Perfection

Chapter 1

Author's Note:  Thanks to Gina for the plot bunny and Sabina for her help and inspiration.

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Brian Kinney walked into Flanagan's Bar. A small smile raised the corners of his mouth. He was feeling good. Kinnetik had just landed the Liberty Air advertising account. Brian had taken it away from Vangard, away from that asshole Gardner Vance, his former employer. Sometimes the universe unfolded the way it should, and this was one of those times. Liberty Air had been one of his first major accounts when he had worked at the Ryder Agency, and now it had gone full circle coming back to him. He could afford to gloat just a little bit, no, more than a little bit.

His smile was even bigger as he slid his Armani clad ass onto one of the barstools. He ordered a boilermaker. The bartender set the two glasses down in front of him and Brian downed the shot. He felt the heat spread through his system. Then he took a sip of the beer which mellowed the whole effect. Silently he toasted his bastard of a father who had introduced him to boilermakers many years ago. It was one of the few useful things that his father had ever done for him.

Brian glanced around the pub content in the knowledge that he knew no one in the place. He had found the bar one night not so long ago when Michael and the boiz had royally pissed him off with their constant questions and incessant nosiness about his personal life. Brian had finally told them to fuck off and had stormed out of Woody's.

Once outside, he knew he didn't want to go home. He was several drinks shy of where he wanted to be. He had started walking away from Liberty Avenue, away from any of the usual haunts where they might find him, if they dared to follow. Twenty minutes later he had calmed down sufficiently to look up and see the sign for Flanagan's just up the street. Desperately in need of a drink, at that point he had reached for the front door where he noted the little rainbow sticker that indicated a gay friendly business. That made him feel better even though no one usually suspected he was gay unless he wanted them to. He had opened the door and ventured inside.

Glancing around the premises he noted that it was set up like an Irish pub with booths and tables and a long bar. He had taken one of the stools at the bar. Before the bartender came over, he noted what others were drinking. Some guy at the other end of the bar was polishing off a boilermaker, so he had ordered one too. That's what he had every time he came there now.

That night Brian had downed his boilermaker, followed by another, and then several more. After an hour or three the bartender had poured him into a taxi and he had gone home with all thoughts of his insensitive friends thoroughly wiped from his brain. In fact thoughts of any kind were blanked out in his alcoholic stupor. He had never let things get to that state again, but he had found himself gravitating to this bar where no one knew his name, no one asked questions, and he could drink in peace. When he wanted to avoid the "family", it was a perfect place to go, and these days he avoided them more and more.

This evening, he nodded at the bartender, whom he had finally learned was named Casey.

Casey was a good Irish name for a well trained bartender. He immediately brought Brian another round. Brian looked up the length of the bar noting a young, dark haired man who had just come in and sat down. Brian's gaydar pinged immediately, but he carefully avoided making eye contact with the guy. This wasn't the place for picking up tricks. This was his private drinking spot.

Brian took a surreptitious glance at the man down the bar. He decided that he was probably a student from PIFA which was about three blocks farther down the street. Kinnetik had had several interns from that fine institution, and this guy looked like he would fit right in with them.

Having made that arbitrary decision, Brian directed his attention back to his beer and his reason for being in the pub in the first place. He was celebrating his new account and his coup over Vangard. He put the rather fine looking young man out of his thoughts. His recent triumph over Gardner Vance played through his head once again. It was a sweet victory for Brian. It was good to win, and it was good to have his old client back. Brian almost felt like his old, confident self once again. Almost.

He decided he would have one more boilermaker and then he would head on home. As Casey was setting his drink in front of him, Brian felt someone slide into the empty seat beside him at the bar. He couldn't help but glance over to see who it was. His breath caught in his throat at the sight of the best looking thing he had seen in a very long time. And the guy was clearly gay. Brian felt his dick start to swell and a tiny moan escaped his lips. The blond man looked at him and then quickly turned away.

"What can I get you?" Casey asked the blond.

"Beer."

"I.D.?"

"Fuck!" the blond muttered as he fished in the pocket of his jeans for his wallet. He pulled out what looked like a driver's license and handed it to the bartender.

"Twenty-five?" Casey asked skeptically after examining the document.

"I know I look younger, but that's my age. Too bad I don't look even younger," he muttered half under his breath, but Brian heard it clearly.

"What kind of beer?" Casey asked apparently satisfied that the man was old enough to have one. He handed back the driver's license.

"Heineken."

Brian's eyebrow went up. Heineken was certainly more sophisticated than Miller or Bud. This guy could prove to be interesting. Brian's scrutiny caused the blond to turn and stare at him. Apparently he was not too pleased with being observed.

Brian decided to break his own rule and initiate conversation. "Why do you want to look younger?" he asked.

"Huh?"

"These are the easy questions," Brian smirked. "I get to the hard ones later."

"Sorry. I'm just not used to anybody talking to me in a place like this."

"Even in friendly downtown Pittsburgh?" Brian said with his tongue in his cheek.

The blond choked on his sip of beer. "That wasn't very nice," he chuckled.

Brian smirked before saying, "I haven't seen you around here before, but you look vaguely familiar."

"Do you use that line on everyone?"

"No, you do look familiar." Brian watched the man shiver involuntarily. "I'm not trying to pry," Brian added quickly as he noted the reaction. The blond sneezed and Brian said, "Gesundheit."

"Excuse me," the blond replied taking out a tissue and wiping at his nose. He appeared to relax a bit as he looked back at Brian. "I just started at PIFA."

"At twenty-five?"

"You think I'm too old?" the blond asked as he sneezed again and then again.

"Gesundheit," Brian repeated. "I hope it's not me that you're allergic to."

The blond smiled. "No, but mention of my age seems to trigger the sneezes."

"Now that's one I've never heard before."

"Me either, until it started happening."

"Just recently?"

"About a year ago," the blond said.

"Why does mention of age set you off? Although, I can fully sympathize. Who the fuck wants to get old?"

"Exactly! And in my line of work, it's the kiss of death."

"Your line of work?" Brian asked.

"Modeling."

"You're…" Brian began.

"Justin Taylor," the blond replied holding out his hand.

Brian took it to shake and felt a little jolt of electricity as they touched. "Calvin Klein underwear," Brian said with a smirk.

"Yeah," Justin admitted, "but not anymore."

"Let me guess. They found someone younger," Brian said beginning to understand what Justin's problem was all about. "That sucks!"

"Big time." And Justin sneezed three more times.

"Well, they couldn't have found anyone with a better ass than yours," Brian stated emphatically as Justin wiped his nose and took a drink of beer.

Justin almost choked on his beer again, before grinning at Brian. "Thank you," he said with a definite twinkle in his eye.

"I'm Brian Kinney by the way," Brian said staring into those blue eyes.

"Nice to meet you, Brian," Justin replied with a smile. "I'm surprised you know who I am."

"I'm in advertising. It's my job to know such things."

"I see," Justin said with a frown.

Brian felt the blond pulling away, retreating into himself. He didn't like that feeling and wondered just what he had said that caused it to happen. He had enjoyed talking to the young man. He watched as Justin finished his beer and started to stand up.

"Would you like another? My treat," he said hastily, not wanting the blond to leave. "You can help me celebrate."

"Celebrate?" Justin asked, as after a moment's hesitation he sat back down.

"Yeah," Brian smirked. "Can't you tell that I'm celebrating?"

"Don't celebrations usually involve other people? Friends?"

"Sometimes I prefer my own company … or yours."

Justin smiled from ear to ear, a smile that momentarily took Brian's breath away. It was definitely worth keeping that smile around, if only for one more beer. Brian gestured to the bartender to bring another round.

"Thanks," Justin said as he took a sip from his new bottle of beer. "What are you celebrating?"

"I just landed a big account for my company."

"Oh?"

"Liberty Air."

"That is a big account. Congratulations."

Brian smiled. "Thanks, and it was so sweet getting it."

"Why's that? Sounds like there's more to it than a shitload of money."

"Oh yeah! Liberty Air used to be my client before my former employer was taken over by Vangard."

"I've heard of Vangard," Justin said. "So you work for them?"

Brian shook his head. "Used to, but the bullshitter that owns it started to piss me off. I started my own company."

"Wow!" Justin reacted. "Would I know it?"

"It's called Kinnetik."

"Oh," Justin said with a frown. Then the light dawned. "You did those Remsen Pharmaceutical ads about some medicine for AIDS. They were great … so honest and raw."

"Thanks," Brian smirked. "I took that account away from Vangard too."

"And apparently enjoyed every minute of it," Justin laughed.

"Absolutely."

Justin giggled as he finished his beer. This guy was kind of entertaining. "Thanks for the beer. Happy celebrating."

"Um…" Brian began. "Might you be in here again some time soon?" He knew he sounded like an idiot, but he had enjoyed talking to Justin more than he had enjoyed talking to anyone in a very long time. He'd like to do it again.

"You never know," Justin said with a smile, "I might just drop in again." Justin gave Brian a quick wink as he said, "I enjoyed taking part in your celebration."

Brian smiled as he watched the blond walk out the door. He shook his head as he wondered what had ever possessed him to strike up a conversation with Justin Taylor. He never did things like that, but he was glad he had, and furthermore, he hoped he could do it again soon.

Brian paid his tab and headed out to his car. He was feeling good, better than he had in a long time. It had been a good day.

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