milliways_bar | (no subject)

Richard slides onto the bench next to him.

"You seem upbeat. Was the holiday that good for you?"

He stops plying and hugs Richard tight. "Hi!

"It was an excellent holiday. Surely the moaning gave that away."

Richard chuckles and hugs him back.

"Well, yes, that and the way you never seemed to be able to get to the loo without being swooped up by an invisible force."

Charlie laughs. "Darien's a physical being," he says primly.

"Yes, I and the plaster behind the headboard are well aware of that."

He winks.

Charlie looks innocent.

Tries.

"So. I . . . kind of have news."

He arches an eyebrow.

"Oh, what's your news?"

Charlie holds up his left hand and wiggles his fingers.

Yes, he's wearing it.

He's never going to take it off. Ever.

The other eyebrow joins the first.

"Really? Are you certain about this, mate?"

Charlie nods, beaming. "Yeah. I am. He loves me--he wants to be married to me. And I want to be married to him. Much to my surprise, but I do."

He gives Charlie a squeeze and thumps his back.

"As long as you're sure it's what you want then I'm happy for you. Darien's very good to you and you to him. I think it could work."

He orders a bottle of Scotch and two glasses from Kiki-Lyn.

"Just, y'know, don't have too many expectations of it. Enjoy what you've got. It's not all the fairy tales claim it is."

"I'm sure," Charlie says seriously, "and trust me, I know. Had parents of my own, you know.

"The things is . . ." He gestures vaguely a moment, trying to find the words. "I can't imagine being with anybody else, ever. I don't want to be. And I don't think it'll be that different from how things are now--we'll just be married. That's all."

He smiles softly and pours his mate a glass of Scotch.

"Good, that's pretty much how it is. When are you doing it?"

"Ta," Charlie says, taking the glass. "I have no idea. Don't know when or where or how. I almost think I'd rather just say 'I marry you' three times like they do in--well, somewhere--or maybe I'd like a big bash with the whole wedding nonsense, right down to the ridiculous white cake."

"The big bash is rather expensive and a lot of trouble, if you ask me. But you're more for the public eye than I am. What does Darien want?"

He sips his own drink.

"He says it's up to me." Charlie gives him a 'you heard me' look and sips.

He grins.

"Then you can be a ham all you like."

"Well, yeah, but do I want to? I mean, it's one thing when you're performing."

He shrugs.

"Only you can know that. If it were up to me, we'd get a cake from Yamino, a case of Scotch, share them out here, and then wrap up the evening at a favorite hotel with my intended."

Charlie nods slowly, but says, "I think I do want a party of some kind. Maybe big. Whenever I think about all the people I want to be there it's a pretty big list."

"Sounds like you're having a big blow-out then."

He sips his drink.

"Guess it's kinda inevitable, eh? And people would be really shocked if I had a quiet wedding, yeah?"

"You could have a good Catholic ceremony, if you wanted. Those tend to be rather low-key."

"How many priests can you think of that would marry two men," he says in a practical tone.

"Well...not many. But I'm sure there are some. It was done in ancient times and all that."