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“Well, here we are now, two years later with all our participants from the first, original series of “Love Is blind”. Obviously, we all are extremely curious to know who is still married and what happened in the meantime.” Kelly’s grin was infectious as she welcomed the guests in the studio and the audience at home.
Laurent sat beside his brother on the couch, keeping his face carefully blank. He had opted for a high-neck pullover in black that was one of Damen’s absolute favorites on him. It accented his lean, strong body as well as his golden hair. He had seen Damen’s look when he had stepped into the room.
“Let’s take a look. Each of the participants sent a short video previous to their reunion.” They all looked towards the large screen behind them where the first video loaded.
Nik’s smile seemed almost soft as he talked about Nicaise, and Laurent still couldn’t quite believe that those two found each other and actually worked out together. He hadn’t suspected that Nik of all people, who chose Lykaios in the series, would try his luck with a person like Nicaise.
Kelly laughed when the video ended with Nicaise, sneaking up on Nik and dumping some kind of slime directly in his lap. “It seems like a lot of excitement.”
Nik grinned as he saw it. “I thought about recording a second one, but honestly, it’s more descriptive of my life than anything else.”
Laurent couldn’t keep from looking at Damen, who sat beside him and observed his best friend with a bright grin. If someone was even more delighted about Nic and Nik happening than Nikandros himself, it was Damen.
The videos were all fun or sweet and when Jokaste’s face appeared, Laurent couldn’t wait for the audience’s reaction. She looked lovely in the red summer dress.
“Darling? You already started without me!”, Auguste’s upset voice sounded from somewhere to the left of the camera and Jokaste turned her head.
“You took forever with— your project.”
“Did you already tell them? If you did, we’re going to record this whole thing again, just be warned,” Auguste huffed, as he plopped down beside her on the couch. She patted his thigh with a small smile.
“I didn’t. I promised you, you could tell them.”
Auguste took her hand and pressed a kiss on the top of her hand. “Thank you.” And then he produced a black-white photo from somewhere and held it up in the camera.
“We’re going to be parents!” He sounded so excited, it made Laurent’s heart swell in his chest. The cheer from the audience and the other participants was loud and enthusiastic.
“Wow,” Kelly commented, “so, safe to say that Jokaste and you are still married? You’re expecting your first child together. Congratulations.”
Auguste grinned. “To be completely honest, I never thought my life would look like this when I entered the experiment. I couldn’t be happier.”
Kelly grinned. “I’m so happy for you. Jokaste, how are you feeling? I’m sure you have to be excited.”
Jokaste, sitting on Auguste’s other side, laughed. “Oh, I can only agree on that. I never thought I would be a mum. But now that I’m about to be one, I have to say that the excitement is definitely there.”
She placed one hand on the almost indiscernible baby bump, hidden under her loose blouse. “I know we have the best supporting net and I’m not only glad about finding my lifelong partner in this experiment, but also grateful for the wonderful friendships I got to make.”
Kelly immediately took up the thread, “Yes, you and Laurent are especially close as the two of you confirmed just before. Let’s see what Laurent has to tell us.”
The next video started up and there Laurent could see himself. Sitting in the living room of his and Damen’s house. He didn’t wear a turtleneck for the recording, but his hair wasn’t tied up like now. The mating mark was still hidden. He looked serious, as if he had to announce something horrible, and he could hear the audience gasp in horror.
Ha, that was the effect he had aimed for, but then Damen the oaf appeared behind him and kissing the top of his head before brushing Laurent’s hair to the side and pressing his fingers to the mating bite high on his neck. Now the audience gasped again, but this time for different reasons.
“Stop trying to traumatize the poor people,” Damen commented with an indulgent smile, then he looked straight at the camera and said, “He’s the love of my life and while I annoy him on a regular basis, he would never think about leaving me, aren’t I right, love?”
Laurent saw himself roll his eyes while a small smile stole itself onto his face. “You know I wouldn’t.” Goodness, they were indeed sickening sweet. He would have to apologize to Nicaise the next time they saw each other. He could feel Damen’s hand closing around his fingers.
Kelly laughed. “Well, if that isn’t a declaration of love. You two are mated?”
“Yes,” Laurent confirmed, “apparently, we’re a fated pair and my mating heat got triggered at the wedding and we decided to just go with it. It was the best decision of my life so far.”
Damen the big sap, leaned over and kissed his temple. “I love you.”
“Awww, you two are just too cute. I’m sure we’re all in agreement about this.” Kelly smiled so brightly, Laurent was a bit afraid her cheeks might start to cramp. Lazar and Pallas were also still very much married as were Kallias and Erasmus. Laurent was happy for them. It was good to see them again, although he had dreaded their appearance in the show.
“Now, Torveld,” Kelly turned to the alpha across from Laurent, “there is something you’d like to say.”
“Yes, thank you Kelly. I’d just like to apologize to you, Isander, for being such a blockhead. I didn’t think about how my behavior might hurt your feelings and for that I’m genuinely sorry.”
Isander stared at the alpha with an open mouth. “It’s alright.” Laurent wanted to tell him that it decidedly wasn’t alright, but this wasn’t his place.
“And I’d like to apologize to Laurent and Damen too. I’m happy that the two of you are happy and I shouldn’t have acted like I did.”
Laurent could feel the vibrations of a beginning growl against his side and he simply put a hand on Damen’s thigh and released some of his pheromones. Other alphas wouldn’t be able to smell him anyway. His mate immediately relaxed against him.
“While I still don’t approve of your behavior, you didn’t hurt us or our relationship. It’s in the past and I hope you learned something from it,” Laurent replied with a shrug. He couldn’t be bothered with some idiot alpha. Damen gave a sharp little nod, and that was that.
After the recording, the participants were invited to a buffet. Laurent stayed close by Jokaste’s side, knowing that sometimes the scents of others made her nauseous, even Auguste was sometimes too much for her. Laurent’s muted omega scent made him the perfect companion for her.
“Good that you kept Damen from launching himself right at Torveld back there,” she murmured with a smirk. “Although I think he would deserve it.”
“Stop it, blood is such a hassle to get out of clothes and I really like those jeans on him,” Laurent replied with a pointed look at Damen’s backside, clothed in tight, pale blue-jeans.
“Understandable, really,” she agreed with a laugh and then buried her face in his neck. “Sorry.”
“Don’t apologize. That’s why I’m here after all.” Laurent patted her back and let her breathe in his scent. “I think we shouldn’t keep hanging around. Let’s go home and watch Encanto.”
Jokaste giggled into his neck. “Let’s do that. I’m tired.”
Laurent squeezed her and waved for Damen. “Be a darling and go get Auguste. We’d like to go home.”
“Of course, love,” Damen replied and kissed him softly before shouldering his way through the crowd. He came back with Auguste, who held two glasses of orange juice in his hands and looked a little bewildered. “What is it? Jo, are you alright?”
“Yes, I’m just fine, honey. But Laurent promised me to watch Encanto at home. He definitely wins over some orange juice and dozens of people asking to feel up my belly,” she replied with a sardonic smile. Auguste nodded. “You’re right, let’s go home.”
And home they went, joking about how Jokaste and Damen were finally allowed to post all the social media content they wanted to post. Life was good and Laurent was glad that he was weak to his brother’s wishes. This had been the best, worst idea Auguste had ever had.