A Hairy Problem

The fireplace was aglow with darting flames as the guys settled down in front of it.  Justin cuddled himself in next to Brian and it was a while before either of them spoke.

"Baby," Brian finally broke into the satisfied silence.  "Am I still number one with you?"

"Brian," Justin pulled away slightly.  "What kind of question is that?  What's going on?  Do you have any idea how that question scares me?  Of course you're number one with me and you always will be.  Don't you know that?"

"Calm down, Honey," Brian replied quickly.  "There's nothing to be scared about.  Maybe the question was a little too strong.  Actually you've been seen at lunch a couple of times and even at dinner with this guy with a beard.  I don't think any of your friends have beards and you haven't mentioned any new friends so I was just wondering what was going on."

"Hey, Bri," Justin asked, "Didn't I tell you that Jason and I were working on this project where we ….?

"Yeah you did," Brian confirmed before Justin finished.  "You certainly did – but I don't think we should be changing the subject right now.  Do you?"

"We are not changing the subject," Justin had a slight smile on his face.  "You haven't seen Jason lately, have you?"

"Jason has a beard?" Brian responded, looking surprised.  "I didn't think that would even be a possibility."

"Well it is a possibility," Justin's smile broadened.  "But I'll admit that it isn't the world's best beard, so I know what you mean."

"Beautiful blond twinks are allowed to have beards?" Brian asked.  "Seems to me that should be against the by-laws of the Association.  I don't think of beautiful blond twinks as having beards at all."

"Well," Justin had to laugh.  "I guess the idea is actually frowned upon by the Association – but I guess it's permitted under some circumstances."

"Like what?" Brian was smiling too.  "What circumstances?"

"Well there could be some circumstances," Justin told him.  "Like maybe if the twink was in love with some really great guy who wanted him to have a beard.  That might be one reason.  We beautiful blond twinks aren't dumb.  We get the guys we want and we keep the guys we get."

"Are you telling me that Brandon wanted Jason to grow a beard?" Brian was showing more surprise now.  "Is that what you're saying?"

"Yeah, I guess that's what I'm saying," Justin confirmed.  "They went to some movie and the star had a beard in the movie and Brandon kept telling Jason how much better that guy looked with a beard.  Jason didn't think so but he decided that if that's what Brandon liked…."

"But Brandon never told Jason to try to grow a beard," Brian responded.  "I'll bet he never did."

"I don't think he did, Bri," Justin admitted, "But that's what Jason thought.  Anyhow, Jason is the mysterious stranger with the beard that I've been seen with by your spy network.  Gee whiz, Brian.  You didn't need to scare me like you did.  You should have just asked me who I was running around with that had a beard.  I can't believe that you thought I might be interested in somebody else.  I should be peeved.  That's what I should be."

"What you should be is a little closer to me right now – with maybe you head on my shoulder," Brian suggested.  "What do you think?"

Justin did not respond verbally but he followed Brian's suggestion and a period of silence ensued.  It did not seem that Justin was particularly peeved at Brian's apparent lack of trust.

It was Brian who eventually broke the contented silence.  "Does Jason like his beard?" Brian asked the kid.

"OK, Brian Kinney," Justin came back.  "Why this morbid interest in Jason's beard?  I love you and I know you better than anybody else in the whole world and just because I am beautiful and blond, that doesn't make me dumb.  What the hell is going on?  I want to know it all – and right now too."

"OK, Kiddo," Brian gave up.  "Brandon called me and was complaining about Jason's beard.  He wanted me to get you to talk Jason into getting rid of it."

"Gee whiz, Brian," Justin wondered.  "Why didn't he just tell Jason he didn't like the beard?  He ought to know Jason would do whatever he wanted him to."

"I guess he thought Jason liked it and he didn’t want to …." Brian began.

"And why didn't you just come right out and tell me instead of beating around the bush?" Justin continued the interrogation without waiting for any answers.  "Gee whiz."

"I guess I was just trying to do it the way you would do it if things had been the other way around<" Brian laughed.  "Sometimes you take a fairly intricate path to tell me stuff, I think."

"Only because it's necessary to deal with you gradually sometimes," Justin defended himself.  "You don't think I like to be obtuse, do you?"

Brian's arch smile was his answer to that question.  Justin decided it might be wise not to pursue the issue any further.

"Jason really hates the beard, Brian," Justin informed Brian.  "He'll be glad to shave it off if I can convince him Brandon doesn't want him to have it.  Wouldn't it be easier if Brandon just told him?"

"Nah," Brian thought.  "I still think he'd rather you talked to Jason.  You can do it.  Brandon has confidence in you and so do I."

"OK, Brian," Justin agreed, "But, even as smart as I am, and no matter how well I know you, sometimes you strong tough silent types do confuse me.  I'll get Jason to get rid of the beard.  But you know what?  I'm glad we can talk to each other about anything so this sort of thing could never happen to us.

"Right," Brian was quick to agree.  "Maybe someday Brandon and Jason will be able to do what we do – just talk to each other directly with no beating around the bush - ever."

"Yeah," Justin reiterated.  "Maybe when they're in love with each other as much as we are.  I suppose that might be possible."

There was another period of contented silence in front of the fake fireplace at this point – which might have enlightened Brandon and Jason had they been there to witness it.

"Hey, Bri," Justin was the one to break the silence this time.  "What would you think of maybe me growing a beard – or maybe just a moustache?"

"Whatever you want to do, Baby," Brian told him.  "You know I wouldn't ever try to tell you what to do about stuff like that.  It ought to be your own decision…. But you know what else, Sweetheart, if Jason ever tells you that you ought to get rid of it, maybe you should."

Justin rubbed his hair against Brian's cheek.  He was glad they could always talk so frankly to each other – and so was Brian.

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