Fic: By Your Side
Title: By Your Side
Author: starrdust411
Fandom: Heroes
Pairing: Mohinder/Gabriel
Rating: PG
Summary: For the schmoop_bingo challenge. Prompt: Wedding (Word Count: 2,781)
Disclaimer: I do not own Heroes.
Warnings: AU, Fluff
Author's Note: This fic can be seen as a sequel to Sweaty Palms and/or this prompt fic, but it's just as easily read as a stand alone story.
When Mohinder had said that he wanted the reception hall to be covered in red and gold, Gabriel had feared that the entire set would look painfully tacky. Of course, he was pleasantly surprised when the ballroom that they had rented for the occasion had turned out far better than he could have imagined.
There were red streamers and gold lights hanging from the ceiling and flowing cream colored curtains draped against the walls, transforming the otherwise dingy hotel conference room into some majestic hideaway. The circular tables that were scattered across the dining area were covered in sand colored cloths with gold embroidery and topped with clean white plates, intricately folded gold napkins, polished silverware, and champagne flutes waiting to be filled. At the center of each table was a towering gilded vase exploding with a bouquet of lush red flowers.
Just a few steps away from the tables was the catered feast, a wealth of dishes in silver trays and glass bowls were hot and ready to be eaten. The smell of spiced, exotic food filled the air as the guests sat and chattered pleasantly amongst themselves as they eagerly awaited to be served.
Everything was so exotically opulent and magnificent, just like Mohinder. The Indian looked absolutely breath taking in his long golden achkan with its intricate stitching and bead work. The splashes of red added by his stole and pagri only added to the overall atmosphere and made Gabriel feel very small and removed.
The American felt painfully dull in comparison with his plain black tuxedo and tie. Mohinder had told him to dress in whatever made him feel comfortable, and the tux had seemed so natural before, but now he felt like an outcast in his own wedding, even if several of the guests were dressed in a similarly western fashion.
That's all he felt like now, a guest not a groom, even when he was standing there with his arm locked with Mohinder's. This wedding hadn't felt like his ever since his mother had not only announced that she would not be attending, but had also rallied just about every single member of his family into agreement not to be present at this "sinful display." Gabriel hadn't expected to feel so morose and lonely without his family's support (he never really liked his relatives anyway), but as the big day fast approached, he suddenly found himself feeling very distant and removed from the planning and the event itself.
Of course his first instinct had been to call the entire thing off, but he knew that wasn't an option. He loved Mohinder and wanted more than anything to marry him. He couldn't back away from that, no matter how tempting the idea of canceling everything was.
"Are you alright, Gabriel?" Mohinder asked quietly. Gabriel felt his cheeks flush when the smaller man placed a concerned hand onto his chest. The slightly intimate gesture made him feel very aware of how many people were around (and the reminder that it was their wedding day did nothing to comfort him). "You look pale. Do you want something to drink?"
Gabriel swallowed, his throat was dry and incredibly tight, but he couldn't even think about drinking anything. "No, I... I'm fine," he said finally. He straightened himself up when he noticed Peter and his date approaching the two of them.
The young man looked strange in a suit and tie. Instead of making him look older and more mature, the ensemble only served to highlight his youth. Even with his dark hair brushed back and not hiding his face, he still looked like a teenager drowning in his father's best suit. His date, Simone, on the other hand, looked completely natural in formal wear. Her sleek plum dress went beautifully with her skin tone and highlighted her curves in a way that was both tempting and elegant. They were a contrasting image, but their bright smiles made it clear that they were having a wonderful time.
"Congratulations, guys," Peter said, shaking Mohinder and then Gabriel's hand.
"Congratulations," Simone gushed, wrapping each of them in a friendly hug. "That was a great ceremony."
"It was long," Peter joked, rolling his eyes teasingly.
"Stop it! It was not long," she chided, swatting at Peter's shoulder in lighthearted outrage.
"Just feel grateful that we didn't do a full, Hindu ceremony," Mohinder teased, smiling brilliantly as he tightened his grip on Gabriel's arm. "Those can take as long as three hours."
"Three hours?" Peter repeated incredulously. The young man looked positively pale at the prospect. "Wow, I don't think I would have been able to handle that."
"Don't let his tough guy act fool you," Simone told them, resting a hand on Peter's shoulder. "I was completely ready for him to nod off before we could even get to the vows, but he was wide awake and giving his full attention the whole way through. He even cried!"
Peter blushed furiously, his face positively red as he squirmed uncomfortably. "Simone, I thought we weren't going to tell anyone that," he said, whispered really, but Gabriel heard him clear as a bell.
"Oh please, it was cute."
The nurse chuckled, wrapping his arm around Simone's narrow waist. "Okay, let's get something to eat before you say anything else to embarrass me."
"A couple of drinks in you and you'll be doing my work for me," she joked, allowing Peter to lead her away.
Mohinder chuckled, taking a step closer to Gabriel's side. "I think someone should remind Simone that she's not allowed to look as pretty as me," he whispered jokingly. "It is my wedding day after all."
Gabriel gave a soft chuckle -- because he honestly couldn't imagine anyone being half as beautiful as Mohinder -- but the gesture sounded weak even in his own ears. He knew right away that the hollowness would not escape Mohinder's attention.
Sure enough he felt Mohinder's careful hands framing his face, forcing Gabriel to meet his gaze. "You're not at all well, are you?" he commented, his voice dripping with worry.
Gabriel didn't know how to respond to that. His tongue felt fat and lazy as it sat useless in his mouth, his throat was painfully tight, and his stomach could do nothing more than churn and gurgle. It was more than a bit pathetic that he was getting like this after the ceremony.
Mohinder sighed softly, as he grabbed his hand, tugging at it gently. "Let's get out of here," the Indian whispered.
He blinked, startled by the other man's declaration. "Mohinder, it's our wedding reception!" he babbled despite the fact that he was already following close behind him. "We can't just leave."
"Well, since we're the ones who paid for more than half of everything, I think we're entitled to do whatever we want," Mohinder reasoned as they slipped behind one of the curtains before creeping out the door.
Being outside of the comfort of the decorated reception hall only helped to make Gabriel feel even more out of place, especially when he was being dragged behind Mohinder and his glittering red and golden attire. He felt much better when Mohinder shoved the two of them inside of a broom closet. Although when the door snapped closed and the lights flooded the small quarters, high lighting the chemicals and dirty cleaning supplies that surrounded them, he suddenly started to feel uncomfortable again.
"Alright, tell me what's wrong," Mohinder demanded. "And don't say 'nothing.' It's more than obvious there's something bothering you."
Gabriel squirmed uneasily as he simultaneously tried to avoid Mohinder's gaze and touching anything. He may have felt awkward in his tux, but that didn't mean he wanted to ruin it by getting any chemicals on the fabric. "I don't know," he sighed, rubbing at the bridge of his nose. "This whole day has just... it hasn't been how I expected."
"You're not having second thoughts, are you?" Mohinder asked. His voice may have been even, but Gabriel was able to catch the faint trace of nervous fear lying under his words.
"No!" Gabriel said quickly.
Saying 'I do' had been the most natural thing in the world and Gabriel had no doubt in his mind that he had made the right choice in marrying the Indian. His only concern on that end was that one day Mohinder would wake up and realize marrying him was a huge mistake. Gabriel could only pray that that day would be far in the future.
He sighed, grabbing Mohinder's shoulders and pulling him close. "Mohinder, I could never tell you how much I love you and how incredibly grateful I am that you agreed to marry me."
"Of course, I agreed," Mohinder interrupted. "I love you."
Gabriel smiled. He still couldn't completely wrap his head around how someone like Mohinder could ever love someone like him, and even with matching gold rings on their fingers and a notarized piece of paper saying as much, it was hard to believe they were married. "I know," he sighed. "It's just... you have your whole family here and all your friends and... and I have no one."
The Indian frowned as understanding suddenly dawned on him. "So this is about your mother," he concluded.
He nodded, his eyes stinging at Mohinder's words. "I don't know what's stupider," he began, wiping at the tears that were already welling up in his eyes, "the fact that I'm getting so emotional after the wedding or that I still wanted her to be here even after the horrible things she said."
"Well, she is your mother after all," Mohinder said, although Gabriel could tell from the Indian's tone that he wasn't exactly feeling any remorse for her absence. "It's natural for you to feel disappointed that she's not here." He sighed, grabbing Gabriel's glasses and gently slipping them off. Mohinder wiped of the lenses with the fabric of his stole before tucking the frames away in his achkan. "And, I know it's not quite the same, but I'm here for you and I always will be."
Gabriel sobbed, wrapping his arms tightly around Mohinder's waist and pulling the smaller man flat against him. Tears poured out of his eyes as Mohinder returned the hold, embracing Gabriel and patting his back gently. "Do you regret marrying such a big baby?" Gabriel joked between tears as he buried his face in Mohinder's shoulder.
"Marrying you was anything but regrettable," Mohinder assured him. "I just wish we had called off the ceremony and eloped when we found out about your mother. If I had known her not showing up would have this sort of effect on you..."
"It's okay," he interrupted, backing away and attempting to pull himself together. "I mean, I know that this wedding meant a lot to you."
"The wedding's not important. Today is about us, remember? I want you to be happy and comfortable. That's what's important to me." Mohinder smiled, placing a gentle hand on Gabriel's cheek. "Now is everything okay?"
"I guess so."
"'I guess so' is not the answer I was looking for," Mohinder chided. "What else is troubling you?"
"It's nothing major," Gabriel said. He shrugged, fingering the lapel of his tuxedo. "I just... compared to you, I look like so dull and boring. I feel like I'm dressed for a funeral, not a wedding."
"Well, that's easily fixed," he said. Gabriel watched as Mohinder slid his pagri off of his head, freeing his thick curls. They were mussed, flattened against his head and Gabriel’s hands suddenly itched with the desire to run his fingers over the smaller man’s scalp until his hair returned to its usual shape. Instead, he felt Mohinder's hand brushing over his head, pushing the few strands of hair that had fallen loose out of his face and back into the neatly combed order it had been in.
"Stand still," Mohinder instructed, as he carefully placed the red and gold pagri on top of Gabriel’s head. "There," he breathed as he fixing the tail end so that it fell perfectly behind his neck. The Indian took a step back, checking his work carefully, before sliding his stole off and draping it across Gabriel's broad shoulders. "You look perfect."
He laughed, reaching out and brushing Mohinder's hair, running his fingers through the smaller man's curls until they once again returned to they looked full and thick again. "And you look beautiful," Gabriel breathed, closing the distance between the two of them and pressing his lips gently against Mohinder's.
The Indian chuckled, grabbing Gabriel by his lapels and pulling him closer. "Are you excited for tonight?" Mohinder purred, nipping at Gabriel's lips. "It'll be just the two of us then and you won't have to worry a thing about silly clothes."
Gabriel made a sound that was somewhere between a laugh and a sigh as his fingers once again found their way into Mohinder's hair, gripping tightly and forcing the Indian’s smaller body impossibly close. "Can we just get started right now?" Gabriel joked, unbuttoning the top layer of Mohinder's jacket to gain better access to his neck. "I don't think I can wait for much longer."
"Naughty boy," he breathed. His hands moved from Gabriel's lapels to his chest, pressing his palms flat against his white dress shirt before traveling downward. He pushed past the tuxedo jacket's thick fabric and began caressing Gabriel's side through the thin white cotton. "Don't you know that the reception has just started? These things go on for hours."
"At least it'll be a while before anyone comes looking for us," he said, kissing along his neck. Mohinder groaned, tilting his head back in encouragement.
The sound of the door clicking open did not go unnoticed by either man as they were both sent scrambling away from one another, sheepishly trying to cover up their deeds. Gabriel's face was practically burning up as Chandra poked his head into the small room, a displeased scowl marring his features. To say that Gabriel was embarrassed would be putting things mildly. Less than an hour ago he had entered the man's family and here he was, locked in a broom closet with his son.
"So this is where the two of you disappeared to?" Chandra chided. "Honestly, the two of you are grown men and here you are hiding in a closet while your guests sit and wonder where you went. After all the money we spent on this wedding-"
"Father, this is my wedding day and the last thing I need is a lecture," Mohinder cut in suddenly. Yet despite his defiant tone, he still had the common sense to hold the flaps of his achkan closed.
Chandra bristled as his cheeks turned a faint pink, yet Gabriel could tell that the man was not going to continue to push the issue. "We're ready for you in the reception hall. Time for the toast I believe."
Mohinder nodded, buttoning his jacket. "We'll be out," he promised. "Give us a moment?"
He hesitated, most likely considering whether or not he should stay and continue to badger the two of them until they returned to the reception hall, but Chandra surprised them both by closing the door and allowing them to have a few more minutes of privacy.
Gabriel sighed, adjusting his dress shirt until it stayed flat at his sides instead of puffing out awkwardly. "Who's giving us a toast?" he asked, because he honestly couldn't remember anything anymore.
"Peter I think," Mohinder sighed, combing his hair with his fingers. He paused and then added, "And my Father."
Gabriel cringed at that. He wondered if Chandra would be making any amendments to his speech after this. "Can we just stay in the closet a little bit longer?" Gabriel asked. He blushed when he realized how that question must sound.
Mohinder chuckled softly before giving the taller man a quick kiss on the cheek. "Don't worry. It won't be so bad. After all, it's just two speeches and then we'll have our first dance."
Again he cringed, because he had completely forgotten that they would have to dance together. In front of everyone. His face burned up at the thought. "Can't we just skip that part?" he grumbled miserably. "I really don't feel like starting off our marriage by stepping on your toes."
"Don't worry, I have strong feet," Mohinder teased as he placed Gabriel's glasses back on the bridge of his nose. "Besides, there will be cake soon after."
Gabriel smiled. Besides the wedding night, the eight layered chocolate fudge wedding cake was definitely the thing he was looking forward to the most.
Author: starrdust411
Fandom: Heroes
Pairing: Mohinder/Gabriel
Rating: PG
Summary: For the schmoop_bingo challenge. Prompt: Wedding (Word Count: 2,781)
Disclaimer: I do not own Heroes.
Warnings: AU, Fluff
Author's Note: This fic can be seen as a sequel to Sweaty Palms and/or this prompt fic, but it's just as easily read as a stand alone story.
When Mohinder had said that he wanted the reception hall to be covered in red and gold, Gabriel had feared that the entire set would look painfully tacky. Of course, he was pleasantly surprised when the ballroom that they had rented for the occasion had turned out far better than he could have imagined.
There were red streamers and gold lights hanging from the ceiling and flowing cream colored curtains draped against the walls, transforming the otherwise dingy hotel conference room into some majestic hideaway. The circular tables that were scattered across the dining area were covered in sand colored cloths with gold embroidery and topped with clean white plates, intricately folded gold napkins, polished silverware, and champagne flutes waiting to be filled. At the center of each table was a towering gilded vase exploding with a bouquet of lush red flowers.
Just a few steps away from the tables was the catered feast, a wealth of dishes in silver trays and glass bowls were hot and ready to be eaten. The smell of spiced, exotic food filled the air as the guests sat and chattered pleasantly amongst themselves as they eagerly awaited to be served.
Everything was so exotically opulent and magnificent, just like Mohinder. The Indian looked absolutely breath taking in his long golden achkan with its intricate stitching and bead work. The splashes of red added by his stole and pagri only added to the overall atmosphere and made Gabriel feel very small and removed.
The American felt painfully dull in comparison with his plain black tuxedo and tie. Mohinder had told him to dress in whatever made him feel comfortable, and the tux had seemed so natural before, but now he felt like an outcast in his own wedding, even if several of the guests were dressed in a similarly western fashion.
That's all he felt like now, a guest not a groom, even when he was standing there with his arm locked with Mohinder's. This wedding hadn't felt like his ever since his mother had not only announced that she would not be attending, but had also rallied just about every single member of his family into agreement not to be present at this "sinful display." Gabriel hadn't expected to feel so morose and lonely without his family's support (he never really liked his relatives anyway), but as the big day fast approached, he suddenly found himself feeling very distant and removed from the planning and the event itself.
Of course his first instinct had been to call the entire thing off, but he knew that wasn't an option. He loved Mohinder and wanted more than anything to marry him. He couldn't back away from that, no matter how tempting the idea of canceling everything was.
"Are you alright, Gabriel?" Mohinder asked quietly. Gabriel felt his cheeks flush when the smaller man placed a concerned hand onto his chest. The slightly intimate gesture made him feel very aware of how many people were around (and the reminder that it was their wedding day did nothing to comfort him). "You look pale. Do you want something to drink?"
Gabriel swallowed, his throat was dry and incredibly tight, but he couldn't even think about drinking anything. "No, I... I'm fine," he said finally. He straightened himself up when he noticed Peter and his date approaching the two of them.
The young man looked strange in a suit and tie. Instead of making him look older and more mature, the ensemble only served to highlight his youth. Even with his dark hair brushed back and not hiding his face, he still looked like a teenager drowning in his father's best suit. His date, Simone, on the other hand, looked completely natural in formal wear. Her sleek plum dress went beautifully with her skin tone and highlighted her curves in a way that was both tempting and elegant. They were a contrasting image, but their bright smiles made it clear that they were having a wonderful time.
"Congratulations, guys," Peter said, shaking Mohinder and then Gabriel's hand.
"Congratulations," Simone gushed, wrapping each of them in a friendly hug. "That was a great ceremony."
"It was long," Peter joked, rolling his eyes teasingly.
"Stop it! It was not long," she chided, swatting at Peter's shoulder in lighthearted outrage.
"Just feel grateful that we didn't do a full, Hindu ceremony," Mohinder teased, smiling brilliantly as he tightened his grip on Gabriel's arm. "Those can take as long as three hours."
"Three hours?" Peter repeated incredulously. The young man looked positively pale at the prospect. "Wow, I don't think I would have been able to handle that."
"Don't let his tough guy act fool you," Simone told them, resting a hand on Peter's shoulder. "I was completely ready for him to nod off before we could even get to the vows, but he was wide awake and giving his full attention the whole way through. He even cried!"
Peter blushed furiously, his face positively red as he squirmed uncomfortably. "Simone, I thought we weren't going to tell anyone that," he said, whispered really, but Gabriel heard him clear as a bell.
"Oh please, it was cute."
The nurse chuckled, wrapping his arm around Simone's narrow waist. "Okay, let's get something to eat before you say anything else to embarrass me."
"A couple of drinks in you and you'll be doing my work for me," she joked, allowing Peter to lead her away.
Mohinder chuckled, taking a step closer to Gabriel's side. "I think someone should remind Simone that she's not allowed to look as pretty as me," he whispered jokingly. "It is my wedding day after all."
Gabriel gave a soft chuckle -- because he honestly couldn't imagine anyone being half as beautiful as Mohinder -- but the gesture sounded weak even in his own ears. He knew right away that the hollowness would not escape Mohinder's attention.
Sure enough he felt Mohinder's careful hands framing his face, forcing Gabriel to meet his gaze. "You're not at all well, are you?" he commented, his voice dripping with worry.
Gabriel didn't know how to respond to that. His tongue felt fat and lazy as it sat useless in his mouth, his throat was painfully tight, and his stomach could do nothing more than churn and gurgle. It was more than a bit pathetic that he was getting like this after the ceremony.
Mohinder sighed softly, as he grabbed his hand, tugging at it gently. "Let's get out of here," the Indian whispered.
He blinked, startled by the other man's declaration. "Mohinder, it's our wedding reception!" he babbled despite the fact that he was already following close behind him. "We can't just leave."
"Well, since we're the ones who paid for more than half of everything, I think we're entitled to do whatever we want," Mohinder reasoned as they slipped behind one of the curtains before creeping out the door.
Being outside of the comfort of the decorated reception hall only helped to make Gabriel feel even more out of place, especially when he was being dragged behind Mohinder and his glittering red and golden attire. He felt much better when Mohinder shoved the two of them inside of a broom closet. Although when the door snapped closed and the lights flooded the small quarters, high lighting the chemicals and dirty cleaning supplies that surrounded them, he suddenly started to feel uncomfortable again.
"Alright, tell me what's wrong," Mohinder demanded. "And don't say 'nothing.' It's more than obvious there's something bothering you."
Gabriel squirmed uneasily as he simultaneously tried to avoid Mohinder's gaze and touching anything. He may have felt awkward in his tux, but that didn't mean he wanted to ruin it by getting any chemicals on the fabric. "I don't know," he sighed, rubbing at the bridge of his nose. "This whole day has just... it hasn't been how I expected."
"You're not having second thoughts, are you?" Mohinder asked. His voice may have been even, but Gabriel was able to catch the faint trace of nervous fear lying under his words.
"No!" Gabriel said quickly.
Saying 'I do' had been the most natural thing in the world and Gabriel had no doubt in his mind that he had made the right choice in marrying the Indian. His only concern on that end was that one day Mohinder would wake up and realize marrying him was a huge mistake. Gabriel could only pray that that day would be far in the future.
He sighed, grabbing Mohinder's shoulders and pulling him close. "Mohinder, I could never tell you how much I love you and how incredibly grateful I am that you agreed to marry me."
"Of course, I agreed," Mohinder interrupted. "I love you."
Gabriel smiled. He still couldn't completely wrap his head around how someone like Mohinder could ever love someone like him, and even with matching gold rings on their fingers and a notarized piece of paper saying as much, it was hard to believe they were married. "I know," he sighed. "It's just... you have your whole family here and all your friends and... and I have no one."
The Indian frowned as understanding suddenly dawned on him. "So this is about your mother," he concluded.
He nodded, his eyes stinging at Mohinder's words. "I don't know what's stupider," he began, wiping at the tears that were already welling up in his eyes, "the fact that I'm getting so emotional after the wedding or that I still wanted her to be here even after the horrible things she said."
"Well, she is your mother after all," Mohinder said, although Gabriel could tell from the Indian's tone that he wasn't exactly feeling any remorse for her absence. "It's natural for you to feel disappointed that she's not here." He sighed, grabbing Gabriel's glasses and gently slipping them off. Mohinder wiped of the lenses with the fabric of his stole before tucking the frames away in his achkan. "And, I know it's not quite the same, but I'm here for you and I always will be."
Gabriel sobbed, wrapping his arms tightly around Mohinder's waist and pulling the smaller man flat against him. Tears poured out of his eyes as Mohinder returned the hold, embracing Gabriel and patting his back gently. "Do you regret marrying such a big baby?" Gabriel joked between tears as he buried his face in Mohinder's shoulder.
"Marrying you was anything but regrettable," Mohinder assured him. "I just wish we had called off the ceremony and eloped when we found out about your mother. If I had known her not showing up would have this sort of effect on you..."
"It's okay," he interrupted, backing away and attempting to pull himself together. "I mean, I know that this wedding meant a lot to you."
"The wedding's not important. Today is about us, remember? I want you to be happy and comfortable. That's what's important to me." Mohinder smiled, placing a gentle hand on Gabriel's cheek. "Now is everything okay?"
"I guess so."
"'I guess so' is not the answer I was looking for," Mohinder chided. "What else is troubling you?"
"It's nothing major," Gabriel said. He shrugged, fingering the lapel of his tuxedo. "I just... compared to you, I look like so dull and boring. I feel like I'm dressed for a funeral, not a wedding."
"Well, that's easily fixed," he said. Gabriel watched as Mohinder slid his pagri off of his head, freeing his thick curls. They were mussed, flattened against his head and Gabriel’s hands suddenly itched with the desire to run his fingers over the smaller man’s scalp until his hair returned to its usual shape. Instead, he felt Mohinder's hand brushing over his head, pushing the few strands of hair that had fallen loose out of his face and back into the neatly combed order it had been in.
"Stand still," Mohinder instructed, as he carefully placed the red and gold pagri on top of Gabriel’s head. "There," he breathed as he fixing the tail end so that it fell perfectly behind his neck. The Indian took a step back, checking his work carefully, before sliding his stole off and draping it across Gabriel's broad shoulders. "You look perfect."
He laughed, reaching out and brushing Mohinder's hair, running his fingers through the smaller man's curls until they once again returned to they looked full and thick again. "And you look beautiful," Gabriel breathed, closing the distance between the two of them and pressing his lips gently against Mohinder's.
The Indian chuckled, grabbing Gabriel by his lapels and pulling him closer. "Are you excited for tonight?" Mohinder purred, nipping at Gabriel's lips. "It'll be just the two of us then and you won't have to worry a thing about silly clothes."
Gabriel made a sound that was somewhere between a laugh and a sigh as his fingers once again found their way into Mohinder's hair, gripping tightly and forcing the Indian’s smaller body impossibly close. "Can we just get started right now?" Gabriel joked, unbuttoning the top layer of Mohinder's jacket to gain better access to his neck. "I don't think I can wait for much longer."
"Naughty boy," he breathed. His hands moved from Gabriel's lapels to his chest, pressing his palms flat against his white dress shirt before traveling downward. He pushed past the tuxedo jacket's thick fabric and began caressing Gabriel's side through the thin white cotton. "Don't you know that the reception has just started? These things go on for hours."
"At least it'll be a while before anyone comes looking for us," he said, kissing along his neck. Mohinder groaned, tilting his head back in encouragement.
The sound of the door clicking open did not go unnoticed by either man as they were both sent scrambling away from one another, sheepishly trying to cover up their deeds. Gabriel's face was practically burning up as Chandra poked his head into the small room, a displeased scowl marring his features. To say that Gabriel was embarrassed would be putting things mildly. Less than an hour ago he had entered the man's family and here he was, locked in a broom closet with his son.
"So this is where the two of you disappeared to?" Chandra chided. "Honestly, the two of you are grown men and here you are hiding in a closet while your guests sit and wonder where you went. After all the money we spent on this wedding-"
"Father, this is my wedding day and the last thing I need is a lecture," Mohinder cut in suddenly. Yet despite his defiant tone, he still had the common sense to hold the flaps of his achkan closed.
Chandra bristled as his cheeks turned a faint pink, yet Gabriel could tell that the man was not going to continue to push the issue. "We're ready for you in the reception hall. Time for the toast I believe."
Mohinder nodded, buttoning his jacket. "We'll be out," he promised. "Give us a moment?"
He hesitated, most likely considering whether or not he should stay and continue to badger the two of them until they returned to the reception hall, but Chandra surprised them both by closing the door and allowing them to have a few more minutes of privacy.
Gabriel sighed, adjusting his dress shirt until it stayed flat at his sides instead of puffing out awkwardly. "Who's giving us a toast?" he asked, because he honestly couldn't remember anything anymore.
"Peter I think," Mohinder sighed, combing his hair with his fingers. He paused and then added, "And my Father."
Gabriel cringed at that. He wondered if Chandra would be making any amendments to his speech after this. "Can we just stay in the closet a little bit longer?" Gabriel asked. He blushed when he realized how that question must sound.
Mohinder chuckled softly before giving the taller man a quick kiss on the cheek. "Don't worry. It won't be so bad. After all, it's just two speeches and then we'll have our first dance."
Again he cringed, because he had completely forgotten that they would have to dance together. In front of everyone. His face burned up at the thought. "Can't we just skip that part?" he grumbled miserably. "I really don't feel like starting off our marriage by stepping on your toes."
"Don't worry, I have strong feet," Mohinder teased as he placed Gabriel's glasses back on the bridge of his nose. "Besides, there will be cake soon after."
Gabriel smiled. Besides the wedding night, the eight layered chocolate fudge wedding cake was definitely the thing he was looking forward to the most.