B/J ~ ~ ~ ~ B/J ~ ~ ~ ~ B/J ~ ~

After a sexy, sweet lovemaking session, Brian stroked Justin's blond hair out of his eyes as he said, "I suppose we should establish rules, like we did before."

Justin said, "Probably a good idea." He thought for a second and then said, "How about we just be honest with each other? We don't need to share conquests, unless they're really hot."

"I think that sounds very good." Brian nodded.

"We can text once and a while, just to know the other's OK. But, you don't have to check in with me as to who you're with."

"Whom." Brian corrected with a smile.

Justin smiled, "Yes, whom you're with."

"I'm not quite the man chaser I used to be. You won't have much to worry about."

They kissed again for several heated seconds before Justin said, "I decided a while back that I'm not going to be looking for much else, either."

Brian licked his lips. "I'll satisfy your every whim and desire." They both snickered.

"And I will yours. Either way."

Justin smiled and then said, "My next trip is two weeks in Italy. It's a month and a half away. Come with me."

Brian smiled. "Italy, eh?"

"Milan and Rome. We can visit all of those designer stores: Gucci, Versace…?"

"I don't know if I can leave Kinnetik for that long."

"Call Cynthia now and she'll block out the time. Most of the staff can take a vacation, too. Or just have Ted and Cynthia run everything."

"Like they tried to run our lives?"

"They were just trying to help us. Forget that. What do you say?"

Brian looked into his eyes and smiled. "I think Italy will be lovely in the late summer."

Justin grinned and hugged Brian. "Yee-haw! Awesome!"

"Just remember that any hotel room must have a king sized bed. And I'd like to see the beach at some point. All of the hot European guys walking up and down the shore with those little bathing suits." Brian began to kiss Justin's chest as he said, "You told me once that you wanted a home, a husband and a family. Do you still feel that way?" He asked the question in a nonchalant way, but was intently listening to the answer.

"Hmmm." Justin paused. "Well, the home, I have. A husband? I tried that once and it didn't work. I really don't want to be married again." He looked at Brian. "No offense."

"None taken."

Justin brightened as he remembered something. "But I will do this." Justin got out of bed and went to his dresser. He retrieved a box and pulled out a necklace – specifically a ring on a chain. He removed the ring from the chain and looked at it. "I think I'll wear this."

Brian asked, "Is that … the ring I gave you?" He knew that soon after Justin moved to New York, he'd asked Brian to bring him the smaller of the two wedding rings. Justin had worn it around his neck for months.

The blond smiled. "Yes, I put it in this box when we broke up. I have all of my treasures in here. One of Gus's teeth, some of my Mom's jewelry, an art medal … lots of things." He turned the ring over in his hands. Brian took it and looked at it, and then handed it back.

Justin sighed in memory of a life he could have had, but maybe marriage wasn't for them, at least not right now. "You asked about family... Molly is my family. You and our friends are my family. Gus and even J.R. are family." He thought for a few seconds. "I've been working with the youth group at the Gay and Lesbian Center, teaching art classes. It's been very satisfying and rewarding working with the kids."

"I know you've mentioned how much you've enjoyed that." Brian's kisses began to move downward to Justin' navel.

"With an art career that's really taking off, I don't think I want to be making any babies. The world is full of enough kids to move the human race forward."

"Mmmm-hmm." Brian's tongue poked into his lover's belly-button.

Justin squirmed a little and put his hands on either side of Brian's head. "You're tickling me."

Brian smiled. "That's part of my plan."

"Get serious for a minute. What do you want?"

"To progress to giving you a blow job."

Justin grinned. "Beyond that. Like – long term plans?" He put his fingers under his lover's chin.

Brian sighed. "Live here. Be a big, fat, fucking success. Visit Gus when I can. Keep my nephews out of debt and out of jail. Fuck your brains out every chance we get."

Justin smiled softly. "Ever the romantic."

Brian licked a trail from Justin's abdomen, past a nipple, all of the way up to the side of his neck by his ear. Justin gasped at the sensation. Brian whispered into his ear. "Wake up next to you every morning and make love to you every night."

"You sure? You just used the word love in a sentence."

"I know exactly what I'm saying, and what I'm feeling." Brian sighed, knowing that he needed to say more. "I don't how often I'll say this, if ever again, but …" He looked into Justin's blazing blue eyes, searching his face. "I love you. I'm happiest when I'm with you." He took the ring from Justin's hand and began to slip it onto the blond's finger. "I want to live here with you, dine with you, fight with you, and have make up sex with you." They both smiled. "I need to be with you, always."

"Always." Justin looked at the ring on his hand and back to Brian's hazel eyes. They both had tears in their eyes. "I think it's good that we started over from scratch and fell in love all over again. It's even better than the first time." They held each other as the four-poster bed provided a solid foundation under them.

~ ~ The End ~ ~