Playoff Payoff

The residents of the loft had been sitting for a while in a peaceful silence – gazing at their blazing fake fireplace. Nobody seemed interested in starting a conversation – but then one of them did.

“Brandon and Jason went to the hockey playoff last night,” Justin announced.

“Yeah,” Brian replied. “I know. I talked to Brandon this afternoon. He said it was a good game. They enjoyed it.”

“Brandon got tickets from some client at the last minute,” Justin volunteered. “That’s how they got to go.”

“Yeah, I know,” Brian replied again. “I talked to Brandon this afternoon.”

“We haven’t seen any playoff games at all this season, Brian,” Justin pointed out. “None at all.”.

“We - us that is - haven’t seen any games at all this whole season, Baby,” Brian reminded him. “I have seen a few games – I took Gus three or four times – but you were always too busy when we went – so you haven’t seen any games at all this year. I bet you didn’t even know they were in the playoffs.”

“I did too know they were in the playoffs, Brian Kinney,” Justin objected. “I follow the Penguins pretty closely even if I can’t get to the arena very often.”

“The National Hockey League should probably check out your schedule before it publishes its schedule, JT,” Brian suggested. “Then maybe you could make some of the games - if they’d just do that….”

“I think I detect just a trace of Kinney sarcasm in that statement, BK,” Justin complained. “And no sarcasm was warranted either. All I did was tell you that Brandon and Jason got to see the playoff game last night and…..”

“And you’re maybe also wondering – if Brandon can get tickets for sold-out playoff games,” Brian grinned, “why can’t I?”

“Was not either,” Justin maintained solidly. “You always like to think the worst of me. I don’t think it’s your fault at all if you can’t score a couple of tickets for a playoff hockey game in this red-hot hockey town. It can’t be easy….”

“Actually, Sweetheart,” Brian told him. “Despite your apparent lack of confidence in me, I could have got us tickets for maybe all the home games – and maybe some other games too. Since you’re so interested in hockey you must know that several of the week-end games were on Dave’s network – you know – the TV network our good friend like - owns….”

“Well why didn’t he offer us tickets then, Kinney?” Justin asked. “Some friend. He’s always trying to get us to go someplace or other with him. Why didn’t he offer us tickets if he’s such a good friend?”

“Actually, he did, Baby,” Brian revealed. “He called me a couple of times and asked me if we wanted to go – and….”

“And you turned him down?” Justin seemed surprised. “I thought you enjoyed going to hockey games.”

“I do enjoy going to hockey games, Sunshine,” Brian agreed. “But I didn’t think maybe you were all that interested. Wendell also told him that he didn’t think you were all that much of a hockey fan….”

“Well I don’t know why you guys would speak for me,” Justin maintained, “when I can certainly speak for myself.”

“It is not in any doubt at all, Kiddo,” Brian had to laugh, “that you can speak for yourself. You’ve demonstrated that many times in your life-time – which nobody can deny….”

“Don’t try to change the subject, Brian,” Justin demanded strategically. “We’re talking about us not getting to any playoff games this season. That’s what we’re talking about….”

“So are you gonna tell me why you passed on every opportunity to go this season when I took Gus?” Brian turned the tables. “And some of the excuses seemed kind of lame at the time to me – and you usually like to take Gus places to show him your infinite expertise. And the Penguins have a lot of good-looking young guys this season too. That ought to be a draw….”

“Cut it out Kinney,” Justin grouched. “I go to hockey games because I am a student of the sport – not because the players are good looking – and anyhow they wear those big helmets and pads - and you don’t get much of a look at them anyway….”

“Without being sarcastic at all, Taylor,” Brian retorted. “I have a theory about why you didn’t go to the games when you had the chance. Every game we went to, Gus asked me the same question: ‘Can Justin skate as well as the Penguins?’”

“And what did you tell him, Mr. Kinney?” Justin had to smile.

“I told him he would have to ask you, Mr. Taylor,” Brian smiled back at him. “Knowing how well you can speak for yourself….”

“I bet Gus would like to see a playoff game, Bri,” Justin cuddled himself closer to the big guy on his left. “So if tickets are so easily available maybe you could…..”

“Yeah, Baby,” Brian laughed. “Maybe I could – and maybe I already did – not being real stupid….”

“What are you trying to tell me, Brian?” Justin seemed surprised. “Like – what?”

“I am trying to tell you what I was going to tell you just now when you interrupted me to ask me what I was going to tell you,” Brian informed him, “Which is the same thing I was going to tell you tonight even if you hadn’t brought up the subject of Brandon and Jason going to the game last night. When Brandon told me they had gone last night, I put two and two together – I can add, you know. I was lucky to be able to get a hold of Dave right away. They’re not sure yet when the next home game will be but we have tickets - for us and Gus – and a couple for Brandon and Jason so you can pick on Jason about how we got them tickets when we got tickets for ourselves - and they didn’t get tickets for us when they got tickets for themselves….”

“Brian Kinney,” Justin seemed hurt to the core, “do you think I’d ever do a thing like that? Me – Justin Taylor?”

“Nah,” Brian comforted him. “Not if you say you wouldn’t. By the way, are you saying you wouldn’t?”

“Gee whiz, Bri,” Justin got a new thought at just the right time. “What if the next game is on a night I’m busy and I can’t go?”

“You, little Justin, Kiddo, are going,” Brian assured him. “If I have to tie you up and drag you - you are going. That is it, Taylor. You are signed up – and you are going.”

“Damn Brian,” Justin intentionally caused a lull in the discussion at this point by moving suggestively closer to Brian. “You can be tough when you want to be. Like – tied and dragged – gee whiz….”

It was quite a while before the conversation resumed again – so long that one could have reasonably wondered if it would resume at all.

“OK, JT,” Brian broke the long silence. “I know how your mind works. So I wonder - what are you gonna tell Gus when he asks if you can skate as well as the Penguins? He will ask - I’m pretty sure of that …..”

“Well,” Justin considered briefly. “I’ll probably tell him that there may be some of the Penguins who can probably skate better than me. Of course they get more practice than I do, you know….”

“And it goes without saying - none of those Penguins can paint as well as you do either,” Brian grinned at him.

“Well, it wouldn’t necessarily have to go without saying, Honey. It would be OK if you wanted to toss that fact in too – when the appropriate time comes, of course,” Justin grinned. “It might be good for Gus to get the whole picture.”

Brian was wondering then if anybody ever really got the whole picture of the remarkable blond hockey fan sitting next to him – but Brian knew he got enough of that picture to be really in love with that kid – and Brian knew the talking was over for that night too. The playoffs could wait for another time.
 

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