Midnight Whispers
QAF Brian and Justin Fanfiction
Author's Chapter Notes:

Gus is deliriously happy when he finds his father's ring; Brian simply becomes delirious.

 

The Next Morning...Brian and Justin's bedroom...

 

"Hmmm," Justin sighed in pleasure as he felt a pair of soft, warm lips skimming over his upper back. He was lying on his stomach, his arms folded under his head that was resting on the pillow.  He smiled, his eyes still closed, as a warm tongue swept down his spine.  This was the perfect way to wake up.

 

Brian lifted his head in response to his fiance's verbal expression of approval.  "Wake up, bachelor boy.  Your days of being footloose and fancy free are over."  All he received for his effort was an incoherent mumble, however, as Justin turned his head away from him.   "Too early," he murmured in protest, wishing to remain in bed for the foreseeable future, even if he WAS going to be married later today.

 

Brian rolled his eyes.  If Tricky didn't react so enthusiastically every time he saw him, he would have half a mind to let him into their bedroom, along with his demonized spawn, to help wake his fiancé up.  But he knew that the beast and his metal-chomping accomplice were both presently in his son's bedroom, no doubt on his bed with Gus wedged between them.  He peered down at the immobile body lying beside him and shook his head in amusement.  At least Justin hadn't spouted any romantic drivel last night about sleeping separately the night before their wedding, although he had half been expecting it.  After the ring disaster, both men had been mentally exhausted by the time evening had drawn to a close, however, so they had had to satisfy themselves with only one bedtime fuck before falling asleep, tangled up in each other's arms and legs. 

 

Brian slid over to slowly remove the sheet that was half-hiding his fiance's lower body, taking a moment to admire his lover's smooth skin and...other attributes.  He couldn't help trailing the tips of his fingers down the middle of Justin's spine to follow his tongue from before, watching the slender body shiver in response.  He grinned, noticing his reaction.   "Hmmm...well, in that case, I'll guess we'll just have to tell Emmy Lou that the wedding really IS off, since you can't get up."

 

At last that evoked more of a response, as Justin lifted his head and turned toward him, his eyes now open.  "Over my dead body," he growled in a vehement whisper; he squeaked as Brian promptly flipped him over onto his back and began to tickle him mercilessly. 

 

"Stop it!" Justin protested, unable to keep from laughing as Brian grinned more widely at him.  He gripped Brian's upper arms in an attempt to push him away, but it was useless.  "Brian!  You asshole, get off me!" 

 

Brian chuckled, but finally stopped his torment.  "Now you know how I feel when Tricky greets ME," he told him as Justin grinned back at him.  Their smiles slowly transformed into something more serious as they both gazed into each other's eyes, mutually thinking about what would be happening later today.  Even though Justin placed more emphasis and importance on the ceremony being held today, Brian silently had to admit that it inexplicably meant a lot to him, too.  Bracing himself on his elbows, he leaned in to brush Justin's lips with his before he pulled back slightly. "We're really doing this," he whispered.  It wasn't a question, but a statement.

 

Justin smiled at him tenderly, vastly relieved that yesterday's disagreement had been resolved.  "Yeah. We really are," he replied softly. 

 

Brian nodded, his eyes lowering to study Justin's lips, the mouth he had kissed so many times he couldn't possibly keep count any longer. He knew he would never grow tired of kissing - and loving - this man.  Seconds later, the two lovers were kissing passionately, which, naturally, proceeded to more intimate endeavors.  After all, they had to start their wedding day off right in true Kinney-Taylor fashion.

 


 

An hour later, the two grooms emerged from their master bedroom, Brian vastly relieved that he wasn't greeted with a Tricky knock-down as soon as he opened the door. Apparently either Gus was outside with the two mutts, or they hadn't awakened yet.

 

He soon discovered that he and Justin were the last two people to head downstairs.

 

"Well, if it isn't the two lovebirds!" Emmett crooned as they walked down the steps together, Brian's hand on his fiance's shoulder.  "I thought we were going to have to send the minister up to your bedroom so you could recite your vows there." 

 

Justin chuckled as they reached the first floor.  "It's not THAT late, Em," he pointed out, glancing over to the foyer's grandfather clock to note it was a little after ten. 

 

"Well, maybe not for you, Baby," he told his friend, pecking him on the cheek and receiving what he thought was a scowl from Justin's possessive, soon-to-be-husband.  "But for the rest of us, time's a wastin', as my Aunt Lula would put it, and there is a ton to do still.  Now go get some breakfast so I can start getting the kitchen set up for the caterers.  Everyone's out back on the patio."

 

Justin nodded, pulling a somewhat reluctant Brian down the hall toward the kitchen.

 

"I'm not hungry...any longer," he told him with a smirk.  He had already had his high-protein breakfast.

 

Justin rolled his eyes.  "Well, I am, Mr. I-don't-eat-carbs-for-breakfast," he replied.  Brian grinned.  "You can have some nice, dry, whole wheat toast while I fix something more substantial. Besides, you need to reserve your carb intake for later - for the wedding cake."

 

Brian groaned at the thought as Justin tugged him toward the rear of the house, his hand wrapped around his wrist as if he were afraid he would bolt any second.  He made Justin stop momentarily, long enough to warn him, "You had better not even think about smashing any damn piece of cake in my face, Sunshine."  He knew there was no way he was going to get away with not eating any of the marble cheesecake at all, but he could still preserve his dignity.

 

"Now would I do that?" Justin replied, the twinkle in his eyes betraying him.

 

"Yes, you would, Steve Urkel," Brian retorted.  He sighed.  Maybe eloping would have been a better idea after all; especially after what happened yesterday.  Speaking of which... "Have you seen my son and his two terrorists?" he asked Emmett, who had followed them into the kitchen.

 

His friend grinned, making Brian a little nervous.  "Oh, yeah, they're out there, all right.  And your ring bearer is taking his responsibility very seriously," he told him.  "He's deeply involved with his duties as we speak."

 

Brian narrowed his eyes. "What do you mean...deeply involved?"

 

"Well, let's just say it includes a quart-size Ziploc bag, a pair of latex gloves - which are way too big for him, by the way - and a magnifying glass. Where he got that from, I have no idea, but he brought it downstairs with him first thing this morning...and he's been out in the backyard ever since.  Now if you'll excuse me...duty calls."  Grinning as Brian quickly understood what Gus was up to, he gave them a friendly wave before opening up the screen door and hurriedly disappearing outside.

 

Brian groaned; he thought he had talked Gus out of that.  "Oh, no.  Why did I ever get him that science kit for Christmas?" 

 

Justin covered his mouth to hide his amusement, earning a glare from his partner.

 

"This is NOT funny!" he growled.  "My son is out there right now, following along behind YOUR dog, waiting for her to take a crap so he can examine the shit with a fucking magnifying glass!  He isn't panning for gold!"

 

Justin giggled, unable to help himself. "Well, he is, in a way; but it's platinum, though."  He shook his head in response to his partner's scowl.  "Come on, Brian! You have to see something humorous in this!  I'm sure Mel and Lindsay won't let him actually pick anything up.  And Debbie wouldn't hear of it, you know that!"

 

"Do I?' Brian countered.  "She's wanting me to wear that feces-encrusted ring in the worst way."  His curled his lips under as a thought occurred to him.  "Justin, go get those heavy rubber gloves you use out in the studio to clean your brushes with, and give them to Debbie. Tell her we have a job for her.  At least she can avoid dishpan hands."

 

"Brian!" 

 

His fiancé shrugged.  "Well, isn't that better than Gus doing it?  She's used to working with shitheads at the diner all the time; what's one more?"

 

"My dog is not a shithead as you so eloquently put it," Justin replied stiffly, somehow insulted by that remark, even if Xena WAS a thief and a canine metal detector. "She's a puppy, Brian. A very inquisitive puppy who just happens to like shiny things. And at least she had good taste."

 

That produced a guffaw.  "Well, that certainly redeems her," his partner answered dryly.  He sighed.  "Well, if you won't go get the gloves, I guess I'll have to get them."

 

Justin's mouth hung open. "There is NO way you're going to take over for Gus," he told him.  "And you will NOT suggest it to Debbie, either."

 

"You got part of it right. I wouldn't go near that shit...literally.  No, don't worry; I've decided that this is the perfect job for our wedding planner.  I'm not paying Honeycutt for nothing."

 

"Yes, you are."

 

"What?"

 

"You're not paying him anything. It's his wedding present to us, remember?"

 

"Oh. Well, then, I'll appeal to his sense of fashion. I'll let him wear some orange gloves instead of the yellow ones." 

 

"Brian, you can't do that!"

 

"Can't do what?"

 

The two men turned to observe Daphne standing on the other side of the screen door, holding her now empty breakfast plate and glass in her hand.  "About time you two fuckers got up," she added with a knowing smirk as Justin pulled the door open for her.  Why would today be any different than every other morning?

 

"That's why we were fucking," Brian explained as he reached to give Justin's cock a quick squeeze through his denim jeans, curling his lips under as Daphne grinned, noticing Justin blushing.

 

"Well, now that you're finally done with your morning ritual, you've got about four hours to eat, shower, and get dressed. Knowing you two, and the showers YOU take, that will be just long enough.  So get cracking!"

 

Justin laughed as he gave her a salute.  "Yes, Ma'am!" he responded dutifully as he turned to address his partner.  "Brian, you heard her; sit your scrawny ass down and I'll get our breakfast started."

 

"Hey!" his fiancé protested indignantly, causing both friends to burst out laughing.  "Anyone's ass would look scrawny next to yours," he pointed out.  Grumbling about being unappreciated and abused, he walked over to grab a cup of coffee as Daphne placed her dirty dishes into the sink.  He was about to sit down (on his aforementioned scrawny ass) when he heard his son speaking through the back screen door; his words caused his heart to start racing with apprehension:

 

"Come on, Xena, you can do it!  Push!  Harder!"  Any other time Brian would have made some smart-ass remark about Justin saying much the same thing to him whenever they fucked, but he was too worried about what his precocious son was up to at the moment.

 

He and Justin exchanged a brief look before both of them shot out of the kitchen, followed closely by Daphne.  It didn't take long for them to spot Gus, who was crouched down in the rear of the yard next to the squatting puppy, the dog reminding Brian of a hen laying an egg - except in this case it was more of a goose laying a golden egg. 

 

Brian's mouth fell open as he observed his son's flushed face, bright eyes, and gloved hands, one of which was holding a quart-size, clear Ziploc bag. He could see his nose crinkled up like he normally looked whenever he tried to get him to eat his ‘vegtbles' - as his son called them - but Gus remained in his place nevertheless next to Xena.  Even though he couldn't smell it from where he stood, Brian couldn't help mirroring his son's expression as he hurried toward him, not caring at the moment that he might wind up being tackled by the perpetrator's father, who was lying nearby. Fortunately, at the moment Tricky was chewing on some gigantic chew bone, so other than a thumping of his tail at Brian's approach, and his ears perking up, he was temporarily diverted from assaulting him like he normally would.

 

"Daddy!  Daddy!"  Gus squeaked excitedly.   "Look! Xena's pooping!"

 

Brian likened Gus's enthusiasm to Man walking on the moon as he hurried over to him and Xena.  Getting a good whiff of what Xena was up to, he replied, "I see that, Sonny Boy." His nose turned up. "Whatever you do, though, don't touch it!" 

 

"It's okay, Daddy. I got gloves!"  His son told him proudly, holding his hands up as if his father couldn't see the bright colored latex practically swallowing his son's small hands.  Lying near Gus was the magnifying glass that had accompanied his science kit from last Christmas, just as Brian thought.  Silently flogging himself for ever coming up with such a gift, he shook his head in disbelief.  "I can't believe that his mothers condoned this.  Where are they, anyway?" 

 

Justin shrugged.  "Probably helping Emmett out with the wedding arrangements," he suggested, their friend having headed over to the tent a few minutes ago.  "You know how much they've all been looking forward to today.  Besides, have you ever tried to stop your child from doing something that he was determined to do?" 

 

Brian had to admit he had a point; when Gus got something in his head, there was practically no stopping him, unless it involved personal peril. And with him, the messier, the better. And this couldn't get any messier - or smellier, he decided, as the wind kicked up right at the worst moment.  He shook his head in disgust as he gazed down at Xena's ‘contribution.'  At least it wasn't the liquid version, he thought, but it was bad enough.  Yes, it was just the sort of thing that Gus would find fascinating.  He sighed, resigned to watching his son do his good deed.  "All right, Sonny Boy. But whatever you do, do NOT take those gloves off, you understand?"

 

Gus nodded, creeping closer in his crouched position as Xena crapped away, oblivious to all the drama she was creating.  Finally, the last ‘log' plopped down onto the grass, and Xena stood up on all four paws, taking a moment to do a sort of ‘cha-cha' motion with her back legs as if she were covering up what she had done with some imaginary ground cover, before she walked away almost proudly, lumbering over to her father as she picked up another chew bone lying nearby. Sitting down next to Tricky, she mimicked him perfectly, placing her two front paws on either side of her bone as she began to nonchalantly gnaw away.

 

"Gus, maybe you should let your Papa take a look," Brian couldn't help suggesting as he watched Gus pick up the magnifying glass from the grass and position it directly over the pile of poop.  Brian glanced over at his fiancé, who flashed him a ‘gee, thanks, I'm honored' sort of look.  He shrugged.  "Well, one thing's for sure; you can certainly tell you and her are related."

 

"Excuse me?" Justin asked in bewilderment.  He couldn't wait to hear THIS explanation, especially considering that Brian hadn't wanted Xena at Britin in the first place.

 

"Well, look at the shape and symmetry of the finished product, Sunshine, and the nuance of shading.  It's very artistic."

 

"Ha, ha," Justin retorted, as Brian snickered at him. 



"No, Daddy, I can do it!" Gus insisted.  "I'm in charge of the rings, remember?" he reminded him authoritatively, reaching down to retrieve a familiar metal object that Brian hadn't noticed was there before.  He watched as his son picked it up, balancing it in the same hand that was still clutching the large plastic bag.   

 

Brian's mouth hung open in realization.  "Hey, those are my sterling silver ice tongs!" 

 

Emmett walked back over from the wedding tent, immediately realizing what was going on.  "Oh, THAT'S where they are!" Emmett exclaimed.  "I've been looking for those!"  He had been on his way to the kitchen to grab some wooden trivets for the hot food that would be arriving, and to retrieve some buffet servers from his utility truck parked out front. 

 

"Well, too late," Justin told him with a laugh.  "Now they're jewelry forceps," he replied, effectively preventing Brian from placing his foot in his mouth, and making his well-intentioned little boy upset.  "Isn't that right...Dad?"

 

He,  Daphne, and Emmett stared over at him, silently daring Brian to say otherwise.

 

Brian sighed in defeat.  "Yeah..." he grumbled.  "Now they're ring forceps, all right."  He shook his head.  "And from now on, I'll be picking up ice cubes with my fingers.  More sanitary."  

 

Justin tittered, earning a scowl from his partner, as Gus smiled, happy that his father was in agreement with his plan.  "Don't worry, Daddy.  I'll use them to pick the ring up, and it'll never touch my fingers.  And I'll use my gloves, just like the doctors do."  

 

Brian turned to peer over at Emmett, shaking his head.  "I leave him alone for just a little while, and I come out here to find him playing in poop.  Where are Mel and Lindsay?" he asked again.

 

"They're out at the tent," Emmett confirmed, just as Justin had surmised.  "They're helping to arrange the flowers with Jennifer.  Deb's decorating the reception tables until the food caterers arrive; then she's going to show them where to put all the food and set up the wedding cake."

 

Gus peered over at Justin.  "Papa?"

 

"Yeah, Buddy?"

 

"Can you get me a bucket of water and some tweezers?"  

 

"Uhh..."  Justin glanced over at Brian, wondering what his reaction would be.  It was obvious what Gus wanted it for, and that he had no intention on stopping now.

 

Brian rubbed his face with his hand; he suspected what that meant, and he didn't even want to go there.  "Gus, you don't need a bucket of water," he tried to gently but firmly suggest in his best Obi-wan voice, but he soon found out that a certain little boy had already been turned to the dark side.

 

Gus's eyes flashed as his mouth turned into a pout.  "Yes, I do, Daddy!" he insisted.  "I'll need it to take the ring out so it can be washed.  That's what Mommy does to clean out my shells out after I pick them up on the beach," he explained as if it were the most logical thing in the world.  "And I need the tweezers so I can pick it out of the poop."  He leaned over the first specimen then to examine it, deftly using the tongs to turn the first part over like it was a steak being grilled, holding it up in front of him in a perfect Sherlock Holmes imitation.  "Not in this one," he reported solemnly to the crowd as he put it back down.  "But don't worry, Daddy; there're two more," he told his father.

 

Brian groaned.  He had to admit he had sired a smart little fucker, despite his reservations, but he would have never imagined this.  Deciding he had best just let him do what he was so intent on doing, he peered over at Emmett.  "Emmy Lou, you heard the boy.  Go get some tweezers out of the half-bathroom drawer downstairs, and fetch a pail of water from the kitchen. Bucket's under the sink."

 

Emmett glared at him.  "Who do I look like?" he protested.  "Jack...or Jill?"

 

"Definitely Jill," Brian quipped with a smirk, taking in his friend's shiny, dark gray pleather pants and his silk, silver and white pin-striped, long-sleeved shirt.

 

Emmett appeared insulted as he crossed his hands over his chest.  "Well, if it's all the same to you, I'd rather stay and watch.  It's not every day I get to witness Brian Kinney having to put up with a load of sh.."

 

Brian quickly interrupted him as Gus peered up at them curiously; as usual, he wasn't missing anything.  "I put up with it every day I'm around you and the others," Brian countered as Emmett rolled his eyes at him.  "Did you not say that you were our event planner?"

 

"Well...yeah...but what does that have to do with this?"  He wrinkled his nose as the wind shifted slightly in his direction, and he got a good whiff of Xena's ‘contribution.'

 

"Well, I know a certain someone who won't get married until he knows that ring is safe and sound, whether it gets used or not.  So do what I ask, or the wedding isn't going to happen, and your chocolate fountain will look like a poor rendition of Cher's wig on a bad hair day."

 

Emmett frowned momentarily, trying to envision such a picture, before he gave up and just shook his head. "Yes, my Lord," he said mockingly as he gave Brian a bow, causing Daphne and Justin to giggle.

 

Brian nodded.  "That's more like it," he decided with a smirk.  Emmett huffed and fixed a death glare on him before he turned around and headed back toward the house, emerging about a minute later with the requested items.  "Here you go, Doctor," he told Gus, backing away as another pungent whiff accosted him.  "Uh...I'll just observe from over there," he told the little boy.

 

Gus was too focused on his work to pay him much mind as he held the next piece up for inspection.  "Daddy! Look at what I see!"  He shouted excitedly after a few moments.

 

Everyone held their breath.  "You found the ring?" Justin asked hopefully.  Even though he knew Brian wouldn't be caught dead wearing it at the ceremony, it still meant a lot to him.

 

"No, not that," Gus reported to their surprise.  "But I can see some of Xena's dog food in her poop!  Neat!"

 

Brian couldn't believe this was his son.  How did Gus wind up being fascinating by such grotesque stuff? With HIS penchant for dirty, slimy, stinky things, he feared he might just grow up to be a mortician...or even worse, find himself attracted to someone like the clients he constantly had to schmooze in order to win their business.  He had long ago given up his preferred method of persuasion - fucking the shit out of them in one of the bathroom stalls when they prevaricated over their decision -  but they were definitely slimy, stinky, and grotesque to the nth degree in their lack of professionalism - and they were also full of shit. "Gus..." he began.

 

He winced as his son let out a squeal akin to Theodore when he discovered a long-lost opera album he had never heard of before at one of the local flea markets.  "What?"

 

"I've got it! I've got it!" Gus announced, standing up with the tweezers in his hand and doing a happy dance; he was soon joined by Tricky, who twirled around and around and barked, even though he had no idea whatsoever why his master was so joyfully dancing around in a circle.  Xena, on the other hand, merely perked her eyes up and wagged her tail briefly before settling back down to return to her chew toy.

 

"Don't even think about it!" Brian growled as Tricky turned to head in his direction.  "Come any closer, and I'll get the lopping shears.  You'll wind up as a Rhodesian Ridgeback in no time."

 

Justin managed to grab Tricky's collar, just before he could reach his partner.  He looked around helplessly, wondering what to do with him; he obviously couldn't let him loose.  He was so busy keeping Tricky under control that for a moment he didn't realize exactly what had happened.  When he did, however, his face broke out into a big smile.  "You did it, Gus! You found your Daddy's ring!  I'm so proud of you!"

 

"Yeah, Sonny Boy," Brian spoke up.  "I'm...proud of you, too."  He stumbled over the word ‘proud.' Not that he wasn't always impressed with his son's ingenuity and boldness.  It was just hard to be proud of someone who liked to dig around in dog shit.  Nonetheless, his son smiled back at him with pleasure, not detecting the slightest hiccup in his father's praise.

 

"Emmett, can you..." Brian started to say tentatively.

 

"No, way!" his friend told him, holding up his hands defensively as he immediately figured out what was coming next.  "It's your ring! I'm not going anywhere near it. I'm just the ringmaster for the wedding.  And he's YOUR son, not mine."

 

Brian huffed.  "I wasn't going to ask you to take the ring," he told him, rolling his eyes.  "I want you to take the mutt mountain and his sidekick out to the fenced in part of the backyard."

 

Emmett raised his eyebrows expectantly.  "Say the magic word."

 

Brian sighed wearily, grimacing slightly.  "Please," he said through gritted teeth.

 

Emmett smiled smugly as Justin grinned over at him. "That's better," he told him, walking over to pick Tricky's leash up from the ground nearby.  Heading over to where the dog was temporarily restrained, he latched the collar to the leash before Justin felt safe enough to release him.

 

"Be careful," he warned Emmett.  "He's as strong as a Mack truck."

 

Emmett eyed him skeptically, until he almost fell down when the dog lurched forward unexpectedly.  "I...I can see that," he choked out.  He peered over at Brian and grinned at him.  "Oh, I could so take advantage of this opportunity right now."

 

"And oh, I can so see you lying flat on your back after I punch you out for letting him loose."

 

"Brian!"

 

"Well, he started it!"  Brian pointed out with a shrug.  He sighed as Justin stared over at him pointedly.  He turned back to their friend, bestowing a false smile on him.  "Mr. Honeycutt, would you please take Cujo and his demon spawn out to the fenced-in part of the backyard?  You do want to see a wedding take place, right?  You could get a lot of publicity out of this.  I can make it happen.  Or I can not make it happen."

 

Daphne giggled, enjoying herself immensely, while Jusitn rolled his eyes at his partner. "Brian! That is not the way to do it," he scolded him.  "Play nice."

 

"Oh, never mind," Emmett muttered.  "Come on, Fella.  I'll take you away from the Big, Bad Wolf. It's for the best, trust me."  On the way toward the back gate, Emmett retrieved Xena's leash as well to hook it onto her collar and gently prod her onto her feet.  Xena took a moment to scoop up her chew bone before the two dogs trotted toward the back of the yard, Emmett holding on for dear life as he was dragged along behind them.

 

 

Brian sighed in relief as he focused his attention back on his son, who used the tweezers to plop the soiled, stinky ring into the bucket of water, watching as it dropped like a lead balloon down to the bottom.  "Your ring was really dirty, Daddy," he observed, amazed by the way the water was rapidly changing color.

 

"Gee, I'm so glad to hear that, Sonny Boy," Brian replied dryly.  He and Justin walked over to his son, who was trying to take his gloves off.

 

"Gus, if you're going to play some more with that ring, keep those gloves on," his father instructed.  "You will never get that smell off your hands if you don't."

 

"I'm going to go tell Mommy and Momma what I did!" he replied eagerly; before Brian could stop him, his son had whirled around and was running toward the wedding tent located several yards away, still wearing his brightly colored gloves.  "Gus!" he shouted, but his son ignored him, hell bent on telling everyone about his successful adventure.

 

"I'll go keep an eye on him," Daphne offered; Justin nodded at her gratefully as she hurried to catch up with him.

 

"Oh, great.  Mel's going to hold this over my head for the rest of my life now," Brian grumbled.  "He may never get that stink off him, even after a thousand baths.  Tell Emmett to spread a lot of potpourri around before the ceremony."

 

Justin chuckled.  "Stop being such a drama queen! He was wearing gloves. I don't think he got any on him," he assured him.  "And it wasn't your fault, Brian," he told him softly.  "It was no one's fault, really."  He was relieved that the ring had been retrieved, but still a little melancholy over the fact that it wasn't going to be used for the ceremony.  He had dreamed so long of putting that ring on Brian's finger as they were wed. But he pushed that thought aside as he turned his attention back to his partner, reminding himself what he had told him before.  He had meant it; the important part was that they would be standing side-by-side as they recited their vows in front of their friends and family, who would be there to witness their joy.  And by the end of the day he would officially be Justin Taylor-Kinney.  He smiled at the thought.

 

"What?"

 

Justin lifted his eyebrows.  "Hmmm?"

 

"What are you smiling at?"

 

Justin eyed him sheepishly.  "I was just thinking about our wedding this afternoon...and my new name."

 

Brian turned to grasp his fiancé by the upper arms.  "Yeah...about that name...Justin Taylor-Kinney, huh?  Don't you think that's a mouthful?  You're establishing a name now in your own right as an artist. You sure you want to change it professionally?  We can always just do it legally."

 

But Justin shook his head.  "No."

 

Brian shook his head in amusement.  "Yeah...I kind of thought that would be your answer," he replied softly.  "Stubborn romanticist."

 

Justin shrugged, not denying it.  "You don't have to, you know."

 

"I don't have to what?"

 

"Change your name," Justin told him.  "I know how much name recognition means in advertising. You can keep it the way it is."  He paused.  "It's just a name."

 

Brian stared into his eyes. "Like my wedding ring is just another ring?"

 

Justin half-grinned, caught.  "Touché.  Okay, so it's not just a name.  But I would still understand if you didn't want to."

 

Brian curled his lips under.  "If I can stand to watch my son pluck my wedding ring out of a piece of shit, I think I can handle adding ‘Taylor' to my last name."

 

Justin snorted at the comparison as Brian chuckled.  "Thanks...I think."

 

Brian grinned then, leaning closer so that they were almost touching nose-to-nose.  "No backing out now, Sunshine.  Once I put my support behind something, I'm in it for the long haul.  Ring or no ring...we're getting married this afternoon, Justin Taylor-Kinney."

 

Justin flushed at the sound, turning his head to peer down into the dirty bucket; despite the cloudiness, he could still make out Brian's wedding ring shining at the bottom like an undiscovered pearl in the depths of the sea.  He eyed it a little regretfully like he was abandoning some long-lost friend before he peered back up at his partner.  "Me, too," he whispered sincerely.  "I can't wait to get married to you."  He blinked, his eyes glistening slightly.  "I love your ring, Brian," he admitted.  "And I love mine.  But I love YOU more."

 

"Right answer," Brian told him with a smile, just before they kissed.

 

"Hey!"

 

The two men turned to see Daphne staring over at them.  How did she always do that? Brian wondered.  He hadn't even heard her come back.

 

"Your little Dick Tracy is telling everyone how he found the ring," she reported.

 

Justin grinned over at his friend.  "Yeah, I'm not surprised. He's pretty proud of his discovery.  It's still taking a bath at the moment."  He glanced down at the bucket.

 

Daphne nodded in understanding, figuring the ring could use all the soaking it could get.   "Well, now that that's over, you have a wedding to get ready for.  Michael just got here," she told them, having had that piece of information relayed to her through a text that he had sent his mother.  "He's waiting for you upstairs," she told Brian as she looked over at her long-time best friend.  "I have your suit laid out on the bed upstairs, Justin. So get both of your asses in gear!"

 

"Yes, Dear," Brian replied in a falsetto voice.  "Sunshine, you take your bossy maid of honor back to the house with you.  I'm going to check and make sure everything's on track over at the tent first."

 

"Emmett can handle that; you know he won't let us down," Justin replied as he turned to begin heading over to Daphne.

 

"Probably," Brian conceded.  "But just humor me.  I have a reputation to uphold here.  And I need to scrounge up Indiana Jones; he needs to take a bath and get ready, too."

 

Justin grinned with a nod.  "Well, don't take too long, or I'll send Daphne back out to find you."

 

"A fate worse than death," Brian intoned.  "I'll be quick; scout's honor."

 

"There is NO way you were ever a Boy Scout, Kinney."

 

"No, I wasn't...but just think of all the fuckable boys that got passed over as a result.  Get going, Sunshine."

 

Justin chuckled, nodding again as he turned to follow Daphne back to the house.  Brian watched them go through the back door several seconds later before he turned to study his ring still lying at the bottom of the stinky, cloudy water.  He gazed at it thoughtfully for several moments before he pulled out his cellphone to punch in a pre-assigned number.

 

The phone was answered on the first ring.  "Why aren't you getting dressed?"

 

"Shit!  Is everyone my damn mother today?"

 

"Just making sure you aren't trying to weasel out of it."

 

"You would think that Justin is your boss instead of me."

 

"It pays to always be in good graces with the only man who is able to control you," Cynthia quipped with a smile.

 

"Where are you?"

 

"On the way. Should be there in about ten minutes.  Why?"

 

"I need you to do something for me."  He proceeded to give her instructions for the next minute or so before asking, "Think you can handle it?"

 

Cynthia smiled. "Don't I always take care of you?"

 

Brian snorted.  "Hurry up," he told her, disconnecting the call before she could reply.

 

"Brian!"

 

He turned to peer up at the open, second-floor window of his and Justin's bedroom.  "What?"

 

"Get up here! With YOUR preening ritual, you'll need every minute to get ready."

 

"Very funny, Mikey."

 

"Who's laughing?  Come on, you're wasting time!"

 

Brian rolled his eyes.  "You're as bad as Justin's maid of honor guard dog.  Okay," he told him.  "You can go and run my bath, then."

 

Michael shook his head in exasperation.  "You wouldn't be caught dead in a bathtub; too hard to fuck in," he told him as Brian rolled his tongue into his cheek.  "Come on!  Ma will kill us if you run late for your wedding."

 

"Sheesh, you're really taking your duties seriously.  But I don't think I want to risk THAT."

 

"No, you don't," his friend warned him as Brian smiled up at him.  "Now get your scrawny ass in here and start getting ready!"  He laughed as Brian glared up at him.

 

"You've been talking to Justin.  You had better NOT use that line in the next issue of Rage, or Rage will be eliminating Zephyr in the edition immediately after that."

 

Michael laughed.  "So noted.  Now get in here."

 

Brian nodded.  "I will as soon as I go get Gus; he needs to get ready, too.  But do me a favor."

 

"What?"

 

"Go into his room and make sure the ring bearer pillow is on his dresser where I left it.  I wouldn't put it past Tricky or Xena to have it shredded into pieces by now."

 

Michael laughed.  "Yeah, I heard about Spiderman. And here I thought he was invincible!  Don't worry; I'll take care of it."

 

Brian nodded.  "Thanks, Mikey," he replied, satisfied when his best friend slid the window back down and turned away to carry out his wishes.  "Not much time," he murmured, quickly getting to work.

 

 

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