Justin sighed happily. "So you came to my prom, and we danced."
Brian desperately wanted to ask questions, to probe Justin's memory of the prom further, but he knew he couldn't. So he simply nodded.
Suddenly, Justin frowned and repeated, his eyes losing focus, "I thought you said you wouldn't be caught dead in a room full of eighteen-year-olds."
He turned to Brian with a look of pain and confusion on his face and inquired, "If you were too embarrassed to be seen with me or to be seen there, why did you come at all?"
Brian thought wryly, "Isn't that the million-dollar question?" Then he grinned and commented lightly, "You always cut to the chase. But it's no wonder. You did, after all, earn a 1500 on your SAT."
Justin just stared at Brian. In fact, he stared at him so long that Brian grew exceedingly uncomfortable. He squirmed a little and burst out, "What?" and then, in a more even voice, implored him, "Don't go all Children of the Corn on me."
That gave Justin a chuckle in spite of himself. However, he informed Brian, firmly but with a hint of amusement in his voice, "Neither flattery nor bad jokes are going to distract me."
Brian snapped, "I don't know why people are so focused on the past. All it does is weigh you down."
Justin looked deep into Brian's eyes and examined every inch of his face. Brian tried to appear impassive during this assessment, but it was causing him to feel things he did not want Justin to perceive. Ironically, it made him feel both extremely uneasy and happy, which, in turn, caused him further discomfort. Brian was worried that Justin would perceive too much, giving him clues as to their past, which the doctor said should come back to Justin naturally, with no outside help. Nevertheless, he couldn't help but relish feeling Justin's penetrating gaze upon him once more. It had been a while, he imagined, because Justin's memory loss had caused a loss of confidence, a lack of certainty about everything. However, Brian also worried that Justin would perceive too little, that somehow their connection had lost something in the translation from the Justin of the past to the Justin of the present. And of course, he was not yet completely comfortable desiring greater intimacy with anyone, but especially Justin.
Nothing could have prepared Brian for what Justin said.
"You aren't just referring to our past, are you? Someone hurt you. When I asked who you'd been in love with before, you said, 'It was you,' as though you'd never been in love with anyone else, so I'm guessing that one or both of your parents abused you."
Brian's eyes widened. He actually gaped at Justin in horror for a long moment (before he caught himself). Then he looked away. Did Justin remember somehow? Or was the fact that he was damaged clearly written in his eyes and on his face.
"I don't know how the abuse affected you. I can't even imagine how difficult it's been to overcome. But I do know that the person you became as a result is the man I fell in love with. Twice in fact. And, this may be a horrible thing to say, considering what you went through, but I wouldn't have you any other way. I love you exactly as you are."
That was too much for Brian. He unexpectedly grabbed Justin by the neck with both hands and pulled him close, so close that their lips were a hair's breadth apart. Brian looked into Justin's eyes, with such love and fear that Justin's eyes widened a little and he flushed. He'd suddenly lost the ability to breathe. Then Brian kissed Justin's lips, firmly, but tenderly. Brian pulled back a little and looked into Justin's eyes again. He was about to kiss Justin more passionately and fuck him into the mattress, when Justin's eyes widened to the size of saucers and he repeated, "Even if it was ridiculously romantic." He'd looked away as he'd said those words, but then he looked back at Brian.
Brian had froze and was watching Justin closely, on tenterhooks as he waited to learn whether Justin had remembered more.
Justin cried out excitedly, "I said, 'It's the best night of my life,' referring to our dance and then you said, 'Even if it was ridiculously romantic." I was going to say, 'Duh! Because it was ridiculously romantic," but then you kissed me, just like that, just like you did a minute ago! and I…I knew then that…that you loved me."
Brian's chest constricted. He bit back a sob and blinked a few times to push back the tears that suddenly threatened to fall.
Justin smiled brightly. He inquired, with even greater enthusiasm, "That's why you came, isn't it? You weren't going to, but…but then something happened, and you realized that you loved me. The dance, the kiss. That was your way of telling me, wasn't it?"
Brian looked down and swallowed hard, but then he lifted his head until his eyes met Justin's and replied huskily, his voice so low that it barely registered, "Yes, Kitten. That was my I love you."