GROUP POST | Hunt & Evans Wedding Reception

[richandlovingit]

[OPEN TO ALL]

Out of all the things in his life that Ethan had worked towards and achieved, he was pretty sure he had never been this exhausted in his life. The wedding was over, and Stuart and Tom had finally managed to tie the knot, only one hour later than originally expected. Stuart had arrived at the ceremony just as Tom was about to panic,

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[nothingunderit]

Once Braden was absolutely sure his baby brother was happy and content, and that the marriage was well and truly signed, sealed and delivered, he excused himself from the table containing some aunts, uncles and cousins and slipped outside to get some fresh air. The guilt over the disaster he had caused that morning was still weighing heavily. He had managed to stamp it down for the ceremony and the formalities of the reception (as formal as a non-traditional gay wedding could be), but the truth was, he felt terrible for his emotions exploding when they did. It was like Callum's news just came as a prick to an over-inflated emotional balloon that was Braden's feelings.

It was strange that he and Kenzie had avoided each other all night, too. They had agreed to remain friends, but the heartache of it all was still fresh. They couldn't just go from being intense lovers to good friends in a few days. The dust needed to settle. She had stuck with Jules, while Braden was pulled every which way amongst his family. With a half-spent bottle of beer in his hand, Braden walked out through the grounds of the castle to where he had the best views over the city. Home. He missed it. But at the same time, he had come to adore London. Only now, he had no idea what direction he was looking in without Kenzie. All his decisions had been based on her and the baby, and now that chapter was closed.

[fiveofeight]

James had decided that starting to bawl loudly and incessantly was appropriate wedding ettiquette. Renee was still finding her feet with this new mother thing, and was, of course, mortified at the baby bawling in the middle of the celebrations. She tried all the usual things that got him to stop, but had no luck. She finally just decided to bundle him up in the buggy and take him outside so he didn't bother the other guests who were drinking and having a good time. Of course, booze was out for her considering she was breastfeeding, and she was starting to get tired.

Trying not to worry why her son was crying like a banshee, she manouvered the pram outside but he just continued to scream. Sophie had looked like she was going to follow to help, but Renee had indicated to her that it was fine. For the first time all evening, Soph had managed to nab her husband from his Best Man duties, and Renee didn't want to interrupt that. She kept walking away from the hall, praying to herself for the crying to stop. She was only human, and it was upsetting her that he was upset. She put the breaks on the buggy and scooped her son into her arms, only to realise she had totally infiltrated someone else's quiet time with a screaming baby. "Oh shit, I'm sorry. I'll take him in the other direction."

[nothingunderit]

Braden held up his hand. "Nay, it's okay. I promise. You dinnae have to run away. I'm a paramedic. Crying bairns really arenae a bother," he reassured her with a smile. "He doesnae look happy, mind. Poor wee laddie." He reflexively just stepped over to her, not even sure if he could help or if she needed it.

He smiled and briefly brushed his fingers over the baby's fine hair. "He's beautiful. How old?" he asked. "Oh, I'm Braden, by the way. Apologies for being so rude. Tell me to feck off if you want. I just needed some air."

[fiveofeight]

"Ten weeks," Renee replied, trying to nurse James close to her so he would stop trying to twist out of her hands admist the sobbing. Now that Braden was closer, she realised who he was. One of Stuart's cute brothers. She would be lying if she didn't admit she had taken in the lovely views of the Scot's Best Men throughout the ceremony. There was something about the kilt that just set pulses racing, and to have five hotties in them standing up front for the world to see was a treat.

She looked over his face curiously. "One of Stuart's brothers. I know now, see. Forgive me. I stress out when he cries like this. It's really not like him at all. He's been a good baby, I've been blessed. So this is just... I feel like I want to cry with him," she admitted sheepishly. "I'm Renee. One of the middle Morgans. This is the first time I've seen you, but I swear I know you from somewhere."

[nothingunderit]

Despite what he did, Braden still managed to blush every single time someone recognised him. He cleared his throat softly and bit down on his lip through another smile. "We've probably seen each other around..."

He paused for a moment, watching her sympathetically with the baby. "Do you want me to take him for a wee bit? I promise, I'm nay foreign with bairns. I have nieces and nephews. I live with my brother who is a single dad to my niece. 'Course, he's a new baby, and you probably really dinnae want to hand him over to strangers. Or I can go find someone to help you? His da', maybe?"

[fiveofeight]

Renee did hesitate briefly, but it was only her maternal instinct kicking in. After that, she carefully handed her baby son over with a smile, more than happy for him to try and work his paramedic magic if he could. She touched her fingers to the baby's cheek with a small frown. "Do you think he feels hot? Maybe he has a fever? Maybe I should take him to the hospital?" she fretted.

"He doesn't have a father," she said with a shrug. "Well, obviously he wasn't an immaculate conception, but the shitface did a runner as soon as he found out I was pregnant. I haven't spoken to him since." She was watching him closely again for a moment before she squeaked in surprise, the penny dropping. "Oh hell, Braden Evans. Of Course. You're the reason I dream of having a boyfriend just to dress in that underwear... which is TMI," she added, feeling a little flustered.

[nothingunderit]

Braden tucked his hand around the baby's tiny forehead and dipped his head to see his face. "Nay, I dinnae think so, love. I think he's just worked himself up so much he's overheating." He started to rub the baby boy's back and bounce him a little. "I think you just have a wee bit of a tummy ache, aye? Maybe a bit of wind, hm? Has he suffered with colic at all?"

He laughed softly with a small shrug and nod of it head. At the boyfriend comment, though, he just blushed that little bit more. "I think I must be harder to recognise with clothes on these days. I'd offer to strip down to my underwear for evidence, but aye... nay wearing any." He looked at her apologetically. "I'm really sorry about the bairn's father. I am aware how hard that must be for you."

[fiveofeight]

Renee found herself watching Braden closely with her son. He wasn't scared of babies, he knew exactly how to hold them and handle them. Granted, James was still wailing, but even that didn't deter the blond Evans brother at all. "... um, no. Well, not that I know of. This is out of the ordinary. I wondered if the music was hurting his ears. He was okay the first part of the night, though."

She had to swallow back the urge to lick her lips when he admitted to not wearing any underwear. She knew what he was hiding under those formal clothes, and it was a fantastic body. Contemplating anything else would make her brain explode in a fangirl mess. "You're a natural in front of the camera... and with babies. Plus, you said you're a paramedic. Your, um, partner must thank her lucky stars every day. His lucky stars?" she amended quickly, remember they were at a same-sex wedding, afterall. "It's not been to bad, admittedly. "I have a big family. They're a massive support, and James really isn't a handful. He's not much supporting that scenario right now, but it's the god's honest truth. He's a good baby."

[nothingunderit]

"He's outside well away from the music and still crying, so we can probably eliminate that. I willnae insult you by asking the standard question about whether he hungry or needs changing. It's been a big day for everyone. He might just be tired," Braden suggested and looked down at the baby again in concern. "But he really does have a big cry up. It's nay nice when you cannae tell us what's wrong, is it, buddy?"

He did manage to not wince at her comment and instead cleared his throat, albeit feeling a little awkward. "I dinnae... have a partner. I did, but um... things didnae work oot so well. And I'm straight, just for the record," he added with a small smirk to lighten the mood before it took a nosedive. He was about to continue and comment how important family was, when the baby boy in his arms interrupted the crying by upchucking extensively all down the front of Braden's shirt. There was a slight pause and hiccup before there was another wave, but the crying eased and the poor little thing just looked dazed in the wake of it. "Oh, see? Tummy upset. He'll probably fill his nappy now and feel a whole lot better."

[fiveofeight]

"Oh bollocks!" Renee gasped with a shocked squeak of surprise. Everything she seemed to have fed her son that day looked like it was suddenly dripping down the front of Braden's beautiful dress shirt. Her hands dove into the baby bag as she fumbled to get a towel, or wet wipes, or anything she could find to clean him off.

"Hell, I'm so sorry! All over your shirt. I burped him fine and everything when I fed him, I don't know what's gone wrong. Are you okay? Shit, your wedding clothes. I'm really sorry, Braden. I'll help you clean this up, I can take him back. You are so calm. Why are you so calm? You're covered in baby vomit!" she fretted and started to wipe him down with a handful of wet wipes while simultaneously watching closely to see if James was okay.

[nothingunderit]

Braden laughed softly. "Hey, it's okay, aye. Really," he assured her, taking some of the towels off her. "Here, why dinnae you take the bairn and I'll clean this up. It's fine, Renee. I promise. I deal with this thing all the time. It's just good that he's stopped crying but just keep a wee eye on him. Lots of bugs going around right now. Bairns pick things up all the time, but they're resilient."

He carefully placed James back into Renee's arm, trying to avoid getting any of the baby vomit on her. He started to clean his shirt up with the wipes and towels she had. It wasn't going to escape damage, but it should be fine. He took the black waistcoat off and found that the shirt wasn't so bad. But James was getting grisly again and Braden watched in concern. "Would you like me to take you back to your hotel? Looks like he isnae feeling too well. I can call a taxi and help you with the buggy and stuff," he offered.

[fiveofeight]

Renee nursed James protectively against her chest. He really was out of sorts, and now burying his little face in against her. If he was sick, this would be the first time and she suddenly felt completely and utterly helpless. She watched Braen for a few moments, the way he cleaned up her son's puke without even batting an eyelid.

"I... can I ask you a personal question?" she said quietly. "You don't have to answer if you don't want to, but... how are you single? Seriously? I'm just really not feeling like a deserve a knight in shining armour right now, but you have it down."

[nothingunderit]

Braden paused in the wiping of his shirt and looked down at the wipes in his hand. With a sigh, he shifted to go and lean against a close stone wall. "First, I'm nay sure why you could possibly think you dinnae deserving a wee helping hand, I'm going to tell you it's bullshit... in the politest possible way. You're a mummy with your hands full, and my hands arenae so full. The offer is there if you need it. Nay strings."

A cold shiver crept down his back as soon as those words left his mouth. That was the whole basis of his relationship with Kenzie. That one night of amazing sex, no strings. Only to subsequently discover she was pregnant. It felt like so long ago, but was really only a few months. "And to answer your question, it's a really long story. I'm nay saying that to palm you off. It really is. Goes back a good few years, at least. Just a whole lot of baggage that leads right up to this morning when I had a huge fight with my brother... maybe we can have coffee one day and I can elaborate. Or something."

[fiveofeight]

"You're too sweet," Renee murmured, feeling thrown off by anyone offering to help her beyond her family, let alone a cute and sweet guy like Braden who doing it for no reason than because he was a kind gentleman. Renee hadn't been sure they even existed in this world anymore. "But I can't ask you to leave your brother's wedding. Especially not when I have six brothers and seven brothers and sisters I can rope in to help me."

She watched as his demeanour changed and his shoulders slumped, so she moved to leaned against the wall next to him. "I didn't mean to stir crap up for you. I understand the long story thing. I really do. I might hold you to that coffee, though. Us people in big families have to stick together, right? If you want to talk about it, I could be an independent party to just listen. Fights with siblings really aren't a new realm for me. Just... was this something to do with Stuart delaying the wedding?"

[nothingunderit]

Braden gave her a faint smile. "Aye, but still. Offer's there if you want it. Thing aboot big families is they understand a hell of a lot most dinnae. Stuart wouldnae mind. Really. He wouldnae. But I will be a pest and push you. To be honest, I'm just surplus to requirement now. Stu's happy, everyone else is happy..."

"Aye," he confirmed with a nod and a sigh. "Same long story and it will be okay. I got oversensitive with something my brother said, unintentionally, mind. And irationally." He scrunched his nose up a little as he looked out over the illuminated Edinburgh New Town. "The thing is, to try and talk to him aboot it, and apologise, means revisiting the subject matter and I'm nay sure I'm ready to withoot getting upset again."

[fiveofeight]

"But you aren't?" Renee guessed quietly, not really needing to have known him forever to understand him, she found. He was a sweetheart, but he was hurting. A lot. And she just couldn't help but want to know more about that. The offer of coffee was definitely something she was going to hold him to.

She held James securely in one arm and rested her other hand on Braden's shoulder before slipping her arm around his neck and giving him a soft hug. She might have just met him, but she didn't care. He looked like he needed a hug. "But he's your brother. He'll understand if something is too sensitive to revisit. You don't need to avoid him."