Christmas Traditions

It was the early evening of Christmas day. The guys were tired and happy as they sat in their usual positions facing the fireplace. They were especially happy to be alone together. The flickering flames and the Christmas lights in the loft cast a holiday glow which reflected their mood.

"We do know how to celebrate Christmas, Bri," Justin said. "And we're developing out own traditions too. Four Christmases together now. It hardly seems possible. You get better and better at Children's Hospital. The kids just love you. You're the best Santa Claus in the world. We have to do that every year until we're ninety."

"You know, Baby," Brian thought. "Let's hope we don't have to. Maybe some year there won't be any kids who have to be in the hospital at the holidays. But we'll do it till that day comes, at least as long as we can. And I guess the Charlie Brown tree is a tradition for us now too."

"Yep," Justin agreed. "It will keep us young when we get old."

"So I'm not old yet," Brian laughed.

"I was getting worried for a while there, Bri," Justin returned the laugh. "I was beginning to think that mean old Brian Kinney was getting sentimental. Thanks for reminding me that you are still Brian Kinney. But could you be nice for a little while longer while we discuss our Christmas traditions? I really like doing that."

"Well since it's Christmas, you can be the boss today only," Brian told him. "I'll try to be nice. I'll even add a tradition. I think we should have a party for Gus' gang every year. Those kids had a great time here the other night."

"And you enjoyed it too, Sweetheart," Justin replied. "And everybody knew you did. Even Melanie said you were acting just like a big kid."

"Only trying to help the kids have fun," Brian defended himself.

"Of course you were," Justin cooed patronizingly while running his had through Brian's hair. "Sacrificing yourself for others in the true spirit of Christmas. But I agree that the kids' party should stay. A tradition is born."

"And the endless procession of visits will be around forever too," Brian added.

"Remember you're supposed to be nice, " Justin warned him. "You know we have to visit your family and my family and have dinner with the gang at Debbie's and all the other stuff. And you complain but I know you really enjoy those things too, so don't expect any sympathy from me."

"I quit expecting any sympathy from you a long time ago, " Brian retorted.

"Remember, Honey," Justin reminded him. "It's Christmas and you're being nice.'

"Well there's one tradition you forgot," Brian challenged the kid. "One we started last year. The annual Christmas snow ball battle. There's plenty of snow out there so are you ready to keep up that tradition?"

"No I'm not," Justin replied. "That's not a tradition and I think we're too adult for that kind of stuff."

"So you're finally admitting that I won last year's fight then," Brian chortled. "If you had won, the snow ball battle would certainly have become a tradition."

"I think maybe your memory is failing, Sweetheart," Justin insisted. "I was the clear winner. I had way more direct hits than you did."

"Only because you started with a sneak attack," Brian remembered. "You were stock-piling snow balls while I was doing all the work building your beautiful snow man."

"Well maybe the snow man can be a tradition then," Justin declared, "But since you claim you did all the work last year, this time why don't we each build our own snow man and see who's is nicer?"

"Not practical," Brian reasoned. "I'll vote for mine and you'll vote for yours and it will just be a tie."

"We'll get a third party over here to cast the deciding vote," Justin persevered.

"OK," Brian seemed to give up. "We'll get somebody over here to break the tie, or maybe several people to vote and then it won't be just the two of us on Christmas night."

"Forget it, Bri," Justin decided. "The snow ball battle and the snow man can't be traditions cause we can't be sure we'll have snow every year. If we have snow and you want a snow man though, we'll just do the one and you can do the work and I'll provide the artistic oversight."

Brian squeezed the kid at this point and the discussion went on hiatus for a fairly long time.

Justin had the next word. "Brian," he said. "Thanks for the great gifts. I got everything I hoped I'd get."

"Yeah," Brian remarked with a certain degree of wit. "The whole list you gave Cynthia."

Justin smiled at him. "But I also got some other things that I'm sure you picked out yourself. Like sun tan lotion in the middle of winter. Neat idea, Bri. I'm sure you figured that out for yourself."

"On sale." Brian told him, and the conversation lapsed again.

"OK," Justin eventually resumed the discussion. "Let's run over our plans for New Year's. Do we go to Debbie's, or Daphne's or Emmett's or all three? What do you think?"

"All of the above or none of the above," Brian responded. "But I am going to Ibiza."

"What did I do now?" Justin complained. "Everything was going so well. I don't want you to be mad at me on Christmas."

"You didn't do anything, Baby," Brian assured him. "I'm not mad at you."

"But you always say you're going to Ibiza when you're mad at me and want to get away from me," Justin explained. "So why would you say that when you're not mad at me?"

"A slip of the tongue, Kiddo," Brian told him. "What I meant to say was 'We are going to Ibiza'."

"We are going to Ibiza?" Justin showed his surprise. "Me too. You're taking me to Ibiza with you?"

"That's the idea," Brian affirmed. "And it's all taken care of. Cynthia made the arrangements and actually we leave a day or so after New Year's, so the sun tan lotion wasn't all that dumb after all, was it? And I do want to remind you that I never went to Ibiza without you. I just threatened to go to Ibiza without you. That worked pretty well."

"I love you Brian," Justin gushed. "I don't understand how I was lucky enough to get you."

"Yeah," Brian agreed as he put both arms around his beloved twink. "You sure were lucky."

They just smiled at each other for a few minutes before Justin made a suggestion. "Maybe we should make the trip to Ibiza a tradition too. It sounds good to me and now I won't have to listen to you threaten me about going to Ibiza without me any more."

"You know what, Baby?" Brian responded. "I think I'll go to Calcutta."

"You are not going to Calcutta, Sweetheart," Justin insisted. "At least without me you aren't, but let's go ahead out and build our snowman. It can be a tradition for when there's snow."

"OK," Brian agreed. "But if I see you making one snow ball…."

"You won't, Bri," Justin assured him. "Believe me, you won't. I'm way too sneaky for that."

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