Anybody Can Ski

"OK, Baby," Brian said to Justin as they settled themselves down in front of the warmth of the fake fireplace, "I think you have some complaining to do. May as well get started with it."

"I'm scared, Brian," Justin told him. "So what I'm doing is not really complaining. I'm scared."

"And what are you scared about?" Brian asked, though he thought he knew.

"Don't play around with me, Bri," Justin came back at him. "You resurrected that Anybody Can Ski video you bought a couple of years back. I saw it on your desk. That's why I'm scared."

"OK," Brian said. "My first couple of times on the slopes at Seven Springs were not really all that successful. I'll admit that. But I got better. Remember we went to that convention in Vail later and I got pretty good - or at least pretty good for me."

"Yeah," Justin had to agree. "You did learn fast. Your problem was that you tried to do too much too soon. It takes more than a few hours on the slopes to get to be a good skier. You are just a little bit too confident because you are always so good at everything. That can be dangerous on ski slopes."

"So did I break my leg or my head or anything?" Brian asked.

"No," Justin had to smile, "But that might just have been good luck. You did hobble around here for a week or so though, and I had to help you get up and down when we sat here in front of the fireplace. I remember that very well."

"And I don't remember you doing any complaining then." Brian told him.

"And I'm not complaining now, Honey," Justin replied. "It's just that I love you exactly the way you are. Two arms. Two legs. An uncracked skull - and stuff like that."

"OK, maybe I was a problem at Seven Springs," Brian admitted, "But I promised you I'd behave when we went to Vail and I did. I did everything you told me. You didn't see me taking any chances at Vail."

"Yeah and maybe that's why I'm scared," Justin answered, "When I was with you, you were pretty careful and acted pretty sane. But there was that one morning when you had that big meeting so I curled up with a good book instead of heading for the slopes. You know what, BK, maybe there was no meeting that morning, and maybe you went out by yourself and tried the intermediate run. Maybe that's what happened."

"You knew?" Brian seemed genuinely surprised. "And you never told me you knew."

"Why would I? I didn't know it when you were doing it, Bri, or I would have been out on that slope looking for you," Justin said. "But that night - remember the nice guy from San Diego who was at the convention - well he asked me where I was and told me I should always go with you when you're on the intermediate slopes. He didn't specify any details and actually I didn't want to know - but the rest of the week when you were at 'meetings', I was out watching the intermediate slopes."

"And how did you know I wasn't on one of the advanced slopes?" Brian half-laughed at him.

"Because I had the para-medics and security watching and they were to call me if you showed up there," Justin informed him.

"You mean to tell me they would rat on the paying guests," Brian was incredulous.

"Well they had seen you skiing." Justin laughed just a little bit.

"So that's why we never went skiing last year, I guess" Brian surmised.

"Not really," Justin told him. "It just never happened. That's all. If you wanted to go, we'd have gone. It's just that I feel safer when we don't. But I guess that video means you're planning for this season. Malcolm and Hunter and some of the other guys are going to Seven Springs next week-end, I think. We can go with them if you want to, but you have to be careful if we go. No crazy stuff."

"Fat chance of any crazy stuff with you around," Brian groused unconvincingly, "But yeah, let's go."

"OK," Justin agreed. "But no crazy stuff, Brian. I mean it. Remember when you caught me doing the tricks on the skate board and you almost had a conniption. Well…."

"You're threatening me," Brian complained. "You know I don't want you to get hurt."

"So you see my point, eh? You know, I don't think I'm exactly threatening you, Honey," Justin disagreed., "But I guess I am pointing out possibilities."

"Well I just might call it a threat," Brian retorted, "And I just might be mad about it too."

Justin did not immediately respond so silence fell upon the loft. And it did not seem that either of the guys were mad - but then they did have complex personalities so it was hard to tell. Still it didn't seem that they were mad at each other.

"OK, Twink," Brian finally broke the silence. "I'm not mad any more but I am considering not taking you with me to the convention this year. It's at Vail again and I'm making a presentation so I have to go. I guess you'd be mad if I didn't ask you to come along."

"Gee whiz, Bri," Justin told him, "Another convention at Vail. I'll be glad to come with you if you invite me, but I won't be mad if you don't. I know who's the boss around here. To prove I'm not mad, I'd even meet the hospital plane at the airport when they fly you home."

"Cut it out, JT," Brian commanded. "You know I'm going to invite you to come, and I bet if I didn't, you'd show up anyhow to spy on me."

"I'm not going to comment on that last snide remark, Sweetheart," Justin replied with the trace of a smug look on his face, "But if that's an invitation to go to Vail, I do accept."

"I didn't even tell you the dates, Twink," Brian had a smug look of his own, "How do you know you can get away?"

"Because your safety is more important to me than anything else I might have on my schedule," Justin told him, "So I can go - whenever it is."

"And you don't trust me to go to Vail without you there to keep me safe?" Brian recounted. "What does that say about me?"

"I guess it says that you have somebody who loves you so much that your safety is more important than anything else in his life," Justin responded. "I guess that's what it means, Bri."

"Yeah," Brian considered, "I guess that's what it does mean. Do you think maybe you have somebody who loves you that much too?"

"I think so, Brian," Justin responded. "If nagging at me all the time means he's concerned about my safety, yeah, I think I do."

"Thanks a lot, Twink," Brian laughed. "You are really romantic all right - and you're always complaining about me."

Justin snuggled himself closer to Brian and rubbed his head against the big guy's cheek. "Well I really am romantic, Bri," Justin cooed. "What do you think we should do for the rest of the evening? Any ideas?"

Brian squeezed the kid and planted a kiss on his forehead. "That's easy," Brian answered. "I think we should watch Anybody Can Ski."

But that is not what they did.

Return to Fireside Chats