"Hello."

"Hi, Hunter."

"Hey, how are you?"

"Doing good. You?"

"I’d be a whole lot better if I was able to see you."

"Then why don’t you come outside and you’ll feel a whole lot better."

"What?" Hunter stared at his cell phone for a moment then ran out of the barn. He had just finished mucking out the last stall and was getting ready for a nice long hot shower when his phone rang. Hunter made a beeline for the barn yard and straight into Nick’s arms.

"Hey baby, I missed you," Nick gushed as he caught his exuberant and stinky boyfriend.

"Missed you too," Hunter said with a kiss. Nick gave Hunter a little shove and wrinkled his nose. "I guess I must reek."

"Well, you are a little ripe. I thought I’d surprise you."

"You surprised me, all right. Come on; follow me home. I’ll take a shower then greet you properly."

"Mmm, I could go for that. But I can drive you."

"No, I had an argument with a pile of manure and I lost. I don’t want you to have to drive back to Penn tomorrow with eau de horse. I’ll cut through the woods and meet you at the house. Claire and Steve are there. Oh and by the way, they’re engaged." Hunter sprinted off to the woods.

Nick stood in the barn yard for a second. "Engaged?" Then Nick jumped into his car and drove to the farm.

"Better?" Hunter asked Nick as they cuddled on Hunter’s bed. Hunter was freshly showered. His offending clothes were in the washing machine and he was dressed in a clean t-shirt and sweat pants.

"Much better. I missed you." Nick gave Hunter a lip scorching kiss and they huddled even closer, feeling their dicks growing hard.

"Please, Nick..." Hunter panted. It was several months since they had seen one another and the next month and half was going to be real busy. Hunter managed to get through college in three and a half years by taking extra classes and summer courses. And he found out that he would be valedictorian. Nick was about to start the intense part of medical school. Brian and Justin’s wedding was in two weeks and Hunter was waiting to find out which school was going to accept his application for his graduate work. He was so close to realizing his dreams that it was scaring him and thrilling him at the same time. These two months were going to be very busy for Hunter and for the entire family. But for now, Hunter decided to savor this time with Nick.

"Want you, baby," Nick whispered into Hunter’s ear as he began to slip off Hunter’s sweat pants. They needed each other but took their time to be careful and safe. Theirs was a sweet and gentle loving.

"Claire, what are those two doing up there? They’ve been up there for hours," Steve griped as he was slicing tomatoes for their salad for dinner.

"Steve, I’m surprised at you. I’m sure you know exactly what’s going on up there. You were a young man once." Claire chuckled as Steve blushed.

"Claire, it has been hours. Don’t you think one of us should check on them?"

"Steve, honey, Hunter has been up since five this morning studying and then doing his chores at the farm. Nick was driving all morning to get here. Now leave them be. They probably had sex and fell asleep. They’ll come down when their stomachs tell them to."

As predicted, there was a rumbling coming from the upper floor. Claire and Steve briefly stopped their food preparations to gaze at the ceiling. A door was heard shutting then another and after a few moments, a door shut again. The rumbling proceeded down the stairs and into the kitchen.

"Hi boys," Claire said with a knowing smile.

"Hi!"

"Hi!" Hunter and Nick said in unison, followed by twin blushing.

"Go set the table. Dinner is almost ready," Claire instructed.

A chorus of "yes ma’am," followed as the boys started to set the table. Steve shook his head with a sad smile. Sometimes he wished for a second chance with his own son. Steve quickly shook off those feelings and concentrated on the blessings currently surrounding him.

"Claire, is it just us?" Hunter asked.

"Jackie, Bobby and the baby will be here soon," Claire answered.

"Okay." Hunter set out two more place settings.

As John and Bobby came through the door with Patrick in his carrier, Steve reminded himself that he was blessed. He was fortunate to get a second chance with Bobby and with Hunter and soon, a second chance at love with Claire. Steve was truly blessed.

After a very satisfying dinner, the family stayed seated at the table to enjoy Claire’s fresh baked apple pie. They began to discuss the up and coming wedding.

"Jackie, do you have any idea what our roles will be at the wedding?"

"Mother, I have no idea. All I was told was to show up looking good and I better be wearing my dancing shoes."

"Good God, it sounds like we’re going to be in a chorus line," Bobby exclaimed.

"I hope not. I don’t look good in spandex," Claire snarked and then they all broke out in giggles.

"Seriously, Claire, this doesn’t sound like any kind of traditional wedding." Steve sounded skeptical.

"We’re talking Brian and Justin here. That in itself is a break from tradition," Hunter spurted.

"What do you mean?" Nick asked. He had only met Brian and Justin on a couple of occasions. They seemed nice enough. Justin was especially supportive of Nick, although Brian could be intimidating.

"Don’t you know how they met? I mean you know about their history, right?" Hunter scanned the faces of his family and saw the blank looks. "Claire, we may need more coffee." Hunter began his lesson in Brian and Justin 101.

An hour and a second pot of coffee later, Hunter had completed his tale.

"Wow," Bobby said. "I mean I knew about the bashing and I know how stubborn Brian can be but, wow. That’s some history. I never knew about the musician."

"Me either. But that does explain a lot about my brother."

"How so?" Steve asked.

"I’m not sure if I, we, should be discussing them like this but I think we all love them and wouldn’t want to see either of them hurt." John’s family shook their heads in agreement.
"The night before our commitment ceremony, I guess I was nervous. Brian sensed it and in his effort to calm me down he revealed a lot of his past mistakes especially how he treated Justin. I’m sure Justin would argue with him and deny it but Brian felt that his actions put Justin in danger."

"Jackie, I can’t believe that Brian would ever let anything happen to Justin."

"Not intentionally, no. But he made some foolish decisions based on what he thought was best for Justin and unfortunately was influenced by his friends. And we all know that Brian’s friends sometimes don’t know squat about Brian. Justin may have left Brian for that violinist but I’ll bet you that Brian pushed Justin away thinking the boy would be better off with someone closer to Justin’s age."

"John, is there a big difference in their ages? Brian keeps himself in very good condition," Steve enquired.

"That’s for sure," Hunter blurted out without thinking then blushed and shrugged his shoulders at Nick’s scowl.

"I know Justin looks like a child but he always struck me as wise beyond his years," Steve continued.

"There’s about twelve years between them," John answered. "And you’re right, Justin is very wise but he is still rather naive. And that’s why they’re so good together. Brian has that worldliness that Justin has yet to attain and Justin has the innocence that Brian was deprived of. Together, they’re unstoppable."

The family took in what John said and all agreed. Brian and Justin together were a formidable combination.

"So what’s your role in the wedding?" Nick asked Hunter.

"I think I’m an usher. Emmett called to make sure my suit was cleaned and ready to go. I better make sure I still fit in it. Your wedding was three years ago; it may need altering."

"You’re right, Hunter," John said thoughtfully. "Try it on and if it needs to be fixed we’ll take it to the tailor."

"Thanks, John. Well, I’m beat. You tired, Nick?" Hunter asked his boyfriend with a wink.

"Ah, um..." Nick wasn’t sure if he was allowed to spend the night.

"Of course he’s tired, Hunter. It was a very long drive from Penn. Why don’t you two turn in? I’m sure you must have some studying to do before you go to sleep," Claire said as she took a sip of coffee.

"Thank you, Ms. Anderson." Nick replied with a smile that lit up his face.

Hunter gave Claire a kiss and whispered a thank you. Claire shooed the boys away with a giggle.

"Again?" Steve grumbled as the boys scurried up the stairs. John, Bobby and Claire broke out into laughter.

"Ah, youth," John and his mother said together then continued to giggle.

Later that night after another heart pumping round, Hunter had a question for Nick. "Will you be my date for the wedding?" Hunter asked hopefully.

"I’d love to be your date. I guess I better check out my suit too. Where’s it going to be? At their house? The grounds are big enough to fit a small army."

"Yeah, but no, at Babylon."

"Babylon? You mentioned that place before. Isn’t it a club?"

"Only the hottest gay club in Pittsburgh and Brian owns it."

"He owns a gay club?! I thought he was in advertising."

"He is. Brian just opened up another office in Harrisburg. Took over an old brothel on Piermont."

"Wait a minute, I know where that is."

"You do?" Hunter gave Nick a look.

"No, not that way. When I told my dad where I was going to school, he warned me to stay out of that part of town. Isn’t Brian scared he might catch something?"

"Nah. His first office was an old bathhouse. If Brian Kinney was going to catch something from an old building it would have been from Kinnetik."

"You’re weird, ya know."

"Yeah, I know." The boys shared a laugh then snuggled together and fell into a peaceful sleep.

As Hunter and Nick were falling asleep, Brian and Justin were walking through the loft door. They had spent the night dancing at Babylon like old times. They decided to spend some time in Pittsburgh to oversee the wedding preparations and to catch up with the family. Part Deux was running like a well oiled machine and so was Kinnetik under the watchful eyes of Cynthia. And leaving nothing to chance or for the last minute, Giuseppe was in charge of their tuxedos. No mishaps with garments for this wedding.

"Oh man, I’m beat!" Justin cried out with an oomph as he slid the loft door shut and set the alarm. "But I had a great time tonight."

"Just like old times, eh Sunshine?" Brian quipped, shedding his clothes as he walked into the bedroom.

"Yeah, sometimes I miss it. There’s nothing like Babylon."

"True," Brian agreed as he started the shower. "Maybe when things settle down after the wedding we can make it a point to come to Babylon once a month. At least while I’m still young enough not to embarrass you on the dance floor. Besides, it’s good for the owner to be seen every once in a while."

"You mean that? I’d love it. And you’re not old, just aging to perfection," Justin said with a smile then slipped under Brian’s arm as he held open the shower door.

"At least then I won’t feel like we’re wasting the brass bed," Brian said softly as he began to shampoo Justin’s hair. Justin nodded as he felt his lover’s strong fingers massaging his scalp. After Brian made sure that Justin was well washed including the important dangling bits, it was time for Justin to care for his man’s well toned skin. Justin poured a dollop of Brian’s favorite body wash on a sponge and gently began to work it into Brian’s skin. By the time Justin was finished, Brian was practically purring and compliant. Very compliant.

Cuddling together in the middle of the brass bed, Brian continued to purr.

"You’re one sneaky little bottom boy, Sunshine."

"Not so little and I didn’t hear any complaints."

"You never gave me the chance. Besides, I like it when you’re in charge sometimes."

"You do?"

"Justin, don’t you know me by now? Brian Kinney, stud top of Liberty, yada yada yada, bullshit, bullshit, bullshit. I’d bottom for you any time."

"You would?"

"Justin, I know you can use more than one syllable words. I’ve heard you."

"Asshole."

"Ah ha! Two syllables, we’re getting better."

"Fucking asshole."

"Getting better all the time." Brian and Justin broke out into a fit of very untop-like giggles.

They calmed down and Justin ventured a proposal.

"Brian, I do miss this bed. It’s beautiful and it was a very special gift. I’d like to bring it home."

"But you said it wouldn’t fit with the decor of the cottage."

"I’ve had time to rethink that."

"You’re not going to get rid of the four poster, are you?"

"No, no, but I was thinking..."

"Uh oh."

"Shut. Up. My studio, you know how you walk in and the first part of it is where I paint?"

"Yeah."

"Then at the end we have the wicker furniture for the sun porch."

"Yes."

"Well there’s a big open space in between and the brass bed would fit perfectly into it. Kind of angled, you know? Then a big Japanese screen. And then on the other side of the screen, big potted palms and then the wicker. I can just picture it. You, lying on the bed, nude while I paint you. Then when I’m done we can make love under the stars. Perfect," Justin sighed.

"Perfect. Just like you," Brian purred back just before he pounced on his perfect blond, capturing Justin’s lips and preparing them for round two.

It was the perfect end for a perfect day.