Disclaimer: This is fanfic any and all references to Queer as Folk and its characters are for entertainment purposes and no copyright infringement is intended.

Epilogue

One year later...

Justin leaned back against the bar in peace and contentment. He looked out over the ballroom with the confident, proud air of one who has planned and accomplished something well and knows it.

It was their anniversary Ball. Brian had put him practically completely in charge of designing and organizing it. And Justin had risen to the challenge and done a damn good job of it, if he did say so himself.

Justin considered a country and western theme, then a denim theme but thought this might be a bit constricting to people's imaginations (and groin area) so he settled on blue. It was, of course, called The Blue Ball. To get in, you had to be wearing something, anything of blue. Of course, denim abounded. But there were also peacock feathers, spandex, formal ball gowns, all in different shades of blue. Denim skirts and cut-offs. Mmmmm - so many muscles and cut-offs... Denim vests. One brave soul came in nothing but blue runners, blue spandex shorts, a blue bike helmet and blue tinted sunglasses. The ballroom was decorated with dozens and dozens of bunches of blue balloons. There was blue crepe paper, blue strobes, and intimate areas lit only by long, stacked horizontal bars of glowing blue light.

When Justin had approached Brian and asked if he could invite his fairy godmother, Brian pulled a blank face.

"What? Are you telling me we live in a land full of sprites and fairies?"

When Justin hastened to explain, Brian burst out laughing. "Oh, Sunshine! I remember you telling me about her. I'll be glad to meet her and anyone else she wants to bring along. I told you. It's your show! Do as you like!"

And so, the very first magical/mortal creatures mixed dance was born. Justin got in touch with Debbie who spread the word among the rest of the magical community that any friendly magical creature was invited to attend.

Justin looked up toward the ceiling where a number of sprites, fairies, genies, and pixies had set up their own community. Occasionally, a mortal would catch one of their eyes and be invited up for a dance with the help of a sprinkling of fairy dust. Justin waved to Debbie and Emmett. You two having a good time!?" he yelled. "Is everybody having a good time up there?" There was an appreciative yell.

Debbie's hair looked like a white frizzy cotton ball. She wore blue tinted heart shaped sunglasses and her lipstick was wet and icy blue for the occasion. She wore a two toned, blue furry muumuu with white edging. "Everything's Ab Fab, darling!" she yelled.

Emmett had got another promotion. He was now class five and he was in uniform, blue of course, with short shorts and short sleeves and half top that exposed his midriff. He wore tight blue boots. As a level five, his wings were wider and elaborate and a translucent blue. He danced in the air with a muscular genie dressed in blue silken slippers, a blue turban, and seven silken veils worn in strategic locations. And nothing else. When they had arrived, Justin had arched an eyebrow and given him a look. Emmett shrugged and said, "Well, if you can't beat ‘em, join ‘em. And I was beatin' Em wayyy too much and besides...they really are oversexed, if you catch my meaning!"

Now, he happily sipped his cosmo (tinted blue for the occasion) and waved. "Just super duper sweetums!"

Justin himself had dressed western style. He wore tan cowboy boots polished to a high gloss. He wore tight, blue jeans and a blue denim shirt with silver snaps and a black leather bolo tie with a silver cow skull on the end of it. A white cowboy hat completed his outfit. He sipped a blue beer as he waited and contemplated the last year in happiness.

FADES had been eradicated from the land. Emmett's "rumourous" cure had been a complete success. As Justin had predicted it took a while to catch on but results didn't lie. Matchmaking and BFF (Beat FADES Forever) parties became all the rage to hook people up with healthy counterparts. Weddings, both gay and straight began to spike through the roof. The Loft became a happy and enchanted place to live once again.

The forest was combed through from one end to the other and then back again. Many FADES infected wolves were found and culled but there were a lot that weren't infected as well and left alone. Still, it was unknown if they had gotten all of them, so warning signs were posted at all entrances to the forest, warning to avoid wolves at all cost.

Justin saw Michael and Ben dance by. He waved and shouted a greeting. They waved back but soon became too wrapped up in each other to care much about Justin or anyone else for more than a few moments at a time. They were each other's world. Mike and Ben had decided on a superhero theme of course, and were dressed in blue superhero costumes complete with full blue silk capes. Michael was right, Justin thought, Ben looked good as a superhero. Very good. Justin sipped his beer and waited.

Michael and Ben had been married that following Wednesday, just as they'd planned. And thanks to Ben's weekly "hot beef injections" Michael was, of course, completely healed four months later.

Justin and Michael had begun collaborating with each other on the comic almost right away. Ink and painting had begun shortly after that. They gave a few copies away as a test. The comic was an immediate and wild success. It dealt with many issues, homophobia, infidelity, rape, gay/straight tolerance and others. But through it all there was also a good strong dose throughout of fucking and gay sex. When they began to charge (an extraordinarily small fee) the sales went through the roof and both Justin and Michael found themselves in possession of more money they knew what to do with. Together, they had founded an official BFF Foundation to help the FADES infected find appropriate mates for free.

As promised, Justin had arranged for Craig and Ethan to receive a two hour break in the servant's courtyard. During this time, he brought Michael to a window a story above them to watch them and see that they were OK. Craig and Ethan both had shifty eyes and quick, shifty movements as if they expected their treat to be taken away at any time. But they were well fed and even in good shape due to their constant physical labor.

Justin stayed well to one side of the window. He had no desire to even look upon them. He told Michael: "There they are. After this do not ask to see them again. Think of them as lost...or even dead. This is their punishment for the rest of their lives. Remember that I saved them from death and hard labor in a fierce prison and leave it at that. They are unchanged, Michael. They did not have the chance to evolve like you did, so they are the still pitiless, uncaring people who entered their prison."

"But will they never get the chance to change? Never get to develop caring, the way that I did? Can they even do so, if they are treated as prisoners, day in and day out?"

"It was the first time Michael heard Justin speak in such a hard, pitiless voice. "Your father helped further the disease that you, yourself, are afflicted with, the disease that killed my mother...and many others to boot. Ethan nearly killed me with a blunt object. For these crimes, my sentence stands Michael. There are many ways in everyone's life, small and great that they can commit caring acts. They never do. So, like I said on their day of judgement, I'm done with them. Do not ask me again. Enjoy your visit." He walked off and left Michael alone with his family, tears running down his cheeks as he watched them through the glass for the full 2 hours.

Now, back at the Blue Ball, Justin wondered if he had been too hard on Michael. He still wanted to see his stepfather and Ethan punished but not if it was going to punish Michael as well. He had come to truly love his elder stepbrother. He decided that he would let Michael see his family every three months and even let him come up with tests that would test their morality. If they did have the chance, and passed enough tests, well then maybe...well, they'd cross that bridge when they got to it. If not, well, Michael would eventually give up and leave them to their fate. He'd tell Mikey of his decision after the Ball. He sipped his blue beer and waited.

The reward of cash and a dukedom was lost on Justin as he was now king. Therefore, for their hardships and being the first people to be cured of FADES, Justin and Brian passed the money and title onto Michael and Ben. Michael took the title but it was so new and strange that he soon forgot about it and let Ben worry about it all. As for his share of the money, he gave half of it to the BFF and the other half he secretly was giving in instalments to his brother and father's jailers to provide in some small way, treats and gifts and small comforts they otherwise would not have.

A large denim clad cowboy walked up to the bar next to Justin. He wore shiny black leather boots and his jeans fit him like a second skin. He wore a shirt similar to Justin's. His black cowboy hat was pulled low over his face.

"Howdy, pardner," he greeted Justin.

"Howdy, stranger," Justin replied, "What can I do you for?"

"You can up and dance the two step with me," returned the cowboy.

"Sorry. I'm waitin' for my husband," said Justin.

"Your husband's a powerful lucky man. I'm sure he wouldn't mind you having just once dance with a cowpoke like me."

"Do you know who I am?" Justin asked haughtily.

"Shore nuff. Yore King Justin."

"Then you know I could have you thrown in the dungeon for such talk."

"I'd risk it for a taste of those sweet lips," said the insolent cowboy with the dangerous dark hat.

"My husband would thrash you if he heard you a talkin' that way."

"I think he'd find that powerful hard to do."

"And why's that? Who are you anyway?" Justin reached up and pulled up the man's hat. He gasped. The cowboy leered. He snaked a hand around Justin's smaller waist and pulled him flush against his big chest. At the same time he pulled on Justin's shirt and ripped the silver snaps open, exposing his smooth white chest.

"I'm your husband," Brian said and mashed their lips together.

Brian and Justin held each other on the middle of the dance floor. They swayed slowly back and forth and ground their cocks together. Their shirts had long ago been unsnapped and untucked.

"Let's go to the back room," said Brian, "We'll fuck like two shepherds on a forested mountaintop."

"I'm loud and proud but I promised my mother I'd also be pious and good. Tell me you love me, and I'll go with you."

Brian smiled. "You make me so happy. I loved you a year ago so much, my heart felt full to the brim. Now, a year later, I love you so much more that...that...I can't explain it."

"Like it's like your heart grew in your chest and is overflowing, pressing against your chest?"

"Why yes! That's a good way to put it! How did you know?"

"That's how I felt a year ago."

""Oh. Sorry it took me so long to catch up."

"Who said you've caught up? But you love me. And so I'll go with you, husband."

They made their way to the back room.

"Justin? Are we living happily ever after?"

"So far. Ask me again at the Ball we have next year."

And so he did. And so doing, year by year, they lived happily ever after.