Getting Ready

Brian stood outside the door of the loft. "How would Godzilla handle this situation?" he wondered, and then he burst through the door. "Justin," he called, "You meddling monster, you about-to- be-murdered, pain-in-the-ass twink." "Hi Brian," Justin responded as he toiled over a hot stove, preparing dinner for the guy he loved, "How was your day?"

Brian had to bite his lip to keep from laughing but he successfully maintained his stern composure. "Oh just fine until right before I left, Sweetheart," Brian growled, "When I gave Cynthia the list of Christmas presents I wanted her to buy for me and she told me that you told her that I would want to handle my own buying this year. And you're also responsible for that God-awful sentence I just spit out. You have a lot to explain."

"You gave her the list really early this year, Brian. That's the problem," Justin declared, "It's still two weeks till Christmas. Cynthia told me you always give her the list three days before Christmas, and since it's always the same, she buys the stuff early and has it ready by the time you give her the list. That's why she had to know about you wanting to pick the gifts yourself before you needed to know."

"But I don't want to pick the gifts myself, Sunshine," Brian pointed out.

"But you will, Honey," Justin informed him, "I was going to talk to you about it tonight while we watch the fire."

"Which means, of course, that the meal tonight will be very special, doesn't it, Baby?" Brian surmised. "All your favorites," Justin told him, "You're really going to enjoy it." Brian was determined to be mad in spite of a great urge to grab the blond monster and kiss him, or maybe more. He restrained himself though, and managed a couple of glares at Justin between suppressed smiles during the meal but he knew his resolve was weakening.

He was properly cool in complimenting the chef on the quality of the meal. He did enjoy the food but he was glad when dinner was over and they settled into their accustomed place on the floor in front of the fake fire. Brian tried, maybe not too hard, to keep Justin from cuddling up next to him - after all, wasn't he angry - but Justin persisted and Brian gave up.

"All right, young man," Brian demanded, "Are you going to tell me why I am going to want to buy the gifts myself - why you are making my decisions for me? I thought we were going to be equal partners in this deal."

"Oh Brian," Justin told him, "You know full well we are not equal partners at all. You're really the boss around here and that's the way I want it. I was just going to offer to help you buy your Christmas gifts this year and I was sure that if you had me to help you, you would want to buy your gifts yourself. Buying them yourself will help put you in the Christmas spirit. This is going to be the best Christmas of my life and I want so much for it to be the best Christmas of your life too."

"It will be, Baby," Brian answered him, "If you knew my Christmases Past, you'd know that won't be hard."

"Brian," Justin sympathized, "I know you're mad at me but could I please kiss you." "Just once," Brian allowed sternly, but then he was sorry for being so restrictive.

"Well, Sunshine, I was going to get your present myself anyhow. In addition to your Christmas hustler, I was going to get you a year's membership at the gym. You don't need to be so scrawny," Brian told him.

"I wish you'd forget that hustler business. That's a bad memory. And I'm not scrawny. I'm slender and sylph-like. I don't need to be bulky and muscular like you are. I'll bet I wouldn't have caught you if I hadn't been slender and sylph-like," Justin countered. "You may be right, Sweetheart," Brian admitted, "Maybe I do like them, er, you, that is, scrawny." Brian smiled at Justin and Justin smiled back at him.

"Now about your mother," Justin returned to the subject. "I always take her an expensive plant. I didn't even think I'd be going over there this Christmas but after Thanksgiving I guess I, er, we, will be welcome," Brian stated.

"Brian," Justin warned him, "A flower is not enough. I drew a picture of you for you to give your mother because she liked my stuff that she saw at Deb's one day. It's here under the couch." Justin pulled out the 8x10 sketch of Brian and showed it to him.

"Jeez, Justin," Brian marveled, "I can't believe this. I can't murder you. I'd be depriving the world of one of its 21st century masters. But I didn't pose for this." "I don't ever need you to pose, Brian. Every inch of you is etched in my brain. Actually I also did a nude of you on a bearskin rug for myself, with a copy for Mel and Linz."

Brian grabbed Justin and now it was Justin's turn to be restrictive. "Brian, we've got business to attend to," he cautioned. "You bet we do," Brian enthused.

"Don't be such a sex fiend, Brian," Justin laughed.

"Right as always, Sunshine, I'll never be a sex fiend again," Brian laughed back.

"Gee whiz, Brian," Justin remonstrated, "You don't have to go overboard on everything I say. Now your mother also needs a navy blue sweater to go with the new dress she just bought herself."

"How the hell do you know my mother bought a new dress and needs a navy blue sweater to go with it?" Brian cried, "She actually seems to like me for the first time in my life but I don't know anything about a new dress - or a sweater. You've been talking to her on the phone, haven't you?"

"No," Justin admitted, "I saw her." "At church, I suppose?" Brian inquired. "I stopped over to see her at her place a couple of times. She loves you, Brian. She really does. She doesn't know how to show it, just like you didn't know how to show it," Justin said.

"Well, she will now," Brian laughed, "She's been visited by the god of love just like I was. I didn't remember that his name was Justin though."

"Don't be silly Brian. The god of love is Cupid, a little naked baby with a bow and arrow." Justin was immediately sorry that he had said that but it was too late. "That's it, Sunshine." Brian exulted, "Tomorrow I'm going to the sporting goods store for your Christmas present. A bow and arrow. The rest of it we can take care of right here - and what about now?"

"Well, I guess there's still nine days till Christmas. We could probably work on the list tomorrow," Justin replied. "Maybe Christmas is closer than you think," Brian suggested as he threw his arms under Justin and picked him up.

Brian and Justin were awake a good part of the night, thinking about Christmas. Justin was late for class the next morning and Brian was late for work.

On the way out of the loft that morning, Justin said that he expected Brian to help him with his own Christmas shopping. "Except for your gift," Justin said.

"What can you get the man who has everything?" Brian wanted to know.

"You like nice clothes so that's what you'll be getting. And you'll like them too. Emmett is going to help me pick them." "Emmett!" Brian screamed as the slender sylph-like kid slipped out the door. If Brian had caught him, they would have probably been a few hours later getting to that day's tasks.

When Brian got to work, Cynthia looked at him and then the clock. "I see you spent a lot of time telling that little manipulator off. Give me the list and I'll get the gifts you need for you," she snickered.

"I have decided to get them myself. I have decided - me. I have decided," Brian insisted.

"Keep telling yourself that until you believe it," Cynthia went on, "But Brian, if Justin ever decides to go into advertising, hire him, or we'll be out of business in six months."

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