Thin Ice

Brian and Justin were having a quiet breakfast together in the loft. The quiet part was just ending. Justin smiled at Brian and said "Brian, the City Parks department is giving free ice-skating lessons at the Schenley Park rink for the next few weeks. What do you say we go?"

"Why?" Brian wanted to know, "You already skate like Brian Boitano and I have no interest in trying out for the Olympics."

"Well I just thought it would be some winter fun for us. We can skate around the big Christmas tree at the new PPG Center rink when it gets set up and that will put us in the Christmas spirit when the time comes," Justin explained.

"Can I skip the skating lessons if I promise to get the Christmas spirit some other way?" Brian protested, "Or is this part of some master plan to get every bone in my body broken for the holiday season."

"Well I was talking to Mikey and he and Ben are going. They want to be able to take Hunter skating this winter. Seems he's a pretty good skater," Justin told him.

"Well let me tell you Mikey is not a good skater. We used to go during high school," Brian laughed, "I could just about stand up on skates but Mikey was flat on the ice most of the time. I probably would be a good skater today if I hadn't had to spend so much time helping Mikey to get up."

"Ben skates very well though and he is going to help Mikey and so will Hunter," Justin reasoned. "I will be glad to help you. You don't want Mikey to be a better skater than you are, do you?"

"Actually that has never been an area of major concern for me," Brian told him. "I'm better than Michael at a lot of things so it might be good if he's better than me at skating since I never go skating anyhow. You know Debby and Vic can skate and they tried hard to teach Mikey, and me too, but they finally gave up. Debby doesn't give up very often on anything but she gave up trying to teach Mikey and me to skate."

"Brian," Justin led his trump card, " Mel and Linz are taking Gus to the kids' lessons on Saturday mornings. I just know he'll be a great skater. Wouldn't you want to be able to go skating with your son, and show him some of the fine points?"

"So there is this gigantic master plan in place," Brian grumbled, "Brian Kinney is not going to be allowed to grow old gracefully."

That made Justin laugh. "I never knew it was part of any plan that Brian Kinney would grow old gracefully. There haven't been any signs of that yet," Justin told him.

"I hope you mean no signs of me getting old," Brian replied. "Lindsay was a good skater in high school, Sunshine. She can take Gus skating. They don't need me."

"Brian, you are Gus' father," Justin insisted, "You should be there. My dad took me skating a lot when I was a kid. That's why I skate so well now. It's something dads do."

"Well my dad never took me skating. I'm glad he didn't," Brian remembered, "He took me bowling and embarrassed the hell out of me. I'm glad he didn't take me skating."

"Your dad didn't know how to be a father, Sweetheart. I don't know why he didn't but he didn't," Justin sympathized as he moved over to Brian's side of the table and sat down on his lap. "You do, Brian. You're going to be a great father for Gus. You're already a great father for Gus."

"Even if it kills you," Brian laughed at Justin.

"That would be better than watching you grow old gracelessly," Justin laughed back. "You win this one, Honey. I give up. If you don't want to go skating, I'll quit pushing you. I love you just the way you are."

"I didn't say I wouldn't go skating," Brian answered, "I just want time to think about it before I make up my mind to do what you want me to - just like always."

"Cut that out, Bri," Justin ordered with a broad smile, "I don't want you to go skating if you don't want to go skating. If you keep insinuating that I'm bossy, I might not even let you go skating with us at all."

Brian kissed the twink and then hurried out the door. The discussion had kept him longer than usual at the loft and he had to hurry. He was shaking his head as he left with Justin smiling after him.

Brian and Justin did not eat dinner together that evening because there was an exhibit at the Institute that Justin wanted to visit. He came home about eight o'clock. Brian was already there. The fireplace was lit and Brian was sprawled on the floor watching the fake flames dance.

"How was the exhibit?" Brian asked the kid as Justin took his position on the floor next to him.

"It was neat, Bri. I got some good ideas," Justin answered.

"You always get ideas," Brian told him before they settled into their quiet moments in front of the fireplace.

"About the ice skating," Brian finally brought up the subject, but he was quickly interrupted.

"Brian, I am too bossy and too pushy," Justin cut in, "We don't have to talk about the skating any more at all. You don't want to skate. That's your decision and I'm fine with that. Sometimes I don't know how you can tolerate the way I always want you to do something or other. Sometimes you should just tell me to shut up."

"And would you shut up?" Brain wanted to know.

"I don't know," Justin admitted, "You'll just have to try it and we'll both see what happens."

"Well I want to talk about the skating," Brian maintained. "I was thinking about it at work. I asked Cynthia this afternoon what she thought. She's a good skater, you know. She was all for it. I guess she's seen you skate because she said you could teach me all I need to know."

"She is a good skater, Brian. We skated together at the PPG rink a couple of afternoons last winter while you were in long meetings," Justin said, "But weren't you afraid that Cynthia and I were in some kind of plot to get you onto skates. You always suspect we are hatching some plot for your own good."

"I asked her," Brian admitted, "And she denied knowing anything about it. But I took certain steps to make sure I wasn't unduly influenced by whatever she had to say."

"What did you do?" Justin asked. "Or maybe you don't want to tell me in case that makes it easier for Cynthia and me the next time we hatch some plot for your own good."

"I was a step ahead of you there," Brian informed him. "I stopped while I was out for lunch and bought new skates before I ever mentioned the idea to Cynthia. You two aren't going to pull very much over on me."

Justin threw his arms around Brian and kissed him. "You are the greatest guy in the world, Brian," Justin gushed. "I am so lucky to have you. I promise you'll have a wonderful time skating with us. You'll be so glad you decided to give it a try. But Brian, you really don't have to do what I want all the time."

"Actually, Honey," Brian admitted, "You are right most of the time. I usually am glad I took your advice and I'll probably just continue taking your advice, if that's OK with you."

"Of course it's all right with me," Justin replied, "Why wouldn't it be all right with me?"

"Because you advised me to tell you to shut up sometimes," Brian smiled at him.

"Well," Justin allowed, "I guess that's worth a try."

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