Work Related

"If we are going to stay in tonight, Brian, I think I'll light the fireplace," Justin told Brian after their simple but excellent dinner at home, "Does that sound OK to you?"

"I don't need to go out, Sunshine, so go ahead and light the fireplace if that's what you want to do," Brian answered, "but I am not sure if that sounds OK to me. I am not guaranteeing to like what happens after that."

"You know, Baby," Brian continued, "You can tell me what you want to tell me, or ask me what you want to ask me, without any help from the fireplace. You are pretty persuasive all by yourself."

"So are you, Honey," Justin replied, "But I remember that you have lit the fireplace yourself on occasion - and just for the same reason that you're accusing me of having."

"I only do it because of its nice effect on the loft," Brian informed him.

"That is not exactly the way I remember it, but I definitely understand," Justin responded, "Memory fades with age and I'll just have to keep that in mind when we are discussing things."

Brian smiled at Justin. "It could be that maybe the fireplace does help you get what you want," he told the little twink, "But age jokes are not likely to do the same thing, I wouldn't think."

"You're right, Brian, just like always," Justin agreed, smiling back at him, "I retract my last ill-considered comment."

"OK, so you do want something or you did something or whatever," Brian said, "Come on, sit down next to me over here on the floor, and Brian will fix it all up for you."

Justin did as Brian suggested. He snuggled himself up next to Brian on the floor and gazed at the darting flames. "Let's just sit here together for a while," Justin proposed, "I just want to enjoy being here with you - just the two of us. That's what I like best in all the world. What I have to discuss can wait."

"Not for long, I bet," Brian answered with a smile, "But sitting here with you is not a bad way to wait." So Brian put his arm around Justin, grabbed Justin's hand in his, and enjoyed the wait.

It was longer than Brian expected until Justin got around to talking, but it didn't seem long to Brian. Mostly, he was able to help Justin with his problems and that made him feel good. He was hoping this would be just such an occasion.

"Brian," Justin finally began, "We have this requirement at school where we have to do an internship in the art department of some company."

"I know that," Brian told him, "You aren't going to tell me you are going out of town for an internship are you? I know some of the kids do that but there are companies here who train interns from your school. We have even done that at our place, not lately but…."

Brian stopped in mid-sentence and started a new one. "No," he said.

"No what?" Justin replied, "I have to do an internship.".

"No, you are not going to intern with us," Brian stated in a reasonably firm voice, "That could create all kinds of problems."

"But it would be worth it," Justin argued, "It would be so worth it. Dean Armstrong told me that Vanguard is very fussy about whom it will take. You guys have so few interns because your art department, your whole company for Pete's sake, is so damned particular. Dean Armstrong said I am the first student in three years that he would even recommend to you because you are such perfectionists, but he also told me that the students who work with you get the best training anywhere. Do you want me to miss out on the best training possible because of maybe a few problems?"

"Baby," Brian laughed, "Is it the quality of the training available that really interests you, or are you just looking for one more way to get in my hair?"

Justin reached over and tousled Brian's hair. "I don't need to look for ways to get in your hair, do I?" he asked, "Of course it's the good training I'm looking for. Whatever contact I might have with you would be a plus though, I'll admit that. Would you mind very much seeing me around your work-place?"

"I might," Brian said, "I just might want to grab you every time I passed you in the hall."

"Brian, get serious," Justin complained, "You don't grab me every time you pass me here in the loft."

"No," Brian retorted, "But I could if I wanted to, couldn't I?"

"Yes you could." Justin admitted, "And you probably wouldn't get any complaints from me either, but I know you are the consummate professional and you could surely restrain yourself at work."

"There are some real problems, though, Sunshine," Brian told him. "I don't know how many of the staff know about us but I know that some do. You might get better treatment in the art department because of that or you might get worse treatment, but it might not be natural. So even if it is the best place for a kid to intern, it might not be that for you."

"But I'm good, Brian," Justin replied, "You know I'm good. I could do anything they ask of me. I wouldn't be using any influence with you. I don't think I'd even have any influence with you."

"No you wouldn't. Not work-related." Brian said, "You might be my whole world around here but you'd just be another drone at work."

"Am I really your whole world around here?" Justin asked, "Did you just say that I'm your whole world around here?"

"I said 'Might be.' 'Might be' is what I said, and I don't know how that's pertinent to this discussion anyhow," Brian responded, "What needs to be determined is if you could be a successful intern at Vanguard given our outside relationship"

"Well, I'd like to try it anyhow," Justin maintained.

"Cynthia knows all the inside dope at the office. Maybe we should get her opinion," Brian weakened, "That is - if you haven't already done that."

Justin looked a little funny to Brian. Then he said kind of sheepishly: "Cynthia says she would show my samples to the art department. She doesn't see any problem there. If they liked them, she would tell them about our situation, and see if that's a problem for them. She didn't think it would be."

Brian laughed: "Oh she did, did she? You have guts, my little twink, and you sure have Cynthia conned. What did she say about me, if I may ask, and I'm not sure I want to know?"

"She thought you might have some ethical considerations," Justin told him.

"Ethical considerations, eh," Brian grinned, "That sounds like you and not Cynthia. Justin Taylor, this is a direct order from the boss: 'What were her exact words?'"

"I'd really rather not say. I don't think I can remember them," Justin stammered.

"You're too young to be forgetting. That's an age problem according to you." Brian reminded him, "So just what did she say?"

"Do I have to tell?" Justin pleaded, but Brian just stared at him.

"OK," Justin told him, "She said you would be the only problem, that you were a 'stubborn old mule' about a lot of things - and you are a stubborn old mule. So I'll just intern somewhere else. I'm not mad at you though. You can't help it if you're a stubborn old mule."

"And give you and Cynthia proof that I am a stubborn old mule. No chance." Brian retorted, "Let Cynthia do what she said she'd do, and if you still want to intern at Vanguard, I'll go along, if it's OK with Dean Armstrong."

Justin threw his arms around Brian's neck. He knew Brian liked that. He kissed him. "I love you," he told Brian. "But I need to ask you one more thing," he added.

"Go ahead," Brian said, "Take advantage while you're ahead."

"Am I really your whole world around here?" Justin wanted to know. Brian just looked at him and smiled.

Justin didn't get a spoken answer. He didn't need a spoken answer. He knew.

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