Brian finds out there is more to the girls' birthday than he thinks. What will his answer be?
Same Time...Near the Cabin
"Justin..." Daphne eyed her friend with concern; he had his back to her, lost in thought as he gazed out over the captivating vista of pine-blanketed mountains, wildflowers, and fields below. It would normally be a serene scene that would calm frayed nerves and instantly reduce stress and anxiety. But she could tell by the rigid stance of his shoulders that it was doing nothing of the kind. "I'm sure there's a good reason why they're running late..."
Justin turned around, worry etched on his face. "Or they're not coming at all..." he couldn't help adding as his hand curled around the ring presently clutched in his left hand - Brian's ring. He looked over at the minister and Gus standing several feet away, quietly conversing between themselves near a large boulder. Katie sat, dejected looking and worried herself, over at the nearby picnic table. Everyone was no doubt feeling the same sense of foreboding that he was.
"Justin, don't say that!" Daphne admonished him sharply. "Brian has no idea what's going on up here! And he wouldn't want Kaylee to miss her own birthday party! So you just put those kinds of thoughts out of your head right now!"
"But then why aren't they here? Have you considered that maybe Kaylee just couldn't keep it a secret any longer, and Brian does know after all? Maybe I already have my answer, then...without him even being here." He shook his head as he turned around to gaze down at the valley far below, his thoughts a jumble of emotions. They had come so far...so very far. Was this the result?
He shook his head as he turned back around to face his friend. "Well, either way, I don't care," he told her, more to convince himself than her. "I still love him. And...And even if he doesn't want to get married, that's okay, too. I can live with that."
"Justin..."
"No, I can," he insisted.
"But you have your heart set on this," she reminded him quietly, always able to see right through him. She always had, actually, he thought to himself silently. He nodded, swallowing hard and closing his eyes briefly. He let out a deep breath to compose himself as he turned to peer over at his daughter, who was clutching her hands tightly in her lap, her own disappointment clearly written all over her face. For her sake, he had to stop wallowing in his own self-pity and think of her, instead. "I...I'd better go talk to Katie," he told his friend. "I'll be all right."
"Want me to come with you?" she asked softly.
He shook his head with a sad smile. "Thanks, but I think this is something I need to handle alone. I hope you understand..."
She nodded. "I'll be right here if you need me."
Justin grasped Daphne by the upper arms and leaned in to give her a kiss on the cheek. "Thanks, Daph," he whispered as she smiled at him sympathetically.
Justin started over then to his daughter, trying to decide in his mind just what he was going to say to her. He did not want to make Brian out to be the bad guy here. If Brian did not want to get married, nothing would change. They would still all live together in the same house, and he would ensure that their daughters would never be separated again. He would never perhaps get to fulfill one of his more fervent dreams...but he could live with that. He had to live with that...
He had just taken a few steps, however, when he noticed his daughter's entire body seem to come alive with excitement as a binding smile broke out on her face. He watched as she jumped up from her place on the picnic bench and turned to look over at him, her face aglow with euphoria. "Daddy! Daddy, it's them! It's Dad and Kaylee! Look!"
Justin turned to observe what Katie was pointing at, and he couldn't believe his eyes: Kaylee was astride Ceres with a slightly disheveled-looking Brian sitting behind her, one arm securely wrapped around her waist as he held onto the reins with the other. He watched, stunned, as Ceres loped up to him and Katie until Brian came to a stop near the cabin, issuing a soft 'whoa' as he pulled up next to the wooden railing. Dismounting adroitly, he turned to hold his hands up to help Kaylee down before the two of them unsnapped their chin straps and yanked off their respective riding helmets to lay them down on the ground, both of them shaking their heads to dislodge the sweaty hair that had become plastered to their scalps during the ride.
His hand on Kaylee's shoulder, Brian led her over to his partner, who stood there with his mouth open in astonishment. "Hey," he greeted him nonchalantly, as if it were the most normal thing in the world for them to trot up to the cabin on a horse like John Wayne. "Have we missed anything exciting yet?"
Justin stood there in shock, trying to formulate the words. "Brian...What? How?" He looked over at his daughter then, who was grinning in amusement over his attempt to speak. If he didn't know better, he would say she actually looked smug. "Kaylee...What...?"
Brian smirked. "Good thing you don't have to be real glib for this birthday bash, Sunshine," he teased him with a smile. He raised his voice slightly as he announced, "Sorry we're late. The ATV wouldn't start - so we wound up having to use a more fuel-economical means of transportation." He smiled down at his daughter as he squeezed her shoulder. "You did great, Kaylee. You can be my riding partner any day." He peered over at his partner as he told him, "She was very persistent that we had to get up here right away. And very brave, too," he added, the pride clearly evident in his voice.
Kaylee beamed at the praise as she looked over at Justin. "I told you I would get him up here, didn't I?" she told her father.
Justin smiled at her affectionately. "Yes, you did, Sweetheart." He looked over at Brian, who had a quizzical expression on his face; apparently it was because he had just noticed his little family wasn't quite alone. He watched him staring at the unfamiliar, middle-aged man wandering over to them with Gus. "Who's that?' he couldn't help asking Justin as they approached.
Justin took a deep breath. This wasn't quite the way he had pictured this moment, but it was now or never. "I asked him here," he began softly as Gus and the minister joined them. Everyone was present and accounted for. Now there was only one, last thing that had to be done.
Brian frowned as he noticed all eyes upon him, like everyone knew the punch line of a joke except him. "What for?" he asked. He noticed the man opening his mouth as if to explain, only to have Gus hold up his hand in a silent signal for him to remain silent. The man nodded as, once again, everyone turned to stare at Brian. "What?" he asked again in bewilderment, holding his hands out, palms up, in confusion.
He watched then as his partner turned to face him, staring intently into his eyes as if he desperately wanted to say something, but was hesitant to. Slightly exasperated, Brian opened his mouth to demand what the fuck was going on; that is, until Justin reached inside his pants pocket and pulled out an object he was instantly familiar with. Brian's eyes grew large as a pair of expressive, blue ones lifted almost shyly to stare into his with a sense of uncertainty, and it was then that he understood exactly why his tenderhearted daughter had been so intent on getting up here. "Justin..." he murmured in shock, but his partner shook his head to silence him.
"Brian..." Justin could feel the heat on his face; he knew everyone was staring at them, but for now he concentrated on his partner. For just a few moments, he wanted this to be just between the two of them. He took a deep breath to steel himself to start over again before he lost his nerve. "Brian, it took us a long time to get to where we are now. And sometimes I guess we both wondered if we would ever reach this point in our lives again." He paused, feeling his eyes misting over. He smiled at his partner then as he whispered, "But we did. And we rediscovered this amazing family in the process." He looked around at all the people gathered around them; all the people he loved so deeply, and he couldn't help smiling at them as they, too, smiled back in encouragement.
Emboldened by their support, he turned back to stare at his silent partner. Brian's eyes were staring into his intently, the sun above casting a prism of colors off the eyes he knew so well. The intensity of his gaze made him feel both hopeful as well as nervous for some reason. "I...I know several years ago we had a ceremony to privately express our commitment to each other. In a way, so much has changed since then, but it has also stayed the same. We always loved our children - all of them," he clarified as he glanced over at Gus, wanting him to know he would always be considered a part of their close family unit. Gus half-smiled at him in acknowledgment before he added more softly, "...And I never stopped loving you all this time. And now I know without any doubt that I want to spend the rest of my life with you; you and our children." He paused for a second before continuing to compose his thoughts; he hadn't really written anything down for this moment; he was going strictly by the heart now. "Like I said, I know we've done something like this before. But in a way, this is a fresh start for us today. For all of us. And I can't think of a better day while we are celebrating the birth of our two daughters to also celebrate our love for each other. So..." He took another deep breath. Here goes... "Brian Kinney, would you do me the honor of marrying me today, here, in the presence of all our family?" He held the familiar, shiny band out toward his partner with a shaky hand, his heart on his sleeve and his emotions laid bare.
A pin could have dropped at that moment in the silence; even the birds seem to stop singing, and the wind that normally gently caressed the pine trees seemed to stop blowing as everyone waited for Brian to speak.
Justin held his breath, dying a little inside for each second that went by, before Brian finally blinked as if he were coming out of a trance. He licked his lips as if he needed to wet them before he turned to gaze over at his daughter with a smirk on his face. "So this is why I had to get so dressed up?" he asked her softly. "Why you wanted to get up here so badly?" Kaylee nodded silently as he returned the gesture with a single nod of his own.
His gaze swept around then to linger on his other daughter and then his son standing next to the ready-made minister before his eyes settled back on his partner's face. He glanced down at the ring Justin held in his left hand, and he imagined what it would be like to see Justin wearing his own ring. The thought filled him with...what was the right word? He wondered silently. Not fear. Not anxiety. Not hesitation. No. It filled him with a sense of completeness, a sense of elation. A sense of ...family, of belonging. As he lifted his gaze to look into the fathomless pools of blue - and a face that stared back at him with a mixture of unabashed love but also insecurity - he knew there would not be any cockiness, any teasing, any attempt at prolonging his answer just to torment his partner. No typical, Brian Kinney snarkiness. He simply could not do that. Not to this man who had become his soul mate so long ago and always would be. He took a deep breath and let it out between slightly parted lips as he reached out and grasped the warm, slightly callused, artist's hand of his partner, feeling it tremble beneath his grip as he offered a faint smile of reassurance. "Let's do it," he finally whispered back at him; a decision that could only be heard by the two of them, despite the pregnant silence surrounding them.
He could feel Justin's hand tighten slightly in his grasp as the blond looked over at him hesitantly, wondering if he had just imagined what he had said. "What...What did you say?" he asked. "Did you...just say yes?"
Brian did smirk then. "Si, Oui, Ja, Hai, Nai..."
Justin frowned slightly, even as his heart began to pound with hopeful excitement. "That last one sounded a lot like no."
"No, Daddy!" Katie spoke up then to correct him. "I mean, yes! It's yes in Greek! I learned it in school." Her eyes grew wide and an enormous smile of joy broke out on her face as she began to understand the implications. "He said yes!" she shrieked as she grasped her sister's shoulders and began to dance around with her in a circle. "He said yes! They're getting married!" The two of them abruptly grabbed their mother's hand and pulled her into their spontaneous jig as she giggled back at them, the three of them dancing around with glee.
Brian rolled his eyes in amusement. "It seems the party has started without us, Sunshine," he told his partner dryly.
Justin smiled like a fool; he didn't care if he looked like a little kid, too; he was just too happy. The sound of someone clearing their throat nearby made both men turn to peer over at the minister questioningly.
"Uh...Gentlemen, pardon the interruption, but I must remind you I have a wedding in Wheeling I need to attend in 90 minutes. If you're going to do this, it needs to be done now."
Justin nodded. He turned to his partner. "Ready?" he whispered to him.
Brian smiled then and nodded, an open, undisguised look on his face that spoke volumes. "I'm MORE than ready," he whispered simply.
The minister quickly secured their signatures on the marriage license before placing it back into a small leather briefcase on top of the picnic table. "If you will all gather together then," he intoned as Gus walked over to stand beside his father. The two exchanged a look between them before Kaylee and Katie walked over to stand next to their brother. Justin smiled over at Daphne as she, too, walked over to stand beside her best friend.
The minister nodded. "I was told to make this brief and to the point," he told them as Justin nodded in confirmation. He had mentioned that Brian would not want some flowery, prolonged ceremony. That was fine with him as well; he didn't care about that. All he cared about was being married to this man. "So, without further ado..." He cleared his throat again. "We are gathered here today to witness the union of Brian Matthew Kinney and Justin William Taylor. Justin, do you take Brian to be your lawful husband?"
Justin swallowed the emotional lump in his throat; he couldn't believe this was really, finally happening. He gripped Brian's hand hard as he managed to utter a hoarse reply. "Yes...A thousand times, yes."
Brian chuckled at his over-the-top response as the minister turned to him next. "And do you, Brian, take Justin to be your lawfully wedded husband?"
"Uh..." He hesitated.
Justin stared over at him dumbfounded until he explained, "I'd like to say something first."
The minister nodded as Justin's eyes widened in surprise. He noticed what appeared to be a slightly uncomfortable look on his lover's face as Brian began to speak - words that could only come straight from the heart, but ones that he suspected he might not ever hear.
"Justin...Wow, where to start," Brian half-laughed self-consciously. "I wasn't really expecting to have to practice my extemporaneous linguistic skills during the girls' birthday party today." His expression turned more serious as he continued softly, "But...I just want to say that the day you came into my life -the day my son was born - was one of the best days of my life. I'm not sure at the time that I realized what a difference it would make in my life back then. Not until later. But I still knew there was something...special about you, Sunshine. Something different. And it wasn't just because you were a persistent, snotty brat," he teased.
"I didn't realize I was about to take this fantastic journey; a journey I wasn't even aware I was traveling until, one day, I suddenly realized that I couldn't foresee a time when you weren't in my life; nor would I ever want to." His eyes traveled over to his two daughters, who were standing side by side, their eyes wide with rapt attention. He smiled at them tenderly as he turned to tell Justin, "I never thought I would ever experience the joy that I feel having two such precious, little girls, either, as well as a son. But I do -every single day."
He squeezed Justin's hand then - his warm, oh-so-familiar hand - his heart beating rapturously as reality sank in; he really was about to marry this exquisite man, his soul mate, his everything. "Justin...I will never be perfect, I won't always do what is right. I will make mistakes along the way. But as long as I have you there by my side for the rest of my life, I know that I will always be happy. Oh...and I do, too, by the way."
Justin's eyes shimmered with tears of happiness as he nodded back at him with a grin of relief. Sniffling a little sentimentally, the minister quietly interrupted, "The rings?"
Justin smiled, sniffling, as he held out the palm of his other hand that was still clutching Brian's ring. "Please place it on Brian's finger," the man instructed as Justin gripped Brian's hand with his own and slid the simple, gleaming, intertwined band onto his finger.
"And now you, Brian..."
Gus walked up and dug into his pocket to retrieve Justin's ring he had been keeping for him; reaching over to hand it to his father, Brian smiled at him fondly as he took it out of Gus's palm and held it between his thumb and index finger. Cradling Justin's hand, he felt it trembling under his touch as he slid it smoothly onto his partner's finger. The ritual complete, Brian held his hand in his as the two smiled at each other, their eyes glistening with the joy that both of them were presently feeling.
The minister nodded. "And now, by the power vested in me by the State of West Virginia, I now declare that you are legally married. You may now..." He didn't get a chance to complete his statement before Brian grabbed his new husband by the upper arms and promptly smashed their lips together like a parched man in the desert. Everyone else around them promptly faded away into the background as they wound their arms around each other and kissed each other intensely, their heads tilted to deepen the kiss.
The minister's face turned red at the erotic demonstration of passion in front of him until Daphne finally put an end to their display. "Boys!" She called out sternly." Let's keep it PG, okay?"
The two newlyweds then broke apart sheepishly as the two girls giggled at the look on their faces. "It's okay, Aunt Daphne," Katie reassured her matter-of-factly. "We're used to them sucking face."
Daphne rolled her eyes in amusement. "I should have guessed," she muttered. She walked over to wrap one arm around both men. "Congratulations, you two!" she exclaimed as she gave both of them a kiss on their cheeks. "I wasn't sure I would ever see this day - but I'm so happy for you!"
"Thanks, Daph," Justin told her with a beaming smile; he couldn't help glancing down at the ring now snugly adorning his finger. It seemed so surreal in a way, but he could feel the slightly heavy coldness of the smooth metal, reassuring him that it was, indeed, real. He did know he was sure of one thing: He would never take this ring off for as long as he lived. He felt Brian's hand intertwine with his as he glanced over to him and their eyes met. He blushed slightly for some reason before the two girls bounded up to greet them, their faces broadcasting the same sort of joy that he was experiencing at the moment.
"Let me see! Let me see!" Kaylee shouted as she pulled her father's hand loose from Brian's.
"Me, too!" Katie insisted as both girls took one of their father's hands with the rings on them and clutched them in their much smaller hands. They issued a dreamy sort of collective 'ahh' as they admired the twin bands on each ring hand.
Brian snorted under his breath. "See what you've done, Sunshine? You've turned our other daughter now into a ridiculously romantic sap, too."
Katie glared over at him in insult as Justin pursed his lips together to keep from laughing at her. "Hey!" Katie growled. "I am not!" She frowned before asking, "What's a sap, anyway?"
Both men laughed then as Brian smiled at her and wrapped his arm around her shoulder. "Don't worry, Princess; even I can be that way sometimes; your father here tends to have that effect on people." He leaned in to kiss his new husband on the cheek as he shook his head. "Shit...How did I go from ATV mechanic to being married within an hour's time?"
Justin shrugged with a grin. "That's what happens when you're so resourceful. If you hadn't managed a different mode of transportation, you might not be in this predicament right now."
"May I remind you that your daughter was the one who suggested that, Sunshine?"
Justin guffawed. "Oh, so now she's MY daughter," he scoffed as Brian rolled his lips under in response and shrugged. Justin's face softened as he turned to look at Kaylee. "Weren't you scared to get back on Ceres, Honey?" he asked curiously.
She nodded, biting her lower lip.
"Then how did you get the courage to get back on? Your father and I have been trying ever since your accident to convince you to give Ceres another chance. What made the difference this time?"
Kaylee smiled shyly as she explained, "I had to do it, Daddy. I had to do it for love."
Justin's eyes watered as he nodded. That was explanation enough. He already knew that love could overcome a lot of challenges. "Well, I'm glad you did," he told her softly. He looked up as Gus and the minister walked over.
"I need for you and Mr. Kinney to sign the marriage certificate," he told Justin. "And then I'm afraid I need to head back down to my car."
Justin nodded. "I appreciate your willingness to participate in our subterfuge, Reverend," he told the dark-haired, portly man. "Would you like to take a piece of birthday/wedding cake with you?"
The minister chuckled as he shook his head. "Never heard of a dual-purpose cake like that before. Thank you, but no, I really need to get going soon to the other wedding that I'm scheduled to officiate."
Gus interjected, "I'm ready when you are, Reverend," as the man nodded with a thankful smile.
"You're coming back up, aren't you, Sonny Boy?" Brian asked him as he turned to go, the wedding certificate now sitting on the picnic table nearby, officially signed and legal.
Gus nodded with a smile over at his sisters. "Of course! I wouldn't pass up this chance to celebrate my sisters' birthday - and your wedding." He laughed. "I'm not sure which event I find more astounding - or incredible."
Brian reached over to grab his son by the neck and pull him close. "Thanks, Gus," he murmured as he nuzzled his cheek briefly before letting him go.
Gus barked out a short laugh. "For what?"
Brian told him sincerely, "For just being you. For being my son. For putting up with your old man." He paused, finding himself slightly overcome, before he added, "I'm very proud of you, Gus."
Gus found himself blinking back tears of his own over the unexpected sentiment as he nodded back at his father with a smile. "I'll be back shortly," he told them. Just as he turned to go, he paused long enough to tell them, "Don't cut the cake until I get back!"
Brian and Justin nodded with a grin as he held out his hand for the minister to lead; a few minutes later, the ATV roared to life as it sped down the hillside trail, back toward the stables.
Two Hours Later...
"Don't forget to wear your helmet, Katie!" Brian called out as his daughter prepared to swing back up into Eton's saddle. Kaylee had already left with her brother, deciding this time to return to Britin in the ATV, while Daphne, a little more comfortable now on horseback, determined she would be all right riding back down alone on Ceres; Katie would be accompanying her on the other horse.
"Dad," she groaned in protest. "I've ridden him a million times..."
Brian sighed from his seat at the picnic table next to Justin. "Katherine Marie..." he began sternly.
That was enough to get his point across as his daughter briefly huffed and rolled her eyes, but she did as he commanded, pushing the pearl-white helmet down onto her head and latching the chin strap before hoisting herself agilely onto the saddle.
Brian nodded at her in approval then, both men waving at their daughter as she pulled on the reins to veer the horse back toward the trail.
"See you tomorrow!" Daphne called out to them, having agreed to watch the girls until they returned to Britin. She grinned, her smile showing under her helmet. "Have fun, boys!" she added with a wink before she dug her heels slightly into Ceres' flank and mother and daughter slowly trotted away.
At last, the sound of the ATV and clip-clop of the horses faded away, to be replaced with the more familiar sounds of the wilderness: the occasional screech of a hawk, the melodic sound of birdsong, and the wind that blew a warm breeze through the multitude of trees, brushing across their faces like a soothing caress.
Justin sighed as he leaned back against the edge of the picnic tabletop.
"Tired?" he heard Brian whisper softly beside him. He nodded, just before he felt Brian's arm slide around his shoulders to pull him close. He instinctively leaned his head onto his husband's shoulder, a half-smile appearing on his face. "Yeah, but it's a good kind of tired," he whispered. "This whole day has been like a dream, Brian," he murmured.
"A good one, I hope."
Justin's smile widened while his eyes remain closed, heightening his sense of touch, smell, and hearing. He nodded slightly. "Oh, yeah...a very good one. And if it IS a dream...please don't ever wake me up."
Brian chuckled softly beside him. "It's no dream, Sunshine. You made an honest man out of me, all right; I have the hardware to prove it." Brian couldn't help glancing down at his ring-clad finger, still a little amazed by the fact that he had just gotten married. But he found to his surprise that it didn't freak him out; on the contrary, it filled him with a sense of contentment, a sense of belonging, something that had been desperately missing in his life for so long.
In reaction to his statement, Justin raised his head as he opened his eyes to peer up into the amber-colored ones. Their lips inches apart, he asked, "Brian?"
His companion's eyes bored into his as one, perfectly manicured brow lifted in question. "Hmm?"
"You didn't marry me today just to make me happy, did you? I mean, you did want it, too, right?"
Brian's expression softened as it transformed into something bordering on indignation. "What do YOU think?" he pressed quietly. "Since when have I ever done something I didn't want to do, Justin?"
"You and I agreed to split up the girls when they were babies," Justin pointed out softly. "I know you really didn't want to do that."
Brian mulled that over for a few moments before he answered honestly, "No, I didn't. And neither did you. But at the time we both thought it was the right thing to do for them. Now we know better, I suppose." He reached over to clasp his husband's hand in his and placed them in his lap as he whispered, "Do you really want to rehash that again, Sunshine? It's our wedding day, remember? No regrets, no 'what ifs.' Today, I'd rather reflect on the good things, what we and our family have to look forward to in the future. That's much more productive and pleasant to consider...don't you think?"
Justin nodded with a smile before they came together for a brief but heartfelt kiss.
As they broke apart, Brian asked, "So...now that our little birthday elves have done all the cleanup for us and moved the leftovers into the cabin, why don't we take this little adventure somewhere more comfortable?"
Justin nodded as he groaned slightly. "Good idea. This picnic bench is making my ass sore."
That comment produced an immediate smirk on Brian's face as he told him huskily, "I can think of a much better way to make your ass sore." He rose from the bench, pulling Justin up beside him. "Come on, spouse! Time to perform your wifely duties."
Brian laughed as he received the predictable scowl and smack on his ass from his 'wife' as Justin rose to stand beside him. "Keep that up, husband, and you're going to wind up sleeping on the marital futon in there tonight."
Brian winced. "Ouch." He grinned then, tongue rolled into his cheek, ultimately receiving a grudging smile in return, because both men knew that was never going to happen. His hand still clutching Justin's, the two of them walked over to the cabin, Brian pausing at the door, even though he figured it wasn't locked. He brought Justin's hand up to peer down thoughtfully at the ring on his finger, almost as if he couldn't believe it still.
Justin frowned in question. "Brian? Something wrong?"
Brian shook his head, too choked up momentarily to reply. "No," he finally whispered hoarsely as he lifted his gaze to smile lovingly at him. "Everything's just perfect." Justin nodded back at him in relief, just before he let out a squeal as Brian abruptly hoisted him into the air and threw him, fireman style, over his back. Laughing in delight now, Justin heard the door open as Brian summarily carried him bodily into the cabin and then stopped suddenly. "Holy shit," he murmured as he just stood there, staring open-mouthed.
Justin tried to crane his neck to look around him, but found it was impossible in his position. "What?"
Brian pulled Justin up and slowly lowered him to the ground to stand face-to-face with him before he turned him around in his arms to let him see. "Oh, my..." was all he could manage as he gaped at the transformation.
The entire room had been decorated into something obviously meant to resemble a honeymoon cabin: A paper sign spelling out "Congratulations" in gold, shiny letters was strung on one of the far walls, and fat, white, pillar candles had been placed all along the top of the mantle. A full stack of wood was sitting in the fireplace, just ready to be lit despite the relative warmth of the day. A CD player was sitting on the kitchen countertop with a big, yellow, post-it note that read in large, black letters: Play Me! And a matching note was attached to the refrigerator that said in true, Alice-in-Wonderland fashion, Eat Me! The table had been set with two, china settings, wine goblets, and a chilled, ice-filled bucket with a bottle of champagne. Two, perfect, jumbo, red-colored roses were poking out of a crystal, clear-glass bud vase in the center, accompanied with two, white, spiral-twisted candles, a small book of matches lying next to them.
Both of them could smell something wonderful coming from the crockpot on top of the counter next to the sink, softly bubbling with an unknown dish. The stove had been turned onto 'low' to warm something in the oven, and even the sheets on the bed appeared to have been freshly changed, the covers pulled back with a, small, gold-foiled Godiva chocolate nesting on each pillow. A large, cellophane-wrapped gift basket with a massive, white-and-gold bow was sitting at the foot of the bed, containing a variety of different, unknown items, a small card attached to the ribbon.
But the most amazing part of it all to Brian was the object hanging from above the mantle. His mouth hung open in incredulity as he whispered in awe, "Justin..." He let go of his husband to walk over to the mantle and peer up at the painting he was seeing for the first time. He stared at it for several seconds, hearing Justin walk up beside him, before he turned to him and asked, "When...When did you do this? It's fucking incredible."
Justin smiled with pleasure. "Katie and I painted it. Remember the painting of Britin we gave you?" Brian nodded. "Well, that was just a decoy to throw you off the trail. This was what we were really doing all along." He explained softly, "I wanted it to be a wedding present to you...Even though I wasn't sure at the time what your answer would be."
Brian shook his head in amazement as he gazed back up at the collage showing a grown-up Gus and the girls, with him and Justin in the center. "Did you really ever doubt that, Justin?"
His husband shrugged. "I never doubted your love for me - or the girls," he explained truthfully. "But I guess I still wasn't sure how you would feel about making such a formal commitment."
Brian cupped Justin's face in his hands, so many feelings flooding through him as he gazed into the face of his soul mate. "Maybe the formality means a little more to you than to me," he admitted as Justin's eyes opened a little wider. He hastened, however, to explain as he added, "But that doesn't mean I still didn't want this. I plan on spending the rest of my life with you, so I don't care if everyone knows that or not." He smiled as he noticed a flicker of relief cross Justin's face. "So you can fucking shout it from the mountaintop if you need to - literally."
Justin flung himself into Brian's arms then with supreme joy, feeling Brian chuckle. "You are so sentimental, Justin Kinney-Taylor." He heard him whisper then.
Justin pulled back to look into the brunet's eyes. "What did you say?"
"I said...you are so sentimental."
Justin shook his head. "No...not that part. The other part."
Brian appeared a little uncomfortable then; this was all fairly new territory to him. "Oh...that."
Justin smirked. "Yeah...that."
His husband rolled his lips under in that 'little-boy' look that was always so endearing to Justin as he explained softly, "I just thought since we were...married now - shit, I'm still trying to get used to that - that maybe we should change our names to reflect it, that's all. You know, for the girls' sake."
Justin nodded solemnly. "Yes, of course. For the girls' sake." Both of them knew better, however. But Justin wisely chose not to call him out on it.
"So we're agreed?" Brian prodded, secretly astonished that he really did want it. He wanted everyone to know he was Justin's husband. He was damn proud of it, too.
Justin nodded back at him with a radiant smile; could this day get any better? He wondered. Well, there was still the night to come...
"Good," Brian replied. "Care to seal the deal, then?" he asked in that certain, sexy tone of voice that left no doubt what sort of verification he had in mind. Within seconds, Justin was back in his arms and they were kissing deeply, groping, touching, lightly scratching with fingernails, licking, nipping at tender skin to mark each other. Pulling back breathlessly several seconds later, Brian murmured, "Hungry? Cold?"
Justin stared intently at him, his breathing shallow and labored with arousal. He shook his head. "No...actually, I'm hot. Really, really, hot," he replied deep in his throat. "But I AM starving," he responded, just before an internal explosion of desire erupted within them and they were frantically tearing at each other's clothing. Buttons popped in their haste to feel skin on skin; Brian moaned deep in his throat as Justin's lips slid across the tender flesh of his neck before biting down on his collarbone, a growl of possession escaping as he continued up to his ear to tug on it with his lips; he knew that both areas were particularly sensitive spots for his husband, and this time was no exception.
"Justin...Fuck, I want you so much..." Brian hissed out as he reached to tug at his lover's pants to open them, wanting, needing, to feel him; ALL of him. Seeking his target, he pulled at the linen material and the cotton briefs to expose his husband's beautiful cock. Perfection...sheer, perfection. He placed one hand around Justin's neck to pull his lips back up to meet his, hearing his lover whimper into the kiss as his other hand curled around his shaft and began to expertly stroke him.
Tongues dueled as they tasted each other over and over again, while Justin reached down to unzip Brian's pants, his hands curling around his backside to cup his ass cheeks and shove their bodies closer together. It was with a great deal of self-discipline that he placed his hands on Brian's waist to pull their bodies apart then a few moments later, both panting and breathless, their eyes dilated with sheer lust and their lips thoroughly swollen from their myriad kisses.
"Bri...Brian..." he managed to say. "Bed..." The romantic in him didn't want their first time as husbands to be this way. "Hurry..."
Brian took matters into his own hands then, nodding as both of them stepped out of the remainder of their clothing and shoes before he pulled Justin backward toward the bed, secretly grateful that this was a one-room cabin. He knew he, too, couldn't wait to make love to this incredible, beautiful man - over and over again.
With a sense of urgency but also with surprising gentleness, he lowered Justin's slender body to the bed, draping his long frame over the smaller one. They wound up lying diagonally across the queen-sized bed, sheet bunched up beneath them, but neither man cared as they begin to kiss deeply, their legs intertwined together while their hands roamed over familiar, warm planes. Brian released Justin's lips after several seconds to trail a wet path down the hollow of his throat and onto his chest; he felt Justin's hands on his upper back as he honed in on one, pert, pink nipple. He heard Justin moan in response as he nipped at the pebbled peak with his teeth before soothing it with his lips and tongue.
He could feel his and Justin's cocks trapped between their bodies, hot, heavy, and pulsing, as he paid equal attention to his other nipple, his hands lightly trailing down his husband's arms until they reached his elbows, and then taking a detour over to his waist to lightly brush across his skin with the tips of his fingers. He smiled as he heard Justin giggle then over the ticklish sensation, just as he expected, before he raised his head to peer up at the large, luminous, blue eyes, so full of love and desire for him. Their eyes locked and he heard Justin suck in an expectant breath before his hands traveled down to his hips as he readied himself for his prize. Licking his lips in anticipation Brian lightly tongued the underside of his husband's cock, receiving another moan from above, before he engulfed the tip in his mouth.
He felt Justin's hands grab onto the top of his head and his body grow rigid as he began to slide his lips and tongue up and down the shaft, reaching down at the same time to grasp the base with one hand as he lightly juggled the heavy, full balls with his other. He then got to work in earnest, sucking on a couple of his fingers to get them coated with saliva before he proceeded to deep throat Justin's cock. He felt a slight jolt of surprise from his husband as he slid one finger inside the tight, rosebud-shaped hole, then another as he continued to bob his head up and down his lover's shaft, savoring the salty-sweet taste on his tongue as his lips slid up and down the hot flesh.
Justin by now was a writhing mess of pleasure and desire as he squeezed his eyes shut and curled his toes under in the throes of pending climax, his face sweaty and red with heightened arousal as he moaned softly. "Fuck...Brian...so...so good..." His voice became more vocal, his balls drawing tight with impending release as Brian increased his ministrations to encourage it.
"Yes..." Brian paused long enough to reply as he gazed up at Justin's face. God, he was so magnificent when he was about to climax. "Come on, Sunshine," he demanded. "Do it; I want to see you come for me."
Returning to Justin's profusely leaking cock, he began to suck harder then, his fingers pumping in and out of the tight, narrow hole, until it became too much for Justin to control any longer; crying out Brian's name loudly as he promptly shot down his throat, his body quivering with uncontrollable desire.
Licking his husband clean, Brian slowly withdrew his fingers and released Justin's cock, his own hard and heavy as he slid back up Justin's sweaty body like an elegant panther. Nose to nose, he smiled down at the lazy look on his lover's face. "Feel good?" he murmured as he brushed some sweaty hair back from his forehead.
Justin nodded, eyelids half-shut, as he smiled up at him. "That...That was..."
Brian smirked. "I know. But don't go to sleep on me, Sunshine. That was just Round One."
Justin grinned sexily as he reached down to squeeze Brian's cock, watching the amber-colored eyes darker with desire. "I'm ready when you are," he promised him sultrily.
Brian reached down to steal a quick kiss from the soft, ravaged lips as Justin spread his legs to better accommodate him. Brian rose up onto his haunches as he began to look around. It was one thing to use his spit to loosen Justin up with his fingers; this was something entirely different. He briefly cursed himself for even having to worry about needing a condom; if he hadn't been so stupid and thoughtless before...
"Brian," came the soft reproach as if Justin read his mind. "Don't worry," he whispered in reassurance as their eyes met. "Gus took care of it. Top drawer," he instructed.
Brian swallowed down the sorrowful thoughts to push them aside as he reached over to pull out the narrow nightstand drawer and retrieve a small tube of lube and a couple of condoms. He was about to tear open one of the packets when Justin reached up to grab his wrist to get his attention. Furrowing his brow at him in curiosity, Justin whispered, "You know it's only temporary. One day soon we won't need any barriers between us...okay?"
Brian stared into his expressive, blue eyes, returning a wistful smile as he nodded in understanding. Justin raised his legs then to place them on his husband's shoulders, gripping his biceps as Brian tore open the condom packet and reached to pull it down over his cock. Squirting some of the lube then onto his fingers, he slathered it onto his cock before applying some around Justin's hole. Grasping his husband's legs to lower them, Justin wrapped them around his waist to readjust his position. Placing his hands onto the slender, pale waist for balance, Brian leaned down to whisper "I love you so fucking much," before he arched his back and slowly pressed inside, stealing a kiss as he heard Justin hiss into his mouth over the initial intrusion. Pulling back from the warm lips, he whispered, "all right?"
"Yes," Justin shakily blew the word out as his breathing quickened. "Please, Brian...More; I want more."
Brian nodded as he withdrew slightly and then thrust back in, deeper, harder, more urgently, needing to possess this man, body and soul; needing to confirm to Justin that he wanted only him, loved only him, needed only him until the end of their lives.
Justin blinked as drops of Brian's sweat tickled his eyelashes as he stared into the beautiful face of his husband. Husband. Merely that word caused his libido to go into overdrive as Brian began to fluidly thrust in and out of him, occasionally stealing kisses from his now-swollen lips. Their eyes never left each other as they made love, every touch, every kiss, every look clearly speaking of their deep commitment and devotion to each other.
Finally, Brian reached down to begin stroking Justin's cock with one of his long-fingered hands as he continued to plunge into his tight heat, grunting with each down stroke.
"Oh, fuck," Justin moaned out at the exquisite torment. "Brian...I'm going to ..."
"Do it," Brian demanded, his voice a throaty, hoarse, command. "Look at me, Justin. Look at what you fucking do to me," he told him breathlessly as he continued to thrust deeply in and out, his body glistening with a thin sheen of sweat. "Don't hold back."
The sound of passion in Brian's voice, and the impending look of climax on his face - the cord of his neck arched and his lips formed into an "O" with his eyes black now like coal - was enough to throw Justin over the edge. Digging his heels into Brian's lower back, he clenched his muscles against Brian's cock to heighten the incredible feeling of possession before his entire upper body arched upward off the bed and he exploded all over their chests, his body trembling like a volcano's aftershocks for several seconds until, at last, Brian followed him, throwing his head back as he erupted into the condom.
Brian lay, spent and sated, on top of him for a minute or two as Justin slowly stroked the sweaty skin of his back in a hypnotizing, up and down motion, until at last he raised his head to peer into his husband's face. Still trying to come down from the incredible high produced by their passion, he thought at that moment that Justin had never looked more beautiful to him, his face beaded with sweat, his golden hair plastered to his forehead, and his eyes - his heavy-laden eyes staring languidly into his as he smiled back at him. He could feel his husband's heart still beating rapidly like the tiny wings of a hummingbird beneath him as he swept the soaked hair back from his eyes. "You..." he began, suddenly finding himself getting all choked up.
Justin frowned as he continued to slowly stroke his fingers up and down Brian's bronzed skin. "What?" he whispered curiously.
Brian shook his head slightly as if to say it was nothing before he took a deep breath and then blew it out. Leaning down to steal a tender kiss, he pulled back just enough to feel Justin's breath on his face as he told him truthfully, "I was just thinking how incredible you look right now...And how much you mean to me. And how very lucky I am to have you, Gus, and the girls as my family."
Justin's eyes watered. "Brian..." He responded, touched beyond compare by that admission. This entire day had been filled with these kinds of unexpectedly candid moments, moments that he would treasure for the rest of his life. "I feel so lucky, too, and so blessed," he whispered back.
He sighed with some disappointment as Brian reluctantly slid out of him, twisting to lie on his back and tying off the condom to throw it down nonchalantly onto the rough-hewn, wooden floor. Turning to recline on his side, he braced his head with one hand while he stroked lazy patterns on Justin's shoulder with the other, feeling his husband shiver. "Cold?"
Justin smiled. "No," he confessed, blushing. He didn't have to say anything more as Brian grinned smugly. Justin reached over and smacked him lightly on the shoulder in reaction as he told him, "But you've made me sticky now. Any ideas how we can take care of that problem?"
Brian waggled his eyebrows suggestively. "As a matter of fact, I do."
"Hey!" Justin protested as he watched Brian rise from the bed. "Come back here; I don't mind sticky," he hastily clarified, deciding he already missed his husband's warmth. He couldn't help admiring the long, lightly muscled, majestic body as he walked away, and the dimples in Brian's ass cheeks as he watched him walk toward the back of the cabin. "Where are you going?" he asked, not even realizing until now that there was another exit leading out back.
"Bring the champagne, corkscrew, glasses and come find out," he replied suggestively as he turned around, a condom packet clenched in his teeth and the small tube of lube clutched in his hand; he opened the back door and left it ajar as Justin furrowed his brow in confusion. A few moments later, he heard what sounded like a machine starting up around the side of the cabin. What the hell? His curiosity - and the fact that Brian had a certain object with him - got the better of him as he slid out of bed and walked over to retrieve the bubbly, corkscrew and glasses from the table.
The sound of the motor became louder as he emerged out into the waning sunlight, and his breath caught in his throat. He wasn't sure at that moment which was more breathtaking - the sun slowly setting over the horizon of the mountains...or the sight of his Greek god of a husband, sitting with his back leaning against the inside wall of a hot tub, the jets whirling around his lower body as he anchored his arms along the back rim. He grinned lopsidedly at him as Justin's heart - and body - quickened in response. Just one look - one certain smile - and it was like the finest of aphrodisiacs to him. He could feel his cock springing back to attention as he smiled back at him in delight.
"Why don't you join me, Sunshine? The water's just right. And you're not so bad looking yourself, by the way," Brian added admiringly with a smirk. His eyes raked down the pale, slender body appreciatively, making Justin's face warm over the attention. He loved how he could do that to him. "Put down the champagne and the glasses and come here," he whispered seductively, one side of his raspberry-colored lips turning upward as he held his arms out to him invitingly.
Justin placed the bottle, glasses, and corkscrew down onto a small, wooden table near the door as he walked over to his husband, allowing him to take his hand so he could help him climb into the hot tub. The water felt deliciously stimulating against his skin as he shuffled the couple of steps over to sit down on Brian's legs and straddle him, their lips coming together for a sensuous kiss while their tongues fought for supremacy.
"Mmmm," Brian growled low in his throat as they continued to kiss, the vibration against Justin's lips ramping up his desire. He slowly began to wantonly slide back and forth on his husband's lap, making Brian tightly grasp his ass cheeks as his fingers dug into the sensitive skin.
"Fuck," Brian moaned out as they finally broke off the kiss, mesmerized by the lusty look on Justin's face and the feelings coursing through him. "You...What you do to me," he managed to utter breathlessly as he pushed Justin closer with his hands; now it was Justin's turn to moan as their cocks rubbed against each other, both painfully hard and throbbing.
"Brian..." Justin panted, his eyes darkened with arousal. "I want you. I need to feel you inside me again."
Brian urgently looked around for the condom and lube he had brought outside, locating them along the ledge of the hot tub as he reached to grab the silicon-based gel. But Justin caught him by the wrist, shaking his head to silently inform him there was no need to bother. Instead, he moved his hands down to Brian's thighs to brace himself as he moved toward his target. Brian's eyes widened in realization as he gently pushed Justin away from him, far enough to keep them separated. "What are you doing, Sunshine?" he quietly chided him. He shook his head. "You know we can't do that. Fuck, don't make this any harder than it already is," he told him.
Justin sighed in frustration. He hadn't been thinking. He wanted Brian so badly, unbidden by any barriers between them. But he was right; he had just gotten through denying him the same pleasure, and he knew enough time hadn't passed for them to be assured they were safe. He found it highly ironic, however, that it was due to his sexual activity in the past six months, and not Brian's. Was that some perverted type of poetic justice, he wondered? Nevertheless, he finally nodded as Brian reached for the condom, tearing it with his teeth to open it before Justin took it from his hand. At least he would do the 'honors,' he decided.
A few seconds later, he was fully impaled on the hard shaft, drowning in the wondrous sensations of desire and passion as they once more commenced with their dance of love, the last physical barrier between them temporarily forgotten.
An hour later, Justin found himself cocooned in Brian's arms as they lay in bed facing each other, both of them having eaten some of the Chateau Briand Daphne had managed somehow to concoct in the crock pot, a couple of warm rolls, and some of the champagne, along with a few chocolate-covered strawberries they had found in the refrigerator. He felt warm, content, and happy as he lay there, Brian fast asleep, but he found that he couldn't join him just yet. He glanced down and smiled as he looked at his left hand, finding comfort in the shiny band still resting there on his ring finger.
He realized that he still hadn't told Brian how he had discovered the rings earlier - and what he had had inscribed inside them - but he knew eventually he would point it out to him. For now, however, he was content merely in the knowledge that today really had happened; he really WAS married to this incredible man. And even better, he had a wonderful family waiting for him when they returned to Britin tomorrow. Brian had mentioned how lucky he had felt earlier. No, they were both the lucky ones.
Brushing back some hair from Brian's face, he noticed him half-smile in his sleep in reaction to his touch. Lulled at last by the crackling flames nearby coming from the stone fireplace, he snuggled closer to Brian as his husband's arms tightened around him before he finally closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.
Chapter End Notes:
Sigh...I know - I promised to have this done yesterday! I tried; but to do it justice and not rush it, I have to break it up due to the length and time it takes for me to look it over before I post it. All I have left now is the epilogue, which IS done. It will be posted either tomorrow or Wednesday, and then at last it will be complete; then I will be working hard on my other two WIPs to hopefully update them faster. Rest assured they will all be updated AND completed like always. Thank you for bearing with me, and thank you for the support & for the comments; both are greatly appreciated.