Work Text:
"Surprise!"
A chorus of familiar voices sang out to Quinn and Ian, as they walked in the front door of their home in Alder Run. Then the chorus started on a second verse:
"Happy Anniversary!"
It was 7 p.m. on Thursday, October 1st, and their guests were right on the dot. Father Corgan had married them at Mace Chapel in Windover, Massachusetts ten years ago today.
They had exchanged presents that morning, before their classes began, both of them clearly aware of the traditional 10th anniversary gift of diamond jewelry. Ian gave Quinn a four-leaf clover charm, with a tiny diamond in the middle, hoping it would become the equivalent of the little shamrock for his husband through the years. Quinn, who still used the Aldera wrist watch his laddie had given him during their Christmas in Williamsburg, gave Ian a pocket watch, with an engraving of a Knight in Shining Armor on the lid. A small diamond, beautifully refracting light, graced the tip of his sword, which Quinn fancifully thought of as a lightsaber because of it.
Ian's inscription in miniature letters on the back of the little clover was short and sweet:
"The Luck o' the Irish to ye, ma gradh."
Quinn's inscription underneath the lid of the pocket watch had made Ian beam at him:
"Forever my Knight, laddie mine."
After this tender exchange of presents earlier today, they had gotten down to work and put their special day in the back of their minds. So they were truly amazed to be greeted this way.
When the lights were turned on, they looked around them and saw their family, friends, and neighbors rushing forward to meet them with smiles on their faces. Hugs, kisses, and hearty pats on the back went on for the next little while.
Luckily, the professors were wearing their jackets and slacks, since they'd come home straight from work, so they fit right in with the fancy clothes of their guests. The children wore Yoda paper hats, complete with floppy green ears, which was hilarious, since Master Yodama was a guest, as well, not to mention a very good sport.
The living room had been turned into Party Central, with Monty and Ethan bringing in chairs from the kitchen and both offices. When they were all comfortably seated -- in couches, chairs, or on the carpet -- Evan went over to the fireplace and kindled a fire.
"Thank you, everyone, for the surprise party!" said Quinn, standing up from his seat on the couch beside Ian, with Violet and Prudence flanking them. Cheering and clapping answered Quinn's words.
"You really pulled it off," Ian marveled. "We didn't have any idea about what you were up to."
"That's what a surprise party is all about," Case said with a chuckle.
Wendy and Bant came over to the couch with trays filled with empty Waterford flutes, in preparation for John and Keith's presents to the happy couple. The women put the glasses on the coffee table in front of the professors. Then their fathers put a dish towel and ice buckets holding a few intriguing gift-wrapped bottles on the table by their flutes. Before John went back to his easy chair, he said a hearty, "Congratulations, fellas!"
Everybody broke into applause again, the crowd as effervescent as the bubbly to come.
Quinn unwrapped a bottle and wiped his wet hands on the towel. He handed it to Ian, who looked at the label with a smile; their fathers had chosen a meaningful vintage for this special occasion -- 10-year-old Cristal champagne to complement their anniversary.
The last time they had taken out the Waterford flutes to enjoy a toast with Cristal was for another celebration: the passage of marriage equality in Ireland, back at the end of June. Clearly, Cristal and marriage went together like the professors and Jedi Knights.
Ian took off the foil over the cork, then eased the cork from side to side, grinning when it popped out with a whoosh. He immediately started pouring champagne into the flutes, not giving it a chance to overflow the bottle.
Quinn opened the second bottle, and soon, working together, he and Ian had all of the flutes filled with champagne. Of course, they saved two glasses for the children, with Ian pouring spiced cider into them, instead.
When all of them had their drinks in hand, Mr. Jefferson called out, "Toast, toast!" and the crowd picked up the chant. All eyes looked to John, as the eldest member of the family.
He stood up from his easy chair with a beaming smile on his face to say:
"Walcome and guid evenin, ma feres (friends). Thank ye for comin' the nicht (tonight). Here is ma blissin to ma bairns,
Ceann Bliadhna Sona!
(Happy Anniversary!)
and to you all:
"Gun cuireadh do chupa thairis le slainte agus sonas.
(May your cup overflow with health and happiness.)"
Everyone cheered and took a sip of champagne.
Then it was Keith's turn:
"May joy and peace surround you,
Contentment latch your door,
And happiness be with you now,
And bless you evermore."
Their fathers' blessings reminded Quinn of their wedding reception, when Keith and John had also blessed them with Celtic words of wisdom. He couldn't believe that a decade had passed since then, or that he'd met Ian on the Acela train over twelve years ago. Time was flying faster than Ian did when he was cranking out his giant swings on the high bar.
A hush filled the room when it was time for the guests of honor to toast each other.
Ian raised his glass to Quinn and said, "To my dearest husband! The past ten years have been the happiest of my life. Slainte!"
Quinn raised his glass to Ian and said, "To my darlin' laddie! You are the one who gives me life. Slainte!"
Just like that, dry eyes were a thing of the past for everyone, while Quinn and Ian took a sip of champagne, then shared a kiss.
All of their guests (save Prudence) had been at one of their weddings, if not both, so they had seen them kiss before. But there was something about a couple who had been together for years that was especially touching, and the hush continued until the kiss was over.
Cheering and clapping started up again, and it was time for the party to begin in earnest. Kathy and Monty went around with trays of hors d'oeuvres, small plates, and cocktail napkins. The canapes, made by Prudence and Violet, included grape leaves, lamb samosas, stuffed dates, spanakopita, and mini egg rolls.
Fortunately, the professors had not had dinner before they came home.
"Who organized this fantastic shindig?" Ian asked, before popping a date into his mouth. "We can't thank you enough."
Jo and Ginny smiled and raised their hands.
"Thanks, Mom!" the professors said in unison, which left the ladies smiling even more.
"We had a lot of help from the folks here, especially Violet and Prudence, the best cooks ever." So saying, Jo picked up a samosa and took the first heavenly bite.
For a delectable little while, they all concentrated on devouring every hors d'oeuvre in sight, doing Bilbo Baggins himself proud. Just when everyone felt like stuffed hobbits after elevenses, the lights went out again. Jo had insisted on a dramatic entrance for the anniversary cake, a seasonal favorite consisting of vanilla icing, green and blue leaves and flowers for Lelia and her uncles, and spice cake fresh from the oven. "Happy 10th Anniversary!" was spelled out with M&Ms in the autumnal colors of orange, tan, and chocolate brown. Ten blue candles flanked the candied letters, reminding them of lightsabers. No wonder the house smelled so good, Ian thought with a hungry grin.
They each blew out five candles, then started in on the cake. Just as they had at their wedding receptions, Ian and Quinn both cut the first piece and fed each other. Luckily for them, there was a stack of cocktail napkins on the coffee table, because they managed to get almost as much icing on themselves as they had with the chocolate-mocha-hazelnut tortes of the past.
Of course, this time with the vanilla icing, Ian in particular had to be careful not to tease Quinn with white cream around his lips. There would be plenty of time for that in private, with the leftovers. Ian quickly took his mind off all things erotic by wiping the icing off as nonchalantly as if he were shaving, and Quinn did the same. Ian just couldn't resist a subtle wink, though.
Quinn cut a slice for Lelia, remembering to give her one with a blue flower and passed it to her, along with Han's piece. When all the guests had gotten their slices, the spice cake held their undivided attention. You wouldn't know that folks had already downed a ton of canapes, the way they were guzzling the cake. When the last crumb was gone, Mr. and Mrs. Chang took the plates into the kitchen, and, much to everyone's delight, the children volunteered to fill the dishwasher. Kathy beamed when she heard someone whisper, "A real credit to the family."
After the kids had rejoined them, it was time to open the gifts the guests had brought.
Quinn waved Lelia and Han over to the couch, ever the indulgent uncle, knowing the children were impatiently waiting for Ian and him to see their presents. Lelia put her rectangular package, wrapped in pastel-green paper, down on the table in front of her uncles. They both started to open it from opposite sides and gazed at it for a long moment after the contents were revealed.
It was a painting of Gandalf and Frodo, riding through a meadow in the Shire on the wizard's wagon, with a horse pulling them. The artwork was so beautiful, the Brothers Hildebrandt might have done it themselves. They could recognize Ian McKellen and Elijah Wood in their classic roles and marveled at the little girl's talent.
"Oh, Lelia, 'tis wonderful!" said Quinn.
"I just love it!" Ian said.
She ran over to her uncles for a three-way hug.
Han had made them mats for the dojo, earning him a wink from Master Yodama, as well as enthusiastic thanks from the professors. The mats were made of foam and covered with cotton, green fabric for Quinn and blue for Ian.
By the time they'd opened all of their gifts, their hands were tired and they were surrounded by a not-so-Lonely Mountain of gift wrap, tissue paper, bows, and ribbons, as well as the presents themselves -- a crystal vase; an origami deer; a leather-bound first edition of Tolkien's "The Silmarillion"; a door mat, with "Welcome!" in Gaelic (fiath is fàilte romhad!); a porcelain figurine of Aragorn, to add to their Royal Doulton collection -- along with too many others to mention.
The party ended the way it had started, with hugs, kisses, and hearty pats on the back for their guests. When they were finally alone, the men were far too tired for any clean-up and doubly thankful to the children for sparing them a messy kitchen.
There was always enough energy for a kiss, however, especially on such an important occasion. Quinn took Ian in his arms and gave him a kiss that he would surely remember for the next ten years, at the least. The anniversary spice cake could not account for its sweetness and spice; that was due to the kiss alone. The moment their lips touched, they were alone in the galaxy, drinking in each other's unique savor -- a never-ending spring which nourished them, body and soul.
But they weren't as alone as they thought.
As John was leaving, walking down the path to the garage, he took a look at the Halloween decorations in the picture window. So John also saw beyond them -- to Quinn and Ian kissing in the living room. The same sight that had infuriated him back in 2006 now had a markedly different effect on him. He smiled at his two sons, even though they were too busy to see him.