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The flowers were arranged, and the silverware laid out alongside white plates, each emblazoned with striking yellow orchids.
This would be the first dinner party hosted by the newlyweds Asa and Anthony Crowley-Fell in their new cottage— a wedding party and housewarming at once. Anthony, in his anxiety, had taken to pacing and straightening everything he could, rearranging the pillows on the plush sofa and running a feather duster across the tops of each painting and framed photograph on the walls as Asa hummed along to a Shostakovich record and mixed ingredients for some elaborate dessert he had planned.
“Anthony, love, you’re making me dizzy!” Asa said, tone soft with affection as his husband passed behind him. Anthony paused, wrapping his arms around Asa’s soft waist and resting his chin on his shoulder, nuzzling his nose into downy white hair to mutter an apology. Asa turned his head to press a kiss to the other man’s cheek before spinning the both of them around so his own back would be against the cabinets. Settling his hands on Anthony’s waist, Asa spoke again. “It’ll all be alright— it’s only our friends! Nina and Maggie and those dear young ones from my Tadfield days. Your Anathema and Newt will be here too, and you can show them your garden. As for me, I just get to show you off.”
With his last words, Asa’s hands slipped lower, squeezing Anthony’s arse just enough to make him squeak. The doorbell rang, and Asa sent him off to answer it with a chaste kiss to the tip of his nose.
Anthony set off, hips swaying as he walked, and Asa barely held back his giggles as he noticed the clear white handprints against tight black denim— flour from his baking. Oh, tonight would be fun.