So How's It Going?

The fellows who inhabit the loft had just positioned themselves on the loft floor facing their flaming fake fireplace – a quite usual occurrence for them. It was not quite so usual though for Brian to initiate the discussion.

“I don’t want to be prying or anything, Kiddo,” he opened. “You know I’m not. But am I up-to-date on the Oswaldo-Alan romance…?”

“Well you know they’re living together, Bri,” Justin reminded him. “Emmett told us that – and he heard it from….”

“We don’t like – usually get our information second or third hand, JT,” Brian pointed out. “So I guess you aren’t taking your usual interest in other people’s business this time….”

“So it’s pick-on-Justin night again, is it, Mr. Kinney?” Justin laughed. “Damned if I meddle - and damned if I don’t meddle….”

“Not at all, my little JT,” Brian laughed back, “But Alan is a blond twink and you usually keep in touch with all blond twinks – the Association and all - and you try to help them when you can….”

“Gee whiz, Brian,” Justin told him. “What kind of help does Alan need? He wanted to catch Oswaldo – and it seems like he caught him - so what kind of help…?”

“I don’t think they’re getting along all that well, Baby,” Brian persisted. “Anyhow that’s what I heard….”

”Second or third-hand, I guess,” Justin grinned. “Not reliable at all….”

“First hand, Taylor,” Brian proclaimed. “I actually had a visit from Oswaldo at the office this morning. He said it isn’t like he thought it would be – like we maybe led him to believe it would be….”

“What’s the problem, Brian?” Justin asked, “Or what’s the problem as Oz sees it, I guess I should phrase that?”

“Are you asking the question that way because you already know the problems as Alan sees them, Sweetheart?” Brian inquired. “Ozzie thinks you’ve been talking to Alan and….”

“Well I guess maybe I have talked to Alan a couple of times, Brian,” Justin admitted, “But I’m not – like – taking sides or anything. I always try to explain Oswaldo’s side to Alan….”

“But you don’t try to explain Alan’s side to Oswaldo, Honey,” Brian pointed out. “Since you always know exactly what’s really going on all the time, wouldn’t it be fair to explain it all to Oswaldo too? Geez, Twink, you don’t think it’s not gonna work between those two. I don’t think that’s good at all. I’m not so sure about Al – but I don’t think Oz will ever try again if this one doesn’t go. I never expected him to get this far even once….”

“I guess I’m not sure, Brian,” Justin admitted. “It wasn’t love at first sight like it was for us,” Justin told him. “You gotta remember that….”

“Yeah,” Brian remembered as ordered, “I remember it well….”

“Or like love at first sight for Jason and Brandon either….” Justin continued.

“Yeah,” Brian smiled, “I remember that too – but they still have arguments and stuff – and you have to settle them down every once in a while. Like when….”

“Of course they’re not perfect, Kinney,” Justin advised him. “That’s not the way it usually works. We were just lucky….”

“You think it was luck, Sunshine?” Brian smiled at him gently. “That we’re perfect, that is?”

“Nope,” Justin told him – and the conversation trailed off at that point into pause mode – which was not at all an unusual occurrence during these fireside idylls between the guys.

“So whattaya think, Baby?” Brian eventually resumed the conversation. “Are those guys gonna make it or not?”

“Well I didn’t like – pick them out to be a couple, Bri,” Justin told him. “I don’t think I would have either….”

“That’s right, Babe,” Brian recalled. “You didn’t match them up. So I guess they don’t really have a chance – picking each other like they did…..”

“Cut the sarcasm, Kinney,” Justin laughingly commanded. “Lots of couples last a life-time with no help from me. But remember – Alan’s goal was really not to catch Oswaldo – but rather to become Oswaldo – or at least an Oswaldo clone. Neither one of them was really looking for….”

“Everybody is always looking, Taylor,” Brian told him, “whether they know it or not…. At least till they find what they’re looking for. You’ve told me that so many times that now I really believe it….”

“Well if you insist on believing everything I say …,” Justin laughed. “I think Oz and Al have a good chance of making it. They’re just like – having a tough period of adjustment…..”

“So what are the problems, Baby?” Brian wondered.

“I bet Oswaldo already told you the big ones, Bri,” Justin concluded. “Alan like – wants them to move to St. Louis when he finishes his program at Carnegie-Mellon – and he hasn’t completely given up his ambitions to be the big stud of that Gateway City….”

“Well he can’t do that if he wants a permanent relationship – with Oz or anybody else….” Brian opined. “Not that they couldn’t move to St. Louis if they wanted to do that. And that might be better for us too – you wouldn’t always have to be the referee….”

“I don’t think they’ll actually move at all, Bri,” Justin informed him. “Alan loves his program at Carnegie-Mellon and he’s like – at the top of his class – and Hix says there are a lot of local companies and non-profits that want him – and Carnegie-Mellon would probably like to keep him too. That’s like – a year away though….”

“Sounds like third-hand info to me,” Brian allowed. “How would Hix know any of that?”

“I know you don’t like Hix, Bri,” Justin laughed, “But he really does know everything that goes on out at Car-Mel. Ask Ben. He knows about Hix…..”

“So you think that problem will pan out itself, Kiddo?” Brian asked him.

“Yeah – I hope so - in time,” Justin said, “And the other big thing is that Oswaldo is still like – running Babylon – the master stud – even if he’s not doing much studding these days – or like – no studding at all….”

“OK, JT,” Brian volunteered. “There’s something I can do to help. I’ll convince Ozzie to quit Babylon and…..”

“Not necessary, Brian,” Justin smiled. “Oz already wants to quit. It’s Alan who insists he stay on over there. See – Alan still has the idea…..”

“Well – so that’s why Oswaldo asked me if I wanted my old job back,” Brian laughed. “He said I could take it for a couple of days a week or for a month or two – to see if I liked it….”

“Now that is not at all funny, Mr. Kinney,” Justin concealed a grin of his own, “Not at all….”

“And I guess it’s not funny that Oz was gonna make the same offer to Brandon either?” Brian wondered.

“Not funny either,” Justin confirmed “But Ozzie can quit over at Babylon like - any time he wants to. There aren’t any real top-notch candidates for the job – but Oz is a genuine lame duck – goes home with Alan a little after midnight every night….”

“No – I don’t think even I could have carried that off, Baby,” Brian grinned. “Not even the incomparable Brian Kinney could have…. But Oswaldo is afraid he is really in love with Alan – but if he quits Babylon and then Alan doesn’t come around….”

“Tell Ozzie that if he’s in love with Alan, he should just do what comes naturally,” Justin advised. “That’s the best thing he can do. And tell him not to worry. I’ll work on Alan – but I don’t think Al would like it if I talked to Ozzie myself. It’s better if you do it….”

“I’ll tell him he has absolutely nothing to worry about, Sweetheart,” Brian was still grinning. “And he doesn’t – not if the Justin Taylor I know is on the job….”

“Thanks for your confidence in me, BK,” Justin whispered as he cuddled himself closer to the guy on his left. “You know I’ll do my best….”

“Like you always do,” Brian smiled at him.

And that closed the discussion for the night.
 

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