Seven’s a Crowd

December had brought very cold weather to Pittsburgh and the guys were happy for the warmth coming from the flames of their fake fireplace as they snuggled close together watching in silence - or more precisely, from the built in heating element.

"Christmas is coming," Brian announced to a surprised Justin.

"That's my line, Honey," he replied. "I'm the one who always has to get you jump-started for Christmas. Should I be a little suspicious?"

"Yeah, I think so," Brian admitted. "Not that I don't personally like Christmas though. I really love Christmas now, Baby, and all because of you."

"I'm glad you said that, Bri," Justin responded. "I have a few things extra in mind for this Christmas. I wasn't sure how you'd feel about them but since you now love Christmas, I'm sure there won't be any problems. I can tell you that I'm pretty relieved."

"I don't know if I'm relieved or not," Brian wondered, "But I guess I don't have any choice."

"Darn it, Brian," Justin complained. "You know you have a choice. You always have a choice. We don't do stuff you don't want to do and you know that."

"Yeah," Brian grinned, "But after a couple of hours of your version of medieval torture, I guess I usually do see things your way."

"Brian," Justin announced. "You are putting me in a serious bad humor which might last as long as fifteen minutes. Do you think that's a good idea?"

"No, it is not a good idea," Brian agreed. "I need to talk to you about something and I want you in a good humor when I do."

"OK, Big Guy," Justin half-smirked. "Let me guess. I'm guessing that Abelard called and wants to come here to do his Christmas shopping and he wants us to help him - or maybe just me since he knows now that I am the real shopper around here. If that's what it is, the answer is 'Yes.' It's not an easy job shopping for Abe since we don't really know a lot of the people on his list, but he's a friend and we'll do it. Now, see how easy I've made it for you. You don't do that for me."

"Well your mind reading worked again, I suppose," Brian told him. "Abelard called and that's what he wants - to come here to do his shopping with our help, mostly yours."

"It is kind of ironic, Brian," Justin mused. "A lot of people ask me to talk to you about things because you're so difficult. Why would Abelard have to call you since he knows I like him now, and I'm not difficult at all? That does surprise me a little bit. He could have just called me."

"There's a little more, Baby," Brian replied. "Your mind-reading was good but not actually complete. There's just a little bit more. I'm sure it will be all right though since you are not difficult like me."

"What do you mean, 'More'?" Justin wondered. "What more can there possibly be?"

"Actually six more," Brian bit the bullet. "Abelard has six friends who want to come along. They liked what he got last year and they want to come with him. They're gonna rent a van and some kind of a trailer to haul the stuff home. They can come Saturday and go back Monday morning so we'll have most of two days. Well, whattaya say?"

"Seven," Justin stammered. "You're telling me we're supposed to go shopping for seven college guys and we have to get it done in two days - in the Christmas rush."

"Not if you don't want to," Brian quoted. "We never do stuff you don't want to do. You know that. So just say the word and I'll tell Abe he can't bring the gang."

"You think this is funny, Brian Kinney," Justin accused him with a smile on his face. "You really think this is funny. I'm going to have to look into more savage medieval tortures. If we're going to have seven though, I'm going to need help. Mikey and Malcolm will have to come too, and maybe Hunter. I'm sure they'll do it. They all like Abelard."

"I can help too," Brian volunteered.

"You'll be great moral support, Sweetheart," Justin told him, "But those college kids can carry their own gifts."

"If I were the emotional type like some people," Brian retorted. "I could get into a serious bad humor which might last as much as twenty minutes. But I'm not emotional so I'll just ring up Abe and tell him to come ahead."

"The only reason I'm letting you hold me, Kinney," Justin proclaimed, "Is that it's so cold."

"And that's the only reason?" Brian asked.

"Well maybe not the only reason," Justin admitted. Brian mussed up the kids hair and silence returned to the loft - for a while.

Justin resumed the conversation. "Last year we got 18 gifts for Abe," he remembered. "7x18 would be 126. This thing is going to require planning. I'll have to call Mikey and Malcolm. There will have to be a planning session."

"Do I have to be there?" Brian asked hopefully.

"For moral support," Justin informed him. "We'll need all the moral support we can get."

"I see you've already given some thought to the medieval tortures," Brian groused.

"That's a mean thing to say," Justin complained, laughing as he spoke.

"The only reason I'm holding you, Twink," Brian continued to grouse, "Is because you help to keep me warm."

"I help to keep you warm?" Justin echoed.

"Yeah," Brian admitted. And another period of silence descended on the loft.

"You know, Brian Honey," Justin said finally. "I think this discussion has kind of put us into the real Christmas spirit. That's great. You call Abe tomorrow and I'll call Malcolm and Mikey and we'll be ready to go on Saturday when the guys get here. The Christmas fun starts early."

"Yeah, it sure does," Brian agreed with less enthusiasm that one might have expected.

Brian spoke again after a brief pause. "Baby, you said that you had some extra things planned for Christmas," he said. "Do you want to tell me what they are?"

"Not now, Bri," Justin replied. "We've had enough Christmas talk for one evening. We can talk about these other things some dull night, when we need to perk up our Christmas spirit."

"I probably won't be able to sleep tonight thinking about them," Brian complained playfully. "I guess that's more of your medieval torture?"

"If you can't sleep, Honey," Justin commiserated, "I'll try to keep you busy."

"Even more medieval torture?" Brian smiled.

"Whatever you want to call it," Justin told him.

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