Epilogue

“Hey, I already worried that you wouldn't make it in time,” Brian said as he saw Justin enter the house in a hurry, quickly throwing away his keys and bag.

“Not a chance in hell I would miss this,” the younger man replied quickly, before planting a kiss on Brian's lips and already moving up the stairs. “Just give me a minute to get a shower and get changed.”

Brian pulled up his nose as he followed Justin up the stairs and into the bathroom, frowning at the smell and the stains on his shirt.

“What's that smell?”

“Vomit,” Justin supplied before getting out of his clothes and turning on the water in the shower.

“Yours?” Brian asked in a mixture of concern and mostly disgust, feeling relieved when Justin shook his head.

“Girl on crack who thought it was smart to eat two handfuls of dirt followed by a helping of tapestry,” he told Brian before getting under the spray and quickly washing off the smell as Brian got rid of the clothes, putting them into the washing machine right away.

“Nice,” he mumbled to himself as he saw Justin leave the bathroom a minute later, a towel wrapped around his lithe body.

“Stressful day?” Brian asked as he handed Justin a clean shirt, looking at him from understanding eyes.

“Not more than on other days,” Justin answered, drying himself off before putting on new clothes.

“You look tired.”

“Nothing that a good night's sleep in your arms won't cure,” Justin said as he made his way over to Brian, putting his arms around his neck and kissing him gently.

Justin had been working with the charity for more than a year now and he still loved every day of that work. He loved being with the kids, trying to help them and seeing that help accepted and seeing those kids get a chance at a normal life. The work fulfilled him and made him happy and even though it was stressful at times, especially during his semesters when he had classes at two universities on his schedule as well and didn't always abide to normal working hours, like today, Justin was happy and that was all that mattered to Brian.

He loved seeing Justin happy and he always had to smile proudly when Justin started telling stories about some of the kids he had been able to help and how they had connected to him, his eyes shining and his whole face lighting up. Brian knew without a doubt that Justin had found his place in life and it made him happy and most of all very proud.

Looking at Justin now and seeing him healthy, seeing him help homeless, drug addicted teens, while working on his art and social work degrees at the same time, one couldn't imagine that just less than two years ago he had been addicted to drugs himself and had been on the brink of throwing away his life. But Justin had fought his way back and had managed to prove everyone wrong, making the best of the second chance that had been given to him.

He had worked past his legal troubles, his financial troubles as well as many emotional issues and had found his way back into living a good, happy life. He had done so with Brian's help and would forever be grateful to him for not having given up on him when so many others had.

Brian had been his rock and had been by his side through the worst hours of his life, always holding him and supporting him and it was Justin's greatest joy that they had managed to get a relationship out of it and were happy as a couple.

They had been together for almost nine months now and to Justin those had been the happiest nine months of his life. He was loved by and loved the most amazing man he'd ever met in his life and worked in a job that fulfilled him and made him happy. He often sat down and just felt amazed by how his life had worked out, wondering what he had done to deserve to become so happy.

“If we didn't have to go, I'd force you to spoil me endlessly all night long,” Justin whispered against Brian's lips, smiling when he heard him chuckle.

“You don't have to force me, Sunshine. Never have to force me when it comes to loving you.”

“Good to know,” Justin winked before pulling back and running his hands through Brian's hair. “Have I told you how much I love you?”

“Not in the last seven hours,” Brian laughed gently, pulling Justin close once more.

“Sacrilege,” Justin gasped, pulling Brian close once more, smiling as his lips were claimed in another kiss.

“Got that right,” Brian whispered, tasting Justin's mouth before pulling back and letting go of Justin, who got the hint. If they didn't stop now, they would never make it out of the house.

Justin moved back over to his side of the bed, putting his watch back on as he looked at Brian.

“How was your day?”

“You know how it goes. Was supposed to do three presentations and we only managed to do two because one client cancelled at the last minute. Means I have to do an extra presentation tomorrow. But other than that it was good.”

Brian had quickly turned Kinnetik into the number one boutique advertisement agency on the East Coast and with him being the great ad man that he was, the company had quickly become very successful. Months ago Brian had hired several more account execs who had brought in even more clients. Kinnetik had had a very good, profitable first year and had become more successful than even Brian had anticipated before he had returned to Pittsburgh. Having the other ad execs work for him, also meant that Brian was able to delegate business trips to them and didn't have to leave Justin's side if he didn't want to. Brian and Justin had only been apart for two nights after they had gotten together and those two nights had been because Brian had to go to New York to do some ass licking for a rich fart client as he had refered to it at the time and Justin couldn't get any time off to join him. Brian had hated being away from Justin and he knew that no job in this world, no client or account, no matter how great it was would ever pull him away from the side of his beloved again. By delegating any annoying trips to his account execs, he could return home at the end of the day and would always be able to fall asleep with Justin by his side, just like he liked best.

“And here I thought you had cocked up your presentations,” Justin winked, as he ran a hand through his hair to get some sort of hairstyle done.

“Me? Hey, you know I am a pro and the best at what I do!” Brian grinned as he stopped Justin's hand from going through his hair once more, smiling gently. “Don't. You look great!”

“You're biased,” Justin just gave back, but in the end didn't run his hand through his hair again.

“More like crazy about you. Sounds nicer,” Brian chuckled before he made for the door, Justin following behind him, still laughing.

“Right.”

They made their way out of the house towards the car, joking with each other as they drove the fifteen minutes to the muncher's house where they could immediately hear kids' laughter and squealing as they got out of their car.

When they rang the bell, Gus opened the door shortly after, wearing a 'Happy Birthday' cap, smiling at them widely. “Daddy! Justin!”

“Hey Birthday boy,” Justin smiled as he scooped the now five year old into his arms and held him close, leaving a kiss on his cheek. “Happy Birthday, honey!”

Gus just giggled in his arms before Brian leaned in as well, leaving a kiss on his other cheek. “Happy Birthday, sonny boy!”

“Are you having a nice party?” Justin asked as he walked into the living-room where he could see several kids play and adults sitting at the table. Gus, who was still clinging to him as if he would never let go of his father's boyfriend ever again, nodded happily.

“There was a clown, Justin. And I got many presents.”

“Many presents? Does that mean you don't need another one?” Justin joked, tickling the boy's belly, making him squeal in his arms.

“Want more presents,” he just exclaimed once he had calmed down and Justin let him down, pointing towards Brian who was holding the presents.

“Daddy has your presents, honey. I hope you like them!”

He watched as Gus ran off towards Brian, jumping him next, nearly making him lose grip of the presents as the small boy excitedly turned around in his arms, reaching for the first present.

“There you go, sonny boy,” Brian chuckled as he watched Gus rip off the wrapping paper, unpacking his drumsticks which belonged to the bigger children's drum set he had already gotten earlier that day from his mothers. “So you can make very loud music and annoy your mummy and ma very much,” Brian chuckled before he pulled out the second present and handed it to the surprised boy who clearly hadn't expected to get a second present and apparently hadn't seen the second box before.

Gus immediately started unwrapping it as well and squealed in excitement when he unpacked a Buzz Lightyear cuddly toy, hugging it close at once. He had been in love with Buzz Lightyear for a long time now and Brian had just known that he would love having him as a cuddly toy.

Gus excitedly ran off towards his mothers who had watched everything from the table where they were sitting with some of the other guests, who had all watched on with warm eyes as their son had greeted his beloved daddy and his boyfriend and had unpacked even more presents. They smiled at him when he excitedly told them about his new presents.

Brian and Justin slowly made their way over as well and Michael got up and greeted them, hugging them both close.

“Thought you wouldn't make it anymore,” he chuckled as he pointed to the big clock on the wall, which showed that it was already close to six in the evening.

“Princess here couldn't decide what he wanted to wear,” Brian winked, earning himself a glare and a hit on the shoulder from Justin.

“I was held up at work. He's just trying to distract from the fact that he wouldn't have been ready any earlier anyway,” he chuckled.

“Nothing serious, I hope,” Michael said as Brian and Justin moved towards the table, greeted everyone and sat down as well.

“Just the usual,” Justin replied, knowing that Michael would understand.

Over the last year, ever since his trial, he and Michael had built a new friendship and were as close as they had ever been, probably even closer than they had ever been and Michael had been one of his biggest supporters along with Brian and Emmett when he had announced that he didn't want to return to waiting tables, but wanted to do something where he could work with people in his situation and where he could help them. Michael had been very interested in the work that Justin did and they would often talk for a long time, forgetting everything else around them, discussing certain cases that Justin was working on.

Michael came back from the kitchen and handed Brian a bottle of beer and Justin a glass of coke, then sat down in his place again, raising his own bottle of beer at them before listening to Gus go on about his new present.

Brian had to smile at that, because Michael didn't even have to ask either of them what they wanted to drink. He had just known because he knew them so well. He looked over at Justin as he took a sip from his glass of coke, then took a sip of his beer as well.

Justin had refused to drink any alcohol ever since he had been through his drug withdrawal, telling Brian once that he just didn't want to go to any risk, clearly having proven to everyone around that he had an addictive nature and not wanting to put it to the test once more.

Brian had accepted that and so had everyone else. It was Justin's choice and at the time Brian had felt proud that Justin had been that aware of his own problems and had accepted them as a part of his life, had accepted that addiction was a life-long battle and that it was better to not take any risks. He didn't seem to miss alcohol anyway and it had been great for Brian, who had once joked to Justin that he now always had someone who was still sober and could drive back home if he had had a drink too much.

As could easily be seen, Justin hadn't only rebuild his relationship with Michael, but had also managed to built a relationship with Gus who just adored his father's boyfriend and was mostly too young to still remember Justin from before he had become a victim of drugs and had been pulled into his addiction. He had barely been a year at the time and couldn't really remember and ever since Justin had started coming over with Brian more often or when he had visited them at their place, he loved his Justin and couldn't get enough of him and Brian.

Brian had been happy about that and he had been happy about Justin rebuilding his friendships with Michael and Emmett. In fact Justin had been able to rebuild most of the friendships and relationships in his life, even though it had been hard at times and had been very painful to face up to some of the things he had done when under the influence of the drugs, but thankfully most people were able to see that he wasn't like that anymore and had changed for the better, allowing him a second chance and letting him back into their lives. Brian had been most glad about Justin rebuilding his friendship with Daphne as well as the relationship with his mother and sister, people that had always been important to Justin and still were.

Looking back on the past year, Brian knew that they had made the right choices and he knew without a doubt that giving their relationship a go had been the right thing to do for Justin and himself.

When they had gotten together, there had been a talk between them about keeping their relationship secret or going open with it and Brian had secretly dreaded that talk, thinking that Justin might think that he was still believing in his old opinions about relationships, but when the topic had come up, he had been surprised by what an easy conversation it had been. Mostly for himself as well..

“Sure, why not?” He had just said as Justin had suggested coming out to their friends and family and making their relationship public.

Justin looked at Brian as if he had grown a second head. “Wh-what?”

“Yeah, let's do it. Why not?”

“What happened to. 'Oh, I don't believe in love and relationships and I won't be tied down in an imitation of a heteronormative life?” Justin asked in slight disbelief.

Brian had taken Justin's hand and had sighed before he explained his change of heart. “Keeping it secret won't do us any good. It will destroy us and...I don't want that. I have changed and...now things are different. I am not the fucking Stud anymore and nobody cares about what I do or don't do. I haven't been that person since I have left for New York. Honestly? People have probably forgotten all about me in recent years. I don't think anyone will as much as raise an eyebrow and...you always wanted us to be a couple and wanted everyone to know and I was too stubborn to realise that, but...if you still want to do it, I think we should. I think we should be open if that's what you want. If only to keep the pressure of having to hide and appear as something we're not in public away from us. I love you, Sunshine and I don't care if the whole world knows. In fact...I want them to know because you make me so happy! Everyone should know how amazing you are.”

And that had been that discussion. They had talked about how they wanted to reveal their relationship to their loved ones, if they wanted to say something or not, but in the end decided to just let people figure it out themselves. They decided to just be themselves and if a friend or family member caught them kissing or holding hands, well that was that. They didn't give a shit and would continue as they had before.

And when people on Liberty Avenue had started to figure out the nature of their new relationship, it had been a topic for about a week and things had then died down, making Brian laugh at how stupid he had been for expecting anything else. Brian had still gotten offers from willing tricks at Babylon and Woody's and nothing much had changed. Their family and friends had been happy for them and had wished them all the best, not a single one having a bad thing to say to either of them. In the end it had gone a lot better than either of them had expected and they had been open about their love ever since. There had even been known moments when Brian had answered questions about his relationship with Justin when someone had asked and when he had felt like it.

It had been so much fun to see the expressions on people's faces when Brian had actually used the word relationship and partner to describe what Justin was to him.

Being out as a couple and not having to hide or try to present themselves as something they were not for the sake of Brian's Stud image on Liberty Avenue had been a huge relief for both of them and also a completely new experience. They had never before gone out for romantic dinners or walks or a night at the movies. Back when they had been fucking for the first time it had all been about going to Babylon, Woody's and the backroom and that had been it. It was new to both of them and they both enjoyed the feeling very much.

Yeah, it had been a good year and Brian just hoped that the next years would be just as good.

Looking at Justin now, seeing Gus in his lap excitedly telling him a story, seeing Justin smile at him, his eyes shining with happiness and joy and most of all love as he looked up and his eyes met Brian's, Brian knew that the bad years were over.

He knew without a doubt that they would be fine and he would love Justin until the end of his days. They had been through the worst imaginable things together and had made it through them together and Brian knew that after what Justin had been through, there was nothing that could ever pull them apart again.

Things couldn't get any worse than that and they had survived that. Their future looked bright and they were both happy. And that was all that mattered to Brian as he smiled at his lover, watching him grin happily at something Gus had said.

The End