MICHAEL

The party was a complete waste of time. No one showed up, including Brian and Justin. Ma and I were sitting around the kitchen table eating after an hour went by, I had silly string ready to shower Brian and Justin with, but ended up just sitting there randomly spraying it at Ben, who barely talked to us while we waited around. He told me they probably stayed away to avoid a party neither of them were interested in having. Ma started packing up stuff and told Ben to stop moping and help clean up. Emmett warned me it wasn’t a good idea, but I wanted to cheer Ben up and show Justin that I wasn’t as bad as I seemed when he was here taking up all of Ben’s time.

Our next attempt was a week later, when I knew they were in Pittsburgh, not at the loft but still here in town. Ma cooked a buffett for our normal Sunday dinner that everyone attended, knowing it wouldn’t be fun if they didn’t. I decorated while Ben helped, still acting like his world was over. I was trying to be patient about this, but even I was reaching my limit. He talked to Justin, and it didn’t seem to change anything. I tried to talk to him about it, knowing there was a time when I acted the same way when Brian and I had a difference of opinion. I don’t get it, he was getting what he wanted from me, but acting like what we had didn’t matter. Which is why I was trying to be patient, because he put up with me doing the same thing in the past.

Ben was bothered that Justin wouldn’t tell him where they lived, except to say that it was close by. Emmett admitted they bought a house, but said he liked breathing so no help from him. Ted avoided the topic, saying he barely survived Brian's wrath.

Ma sent out orders that everyone was coming to dinner, knowing that no one denied her. I wanted to make friends with Justin, and help Mel, who pretty much knew she was on the shit list with Brian, Gus, and Justin. I wasn’t sure what to do to get them to see that Mel was only looking out for Gus, and Ben told me Justin didn’t see it that way. Truthfully I still didn’t understand what happened, since no one was talking.

Ma and I didn’t get it, from everything we’d seen, Brian was constantly too busy the last year, so how was it Mel and Lindsay fault he didn’t see Gus? I tried to get him to come with Ben and me when we went to visit, but he would tell me he didn’t have time. So it was really his fault, not the girls that Gus hadn’t seen him. When I mentioned it to Ben, he told me we assumed based on our experiences with Mel and Lindsay, but wouldn’t say what we assumed that was wrong. It was getting to the point where I wanted to scream at all of them for not telling us exactly what the hell happened.

Brian wasn’t answering my calls, but I wasn’t worried since I no longer expected him to call me or answer to me the way I used to. Of course, it was probably more that my life no longer existed as if Brian was the only reason for it. I remember wondering why I couldn’t be happy with Ben, who was giving me everything I wanted. I realized if I loved Ben, then chasing after Brian wasn’t the way to go. It was easier than I thought it would be, because I really loved Ben. Ben gave me all the things that Brian never would, and when we adopted Hunter, Ben gave me a family that eclipsed Brian.

My plan was to get him and Justin to come to dinner and with Ma’s help we see if we could solve whatever happened. Jenny only said that Gus wasn’t talking to the moms, just her. Mel kept telling me it was between her and Brian, and to leave it alone. Only I wanted everyone to get along again, so she could just deal with it. The perfect opportunity came when they told me they were coming to drop off Jenny. Mel and Lindsay dropped off Jenny, saying they were going to stay with friends, but reluctantly agreed when Ma told them they would show up for Sunday dinner. I was starting to think maybe what Ben said was right, that everything wasn’t what we thought. I get things, it just takes time.

JUSTIN

Brian and Gus were going to do some father-son bonding and I wanted to explore my new life, so I told him to have fun and said I had things to do. Brian wanted me to come along, but I could tell Gus really wanted to spend the day with Brian alone. It didn’t bother me, I was used to doing things on my own and actually liked to. It wasn’t like I didn’t get that my life was changing, and I was working on dealing with the fact that Brian needed to know what I was doing. 

I think part my problem is getting used to things I didn’t know about Brian. We might have spent a year around each other, but it was usually a week or two at a time, at the most. Not enough time to know he’s a bit anal about everything having a place. I tend lose things, since I’m not organized except when it comes to work. Until now, my life was temporary wherever I went. So there were people who took care of things, like my clothes and the dishes I left behind, and knowing there was a timer on the stove. 

Brian mentioned this dinner that we'd been invited to, not really saying we had to go, just that it was something they all went to. He kept acting like they'd send me running the minute we spent time with them. If I could survive the country club, I doubt a small dinner would be a problem.

I really wanted to talk to Molly about telling our dad I moved back here, but Brian wasn’t a fan of my sister. Wait until he meets my dad, Molly will look fantastic then. I found the restaurant Molly wanted to meet at, and dreaded going in. This was the place my parents liked to go. I was ready to walk out when not only was Molly at the table, but my mom.

“I thought it would be nice for the three of us to have lunch together. You two are never in the same place at the same time,” Mom said, as if that was the only reason I didn't see her.

“It's only lunch.” Molly told me, when I still hadn't sat down.

“It's it, or is it that Dad wants something?” I asked, deciding the baby needed to eat and sat down.

“Honey, he's just worried about you. We both are. You can't spend your life partying away. It's time for you to settle down. Molly mentioned you bought a house and moved in with a guy you barely know. I have a right to be worried, especially after some of the things your father found out,” She told me. 

“Tell Dad he isn’t after my money. Which might surprise him, since that's why he married you,” I told her, not caring that it hurt her.

“It wasn’t like that,” Mom said, still denying anything that didn’t fit into her delusions about Dad.

“Justin, knock it off,” Molly warned. Before, I would have, but this involved Brian, and Molly started this by telling our parents.

It was the moment I wondered if I should have let Molly deal with our dad. She might have gotten angry with him, but she was still close to him. I wanted to believe what I was doing made her life easier, and it did. But it also made it so she didn’t see what the Taylor family was really like when you didn’t agree with them.

“If you hadn’t felt the need to tell Dad things that were none of his business, then I wouldn’t see the need to say anything,” I told her.

“They were going to find out, so what’s the big deal?” Molly responded.

I stopped my mom before she said she had the right to know about my life. “I don’t report to you, or anyone in Dad’s family. It’s not like you weren’t there when Dad told me if I wasn’t going to help the family, then the family didn’t need me. So I don’t feel the need to inform my former family about what I do,” I told them, ignoring them in order to hurry up this lunch.

“Dad is sorry that he made it sound like you had to date his friend. He thought it showed you that he supported you,” Molly said, like this was some grand gesture on my dad’s part to show that my being gay didn’t bother him.

“Then I guess it won’t bother you when he starts introducing you to men old enough to be our father and expecting you to ‘help the family’. Which he will, now that Mom can tell him I’m not going to be there to stop him,” I told her.

“How could you stop him?” Mom asked, confused.

“Don’t,” Molly said, since she knew what I knew.

“I don’t need the leverage now that your going to start dealing with your own life. I’ll have the information sent to Mom, and she can chose to believe what she reads, and the pictures, or stay blind to what Dad was doing while watching you. Enjoy lunch on me, since I lost my appetite talking to both of you,” I told them, getting up after throwing money on the table.

“Sit down!” Molly ordered me.

“Molly, lower your voice,” My mom whispered, looking around.

“Yes, lower your voice, since the approval of people we don’t know or care about has always been more important to the Taylors,” I told them, walking away and leaving Molly to deal with it all.

Once outside I really didn’t know where to go, and then decided it was time to decide on a car. I’d been renting cars, as if I didn’t want a permanent one. The same way I wouldn’t agree to commit to one of the rooms Emmett created. Although part of that was because they were all amazing. I called Emmett, since he told me he was at loose ends most days, and he agreed to come with me. I needed to start making friends with the people in Brian’s life, since my life was going to include Brian. It was more that Brian might growl at Emmett, but I knew from what he told me that he liked Emmett, a lot. 

Emmett and Blake were waiting when I got to the place he told me to pick him up. They both got in, not even worried that Emmett didn’t mention Blake was coming with us.

“Let’s go before anyone figures out we left,” Emmett told me.

“Ted can distract them for only so long,” Blake added.

“Why would Ted need to distract them?” I asked.

“Baby, the minute they all found out about you, it’s all they could talk about. Michael and Deb actually had the surprise party, even when I told them not to, and agreed it was wrong to do without asking. Something that normally doesn’t happen, which means they're onto something new. Ben is acting like someone killed his dog, and driving Michael insane, which has been all kinds of interesting, since at one time Michael did it to Ben over Brian. Ben wasn’t thrilled with Michael at the time, but he didn’t really tell anyone. Only Michael doesn’t suffer anything alone, he tells EVERYONE. Deb plans to make sure you and Brian know what your doing with the baby, likely by offering to raise it for you. Plus, she and Michael think you and Brian are being unfair to Mel and Lindsay, and think making you guys talk to each other will solve everything. I’m on Brian’s side of this on the Mel and Lindsay thing. If Gus wanted his dad, what was the big deal? It’s not like Brian would do anything worse than any other parent. I guess I should tell you Mel and Lindsay showed up and will be at dinner, since they probably didn’t mention it to Brian,” Emmett said before winding down.

I looked to Blake to see if he had anything to add. “I was actually pissed that Mel announced your news through Michael, other than that, what he said,” He told me, nodding to Emmett.

“It wasn’t how I wanted to tell people, but I’m not going to stay pissed about it. Brian doesn’t want there to be problems between him and the girls for Gus’s sake, so hopefully we can figure everything out, to make it easier on him and Gus,” I told them.

“What are we doing?” Emmett asked.

“I decided I like this car, so I want to go buy one, then return this one. Then maybe you guys could come with me and help me make a decision on the baby’s room, it’s been hard to decide which one I like more,” I told them, making Emmett beam.

BRIAN

Gus and I got home from shopping to see a new car in the driveway. Justin kept saying he didn’t want a car he’d end up not liking if he didn’t have time to see if it was really what he wanted. It sounded to me like it was about more than a car. It was definitely a learning curve actually living together. Justin tends to put things everywhere, and I like to know where things are without having to search for them. Anytime I mentioned making a decision about the baby’s room, setting up his studio, or sometimes even dinner, he changed the subject.

When we got in the house, Emmett and Blake were in the kitchen with Justin, all of them stuffing their faces. I’d been undecided about dinner with Deb tonight, but it seems Justin was doing okay with Emmett and Blake. 

“You know we have dinner in a couple of hours?” I asked them.

“I missed lunch, and apparently the baby wasn’t happy about it,” He told me.

“Gus, why don’t you come tell me what you’ve been doing with your dad,” Emmett asked Gus.

“Guys, it’s not a big deal,” Justin told them.

“He still should know what happened,” Blake told him.

Justin got up and pulled me behind him. Blake smiled, so I didn’t think it would be anything bad. He closed us in the bedroom and tried to pull me into a kiss. I really had no problem with him wanting to touch any part of me, but he’d used this before to avoid talking to me.

“Tell me.” I said, kissing him.

I pulled him away before we got too carried away. “I had lunch, well I didn’t eat lunch, but went to have lunch with my sister. Only, she brought my mom, and I sort of get why you have a problem with the way things are between my sister and me,” He told me.

“Justin, there’s helping someone, then there’s helping someone who uses you. She gets you to show up and then likely makes sure your dad and his family think she was only following what you wanted. You see things about people and situations that most people don’t see. But with her, you still want to believe you have to solve them for her. In the end, she gets to have it all,” I told him.

“I didn’t care, it wasn’t like I could look any worse in their eyes,” He responded.

“You also made it so she doesn’t realize what they are really like,” I reminded him.

“She will now. I can’t ignore my life for hers anymore. I want the second room, with the oak crib,” He told me.

“Then we decide what room to put it in and Emmett will get it ready, waiting for the baby,” I told him.

“I bought the car, and called someone to outfit my studio,” He told me.

“Anything else?” I asked.

“Not yet, but the day isn’t over, are we going to dinner?” He asked, licking up the side of my neck.

“Do you really want to? I can deal with Deb if we don’t,” I told him, running my hands down his back and cupping his ass.

“Later. We’ll decide later,” He told me, taking off my shirt, while I took care of my pants. 

Justin pushed me back on the bed and went down on his knees, taking me in his mouth. Foreplay with Justin was just having him touching me lately. He stroked up my thighs separating them as his hands wandered, rubbing around my rim. He licked his way down until his lips closed around my opening, then he sucked, pressing his tongue forward tracing around the hole before forcing his tongue to breach me. I never really wanted this from others, since they never really did it right. Justin could give me a run for rimming. He held me open while he left nothing untouched. I spread my legs wider without a thought to where we were going with this. I honestly didn’t have any thoughts other than to get him to fuck me, before I came just from his mouth. Justin proved he could multitask by being naked by the time he had me opened the way he wanted.

He tore open a condom wrapper and managed to keep me stimulated before pushing in all the way. I relaxed through the burn and the stretching it took to handle Justin’s generous proportions. Opening my eyes and looking into his to let him know I was ready for more. He took a deep breath before pulling out and plunging forward, I loved that he had to fight for control when he was inside me. It was the same thing for me when it was him.

He jerked me, holding my hips as he thrust in me, I started stroking myself when he continuously hit my prostate, and came all over both of us. He groaned as he came, holding himself still until he was done. He laid down next to me, getting rid of the condom. 

“So, dinner sounds good,” He told me, getting up and going to take a shower.

I looked down at my still hard cock and decided a shower sounded better. Justin seemed to agree, since I found him all prepared for me in the shower, bent over and smiling over his shoulder, legs apart, waiting.

“So we’ll be a little late,” I told him, not really caring if we showed up at all.