Brian had not been looking forward to this conversation, but it was inevitable. He rang the doorbell and was soon ushered into Deb's house by an excited best friend. Brian had told Michael that he wanted to go to a comic book convention with him, but he'd only done that so he could be sure Michael would not invite any of their friends (without getting him all agitated and worried by telling him that they needed to talk). He'd felt crappy doing it, like he'd just tricked a child into going to the dentist by saying they were going to an amusement park, a scenario that actually had some meaning for him now that he was going to be a father.

Brian grabbed Michael to stop him (he was going upstairs, undoubtedly to get more comics to have signed).

He admitted, "Mikey, we aren't going to a convention."

Michael was puzzled. "What?"

Brian sighed. "I just told you that so I could be sure none of the gang would come with you. I need to tell you something. Here. Sit down."

Michael looked at Brian nervously, but he complied.

Brian continued, "Justin and I are going to Vermont soon."

"For vacation?"

"No. To live. At least until after the baby's born. Maybe longer."

Michael's eyes widened. "What?"

Brian sighed again. "Lindsay has been acting very strangely around Justin and has been making questionable decisions."

"What do you mean?"

"You know how hot she's been for me to donate sperm so that she and Mel can have a baby?"

Michael nodded.

"Well, I keep saying no, so now, she's intent on taking Justin and I's baby."

Michael's eyes widened. "No…"

"I know how crazy it sounds. But it's true. She's losing it. At a dinner she invited us to, she tried to make Justin insecure about he and I's relationship, to make him think I'd simply abandon him and the baby, in an effort to convince him that he'd never be able to become an artist if he didn't give the baby away."

"She did?"

"Yes. Then, she sent someone to my office when she knew Justin would be there, hoping to give him the impression that I'd cheated on him."

Michael was skeptical. He asked, "Are you sure it was her?"

Brian nodded. "Cynthia tracked the guy down later and asked who hired him. Thankfully, Justin knows what Lindsay's up to, so we're okay, but he's been having nightmares about someone taking the baby away from him, from us. His doctor says that we need to get his stress levels down or he may miscarry, so I'm taking him to Vermont in a week or two, and we're going to enter into a civil union. It's the only way that I can protect Justin and the baby. That means you can't tell anyone where we're going."

Michael just gaped at Brian for a long moment. Then, he inquired, "You're going to marry him?"

Brian nodded.

Michael pleaded, "But Brian, everyone you love, your whole life, is here in Pittsburgh."

Brian rolled his lips into his mouth. "Not Justin and the baby."

Michael's eyes grew as large as saucers. He asked hesitantly, "Are you saying that you love him?"

Brian didn't respond.

Suddenly, Deb walked in. She'd been listening from the kitchen. It had taken every ounce of self-control she had to keep from bursting in when she'd heard what Lindsay had done.

She said simply, "I overheard your conversation."

Brian watched Deb warily, worrying about how she would react.

She continued, "I think it sucks that Lindsay's babymania is forcing you to leave town for a while, but you need to do what's best for you and your new family."

Brian quirked an eyebrow. This was not the reaction he had expected.

"I just hope that we are invited to the wedding."

Brian looked at her curiously. "We weren't planning anything major."

Deb sighed in exasperation. Then, she yelled, "Brian Kinney, if you love that boy, you'd better give him a ring and a proper wedding. You don't want poor Sunshine wiping away tears as he explains to your child someday that you two didn't celebrate your marriage at all. That you didn't even care enough to buy him a ring."

Brian was stunned. Because they weren't technically getting married, he hadn't even considered buying Justin an engagement ring (or wedding rings) or inviting friends and family to witness the event.

*******

Justin opened the door and squealed when he saw that it was Daphne. He immediately pulled her in for a hug. As he ushered her inside, he asked, "So…how was Europe?"

"Great!"

"Did you meet any hot French or Italian men?"

Daphne giggled. "Maybe…"

Justin pulled her to the couch, and they both moved to sit down. When Justin bent over to sit, Daphne's eyes widened. Incredulously, she asked, "Justin, are you pregnant?"

Justin blushed. "How, how, could you tell?"

"You are?"

Daphne punched him in the shoulder. "How long have you known? And why didn't you tell me?"

Justin wrinkled his nose. "I found out almost two months ago. I would have told you, but I didn't want you to cancel your trip. You'd been planning it forever."

Daphne sighed. "Trips can be rescheduled. You should have told me! Are you hiding anything else?"

Justin smiled brightly. "Well, Brian proposed…"

Daphne's eyes widened. "He did?"

Justin just nodded and beamed.

*******

Brian couldn't believe he was doing this. He stood in front of a glass case filled with engagement rings and wedding bands. After Deb's grim prediction about Justin telling their child the story of their 'wedding,' he'd decided that he and Justin should pick out wedding bands together. Brian had also decided to buy the boy an ornate band of some kind to serve as an engagement ring. He wasn't ready to ask himself whether he loved Justin, but he couldn't deny that he cared about him in a way that he'd never cared about anyone else. Brian thought that romantic tokens like rings were bullshit (what was most important was whether you came home to your lover every night, and happily), but if it made Justin smile, if it made him feel more secure about their relationship, he was willing to play ball.

*******

Mel entered the clerk's office slowly. Lindsay had been keeping Mel up until late every night for the last week. She was always talking about how much she wanted a baby, how much she wanted Brian to be the donor, and how unfair it was that Justin was carrying Brian's child. However, Mel woke up a bit when she recognized Brian's lawyer at the counter. She walked up behind the man and peered over his shoulder, which required her to stand on her tippy toes. She couldn't read much from that angle, but one phrase caught her attention: "Petition for Emancipation." Why would Justin need to be emancipated…unless…

*********

Brian had decided on a three-banded wood/stone ring, pyrite (royal blue stone), walnut (dark brown wood), and jade (bright green stone). He looked at it one more time, sighed, and entered the loft. He was a little taken aback when he saw Daphne.

Daphne looked at Brian incredulously. She walked over to him and cried out, "Oh my God! Justin told me that you two are getting married. I was just about to ask him how you proposed."

Justin smiled despite his growing discomfort. He and Brian didn't usually talk about their relationship so openly. Daphne hadn't been around the last couple of months, so she didn't know that milestones in 'normal' couples' relationships had a slightly different meaning in theirs.

Brian stated, in a serious tone that shocked Daphne (and Justin) almost as much as his words, "Well, I haven't officially done it yet. When we discussed it before, that was kind of a pre-proposal, to gauge his interest."

Daphne scoffed, "Gauge his interest? You had to know he'd be doing back flips, at least in his head!"

Brian quirked an eyebrow and tilted his head as his gaze fell on Justin. Justin smiled weakly and blushed. Then he said, "Well, let's test your hypothesis."

Both Daphne and Justin's eyes widened, as Brian walked over to the couch, where Justin was still sitting, got down on one knee, and took the boy's hand.

Justin asked softly, "Brian…what…what are you doing?"

Brian took a box out of his jacket pocket with his free hand and placed it in Justin's lap. Then, he inquired, in a very soft but firm voice, "Sunshine, you've turned my world upside down, but…"

He paused for a second before warning both Justin and Daphne, "If either of you spread this around, I'll deny it…"

Justin's entire body tensed. Brian's warning could mean only one thing. He was about to be sweet. Very sweet. The boy closed his eyes for a moment, silently hoping that Brian was going to say those three little words he'd been dying to hear.

Brian continued, "Sunshine, you've turned my world upside down, but I've never been happier. I want you around for a very, very long time. Will you sort of marry me?"

Justin smiled brightly in spite of the pang of disappointment he felt in his chest. Brian may not have said the words he was hoping to hear, but his proposal was touching. Still, he couldn't prevent a tear from falling. He was about to open the box when Daphne interjected, "Justin, could I speak to you?"

Justin just stared at her for a moment in surprise. Then, he muttered, "Sure" and followed her out the door.

Daphne folded her arms and asked, "Does he love you?"

Justin shifted his weight from one foot to the other and then answered, "What?"

She declared, "If he doesn't love you, you shouldn't marry him, baby or no baby."

Justin's face flushed. He looked down and kicked one foot with the other.

Daphne said, a little more gently, "You are a gorgeous, intelligent, loving person who deserves to be loved. If Brian doesn't love you, someone else will. Obviously, you should do what you want, but I don't think you should rush into a commitment like this until you know how he feels. Until he can say the words."

Justin nodded but didn't look up. Daphne kissed his forehead and said, "Call me later" before heading for the stairs.

Justin stood there a moment, watching the stairs until she disappeared, but then went back into the loft.

Brian asked in the most nonchalant voice he could manage, "What was that all about?"

Justin swallowed hard and replied, as casually as he could, though his voice sounded despondent, "Oh, she just remembered that she had to be somewhere."

Brian retorted, "Bullshit."

Justin lifted his head quickly and met Brian's gaze.

The man asked icily, "What did she really say?"

Justin sighed. He didn't have the energy to make something up, and he didn't like the idea of lying to Brian, even if it was safer and more convenient.

Slowly, he answered, "She said that I shouldn't marry you if you don't love me."

Brian had figured as much. He just remained on the floor kneeling. He didn't say a word.

A moment later, Justin asked, in a soft voice that threatened to break, "Do you love me?"

Brian held Justin's gaze and replied evenly, "Look in the box and tell me what you think."

Justin opened the box slowly but then squealed, "A duck ring!"

Brian couldn't help but smile softly, though he looked down as he did so. Justin walked back over to the couch and sat down. He said carefully, "You do love me, don't you."

Brian sighed and responded in a near whisper, "I do."

Justin flashed the man a million-watt smile and threw his arms around the man's neck. He whispered, "I love you, too, Brian."

They held each other tight for a moment, but, then, Justin pulled back. He urged softly, "Put it on me."

Brian shook his head and sighed ("Oh, what this boy gets me to do!" he thought), but, still, he took the ring out of the box carefully and slid it onto the boy's ring finger.

Brian, in a rare display of self-consciousness, asked hesitantly, "So…you like it?"

Justin nodded furiously. He exclaimed, "It's perfect. Beautiful and perfect. I couldn't have picked a better one."

Brian smiled. Once again, the boy's happiness had the man's body thrumming with exhilaration.

Justin patted the couch next to him. He purred, "Come here…"

Brian complied. Without warning, Justin straddled the man, slid his arms around the man's neck, and nudged his nose while brushing his lips against the man's. He traced Brian's bottom lip with his tongue and then thrust it into his mouth, kissing him passionately. Brian returned the kiss eagerly and grabbed Justin's ass, pulling their groins closer together and rubbing his rapidly hardening cock against the boy's. That elicited a soft moan from Justin.

A moment later, desperate to feel Brian's cock inside him, Justin stood up, unzipped and unbuttoned the man's pants and slid them down. He sheathed the man's cock (with a condom conveniently hidden under the table) and slicked lube on after. He disrobed quickly, climbed back onto the man's lap, and impaled himself on the man's cock. They both groaned loudly. Then, Justin began riding Brian while Brian laid open-mouthed kisses all over his neck. After a couple of minutes, the man's breathing grew ragged, and he started sucking on Justin's neck and running his fingers through silky blond hair.

Suddenly, Brian abandoned his neck and kissed him so passionately that Justin nearly came. As he continued to kiss the boy, he squeezed his cock and then began pumping it in time with Justin's movements. He didn't stop kissing the boy even when both their orgasms started ripping through them, so they were heralded by muffled moans and cries. Brian had never done that before. Feeling so connected caused them both to come harder than ever.

Ten minutes later, after they'd cleaned up and laid down on the bed, Brian noticed that they were both still trembling. He held the boy tighter.

Out of the blue, Brian declared, "Deb wants an invitation."

Justin pulled back a little, so he could look into Brian's eyes. He asked, "What?"

Brian continued as indifferently as he could, "To the wedding. Well, and the reception to follow."

Justin's eyes nearly bugged out of his head. He inquired a little shyly, "You want to have a ceremony with guests and a reception?"

The man smirked at the boy but then asked in a mock hurt tone, "What, are you ashamed of me?"

Justin laughed. Loudly. He exclaimed, "No! It's just…I thought…"

Brian added nonchalantly, "We'll need wedding bands, too. So the starving artists, street musicians, and tree-hugging hippies in Vermont know to keep their hands off my Sunshine."

Justin rubbed his cheek against Brian's neck as he exclaimed, "I fucking love you, Brian."

Brian replied, so softly Justin could barely hear him, "I love you, too, Sunshine."