Four years later…

Justin drove slowly through the late afternoon traffic on a Friday. He kept glancing at his son through the rearview mirror, expecting to hear whining from him about the planned trip Justin had for him and Brian. Nick had been unusually quiet since Justin had told him about the weekend getaway.

“Are you going to say anything?” Justin asked slowly.

“I promise to not upset Uncle Mike. He said he’d show me some new comic books, and there’s that.”

“Nick, I don’t want to ruin your birthday surprise, but we have something neat planned for you. I want this little trip just with Brian. Do you understand?”

“You only told me a million times. I understand, Dad. Pops is turning fifty – big number.”

“Yes. But don’t mention it to him,” Justin warned.

“How can I? I won’t even see him until Monday,” Nick groaned.

“Which will be his birthday,” Justin continued unperturbed. “We’ll do something fun together – the three of us.”

“And a few days later, I will turn eleven. Can you stop talking to me like I’m a child? I understand you need to go away with Brian.”

Justin rolled his eyes. His son got offended by most of their conversations lately. But Justin could remember being his age, and thinking he was misunderstood.

Not long later, Justin parked in front of Michael's comic book store.

Nick jumped out of the car with his backpack, already heading inside the store. Justin took his time to take the overnight bag from the trunk and the spare keys for the house.

He found Nick on the small couch with a comic book in his hands. Michael was rearranging one of the displays.

“Hi, Michael. I know I promised to be here by four, but traffic was a bitch.”

“No worries. I did maintenance work.” Michael turned to smile at him. His eyes fell on the stuffed duffle bag, and he chuckled. “This reminds me of the beat-up bag you carried around back in the day.”

“You have no idea what a tragedy it was when it fell apart.” Justin shook his head. “So, here’s the spare key to the house. Please drop by to take Tank for a walk and give him food. I’ll leave a note with how much food to give him. Also, you’ll have to check on the horses.”

Michael accepted the set of keys. “Why can’t we just take Tank at our place?” he asked.

“You want that? I didn’t want to impose. He’s a good boy, but the amounts of fur he leaves in his wake…” Justin shuddered.

“I don’t care. I’m sure Nick would love to have him there.”

They both glanced at Nick, who was looking at them. “It’s true. I’d like to have Tank there.”

“It’s settled. We’ll pick him up tomorrow morning. And I will feed the horses,” Michael promised.

“No, I’ll leave them enough food. Just see if they’re okay. Fuck, I’m being paranoid, but it’s the first time we’re going away since we got them,” Justin mumbled.

“No need to worry. I’ve got it. Go and have some fun. God knows Brian needs to loosen up.”

Justin laughed, grinning. “I plan on relaxing him thoroughly.”

“Daaaad.” Nick placed his hands to his ears.

Justin winced, shrugging to Michael, who was laughing. There was no need to explain how his ten year old son knew more than he should about sex. He lived under the same roof with two overly active sexual men, and Justin had lost count of the times Nick had found them in compromising positions over the years.

“I’ll see you on Monday. Do your homework, and don’t upset Michael and Ben.”

“Yeeessss.”

Michael smiled sympathetically, walking Justin to the door. “We’ll have fun. It’s good practice for when we’ll have JR over at the end of June.”

“Right. We promised to visit Gus in New York, once he gets settled in the dorm. So we might visit him in late September.”

“Can I come along?” Nick asked curiously.

“I don’t see why not. We’ll have to figure something so you won’t miss school. I have to go and finish packing before Brian gets home. He told me this morning he had a dinner date with one of his accounts.”

“You relax, too,” Michael said sternly. “Kiss birthday boy from me.”

“Will do. Bye, kiddo!”

“Bye, Dad.”

Justin hurried home, mentally running over the list of things he might have forgotten to pack.

Since the weather had become nice, Brian went to work on his bike. Justin had started his day before Brian had left the house, so seeing the bike parked in front of the garage didn’t immediately worry Justin about Brian arriving home earlier. He could have taken the Corvette.

But when Justin let himself in the house, he noticed Brian's briefcase leaning against the wall in the hallway and his running shoes were missing. It meant he had taken Tank for his evening walk.

Justin hoped this weekend getaway to be a real surprise for Brian, because he had learned his lessons about being obvious.

Justin finished packing their suitcase, and brought it downstairs. He might have been presumptuous to assume Brian would accept to be whisked away for the weekend, but he liked to believe he knew Brian pretty well.

The plane was close to midnight, so Justin wasn’t worried about a tight schedule.

He was enjoying a snack from the secret stash, which Nick didn’t know about, when the front door opened. Justin swallowed the half chewed pretzels, and hid the bag back in the top cabinet.

When Brian didn’t join him in the kitchen, Justin went to check what was holding him.

Brian was standing at the foot of the stairs, staring at the suitcase.

“Hey,” Justin said quietly. He leaned down to scratch behind Tank’s ears, keeping his eyes on Brian. “What’s up?”

Brian turned his eyes slowly to Justin. “What’s going on?”

Justin beamed, proud of himself. He walked closer, looping his arms around Brian's stiff shoulders. “I can surprise you, after all.”

“Surprise?” Brian repeated, unsure.

“Yes. We’re going to Hawaii, to the resort where we spent the honeymoon.”

“When?”

“We should leave in about an hour to be in the airport ahead of our flight, which is near midnight.” Justin searched Brian's eyes, and didn’t like the anxiety reflected there. It wasn’t a look he saw at Brian often. “What’s wrong?”

“I don’t think I can take any more surprises,” he said slowly. “I rescheduled my meeting with my client when Shane called and said he wanted to see me urgently.”

“Shane?” Justin had heard that name in the past, but he wasn’t sure who this Shane was.

Brian grimaced. He combed his fingers through Justin's hair. “Don’t panic, because he realized too late he had the test results mix-up. Shane is my oncologist.”

Justin clutched at Brian's shoulder, taking small breaths, because he felt woozy.

“I just told you not to panic. It’s enough, he nearly gave me a heart attack. Thankfully, he realized his mistake before he could give me whatever bad news he had for Bran Kingsley. Shane apologized profoundly. He felt like a tool for scaring me, but when he skimmed over the test results he got, he misread the name.”

“Christ. What sort of doctor is he?” Justin groaned, rubbing Brian's bicep. “Fuck, you scared me for a moment.”

“Trust me. I was fucking terrified on my way to him. I didn’t call you because I knew you were taking Nick to Michael's comic book store.”

“Yeah, right. Nick will stay with Michael and Ben for the weekend. They’re going to come over in the morning and get Tank, and check on the horses. Fuck. I knew I had something to do.”

“I’ll feed them. Then I need a shower,” Brian said.

“I packed your shower gel. Use mine.”

“I fucking hate that one.”

“Yours is smaller – perfect for light travelling.” Justin crouched to pet Tank, who brought over one of his toys.

“I’ll remind you how mine is not so small. Later,” Brian huffed, but left the house laughing.

Justin appreciated that Brian was the one to handle the hay, because he had to pump himself full off antihistamines to be able to be around the hay. Though, he didn’t have a problem riding his horse.

.

.

.

“You finally learned how to keep surprises a secret,” Brian said cheerfully.

“I’m lucky we have a crazy amount of money in the joint account, from selling Babylon. You didn’t notice a couple thousands going missing,” Justin joked.

“That, too.” Brian pulled Justin in his arms, leaning against the railing on the veranda of the luxurious villa.

It was the little hours of the morning, but neither of them was tired after the flights and a light dinner at a restaurant near their resort.

Brian looked up at the full moon, squeezing Justin in his arms. “Thank you.”

“What for?” Justin frowned, tilting his head to meet Brian's eyes.

“Taking me away from sure headaches and uncalled for comments regarding how I’ve been alive for half a century.”

Justin threw his head back, laughing loudly. “That sounds like a loooong time.”

“It is a long time,” Brian said seriously, stroking a hand over Justin's back. “I never expected to reach this age. With the way I used to live…”

“I don’t want you to regret your past, Brian,” Justin said sternly.

“I don’t do regret.”

“Yeah, I believe you,” Justin deadpanned. He cupped Brian's cheek, rubbing his thumb over it. “I wouldn’t have met you if you weren’t…well…if you weren’t you.”

Brian smiled indulgently. “It’s true. I hate to admit it, I would have never gone after you if I had moral and decency. I still can’t believe I didn’t kick you out when I found out you weren’t legal.”

“I’m glad you didn’t.” Justin pulled Brian's head closer, kissing him deeply. “I guess…Happy birthday…even if it’s not today.”

“Don’t speak of that day. Any idea if our dear friends have anything planned for me?”

“No clue,” Justin answered seriously. He knew for a fact, Emmett wanted to know Brian's schedule for his birthday, which meant, there would be a surprise, but Justin had no idea what.

Brian lifted a brow. “You can’t lie to save your life, Sunshine.”

Justin groaned, playing with Brian's hair. “I have no idea. Don’t shoot the messenger.”

“Watch me close myself in a casket again,” Brian joked.

“I’d like to think that our friends have learned to steer clear from morbid present.”

Brian grimaced. “Fifty is closer to doom day than thirty, though.”

“How about we go in the hot tub and enjoy your numbered minutes until doom day,” Justin teased, but his voice was sharp. He loathed how Brian spoke of aging and dying, because he was going to celebrate a birthday he never envisioned reaching. “And I will punch you, if you ever say anything against my husband.”

Brian snorted. “He’s one lucky fucker.” He wrapped his arms around Justin's waist, tightly. “You make me want to live and celebrate many more birthdays. I love you, Justin.”

Tears pooled into Justin's eyes, as he hugged Brian tightly. “I love you, too, Brian. You’re the only person who makes me want to punch you and kiss you and fuck your brains out, at the same time.”

“Can be arranged. Well, minus the punching. Besides, didn’t you know that queers shouldn’t know how to throw a punch? They’ll break a nail, or something,” he said, amused.

Justin laughed loudly.

.

.

.

As they relaxed in the hot tub, Brian wrapped his arms around Justin's shoulders, pulling his back against his chest.

“We should invest in one of these for home.”

“Where the fuck would we put a hot tub?” Justin asked, laughing.

“We’ll find a place. I’ll call an architect.”

“You’re serious.”

“Yes.” Brian dipped his head lower to kiss Justin's lips.

“Is that what you want for your birthday?”

“Hmm…” Brian slid one of his hands down Justin's side, until he cupped Justin's hardening dick. “I want you…inside me.”

Justin tilted his head back, grinning lazily. “Can be arranged.”

Brian returned his smile. “I love you.”

Justin's heart did a flip, like every time, Brian said those words. “I love you,” he returned the words, turning to straddle Brian's legs. “I promise to give you your desired present in bed. I need you now.”

Brian chuckled, palming Justin's ass. “Who am I to deny you?”

“You can’t blame me. I’ve fucked you more times in the past month, than you have fucked me.”

“It’s time to rectify that massive error,” Brian said seriously.

“Nothing better to rectify the error than you massive dick,” Justin purred, biting on Brian's earlobe.

“Did I ever tell you how I love it when you stroke my ego?”

Justin wrapped his fingers around Brian's erection. “I thought you love it when I stroked your dick.”

“Tough call which I love more.” Brian tracing Justin's spine with the tips of his fingers. “You’re not allowed to fall asleep on me, after we leave the hot tub.”

Justin smiled widely, hooking his pinkie around Brian's little finger. “I swear on the memory of Marilyn Monroe.”

Brian threw his head back, laughing loudly. “I taught you well.”

“Now, less talk, more action, Stud.”

Brian knew he was never going to tire of feeling Justin's body against his, wrapped around him, their scents mingling in the air, because he loved him more than he had ever imagined being capable of feeling toward another person.