Kitten

It was Brendon who came up with the idea for Ryan’s stage name.

“What’s wrong, Kitten?” he asked, wrapping his arms around Ryan’s willowy frame as they sat together on the little couch in the little apartment that the two boys rented.

“They don’t want to use my real name,” Ryan said with a sniffle. “’We can’t use your real name because who wants to see a drag queen? No, that won’t do at all. You need a stage name,’” the boy mimicked, blinking furiously to hold back tears. “A girl’s name,” he added viciously.

Brendon pulled Ryan closer to him and pressed his lips to the other boy’s temple. “It’s okay, Kitten,” he murmured. “You’ll still be famous. You’ll still be a star.”

The posters and programs were printed the next day and Ryan brought one back for Brendon to put in his scrapbook.

Interact Theatre presents Dracula, with Craig Thompson as Dracula, Alex Woodruff as Jonathon Harker, Jason Nason as Prof. van Helsing, and Kitty Beckett as Lucy Westerna.

“William’s gonna kill you for stealing his last name,” Brendon said, laughing and shaking his head and throwing his arms around Ryan.

“William should be grateful that I’ve given him the chance to feign a relation with such a talented actress,” Ryan said with an air of superiority.

Brendon smiled and took Ryan’s hand. “Let’s go out to dinner to celebrate your upcoming debut,” he said and Ryan pulled away, running into their bedroom. “Ryan?” Brendon asked, chasing after him and knocking on the locked door. “Kitten, what’s wrong?”

“If we’re going to celebrate my debut, then I want to celebrate as Kitty Beckett,” came Ryan’s muffled response.

Brendon blushed when the door opened and Ryan stepped out, looking for the world like a young, aspiring actress, trying to make her way in the show biz.

“How do I look?” Ryan asked, throwing Brendon a seductive look and flipped a strand of his blonde wig over his shoulder. He even sounded like a girl.

“Ryan … Kitten …” Brendon began in a strangled voice and ended up pressing his lips to Ryan’s.

“That good, huh?” Ryan asked once they broke apart.

Brendon smiled shyly and they showed up at Ryan’s favorite restaurant hand-in-hand.

“Table for two?” the hostess asked, giving Ryan a look that burned with jealousy.

Brendon nodded and they followed the hostess back to a small booth.

“I think that’s Kitty Beckett!” a girl at a neighboring table whispered excitedly as they sat down. “She plays Lucy in the new Dracula play!”

“Whoever she is, she’s absolutely gorgeous,” the girl’s companion whispered back, looking at Ryan with approval in his eyes.

Brendon shot the man a challenging glare and took Ryan’s hand possessively.

“What are you doing?” Ryan asked in surprise, sliding his hand out of Brendon’s.

“That man was eyeing you and I didn’t like it,” Brendon said.

Ryan pursed his lips and picked up his menu. “Don’t be ridiculous. He’s on a date with his girlfriend,” he said. “Stop making a scene.”

Brendon stared at Ryan in shock for a few seconds before picking up his own menu and hiding his glaring eyes behind it.

There were only polite exchanges over dinner that night and Brendon and Ryan walked back to their apartment in silence.

“Opening night is Friday,” Ryan said as he washed the make-up from his face and changed into his pajamas. “You’ll be there, right?”

“In the first row, Kitten,” Brendon replied in a dull voice. “Right in the middle.”

They went to bed and slept without touching.