Enduring Pt. 05 - Finale

- Part One: Aftermath -

The house was quiet, save for the soft crackle of the fireplace. Julian sat on the couch, staring at his hands, knuckles white with fear after he'd told Arthur everything about him and Tom. Arthur was in the kitchen, pouring two glasses of Crown Royale into etched glass tumblers. The brown liquid rocked back and forth in the glasses as he reentered the living room, sat one down in front of Julian, and then joined his paramour on the couch. They cheersed their glasses together; to what they were cheersing, neither knew, but the air was thick with revelation and uncertainty.

Tom was gone. The door had slammed behind him hours ago, but his presence lingered in the air. His words, Julian's stories, and Arthur's silence; all culminating in a deafening quiet that did nothing to make time pass by faster for either man.

Then, Julian broke the silence. "I'm sorry, about Tom..." He stopped, shaking his head as if those were not the words he wanted to say.

Arthur studied him for a long moment before saying, "That was not your fault. He is not your fault, Julian. Besides, I thought you handled yourself beautifully." The older man smiled and placed his hand on Julian's thigh.

Julian let out a long sigh, his body sinking into the warm embrace of the soft brown leather couch. "Yeah? Well, I'd still like to punch him."

Arthur smirked, swirling his drink. "That's very understandable."

Julian looked at him, taking in the careful way Arthur held himself, the exhaustion creeping in at the edges of his features. "I hate that he ruined our morning."

Arthur set his glass down. "It wasn't about me. Or you," he said softly. "It was about him and the past he had with you, and his regrets. He is not well and deserves love, but that doesn't mean the love has to come from you just because it once did."

Julian swallowed hard. "I don't love him."

Arthur's gaze darkened, something flickering behind his eyes. "I know." He shifted closer, pressing his thigh against Julian's. Julian turned to face him fully. The firelight danced across Arthur's face, marked with distinguished wrinkles and smile lines that told stories of family dinners, stressful nights in college libraries, and heartbreaks that Julian wished he could have protected the older man from. Above all else, he saw in Arthur something he never allowed himself to look for, let alone find.

Julian slid a hand up Arthur's chest, feeling the steady heartbeat beneath his palm. "I love you." Arthur let out a slow breath, his hand tightening slightly on Julian's leg.

Julian moved, closing the space between them, capturing Arthur's lips in a deep, lingering kiss. Arthur responded instantly, his hands pulling Julian in, fingers pressing into the small of his back. Their mouths moved together, heat building, breath hitching. Both could taste the alcohol on each other's tongues and lips, the lingering burn intensifying their kiss.

Julian straddled him, grinding down just enough to feel the hardness between them, Arthur groaned against his lips.

"Bedroom," Arthur murmured, voice thick with want, words muffled as they escaped his lips and flowed directly into Julian's.

Julian shook his head. "Here."

Arthur let out a low chuckle. "Reckless."

But there was no hesitation in the way he gripped Julian's hips and shifted them both until Julian was underneath him, their bodies pressed together, their kisses turning fevered, desperate. Julian moaned as Arthur slid a hand beneath his shirt, fingers trailing up his spine, sending shivers in their wake. There was no rush, only the slow unravelling of tension, the reminder that this was real--they were real. Julian wrapped his legs around Arthur's lower torso and brought his rock-hard bulge pressing against his pillowy ass cheeks.

Clothes became a hindrance and a heartbreak so they parted, briefly, to tear off the clothes and fling them carelessly around the room. Once completely naked, they paused and marvelled at the other's body.

"Wow," they said in unison before bursting out in a laugh.

They felt the energetic pull between them and succumbed to it instantly. Arthur collected Julian in his arms and they knelt together, lying across the soft rug in front of the fireplace. The warmth of it was rivalled by their warm bodies pressed against one another. Arthur's mouth went exploring, tasting every inch of Julian's body, nibbling at the peaks of his nipples, and tasting the crystal clear pearls of precum that oozed down his throat as he swallowed every inch of Julian's thick manhood.

Arthur's next target lay in waiting under the men. He lifted Julian's hips and exposed his hole to the elements of the room. And then to his exploratory tongue. He lapped up the fresh taste of his young paramour's hole, tracing his initials with saliva in between his ass cheeks. Julian never stopped moaning and Arthur could almost swear he made him cum several times the way his partner made such raucous sounds at the sensations of his tongue.

Time passed without either of them noticing. It was only once he'd heard more and more cars passing outside the window that Arthur, face wet from servicing Julian's hole, realised he'd been between the young artist's ass cheeks for over an hour.

"Shit, I didn't know I liked eating ass that much," confessed Arthur, gazing at Julian whose eyes glazed over with pleasure.

"Don't apologise, just... fuck me," was all Julian could muster in response, a smile crossing my full lips.

And when Arthur thrust into him, slow and deep, Julian's breath hitched. He arched up, clinging to him, whispering his name over and over like a prayer. Arthur held him close, his lips pressing reverent kisses against Julian's shoulder, his chest, his nipples, his belly button, and even his cock. Then Arthur began to thrust, deliberate and slow at first but then he felt it. He felt his cock rubbing against Julian's spot inside of him and he couldn't stop. He gripped his hips and ravaged his hole, using him like a human fleshlight.

"Fuck, Arthur, I can't take anymore!" Julian said.

"It's alright baby. Cum for your boyfriend!" Arthur smirked and thrust faster into Julian.

When Julian finally came, it was with Arthur's name on his lips, his body shuddering, his hands gripping Arthur's back like he never wanted to let go. And when Arthur followed, burying himself deep, his groan muffled against Julian's neck, they stayed entwined, their bodies slick with sweat, their breaths mingling in the quiet aftermath. Julian could feel the river of cum fill him up and he almost wondered out loud if Arthur got him pregnant.

Arthur rolled onto his side, pulling Julian with him. He brushed damp curls from Julian's forehead, his gaze unreadable.

Julian smiled, lazy and sated. He looked into Arthur's eyes and saw a look in them. "What?"

Arthur hesitated, then said, "I love you."

Julian blinked. It was the first time Arthur had said it. His chest ached with something too big to name. He leaned in, pressing his lips to Arthur's. "I love you, too."

- Part Two: Maple Trees -

They married six months later, in the backyard of their home, under the towering maple trees. It was an intimate ceremony--only a handful of friends and colleagues, a scattering of candles, and the soft hum of wind chimes. Arthur wore a crisp navy suit with a white cotton shirt and a cream silk tie, Julian a white linen shirt and slacks with navy blue corresponding accessories. They stood beneath the old oak arbour, fingers entwined, as their vows wove through the evening air.

"You are my best love," Arthur vowed, sliding the ring onto Julian's finger.

Julian's throat tightened. He smiled, blinking away the sting of tears. "And you are my best love."

When they kissed, the world faded to nothing but the warmth of each other. The din of cheers from family and friends reentered their world only when their lips parted but even then, they refused to let go of each other's hands. The rings bound around their fingers, their fingers bound around one another's.

The reception, a small dinner made by Julian with Arthur serving as the social butterfly and waiter, went off without a hitch. Everyone sent compliments to the chef whilst jokingly asking the waiter to stop "trying to make out" with the chef. Arthur and Julian would simply laugh and supply their guests with more food, wine, or Crown Royale. As the early evening said its goodbyes, so, too, did the guests. In singles, pairs, and trios, the small entourage began making their way home through the warm Mountain Run summer air, leaving the two newlyweds alone for the first time in days.

"I love them, truly, but I never want to get married again," said Julian as he walked around the table, clearing plates and collecting used napkins.

"If I have anything to do with it, this will be the first and last time you ever do!" quipped Arthur who, himself, was tidying up the kitchen by packing away any leftovers they wanted to save.

At the end of the night, Julian pulled Arthur to bed, undressed him slowly, and savoured every inch of him. They made love unhurriedly, each touch a whispered promise, each gasp a testament to everything they had built together. A few times, they stopped mid-stroke to marvel at the glint of the silver rings on their fingers. That only drove them to greater intensities. The bed sang their praises several times that night.

Spent from multiple sessions, cum oozing from Julian's hole and painting Arthur's chest and bedsheets, Julian lay sprawled across Arthur's chest, tracing lazy circles against his skin.

Arthur pressed a kiss to Julian's temple. "You're stuck with me now."

Julian grinned against his shoulder. "Good."

- Part Three: Small Town Café -

Years passed for both men. Julian's art flourished. Arthur retired from the university. They spent their days painting in sunlit studios, reading non-fiction together on the porch, walking through town hand in hand, and making sweet, passionate love almost nightly; it was a quiet life and they enjoyed it immensely.

Then, one autumn morning, Julian ran into Tom.

It had been years since that fateful morning when Tom accosted Julian and Arthur at what was then only Arthur's house, but, with a few changes and the addition of a painting studio, had become Julian and Arthur's house. Julian didn't even miss his old home; he barely spent any time in the small one-bedroom house anyway and when Arthur finally said, "Babe, why do we still have that house? Let's sell!", it took him no more than a month to get it on the market and sold.

Tom stood outside the Third Plate Cafe, Mountain Run's favourite - and only - diner. He looked healthier, though his face betrayed his old habits.

Julian hesitated before approaching. "Tom."

Tom looked up, startled. Then his gaze dropped to the wedding band on Julian's finger, and he nodded slowly. "I figured."

Julian studied him and considered his response. Years of living with, and being married to, Arthur made him much more considered. And today, seeing Tom, felt like this was the final exam that he'd been studying with the professor for.

"Eight years next month. Monogamously, too. You sober?"

Tom gave a small, self-conscious laugh. "Two years." He shrugged. "Long road, but I got there."

Julian exhaled, something in his chest loosening. "I'm glad."

Tom shifted on his feet. "You happy?"

Julian smiled and stepped closer to Tom. Even with all that he'd done, Julian could still see the reckless, carefree, beautiful man who made a young, stupid college kid want to love him. "Yeah. I am."

Tom gave a short nod. "Good. I- I wanted to say I'm sorry. For everything."

Julian met his gaze and he felt the weight of their past fall down from his shoulders and chest with a loud, deafening thump. No longer a burden to carry around or chains to bind him; nothing more than a beautiful, darkened memory now. "I forgave you a long time ago. If I hadn't, I couldn't have found..."

Tom smiled, small but real. He leaned forward and kissed Julian. Julian, a bit taken aback, leaned in and kissed Tom back. Their lips pressed together, the peck was short, juvenile in its innocence, and loaded in its forgiveness and its longing.

They stood there, wordlessly staring into each other's eyes. Julian leaned forward for another kiss, this time pressing his lips to Tom's cheek. Tom smiled and began to walk away. But he doubled back and said, "You'll always be my best love" before resuming his journey away from the cafe and from Julian.

And Julian let him go.

- Part Four: Enduring -

The cemetery was quiet, apart from the red, brown, and yellow leaves that crunched beneath Julian's winter boots. He sat on the wooden bench before Arthur's grave, the January wind tousling his curls and caressing his face. He traced the letters carved into the gravestone with his fingertips.

Arthur Jameson Dexter Calloway

Beloved Husband and Scholar. Greatly Admired, Forever Loved.

Julian swallowed. "I did it," he murmured. "The gallery show. Sold out on opening night." He let out a small laugh. "You'd have hated the crowd. Too many people, too much noise, too many drunks!" He dusted leaves off the grave.

"One guy even came up to me and asked, 'So, this is good art, right?'" Julian let out a laugh. Next, he methodically took the dead flowers that stood upright in a small vase next to the gravestone out and tossed them into a small trash bag that he'd unfurled from his pocket.

"Oh and my mum says hi, though she keeps trying to get me to go on a date with one of her friend's nephews. I keep telling her that it's only been a year... and I'll date when I'm ready," he sighed as he placed new flowers into the vase. Their petals rustled in the wind.

His voice wavered. "The show was great. That painting I did of you..." his voice caught in his throat. He smiled and continued, "You'd have been proud."

The wind whispered through the trees. Julian closed his eyes, trying to hold back the tear that desperately wanted to fall. He tilted his face to the sun, letting it fall and glimmer in the beautiful light.

"I love you," he whispered as he packed up the small trash bag, dusted the top of the gravestone one more time, and started to walk along the leafy path towards the cemetery entrance.

In the cold, wintry air, Julian smiled. He swore he felt Arthur's love still there, wrapping around him, soft as a whispered promise. He smiled and listened to the wind whisper Arthur's love to him.

"Don't ever leave me..."