Christmas Shopping

"Can you do without me for a couple of hours Saturday morning?" Justin was asking Brian early one Thursday evening in the loft, "I have something I promised to do."

"Maybe I can do it with you," Brian volunteered, "And then I won't have to do without you for that couple of hours on Saturday morning. I'm free as far as I know."

"Well, Honey," Justin told him, "Christmas is coming pretty soon and Michael and Ben want to get their Christmas shopping finished early. They've asked me to go along as a consultant. They think I can help. Some people recognize my talents, you know?"

"They can't have it both ways," Brian replied.

"Now, as they say on the soap operas and sitcoms," Justin scowled, "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Baby, you're the greatest guy in the world and I love you," Brian tried to explain, "And you're a great Christmas shopper, too. But you are not going to let them buy anything on Saturday morning. No matter what they decide, you'll convince them to hold out for something better. They'll still be looking a few days before Christmas and they'll probably end up with the thing they wanted to buy on Saturday, if they can still find it."

"Brian, you're lucky I know you're kidding or my feelings could be really hurt," Justin suppressed a smile as he responded, "And if my feelings get hurt, you just might have to do your own Christmas shopping this year."

"You would never abandon me in my hour of need," Brian shot back, "I'm not that lucky."

"Brian," Justin appealed to reason, "You know that I use Christmas shopping to get me into the Christmas spirit. Even if Mikey and Ben don't buy any gifts on Saturday, they will come home with the real Christmas spirit. I'll see to that."

"They'll join a great number of people who got their Christmas spirit from shopping with you," Brian laughed, "Let's see. First there was Ebenezer Scrooge. And then there was the Grinch."

"Cut it out, Brian," Justin laughed back at him, "Quit trying to ruin Christmas for me before it even gets here. Actually maybe you should come with us. I'm sure Mikey and Ben won't mind. And it won't hurt you to get some Christmas spirit early this year. You might be easier to live with."

"I'm sorry, Honey," Brian reconsidered, "But there is something I have to do Saturday morning. I just remembered. I'd really love to go with you guys but I can't."

"And just what is this important thing you have to do?" Justin asked, "If I'm not prying."

"You know I don't have any secrets from you, Sweetheart. I have to wash the car," Brian told him.

"You never wash the car, Honey," Justin countered, still smiling.

"That's why it needs to be washed, Baby," Brian pointed out.

"You are impossible, Brian Kinney," Justin complained.

"Well seeing that I am so impossible," Brian thought, "I wonder why you keep trying so hard?"

"Oh Brian," Justin said in reply, "I can handle the impossible. You should know that by now. It just takes me a little more time and effort, but you know I never give up."

"Yeah," Brian agreed, "I do know that."

Now that gave Brian the last word in the discussion, at least for then, but since Justin was satisfied with what that last word was, he allowed the discussion to go dormant at that point. After all, it wasn't Saturday morning yet.

The next couple of hours found Justin and Brian working on separate projects which needed to be taken care of. Brian was looking over some proposals for work and Justin was finishing off some important preliminary sketches for school.

When Justin noticed however that the fireplace was lit and that Brian was sitting on the floor gazing at it, the sketches suddenly became much less important and he quickly got himself down on the floor next to Brian. Brian's arm curled around Justin and Justin's head slipped down onto Brian's shoulder and all was well with the world. Almost!

It had become customary for the first several minutes together in front of the fireplace to be without conversation and so it was that Thursday night. It was certain though that the shopping trip would come up, and it did.

"I don't think you should come shopping with us on Saturday, Brian," Justin eventually announced.

"Am I suddenly not welcome?" Brian responded, "Or do you somehow think that just maybe I don't want to go?"

"Neither one of those," Justin told him, "I just think it is more important that you go on Tuesday evening when Linz and Mel and I are going shopping for Gus' Christmas stuff. You really should be there for that and in better spirits than you will be if you get all grumpy on Saturday."

"I guess I don't get the whole story at once," Brian smiled, "When do Ted and Emmett get the benefit of your help, and maybe mine too if you drag me along with you?"

"Thursday," Justin admitted, "But it never entered my mind that you would come along. I don't recall even saying that I wanted you to come on Saturday with Mikey and Ben or on Thursday with Ted and Emmett."

"I guess I'm going to have the cleanest car in Pittsburgh," Brian told Justin, "Or maybe I'll just head over to Babylon while you are out shopping. It probably wouldn't be worth it though to get a new boy-friend just for the one week."

"That is not going to work, Sweetheart," Justin responded, "Wash your car as many times as you want to; go to Babylon if you want to. You would have to get a new boy-friend for the whole Christmas season and you couldn't stand to be away from me for that long."

"Maybe not," Brian agreed, "But if I wanted to try, Christmas shopping season would be the right time. With all your shopping, you probably wouldn't miss me at all."

"Brian," Justin laughed, "You are impossible, but I guess it's my fault for spoiling you so badly. Sweetheart, you are at least as important to me as Christmas shopping."

"Damned if you can't say the most romantic things when you have a mind to," Brian replied as he tousled Justin's hair just a little bit.

"So you are going to come on Saturday then, I suppose," Justin remarked, "I'm surprised."

"I'm not," Brian told him, "I told Mikey the day before yesterday when he told me you guys were going shopping on Saturday that I would probably be there too."

"You knew," Justin said, "You knew and you didn't tell me. You put me through all that aggravation when you knew you were coming all along. Why would you do such a thing to me?"

"Because I knew you enjoyed cajoling me into doing something you think I don't want to do almost as much as you like Christmas shopping. I know you pretty well, Baby, and I wouldn't ever deprive you of that pleasure," Brian explained.

"A lot you know about me, Mr. Kinney," Justin responded, "I like cajoling you, or anything with you, a lot better than Christmas shopping. So there."

Brian moved over and kissed the twink. "It's good to know where I stand," he told him. "But I want you to know you don't have me under your thumb. I think for myself I'll probably buy something on Saturday."

"Go ahead and ruin the whole trip for everybody?" Justin joked, "Maybe you should just stay here and wash the car."

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