Performing Arts

Brian and Justin were huddled together in front of the fake fireplace. It was one of the happiest things they did together. They had been sitting in silence for quite a while. Brian had an enigmatic smile on his face.

"Brian, " Justin addressed him, "What is that silly grin all about? Are you getting ready to try to pull something on me?"

"No," Brian responded, "Quite the opposite, my dear Justin. You are the one who is about to try to pull something on me. I am smiling because I know you so well now that you can't sneak up on me with any of your crazy ideas. I'm onto you, Sunshine. I think I've finally got your number."

"Your suspicious mind could hurt my feelings, Bri," Justin grumbled, "I've learned to put up with it though. But I still don't see why you have to be so suspicious."

"I haven't been suspicious of you for over a week," Brian laughed, "But I can tell you're up to something now. I also know you spent some of today working on Rage with Mikey and I know you spent part of the day with Mel and Linz.. They get some crazy ideas too but if I'm involved they always bring them to you first. They must think you have some kind of a spell on me so that I do whatever you want me to do."

"Now that is a really crazy idea, Brian," Justin protested.

"No it isn't," Brian responded, "Sometimes I think you do have some kind of a spell on me that makes me do what you want me to do. They could be right about that. So why don't you just get on with it and tell me what's up?"

"And what if nothing is up, Smart Guy?" Justin asked.

"Then we'll just sit here and enjoy being together." Brian speculated, "You won't try to get me to do something weird, and I'll apologize to you at the end of the evening."

It was a little while before Justin responded to that challenge. "Brian," he asked, "Do you remember when I displayed some of my stuff at the Gay-Lesbian Center? It was the first time I had ever exhibited and you came to see it."

"Yeah," Brian told him, "I remember. That was when Lindsay was getting me to do what you wanted me to do. I met your mother for the first time at that exhibit. She didn't like me. So they're doing it again, are they? And you want me to pose for some drawings?"

"Don't be silly, Brian," Justin smiled, "I am going to donate some stuff and I want you to help me pick out what to show. Maybe we should skip pictures of you this time. I would never need you to pose for me though. I have you completely memorized so I don't ever need you to pose."

"Memorized and mesmerized, I guess," Brian answered. "You know I'll go with you. So why do I think there's more?"

"Well there is more, Honey," Justin went on. "They are adding a performing arts component to the exhibition. Ethan and Tom are going to perform. Malcolm and some of the dramats are going to put on some skits. Stuff like that."

"You'll notice that I'm not smiling now, Kiddo," Brian countered, "What the hell have you got me signed up for? So I played Laertes in Hamlet twice. I am not a performer. I have never been a performer." Then Brian thought a bit and added, "I'm sorry, Baby. I guess I am getting paranoid. You just want help on the advertising, don't you?"

"Yeah, we do need help on the advertising," Justin allowed. The silence that followed made Brian slightly uneasy.

"You know what Mikey thought, Bri?" Justin broke the silence.

"No, but I'd like to," Brian laughed despite his apprehension. "Mikey doesn't do all that much thinking so it's always interesting to know when he does."

"Mikey thought that you and him might play your guitars at the festival. Linz and Mel thought that was a great idea," Justin told him. "I know you guys used to do that in high school but I've never heard you. I would really like to see you two in action. You still have your guitar in the storage area. How about it, Honey?"

"The last time Mikey and me played together, we got in trouble," Brian said, "Dr. Dave was mad at Mikey and Deb was furious with both of us. Even Vic was mad at us and he understands us better than anybody. He knows we get crazy sometimes."

"I remember when that happened and the trouble was not about your playing, Bri," Justin protested, "It was about a lot of other things but it was not about your playing. Ben will be there this time and so will Deb and me so you can play your brains out and we will all enjoy it. Please, Brian. It sounds like fun."

"OK," Brian told him.

"OK?" Justin wondered. "Just like that. OK?"

"Yep," Brian replied. "Just like that. If you want me to do it, I guess I have to do it since you have this spell on me, but I don't have to give you the pleasure of cajoling me into doing it. Maybe I'll actually enjoy myself, Sunshine. At least I can try. That was a good idea Mikey had. He was overdue. You guys all think I'm always going to be against everything that comes along. I don't know why that is. I guess that's part of the 'reputation' that you keep telling me I don't deserve. You should know me better than that, Baby. But Brian Kinney is no drama queen so I'm not going to make a big fuss about it. I'll just grin and bear it."

"Now you're making me feel guilty, Brian, but you're right," Justin admitted, "I'm sorry. We do always expect you to resist everything, and I should know better. Actually I do know better and that's why I feel so guilty."

"Don't feel guilty, Twink," Brian consoled him, "You're still learning about me and I guess I am kind of hard to understand, but you are learning. You're OK as far as I'm concerned."

That seemed to satisfy Justin. He pushed closer to Brian and a period of silence followed.

A smile lit up Justin's face a little while later, as he jabbed a light elbow into Brian's ribs. "Brian Kinney," he accused, "You are so a drama queen. That last spiel was a blatant play for sympathy and you almost got away with it. You do resist everything and you certainly can put on a performance. You are quite a performer when you want to be."

"Now what about my feelings?" Brian complained, "I can get hurt feelings from unjust allegations too, just like you do."

"Forget it, Bri," Justin laughed at him, "We're all willing to put up with you, and we all love you, me especially, but forget about getting any sympathy for doing what you want to do anyway."

Brian smiled at the twink. "OK, Kiddo," he admitted, "I guess sometimes you are onto me. But I've got something I want you to do too."

"Don't I always do everything you want me to do, Honey?" Justin recalled, "Whether I want to or not."

"Do you mind if I don't answer that question?" Brian grinned, "And if you don't want to do this, just say 'No" and that will be it. I brought home chocoholic ice cream with peanut butter and marshmallow stripes from the Make Yer Own Ice Cream Factory. I thought we could share it. We haven't done that for a while. I like sharing ice cream with you, but if you don't want to …."

"No chopped almonds?" Justin wanted to know.

"They're there," Brian laughed, "Do you think I'd leave out the chopped almonds and have to put up with your drama queen routine? I guess I have my faults but I'm not crazy."

"Brian," Justin told him, throwing both arms around Brian's neck, "I love you and you're perfect even with all of your faults. You and ice cream are two of my favorite things in the whole world. And you know very well that sharing ice cream with you is a pleasure I would never turn down. We have some great ice cream memories. Let's get at it."

"I guess that will give us a another chance to practice our performing arts too," Brian mused.

Return to Fireside Chats