Alistair William Stephenson and John William Fust IV, known as Jackson Fust, first crossed paths at Honcho Campout, a queer music festival held annually in Artemas, Pennsylvania. The meeting took place on August 16, 2024, when Fust was embracing being single after ending a nine-year relationship. While dancing alone, Fust caught Stephenson’s attention, though Stephenson initially hesitated to approach him.

Later that night, the two spoke briefly but did not exchange contact information. Months passed until a mutual friend invited Fust to a birthday party for someone named Alistair, which prompted him to attend on November 9, 2024, at All Night Skate in Bushwick, Brooklyn. There, Fust encountered Stephenson again, sparking a renewed connection. At the time, Stephenson was seeing another man, Koby Moreno, which complicated the budding relationship. After Fust and Moreno ended their relationship around Thanksgiving 2024, Stephenson and Fust reconnected on a Brooklyn dance floor in December.

Following that encounter, they exchanged Instagram handles and sought Moreno’s blessing before pursuing a relationship. Moreno approved, allowing Stephenson to explore things with Fust. On New Year’s Day 2025, the pair met once more at Public Records in Brooklyn, where they shared their first kiss, an experience both described as intense and euphoric. Fust soon suggested spending time together in settings beyond dance floors, an idea Stephenson welcomed.

Stephenson, 36, originally from Sydney, Australia, holds degrees in philosophy and law from the University of Sydney and serves as the chief strategy and impact officer for the National Domestic Workers Alliance, based in New York. Fust, also 36, hails from Stuarts Draft, Virginia, and graduated from the University of Virginia with a degree in American politics. He works as a senior merchandising manager at Quince, a lifestyle brand.

Their first official date took place on January 4, 2025, in Crown Heights, Brooklyn. The evening included drinks at Rita Grande, tacos at Gueros Brooklyn, and conversation at Fust’s apartment. Both noted a rapid bond formed around shared values regarding friendship and community. Fust described the encounter as “a really good first date,” which challenged his initial intention to remain single.

Following several subsequent dates involving dinners and shared meals, the couple officially started their relationship four months later. By May, they had moved in together in Crown Heights. Their engagement began with a conversation during a subway ride from Manhattan to Brooklyn in August 2025, marked not by a formal proposal but by an unspoken, mutual commitment neither could precisely recall initiating.

The story of Stephenson and Fust illustrates the evolving dynamics of queer relationships built on friendship, shared values, and community, unfolding across the vibrant spaces of New York City.