I hadn't planned on posting this until tomorrow, but I'm pretty impatient and may not be around tomorrow. I have massive writing to do to keep to my next original fic deadline.

Thank you to those who have reviewed. I appreciate the time you've taken to read and leave comments.

EPOV- 6 months later

I looked at Jasper as he fidgeted with his baseball cap and licked his lips, again. Catching my gaze in the mirror, he smiled. "I still taste like your chapstick, Edward."

My shoulders ached from the backpack as I shrugged. "There are worst things you could taste like." In response to the arched eyebrow I received, I added, "Girl, for one." Watching him fuss with his shoulder-length waves again, I reached up and flicked the brim of his hat. "Get your ass in the car, Babe. We're going to be late. Today's the day."

For months, Illinois Courts and Officials had been battling to give same-sex couples the right to civil unions. Finally, after more stalling, red tape, and bullshit bureaucracy, we were finally going to get an answer- today. I still had two more weeks before classes resumed, this term I was offering private piano and vocal lessons to college students in DeKalb, IL. It was a bit of a drive, though manageable, from the loft Jasper had moved me into just days after he saw me looking at classifieds for the Chicago area.

Flashback

"Here you go." Jasper slid a a keyring with two keys on it across the table as he leaned over to give me a quick kiss. Beside the key was a rather thick sticker printed with the word "Resident Pass."

"What's this, Jasper?" I asked as he slid into the booth in the coffee shop where we'd agreed to meet. My lips tingled from even such a short brushing of his on mine, and I wondered when we would go further than, to borrow a teenage term, "making out," or as I had learned to call it- the "Jasper's stupid fucking reformation and promise to treat me the way he always should have, and won't do more than kiss me, or if we've been out drinking with his or my friends, we might dry hump each other before he leaves and I go finish myself in the shower"stage of our relationship. It wasn't like I was a virgin still; I mean, I was far from worldly in that regard, my lovers were few, but I had more than enough experience with Jake alone to make up for not playing the field.

When Jasper didn't respond, simply turned his attention to the list of today's specials written on the blackboard across the room, I spun the ring around my finger while watching his jaw as he clenched his teeth to fight a smile. I already knew all of his expressions. He was baiting me, and fuck was it working. Jasper just had this way to get under my skin and throw aside my usual reservations. "It looks like a key and pass to get into the parking garage for your loft, Babe."

He hummed and sucked at his lower lip. Jasper was dying to tell me his idea, as if I hadn't already put two and two together. Sadly, the number I was coming up with was not four, and more like unlucky thirteen. We weren't ready for this after just four months of dating. I wasn't sure I was ready to put myself on the line like that again. While neither of us had set out to hurt the other, we had, and the counseling we had just started going to, as a way to deal with our lingering issues, had given us both the impression that we needed to go slowly. Well, going slow was great and all, but the time I spent thinking about Jasper, those generically obnoxious star tattoos and all, was leaving me in a near-constant state of arousal. I needed something to take the edge off so I wouldn't begin snapping at him.

"Does this mean you're asking me to come visit your pretty little loft and not making me park out on the street?" I had only been to his home a few times, and each occasion had me leaving before dark so I could drive back to Mad-town. "Maybe I can sleep on your couch and do a morning walk of shame to start up the gossip in your building." I kept my tone light and conversational, instead of the goading plea I was truly making to understand where his mind was.

He closed his eyes and spun to face me, lashes still firmly pressed upon the swell of his cheeks. "Can it, Edward." He smiled and then rolled his eyes, opening them as he did so. "I want you to move in with me."

"It's too soon," I argued quickly.

"I have another bedroom there that I use as storage. Half the shit can go down to the storage room I rent in the basement, and the rest can be sold." When I voiced my concern about a job, he held up one finger while fishing in his pocket with the other hand. "Check this out."

I scanned the print out Jasper was holding, of listings at NIU, looking for a music instructor willing to work irregular, yet long hours, offering private lessons to music majors. "I...um. I'm not sure, Jasper. I was already looking in Chicago, to be nearer my parents."

"It's less than two hours on Ninety the way you drive, about an hour if I'm driving. I own the place outright.. Unless you want to do permanent changes like putting down carpet over the hard wood, or knocking out walls, I don't care what you do to the bedroom, walk in closet, and private bathroom. It can be yours; no rent. Just pay for your own food and if you want to pitch in towards utilities, I wouldn't stop you." Seeing the key discarded on the table, Jasper set it in my hand once more. "We'd have separate rooms, and with both of our hours, this would give us a chance to work on us. I love you. I want you. I want this to work, and with the study I'm about to start, I won't have time to keep driving up to Madison two and three times a week."

I swallowed hard, feeling traitorous tears building. "Jasper, I don't think we're ready." I hated saying it, but I had to be honest. "I don't think I'm ready. I love you, I do- hell, you know that better than I do. All those things said, we're still working out all our shit from before. Me moving in, as wonderful as that sounds, could tear it all apart."

Abandoning his side of the booth for mine, Jasper cupped my face in his hands and looked at me, his gaze intense. "Tell me, truthfully, that you don't want this. Just for you and me, not for what you think is the logical answer. Tell me you don't want to wake up and know that I'm just down the hall. Tell me you don't want to fight over who fucked up the coffee, sending us to the cafe down the street before work. Tell me you don't love me more than you love the idea of being in control, and I'll drop the subject."

With those blue eyes looking so lovingly into mine, I was helpless. "I make perfect coffee, thank you so very fucking much."

Knowing he'd convinced me to at least try, he grinned. "Then I think you should move your lovely ass in with me and make me coffee every damn morning. What do you think of that?"

I leaned forward, closing the small gap between us and smiled against his lips. "I think you better get a back brace and some strong friends, because I'm not lifting a thing, Jasper."

End Flashback

Living with Jasper was interesting. He was a very conscientious roommate; he never left a mess, even did my laundry if I was out late for a class, and didn't bat an eyelash when I was up until two or three in the morning sitting at the keyboard I had brought with me and set in front of the window with the best view from his, no, our, home. Watching him walk across the hall in his towel was distracting.

I had helped him work on retiling the bathroom in his ensuite personal spa, but for whatever reason, he continued to use the guest bathroom off the main living area, and padded down the hall, leaving damp prints down the wood flooring, as he went to his bedroom. I think he did it to taunt me, those tight globes pressing against the back of his towel, the unmistakable ridge in front when he caught me looking, the flush to his skin if I whistled... He was a fucking tease, and I loved him even more for it because I knew he did just for me. On our drive from our hotel outside Springfield to where the people we had met online were meeting up near the Courthouse he had teased me even more. I was able to exact my revenge when we got there, although I think the hard-on he gave me for hours was still a better punishment.

"Oh, hell no. Hell. Fucking. No." Jasper looked at the signs as I took them out of the trunk of my car and handed him one with HOMO SEX IS SIN-SATIONAL. "There is no way I'm carrying that." He turned down IF GOD HATES GAYS, WHY ARE WE SO CUTE? as well as I'LL BET THAT MY MARRIAGE OUTLASTS BRITNEY SPEARS'

My smile was devilishly serene as I handed him the last one, face down. "That's fine, Love; you can carry this one instead." It was one of Alice's, and larger than she was. How she carried it, I have no idea. She'd given it to me for today seeing as mine were a tad more controversial.

THE GAY AGENDA

1. SPEND TIME WITH MY FAMILY

2. BE TREATED EQUALLY

3. IMPROVE THE SUCCESSFUL MARRIAGE RATE

4. GET GROCERIES

"Do I have to?" His pout was obnoxiously effective and I shrugged. "Is it that important to you, Edward?"

"You're here with me. I'll deal if I'm the only one of us holding a sign as long as you dance for me again."

Jasper made what was supposed to be a strong-looking pose, I think, and let out a deep laugh. "With both arms free, I can better protect you from any aggressive protesters."

I couldn't hold back a snort as his hand moved down to cup my ass and squeezed. "More like you can better grope me." He gave me a wink as he reached to grab the backpack. "Jasper Whitlock, you are insufferable."

"Yes, he is." A smooth voice replied to me from behind us, making both Jasper and me stiffen.

"Al-Alistair, I'm surprised to see you here." Jasper's tone was tight and high, panic, or worry, setting in.

I turned to see a well-dressed gentleman with jet black hair slickened back into a ponytail at the nape of his neck, and a gray umbrella resting atop a shining shoe. Silver hair dusted his temples, accentuating bright eyes that sparkled with malign amusement. The way he looked at Jasper was far too predatorial for my tastes. "Hello, I'm Edward Cullen. And you are?" I knew perfectly well who this rich asshole was, but wasn't going to play any of my cards unless I had to.

He rolled his eyes at my outstretched hand and turned to Jasper. "How are you doing, Boy? Is this your new plaything?" His eyes flicked to me and back again.

"Actually, Al, I'm much more his than he is mine. Otherwise, yes, this is my Edward, the one I know I told you about, back in the day." His arm went around my waist, fingers splayed out over my hip in a definite "this is mine, back the fuck off" manner.

"I see. I'm here with my new pet. I think I may keep this one, perhaps even marry him. Alec, why am I waiting?" Alistair's voice rose, and a pale young man, maybe twenty-two, if he had even passed his twentieth year, jogged over from a black Bentley.

"I'm sorry, Alistair. I was finalizing our dinner reservations. Oh, I'm terribly sorry, I didn't realize you were with friends. Please, forgive my rudeness." Turning to Jasper and me, he nodded his head. "Hello, I'm Alec."

Alec and Alistair. How... quaint. "Edward." I offered my hand, and was surprised that he shook it, despite Alistair's sharp shake of his head. "This is my..." I was cut off as Jasper offered his name and shook Alec's hand.

…

Later, as we stood on the corner, watching the faces of the reporters for any change in their expressions. The sun had long since disappeared over the trees, and the wind had turned chill, with rain clouds on the horizon. We would all be wet soon if a decision wasn't reached. Then, Jasper screamed.

"They did it. We did it!"

More talking was impossible as his lips crashed onto me bloodying my lower one as his teeth smashed on mine, pinning the flesh between us as he kissed me in desperate excitement. He parted, covering the ear he had the earbud in as he listened to the local NPR station, dancing foot to foot, kissing me between statements.

"It passed, Edward. It just barely fucking passed!"

We danced in the sudden downpour as we kissed, other voices raising up in celebration. His hands pulled me tight to him as the doors opened, but I couldn't stop looking at the flushed, beautiful, man before me. One day, we could be married. Wait... married. To Jasper? Is that what I want? Yes. Yes, he is what I want, always. I could propose at Christmas. I'd write him a song, play it on the piano, as well as sing it, at the party we're hosting on Christmas Eve, and have the ring somehow attached to his wine glass or champagne flute. Everything would be perfect. I couldn't wait to share our excitement, and my epiphany, with our counselor at my next visit.

Whispers and shouts, kisses and lengthy hugs, were shared as the news spread through the people standing on the stairs. Strangers squeezed our arms, kissed cheeks, and otherwise cheered as Jasper lifted me off my feet and spun us around in the rain. That silky voice broke our merriment as Alistair appeared at our elbows.

"I see you've heard the news. Our other guests have found themselves too amorous for a civilized dinner, and we thought we would offer the space to the two of you."

Jasper stiffened, and I tightened my grasp on his hand. "We'd love to, Alistair." With an exaggerated look at our drenched clothing, I met Alistair's glare with one of my own. "We're a bit wet, and I doubt where you're taking us would approve. If we might have some time to tidy ourselves, we can meet you at... I'm sorry, where are we meeting?"

It was Alec who cut in this time, sensing the cat fight brewing as I staked my claim on Jasper. "Indigo. Our reservations aren't for another hour, so there should be plenty of time to go back to your lodging and change into something presentable." He reached into his back pocket and then handed me a business card, white with black ink, and a single blossom etched on the front with the word Indigo. "The address is on the back.. It is fairly easy to find. We shall see you there."

0o0o0o0o0o0

To say that dinner went well would be a lie. To say it went even moderately civilized would be an overstatement. Alistair's constant jibes at Jasper, asking how the loft was, asking me if I minded the small scars on Jasper's shoulders from some of their playtimes, and other crude comments that were not appropriate for a dinner table, all had me on edge.

Sensing my mood, Jasper tried to appease me by stroking up and down my thigh. All he was managing to do was make me horny on top of being pissed off. My mouthed "cut it out" was met with a smile when Alistair and Alec gave their order to the server.

By the time we had finished our meals and ordered dessert, Jasper had divulged that I was living with him, a touchy subject for just the two of us and close friends, let alone to two people who were strangers to me. I'd had enough. I was not going to be some toy for Jasper to show off as his new boyfriend to say "fuck you" to an ex.

"I'm out of here. You two can finish your head games. Alec, in your magic pocket of business cards, do you have one for a taxi company?" Not waiting for a response, I threw my napkin onto the table and stood up. Jasper could figure out my bill and I'd pay him back later, or not, depending on how much he grovelled.

When he stood up beside me, taking my arm, I cringed away, fearing he was going to pull me back down. Instead, his voice was soft and gentle, his touch- tender. "Alistair, will you please excuse me and my fiance?"

Fiance? What was Jasper doing? I was as pissed at him for pulling all his caveman acts as I was in shock to be referred to as his fiance. I let him tug me into the restaurant's lobby and then dug my heels down into the plush crimson carpet when we passed the hostess' podium.

"Your fiance? Excuse me, Jasper, but I didn't know I held such an honor." By now, my hands were on my hips, and I knew the fight was going to be a spectacular sight to any passersby. My lungs stretched, filling to capacity as I took in a breath to berate Jasper for his all evening long jealous display, when he knocked every bit of oxygen from me by dropping down onto one knee.

"Edward, I've fucked up, a lot. I can't even promise to not fuck up again. I know I have today around Alistair. But, I can promise to try not to do anything to hurt you, and I hope you know I would never in a million years do something intentional to harm your trust in me, or the love you've so graciously given back to me. I love you, Edward, more than I thought was humanly possible."

Tears coated my hands as Jasper rained a thousand kisses onto my palms and then tucked something into my right hand and closed my fingers over it. "Edward, my sugar-lipped siren, you're it for me. You always have been, and there's no way it is your honor- it would be my honor, Edward, if you would consent to marry me now that our lovely state has seen fit to give us the right to legally do so."

I was still staring at the platinum band with its inset diamonds and emeralds as Jasper pulled into the loft's parking garage. He made the three and a half hour drive in a little over two hours. I'm notorious for sleeping in the car, especially when a passenger at night, but hadn't been able to close my eyes. Jasper was still laughing as he pulled me out of the car. "We're home."

I nodded as we went up the elevator to our floor, then frowned. "Not quite home. Soon." We walked in silence, Jasper obviously trying to decipher my words as I led Jasper down the hall to our loft, fumbled with my keys to unlock the door, relocked it behind us, and wandered to my bedroom. Seeing Jasper, now barefoot, in my room, his hair looking almost feral with the sleepy yet hungry look in his eyes. "Now we're home, Babe. You, me, one room, a bed..." I trailed off as I pulled my shirt up over my head and tossed it in the direction of the hamper.

"Is that your way of seducing me?" I shrugged in response to his question. "Well, it's working regardless."

"You're a horn dog."

"Yep." Jasper rocked back onto his heels and then his toes before taking the two steps between us. "I fucking love you, Edward Cullen, soon-to-be Whitlock."

"Stay with me tonight?" I asked, my hands shaking as I reached for his shirt buttons. "I want to sleep in your arms."

We didn't just sleep.

Soft groans, teasing hands, and hard kisses had both of us exploding as we touched one another intimately for the first time in over a decade. Where we had rushed through our first time, we savored and reveled in the sensuality we shared now.

After, we both slept peacefully as the languor of our shared masturbation overtook us. It was nearing dawn, or felt like it at least, when a gentle, wet, prodding along my shaft awoke me. "Jazz?" I asked, my voice husky with sleep.

A teasing hum and chuckle vibrated against my sack as his tongue laved one, and then the other, of my balls before his lips parted to suck on each one. "Fuck! Jasper..." Further speech was quickly abandoned as he worshiped me with his mouth. My flesh resisted the gentle probing at first, but gave way to the insistent flicks of his tongue as he teased me. The firm pressure as he lapped at my entrance had me wriggling on the bed, trying to gain leverage to push against his face. I needed more than his tongue, talented though he was at using it.

Strong hands groped my ass, pushing and pulling at my skin. Each squeeze lifted my hips up to Jasper's mouth, and he fluttered his tongue over me, earning keening wails for more. With each parting of my flesh, his tongue thrust into me, and was soon replaced by one, and then two, fingers. When he reached to stroke my cock in time with each prodding of his fingers, I thought I was going to scream. Jasper elicited delicious lightning in my body that seemed to focus in my cock, ass, balls- everywhere he touched with intention to please.

It was looking down at him, those blue eyes almost glazed with his lust for me, feeling his erection against my leg, seeing one hand wrapped around my shaft, the other massaging my prostate with the touch of an expert, that did more than any physical sensation. His blatant want, for lack of a better word, took me right to the edge where pain and pleasure were one and the same.

"Oh, God. Nnnn. Jazz." I whimpered between the few intelligible words I could form. It was... "Jasper!" He did something with his lips at the base of my cock, and I was gone. Waves crashed over me and buoyed me up higher with each stroke of his fingers inside.

I felt him withdraw as I stiffed, and his body covered mine as I relaxed out of the orgasm. "Fuck, Jasper; that was..." Despite all my education, I could not come up with a word better than "wow."

He rocked his pelvis against my hip. "Yes, you are very 'wow,' Edward. Seeing you let go like that, because of me, was better than anything I've ever experienced." He murmured something against my neck as he nipped the sweaty flesh, something that sounded an awful lot like, "I'm glad I woke you up."

His whispered turned to kisses, and then Jasper reached for a handful of tissues from the beside table to help clean up the sticky remnants of the mess we'd made. I watched him, my body still half-liquid from the languor he had thrown me into, as he curled into my side and acted as if he was going to return to sleeping.

"What are you doing, Jasper?"

He smiled, and whispered, "I'm going back to bed for a few hours," before closing his eyes.

"You're hard"

"And you're observant," he chuckled against my shoulder. "I'm fine, Edward. It won't be the first time I've ignored my dick, and it won't be the last I'm sure. Besides, this was about you, Sugar-lips."

I made a small sound of displeasure and shook my head. "No, Jasper; this was about us. I want you to feel as good as you made me feel. And," I continued after a deep breath, "I want you inside me."

I was ready... We were ready. "Jasper, I love you, and want to have you make love to me again. Neither of us are virgins; we both know what we're doing. Make love with me, Babe."

He sputtered. Jasper Whitlock, the smooth, Southern, charmer of the Rockford well-to-do men, sputtered because I wanted his cock up my ass. Well, it was probably more the emotions and meaning behind the act, of coming full circle.

"You're sure about this, Edward?"

I nodded and bit my lip before answering, the words already at the tip of my tongue. "As sure as the first time. I love you; I always have. The years in between were just there to ready us for one another."

Where we'd had pain before, there was just an impossible pressure and incredible ache as he pressed into me, a fullness that had never been more right as he buried himself to the base, our bodies as joined as possible. I clung to his back, and he to mine, as we pulled one another infinitely closer. At our angle, Jasper couldn't really thrust, so we rocked; occasionally, I clenched around him, my body massaging intimately as our flesh slid in the sweaty heat we created. My cock grew slowly with each movement, trapped between our stomachs, enticing Jasper to rub side to side as he tried to bring me to another peak.

His hair was in my face, his fingers grew painful as he scratched at my skin, and soon he knelt between my thighs, needing the leverage. With a brief shake of my head, Jasper stilled, and then withdrew. Before he could voice his question, I flipped over, and rose onto my knees before reaching back for his hip.

I had to wait only a heartbeat before Jasper reentered me, and then reached beneath to pull me up against his chest. We were supported by my hands on the headboard, and his arms wrapped around me. This new angle pushed us higher and harder, the sound of slapping skin just barely drowned out by that of our pleasured grunts and the squeak of our bed springs. And then, he cried out, and those delicious arms tightened further, squeezing the air from my lungs as his heat filled me.

With my lover still quaking in the aftershocks of our coupling, I reached down and tugged on my erection, shivering from the sensitivity of each touch. Jasper groaned as my body rocked against his, and nearly screamed as I came again, my ass tightening around his spent cock.

We collapsed to the bed, with Jasper still inside me, and it was with a rather rude sounding wet plop that our bodies finally uncoupled. Not wanting to move more than necessary, my arm flopped to the the table on my side, and after several failed fumbles, I made contact with the small packet of baby wipes. I didn't bother with finesse, and just ripped the packaging apart at the seam. Giving a handful to Jasper, I roughly wiped myself before tossing the powder-scented sheets to the floor.

Jasper and I fell asleep, sticky, sweaty, and in a state of complete, worn-out, bliss. No matter what happened, this morning after our community won, and our life after, we would be fine. We had found our way back to each other, and both of us had learned what we were apart, so knew what to do to be together; our dreams each night had nothing on our real life together.

The end.

Thank you so much to Team Fiberkitty for their generous donations for this story, and the others to come. The next story I'll be working on is Yes, Master- a Seth/Edward, mildly BDSM, story. It will have 3-7 more chapters added to the two posted; the boys haven't told me exactly what they want yet.