Bargains

The fireplace was lit and the guys were positioned as usual watching the flickering flames. Justin looked especially serious so it might have been a surprise when Brian began the conversation.

"Quit laughing, Twink," he ordered the somber looking Justin.

"Do I look like I'm laughing?" Justin questioned.

"No, you don't look at all like you're laughing," Brian admitted. "But you are laughing just the same. You're laughing on the inside. That's what you're doing. I know you are so just cut it out."

"Well what am I laughing about on the inside?" Justin wanted to know. "Just what's so funny that I would be laughing on the inside, Brian? I don't even think I knew people could laugh on the inside."

"You know damn well what's funny," Brian insisted. "You've been laughing ever since we got home. Just because you don't look like you're laughing doesn't mean you're not laughing."

Justin managed just a puzzled look so Brian went on.

"You dragged me to that dollar store," Brian accused him. "You tricked me into going. And you know it too."

"Now give me a minute and let me just think about the situation," Justin proposed patiently, and certainly not laughing on the outside. "I go to the dollar store regularly and get a lot of stuff there. Last week when I got home, you accused me of buying too much useless stuff. I had thirteen items and you laughed at me - on the outside as I remember it. You said I was a sucker for a bargain and you called me a bargain-holic and practically ordered me to stay out of all dollar stores. You weren't mean, Bri, but you seemed pretty insistent to me."

"I never ordered you not to go back to any dollar stores," Brian replied. "I never did. I never order you to do or not do anything - and you know that too."

"As I remember that conversation, Bri," Justin reminded him, "I think you said that I should not go back there unless you went with me to keep me from buying a lot of unnecessary items that just clutter up the loft. I think that's pretty much what you said."

"Well you never do anything else I order you to do," Brian had to grin. "The only reason you did what I told you this time was to trick me into going with you. You are a manipulator, Twink. Don't deny it."

"I certainly do deny it," Justin argued. "All I said this morning was that I'd like to go to the dollar store today and that, from what you said last week, maybe you would want to go along and keep me from buying too much unnecessary junk."

"It was a trick, Baby," Brian insisted. "I know a trick when I see it. I can always tell."

"Well maybe you do, Honey," Justin decided, "And I'm sure you can. But if this was a trick and you knew it when you saw it, how come you went to the dollar store with me? Seems like you only know a trick after you've fallen for it, not that this was a trick at all. It wasn't. I wouldn't ever do a thing like that."

"Yeah, it was so a trick," Brian held his ground. "It was definitely a Justin Taylor-esque trick."

"But you got your way, Sweetheart," Justin reasoned. "I saw a lot of stuff I might have bought today but you were with me so I didn't buy anything. You kept my bargain-holic-ness completely under control. I didn't buy anything at all to clutter up the loft. I don't see what's the problem. Seems like things went your way."

"You do too see what the problem is," Brian growled. "And you're laughing harder than ever - on the inside all right - but harder than ever."

"Well what am I laughing about?" Justin asked him. "Why am I laughing?"

"I don't need to tell you why you're laughing, Twink," Brian said through a kind of smile. "You're laughing because I decided to pick up a few useful items since I was there."

"I think maybe fifteen," Justin remembered, with a kind of smile of his own. "Yeah, I think maybe - fifteen."

"You were actually counting the stuff I put in my basket, Twink?" Brian sounded surprised.

"Not exactly counting, Sweetheart," Justin nuanced. "Not like you counted my items last week - not like that. I was really just hoping to learn how to pick useful items instead of the crazy ones I usually buy."

"Shut up, you little pain in the ass," Brian imperiously but lovingly demanded, mussing up Justin's hair in the process.

"As always, sir," Justin chortled - on the outside too. "Your slightest wish is my command."

And a brief pause happened here - but fairly brief it was this time.

"Well there were some good buys on paper clips and rubber bands and thumb tacks. I always run out of those and now I won't," Brian pointed out, resuming the discussion.

"Brian - my dearly beloved," Justin pointed out in rebuttal. "You have not run out of any of those items since I have been living here with you. I check that stuff in your desk regularly and make sure you never run out. In fact, I had rubber bands last week among my many useless purchases."

"You go through my desk?" Brian retorted unthreateningly.

"Just to see if you're running out of stuff." Justin defended himself. "I never pry into your private stuff - like the list of presents that you're going to get me - or anything like that."

"Well now that I know about the dollar store, you may get a lot more presents," Brian smirked. "Stuff you'll really love."

"You know I love everything you give me," Justin responded archly, "No matter where it came from. If it comes from you, I love it."

"You're still laughing Twink," Brian accused him. "Harder than ever, I think."

"Brian Kinney," Justin told him, running his hand through the big guy's hair this time. "If I'm laughing at all, it's because I'm so happy and I'm so happy because I've got everything I want in the world - and I didn't get it at the dollar store either. I got it under a lamppost outside of Babylon. But I got it and it's all I want and all I need."

That brought the conversation to an abrupt and rather lengthy halt. The guys just sat cuddling for a time as the flames jumped back and forth in the fake fireplace.

Surprisingly though, the conversation did resume, and, also surprisingly, it was Brian who resumed it.

"Those cleaning products were a real bargain too," Brian recalled. "They will help out the housekeeper when she comes and we can use them too in between."

"You know what, Brian," Justin commented. "It might be better if you let me use all the housecleaning products. I have more experience. I'm afraid you might spray the stuff into your eyes instead of on the counters. Is it OK if just I use the cleaning products, Bri? I'd feel better if you go along with me on this."

"Well OK, Baby" Brian agreed. "I may as well do this your way. If I don't you'll just try to trick me into doing it your way anyhow. I'll just save you the trouble. You can use all the cleaning products yourself. I'll stay away from them completely if that's the way you want it."

"Thanks, Brian," Justin kissed him. "I'll feel a lot better about that."

"Yeah," Brian had a look of triumph in his eyes, "But I'm sticking with my victories too. I'm going to keep going with you when you go to the dollar store - to make sure you don't buy too much crazy stuff."

"Suits me, Brian," Justin acquiesced meekly. "You're such a good influence. If you're there, I probably won't buy anything at all. I'll make that sacrifice because I just want you to be happy."

Brian gave Justin a heavy squeeze. They were both laughing on the inside - both very happy with what they had, not all of which had come from the dollar store.

A little while later, Brian unexpectedly returned to the subject.. "You know what, Baby," he told the kid. "Maybe it was me who tricked you into taking me to the dollar store. What do you think of that?"

"You could very well be right, Bri," Justin responded. "I'm not as clever as you are. I never know a trick when I see it. Never."

Return to Fireside Chats