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“Wait, we need a photo!”
“Madeline, you don’t have to take photos of everything,” Ernest says.
“Yes, actually, I do, you asshole. In a hundred years, when we’re all still alive, I want to be able to look back and remember stuff like this. Because, you know, we’re going to be alive. For. Ever.”
“But-“
“It’s your rehearsal dinner, Ernest. Don’t you want to remember that?”
“Well, yeah, but I will. I certainly remember ours and I wasn’t even in love with you.”
“Okay, rude. First off, our rehearsal dinner was phenomenal. We made the front page of People Magazine. Secondly… shut up.”
“Wow, great argument.”
Madeline sticks her tongue out at him as she fixes her hair.
“Mature.”
Alex laughs, “Come on, babe, you know better than to argue with her.
“Well, sure, but she makes it so easy to rile her up.”
“I’m sure Helen agrees.”
“Do not bring me into this.”
“I meant sexually-“
“I know what you meant. Again, don’t bring me - or our sex life - into this.”
Madeline grins, “I think we should bring our sex life into everything, actually.”
“Mad-“
“Okay, I did not need to hear that.”
“You brought it up!”
Ernest laughs, “She’s right.”
Madeline smirks, “So you can admit when I’m right.”
“Sure. It doesn’t happen very often, you should be acknowledged when it does.”
Madeline punches him in the arm.
“Let’s just take the fucking photo so we can go inside, yeah?”. Madeline turns to her, “Hel, could you-”
Helen holds up Madeline’s phone, “Already ready.”
“This is why I love you.”
Helen smiles, “And to think, I thought you were with me for the sex.”
“Oh, I am. Mostly the sex. You’re a half decent photographer too, though,” she says with a wink.
“Oh good god,” Ernest groans.
She’s used to Madeline’s antics. Though, she’s shocked that, after a decade of marriage, Ernest isn’t too.
Madeline and Ernest have been divorced for a year. The public collectively lost their minds when, within a two week time span they announced the divorce, Madeline and Helen’s relationship, and Ernest and Alex’s engagement.
Helen was pleasantly surprised at the outpouring of support for her and Madeline, even more surprised by the amount of people saying they called it.
Including Viola, who posted it on twitter. Helen could’ve killed her (if she could die).
The only bad reactions were their parents, which was to be expected. Madeline’s mother, a raging alcoholic and narcissistic bitch, had called Madeline asking why she hadn’t told her about the divorce.
She had then gone on to completely ignore the fact that her daughter was dating a woman until Madeline finally said “Stop ignoring what I’m trying to tell you. I’m a raging lesbian, always have been. Deal with it.” and hanging up.
They haven’t spoken since.
Helen’s parents on the other hand had been supportive… to their faces. A week later, however, Helen had gotten a call from an old friend who wanted to let her know that he had overheard her parents at some high society party being asked about her relationship and her parents' response had been “We don’t associate with dykes.”
So, Helen’s not speaking to them either.
It’s just as well. Neither Helen nor Madeline had ever been particularly fond of their parents.
Now though, they’re about to head into Alex and Ernest’s rehearsal dinner. It’s bound to be the most extravagant display of queer love Helen has ever seen. She can’t wait.
Well, until tomorrow, when the extravagance of the rehearsal dinner is inevitably topped by an over-the-top wedding.
Alex and Madeline have been planning since the day Ernest and Alex got engaged. From the seven tiered cake, to the out-of-season floral arrangements that had to be flown in, everything is planned to a very expensive tee.
Right now, though, Madeline and Alex are insisting on group photos outside the venue before heading in to see the guests, which mainly consists of Viola and her clients. As well as the guys’ families.
Madeline is dreading seeing Ernest’s mother again. Helen has had to talk her off the ledge at least four times this week. And by off the ledge she means out of the frosting container.
She and Madeline unfortunately have very similar coping mechanisms.
“Helly, come on, take the photo!!”
Madeline is posed between Alex and Ernest, surprisingly understated in a simple pink dress (Simple, sure. Cleavage, ample. She’s never been one for subtlety). Madeline had explained to Helen that she was willing to dress down for the occasion because she has already had her insane wedding. Now it’s Alex’s turn. It’s surprisingly mature of her.
God, Helen loves her.
With a soft smile on her face as she looks at her little found family, Helen takes a few photos that she knows Mad will approve of.
She’s nothing if not an Instagram-trained girlfriend.
She goes to Madeline’s photo app to look at the photos, and finds that she’s staring at herself.
Or rather, a giant collection of candid photos of herself.
She must have a concerning look on her face, because suddenly Madeline is by her side.
“Are you alright- Oh.”
“What is this?”
She registers Alex and Ernest silently heading inside, both shooting “sorry” looks at Madeline, who looks incredibly caught.
“That’s… you.”
“I see that. But why?”
“I- Well, sometimes you just. You look so pretty or relaxed or happy or… anything at all really. And I want to remember it.”
“Madeline these go back years. Is that me in college?”
“Maybe.”
“So, you have an entire photo album of me, called ‘LOOK AT HER’ because you wanted to remember me?”
“Yes?”
“I’m right in front of you.”
“Well, sure. Right now you are. But, like, when I was in France all last month filming, I missed you. And it’s not like I could facetime you every second of every day. So, this helped.”
“Oh.”
“Yeah.”
“You know, sometimes you’re the sweetest person when you’re not even trying.”
“Oh shut up.”
“Nope. You’re adorable.”
“Gross, no.”
Helen grabs her face and starts placing kisses all over.
“You’re” kiss “so” kiss “cute.”
Madeline squirms, grabbing Helen’s face to stop her.
“Okay, fine, I’m cute.”
“For someone as self centered as yourself you sure can’t take a compliment.”
“I’m perfectly capable of accepting a compliment when I know it’s true.”
“Narcisst.”
“Sadist.”
“You know, I didn’t just use those photos for memories,” Madeline says, wiggling her eyebrows.
“And you ruined it.”
“How?!”
“By making it sexual!”
“So, me saying that I used photos of you to get myself off when you weren’t there to do it for me, that doesn’t do anything for you? Alright-“
Madeline starts to walk towards the door when Helen grabs her wrist, turning her around and kissing her.
When Helen pulls back, they’re both breathless.
“You know it does. Just- We were having a moment.”
“We can still have a moment with sexual undertones.”
“You’re ridiculous.”
“You love it.”
Helen smiles, “Yeah, I guess I do.”
With a kiss on the lips, Madeline runs inside, and Helen lets herself be dragged along. Happily.