dreamlikenewyork | "Love is in the air."

Entry tags:

"Love is in the air."

Who: Jace and Jesse Hartley with everyone else, basically
What: Wedding reception!
Where: The Glasshouses, NYC
When: After THIS

The day had been crazy, but in an amazing way. Jace's face was hurting not just from smiling so much, but from getting his cheeks pinched by his family. Then he was probably not going to be far off having bruises on his body just from the amount of hugs he had received, and his lips were stinging from how much he had been kissing Jesse (and there might have been a little, "quickie" encounter when they stole a few moments alone together). There had been a lot of mingling, eating, laughing, gushing over wedding rings. Jace felt like he was on cloud nine and no matter what, just couldn't stop grinning. He and Jesse were actually married.

It was now time for the first dance, and Jace's head was still spinning. This time, it was just Angel singing on his own. After the first dance was announced, Angel stepped up to the microphone and started to sing Love Is In The Air, but only after telling everyone that the grooms wanted everyone to join them, because it wasn't just their Valentine's Day, it was everyone's. Jace was nearly crying again when Jesse came up to him and wrapped his arms around him.

"Oh my god, don't make me trip," he shrieked with a laugh and then planted a kissed on Jesse's lips, smiling into it. "Are you sweeping me off my feet, gorgeous. Oh, wait, you already did that. I love you. We are totally married now, most amazing husband in the whole wide world."

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"Of course I am," Jesse said, holding onto Jace tightly as they started to dance. But before anyone came and joined them on the dancefloor, something happened that neither of them had been aware of... a surprise Lee had arranged from the Turner family. Something exploded above them and red and pink heart-shaped balloons, confetti and streamers started to shower down on them. Looking up, Jesse could only laugh and shake his head fondly. "Shit, you would think it was Valentine's Day or something," he joked.

He caught Jace securely around the waist. "Dance with me, hubby-type person," he laughed and dipped Jace, holding him easily. "You're beautiful, you know that?" he added, holding him low before pulling him back up again into a deep kiss.

Jace floundered a little when he was dipped. That was the first time he had been, and there was that moment of panic that he might fall... until he felt that Jesse, as promised in their vows, was there to hold him up. "If you think I'm beautiful, you should see my husband," he teased back and even though they were supposed to be dancing, they ended up in a pretty heated snog for a good portion of the song because Jace couldn't resist Jesse's lips. There had been a teaser when they stole a few moments after Guy had taken their photos, but he couldn't wait to get Jesse back to the hotel for wedding night sex.

They did pull out of the kiss when they remembered they weren't alone and Jace licked his lips, looping his arms possessively around Jesse's waist while they danced again. "Do you think we should have picked a slow dance song?"

"Oh, he's got nothing on you, darlin'," Jesse bantered back, giving Jace one hell of a loving heart-eyes gaze that he couldn't shake and probably wouldn't for the rest of his eyes. "It feels strange wearing a wedding ring. Strange in a really amazing way. It's like it's not real. I don't think I've quite caught up in believing this is all actually real. You're real, you're my husband," he said, catching Jace's lips in another gentle kiss and pulling him up close to him.

The first song was coming to an end, and Jesse was giving Jace a knowing smile. "You mean, like this one?" he asked, pointing up the sound system when Angel finished the first song and announced the next one was from Jesse, dedicated to his husband. "Do you remember this? It was playing in the coffee shop on our first date and we were sharing a sundae, which we laughed at because it was cold and we were having hot chocolate." It was When You Say Nothing At All, and it had never left Jesse's mind since that day because whenever it played, he thought of Jace.

Jace took Jesse's hand to gaze at the ring on his finger. They had picked it together, because they wanted their rings to compliment each other, but Jesse being a nurse had to think about the practicalities of too much bling when he was a nurse. "It might feel strange, but it looks amazing. Just when I thought it wasn't possible to find you any more gorgeous than you are, you wearing our wedding ring goes and makes me horny." He held their hands together, studying the view with and awed smile. That was something he was never going to get tired of... seeing Jesse wearing his wedding ring.

He paused for a moment, listening to what the song was and then broke into another bright smile. "I remember this! I remember it..." His memory was a funny thing these days. He could remember the smallest most poignant things, or things that seemed to have no real significance, yet his short term memory was damaged from the injury so he couldn't retain detail to learn. It was one of those clinical anomalies, just like the fact he was right handed before the accident, but when he came out of the coma and started to recover, rehabilitate doing things, he was using his left hand and he had been left handed ever since. He snuggled up to Jesse, resting his forehead against his as they started to slow dance together. The rest of the crowd melted away from them. He knew this was what it was all about, and their whole day had gone off without a single hitch.

Jesse was watching Jace, still wondering how the hell he got so lucky to randomly meet him out of the blue, right when they both had been wondering if love was just to complicated to want. Trying to find it had been messy for both of them, until they met each other and it wasn't messy at all. It just worked, and it didn't even matter why. "I've never felt more right in my whole life than I do today. I never knew I could feel this right." Marriage was a big deal, and standing there, surrounded by so many amazing people who were happy for them, Jesse didn't have a single regret walking away from his family who would never be able to accept who he was and who he loved. Fuck them all. He had the most amazing husband in the world. He could be open and free here. He didn't have to hide his love, nor did he ever want to again.

Jesse sometimes wondered if part of the reason he and Jace were soul mates was because he had the abilities Jace didn't. Jesse had a very academic mind, and his memory was only patchy in the wake of a fit while he recovered from it. It meant he had the ability to care for Jace unconditionally. They had found a routine together that helped Jace a lot, took the onus off him to get upset and frustrated when his brain wasn't working like normal. There was another soft kiss as they slow danced. "I think I foresee a whole lot of naked in our near future, darlin'."

It was impossible for Jace to get any closer to Jesse than he was. It wouldn't be a good look to strip him and hump him right in the middle of the dancefloor, even if those things were a lot along the lines of what Jace was pre-empting for later that night. They were cuddled up close while they danced and chatted. Maybe some brides wanted to be the centre of attention and having everyone gawping at them while they did this, but neither Jesse nor Jace were the sorts to really be comfortable being the centre of attention. It meant more to them to have everyone else dancing with them. "Then I'm going to make sure you keep feeling this right for the rest of your life. Everything before now, it's past. It's you and me now, baby. All the way."

He laughed out loud and nodded with a grin. "You are psychic. I think you may just be spot-on, beautiful," he said, and rubbed his nose affectionately against Jesse. "Did I tell you how hot I think you look in that suit. I pretty much want to rip you out of it, so it's lucky Austin won't be around to witness that fashion slaughter."

It was pretty damn awesome to be at someone's wedding with a plus one. It was a first for Lewis. Usually he went stag or didn't bother going at all if he was just receiving an invite from an acquaintance. This was different, though. Everyone knew Jace and Jesse, and their story that led them here. Lewis wasn't at all surprised at the turn-out for it. Everyone was so happy and having a ball, plus the couples were making the most of a great location and atmosphere for Valentine's Day. That was another thing. This was Lewis' first Valentine's Day where it really meant something to him. Not to mention the fact his lover had coordinated all the flowers for the wedding and they were stunning. Lewis was so proud of him.

He was at the bar getting a drink when he spotted a very familiar face at the bar. One he didn't expect to see here at all, and went up to her, playfully flicking at the long strands of her blonde hair like he had used to when they were kids. "Fancy seeing you here. Do I need to protect you from Satan pouncing on you from the shadows to punish your sin of witnessing gay love?" he teased.

There was no doubt that Liz was definitely appreciating this wedding and all the grandeur that, while still bright, flashy, and gorgeous, wasn't remotely traditional in the slightest. There had been no talk of God in their wedding ceremony, and maybe that was really what marriage and love were all about anyway. Who needed to promise God anything in a wedding? It was all about the love between the couple and their own promises to each other. Jesse had actually invited her to come to the ceremony hoping that, if she had any more questions about why gay marriage should be allowed, she'd show up here and see it in action.

It had more than had the desired effect, and Liz had even cried a few times during the ceremony. It had been so incredibly beautiful, and she'd actually been grateful the cake was already set up before the ceremony, or she would've struggled setting it up with tears in her line of sight. She turned a playful smile on Lewis and shrugged. "It's too late," she said, feigning overdramatic terror. "I'm already being dragged down to hell by rainbows and smiles and happiness! Save me, it's too much!"

Lorenzo had been in the line-up for the bathroom, pretty sure he was going to pee himself before he made it in there because the line was so long. Lewis had gone to get them drinks while Lorenzo waited in the line trying to fight the urge to do a pee dance. He was having a great time, even if he was exhausted because he had been up at 3am for Holly's feed and then had to go to work. Lewis came along to watch while Lorenzo's aunt was babysitting Holly for the day and night so they could go to the wedding. They had a Valentine's lunch together, which was really sweet, and Lewis had given him an amazing give of a leather and silver bracelet with Holly's name engraved on it. He had been so shocked and awed by it, he actually teared up.

He made it out of the bathroom alive, though and hunted Lewis out in the crowd again. They were going to wait to dance on account of the fact Lorenzo had been desperate for the bathroom. Tracking Lewis back down at the bar, he came up beside him with a smile followed by a soft kiss. "Sorry, I was caught up with Jace's grandpa telling rude jokes in the bathroom line," he laughed and then realised Lewis was chatting to someone. "Oh, hi. Sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt."

"Hey, sweetie. You survived the queue of death? Gold Star," Lewis said with a laugh, returning the kiss and wrapping his arm around Lorenzo's waist. "You can interrupt me any time. Actually, this is someone I want you to me. I didn't realise she was here. Lorenzo, this is Liz. We grew up together. She and I were supposed to get married. In a completely never-would've-happened way because I've never believed in God and I've always been gay. Our families all-but had us betrothed when we were younger and I ran into her a couple of weeks back for the first time in awhile."

He gestured to Liz, holding her gaze for a moment because he knew she was in a pretty serious business soul-searching time of her life and it would be a poignant moment for her to be seeing him with a guy after all they had been through together when they were younger. They had been really, really close friends. Partners in crime. But he had, for all intents and purposes, lied to her for many years even if he had good reason for it. "Liz, this is my boyfriend, Lorenzo. He's the one responsible for all these amazing flower arrangements, and everything in sight with a petal on it. He was up in the freezing cold at 3am to pull it all off too, but he's still gorgeous, even looking like he needs to sleep for a week. He was up to feed his baby daughter anyway, but still," he laughed.

Liz couldn't help laughing a little at the newest person in the conversation's statement about Jace's grandpa. Jesse had mentioned to her in advance that Jace's grandpa was awesome, but he enjoyed a good dirty joke now and again. Not that Liz truly would've minded. There was something about this group of people that just made her feel so much more free and happy than she had in the past. She didn't have to be on her best behavior here, even though it was a business situation, because Jace and Jesse were these happy sweethearts who wanted everyone to have a fantastic time. And this guy was Lewis's boyfriend, and he was gorgeous. "Hi, Lorenzo," she said, extending her hand to shake his. "It's a pleasure to meet you. And don't let Lewis fool you, he was head over heels in love with me," she teased, giving Lewis a nudge. "I mean, aside from the whole being gay bit, we really would've been perfect together." Her tone was playful, something that was an amazing feeling in itself, and she gave Lewis a grin, knowing full well that's what their parents would've had to say about the whole situation.

"The flowers are beautiful," she said to Lorenzo, looking around the room again to take in all the gorgeous arrangements he'd made. "Jesse mentioned that they had an amazing florist doing the arrangements, so there was no doubt they'd be incredible. I've never been to such a colorful wedding. It's the dead of winter, but it's so incredibly happy and bright." She paused, tilting her head a bit. "You have a baby daughter, Lorenzo? How old is she? Do you have a picture?" That was one thing about her raising that had, and always would, stick with Liz. She loved kids, and wanted a couple of her own one day. The difference was that she didn't want to be barefoot and pregnant all the time. "This is the first time in the history of ever that I've made a penguin rainbow cake for a wedding."

Lorenzo shook Liz's hand with a smile. "Oh, hey. It's nice to meet you. So, does that mean you were one of those religious nuts?" So, maybe he should have paused for a moment to considering a brain-to-mouth filter on that comment, but it was popping out before he could stop it. Lewis had told him about his upbringing, and how he had felt from as young as he could remember that he didn't fit and questioned everything. Not openly to his family or friends, but to himself. When he was old enough still to go hunting for answers of his own, he started to realise more and more just how much his upbringing wasn't who or what he was. Which is why he ended up in New York, doing what he wanted and not what his family expected his existence to be. Which is what Lewis said it had only been 'An existence, not living'. "Sorry... that was really rude of me in the first two minutes of knowing you. Forget I even said that."

He grinned and nodded, taking his phone out and showing Liz the picture he snapped of Holly when he was bringing her home from hospital a few days ago. "She's about 9 weeks old now," he explained. "And before I met this amazing guy right here, it was pretty much her and me against the world in our very tiny little family-type bubble. Sounds cosy, but it's been a scary road. Scary and exhausting. I still don't know why Lewis wanted to take us on, hook, line and sinker."

Lewis just snickered and took a sip from his drink. "Don't apologise, babe. She'll probably agree with you. She's been hit with some reality checks recently. A month ago, she probably wouldn't have been seen dead a wedding like this." He gave Lorenzo's waist a little reassuring squeeze. "Renz is another one who can't see to see the rationale behind religion. He cared for his sick partner for a long time, tried to make it all work, just ended up getting hurt at every turn and it culminated in her walking in front of a bus and taking her own life in front of him and their little girl. Not very good support material for God's Will. But he's still beautiful, despite it all..." he added softly, giving Lorenzo a smile.

"She had a couple of nights in hospital after a febrile seizure," he explained to Liz, knowing he could trust her with Lorenzo's private business. "Hey, this is not be taking you on, it's me pretty much falling head-over for you from the get-go and highly respecting everything you are and everything you do. Plus, just happening to be extremely sexy on top of all that does help too."

"The nuttiest, sweetheart," she assured him with a grin at him followed by a wink to Lewis. "But Lew here and I were the best of friends when we were kids, even if maybe it wasn't exactly how our parents wanted it to go. We used to have the best fun running around acting like wild people when we were kids," she said with a grin and a shake of her head. "God, honey, I'm sorry to hear that something like that happened to you. I think ultimately, that's what really made me think more about what kind of God I must be worshiping if things like that happen in the world. That and because I couldn't wrap my mind around Jesse and Jace's relationship being a sin. If you know Jesse well, you know that he's the king of a good gush when it comes to talking about his sweetheart... I think that's kind of when it hit me that love's just... Love. It's not qualified by the gender. I'm not going to lie, all I could think about once I saw them together wasn't that they were gay... It was that I want what they have."

She took the phone from Lorenzo, and her face immediately lit up at the photo of the gorgeous baby girl all bundled in pink, and she may have given a little squeal of excitement. "She's absolutely gorgeous, darling," she said, shaking her head with a smile. "I'm sorry she's been sick. Is she feeling a bit better now at least?" She paused, thinking it over for just a moment before she gently leaned in to give Lewis a kiss on the cheek, something that had once been second nature when they were together almost every waking moment. "I'm so happy for you both, darling. I've never seen you so happy."

It was a sigh that came after Lewis gave the nutshell rundown of his life and why he would rather put faith in medical science and the kindness of people than some non-existent dude that only shows up to fuck you over and wants to be worshiped for it. It was why he struggled - badly - at Mara's funeral because it pissed him off that what she did and what she left behind was being justified by faith and God's will. No, he wasn't religious and he was glad Lewis wasn't either. In fact, it was talking to Lewis about his rejection of his family's beliefs and faith that helped him see that there was nothing wrong with being angry at other people for trying to palm of what was, for him, an extremely difficult, terrifying, painful and lonely time. "I just hold her and she's looking up at me, and I'm really glad I'm still here for her, but she's from something so painful that's just left her. I know I don't even make sense when I try to explain it, but let's just say the things I've faced, religion doesn't remotely give me the beginnings of peace. I still need to feed my daughter, make sure she's cared for, and some how figure out what to tell her about her mom when she's old enough to ask."

He looked at Lewis with a smile. "Real love can't be factored to anything so insignificant as gender or what's between your legs. It just can't. The two things in this world that are the most destructive to people is love and hate. So it can't be boiled down to whether you were a bra or not and what some book of fairy tales about God and Jesus says it should be. I mean, look..." He gestured over to Jesse and Jace with his glass. They were cuddled up close together on the dancefloor talking to each other, gazing into each others eyes and smiling. "How can that be wrong, but a hetero guy who bashes his wife for 20 years straight be right? That's what I want right there..." And he was pretty sure he was on the right track to it too.

There weren't words possible enough for Lorenzo to truly explain what he had been through, what it made him feel, how much he struggled to keep his head above water considering all this was less than nine weeks ago when Holly was just 3 weeks old. The nutshell version brushed over the true turmoil of it, but Lewis had witnessed how strained and stressed Lorenzo was. He wanted to help him with it, be his sanctuary from it. "She's pretty damn tiny too. It's impossible not to want to protect her. Lorenzo's also been stepping in to help Lee's business with the outstanding weddings he had booked before the accident. He's running himself ragged and trying to do it all on his own without wanting to burden people. When you meant people who have been through things you just can't fathom going through yourself, you start to see that the true faith in the world is those who do all that and come out the other side amazing people with big hearts."

He gave Lorenzo a soft kiss to his temple, rubbing the side of his torso softly in the half-hug he was holding him in. "It's hard not to start analysing your own life in another light," he admitted, because he had been doing a whole lot of that since Lorenzo was suddenly crossing his path. There had been an immediate attraction there, he couldn't deny that. He didn't forcefully act on it because he respected that Lorenzo was a single dad with a tiny baby he had to focus on. But at the same time, he gently pursued it because he couldn't ignore him and pretend something wasn't there. "And don't let anyone tell you that feelings can progress too quick. Romantic feelings might need more time to be analysed and processed, but respect, affection, a desire to help someone, be there for them when they need it... you can never have those feelings 'too quick'."

Liz was pretty sure that being raised Christian had made her miss her true calling as a fag hag (were you allowed to say fag hag? Wasn't that offensive? She'd have to ask Lewis, because he wouldn't be offended by her asking), because these gay guys she was meeting -- from Jesse and Jace, to Romeo and Winston, to Lorenzo and reacquainting herself with Lewis -- were definitely all incredible sweethearts, and people that she wanted to have as part of her life. Without a doubt, the things Lorenzo had been through left no room for the benevolent God who poured out abundant blessings. It was an awfully heavy thing to think about without a doubt, but there was no way Liz could look at someone like Lorenzo and tell him it was God's will for him to raise a precious little girl alone after her mom committed suicide, or tell someone like Jace that it was the Lord's will for him to be hit by a car as an innocent child. "Anyone in their right mind would want to keep her safe," Liz agreed. "I know it can't be easy, love, but it seems like your heart and soul are in taking care of that little one. No one can say you're not doing the best you can as a father. And I know Lewis... I can vouch for him having a huge heart and being someone you can rely on." It was true, because she had... Many times over the years, she'd needed someone to lean on, and Lewis had always been a friend who would be there without a doubt.

If she really thought back over her life, she had always known that Lewis didn't quite fit the mold of what everyone they grew up with wanted him to be. He'd played the part the best he could, but then he'd moved on to be who he really was, and she couldn't for a moment blame him for that. "You're right, Lorenzo," she said softly, glancing over at Jace and Jesse. It was as if no one else in the room existed, and despite the soft music, she was convinced that they saw no one and heard nothing except for their own little conversation. "That? That is a beautiful thing." She turned her attention back to the two guys in front of her with a smile. "It would be nice to come across something like that myself, without a doubt. Love is love. And if it's real, then that's what matters."

When Christian had teased him earlier that he'd cry at this wedding, Evan hadn't even tried to deny it. This was one of the most special days he'd ever been privileged enough to live through, and after everything their family had gone through, being terrified that they would lose Jace all those years ago, seeing him happily married to the love of his life as a grown man was something that Evan would never ever take for granted. Every day that he saw his little brother smiling at him was a day Evan counted as a precious gift that life hadn't had to give them. And seeing Jesse, just as amazing a person, and the love of Jace's life, who loved Jace like no other, filled Evan with a sense of pride that he could welcome someone else who was so amazing into his family.

But when the first dance song played, there was another guy who took over Evan's brain, and he walked over to where Christian was standing, reaching out to take his hand. "Come on, gorgeous," he said with a grin. "You're the hottest guy at this little shindig... If I don't ask you to dance first, I might not get the chance." He tugged gently on Christian's hand, leading him out on the dance floor before he pulled him close, his hand very firmly planted against the small of his back. "Happy Valentine's Day, sweetheart," he murmured to his other half, wanting a chance to actually say it in person, now that the crazy rush leading up to the wedding was done. "I love you."

"True. I've been knocking back other prospects all night. Pretty sure your grandpa has the hots for me," Christian joked, even if he was just teasing. Their grandfather was Nana Turner's ex husband. Their marriage hadn't worked out, but they were still close friends and there was no bitterness there. He was a funny guy and had many tales to tell about his grandkids which Christian had been keenly interested in hearing.

He looked over at the newly married couple, and there was no denying it was making him entertain ideas of maybe tying the knot himself one day. He probably wasn't the only one in the room. Jesse and Jace's happiness was infectious, and they made it look good. It just wasn't something Christian ever thought he would succeed in finding. Jesse and Jace were lip-locked in a heated snog and Christian smirked. "We're probably lucky they're not coming back to the apartment tonight, huh?" He looked back to Evan and gave him a smile. "I love you too. Have you ever even had much interest in Valentine's Day before? I never much pegged you as the type."

"Dammit," Evan said, snapping the fingers of his free hand before tugging Christian just that little bit closer and smirking at him. "I really don't want to have to challenge my own grandpa to a duel to the death at my baby brother's wedding. Somehow, I get the feeling that might put a damper on the festivities." He grinned playfully and gave Christian a little squeeze. "See? That's why I had to get to you before anyone else did. Good job holding them off until I got here."

There was no doubt in Evan's mind that he wanted to one day make Christian his husband. He'd thought about it for a long time before now, but seeing this? It sort of cemented it for him. It was something he would talk to Christian about in the near future, but tonight was Jace and Jesse's night, and Evan had no intention of doing anything to pull the attention from the two of them. "No doubt," Evan said with a grin. "The Force will be strong with those two tonight for sure. Then again, it is still Valentine's Day, and maybe having the place to ourselves could be good for something on our end, too?" He smirked, capturing Christian's lips in a kiss before shrugging. "Not really," he said as the kiss broke. "I mean, romance was never my thing. Then I fell in love, and people can make fun of it all they want, but I like the idea of a holiday that's dedicated to making your other half feel extra special. Not that I want you to feel less special any other day of the year. You're one of the best things that's ever happened to me, and I don't want that to ever be a doubt in your mind."

Christian snickered. "I think if you challenged your grandpa in anything, you would have no hope in winning. He told me that his marriage with Nana was hot when they were young, but then she grew up into a feisty one and his willy wasn't enough to satisfy her. I am suddenly realising where you may have gotten so many of your traits from, babe. It's nice that they're still friends. Your family's a real special entity, you know that? I can see more and more how much of an impact Jace's accident must have been on everyone, and how today is probably something none of you really thought you would see."

He was laughing because he knew Jesse and Jace had just as healthy a sex life as he and Evan did when they were well. "I don't think either of them are even going to need The Force. Kind of makes me want to check into a posh hotel and screw our way through all the potential surfaces there too. Were the heart balloons your idea so you can sing dirty songs in a chipmunk voice later?" he had to asked. Their relationship was always based on a lot of joking banter. Now that they both got the chip off their shoulder about everything, they connected really well. They had the same sense of humour and the same ethics. UST and rivalry had just gotten in the way before. "Maybe there was doubt for a little while there. I'll admit that. But we've been working through it. I think we're doing pretty damn well, too. The doubt was never over how much you wanted and needed to care for Jace, though. It was always just wondering how much you needed me to help you."

Evan actually snorted at that, shaking his head just a little in disbelief -- but not quite, because nothing his grandpa said really shocked him these days. It was true that Evan had definitely picked up a ton of personality traits from his grandpa. Nana and Grandpa Turner had been divorced before Evan was even born, but they had always been incredibly good friends, even hanging out together, and working as a team to spoil their grandkids as much as they could. "No doubt," Evan said with a nod of agreement. "It's always been something I have been aware of and treasured. I'd do anything to protect my family. And that includes Jesse. And you."

"I'm pretty sure I could be talked into that," Evan replied with a mischievous grin, before he kissed Christian again -- this time slow and deep. He didn't care who saw them or what people thought, primarily because no one here would be bothered, but also because he loved Christian, and he wanted nothing more than to show him that. "But seriously, is there ever a wrong time for dirty songs in chipmunk voices? In all seriousness, though, I do want to take you away somewhere soon. But in the meantime, we can definitely have sex on most of the surfaces in our place once the family clears out." There was no doubt for Evan that Christian was The One. He loved him unconditionally, and it had been a long road to getting here, but they had found their pace together into something beautiful that made Evan's life better. "We had to talk and find our common ground. But we got here. I'm so proud of us, Christian. All of us for finding our feet in this. It's not an easy situation, and a lot of people wouldn't have made it, but we did. I need you every step of the way in a way that I didn't know it was possible to need someone, babe. I thank my lucky stars every day that Jacey found Jess, and I found you. With a few bumps in the road, but eventually."

Edited 2015-02-15 19:16 (UTC)

It was actually a really meaningful thing for Christian to know that the Turners really had accepted Jesse with open arms. Sure, there had been the hiccup where Jesse had felt left out in the cold when they all struggled to relinquish Jace's care to someone new. Jesse understood that process with them, but it had still hurt. The whole family had gone over a decade now with Jace needing round the clock care and help, and they had never had to consider someone else might not just need to come into the mix, but actually take the reigns. But it was what Jace wanted and needed, and it had been an acceptance process for all of them once it became very real that Jace was going to get married. But having spent that time with Jesse alone in Chicago having some real heart-to-hearts, he had learned a lot about hot his religious family didn't accept him or what he was, and could never be happy for him. Jesse finding acceptance, love, and support from the Turners was like he truly had a family he could be himself with and show how much he was in love with their "baby" of the family. He watched Evan closely for a moment or two. "It felt like he was never going to grow up for you, didn't it? Jace, I mean?"

He just laughed because honestly, they hadn't managed to do very much romantic things in their relationship. One, because they were both workaholics, two, because the Jesse/Jace needing help and care factor, and three, because they were still learning what romance together was and it was easy to shy away from those big steps that would progress them to another level. "Let's not go to The Plaza. Knowing our luck, we'd still end up next door to them and Jesse hasn't been getting laid allllllll week," he reminded Evan in amusement. "But maybe it's not a bad idea considering we are invaded with Turners right now. The thing is, I never wanted to be one of those assholes who couldn't handle a bit of pressure from existing baggage of their partner. I never wanted you to have to feel like I couldn't accept the weight of you having a disabled brother, or understand that it was going to avert the relationship course sometimes. At the same time, I wanted you to know I could help. Help with whatever you need, whatever your brother and his partner needs. That all seemed idealistic in my head when we first started out, but putting it in action, it wasn't as easy as I thought."

Edited 2015-02-16 01:59 (UTC)

"In a way, yeah," Evan admitted, swaying to the music with his arms around Christian's waist. "I mean, in some ways he never will, and I don't want him to. He's an adult and a married man at that. But he's always going to have that childlike side to him... But it's what makes him so amazing. Even after everything he's been through, he has this gorgeous outlook on life and he finds all the joy in the small things. But he doesn't miss the significance of the big things, either. Honestly, sometimes I wish I could think a little more like he does about things. But you're right. Part of me sort of always expected him to always just... be my little brother. Not that he's not that anymore, but it's totally different now. In a good way, because now it's just a thing where there are two little brothers I love and adore that live with me instead of just one." It hadn't been an easy learning curve, especially for Evan, who'd long been not only Jace's brother, but his primary neuro physician, with Summer the secondary until she'd left for Boston and a new job. Evan was used to every single piece of Jace's care resting squarely on his shoulders, and he'd never had a problem with that. In fact, he preferred it that way. But now, with Jesse as a part of things, it had opened Evan up to things he hadn't known he was missing before. Like freeing his heart up that little bit to find someone special for himself, something he'd never really let himself have before.

"No... I'm not going to The Plaza anytime soon. My condolences to the guests staying close to Jace and Jesse tonight. What about the Ritz? Get a nice room with a view of Central Park and we can fuck against the window. Or maybe for once in our lives, we can lie down together in a huge bed and take our time making love. Do you realize we've never been able to do that? I mean, it's not like we just have quickies all the time, and we've definitely made love, but I've never just... explored every part of you and had you do the same to me. Does that sound cheesy? I know it sounds cheesy, and I'd be embarrassed if I cared what anybody besides you thought about it. But we've slept together a lot... But I still haven't taken my time getting to know every inch of you. It's always at work, or one of us is leaving for work, or we're tired because we just got off work, or there's family stuff. I want you all to myself for a couple of days. Sound like something you might be interested in?" He smiled at Christian, shaking his head just a little. "You were everything I didn't even know I needed, babe. You and Jesse are the only reason I know how to share Jace's care. You've helped me in ways you've never even realized. I honestly don't know what I'd do without you now that you're part of my life."

Christian nodded with a smile over in Jace and Jesse's direction. "He's not mentally reverted or anything. He said people have asked him that before when they hear he's brain injured and disabled. He just appreciates all the simple and small things, whereas crazy workaholic nuts forget how to. He's not stupid or naive, he just can't retain to learn and he needs to be cared for because of the epilepsy. And honestly, look at what he's still managed. He has two consignment jobs, he's an artist, he fell in love, he's married, and he's happy. How many people without barriers or disabilities can say they have all that? You've done an amazing job, babe. I know you probably feel like you're never doing enough and you worry about him 24/7, but you just have to look at him and see what a great kid he's turned out. He was so absolutely right in his speech when he said he wouldn't be where he is without you as his support foundation. And I do know it's going to still be an adjustment period for you when they get back, but maybe all this means now it's okay for you to think about what you want next now Jace is content, happy and in good hands?"

He raised his eyebrows with a smirk. "The Ritz. That's awfully classy of you, love. Hopefully we don't get a direct view of The Plaza and see your baby bro consummating his marriage in front of their window," he laughed. "Hmm... you're right. I think by this point we have collectively walked in on Jace and Jesse doing that more than we have even attempted to ourselves. Maybe we could even do a bit of apartment hunting around the place while they're away. See what bigger options are available so they can have their space and we can have ours. I know Jesse said he would really like a room with an en suite personally because he struggles after his seizures to be too mobile."

Sam was sans a Plus One to this event, and he was okay with that. At least, he was until all the couples soon took to the dancefloor once it was announced that the newlyweds wanted to share their first dance with the other couples for Valentine's Day. It was all very sweet, and it had reminded Sam how fun his own wedding had been. It was a bitter-sweet wistfulness that made him starkly aware that he was alone. He was lost in his own thoughts when he felt a gently but insistent nudge in his ribs and found his nephew standing there smirking at him. "Go ask her to dance, Uncle Sam. You've been eye-fucking her all night. Go on..." Justin coaxed, nodding in the direction of the beautiful woman who seemed to be there without a Plus One too.

Maybe there was some truth in that, evident when Sam blushed at the fact Justin had noticed him noticing her. The kid wasn't backwards in coming forward. And what harm would a dance do? He sighed, giving Justin a long-suffering yet fond smile. "Okay. But only if you go find your boyfriend and stop trying to matchmake your poor uncle," he chastised lightly, ruffling Justin's hair. This was going to take some plucking up of courage, but he did soon approach her with a smile. "Hello, I was wondering if you would like to join me for a dance?" he asked politely with a smile.

Lisa laughed. "Are you sure your wife won't take offence?" she asked in amusement, completely oblivious to the fact she was mixing him up with his twin brother she had met at the theatre one evening after watching Footloose with Brendan, Caden and Casper. She had gone back stage to meet Justin and his dad and stepmom had been there. They were a lovely family, and Lisa had definitely seen why Caden was investing so much in the production and Justin's talent because the kid was a firecracker. He was going to have a long and successful career ahead of him and Lisa hoped she might even have a chance to work directly with him one day.

Even though she didn't know the grooms personally, she had been hearing a lot about them throughout the evening. The wedding was stunning and very touching. You could be blind and deaf, and still feel the love that pair had. They were adorable, and she hoped her son might find someone to fall in love that hard with one day. She even found herself wondering if Caden might take a shot at it with Casper. That couple seemed like they shouldn't work, but they did, and she knew her brother was head-over for the younger man.

It only took Sam a moment or two to realise what was happening and he, too, laughed. "Oh, no, no. You're thinking about my brother, Mark and his wife," he explained, pointing over to where Mark and Gen were dancing together. "We're twins, as if that needs some sort of explaining. He's married, I'm the desperate and dateless twin. Justin, my nephew, seemed to think it was rude of me to not come over here and ask you to dance." He shook his head fondly.

"But I just want you to know that you don't have to feel obligated or anything. It's just hard not to get swept up in the mood. If you're here with a date, I apologise in advance for being so forward," he told her and hell was she so much more gorgeous close up. He hadn't seen her before and he was wondering how she knew Mark. "Are you here with the groom's side, or the groom's side?" he joked.

"Two, huh? Why do I get the feeling you might have been double the trouble?" Lisa asked with a smile. There was no denying that he was extremely good looking. It was something Lisa had noticed the night she met his twin because he looked so much like Justin, who was a beautiful boy. He was laughing at his bashful admission about his nephew though. "Well, in that case. It's lovely to meet you. I'm Lisa, Caden's sister. Brendan's mother."

She looked at the crowd dancing and it did look appealing. "No date, unless you count my son, my brother and his partner. I haven't been in the city very long. This has been my first social engagement, and I have to say, it's been a truly lovely night. They seem like a very special couple, but alas, I don't know them personally. And I would love to dance, seeing as you asked so nicely," she added, putting her drink down to take his offered hand.

Sam grinned. "I would deny that, but my parents would probably jump on the next plane from Australia just to smack me in the head for the lie. In my own defence, Mark was the troublemaker and I was just usually the collateral damage. I'm very much the boring twin." When he heard she was Caden's sister, it suddenly all made a lot of sense how she had met Mark and Gen, and how gorgeous she was. That whole family were drop dead gorgeous. Exceptional genes. And now he could very much see the resemblance. "Sam. And the pleasure is all mine. Now I feel stupid for not realising the connection straight up."

He was still smiling at her when he lead her out onto the dancefloor, pointedly trying to avoid catching Justin's gaze because he could only imagine the cheeky smirk he would find on his nephew's face... because it completely match his father's. "It has been a lovely night. I work at the hospital with Jesse, so I know Jace by default. I often work with his older brother, Evan, who has been Jace's Best Man today. Well, for your first social New York engagement, you look beautiful tonight."

This earned him a bright smile from Lisa. "I've heard the Aussies are a fun bunch. And one person's boring might be another's charming, so don't sell yourself short. Not every girl wants the bad boy. I've been there, done that. It got me two beautiful children, but it also got me a lot of pain and heartache. The silver lining was that it drove me to be successful and independent. Life's just a roadmap of experiences, good and bad." She patted his arm softly. "Don't feel stupid. It just means we can get to know each other on our own."

His hand went to her waist and she put hers on his shoulder as they started to dance together. It was a slower song, which was nice. She had never been the sort to cut a move on the dancefloor to dance music. "You work at the hospital? What is it that you do there?" she asked, intrigued. But then she was smiling at him again. "Well, thank you, Sam. I have to say right back at you, too. The colour of your suit brings out the colour in your eyes."

Rose was every bit the cheesy romantic. She loved every freaking inch and every freaking second of this whole wedding, and she had been one of the ones bawling her eyes out during the ceremony because it was just so beautiful. Not to mention the fact she was bursting with pride at Angel and his performance. He was an international superstar, but he was her man and she was proud of every single thing he did. He also looked extremely delicious and fuckable in that red suit hugging all the right places.

Her arms were looped around his neck as they danced and she stole a kiss, grinning up at him (because there was always a significant height difference). "How much do you think we would have to slip the celebrant to quickly marry us off tonight too?" she suddenly with a mischievous smile. "There's no way we could top all this. And I'm perfectly okay with that because Jesse and Jace make it look good. Do we really need all this? I don't think we can top the day Daisy was born," she mused, feeling all loved up and in the moment.

Angel knew Rosie was only joking, but at the same time, maybe she did have a point on just wanting to have a small wedding? Initially, they had planned on something bigger but once the pregnancy progressed, news of Beau's cancer coming back hit, and then Daisy was here, it just didn't have the priority it had when they had entertained ideas of their own wedding. Plus tonight, it was wonderful and Angel felt so fucking proud to have been invited to be part of their wedding. Jesse had been nursing Beau since he was discharged from hospital after the bone marrow transplant, and they had all gotten much more closer to Jesse and Jace in the process. Maybe it was okay to take value out of other people's happiness and help put perspective on your own.

He laughed, looking down at her fondly. "They really did make it look good. This is what they needed after their tough life. But maybe for us, we should just think about a picnic in a park when the weather is warmer? Something casual. Besides, we always ran the risk of it being splashed all over the gossip rags and cheapened if we went bigger anyway. I don't want to share out day with uninvited intruders. But we should think about tying that knot, beautiful. Tonight just reminded me how lucky I am to have you, and have something like they have. You're my girl, you're the mommy of my little girl. I want you to be my wife."

"Do you miss performing?" Rose was asking him. She had been wondering that as she watched Angel perform like the superstar he was. It didn't matter if this was a private function for friends, or the Hollywood Bowl in front of thousands, he just gave it everything every single time. She knew he was on a hiatus. He wanted to be there for all of Daisy's firsts, he wanted to write an album for her, he wanted to mentor, and he was studying to be a Musical Therapist, something very dear to his heart. "Because, I don't know, there was something deliciously hot seeing you up there with the other guys doing Motown. Could be a money spinner," she told him with a wink and pushed up onto her tiptoes to kiss his nose.

She sought Austin and Beau out, and Beau was getting up for at least one dance with all the other couples. It was nice to see, but they were all very conscious that he had to take it easy so he didn't get sick. "Beau's in remission. That was what was stopping us. We wanted him to be at the wedding. There wasn't anything to celebrate before, but now, look at everything we have? I couldn't think of a more perfect wedding for us than a picnic in a park! I don't want to share it with any of your fans. Present company the only exception. I definitely don't want it all over the media and the internet. You don't have to really go public with it right away, do you?"

Angel shook his head fondly. "Well, to be fair, I haven't quite managed to stop performing. There's been a lot of charity stuff, and I've been working on this with the guys for a couple of months. I can't deny that doing the Motown stuff was really fucking fun and it could be something I might be tempted by. Maybe when Lance recovers, assuming he still wants to be in the group if that happens. It's up in the air with them, but I love working with them. I'd love to collaborate with them more. I'm okay not touring and being chained in the recording studio, though. I don't think I could ever really just cut myself off cold turkey. Plus? I want Daisy to have a musical influence right through. She might not end up musical herself, but there's so much beauty in music. It's stuff like this here tonight that reminds me of that."

He nodded. "Still can't believe that. Things have come a full circle. We didn't think we had him for much longer, and that was really fucking hard. It made life feel hard, made remembering the good things hard. Then it just all suddenly smacks you in the face how precious life is and how many we shouldn't spend so much time waiting for the right time for things. What do you say, gorgeous? Think we should set a date? And no. We don't have to go public. In fact, I know someone in the business who has been secretly married for nearly a year. It can be done."

It meant the absolute fucking world to Lee that he could make Jesse and Jace's wedding. It had been his biggest gig in a long, and it meant even more because they were his friends. He had wanted to be able to make it perfect for them, but then the accident happened and Lee couldn't work at all. Thankfully, he had recovered enough to be able to be mobile in a wheelchair and the hospital had given him gate leave to attend the wedding. He had been so glad he hadn't missed it that he was one of the criers through the ceremony too. That, and the fact he was overwhelmed because his life had been a huge emotional rollercoaster lately. He was just glad he was here at all, still alive. He might not have been if he hadn't been so lucky.

He was sitting at the reception table he, Anthony and Hayden had shared with seven other people. It was hard watching everyone dance knowing what was hanging over his head with his injury and what it might mean, but he would never deny anyone else their happiness. It was why he had become a wedding planner to start with, because he thought he would never have one of his own. He couldn't even have a drink, though, so he was feeling a bit like a stale fart in an elevator at this point, or a zit on an ass cheek.

At some point after the wedding, after the first dance, and after the cake cutting, Jace had grabbed Taylor and told him he wanted to introduce him to someone. But after that, with so many guests, Jesse and Jace set about doing a whole lot of mingling where they actually spoke to every single guest. Taylor had to admire them for that. It looked exhausting, but they were both still grinning and laughing the whole time, never very far away from each other. It was definitely one of those moments that reminded Taylor that Jace was still here, he didn't die in that accident, and - most importantly - he was happy. Happy and being taken care of by his family, friends, and now a beautiful husband.

Jace said it was 'Lee' that he wanted to introduce Taylor too, but Taylor didn't know who Lee was. He asked around and it wasn't long before he was pointed in Lee's direction, and immediately understood why Jace wanted him to meet Lee. Lee was Jesse and Jace's wedding planner who had the terrible accident... and was now in a wheelchair. He approached Lee carefully, because he knew in the early days after his accident, he was very self-conscious and defensive about everything. He didn't want to ruin the poor guy's life. "Hey, I'm Taylor and please feel free to tell me to piss off if this makes you uncomfortable or you don't want to deal with it. But Jace mentioned to me he wanted to introduce us. I got my injury in the same accident Jace was injured in when he was a kid."

Lee was taken aback to suddenly find another guy in a wheelchair there. Not that he wasn't used to seeing people in wheelchairs. Hell, Beau had been in one for a good portion of the night because he wasn't strong enough to stand for long periods, but that was different. Beau was disabled, he was a recovering cancer patient. "N-No... it's okay," he stammered, because even if he was thrown off for a few moments, he understood right up why Jace was trying to help here. He had talked to Lee a lot about what he had been through after his accident, and it helped Lee realised how severe the accident really could have been.

Still, right here was another outcome of the same accident, and it was hitting Lee again how lucky he had been not to have caused any death or other serious casualties for his own error. He held his hand out for Lee. "I'm Lee, which you probably already know. Are you... is the chair permanent?"

Taylor gave Lee a faint sympathetic, yet also empathetic, smile. "I know it probably doesn't help much at all, but I do understand what you're going through and how exhausting and confusing all the whirlwind of thoughts are. Feeling like your life is never going to be the same again, and that you might lose everything around you. Wondering if you should just be alone so you don't burden anyone. I do get it, and I also get that talking about it isn't easy. So, please don't feel obligated to sit and carry on this conversation if you aren't ready for it."

He shook Lee's hand. "It is permanent. I've been in a chair for just over ten years now. Jace was 11, I was 15. My mom was an addict and an alcoholic. It's all a very messy story, but she was high and got behind the wheel. I didn't know when I got in the car with her, and by the time I did, she was driving like a crazy person, completely off her face. She hit Jace and ran the car into a lamp post nearby, and my side of the car took the most impact. She walked away without a single injury, but Jace and me were left with this. It's not paralysis. It's a spinal chord injury that's weakened my lower back so I have no strength in my legs to utilise them but I can feel them."

Lorenzo hadn't had a chance to catch up with Clint yet, who had come with Emily. Sort of. It actually seemed like Emily was more intent on having a heart-to-heart with Austin, Beau and Angela at one of the tables. Lorenzo wasn't sure what they were all talking about, but it looked interesting. Beau looked so much better now than the last time Lorenzo had seen him too. It was still quite obvious he was recovering. He spent most of the night sitting quietly with Austin, who barely left his side. His hair had grown back and he looked much healthier in the face. It was fucking fantastic to see.

But Clint was sitting alone at the bar looking bored. Lewis was across the room dancing with Liz, so Lorenzo took the chance to go catch up with his cousin. "Are you trying to drink the bar dry, bitch? Leave some for everyone else," he scolded, sitting down on the stool beside him. "Why so serious? Your wife ditch you for pussy again?"

Clint thought the wedding was cute. Very Jace. He and Jace had been tight for ages, ever since Clint met him when he hounded him for ink after hearing his work was pretty prestigious because it was all one-of-a-kind stuff. Jace had done all his inking since, because he made exceptions for his friends and free-designed whatever they wanted if he was well. He was just such a sweetheart but dealt with a lot of shit, so Clint was glad he had gotten hitched and his man made him happy and had no issues with his brain-injury or epilepsy.

"I fucking hope so. She needs to get laid. Ange is thinking about being Beau and Austin's egg donor, so I think she's intrigued with that conversation. Hopefully not in case I ever go out of my mind and start dating and she wants me to breed." He finished the last of his current drink and flagged down a waiter for a refill, grabbing two glasses of champers, one for each of them. "You heard from Jude? Fucking bitch was supposed to be my date tonight. Everyone else here is hooked up and my fuck prospects are slim to none. Where's the other half?"

Edited 2015-02-15 08:22 (UTC)

Lorenzo shook his head. "No. I haven't. Not a word. Just got a text from Ajay telling me he and Billy couldn't make it because was too sick with the chemo. I sent him a text, he didn't reply back. I don't know, maybe he's not as cool as me dating and being happy as he said he was. But fuck that. I've been to hell and back, and Lewis is amazing. He makes me smile, and I enjoy spending time with him. I've got feelings for him, and they're getting stronger every day. If Jude can't be happy for me and he has a bug up his ass enough to not even reply to my text and ask how Holly is, screw him. She was in hospital, for fuck's sake. I just... don't get me started," he said, holding his hand up because, if nothing else, he was Holly's godfather and Reecy had heard from him, so why couldn't a small text asking how his goddaughter was be too much?

He raised his eyebrows in surprise, taking a sip of the champagne. That certainly made sense on how intently Ange and Emily were chatting with Beau and Austin. Beau had told him they were in IVF prep stages to try for a baby with Rosie as surrogate. "Good on them. Beau's looking really good, all things considered. So, all this wedding stuff not giving you an urge for something more serious yourself?"

It was weird, and Clint frowned because it didn't make sense. In saying that, if Jude did have a bug up his ass because Lorenzo was dating another guy and there was probably the comfort factor there, then Clint would have no choice but to take Lorenzo's side with all this. He was his cousin and he did deserve happiness after all the pain. Lewis seemed like a sweet guy and hadn't given Clint even the tiniest of material to think he needed to drag him into a dark nook of New York and beat the living shit out of him and make him disappear. He pushed the plate of canapés he brought to the bar with him in Lorenzo's direction. "Don't worry about that. Have a vol-au-vent and enjoy your night, dude. You might have worked your ass off today, but you're the most chilled I've seen you in a very long time."

He snorted cynically. "Probably not in this lifetime. Haven't met anyone to change that train of thought yet. Some people probably just don't need it. Besides, my work life is crazy, I deal with crazy cunts, and I might have to disappear at the drop of a hat. Not exactly conducive to romantic lovin', is it?"

"Dude, that's got fucking asparagus in it. Fuck, no," Lorenzo bitched, nose scrunching up as he gave the offending appetiser a poke on the plate. Once he was finished assault the finger food, he was looking over to where Lewis was dancing again. His man had the moves and it was hot. His ass also looked very hot in that shiny black body-hugging suit he had gone with. It was complimentary to the suit Lorenzo was in, which - true to his word - Lewis had 'pulled strings' to get for him. He was starting to realise Lewis probably knew a lot of big names in high places, but he wasn't a name-dropper, he didn't brag. He just passed everyone off in the same equal basket of 'friends' or 'people I know'. He was such a breath of fresh air for Lorenzo when he had so felt like he was suffocating in a thick dark haze of misery. "It was worth it. I'm fucking exhausted, but it was worth it for Jesse and Jace. Pretty sure I want all this some day. Ask me a couple of weeks ago, and I probably would have laughed at you for thinking I might want all this some day."

He nodded and shrugged. He knew Clint better than anyone in the whole world. He wasn't just being honest. "Don't you ever feel like your life might just be searching for something you don't even know you want yet? I mean, a few years down the track, people will be hooked up, married, families of their own, and you'll still be trawling for T,D, and A."

This wedding was by far one of the happiest occasions Austin had ever been a part of. He'd designed everything worn by the entire wedding party with Jace designing a lot of the fabrics, and it had turned out exactly how he wanted it to. He was incredibly proud, and the wedding was absolutely beautiful... everything that Jace and Jesse had wanted and more. And it had more than served to remind Austin of his own wedding to Beau. Theirs had been nothing like this... Instead being completely unplanned and simple, but it was something that Austin would never forget, and that weddings would always bring to mind. He and Beau had managed one dance together, but there was no doubt that remission didn't mean "suddenly back to 100%," and one dance was enough that Beau was a little tired, so they made their way back over to their table, where Austin moved his chair that little bit closer to Beau's so he could put his arm around him and play with his curly hair.

After a moment, he leaned in close to press a kiss to Beau's temple. "This is one hell of a Valentine's Day," he said with a smile. "And I don't care what you say... You look incredibly sexy with blonde curls," he teased, letting his head rest on Beau's shoulder. "You were made for curls, you know."

Beau had enjoyed every second of this wedding. It was the first time he had been out socialising since the cancer really impacted on his health and he was mostly bedridden. So many people he cared about and missed over the preceding months were here, and they were all having a ball. Then there was Jesse. Kindhearted, selfless, sweet, compassionate, caring Jesse who had been home nursing Beau since he was discharged after the transplant and got the remission news. They had been good friends before, and Beau was friends with Jace too, but the intimacy of the home nursing arrangement meant he and Jesse had confided in each other a lot about many private things, and Beau knew how much this day meant to both Jesse and Jace. It was an honour for him to be here, and it was even more pride knowing Austin had designed their wedding outfits.

But it had been exhausting. That he couldn't deny, nor did he need to. Everyone knew what he had been through, and they were knew he was still recovering. Which meant he was still sick and weak. That didn't at all stop him enjoying himself. Plus, having hair back was icing on the cake. He was used to not having any. In the grander scheme of things, it was one of the smaller issues he had needed to deal with. But, just like last time, it had grown back blonde and curly, even lighter than the first time. He snorted and gave Austin a side-eyed look with a smirk. "I'll be more celebrating when I get my pubes back."

There were so many parts of Beau that had been missing while he was ill. One of them was the ability to spend time out and about and see his friends and loved ones like this. Austin had missed that... The part of Beau that loved to socialize with people that mattered to him. He just hadn't felt up to it for so long, and it was beautiful to see him smiling and laughing with his loved ones again. That was who Beau was, ultimately, and seeing him slowly, but surely, starting to get back to a place where he was really himself? Was an incredible thing for Austin. Things were nowhere near back to normal yet. Beau was still weak... sick and tired. And sex wasn't anywhere near being on the menu yet. Austin didn't care. Those were bridges they'd cross together. In the meantime, Austin was too grateful for his husband's life to stress over the things that hadn't happened yet.

"I'd gladly pass mine along if I thought it would help, love," Austin teased, fingers still absentmindedly sliding through Beau's curls. "It would save me a packet on regular manscaping." He grinned, leaning in for a soft kiss to his husband's lips. "Fuck me, I love your hair like this. I know you're going to change it once you feel up to it, but I'm going to enjoy it for as long as I can, blondie."

Beau knew that to pay for this night out, he would probably spend the next 3+ days in bed. But that was okay, because he was doing better in general. The next two weeks would be telling, though. They would be sans Jesse's help, who was going away overseas on his honeymoon. And rightly freaking so too. Beau hoped they had a ball. He and Austin didn't ultimately get a honeymoon, but maybe one day. It just meant the reigns would be handed back to Austin with all the medications and general nursing Beau still needed help with. Plus, Beau was going to be transitioned back to eating rather than PEG feeds this week, which could be a whole trial itself. Trials, though, they were used to.

"Don't worry, you've still got a month or two under your belt before I will be remotely ready to let a hairdresser touch my head. Even then, it could get messy with a whole lot of F and C words flying around. Liam's going to cop it," he joked. His head was still sensitive and even though most people thought cancer patients probably jumped for joy when they had hair that was presentable again, it took some getting used to. It took about three times longer to wash it too because it was sensitive, but Austin knew what was acceptable touch. He was about the only one Beau would let near his head at the moment. "So... what do you think about the egg donor thing? Having it be someone we know?"

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"Love is in the air."

Jesse & Jace

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Lewis, Liz, & Lorenzo

So much alliteration!

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♥ Evan and Christian ♥

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Sam & Lisa

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Rose & Angel

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Lee, and whoever wants to crash on him ;)

Lee & Taylor

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Lorenzo & Clint

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Austin & Beau

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