White Christmas

It was Christmas night. The snow had started falling about six o'clock. The guys had their Christmas activities successfully completed and were settling down to recapitulate in front of their roaring fake fireplace. Brian was glad they did not have to venture outside. There were already several inches of snow piled up with several more expected. They had nothing scheduled for the next day either and so a feeling of contentment enveloped them as they sat cuddling together.

"Another great holiday, Brian," Justin told him.

"Well it was a busy one, that's for sure," Brian replied. "Visiting your mother and my mother and Debbie's and Mel's, and the hospital. That all seems like a lot but I'm glad you schedule it all so well that we get it all done."

"I think you're glad when it's all done," Justin laughed, "But sometimes you seem to be suffering while we're doing it."

"I was better this year though," Brian insisted, "I'm getting better at all the sociability stuff."

"You are indeed," Justin conceded, "But you were absolutely perfect here last night and at the hospital today."

"Last night was super," Brian admitted. "I can't believe how much I enjoy our son enjoying Christmas. And I especially like it when he likes our place so much. He is crazy about your decorations and he loves that Charlie Brown tree. He thinks it's his."

"It is his, Bri," Justin pointed out. "That's why we have that dopey little tree - for Gus."

"Well, it's our tree too," Brian insisted. "Just because I've hit the big three-oh doesn't mean I don't still have some kid left in me. Of course I never knew that till I got mixed up with you. Sometimes when I'm with you I do things I can't really explain."

"Don't blame me because you're such a good guy, Brian," Justin joked. "If you weren't such a good guy, I wouldn't have tracked you down in the first place."

"Well I guess you were the only one who knew that then," Brian figured.

"Lucky me," Justin concluded. "Anyhow, it was a lot of fun with Gus here last night and this morning over at his place. I think he got everything he wanted for Christmas. And today was our third Christmas visit at Children's Hospital too. That's getting to be a real production."

"Yeah," Brian agreed. "The first year it was just Santa and his elf. Last year we added Mother Christmas and now this year we had the Kristmas Klown with us too. I never knew there was a Kristmas Klown"

"I'm not sure there ever was a Kristmas Klown before today, just like there wasn't any Mother Christmas before last year." Justin declared. "But I thought Debbie was fabulous today as Mother Christmas, and Malcolm makes a wonderful Kristmas Klown. The kids were spellbound by both of them, but you were still the star, Bri. Santa Claus was still the biggest hit with the kids."

"Those kids are the greatest," Brian said, "So the more of us the merrier. Maybe we can have Abe next year."

"As the Christmas Ape, I guess," Justin suggested, "Abe the Ape."

"It's not Abelard's fault I'm stuck with that blond cousin I can't get rid of," Brian told him. "How come Malcolm isn't in Cincinnati with his folks though?"

"His parents are on a cruise," Justin told him. "Abelard is with his mother and dad but Malcolm stayed here to help with Hunter's play. He'll be in Cincinnati on New Tear's Eve though. They'll be back by then"

"No New Year's Eve Klown then?" Brian surmised.

"Not unless you want to be it," Justin suggested.

"Don't think so," Brian laughed, "And I don't want you getting any ideas either."

"Can't I get an idea if I promise it won't be about a New Year's Eve Klown?" Justin responded.

"All your ideas can be dangerous," Brian told him, "But I guess if you have to get an idea, it will be all right."

They quit talking for a while. It was enough for them just to be together. They could feel their mutual attraction without speaking it. They could almost read each other's minds. Almost !!!

"Brian?" Justin began to say something but seemed to decide against it.

"What?" Brian asked him.

"Nothing," Justin replied.

"Darn it, Twink," Brian complained, "You've just given me the best Christmas I've ever had. Now what is it that you want and don't want to tell me about?"

"Nothing, Bri," Justin told him, "Just something crazy. Forget it. You know I get crazy ideas."

"Justin Taylor," Brian insisted, "What do you want? I don't care how crazy it is. What do you want?"

"I just thought," Justin said hesitatingly, "That it would be fun … to go outside and build a snowman."

"You want to go outside at eleven o'clock at night and build a snowman?" Brian asked for verification.

"Forget it Brian," Justin replied. "I'm sorry I even mentioned it. It's time I grew up. I've passed the big two-oh, you know. I don't know what gets into me sometimes."

"Baby," Brian smiled at him, "I don't want you ever to grow up. I want you just the way you are. If you want to build a snowman, we're going to go out and build the best snowman ever constructed. Let's go, Kiddo."

"You don't think I'm crazy?" Justin asked.

"Oh yeah," Brian responded, "I think you're crazy but that is immaterial. Before we go out though, I want to wish you a Merry Christmas and tell you how much I love you."

"How come you need to tell me that before we go out?" Justin wondered.

"Because," Brian laughed, "You might not be speaking to me when we come back in - after I bop you a couple of times with a snowball or two. I don't want to do that but I just might have to. The temptation may prove to be too great. I told you sometimes when I'm with you I do things I can't really explain."

"You might have to bop me with a couple of snowballs, eh?" Justin marveled. "I hope you don't expect me just to be a sitting duck, Kinney. I can throw a mean snowball myself if I get provoked. So I guess I better wish you a Merry Christmas and tell you how much I love you too before we go out."

"We're supposed to be going out together to build a snowman, Baby," Brian protested. "And you're sounding like you'd like for us to have a real snow ball war."

"Actually, Bri, I think you brought up the subject first, but I have to tell you, I like anything," Justin confided in him, "When it's just the two of us."

"It'll just be the two of us when we come back in too," Brian reminded him.

"I know," Justin told him.

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