They Say It's Your Birthday

Chapter 5

Brian stretched his long frame, hovering between sleep and wakefulness. It was that moment when the last few seconds of his dream were the most vivid. His morning hard-on tented the sheets while his hand searched for the object of his desire. His head was filled with images of a blinding smile and a plump ass.

“Ooof!” Brian groaned as an awkward weight landed on his chest, immediately changing the subject.

“Are you awake, Dada?”

Brian cracked open his eyes to see a set of violet blue eyes peering down at him. “I am now, Squirt.”

“You should answer the phone,” Bree commanded.

“The phone? It’s not ringing,” Brian remarked, slightly confused. Just then his cell phone began to vibrate in his bedside drawer. Brian arched a brow at Bree then fumbled for his phone.

“Yesss,” he growled. “Uh huh. Everyone? Do I have time for a shower? Fine. Do I have a choice?” Bree shook her head at that question, seemingly agreeing with whoever was on the other end of the phone. “I’m sensing a conspiracy,” Brian growled again. Bree’s face lit up with a coy smile. “Ten minutes, if this child will get off of me. Okay, hold on.” Brian passed the phone to Bree.

“Hi, Auntie Emm,” Bree replied immediately into the phone. “Okay. Bye.” She hit the ‘end’ button then rolled off her father landing in the middle of her daddies’ bed. Brian took the phone, stowing it safely before tickling his precocious daughter until she shrieked with laughter.

“I guess I better go shower,” Brian said breathlessly after a minute as he flopped onto his back staring up at the ceiling.

“Good, Dada!” Bree agreed as she jumped off the bed then went out of his room.

“I have the Squirt seal of approval,” he murmured as he got out of bed and went to the bathroom to prepare for what Brian knew was going to be an interesting day.

*****

“Where is everybody?” Brian asked himself as he walked into the kitchen, expecting to see a kitchen brimming with people and a mug of coffee waiting on the counter for him.

Brian knew that even though the grandparents had all left the cottage yesterday at a decent time, only one set of grandparents had actually left the lane. The other grandparents had decided to spend the night. They all converged at the new B&B cottage, taking advantage of the added space to chat and catch up with each other. There was room enough for all of them to comfortably spend the night.

Edna’s Treasures was very quiet, too quiet considering the number of people who lived in it.

“Justin? Bree?” Brian called out with no reply. He walked toward the sun porch. “John?” No one answered.

Beau was sitting in the middle of the porch.

“Where are they, Beau?”

Beau cocked his head, pondering his master’s question. He stood with a bark then pranced to the sun porch door.

“Lead on, MacRuff,” Brian quipped as he followed the big dog out the door and onto the path toward the lane.

“Why does the expression, ‘Is Timmy in the well?’ keep running through my mind?” Brian mumbled to himself as he followed Beau to the B&B.

“Took you long enough!” Debbie’s voice called out from the large kitchen area as he and Beau were spotted when they crossed over the threshold.

“And a good morning to you too, Maw,” Brian snarked as he greeted his family with morning hugs and kisses for all. Someone placed a mugful of coffee into his grateful hands. He took a long sip and felt his humanity slowly return to his body.

“Much better,” he moaned as he found a seat at the long communal kitchen table. “Sooo, anyone care to explain?” Brian asked in between sips and waving a royal wrist.

“Well, your majesty,” Emmett began as the rest of the family chuckled then began passing around the breakfast dishes and platters brimming with all manner of breakfast delicacies and staples. “We decided to assume your after the soiree duties and give you a break. So, in other words...”

“Shut up and eat!” Debbie added in her own genteel way.

“Yes, Maw,” Brian replied, biting into a fresh popover. He knew this wasn’t a time to argue, his cwazy wittle family was on a mission. Who was he to interfere? They all spent a pleasant morning having breakfast and enjoying the company of all those in attendance.

*****

It was just after lunch when the lane became devoid of extra cars and returned to normal.

“Brian, walk with me,” John requested as they waved at the last of the retreating cars.

“Sure. Where are we walking to?”

“Just making an inspection of the grounds and the cottages,” John explained.

“I didn’t realize you still did that,” Brian said as he followed John while he slowly walked around Molly’s getaway cottage. “What are you looking for?”

“Signs of termites and other wood eating insects. They can do more damage than most storms,” John said. Brian nodded as he made his own inspection of Molly’s garden. He brushed away some of the debris, finding the buds of Spring flowers breaking through the cold ground.

“Do you check out our cottage that way?”

“Yup,” John replied with a smile, satisfied with the results of his inspection. “We’re at greater risk out here; it pays to be diligent.” Brian nodded. When it came to buildings, John was the expert. “Let’s go to Emmett’s,” John said. Brian fell into step with his brother.

“Your birthday’s coming up soon; a significant birthday,” John added. “How do you see yourself spending it?”

“Did you guys draw straws or something?” Brian answered with a question making John laugh.

“No, I volunteered. You don’t scare me, Kinney,” John growled.

“I never could.” Brian patted his brother on the back. “I honestly don’t know. What I do know is that I don’t want a big shindig. Lots of people make it to fifty,” Brian smirked at John who had made it to fifty five years earlier. John glared in return making Brian giggle then quickly cough to get himself under control.

“Turning fifty is not that big of an accomplishment,” Brian added falling back on his old mantra of only celebrating accomplishments.

“Maybe not but your family thinks otherwise.” John raised his hand to ward off anything Brian was about to say. “We will honor your wishes. We are well aware of your aversions to the limelight so don’t get your briefs in a bunch. Something small and intimate is fine with us but the day will not be ignored as it has been in the past. Why is that anyway?”

“Why is what?”

“We met when, fifteen, almost sixteen years ago when you weaseled yourself into my life? In all that time you’ve never once mentioned your birthday. I don’t even know the exact date. All I know that it’s in the Spring. The only ones who really know are Michael and Debbie and they won’t tell. As much as they can spread the gossip, this is one thing they have never shared. Why is that?”

“First of all, it’s nobody’s business other than for the government and Justin to know. And he knows better than to ask. Birthdays never meant anything to me; they became almost painful after a while when I was a kid. It was better to ignore them altogether. And then after a while, I forgot all about them...”

“Until Gus.”

“Until Gus and Justin,” Brian said.

“But that was a long time ago.”

“Yes, but I never felt my age. I was always mistaken for older than my real age or acting younger. My real age was never an issue other than when I was flaunted as the youngest adman at Ryder. That was a very important accomplishment and even then all anyone knew was that I was under thirty at the time.”

They had gotten to Emmett’s dream cottage so John began to circumvent the outer perimeter of the cottage. Brian spent his time checking the lawn and garden then he met John at the small greenhouse in Emmett’s backyard. John was checking the structure while Brian puttered inside.

“You’re leaving something out,” John said from the doorway. “Something happened to reinforce your avoidance of your birthday. Something you’re not telling.” John arched his own Kinney brow.

Brian pinched off a few dead leaves on an oregano plant. The scent of the herb wafted to his nose.

“It was the night of Justin’s prom,” Brian whispered.

“The night that Justin got bashed?” John clarified. He moved in closer to his brother to give Brian his silent emotional support.

“Yes, but that wasn’t all that happened that night.”

“What happened?” John asked softly.

“I was feeling sorry for myself, conflicted. Justin, the seventeen year old trick that wouldn’t go away had asked me to his prom. So many feelings that I had fought hard to keep under wraps were beginning to burst out. It scared me. I was turning thirty, the death knell for every gay man, or so I believed. I tried scarfing, the ultimate escape. To go out looking young and beautiful.”

John was horrified and did nothing to hide it from Brian.

“Mikey found me before it was too late. He won’t ever talk about it. After a while I cleaned myself up and went to the prom, the rest you know.”

“My God!” John threw his arms around his brother, hugging him tightly to his chest.

“So you see, birthdays have never been my thing,” Brian said in a self deprecating tone.

“All right,” John said in understanding. They stood in Emmett’s greenhouse hanging onto each other as if their lives depended on it. “I won’t say anything,” John whispered. He felt Brian nod.

“Is Emmett’s cottage okay?” Brian asked pushing back from his brother and sounding all business.

“Yes,” John grunted trying to get his throat to work. “There are a couple of glass panels around the back of the greenhouse I have to replace but everything is fine. I want to check out Rachel’s house.” Brian nodded; he was going too.

*****

“Hey dog,” Brian greeted Beau when they entered their own yard. John was about to check out their conjoined cottages. Beau danced around their feet for a minute then raced toward the Wendy house. The boys shrugged their shoulders as they exchanged looks then followed Beau to the Wendy house.

“Hi, Dada!” Bree called out from the door. She waved at her uncle.

“Hey, Squirt!” Brian called back. As they got closer he could see that Patrick and Emmett, who had somehow folded himself into one of the little chairs, were having a tea party. “What are you doing, Honeycutt?” Brian inquired in that superior way of his.

“What’s it look like I’m doing?” Emmett replied daring Brian to say something off color. “Princess Bree decided that it was a beautiful day for a tea party. And what princess tea party could be complete without a prince and fairy godmother?”

Brian considered the question. “None that I can think of,” Brian confirmed. “Carry on,” he commanded. He and John went about inspecting the miniature cottage and then on to Edna’s Treasures.

Up in John’s office, John was making notes on what repairs he needed to do for each home. Brian had his own pad, doodling, and making lists of the annuals he wanted to plant as soon as he was sure the nights wouldn’t bring frost.

“Brian, Bree is becoming a young lady,” John blurted out.

“Tell me something I don’t know.”

“I realize she just turned nine but in spite of that innocent baby face of hers, she’s as smart as her fathers. And can be just as devious if she wants to.”

“Your point?”

“My point is that she is now more aware of our mortality. She understands that the people she loves the most may only be with her for a limited amount of time.”

“You planning on going away, big bro?” Brian snarked.

“Asshole,” John grumbled. “You know what I mean,” he said louder. “Your daughter understands that this birthday is a significant one. She deserves to celebrate it with you. You don’t have to call it a birthday party. Make it a celebration of all the accomplishments you’ve had. It doesn’t even have to be on your real birthday. Pick a date and time and we’ll make a party out of it. She wants to bake you a cake.”

“Not pink.”

“Of course not, something dignified. Brian this is important to Briana; you don’t want to disappoint her.”

“All right. Enough with the guilt trip. Gus will be done with this semester in mid May, let’s pick a day to include him. If I’m going to be forced to remember that I am no longer a spring chicken I’d rather have the important people around me when I do.”

“How mature of you,” John teased.

“Now who’s the asshole,” Brian grumbled under his breath making John laugh.

“You’re a good man, Brian Kinney.”

“Waa waa waa,” Brian responding making a hand gesture and the sound of the unseen adults in the old “Peanuts” animations.

“Now that we’ve established that we both still have ‘asshole’ moments I want to get serious for a minute.”

“More serious than we’ve been all afternoon?” Brian asked as his eyebrows escaped into his hairline.

“Yes,” John said in a tone that brooked no snark from Brian. “I just want to thank you for trusting me with your confidences,” John said softer. “I’ll never repeat what you told me today.”

“I know you won’t. You and Justin are the keepers of my soul and of my sanity. Neither of you would ever betray that.”

“It’s quite a responsibility keeping you sane,” John teased, lightening up the mood.

“One that you perform admirably,” Brian teased back. “While we’re being serious, which accomplishments do you suggest I celebrate? There have been so many,” Brian added immodestly. “I could celebrate the fact that I haven’t tricked in years or that no illegal substances have passed these lips or nose in just as long,” Brian said nonchalantly as he buffed his nails against his chest.

John slowly rose from the chair behind his desk.

“I could celebrate that I have all my hair and only a few greys.” Brian threw John a poignant look. John’s lush brunet hair was peppered with grey. John stepped around his desk.

“I could celebrate my wealth but that would just be crass,” Brian said as he too arose from the sofa, inching his way toward the staircase.

“Or perhaps celebrate my sexual prowess. I may no longer have to prove I’m the Stud of Liberty but I certainly could match any man out there. Just ask Justin,” Brian flippantly mentioned as he began to descend the stairs. John’s boots were clomping behind him.

As soon as Brian’s sneakered feet hit the sun porch floor he took off like a shot through the porch towards his side of the conjoined cottages.

“Or I could celebrate that I’m still five years younger than you are!” Brian shouted over his shoulder noting that John was hot on his heels. Brian ran through the hall passing the kitchen where Justin and Bobby were chatting and sharing a pot of coffee.

“And faster,” he added as he waved at the men at the table.

“Where’s the fire?” Bobby asked, laughing. He knew something was up between the brothers Grimm.

Brian was out the front door like the devil himself was chasing him.

“I may not be as fast as you, Kinney,” John shouted, chasing Brian down the lane. Justin and Bobby quickly scrambled to the door to see their ‘mature’ spouses act like children. “But I still have two balls!” he continued to shout. Brian stopped short then laughed like a hyena. Now stationary, John made a flying tackle, knocking Brian into the soft brush on the side of the road. As the brothers rough-housed in the dirt, Justin and Bobby shook their heads.

“John did not say what I think he said, did he?” Justin asked as they turned to go back to the house.

“Yup,” Bobby confirmed and they left it at that.

*****

No further mention of Brian’s impending fiftieth was made over the next couple of weeks. Life in Edna’s Treasures Lane returned to normal, or almost normal.

Brian decided that if he had to eat cake for his birthday, and he would eat cake if Bree baked it for him, then he better get in good condition beforehand. He took to running the lane twice a day – once after Bree and Patrick left on the school bus and once later in the afternoon. Justin was painting up a storm while Brian was out running.

When his husband returned all sweaty and buff, Justin simply could not resist his husband. A sweaty Brian Kinney turned him on like nothing else in the fucking world. As a result they had more and hotter sex than they had ever had. Brian would appear in the doorway of the sun porch, sweat dripping from his body following his run. He would be holding a bottle of water and he would down about half of it. Justin could feel his presence and he would turn from his painting to stare at Brian. Brian would raise the water bottle above his head as if to pour it over himself. Justin would drop his paintbrush into the pot of cleaning fluid and walk into Brian’s arms. That’s when they would tear each other’s clothes off and make hot, passionate monkey love anywhere that grabbed their fancy.

After one such session while they were lying side by side recovering from their exertions, Justin turned his head and stared at his husband.

“What?” Brian asked when Justin continued to stare.

“Um … nothing,” Justin replied looking away.

“There’s something,” Brian contradicted. “And don’t lie to me after all these years.”

Justin felt the corners of his mouth twitch into a smile. “Are you really going to be fifty?”

“Must you remind me?” Brian asked petulantly.

Justin chuckled. “Yes, apparently I must. You sure don’t act like a fifty year old.”

“I’m not fifty for a while yet. Don’t rush me.”

Justin snorted. “I know you’re not fifty yet. Are you trying to prove that being fifty won’t make any difference?”

“Maybe…”

“It doesn’t matter to me, you know.”

“Well, maybe it matters to me.”

“It shouldn’t.”

“Aren’t you the one who always believes in going with your feelings?” Brian asked.

“You’ve gotten better at that over the years.”

“They’ve been good years … for you, haven’t they?”

“Of course they have … if for no other reason than the great sex,” Justin joked.

“See, I have to keep proving myself,” Brian said with a straight face.

“You are so full of shit. You know you drive me nuts when you’re all sweaty and hot and sexy and…”

“I know. Why do you think I’ve been running every day?” Brian smirked.

“You don’t have anything to prove,” Justin said sincerely.

“I like making you all hot and bothered.”

“I just bet you do.”

“I need a shower,” Brian said sitting up in bed.

“Later,” Justin said throwing himself on top of his husband and knocking Brian onto his back. “I want a little more of your sweaty essence.” Justin began running his tongue all over Brian’s chest, passing over the nipples where he would nip and suck as he went by.

“Jesus!” Brian gasped.

“You up for another one, old man?” Justin asked with an evil grin.

“These old bones are always ready,” Brian bragged.

“Show me.”

Brian rolled them over and captured Justin’s lips in a smoldering kiss. Justin could feel Brian’s cock grow hard between them. His own dick was having the same response. Justin moaned into the next kiss.

“You’re so easy,” Brian chuckled.

“Lucky for you.”

“Very lucky for me.”

“I love you, you big Smoosh.”

“And I love you right back, and I’ll prove it every day for the rest of our lives.”

They smiled into each other’s eyes before the next round began.