Bearing Up

Usually Justin could predict Brian's reaction to almost anything. Not always though. The guys were ensconced in front of the fake fireplace and Justin had just revealed some plans to Brian.

"Well I didn't think it was a big deal in the first place but I figured you might think it was cute," Justin was protesting, "I didn't expect you to think it was funny."

"Not funny funny," Brian corrected him, "Odd funny."

"Well when I told my mother, she thought it was cute, and so did Mel and Linz," Justin continued, "So you're the only one who thinks it's odd funny. We won't do it if it bothers you though."

"Don't get me wrong, Baby," Brian defended himself, "I don't have any problem with it. I just can't figure out where you got the idea, and I've heard a lot of your ideas, you know."

"Well I was only afraid you'd think I was pushing a little bit," Justin answered.

"Oh no, Kiddo," Brian replied, "From that angle I have no problem. I've told you Gus is as much your kid as he is mine or Linz's. You're one of the parents too, just like Mel is. So why shouldn't Gus get your old teddy bear if you want him to have it."

"Well we're stopping at my mother's tomorrow to get it then, if that's OK with you," Justin informed him, "And we'll take it with us and give it to Gus when we go over there to dinner tomorrow evening."

So the plans for the transfer of the teddy bear seemed to be settled and the guys drifted into that easy comfort zone that usually enveloped them when they sat cuddled up in front of the flames.

"Brian," Justin finally said with enough urgency to surprise Brian, "There's a problem I hadn't thought of."

"I can't believe," Brian smiled at him, "That there could be any problem you haven't thought of."

"Well there is," Justin insisted, "The teddy bear's name is Gus. Gus can't have a teddy bear named Gus so we'll have to think of a new name for the bear. What do you think?"

"I think," Brian laughed "That I am not going to devote an evening to figuring out a new name for a teddy bear. Name it anything you want to." Then Brian stopped for a minute and Justin detected a change in his expression before Brian finished what he was saying, "Anything but Seymour, that is."

"I don't think I would have come up with Seymour for the new name," Justin told him. Justin could not read the look on Brian's face. "What's the matter, Honey?" he asked Brian, "I've said something that really bothers you and I have no idea what it is. You can tell me anything. You know that, don't you?"

"No, you didn't say anything that bothered me, Baby," Brian told him, "It's not you at all. Seymour was what they called my teddy bear."

Now Justin thought that name was odd funny, but he decided not to try joking at that point. "Tell me how you picked Seymour for the name of your teddy bear," he asked Brian, "There has to be a story there, but only tell me if you want to, Bri."

"I didn't name him Seymour," Brian explained, "I named him Kangy after Captain Kangaroo. My dad named him Seymour. There was some guy at work named Seymour that he didn't like. He didn't like the idea of me having a teddy bear either so he called the bear Seymour too, and the name stuck. I don't know what he had against that bear but he didn't like Kangy any more than he liked me. Nobody but me knew his real name was Kangy. You're the only person I ever told. Kangy helped me get through a lot of rough times though."

"I'm sorry if I stirred up bad memories, Honey," Justin apologized, wrapping both arms around Brian's neck, "I wouldn't have if I'd known."

"How could you know?" Brian consoled him, "I had even forgotten that whole business myself. It's strange how memories get triggered. I'll be all right. We'll just sit together all evening - just us two. I'll be all right."

"Oh gosh, Brian." Justin remembered, "It's almost nine o'clock and Emmett is supposed to stop here around ten on his way home from Mel and Linz's to leave you that book he promised you. I better call over there and ask him not to."

"Let him come," Brian decided, "There's nothing like a visit from Emmett to make anybody forget anything. Anyhow, I want to get that book."

Justin was kind of pleased with that course of action. He hoped it would get Brian's mind off the teddy bear situation. But that was not exactly what happened.

They had a while together before the arrival of the visitor and Brian seemed to perk up some, enough that Justin was hopeful that the worst was over.

Emmett arrived with the book, saying he could not stay long, which was satisfactory to both Brian and Justin. Just about the time he was leaving though, Emmett told them "Oh, Linz said that Justin is giving Gus his old teddy bear. That is so neat, Justin. What I think we should do though is get the teddy bear some new clothes. His wardrobe will be too old fashioned for today, so I volunteer to get him all togged up, 2004 style. How does that sound?"

That did not actually sound very enticing to Justin who was picturing his Gus dolled up Emmett-style but the suggestion seemed to cheer Brian up some. "Have you a lot of experience dressing up teddy bears, Emmett?" Brian asked him.

"Teddy bears are just like people, Brian," Emmett told him, "They like to be in style. But as a matter of fact I have had specific experience with teddy bears. I have redone Michael's old bear, Horace. You must have seen it in Mikey's bedroom. It was there when he was living with me."

"That was Horace?" Brian exclaimed, "I didn't recognize him. I wondered what the hell Mikey was doing with a bear in his room but I never figured out that it was Horace."

"Well you should have," Emmett said, "I had him dressed like a Horace. The name is important to the costume choice. I can't do Justin's bear without knowing the name either."

"That's a problem, Em," Justin told him, "The bear's name was Gus but you can see we'll have to change that."

"Well I will need the new name before I can figure out the ensemble," Emmett insisted, "Don't you have any idea what the new name will be?"

"I think I do but I want Brian to agree first so give us some time to decide," Justin answered.

"Whatever you pick, Honey," Brian interjected. "I'm not much interested in the name of a teddy bear. Go ahead and tell Emmett what you've picked."

"I think a good name would be Kangy," Justin said. Brian put his arm around the kid and Justin could feel Brian's approval in his touch.

"Kangy," Emmett replied, "What kind of a name is that? It'll take me a week to figure out how to dress a Kangy. "How did you ever get such a name? Are you sure you want to call the bear Kangy?"

"Yeah, we do," Brian made the reply, "And it's an old family name."

"We promised Gus to give him the bear tomorrow and we can't back down on that promise," Justin told Em, "So you'll have to see Gus about re-outfitting the bear."

"It will probably be too late then. If the kid bonds with that bear in his old outfit, it will probably be too late," Emmett complained, "But we'll see." "Kangy?" he muttered as he left.

"Oh Brian," Justin cried, grabbing Brian and pulling him down onto the floor in front of the still blazing fireplace, "I hope we got Emmett off the track. I didn't want my Gus all done over. I don't know how I could have coped."

Brian kissed the twink. "I'm sure we did. I would have helped you through it though," he whispered into Justin's ear. "I owe you one."

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