Ok this story nearly cost me my sanity! Most of it was written a sentence at a time before I had to leave, no idea why. Anyway, I hope it doesn't completely suck, if it does, let me know. I don't own anyone or anything you recognize, but Charley is mine 3 Hope you enjoy, please review
Brian paused in the doorway to his husband's "studio", he had turned one of the rooms in Britin into a place for Justin's art. Justin was sitting on a stool in front of an easel, painting a picture of Charlotte doing exactly what she was in that moment. She was on her stomach on the floor, her legs pulled up behind her. She too was drawing a picture, her blonde curls pulled back in a ponytail. Brian couldn't help but watch silently as his two blondes, twisted their face in the same look of concentration. Charlotte had as much Justin in her as Gus had Brian, it made Brian practically powerless against them both, but thankfully, neither of them took advantage…often.
"Daddy!" Charlotte cried happily, it was rather incredible to Brian how his little girl could always sound so excited and joyful to see him, even though Brian had only been gone a few hours.
"Hey Moonbeam," he grinned, scooping his daughter in his arms as she ran to him. "Whatcha doing?" he asked, holding her in his arms like a baby, kissing her cheek, then her nose before blowing a raspberry on her neck. She squealed and squirmed out of her father's arms.
"I'm drawing a burd," she said in her four year old way. Justin smirked at Brian who grinned back,
"A burd huh?" Brian asked, "Can I see it?" Charlotte beamed, running over to the piece of paper that was still on the ground. Brian wrapped his arms around Justin from behind, kissing him lightly behind the ear. "That's amazing," he murmured nodding to the picture as Justin leaned back into the embrace.
"Thanks," Justin blushed, even after all these years, no one else's compliments caused Justin's cheek to burn, but one word from Brian and he was seventeen again.
"Look, Daddy," Charlotte asked, holding up a picture of a bird, but unlike any other four year old's drawing, this bird was detailed, the picture was fairly realistic and it even had shading.
"Wow, Princess, that's great," Justin said, grinning as his daughter's cheeks lit up the same shade red that his own just had.
"You are going to be as good as your Papa one day," Brian said, releasing Justin so that he could take the picture from Charlotte. Charlotte beamed brightly at her fathers' compliments, holding out her arms to be once again held by Brian.
"It's not finished yet, dough," she claimed, putting her arms around Brian's neck, hugging him tightly.
"It's better than Daddy could do," Justin teased, looking impishly at Brian.
"Is that so, Mr. Kinney?" Brian asked, raising an eyebrow. Justin laughed playfully,
"That's right," Justin said, winking at Charlotte who giggled at what she knew wasn't real fighting.
"Yeah, you're right," Brian agreed, smiling at his daughter, "She's brilliant." Charlotte grinned her "moonbeam" smile, hugging Brian once again. Suddenly Charlotte pulled away, still in Brian's arms,
"Daddy, I wanna ask you sumfin," she turned on the "bend to my will" eyes, and Brian knew she'd probably get exactly what she wanted.
"Ok," Brian said, waiting to find out what he would be giving his daughter. Charlotte smiled and wiggled once again out of Brian's arms and slid down to the floor and sat in the small chair Justin had put in the room for her, her legs curled up to her chest.
"Can I learn the biolin," both men froze, though she had changed the 'v' to a 'b', they knew exactly what their daughter was so innocently asking for. Brian wanted nothing more than to grab Justin and pull him, possessively in his arms, reminding him who Justin had chosen in the end. He ended up being saved the trouble when Justin stood, wrapping his arm around Brian's waist, knowing exactly what the older man was thinking, and needing just a little reassurance himself.
"Not the violin, Princess," Justin said, since he was the first that was able to speak. Charlotte uncurled her body, looking at her fathers confused, and surprised.
"Why not? You said I could learn an insterment," she claimed, poking her lower lip out, this time however, neither Brian nor Justin was effected.
"Any other instrument, Charley, not the violin," Brian replied, using a voice harsher than he would normal use for his little girl. Justin's hand comfortingly stroked the older man's side, leaning in a bit closer.
"But why, Daddy?" Charlotte rarely heard 'no' without an explanation, Brian and Justin decided when Charlotte said "I want" for the first time that they could no spoil their daughter, though they had all the means and want to give her everything she desired. Justin also decided that they should never not give her something without telling her why she couldn't have it, even if that reason was as simple as "You have enough dolls, Charley." Brian had used 'because I say so' a few times, but normally Justin would go behind him and tell him the real reason, so when Justin said,
"Because we said so," Charlotte's eyes widened. "Not the violin, Sweetie."
"That's not…" Charlotte scowled, her nose crinkling, telling the men she was fighting off tears. "That's not faiw," she claimed, the tears winning and filling her eyes.
"I don't care if it's fair or not! We are your fathers and you are NOT taking violin lessons." Brian raised his voice and Charlotte whimpered running past them and out of the room. Justin looked at Brian shocked,
"Really? Yelling at her just for asking?" Justin wasn't scolding Brian, he knew perfectly well why Brian had snapped at her. He was the one that let Brian yell at street violinist, he'd tell them they needed to get a real job and stop damaging his ears. And if they entered a restaurant that was playing violin music, they immediately turned around and left. Justin inhaled deeply, "We need to talk, but let me go check on her first." Brian shook his head,
"What is there to talk about? She isn't taking fucking violin lessons." Justin had to admit that even he was taken aback and annoyed by Brian's anger at Charlotte's perfectly blameless request.
"I meant how we are going to deal with her learning more about us, and our past. And we are going to have a chat about yelling at her about something that isn't her fault," Brian could see the anger in his partner's eyes, which had turned fierce and set, as his voice had lowered into a growl with each word. Justin gave Brian a look that told Brian he wanted his husband back, Brian's heart clenched as Justin exited the room. Brian sometimes felt that he was being immature as hell about the whole violin thing, which still bothered him more than he would ever admit. It had been eleven years and violin music and short boys with greasy black hair and brown eyes pissed him off. But yelling at Charlotte like he had, was stepping WAY over the line.
"Shit," he breathed as he followed Justin to Charlotte's room, he paused outside the room when he heard soft sniffles.
"Daddy was mad at me," Charlotte claimed, lying against Justin's chest, her legs wrapped around his waist.
"He's wasn't mad at you, Princess, he was…" Justin paused, inhaling, kissing her hair lightly, "Mad at someone Papa knew a long time ago."
"Who?" Charlotte asked softly, snuggling into Justin's hold, nuzzling her head against Justin's chest. Brian smiled softly, no matter what Brian let her get away with that Justin didn't, no matter how many times Justin swatted her legs for misbehaving, with Brian there to comfort her, her Papa would always be the person she loved most. Whether she even realized it or not, her smile reached a new wattage when it was directed at Justin, Brian wasn't even sure Justin saw it, but Brian did. He saw how it was her Papa she went to when she was hurt, it was him she went to when she was scared, Justin was her prince, just like he was Brian's.
"Mmmm," Justin hummed softly, "His name was Ethan, he played the violin." Brian sat down against the wall outside the door, still listening to every word.
"Was he dood at it?" Charlotte asked, sweetly, Justin smirked,
"Yes, he was, he even made an album." Charlotte said nothing, waiting for Justin to continue, "And he…when I was younger, I got upset with Daddy, because he wasn't doing things I thought he should."
"Like what?"
"Silly things, like buying Papa flowers or having a romantic candle lit dinner, things like that," Justin explained, keeping it as simple as he could. "Ethan, however, did things like that," he reported. "He'd have picnics, and play me music, all those things you see in movies." Brian could hear the soft smile on Justin's lips and his stomach flopped. "And I loved it, being told I was handsome, and that I was the only one he loved."
"Daddy does those things," Charlotte cried, almost angrily, both Brian and Justin smirked at her defensiveness.
"He does now, but he didn't then, and so I…" Justin paused, sighing, "I left him." Charlotte looked up at him confused,
"What you mean?" Justin shut his eyes, setting his chin on her head, forcing himself to tell his daughter his mistake, so she could understand why she couldn't play violin.
"I stopped 'dating' Daddy, and went to 'date' Ethan," Justin told her in terms he knew she could understand. "I hurt Daddy really bad, and he still doesn't like violin music," Charlotte gasped softly.
"You stopped loving Daddy?" Charlotte's voice sounded as heartbroken as her words made both men feel.
"No! Never," Justin quickly answered, "I couldn't stop loving Daddy, no matter what, I have loved your Daddy since the moment I laid eyes on him, and I haven't stop for a single second." Brian couldn't stop the smile that came on his lips, he knew Justin wasn't saying that just for Charlotte's benefit, he really meant it. And that was good, because Brian had loved him just as long.
"Good. Cause he loves you, I can tell," Justin grinned, kissing her cheek lightly.
"So can I," there was a moment of silence where Brian was about to enter when Charlotte interrupted.
"So what happened with Ian?" both Justin and Brian laughed out loud at their daughter's unknowing likeness of Brian.
"Well thankfully, Papa realized what a poopy-head Ian was, and left, and came to Daddy, who made him promise to never make him listen to violin music again." Justin made a final excuse as to why she wasn't allowed to play the instrument. "That's why you can't play violin sweetheart," Charlotte nodded, laying her head on his shoulder.
"I'm glad he was a poopy head. I love Daddy," Brian would deny it, but tears misted his eyes.
"Me too, Charley," Justin agreed. Brian was planning on ducking away so that they wouldn't know he had been listening in, but Justin surprised him, opening the door, stopping short at Brian.
"Sowwy, Daddy, I won't play biolin," Charlotte was unsurprised and unaffected by her father standing outside her door.
"I'm sorry too, Moonbeam, I shouldn't have yelled at you," he kissed her temple softly, holding his lips there a second, as he met Justin's eyes.
"It's ok, Papa told me," she reported as though she now understood everything about her parents.
"Good," Brian said, smiling warmly at her as she grinned back.
"I wanna play guitawa," she quickly got over the violin and moved on. Both men laughed softly,
"We'll get you one tomorrow, Princess." Justin claimed, looking at Brian, who smiled apologetically back. Justin winked subtly and Brian playfully smacked his butt lightly, but only so Charlotte couldn't see. "So who wants to help me fix dinner?" Justin asked, looking at Brian, who shook his head,
"Don't look at me, my little wifey, you're the cook." Justin smirked, raising his eyebrows, "And cleaner, and dish washer, and…" Brian laughed as Justin, with Charlotte still in his arms, kicked out playfully, catching Brian's thigh.
"Ow!" Brian cried, exaggeratingly hopping up and down on one foot, holding his other leg with both hands. Charlotte and Justin both laughed, and Brian had never been happier that Ethan had cheated on Justin. He got this life, he got this man with a smile that melted him and a smirk that turned him on, he got this little girl with sparkling blue eyes and blonde curls, he got soft whispers of adoration and affection, he got love.
After Charlotte was asleep Brian and Justin went into the living room, curling up on the couch, not watching the news that was on T.V.
"When are we going to tell her more?" Brian asked, his fingers delicately tickling Justin's arm.
"When we have to I guess, like tonight, about the violin. I don't want to have to tell her anything unless we have to." Justin replied, laying his head back on Brian's shoulder, he smelt of 13 hour cologne, barely still there, mixed in with the smell of…Brian, it was just Brian, it was Justin's favorite.
"What about the bashings?" Brian asked quietly.
"I want to keep her innocent to hate for as long as we can Bri," Brian nodded, agreeing. He pressed his lips to Justin's head, just at his hair line, where the nearly invisible scar, was hidden by his blonde hair. Justin sighed softly and leaned into the contact. There would come a day when Charlotte no longer saw the world as a beautiful place, full of happiness with people who loved her. She would know that people could hate others on the simple condition of their sexuality. She would know that 18 year old boys with baseball bats could permanently damage another 18 year old on prom night. She would know that men attacked a couple in the park, leaving one in a coma for a month, and nearly starving the other to death. She would know that sometimes people were just cruel to each other. And she would also know that they could rise above it, that people could overcome hate and adversity to be the best that they could. They could heal from wounds, and be happy, have a family, live. She would know the worst and best of society, but for just a few more fleeting moments, she was a four year old girl, who only knew that her Papa made the best gumbo, and gave the best butterfly kisses, and who knew her Daddy was the best story teller, and the best tickler. And she knew that they loved her, and no matter how old she was, and what she witnessed or found out, that fact, would never be doubted.
I know it's a little short but the next chapter will be longer, I promise. Once I again, I have no idea when that will be posted, but bear with me…. And thank you for reading :D please review!