Midnight Whispers
QAF Brian and Justin Fanfiction

 


CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE


 


JUSTIN 


 


“Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!” Deb trumpets, following Carl as he comes in carrying the huge golden turkey adorned with curly rolls of crisp bacon.  We all clap and cheer.  I say ‘all’, but the table’s not as crowded as it used to be.  Ted and Blake are spending the holiday with Blake’s parents, and Drew has taken Emmett to a formal Ironmen function.  I don’t know whether to be hopeful for them or not.  I know Em’s got a special place in his heart for Drew Boyd and I’m happy to see that they’re maintaining contact, but Drew has been out for such a short time that it’s too early to say if things will work between them.  I just don’t want Em getting hurt again. 


 


Of course the most glaring and painful absentee for me is my Mom.  After she and Deb had become friends and allies, Mom (and once Molly) had always attended Deb’s family Thanksgiving and her absence only confirms the realisation that she’ll never see one again.  I’d rung Molly from the Loft earlier and although we’d shed a few tears together, we’d laughed a little too, which I guess is a good thing.   Brian pretended not to notice but he’s been quietly attentive since.   I came close to tears again with Debbie’s welcome-hug and whispered so glad you’re here, Sunshine, but Brian was hovering and she must have taken note of his forbidding expression because she didn’t belabour the point.


 


So there’s just the Novotny-Brukners and Peterson-Marcus’s plus assorted offspring, biological and adopted.  Plus of course Boot, who’s doing his bit as a space-filler by taking up one end of the table all by himself.


 


I was both anxious and pleased to find out Lindsay was joining us; pleased both because it’s the first time she’s accepted a family invitation and it wouldn’t have been the same for Gus without her presence, and also because it might be sign that she’s finally coming around.  Anxious, because I wasn’t sure how the tension between she and Mel might manifest itself.  Or the tension between Lindsay and myself, for that matter.


 


But it hasn’t been too bad.  Our greeting was friendly, if restrained; and all the rest of the family was at pains to make her feel comfortable and included.  She’s less demonstrative than she used to be and certainly doesn’t talk as much, but I guess that’s to be expected.  Thankfully she and Mel seem to have negotiated a truce … even if their conversation so far has consisted solely of ‘Melanie, would you pass the potatoes, please?’ and ‘Of course, Lindsay.’  At least they managed to smile while they said it.


 


“So, Brian,” Hunter grins, as we all tuck in.  “How’s life down at the ranch?”


 


Brian chews a piece of gravy-free turkey and wipes his lips fastidiously with a napkin before replying.  “So, Hunter, how’s life in the straight world?”


 


Hunter pokes out his tongue and we all laugh.  He might have a steady girlfriend now but he’s never got over his early crush on Brian.  I remember all the little digs he used to give trying to make me jealous, and it really used to piss him off that I’d never bite.  But come on, he’s so not Brian’s type it’s ludicrous.  The only one who could never see it was Hunter himself.


 


“When are we getting an invite?” Deb demands.  “I know you two wanted your little honeymoon but, come on, boys.  Enough is enough.”


 


“Deb, they didn’t get married, remember?” Mel points out.


 


“Well, no … I do know that, Melanie … but I meant that after the rotten year they’ve both had, especially Sunshine, they just deserved a little time alone to adjust.  That’s what I meant.”  Deb beams at us.


 


“Technically, you’re wrong,” Brian remarks casually.


 


Debbie stares at him.  “I am?”


 


“Not about the needing time alone bit.  About the marriage bit.”


 


Now they’re all staring - well, all except for Boot who, not realising the magnitude of Brian’s words, keeps eating his dinner.  “Can somebody pass the cranberry?” he asks.  Deb does so without taking her eyes off Brian.  Everybody else is frozen, me included.


 


“I had all the papers for a civil partnership drawn up before the marriage,” Brian explains smoothly.  “And since we’ve now signed them, we’re about as tied to each other as any married couple.”


 


“Man, you are so fucked!”  Hunter doesn’t know whether to look disgusted or impressed.


 


I’m just … stunned.


 


“When?” Deb demands.


 


Brian shrugs off-handedly.  “Six months ago, I guess.”


 


Debbie lets out a shriek like a locomotive.


 


“Congratulations, you two,” Ben beams, standing up to reach over and shake hands with us.  To my surprise Michael’s right behind him, and even though he complains, “Why the fuck didn’t you tell me?” he’s smiling and his handshake is genuine.


 


“Okay, okay, settle down,” Brian growls, warning off Deb with a glare before she descends and smothers us.  “We didn’t tell anyone because it wasn’t anybody’s business.  There wasn’t any ceremony, so there wasn’t any need for witnesses or bridesmaids or fucking celebrations.  There still isn’t,” he tells her pointedly.


 


Debbie’s sitting with a proud, tearful smile, her hands clasped against her ample bosom.  “You boys…” she wipes her cheek.  “I knew you’d make it eventually.  I just fucking knew!”  She glances guiltily at Gus.  “Whoops … I meant friggin’, Sweetie.  I friggin’ knew.”


 


Mel laughs and lifts her wineglass.  “Then I would like to propose a toast.”  She stands.  “To Brian and Justin, without whom this world would be a friggin’ more boring place.  May you always live in interesting times!” 


 


The whole table rises.  Lindsay pauses to make sure Gus has a glass of orange to drink from before standing too.  She’s the only one who hasn’t congratulated us but she has a smile on her face.  Maybe I’m just imagining that it doesn’t quite reach her eyes.


 


“To Brian and Justin!”


 


“To Dada and Juss!” Gus adds solemnly, and I bury my face in my hands with embarrassment.  I can’t even look at Brian.


 


Unfortunately he doesn’t seem to have finished.


 


“As to your subtle request for visiting rights,” he says once they’ve all retaken their seats, “I was thinking of Christmas Eve.” 


 


“Chr … Christmas?” Debbie stammers.  “You’re inviting the family for Christmas?”


 


“Fuck no,” Brian smirks.  “Christmas Eve, I said.  Buffet and drinks; I’ll hire cars, so nobody has an excuse not to enjoy themselves.”  He gives me side-ways look.  “And no reason to stay overnight.”


 


There’s stunned silence, then everyone begins talking at once.  I tune out the racket and lean close to him.  “Who are you and what have you done with my non-defined, non-conditional, significant other?”


 


He scowls at me but his eyes are twinkling.  “What’s the matter, Brat?  I can do Christmas … I just never wanted to.”


 


“And you do now?”


 


He leans his forehead against mine.  “Told you Sunshine.  No more regrets,” he whispers.  “We’ll even get a tree.”


 


And despite Mom, despite Lindsay, despite Dan and New York, despite this whole horrible year, I suddenly think we’re going to make it.  Not like thinking we will because I want us to, or thinking we will because some weird fate decreed it that way.  Just thinking … we can make it, and knowing it’s true.


 


So I grab his face and kiss him, and I don’t give a fuck who’s watching.


 


 


 


TBC


 


 


 


 


 

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