WET DREAMS, Bon Voyage
Ok, well just for the hell of it, have some fun. Minion did the Icon and Sandi did the Banner. Come on, it's FLUFF, FLUFF is FUN!
~~~~~~~
Brian turned over in bed, raised himself on one elbow and gave Michael a glowing smile. Behind him, the apricot light off the azure sea drifted in from the open verandah doors of their suite on the ship. A slight, salty breeze rifled Brian’s thick chestnut hair and his hazel eyes were full of love. Michael turned over to face him, smiling back at the handsome man sharing his bed.
“Morning lover,” Michael said. “Last night was everything I always dreamed it would be and more.”
“I only have one question,” Brian responded as his hand slipped under the comforter and down Michael’s belly. “Why did we wait so long?”
“Mikey!” Ted’s insistence shocked Michael out of his erotic daydream. “Did you hear me? I asked you a question.” Michael glared his answer so Ted continued. “I asked if you had any idea where Brian stays when he goes to the circuit parties in Miami?”
Miami may have great beaches and fabulous Art Deco architecture and wonderful Cuban food and an active gay culture, but it was hot and muggy and Michael had sweated through his shirt that was festooned with palm trees and and leis. “If I knew that, wouldn’t I have told you before now, Ted? I’ve never been to a circuit party with Brian!”
“There are a million hotels in the area. All we know is that he disappeared with those two guys from the club last night, and he never showed up at our hotel and yet his luggage is gone. He could have been killed!”
Michael landed a scowl on Ted’s face, wondering if those eyes of his were going to bug out of his head. “He’ll be thirty years old in a few days, Ted. I think he can hold his own. He’s shacked up somewhere, that’s all. Instead of wasting our time trying to find him, we just need to get to the ship. He’ll be there, he’s probably there already.” Michael felt a twinge of heat as he thought of sharing a room with Brian for ten days. The soft Caribbean breezes, the romance of the ocean, the freedom of being part of an all-gay cruise. He just knew something big was going to happen for Brian and him. He just knew it.
Brian had been resistant when they proposed this cruise to celebrate his thirtieth birthday. “Why would I want to be trapped on a boat where Emmett is in charge of entertainment and you two will attach to me like barnacles? It’s a nightmare version of a backroom, full of middle aged butt pirates, only you can’t leave and go to another club.”
“Look how hot these guys are!” Ted thrust the cruise line’s brochure at him but Brian waved it off.
“Please. I’m in advertising, Theodore. I know how ‘real’ that is. It’s called bait and switch.”
“Why are you always so cynical?” Michael pouted. “Em got us a great rate. You and I split the cost and share a room. Ted is down the hall, with an assigned roommate who may just turn out to be the love of his life.”
Ted perked up at that hope, as Brian grinned and said, “Yeah, if the love of his life is a 45 year old queen in a muu muu who makes Divine look slim.”
“You don’t have a single romantic bone in your body, Brian,” Ted glared.
“Maybe not, but I get by just fine on the bone I do have.”
Up until they boarded the jet for Miami, no one was certain if Brian would go through with it. Emmett, who had landed this job as cruise director for the next four months, informed them Brian wouldn’t get his money back if he were a no-show, but still they worried. Without Brian, the cruise was ruined for Michael. His plans had been brewing for over a decade and now they were finally coming to fruition. By the time they flew home, Brian would be his lover and his partner, as they always should have been. Michael knew it since he was fourteen. His best friend still didn’t seem to get the message. But that would change. This cruise would make Brian see him in a whole new light.
Their one night in Miami before they boarded the ship was not exactly what Michael hoped it would be. They had a nice dinner together, but as soon as they hit a club, Brian disappeared, as he usually did when they went out dancing. The last Michael saw of him was a glimpse of his white linen shirt and faded designer jeans as he left with a matched pair of blonds. His luggage miraculously disappeared from their hotel room, but Brian had not been heard from, and was not answering his cell phone.
They were past early boarding on the ship and still no word from him. “Come on, Mikey,” Ted helped load their suitcases into a waiting taxi. “We left messages on his phone. He’s not an idiot, he can find his own way to the pier. He has his cruise ticket and he knows what time we sail. He’s probably on deck now, having a mai tai.” Ted was sick of Brian’s rudeness to his best friend. He didn’t deserve Michael’s affection and loyalty. The only person who mattered to Brian Kinney was Brian Kinney and that would never change. Michael reluctantly got into the taxi with Ted, and sighed as the hotel receded from view.
~~~~~~~~
The ship was called the Trident, and the size of it was not apparent from the brochures. It was huge, eleven floors, with a capacity of 900 passengers. Gleaming white in the sun, with colorful flags strewn from bow to smoke stack, it was a thing of beauty. A jaunty calypso band welcomed them at the terminal and Michael’s bad mood faded as he got his identification card and more than a glance or two from some of their fellow passengers, who were not what Brian predicted. Instead, the brochure was fairly accurate, and Ted’s hopes about his mysterious roommate increased.
“What’s your cabin number?” He asked Michael as they walked up the stairs to the entrance of the ship. They would soon be reunited with their luggage that would be delivered to each stateroom by the crew.
“7206,” Michael read from his card that would also serve as his electronic cabin key and on board credit card. Ted frowned.
“That can’t be right. That’s my number.”
Micahel was confused. “Brian’s supposed to be my roommate.”
“I know. We can ask at the desk. We have to leave a credit card imprint anyway, so they can charge our expenses.” Ted was always an accountant.
The ship’s main lobby was as beautiful as a luxury hotel, with a three-story atrium where glass elevators glided past, and a curved grand staircase carpeted in white. Mario, the cute steward at the desk, was from Italy, and he greeted them with a bright grin and a lovely accent. Checking the manifest he looked studious and then said, “No, no, this is the right assignment. When Mr. Kinney rebooked, he said to put you two gentleman in the same suite.”
Michael and Ted shared a sardonic stare. “He rebooked?” Michael asked as Mario gave them a theatrical shrug. “Should I say he upgraded? He took a suite on the penthouse floor and paid the single supplement.”
“When did he do that?”
“That I can’t tell you, gentlemen, it was all handled by his travel agent.”
They got Brian’s cabin number on the ninth floor and Ted agreed to stay in their cabin to await the delivery of their luggage while Michael went upstairs in search of his missing dreams.
The penthouse floor was a world onto itself. Butlers unpacked for guests, the spacious suites had flat screen televisions, oversized verandahs, walk in closets and king sized beds. Champagne chilled in a silver bucket, awaiting the new resident. He had already popped it open and poured himself a glass. Michael walked past the butler, who was arranging Brian’s wardrobe on polished wooden hangars. The startled man was ready to intercept, when a voice from the verandah said, “Never mind, James. Let the riff raff enter.”
~~~~~~~
Brian turned over in bed, raised himself on one elbow and gave Michael a glowing smile. Behind him, the apricot light off the azure sea drifted in from the open verandah doors of their suite on the ship. A slight, salty breeze rifled Brian’s thick chestnut hair and his hazel eyes were full of love. Michael turned over to face him, smiling back at the handsome man sharing his bed.
“Morning lover,” Michael said. “Last night was everything I always dreamed it would be and more.”
“I only have one question,” Brian responded as his hand slipped under the comforter and down Michael’s belly. “Why did we wait so long?”
“Mikey!” Ted’s insistence shocked Michael out of his erotic daydream. “Did you hear me? I asked you a question.” Michael glared his answer so Ted continued. “I asked if you had any idea where Brian stays when he goes to the circuit parties in Miami?”
Miami may have great beaches and fabulous Art Deco architecture and wonderful Cuban food and an active gay culture, but it was hot and muggy and Michael had sweated through his shirt that was festooned with palm trees and and leis. “If I knew that, wouldn’t I have told you before now, Ted? I’ve never been to a circuit party with Brian!”
“There are a million hotels in the area. All we know is that he disappeared with those two guys from the club last night, and he never showed up at our hotel and yet his luggage is gone. He could have been killed!”
Michael landed a scowl on Ted’s face, wondering if those eyes of his were going to bug out of his head. “He’ll be thirty years old in a few days, Ted. I think he can hold his own. He’s shacked up somewhere, that’s all. Instead of wasting our time trying to find him, we just need to get to the ship. He’ll be there, he’s probably there already.” Michael felt a twinge of heat as he thought of sharing a room with Brian for ten days. The soft Caribbean breezes, the romance of the ocean, the freedom of being part of an all-gay cruise. He just knew something big was going to happen for Brian and him. He just knew it.
Brian had been resistant when they proposed this cruise to celebrate his thirtieth birthday. “Why would I want to be trapped on a boat where Emmett is in charge of entertainment and you two will attach to me like barnacles? It’s a nightmare version of a backroom, full of middle aged butt pirates, only you can’t leave and go to another club.”
“Look how hot these guys are!” Ted thrust the cruise line’s brochure at him but Brian waved it off.
“Please. I’m in advertising, Theodore. I know how ‘real’ that is. It’s called bait and switch.”
“Why are you always so cynical?” Michael pouted. “Em got us a great rate. You and I split the cost and share a room. Ted is down the hall, with an assigned roommate who may just turn out to be the love of his life.”
Ted perked up at that hope, as Brian grinned and said, “Yeah, if the love of his life is a 45 year old queen in a muu muu who makes Divine look slim.”
“You don’t have a single romantic bone in your body, Brian,” Ted glared.
“Maybe not, but I get by just fine on the bone I do have.”
Up until they boarded the jet for Miami, no one was certain if Brian would go through with it. Emmett, who had landed this job as cruise director for the next four months, informed them Brian wouldn’t get his money back if he were a no-show, but still they worried. Without Brian, the cruise was ruined for Michael. His plans had been brewing for over a decade and now they were finally coming to fruition. By the time they flew home, Brian would be his lover and his partner, as they always should have been. Michael knew it since he was fourteen. His best friend still didn’t seem to get the message. But that would change. This cruise would make Brian see him in a whole new light.
Their one night in Miami before they boarded the ship was not exactly what Michael hoped it would be. They had a nice dinner together, but as soon as they hit a club, Brian disappeared, as he usually did when they went out dancing. The last Michael saw of him was a glimpse of his white linen shirt and faded designer jeans as he left with a matched pair of blonds. His luggage miraculously disappeared from their hotel room, but Brian had not been heard from, and was not answering his cell phone.
They were past early boarding on the ship and still no word from him. “Come on, Mikey,” Ted helped load their suitcases into a waiting taxi. “We left messages on his phone. He’s not an idiot, he can find his own way to the pier. He has his cruise ticket and he knows what time we sail. He’s probably on deck now, having a mai tai.” Ted was sick of Brian’s rudeness to his best friend. He didn’t deserve Michael’s affection and loyalty. The only person who mattered to Brian Kinney was Brian Kinney and that would never change. Michael reluctantly got into the taxi with Ted, and sighed as the hotel receded from view.
~~~~~~~~
The ship was called the Trident, and the size of it was not apparent from the brochures. It was huge, eleven floors, with a capacity of 900 passengers. Gleaming white in the sun, with colorful flags strewn from bow to smoke stack, it was a thing of beauty. A jaunty calypso band welcomed them at the terminal and Michael’s bad mood faded as he got his identification card and more than a glance or two from some of their fellow passengers, who were not what Brian predicted. Instead, the brochure was fairly accurate, and Ted’s hopes about his mysterious roommate increased.
“What’s your cabin number?” He asked Michael as they walked up the stairs to the entrance of the ship. They would soon be reunited with their luggage that would be delivered to each stateroom by the crew.
“7206,” Michael read from his card that would also serve as his electronic cabin key and on board credit card. Ted frowned.
“That can’t be right. That’s my number.”
Micahel was confused. “Brian’s supposed to be my roommate.”
“I know. We can ask at the desk. We have to leave a credit card imprint anyway, so they can charge our expenses.” Ted was always an accountant.
The ship’s main lobby was as beautiful as a luxury hotel, with a three-story atrium where glass elevators glided past, and a curved grand staircase carpeted in white. Mario, the cute steward at the desk, was from Italy, and he greeted them with a bright grin and a lovely accent. Checking the manifest he looked studious and then said, “No, no, this is the right assignment. When Mr. Kinney rebooked, he said to put you two gentleman in the same suite.”
Michael and Ted shared a sardonic stare. “He rebooked?” Michael asked as Mario gave them a theatrical shrug. “Should I say he upgraded? He took a suite on the penthouse floor and paid the single supplement.”
“When did he do that?”
“That I can’t tell you, gentlemen, it was all handled by his travel agent.”
They got Brian’s cabin number on the ninth floor and Ted agreed to stay in their cabin to await the delivery of their luggage while Michael went upstairs in search of his missing dreams.
The penthouse floor was a world onto itself. Butlers unpacked for guests, the spacious suites had flat screen televisions, oversized verandahs, walk in closets and king sized beds. Champagne chilled in a silver bucket, awaiting the new resident. He had already popped it open and poured himself a glass. Michael walked past the butler, who was arranging Brian’s wardrobe on polished wooden hangars. The startled man was ready to intercept, when a voice from the verandah said, “Never mind, James. Let the riff raff enter.”