Broke Birthday

Brian was sitting in the loft trying to make a hand written resume. He had his resume all nice and typed up and neat, but it was on a disk that was sitting in a drawer in his bedroom because he no longer had a computer to print it up on. He was trying to go through and remember everything and write it out so that he could make any changes if needed. Finally, he gave up and put the paper away, deciding to just go to the local library and work on it on one of their computers.

That’s when he noticed the calendar that was currently on the floor. He went over and picked it up and flipped it to the right month as he started to walk across to the kitchen to pull a tack out of his junk drawer. He stopped when he realized what day it was. It was exactly three days until Justin’s birthday. He realized that none of his friends bothered him about doing anything for the blonde’s birthday. It was an important one, though not really seen as a milestone. In three days Justin would no longer be a teenager. He’d be twenty years old and the label would no longer apply. That in and of itself was significant to Brian, if to no one else.

He figured the reason no one was bothering him about it was the fact that he was currently penniless. He’d come very close to having to sell the loft. If it hadn’t been for Justin emptying his savings, he would have. He tried to talk Justin out of doing that to help him, but he saw how much Justin really wanted to help and he just couldn’t turn it away. It was a noble gesture done out of love. How could he ignore that?

Brian actually planned on having a rather spectacular birthday party for Justin this year. He wanted to make up for the fiasco of a birthday last year so he’d gotten him tons of expensive gifts and planned an elaborate, yet classy affair. One that Jennifer Taylor would feel comfortable at. The only problem was that he’d had to return every single one of the gifts so that he could pay off the money he’d spent on the campaign against Stockwell. Of all the things he’d lost because of that, having to return the things he’d bought for Justin hurt the most. He heard the door open as he sat there on the bed trying to figure out what he was going to do for Justin for his birthday. Justin walked in and sat down beside him.

“Hey,” he said softly.

“Hey,” Brian replied.

“Whatcha doing?” Justin asked in a cute, childlike voice resting his head on Brian’s shoulder. Brian smiled and rested his cheek against the top of Justin’s head.

“Thinking.”

“About what?”

“About what’s happening in three days.”

“What’s happening in three days?” Justin asked as he sat up and looked at Brian. The older man laughed out loud.

“Your birthday, you twat,” he answered, still chuckling.

“Oh yeah….” Justin said, a blush creeping onto his cheeks. “With everything that’s been going on, I completely forgot.”

“Well, now you’ve been reminded.” Brian smiled and kissed his cheek.

“You don’t have to do anything.”

“Not like I could….” Brian sighed and stood up, going into the kitchen to get something to drink.

“It’s okay, really. I don’t really want anything anyway.”

“That’s what you said last year,” Brian said with a raised eyebrow.

“Last year I was just trying to go along with you. This time I mean it. Besides, I would be a total selfish prick if I expected you to get me something when you don’t have any money.”

“You mean you’re not?” Brian asked with a smirk and Justin stuck his tongue out at him. “Very mature.”

“I’m not officially twenty for three days. I’m allowed to be immature. Besides, I’m still more mature than you are.” Brian seemed to think about that for a minute, then nodded. Justin wrapped his arms around Brian. As they lay there later that night, Justin sleeping soundly, Brian got an idea of what he could do for Justin’s birthday. He kissed the soft blond hair, then drifted off to sleep with a smile on his face.

Three days later, the two of them stood in Deb’s living room. Debbie had gotten everyone together for a birthday party at her place. Emmett had done the planning and everyone was having a good time. There was a table piled with presents over in the corner and Brian couldn’t help but glance over at it every now and then. There was a gift from everyone there, except him.

“You know, everybody understands,” Lindsay said as she sat next to Brian on the couch. Justin was talking to his mother. Brian shrugged.

“Doesn’t mean I can’t feel like shit for not getting him anything.”

“How could you, Brian?” she asked. He once again shrugged. He was looking at a spot on the floor. “This isn’t just about Justin, is it?”

“I just keep letting everybody down.”

“How can you say that? Who are you letting down?”

“Gus……..Justin……..you…….”

“Because you can’t buy anything?”

“I promised if you needed anything, I’d help…..and now I can’t.” He sighed. Lindsay hugged Brian and kissed his cheek.

“Brian……the money doesn’t matter. You’re still here and you’re a wonderful friend and a great father, even if you don’t have any money.”

“What’s Gus gonna think? I went from being able to get him anything he wanted to not being able to get him anything.”

“You think that the toys and clothes matter to him? Brian, the reason he liked all that stuff is because you would spend time with him when you gave it to him.”

“He’ll probably end up thinking I’m some pathetic loser.” Brian rolled his eyes.

“He’ll think that you’re a brave, wonderful man willing to do whatever it takes to fight for what you believe in. You’ve done nothing but give our son a very good example of what it means to be a good man.” Lindsay kissed his cheek again and he simply sighed. She was getting tired of the pity party. This just wasn’t Brian. And they were supposed to be having fun since it was a birthday party. When Brian refused to cheer up she smacked him upside the head.

“Ow! What the fuck was that for?” He winced and rubbed the spot where she’d hit him.

“I couldn’t talk sense into you so I thought maybe I’d smack it into you. Brian, we all love you and are here for you and we’re all very proud of the sacrifice you made to help out the community. You’ve proven to everyone that you’re not the narcissistic asshole you tried so hard to make everyone believe you are. Now, stop being pathetic and have fun. It’s a party for crying out loud.” She then got up to join the others. Brian just sat there thinking for a minute, then laughed out loud.

“What’s so funny?” Justin asked as he joined him. Brian shook his head.

“I really am a drama queen, aren’t I?” he asked. Justin smirked, then nodded and the two laughed together.

That night they lay together in bed once again. Justin had his head resting on Brian’s chest and Brian was running his fingers through the soft blond hair.

“So, you’re officially no longer a teenager.”

“Yup.”

“I….um…..I got you something,” Brian said. Justin looked up at him a minute.

“I told you, you didn’t have to.”

“I know.” Brian smiled. Justin rolled onto his back and Brian rolled onto his side, propping his head on his hand.

“How did you…..”

“Don’t worry; it didn’t cost me any money.” Brian smiled when Justin gave him a confused look. “You know…..I was planning on giving you this great party with lots of expensive gifts. I’d bought you all kinds of great stuff. But…..I had to take it all back. And I was sitting here thinking, what could I possibly give you for your birthday? I mean….I wanted to make up for my fuck up last year.”

“Brian…”

“Just let me finish.”

“Okay.”

“And then I realized that there was something that I could give you. It’s something that I know for a fact you’ve wanted for a long time. At least as long as I’ve known you. And it wouldn’t cost me a penny to give it to you.”

“What…..” Justin asked, trying to rack his brain as to what Brian could be talking about. Brian smiled and took Justin’s hand, placing it on his chest over his heart. Justin looked confused for just a second until he realized what Brian was saying.

“I know it’s not much, but it’s the best I can do,” Brian said with a small smile.

“It’s more than I could ever ask for, Brian.” Justin returned the smile.

“Oh….but you see…..there’s more,” he said.

“More? Brian, how could you possibly give me more than that?” Justin looked him in the eye. Brian closed his eyes for a minute, then took a deep breath and let it out slowly. He opened his eyes and looked into the deep pools of blue. What he saw there only strengthened his decision.

“I love you, Justin. I’ve loved you from the beginning. And….I don’t ever want to know what it’s like to be without you again.”

“Oh Brian…” was all Justin could say before he practically tackled Brian, kissing him passionately. They continued to kiss for several minutes before Justin looked Brian in the eye. “I love you so much, Brian.” He said with a sunshine smile that was contagious.

“Love you too, sunshine.” Brian replied before they came together in another kiss.
 
 

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