“The idea sucks.”
“I like it and it’s good for morale.”
“Fuck morale and fuck you.”
“It’s a week from Saturday at my home. I expect you to be there—smiling. Partner. Oh, and bring your whatever you call him. It’s a family thing.” Vance left the door open as he left Brian’s office, almost walking into Cynthia as he brushed past her.
“Well?”
“Vance has decided that we need a fucking company picnic to boost fucking morale. And it’s a fucking command performance.”
“Shall I order the potato sacks for the races?”
“Fuck off.”
“Anything else?”
“Get the Art Director for the Porsche account in here. Fucking now.”
~ x~ x~ x~ x~ x~ x~ x~ x~ x~ x~ x~x~x~x~x~
“Hey.”
“Let’s go out, I’m hungry.” Brian walked without stopping to the bedroom, removing pieces of clothing along the way. Hitting the save key on his computer, Justin followed. Obviously, judging from body language, it had not been a good day. In the several seconds it took for Justin to catch up with the older man he had already changed into worn jeans and was slipping a black v-neck tee over his head.
“Something happen at work? You don’t seem too happy.” Justin had a talent for wasp understatement.
“Fucking Vance has decided that we’re going to have a fucking family picnic at his house. Command appearance for everyone. You’re supposed to be there, too.”
“…You want me to go to a company picnic? Is this like an annual thing or something?”
“No. This is a first and fucking Vance wants the wives and kids there.”
“Which one am I?”
“Whichever one you want to be, sweetheart.”
“My father used to have picnics for his company every year, and Christmas parties. The picnics would usually be at the house and everyone would be really stiff and formal and then someone’s kid would always end up having to be rescued from the pool. My mother finally made him move it to a park. His employees were always too scared of him to get drunk. They were pretty boring.”
“I think I’m supposed to pretend to play host for shit’s sake.”
They were in the elevator headed down. “I thought that everyone who works there is afraid of you.”
“Yeah, right. Except Cynthia. Everyone else watches their ass around me.”
“…Brian, that was way too easy. You must be really upset.”
“Fuck you.”
~ x~ x~ x~ x~ x~ x~ x~ x~ x~ x~ x~x~x~x~x~
“Brian. Have your assistant get a head count for the picnic, then order the food. Cookout stuff, you know, steaks, salads that sort of thing. It should be delivered to my house by ten. And be sure to tell her that we’ll need some waiters and a bartender. And we’ll need someone to cook, too.”
He didn’t bother to look up from the storyboards in front of him. “Why don’t you have your own assistant do your shit work for you? This is your frigging idea.”
“And you’re my frigging partner. Have the girl make some calls.”
He looked over at Cynthia seated in front of his desk. “Vance, I’d like to introduce you to Cynthia Monroe. Cynthia, this is Mr. Vance, he owns this agency. I think you two should meet.” He knew damn well that they saw each other on a daily basis. “I would suggest that if you have something to ask her, you speak to her directly.”
“Miss Monroe, would you mind ordering the things I just asked for?”
“I’m afraid that Miss Monroe’s time is filled with the jobs I assign her.” He still hadn’t looked up. “You might ask Laurie.”
Obviously pissed, Vance turned out of the door to speak with his own assistant.
“Thanks, boss.”
“Da Nada.”
~ x~ x~ x~ x~ x~ x~ x~ x~ x~ x~ x~x~x~x~x~
“Brian? Is this a pool party? Should I bring a bathing suit?”
“Only if you want some advertising whores grabbing your ass all day.”
A smile. “That might liven things up.”
“Justin, sweetheart, no one will try to grab the boss’s wife’s ass.” A slightly raised eyebrow and the patented smirk accompanied the comment.
“I know that, but I could make them jealous of you when they see what you go home to every night.”
“Or you could trade recipes with the other wives.”
“Fuck you, Brian.”
“That was my plan.”
~ x~ x~ x~ x~ x~ x~ x~ x~ x~ x~ x~x~x~x~x~
“Brian, I thought that you would want to know that almost everyone in the company has accepted Vance’s invitation and most of them are bringing a significant other and kids.”
“…So this is Hell.”
“You could bring Gus and introduce Justin as his mother.”
“Fuck off.”
~ x~ x~ x~ x~ x~ x~ x~ x~ x~ x~ x~x~x~x~x~
The day was warm and, unusual for
One of the junior account men made his way over to Brian, now dressed in his weekend casual of tastefully worn jeans and a black wife beater.
“Mr. Kinney, I’d like to introduce you to my wife, Linda and this is Jimmy and that little tornado over there is Heather.”
His face was pleasantly neutral. “How do you do?”
Linda took his hand, all too obviously giving him the once over. “Brad has told me so much about you, Mr. Kinney, he admires you so much. In fact, he told me that you’re the most creative person in the whole company and that you’ve won all kinds of awards…you must be so very proud, and you’re still so young! Is your wife here, too?” Kinney’s eyes were starting to glaze over. Brad’s expression was controlled panic—shit, he was sure that he had told her.
He scanned the crowd. “…Just getting me a beer. Justin?” They were joined a moment later by the teenager. Brian put his arm around his shoulders. “Sweetie, I’d like you to meet some of the people I work with.”
That sunshine smile broke out. “Hi. It’s nice to meet you. Hey Bri? I think I’m going to hit the water before we eat, OK?”
“Stay out of the deep end.”
“Screw you.” Giving Brian both his beer and a kiss on the shoulder, he wandered in to the pool house to change.
Cynthia paused on her way to the bar area. “Hi Brad. Brian, was that Justin? I didn’t know that you were going to bring him.”
“You know how hard it is to get a sitter on short notice.”
“You’re awful. Vance is looking for you, he’s over by the patio.”
“Fabulous. Excuse me Brad, Lindy.”
“Linda.”
“Right.” Linda turned to her husband as Brian started making his way over to the area where Vance was holding court.
“Brad, is he always like that? I mean, he was almost rude to you. And that boy, who was that?”
Cynthia managed a small smile. “That was his ‘other half’ and actually he’s on his good behavior today. He usually eats junior execs for breakfast.” She opted for a small dramatic pause. “And sometimes lunch and dinner, too.”
“He certainly is gorgeous though, isn’t he?”
“I’ve always thought so. Brad, how about you? Would you like another drink, Linda?”
~ x~ x~ x~ x~ x~ x~ x~ x~ x~ x~ x~x~x~x~x~
“Brian, there you are. Get something to drink did you?”
He stood next to his host, holding his beer. “Thanks, I’m fine. I heard that you were looking for me?”
“Who is that young man you’ve brought?” He looked over to the pool where Justin had just performed a reasonable jackknife off the diving board.
“A friend.”
“Are all of your…friends quite so young?”
“Are you jealous?”
“Ummm, indeed. Having a good time, are you?”
“Fine, thanks.”
“Given your history, he is over the age of consent, isn’t he?”
“…In fact, he is.”
“Glad to hear it. Enjoy the party. Oh, and keep him away from the office.”
~ x~ x~ x~ x~ x~ x~ x~ x~ x~ x~ x~x~x~x~x~
“Hi, I’m Patti. The water’s great, isn’t it? Your parents dragged you to this thing, too?” She was about sixteen and bored.
“Hi, Justin. Not really, I’m here with Brian.”
“Who’s that? One of the art directors?”
“Brian Kinney? He’s a partner. He’s over there talking to Mr. Vance.” She turned to look in the direction he was pointing.
“God, he’s amazing looking, do you know if he’s married?”
“Sort of. He lives with someone.”
“Which one is she? Is she here?”
“She’s me.”
“You’re…?”
“Yeah, for about two years now.”
“Wow, lucky you.”
That smile broke out. “Yeah. I know.”
“Your parents here?”
“Yeah. They were talking in the car on the way over and Dad was saying that one of the mucky-mucks—that’s what he calls them—was gay. He’s weird about shit like that. Really stupid.”
“Yeah, well, there’s a lot of that.”
“That’s stupid.”
“…It happens a lot.”
“God, didn’t your parents shit when you moved in with him? Mine would have, even if I moved in with a man…I mean…”
“That’s OK. Yeah, they did sort of. My Dad really flipped out but my Mom has pretty much come around.”
“Are you going to marry him or something?”
“No, he doesn’t do stuff like that. You want to meet him?”
“Just let me get dried off first.”
~ x~ x~ x~ x~ x~ x~ x~ x~ x~ x~ x~x~x~x~x~
“Did you see that kid Kinney brought with him? Isn’t that the one who got hit in the head last year?”
“I think it is. Shit, what is he, like fifteen? How the fuck does he get away with it?”
“What I want to know is how the fuck he stays out of jail. You heard the rumors last year when that asshole Kip sued him. How did he dodge that bullet?”
“I heard he brought in some hotshit lawyer.”
“Always the way. Pricks like him never have to pay the piper.”
“Well, the only reason Vance puts up with him is because he brings in money. You know that as well as I do. They can’t stand each other. Everyone has heard them sniping back and forth.”
“Yeah, but if Kinney goes…”
“Or gets fired.”
“He’s not going to fire a partner, it would cost too much to buy him out.”
“Anyway, if he left, you know that half the big accounts would go with him. The bastard is fucking good, even if he is a prick.”
“You think he’ll go?”
“Would you work with Vance for the rest of your life if you had options?”
“But Kinney has got to be making two or three hundred a year.”
“Sure he is, but if he opened his own place or went to an agency on one of the coasts he’d probably double that.”
“Maybe.”
“What maybe? You saying that if he asked you to go with him to his own company you’d tell him to fuck off?”
“…What do you think he and the blonde do when they’re alone?”
“Oh, crap. You really want a mental picture of them butt fucking?”
“Hey, I’m trying to eat lunch here.”
~ x~ x~ x~ x~ x~ x~ x~ x~ x~ x~ x~x~x~x~x~
“Y’know, I was actually talking to Kinney for a while. He’s almost human when he makes an effort.”
“What did you promise to blow him?”
“Bullshit. I don’t need this job that badly.”
“Well, what did you say to him?”
“Just ‘hi, how ya doin’ kind of stuff and he was almost ignoring me like he usually does at the office, but then that kid—the blonde?—came over and he just said “Oh c’mon, Brian, behave” and Kinney got this smile on his face. It wasn’t snotty or nasty or anything. It was a real smile. Scared the Hell out of me.”
“Kinney being pleasant and there was no client around? Shit.”
“You know what’s funny, though? All the women are drooling over him, the secretaries, and the wives, all of them. I’ve been watching them. Hey, hand me another beer, will you? What is it about women that they think they’re always the one to make a queer like girls?”
“Yeah, well unless the mail boy tries to cop a feel, I’d say it’s all a waste of time.”
“He is a handsome man.”
“Oh, you noticed, did you?”
“Screw you. He is. He’s good looking and he’s got a nice bod.”
“And his own teenybopper to use it on.”
“Yeah, what’s that about? I always thought he was a smart guy, but he’s playing with jailbait there.”
“…Actually I’m nineteen. Brian stays away from jailbait. Do you?”
~ x~ x~ x~ x~ x~ x~ x~ x~ x~ x~ x~x~x~x~x~
“Sweetie, it’s getting to be time for us to go, are you about ready?”
“Sure, just let me get my stuff.”
“Did you have a nice time?”
“It was OK. I met one of your bosses, I think. Brian? He’s really nice when you get to talk to him. How come you never said how funny he is?”
“You were talking with Brian Kinney today? How did that happen?”
“I met his boyfriend while I was in the pool and we hit it off. He’s really nice and after we were done swimming he asked if I wanted to eat with them.”
“He’s funny?”
“Well, yeah. You know, in a kinda droll way. He and Justin were ragging each other and then Cynthia came over and was trying to get Brian to eat some of the deserts but he wouldn’t. Then they were teasing him about getting fat. It was great.”
“…And what did he do?”
“He told her to stop trying to turn him into a flabby fag.”
“Excuse me?”
“Dad, they were joking.”
“…Um-hm.”
“Mom.”
“Steve, behave. It sounds like you had a good time, sweetie, I’m glad.”
“Justin said that I could go over to their place sometime to hang out…I mean if that’s OK.”
“Don’t you already have friends?”
“God, Dad. It’s not like they’re going to rape me or anything.”
~ x~ x~ x~ x~ x~ x~ x~ x~ x~ x~ x~x~x~x~x~
“Ah, Brian, there you are. The afternoon seemed to go well, don’t you think?”
“Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves.”
“Yes, I thought so. Did you?”
“Enjoy myself? Surrounding by my coworkers and their families. How could I not?”
“Your young man seemed to have made some friends. I heard a number of people talking about him.”
“So did I. Most of them seemed to want to know who’s on top.”
“I would think it obvious that would be the position that you’d be most comfortable with.” Vance sipped his scotch. “Enjoy what’s left of the weekend, won’t you?”
~ x~ x~ x~ x~ x~ x~ x~ x~ x~ x~ x~x~x~x~x~
Finally they were in the jeep approaching the loft. It was about nine at night, the party was over and their lives were their own. “So did you enjoy being the boss’s wife, darling?”
“Screw you, Brian. It wasn’t that bad.”
“Yes it was, you were just so busy being the perfect little woman you didn’t notice.”
“Screw you.”
“I thought that was part of the day’s entertainment plan anyway, but we can make an extra effort, if you would like.”
“Vance is a real dick, isn’t he? He kept looking at me like he wanted to either blow me or jump my bones.”
“Of course he did, so did every one of the breeder females there, too. I mean the ones who weren’t lusting in vain after me, of course.”
“Yeah, right.”
“I figure the split was about 70-30 my favor.”
“In your dreams.” Justin was quiet for a few moments.
“What?”
“I was just thinking what the office gossips would be feasting on Monday morning at the water cooler.”
“And what might that be?”
“Brian Kinney’s boy toy is totally hot.”
“More like Kinney’s a fucking chicken hawk perv. I suspect this will kill the idea of bring your son to work day.”
“Oh come on, Bri. Did someone say anything?”
“Not to my face. Shit, you twat, I’m the boss. They’re not that fucking stupid.” He pulled into his usual space and they made their way up the stairs and into the loft without saying anything. Brian seemed thoughtful and Justin wasn’t sure what to do with yet another emotional about face.
“Do you really care what they think?”
He was getting a couple of beers from the fridge. “No, I don’t give a flying fuck what anyone thinks.”
“So—what’s the problem?”
“I’m just so frigging tired of—fighting the bullshit. I’m fucking tired of it.”
Justin moved close to where Brian had settled on the white couch, wrapping his arms around his lover. “You’re the one who told me to never think you’ve won.”
He let out a sigh. “I know.”
“Bed?”
“I’m not tired.”
“I know.” Justin took his hand, pulling him up to his feet. They moved up to the platform, wrapped around one another, clothes falling away.
“Bri, is there going to be a Christmas Party, too?”
“You could go as an elf.”
“Fuck you. And you could go as Scrooge”
“Yeah. Scrooge this.”
Return to Simon's FanFiction