Model Behavior

The guys were in their accustomed place on the floor staring at the fireplace. Brian had his arm around Justin and Justin's head lay on Brian's shoulder. The scene appeared to be one of complete domestic serenity but perhaps things were not as serene as they might have looked.

"Brian," Justin was complaining, "You're always trying to get me to do something I don't want to do. I would never do that to you."

"I know you wouldn't. You never have, at least. But you know I am meaner than you are," Brian answered.

"Yeah, I do," Justin agreed, snuggling up closer to Brian, "But you're still a pretty nice guy most of the time."

This exchange was the continuation of a discussion begun at dinner. Brian had a new advertising account for a commercial photography company and he wanted Justin to sit for a portrait or maybe a series of portraits with their ace photographer in the hope that he would get some ideas for the ad campaign.

"I don't see what you're complaining about. You don't have to do the suit and tie bit," Brian took the initiative, "I actually want you in casual clothes."

"I guess you're just too lazy to tie my tie for me," Justin mused.

"Sunshine," Brian smiled at him, "I think you know I know you can tie your own tie, and you're the one who is too lazy to tie it. I still do it for you because I tie your tie better than you do."

"A lot you know," Justin smiled back at him, "I'm not too lazy and you don't tie it better than I can. That's not at all why I want you to do it for me."

"Well, maybe I don't tie it just because I think I can do it better than you either," Brian replied before trying another tack, "It seems to me that you would like to have a nice picture of yourself. You could look at it instead of spending so much time in front of the mirror."

"I don't spend a lot of time looking in the mirror, Brian," Justin objected. "You're picking on me."

"Twenty minutes to comb your hair seems like a lot of time to me," Brian countered. "Debbie tells the story about how you told her you couldn't just tumble out of bed and look like you look, but even at that, I don't think it should take twenty minutes just to comb your hair."

"Maybe I should get you to comb my hair for me too," Justin laughed.

"Probably could do it better than you do, or at least in less time," Brian allowed, "But I think I'll pass on that offer, even if I wouldn't mind looking at you for that twenty minutes. You are kind of cute, you know."

"Well, now at least you're beginning to use sensible arguments," Justin grinned.

"I wouldn't mind having some nice pictures of you around anyhow, in addition to the ad campaign," Brian told him.

"You don't need pictures of me, Brian," Justin responded, "You have the real me right here."

"Yeah, that's true," Brian went on, "But their top photographer will catch you at your most flattering angles. And you're not going to stay as young and cute as you are forever, and someday soon, I might need the pictures to remind me of how cute you were."

"So are you saying there are unflattering angles too? I don't think that's such a good argument you're making right now, Honey." Justin told him. "Not if you want my cooperation on this project."

"Sorry, Baby," Brian apologized, smiling at him, "But everybody doesn't have you around all the time, and I promised copies of these pictures to your mother and Daphne and Debbie. Mikey and the girls want copies too, and they are all going to be disappointed if they don't get them. I seem to remember you threatening to have Mikey come over and whine at me if I didn't do something or other. Mikey is an equal-opportunity whiner and you'll hear plenty from him. Your mother will probably be miffed too if she doesn't get the pictures I promised her. Even Debbie may have something to say."

"I see that you are prepared to threaten me," Justin replied, smiling back at Brian. "Didn't you know I'd do anything for you just because you wanted me to?"

"Yeah," Brian admitted, "I knew you'd do it if I wanted you to, but I also knew you'd only want to do it after you won some argument about it and I wanted to win the argument too."

"You are a tough guy, Brian Kinney, and I'll let you win this one," Justin surrendered, "But I want some things too."

"I hope there aren't any 'rules.' Somehow I think maybe you still think you can win," Brian informed him. "Just what is that you want?"

"I want you to sit for some pictures too. I want some of you by yourself and I want some of us together. I want them for the same reasons you want my pictures. And before you argue about this, I want you to know that I plan to promise copies of those pictures of you to the same people who want mine, so those threats you've been throwing at me apply to you too."

"But I don't need…," Brian started to say.

"Take it or leave it," Justin interrupted him.

"I'll take it," Brian told him, "But you drive a hard bargain and I am learning from you. Someday you may be sorry."

"I haven't been sorry yet." Justin taunted him. "Having you around may be inconvenient sometimes but I don't think I'll ever be sorry. So when will this big picture session be happening?"

"Probably next week," Brian replied, "And we'll set it up to fit into your schedule. But I better mention something else to you before we finish this discussion. I have it in the back of my mind that we might even use your pictures in the advertising campaign. If that happens, you'll also pick up some modeling fees. Is that OK with you?"

"You think I might be a model?" Justin responded with some surprise, "You really must think I'm cute. I don't know about being a model but I guess it would be all right though. I once told Daphne that I could be a model. My picture may end up on nightstands all over Pittsburgh. You could be sharing me with the whole town. Is that OK with you?"

"They'll have pictures. I'll have you. There is a difference, you know," Brian laughed, "And this campaign is not just local. You could have your picture on nightstands all over the United States and Canada, at least."

"Now that's a little scary, Brian," Justin told him, "But I'll try to handle it. You know I'll do it if that's what you want. And don't worry if I don't turn out to be the model for the campaign. That will be OK too. I don't need to be on anyone else's nightstand. The only person I need to think I'm cute is you."

"Does that mean the twenty minutes you spend combing your hair is just for me?" Brian wanted to know. "If so," he continued before he got interrupted.

"Cut it out, Honey," Justin replied, "I like to be neat for everybody. You know what though? Maybe we could use some of your pictures in the campaign too. You're pretty cute yourself."

"I don't think so," Brian answered, "I don't fit the demographic we're looking for."

Justin looked a bit puzzled. Then he began to laugh. "You're looking for someone young," he giggled, "And you're too old for the demographic."

"You won't fit the demographic either with a black eye," Brian warned the twink while squeezing him even closer, "Or maybe you would if I worked the black eye into the campaign."

"Brian," Justin said, "It's just so great that we can talk about things like this. Do you realize how well we get along together? We are perfectly matched. That's why I'm going to stay here with you forever."

Brian smiled at the kid. "Well I hope you do stay at least until next week." He told him. "After that I'll still have your picture."

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