Brave, Courageous and Bold

The fire was blazing. Brian and Justin were staring at the fake flames jumping to and fro. They were a happy pair as they cuddled together. They were hoping that nothing would break the spell. Alas….

"You know, Bri," Justin felt he had to bring up the subject, "The costume ball at the Gay and Lesbian Center is Saturday night and you said you'd go if I did all the preparation work like getting the tickets and the costumes and all."

"Yeah," Brian admitted. "I remember saying that but I think you had put something in my drink to make me say it."

"You weren't drinking, Bri. And what makes you think I have to put anything in your drink to get you to do stuff?" Justin laughed. "Couldn't it just be my really superior power of persuasion? Actually in this case though, I think you really want to go but you wouldn't mind getting credit for being a martyr too."

"I said I'd go and I'll go," Brian told him. "Let's just leave it at that. What else do I need to know?"

"Well, Melanie and me went to the costume shop today and picked up some costumes," Justin replied. "Melanie thought we should all go as western characters and that worked out pretty well."

"I guess I'm going to be the Lone Ranger," Brian proposed. "I'd make a great Lone Ranger, don't you think?"

"Yeah, you would, Bri," Justin agreed, "And actually I thought of you as the Lone Ranger but then they didn't have your size in that costume, so I guess I'm going to be the Lone Ranger."

"I hope you're not going to tell me that I'm going to be Tonto," Brian groused. "I don't think I want to be Tonto."

"Nope," Justin answered. "Malcolm is going to be Tonto. I would have been Tonto if you could have been the Lone Ranger but I didn't think you would want to be Tonto, Kemo Sabe."

"Well just who am I going to be?" Brian asked.

"Justin seemed to ignore the question. "Melanie is going to be Calamity Jane and Linz is gonna be Annie Oakley," Justin went on.

"Well I hope I'm not going to be Wild Bill Hickok then. Wasn't he Calamity Jane's boy-friend?" Brian decided. "I'm getting along with Melanie better these days but I don't want to go to any party as her boy-friend."

"Calm down, Sweetheart," Justin warned Brian. "You aren't going anywhere as anybody's boy-friend but mine, and you're not going to come home as anybody's boy-friend but mine either."

"Then how can you be the Lone Ranger if you're going to be so possessive, Twink?" Brian laughed.

"Lone Ranger, yes; lone Justin, no way," Justin explained. "Anyhow, Mikey is going to be Wild Bill Hickok and Ben is going to be Zorro. It's going to be neat, Brian."

"You haven't told me who I'm going to be yet," Brian groused, "And all the good guys are gone."

"No they aren't, Mr. Kinney," Justin told him. "You're going to be Wyatt Earp."

"Wyatt Earp?" Brian considered, "Not bad, Twink. You know I watched reruns of a Wyatt Earp TV series when I was a kid," Brian said, "And my dad had watched the same series when he was a kid. It was kind of corny but pretty neat for kids. I remember the theme: 'Wyatt Earp, Wyatt Earp, brave, courageous and bold….'"

"You know what, Bri," Justin recalled. "I watched that same series, and so did my dad. I didn't know you had seen it. That's a real coincidence because Gus is watching it now."

"Well then Gus' dad can go visit his son in the Wyatt Earp costume," Brian presumed. "That should be a neat thing for the kid."

"Well maybe not, Bri," Justin replied. "This Wyatt Earp outfit is a kind of modern type, more realistic costume than the one we saw on the TV. He was always so neat and clean. That's not how the real Wyatt Earp looked. This costume is more historically correct, like what they wear on that western series on HBO. You might scare Gus if you appeared over there in that costume."

"OK," Brian reasoned. "Let me get this straight. You hate me so you got everybody else a nice clean costume so they'll all look just like they stepped right out of the comic book, and I'm gonna be some sleazy looking character from cable TV."

"Cut it out, Brian," Justin complained. "You know I love you, and you know I wouldn't do anything like that to you. You'll probably win the award for best costume. It is the best costume of the bunch and it cost the most to rent too. I got you that costume because I wanted you to win the Best Costume Award."

"OK," Brian kept on. "Sleazy old Brian Kinney in a sleazy old Wyatt Earp costume. Whatever."

"Brian, you're making me feel terrible. I know you're just kidding but you know how sensitive I am," Justin protested. "I'll bet if you were an actor, they'd cast you as Wyatt Earp without thinking twice. They'd know how good looking you are, just like I do, but they'd still know you would be a great Wyatt Earp."

"Well I am not an actor," Brian pointed out, "And I don't know that I'd want to play Wyatt Earp if I was an actor. I think I'd make a better businessman or a lover type."

"Naw," Justin disagreed. "That wouldn't be a challenge at all if you were an actor. You are already a businessman and the greatest lover in the world. That wouldn't tax your acting skills at all. If you were an actor, you'd jump at the chance to play Wyatt Earp."

"Sleazy costume and all?" Brian smiled, cheering Justin up just a little.

"Yeah," Justin said, "But we'd get you all dressed up for the awards show, the Oscars, the Emmys, or whatever. You'd look just like Brian Kinney when they handed you your little statue."

"And I'd take about ten minutes to thank everybody," Brian conjectured. "That would make me nervous. I hope I wouldn't forget to thank you first."

"If you did you could come back here afterwards and cuddle up in front of the fireplace with your little statue, Kinney," Justin warned him.

"I wouldn't forget, Baby," Brian told him. "I want my twink a lot more than I want any old statue."

"Even if you don't like the costume he picked out for you?" Justin laughed, feeling a lot more comfortable.

"Yeah," Brian admitted. "And I'll thank you first when I pick up the Best Costume Award Saturday night too. You'll probably be the only one I thank. And for more than just picking out a winning sleazy costume. For a lot of other things too."

That brought the conversation to what would have been a successful conclusion except that it wasn't the conclusion. After a good while spent in other stuff, the duo returned to the conversation.

"You know what, Baby?" Brian thought out loud. "I bet the crowd will be really surprised when the Lone Ranger and Wyatt Earp come to the party hand in hand. Gay cowboys, no less."

"Old stuff, Bri," Justin reached over to kiss the guy he loved more than anything else in the world. "You're behind the times. That's already been done."

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