65. Arik

"For the first time as husbands, Mr. Arik Vesper and Mr. Varian Vesper." Vallen announced us, and we walked through the parted crowd to cheers.

"You have a real supervillain name now," I said softly. "I thought that the night we met, but this one suits you much better."

"Much better than the other legacy, too. I love it."

We lifted our clasped hands above our heads as we walked out onto the middle of the checkerboard tile in the grand hall of the castle we'd chosen for the wedding. We'd held the ceremony earlier in the day in the gardens.

Varian looked like a dream. He wore his hair pulled back in a low ponytail, simply styled. We'd gone with a smaller designer, Joshua Kane Bespoke. Every detail of our suits was unique to us.

"If Funeral March starts playing, I will never forgive you."

"Not for our first dance. That's for later." Varian had been joking about it for months.

"Not funny!"

"But you have to change the lyrics now. Church bells ringing for a song you will be singing, Stardust." Varian barely kept a straight face.

We stopped in the middle, surrounded by all the people we loved and I gave Varian a look before pulling him into my arms. Our first song started. A duet we'd written.

His arms slid around my neck, and his forehead rested against mine. I started with my hands on his hips, but needed him closer so I wrapped my arms around his back.

"Still not funny," I teased as I closed my eyes, absorbing the moment. Amazed we were here.

"It is a little." The smile in his voice still put galaxies in my chest.

"We can't let Nova hear it. We'll never hear the end of it."

Varian laughed. "I didn't think about that. After that deep dive she did on YouTube about our lore with Fox, she'd know."

"She'd know no matter what. She's too smart for her own good."

"Can you believe we're married?" he said at length.

"No. I can't believe I get you for the rest of my life and I don't have to hide it." I'd been smiling so much today my face genuinely hurt. "I don't think I could be more happy, beloved."

"Beloved?" Varian asked, and the catch in his voice made me open my eyes.

"Do you hate it?" I asked.

He shook his head quickly. "Much the opposite. Where did it come from?"

"It just came to me, since you call me Stardust."

He groaned. "Keep saying that and we won't be at this reception long."

My brow lifted. "It does that?"

"Very much. But since you as a whole do this to me, you can't be surprised." He murmured over my lips, making me desperate to kiss him.

"If that gets you going, wait until I tell you my plans for later tonight when we're alone." It was a little mean, but I loved getting Varian all worked up.

His eyes widened. "What are you talking about?"

I knew he wouldn't leave this floor until I told him and gave a quick glance to make sure no one was near enough to hear before I put my lips to his ear. "I want you to fuck me."

His breath caught, and he stopped moving.

"You're forgetting yourself." I encouraged his body to move with mine.

"You—want me to…?" he asked, pulling back enough to look me in the eye.

"Isn't it my husband's job to take my anal virginity on our wedding night?" I really hoped none of our friends could read lips.

He grabbed my face to kiss me.

Our guests cheered.

I smirked, giving him a hint of tongue. "I'll take that as a yes."

"I never thought…"

"I wanted to before," I admitted. "I almost asked when we were at Jekyll Island."

A moment of sadness flickered in his eyes. "Thank you for trusting me."

I pressed my lips to the corner of his eye. "No sadness tonight. It's perfect like this."

He was quiet for a moment. "I still can't believe you used to call yourself straight."

"I'm Varian-sexual. No one else is you. No one before and after, they were all poor comparisons. I don't think I could truly be with anyone else after experiencing your love."

"It sucks. Do not recommend, zero out of ten." He laughed, and I chased it. "No one is the same as you."

"Can you two stop? Everyone is getting bored." Nova stood next to us with her head back and mouth open like this was agony.

"The song isn't even over yet," Varian said, holding back a laugh.

"Longest three minutes of my life. Can we just skip to the cake?" Nova held the giant ceremonial cake knife over her head. Where she'd concealed it would plague me.

"Woah, woah." Varian let go of me to take the knife out of her hands. Vallen rushed forward to help.

And I just laughed.

"Sorry! I don't know when she had time to grab that. She was next to me the entire time," Vallen muttered.

"He spaces out and doesn't pay attention. I was with Fox for, like, twenty minutes." Nova threw him under the bus.

"I do not!" Vallen said, gritting his teeth.

"Nova, please be good for your uncle tonight." Varian fought a laugh, trying to be stern as he turned back to me.

"I want to dance with you two if you're going to be long and boring about it." Nova put an arm around each of our backs.

We welcomed her in.

The next free moment we had, Varian leaned in and said into my ear. "I've been half-hard all night thinking about later."

"I'd offer a quickie in the bathroom for old time's sake, but I'm going to make you wait. I want to feel every ounce of need taken out on me later, husband."

"I love when you call me that."

"I'll do that too, when you're inside me, beloved."

The End