Work Text:
Chapter 1
It had been a few days since Brian talked to Gus about moving in with him and Justin. Brian knew he had to tell Mel and Linds about his plan, but he was nervous about how they would react. He decided to invite them over for dinner at the loft, hoping to break the news gently. As they sat down in the living room, Brian started to talk.
-"Hey, I wanted to talk to you both about something. Gus and I had a conversation and he expressed his desire to come live with me and Justin permanently."
Mel's face fell, and Linds looked shocked.
-"What? Why would he want to do that?" Linds asked.
"He likes it here, and he likes being with us," Brian said, hoping to calm their initial reactions.
-"It's something Justin and I have been thinking about for a while," Brian said. "And we want to give him the option to choose where he wants to live."
-"I don't like this at all," Mel said. "He's only five years old, and he needs stability and routine. You can't just offer him the chance to move in with you without consulting us first.".
Just then, Emmett and Debbie arrived. Brian had invited them over to help smooth things over, but it seemed like that was going to be difficult now.
-"What's going on here?" Emmett asked, looking around at the tense atmosphere.
-"Gus wants to move in with Brian and Justin permanently, and Mel doesn't agree," Linds said, her voice shaking.
-"Why not? Brian and Justin are good parents," Debbie said, trying to diffuse the tension.
-"He's just a kid, and he needs his moms," Mel said, her voice hard.
-"I understand your concerns, Mel, but this is ultimately Gus's decision," Emmett said. "And we should support him in whatever he chooses."
-"Well, I'm not going to support him in making a bad decision," Mel said, her eyes flashing.
Brian sighed, realizing this wasn't going to be resolved quickly or easily. He hoped that Mel would eventually come around and see that he and Justin only had Gus's best interests at heart. But for now, he knew he had a long road ahead of him.
~
After Mel's outburst, Brian felt drained and upset. They were now all alone at the loft, dinner was over and everyone left tongo back to their respective houses. He had been so sure that he was making the right decision for Gus, but now he was doubting himself. Justin noticed how upset Brian was and put a hand on his shoulder.
-"Hey, it's going to be okay," Justin said softly. "You did the right thing by talking to Gus about this. And I know you'll always do what's best for him."
Brian nodded, but he still felt like he had let Gus down. He had hoped that Mel would understand and be supportive, but she had made it clear that she wasn't happy about Gus moving in with them.
They ended up going to bed after this emotional draining dinner. The next morning, Justin sat down with Brian on the couch. He could tell that Brian was still upset, so he put his arm around him and pulled him close.
-"Listen to me," Justin said. "You are an amazing father. Gus loves you so much, and you are doing everything in your power to make sure he is happy and safe. Don't let Mel's reaction make you doubt yourself."
Brian took a deep breath and leaned into Justin's embrace. He knew that Justin was right, but it was hard not to feel guilty for causing drama in the family.
-"Thanks, Justin," Brian said. "I just want to make sure I'm doing the right thing for Gus."
-"You are," Justin replied firmly. "And I'm here to support you no matter what. We'll figure this out together."
Brian smiled weakly, feeling grateful for Justin's support. He knew that he had made the right decision in asking Gus to move in with them, and with Justin by his side, he felt like they could handle whatever came their way.
~
Chapter 2
Mel and Linds sat in their living room, arms crossed and frowning. They had just come home after dinner with Brian and Justin, and they were not happy about the news of Gus wanting to live at the loft.
-"I can't believe Brian would even suggest this," Linds said, her voice laced with anger.
-"Gus is our son, not his. He has no right to take him away from us."
Mel nodded in agreement. "And what about the stability of Gus's home? We can't just throw him into a completely new environment."
"But Gus seems to really want this," Emmett interjected, having gone with Deb and them to help with the discussion. "We should at least consider it and talk it out with him."
Deb nodded in agreement. "And Brian is a good father. He loves Gus and would take care of him."
Mel and Linds looked at each other, clearly still hesitant. But after a few more moments of silence, Mel finally spoke up.
-"Fine. We'll talk to Gus and see how he feels about it. But we need to make sure this is what he really wants, and we need to have a plan in place to make sure he has stability and a sense of home."
Linds nodded in agreement, still looking a bit angry but clearly willing to at least consider the possibility.
~
The next day, Mel and Linds sat down with Gus to talk to him about his decision. Gus explained how much he loved Brian and Justin and how much he wanted to be with them all the time. He also expressed his concerns about the arguments that sometimes happened at home.
Mel and Linds listened carefully, and after a long conversation, they finally agreed to let Gus move in with Brian and Justin.
They acknowledge that they weren't a very good environment for Gus since they were going through a tough time with their relationship.
They made sure to set up a plan for visits and to keep communication open between all parties involved.
~
After hearing from Mel that her and Linds both agreed to let Gus move into the loft, Brian and Justin were both emotionally drained. They decided to take a walk together to clear their minds and talk about what had happened.
As they walked, Justin reached out and took Brian's hand, holding it tightly. Brian looked over at him and smiled, feeling a wave of warmth and love wash over him.
-"I'm sorry about what you had to go through these past few days," Justin said softly. "I know it's been hard, but we'll get through it together. And now that Mel and Linds agreed to let Gus live with us, It's going to be easier."
Brian squeezed his hand back and leaned in to kiss him softly on the lips. "I know we will," he replied, feeling grateful to have Justin by his side.
They continued walking, talking about their plans for the loft and how excited they were to have Gus living with them. Justin listened intently to everything Brian had to say, offering his support and encouragement every step of the way.
As the sun began to set, they found a quiet spot by the river and sat down on a bench together, watching the water flow by. Justin leaned his head on Brian's shoulder and let out a contented sigh.
"I love you," Justin said softly.
He wrapped his arm around Justin and pulled him close. "I love you too," he replied, kissing the top of Justin's head.
They sat there for a while longer, watching the sunset and enjoying each other's company. In that moment, all of their worries and stresses faded away, and they felt nothing but love and happiness.
As they walked back to the loft, Brian couldn't help but feel grateful for Justin and all that he brought into his life. He knew that no matter what challenges lay ahead, they would face them together, with love and strength guiding them every step of the way.
~
It took a few weeks to finish all the construction stuff to make the loft under Brian's connect with his. They bought new furniture and redecorated the whole area. Gus even got to choose everything for his bedroom.
As Gus settled into his new home with Brian and Justin, Mel and Linds slowly began to see how happy he was there. They were still cautious and protective, but they could see that Gus was happier than ever in his new environment and that Brian and Justin were providing him with the love and stability he needed.
In the end, they knew that Gus's happiness was the most important thing, and they were willing to put their differences aside to make sure he was taken care of.