Lions and Tigers and Bears

The guys had been in front of their fake fireplace for an hour or so, cuddling and making small talk. They seemed blissfully happy and very much in tune - the kind of a scene which was not likely to last.

"You know what's coming to the Civic Arena next week, Bri?" Justin asked.

"The circus," Brian replied.

"If you knew that, why didn't you say something about it?" Justin wanted to know.

"If I told you everything I knew," Brian laughed, "You wouldn't have time to talk, and I don't think you'd be very happy about that either. Anyhow, every second telephone pole has a circus poster on it and since you can read, I think it was fair to assume you'd find out."

"You know," Justin continued, "I like circuses and I haven't been to one since I fell in love with you."

"Ah," Brian feigned discovery, "So I came into your life and replaced the circus. Now I know what it was that you saw in me, a substitute for the circus. Enter Brian. Exit the gorillas and snakes."

"Gee whiz, Brian," Justin complained. "It's hard to talk to you about anything. It's a good thing I love the challenge - and I guess, you too."

"Baby," Brian reminded him, "The very first time the circus came to town after you moved in here, I told you I'd go with you and you turned me down."

"Well you made it clear you didn't like circuses," Justin defended himself, "And I figured that if you went, you'd be so grumpy that you'd scare the lions and tigers and bears. Animals can get frightened too, and I'll bet you're just the one who could do it."

"How come I can't scare you then?" Brian challenged the kid.

"Cause I'm used to you," Justin came back, "And I love you and sometimes I think you love me."

"I get it, Sunshine," Brian concluded. "You're going to see if I love you enough to go to the circus with you to protect you from the lions and tigers and bears, or any other animals that might decide to attack you."

"That is not at all what I'm leading up to," Justin insisted. "I would never try to manipulate you into going to the circus with me since I know you don't like circuses, and you know it. I would never do that."

"Well then, just what are you leading up to, Honey?" Brian questioned. "If you're not trying to get me to go to the circus with you, it must be something even worse."

"Nope," Justin smiled at him, "Unless doing without me for a couple of hours is worse. Malcolm and Hunter are putting together a group of guys to go to the circus and I thought maybe I'd go along if you didn't mind."

"Why would I mind?" Brian pretended to grouse. "I can just sit here in front of the fire myself and pretend you're here. That would be a lot of fun."

"Well of course if I get your permission to go to the circus, Sweetheart, " Justin informed him, "I will ask you to come with us so you wouldn't really have to sit by the fireplace by yourself."

"You know, Twink," Brian informed him back, "The last time I went to a circus I went with Mikey. He was crazy about circuses before he became an adult. Maybe I'll invite Mikey over to sit by the fireplace with me. We can reminisce about circuses past while you're talking to the animals. And I don't think I'd want to join your group at the circus even if you did remember to ask me. I'd probably raise the average age by about ten years."

"I don't think so, Bri," Justin smiled archly. "You wouldn't even be the oldest guy going. And you won't be able to invite Mikey over to share the fireplace either, because he and Ben are going with us. And by the way, we're also taking Gus, so he will be the youngest. Mikey is actually the coordinator of the circus trip. As soon as we know who all's going, he is going to get the tickets. Mikey may be a real adult now but he still likes the circus."

"So Brian Kinney is going to get to sit here all alone," Brian concluded, "While all his friends are at the circus."

"Not at all, Bri," Justin told him. "If you're not happy about me going to the circus, I'm going to stay here with you. I like you better than any lions or tigers or bears I've ever met."

"So you're willing to sacrifice going to the circus to keep me company then, " Brian recapitulated. "You know I don't want you to have to do that, so I'll make the sacrifice and go to the circus with you, and I'll try not to frighten the lions and tigers and bears."

Justin plopped his head down contentedly on Brian's shoulder and they had a period of congenial silence.

"It's great that you're going to the circus with us, Brian," Justin broke the spell. "You'll have a good time and Gus will be glad you're there too. I hope you don't think I was pressuring you to come with us though, since I know you don't like circuses."

"Nah," Brian responded. "I can get through a circus every once in a while, and I just happened to have next Thursday evening free. Don't feel guilty."

Justin's face took on a slightly perplexed look. "I didn't tell you that we were going next Thursday, Brian Kinney," he wanted to know, "So how did you happen to know that next Thursday was the night we were going?"

"Maybe I read your mind?" Brian proposed.

"And maybe you didn't?" Justin countered. "OK, Kinney, I want to know how you knew that we were going next Thursday."

"Maybe because that's the night I have the thirty tickets reserved for, Baby," Brian suggested.

"Tell me more, Sweetheart," Justin demanded. "Inquiring minds want to know, and this particular inquiring mind is going to find out what's going on, no matter what it takes."

"Geez, Baby," Brian responded. "It's not all that complicated. Kinnetics doesn't have the circus account but we did some of the local work for the New York guys that do, and as one of the perks, we got thirty real good seats. So I talked to Mikey and he got things going. I thought you'd rather ask me to go than have me ask you, and I was going to say 'Yes' right away, but then you started off with your complicated plot and I decided to let you get on with it. I thought you were enjoying it and so was I. I hope you're not mad."

"How could I be mad at you," Justin told him through a wide grin. "It might be fun to get mad at you but I love you too much to ever get mad at you."

Justin's head fell onto Brian's shoulder and Brian responded be holding the twink a little closer. They were a truly happy pair.

After a period of contented silence, Justin began to doze off in Brian's arms. Brian loved that. "I love you more than lions or tigers or bears, Bri … or baboons or elephants … or eagles or condors … or rats or snakes or skunks …," Justin's voice trailed off.

Justin was asleep. Brian was happy. He had never been happier. He believed everything the kid had just told him.

Return to Fireside Chats