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Chapter Text

Soren stood outside of a portal made of redstone blocks, the shifting shades of red were hypnotic. He’d lost count of how many dimensions he’d traveled to, at this point. Did it really matter? He didn’t think so. With a sigh and a smile, he walked forward.

Immediately he fell into hot sand, it filled his mouth and stung his eyes. Warm air filled his lungs, and he felt what felt like the heat of a sun on his back. He rolled over with a groan, spitting sand out and shaking it out of his fluffy hair. The sun was beating down on him, quickly making him uncomfortably hot. 

He stood and looked around, seeing a path that led into a valley, and he started to walk. The sand snuck into his boots and the wind whipped his hair around. It seemed like a long walk, so Soren fished a hair tie out of his inventory and put up his hair, sand still falling out as she shook it. There was nobody he could see, but that didn’t bother him. Being alone was perfectly fine by him. He’d been alone for so long already, he told himself that he wasn’t bothered by it anymore.

After walking for quite a while Soren came across a town. A glowing sign outside read ‘Crown Mesa’, and the lights of the town stood out against the gently setting sun. He picked up his pace, quickly walking into the town, hoping to find a place to stay. People walked around him, the liveliness of the town not dying with the rays of the sun. Groups of children ran by, shouting and giggling. Soren sighed, it was nice being among people.

He explored the town, marveling at the gorgeous buildings and redstone contraptions. They were fit to compete against the buildings he made when he was one of the Old Builders. Lights ran along the walkways and roads where people rode horses and pulled livestock. There were elevators and water streams that all served different purposes, astounding Soren. It had been a long time since he felt this awe-struck.

“Hey, mister! You’re new!” A child interrupted Soren’s moment of admiration. 

“That I am!” He smiled at the child, noticing a small group of them gathered around.

“Are you another friend of Miss Harper?” The kid waved a stick at him and raised an eyebrow.

“Well, I don’t think I’m familiar with who that is. So most likely, no.” Soren felt his heart skip a beat, but he knew deep down that it wasn’t the Harper he knew. It had been a long time since he’d seen her, and he had no idea where she was now.

“Oh. Well that’s boring! All of her friends are always cool.” The child grumbled and kicked a rock near their feet.

“My apologies, small friend.” Soren offered.

“It’s ok! Bye mister!” And they ran off to join their friends, leaving Soren a bit dumbfounded. 

“Goodby- oh hey! Is there a map here?” Soren shouted after the child.

“Over there!” they yelled back and pointed in the direction of the map.

Soren followed the directions and, eventually, found the map. It showed the residential area full of neighborhoods and play areas for kids. There seemed to be an area dedicated to shops and stores, almost like a marketplace. A large, plaza-like area stood in the center of the town, but had no purpose stated. And there, on the very edge of the map and written in smudged ink, Soren saw a building listed as ‘Harper and Ivor’s Lab’.

It took all his might not to faint on the spot.

‘ It’s not them ’, he told himself, ‘ It’s just a coincidence ’. Still, his mind raced. What were the chances that two of his closest friends, people he missed deeply, were in the same place? Surely not high enough to happen. Besides, Harper and Ivor didn’t even know each other! It was impossible. It had to be impossible. 

Maybe he should ask someone. Yes, asking someone wasn’t weird at all. That was normal. He walked up to the nearest person.

“Excuse me, sorry to bother you, but I was wondering if you could tell me who Harper and Ivor are? I think I know them, old friends.”

“Oh, yeah, Harper has had a lot of people comin’ to town who know her. Ivor- he’s the newer guy. Tall-ish, black hair, kinda pale, built like a twig, not very social, looks like he hasn’t slept in a week.” She waved a hand in the air as she described him, and Soren instantly knew it was the Ivor he lov- that he knew.

“And Harper?”

“Yeah, talk about opposites. Although, I guess they have a bit in common. She’s shorter, not too short, though. Dark skin, white hair, always wearin’ that cute green eyeshadow.” She sighed with that last statement, envy clear on her face.

“T-Thank you. I, uh, appreciate it.” Soren felt like the world was spinning. He didn’t even hear if she replied to his thanks as he stumbled away.

His friends? Both alive and, more importantly, here ? He didn’t know if he should rejoice or run. They hated him, surely, and he couldn’t blame them. But he had been yearning for company, real, true people who knew him. Was it worth the risk?

He decided to figure it out in the morning. Quickly scanning the map he found an inn, and he hoped they would be willing to accept what he had for payment. Both his body and his mind were exhausted. Still, his mind was plagued by thoughts of what could happen as he walked through the town.

What was the worst case scenario? They hated him, and he left Crown Mesa, probably the dimension as a whole. He’d been running from his problems for a long time now, and he could do it again. There would be other opportunities for companionship…maybe.

What was the best case scenario? They, somehow, didn’t hate him. They missed him just as much as he missed them. He got to be a part of their lives again. Maybe he’d even stay here with them. It was a ridiculous thought, but still one that made her cheeks turn red.

All of these thoughts and more floated around his head as he bartered for a room at the inn, before he finally put his things down. The bed was comfortable, and definitely better than another night outside. Soren sighed as he laid down, relaxing into the mattress. Whatever happened, he was excited to see his friends again.

Chapter Text

Ivor was still groggy from waking up, stumbling out of bed to go find Harper. She tended to get up at the crack of dawn, unless she stayed up the night before with him. He stretched and yawned as he made his way to their living room, shuffling across the cold floor. The sun peeked through windows, dimly lighting their house. 

After Ivor had moved to Crown Mesa they decided to build an actual house on top of where Harper’s lab was, seeing there was no longer a reason to be hidden. Building a home with Harper was one of the most amazing things he had ever experienced, it gave him butterflies in his stomach just thinking about it. Finally turning the corner to his destination, Ivor saw Harper stretched out on their couch reading a book. Her hair was a mess, and she was wearing some of Ivor’s pajamas, but he would have swore that she was absolutely gorgeous. 

“Good morning.” he called, sure that he was still blushing a bit.

“Good morning, hon!” She quickly got up and walked over to give him a kiss on the cheek. “How’d you sleep?”

“Wonderful, although I had a strange dream…” he muttered before returning the affection and giving her a kiss as well.

“Oh yeah?” She pulled him over to the couch and sat next to him, stretching out and putting her legs on his lap.

“Yes, it was another one with Soren. Though it wasn’t us back with the Order of the Stone. We were here, in Crown Mesa.”

“That does sound weird. Was it a bad feeling?”

“Not exactly. Just…strange.”

“Well, it was just a dream.” She smiled at him and picked her book back up.

“Yes, you’re right.”

“Course I am, I’m always right.” She joked with him.

“Yes, ma’am.” He laughed along.

Before either of them could continue the conversation there was knocking on the door. Three short, crisp, knocks, one after the other. They turned to each other, both with a confused expression.

“I’m assuming you’re not expecting anyone?” Harper asked.

“No, I’m not. I’ll go get it.” He rose slowly, popping his back before he went. 

“Thanks, hon.”

He walked to the door, smoothing out his hair a bit before he opened it. He would be embarrassed about appearing so disheveled, but anyone who bothered them this early couldn’t be surprised. Before he opened the door he peered through the peephole, just out of curiosity. When he saw a face he was all too familiar with, he nearly fainted. He practically ripped the door off its hinges with how quickly he opened it.

“ Soren ?!” Ivor thought that maybe he was hallucinating, but no.

“H-Hello, Ivor.” He smiled sheepishly at Ivor.

While he would never admit it out loud, Ivor had learned a lot from the New Order of the Stone, and Jesse especially. One thing he understood now, more than ever, was that sometimes people deserve to be punched in the face. So, that’s exactly what he did. Soren didn’t even have time to flinch before Ivor’s fist connected with his face.

Soren stumbled backwards into the sand, clutching his face and yelping. “I-Ivor, wait! Please!”

Ivor leaned down and pulled Soren up by the neck of his shirt, “What are you doing here?” He practically growled at him, bringing him inches away from his face.

“I-I was traveling and heard you were here. I just had to know.” Blood started to drip from his nose, turning the sand below it crimson.

“Traveling?! I thought you were dead ! You coward! When we needed you, you ran! You didn’t even come hom- back. You didn’t even come back.” Ivor let go of him, waving his hands as he shouted. He knew that being loud was bound to get Harper’s attention, but he didn’t care right now.

“I know, I’m sorry! I just- I couldn’t face it again. I was terrified. I’m sorry, Ivor.” 

“How could you?”

“I was cowardly. I thought running and surviving would be better than staying and dying. Especially after…after Ellegaard died.”

“She died a hero. Where did you even go after you ran?”

“I, uh, I’ve been traveling through all of the different dimensions in the hallway. Just always moving.”

Ivor just glared at him, disgust clear on his face. It wasn’t long before he heard Harper walking up behind him, checking to see why he was yelling.

“Hey, what’s- Soren?!” Her jaw dropped, eyes opened wide in shock.

“Hello.” He again sounded shy, but the hand he held to his nose covered in blood made it a bit less innocent.

“I’ll go make a healing potion, come on. Get in.” Ivor rolled his eyes, but moved out of the doorway to let him in.

“I, uh, thank you. You really don’t have to, I’ll be fine.” Soren wiped more blood away from his nose, but it continued to bleed.

“No, you’re coming inside. You have a lot of explaining to do.” Harper grabbed his wrist and dragged him inside while Ivor shut the door behind them.

“I-It’s good to see you. Both of you.” Soren was quiet, shame still clear on his face. 

“It’s been a long time, Soren. I don’t know if I can say the same.” Harper was harsh, and Ivor couldn’t help but silently agree with his wife. 

He knew it had been longer for her, with both of them being Old Builders. It had hurt Ivor to know that Soren had an entirely separate life before he’d even met him, and he never mentioned it once. Although, he wasn’t as surprised as he probably should have been. Soren always kept his relationships secretive. Even when he was with Ivor, they tried to hide it from the rest of the Order. Part of him had always wanted to just be with Soren, no secrets or hiding, but they were both too cowardly then.

The three of them entered the room Ivor had dedicated to his brewing. There were shelves that covered almost an entire wall, full of books and recipes. One corner was filled with chests full of enough ingredients and blaze powder to last anyone else a lifetime. A collection of brewing stands stood in the center of the room, some full and some empty. There weren't many chairs in the room, Ivor preferred to stand and walk around, but there was enough for all of them.

Ivor walked over to gather ingredients as Harper made Soren sit. He checked off the mental checklist as he went, knowing the fairly basic recipe by heart. There weren’t many recipes he didn’t have memorized at this point in his life. The only recipes he couldn’t recall with ease were the ones he was still inventing.

Coming up with a new potion was difficult, but incredibly exhilarating. Testing them could be a pain, though. He’d accidentally made a sort-of truth serum once and admitted to Harper how absolutely smitten he was when they met. 

An idea popped into Ivor’s head. Soren was notorious for twisting stories in his favor, or just blatantly lying. Ivor wasn’t going to have any of it, at least not anymore.

He started brewing two potions. One was the healing potion he’d said he was going to make, even though he didn’t have a drop of sympathy for Soren. The other was the truth serum potion he had yet to name. 

Harper raised an eyebrow when she noticed the multiple potions, but Ivor just offered her a small smile. This seemed to be enough to calm her suspicions for now, as she went back to helping Soren clean some of the blood out of his mustache. The potions brewed quickly, and Ivor handed Soren the truth potion first.

“What’s this?” 

“Do you still trust me, Soren?”

“Yes, of course.”

“Drink it.”

Soren drank the potion in one swig. His pupils widened, and his cheeks flushed, but he kept his mouth shut.

“Good, now here’s the healing potion.” Ivor handed him the second bottle.

He drank that too, releasing a small, relieved sigh as his nose magically fixed itself.

Harper took a step closer to Ivor and whispered, “What was in the first one?”

He gave a low, quiet chuckle. “You’ll see.”

Chapter Text

Harper was, admittedly, a little bit confused. It was unusual for her to feel out of the loop, especially since she was usually the one saying things nobody else understood. She didn’t know how or why Soren was at their house, she didn’t know where he had been since he left the rest of the ‘Old Builders’, and she didn’t know what potion Ivor had given him. 

Soren relaxed into the chair after drinking the healing potion, Harper recognized that one. He’d changed so much since they had last seen each other. His usually bright orange hair was starting to grey, and it had gotten so long that he had it tied up. His bright blue eyes were now dull and tired, with dark circles underneath them. Even his hands, which had once built some of the most gorgeous and magnificent buildings Harper had ever seen, were rough and calloused.

“Where did you go, Soren?” She kept her voice strong, but internally she had to pity Soren a bit.

“Well after I ran from the Old Builders I found the dimension with Ivor and started the Order of the Stone and I stayed there for a long time because none of them knew about the Old Builders and also because I loved Ivor and then we found the Command Block and it was almost more powerful than what we had been able to do as Old Builders and I used it to make us heros but Ivor didn’t like that I lied so we disbanded the Order and I was heartbroken for so long and I don’t know why I’m still talking, I’ve been talking for a long time now.” Soren literally placed a hand over his mouth to shut himself up. 

“Oh, it was that potion.” Harper realized what Ivor had given him. 

It had never occurred to Harper just how important Ivor might have been to Soren. Ivor had mentioned that they had been ‘what might have been called partners’, but didn’t go into it further than that. It was embarrassing to admit her own relationship with Soren, especially since it had been so long ago, so she didn’t. Did Soren miss her just as much?

“What potion? What did you give me? Ivor!” Soren was blushing hard, rightfully embarrassed.

“It’s a truth potion, Soren. Can you blame me?” Ivor just looked disappointed.

“I- no. I suppose not. I do tend to lie, but only when I have to. Well, maybe more than I have to. I know you always told me that lying was going to get me somewhere I didn’t want to end up, and I guess in the end you were right. If I hadn’t lied and told everyone that we killed the dragon, if I had just listened to you and destroyed that stupid Command Block, Ellegaard would still be alive and you would still love me and I wouldn’t have to run from everything that scares me and I’m doing it again.” He groaned in annoyance.

Harper recognized Ellegaard’s name. Ivor had talked about her a bit, when he opened up to her before they got married. Her death had really affected him, he thought of her as a daughter before the Order disbanded. He hated that he never got to apologize before she died.

“I already knew all of that, Soren. What about after? Where did you go? Why did you never tell me about your past?” Ivor started to raise his voice, his fists balling up at his sides.

“I ran! I ran to the portal hall, and I’ve just been running . Sometimes I stop to write, but never for long. I just keep moving. I can’t stop moving. I haven’t talked to anyone meaningful since I left, just always running. It’s been so lonely, but I can’t stop because then I’ll make another friend and then I’ll have to run from them too, and I can’t stop running so I’ve just been running and always hiding. I’ve been so alone. I can’t tell anyone because then I’ll get attached and I’ll end up hurting myself again. I thought that if I told you, you would run or hate me or think less of me or that you’d realize I was a coward and you would hate me. I was ashamed and I’m sorry that I lied.” Soren actually started to tear up a bit, raising his voice to match Ivor’s.

Silence fell, none of them sure how to even continue. Brewing stands bubbled and outside the sand shifted in the wind.

“Soren, you should have told him, but I think you know that now. You should have told me when you ran from the ‘Old Builders’,” she did air quotes around Old Builders, still disliking the name, “but you didn’t. I don’t know how many of your decisions actually haunt you, but I have a feeling it’s a lot. I don’t think this is where any of us thought we would end up. There have been a lot of changes, things that don’t go as planned, and mistakes made. If I said that I didn't have regrets, I’d be lying. I just move on. Redemption is possible for everyone.” Harper spoke from the heart. She never meant for the ‘Old Builders’ to turn into powerful tyrants. She never wanted PAMA to hurt the people of Crown Mesa. After everything, she just moved on. She did her best to redeem herself.

“Harper?” Ivor looked downright betrayed, eyes wide as he turned to face her.

“Jesse gave you a second chance, right? Crown Mesa is giving me a second chance. We’re both trying to make the best of it.” It took a lot of her willpower not to embrace him in a hug, but she figured it wasn’t a good time.

“I gave him a second chance. And, unsurprisingly, he ran! Again! How many chances am I supposed to give him, Harper?” 

She had a hard time arguing against that, Ivor had a point. “Just one more. One more chance, and if he decides to run again then he’s gone.”

Ivor glanced from Harper to Soren, a scowl on his face. He stood there for a moment, contemplating his reply. Finally, he turned to Soren. “One more chance.” And with that he walked out of the room.

Soren tried to say something, but mostly just stuttered over his words, like he was trying to say a thousand things at the same time. After Ivor had left, he just sighed and put his head in his hands.

“I missed you, you know. When you left.” Harper kept her voice quiet. It was hard to admit it, but she had.

“I missed you, too. A lot. I missed you a lot. You’re so lovely, Harper. I never should have treated you the way that I did. Even then, I was such a coward. You deserved so much better-” Soren looked up at her, but his eyes narrowed on her hands. 

She glanced down, following his eyes to the gold wedding ring on her finger, shimmering in the dim light. 

“Y-You’re married ?!” His jaw dropped.

“You thought that Ivor and I lived in the same house for no reason?” She raised an eyebrow at him. Harper had forgotten how stupid he could be sometimes.

“I-I guess I hadn’t really thought about it?”

“Clearly not.”

Chapter Text

Soren was ashamed, scared, but slightly relieved. He had half convinced himself that when he got to the house the people there wouldn’t actually be the Ivor and Harper he knew, and it was all a misunderstanding. And while Ivor punching him was not the most amazing way to be greeted, Soren couldn’t really blame him. He did, kind of, deserve it….okay, maybe he really deserved it. At least Ivor gave him a healing potion to help. And that stupid truth potion. He was so embarrassed, he’d practically spilled his guts without a second thought. Again, he couldn’t exactly blame Ivor, but it was still incredibly annoying. 

There was a silver lining, though. They were giving him a second chance. A second chance to prove he could be in their lives. A second chance for someone to care about him. Of course, he reminded himself, they were married now. To each other. They would never love him like they had before. 

‘ How ironic, ’ he thought, ‘ the two people who I’ve ever loved more than anything else ended up married to each other. ’ He chuckled to himself, just a small and quiet laugh.

“What’s so funny?” Harper gave him a small smile, one he had missed so much.

“Ah, just thinking how ironic it is that you and Ivor ended up together. I mean, what are the chances that the only two people I’ve ever loved get married? Even across different dimensions, it’s statistically impossible and yet it still happened.” Soren was talking before he even processed what he was saying thanks to that dumb potion Ivor gave him.

“You really think what we had was love?” She laughed. Soren had desperately missed her laugh.

“I…I don’t know. I think I loved you. I thought you were the most gorgeous being ever. I think part of me still does, you’re stunning, Harper. And you’re brilliant, too. I mean- you’re just so smart, I can’t even begin to comprehend it sometimes. It felt like I was betraying you when I fell in love with Ivor, but he’s actually very similar to you. Not in ways that are clear, but you’re both ridiculously intelligent and stubborn and pretty and I seriously need to shut up.”

She laughed, hard and loud. “Thanks, Soren. Maybe you’re right. I haven’t thought about it in a long time, I suppose. Do you-” she laughed again, “Do you want some milk? For the potion?”

“ Yes , please. Before I start to tell you about how I thought I was dreaming when I first met you because I had never met anyone so gorgeous and it’s too late.” 

Harper laughed again and went digging through one of the chests for a bucket of milk. “Ugh, Ivor doesn’t have any in here. I’ll be right back, I’ll go get one from the kitchen.” She walked out the door and left Soren alone.

Soren had been alone in Ivor’s old brewing room plenty of times before. Of course, that was his old one, when he was with the Order of the Stone. He remembered countless nights waiting for Ivor in that room, spending the night with him as he worked on brewing up something new, and usually falling asleep. Or they would…it was a long time ago.

Soren stood and stretched, sand still falling off of him from the long walk. He walked around the lab, humming a tune he’d long since forgotten the words to, but knew the melody by heart. Ivor had quite the setup, multiple brewing stands so he could test more than one thing at once. He chuckled to himself, remembering the one time Ivor had convinced him to try one of his new potions. Soren couldn’t sleep for a week, but when he finally crashed, he slept for two days straight. He faintly wondered if Ivor kept the recipe.

Somehow, Soren didn’t notice when another person joined the melody he was humming. He continued to look at the large selection of books on Ivor’s shelf, completely ignorant to the other person in the room. Most of them were on brewing, of course, and Soren was sure they were full of annotations and comments and even just witty remarks that the author will never see, but were funny nonetheless. 

He continued to scan the shelves, and eventually found a book that stuck out among the rest. One of his books, The Redstone Heart . Most of his knowledge about redstone came from Harper and Ellegaard, but even he knew how powerful the Redstone Heart was. He thought it was a good book, but it didn’t explain why Ivor, of all people, had it in his lab.

“It was Harper’s. We moved it in here when her shelves got full.” Ivor was directly behind him, speaking softly in the quiet room.

Soren jumped, almost falling down, but managing to right himself. “Ivor! You scared me! I mean- obviously you scared me, I jumped. So me stating that you scared me seems a bit redundant, when you think about it, but I did anyway.” 

Soren tried to stop rambling, but was too far gone at this point. He looked at Ivor, who was trying to hide a small laugh. “Don’t you dare laugh at me! This is absolutely your fault for giving me that stupid potion that makes me say everything that comes to mind, like how gorgeous you are or how much I missed you or how much I hate this ridiculous potion . Please tell me you brought some milk.”

“Sadly, yes. Harper said I had to come give it to you, so here you go.” Ivor handed him the bucket, which he quickly drank. “Though, I still don’t regret giving it to you.”

“Yes, yes, I understand why. I…I probably wouldn’t have told the whole truth.”

Ivor looked at him suspiciously. “Are you sure the potion wore off?”

“Oh sush, Ivor. I can be sincere, thank you very much.”

They stood in silence for a moment, not sure what to say. Soren desperately wanted to hug him, beg for forgiveness, anything that would get him in Ivor’s good graces again. Ivor just studied him, slowly scanning him from head to toe, back to head.

“You’ve changed quite a bit.” Ivor finally said.

“Physically? Yes, probably. It’s been a while since I looked in a mirror, though.”

“You need a haircut, it’s definitely more wild than usual.” 

Soren laughed and raised a hand to take his hair down. “Yes, it’s been a while. I didn’t want to try and cut it myself, but never wanted to stop and get it cut either. Guess I’ve just been putting it off.”

Ivor narrowed his eyes, again studying Soren. He just smiled, hesitantly, unsure of the reaction Ivor wanted. 

Eventually Ivor sighed, “Come on, I’ll cut it but you need a shower first. There’s already sand everywhere.”

Soren became acutely aware of how much of a mess he really was, and the small trail of sand he had made. “R-right. Sorry. Ivor?” He mustered up the courage to place a hand on Ivor’s shoulder.

Ivor’s eyes widened a fraction, something only people who knew him well would notice. Soren wanted so badly to hug him, hold him, ki- just be near him. Instead he just quickly drew his hand back to his side. “Thank you.” 

“Don’t thank me yet.” Ivor rolled his eyes as he turned to face the door, but Soren caught a glimpse of a smile on his face.

Chapter Text

Ivor was slightly annoyed, but slightly annoyed wasn’t bad for the situation he was suddenly in. Soren was currently following him through the house to the bathroom where Harper had built a shower. 

Every once and a while he’d realize Soren wasn’t following him, but frozen staring at a picture on the wall. There were plenty of pictures of him and Harper, but also of him with the New Order of the Stone, or him with Gabriel and Magnus. Soren would freeze and stare at the pictures, eyes wide and a wistful look on his face. Then, he’d realize that Ivor was waiting and he’d keep moving, muttering an apology.

“You’ve kept in touch with Magnus and Gabriel?”

“Yes. Harper and I visit often. They’re doing good. Magnus isn’t king of Boom Town anymore, he and Gabriel travel all over. You know how they are. Gabriel’s the only one Magnus ever really looked up to.” Ivor remembered the last time he saw them, and Magnus accidentally called Gabriel dad just like he had a million times when they were in the Order.

“I remember. That sounds nice. I’m happy for them.” Soren paused for another moment to look at a picture of Magnus launching TNT at Gabriel and Ivor. It was a blurry, chaotic, and admittedly unflattering picture, but it was one that made Ivor laugh.

“It is nice.” Ivor continued to walk, Soren behind him. 

They reached the bathroom and Soren thanked him again before shutting the door. Ivor immediately turned and went to go find his wife. Harper was in the kitchen, sitting on the counter where she had been when he left. She gave him a small smile when he walked in and gestured for him to join her. He walked over, gathered both of her hands, and placed them on either side of his face.

“You’re adorable.” She laughed.

“I am not. He’s just- he’s so- ugh. Infuriating.” Ivor closed his eyes and leaned further into the touch.

“I know, hon. You’re doing the right thing.” She pulled him closer, running a hand through his hair.

“Am I? Why does he deserve this, Harper? I’ve already tried to give him a chance.”

“You’re right, you did give him a chance. But let’s be honest, it wasn’t really your choice to give him that chance. This time we’re both choosing to give him a chance. If he doesn’t take it, then we know how he feels.”

“Mm, perhaps. I still don’t like it, though.”

“I got that,” she kissed the top of his head, “Just try, okay? And if he doesn’t try, then I was wrong and you don’t have to forgive him.”

“I thought you were never wrong.” Ivor tried to lighten the mood.

She threw her head back and laughed, and it gave Ivor butterflies in his stomach. He didn’t care that he was blushing. She was amazing .

“Well, maybe I can be wrong sometimes. But only on rare occasions, mind you.”

“Of course, only on rare occasions.” He pulled her closer, wishing the moment would never end.

After a moment of silence, Harper started to run her hand through his hair again. She was calm and quiet, but Ivor could tell her was thinking about something.

“What’s on your mind?”

“Hm? Oh, nothing. Guess I didn’t realize how close you and Soren were. That’s all.”

Ivor immediately pulled his head back and put her hands in his, making direct eye contact. “Harper, you know I love you, right?” He tapped his wedding ring with a finger. “I’ll always love you.”

“I know, Ivor. I love you too.” She leaned in close and kissed him, which took Ivor slightly by surprise. Harper wasn’t typically physically affectionate, so kisses were very meaningful. He reciprocated the affection, smiling at her after the kiss. “You strange, strange man.”

“Ah, but I’m your strange, strange man.”

“Absolutely.”

…

“Don’t cut it too short.” Soren sat in front of Ivor on a stool, a towel draped over his shoulders. 

They were both in the bathroom, the air still steamy from the shower and the mirror slightly foggy. Soren was in a new set of clothes, ones that seemed suited more for lounging than adventuring. Ivor was silently grateful that he didn’t have any of the nightwear he’d worn when he was with the Order. The only reason he knew that for certain was because he watched Magnus burn it for being ‘ way too revealing, and way too traumatizing’.

Ivor ran the brush through his hair again, “Yes, Soren, I know. You say that like I haven’t cut it before.”

“It’s just been a while, I suppose.” Soren tried to look at Ivor behind him as he took out the scissors.

“Well,” Ivor tilted his chin back before he made the first cut, “I haven’t forgotten.” A small smile began to form on his face.

It could have been the heat of the room, or how close they were, but Soren’s face turned red. “R-Right. Of course.”

A few snips later and an excessive amount of blow drying, Soren’s hair was back to its typical length. He excitedly ran a hair through it, fluffing it and smiling. Ivor couldn’t help but smile as well, feeling a small amount of pride for making Soren happy. Even if he didn’t deserve it. It was good to see him smile. It was good to see him at all. Ivor hated himself for missing Soren, but he did. He was here, at least for now, and Ivor loved his smile.

“Good?” He asked, turning away so Soren didn’t see his smile.

“Oh, yes! Thank you, Ivor, really.” Soren reached out and took one of Ivor’s hands, bringing it close to his chest.

Ivor whipped around, feeling his face get warm. “O-Of course,” Was all that he could think to say.

They stayed there, frozen for a moment, before Soren realized he was still holding Ivor’s hand and quickly let go. 

“Sorry,” he whispered.

“I-It’s okay.” Ivor slowly drew his hand back, still slightly shocked. 

“Hey! There’s the Soren I know. You look good!” Harper rounded the corner to the bathroom, her smile bright and cheerful.

“Thank you! It feels good, too. I- uh, thank you again, Ivor.”

“Yes, well, you needed it. That was the least I could do.”

Chapter Text

Harper rummaged through the chests in the kitchen, looking for something to make for lunch. They were starting to run low on groceries, so options were limited. She muttered to herself, wondering what to try and make. Neither she nor Ivor were the best chefs, but Ivor was still better than her by far. She was honestly surprised she hadn’t burnt the house down.

“Food, food, food.” She muttered under her breath, debating what she could make without ruining it.

“Food?” Asked Soren who had sat down at the counter behind her.

“Oh, yeah. You know how bad I am at cooking.” She chuckled.

“I can cook, if you want!”

Now, Soren was a good cook. One of the first things Harper remembered missing when he left the ‘Old Builders’ was his food. If Soren was offering to relieve her of the chore of cooking, and she was going to get good food out of it, she had no reason to protest. 

“Seriously?” She asked.

“Of course! I haven’t had the chance to cook something for quite a long time now, I’d love to.” He smiled at her from across the countertop, brightening the whole room.

Harper backed away and waved at the chests, “All yours. Probably for the better, the food you make is actually edible.”

Soren excitedly jumped up from his seat and into the kitchen where he took Harper’s place. He carefully chose ingredients and placed them out, humming to himself all the while. Harper watched him work, nostalgia from her younger years flooding her head. He seemed so happy. She wished he was happy more often.

“So,” he started after he started to cook, “I have to ask. What’s with the shirt?”

Harper had changed into some comfortable clothes, even if she had no plans of leaving the house. She had to glance down to even check what she had put on. It was a baggy T-shirt that Jesse had got her on her birthday that said: ‘ I Made A Psycho Computer That Took Over My Entire Town And All I Got Was This Lousy Shirt ’.

“Oh! Yeah, I made a computer, PAMA, that was supposed to re-purpose hostile mobs and put them to good use. It, uh, got out of control. Started chipping people to make them ‘useful’. Took over the entire town, but I managed to hide. Jesse and Ivor helped me kill it, but…there’s still a lot of problems that need to be solved. I do what I can to help.” Harper subconsciously lifted a hand to cover where she’d been chipped on the back of her neck. The scar was usually covered by her hair, but if she ever chose to put it up, it became visible.

“That…That’s terrible, Harper.” Soren stopped what he was doing to look at her.

“Yeah, I kno-”

“Are you okay?” He looked incredibly worried.

“What?”

“Are you okay…? That sounds horrible, and I’m sure it was. I understand what all the townspeople meant, though.”

“I- I’m doing fine. It’s been a couple years now. What did they say?” Harper hadn’t heard anything about rumors recently, but they had been an issue in the past. Were they starting again? Ivor had been absolutely furious, but she knew they would go away eventually, and they did. It was just difficult to know people were talking behind your back.

“They spoke very highly of you. Said that you were kind, and very intelligent. I think one of them was a little jealous of your eyeshadow, too. Good to know that’s still your signature look.” He winked at her as he turned back to the furnace.

Harper had to pause for a moment to process what had just happened. The people actually liked her? They had told her she was forgiven, and they had told her how much they appreciated her help, but she didn’t think they actually meant it. And then Soren’s comment about her eyeshadow on top of everything. He had got her that shade of eyeshadow when they were togeth- when they worked together. She’d almost forgotten, it had just become so deeply ingrained in who she was.

“What did you do?” Ivor spoke behind her.

“I don’t know, I think I broke her.”

“Did you say something stupid?”

“You think everything I say is stupid.” Soren narrowed his eyes at Ivor.

“That’s because it is.” He retaliated.

“Oh yeah? Ivor . Is that stupid?” He smirked.

“Wow. Really mature, Soren.”

Their bickering broke Harper out of the spell she’d been under, “Boys, boys, that’s enough, you’re both pretty.” She joked.

Soren laughed and Ivor rolled his eyes as he sat down next to her, wrapping an arm around her waist. They sat like that for a while, laughing and chatting and, finally, eating. The food that Soren made was just as good as Harper had remembered, maybe even better. Even Ivor enjoyed the food, reluctantly admitting that it was good, and Soren seemed proud of himself for making a good meal.

“You know,” Harper said after a while, “Soren still owes me a cooking lesson.”

Ivor gave a short, crisp laugh, “Good luck with that.”

Harper glared at him, but it didn’t last long before she was smiling too. His smile was contagious, it always made Harper happy.

“I don’t remember that. When was that deal made?” Soren raised an eyebrow and scratched his chin.

“A long time ago.” She laughed.

“Well, if you let me help with dinner, I can show you then.”

“Where else do you think you’re going?” Harper put both hands on her hips and pursed her lips.

“Oh- well, uh-” Soren glanced towards Ivor.

“No, I definitely agree with Harper. You’re staying.” Ivor’s voice was calm but strong.

“Am I being held hostage?” Soren laughed.

“Only if you try to run.” It was Harper’s turn for a quick wink which made him turn a soft shade of pink.

“Well, I’m not going to. Not this time.” He stood up and started to walk towards the kitchen, but Harper stopped him.

“I’m glad to hear it.” She pulled him into a tight hug.

For a moment he froze, but quickly hugged her back. He held her close, sighing and wrapping his arms around her. She closed her eyes, but felt Ivor place a hand on her back and on top of Soren’s hand. They stayed that way for one, blissful moment before Harper could hear Soren start to cry.

“Aw, come on. It wasn’t that bad of a hug.” She joked

“N-No, it’s not that. Of course it’s not that. I just…thank you.” Soren sniffled.

“We’re here for you, Soren.” Ivor offered, momentarily giving up on the act of being upset.

“Come on, let’s sit down.” Harper guided him to the couch in their living room, speaking gently and not letting go of his hand.

They all sat, Soren and Ivor on either side of her. She wasted no time getting comfortable, stretching out across the whole couch with her head in her husband's lap, and her legs across Soren’s. Ivor ran a hand through her hair as she relaxed, closing her eyes.

The rest of the day was calm and quiet, mostly filled with reading and chatting. Soren told them about some of his more ridiculous adventures through different dimensions. Ivor and Harper exchanged embarrassing stories about Soren, much to his dismay and protest. Harper attempted to explain her latest invention, but neither of the men fully understood, which was hilarious to her. Soren did try and help Harper cook. The food was edible, which is better than Harper had been expecting.

Eventually the sun began to set below the horizon, turning the sky vibrant shades of indigo, purple, and crimson. The light inside the house began to dim, and the three of them started to become tired.

“I should probably go back to the inn…” Soren shifted on the couch so as to not face Harper or Ivor.

“Why? You can just stay here, no need to spend anything for a room.” Harper had spoken before she really thought about it.

“You have a spare bedroom?” He asked.

Silence. They didn’t have a spare bedroom, just the one where Ivor and Harper slept. The couch would have been uncomfortable to sleep on, too. 

“Well, uh, no-” Harper started to say.

“You can just stay in our room, if you want. We have a big enough bed.” Ivor didn’t even look up from his book, but the blush on his face betrayed his attempt to seem composed.

“Really?” Soren’s eyes opened wide.

“Yeah, why not? I know the inn is expensive.” Harper laid back down between the two of them.

“O-Okay. Thank you.” Soren tried to look away to hide his face growing red, but failed.

“Of course.” Harper and Ivor said at the same time, causing them all to laugh.

It might not have shown on her face, but Harper’s heart was racing. What was happening ? Was this bad? She felt happy, almost excited, but should she? Why not? It was so nice to have both Ivor and Soren with her. She closed her eyes and relaxed, releasing a small sigh. It was very nice to have both of them.

Chapter Text

Soren was pacing in the bathroom, the door locked behind him. He ran a hand through his hair and tried to calm himself down. It had suddenly hit him what he was doing. Could he really stay? No, of course not. He was a coward, but he was alive. 

Harper had opened up to him about sometime that was clearly a very traumatic experience, but he didn’t understand why. Did she really have faith he would stay? Ivor didn’t, and he didn’t blame him. He wanted to stay, but it meant facing some terrifying ordeals. Something even more frightening than imminent, physical danger: feelings.

He groaned out loud, collapsing onto the ground with his knees to his chest. If he left now, he could probably be in a new dimension by midnight. He could leave and become anonymous again, always moving, never staying, and safe. Safe from himself.

His heart began to beat faster, pounding out of his chest. He had to breathe heavy, faster, never catching up. Dizziness and nausea overcame him, causing his vision to swim. He brought his hands to his head and pressed on his temples, feeling the sweat beginning to form. His hands were shaking, and a sharp pain formed in his chest. 

He tried to stand, gripping the sink with white knuckles as he pulled himself up. Somewhere, in the back of his mind he vaguely realized that he had knocked over a few bottles, and they had a loud impact as they hit the ground. The sink’s water was cold when Soren turned it on, splashing the water onto his face. It sent sharp, almost painful, chills through him. Tears started to push through the corners of his eyes, making his vision even worse.

Ivor was outside the door, gently knocking before he asked, “Soren? Are you ok?”

‘ Run ,’ his mind urged, ‘ Escape. Hide! ’ 

His eyes darted around the room for anything to help. Nothing, there was nothing! No windows, no other doors, no way out . He can’t run, he can't escape, he can't hide.

“Soren?” Ivor sounded genuinely concerned now.

Soren couldn’t even speak, his voice failing him. His mind still raced, demanding that he run or hide or do anything . What could he do? Ivor had seen him like this once before, it was shameful.

“If you don’t give me a sign that you’re conscious, I’m coming in.”

‘ Something! ’ His mind screamed, ‘ Anything! ’ 

He stumbled to the door and gave two, crisp knocks. It was the best that he could manage, and he hoped that it would suffice.

“What’s going on?” 

Soren tried to speak, but his throat was too tight and his mind too blurry. He wasn’t even sure if he had even made a noise, a squeak or whine. His hands shook so badly that he couldn’t even properly turn the handle of the door. He just stood there, thoughts flooding his mind at a million miles a second. 

“Okay, just calm down. Knock twice if I can come in.”

He hesitated, unsure which fate was worse. Was sitting alone, scared, and overwhelmed better than having someone see him at this low state? He raised a shaking hand and knocked twice.

The door opened gently and Ivor’s worried face appeared. He took a moment to scan the room, eyes darting up and down, side to side.

“Oh, Soren,” he gently kneeled down to the other man, extending a hand. “It’s alright. Come here.”

Soren listened and slowly brought himself closer, collapsing into Ivor’s arms. He was still shaking badly, and he could hardly see now. Everything was dark and blurry, and the room was spinning. 

Ivor wrapped an arm around him and ran a hand through his hair, “Hey, it’s okay. You’re alright,” he soothed.

Soren closed his eyes in an attempt to make the dizziness go away. His heart started to slow down, beating at a regular pace now. This let him finally catch his breath. Slowly, slowly, the pain in his chest and the shaking throughout his body went away. All the while Ivor held him close and quietly reassured him he was okay. 

When he finally felt like he could speak, Soren whispered, “Thank you.”

“Don’t worry about it. What happened?”

Soren hesitated. What could he say? ‘I realized that I should run away while I can because everyone in this situation is going to get hurt if I stay’?

“Soren, don’t make me go get that stupid truth serum again.” Ivor laughed lightly, but Soren didn’t want him to follow through on the threat.

“Just…second thoughts, I suppose.”

“Ah. Not because of something we did, I hope?”

“No, not that.”

“Then what?”

“What if I can’t stay, Ivor? What if I just end up hurting you and Harper again? I should leave while I can.” Soren was still being held close to Ivor, but he couldn’t look him in the eye as he spoke.

“What if you can stay, Soren? What if, this time, we break the cycle? We don’t have to be apart, not this time. I’m here for you. Harper is here for you. Both of us are here for you. A lot has changed, but a lot has stayed, too.” Ivor pulled Soren closer as he spoke, gently wiping tears off his face.

“I-…is it worth the risk?” He was quiet, almost afraid to speak.

“I think so, yes. What do you think?”

Soren thought about many things. Was it? Was making himself vulnerable worth the company and love that came with it? Could he fight through the fear? 

“…yes. I think it is.”

“Then let’s try.”

“Together?”

“Together.”

…

Soren stretched and yawned, looking out the window at the rising moon. It peaked over the sandy dunes, massive and gorgeous. In the distance the town of Crown Mesa glowed and shone, glittering lights making it stand out against the dark that surrounded it.

“Ready for bed?” Harper stood behind him, already in her pajamas.

“Y-yes. Just enjoying the view.” Soren tried to stay relaxed, but he had an odd mixture of emotions bubbling up inside him. Exhaustion, anxiety, excitement, and a fair bit of nervousness.

“Oh, it’s amazing. One of the things I love about this world.” She gazed past him, out the window, with a soft smile on her face. She was gorgeous, her eyes twinkling in the dim light.

“Bed?”

“Yep, come on. No escape this time.” Harper smirked as she turned back to the bedroom, leaving the door open.

Soren followed, softly shutting the door behind him. Ivor blearily sat on the bed, barely keeping his eyes open. Harper went and very dramatically flopped onto the mattress next to him. Soren wasn’t really sure what to do, not exactly certain what they had planned or if they had planned anything.

Ivor wordlessly stood, walked over to Soren, grabbed his hand, and dragged him to the bed. Soren laughed as he was pulled down by Harper, ending up basically in the middle of the bed. Before he could protest, or even process what was happening, they both laid down on either side of him.

He was silently grateful for the darkest to hide how red he turned.

“Wha-” he started to ask, but was promptly interrupted by Harper’s finger to his lips.

“Bedtime. Sush.” She closed her eyes and relaxed like this situation was an everyday occurrence.

Soren did as he was told, but he still laid frozen between them. How did this happen?! Did they know something he didn’t? What was going on?!

Ivor was already asleep, and he shifted slightly, moving closer to Soren. It reminded Soren of so many nights spent this way in the Order. Except then, he didn’t have Harper on his other side.

Everything was warm, and everything was calm. Soren, though slightly confused, decided to just enjoy the situation. Ivor unconsciously moved closer to him again, still holding his hand even in his sleep. Harper had fallen asleep, too, one of her hands resting on Soren’s chest. 

How had he even possibly considered leaving this? It didn’t make sense to him now. This feeling, so safe and loved, was worth anything in the world. He closed his eyes and relaxed, quickly falling asleep. The last thing he remembered was feeling completely content and comfortable.

Chapter Text

Ivor woke up warm, safe, and so incredibly close . For a brief moment, he thought that he was dreaming. Where was he? He wasn’t fully sure. Did it matter? Not right now. Who was he so close to? Someone he loved. Someone who had their arm around him and was holding him close, breathing gently.

He opened his eyes, just barely, letting his eyes adjust to the dim light from the sun peeking through the window. Soren had his eyes closed, one arm around Ivor and the other around Harper. Harper had her head on his chest, a peaceful look on her face as she slumbered. Everything was quiet, and still, and calm. Ivor thought again that he might be dreaming, because it all seemed too perfect. He took a deep breath, and smiled as he released it.

“Good morning.” Soren spoke gently, quietly, smiling and cracking open one eye.

Ivor could practically feel his chest rumble as he spoke. “Good morning,” he whispered, “Did I wake you?”

“Hm? Oh, no. I’ve been awake, just comfortable. And somewhat stuck.” He laughed, just barely, trying not to wake Harper.

“I can see,” Ivor couldn’t help but laugh as well, “Sorry about that.”

“Don’t fret over it. It’s…It’s nice. To be with you and Harper. And to be close. You know?” 

“I do. It’s nice to have you here. I…I’ve missed you.”

“I’ve missed you, too, Ivor.”

…

After everyone was awake and conscious enough to function, they got up to eat and prepare for the day. Soren had triumphantly made them breakfast, proudly presenting the food as if it were gold. To be fair, it was delicious, and both Harper and Ivor had gladly accepted it. Eventually Soren excused himself to go get dressed and use the restroom, which, knowing him, would take an eternity. Ivor was familiar with how particular Soren could be about his appearance.

Harper shifted to rest her head on Ivor’s shoulder once Soren was behind a closed door, “You know I love you, right?”

“Of course,” He replied, wrapping an arm around her, “I love you too, Harper.”

“I know. That’s why I think there’s something we need to talk about.”

Ivor immediately tensed, unsure of what was to come. Harper’s voice was calm, but she always managed to keep her voice neutral when it mattered. The past few days raced through his mind, he wondered if he’d done something to upset her, or if Soren showing up had made he rethink-

“Ivor. Don’t overthink it. Are you listening?”

“Yes, sorry. What’s wrong?”

“We need to talk about Soren. I think you know just as well as I do that there are some…complex feelings between everyone. I know that when Soren was a part of the Order, you and he had a very strong bond, yes?”

Ivor just nodded, not sure where she was going with this.

“And you know that when we were both ‘Old Builders’, Soren and I had an…interesting relationship. But an important one.”

Again Ivor nodded, more and more confused and intrigued.

“So, tell me if I’m wrong, but I think we’re both relieved to have him back in our lives.” Harper hesitated for a moment before moving on, but when Ivor didn’t interject she continued. “And I think there are still a lot of those feelings left over. Still kickin’ around. So, I have a question for you. I want you to answer honestly, okay?”

“I…Yes, of course. I could never lie to you, Harper.”

“Do you still love Soren?”

Ivor hesitated, struggling to even form an answer in his head. Did he love Soren? He certainly missed him, as much as he hated to admit it. Soren was such an important person in his life, but he was also an incredibly unstable factor of his life. The years they’d spent together in the Order were some of the happiest years of his life, though. So did he love Soren? Not in the same way he loved Harper, but…

“Yes,” he admitted, so quiet it was almost inaudible.

“Good, because I do, too.”

He froze, eyes wide and jaw slightly slack. Harper loved Soren too? Ivor had felt horrible, feeling like he was betraying his wife for feeling this way. But she felt the same? What did this mean? 

“You…You still love Soren?” he fumbled with the words, still shocked.

Harper laughed at his dumbfounded expression, leaning close and kissing him before she spoke.

“I do. And now that I know you feel the same way, I want to know how Soren feels. Although, I think we can both tell that he doesn’t want to leave any time soon.”

A thousand thoughts ran through Ivor’s mind, but one stuck out. 

“I love you,” he whispered and smiled.

“Oh, I love you too, my strange, strange man.” She gently placed a hand on his cheek.

“So what’s the plan?” He raised an eyebrow.

“You still have some of that truth potion?”

“I am so happy that I married you.”

“I know.” She smirked at him, batting her eyelashes.

“Am I sneaking it to him or…?”

“No, I think we should tell him. I’d feel bad for tricking him again.”

“Mm, fair enough. It was funny, though.” He snickered.

“You know what else was funny? When you took it and started talk all about-”

“Yes, yes, I remember very vividly.” Ivor rolled his eyes and tried to hide the blush on his face.

“Exactly. So we ask him to drink it, and then ask him.” She said it like it was the simplest thing to ever occur.

“And if he, oh, I don't know, doesn’t want to take it?” His voice was laced with sarcasm.

“Guilt trip.” She shrugged.

“What?!” He laughed.

She just smiled, almost vicious, and said nothing. It sent a chill down Ivor’s spine, and he felt his face flush.

“You’re adorable.” She winked at him.

“I- I am not!” Ivor crossed his arms and turned away from her.

“Aww, yes you are.” She giggled and ran a hand through his hair.

He, begrudgingly, leaned into the touch. Harper laughed again, like music to Ivor’s ears.

“Come on, Ivor…” she said his name slowly, almost sing-songy.

“...maybe.”

“I’ll take it!”

Chapter Text

Harper was determined. So many times in her life things had gone wrong, ended poorly, and come back to bite her. She refused to let this be another example of that. Crown Mesa was finally able to forgive her, she had a wonderful life with Ivor, and now she was going to make sure Soren stayed in her life too. This time nothing was going to go wrong, she refused to let it.

She quickly got dressed in her normal clothes, fit for the desert they lived in. Her sparkling green eyeshadow was immaculate, perfected from years of wearing it. Now she stood at their front door, waiting for Soren. In an attempt to get him out of the house while Ivor prepared and brewed, she’d asked him to go into town with her. While they did need more groceries, and Harper wanted to visit with some people she knew (could she call them her friends, now?), it was important that Soren was away from the preparations.

“Come on, slowpoke! You almost ready?” She called down the hall.

“Yes, yes, I’m here,” He walked around the corner still fidgeting with his shirt, trying to make it perfect, “You-” he looked at her, “You, uh, you look very nice, Harper.”

“Thanks, I know,” she smiled at him, “You ready?”

“Certainly. And you’re sure Ivor doesn’t want to join?”

“No, he’s been very insistent that he’s ‘this close to the next big breakthrough!’” Harper put up a hand and pinched her fingers together, imitating the move she’d seen Ivor do a thousand times. It was a lie, but a very believable one.

“Yes, that does sound like him. Lead the way.” Soren waved toward the door and fixed his bag one last time.

They set off through the sandy dunes towards the Crown Mesa, the wind whipping and blowing around them. Harper had adapted to the climate after years of living there, being used to the admittedly harsh conditions. She laughed as Soren struggled to keep up, stopping every few minutes to try and fix his hair or clothes, only for it to be ruined moments later. When they eventually did reach the town entrance, a safe haven surrounded by mountains that protected it from the wind, he sighed in relief.

“I see why you wear a hood, now.” He shook sand out of his hair, “And a mask,” he spat sand out of his mouth. 

Harper pulled down both items of clothing, “Yeah, makes good protection from the sand. Took me a while to learn, but copying the locals proved to be a good strategy.” She laughed.

“Surprisingly enough, I haven’t come across many deserts in my travels. The ones that I did find, I avoided.” Soren admitted.

“Don’t worry, you’ll learn. Ivor did, too. Plus, living in the desert does have its perks.”

Soren laughed, “You’re incredibly determined to make me stay.”

Harper knew he was joking, but she couldn’t help but respond with a little more sincerity. “I am, Soren. We both are, me and Ivor. We want you to stay.”

“I-I know. I’m trying.” He offered, caught slightly off guard.

“I can tell.” She smiled.

“Groceries?” He gestured to the town beyond the entrance.

“Yep! I hope you know what you’re looking for, because I have no clue.” Harper laughed and took his hand, walking forward into the town.

Soren turned a deep red, eyes widening slightly as Harper took his hand. He stumbled after her before he caught his footing, happily following her. 

“I have some ideas,” he laughed with her, a smile splitting his face.

They ran from place to place, shop to store, merchant to vendor, all around. Soren’s curiosity was adorable as he looked around the shops exclusive to the Crown Mesa. She watched him talk to some of the people, his interest and enthusiasm as they spoke was incredibly endearing. A few people talked to her, too. She enjoyed chatting to the townspeople about the latest events and happenings, at least to keep herself in the loop. They all greeted her so kindly, so warmly. It felt good to know it was genuine.

“Harper, what do you think about some mushrooms for soup? Ivor still likes that, yes?” Soren held up some of the red and white mushrooms, turning over his shoulder to look at her.

“Hm? Oh, yeah, he’d love that.” She smiled warmly at him, wandering closer to look at the selection of food in front of him.

“And you? You still like that too?”

“Soren, I like everything you make.” She laughed.

“Just checking!” He placed the mushrooms into a basket and continued to look at what was being offered.

“You know what else we should get?” Harper’s smile started to turn into more of a mischievous smirk.

“What…?” Soren would have sounded afraid if it wasn’t for the small laugh that he gave after asking.

“We should get ingredients for a cake.” She picked up some sugar and placed it in the basket alongside the rest of their groceries.

“I think that’s a lovely idea.” He laughed and picked up some wheat.

“Course you do. All my ideas are good ideas.” She joked, giving him a confident smile.

“Whatever you say, Harper.” He slipped his hand into hers again.

They checked out the groceries and shopped around a bit more. Soren insisted on getting a book from one of Harper’s friends (Her friend! They were friends!). Harper decided to restock on her eyeshadow while she could, since it wasn’t always available. The merchant selling it always gave her a discount for being such a consistent customer, which she appreciated. It was nice to be known. 

Once they had both gotten their desired items, they began the long walk back home. The wind had died down for a bit, but Harper was sure it would be back soon. She hoped Ivor was able to get everything ready while they were gone. Soren’s hand was still in her own, warm and comforting. They talked and laughed on their way back, reminiscing about their past and telling stories about their time apart.

“You better not tell Ivor you told me that,” she laughed after a particularly hilarious story.

“Oh, he’s going to be furious. I can already picture his face. I’m definitely going to tell him. Besides, he had plenty of stories he can tell to get me back.”

“Is that so?” She raised an eyebrow.

“I guess we’ll have to wait and see, won’t we?” He smirked.

Harper felt her heart skip a beat. It was subtle, but waiting and seeing meant Soren would have to stay. She hoped that he would, and now she knew that he wanted to.

“I guess so.” She tightened her hold on his hand, unable to stop a bright smile from spreading across her face.

Chapter Text

Soren was overjoyed, even if he was covered head to toe in sand. He wasn’t quite suited for the desert, at least not yet, and he was almost certain that he was starting to get a sunburn, but he was still incredibly happy. Harper laughed at him the whole walk home, teasing him for struggling through the dunes. They stumbled through the front door, holding bags of food in each hand and shaking sand off. He couldn’t tell whether his face was warm from the sun, or the woman in front of him who shone just as bright.

“Hey, hon! We’re back!” She called as they entered the house, still recovering from a fit of giggles.

“Ivor! Ivor?” Soren peered down the hall.

“Yes, yes, I’m here. Where else would I be?” Ivor came around the corner, smiling a bit. “Did you get the groceries?”

“We did! Annnnnd…” Soren dug around in the bag until he found what he was looking for. “Ingredients for mushroom stew!”

Ivor’s eyes lit up with excitement. “Yes! I- uh, right, of course. That’s lovely.” He smoothed his shirt down and tried to hide his happiness. 

“Oh, I know. That’s why we got it.” Soren walked to Ivor, hardly even thinking, pausing before embracing him in a hug. He took a few steps backwards, trying to recover from the embarrassing mistake.

Ivor rolled his eyes and pulled Soren into a hug, scoffing as he did so. Soren gasped a bit, but quickly returned the hug.

“You boys are hilarious.” Harper laughed from behind them, taking off her sandy jacket to hang by the door. 

“I am no such thing,” Ivor glared at her.

“Mm, debatable.” Soren winked at him and released him from the hug.

“Go make food, you heathen.” He tried to sound annoyed, but his smile broke the act.

“With pleasure.” Soren laughed.

…

“So,” Harper placed the last dish in the sink, “Soren.”

He froze, not sure if he wanted to turn to face her. “Yes…?”

“We have something to talk about.” Her voice was unwavering, calm but stern.

“We?” He questioned, trying to fight the urge to run.

“Yes, Ivor and I. We need to talk to you about something.”

Soren turned to face her and Ivor, both of them seemingly unphased. He raised his eyebrows and signaled for them to continue. Ivor silently placed a bottle on the counter.

“Is this what I think it is?” Soren asked, fear and slight annoyance creeping into his voice.

“No lies, no twisting the truth. Just pure honesty.” Ivor popped the cork.

Soren looked at the bottle, then the two people he loved. Was the humiliation worth it? He could still run. The choice was now. Either choose to run, or face his feelings. 

The bottle was downed in one go.

“Is there sugar in that? Because it’s actually very sweet, but I could have sworn that it was an ingredient for something else. Although, there’s a reason I leave the brewing to you. I could never do what you do, it just doesn’t make sense. At least not to me. Obviously it makes sense to you, or at least I hope so. If not, you'd just have to be incredibly lucky. I would apologize for rambling, but I honestly don’t feel bad, because this is your fault.”

Harper and Ivor both laughed, Ivor rolling his eyes. He took the bottle and re-corked it, gesturing to Harper to continue the interrogation.

“Soren,” she kept in constant eye contact, still smiling a bit, “do you love me?”

“I absolutely love you, you’re fantastic! You’re one of the most amazing, gorgeous people I’ve ever met. And, I mean, you’re ridiculously intelligent. It honestly astonishes me, I can’t ever keep up. Plus, you were able to tolerate me when we were younger, which says a lot about your patience. I was a pain. I guess I still am. Depends on your perspective. Am I still a pain?”

“You definitely can be.” Ivor muttered, and Harper elbowed him.

“You can be too, Ivor. Your turn.” She scoffed, but smiled.

“Soren,” Ivor looked at him, expression softening for a moment, “do you love me?”

“Without hesitation, I love you so much. You’re so handsome, and funny, and smart, and you’re mean enough to deal with me. I’ve missed you every moment that you haven't been with me. You’re on my mind constantly. You know everything about me, every vulnerability and weakness. I love you so much.” Soren reached across the counter and took Ivor’s hand into his own.

Ivor blushed slightly, trying to avoid looking at him directly. “You- really, Soren?”

Harper laughed at his embarrassment, placing her hand on top of both of theirs. Soren smiled, feeling his own cheeks flush.

“So may I ask why you both felt so inclined as to force me to confess my, admittedly obvious, feelings?” Soren asked.

“Well…long story short, we both love you too, Soren.” Harper admitted.

“Wait- what?” Soren felt his eyes widen, and he put every ounce of his self control into not rambling on again.

“We still love you, too. We’ve missed you. It’s been a long time, and we’ve all changed as people, but we still adore you.” Ivor was still blushing, but he managed to look Soren in the eye.

“Wait- you- you don’t hate me? You- you- why ?! I- I left , I ran! I’m a coward! I hurt people and- and-”

“And you’re trying now. That’s all that matters.” Harper gently cupped his jaw.

“We’ve all made mistakes, some of us more than others. Trying to achieve redemption is what makes someone redeemable. You’re trying, Soren. Keep trying. Just stay with us, we can be happy. For once in our lives, we can be happy. It can be just us, and nothing more.” Ivor tried to return to the annoyed facade, but it failed and he quickly turned sincere. 

“No pressure, no others, no danger. Just you, Ivor, and me.” Harper smiled.

Soren felt the blood quickly rush to his head, his eyes fluttered, and the last thing he saw before he fainted was the two people he loved more than anything smiling at him.

Chapter Text

“Ivor!” Harper turned quickly to face him.

He’d unconsciously cursed out loud while leaping forward to catch a fainted Soren. The other man was heavy in his arms, and Ivor struggled to keep him from falling. He quickly pulled out a potion of strength and chugged it, sudden power surging to his arms.

“I’m sorry- but-” he gestured to Soren in his arms.

“I- yeah ok. I wasn’t expecting that. He didn’t hit his head or anything, right?” Harper leaned forward and checked Soren’s pulse.

“No, he seems ok. I think I caught him before he hit anything.”

“Caught is a rather elegant way of putting it, don’t you think?” She laughed as Ivor moved to set Soren on the couch.

He narrowed his eyes at her over his shoulder and gently pulled a blanket over the other man. Soren smiled softly in his unconscious state, and Ivor brushed a few strands of hair out of his face.

“You think it went…at least okay?” He asked Harper.

“I think it went perfectly fine, hon. You heard what he said. We all feel the same. This time, it’s gonna work out.”

“Are you sure?” Ivor didn’t want to get his hopes up. He’d wished for so long to have a life like this, and now he was so close to having it.

“Of course not. I can’t promise anything about what Soren will do. But I have a good feeling that he’ll stay. I can’t promise it’ll be ok, but I think it will be.” She walked forward and embraced Ivor in a hug.

He gladly accepted, leaning forward into the affection. She gently ran a hand through his hair, and he closed his eyes as he relaxed. Her warmth radiated outwards, quickly warming up Ivor’s cold hands.

“Thank you,” he whispered.

“Anything for you, my strange, strange , man.” She giggled.

…

Soren groaned as he sat up, getting both Ivor and Harper’s attention. They’d all been sitting in the living room, with Soren laying on the couch and Ivor and Harper in separate chairs. Ivor had splashed a potion of healing on Soren, just to be safe, and they’d been keeping an eye on him. He’d been sleeping for a while, and any previous potion effects would have worn off.

“Wha…what happened…?” Soren rubbed his eyes and glanced around the room.

Ivor couldn't help but laugh before asking, “What do you remember happening?”

“I- uh- I was talking to both of you about…actually, I think that part was a dream.”

“Were we talking about how you still love us?” Harper joined Ivor in laughter, smirking and raising an eyebrow at Soren.

“Wait- that actually happened?!” His eyes widened and he shot up.

They both laughed, and Soren turned bright red. His hair was wild from his brief nap, and it didn’t help improve his flustered state. Wide blue eyes darted back and forth between Harper and Ivor.

“Yes, Soren, that was real.” Ivor rolled his eyes.

“And- and you said…?” Soren was still wide eyed and blushing.

“Yes, Soren, I still love you.” He couldn’t help but smile.

“And…?” Soren looked at Harper.

“Yep. I still love you too.” She smiled and giggled a bit.

“But- but I ran? I’ve been hurting you for so -”

“Nope! I don’t want to hear it. We’ve forgiven you, Soren. We still love you. Redemption is possible.” Harper waved her hand in the air as she spoke.

“But-” Soren started.

“Soren. No.” Ivor looked at him dead in the eyes and spoke in a deadpan voice, a small smile still dancing on his lips.

He just sat there, dumbfounded for a moment. Every few seconds he would try to speak, starting to stutter out a response, but would give up and continue to look on in shock. His cheeks were bright pink, and he looked incredibly astonished.

“Somebody pinch me.” he said eventually, running a hand through his hair to smooth it down.

Ivor stood up and walked over to him, sitting on the other side of Soren.

“You know I’m not very good with words.” He started.

“Me neither.” Soren laughed.

“I know.” 

Ivor leaned forward and kissed Soren, quick and gentle. He heard Soren gasp quietly, and he could feel the heat radiating off of his face.

“Does that work?” Ivor laughed, still holding a hand against Soren’s ridiculously warm cheek.

“Y-yeah. I get what you’re saying. That was much nicer than a pinch.” Soren laughed as well, his smile beaming and bright.

“Oh, don’t worry, I can help with that.” Harper quickly rose from her seat and pinched Soren.

“Hey!” Soren rubbed where he’d been pinched.

“You did ask for it.” Ivor commented.

Soren just narrowed his eyes at both of them, but his smile betrayed any sense of real annoyance. Ivor couldn’t help but feel endeared by both of the people in front of him. Harper, his amazing wife, someone who made every day of his life better, who always knew how to make him laugh. Soren, who he’d known for most of his life and loved just as long, who always knew how to both annoy and comfort him. Had he ever felt this calm and happy before? He didn’t think so. Nothing could compare to this.

“Wait, so…what does this mean?” Soren asked, quietly, almost hesitant.

“It means we need another ring.” Harper lifted her hand with her wedding ring, the golden band shining in the light.

“Mm, I agree. And another wedding, most likely. Maybe we can have this one in Beacon Town?” Ivor glanced down at his own ring, catching a glimpse of his smile being reflected in the metal. 

“Wait- what? That’s not necessary-” Soren started, but was quickly shut down.

“Excuse you, it is absolutely necessary!” Harper smirked.

“I have to agree with Harper. It is very much necessary. You gypped me out of one last time.” Ivor narrowed his eyes, but there was no real resentment in his words.

“I…This is going to happen either way, isn’t it?” Soren sighed, but a large smile still split his face.

“Absolutely. I actually have friends I want to invite.” Harper kissed both Soren and Ivor on the cheek and rose from the couch.

“And Magnus and Gabriel, too.”

“Ivor, do you think they’ll…do you think they won’t hate me?” Soren looked at the ground as he spoke.

“I do. Like we said, everyone has changed a lot. Sure, it might not be immediate, but they will. I did.” Ivor placed a hand on top of Soren’s, speaking softly.

“Well, you also punched me when I showed up, and Magnus has explosives and Gabriel has a sword.” He laughed, but still seemed nervous.

“Soren, don’t worry. It’ll be ok.” Harper brought over a pad of paper and a pencil, sitting down between the two men. 

“What’s that for…?” He asked, momentarily distracted from his worries.

“Invite list!” She said, almost far too cheerily.

Soren groaned, putting his head in his hands. Ivor laughed sharply, placing a hand on his back.

“This is going to be a mess.” He managed to say between laughs.

“Tell me about it.” Soren mumbled through his hands.

Chapter Text

Harper had her second wedding to plan, and she was overjoyed about it. She’d already reached out to the person who made her dress last time, and they were starting to design her new one. Soren was embarrassed by every question regarding the plans, but enthusiastically talked about his designs for the venue. Ivor was quietly pleased, sending out the, admittedly, large list of invitations. However, the ones for Beacon Town were saved to be hand delivered. He and Soren sat in the same room, both engrossed in their work, the silence only broken by Soren’s soft singing and Ivor’s humming. The sight made Harper’s heart swell.

“How are you boys doin’?” She called as she entered the room.

“Ah, Harper! Come look at the options I’ve come up with so far. I’ve already asked Ivor, and I have a feeling you'll agree.” Soren looked up from his blueprints with ink smudged on his hands and face, smiling proudly.

She peered over his shoulder, down at the paper. There were three designs for an archway, each unique and gorgeous. The one that caught Harper’s eye was probably the simplest, but the one she found breathtaking. Elegant fence supported an archway made of leaves, with lanterns hanging and casting a warm light on everything, and different flowers growing throughout. 

“Soren, this is fantastic!” She held the paper up and inspected it even closer, awestruck by the detail.

“I know.” He smirked, and Ivor not-so-subtly kicked him underneath the desk. “Ow- Seriously?”

“Hm?” Ivor didn’t look up from the invitation he was writing, but a coy smile was on his face.

“You little-” Soren started, narrowing his eyes.

“ Anyways , Soren, this one is my favorite of the three.” She handed the blueprint back to him, distracting him from the petty argument waiting to happen.

“Ah, yes, I had a feeling. That’s the one Ivor liked as well.” Soren accepted the paper and set it on top of the previously approved designs for other pieces of the venue, “Thank you.” He smiled at her, the light from the redstone lamp on the desk making his eyes shine.

“‘Course.” She ruffled his fluffy hair and leaned down to look at what Ivor was writing, “How’s it goin’?”

“Simply magnificent . I was counting, but I, uh, got distracted.” Ivor glanced at Soren, then Harper, and offered a hesitant smile.

“Understandable.” She laughed.

“Hm?” Soren glanced up from his papers, raising an eyebrow.

“Nothing.” Both Harper and Ivor spoke in unison, only raising Soren’s suspicion. 

“Alright…?”

“These ones are for…?” Harper brought Ivor’s attention back to the invites.

“Our friends in Beacon Town, plus Magnus and Gabriel.” He tapped the papers with his quill as he spoke.

“Ah, they’re very pretty.” She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek.

“They better be, I’ve been working on them for a while.” He grumbled.

Harper and Soren laughed, with Ivor trying to hide his amusement. She started to giggle so much that tears formed in the corner of her eyes, and her mouth started to hurt from smiling.

“Oh, that’s funny, is it? I’d like to see you do this all day! My hand is cramping up!” Ivor scowled at them, but he still smiled.

“And, see, that’s why I leave it to my lovely husband.” She laughed.

“Yeah, yeah. Well, soon you’ll have two, and then we can split the burden.” Ivor waved her away, still grinning.

Soren froze while sketching, his face turning bright red. “Ivor…” He put his head in his hands, smearing ink everywhere.

“What? He’s not wrong.” Harper playfully ran a hand through his hair, hoping to further his embarrassment.

“Not you too!” He tried to push her hand away, but she just took his hand into her own.

“Absolutely me too!” 

“There is no escape.” Ivor laughed menacingly, brushing aside his letters to scoot closer to Soren.

“You two are insufferable.” Soren mumbled.

“But you loooove us!” She giggled.

“Yes,” he sighed, looking up to meet her gaze, “I do.”

Ink was smeared all over his face, his cheeks still bright, and he looked up at Harper with so much admiration. His bright blue eyes stuck out against the warmth of his blush, and his gentle smile was so sweet it was addictive. Harper was enamored, feeling so much contentment just being with these people she loved. Her mouth hurt from smiling, and her lungs were sore from laughter. It was the best feeling she’d ever had.

“I love you.” She gently brushed her hand against Soren’s face as he turned even more red.

“I- I love you too.” He smiled.

“You two are ridiculous.” Ivor rolled his eyes, but a small smirk still played on his lips.

“Aw, don’t worry, Ivor. I love you too.” She gave her husband a quick kiss on the cheek, running a hand through his hair.

“I’d certainly hope so. You did marry me first, you know.”

“My strange, strange man.” She tapped him on the nose, causing him to scoff.

“Well I would say I’m your strange man, but you have to share me, now.” 

“I think I can do that.” She winked at both Ivor and Soren, causing both of them to blush.

“That is not fair.” Soren whispered, not very discreetly, to Ivor.

“I agree, she’s far too pretty.” He whispered back, and narrowed his eyes at Harper.

“How in the world did she end up with us?”

“Luck?”

“You know I can hear you, right?” She laughed.

“No you can’t.” Ivor said plainly.

“Wha-?”

“You’re not allowed to.” Soren nodded in agreement.

“Oh, my apologies! I’ll let you two get back to it, then. And I suppose you wouldn’t want me to offer…oh, I don’t know…some food?” Harper feigned worry, and slowly started to turn to exit the room.

“Wait, food?” Ivor raised an eyebrow.

“I guess we could use a break.” Soren glanced at Ivor, smiling.

“I suppose . Although I’m hesitant to leave this enthralling task…” He laughed, standing from the desk.

“Good, glad you finally came to your senses.” Harper offered a hand to both of them.

They both accepted, happily walking out of the room and taking a well deserved break. The rest of the day was spent doing more planning, relaxing, and other busy-work. It was calm, peaceful, and overall very lovely.

Chapter Text

Soren paced, back and forth, mind racing. Were the decorations correct? Were all of the guests in their places? Was everything prepared? Was…was he ready? Was he ready to be married ? Could he really commit to this? He loved Ivor and Harper more than anything, he knew that for sure. Still, marriage…

No, he wouldn’t do this again. He loved Harper and Ivor, he loved them more than life. This time, he was going to stay. Soren was going to make the most of his life, and he was going to marry the two people who made him happy beyond words.

“Soren?” Ivor knocked three times on the door, crisp and short.

“Yes, coming!” He quickly walked to the door, opening it to see a very concerned Ivor looking back at him. 

“Are you ok? Almost ready?” His voice was layered with concern, his eyebrows slightly furrowed.

“Don’t worry, Ivor. I’m ready, just had to-”

“‘Fix your hair’ for the millionth time, yes, I know.” Ivor rolled his eyes, but smiled nonetheless.

“The millionth is a bit…excessive.” 

“Absolutely not. You have been obsessed with keeping everything perfect all night!” 

“Well- I- I just want everything to work out.” Soren admitted.

“Soren,” Ivor turned to face him, his voice softening as he took both of Soren’s hands into his own, “Don’t worry. Everything is going to be just fine.” He leaned down and kissed Soren, taking him by surprise.

Soren happily embraced the affection, leaning forward to cup Ivor’s jaw in his hand. They both smiled, Soren giggling softly. 

“You’re such a sap.” He jibed.

“I am not !” Ivor defended.

“BOO!” Magnus jeered as he walked around the corner, "Save it for the altar!” He rolled his eyes at the pair.

“Oh sush, Magnus.” Ivor retorted.

“Never!” He shouted, sprinting past them down the corridor. 

Both of them laughed, reminiscing about old days in the Order, and enjoying the moment now.

“You ready?” Ivor offered a hand.

“More than ever.”

…

This was it. Soren stood at the altar, beside Ivor, waiting for Harper to walk down the aisle. They were outside of the Old Order of the Stone’s headquarters, with light streaming through the leaves in the trees around them. Petals and leaves fell gently around them, adding to the immaculate scene. Gabriel was standing as his best-man, very clearly trying not to cry. Everything had gone according to plan. The music started, and the curtains parted to reveal Harper.

Her gown was immaculate, intricate layers of white lace creating a stunning design. The veil over her face couldn’t hide her wide smile. Soren’s jaw went slightly slack before he caught himself, and he heard Ivor give a small gasp. She was simply radiant. No, radiant wasn’t enough. She was perfect . 

“H-Hi.” Was all Soren could whisper when she arrived at the altar, his mind drawing blank.

“Hey.” She giggled.

“You look gorgeous…” Ivor murmured.

“So do you, both of you.” She winked at the pair, making them both turn red.

“Alright everyone, here we go!” Jesse called, as she was officiating the wedding. “Before these guys exchange their vows, I’d like to say a few words.”

Everyone settled, and silence fell over the venue. Jesse cleared her throat and stepped forward, a large smile on her face. 

“Here we are. Again,” She started, and the crowd laughed, “Except this time, we’re happy to have Soren here. I think we can all agree that it’s been a while since we’ve seen him. After the Witherstorm was defeated, there were a lot of issues to be resolved. Still, that didn’t stop us from going on adventures and meeting new people. Ivor and Harper’s story is one that we’ve been telling, from when we first got to the Crown Mesa, to now.

“Soren,” Jesse turned to face him, “You’ve made a lot of mistakes. We all have. After the Witherstorm, you ran. None of us knew where you went, or if you were even alive. But, when life gave you the opportunity to reconnect with the people you loved, you took it. That shows a lot of courage. And now, we’re all gathered here to solidify that love.”

Soren smiled, embarrassed but happy. He had made a lot of mistakes, but he was trying to be a better person now.

“So, with that, can we please have the wedding rings?” Jesse called, it was Magnus’s cue to come out as the ring-bearer.

An explosion of petals went off behind him as he proudly brought the rings forward. He sauntered forward, but his smile was genuine as he presented the rings to Harper, Ivor, and Soren.

“Soren,” Harper started, “Do you remember when we were young? Building and creating, and we thought it would last forever?”

“Of course.” Soren could barely whisper.

“I loved you then, and I would have loved you for the rest of eternity after. When we parted ways, I didn’t think I would ever get that opportunity again. Clearly, I was wrong. I want to keep you and Ivor in my life for as long as I live. I love you, Soren.” Harper smiled, her eyes shining in the light.

“My turn,” Ivor smiled, giving Soren butterflies in his stomach, “I waited for this moment for so long, and right when I had accepted I would never get it, you just had to show up again.” He narrowed his eyes at Soren, and everyone laughed.

“Soren, I have loved you since the moment we met, when you started the Order. The nights we stayed up unhealthily late, talking about everything under the sun and more. Adventures to unknown places, new experiences, and some of the best times of my life. After everything with the Ender Dragon fight, the lies and the arguments, I never thought I would see you again. Then, I did, with the Witherstorm. And even after that, when you disappeared, I felt that way again. This time, I refuse to let you go. You are the most stubborn, infuriating, ridiculous, loveable man I have ever met. I love you, Soren.” Ivor gave him the most gorgeous, stunning smile.

Soren felt his face flush, and he couldn’t help but smile back. “Well, I guess that means it’s my turn?” He chuckled.

“My two loves. Really, the only two people I’ve ever loved like this. I regret so many things. I regret leaving both of you. I regret being too cowardly to commit. I regret all of the times I’ve hurt you. But nothing could ever make me regret coming back to you. You two are the best things that have ever happened to me. My two, brilliant, fantastic, perfect lovers. My life has never been better, now that I have the both of you. You’d think that after all the things I’ve done, all the places I’ve been, and all the books I’ve written, I would have more to say. There’s just not enough words to express how much I truly adore both of you. Thank you so much for giving me a second chance. I love you.” Soren knew he was blushing, but he didn’t care. This was the happiest moment of his life. 

The crowd ‘aww’d, and both of his soon-to-be spouses smiled at him. Soren thought, for a moment, that there was a chance he was dreaming. Everything was just perfect .

“The rings?” Ivor asked.

“Whenever you’re ready.” Jesse smiled.

Ivor took Soren’s hand, and locked eyes with him. “I, Ivor, agree to take you, Soren, as my husband, to spend everyday with you, even when you’re being the most ridiculous man to ever exist. To love you, despite your flaws, and care for you forever. To go on whatever adventures life may offer, and to be by your side. With this ring, I promise to always love you.” Ivor put the ring part-way onto his hand, not letting go.

“Do you accept?”

“I do.” Soren was trying not to cry.

Harper placed her hand with Ivor’s, smiling at Soren. “I, Harper, agree to take you, Soren, as my husband, to build our lives up together, and spend the happiest moments of our lives with each other. To work together and create gorgeous structures, filled with care and crafted with love. To love you forever, and join you in whatever antics you come up with. To follow you on adventures, and bring you home when they’re done. With this ring, I promise to love you always.” Harper put the ring all the way onto his hand, beaming a smile at him. 

“Do you accept?”

“I do.” Soren smiled so hard his mouth began to hurt, and a tear fell from his eye. He turned to Ivor and gently took his hand. “I, Soren, agree to take you, Ivor, as my husband, to appreciate your constant tolerance, and spend my life with you. To try my best to care for you, and make you happy. To lead us on wild adventures, and be a general nuisance. With this ring, I promise to never leave you, and always love you.” Soren placed the ring halfway on Ivor's hand, and waited for Harper to join him.

“Do you accept?”

“I do.” Ivor gave him a small smile.

“I, Harper, agree once again to take you, Ivor, as my husband, to spend my days with you, and enjoy every moment we have together. To learn from you and care for you. To help you whenever I can, and to always forgive you. With this ring, I promise to love you always, my strange, strange man.” She giggled.

“Do you accept?”

“I do.” Ivor looked happier than he ever had before. “And I, Ivor, agree to take you, Harper, yet again as my wife, to admire you and savor all of the time we share. To appreciate everything you can tell me. To be by your side whenever you want me there. With this ring, I promise to always love you.” Ivor started to place the ring on her hand, waiting for Soren.

“Do you accept?”

“I do.” Harper beamed at the both of them.

“I-I, Soren,” his face was incredibly warm, but he was still smiling, “agree to take you, Harper, as my wife, to work alongside you and create amazing things. To listen to you, and build with you. To care for you and appreciate your care. To bring us on ridiculous adventures and follow you home when they’re done. With this ring, I promise to never leave you, and love you forever.” Soren pushed the ring all the way onto her hand, never looking away from her beautiful smile.

“And finally, the million dollar question. Do you accept?” Jesse asked, and everyone laughed.

“I do.” Harper giggled.

“Then it is my pleasure to pronounce you husband, husband, and wife.” Jesse announced, and the crowd before them cheered. “You may now kiss.” She added with a smile.

Soren leaned up to kiss Ivor, who met his affection with a smile. Ivor then kissed Harper, happily cupping her jaw and leaning down. Harper went on her tip-toes to kiss him, and turned to Soren after. She took a step forward, and before Soren could react, grabbed him by the waist to dip him into a deep kiss. It took Soren a moment to recover from the surprise, but he reached up and returned the kiss. When they broke away, Soren could taste her lipstick, and his head spun.

They turned and walked back down the aisle, into the Old Order’s headquarters. Guests followed them in, where music was playing and food was ready. The entire room had been decorated by Soren, gaining lots of ‘ohh’s and ‘ahh’s as everyone entered. His heart was pounding out of his chest, and his smile never wavered. Everyone sat, with chatter and laughter filling the hall.

“Thank you.” Soren whispered to his spouses as they sat, finally allowing a few tears to fall from his face.

“Aw, Soren,” Harper wiped away his tears, “Don’t thank us!”

“This is a new beginning for all of us. The start of the rest of our lives. I’m so happy that I get to spend it with both of you.” He cried, still smiling at them.

“And we’re happy to spend it with you. Otherwise, we wouldn’t have just married you.” Ivor chuckled and placed a hand on his shoulder.

Soren laughed, placing his own hand on top of Ivor’s, and taking one of Harper’s hands. The start of the rest of their lives. Countless adventures, so much to do and see and feel, and he got to do it with the two people he loved most. The two people he would do anything for. The two people who loved him as much as he loved them. He couldn’t have been luckier.