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Nick raises the pint glass containing his IPA to his lips and swallows, the hoppy taste filling his nose. He sets the glass down and leans back in his chair with a sigh, looking to his right at Charlie seated next to him. Charlie has his elbows propped on the table edge, his slender fingers toying with the edge of his tall glass containing what was left of his Madras, lost in thought. Nick reaches over and runs his palm across Charlie’s shoulders and down his back, the smooth texture of the charcoal vest gliding under his fingertips, before continuing down his arm to his wrist, snaking his hand between Charlie’s palm and the glass. He interlaces their fingers and brings the back of Charlie’s hand to his mouth, pressing a light kiss to the back. Charlie looks over with a smile on his full lips.
“Hi,” Nick says with tenderness.
“Hi,” Charlie sighs, his eyes twinkling but tired.
Nick lets go of Charlie’s hand and spreads his arm out to the side, welcoming Charlie into an embrace. Charlie happily leans back and snuggles into Nick’s shoulder, nuzzling his cheek into the deep blue fabric with a sigh. Nick is feeling a pleasant buzz, and wis even more content now with Charlie against his side. He had long ago abandoned his sport coat to the back of the chair, loosened his silvery tie, and rolled up his shirt sleeves. His right hand absently runs up and down Charlie’s arm, and he turns and buries his nose in the salt-and-pepper curls at his cheek. The dance music from the DJ thrums in the background as a new song starts.
“You want to head out soon, love?” He feels Charlie nod gently, his curls tickling Nick’s nose with the movement. The day has been long but fulfilling - the wedding beautiful, the dinner delicious, and the reception fun and upbeat. But the two of them are not spring chickens anymore, and even though it isn’t exactly late (11:03pm his watch said), the comfort of home was beginning to call.
Charlie is stifling a yawn as Nick starts asking, “Where have Tara and Darcy gotten off to?” while glancing around, when he felt a whirlwind of energy behind him.
“Nick! Charlie! My gays!” Darcy exclaims, their voice a song, as they pull the chair next to Nick away and drop down. They hunch over the table and drop their head down on their forearms with a wide smile.
“Oh my God, ignore her,” comes a slightly huskier voice full of laughter. Tara playfully swatted at Darcy’s arm, causing them to quickly sit back as Tara smoothly sinks down on Darcy’s lap. Their arms find their way around each other and squeeze. “You two are the last of the Paris Squad standing! Tao and Elle just left.” Isaac had come to the wedding, but not the reception, and Imogen was out of town. “What a day, huh?” Tara asks the men next to her. Both of them smile back.
“Everything was amazing, Tara. Misty looked positively radiant all day,” Charlie says with a smile, still nuzzled into Nick’s side.
“You all really outdid yourselves with all the planning. So many personal touches!” Nick gushes.
“And SO many late night panicked phone calls from Misty this week. ‘What if the flowers are late?’ ‘Why did we choose chicken? Everyone’s going to get salmonella!’ ‘Why did you let me choose a jumpsuit, how am I going to pee all day?’” Tara rolls her eyes, but all four of them remember what those final days before their weddings felt like and chuckle fondly at the memories.
“It’s not every day our child gets married, Jonesy!” Darcy almost shouts, clearly well beyond just buzzed. “I think we did pretty great.”
Just then a slightly smaller and less chaotic ball of energy arrives at the table. “Uncle Nick! Uncle Charlie! I’m so, so glad you came today!” Misty leans down to wrap them both in a hug. Heat radiates from her and she bounces slightly on her heels as she straightens back up. The detachable train on her ivory jumpsuit was removed earlier in favor of dancing, and the heels traded for flats. A slight sheen can be seen under the intricate lace detail on top as the dance floor lights bounced around the room, evidence of said dancing. She is smiling so big that her eyes squint almost completely closed. Nick has never seen her happier.
“We wouldn’t have missed it for the world, Misty, you know that,” Charlie laughs and Nick nods.
“Top notch choice on the jumpsuit, Miss T. Absolutely stunning!” Nick flashes a wholehearted thumbs up that makes Charlie groan. Misty beams down at them.
“See! We told you it was the right choice!” Tara says, shaking her finger at her daughter while winking.
“I know, I know! The peeing struggles were all worth it as soon as I saw James’ reaction,” she giggles, but then more sincerely, “Thank you, Mom. Thank you, Bean.” Her parents smile fondly back at her. “Speaking of my new partner for the ages, I last saw them cornered by their oversharing aunt. I should probably be off to the rescue.” And with another round of thank yous and hugs, she was off.
A familiar cadence of brash trumpets started pouring out from the dance floor as the DJ put on “YMCA.” Darcy forcefully scoots Tara off her lap and jumps up.
“Ohhh yeah! JONESY, LET’S GO!!” She grabs Tara’s hand and starts pulling her towards the lights and the bass.
Tara casts a fleeting look back at Nick and Charlie, waves and shouts, “Talk soon!” As they move farther away, they can hear Tara playfully complaining, “Really? We’re doing this?” to Darcy and Darcy’s resounding, “YES!!” in response.
Nick feels Charlie relax again next to his side. He brings a hand up and cups the back of Charlie’s neck, gently kneading over the collar of his pale green dress shirt. Nick adores this color on Charlie. It reminds him of the sea glass they started collecting on their honeymoon so many years ago. They have a vase on the side table in their bedroom, and they add to it whenever they come across a new piece on one of their beach dates. Charlie has found most of them, snagging them up and safely stashing them in a pocket until they get home. Nick loves watching him pull them out when they get in the bedroom, gently brushing them clean, and then hearing the clink of glass as they drop in. So many memories of happy days in that vase. The years together have been full of joy. They’ve had their bad days, sometimes bad weeks, but Nick wouldn’t trade their life together for anything.
Charlie glances up and Nick feels his breath catch like it always does when he’s fixed in Charlie’s deep blue eyed gaze. His husband is absolutely stunning. Time has taken nothing away from him, only added. His jawline is still sharp, his cheeks slightly more filled in, his full curls still cascading onto his forehead. But it’s the laugh lines around his eyes that Nick loves most. They’ve been hard earned for Charlie, continually working through his therapy, Nick by his side supporting and adapting. They are evidence of their happiness and triumphs together etched on Charlie’s face, and anytime Nick sees a smile that causes them to crinkle around his eyes, warmth blooms in his chest and quickly encompasses his entire body. Much like what was happening now as Charlie smiles up at him.
Nick tilts his head down to place a soft kiss on Charlie’s lips, which Charlie immediately leans into. Their lips brush back and forth across each other, gentle pecks being placed here and there. A familiar song starts playing in the background, the lyrics traveling across the room.
🎵When I get older losing my hair, many years from now…🎵
Nick smiles against Charlie’s lips and pulls away. He raises an eyebrow at his love, questioning in his eyes. “One more dance?”
Charlie nods and stands, reaching down to grab Nick’s hand and pull him up. They make their way to the dance floor.
🎵And if you say the word I could stay with you…🎵
Nick pulls Charlie in tight, swaying a bit with the music and then pushes him away while hanging onto his hands. They push and pull back and forth, the space between them opening and closing. Nick drops one of Charlie’s hands and scrunches his face up, an “oohhhhh!” escaping his rounded mouth as he attempts some version of Elvis legs.
“Oh my god, what is that??” He can hear the laughter in Charlie’s voice as he admonishes him. “Please, don’t EVER do that again!”
“Wow. Wooow, I thought you liked my dance moves?!” Nick feigns indignation as he raises Charlie’s hand and promptly spins him in two quick circles, Charlie’s laughter fully escaping his lungs now, and washing over Nick like waves. He pulls Charlie back in close, wrapping his left arm around his back and bringing their right hands close to his chest, their foreheads touching gently as the sway.
🎵Will you still need me, will you still feed me when I'm sixty-four🎵
Nick leans to the left and dips Charlie slightly, gazing down at his husband as the song comes to an end.
“You’re such a dork,” Charlie smiles up at him, blue eyes twinkling, still full of laughter. Nick bends down and places a tiny kiss on the tip of Charlie’s nose.
“Yep…but I’m your dork.” Nick’s eyes are warm and full of love. “Home now?”
Charlie nods and they leave the dance floor, arms wrapped around each other’s backs and hips bumping with each step. They gather their things and make their way outside, waving to Tara and Darcy taking a break at the bar as they pass. As they step through the doorway, Charlie turns in Nicks arms and places a kiss on Nick’s neck. “Thanks for the dance, love.”
Nick finds himself humming the song again as they walk through the lot. He is so lucky and his heart is full.