Chapter 41 - The New York Experience.

The rest of the week was spent finishing the Armani campaign presentation. The pictures turned out gorgeous. They were exactly what Brian had wanted but the boards still needed work. Brian asked Ryder to bring in Justin for the project artwork, which was fine with the boss since the rest of the art department was already so busy with the CK sportswear campaign that there wasn't anybody else available. Which worked out perfectly for Brian, who didn't want anyone other than Cynthia, Justin and himself to see the presentation beforehand anyway.

The three of them were holed up all week in Brian's office, with only brief glimpses of Justin or Cynthia when one or the other would venture out for food. Brian barely ever left his office - he came in early in the morning and left late at night. Most of the agency hadn't even seen the star Ad Exec since the night of the CK launch party. But, everyone was really too busy on their own projects to miss Brian's acerbic wit anyways.

Everything was finally finished by late in the day on Thursday.  The three of them would be flying out first thing the next morning to New York City for the big meeting with Armani scheduled on Friday afternoon. If everything went the way Brian envisioned it, he'd be heading over to visit Ms. Scarlet at GQ immediately afterwards. Then, Brian and Justin would take the rest of the weekend off to celebrate in the big city, while Cynthia headed home with all the contracts to get everything started.  

Justin was anxious about the trip. Even if he hadn't been needed to help with the presentation and the follow up at GQ, he would have demanded that Brian take him along. He wasn't sure about Brian flying so late in his pregnancy. Especially considering how stressful the presentation was going to be for his partner. With less than two months till Brian's 'due date', Justin thought that they were cutting things a bit close. But, all he could do was be there for Brian, provide whatever support was needed and try to make sure the overly focused man rested and ate properly in between the big meetings. Justin decided to let Brian concentrate on the presentation, and he would concentrate on keeping Brian's stress level down as much as possible.

Thankfully, the morning went smoothly. The flight was on time, they only had to wait five minutes for a cab at the airport, their rooms were ready and they even had time for a quick lunch - at Justin's insistence - before changing and heading to Armani Fifth Avenue for the big meeting.

The Armani 'Mega Flagship' store on Fifth and Madison was a gorgeous piece of post-modern architecture. The building was as much a designer piece as the clothing sold there. It was as big as some department stores, even though it only sold one brand. There was the elegant retail space, corporate offices, and even a five star restaurant, all accessed via the magnificent, structurally unique staircase at the building's center. The artist in Justin was immediately inspired by the surroundings. Brian sighed as he entered, as if he felt he was coming home at last.

"Good afternoon, gentlemen, ladies. I'm Brian Kinney from The Ryder Agency in Pittsburgh," Brian started off his spiel as soon as everyone was assembled in the conference room where Justin had set up the presentation boards.

"I'm not here today to offer you just another ad campaign, though. Any reputable marketing firm could give you that. What I'm proposing to you today, is much more than that. I'm offering Armani a part in an unprecedented media event, the likes of which have never been seen before and aren't likely to be seen again for a long, long, long time." Brian said with a calm, deep voice as he stood at the head of the conference room table, Kinney charm on full-blast, making eye contact with each of his listeners in turn. "I'm offering you something that no other designer has ever had."

Brian took two steps back from the table and started to unbutton the double breasted Armani suit that everyone in the room had already admired.

"I'm offering ME!" Brian said simply as he let the Armani jacket slide off his shoulders, revealing his watermelon-sized midsection.

At the same time, Justin and Cynthia removed the covers that had been hiding the presentation boards. There were audible gasps and confused but amazed whisperings all around the table. Brian just stood there, running one hand over his extensive, round belly and smiling at the reaction he'd known he'd get. It was absolutely perfect.

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"Ms. Scarlet? It's Brian Kinney calling," Brian practically sang into his cell phone as they left Armani Fifth Avenue. "Just calling to let you know I will definitely be needing the front cover of your next issue! . . . Yeah, it went exactly as I planned. Everything for the ads is ready to go. My assistant, Cynthia, will bring everything over to your office before five today. . . Justin and I are staying at the Plaza. You can meet us there at seven and buy us dinner!"

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Scarlet Neill treated the boys to a lovely long dinner that night. They were all up far too late celebrating - Justin even let Brian have one very, very small glass of champagne in honor of the occasion. And even though Brian and Justin were tired from all the work they'd put in over the past week, they were too pumped to call it an evening until the restaurant closed and they were forced to leave.

Brian seemed more relaxed than Justin had ever seen him. Now that he had what he wanted, Brian didn't feel like he needed to hide anymore. He really opened up. It was a relief to Brian to be so completely honest. He even dressed for dinner in some casual clothes that didn't hide the baby bump at all and looked much more comfortable. Scarlet plied them both with endless questions until she had both their life stories, or at least as much as they were willing to disclose.

After dinner, they danced their way back to the hotel, laughing and giggling as they waltzed down the sidewalks of Manhattan, letting their high spirits soar. It was the perfect end to a successful day. They made out in the lobby of the Plaza while they waited for the elevator, not caring who saw them or what anybody thought. Mostly, the other hotel guests smiled indulgently at their antics. No one was impervious to the good mood radiating off the two beautiful men who were so obviously in love.

Brian and Justin were holding hands and still giggling as they neared the door of their suite. Justin took the key card away from Brian and bowed the older man into the room.  The blond youth had big plans for exactly how he was going to show his appreciation for all Brian's genius.

Justin ceremoniously showed his man into the room and seated him on the foot of the bed. Then, he quickly divested both himself and Brian of their clothing and arranged the pillows into a nice little nest to accommodate Brian and Brian's belly. Justin helped Brian get comfortable on the pile of pillows and then commenced with a nice relaxing body massage to help get Brian in the mood.

Less than five minutes after he started to work, though, Justin realized that the massage might have been too relaxing. Brian's happy, comfortable little purrs and moans quickly turned into sighs and then yawns and finally into deep, relaxed, heavy breathing. The famous Stud with the never-ending sexual appetite had finally met his match - a week of non-stop, intense work and being eight months pregnant combined were more than even Brian's libido could withstand.  

Justin gazed down at the sweet man curled up protectively around his belly and chuckled. Brian was going to be such a great father. It wouldn't be long now. Justin reached over and gently moved a strand of beautiful chestnut hair off Brian's face. Brian smiled in his sleep - an innocent, contented smile that practically no one ever got to see. This was Brian's true self, Justin thought. The real man behind the image, behind all the masks, behind the impressive reputation. And he was miraculous.

Justin couldn't help jumping up and digging through his bag for his sketchbook so that he could draw the thousand-and-first picture of his Prego Stud.

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They didn't get much fun time the next day, either. There were follow up meetings with Armani and some follow up photography work as well. But, by the afternoon, Cynthia was off, back to the Pitts with a signed contract and a big check in her hands. Now, there was nothing left for Brian to do other than wait for the reaction when the next issue of GQ hit the newsstands. Which meant Brian was an annoying bundle of nerves.

Justin had it covered though. He’d already planned this evening. HE was going to take Brian out for a change - whether Brian liked it or not.

As soon as they said goodbye to Cynthia, Justin deposited Brian into a cab and told the driver to take them out to Coney Island. It took awhile to get to Brooklyn on a Saturday afternoon, but they eventually made it and Justin took over as tour guide. He led Brian down the boardwalk, pointing out all the major attractions that he’d already researched on the internet. Brian let himself be led around the tourist mecca and graciously didn’t complain.

First stop, Justin took his date to the only semi-athletic activity that he really excelled at - Skeeball. The boy who was hopeless at sports and almost failed gym class, who couldn’t throw a ball for his life and who tripped over his own feet whenever he ventured onto a grassy field, somehow was an excellent shot at the game of Skeeball. That little blond wonder could nail the center ring eight out of ten times. He dazzled Brian with his mad skills and then raked in all the tickets he won from the various machines. When Justin the Skeeball Wonder was through, he’d amassed enough tickets to win his date a lovely plush, stuffed snake, which he MADE Brian carry around for the rest of the evening. Brian named the toy ‘Fangs’ and accommodatingly agreed to tote the toy around.

Next stop, Justin took Brian, the most finicky of all eaters ever seen on the planet, to visit a Brooklyn institution - Nathan’s Famous Frankfurters. Brian wasn’t sure he could even say the name without laughing, let alone eat one of the vile treats. But, since this was Justin’s date, he insisted. He loaded up a plateful of foot-long dogs with various toppings - not sure of Brian’s tastes in hot dogs since the brunet had never, to his knowledge, eaten one. While Brian used a napkin to wipe off the food waste strewn across the seat of a nearby picnic bench, Justin presented his culinary offering to the incredulous man.

At first, Brian refused to eat the concoction. The look of dread on his face when Justin held up a fully loaded ‘kraut dog’ for his contemplation was classic. The idea of eating a pig intestine filled with meat scraps was bad enough, but Brian couldn’t imagine why you’d slop on all that foul smelling gunk on top. Except, of course, if the actual food was so horrible that you had to hide the taste with the slaw - which was even more horrifying.

But, strangely, the odd looking dish smelled quite appetizing to the doubtful pregnant man. Justin insisted repeatedly that Brian would like it - REALLY! Brian was feeling uncommonly adventurous and daring after his big triumph at Armani. He thought that, just maybe, this once, he might be willing to try something new. Maybe.

Brian tentatively opened his mouth. Then he opened it wider so that he could get the whole combination dog and slaw masterpiece in at once. He bit down. He chewed, very warily. He was ready to spit it all out on the ground at the first indication that the compilation was truly as vile as it looked. . . . . But, he didn’t. It was actually good. Brian couldn’t believe he was voluntarily eating a sloppy hot dog while sitting on a picnic bench on the boardwalk at Coney Island. But he was - and he was enjoying it. Justin scrunched up his nose in amusement and watched as Brian devoured the dog in four bites. He promptly handed Brian over a second masterpiece - this one heaped with chili - which Brian shrugged and downed as well.

The final stop of the night was for entertainment. Justin led a dubious but compliant Brian to see the Coney Island Circus Sideshow. This was the oddest thing Brian had ever seen in his life - a company of street performers and freaks who swallowed swords, ate fire, were covered with tattoos, charmed snakes, contorted their bodies in the most bizarre ways and just generally liked to exploit their wonderful differences. There were giants and midgets, just like in old time circus acts, and others whose differences made them unique instead of just strange. They put on a varied burlesque-type show with jokes and innuendos aplenty. Some of the  allusions were enough to make even Brian Kinney blush they were so raunchy. But, all the performers looked like they were enjoying themselves, even when they were shoving large metal objects into their various bodily orifices. Brian found himself laughing hysterically, just like a kid, as he and Justin wandered through the various rooms and watched the various acts. It was definitely NOT a night Brian would have planned for himself, but it was hilarious fun nonetheless.

After being thoroughly grossed out by the sight of a woman piercing herself with hundreds of needles, Justin finally pulled Brian out of the Sideshow and they made their way back to the hotel. In the cab on the way back, Brian casually informed Justin that this was only his second ‘date’ ever. They broke up over Brian’s tales of the mishap of his first date - the one where he fucked the waiter in the storage closet to escape from the boring conversation with his intended companion. They both agreed that this date had been much better and Justin opined that maybe Brian was finally getting the hang of it. Brian had never felt so lighthearted in his life. It was so easy to have fun with Justin. Maybe it was just the hormones, he thought, but hoped that it was more.

Back at the hotel, Brian fell into the bed, exhausted again but sated with all the attention and fun Justin had supplied.

“Fuck, Justin,” Brian finally admitted while the little blond playfully put Fangs against the headboard of the bed so he could join in the fun. “How do you make everything seem so . . . easy. You have fun at practically everything you do. How do you manage that? It’s amazing. . . I’ve never really been good at that kind of shit.“

“I’m sure you’re great at having fun, Brian,” Justin asserted as he straddled the contemplative brunet’s lap, kissing his handsome face with every comment. “You just haven’t had enough practice at it. So, now’s your chance. We’re going to have a kid, Brian. We get to do all those fun things you always wanted to do yourself as a child - only now we’ll have a good excuse to do it all as adults. We can go to the park and the zoo and amusement parks. We can blame it all on having to take the kid, but secretly we’ll have all the fun ourselves. You’ll see. You will be fantastic at having fun once you get used to it.”

“You know, I never did get to go to the Zoo as a kid,” Brian remembered. “ I got . . .  I missed school the day my first grade class went and. . .  well, I just never made it after that. So, we’ll HAVE to take Junior to the Zoo, right?”

“Of course we will. In fact, we’ll probably have to be members at the Zoo because we’ll have to go there so often . . .  with Junior. Otherwise, we wouldn’t be good parents, right?” Justin assured Brian. “We’ll probably have to go on field trips with his class, and go to children’s museums and amusement parks and puppet shows and children’s theater and all sorts of other breeder shit. Maybe we’ll even have to go to Disneyland one day, because that’s what parents HAVE to do. It’s not our fault that we’ll have to do all that hetero bullshit. We really won’t be able to avoid it, I’m afraid.”

“Yeah . . . Shit, Sunshine! This is NOT how I saw my life, my future,” Brian admitted in hushed tones. “First, Gus, which was so completely unexpected. . . . I never thought I would care about him as much as I did. I really just expected to be nothing more than the sperm donor, you know. But, when I saw him that first night. . . And now this? What the fuck are we thinking? How the fuck can I be a parent? My parents were shit. I don’t know the first thing about raising a kid the right way. What if I can’t do it . . . “

“Shhh. I KNOW you can do it,” Justin reassured his doubtful partner, kissing him to quench the unsure words leaking out of his lips. “And I’ll be there to help. We’ll be great dads. We’ll figure it out. YOU are a genius, remember? And, I did get 1500 on my SAT’s. How tough can it be, right? It’ll be a cinch.”

“Famous last words, Sunshine . . . “ Brian replied as Justin pushed him backwards onto the mattress and launched himself at the beautiful, naked man.

After that Brian kind of lost track of his argument as Justin’s sweet, perfect mouth descended to engulf his needy cock and the world completely disappeared - for at least a few minutes.