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Soren was in a daze. He hadn't really ever been in an altered state of mind before. He had never done drugs, and the only time he had ever gotten really drunk was that first night with Eli, and even then they had both still been coherent. But now Soren was thoroughly lost in his own head. Everything was just rushing around in a blur. He saw but hardly comprehended anything. He was just following wherever Eli's hand led him. A light rap on his forehead knocked him out of his haze.One of Eli's verdant eyes was peering into his own blue ones. "Are you in there? You've been all glassy eyed since you left the dressing room," "Just nerves again," sighed Soren, slumping against the wall.Eli responded with a swift kiss on both cheeks. "I'm still nervous too, dear." "You never look nervous," said Soren, unable to resist smiling as Eli's sweet lips brushed against him. "It's a skill I acquired from living off just my painting," smiled Eli. "No one would take my art seriously if it looked like I was ready to shit my pants at a showcase." Soren gave a half-hearted chuckle. "Yeah... I suppose you're right." He scratched at his forearm, looking out one of the small windows. "it's a nice day out. A good day to hold it outside, eh?""God, you must be nervous," laughed Eli. "You're talking about the weather? C'mon, sweetie, we're on in about half past now." "Will you hold my hand then?"Eli took Soren's left hand and placed it in his right. "Whenever you want, dear."Soren laced their fingers together, smiling with all of his teeth. "Thank you, sweetie. I think I'm ready.""I think we're both ready." Soren nodded, smiled, and together, they stepped forward. A chorus of strings greeted them as they stepped out of the double doors to the garden. The old hotel had a magnificent garden, not to big, not too small. It was dressed in white dyed green by the well-loved plants that reflected the California sun. The sextet that Soren found was playing magnificently, although he had forgotten what tunes they had requested. He didn't much care, to be honest.And then there were the people... all of the people. All of Eli's aunts and uncles, all of his cousins. And their friends too. Di and Danny were sitting near the aisle, neither able to resist turning around to smile and watch as Soren and Eli took measured steps forward. Eli had a crowd of friends that he didn't really know. Allison, Floyd and James couldn't make it, unfortunately. Soren's family was conspicuously absent save for Aly and Sammy and Rachel. Eli's friend Kelsey had requested to make the six performers seven, and her talent with the french horn was astounding, supplementing the flute and five strings. Minerva and Sasha were standing next to the altar, framed by a white wicker gate that was adorned with sunflowers. Their black dresses contrasted well with the mostly white motif. Sasha's black stripes melded seamlessly with the fabric of her dress as it fit her graceful figure. Minerva, an Arcanine taller even than Soren and much more powerfully built, was on the right side, actually casting a small shadow on Eli's uncle John, dressed in his best ministers vestments. A very small, slightly bitter part of Soren still didn't want a religious figure running his wedding, but Soren knew how much it meant for Eli to have a family member run the show. The smile on John's face was just as sincere as everyone else. No... he shouldn't be thinking about stuff like this, not today of all days. He knew his parents weren't a fair representation of all religious people. Nope, nope, don't think about them either! Think about Eli... yes, think about him. Think about his hands in his. Think about the softness of his fur, the warmth of his body that was slowly evaporating the sweat that was surely only on his own palms. Think about one of his fluffy beige tails was curling around his ankle, that gorgeous orange tip subtly fishing into his black socks to tickle his ankles. And that wonderful smile, with shining white teeth and those four goddamn adorable pointed canines. John was talking... What was he saying? To be honest, Soren didn't really care that much. This wedding was for Eli. For all Soren was concerned, he and Eli were married the moment he put that engagement ring on his finger. This pomp and circumstance was something Eli wanted. Eli wanted to celebrate this moment publicly, to be surrounded by loved ones, and to show off the soon-to-husband he was proud of. Soren squeezed Eli's hands, feeling his the pulse on his wrist and how fast it was, matching his own frantic heartbeat. Butterflies were careening through his stomach. Soren's smile was just as wide as Eli's but was that... dammit, he was tearing up! Why? What was making his body cry today of all days? Stop it, seriously! He shouldn't be crying today! But at the same time... he didn't feel like he was crying. Yes, tears were blurring his vision and running down his fur, but he didn't feel anything else he associated with crying. His shoulders weren't shaking and he was still smiling, still filled with elation. Eli's mouth was moving. He was talking? Right... vows. That's a thing that happens in weddings. Don't fuck this up, don't fuck this up... why would he fuck this up? He had them memorized ever since the night Eli and himself wrote them together. John was prompting him, though Soren didn't actually hear what was said. Soren took one breath, not too long, and looked straight into Eli's eyes and spoke. "I, Soren Saul, take you, Eli Vatra, to be my partner, loving what I know of you and trusting what I do not yet know. I eagerly anticipate our opportunities to grow together, to get to know the person you will become, and to fall a little deeper in love more every day. I promise to love and cherish you through whatever life brings us." Eli squeezed Soren's hands smiling as he finished. Soren couldn't smile any wider, so he rubbed the engagement ring on Eli's finger. John was talking again. His voice was slightly imperious, but not in a hostile way. It was the voice of an orator, but of sincerity, not a diehard evangelist. It was a voice well used to ceremony and public speech, and he knew how to make his message engaging to everyone. "Do you, Soren Saul, and you, Eli Vatra, take each other as lawfully wedded spouses?"Soren and Eli nodded. They wanted to say it together. "I do." Rings came next. Sasha and Minerva held the boxes for them. Soren took from Sasha a sterling silver ring adorned with a pair of gleaming sapphires. Minerva passed a white gold ring decorated with two brilliant emeralds to Eli. Soren could barely see Eli's finger as he slipped the sapphire ring next to Eli's engagement ring. There was a short pause before Eli took Soren's left hand in both of his, and Soren felt the cold metal slide up his finger. Through his stream of tears Soren saw the pair of emeralds. They caught the light in the same way Eli's eyes did when he smiled. The ring designs were Eli's idea. It was cheesy and sweet and kinda gimmicky, but it was something that only he would think of. And the rings were perfect. It did feel like he was wearing a little piece of his love on his finger. It fit his finger perfectly too. Eli gently tapped Soren's wrist gently with a finger. Wait, what was next? Oh right, the kiss, the kiss! Soren lowered his muzzle by a fraction so Eli wouldn't need to stand on tip toe. He let Eli finish. He couldn't see anything right now anyway. Soren felt Eli's hand touch his cheek, feeling slender fingers, soft fur, and the two rings, one warm from the fires of his body and the other still cool and fresh from the box. And then their lips touched. Soren closed his eyes and savored the sweetest kiss of his life. Soren wanted to take Eli in his arm and press him close, to sweep him off his paws and lean into the kiss, but that felt inappropriate. Plenty of time for that tonight. Eli broke apart at the perfect time. The kiss wasn't too long or too brief. As they stepped apart Eli wiped Soren's eyes for him, a gentle, natural motion. They held each other at arms length as John pronounced them newlyweds. As the crowd behind them began to applaud as Eli embraced Soren, forgoing all formality and pressing himself into Soren's chest, messing up their ties. Together they walked back down the aisle, leaving everyone else behind them, but not for long. They had a hell of a party to look forward to. There was a short pause before the reception, allowing people to change or freshen up or whatever before things got started. Soren wanted to oversee last minute preparations, but Eli refused, resolutely sitting in Soren's lap to keep him in his chair. They sat in their dressing room, Soren straightening Eli's cuffs. Eli leaned back into Soren, sighing and smiling. "So... you got married. In front of all those people. And you're not dead." "Oh, quiet, you," chuckled Soren, kissing Eli's cheek from around his shoulder. "I felt like such a fool up there. Do you think they saw me crying like an idiot up there?" "No, I don't think so," said Eli. "Your shiny fur hid it pretty well. But I wouldn't worry about it. I know I've seen sillier stuff than a crying groom.""Oh? Like what?"Eli giggled. "Uncle Peter threw up. It's one of the earliest things I can remember, actually. I was three when they got married." Soren gave a tiny laugh. "Oh I bet that was a mess. You know... I don't think I ever met Peter. I'll have to have a chat with him later."Eli's blush was clearly visible through his beige fur. "Oh god, don't tell him I told you that. Aunt Lizzie gives him so much crap for that every time it gets brought up. But you're right. He was gone on business when we visited last." "You know... I never really got to meet a lot of your family." Soren was frowning. "Feels a bit weird, you know? Getting married to you but not knowing half your family." "I know," nodded Eli. "The thing is, we see most of them once or twice a year at most. Back when we were in the Midwest and they were out on the coast. Now that we're closer we'll have more of a chance to see them, if you want." "That would be nice," said Soren absently. Soren checked his watch. "Time flies. It's time for some fun." Eli jumped off Soren's lap, smiling as he walked to the door. "You're hungry, aren't you?""Yeah... I could eat a horse."The party was simple. The hotel had a gathering hall, expansive enough to hold all their guests. They decided on an open buffet. They wanted to keep it casual. There was no need for a grandiose banquet with assigned seats and such. The buffet was really allowed Soren and Eli to move around and chat or dance. Especially dance. The music was simple in set-up. Eli had gotten him new speakers for his birthday in May, and they packed some punch to them for being so compact. Eli just attached his iPod to the speakers with a new, massive playlist of dance music. The music was a mix of anything they knew how to dance to. Waltz, ballroom, tango, swing... it was mostly swing, for nostalgia more than anything. The hall was filled with their guests, and Eli broke off to set up the music. A light lit up in his head. Right! He had the first the dance with Eli. Eli stepped down from the stage where the speakers were set up. Soren was impressed by his speakers as music filled the entire room. The crowd was silent as they joined hands, letting the prelude of Moon's Tear start up. Soren held Eli's slender hand in his right and placed his left on Eli's delicate, subtly curved waist. He let Eli take them into a slow, deliberate ballroom step.Soren let the music wash over him. The rhythm moved their steps, inflating the happy bubble inside his chest as Eli smiled back at him. The song was slow, filled with joy, hope, and wonder. It fit Soren's mood perfectly, and he lost himself in their dance, forgetting that all those people were watching them. He was broken out of his trance as Eli laid his cheek on Soren's chest. He was still smiling. He whispered so that only Soren could hear. "You are such a nerd, you know that?""Hrmm?""Our first dance at our wedding is a symphonic remix of a game soundtrack. Who else would use that for their wedding dance?"Soren let out a silent chuckle. "Don't act like you don't like it. You agreed to it when I brought it up." "I'm not complaining," said Eli, squeezing Soren's hand. "I'm just teasing you.""I'm sorry," grinned Soren. "I didn't know I was getting married to your sister today."Eli gave Soren his best fake-pout. "I think the song is perfect. Feel better?" Soren rolled his eyes but lightly pressed Eli into his chest, giving his forehead a light kiss. "I love you too, sweetie."The song wound down and the two slowed to a stop. There was a slight pause as the two let the music wind up to a new song, a fast swing, letting others join them on the dance floor. Soren broke away after one more song, only just realizing how hungry he was. They had spent a fair amount on the caterers. Soren and Eli had vivid memories of rather terrible wedding meals, and they wanted theirs to be an exception to the norm.Soren loaded his plate with some favorites: roast beef, rolls (lots of those), green beans, honeyed sweet potatoes. The cake would come later. He sat down next to Sasha, Danny, and Di, who were talking to Kelsey. Sasha greeted Soren with a tight hug. "Hey, lover boy." She glanced down at Soren's stacked plate. "Let me guess: you were so nervous you skipped lunch?""And breakfast," chimed Di. Soren couldn't resist smiling. "Maybe." Soren started with his rolls, cutting them and filling them with sweet potatoes. Each bite was warm and delicious and satisfying.Danny reached across the table to lightly punch Soren's arm. "Hey, You owe us money. Who'd have thought shy, demure Soren would be the first of us to get hitched."Soren swallowed a mouthful of food. "And who'd have thought that Danny the womanizer has been single for three years running.""Ooh, low blow man," laughed Danny, stealing a roll of Soren's plate. "Get your own," leered Soren. "Well, I have a feeling I'll still be the last one to have kids.""Danny, you know better than to steal from the carbivore," laughed Di. "Did you two dance to Moon's Tear, or am I going nuts?" Soren nodded mutely, his mouth full of green beans. " Di cackled. "I knew it! That's deliciously geeky!" Soren's response was thick through his muzzle full of beef. "I thought it fit the occasion. Eli did too." "I didn't say that it didn't fit the mood," grinned Di, crossing her arms as she spoke. "In fact I think it worked perfectly, though I bet half the people in here didn't know where the song came from." Soren swallowed as Eli sat down next to them, greeting Soren with a swift kiss on the cheek. "Heya sweetie. How's the food?""It's fine," said Soren, offering his last roll to Eli. Soren looked to his right, noticing that Kelsey was withdrawing a bit, looking a bit excluded from the gathering of Soren's old friends. "Kelsey, I need to thank you. I loved your horn at the ceremony."The Gardevoir's pale cheeks flushed with pride, some of her green bangs slipping out of her bun. She blew them out of her face with a puff of air before talking. "Thank you. I just thought it was something small I could do for you two. I'm glad you liked it." "I've always liked the french horn," said Soren, leaning forward a bit so he could maintain eye contact. "It's always embarrassed me that I never learned to play it." "Eli's told me about your musical skills," said Kelsey. "Why'd you never pick it up? It's got such a lovely sound." It was Soren's turn to flush. "Well... I did try, but I never could get the hang of it. I could never master the mouthpiece work. It's tough with my muzzle when the mouthpiece is so small."Kelsey let out a small giggle. "You know, they've got something to fix that. They have developed new mouthpieces for different types of people." Soren lit up at once. "Really? When did this happen?" "Well, it's a recent thing. If they mess with size of the mouthpiece too much it messes with the sound of the horn." Kelsey produced something silver from her pocket. She held up a mouthpiece that Soren had never seen before. It was silver, with a wide funnel at the top and a shaft the gently undulated before straightening out. "I read about this a few weeks ago. The mouthpiece is much more comfortable for guys like you. Give it a try." Soren took the pristine piece in his hands, bringing it to his dark lips and buzzing. It fit his muzzle comfortably, and he was able to hit almost four octaves. He stared at it. "Oh wow... this is wonderful. Now I gotta get me a horn." Kelsey's smile glowed with a hint of mischief. "I think I've got you covered there. She produced a black instrument case from under her seat. "I want you to have this."Soren's eyes widened. "You didn't need to do that. The invitation said gifts were unnecessary."Eli chuckled. "I told you he'd try this." Kelsey rolled her pink eyes. "If it makes you feel better, I'm getting a new horn and there's no reason for me to have this sitting in my place gathering dust. It works fine, but I wanted one of the new horns with the fourth valve. The new one gets a much better range overall." Soren left his seat to retrieve the case, placing it on the ground to open it. "Wow... I can't wait to try it. I'll always treasure this. I love instruments with a legacy. Where has this horn been?" Kelsey tapped her chin, thinking back. "Well, I played it in high school and college. Then I played it in both the Iowa City and Cedar Rapids symphonic orchestras. She had her fourteenth birthday a few weeks ago." Returning the instrument to its case, Soren stood up and hugged Kelsey. It felt weird, hugging a woman who was barely more than a stranger, but a gift like this deserved more than words. "Thank you. Thank you so much. I'll make sure it lasts as long as I live. Does she have a name?" "Marisa," said Kelsey. "After my Aunt who taught me." "How long have you been playing?" "Eighteen years," said Kelsey, absently tapping her fingers as she counted. "I was on a rental for a few years before taking it more seriously." "Wow... that's a good deal longer than me, actually. I started when I was going on thirteen, so I've put in fifteen and change years of music." "It's an engrossing lifestyle," laughed Kelsey. "You feel like something amazing, something so much bigger than yourself when playing in a symphonic group." "I know what you mean," said a light, slightly girlish voice. "I've loved playing the flute much more than the piano." Soren raised his eyebrows. "Rachel? You play music? I never knew. When did you start?" The growlith girl's blonde mane bristled. "Well... I started playing in sixth grade." Soren tapped his fingers. "Ah... so you started right about...""After you left our house," said Rachel. "It was because of you that I started." It was Soren's turn to bristle. "What?! Me?!" "Of course," smiled Rachel. "I heard you practicing every day. I would come home from school every day and you would be filling the house with the violin or the trombone or the clarinet. You were amazing, and you got A LOT better over the six months you were with us. Even I could tell that." Soren smiled, scratching the back of his head. She was right. His instruments were his best coping mechanism when he was stuck. Stressed out on Aly's couch. He had poured countless hours, his soul into those instruments, only able to forget his troubles when he played. "So... you started playing the flute? And Piano? He paused to let Sammy nod. "And you started because of me? Really?""Mmhmm," nodded Rachel. "I talked to Mom. I wanted to learn, to play like you did. I want to go to college and be a music teacher. Or maybe a director. I haven't decided yet." "You could've talked to me," said Soren. "I would have taught you some basic stuff if you asked." "You're right," said Rachel, laughing a bit. "But look at it from my perspective a bit. You were this big, weird cousin that I hardly knew. You were living with us and cooking for us but talking to you was scary when I hadn't even left grade school. You were kind of a recluse too. I didn't really understand why at the time. It didn't help that you were six-eight and I was under four feet at the time. Still, talking to my big grown up cousin was a bit daunting for me."Soren didn't know what to say. Did he just shape someone's life? Had he inspired someone to follow a new life path? He wasn't sure what sensation was filling his up his insides... perhaps it was pride. It felt good. "I'm glad you've got life goals at your age. When I was in high school I had no idea what I was doing. If you want musical advice, you can always call me." Kelsey was still smiling. She pointed at Marisa's case. "So I'll take it you'll keep the horn?" "She'll have a good home," said Soren, flicking the case's clips shut. Eli put a hand on the case. "You want me to put this in the car?" Soren nodded. "I don't want to leave it in the car. Put it in our room. That'll be safer. We'll take it home when we're done." Eli nodded before hurrying away, eager to return to the reception as soon as possible. Soren returned to demolishing his food, just as eager to dance as Eli.Eli returned, bouncing on his heels as Soren left his place. Geraldine's Routine started playing. A rush of nostalgia hit Soren as he remembered their first dance competition. They rushed to the dance floor. It was surprisingly crowded. Lots of Eli's family apparently knew how to dance. Lyra and Logan were up and moving, and Sasha brought a protesting Danny up. Eli and Soren danced through three songs, the playlist starting with upbeat swings. At the beginning of a fourth song, Eli stepped away. "You wanna dance with other people? Mix it up a bit?" Soren scratched the back of his head but nodded. Maybe the party was running away with him, but he was feeling adventurous today. He noticed Minerva was sitting down, away from the dance floor. Soren sat down next to the Arcanine, offering a hand to her. "Would you like to dance?" Minerva reached down to take off her high heels. "Sure, but not in these shoes. Do you care if I go barefoot?" "Why not?" They walked to the dance floor. Soren led Minerva on, keeping to basic steps. Minerva was able to keep up well enough, although Soren could tell that she had minimal experience on a dance floor. That suited him fine. It would give them time to talk. "I've heard a lot about you." "Good things, I hope." "Very good things," said Soren, coaxing Minerva into a quick spin. "You're quite the jack of all trades. A painter, a scholar, a thespian, a musician, and an athlete?" "Mmhmm," nodded Minerva. "Not so much anymore. Engineering is difficult work. HVAC can be time consuming." "Heating, air conditioning, and ventilation?" said Soren, looking up into Minerva's red eyes. It was weird, looking up to a person. Soren was abnormally tall, but Minerva's black nose was at his eye level, and that was without her heels. Minerva nodded again. "Mmhmm. Never thought I'd be spending my life doing that, but hey, it pays the bills." "I hope it does more than pay the bills," said Soren. "One of the best parts of my job is feeling like I'm making a difference." "Well, I'm not curing cancer, but one of my biggest jobs is helping buildings go green. They send me all over the place too." "Oh really?" "Yeah, I do on-site evaluations," said Minerva, smiling a little. "I've been sent to Chicago, Nashville, Austin, Vegas even. They always give me a day to explore the city if I want. It's fun." "Where are you based?""Phoenix," said Minerva. "It's a nice enough city. I live in a dumpy apartment on the outskirts of downtown. But I'm doing well enough for a few years out of college. What about you? Still at Luscus?" "Did Eli tell you where I work?" "Yeah. He was giving me weekly updates for a while. Right after you two got together it was every other day." Soren blushed. "Jesus does he tell all his friends when we have sex?"

"It was an after thought he added to the email. But over time his emails turned into him gushing over you. You've got quite a reputation to live up to." Soren chuckled, slightly ruefully. Soren couldn't help but feel a little intimidated by Minerva. She emanated an aura of general friendliness, but her height, her coiled body under her fur, her grace and power, her elegance in the simple black dress that matched her dramatic stripes, all those things combined made Soren feel just a little intimidated. Or maybe it was his general awkwardness around females who weren't Di or Sasha. "We make each other happy. It's that simple, really. I've heard stories about you, too.""Did he tell you about how I got expelled from school?"Soren raised an eyebrow. "Really? You? What happened to get you expelled?"Minerva smiled fully for the first time since the ceremony. She had large, brilliant white teeth that had sharp points. "It was the middle of senior year. Eli was getting a bunch of shit for dating a guy. The football goons were ganging up him and Artur and I walked in on them. Their head goon threw a punch. So I hit back. I knocked one of them unconscious and four more scurrying with boot marks up their ass."Soren let out a bark of laughter at this. "Oh, I'd have loved to see that. I can't imagine the looks on their faces!" "I don't imagine any of them thought a girl would hit back, and harder than them at that," laughed Minerva. "But the school wasn't keen on me fighting, and I was lucky I didn't really hurt the guy I clocked. The dude who got creamed took legal action, but if I left the school they'd drop charges. So I finished my senior year at a private school." Soren was still guffawing as the song ended. He gave Minerva a quick bow as they ended their dance. "You're free to drop our place any time. It was nice to talk." Minerva returned to her seat, starting to talk with Danny as he made his way back from the food tables.Soren watched Eli teach some of his younger cousins how to do the Charleston. He was too full of restless energy right now. He wanted to get up and dance more, but he was parched. He poured a glass of water from the table and drank deeply. He jumped a fraction as someone tapped his shoulder. It was Aly. There was a look of deep concern on her face as she spoke. "Soren, I might have just been seeing things, but before the ceremony... did I see your parents here?"Soren sighted, fiddling with his green tie. "Aly... Can you get the girls? I want to talk in private."Aly nodded. "I understand." She turned away, scanning the crowd for her daughters. Soren turned to Eli, who was mirroring Aly's look of concern. Soren walked slowly to the dance floor, putting a hand on Eli's shoulder. "Could you find your parents? And Elly if she'll come." Eli nodded, moving off in a different direction. Soren sighed, meandering towards the back exit, letting them come to him. Shit... how was he going to talk about this? He really didn't want to talk about them now... but better now then later, he supposed.The group gathered by the exit: Lyra, Logan, Elly, Eli, Aly, Rachel, and Sammy . Soren let them out the back way, so they could talk in a secluded corner of the garden. The group formed a semicircle around Soren, save for Eli, who stepped close and took his silver hand in his. Soren fiddled with a cuff, not too sure where to start. He took a deep breath. "Aly... you weren't seeing things. My parents were here today."Aly frowned, biting her lip. "How did they find out about this? Did you send them an invitation?""We sent them an invitation," said Eli, gripping Soren's hand tighter. "It was my idea," said Soren, grateful for Eli's hand in his. "I didn't want them to learn second hand. I knew they wouldn't accept it, but I wanted them to know. I'm proud of being with Eli. I'm happy with him, and I wanted them to know that nothing they could do would change that. I had a small hope they'd accept it in the face of things but... I never expected them to fly across the country." Soren looked down, retelling the ultimatum his parents gave him, speaking of the demands with little emotion or embellishments. He didn't mention the fight. That would be his ordeal alone. To his shame he felt his shoulders shaking, a single tear running down the length of his muzzle. "... so... just like that... I, uh, don't have a family anymore." In what seemed like an instant Soren felt the warmth of seven pairs of arms enclose around his body in a tight embrace. Lyra spoke first, slightly muffled by the number of people participating in the hug. "You'll always have us, Soren." "Soren, you've been one of us for years," said Elly, squeezing tightly. "We all love you, Soren," said Aly. "And we're all happy for you. Don't let them rain on your parade." Soren couldn't speak. There was lump in his throat, he was getting choked up, tears were blurring his eyes again. "Tha... Thank you. Thank you, all of you... Logan, I'm going to need your help." They all broke apart, Logan shaking his head. "Let's not talk about that right now. Have fun today, celebrate with us. I promise I'll help you later."Soren sighed, slumping into Eli's arms. "Thank you. I... I think I need a minute. Go back to the party, please." The group nodded, hearing the door creak as Lyra, Logan, and Elly returned to the reception. Soren looked up, noticing that Aly, Rachel, and Sammy had hung back, Aly tapping her mouth with a long claw. "Do you need something," asked Soren. "I was just thinking," said Aly, frown lines furrowing her face. There was a pause, none of them speaking as they stood in the garden, lit ablaze by the setting sun. "You know what? Fuck them. It's horrible, how they've treated you. I'm done with them. I'm just done. I want nothing to do with them anymore."Soren frowned. Aly never swore. "What do you mean?" "When I was sick, their company was nice... but what they've said, what they did to you. I want nothing to do with people who can be so cruel." Aly turned to her daughters, her arms crossed. "This is your decision too, girls. I know you're good friends with some of your cousins, but I want to break off from them completely. Your dad too, if I can get away with it."Sammy and Rachel shared their mother's frown. Sammy spoke first. "Well, it's not like Dad has been particularly invested in us lately. But I don't want to be associated with them either. They showed their true colors today." Rachel nodded mutely. Soren shook his head. "Aly, you don't need to do that. There's no reason to burn all those bridges." "I don't have to. I want to," said Aly. "I honestly should have done it years ago." Soren looked down a bit, holding Eli close to him now. "Can we talk details later? I don't really want to linger on this tonight."Aly nodded, walking to the door. "I understand. I never gave you a formal congratulations, by the way. I, at the very least, am very happy for both of you."Soren smiled, sitting down on one of the leftover chairs. "Thank you. We'll be back in a minute." Aly smiled, letting the door click behind her as she and the girls left. Eli sat down next to Soren, cupping his face in his gentle hands. "Soren... I'm so sorry. I know you never got along with them, but to cut you off like that. It means so much to me that you'd give up your family for me. No matter what happens I'll be there with you. Always. I promise."Soren held Eli, feeling his body in his arms as he rested his muzzle on Eli's slender shoulder. "Thank you, Eli. It was my stupid idea, but I knew it would happen eventually. Your family loved me so much more than they ever did. You make me happier than anyone else in the world. I love you."Eli laid his head on Soren's shoulder, closing his eyes for a moment. "Tell me when you are ready to go back." Soren waited for a minute. Just a minute as he held Eli's hand again. "I'm ready. Let's have some fun tonight."Eli sat up, turning around to offer his hand to Soren. He was smiling as Soren took his hand. God he had such a wonderful smile. "That's the spirit." They shared a quick kiss before walking together to the door, letting the music wash over them as they returned to the celebration. Soren held Eli close as he let them into their new condo. It was pristine, and it no longer had any moving boxes strewn across it. It was almost 2:30, and even the city, which they had a spectacular view of, seemed darker and quieter than normal. Soren kissed Eli as he shut the door. "Well, it's official. You're my husband now." "I know," said Eli, taking off Soren's tux jacket for him. "And you're my husband, too. And it's wonderful. I couldn't have asked for a better day." Soren held Eli close to him. "Today... it just felt surreal." Eli looked concern as he held Soren. "What do you mean, sweetheart? Are you talking about your parents? I... I feel so bad about that. It's all my fault.""No," Soren firmly. "I don't give a damn about them anymore.: Eli looked shocked at the harshness of Soren's tone. "No, I don't, Eli. They spent the last sixteen years giving me nothing but grief. I love you, Eli, and you've done nothing but make me happy. If they won't accept you, then I want nothing to do with them anymore. This is our night, and ours alone. I won't let them ruin that." Eli looked down as he undid his shirt, hanging it up on a hanger. "Soren... you gave up a lot to be with me. I love you so much." "I didn't give up anything," said Soren coldly. "They stopped being my family years ago. They just made it official today." Eli began to undo Soren's buttons. "That doesn't mean it doesn't hurt right now." Soren sighed. "I... it does hurt a bit. But the pain stops when I'm with you. And I said I don't want to think about it right now. I want to spend my night with you, and just you." "I... okay," said Eli, hanging up Soren's shirt. "I love you, sweetie."Soren kissed Eli, placing a gentle hand on Eli's cheek. "I love you too, sweetheart. I love you so much, You mean so much to me." Soren held Eli close to him, savoring the feeling of their bare chests pressed against each other. Soren kissed Eli's sweet, black lips, gingerly placing his hands on Eli's belt, undoing it slowly enough for Eli to either assist or stop the motion. Eli held Soren's arms, preventing him from undressing him further. He looked up at Soren, a grin on his face. "Wedding night sex? Since when did you become so cliché?" Soren gave a tiny frown. "Are you not feeling up for it, darling?" "Of course I'm up for it," said Eli. "I just need to get these pesky clothes off you." The sex fast, intense, and left them panting on top of each other, basking in their afterglow. Eli kissed Soren along the collarbones as Soren ran his hands across his bare back. But they soon stopped. It had been a long day, and they were spent in all ways. Cuddling up in Soren's arms, Eli whispers broke the quiet. "That was wonderful. This whole day was wonderful." "I'm glad. You deserved a special wedding." Soren squeezed Eli as he spoke.Eli gave a tiny growl. "You deserved it too. I couldn't ask for a better husband. I love you Soren."Soren kissed Eli, letting their lips linger together. "I love you too, Eli. I love you so much." There was a pause as they kissed again, and again. After they broke apart for the fifth time, Soren spoke again, stroking Eli's hair. "Eli, can you do me a favor?" "What do you need, sweetie?" "Can you say my name?" Eli looked a little perplexed, but kissed his cheek and spoke. "Your name is Soren." Soren shook his head as he held Eli against him. "My full name, Eli. Say my full name." Eli's look of confusion deepened, but he spoke again as he wrapped his arms around Soren's shoulders. "Your full name is Soren Saul." "No," said Soren, resting his head on Eli's arms. "My name is Soren Vatra." Eli gave a tiny gasp. "I... oh sweetheart... I love you so much Soren." He buried his face deep in Soren's chest and arms. There was a long pause as they held each other. After an age Eli spoke again. "Don't you wish tonight wouldn't end? A night with just us, for as long as we wanted? Wouldn't that be nice?" Soren shook his head. "Not really. Why do we need to stop time? We have the rest of our lives together, Eli." They shared a kiss, sweet, long, and tender. Eli adjusted himself so that his cheek lay across Soren's, and they locked both their hands in the others. Soren rubbed the rings on Eli's fingers, smiling as he felt warm metal across his fingers. He whispered into the darkness. "I love you, Eli." "I love you too, Soren. I love my husband so much." Soren felt an electric thrill run through his body. He loved hearing that word, "husband." He held Eli as tight as he could without hurting him, pressing Eli's slender body into his own. "Can Aly come with us to breakfast with your parents? I forgot to ask earlier." "It's fine," said Eli. "She's family too." "Goodnight Eli. I love you. I love you so much." "I love you too, Soren." Soren wasn't sure who fell asleep first. Their breathing slowed together, and he couldn't keep his eyes open, and it didn't take long for them to drift off, together.