Changes

Justin and Brian entered the loft together late one evening and Brian turned on the fireplace immediately. They had attended a Pitt basketball game earlier to watch Daphne's boy friend, Andrew, who was one of the mainstays of the team. The guys had been following his career with special interest because of their connection with Daphne but they knew and liked Andrew too. After the game, they had invited Daphne and Andrew to Gino's to celebrate the victory. Brian was now interested in how Justin was dealing with the news they had received there.

When they got themselves settled on the floor facing the fake fire, Brian gave Justin a chance to start the conversation but Justin did not say anything, so they sat for a while in silence. Brian then decided to broach obliquely the subject he had on his mind.

"I don't see how it's possible for people to decide to become engaged at some future date," be began, "It seems to me that once you decide to become engaged, you're really planning to get married, and that makes you engaged already."

"It's not really a surprise though, Brian," Justin answered, "They've been going together for over a year now. It's hard for them to have an engagement party while Andrew's playing, so they're postponing the announcement till after the season. But since they've decided to get married, I guess they are technically engaged already." Then Justin tousled Brian's hair as he continued, " Thanks, Honey."

"Thanks for what?" Brian responded.

"For worrying about me," Justin told him, "For caring about me. For thinking that the engagement might bother me."

Brian squeezed the blond kid closer to him. "Did it?" he asked.

"I guess it did some," Justin admitted, "I was surprised and not surprised at the same time. You know Daphne has always been special to me. She was my best friend till you came along. I could always tell her anything, just like I can tell you anything now."

"Will that need to change?" Brian wondered.

"I hope not," Justin told him. "At St. James, I saw her every day and we talked a lot more than we have recently. That's already changed, but I still talk to her by phone at least once a week if I don't see her. Next to you, she knows me better than anybody else in the world. She's always been a help when I'm in trouble."

"You," Brian smiled, "In trouble?"

"Cut it out, Brian," Justin smiled back, "You're supposed to be comforting me, not picking on me. You know, if it hadn't been for Daphne, I might have given up on you when you told me to. She was the one who convinced me to fight for you."

"And here I always thought she liked me," Brian teased.

"Well she does," Justin admitted, "From the first time she met you, she liked you. But the very first time she saw you she said you were too skinny." Actually, Justin remembered that Daphne had thought he looked "old and skinny," but the kid decided "skinny" was enough to share with Brian right then.

"Well she ought to like me better now," Brian opined wistfully, "But I was never too skinny."

"You were always just right for me," Justin told him, "And you still are." That assurance led to a pause in the conversation.

"It's going to stay the same for me and Daphne, Brian," Justin said, breaking the silence, "Andrew isn't the least bit jealous of me, and he has no reason to be."

"That's very true," Brian replied, "I'm not jealous of Daphne."

Justin laughed at that remark. "I'd like to punch you one, Bri," he said, "But I'm using both arms to hold you and I'd rather do that, so you're lucky this time."

"Yeah," Brian replied contentedly, "I am lucky."

"It's not like we're married or anything," Justin returned to the subject, "But us being together didn't bother my relationship with Daphne, and it didn't bother your friendship with Michael either, did it?"

"Justin, Baby," Brian grinned, "It's true that we're not officially or legally married, but it still seems to me that you're just a little off in that last statement. It definitely is 'like we're married.' I don't think you could be any more possessive if we were married. You sure don't need a license to be possessive."

"Give me a minute, Sweetheart," Justin requested, "While I decide whether it would be worth it to let go of you just long enough to get a fist free to let you have it."

At that point Brian unfairly affected Justin's decision by leaning over and kissing him. Justin recognized the ploy but decided not to complain. Neither did he let go of Brian to free up a fist.

"No," It was Brian's turn to return to the subject, "Michael and I are as close as ever. I count on him and he counts on me. We will always be there for each other. I've got you and he has Ben, but there is still a special bond between us. And neither you or Ben is upset about that."

"Which proves how non-possessive I am," Justin retorted.

"You're right, Baby," Brian sighed, "Just like you always think you are."

The fireside chats that took place between Justin and Brian were prone to lulls in mid-conversation and such a lull followed here. But the conversation usually resumed as if it had never been interrupted.

"Andrew will probably play pro ball," Justin picked up their talk, "And they may have to move out of Pittsburgh, but with the phone and e-mail, I'll always be able to keep in touch with them. It's going to be all right."

"I think it will," Brian answered, "And I'm glad you think it will. I just thought at first you were a little uncomfortable when you heard the news. It will be over a year till the wedding though so there'll be plenty of time to get used to the idea."

"I was a little upset at first," Justin told him, "I'm glad you made me talk about it. I'm glad you always seem to know what I need. It's just that my life is just about perfect right now and I don't want anything to change."

"But things have changed, Kiddo," Brian reminded Justin, "And they're going to keep changing. There have been other changes, even since we've been together, and we've lived through all of them. We can get through whatever we need to get through."

"Yeah," Justin replied, "You're right. Just like you always are. I know I can get through anything as long as I have you to help me."

"Well you will, Baby," Brian told him, "You'll always have me. I don't intend to ever let you get away."

Justin shoved his blond head deeper into Brian's shoulder and smiled at him. "You know, Bri, I really love it when you get possessive," he whispered.

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