Justin held the bouquet of white lilies, looking into Brian's eyes, trusting him to guide his aim. Brian inclined his head to his right, and Justin grinned, waving the flowers above his head in rhythm with the music Chuck was playing (Hit Me With Your Best Shot by Pat Benatar), before he threw it hard over his right shoulder.

Brian slapped his forehead, and Justin realized too late Brian's right was actually Justin's left.

“Your other right, Sunshine,” he sneered.

Justin turned slowly, to see where the bouquet had landed. His eyes widened when he say Gus staring repulsed at the flowers in front of him.

Brian strolled over, picking up the bouquet, assuring his son that no damage had been done, before carrying it to Debbie, and presenting it to her with a flourish movement. Justin joined Brian, smiling sheepishly.

“What’s this? I’m pretty sure this is no how the throwing of the bouquet works,” Debbie said, shocked.

“It’s not my fault Justin still hasn’t learned the difference between left and right,” Brian joked.

Carl leaned closer to Debbie, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. “I hate clichés about proposing to your better half at a wedding, but…”

“The truth is, Deb, we’ve all conspired so Carl would finally make an honest woman of you.” Brian winked.

“We don’t want you living in sin anymore,” Michael joined them.

“Oh!” Debbie cupped her mouth. She turned to Carl slowly, smiling tearfully. “Now that all my boys are legally married, recognized by the state of Pennsylvania, yes. Yes, I will marry you, Carl Horvath!”

Cliff Richard’s song, Congratulations, started playing loudly, making everyone laugh.

Brian decided Chuck was in for a raise for his sense of humor that evening. He had made a point to play appropriate songs for all highlights of the party. Like, when Justin and Jennifer shared a dance, Chuck had found a very appropriate song for them, which was a remix of Mama Said by Metallica; when Michael had dragged Brian to the dance floor, Chuck had played My Best Friend from Queen; when Justin had danced with Emmett and tripped over his feet, Chuck had made sure to accentuate the moment with a remix of the first lyric – I keep on falling – from Alicia Keys’s song Fallin’, which had everyone laughing.

It was a while later, when everyone was enjoying their piece of cake at their own tables, with quiet blues playing in the background.

“This cake is worth living,” Justin said, amused.

Brian pursed his lips. “Too soon.”

“Okay, no jokes about our hay fun.”

“Justin.”

“Okay, okay, Grumpy. But if we don’t laugh, I’m about to start bawling.”

“Well, it is serious.”

Justin scooted his chair closer to Brian, polishing his plate. “You have to talk to your friend at the bakery that your husband requests this cake every month. His happiness depends on this mousse goodness.”

“I’ll be sure to think of my sanity and consider a monthly subscription for you.”

Justin nodded emphatically, missing the sarcasm. “I think I’m in love.”

Brian dipped his head to kiss Justin's lips. “I thought you were…with me.”

“Yeah, but it doesn’t compare with this cake.”

Brian laughed loudly.

“Want some?” Justin lifted his fork, waving it above his head, trying to aim for Brian’s mouth.

“No, thanks. I’ve already stepped all over my rules.”

“Oh, live a little.” Justin pressed the fork to Brian's lips, but managed to smudge his nose in the raspberry mousse. Justin arched backwards, licking at Brian's nose. “Yum.”

“Yuck.”

Justin startled so badly, he fell out of his chair, trying to sit up straight. “Nick.”

His son had appeared at their side, staring with disgust at the cake of Brian’s face.

Justin scrambled up, staring sorrowfully at the last piece of cake, now smudging his white dress shirt. It had been a miracle they hadn’t put anything on them up until that point. White clothes often called for dirt.

“Nick, I told you to not…” Jennifer trailed off, her eyes on the shoulder of Justin's shirt.

Justin winced, snatching the napkin, and dabbing at the red and brown mousse, making a bigger mess. “I haven’t outgrown Nick’s age. I still put food on me.”

Jennifer laughed tensely. “Most of the raspberry part is on your neck.”

“Briaaan,” Justin groaned, thrusting him the napkin.

Brian gritted his teeth. “What the fuck did I get myself into? I didn’t sign anything about being your fucking maid.”

“I know you’d rather clean me in other more delicious ways, but we still have guests to entertain,” Justin joked.

“Come on, honey.” Jennifer tried to steer Nick away from them.

“I want to sit with my daddies!” Nick shouted, wrenching away from her.

For both Brian and Justin, hearing Nick referring to both of them as his daddies was something normal. For their guests, it didn’t seem to be normal, because everyone within earshot, who had heard Nick, started talking loudly, at once.

Brian pulled Nick on his lap. “We’ll make it official on Tuesday,” he told Nick softly.

“For real?” Nick’s eyes widened, then he threw his arms around Brian's neck.

“You mentioned you wanted to adopt him on Christmas,” Jennifer said slowly.

“For that, we had to get married first. Since Pennsylvania has finally decided to accept our marriage as lawful, Brian can legally adopt Nick as our son,” Justin said in a snippy voice. “Now, I know you want to spend more time with him, but can’t you accept his wish to stay with us? You’ll have him for yourself for one week from next Saturday,” Justin added in a mollified voice.

She nodded, teary-eyed. After stroking Justin's hair, Jennifer returned to her table.

Justin scowled after her, but Brian reached a hand to cover his knee. “I can’t believe I’m saying this, but you are so lucky your mother accepts you for who you are. She only wants to help, and I guess that’s love.”

Justin cleared his throat, feeling choked up, disabling him from speaking. He leaned closer, kissing Brian's cheek, near his ear, where he whispered. “I’d like to think your mom is happy right now, and that she regrets how she treated you. I love you, Brian.”

“I want to dance!” Nick squirmed out of Brian's lap, interrupting their tender moment. He stopped between their chairs, looking expectantly at them. “With both of you.”

“Right, Boss.” Brian took one of Nick’s hands, lifting a brow at Justin.

Laughing, Justin took Nick’s other hand, allowing his son to take them to the dance floor.

After a few songs, Nick got bored, and went to search for Emmett, who was a better dancing partner.

“I don’t think I’ve ever been so insulted in my life,” Brian said, amused, once they were left alone.

“Please, even a child can see it. You’re hopeless,” Justin teased.

“What?” Brian spat, narrowing his eyes.

“Come on, Brian. If I were to decide whether I wanted you or not, based on your dancing skills, I would have chosen…Ted.” Justin bent over, laughing.

“Is the minister still around? We’re getting a fucking divorce,” Brian shouted, looking around.

Justin smiled tightly at Debbie who was watching them truly worried, before he pulled Brian out of the barn. “Stop scaring our guests.”

“I’m fucking serious, Justin. Your son, sure. He’s seven, what does he know?”

“More than you,” Justin snorted. He looped his arms around Brian's neck. “Come one, woo me with your dancing skills.”

Brian huffed, but fell in an easy rhythm with the song spilling from inside the barn. It was now dark outside, the only lights coming from the fairy string of lights in the trees close-by and around the pillars on the porch.

“What you lack in dancing skills on the dance floor, you over-compensate in the dancing skills between the sheets,” Justin said sweetly.

Brian threw his head back, laughing loudly. Then he pulled Justin flush against his chest. “Promise me to never change.”

“If you promise me the same thing. I mean, don’t learn how to dance on my account,” Justin jested, but Brian knew he understood his words quite clearly.

Michael and Ben joined them, curious what they were doing in the darkness, all alone.

“Just like in tenth grade when you found me in the dark locker room with the janitor,” Brian groaned. “Can’t you stop asking ridiculous questions?”

Michael sputtered, then chuckled nervously. “Your blowing skills must have improved since Justin isn’t naked.”

“I was about to ask, of course, I shouldn’t have tried,” Justin laughed.

“I was giving him a hand job. The janitor, that is,” Brian said hastily.

“Right, you reserved your blow jobs for the gym teacher,” Justin said, amused.

“You learn fast,” Brian grinned.

“I’m sure your life in high school was fascinating. I was wondering what you’d say if I ever tried to base a character and a storyline on that,” Ben commented.

“Since when do you write porn, Ben? Gory porn,” Brian said slowly.

“What’s that?”

“Don’t,” Michael said in warning. “But maybe it will do you some good to sit down with Ben and brainstorm about his new book idea. It might be therapeutic.”

“Use your vast imagination, Ben. I’m sure the book will turn much better than the reality,” Brian said seriously. “What the hell?” He looked up when something wet hit his cheek.

“You felt it too?” Justin asked, looking toward the sky, too. “I thought a bird peed on me.”

“It’s going to start raining,” Ben said thoughtfully, holding a hand palm up.

“Better break the party so everyone can go home, before it starts pouring,” Justin said, hurrying inside the barn.

“So what happened earlier?” Michael demanded, lingering, when Ben followed Justin.

Brian shrugged, wishing he had his cigarettes on him. “I’m starting to see why we kept being stalled in getting the fucking horses. What’s a good replacement for hay?”

“What? What’s that got to do with…” Michael’s eyes widened, then he laughed. “No way, you fucked in the hay.”

Brian scowled at his best friend. “Turns out Justin is severely allergic to hay.”

Michael sobered up instantly. “Shit.”

“You can say that again. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him so scared. He was shaking.”

Michael wrapped his elbow around Brian's. “Remember how you wanted to kill yourself the night Gus was born? Trying to reenact a General Hospital episode again?”

“Don’t even joke about it,” Brian barked. “You don’t know…no one understands…when Justin's life is at stake, I feel like…well, like I’m going to die, too.”

“Because you love him, Brian. Don’t you think I feel the same about Ben? After his last stay at the hospital when he didn’t realize he had run out of one of his meds…” Michael took a shaky breath. “I try not to think that one day, we are going to lose them…the people we love. It won’t hurt any less if it’s us losing them, or them losing us.”

“How the fuck did we end up talking about death?” Brian groaned, pushing Michael toward the barn when big droplets of rain splatted on their heads. “It’s my wedding.”

“Not that long ago, you would have associated this day with your funeral,” he teased.

“What can I say? I grew up.”

#

“How do I look?” Nick turned around to admire himself in the mirror.

Justin glared at him from the doorway. “Spiffy. Now, would you come already?”

“I have to look my best when Brian becomes my daddy officially,” Nick huffed, smoothing the front of his suit jacket.

“You look a million bucks. Hurry, or we will be late for our appointment,” Justin insisted, steering his son out of the house.

“Why couldn’t Brian drive with us there?” Nick asked, once they were in the car.

“Because he had to be at work for a few hours.”

It wasn’t even a Kinnetik problem. Brian had to show up at the police station to explain why a guy had been found passed out from drugs in the Backroom at Babylon. When he had left the house earlier that morning, Brian was ready to fire his manager and kick his drug dealer to the curb.

Justin parked close to the City Hall. Nick skipped by his side as they walked toward the building.

“Shit. I forgot the marriage certificate in the car,” Justin groaned.

“Go. I’ll wait here for Brian,” Nick said, taking a seat on the stone steps.

“Don’t dirty your suit, Nick. Are you sure?” Justin didn’t like the idea of leaving his son alone.

“Go! I can see the car from here.”

Justin nodded, smiling proudly of what a big boy Nick showed to be.

Justin retrieved the piece of paper attesting his union to Brian, and was just locking up when Brian's Corvette pulled up behind the Jeep. He could see Brian was livid, and tried not to create insane scenarios in his head.

“Hey,” Justin greeted him.

Brian, who was looking at the building, turned to him. “What’s Nick doing there all alone?”

“I forgot this. He’s perfectly fine. What happened?”

“Later,” Brian snapped, taking a deep breath. “It’s bad.” It was all he said, and Justin's stomach twisted.

Brian put on a big smile for Nick, when they reached him. “Ready, kiddo?”

“Yes!” Nick glued his hand to Brian's, smiling brightly.

The whole process took a little over thirty minutes. And they left with tears in their eyes.

When they were back on the stone steps, Nick pulled out a neatly folded paper from his pocket.

“This is for you, Brian.”

Brian glanced at Justin, who was just as shocked as Brian. He hadn’t expected for his son to have any present for Brian.

“Well? Open in,” Nick prompted him. “It’s for Brian, don’t look!” He pulled his daddy away.

Justin stared at Brian's face as he read the note from his son. Their son, he reminded himself.

A minute later, Brian crouched to hug Nick, kissing the top of his head. “I promise to always make Justin happy. And I am the one who is honored to be your dad.”

Justin swallowed thickly through the lump in his throat, reaching down to rub Nick’s back. “I love you, baby.”

Nick turned to hug Justin around the waist. He could feel his pants getting wetter at the waistline, so he picked Nick up, stroking his back.

“Coming home?” Justin managed to ask, meeting Brian's wet eyes.

“Yes. I’ll follow you.”

Justin nodded, heading to the Jeep with Nick still clinging to him. He couldn’t wait to have Brian alone and hear what had happened at Babylon. But it seemed they wouldn’t have a moment alone any time soon.

Justin kept a decent speed, and he shouldn’t have been surprised when Brian's car zoomed past him as soon as they left Pittsburgh city limits.

When Justin arrived home, Brian was in the kitchen with a glass of whiskey.

“I’m going to pee,” Nick announced loudly. “Undo my belt buckle.”

“Pleeeease,” Justin said teasingly, working on his son’s belt.

As soon as Nick had disappeared up the stairs, he joined Brian. “Tell me,” he said urgently.

Brian grimaced, downing in glass. “I’m done. For good, this time. I just called Ted to find me a buyer.”

“What,” Justin gasped.

“I said I’m done with Babylon and all the shit it involves.”

“I heard you. I was hoping to have heard you wrong. You love the club.”

“Not when it causes me only trouble. I should have never bothered to reopen it after the bombing.”

Justin winced, pushing away unwanted memories. “But what happened,” he insisted.

“Isn’t it clear? My drug dealer didn’t keep his end of the deal, like I had suspected for quite a while. He sold that guy cocaine, which I prohibited. The guy overdosed. I’m lucky he didn’t fucking die.”

“Holy shit.”

“You can say that again. The cop was kind enough to let me go with an insane fine, because things like this haven’t happened in Babylon since Sap’s era.”

Justin grabbed a bottle of water for himself. “But I see no reason to sell Babylon. Come on. Who knows what troll will buy it?”

“I never said I wanted to sell it. I’ll finally allow the city to build their dream mini mall in that space.”

“Brian!”

“Drop it, Justin,” he said in a tired voice. “Please,” he added softly.

“Okay, let’s celebrate!” Nick skipped into the kitchen with Tank looping after him.

The dog was growing into his larger form, and it was amusing to watch him toppling over and understanding he was bigger than he probably viewed himself.

Brian abandoned his empty glass in the sink, and went to pick Nick up. “What do you want to do?”

“Play video games.”

“Join us, and wipe that sour look from your face,” Brian said teasingly, pulling Justin after him.

“I’ll buy it out. I already own half of it,” Justin said quietly.

“You don’t know what you’re saying. We’ve outgrown clubs, Justin. We’re married.”

“I was afraid you’d say that,” Justin mumbled.

Brian deposited Nick on the couch, then turned to face Justin, placing his hands on his shoulders. “I have been thinking about this for a while. It’s true, you reminded me of the fun we used to have at Babylon, but between Kinnetik and the headache that dealing with Babylon has been lately…I’d rather focus on branching out Kinnetik.”

“Okay, okay. It’s your decision. I guess you’re right about growing up…”

Brian smirked, kissing Justin's lips. “A twat once told me to accept the fact that youth and beauty are fleeting. That time will inevitably leave its mark. And that we should accept our mortality with grace and dignity.”

“What?” Justin frowned.

“You told me that once.”

“I did? I must have been profoundly drunk. I’m not so eloquent when I’m sober.”

Brian laughed, wrapping an arm around Justin's shoulders and turning to face Nick who was looking at them curiously. “Besides, I’d rather spend my evening with my favorite people – you and Nick.”