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Starting Over
Author: Rena
Rating: PG
Characters: Mainly Brian and Justin but the others as well
Summary: A possible future for Brian and Justin.
Brian sat in his office wringing his hands. He had absolutely no idea what to do. Just then, Cynthia came in and looked at him.
"Go home and talk to him. See what he says. I'm sure he'll understand." Brian just looked at her for a moment, then nodded. Ryder would understand why Brian had to go home. Luckily, this was a day that Justin didn't have class, so he should be home.
Brian swore loudly when he found the note from Justin. He pulled out his cell and called Justin's.
"Yeah?" the young man answered.
"I need you at home, now." Brian said.
"What's wrong? Is everything okay?" Brian could here the concern form in Justin's voice.
"We need to talk. Get home as fast as you can." Then Brian hung up before Justin could say anything. Brian paced in the living room and looked around, his thoughts going back over the last four years. He couldn't believe that he and Justin had been living together for two years already. Justin was just a year away from graduation. He had already gotten job offers from several prestigious graphic design firms, including Ryder himself. He slipped his jacket off and laid it across the back of the couch, then continued his pacing. Which is how Justin found him when he came running in the door
"What is it?" Justin asked, almost out of breath.
"Sit down" Brian said. He had his hands clasped at the small of his back. Justin sat and Brian looked at him a minute.
"I've been offered a partnership." Brian said matter of factly. Justin smiled.
"That's great."
"No, it's not great." Brian said as he went back to pacing. Justin looked confused.
"Ryder isn't the one that offered me the partnership."
"Oh? Who did?"
"Ever hear of Hartford and Croft?" Brian could tell Justin was thinking it over for a minute.
"Oh yeah...they've done some pretty big ads. They're like really famous. The best firm you could work for." Then Justin stopped as he remembered something. "But...aren't they based in LA?" he asked.
"Yeah, they are. That's why it's not great that they offered me the job. Yes, it is a higher position. Yes, it's a much better job with about three times the pay I'm making working for Ryder. And yes, it has some of the best perks on the planet. But there's one perk that I have now that I can't get in LA." When Brian looked at Justin, the younger man finally understood. His heart sank in his chest and he sighed heavily, looking down. So this was it. After all this time.
"I...I understand. I mean...I know how important your work is to you and..."
"Will you shut up for just one second?" Brian cut him off. Justin looked up. "I didn't say yes yet."
"Why not?"
"Because...well...I can't...I can't say yes until I know whether or not you'll come with me." He finally managed to get the words out. Justin stared at him in disbelief. Brian still maintained that this was not in any way an actual relationship. Even though he and Justin had been living together for almost two years now and Brian hadn't been out tricking in over a year, and had stopped the drugs at Justin's request, he still pretended that he was a free man. That he was not tied down in a relationship. Now, here he was, asking Justin to move to California with him. Justin smiled brightly.
"Of course I'll go with you. Why do you even have to ask?"
"Because none of the firms that offered you a job are in LA and because you still have a year of school left" Brian looked down. Justin stood and walked over to Brian, hugging him.
"Listen...I'm sure they have art schools in LA. And the only reason I wasn't offered a job out there is because none of the firms out there have seen any of my work. I'm sure that I can keep going out there just like I am here."
"You don't know that, Justin. You can't say that at all. What if the schools out there don't have an opening? What if..." He stopped a minute. "Justin...I don't want you throwing away your life just for me. I want you to be a success at what you want to do. I don't want to take a chance on ruining your chances."
"So you don't want me to come with you?"
"Would I have asked you if I didn't?" Brian asked and Justin shook his head. "I just don't want you to regret coming with me." Justin looked at Brian for a moment. Here it was. Brian Kinney bearing his soul in the only way he knew how. He didn't want to give up Justin, but he really wanted this job. He wanted Justin to go with him so bad that it almost hurt, but he also wanted Justin to have a life of his own, doing what he wanted to do. He wanted Justin to be happy, even if that meant losing him.
"When do you have to go, if you take the job?"
"A little over a month."
"And when do you have to give them your answer?"
"By Friday."
"So, that gives me four days to talk to schools out in LA." Justin smiled, then went to look online for art schools in the LA area. Brian couldn't believe it. Justin was actually willing to change his entire life just to go with him. When he thought about it, he wasn't really sure he'd be able to do the same thing for Justin. But then again, Justin wasn't asking him to.
"If you can't find a school, I'm not taking the job"
"Like hell you're not" Justin looked up. "Look, Brian. Planes exist you know? And, I mean, it's not like I can't get a job after I graduate. If I can't find a school then we'll just have to settle for email and phone calls and the occasional holiday until I graduate and can move out there with you. Like you said to me, Brian. I don't want you fucking up your life for me." Brian smiled.
"That's not exactly what I said."
"I know, but mine had more impact." They both laughed.
"Don't you think you should tell Mikey? Since you ARE taking the job?" Justin put a tone to his voice that made it clear there was no room for argument on that one.
"I better tell everybody." He said. Brian grabbed his jacket and slipped it on before pulling out his cell and calling everybody. He'd meet them all at Deb's place in a half an hour. "So, you coming with?"
" No, I'm gonna keep looking for schools" Justin said, then he turned back to the computer. Brian smiled, then left, heading over to Deb's.
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Deb certainly was shocked when everyone arrived. Brian had known that he forgot to call someone, when he got there and saw how angry Debbie was at him, he realized it was Deb that he had forgotten to call.
"Sorry, but I needed to talk to everybody, including you." Brian moved past her into the living room where everyone was sitting in various chairs and on couches. He walked over to Lindsay and took Gus from her, smiling at him as the boy gave him a hug. It was amazing that he had grown so much, looking more like Brian every day. He was even going to be tall like his dad.
"So, what's going on?" Melanie asked. Brian set Gus on the floor, then moved to a spot where he could look at everyone.
"I've been offered a partnership" when everyone started to congratulate him, he silenced them with a raised hand. "Not with Ryder. The job is with Hartford and Croft." He said. He noticed that everyone had a confused look, except for Lindsay.
"Aren't they based in LA?" She asked. When Brian nodded everyone was silent.
"You're not taking it, are you?" Emmett asked.
"Yes, I am. It's a wonderful opportunity. It's three times the pay I'm making now. It's pretty much the job I've been waiting for."
"Well, what, did they open an office in Pittsburgh?" Mikey asked.
"No, they didn't."
"So you're just moving to L A?" That was from Deb. Brian nodded and crossed his arms over his chest, waiting for the barrage that had come with his announcement about moving to New York.
"Wait, this isn't like last time, is it? Where you don't have the job yet and it's going to fall through at the last minute?" This from Melanie.
"No, it's not. They've practically got my name on the office door."
"And you've already told them yes?" Emmett.
"Not yet, but I plan to when I go in tomorrow." Then the question that everyone had wanted to ask, but no one had yet had the nerve to came from between the lips of Ted.
"What about Justin?" Every eye in the house turned to Brian to await his response.
"He's at home right now" Brian paused for effect, wanting to make everyone think he was leaving the boy behind. "Looking for art schools in LA" Brian couldn't keep the smirk from his face.
"So he's just going to uproot himself and go with you?" This came from Jen. Brian really hadn't known why he had called her until it came to this part of the conversation.
"Listen, I'm not dragging him against his will. I even told him that if he couldn't find a school in LA I wasn't going to take the job. He said, and I quote, 'Like hell you're not' I told him that I didn't want him fucking up his life because of me and he said that he didn't want me fucking up my life because of him. If he can't find a school in LA, I go anyway and then when he graduates he moves out there with me. That's his plan and I know there's no way to change his mind about this."
Everyone looked at him a minute. Then someone finally spoke.
"Did you even ask him to go with you?" Jen again. Brian nodded and everyone actually looked kind of shocked.
"I told him that I wouldn't say yes to the job until I knew whether or not he would come with me. I'm not going to even attempt to go through life without him. I've gotten used to having him around and I don't really like needless drastic change." Everyone gave him skeptical looks.
"Okay, now what's the real reason?" This came from Ted. Brian took a deep breath and let it out slowly. He remained quiet for a minute, then looked up and answered as truthfully as he could.
"You want the truth? Here's the truth, but if any of you says a word about this, I am going to hurt you all." He got some strange looks, but all agreed that it wouldn't leave the room. "The truth is that I want Justin to come with me because I love him...and because gay marriages are legal in California." Everyone had been expecting the first part of that revelation. They had all known for years that Brian was in love with Justin. It was the last part that threw them all for a curve.
"Wait...did I just hear that right?" Melanie finally spoke up. Brian nodded.
"As...as soon as we get there I plan to ask him. That is...as soon as he can live with me out there. Although, I don't know if I can hold it in for an entire year while I wait for him to graduate." The looks that he was getting from everyone made him seriously uncomfortable.
"Okay, who the hell are you and what have you done with Brian Kinney?" Deb asked. Everyone seemed to nod in agreement. Brian laughed and everyone at first thought that he had been joking the whole time.
"Listen. I love Justin. I have since the night we met, even though I wouldn't admit it. I can't stand not having him in my life. And...well...we already live together. We share everything. Hell, I haven't even slept with anyone else in over a year. We've been completely faithful to each other. I figured that, for all intents and purposes, we're married already. And, since it's legal in California, why not make it official, you know?"
"You're really serious about this, aren't you?" Mikey asked. Again Brian nodded.
"I even bought the rings. I just hope he says yes."
"And why wouldn't he?" Jen asked. "He's loved you as long as you've loved him. He would never say no to you." Just then, Brian's cell rang.
"Yeah? Already? That's great...oh, he was online and you messaged him. Well, that's wonderful. Okay...yeah, I'm almost done. I'll talk to you when I get home." Brian smiled as he said, "Love you too" then hung up the phone. Everyone looked at him expectantly.
"One of the deans of one of the art schools there in LA was online and so Justin talked to him. He's got an interview to show his portfolio next week, but he's pretty sure he's gonna get in."
"So, Fuckman and the Boy Wonder take on Los Angeles." Debbie said. Everyone laughed. Brian couldn't think of a single time in his life when he had ever been happier.
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Brian was waiting at the airport to pick up Justin. He smiled as his lover exited the plane and practically ran to hug him. They kissed right there in front of everyone, getting smiles from some and disgusted looks from others.
"So?" Brian asked.
"Wait" was all Justin said. By the time they got home he was about ready to burst. He told Brian to sit, then stood across from him and turned once.
"You are looking at the newest student of the Los Angeles Institute of Graphic Design!" Brian stood and hugged him and kissed him passionately.
"That's great, baby." He kissed Justin again. "Oh, there's been a slight change of plans. Turns out we're not leaving until after the semester is over. So you can finish school here and then start up next year there. After having the entire summer off in LA."
"Actually, no. He's already set up a summer internship for me. So, I'll be working about as much as you are."
"That's great. I mean...the job. They'll probably hire you on full time once you graduate."
"Yeah. The only problem is that I won't know where I'm working until tomorrow when he calls me. He said he had to hash out the details before he could say it was a definite yes."
"That's perfectly alright. All that matters is that we're going to be together." Brian yet again kissed his lover passionately.
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Justin couldn't wait. Not only was it what they considered to be their anniversary, but Brian and Justin would be moving to California in three days. He was so excited. Everything that could be spared had been packed and sent to LA. Brian had opted for an enormous loft in Beverly Hills. It was three times the size of the one they were leaving behind, with four bedrooms. When Justin had asked why they needed so many, Brian had replied that he didn't know how many of the guys would be visiting at a time and he was sure they would all want their own rooms. That, and one of the rooms was reserved for Gus. Lindsay, Melanie and Brian had talked it out and decided that Gus would spend his summers in LA with his dad.
When Justin got home, the loft was completely dark except for the candles that were everywhere. There was a line of rose petals leading to the bedroom. Justin smiled and followed it, finding Brian on the bed, totally naked, covered in rose petals, holding a glass of wine in his hand. There was a small black velvet box on the bed beside him.
"What's that?" Justin asked. Brian simply shook his head and motioned for Justin to get undressed. The young man complied, then lay down on the bed beside Brian.
"I know that today isn't the anniversary of the day we met, but it is the anniversary of the day I finally professed my love for you." Brian began. Justin started to speak but Brian put a finger to his lips and smiled. "There's one thing about California that made me want to take you with me more than anything else."
"What's that?" Justin asked when he was finally allowed to speak. Brian smiled and opened the box, revealing two identical platinum bands. They were simple, but beautiful.
"The fact that gay marriages are legal." He smiled as Justin looked up at him.
"Brian...are you...?" Brian's smile grew even broader.
"Justin Taylor...will you marry me?" Brian's pulse quickened the instant he got the last word out of his mouth. He wasn't sure that Justin would say yes. His heart pounded in his chest as what seemed like an eternity passed without a word from Justin. He just looked down at the rings, then in the candlelight, Brian saw a tear roll down Justin's cheek and his heart almost literally stopped. What he actually going to say no? Brian didn't know what he would do. He started to panic inside, but outside kept his calm demeanor. Then Justin looked up at him and smiled.
"Yes..." was all he could manage. They came together in a kiss filled with more passion than either thought possible. When the kiss was broken, Brian looked into Justin's eyes.
"I love you more than you will ever know. I always have. I don't know what took me so long to realize it, but I've known all along." Justin simply nodded, too moved to speak, tears streaming down his cheeks. Brian kissed away the tears and then held Justin close. Soon, they were entangled in each other's arms, fast asleep. As Brian slept, he dreamed. His dreams filled with images of love and happiness. The move to LA brought him a new job, a new loft, and most of all, a new life with the man he loved. Forever faithful, never straying. Lust had brought Justin into his life, but love had made him stay.
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