The Fireplace

There were lots of perks in the advertising business. Sometimes they were perks Brian liked and sometimes not. The day they delivered the electric ventless fireplace to the loft was one of the latter. Brian had produced a successful advertising program for Ace Fireplaces Inc. and they had favored him with a gift of their top of the line model. He wondered how to get rid of it. It didn't fit the décor of the loft and Brian didn't much care for fireplaces.

The day after the delivery, Brian worked late at the office and got home after dark to find the loft aglow from the flickering fake flames emanating from the new fireplace. Justin was sitting next to it, toasting marshmallows. "I love this fireplace, Brian," he declared. "It reminds me of the Boy Scouts."

"The Boy Scouts?" Brian choked, "The Boy Scouts. You're turning my loft into a Boy Scout camp." "I loved the Boy Scouts, Brian," Justin countered, "I went to camp for two weeks every summer when I was young and I loved it."

"When you were young, eh," Brian responded, "You're only nineteen now, but I don't think you were ever young." "Well, I was," Justin insisted, "I don't think I began to age until I met you. I'm not complaining though. You have some really good points."

Brian wanted to laugh but he didn't. "You know that's not a real fire, don't you?" he challenged Justin. "Well it gives off heat as well as light, and it toasts marshmallows just fine," was Justin's answer, "And I love it. You always say the loft is mine too so I'll just keep the fireplace in my half."

"We don't have halves," Brian gritted his teeth. He loved the little twink. He loved the arguing and the making up as much as Justin did but he would never admit it. "Well can't we keep it at least through the winter to give it a try," Justin asked, "I'll bet you'll get to like it as much as I do."

"We'll see," Brian said, "I'm too hungry to fight with you about it right now. Can I turn on a light, please? The kitchen is out of the range of the fireplace and I want to eat." "You'll ruin the effect," Justin complained, "But if you absolutely have to eat…." They were both smiling. Deep down they understood each other.

Justin knew that Brian was going to be late so he had prepared dinner for them both and waited so that he could eat with Brian. The meal consisted of most of Brian's favorites done just the way Brian liked them. "So you knew I wanted to get rid of that fireplace and you cooked up this dinner to soften me up, didn't you?" Brian accused Justin as he was enjoying the meal.

"That hurts my feelings," Justin proclaimed, "I got this meal ready because I love you and I want you to have everything you want. Just the way I know that you love me and want me to have everything I want." Brian couldn't help himself. He laughed.

"Sunshine," he replied, "I'm lucky I'm smart or you would be able to get anything you want from me." "Well you are smart," Justin replied, while trying to think of something he wanted that he didn't get from Brian. He couldn't think of anything.

After dinner, Brian changed clothes and came back into the living area. "Do you want to go out somewhere? I think the gang's at Woody's," Brian asked. "Not unless you especially want to," Justin replied. "I don't," Brian said, "I'm kind of tired. What's on TV?" "Absolutely nothing worth while," Justin remarked with certainty.

"Well, what then do you propose that we do for the next couple of hours?" Brian asked, already knowing the answer to the question before he asked it. "I thought maybe we could just sit by the fireplace and talk." Justin suggested, feeling certain that he would get his way. "OK," Brian gave in, "I'm too tired to argue." "I hope you won't be too tired to make up later," Justin grinned. "We'll just have to wait and see, won't we?" Brian grinned back.

So they turned off the lights and sat down on the floor, covered with a blanket, with their backs leaning against the couch, facing the fireplace with its dancing flames. They snuggled up against each other. Brian was beginning to think this wasn't such a bad way to spend an evening when Justin thought of a way to improve things. He pulled away from Brian and stood up. "I bought a big bag of marshmallows," He declared, "I'll get some more to toast."

"I don't like marshmallows," Brian stated. "I do," Justin responded, "And so will you when you see how well I toast them." "I guess you owe all your charms to the Boy Scouts," Brian joked. "Not all," Justin laughed back, "No, not all, but some." Brian couldn't believe that he was actually enjoying himself. He wondered how this crazy kid had bewitched Brian Kinney, changing him from the debonaire man about town into a guy who could have a good time sitting on the floor watching fake fire from an electric fireplace he didn't like. He wondered, but he was glad for the change. He was happier than he had ever been in his life. But he still didn't like marshmallows.

Justin came back with his big bag of marshmallows and a long metal stick that Brian had never seen before, making Brian wonder how carefully this whole thing had been planned. When Justin got himself back under the blanket and properly snuggled up to Brian, he extended a few marshmallows into the flames on the stick, and asked Brian: "Weren't you ever a Boy Scout?" "Never," Brian answered. "How come?" Justin wondered. "I don't know," Brian answered, "It just didn't seem to be my thing." "But it was a lot of fun," Justin said, "The Boy Scouts did a lot of great things."

"I don't remember having fun as a kid," Brian responded, "I don't think I ever did. There wasn't any fun at home, and I never had a real friend until I met Mikey in high school." "What about the other kids at school?" Justin asked. "I think maybe they did have fun. Yeah, I think maybe they did." Brian said wistfully, "I just thought fun wasn't for me."

"That's terrible, Brian," Justin cut in, and Brian couldn't believe he was saying these things to anyone, even Justin. He wondered if it was just that this kid left him defenseless, or was it that damn fireplace too. He couldn't believe that he was talking about the childhood he had tried so hard to forget, but somehow he was glad he had said what he had said. He felt better for having shared some of that part of his life with Justin. Justin leaned over and kissed Brian. "I love you," he said. He thought Brian needed to hear that.

"Oops," Justin cried out, "I've burned some of the marshmallows." He pulled the stick out of the flames and popped one of the charred ones into his mouth. "They are so good," he declared, "You ought to try one." "I don't like marshmallows," Brian told him, "I do not like marshmallows." "Well that's too bad," Justin declared, "I wish you'd try just one. I am an expert on marshmallows." He handed one to Brian.

"That's why you burned them black," Brian countered. He eased the marshmallow into his mouth. Much to his surprise, it was good. "It's good, isn't it?" Justin pressed. "It's OK," Brian allowed. "Have another one," Justin offered and Brian accepted, "We can have marshmallows often since you're letting me keep the fireplace, and some great discussions too."

"It's as if the kid can read my mind," Brian thought, "If he can then he knows how much I love him."

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