Epilogue #2
Hunter’s body grew stiffer and stiffer beside Colby, and when his clip ran it was a scene in which Hunter’s character was dealing with the loss of his young wife, and Colby was mesmerized once again.
Hunter was so raw in this movie. So real.
The clip was short, but Colby still caught himself blinking back tears as it ended.
It wasn’t just because he was so proud of Hunter, but that was part of it.
It was also how fucking great he was in the role. He had to win. He just had to.
He knew the camera was on them now. They always showed the nominees in little boxes on the TV broadcast. He reached subtly for Hunter’s hand and laced their fingers together.
It wouldn’t be on camera, but it felt so good to do it knowing it didn’t matter if it was.
There was a lot of online noise about what Hunter would do if he won.
Would he kiss a dude on live TV? Some were horrified by the idea, others were thrilled.
Colby didn’t care what he did. He knew that if Hunter won, the moment would be a blur.
He also knew they would kiss and hug and cry together later, and that was all that mattered.
“And the Oscar goes to…” Her delicate hands gingerly opened the envelope and pulled out the card. Her eyes moved over the name written on it. She smiled. She looked up. Hunter squeezed Colby’s hand. “Hunter Law, Without You.”
“Holy shit!” They said it in unison, under their breath, and then they both laughed. People around them grabbed Hunter’s shoulders and squeezed, but he turned to Colby.
Their eyes locked. Hunter untangled their hands and hugged Colby. Colby hugged him back, fighting tears. He would not cry. Not here. Later.
“Get up there!” Colby let go of him.
Hunter stood up. Took a step. Paused and turned.
Before Colby could register what was happening, Hunter bent and cupped his face and kissed him.
Full on the mouth. It was over a second later, and Hunter was striding toward the stairs that took him to the stage.
Colby was grinning like a lunatic and didn’t give a shit who saw it.
Actually, no. He gave a shit. He hoped his dad saw it.
He hoped Atlas saw it. He hoped his mom and Brodie saw it and were cheering along with Briar and Hunter’s friends Branden and Will.
Most of all, he hoped some confused, scared, rejected young kid saw it and found courage and hope.
“I… I’d like to thank the Academy,” Hunter said as he gripped the trophy in his left hand and stared at it like it was a phantom and might disappear.
He blinked, took a deep breath, and looked out at the crowd.
“I’m beyond honored. Shocked. Humbled. Grateful.
All the good things, I feel it. I used to dream of this.
When I was waiting tables. When I was doing endless gigs for minimum wage as a background actor.
When I was melting because I couldn’t fix the AC in my apartment because I couldn’t book a job to save my life. ”
Everyone laughed.
Hunter’s smile faltered. “And then I got caught in an earthquake at a grocery store and for a second I thought I’d never get a chance to stand here.
No matter how much I dreamed of it or wanted it.
But that earthquake didn’t kill me. It made me stronger.
Because it brought a really talented musician into my life.
I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t have Colby Keaton.
I would have given up. Got a safe desk job. Made my mom happy.”
More laughter.
Hunter sniffed and looked up. “I did it, Ma. Rest easy.”
Colby pressed a hand to his chest to hold in a sob.
Hunter cleared his throat and took another breath.
“Thank you to my agent Margo Norton, my friends, my dad. Andi, our awesome director, for believing I could be more than just a superhero. Thank you to the rest of the cast and my fellow nominees, who inspire me with their work. Thanks to everyone who believed in me. But especially my boyfriend. And yeah, I’m the first Best Actor winner to say that on stage.
I’m aware. It’s about damn time, isn’t it? ”
Whistles. Cheers. Laughter.
His eyes found Colby in the crowd. “Colby, thank you for always loving me the way I love you. Even when everyone told us to stop. Even when we told ourselves to stop. Thank you. I love you.”
Hunter turned and left the stage, and Colby’s smile felt like it might never go away.
Hunter had no idea the endless rounds of press he’d have to endure before he could get back to his seat.
The trophy felt heavy and awkward in his hand.
He was uncomfortably warm, and his feet were starting to hurt, and all he wanted more than anything in the world was to be with Colby again.
That didn’t happen until the last award was being announced.
Hunter slid back into his seat just as they came back from the commercial break to present the Best Picture Oscar.
They didn’t speak. They just stared at each other until their vision blurred with tears, and they both blinked them away.
When the show was over, Hunter was being swamped by well-wishers.
They had to get to the hotel room that Briar and Knightley had rented so they could change into more relaxed outfits for the after-parties.
They held hands the whole time as they made their way from the theater to the waiting car.
It took longer than they’d expected, and when they were finally alone, in the elevator at the Roosevelt Hotel, Hunter turned to Colby.
Colby wrapped his arms around Hunter’s neck and kissed him.
Hunter kissed him back like his life depended on it, because it did.
He’d risked everything he’d ever dreamed of for Colby and won. Not because he had an Oscar. Not because his dream of being a working, thriving, respected actor had come true. Because he had Colby’s heart. And Colby had his. Forever.
That was the real dream, and the only thing that mattered.