Crème Filled Eggs

Brian was munching on a reasonably large slice of crème-filled chocolate-covered Easter egg as the guys positioned themselves facing their fake fireplace. It was a few days before that holiday but it was always a special occasion when Brian Kinney munched on any candy at all. And he seemed to be genuinely enjoying his munching.

“You’re telling me this is home-made, Sweetheart?” he reminded the twink sitting next to him, “And you want me to guess who made it. I think you expect me to guess that you made it – since it really is good - but I’m not gonna guess you at all. I think the creator of this really delicious Easter treat is none other than our dear friend, Jason.”

“Gee whiz, Brian,” Justin seemed impressed. “I remember telling you that Jason’s mother is a great candy maker and that she taught Jason how to do it – but I never figured you’d remember.”

“Justin Taylor,” Brian grinned at him. “I listen to everything you say and I remember it all too – even if I don’t ever get any credit for being so attentive….”

“Well maybe you’d get more credit if you acted like you remembered what I told you, Mr. Kinney,” Justin laughed, “Instead of acting like everything I tell you goes in one ear and out the other….”

“You have to do what works best, Baby,” Brian returned the laugh, “If you want to survive, that is – so I always try to do what works best in any given situation…..”

The conversation tailed off here as the guys presumably proceeded to decide what worked best in that particular situation – even if their survival did not absolutely depend on it.

“You know what, Brian,” Justin eventually ended the pause in the conversation. “Since you like that crème-filled egg so well, maybe we should try to make some ourselves – or I could try myself if you didn’t want to get your hands all chocolaty….”

”I don’t think candy making is all that easy, Sunshine,” Brian warned him. “Have you had any experience at all with the art?”

“Not really, Bri,” Justin replied, “But I think I can like – do anything…..”

“So wouldn’t this be a case of you copying Jason instead of Jason copying you?” Brian posed the question, “Especially since you….”

“I get it now, Kinney,” Justin interrupted. “You guessed Jason made that candy egg because Brandon told you we were like – making them over there. He had this real strange look on his face when he came in – like…. You didn’t remember what I told you about Jason’s mother at all, Brian Kinney. Brandon told you about the candy….”

“Brandon may have mentioned that there was some candy making going on over at their place, JT,” Brian grinned. “Yeah he did. In fact, he described the thing in elaborate detail. Cauldrons boiling everywhere – batters bubbling – special thermometers. His description of their kitchen reminded me of the first time you ever made jambalaya here. I guess you remember that….”

“Yeah I do, BK,” Justin admitted. “And I remember how you reacted too. Guess you thought that was what worked best for you in that situation. Come to think of it, the look on your face then was pretty much like Brandon’s. with the candy….”

“Could be what I thought then, Sweetheart,” Brian laughed, “But I don’t like – have the same reaction now when you make jambalaya. You’ll have to admit that….”

“I guess I can admit that, Bri,” Justin smiled. “I guess something else works better for you now. Right? Of course the jambalaya preparation is a little less messy nowadays too. So I guess big-mouth Brandon also told you that I was helping Jason with the candy eggs?”

“Yep,” Brian said. “And Malcolm and Hunter and Roger. I think I got you all. Thank goodness you didn’t have all that help with the jambalaya. The loft might not have survived….”

“I didn’t need any help with the jambalaya, Kinney,” Justin pointed out. “I was only making enough for us and I could handle that myself – except that a few things went wrong on that particular day. Jason was making like – about forty of those eggs – most of them for Brandon to pass out over at the law firm – and then Brandon has the guts to complain to you about….”

“But I don’t think he was complaining, Baby,” Brian clarified his understanding. “Not at all. I think he was like – maybe even bragging a little bit. I think he was proud that Jason could do it….”

“So do you wanna try making a few chocolate-covered crème-filled eggs over here, Bri?” Justin proposed. “I bet we could do it as well as Jason – or maybe even better.”

“Nope, Kiddo,” Brian told him. “I don’t think we should – and I don’t think you should either. You do lots of things better than Jason. He does candy eggs really well – and I think you should leave the candy eggs to Jason. He’s proud of them and Brandon’s proud of him - and I think leaving it that way is what would work best in this situation….”

“And we always want to do what’s best in any situation, don’t we?” Justin cuddled himself closer to the guy on his left.

That must have made the guys ponder what was exactly best for right then because it initiated yet another lengthy pause in the important discussion – which however did not finish it off.

“Brian Kinney,” Justin smiled in reopening the chat, “You know what you remind me of? You remind me of a chocolate-covered crème-filled Easter egg. All tough and hard on the outside and soft and creamy inside….”

“And sweet all over?” Brian laughed.

“Yep,” Justin agreed, “But I love that you were thinking of Jason’s and Brandon’s feelings when I was talking about trying to make the eggs ourselves. Like – you were right and I didn’t even think of that….”

“And I get a clean kitchen out of it too, Sweetheart,” Brian laughed. “And easy access to the micro-wave and ….”

“Cut it out, Brian,” Justin commanded. “You can pull that tough crap on other people but it doesn’t work on me. I know better. You know what? I think I’ll make you some jambalaya for dinner tomorrow….”

“Naw,” Brian declined. “I think it would be better if I took you out tomorrow night. Gino’s – or maybe someplace extra-special.

“Anything to keep me out of the kitchen,” Justin teased.

“Out of my kitchen anyhow,” Brian teased back. “But I know you’re gonna be in Brandon’s kitchen again tomorrow. You can bring me back a couple of chocolate-covered crème-filled Easter eggs if you want to….”

“I might be able to manage that, Kinney,” Justin conceded. “But you know what else. Malcolm and Hunter are planning to make some eggs on their own. Maybe they shouldn’t – like – for the same reason you don’t want us to. I guess I should talk them out of it….”

“Naw - let them go ahead, Babe,” Brian advised. “They won’t do it nearly as well as Jason does – so that shouldn’t be any problem at all. But if you can, let me know just when they’re gonna do the candy thing….”

“You want some of theirs, Bri?” Justin seemed puzzled. “Jason’s would be so much better…..”

“Nope,” Brian grinned. “I just want to figure some way to go home with Mikey when those guys are making candy in his kitchen. I want to see his face….”

“You know, Bri,” Justin grinned back. “That’s kinda mean. Maybe down deep you aren’t as nice as I thought you were….”

“Whatever works best, Baby,” Brian assured him. “In any given situation.”

And that did serve to end the discussion. They both had ideas – quite similar actually - about what would work best for them just then.
 

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