Six months into being Brian's boyfriend and Justin found himself at the Pittsburgh airport awaiting a flight to Tampa to meet Brian's family three days before Thanksgiving. All was going well, although, the initial honeymoon phase was starting to wane a bit. Justin wasn't that surprised to learn Brian was moody. He had recently even concluded his man processed an almost pathological need to evade and quip his way through real emotionally charged moments. He also liked to pretend he was a callous asshole on occasion but the façade never lasted long, at least not with him. The real Brian always reappeared eventually and Justin stopped getting mad and started giving as good as he was getting when Brian worked himself into one of his I don't need anybody moods. This morning was no exception and they had been sniping at each other most of the day.

Brian left Justin to grab a Starbucks figuring the empty calories could be worked off when he indoctrinated Justin into the mile high club. He was a bundle of nerves so he opted for a coffee-free option to keep the jitters at bay. Justin had become everything to him and he needed this week to go well. It wasn't so concerning when it was just Debbie, Mickey and Ben but the Toronto winter had swung into gear too early for Mel and Lindsay so they invited themselves to sunny Florida for the holiday. Before he knew it, the whole family was going to be there. Justin had met everyone already but only in small groups, well controlled by Brian and for limited periods of time. The whole family would have access to them for the whole week; it was just a disaster in the making.

"Brian" Justin called not disguising his annoyance, "Brian, they are boarding"

Brian handed Justin his coffee and kissed his cheek as an apology. He needed a smooth start to their trip and a blow job to calm his nerves and neither was going to be possible if he didn't get over himself and stop acting like an asshole. Justin had a high tolerance for his mood but more than anyone in his life, he would call him on his bullshit, he refused to be treated with anything other than respect. Brian had learned that the hard way. The only one allowed to queen out in their relationship apparently was Justin.

"Coming dear" he called in a sing-song way, his higher than normal pitch drawing some rogue judgmental stares. Justin wrapped his arm around him and let Brian grab their luggage which Brian took as acceptance of his apology. It was always this way with them, neither really ever said they were sorry, there was always just a look or a gesture and the clock was reset and all was forgiven.

As Justin settled into the window seat he felt the vibration of his phone from his pocket, which he barely fished out when the call went to voicemail.

"It's Rob" Justin announced, seeing Brian's curiosity peek. Justin waited a minute to see if his new agent left a message. It was still new, having an agent; he had just signed a month previous and was anxious to see what that might mean for his career. Brian was on him to quit his job and move in with him so he could afford to paint full time. The offer was tempting but Justin hated being dependent on Brian or anyone. He just still wasn't sure even if for all practical purposes; Justin had been living with Brian since their first real date. He knew, from the moment Brian said he could fuck him, he was sure Brian was the one he had been waiting for. Justin's phone finally beeped with the voicemail and Justin played the message while Brian watched him.

"More about the New York show" Justin explained while listening to the details on his message. Rob's first order of business was getting Justin some East Coast exposure and he had been trying to get a few pieces into a tiny gallery in the East Village. It wasn't going to catapult his reputation to super-stardom but it was a start and Justin was grateful for whatever Rob could do for him.

"That's great babe" Brian responded. "Christmas in New York?"

"Maybe" Justin laughed. The thought of spending anytime in New York appealed to Justin. He had always planned to move there eventually once he knew Daphne could support herself without his half of the mortgage. Of course, that was before Brian. Now he wouldn't dream of leaving him.

The flight to Florida was a bit turbulent and the seatbelt sign never went off much to Brian's chagrin. "Fuck" he exclaimed when the pilot announced their descent. "I didn't get to fuck you" Brian whispered when Justin looked at him puzzled for using a random expletive seemingly out of nowhere.

Justin smiled with his consolation offer, "You can fuck me at the hotel."

"I can fuck you in the airport" Brian counter-offered.

Justin flashed a wicked grin. "That might be hot." The truth was Brian was an incredibly inventive lover. He could get his dick hard, out of his pants, sheathed and inside Justin so stealthily that public sex was almost a game between them. Who could come up with a more daring maneuver? Justin liked the risk, the excitement, of being caught but Brian's creativity was even more of a turn-on. Sex was to Brian as paint was to Justin and Justin loved being Brian's canvas.

As soon as they exited the plane, Brian guided them to the elevator that led to the rental car booths and made good on his promise with the help of the emergency stop button. The sex was quick and dirty and left Justin unsatisfied but getting Brian off was enough for now, plus they had all week in a luxury hotel so there was no hurry in Justin's mind.

Brian's attitude improved greatly as they drove off the lot on their way to Debbie's. Justin had never been to Florida before and the palm trees and warm weather combined for a pleasant experience after the Pennsylvania November drizzle they had left behind. Justin took off his jacket and looked over at Brian while he drove.

"You're so fucking gorgeous" Justin declared with a smile, "I'm so lucky."

Brian nodded to acknowledge the complement and squeezed Justin's hand. It was nice to hear and he's the one that felt lucky even if he would never admit it out loud. If Justin minded that he didn't reciprocate, it didn't show. His smile was as bright as the Florida sunshine.

A few moments of silence and Brian pulled onto Carl and Debbie's street. "Listen, I want to worn you that my family can be a little…"

"…overbearing?" Justin sighed, he knew all too well. Especially Lindsay, Justin found her to be quiet meddlesome when it came to Brian. She was worse than Daphne in some ways.

"They mean well" Brian responded defensively, "but I'm going to take a lot of shit for being with you and it's not about you, it's about me, my past. They might tell you stories."

"Bri, you've met my dad. I can handle it. Don't worry." Justin offered with a reassuring kiss before exiting the car.

Brian and Justin walked into Debbie's small condo to a full house. Gus was the first to notice their arrival.

"DAD!" Gus cried, pulling himself away from Emmett's arms. "Look what Drew brought me!" he exclaimed excitedly while offering his Peyton Manning autographed football for inspection.

Drew smiled at Emmett then explained, "We played the Bronco's last week. I told him he had a Steeler's fan to convert"

Brian did his appropriate oohing and ahhing over the football before making his way through the crowd first to Debbie, then to Michael.

Justin settled in next to Gus on the floor since all the seats were occupied. "Sunshine" Debbie's motherly voice called out over the crowd. "I'm so glad you could make it."

"Thanks for inviting me" Justin responded politely offering a handshake but being pulled into a warm hug against his will. "Where's that beautiful roommate of yours?"

"Oh, I thought Brian told you, Daphne decided to spend the holiday with her family." Justin answered stoically, while shooting Brian a questioning look that was met with a shrug that told Justin, he had simply forgotten to say anything. Daphne and Tom were supposed to join them for the trip and leave for a cruise but Tom ended the relationship suddenly a week ago and Daphne didn't want to be around "annoying happy couples" during her mourning period. He had to give Daphne credit; she had been making some important strides to living her own life complete with a boyfriend who wasn't repulsed by lady parts. Justin suspected Tom was just not the long-term relationship type but then most would say that about Brian so what did he know.

Dinner the first night at Debbie's was crowded and Justin mostly felt like an outsider while Brian caught up with Michael and Ben, whose son Hunter, much to Justin's complete annoyance, made overtly sexually charged innuendo towards Brian throughout the meal that no one else seemed to find remotely inappropriate.

After the latest wink, wink, nod, nod comment about Brian's cock size, Justin had more than enough. "Excuse me" Justin announced loudly in the middle of dinner, directing his ire at Hunter who looked taken aback by the outburst.

"What?" Hunter replied innocently.

"Do you mind not hitting on my boyfriend?" Justin explained, seeing stunned stares all around. Brian's was the only smile in the bunch.

"It's okay Justin" Brian started to explain, "Hunter has always had a bit of a …."

"It's not okay, you can't talk to my son that way" Michael announced over Brian, "and Brian doesn't do boyfriends so don't flatter yourself."

Justin stared silently at Brian waiting for him to correct the misstatement only to realize he didn't plan to. After a few minutes he recovered from the general acceptance that no one, including Brian, was on his side, and shifted from hurt to outrage.

"My mistake" Justin announced mechanically whilst giving Brian his most penetrating, hateful stare. He grabbed the rental keys from the table and stormed out of Debbie's house.

All eyes shifted to Brian for an explanation. "Fuck!" Brian exclaimed when he snapped out of it and figured out why Justin was so angry. It never occurred to him to correct Michael's statement because it had always been true before. Only now it wasn't. Brian had never called Justin his boyfriend to Michael. He hadn't really even seen him except for a dinner when visiting Gus now and then. Justin was always just "a guy he was seeing" or "a close friend". He wasn't sure why he couldn't use the word around Micahel.

"Well asshole" Debbie said, giving him a whack on the head and gesturing towards the door. "Go after him."

"Oh" Brian remarked, "Yeah, um, I'll be right back"

Drew shook his head as they watched Brian leave to look for Justin, "Man, that wasn't cool" and while Emmett, Ted and Blake shook their heads in agreement.

"Why did you say that?" Ben asked Michael almost as hurt as Justin was by Michael's continued fascination of Brian's perpetual bachelorhood.

Michael shrugged and continued shoveling cannelloni into his mouth. "It's better he know now. I told Brian inviting him for the holidays was going to send the wrong message."

Melanie was perplexed. She was far from Brian's biggest fan, but she thought Justin was a perfect stabilizing influence in Brian's life. She couldn't imagine how Michael could be so off base, "Michael, Justin's practically living with Brian. They're serious."

Michael rolled his eyes in dismissal and Ben stood to leave the table, prompting Debbie to issue another round of head slaps, this one directed to Michael's noggin. She removed his plate with half eaten cannelloni as punishment.

"Justin" Brian said as he knocked on the window to the rental car. He was relieved that he hadn't already left but upset to see Justin was still there because he was crying.

Justin rolled down the window, "What?" he hissed.

"I want to talk to you" Brian exclaimed, "Come back inside"

"Forget it. I'm going to the hotel. You can come with me if you want to talk."

Brian nodded and climbed into the passenger seat as Justin sped off. They checked in to the hotel silently but as soon as they got to the room, the gloves came off.

"I told you they might be like that" Brian argued defensively.

Justin gave Brian a fuck you look that conveyed how off base he was. "You made me look like an asshole in front of your family." Justin argued.

"Well you jumped all over Hunter in the middle of dinner. He's just a kid."

"He's not a kid, he wants to fuck you or maybe he already has?" Justin yelled his voice thick with accusation.

"No" Brian corrected, "I've never known you to be jealous" he smiled, crossing the room to hold Justin's hips, working his fingertips under his shirt hem and bending slightly to catch his eye line. "It's kind of hot" he flirted, doing his best to apologize without actually having to apologize.

"Forget it Brian" Justin shook his head and pulled away. "You can't just fuck your way out of this one."

"Well then maybe you can fuck me until you're not mad anymore" Brian offered, playing his usual get out of jail free card.

Justin just shook his head, "Why doesn't Michael know I'm your boyfriend? Why does he think I'm just some trick?"

"I don't know; it never came up."

"You have a boyfriend for the first time in thirty-six years and it never came up with your best friend since you were twelve?"

Brian shrugged; he didn't know why he never told Mikey.

"Fuck that Brian and fuck you. I risked my friendship with Daphne to be with you and you can't even tell your closest friend that I'm more than some fuck to you. Do you know how that makes me feel?"

"You are making too big a deal about this, we know what we are to each other. Why does it matter what everyone else thinks?"

"Because I'm not some god damn dirty little secret, that's why. I thought…" Justin started but stopped to fight back the tears, "I thought you loved me. I thought this was forever." He managed to get out.

Brian stared dumbfounded. He knew he was in love with Justin and he was confident the feeling was mutual but neither had ever said it. They danced around it. They said things like, "I love being with you" and "I love fucking you" but never just "I love you".

Brian swallowed. He felt the room spin and a lump formed in his throat. His lips went dry and he used his tongue to rewet them. He stared and blinked and cleared his throat twice but the words wouldn't come out. Justin watched the display and he knew what a gigantic step he was asking Brian to take but he needed to hear it and he needed it to be true so he had held off saying it first but now was not the time to be careful. He would lay his entire heart on the line and Brian would either guard it with his life or trample it into a million pieces.

One deep breath later and there it was. Words he had said a million times in his own head but never out loud, not to Brian. Not before now. "Baby, listen, I want you. You're sweet and generous. You're brilliant at what you do and you're sexy as hell. The last six months have been fun and exciting and the best time of my life. I love you. I'm in love with you."

For most people, love was a word that had to be returned in kind. The most conventional response to hearing someone loves you was saying you loved them too. However, Brian was far from conventional and love was just a vocabulary word. Love was like a painting that was beautiful from afar but up close was just a mess of brush strokes. But need, Brian knew need. That was real and he never needed anyone, until Justin.

Brian closed his eyes and let the words wash over him. He opened them and saw the most perfect pair of blue eyes waiting anxiously for his reaction. "I need you. You're all I need"

Justin took Brian into his arms, never expecting the confession that in so many ways exceeded a declaration of love. "Then I'm yours. Forever"