29. River

Three weeks later, Jenna and Nick, along with Anna and a few members of River's old Bible study, were helping River and Skye move into their new apartment. As much as they hated leaving their condo, they'd realized they just couldn't afford it anymore on a single income, and River was taking it the hardest, trying not to beat himself up, trying not to see it as being his fault that they had to leave the home they'd loved, that they'd fallen in love in, and shared for the last six years, that they'd built so many memories in.

Their new place was nice enough. Smaller, with only one bedroom and one bathroom, and a smaller kitchen as well, but a decent sized living area and a nice neighborhood. And their neighbors seemed friendly too, so as hard as it was, they were trying to keep their heads up and focus on the good, and what they had to be thankful for. Even with all the bad, they still had amazing friends who were helping them move, putting their furniture together and hauling away the things they couldn't bring with them, neighbors who were welcoming them to the building and bringing them brownies, and even a housewarming present from Jaden and Chloe.

Skye opened the large box once everyone else had gone and it was just them, Nick and Jenna left. He grinned when he pulled out two large, very soft blankets. One in rainbow and the other in blue, pink, and purple.

"What's that?" River asked from his spot on the sofa. He'd been resting on the couch for the majority of the moving, and although he'd longed to help and feel useful, his heart had acted up several times and his lightheadedness and nausea had kept him from doing much of anything, so he'd had to leave it up to the others to handle.

"Our colors, angel," Skye said, and handed River his.

Jenna sat next to him and petted the large blanket as Nick stood nearby chugging some water. "Oooh, it's so soft," she cood.

She was right. It was so plush and warm. River loved it. He had never had anything representing his sexuality before. Except Skye.

"That was really nice of Jaden and Chloe."

"Yeah, it was," Skye agreed. "Why don't I order some pizza and we can watch something on the laptop while we eat dinner. Unpacking can wait til tomorrow. I'm beat."

Jenna turned her gaze to Nick, and then back to them when he nodded. "Actually, before we do that, Nick and I have an announcement."

River's eyes widened as did Skye's. Jenna and Nick were both beaming now, and River thought he had noticed them being a little bit more touchy feely than normal throughout the day, exchanging kisses as they passed each other, and at one point he recalled them being missing for several minutes.

Jenna thrust her hand forward and River almost squealed at the large diamond band on her ring finger.

"Oh my God, you guys are engaged?" Skye said. They nodded and River hugged Jenna as Skye hugged Nick. River was forever grateful when Jenna moved aside to allow Nick to sit so he could hug him without standing.

"I'm so happy for you," he said. "Do you have a date?"

"Not yet," Nick shrugged. "Sometime in the spring."

"Fuck, you guys," Skye was doing a happy dance when he hugged Jenna and she laughed. "This is the best news ever."

"We want you both to be in the wedding," Jenna said, pulling away and gripping Skye's hands.

"Oh, um, yeah, we'd love to. I don't know if that's a good idea for me, though. I can't really stand up for that long." River bit his lip. He hated to let his friends down, but passing out during their wedding wasn't going to help anyone either.

"We can have you sit," Jenna said, nonplussed. "You have a handicap, River, like a lot of people. It's not going to keep us from wanting you in our wedding."

"You want me sitting up there the whole time?"

"Sure. Why not? What if you had a wheelchair? It wouldn't be any different."

River hadn't thought of that, except that sitting was still painful for him, but there was no way he would miss out on Nick and Jenna's wedding.

"It'll be a short ceremony anyway, ‘cause we want to get to the reception," Nick said with a grin. "We know you might not be able to be there for long but we can't get married without you, River." Nick's big hazel eyes were so full of hope it made River's chest ache.

"I'll be there," he said, giving his friends a smile. "You might have to put me in a wheelchair, but I'll be there."

Jenna kissed River on the cheek and Skye ordered their pizza.

River unwrapped his new blanket completely and couldn't keep the smile off of his face as he draped it over himself. It was amazingly comfortable and covered his entire body, and it made him feel whole and safe, and like maybe this little apartment could actually be their home.

"Looks good on you, angel," Skye said, grinning at his husband, and leaning down to kiss him again.

They spent the evening with their friends, surrounded by boxes, watching Star Wars on their laptop, and huddled under their pride blankets, holding hands.

Skye

"Hey, you wanna turn on some Christmas music for us?" Skye asked as he fluffed the tree.

River was sitting up length wise on the couch, his pillow propped up behind him for support. He was bundled up in a hoodie, flannel pajama pants, slippers and his pride blanket from Jaden and Chloe and was still shivering. Skye had already turned the heat up once to try and accommodate his husband but River's thermoregulation was so out of whack he knew he'd be turning it back down again in thirty minutes anyway when his husband got too hot.

River picked up his phone and swiped, and soon there was classical Christmas music filling the space. Skye swayed his hips a little to the tune as he continued to decorate the tree.

"You want something warm to drink?" he asked. "Coffee, tea, hot chocolate?"

"Sure," River said as he shivered some more. "Tea sounds good."

"Peppermint okay?"

River nodded. "I can get it, Skye."

Skye eyed him. "I'll get it," he said, and pressed his lips to River's temple. A few minutes later Skye handed River a warm mug of peppermint tea, and watched as he breathed it in and sighed contentedly.

"What's with the blue lights this year?" River asked as Skye strung the lights.

Skye looked over at him and smiled. "It's my favorite color," he said, and gave his husband a wink.

River blushed and grinned. "Shut up."

River watched as Skye decorated the tree with the ornaments next and raised his eyebrow when he saw Skye pull one out that didn't match the others.

"What's that?" he asked. It was flat and oval shaped, and River could only see the back of it.

"This, I was kind of hoping you could hang with me," Skye said, and he knelt next to River and showed it to him. On the front of the ornament were two chibi figures that looked like them, dressed in tuxedos and holding hands. "River" was wearing a green and red scarf and "Skye" had reindeer antlers on his head. Underneath them it said "Our first Christmas together."

River smiled and laughed a little. "That's pretty adorable," he said.

"I thought so," Skye said, grinning. "You feel well enough to stand long enough to help me find a prime spot for it?"

"I think so." River set his drink aside and climbed out from under his blanket. He stood slowly, and when he did he had to brace himself on Skye for a moment.

"You okay?" Skye asked.

River nodded.

They made their way over to the tree and hung the ornament up together, front and center, and then Skye took River's face in his hands and kissed him tenderly. He wished it could have been longer but he knew that the longer River was on his feet the worse he felt, so he let his husband go and helped him back to the couch.

Skye's phone started buzzing before he made it back to the tree and when he took it out of his pocket he saw that it was Grace.

"Hey, Mom," he answered.

"Hi, sweetheart," Grace said. "How are you guys?"

"We're okay," Skye said. "Hanging in there." He honestly didn't know how to answer that question anymore. ‘Okay' seemed like the best response. They certainly weren't good. They were far from good, but they were doing their best. Most days, though, it felt like they were barely keeping their heads above water. Skye tried, really tried to find the good in their situation, and he knew River did too, but it was hard sometimes. Really hard. Sometimes it felt like they were drowning and then being handed a baby. He missed the life they used to have before River was so sick. He missed the life he thought they would have together, and trying to stay hopeful and be optimistic took every ounce of strength and energy he had. It was hard to find moments where they could smile and laugh in the midst of all the hurt and confusion and anger over not understanding what was going on with his husband and why he felt the way he did or how to help him. Overwhelmed didn't even begin to describe it.

"Well, I was calling about Christmas," Grace said. "I know River hasn't been feeling well, and he's not really up for traveling, so I was wondering what you thought about Jaden and Chloe and I coming to you guys this year?"

Skye's breath caught in his throat and he had tears filling his eyes. "Really?" he asked.

"Unless you'd rather have Christmas to yourselves this year," Grace said.

"No, no, we want to see you guys, we just didn't think it would work," Skye said. "I mean, we don't have space for guests to stay overnight since we moved, Mom."

"I know. I called Jenna and she said we were welcome to use her and Nick's place since they would be out of town."

"Oh, wow, that's great," Skye said, and he was crying now. "I don't know why I didn't think of that."

"You've got a lot on your mind, Skye," Grace said. "You and River have had a rough year. How's the new place?"

"It's not bad," Skye said. "It's an adjustment, but it could be worse. I'm just… I'm really glad you guys are coming, Mom. River and I were both getting pretty depressed about the idea of spending Christmas alone, actually. And I know he felt pretty guilty about me missing Christmas with my family."

"Well, he does know that he's your family, right?" Grace said.

Skye smiled and laughed a little. "Yeah, I told him that too."

"Well, we'll be there whenever you want us. And please let River know that we don't expect him to be up serving us or anything. He doesn't even have to get out of his pajamas. We just want to be with you guys, whatever that looks like this year. Even if we're just inside watching movies and eating cookies all day. We don't need any special plans. We just want to be together. Okay?"

Skye smiled. "That sounds pretty great to me."

"Good," Grace said. "I'll try not to burn the pie this year."

"I'll eat it anyway."

"I know."

"Thanks, Mom. I love you."

"I love you, too."

"Your family is coming for Christmas?" River asked as soon as Skye got off the phone.

"Yeah," Skye said, and he was smiling and wiping tears from his eyes.

River smiled. "I'm glad."

Skye had never realized just how thoughtful and caring and compassionate people could be until you needed them to be, and his family and friends were really coming through for him right now at a time when he needed them the most, and he had never been more grateful.

He glanced up at the clock. "Shit," he said. "I gotta get to work, babe." He hurried into the bedroom to change and came back out in the khakis and polo shirt he wore for his new part time job. He'd had to take on some extra work since River had lost his job, and he'd been working at an auto parts shop on Saturdays for the past few weeks. He didn't mind it, except that between it and grading papers and making lesson plans he felt like he rarely got time with River any more, and he missed his husband. Still, at least it was a job he enjoyed, so he had that to be thankful for.

"See you tonight," he said, and gave River a kiss before heading out the door.

"Hey, I thought you would be asleep," Skye said when he got home late that night and saw River sitting up in bed with his laptop open in front of him, his thumb nail in his mouth and a look of concentration on his handsome face.

"I've been thinking," River said, looking up from his screen. "I want to do something, if I can, to help out financially. I hate that you are working as much as you are and I am so bored most of the time. I was trying to think of things I could do from home, and I think I could get my medical transcription certificate and start earning money again."

Skye continued to strip as his husband talked. He changed into pajama pants and a T-shirt, and then made his way over to his side of the bed and climbed in. He glanced at River's screen and then looked at his husband. "You know you don't have to do that. I don't want you pushing yourself if you aren't well enough."

"I want to," River insisted. "It will take some time to earn the certification and I wouldn't be making nearly as much as I was before, but, it'd be something."

Skye smiled despite his fatigue, and leaned over to press a kiss to his husband's lips. Truth be told he was getting more and more stressed about their financial situation and if River could handle working, even part time, it would really help them. But he wasn't going to say anything to his husband about their finances because he knew it would only make River feel worse, and he dealt with enough guilt as it was. "You know I will support whatever you want to do, angel."

River grinned and Skye kissed him again.

God, he loved that smile.

Skye

Skye couldn't get over how incredible his husband looked in his tuxedo. He'd never seen River this dressed up, and it suited him. His black framed glasses just added to his sex appeal. It had taken him far longer to get ready than it used to. Showering was difficult now, because he couldn't risk passing out and getting injured, so they had purchased a stool he could sit on. It worked well enough, but just the process of showering was enough to wear him out most of the time, so he would have to rest when he was finished, then style his hair and brush his teeth, then rest again, before getting dressed.

Skye had helped him as much as he could, and now River sat on the bed, reclining against the wedge pillow he still used on a regular basis. He looked pale and exhausted, but Skye knew he wouldn't miss this wedding no matter what.

"You look amazing, even if you feel like shit," he said, and gave his husband a small smile. River smiled back softly as Skye pressed a kiss to his forehead. That damn bow-tie was what was really doing it for him. Why was it so damn cute? It made him want to undress River and fuck him right here and now, even though they had literally spent the last hour getting him dressed. Maybe fuck him with the bow-tie still on?

"I'll be ready soon," he said. "Rest."

It was an hour later when they arrived at the outdoor wedding, set in a beautiful botanical garden. It was late morning and the air was filled with the scents of flowers. There were white chairs set up for the guests and a gorgeous arch in the front.

Skye had rented a wheelchair for River so he had it if he needed it but could stand if he wanted to.

The ceremony was beautiful, and Jenna was absolutely stunning. Her gown was form fitting and strapless, covered in lace and sparkling under the mid morning sun. Her dark hair had grown longer over the months and was in a gorgeous updo. A simple tiara was placed on top of her head, no veil.

Nick was in tears when she walked down the aisle, and Skye was crying too. He couldn't believe his best friends were getting married.

When she reached the front, Nick took her hand and pulled her to him, and even though it wasn't "time" yet he pressed a kiss to her lips, making everyone laugh and "aww." He blushed and Jenna smiled from ear to ear.

Their vows were simple but beautiful. And when it was officially time for Nick to kiss his bride, he scooped her close again, and tilted her backwards, making everyone cheer.

Skye kept his eyes on River, who was seated behind Jenna in his wheelchair. They had questioned her choice of "maid of honor" but she had said she didn't give a flying fuck what people thought. It was her and Nick's wedding, not anyone else's, and River was her closest friend, so she wanted him to be in her bridal party, while Skye had been Nick's best man.

River seemed okay, and when the newlyweds walked back down the aisle, Skye met River in the middle of the aisle and pushed him towards the reception.

"Any chance you feel up to having a short dance with me?" Skye asked his husband after the cake had been cut and he and River had given their speeches.

River's eyes sparkled and he nodded. "I'll try."

He stood, slowly, and held Skye's arm as they walked to the dance floor, joining the other guests. Nick and Jenna stood nearby, swaying to the soft music, smiling endlessly.

Skye took River in his arms and supported him as best he could while they danced, slowly. He knew it wouldn"t last long but he wanted this moment with his husband. "I love you," he said sincerely, gazing into sapphire eyes. "I love you so much."

River gave a small smile and kissed him. "I love you, too," he said.