HUNTER

I really didn’t know how to stop the train wreck that was my soon to be mother-in-law and loving father. Even Dad and Dean seemed lost at the idea of releasing doves at the ceremony. My wedding was turning into a circus, and no matter how Emmett told them that bird shit doesn’t make a wedding anything but covered in crap, they ignored it. I ended up calling Rachel to complain, because I really didn’t want to see Brian’s reaction to the birds.

“Jesus, I know you have balls since Shelby seems to be happy all the time. Take them out and show the ‘rents that it’s your wedding not theirs.” She tells me, sounding like she spent way too much time with Brian.

“They don’t even listen to Emmett, Dad is staying out of it, along with Dean. They seem to want to be able to get laid, not sleep on the couch. God, forget I mentioned anything about rent sex.” I tell her.

“It happens, otherwise there wouldn’t be any kids in the world.” She laughs.

“I’m adopted and choose to believe it doesn’t.” I tell her.

“What does Shelby say?” She asks.

“He doesn’t care, just that it ends in a wedding, but they keep things like flying shit bags out of conversations he hears.” I tell her.

“I’ll be there tomorrow and try to rein Daddy and Mommy in. Michael knows better than to fight me. You seriously need to show them you’re all grown up, since you think you are by asking someone to marry you.” She tells me hanging up.

“What’s a flying shit bag?” Brian asks, obviously listening to me rant to Rachel.

“It’s fucking doves that Dad thinks will just make everything complete at the wedding.” I tell him, wincing at the idea his perfect house is going to be doused by doves.

“Rachel will take care of it, make sure to get Cynthia in on the plans. Between the two of them they know how to deal with Michael’s crazy ideas.” He tells me, stomping up the stairs saying Justin’s getting a spanking for not checking what Mikey was up to.

“Brian, I think Justin likes the spankings.” I yell.

“Thanks for telling me something I don’t know.” He snarks, going into Justin’s studio.

Seconds later Justin runs out of his studio and in the direction of the bedroom, laughing his ass off as Brian chases him down the hall. Why doesn’t bother me that Brian is probably going to molest Justin in ways I’m still learning? I couldn’t even explain to myself. If it was my Dads it would make me run screaming from the room. Those two seem to inspire everyone.

I got up and headed to my car, thinking about how Brian started acting like I work for him too. I figured out, that to him, if I work for Justin I became a slave to both of them. I don’t mind, because Brian was teaching me how he decided whether or not to go for a campaign. Apparently it wasn’t just taking anyone who wanted him, but taking on only clients he knew would be a good fit with Kinnetiks ideas. I met the CEO for Eyeconics, Kelly, when she came to sign off on her newest campaign with Brian and Ted. She wanted to see the buildings that Brian was going to buy to expand Kinnetik with. Brian told me to show her around before sticking a hard hat on my head and telling me not to kill the woman paying him a few million. She laughed, saying she wished she only had to shell out a few million to Kinnetik. She was impressed with the fact that Brian wasn’t boxing Kinnetik in with only being an ad firm, but that he could see that branching out was a way to stay in business.

“Brian’s alway been a pioneer, not a follower.” She told me as we walked around.

“He never seems satisfied with sitting back waiting for things to happen.” I tell her.

“He was smart enough to listen to Justin, when I knew he was pissed that I did.” She tells me.

“I never heard that.” I tell her.

“At the time, Justin was interning at Vanguard. I came to see what Brian thought would sell my newest line. It just didn’t sing the way his campaigns usually did. I remember thinking I didn’t like the color and Justin didn’t stay silent when I asked him what he thought. Most of the time no one disagrees with Brian, but Justin just said what he thought. I was getting ready to protect Justin from losing his job. Brian agreed, he wasn’t thrilled, but agreed. Orange was the new blue, and my line out-sold even his projections. I think I left telling Brian he better watch out for Justin one day having his job. I was sort of right, since Justin owns part of Kinnetik.” She tells me.

“Justin really doesn’t see it that way.” I tell her.

“You know Justin?” She asks.

“I work for him now, but I’ve known him longer. I wasn’t exactly a fan at first, but then I was sort of into Brian at the time.” I tell her.

“Brian is hard to resist, and snatching up Justin makes a lot of sense. They're both driven, and succeed because they work hard for it. I’m a big fan of Justin’s art.” She tells me.

“He’s the only reason I got interested in art. Until Justin made me go to his shows I didn’t get the point in people paying the amounts his art goes for, but I also never understood buying something that expensive when it wouldn’t feed you or be a roof over your head. Justin showed me it’s about what you see and how it relates to you. After that, I understood why people would pay for a painting. Because it speaks to the viewer, and you see something in your life differently than you normally do. ” I tell her.

“That’s very insightful of you.”  She tells me.

“What made you want to see these empty buildings?” I ask her as we leave.

“I wanted to see Brian’s vision, it’s going to be big when Brian pulls this off.” She tells me.

“You have a lot a faith in Brian.” I tell her.

“Brian’s never not delivered on any promises he makes. I see my future in what he’s doing.” She tells me, getting in her car. “Hunter.” She calls from her window, as I was leaving to go into Kinnetik.

“Did you need something?” I ask her, coming back..

“Take my card, if you ever decide you want a change in jobs, give me a call.” She tells me.

“Why would you hire me?” I asked her.

“Because it’s obvious Brian and Justin have faith in you.” She tells me, leaving after I take the card.

When I told Justin about it, he said to give him a warning so he could convince Cynthia to work for him. Brian growled, but told me it was something I should think about if I got tired of diapering the twat’s ass. Which of course had Justin walking out, saying Brian might need to go back to tricking if that’s what he thought. Brian took it as some kind of challenge, and followed Justin, saying he’d diaper Justin when he was old and gray. Justin snorted and asked if that was after Brian needed his own diaper. Let’s just say, I hope when I’m forty I still have Brian’s stamina.

I walked up the stairs to the temporary home Shelby and I were using the loft for. We hadn’t looked for a place yet, but I’m sure Brian wanted the loft back eventually. Shelby was on the floor in just shorts, drawing with the computer that Justin left here years ago. Brian told us that he kept it updated with the latest software so Justin had it when he needed it. I laid next to Shelby, running my hand down his spine feeling the shiver he always gets when I touch him.

“Justin didn’t need you?” He asked, working on Rage.

“More like Brian needed Justin.” I tell him, not saying anything about my sort of meltdown that gave Brian a reason to need Justin.

“I want us to be like them when we’ve been together for eleven years.” He tells me, turning over and pulling me down to kiss him.

“We’re already ahead of them.” I tell him running my hands under the band of his shorts.

“You think so?” He asks pulling off my shirt.

“I didn’t wait five years to tell you I love you, and another six to finally do what they should have done instead of what they thought they should of.” I tell him pulling off his shorts and taking him in my mouth.

“Maybe you just learned from watching them.” He moans.

“No. I didn’t want to waste my time when I met the person who I knew was my future. I hate wasting time.” I tell him, putting a condom on him when he’s ready for me.

EMMETT

I knew I had to call out the big guns. How Michael thought Brian wouldn’t commit a few murders if birds shit all over his precious lawn really blew my mind. Doesn’t Michael remember who Brian is? I pulled into Jen’s driveway, knowing Michael would listen to Jen, because she knows her son-in-law better than we do.

“Emmett, what are you doing here?” She asks.

“Trying to keep Hunter’s wedding from having Brian go homicidal.” I tell her.

“Michael?” She asks.

“Doves.” I tell her, which had her grabbing her purse.

“Does he not understand what could happen?” She asks, as we drive to see Michael.

“I think it’s more along the lines of looking up too many weddings on Youtube and not seeing the ‘after we did something this stupid’ part of the video.” I tell her.

“Why are they not listening to you, or even asking the boys what they want?” She asks.

“We are talking about Michael.” I remind her, as we pull in.

Ben opened the door, not even acting surprised that Mommy Taylor was here with me. “I tried.” He tells us, leading us into the kitchen where Deb was looking at the list for the wedding.

“Michael, No doves or any other animal.” Jen tells him.

Michael just nodded and crossed it off. Deb rolled her eyes. “We all told him.” She tells Jen.

“Jen says it differently.” Michael shrugged.

“Really, how was it different than Hunter, me, and your mother?” Ben asks.

“It’s like hearing it from Brian.” He tells him.

“Okay, then Emmett plans this wedding and I hold veto power, because I don’t have time to tell you what everyone else already has.” Jen tells him.

“I thought it would be neat to release the birds that symbolize love, Mary even agreed.” He tells her.

“Whose wedding are you planning?” Deb asks.

“Hunter and Shelby’s.” He says, like it’s obvious.

“Are you sure, because you and Mary seem to think it’s yours?” I tell him.

“I guess it’s because Ben and I didn’t have time to plan one and no one else ever included me in the planning.” He tells us.

“Now you know why.” Deb tell him.

“Do your son the favor of listening, before Rachel and Cynthia have to get involved.” Jen tells him.

“Why do you think they would get involved?” Michael asks her.

“Because when Brian or Justin need someone to deal with things they see as too ridiculous to explain, who do they call?” Jen asks him, as the phone rings.

Ben answered, laughing when he handed it to Michael. “Yes Cynthia, Jen already told me.” He sighs.