The Mask - Chapters 21, 22, & epilogue
The Mask
Chapter 21,22,& the epilogue
sian265 & sydneyalexis
[Chapter Index]/ [Chapters 19 & 20]
A/N: I've edited the crap out of this thing. So much so that I don't even think I'm seeing mistakes anymore. Unbetaed.
Previously:
Gus blinked owlishly at his father, letting the information sink through the haze of painkillers.
"Oh no! We were s'pose' t' see Peter Pan!" The sad tinge to his son's voice made his heart clench
Smiling weakly and trying once again to tame the sleep-made cow-lick on his son's head, Brian said, "You'll get to see it when you're better."
Gus met his father's gaze, eyes wide with hope.
"Promise, Daddy?"
"Yeah, Sonny Boy, I promise," Brian responded, swallowing thickly. Even if he had to rent out the theatre and pay the actors himself.
Chapter 21
The expression on Lindsay's face changed from happiness to barely concealed disapproval when she opened her front door and found not only Brian but Justin as well on her front stoop.
"Can Gus come out and play?" Brian drawled.
"Daddy!" Gus yelled, running down the stairs loudly before launching himself into Brian's arms.
Minding the cast on Gus' arm, Brian picked his son up and kissed him on the forehead. The relief he felt to have his son alive and whole after the accident and subsequent hospitalization was palpable. Two days after being released, however, and the little boy was back to his normal, rambunctious self.
"Hey, Sonny Boy. Ready for an afternoon out?"
"Uh huh," he responded distractedly.
Following his son's gaze, he offered a soft smile to Justin who was hovering in the entry way. Setting Gus back on his feet, he took the little boy's hand and lead him towards his partner.
Still clutching shyly to his father's pant leg, Gus took a step forwards, held out his hand, and said, "Hi! I'm Gus."
Smiling brightly, Justin knelt and shook the little boy's hand. "Nice to meet you, Gus. My name's Justin. Your Daddy has told me a lot about you. I'm glad you're feeling better."
"Me too! The hosp'tal was boring. They wouldn't let me do nothin' but stay in bed!"
"I think they did that because they wanted you to get better fast so your Daddy could take you to see Peter Pan," Justin told Gus in a conspiratorial whisper.
"Really?" Gus giggled.
Justin nodded.
"Good! 'Cause I can't wait!" Gus said, bouncing on his heels.
Gracing Gus with one more large smile, Justin stood and caught Lindsay's expression. Lips thinned, hands on hips, she looked just about ready to start yelling but stopped herself so she wouldn't upset Gus. Brian must have caught it too because, without much hesitation, he started guiding both Justin and Gus out the front door.
"We'd better get going if we don't want to miss the opening," he explained.
Justin shot Brian a look of relief at the lie; there was still nearly an hour before the curtain. The truth was that neither one of them were in the mood to deal with Lindsay's insecurities at present.
With well practiced ease, Brian led his son out to his jeep, buckled him into his child seat, and took off towards the theatre downtown.
. . . . .
Convincing the stage director to hold a second afternoon presentation just for the children affected by the school bus accident and their parents had been fairly easy. It was, after all, good PR for the theatre and the acting troupe, and Brian had been more than willing to call his associates at the local news stations and papers to ensure their good will was widely known. Good news was, as always, difficult to come by, and a positive spin on such a tragedy was too much for them to pass up. Or so Brian had convinced them.
Watching his son and partner's utter enjoyment of the play made it worth it.
And, secretly, he had to admit that the troupe of actors were pretty good. The sets were imaginative, the costumes colorful, and the story easy enough to follow for a child but still held an adult's attention as well.
He hadn't counted on all the dark thoughts the play would bring on though.
Lindsay had always seen herself in the role of Wendy -- the girl who had enjoyed the fun and games of Neverland but chose to return to reality, and it was she who had cast him in the rather static life of Peter Pan -- a wild boy who was utterly unwilling to face adulthood and the responsibility that came with it.
It was a persona he'd worn for her, for them all. And none of them had been willing to see beyond it.
They had forced him to do something he'd never done before in his life -- run away from it all.
He'd left behind his friends, his family, and his loft -- a place he'd been so fucking proud of because it was his. Years of living first with his abusive parents then in a series of rat trap apartments while working his way up the food chain at Ryder.
When he'd bought his new loft in Chicago, he'd thought of it as his escape. A place to go when the weight of being Brian Kinney, Stud of Liberty Avenue got to be too much.
Slowly but surely though, it became his oasis. His sanctuary. His home.
He allowed himself to relax, to fall in love, to move on with his life.
But, in truth, he had deluded himself into thinking that these two worlds he had built would never cross. It had worked for awhile. There was, however, one thing he hadn't counted on -- how much he loved his son.
Swallowing thickly, his gaze was drawn once again to the little boy at his side.
Two weeks ago, he'd nearly lost Gus. Eyes shuttering closed, he recalled the night Lindsay's call had sent him into a blind panic and how the horrible, clenching fear in the pit of his stomach hadn't settled until he had laid eyes upon his son in that hospital bed.
As the days progressed, Gus had gotten steadily better, but his relationship with Lindsay had grown decidedly frosty.
He felt the bitterness of his previous argument with Michael well up. He knew it was only a matter of time before he was forced to confront Lindsay if this morning's clear disapproval was anything to go by.
It made him so weary.
He had fled to Chicago because he hadn't wanted to fight them. Deep down he'd always suspected that he might lose everyone he cared for. And, while his argument with Michael resulted in a loss of a long friendship, fighting with Lindsay in the same manner would undoubtedly bring a horrible consequence -- loss of visitation with his son. At least in the interim.
But this trip back to Pittsburgh wasn't like all the others; he'd sworn to himself that something had to give.
This time though...this time it wouldn't be him. Not now. Not ever again.
. . . . .
Ted had thought his visit to the Mommies was going to be a simple one -- a discussion on investing. What he'd gotten was yet another interrogation on Justin.
Just as with Deb, he told both Melanie and Lindsay what he knew and was willing to share -- that the two really did love each other, that they really were living together, that Brian had, to his knowledge, stopped tricking altogether, and that disapproving of the relationship had cost Michael his long-standing friendship with Brian.
To say Lindsay didn't react well to anything he said would be a major understatement.
And the conversation had disintegrated from there with Lindsay all but advocating an intervention and Melanie, bizarrely enough, taking Brian's side.
Finally, Ted had taken it upon himself to tell Lindsay the full and complete truth.
"If you do this, if you make him choose, I can guarantee you won't like the consequences."
"Things might not have worked out for Michael, but they will for Brian and I," Lindsay said with absolute certainty.
Melanie sighed and rubbed her forehead in frustration. "Lindsay..."
"No. I'm not just going to let this go. He shows up with this...this child out of nowhere and I'm just supposed to accept it," she exclaimed, launching herself from the sofa and pacing agitatedly.
Melanie and Ted shared a look. Both knew this wouldn't end well.
"He loves Justin. Even I can see that," Melanie said slowly.
"And you also know that Brian doesn't love or trust easily." Ted continued.
"Then I'll just have to show him the truth! Make him see things clearly." Lindsay replied.
Leaning back against the club chair he was seated in, Ted all but groaned. They'd been going around in circles all afternoon -- Lindsay trying to convince them that Justin was after Brian's money or to use Brian's business connections to launch his artistic career. Melanie and Ted had been trying to convince Lindsay otherwise.
Finally, Melanie's finely tuned patience snapped. Rising from her perch on the edge of the sofa, she rounded on her partner.
"At what cost? Jesus Christ, Lindsay. The man might have been an absolute shit at one time, but he's the reason we're still together, that we still have this house, that we have a son at all. Do you realize what would happen if he took us to court? It could ruin us."
"Brian wouldn't do that," Lindsay said fervently.
"Do you honestly believe that? He would do anything for his son. And, if he loves Justin a tenth as much as he loves Gus, I bet he'd do the same for his partner."
"Then we'll fight him! With all the drugs and the drinking he's done -- not to mention the tricking, it'll be easy to prove our case."
"And we haven't done our fair share?" Melanie said, meeting Lindsay's heated stare.
"That was a long time ago!"
"Really? And how many times have you thought about doing it again?"
Lindsay blanched and looked away. "That's not the point."
"No, it's not. The point, Lindsay, is that you're trying to shove everyone into a corner just like you always do. You're expecting everyone to fall into their convenient roles just like we always do. You're acting like a jealous lover whose spouse cheated on them, and I, for one, and sick of it.
"If Brian's happy, if he wants to be in a partnership, then let him have it. If he wants to visit with his son, then I have no problem with it, but I will not let him or you put me or our son in the middle of your selfishness anymore," Melanie said, voice cold as she spun on her heel and left the room.
. . . . .
After the performance and subsequent meet and greet where Gus babbled endlessly to the cast and crew about how pretty the costumes were and how the sets were so cool, Brian drove the three of them to the park for a picnic lunch. The idea had been Justin who, after eyeing both the 'toy drawer' and the multiple breakables throughout the loft, had quietly suggested it so Gus could burn off some of his extra energy somewhere that was more kid friendly.
Watching Gus bounce in his seat, trying to talk and eat at the same time (and spreading juice and crumbs everywhere), Brian had to admit that his partner was a genius.
"Daddy, what do you think Peter Pan'll do now that Wendy's gonna grow up?"
Brian met Justin's eyes across the table and smiled gently. "Maybe Peter will find a new, special friend who he decided he liked playing with," he replied, giving Justin a pointed look. "Someone who he loves."
Justin smiled brightly mouthing 'I love you, too' just as Gus piped up again.
"Do you think Wendy'll miss Peter?"
Lips twitching, Brian turned and met his son's inquisitive gaze. "I think Wendy will have to learn to live without him. Make new friends."
With a nod, Gus went back to inhaling his food as quickly as possible in an attempt to get to the playground as fast as possible.
. . . . .
It was an exhausted, half-asleep Gus that Brian plucked from the sandbox and carried to his jeep. The boy was equally uncooperative during the subsequent shower to remove the pounds of sand that had somehow found their way into his hair.
Finally, after what seemed an inordinate amount of time, Brian finally got Gus tucked into bed for his nap. Of course, being the little imp that he was, Gus used his father's noticeable moment of exhaustion-brought-weakness to strike.
"Daddy? Is Justin my daddy too?"
Brian paused in smoothing down Gus' blanket to gaze at his son with a deer-in-headlights look.
"'Cause you and Jus look at each other like Mom and Momma do sometimes and you smile a lot more around him, and he pushed me on the swings like both Mom and Momma do. I can tell he cares 'bout me 'cause he listened to me talk all about school."
Brian took a deep breath and looked at his son.
"Are you okay with Justin and I being together?"
Gus scrunched up his nose. "You ask silly questions, Daddy," he replied as if his father's question were the most ridiculous thing that he had ever heard.
Brian started to ask Gus what he meant but the little boy beat him to it.
"You love Jus, and Jus love you. He takes care of you and he takes care of me. That makes him my, daddy."
Brian sighed. Lindsay wouldn't exactly be pleased with this latest happening.
"Gus..."
His son shot him a mulish expression before it shifted into a mischievous smile. Kissing his father on the cheek, he pulled the covers up to his chin and said, "Now where's my story?"
Groaning, Brian dropped the matter. Once Gus set his mind to something, he generally got his way. Not to mention that Brian was rather looking forward to seeing the Munchers' reaction when Gus pronounced Justin as his second father.
. . . . .
Hours later when Lindsay finally came over to collect Gus, it was Justin who answered the door. She took one look at him and raise her eyebrows in question.
"Are you painting the walls?"
Justin glanced down at his paint-spattered clothing and grinned sheepishly.
"Actually, I'm working on my final project for my portrait class," he said, tugging the door open a little wider and motioning her inside.
From the foyer, she spotted the easel set up in the living room.
"I didn't realize you were a student." It was said in such a tone that Justin knew what she meant; she didn't realize he was that young.
Without being invited to, she strolled across the loft and glanced at the half-finished painting with a critical eye. Lindsay hummed -- either in approval or disapproval Justin wasn't sure -- before stepping in for a closer view.
"Your brush strokes are a little uneven in a few spots and your shadowing needs some work. It's clear your more comfortable in interpretive paintings rather than more reality based ones."
Justin bristled slightly, but, before he could come up with a reply, she had already turned towards him.
"Where's Brian?"
He noticed this too, of course -- a mother more interested in his partner than picking up her son. Motioning towards the bedroom, he explained with a wry smile, "He fell asleep reading a story to Gus."
From their place in the living room, both could make out the still, sleeping figures. Brian was on his back with Gus half on/half off his father's chest. Seeing them like this made Lindsay's face soften slightly.
Justin felt a sickness in his stomach at that look; it was very similar to the one Michael had worn during his fight with Brian outside the diner -- one of longing.
Closing his eyes, he forced himself to remain calm and think of the utterly destroyed look Brian had held days before when he had come to the conclusion that things couldn't continue as they had.
Maybe. Just maybe he could convinced Lindsay, to make her see the truth.
Sighing, he ran a shaky hand through his hair, licked his lips, and jumped into a confrontation with Lindsay.
"He's a good father when given half a chance."
Lindsay startled slightly, eyes flashing with anger before settling back on Brian.
"He deserves to know his son. To spend time with him like any parent would."
"I never kept him from his son!" She whispered harshly, face flushing in anger.
"Then why won't you let Gus visit his father in Chicago?" Justin replied coolly.
"Gus is too young to fly by himself."
"Children fly across the country to spend time with their parents all the time. If you're truly worried about it then someone can fly to and from Chicago with him. Or Brian can charter an airplane if need be," he replied reasonably. It was a prepared answer to an objection he knew she'd offer.
"We don't know the first thing about this loft of his -- where it is, if there's even space for Gus. And Brian's never had him for more than an afternoon."
"He'll never know if he can handle being a parent if you and Melanie don't give him a chance," he said, pausing, watching her gear up for yet more objections. "But that's what you want, isn't it? You're worried that as soon as you give Brian rights to see his son that he'll distance himself from you, that he'll build a family without you in it."
"How dare you!" She screeched.
"And I imagine seeing me with him made you realize it. You probably thought his time away from Pittsburgh was just a passing thing. That he'd see the light."
Seeing her widening eyes, he realized he'd touched on the exact truth. The one that he had suspected all along from the moment Brian began opening up and talking about his 'family.'
"Brian loves me. He loves his life in Chicago. For the first time in his life he's happy, he's putting himself first," Justin replied, intentionally softening his voice and stance. He'd attacked and wound her up. Now it was time to drive the point home.
"Michael's unwillingness to see any different cost him his friendship. Are you going to do the same?"
"What I have with Brian is totally different..."
"You're right; you have a child to use as emotional blackmail."
"I have never..."
"Haven't you? I know about all the times you've asked me for money to get Gus things or for tuition or for medical bills for him and yet you're standing here in Donna Kern, Gucci, and Manolo Blahniks. You and your wife claim you can't afford the basics of raising a son you chose to have and yet you're wearing designer clothing."
Lindsay reared back as if he'd physically hit her, and Justin knew it was time to move in for the kill.
"What you're doing to Brian, what you're doing to Gus isn't fair to them, to yourself, or to Melanie. You all deserve to be happy. The only way that's going to happen is if you all do what's right."
"Oh and I suppose you know exactly what I need to do then," she ground out, arms crossed in front of her.
"Share custody with Brian. Let him be a father..."
She opened her mouth to interject, but Justin raised a hand to stop her. "Look...why don't you and Melanie take some time off? You can fly out to Chicago, see where Brian and I live. If it works out maybe we could do it again."
She opened her mouth to reply one, twice before shutting it with a harsh click.
"If you let Brian visit with his son, it would give you and Melanie some down time. Time to focus on your partner rather than on just Gus."
Lindsay glanced from the bedroom back to the painting -- a half finished rendering of Brian and Gus sleeping in the other room. Gaze even and steady, she looked at it for a long, long moment as if she were really seeing it for the first time. The angry stance she'd held since their confrontation started slowly left her and a weariness crept in.
Justin spotted it for what it was -- defeat. Lindsay, as Brian had always said, was an intelligent woman. He'd planted the seeds of doubt, and he knew without question that she'd drawn the right conclusions -- refusing his offer no matter how hostilely it was made would equate with a loss of friendship with Brian, a lengthy and expensive court case, and the possibility of losing her son altogether.
They both had far too much to lose in the process, and, while the money for paying attorney's fees could eventually be recouped, the other two were too precious to gamble away.
Taking a deep breath, she turned and looked at Justin the way she had looked at his painting just moments before.
"You really do love him, don't you," she asked in an almost wistful way. "I was prepared to hate you, to try and talk him about of having anything to do with you. I'd assumed you were in this relationship for the money or power..." she continued, shaking her head a little as her voice trailed off.
She paused, swallowing thickly. "I'll talk to Mel if you promise me something," she said, pausing for just a moment to turn and look at him.
He stiffened beside her, fully expecting the worst, but, for the first time that day, it was he who was thrown for a loop.
"Take care of him for me."
Offering her a brilliant smile, Justin nodded once. "I already do," he said before steering changing the conversation to common ground -- art.
Chapter 22
Three weeks after Brian and Justin had returned to Chicago, Justin returned home from working on the gallery to find Brian and an unfamiliar woman standing in one of the previously unoccupied spare bedrooms looking over paint chips, fabric swatches, and furniture catalogs.
Upon seeing Justin hovering uncertainly in the doorway, Brian offered his partner a bright smile and motioned for him to join the pair in their discussion.
"Lindsay called while you were out. They're flying out here next week with Gus to see the city."
"They are?" Justin replied, trying to appear surprised. Apparently, it had worked as all Brian did was nod before motioning to the woman beside him. "Margaret here is helping me decorate this room for Gus."
Nodding absently at the woman, Justin couldn't help but feel happiness and hope bubble up inside of him as he watched the bright twinkling in his partner's eyes. Maybe, just maybe things would work out.
The Munchers arrived at O'Hara Airport exactly one week to the day they called. Melanie's face was carefully neutral, Lindsay's was falsely happy tinged with the barest traces of exhaustion, and Gus was his usual, energy-filled self.
After greeting them, Brian and Justin led them out to the parking lot and then to his loft.
The reaction to their home was anything but subdued. Lindsay couldn't stop pawing at the fabrics and exclaiming over the artwork while Melanie just stood stock still, eyebrows rising as she took it all in.
It was painfully obvious that the pair of them had expected a version of his Pittsburgh loft -- a place built as a fuck pad.
"It's stunning," Lindsay said, gazing out the window at the fantastic view of Chicago's skyline.
During their week-long stay in Chicago, the five traveled to parks, aquariums, zoos, galleries, and planetariums. The city tour was rather like the one Justin had taken him on the previous year only this time he was able to share it with his son.
And he couldn't seem to rid himself of the permanent smile etched on his face.
Of all the places they visited, Gus enjoyed their trip to Wrigley Field the best. Brian had managed to get top box seats that offered five star food and wine for the adults and standard baseball fair for Gus. Loaded down with t-shirts, hats, and a foam finger that were bigger than he was, Gus sat excitedly by Lindsay and his father, jumping and singing and shouting as the game progressed.
From where they sat at the bar, Lindsay and Brian watched Melanie alternatively watch the game and Brian with some amount of amusement. It was something Justin had caught both mommies doing throughout their stay as if they couldn't rectify the differences between the Pittsburgh version of Brian with the Chicago one.
"I was dead set against coming at first, you know," Lindsay said seriously. "Coming here...I knew it would make it all real, and I wasn't entirely sure I could handle it."
Brian nodded not even bothering to hide the scowl her words brought. After all, it wasn't exactly a surprise she was less than pleased.
"What convinced you to come?"
Lindsay shot him an apologetic look before answering. "Teddy. He came over to give us suggestions on investing. We ended up talking about the fight you and Michael had."
"Let me guess -- the blow by blow version," Brian said, a quirk to his lips.
Nodding, Lindsay continued. "You've been friends for nearly twenty years. You two have had your fair share of disagreements," she said, pausing as she grasped for the right way to word what she was thinking. "You always forgave each other, always made up. The two of you always had such a solid relationship that I thought you'd be friends forever.
"I begged Mel to come," she said, swallowing thickly before meeting his gaze. Brian, appreciating just how hard it was for her to speak her mind, stayed silent.
"I still love you. I think I always have," she said, casting her gaze back towards where Gus, Melanie, and Justin were sitting. "Seeing you here...it's like I'm seeing you for the first time."
She sat for a long moment, silent and still before turning slightly and meeting his steady gaze with tear-filled eyes. "You helped all of us live like this...made sure we were safe and happy," she said, swallowing thickly before taking his hand in hers. "I want that for you, too."
Another silence stretched out before them that was filled with raucous cheering from the crowd as another player scored a home run.
Lindsay took an uneven, shuttering breath that made Brian squeeze her hand in support. Still, he remained silent; having known Lindsay as long as he had, he knew that she still had something to say, and that waylaying or distracting her would be disastrous.
"Mel and I discussed it last night. We agreed to let Gus spend some time here. Summers for sure. We'll have to discuss holidays."
The knot of unease in Brian's stomach loosened. For so long, he'd worried his relationship with Lindsay, Melanie, and Gus would turn into a horrifyingly long custody battle. He'd even gone so far as to hire a lawyer.
And then, Lindsay had called and asked to come for a visit. Even then, he didn't allow himself to hope.
But this...
This was so unexpected.
"Thank you," he said, voice suddenly hoarse as he fought back the tears in his eyes.
Lindsay offered him one, sharp nod before changing the subject to something far more neutral.
Finally, finally everything in his life was falling into place completely.
The next morning, just before Brian drove Melanie, Lindsay, and Gus to the airport, Lindsay announced that Gus could spend the summer with his father.
That evening, as Justin was painting, Brian came up behind him, wrapped his arms around Justin's waist, and kissed the crown of his head.
"I don't know what you said to convince them, but thank you."
Closing his eyes for just a second, Justin turned and looked at his partner with a sheepish expression.
Epilogue
Nearly a year had past since Lindsay, Melanie, and Brian had reached a visitation schedule for Gus. True to their word, the Mommies had delivered Gus to Brian and Justin's Chicago home before boarding a connecting flight to their own vacation destination -- the Bahamas.
Slowly but surely, Brian's collection of friends-made-family grew to accept the changes in his life, and Brian was gifted with a newly-found peace he'd never known.
Which brought Brian to make a choice he never thought he'd consider -- selling the loft. The entire place reminded him far too much of the person he had been, the former life he had lead, and so, without much hesitation, he'd listed the place...
...and sold it within a week to some up-and-coming idiot trying to fill his old shoes.
According to Emmett, Brandon Trent was steadily but surely trying to take over the title of King of Liberty Avenue that Brian had so willingly left behind.
Part of that, apparently, was snapping up his very own fuck pad. And what better place than the original king's?
The wanna-be had gone so far as to bid well over asking price.
Brian had happily accepted the offer and set about packing up the few things he wanted to take with him -- his computer, a handful of mementos, Justin's art pieces, and the hand-me-down pan set Deb had given him when he'd finally moved out of Jack and Joanie's place.
A knock sounded on his door and Brian crossed the loft to open it, half expecting a teary-eyed Deb with yet another casserole.
Instead, it was Michael.
Brian sucked in a surprised breath.
"Hey," he said softly, hands tucked into his pant pockets.
Brian remained silently and stared at him, expression weary.
"I...um...came to apologize," Michael said, fidgeting. "I said a lot of things I shouldn't have."
Lips thinned, Brian glared down at his former friend. "You acted like a jealous asshole."
Flinching slightly, Michael nodded in agreement. "I had no right to treat you or Justin the way that I did."
"It's a bit late for an apology," Brian said, sliding his hand down the loft's door frame.
"I know that...I realize it. I just didn't think you were ready to hear one or that either of us were ready to try to rebuild our friendship again...assuming we still have one," Michael explained, his voice slightly self deprecating.
Silently, Brian agreed. Had Michael apologized months before, they would have rebuilt their friendship based on the old one which was on precarious ground already, but maybe, just maybe this one could be built on something other than hero-worship (Michael) and a need to feel loved, appreciated, and needed (Brian).
"I'm not the old Brian you fell in love with," he said, quietly, voice tinged with sadness and not a little bit of grief.
"If there's anything this past year has taught me, it's that I love Ben. He's my best friend, just like he should be," Michael said, smiling. "But I could use another," he continued, holding his hand out to Brian.
After a moment's hesitation, Brian took it, pulling Michael into a one armed hug.
"You idiot," Brian murmured into his friend's shoulder, feeling Michael relax more into the hug. A moment past before he felt the smaller man begin to cry quietly onto his shirt.
A long, long moment later, Michael stepped back, wiping furiously at his eyes.
"Right. Let's get you packed up so you can get home to Justin," he said, stepping past Brian into the loft towards the picture frames Brian had been in the middle of packing.
Had he paused and looked at his friend in that moment, he would have seen the look of utter surprise on Brian's face.
It was in those months that followed that a new, if somewhat shaky, friendship was forged. One where Michael made every attempt to include and accept Justin's place in their lives not only because he dearly missed his friend but because it was the right thing, the adult thing to do.
And, while Michael learned to appreciate the man his friend had become, Brian learned what it was like to live, truly live without a mask.
The End
A/N: I'd like to send a very big thank you to:
-- shadownyc for reading through one of my rough drafts and telling me it wasn't total crap even though I was totally doubting myself.
-- all the readers who patiently waiting for me to complete the story before posting the resolution.
-- and sian265 for trusting me enough to be her beta and to finish her story.
Chapter 21,22,& the epilogue
sian265 & sydneyalexis
[Chapter Index]/ [Chapters 19 & 20]
A/N: I've edited the crap out of this thing. So much so that I don't even think I'm seeing mistakes anymore. Unbetaed.
Previously:
Gus blinked owlishly at his father, letting the information sink through the haze of painkillers.
"Oh no! We were s'pose' t' see Peter Pan!" The sad tinge to his son's voice made his heart clench
Smiling weakly and trying once again to tame the sleep-made cow-lick on his son's head, Brian said, "You'll get to see it when you're better."
Gus met his father's gaze, eyes wide with hope.
"Promise, Daddy?"
"Yeah, Sonny Boy, I promise," Brian responded, swallowing thickly. Even if he had to rent out the theatre and pay the actors himself.
Chapter 21
The expression on Lindsay's face changed from happiness to barely concealed disapproval when she opened her front door and found not only Brian but Justin as well on her front stoop.
"Can Gus come out and play?" Brian drawled.
"Daddy!" Gus yelled, running down the stairs loudly before launching himself into Brian's arms.
Minding the cast on Gus' arm, Brian picked his son up and kissed him on the forehead. The relief he felt to have his son alive and whole after the accident and subsequent hospitalization was palpable. Two days after being released, however, and the little boy was back to his normal, rambunctious self.
"Hey, Sonny Boy. Ready for an afternoon out?"
"Uh huh," he responded distractedly.
Following his son's gaze, he offered a soft smile to Justin who was hovering in the entry way. Setting Gus back on his feet, he took the little boy's hand and lead him towards his partner.
Still clutching shyly to his father's pant leg, Gus took a step forwards, held out his hand, and said, "Hi! I'm Gus."
Smiling brightly, Justin knelt and shook the little boy's hand. "Nice to meet you, Gus. My name's Justin. Your Daddy has told me a lot about you. I'm glad you're feeling better."
"Me too! The hosp'tal was boring. They wouldn't let me do nothin' but stay in bed!"
"I think they did that because they wanted you to get better fast so your Daddy could take you to see Peter Pan," Justin told Gus in a conspiratorial whisper.
"Really?" Gus giggled.
Justin nodded.
"Good! 'Cause I can't wait!" Gus said, bouncing on his heels.
Gracing Gus with one more large smile, Justin stood and caught Lindsay's expression. Lips thinned, hands on hips, she looked just about ready to start yelling but stopped herself so she wouldn't upset Gus. Brian must have caught it too because, without much hesitation, he started guiding both Justin and Gus out the front door.
"We'd better get going if we don't want to miss the opening," he explained.
Justin shot Brian a look of relief at the lie; there was still nearly an hour before the curtain. The truth was that neither one of them were in the mood to deal with Lindsay's insecurities at present.
With well practiced ease, Brian led his son out to his jeep, buckled him into his child seat, and took off towards the theatre downtown.
. . . . .
Convincing the stage director to hold a second afternoon presentation just for the children affected by the school bus accident and their parents had been fairly easy. It was, after all, good PR for the theatre and the acting troupe, and Brian had been more than willing to call his associates at the local news stations and papers to ensure their good will was widely known. Good news was, as always, difficult to come by, and a positive spin on such a tragedy was too much for them to pass up. Or so Brian had convinced them.
Watching his son and partner's utter enjoyment of the play made it worth it.
And, secretly, he had to admit that the troupe of actors were pretty good. The sets were imaginative, the costumes colorful, and the story easy enough to follow for a child but still held an adult's attention as well.
He hadn't counted on all the dark thoughts the play would bring on though.
Lindsay had always seen herself in the role of Wendy -- the girl who had enjoyed the fun and games of Neverland but chose to return to reality, and it was she who had cast him in the rather static life of Peter Pan -- a wild boy who was utterly unwilling to face adulthood and the responsibility that came with it.
It was a persona he'd worn for her, for them all. And none of them had been willing to see beyond it.
They had forced him to do something he'd never done before in his life -- run away from it all.
He'd left behind his friends, his family, and his loft -- a place he'd been so fucking proud of because it was his. Years of living first with his abusive parents then in a series of rat trap apartments while working his way up the food chain at Ryder.
When he'd bought his new loft in Chicago, he'd thought of it as his escape. A place to go when the weight of being Brian Kinney, Stud of Liberty Avenue got to be too much.
Slowly but surely though, it became his oasis. His sanctuary. His home.
He allowed himself to relax, to fall in love, to move on with his life.
But, in truth, he had deluded himself into thinking that these two worlds he had built would never cross. It had worked for awhile. There was, however, one thing he hadn't counted on -- how much he loved his son.
Swallowing thickly, his gaze was drawn once again to the little boy at his side.
Two weeks ago, he'd nearly lost Gus. Eyes shuttering closed, he recalled the night Lindsay's call had sent him into a blind panic and how the horrible, clenching fear in the pit of his stomach hadn't settled until he had laid eyes upon his son in that hospital bed.
As the days progressed, Gus had gotten steadily better, but his relationship with Lindsay had grown decidedly frosty.
He felt the bitterness of his previous argument with Michael well up. He knew it was only a matter of time before he was forced to confront Lindsay if this morning's clear disapproval was anything to go by.
It made him so weary.
He had fled to Chicago because he hadn't wanted to fight them. Deep down he'd always suspected that he might lose everyone he cared for. And, while his argument with Michael resulted in a loss of a long friendship, fighting with Lindsay in the same manner would undoubtedly bring a horrible consequence -- loss of visitation with his son. At least in the interim.
But this trip back to Pittsburgh wasn't like all the others; he'd sworn to himself that something had to give.
This time though...this time it wouldn't be him. Not now. Not ever again.
. . . . .
Ted had thought his visit to the Mommies was going to be a simple one -- a discussion on investing. What he'd gotten was yet another interrogation on Justin.
Just as with Deb, he told both Melanie and Lindsay what he knew and was willing to share -- that the two really did love each other, that they really were living together, that Brian had, to his knowledge, stopped tricking altogether, and that disapproving of the relationship had cost Michael his long-standing friendship with Brian.
To say Lindsay didn't react well to anything he said would be a major understatement.
And the conversation had disintegrated from there with Lindsay all but advocating an intervention and Melanie, bizarrely enough, taking Brian's side.
Finally, Ted had taken it upon himself to tell Lindsay the full and complete truth.
"If you do this, if you make him choose, I can guarantee you won't like the consequences."
"Things might not have worked out for Michael, but they will for Brian and I," Lindsay said with absolute certainty.
Melanie sighed and rubbed her forehead in frustration. "Lindsay..."
"No. I'm not just going to let this go. He shows up with this...this child out of nowhere and I'm just supposed to accept it," she exclaimed, launching herself from the sofa and pacing agitatedly.
Melanie and Ted shared a look. Both knew this wouldn't end well.
"He loves Justin. Even I can see that," Melanie said slowly.
"And you also know that Brian doesn't love or trust easily." Ted continued.
"Then I'll just have to show him the truth! Make him see things clearly." Lindsay replied.
Leaning back against the club chair he was seated in, Ted all but groaned. They'd been going around in circles all afternoon -- Lindsay trying to convince them that Justin was after Brian's money or to use Brian's business connections to launch his artistic career. Melanie and Ted had been trying to convince Lindsay otherwise.
Finally, Melanie's finely tuned patience snapped. Rising from her perch on the edge of the sofa, she rounded on her partner.
"At what cost? Jesus Christ, Lindsay. The man might have been an absolute shit at one time, but he's the reason we're still together, that we still have this house, that we have a son at all. Do you realize what would happen if he took us to court? It could ruin us."
"Brian wouldn't do that," Lindsay said fervently.
"Do you honestly believe that? He would do anything for his son. And, if he loves Justin a tenth as much as he loves Gus, I bet he'd do the same for his partner."
"Then we'll fight him! With all the drugs and the drinking he's done -- not to mention the tricking, it'll be easy to prove our case."
"And we haven't done our fair share?" Melanie said, meeting Lindsay's heated stare.
"That was a long time ago!"
"Really? And how many times have you thought about doing it again?"
Lindsay blanched and looked away. "That's not the point."
"No, it's not. The point, Lindsay, is that you're trying to shove everyone into a corner just like you always do. You're expecting everyone to fall into their convenient roles just like we always do. You're acting like a jealous lover whose spouse cheated on them, and I, for one, and sick of it.
"If Brian's happy, if he wants to be in a partnership, then let him have it. If he wants to visit with his son, then I have no problem with it, but I will not let him or you put me or our son in the middle of your selfishness anymore," Melanie said, voice cold as she spun on her heel and left the room.
. . . . .
After the performance and subsequent meet and greet where Gus babbled endlessly to the cast and crew about how pretty the costumes were and how the sets were so cool, Brian drove the three of them to the park for a picnic lunch. The idea had been Justin who, after eyeing both the 'toy drawer' and the multiple breakables throughout the loft, had quietly suggested it so Gus could burn off some of his extra energy somewhere that was more kid friendly.
Watching Gus bounce in his seat, trying to talk and eat at the same time (and spreading juice and crumbs everywhere), Brian had to admit that his partner was a genius.
"Daddy, what do you think Peter Pan'll do now that Wendy's gonna grow up?"
Brian met Justin's eyes across the table and smiled gently. "Maybe Peter will find a new, special friend who he decided he liked playing with," he replied, giving Justin a pointed look. "Someone who he loves."
Justin smiled brightly mouthing 'I love you, too' just as Gus piped up again.
"Do you think Wendy'll miss Peter?"
Lips twitching, Brian turned and met his son's inquisitive gaze. "I think Wendy will have to learn to live without him. Make new friends."
With a nod, Gus went back to inhaling his food as quickly as possible in an attempt to get to the playground as fast as possible.
. . . . .
It was an exhausted, half-asleep Gus that Brian plucked from the sandbox and carried to his jeep. The boy was equally uncooperative during the subsequent shower to remove the pounds of sand that had somehow found their way into his hair.
Finally, after what seemed an inordinate amount of time, Brian finally got Gus tucked into bed for his nap. Of course, being the little imp that he was, Gus used his father's noticeable moment of exhaustion-brought-weakness to strike.
"Daddy? Is Justin my daddy too?"
Brian paused in smoothing down Gus' blanket to gaze at his son with a deer-in-headlights look.
"'Cause you and Jus look at each other like Mom and Momma do sometimes and you smile a lot more around him, and he pushed me on the swings like both Mom and Momma do. I can tell he cares 'bout me 'cause he listened to me talk all about school."
Brian took a deep breath and looked at his son.
"Are you okay with Justin and I being together?"
Gus scrunched up his nose. "You ask silly questions, Daddy," he replied as if his father's question were the most ridiculous thing that he had ever heard.
Brian started to ask Gus what he meant but the little boy beat him to it.
"You love Jus, and Jus love you. He takes care of you and he takes care of me. That makes him my, daddy."
Brian sighed. Lindsay wouldn't exactly be pleased with this latest happening.
"Gus..."
His son shot him a mulish expression before it shifted into a mischievous smile. Kissing his father on the cheek, he pulled the covers up to his chin and said, "Now where's my story?"
Groaning, Brian dropped the matter. Once Gus set his mind to something, he generally got his way. Not to mention that Brian was rather looking forward to seeing the Munchers' reaction when Gus pronounced Justin as his second father.
. . . . .
Hours later when Lindsay finally came over to collect Gus, it was Justin who answered the door. She took one look at him and raise her eyebrows in question.
"Are you painting the walls?"
Justin glanced down at his paint-spattered clothing and grinned sheepishly.
"Actually, I'm working on my final project for my portrait class," he said, tugging the door open a little wider and motioning her inside.
From the foyer, she spotted the easel set up in the living room.
"I didn't realize you were a student." It was said in such a tone that Justin knew what she meant; she didn't realize he was that young.
Without being invited to, she strolled across the loft and glanced at the half-finished painting with a critical eye. Lindsay hummed -- either in approval or disapproval Justin wasn't sure -- before stepping in for a closer view.
"Your brush strokes are a little uneven in a few spots and your shadowing needs some work. It's clear your more comfortable in interpretive paintings rather than more reality based ones."
Justin bristled slightly, but, before he could come up with a reply, she had already turned towards him.
"Where's Brian?"
He noticed this too, of course -- a mother more interested in his partner than picking up her son. Motioning towards the bedroom, he explained with a wry smile, "He fell asleep reading a story to Gus."
From their place in the living room, both could make out the still, sleeping figures. Brian was on his back with Gus half on/half off his father's chest. Seeing them like this made Lindsay's face soften slightly.
Justin felt a sickness in his stomach at that look; it was very similar to the one Michael had worn during his fight with Brian outside the diner -- one of longing.
Closing his eyes, he forced himself to remain calm and think of the utterly destroyed look Brian had held days before when he had come to the conclusion that things couldn't continue as they had.
Maybe. Just maybe he could convinced Lindsay, to make her see the truth.
Sighing, he ran a shaky hand through his hair, licked his lips, and jumped into a confrontation with Lindsay.
"He's a good father when given half a chance."
Lindsay startled slightly, eyes flashing with anger before settling back on Brian.
"He deserves to know his son. To spend time with him like any parent would."
"I never kept him from his son!" She whispered harshly, face flushing in anger.
"Then why won't you let Gus visit his father in Chicago?" Justin replied coolly.
"Gus is too young to fly by himself."
"Children fly across the country to spend time with their parents all the time. If you're truly worried about it then someone can fly to and from Chicago with him. Or Brian can charter an airplane if need be," he replied reasonably. It was a prepared answer to an objection he knew she'd offer.
"We don't know the first thing about this loft of his -- where it is, if there's even space for Gus. And Brian's never had him for more than an afternoon."
"He'll never know if he can handle being a parent if you and Melanie don't give him a chance," he said, pausing, watching her gear up for yet more objections. "But that's what you want, isn't it? You're worried that as soon as you give Brian rights to see his son that he'll distance himself from you, that he'll build a family without you in it."
"How dare you!" She screeched.
"And I imagine seeing me with him made you realize it. You probably thought his time away from Pittsburgh was just a passing thing. That he'd see the light."
Seeing her widening eyes, he realized he'd touched on the exact truth. The one that he had suspected all along from the moment Brian began opening up and talking about his 'family.'
"Brian loves me. He loves his life in Chicago. For the first time in his life he's happy, he's putting himself first," Justin replied, intentionally softening his voice and stance. He'd attacked and wound her up. Now it was time to drive the point home.
"Michael's unwillingness to see any different cost him his friendship. Are you going to do the same?"
"What I have with Brian is totally different..."
"You're right; you have a child to use as emotional blackmail."
"I have never..."
"Haven't you? I know about all the times you've asked me for money to get Gus things or for tuition or for medical bills for him and yet you're standing here in Donna Kern, Gucci, and Manolo Blahniks. You and your wife claim you can't afford the basics of raising a son you chose to have and yet you're wearing designer clothing."
Lindsay reared back as if he'd physically hit her, and Justin knew it was time to move in for the kill.
"What you're doing to Brian, what you're doing to Gus isn't fair to them, to yourself, or to Melanie. You all deserve to be happy. The only way that's going to happen is if you all do what's right."
"Oh and I suppose you know exactly what I need to do then," she ground out, arms crossed in front of her.
"Share custody with Brian. Let him be a father..."
She opened her mouth to interject, but Justin raised a hand to stop her. "Look...why don't you and Melanie take some time off? You can fly out to Chicago, see where Brian and I live. If it works out maybe we could do it again."
She opened her mouth to reply one, twice before shutting it with a harsh click.
"If you let Brian visit with his son, it would give you and Melanie some down time. Time to focus on your partner rather than on just Gus."
Lindsay glanced from the bedroom back to the painting -- a half finished rendering of Brian and Gus sleeping in the other room. Gaze even and steady, she looked at it for a long, long moment as if she were really seeing it for the first time. The angry stance she'd held since their confrontation started slowly left her and a weariness crept in.
Justin spotted it for what it was -- defeat. Lindsay, as Brian had always said, was an intelligent woman. He'd planted the seeds of doubt, and he knew without question that she'd drawn the right conclusions -- refusing his offer no matter how hostilely it was made would equate with a loss of friendship with Brian, a lengthy and expensive court case, and the possibility of losing her son altogether.
They both had far too much to lose in the process, and, while the money for paying attorney's fees could eventually be recouped, the other two were too precious to gamble away.
Taking a deep breath, she turned and looked at Justin the way she had looked at his painting just moments before.
"You really do love him, don't you," she asked in an almost wistful way. "I was prepared to hate you, to try and talk him about of having anything to do with you. I'd assumed you were in this relationship for the money or power..." she continued, shaking her head a little as her voice trailed off.
She paused, swallowing thickly. "I'll talk to Mel if you promise me something," she said, pausing for just a moment to turn and look at him.
He stiffened beside her, fully expecting the worst, but, for the first time that day, it was he who was thrown for a loop.
"Take care of him for me."
Offering her a brilliant smile, Justin nodded once. "I already do," he said before steering changing the conversation to common ground -- art.
Chapter 22
Three weeks after Brian and Justin had returned to Chicago, Justin returned home from working on the gallery to find Brian and an unfamiliar woman standing in one of the previously unoccupied spare bedrooms looking over paint chips, fabric swatches, and furniture catalogs.
Upon seeing Justin hovering uncertainly in the doorway, Brian offered his partner a bright smile and motioned for him to join the pair in their discussion.
"Lindsay called while you were out. They're flying out here next week with Gus to see the city."
"They are?" Justin replied, trying to appear surprised. Apparently, it had worked as all Brian did was nod before motioning to the woman beside him. "Margaret here is helping me decorate this room for Gus."
Nodding absently at the woman, Justin couldn't help but feel happiness and hope bubble up inside of him as he watched the bright twinkling in his partner's eyes. Maybe, just maybe things would work out.
The Munchers arrived at O'Hara Airport exactly one week to the day they called. Melanie's face was carefully neutral, Lindsay's was falsely happy tinged with the barest traces of exhaustion, and Gus was his usual, energy-filled self.
After greeting them, Brian and Justin led them out to the parking lot and then to his loft.
The reaction to their home was anything but subdued. Lindsay couldn't stop pawing at the fabrics and exclaiming over the artwork while Melanie just stood stock still, eyebrows rising as she took it all in.
It was painfully obvious that the pair of them had expected a version of his Pittsburgh loft -- a place built as a fuck pad.
"It's stunning," Lindsay said, gazing out the window at the fantastic view of Chicago's skyline.
During their week-long stay in Chicago, the five traveled to parks, aquariums, zoos, galleries, and planetariums. The city tour was rather like the one Justin had taken him on the previous year only this time he was able to share it with his son.
And he couldn't seem to rid himself of the permanent smile etched on his face.
Of all the places they visited, Gus enjoyed their trip to Wrigley Field the best. Brian had managed to get top box seats that offered five star food and wine for the adults and standard baseball fair for Gus. Loaded down with t-shirts, hats, and a foam finger that were bigger than he was, Gus sat excitedly by Lindsay and his father, jumping and singing and shouting as the game progressed.
From where they sat at the bar, Lindsay and Brian watched Melanie alternatively watch the game and Brian with some amount of amusement. It was something Justin had caught both mommies doing throughout their stay as if they couldn't rectify the differences between the Pittsburgh version of Brian with the Chicago one.
"I was dead set against coming at first, you know," Lindsay said seriously. "Coming here...I knew it would make it all real, and I wasn't entirely sure I could handle it."
Brian nodded not even bothering to hide the scowl her words brought. After all, it wasn't exactly a surprise she was less than pleased.
"What convinced you to come?"
Lindsay shot him an apologetic look before answering. "Teddy. He came over to give us suggestions on investing. We ended up talking about the fight you and Michael had."
"Let me guess -- the blow by blow version," Brian said, a quirk to his lips.
Nodding, Lindsay continued. "You've been friends for nearly twenty years. You two have had your fair share of disagreements," she said, pausing as she grasped for the right way to word what she was thinking. "You always forgave each other, always made up. The two of you always had such a solid relationship that I thought you'd be friends forever.
"I begged Mel to come," she said, swallowing thickly before meeting his gaze. Brian, appreciating just how hard it was for her to speak her mind, stayed silent.
"I still love you. I think I always have," she said, casting her gaze back towards where Gus, Melanie, and Justin were sitting. "Seeing you here...it's like I'm seeing you for the first time."
She sat for a long moment, silent and still before turning slightly and meeting his steady gaze with tear-filled eyes. "You helped all of us live like this...made sure we were safe and happy," she said, swallowing thickly before taking his hand in hers. "I want that for you, too."
Another silence stretched out before them that was filled with raucous cheering from the crowd as another player scored a home run.
Lindsay took an uneven, shuttering breath that made Brian squeeze her hand in support. Still, he remained silent; having known Lindsay as long as he had, he knew that she still had something to say, and that waylaying or distracting her would be disastrous.
"Mel and I discussed it last night. We agreed to let Gus spend some time here. Summers for sure. We'll have to discuss holidays."
The knot of unease in Brian's stomach loosened. For so long, he'd worried his relationship with Lindsay, Melanie, and Gus would turn into a horrifyingly long custody battle. He'd even gone so far as to hire a lawyer.
And then, Lindsay had called and asked to come for a visit. Even then, he didn't allow himself to hope.
But this...
This was so unexpected.
"Thank you," he said, voice suddenly hoarse as he fought back the tears in his eyes.
Lindsay offered him one, sharp nod before changing the subject to something far more neutral.
Finally, finally everything in his life was falling into place completely.
The next morning, just before Brian drove Melanie, Lindsay, and Gus to the airport, Lindsay announced that Gus could spend the summer with his father.
That evening, as Justin was painting, Brian came up behind him, wrapped his arms around Justin's waist, and kissed the crown of his head.
"I don't know what you said to convince them, but thank you."
Closing his eyes for just a second, Justin turned and looked at his partner with a sheepish expression.
Epilogue
Nearly a year had past since Lindsay, Melanie, and Brian had reached a visitation schedule for Gus. True to their word, the Mommies had delivered Gus to Brian and Justin's Chicago home before boarding a connecting flight to their own vacation destination -- the Bahamas.
Slowly but surely, Brian's collection of friends-made-family grew to accept the changes in his life, and Brian was gifted with a newly-found peace he'd never known.
Which brought Brian to make a choice he never thought he'd consider -- selling the loft. The entire place reminded him far too much of the person he had been, the former life he had lead, and so, without much hesitation, he'd listed the place...
...and sold it within a week to some up-and-coming idiot trying to fill his old shoes.
According to Emmett, Brandon Trent was steadily but surely trying to take over the title of King of Liberty Avenue that Brian had so willingly left behind.
Part of that, apparently, was snapping up his very own fuck pad. And what better place than the original king's?
The wanna-be had gone so far as to bid well over asking price.
Brian had happily accepted the offer and set about packing up the few things he wanted to take with him -- his computer, a handful of mementos, Justin's art pieces, and the hand-me-down pan set Deb had given him when he'd finally moved out of Jack and Joanie's place.
A knock sounded on his door and Brian crossed the loft to open it, half expecting a teary-eyed Deb with yet another casserole.
Instead, it was Michael.
Brian sucked in a surprised breath.
"Hey," he said softly, hands tucked into his pant pockets.
Brian remained silently and stared at him, expression weary.
"I...um...came to apologize," Michael said, fidgeting. "I said a lot of things I shouldn't have."
Lips thinned, Brian glared down at his former friend. "You acted like a jealous asshole."
Flinching slightly, Michael nodded in agreement. "I had no right to treat you or Justin the way that I did."
"It's a bit late for an apology," Brian said, sliding his hand down the loft's door frame.
"I know that...I realize it. I just didn't think you were ready to hear one or that either of us were ready to try to rebuild our friendship again...assuming we still have one," Michael explained, his voice slightly self deprecating.
Silently, Brian agreed. Had Michael apologized months before, they would have rebuilt their friendship based on the old one which was on precarious ground already, but maybe, just maybe this one could be built on something other than hero-worship (Michael) and a need to feel loved, appreciated, and needed (Brian).
"I'm not the old Brian you fell in love with," he said, quietly, voice tinged with sadness and not a little bit of grief.
"If there's anything this past year has taught me, it's that I love Ben. He's my best friend, just like he should be," Michael said, smiling. "But I could use another," he continued, holding his hand out to Brian.
After a moment's hesitation, Brian took it, pulling Michael into a one armed hug.
"You idiot," Brian murmured into his friend's shoulder, feeling Michael relax more into the hug. A moment past before he felt the smaller man begin to cry quietly onto his shirt.
A long, long moment later, Michael stepped back, wiping furiously at his eyes.
"Right. Let's get you packed up so you can get home to Justin," he said, stepping past Brian into the loft towards the picture frames Brian had been in the middle of packing.
Had he paused and looked at his friend in that moment, he would have seen the look of utter surprise on Brian's face.
It was in those months that followed that a new, if somewhat shaky, friendship was forged. One where Michael made every attempt to include and accept Justin's place in their lives not only because he dearly missed his friend but because it was the right thing, the adult thing to do.
And, while Michael learned to appreciate the man his friend had become, Brian learned what it was like to live, truly live without a mask.
The End
A/N: I'd like to send a very big thank you to:
-- shadownyc for reading through one of my rough drafts and telling me it wasn't total crap even though I was totally doubting myself.
-- all the readers who patiently waiting for me to complete the story before posting the resolution.
-- and sian265 for trusting me enough to be her beta and to finish her story.