You're a Good Man, Brian K

It was late at night when the fake fireplace finally got lit in the loft – but it was then or never – and the guys opted for then. It seemed to them like the better choice.

“You’re a good man, Justin Taylor,” Brian told the blond kid sitting on the floor of the loft next to him. “You talked Gus into just one performance of Amahl and the Night Visitors and one performance of Nutcracker – way better than last year when we saw them like – a hundred times....”

“Well you are in a great early Christmas-season mood, Brian,” Justin seemed surprised. “Paying compliments yet – not that any compliments would be undeserved - but also not like the usual Brian Kinney at all….”

“Of course, Sweetheart,” Brian went on, “the single viewings of those great works of dramatic art gave us a chance to also see The Musical Christmas Carol at the Civic Light Opera and Cricket on the Hearth at the Playhouse Junior – both of which were a lot worse than either Amahl or Nutcracker….”

“Gee whiz, Brian,” Justin now seemed relieved. “I’m glad you said that. I was wondering if some civilized person had somehow snuck in and replaced you….”

“Would you have liked that, Baby?” Brian laughed at the thought. “A civilized replacement for cynical old mean Brian Kinney?”

“I don’t think so, Brian,” Justin laughed too. “You can stay. I guess I’m at least part masochist. And I guess I’m pretty happy here too. You do have a few good points….”

“Name one,” Brian challenged him. “Bet you can’t.”

“Yeah I can, Kinney,” Justin took the dare. “I can name one – I’m not sure about two though. Anyhow, it was your idea to get our annual Charlie Brown tree ourselves – up at Cynthia’s cousin’s tree farm – and that was a great idea. It worked last year and it worked today too. I do wonder why you made it such a surprise this time though. You and Mikey and Brandon knew we were going to go this morning - but you didn’t tell me and Jason and Malcolm till we were like – ready to go. But we got a really ugly tree this year, BK – and so did everybody else. It will be fun turning that ugly frog tree into a handsome prince tree…..”

“Geez, Taylor,” Brian pointed out. “We could write a play about a frog tree turning into a prince tree – and maybe put it on at the Playhouse Jr. It would be every bit as good as Cricket on the Hearth. You sure picked a clinker there, Sweetheart. Maybe we could get Malcolm to direct ours….”

“And maybe we could get you to go to it, Kinney,” Justin grinned. “But I wouldn’t be interested in doing anything like that – unless of course it was a starring vehicle for you And by the way, Gus loved both of the new shows – so if they play again next year…. And also by the way, I am not responsible for us going to either of the new shows this year. Gus’ friend, Rex, told him about them – how good they were – and would you be the one telling Gus ‘no’ when he said he wanted to go? Not a chance, Brian Kinney. You spoil that kid as much as anybody else – and maybe more….”

“Is this Rex kid gonna be at Gus’ party here, JT?” Brian inquired. “Maybe we could spike his eggnog…..”

“There will be absolutely no eggnog spiking at that party, Mr. Kinney,” Justin laughed. “That’s an order. Those kids are gonna have a good time.”

“Well point the brat out to me anyhow, Sunshine,” Brian insisted. “I’ll arrange for Santa Claus to give him something he won’t like…..”

“You will not either, Kinney,” Justin warned him. “And anyhow – you already know who Rex is. He’s the red-haired kid who was with Gus when we watched Charlie Brown’s Christmas at the Fairmont.”

“The kid you told me was being raised by a single mother – and didn’t have a lot of money?” Brian remembered correctly. “That kid?”

“He’s the one, Brian,” Justin assured him. “But I didn’t even think you heard me when I told you that. You weren’t paying attention….”

“It’s not safe not to hear you when you say something, Baby,” Brian pointed out. “Not safe at all. Could cause a lot of trouble. I’m careful about that. But how did Rex get to those plays he told Gus about if ….?”

“I don’t know, Bri,” Justin told him. “But I don’t think it was easy for her though – but you know how people like to do stuff for their kids….”

“So - are we taking Gus anywhere else before Christmas, JT?” Brian asked the kid

“Yep, we’re going to the big Skate With Santa next Tuesday at PPG Place. It’s that charity event. There’ll be some Penguins there and some big name figure skaters. It’s real expensive but it’s for charity andGus wanted to go – his favorite Penguins will be there - and I told you all this before I even got the tickets,” Justin laughed. “So you must not have listened when I told you, Brian – for that once anyway – not that I doubt for a minute….”

“Can you arrange for us to take Rex too, Taylor?” Brian pursued his train of thought undeterred.

“I think so, Bri,” Justin replied. “If you want to. I know his mother and so do Linz and Mel. They know her better than me….”

“Let’s do it then,” Brian decided. “Will you fix it up? That’s your kind of job. Kiddo. And you know how Gus is gonna be a junior elf for our Children’s Hospital visit this year…. Maybe two junior elves would be even better…..”

Justin cuddled himself up closer to Brian. “You’re a good man, Brian Kinney,” he told him. “A really good man….But don’t worry. I won’t tell anybody.”

And that was the last thing said before a very long pause took place – regardless of the lateness of the hour. One might have thought the discussion was over then. But it wasn’t.

“Can I ask you a question, Brian?” Justin asked some time later – resuming the conversation - but without completely disentangling himself from his other half. “How come you and Mikey and Brandon planned for us to go get our Charlie Brown trees – and then didn’t tell me and Jason or Malcolm we were going until this morning? Malcolm had to change some plans – lucky Jason and I didn’t have anything special on our agendas. There must have been some reason …..”

“Do you remember the party at the Fairmont where we watched the Charlie Brown Christmas Special, JT?” Brian recalled.. “All 200 of us…..”

“I’m sorry, Bri,” Justin told him. “I think you liked it better when just a few of us watched here or over at Mikey’s. I shouldn’t have let Dave and Wendell take over and …..”

“That’s OK, Babe,” Brian assured him. “It was a great party. Dave is hard to say ‘no’ to – and he always operates on a grand scale. It was just a little bit different from what I was used to. I enjoyed myself though – even if I didn’t know everybody there. You were there….”

“OK, Kinney,” Justin smiled at him. “There’s the compliment. Now just go ahead with the insult ….”

“No insult, JT,” Brian told him. “None at all. I guess that civilized person has snuck in and replaced the usual mean old Brian Kinney. But anyhow, we figured if Dave found out that several of us were driving fifty miles north to get our Charlie Brown trees, we’d end up all going in a Mercedes bus - pulling a you-haul to hold the trees. We thought we’d rather do it the old way – and we figured that if you or Jason or Malcolm knew.….”

“You didn’t trust me, Brian Kinney.” Justin lifted his head from Brian’s shoulder. “I should be mad at you ….”

“Geez, Justin Taylor,” Brian pulled the kid’s head back onto his shoulder. “Loving you is not enough – I gotta trust you too You really want everything…..”

“I’ve got everything, Kinney,” Justin whispered in his ear. “I want everything – and I’ve got everything. I’ve got you…..”

“Cynical, mean old Brian Kinney?” Brian teased. “That’s what you’ve got?”

“Cut it out right now, BK,” Justin demanded gently. “So what if you are mean and cynical. That’s you and you can’t help it. You’re still a good man, Brian Kinney. And I love you.”

And for that moment – at least for that moment – Brian didn’t feel very mean or cynical at all.
 

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