ll be safe, Brian,” Justin changed the direction of the discussion. “You’ll have me along – and we’re gay – and all the crazy fans are female.”

“Chasing Rick and Shawn who are also gay – both off the show and on, Honey,” Brian laughed. “Bet by the second day those fans will be chasing you too – so you’ll get the feel of what Rickshaw has to put up with.”

“Unless they prefer the older guy type, BK,” Justin laughed back. “ And then maybe you’ll be the one.”

”Baby,” Brian asked him, “now that you’ve talked me into this fiasco, are you trying to talk me out of it?”

Seeing the logic in Brian’s question, Justin decided to move in another direction entirely. “You know what will be the best part about this trip, Bri?” he redirected the conversation. “Telling Jason and Brandon all about it when we get back – they’ll be jealous - and we can take a lot of pictures too – and have a slide show over here for Mikey and the gang – Mikey loves slide shows a lot …. Whattaya think?”

“I don’t think so, Baby,” Brian smiled knowingly. “Don’t think either of those options will be available. Actually I mentioned the trip to Brandon after I talked to Rick and he thought he’d like to go on the cruise too – to help us out – while we’re helping Rickshaw -and he thought Jason would be thrilled – and he was…. But Brandon thinks Jason might be a little peeved at you since you never mentioned any of this to Jason.”

“Damn it, Kinney,” Justin grouched, “I purposely didn’t say anything to Jason because…. Damn….It was just supposed to be the two of us….Maybe they won’t be able to get on the ship though. It’s almost booked solid….”

“No problem there, JT,” Brian grinned at him. “That suite you booked – it accommodates four – so I told Brandon maybe they could share….”

“You know what, Kinney,” Justin accused him. “I thought we’d….That’s really mean. You’re like - always plotting to do stuff to me – like you hate me or something. So what if I just decide not to go at all….”

“I’d still have two weeks to get you to change your mind, Baby,” Brian told him. “And I’d try. But I’d have to go now – even if you didn’t - or Mikey would be really disappointed….”

“Mikey?” Justin wondered cautiously, “Mikey?”

“Yep,” Brian admitted. “Mikey really wants to go, Sweetheart,” Brian informed him, “Mikey loves the whole idea of being up-close with real celebrities. He’s even buying a new camera for the event. But I’m not sure if Ben is still speaking to me.”

“Gee whiz, Brian Kinney,” Justin complained. “Maybe I shouldn’t be speaking to you either. I thought we’d be like – alone on this cruise and….. You’re really sneaky – always pulling some trick or other.”

“I’m sorry I’m so sneaky, Sweetheart,” Brian apologized with no apparent regret. “I hope you’re not mad at me too.”

“Well you got Jason mad at me and Ben is mad at you,” Justin recounted, “So yeah, I guess I am mad at you. Mad seems to be in season these days. Why shouldn’t I be?”

“Well – maybe because good old efficient Cynthia got their own cabins for Mikey and Brandon – so we won’t be sharing our shipboard accommodations with Jason and Brandon,” Brian offered. “We’ll be alone – at least a little bit. How’s that? Is that any better?”

“Well maybe I’m not all that mad at you, Brian,” Justin told him as he insinuated himself onto Brian’s lap. “But maybe I’m still not talking to you either cause….”

Brian decided to accept that compromise – as he let the kid know without saying anything. And Brian had certain plans he thought would take care of any remaining problem too. And he was right.

But Brian also decided to let Cynthia inform Justin of any others who might be joining the Pittsburgh contingent on the celebrity voyage. She could call the kid – tomorrow - or the next day. Cynthia was good at that kind of stuff.

 

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