Chapter 8

Midsummer Magic

   The rest of the morning was spent in relative silence. Gus could see that Brian was in a lot of pain but also that Brian was very butch, which meant pain management was pain masking with silence and stolid behavior.

   They dug a hole and buried all the fish remains and any other organic garbage. They cleaned the dishes and frying pan in a big pot of lake water and threw the dirty water into the forest to water the trees and underbrush. They broke camp, packed up and poured lake water liberally over the fire to put it out thoroughly. At last they were ready and they heard the tell-tale, wet, sucking noise of Arrow's wings to let them know he was ready as well.

   Brian gave a quick toot on the whistle and Justin flew in from the lake and alighted clumsily in his basket. And then they were off.  Arrow galloped and flapped hard and lifted off with a steep ascent. He circled once to get his bearings and flew away from the rising sun.

   They landed for a quick lunch and a stretch but Arrow all too soon gave a whinny and a dangerous snort of flame and it became scarily obvious who was in charge around here. They all got back on in a hurry.

   Arrow flew on and on all that day, only choosing a lake a few hours before sunset like last time. They made camp, the sun set, the men transformed. Brian fished and then flew off, and Justin and Gus settled in by the fire and slept under the stars.

   They could almost believe this was a summer holiday, a rustic camping trip, deep in the forest. They would laugh, go fishing, swim, prepare the animals that Brian would present to them in the morning like a cat does with its fresh kills. But then there was Arrow, always waking them up, always hurrying them on. And then they would remember that this was no pleasure trip.

   They did this the next day and the next. And still the forest went on and on, only broken by waterways and the occasional meadowlands. Otherwise, the trees were never ending. All in all they did this for five days straight. However, we need to backtrack to the fourth day where something of note did happen.

   With every day that passed that the men spent together, they grew closer and closer. A strong bond formed between the separated couple and Gus and Gus came to love them both to distraction. He was so grateful to have them with him as the trip alone would have been long and silent and boring without them. Not to mention hungrier since he did not know how to hunt or camp and Justin and Brian could do both, both in their avian and human forms and they taught him many things.

   Brian forgave Gus completely without even realizing it. More and more, he enjoyed having him close, fishing with him, teaching him things, egging him on and praising him for his accomplishments. More and more, it became natural to find Brian with his hand draped easily over Gus's shoulder and Gus holding onto his waist. Brian came to love this position as they fished on a log or took walks around whatever lake Arrow had brought them to. More and more, Brian realized this would spark and then fan the flames of the affection and this...other feeling he didn't understand. Eventually, he realized it was constantly there...this unknown feeling and although he didn't know what it was, he found he could not get rid of it and so eventually got used to it.

   Justin would watch them from wherever he was as a swan and internally he would smile. He knew what was happening.

   In the deep night of the fourth night, Brian was in the forest, hunting as usual, when he heard  - the call. It was a bit of a surprise, but Brian just figured Justin had woken up in the dark and was worried about him. So he focused in quickly, tensed, dived silently and grabbed the rabbit he had been stalking for the last hour just for fun. Then he quickly flew back to camp with it.

   To his surprise, both Justin and Gus were laid out by the campfire, fast asleep. He watched Justin sadly for a few moments, admiring the way his blond hair glowed silver in the moonlight. But who then, had called him?

   "Brian! Over here, Brian!" called a gentle voice.

   Brian swiveled his head to the left and saw a tall, thin man dressed all in green.

   Brian hooted and fluttered closer, keeping his wings outspread and talons at the ready. If this douche-bag tried anything, he'd...

   "Peace, Brian! I mean you or your friends no harm. I have come to...hmmmm....and yet this would probably be easier face to face..."

   The man made a quick gesture with a hand and suddenly Brian realized he was a man again. He had arms! He had a mouth! He could talk!

   "Justin! Justin! Sunshine1 I'm back!"

   Justin didn't wake.

   "He can't hear you, Brian. This form is only temporary. See?" The man pointed behind Brian.

   Brian looked and saw the owl still standing in the sand by the lakeshore, frozen. He was glowing green and green tendrils of ethereal light reached out and joined to Brian's human form. Brian now saw that he was also glowing green and somewhat transparent. He also saw that the man was glowing with a green light as well.

   "Who are you?" asked Brian.

   Then man was older with hollowed cheeks and his expression was indescribably sad.

   "In a far off time, in another world, this man's name was Vic. I have taken his form because in that other world, he took the role of surrogate uncle...and father to you...and many of your friends."

   "I see. But why do you look so sad. And what has this got to do with me?"

   "I am sad because in that other life, much of his efforts went for granted and he was largely unappreciated. As for you, I have come to you to help you. You have let the power of my love take root in your heart."

   "I don't understand what you are talking about," said Brian.

   "I am talking about the affection and love that you have been feeling that you cannot identify. It confuses you and distresses you a little but I have come to help you come to terms with it," the Fairy said, as Brian realized that, indeed, that was what this man was. The Fairy looked over at Gus with fondness.

   A protectiveness and surge of anger that Brian had never felt before surged up within him and he growled out: "Gus!? What has he to do with this? What has he to do with anything? If you've come to hurt him, I'll..."

   "Gus has everything to do with why I am here and why I can help you now. You see...it is Gus whom you love."

   "What!!? I do not!! I mean....Well we do spend a lot of time together! But it has nothing to do with that! No, you must be wrong! I wouldn't do that to him! To Justin! I...."

   "Brian! Brian! Calm yourself! Have all your travels taught you nothing? Have you not yet realized that there are many different types of love?"

   "And what type are you then?" Brian asked suspiciously.

   "I am the Fairy of Paternal Love," said the Green Fairy.

   "Paternal?? That means...Fatherly...FATHER!!? NO! NO! I can't be!! I can't be his father! You're lying!! That's impossible!!" he screamed.

   "Calm down," the Fairy said again, "You are not his father....in this world."

   Brian was hyperventilating. "Oh...thank...God...Oh...my...God...You...scared...the...shit...outta...Hey! What do you mean this world?"

   "In the world of this man...this Vic...you were indeed his father. And you loved him very much. And at last, the dimensions are starting to align. It's true you are not his biological father here, Brian Kinney. But you love him and are as proud of him, as if you were as if he were your own. And he needs a father figure now and in the days to come he will need one as if he had no father at all."

   "What do you mean?"

   "Do you wish my help, Brian Kinney?"

   "It depends what it is," Brian said rudely. He was still not over his scare.

   The Green Fairy understood this and overlooked it. "I can lead you to the huntsman that you need for the final ingredient. And I can break the spell temporarily and reunite you to Justin."

   There was incredulous silence.

   "What? What did you say? Are you serious? Please...Please, if you're joking...Please...please I can't...I can't take it..."

   "I am very serious, Brian. There is powerful Midsummer Magic that will soon be in effect. Tomorrow, your horse will camp near a lake in the midst of a large meadow, where many wildflowers grow. There, you must gather seven types of flowers and seven of each. You must gather lavender hyssop, lanceleaf coreopsis, purple coneflower, bergamot, black-eyed Susan, spiderwort, and golden Alexander. You must weave these flowers into a crown. As long as one of you is wearing this crown, you will remain in your human form. But this is not a breaking of the spell and will only last a few days at most and for as long as you are within this forest. The instant you move outside its borders, the magic will fail and the spell will take effect once again."

   "But what are those? Hyssop? Spiderwort, Coreo....coreopsis? I don't know what you are talking about!"

   The Green Fairy gave a regretful kind of smile, and said, "Of course not. Here..." He touched two fingers to Brian's temple and a flood of images and colors raced through Brian's mind and suddenly Brian knew exactly what to do.*

   "Thanks! Thanks a lot! I will do this tomorrow for sure!"

   "Oh, one more thing! You must not tell anyone of this and while you are gathering and weaving the crown, you must not say a word until you put it on one of your heads, or the magic will be ruined! Not a word! Understand?"

   "Yes, yes! I understand! I will do that! Thank you! And what of the huntsman?"

   "The huntsman you seek is in the forest to the east, many miles from where you have come. Once you fulfill your quest for the trapped prince you can seek him out. I will tell your horse where to find him."

   The Green Fairy walked over to Arrow and whispered into his ear. Arrow nickered and nodded his head.

   "Good bye, Brian Kinney. And good luck!" The Fairy turned into green mist and vanished and Brian found he was an owl again. But he didn't care. He took off and hooted madly, joy brimming and overflowing in his heart.

@@@@@@

   On the evening of the fifth day, Arrow dropped down by a lake in the midst of a large meadow, just as predicted. Everyone disembarked as usual, Arrow went to drink as usual. But this time, Brian just stood and looked around and then asked Gus:

   "Can you take care of everything tonight, Gus? There's something I need to do."

   "What is it?"

   "I cannot say. But I will need every minute before sunset and therefore I must start right away. And you must be a good boy and not speak to me or try to make me speak until I tell you, all right?"

   "Brian, you are being very strange tonight. And you're not started out on that good boy stuff again are you? I told you I find that annoying."

   "Yes, I know. I'm sorry. It's just...it's just I've figured out why I call you that sometimes. I hope it's ok but...I've really started to think of you...as a son."

   "I have a dad."

   "Yes, I know and I....and I...oh dear well I don't know what to say. I guess I've made things awkward. But that wasn't my intention. I'll leave you alone now."

   Gus was thinking hard. "Brian...wait. I have a dad...but if things were different...and you were my dad...well...I could do a lot worse."

   Brian smiled. "I'll take it. Now I must be silent until I see you again. Farewell."

   With that, he walked out into the field and didn't look back.

   The meadow was alive with mice and moles and jumping deer and red foxes that chased things. Insects were plentiful. The grasses were waist high. And among the grasses, sometimes as thick as the grass itself, the flowers grew, filling the entire meadow with color.

   Brian went to and fro, somehow just knowing and gathered the seven of his seven kinds of flowers that he needed, cutting them very close to the ground with his dagger.

   He took the 49 flowers he had collected and found a fine, flat rock that was within sight of the camp but far enough away that he would not be disturbed. He sat on the rock in the low summer sun and began.

   He twisted two of the flower stalks around each other in a double helix. He added another and made a braid. Then a fourth and wove that in. Then a fifth. Each flower he wove in was below the one before so the stalk extended longer and longer. He was just careful to keep the ends pinched together. Six...Seven...Eight...Nine ....Ten. Carefully, Brian bent the stalks in a circle and wove the ends into the stalks near the top and pulled the whole thing into a tightly woven crown. Phew. He breathed a little easier. A least the first part was done.**

   Oh no! The sun was so low in the sky! How did it get so late?

   Brian wove in another flower and another. The thing was going to be magnificent when it was done.

   But it was no use. The sun was setting. Brian wove in another and didn't say a word. The sun was half set. Brian wove in a flower and didn't a word. He gathered all the rest of the flowers together in one place on the rock and kept going. He wove in another...and another. He wove in another flower and didn't say...

   "HOO! HOO! HOO! HOO!" the owl on the rock said. He flew off into the deepening twilight to catch a field mouse or two.

@@@@@@

   The swan swam to shore and timed it just right. He stepped onto the shore just as the sun set. Feathers swirled and then Justin was there walking over to the campsite.

   "Where's Brian?" he asked, clearly disappointed.

   "I don't know. He was sitting over there but I guess he's transformed, if you have. He was acting very strangely today." Gus pointed in the direction of the rock.

   "Strange how?" asked Justin.

   "He told me to set up camp by myself and told me he needed to be on his own. He told me not to speak to him and that he had to be silent and then he just...went off...into the meadow and sat on a big rock over there and never came back."

   "Never came back! What do you mean? Where did he go? Where is he?" asked Justin, panicking.

   "Justin, don't panic! He's transformed, as you have by now. He's off night hunting, I expect. He'll be back!"

   "Still...it's strange though. And he doesn't have the collar! Show me. Show me where he was."

   So Gus led him over to the flat rock where he had seen Brian sitting. Before they could get close to it, however, Justin stopped them both short.

   "Stop! No farther! Don't you see it?!"

   "See what?" asked Gus.

   "The fairy ring. There's a ring of green light surrounding the rock."

   "I don't see anything," said Gus.

   "Then I must go on alone. Gus you must go back to the campsite and leave me to go on alone. There is powerful magic going on here, whether good or bad, I do not know, but I want you to be safe."

   "No! I don't want to leave you! I don't want to be alone there in the dark!"

   "You must. I must go on. I can feel the magic pulling me. I must do this."

   "Promise me you will not leave me here alone and I will go back."

   "I promise it. Gus, if we ever part, it will because the three of us decide it together. Don't worry. I feel this will not take too long."

   "All right. I will go back. See you soon, Justin. Gus left and went back to the fire and Arrow and Justin went on and stepped within the green ring that only he could see.

   He could tell at once this was a hallowed place. He felt like he was in a church or a graveyard. But there was nothing here to indicate anything was special. Justin climbed onto the rock and saw the crown and the rest of the flowers and realized what Brian was trying to do.

   Carefully, he sat cross-legged and continued Brian's work by the light of the gibbous moon. His fingers were long and deft and he was faster at it than Brian was and in a few hours he was done.

   The crown was thick, and colorful and with 49 flowers, quite wide. Whoever wore it would be King of Summer. Justin looked at it and wondered what it was for.

   He had brought the whistle with him and he pulled it out now and blew on it. He waited. Then he blew again. And waited some more. He was patient. He knew without the collar, Brian could have flown anywhere and so could be far away.

   The fairy ring still shone bright around the rock so Justin knew something was still up. He sat there, cross-legged and silent and waited.

   Finally, after an hour, an owl swooped in out of the forest, through the air and landed on the rock. He hooted impatiently.

   Justin took off the collar and made it very loose. He reached out very carefully. The owl bit and flapped at him and then flew away. Justin narrowly escaped being bit and blew the whistle again. Drawn toward him, the owl landed on the rock again.

   Trying a different tactic, Justin picked up the garland and reached out. The owl bit again and Justin drew back but next moment he threw the garland over the owl. He meant to just have the garland encircle the owl like a ring toss game but as it did, the owl bulged and the crown stayed on its head and he grew and grew some more, his wings turned into arms and suddenly there was Brian sitting on the rock, wearing the flower crown instead.

   To say Justin was floored, flummoxed, and flabbergasted was a high understatement.

   "Hey-ya, Sunshine!" Brian said, like it was no big deal. He stretched.

   "Hey..."  Justin replied weakly. "So...what's going on here? Is it more magic? Or just another dream?"

   "I see you found my project! And you figured out what to do! You're so smart! I thought I'd have to wait until tomorrow!"

   "There's a...there was a green ring of light around the rock," Justin said lamely. The fairy ring was gone.

   "Ahhh! I see!" said Brian as if he did see. "So...you've been dreaming about me huh?"

   "Oh yes! Almost every night! They always end before I get to kiss you though. But this one...this one is spectacular! I can feel the wind on my face. The moon is so clear! And you! You're so real! Maybe this time, I'll get to..."

   Brian just grabbed him and smashed their mouths together in the moonlight. Justin's eyes widened and then closed in pleasure. Brian flicked his plump lips with his tongue and Justin opened for him at once. Their tongues met in a mating dance of their own and Justin groaned. They came up for air briefly but before Justin could do anything else, Brian's lips crashed down on his again and this time he tongue fucked him hard, fast and thoroughly.  This was no mating but a plundering. Justin gave everything, reached out a hand and wrapped it around Brian's neck and pulled him deeper and deeper still. And yet it was not enough.

   A few tears leaked out when they pulled back and then hugged hard, Justin relishing, the feel of Brian's hard back that was...

   "Definitely not a dream..." Justin murmured.

   "Nope! It's Midsummer magic," said Brian. He then went on to tell Justin about the Green Fairy of Paternal Love and what he had to do and that one of them would have to wear the crown to keep from turning.

   "It's a great relief to tell you at last. I couldn't tell anyone or speak while I was doing it or the magic wouldn't have worked. And since it did work, I guess you didn't speak as well while you finished this."

   "No. I can't explain it. I felt like I was in church or something while I was in the...well, on the rock. So I didn't bother talking. And Gus couldn't see that there was anything special anyw...."

   "Their eyes widened. "Gus!" Justin breathed, "I'd completely forgotten..."

   "What!? Is he all right?"

   "Huh? Oh yes! He's back at the lake. I'd just forgotten all about him for minute!"

   "Well come on! He'll be so excited!" Brian jumped down and reached out and caught Justin on his way down. Brian swung him around and around trapping him in place and kissing the daylight...well, moonlights out of him the whole time, the flower crown affixed at a sideways, jaunty angle.

   Then they ran off together towards the flicker of light in the dark that would be the campfire.

@@@@@@

   Gus was more than excited. He was ecstatic.

   "Holy shit!! Holy shit!!! Holy shit!!!" he kept screaming and jumped up and down.

   Brian put his hands on his hips and stared down at the hysterical prince. "Young man! Just where did you get such filthy language!?" he pretended to scold him.

   "From YOU!" yelled Gus joyfully, "But only during the day!" and with that the young prince threw himself into Brian's arms.

   "Oh...right," said Brian lamely.

   The three men joined in a group hug, jumping up and down in utter glee and celebration and squealed like little girls.

   "Uh oh, Ma!" Brian drawled, "Looks like we‘re gonna have to watch our mouths around the youn'un."

   "What's this we stuff?" Justin teased back, "You're the one with the potty mouth."

   "Misery loves company," said Brian unrepentantly.

   Gus ignored both of them. "So...all you have to do is wear the flowers and you'll be fine from now on?"

   "Well, no," said Justin, "This is just for a few days or as long as we're in the forest. Then we go back to transforming again."

   "Oh, but still! What a loophole! I wish I could see the look on that mean ole witch's face if he knew about this!" shouted Gus in gleeful vengeance.

   They cheered till they were hoarse and broke out some small portions of ale they had brought and toasted the downfall of the Witch.

   Then they made some creative changes with the blankets and bedrolls and they fell asleep, Gus on one side of the fire and Brian and Justin rolled up together on the other, As a top cover, they used the picnic blanket.

TBC