A/N: Well since I updated last week... and it's next week... here's another chapter. I'll update next week, unless I get 5 more reviews, cause I'm silly that way and while you may think it's for my own personal amusement (and you might be right *wink*), it's also cause I know you're out there and reading, I'm just asking for a little quick response, the positive, life-affirming kind... not the negative kind that put down my sex scenes or asking for reviews. Constructive criticism is fine, but only if you know what that means... negative comments like I don't like this and don't ask for reviews does not a constructive comment make. :)

Anyway, you guys are awesome! Another 5 and you get another chapter. Thanks for putting up with this silliness. And again, keep R&R'ing, it's worth it (this story isn't rated M for nothing you know.) :D - I'll even give you a little hint, 5 reviews for a chapter... and it'll take 2 chapters to get to what you really want to read.

Brian was brought his salad, and Justin, his soup. Brian had to admit that it wasn't half bad, just the right balance of tanginess, spice and sweetness. It didn't taste heavy and rich like some salads can, which is odd considering it's a salad, but those dressings can be a killer. Justin was clearly enjoying his soup. It wasn't nearly as exciting as watching him enjoy the scone, but it always gave Brian a secret little thrill to watch Justin enjoy his food. He still had no idea where the boy put all the food he ate… I know he's a man, thought Brian, but he still looks like a boy, my boy. He chuckles at that, catching Justin's attention.

"What are you giggling about?"

"I don't giggle… I chuckle… and you're amusing to watch."

"Amusing? I'm just eating."

"I know… and I can't for the life of me figure out how you can eat like you do and never gain an ounce."

"It's my extensive exercise program. It provides all the cardio I need to burn off all the extra calories. I believe it's part of the same exercise program you use?"

"It is, is it? Perhaps a little later you'd like to refresh my memory about all the various positions these exercises can be done in."

Justin was going to make a comment about the memory thing, but Brian was still sensitive about his age. He probably always would be, but Justin knew when to kid and when to let it go. And this weekend was going to be perfect.

"It would be my pleasure. … So, how's your salad… I've noticed that you're actually eating it."

Brian rolled his eyes. "It's not bad."

Now it was Justin's turn to roll his eyes.

"How's your soup and salad?"

"The salad's good. I like all the toppings and the dressing is good, too. But the soup is really good, rich and creamy, not fishy, but you can really taste the clams. It tastes very simple, but you can tell they really know how to balance all the flavors to bring out the freshest, purest flavor. I'm gonna have to try to make it when clams are in season."

"My little chef… always trying something, just don't expect me to eat it."

"I thought you like things rich and creamy."

"I prefer my cream higher in protein and direct from the source, and far from fishy."

With that Brian moved his foot to run up Justin's leg a little. The table was too small to move his leg up too far, but big enough to reach Justin's lower leg. He was hoping for a certain reaction from Justin… not the one he was getting, though. Justin looked like he was about to laugh, so he put his foot down.

"You don't need to stop Brian… I'm sorry, it's just that… I never thought I'd get to play footsie with you."

And with that Justin did burst out laughing, but very quietly remembering where they were.

"Would you like more cream for your tea sir?"

At this Brian forgot his annoyance at being accused of something so stupid and 'girlie' as footsie and laughed out loud. Justin could no longer keep his laughter quiet either, but being ever the proper country club boy that he was…

"Yes I would like some more cream, and I apologize for laughing right then, my partner had just said something very funny and… well, it would take too long to explain, but…"

"That's okay, sir, I understand. You two look like you're enjoying yourselves, and that's what we like to see when people are here. This maybe be a place to have a traditional afternoon tea, but we're far from traditional and we really do want people to relax and have fun with style."

"Well then you certainly didn't disappoint and you've got it down to a tea," he giggled.

Their server giggled at that, too.

"Very funny, sir, I'll have to remember that, I don't think I've ever thought of using that pun."

"Really? But you work in a tea room… surely there could be any number of jokes and puns."

"That may be true, and though we like fun elegance, many of our guests either want the traditional calm and fancy tea experience, or they just assume that they are sitting in a library like setting with food and remain quiet."

"I can understand where they would get that impression, it goes along with a traditional British high tea, especially knowing that is was Queen Victoria herself that started what is now known as high tea."

"You know you're history, I don't think many of our customers are familiar with that, they just like the ambiance."

"It's not history he knows, it's just history that involves food."

"Brian… I do too know history."

"And it all revolves around food… I know how that little brain of yours works, and any historical fact you remember out of interest is based on some sort of culinary fact."

Justin remains silent and thinking, hoping to prove Brian wrong, but pretty sure he's right, damn that man. Brian just watches in silent appreciation, knowing he's right; Justin may be a walking encyclopedia and public service announcement, and his knowledge isn't limited, but he knows that all knowledge that Justin can recite without thinking about is food related, somehow.

The server is just simply amused and interested watching this gay couple. She's not that familiar with gay people, or maybe they prefer the term homosexuals? She doesn't have a reason to say anything about that, and under any other circumstances she wouldn't know what to say or how to act. They seem to be so normal and happy and just enjoying their time together. It makes her stop and think about the once or twice she's seen other men come in together.

Those couples didn't seem nearly as happy, outgoing and full of life as these beautiful gentlemen were. And those other couples weren't as attractive as these two men were. Not that they weren't attractive, but she doesn't think she's ever seen or would see two men this attractive. She'd never considered herself prejudice, she just didn't understand it, but seeing them here together, having such a good time, and the quiet moments she'd caught them looking at each other, with such love and devotion. She's pretty sure there are straight people who don't have that. Suddenly it's not so unusual or weird, these are normal people, who just happen to be attracted to the same sex rather than the opposite sex.

Brian had been enjoying Justin's thought process… clearly Justin wanted to prove him wrong and was taking a long time at trying. He was also watching their waitress… she was clearly amused, but perplexed, and he was pretty sure that was because they were gay men and she was trying to make sense of everything, rather than simply being perplexed at Justin, albeit entertaining to watch the blond.

"Dammit!" While it was a quiet expletive, it was safe to say that he was mad that Brian was right. Brian just smirked his patented Kinney smirk at him.

"Damn you, Brian… I can't think of any fact that's not food related. I know I know things that aren't food related, but sitting here, and you've said that, and I just can't think of anything not food related…"

"Well anything not food related is at least art related… which is close enough, either way it uses your innate creativity, talent, and artistic brilliance to make something beautiful out of nothing."

Justin blushes a little and even though Brian's Kinneyesque apology was a bit over the top, he knows that Brian meant every word of it, too. But he can't help but give him a bit of a hard time back.

"You sweet talker, you… you're just hoping to get on my good side so I don't make you sleep on the couch tonight."

"Oh, Sunshine, you forget I've seen our room… there is no couch… and I can always get on your good side."

He loved seeing Justin blush.

"Brian," he said embarrassed completely, hiding his face behind his hands.

"I think I can safely say we're fine for now and we're enjoying our salads, but he might need a few moments before you come back out with the next course."

Their server couldn't help but be amazed by these two men, again. The once rude, arrogant man was being completely sweet and clearly he wanted to give his embarrassed partner a quiet moment to regain himself. She simply nodded her head, took the blond man's empty cream container, and smiled at the brunette, who looked even more beautiful and stunning when he smiled what seemed to be a genuinely happy smile. She immediately understood why some women say 'why are all the beautiful men gay?'

Justin recovered eventually, and silently promised to get Brian back that evening somehow.

They enjoyed the rest of their soup and salads. The server quietly, but graciously served them their raspberry sorbet as the palette cleanser between courses. She noticed they were both quiet, as well, but they still seemed okay. She hoped she hadn't caused them any hard feelings about what the brunette was saying earlier (little did she know how right she was ).

"Wow… this sorbet is really good, very light and… well I'd say creamy, but that's not right… smooth, very smooth, light, refreshing… it really is the perfect palette cleanser."

"Thank you Mr. culinary expert… and why wouldn't you say creamy?"

"Cause that would imply that it has cream in it, and it doesn't."

"I know that… but you could still say creamy."

"I guess, but that would be wrong… maybe if this was a sherbet, but it's not, it's a sorbet."

Here we go, Brian thinks, his own personal public service announcer.

"And what, oh food guru, is the difference between sorbet and sherbet."

"Enough with the teasing, I like food, I like making food, I like eating food, and I love making people happy when they eat the food I make."

Brian can't help but remember a previous little speech that Justin told him about once, that had nothing to do with food, but certainly something you can 'eat.' However, he won't mention that… his little chef is on a roll. And Brian has always been happy when Justin cooked for him, even at the beginning when he just barely tolerated the kid. Okay, so that definitely was a stretch of the imagination, he knew at the time why he tolerated Justin… and it was part of the reason he pushed him away so often. And he's so glad that Justin had the balls to push right back and stay as long as he has.

He softens his voice and his smirk, a little, he can't be too sweet and sincere, Justin wouldn't believe it… at least not at the moment.

"I know… I love giving you a hard time."

"Later," Justin says knowingly and seductively.

Brian has a bit of trouble not having a hard time right then.

"Anyway, sorbet is made with fruit, sugar and possibly water, whereas sherbet is made with fruit, sugar and milk or cream, and occasionally egg whites to be even lighter. But sherbet has to have very minimal butterfat content to be called a sherbet and not an ice cream."

"So how are those different from ice cream?"

"Ice cream is made with sugar and cream, and usually egg yolks. While eggs aren't necessary for making ice cream, they are very common. And ice cream, no matter if eggs are used or not, have a much higher butterfat content than sherbet does."

Brian really can't get over how much food knowledge Justin has… how many people actually have that knowledge they can recall at any time. Hmm… he wonders.

"So how do those all differ from gelato or ice milk?"

"Well ice milk and ice cream are kind of self explanatory. Again, eggs aren't necessary, but the name milk and cream mean that they use one or the other. Gelato is made like ice cream, but has a lot less air in it, so it tastes denser and thicker. If you were to eat any of these frozen bases before freezing them most of them would resemble custard, pudding or sauce. And if you were to bake an ice cream mixture, that was made with eggs, you'd end up with a crème brulee like dessert."

"I'm afraid to ask any more… how… why do know all that? I've never even seen you make ice cream, much less anything frozen. Come to think of it, you don't bake all that often either."

"Brian… I know how you feel about desserts, so if I make any I usually take them to, or make them at Daphne's, or I make a small batch and just eat them. I bake a lot. As far as ice cream, we don't have an ice cream maker."

"Thank god for that, while I had no idea that you baked often, and it's even more amazing that you keep your figure… it's a good thing we don't have an ice cream maker… then even my exercise routine wouldn't cut it."

Justin sticks his tongue out at Brian, before remembering what Brian first asked about dessert.

"I'll have you know that if we had an ice cream maker, I could easily make an ice cream that would be low in carbs and very tasty. And I know all this because, well, even though I learned a lot of cooking skills from my mom," Brian won't comment on how Craig must have loved that, "not to mention the time I spent at Debbie's. I actually took some culinary classes on PIFA, too."

"I didn't know you took cooking classes there… and I can't imagine you learned much from Debbie since you don't cover all your food in marinara sauce."

They both chuckle over that.

"True, but if I were, her marinara sauce is the best… and I never really talked about my classes. I did, however, umm, well… I learned a lot from Vic, when he was there…"

"Oh," Brian wasn't sure how to respond to that. Not only did he know the reason that Justin never talked about his classes, and that kind of saddened Brian. He also missed Vic, sometimes more than most people would realize, he was like the father Brian wanted, always understanding, always willing to listen, and would never judge him. He always regretted not spending more time with him, but the times they did spend together… Vic had some amazing stories, stories that really helped Brian come to terms with his own sexuality and even though he knew Vic didn't approve of his pre-Justin lifestyle, he was the only one (other than Justin) who understood. He was also the only one who knew what Justin meant to him, long before anyone else (other than Justin) did.

"He was great to learn from, no matter what you needed to learn… you must have learned a lot of cooking from him, he was an amazing chef, but I didn't think he did a lot of cooking at Deb's while you were there."

"Probably more than most knew about. He loved cooking, and while there were more than a few times he lost confidence, once he started, he couldn't stop. There were a number of times when Debbie was working a late shift and I had finished homework, I would just hang out in the kitchen and watch, and he always would involve me somehow. Even when I wasn't living there, there were times that I just happened to be there, and Vic would ask for my help. In a way it was like working with my mom, when I was little. I always liked helping in the kitchen. She'd always start dinner before Craig got home and she never minded my help, and of course, he didn't have to know about my helping either."

Brian wasn't going to comment about that, now, either.

"Anyway, Vic… he had some amazing stories, and you didn't feel like you were talking to an old guy, as he thought of himself, he was one of the guys, a gay man in today's world. I mean he was alive during the Stonewall riots, he lived in New York as a gay man later, he lived as a positive gay man for years. And his cooking… well, he always had a story to go along with everything he cooked or baked. No matter what we were making, it always reminded him of when he learned it, who taught him, the first time he made it for someone else, or the last time."

It took Brian a few seconds to respond… he had to get that damned lump out of his throat and take a deep breath.

"Yeah, he did have a lot of stories, no matter when he told them, or how old you were… you never felt like he was talking down to you, but like you were his equal. And you felt like you could tell him anything, and he would be okay with it."

"He helped you a lot didn't he? I mean I know Debbie and Michael helped, but Vic… somehow he helped more than the other Novotny's."

"Yeah…"

"Well… he'll always be missed and always be remembered… and I'm sure he watches over us when he can, from that big dance club in the sky… and if he's looking right now he'd get a kick out of the fact that Brian fucking Kinney is sitting in a tea room… with his husband."

"Why you little…" he's not sure where to go with that comment, but somehow, he knows Justin is right. Damn him… and damn Vic, too… he still remembers his previous 'encounters' with Vic.

"Twat?"

"You might be right Sunshine… I can just imagine him, in his Hawaiian shirt, dancing to YMCA, with Judy and a bunch of old homos all reveling in the freedom to do what they want anytime they want and with whomever they want."

"That sounds like you've spent a lot of time thinking about where he is and what he's doing."

"Let's just say I have a feeling."

"Brian?"

"I'll tell you some other time… besides, it looks like your sandwiches are coming this way."

"Hmmm… you promise to tell me sometime?"

"I promise."

They both share a sweet smile at that, and Justin blushes a little, both remembering another time when that statement was whispered from Justin's lips.