Just Us

We watched the sun set well past dark. 

Alex stood up and took the beer from my hand. “I’ve held it against you most of our life.  I know you love to dance. And I was afraid that one moment in our many dreams would stick with you and when I bared my soul to you on the dance floor you’d break me again.”

Alex laughed. “Funny thing is, you break me into a thousand pieces and put me back together everyday. Not bad breaks like heart break or hurt feelings. But those ones that make me want to savor every second with you because you’ve already been taken from me every day of my life but you always come back. Always Nox. Even when I leave you you find a way to pull me back in. And now…” Alex held out the hand with the tattoo of cancer running the gambit of his wrist to me. “I’ve married you in probably the most strictest of ways possible. I get that normal married is just paperwork to you so I’m your…  mate?” He shook his head, it didn’t sound right but he continued anyway, “Forever.”

“My Alex,” I said softly.

“Always and forever, Nox. Dance with me?”

I looked up at him. “You don’t like dancing, Alex. I’m not going to make you.”

Alex laughed. “I’m asking you, pretty boy.”

I stood up and took Alex’s hand. “The music isn’t right.”

“I don’t care. It’s just us, babe. We can dance however we want.”

I hugged Alex. I wrapped my arms around his neck and Alex pulled me close by my hips.  “Baby. I love you,” Alex whispered. “I’m a bad boyfriend.”

“You aren’t my boyfriend anymore, and you are hardly bad,” I said as we danced small circles in the sand. It was your typical teenage slow dance. Just us being close and staring into each other’s eyes. “I love you. I can’t live without you. You’re my Alex. You have all these cute nick names for me and all I want to do is say your name.” I bit my bottom lip and looked down at his. “My life is in those four little letters. I don’t need a fancy house, or tons of clothes. I just need you and the kids and everyone to be happy.”

Alex laughed. “But you have a fancy house. You want to build a fancy building. I like dressing you up or down or taking them off.” Alex smirked. “I’ll buy you whatever you want. I know you don’t need it. But it’s yours. I’m yours.”

We kissed. It was soft and tender as we shuffled in the small circle to music of our own making. 

The party raged on behind us, the sun was down and we were in our own little world.  Just the two of us.

Alex and I joined the party. He walked around with me pretty much attached at his hip. But Alex held my hand or had his arm around my waist the whole rest of the party.

Funny thing was no one said anything. Even Jace behaved. He gave me a hug and smiled and made jokes but never once whispered in my ear or propositioned me. Which was atypical for our relationship. Though I did catch him glancing at Alex and I wondered what had happened. It wasn’t curiosity or knowing him that was in his eyes, no it was fear. _Don’t worry about him._  Alex had said in my head whenever I started to wonder about Jace’s actions.

But they left early as Naya was getting cranky, which meant Sage left with them. He’d pretty much stayed near the music after I’d started my play list. Every once in a while strange songs would play courtesy of my beloved geeky best friend.

Of all the people that I had expect to be last it was not my father and Margo. After a certain hour the party became college drinking and debauchery, but he and Margo sat on the couch drinking wine and talking while everyone else danced and drank and carried on.

Oddly enough it had been Rider and Laker who had shooed the last of the strangers out the door and turned off the music. The kids had all passed out hours ago and the boys had tenderly put them in their beds, Matt stayed with Hunter. Like me (and Hunter) Matt didn’t much care for people and socialization. He was more than happy to curl up with my son and sleep the rest of the night.

Even before guests were gone Alex would casually grab something and put it where it belonged. Never complained about things when they got broken, but just cleaned it up and threw it away and he felt better. That was my job but it seemed that we’d been sharing a little more now with our bond.

Another reason Alex was had touched me the whole night was the voices. With so many inhibitions gone, the voices were loud and I was hearing way more than I should. Alex’s shields helped me keep some of it out, but not enough. Which troubled Alex. It might be a case of uncontrollable – like his seeing the patterns but not seeing them.

I had another thought and wondered if the other person could block them, like I could keep my magic from flowing to Alex so badly and the same for him. I had a sneaky suspicion that was what had happened. Ant and Isabelle had been conveniently absent the whole night. They returned just as my father and Margo left. Kai hugged – hugged – Ant and thanked him. He gave Isabelle a wide smile and welcomed her to the family. Ryan on the other hand had been the life of the party – he pulled every girl who would normally fling themselves at me and entertained them. I was pretty sure he’d taken a few of them home and probably wouldn’t be back for several hours.

My brothers took care of the cleaning.  There was no room in the fridge with so many left overs.  There was a cake sitting on the counter that had been mostly eaten.  “Did you eat that?”  I asked Alex.  I recognized the cake from Jay’s pastry shop but the cake had honey in it.  And I knew Alex couldn’t eat that.  One of those random memories.  Nothing I had to worry about since I hadn’t cooked with honey in forever.  Probably near the time I learned as a kid Alex was allergic to it.  It was funny how much he influenced me even then.

Alex shook his head, “It has honey in it.  I’m allergic.  Mia told me when I asked.”

I picked up the remainder of the cake and tossed it into the garbage outside.  Alex protested, “Everyone else could have eaten it.”

“Honey and shellfish aren’t allowed in the house.”  I grinned at Alex, “I won’t take chances with my family.”

Alex sighed.  “Alright, fine.”  He hated when I threw out food.  I wrapped him up in a hug without hands, my fingers might have honey crumbs on them.

Alex rolled his eyes.  “I’ll be fine!” 

And our night ended in the same place it had started in bed.