Retrograde After RockFest -- Part Eight point Two
Retrograde After RockFest -- Part Eight point Two
Writer: Ally (wasted_rawkstar)
Fandom: Simple Plan & Alex Band
Pairing: David/Alex
Rating: R
Summary: Mercury is in Retrograde and it's fucking shit up. Alex has big news to share with David, but things aren't going quite right with the bassist after the Reset reunion. They know they can work through the drama together, but will everything turn out for the best like it has in the past?
Parts One to Eight point One
“Hey! Finally!” Jeff’s exclamation rang through the small room as David and Alex walked into the small back room of Mangiafoco and offered smiles to their waiting friends.
“Sorry guys,” David apologized bashfully. “Alex was running a little late.”
Jeff’s expression clearly showed that he didn’t buy the excuse. “Uh huh… it was Alex who was late…” he nodded slowly, locking eyes with David. David half-shrugged, not offering a reply as they finally settled into their chairs around the large table. They were only about twenty minutes late, which wasn’t as horrible as other times he had been late to functions. Typically it was a good day when David was less than a half-hour late to something, but with Alex around he found himself more on-time and accountable. It had been a good change and he hoped he could maybe keep up the new habit.
“No, seriously, I was late,” Alex explained. “Just got into a really good groove during the writing session I was at, and I knew I’d be late getting home.” He glanced apologetically at David. “But I didn’t have a chance to send any texts because I didn’t want to wreck the vibe.”
“I’ve been there before,” Sebastien spoke up, not realizing what he was helping cover up. “Sometimes you just get into that space and don’t realize how long you’ve been going until you finally stop and it’s like, shit I was supposed to be home a half hour ago for that thing…” He glanced to Laurence with a smile. “But thankfully most people tend to be forgiving about it.”
“Some more than others,” Alex said, giving David a bit of a look.
He rolled his eyes and grabbed the drink menu. “Nevermind that,” he replied. “Jeff, what’s your newest amazing cocktail?”
Laurence looked scandalized. “Am I officially losing my sober buddy?”
David met her gaze, a half-smile on his face. “Sorry Laur… I’m cleared for the weekend. Birthdays just aren’t very fun for me anyway unless I’m vaguely intoxicated.”
She shook her head, swirling the sparkling water and lime around in her glass. “Well screw that. This kid didn’t need another unofficial uncle anyway.” She flashed a smile as she said the words to show that she was joking, then finished the drink and leaned back into Seb’s shoulder.
David laughed, but Jeff started to speak before he could reply. “I think,” the guitarist said, “we should have a round of shots for the birthday boy.”
He groaned. “Seriously? Shots? I’ve been stone fucking sober for two months… don’t think my tolerance is quite what it was in June.”
He grinned. “All the better to test that theory!”
“Sorry Jeff,” Alex said, “I’m going to overrule. I want him at least sober enough to shimmy out of those pants when we get home… no fucking way am I, one, peeling them off myself or, two, letting him pass out still in them.” He raised an eyebrow. “Can you imagine trying to get those things off tomorrow morning while hungover?”
Everyone laughed and David leaned back in his chair, conspicuously crossing his legs and exposing how tightly the leather hugged his thighs. He shared a smirk with Alex and Jeff plucked the menu from his hand. “If I can’t force shots on you then I at least get to pick your drinks,” he stated with authority.
He smiled. “Fair enough… I know all the drinks here are good anyway.”
On cue, a waitress came in and set down two salads and some mozzarella appetizers. Jeff thanked her then ordered a round of drinks for everyone, including a pitcher of beer to share, and said they’d order the main course when she came back.
“So your doctor cleared you for the weekend?” Sebastien asked, his gaze momentarily dropping to David’s braced hand and then back to his face.
He nodded. “Yeah, since I’m mostly off all the drugs except for the one of the painkillers. And even that I’ve really cut back on… he gave me the weekend to play and then Tuesday I have the first physical therapy session.”
“That sounds promising,” he replied.
“Yeah, we’ll see how it goes. I’m still kind of limited for the next few weeks or so, but basically the last MRI showed no inflammation anymore, so it’s time to build the muscles back up.” He glanced at Alex before making his next statement. “And then I’ll get to have surgery in about two years.”
“Whoa! what?” Jeff’s voice was incredulous.
“Yeah… Surgery?” Sebastien balked at the statement.
David shrugged one shoulder. “It’s kind of inevitable at this point. There’s some scar tissue build up and that’s what keeps getting inflamed. So unless that’s removed…”
“The cycle repeats,” Jeff finished the statement.
He nodded. “Exactly. And most likely worse each time… so it needs to be cleaned out, and they might have to do a tendon graft,” he made a face, still not exactly sure what that procedure would entail. “But the timing all depends on how I can manage things in the meanwhile. It could be two years, it could be three. Nothing’s concrete.”
“Well, but they figured out what’s happening and that’ll help, right?” Seb asked.
“Yeah, it’ll help me manage it better, but it doesn’t change what’s actually happening to my wrist.”
“True,” he said, nodding.
He shrugged again “I just have to be more careful and more mindful of it.” He looked up at Alex and then to Jeff. “No more crazy ten-hour rehearsals for shit, and someone keep me in line when it’s headed that way.”
Jeff smiled. “Done. I hate those rehearsals anyway… Pierre and Chuck should know better.”
The waitress came back then with drinks, pitchers of beer and water, and another appetizer plate. The group conversation was effectively dropped as everyone finally focused on the food and dissolved into side talk, with Alex and Sebastien talking shop while Jeff and David discussed Jeff’s latest restaurant project. Fifteen minutes later the waitress had come and gone again with another salad and their pizza order and David stood up abruptly, stepping to the doorway with a huge smile. “Stacey!”
She smiled bashfully as she reached the doorway, walking gingerly with crutches and her ankle in an aircast boot. “Hi… sorry I’m so late.”
He shook his head, hugging her lightly. “Who cares? I’m so glad you made it.” He pulled away and turned back toward the table, smiling when he realized Alex had already moved a chair over for her. He gestured to it. “Sit… do you need to put your foot up?”
Jeff took the crutches from Stacey’s hands once she sat down and she nodded. “If I can.” Alex pulled another chair over and she blushed, feeling like they were fussing over her too much. She carefully put her foot onto the chair then felt worse, realizing there were two people at the table she hardly knew, but before she could begin to introduce herself David was talking again.
“Have you met Seb before? And his wife Laurence?” He looked from Stacey to the couple. “Stacey’s our neighbor, and she works at Rufus… she always watches the dogs when I’m gone,” he explained.
They both offered easy smiles and hellos and soon everyone was settled back around the table and the conversations picked back up. Laurence and Stacey bemoaned their lack of alcohol together and soon found a common ground of tennis playing. Dinner passed casually with the waitress in and out occasionally, bringing more beer and water. Alex excused himself from the table just once, but was gone for longer than a bathroom visit should have taken. David hardly registered his boyfriend’s absence, too wrapped in a conversation with Seb and Stacey. When Alex finally returned it was only a few minutes later that large plates of tiramisu were brought in, one lit with sparkling candles, prompting jokes that Laurence or Stacey needed to blow them out because David’s tainted breath might make the fire worse. After the brief song, David made his wish with closed eyes and extinguished the sparklers with one breath. He and Alex shared bites of the delicate dessert and finally Jeff stood up.
“All right, I know this really isn’t anything formal, but we’ve been toasting at almost every gathering we’ve had this summer, so why not your birthday?” They all laughed and Jeff raised his glass. Alex topped off his and Seb’s beers before following suit and sliding his arm over David’s shoulders. “I’ll keep this short and sweet,” the guitarist said. “We’ve known each other for a hella long time, you’re my best friend, I love sharing a stage with you, your boyfriend,” he paused just slightly, “well, he has a dick, but he isn’t a dick, and no matter what, at this point I just kind of love you and hope you have a lot more birthdays. So, happy fuckin’ birthday.” He tipped his glass to David and everyone did the same, glasses ringing all around. They drank generously and before Jeff sat down he looked pointedly at Alex. “Your turn.”
Alex laughed, but made no move to get up from where he sat beside David. “Thanks, Jeff. I’m glad you don’t think I’m a dick.” They shared smiles. “And really, what can I say about David, that I haven’t said already? He’s amazing, he’s gorgeous, I love him, and I can’t imagine having never slammed a door into his face.” Laughter cut around the table and David smacked his thigh. He grinned. “However, there are still three questions I always get asked, no matter where I go. One, ‘aren’t you that guy who had that one song?’ Two, ‘Why didn’t you do anything after that song?’ And three, ‘When are you gonna make it official?’” He glanced meaningfully at David, who rolled his eyes, then to Jeff, who looked entirely too skeptical. It made him laugh, but he continued. “Here are my answers… Yeah, I’m that guy with that song. It was the number one hit of the decade, thank you very much. But fame and fans are quick and fickle and I lost out on a lasting career. I tried my best to follow up that song, but it never quite worked out…” He paused, taking a large drink of his beer and discretely letting his hand drop to his pants, wiping the glass’ condensation from his palm. “As for making anything official… there’re two parties involved in that, and I can only hope the other will say yes to whatever I’m proposing.” He slipped the box from his pocket and flipped it open, sliding it onto the table in front of David.
His eyes widened and his face went pale as he looked at the large ring inside the box. It was a mass of silver, sculpted into a familiar animal head with striking detail. He remembered being in London more than three years ago, at some obscure jewelry store, just browsing the cases. He’d pointed out the ring to Alex and it had been somewhat of a joke then, saying that he’d like that ring more than any sort of traditional engagement ring or wedding band. How Alex had remembered it all these years later… He looked up, meeting his boyfriend’s gaze. Or was it possible he hadn’t just remembered, but instead had bought the ring that long ago and simply waited for the proper moment? Not that in the backroom of Jeff’s pizza place during his low-key birthday celebration was really the proper moment, but hadn’t they waited long enough? He blinked, knowing the silent, empty seconds were ticking by as Alex waited for his answer, only he couldn’t formulate words. He simply grabbed the box off the table and leaned in for a violent kiss, reaching up and pulling Alex close, his lips already wet. They kissed heatedly, lust from earlier in the evening still lingering. As they broke the kiss he leaned his forehead against Alex’s and nodded slightly. “Absolutely. Whatever you’re proposing… yes.” They kissed once more then moved away, both smiling widely.
“Guess Chuck lost that bet,” Jeff stated, grinning.
Everyone laughed and seconds later the waitress appeared with champagne flutes and a bottle of Dom Pérignon, properly chilling in a stainless bucket, a napkin tied neatly around its neck. David shook his head, looking back at Alex. “You had this all fucking planned… was this why you were late getting home? Out buying bottles of expensive champagne and perfecting your proposal?”
He smiled, shrugging slightly. “Maybe.”
He shook his head again and thrust the jewelry box into Alex’s hand. “Just tell me no one else knew about this…”
Alex grinned, extracting the ring from the box and lifting David’s hand, thumb soft on his palm. “No one else knew my plan tonight, except our fabulous waitress. I didn’t even let Jeff in on it.”
David instantly looked at the guitarist, who shook his head. “Definitely didn’t know… I would’ve had a fancier dessert made.”
Alex slipped the ring on David’s finger then. He turned back, meeting the clear blue gaze and folding their fingers together in a tight handhold. The ring felt natural on his finger and he couldn’t help smiling. Had it really been only seven years ago that Alex had slammed the door in his face? He could hardly remember not being with him, and it was impossible to imagine his life without him. He tightened their fingers and leaned in, kissing Alex again lightly. “I love you,” he murmured, pressing their noses together just a tiny bit.
A smile flashed over Alex’s face. “Love you too. Happy birthday.” They kissed again and pulled away.
“All right, who wants to pop the champagne?” Jeff asked, holding up the bottle and wiping the dripping water from it.
Alex immediately held out his hand. “Allow me.” He took the heavy bottle from Jeff’s hand, spiraled the foil from the top, twisted off the wire cage, and grasped the neck firmly, pushing his thumbs beneath the fat cork and only flinching a little as it shot out with a definitive ‘pop!’
Jeff held out glasses to catch the bubbling overflow while Sebastien retrieved the cork before it rolled off the table. He tossed it back to David while Alex poured the bubbly and passed the glasses around, giving Stacey and Laurence tiny sips to celebrate. Everyone laughed and smiled as they toasted their glasses and Alex licked the champagne from his fingers with a grin.
Jeff held up his phone after a second with a smile and panned the room. “Guess what you’re missing, you Montreal-deserters?!”
“What?!”
“No way!”
Pierre and Chuck’s voices came from the screen and David laughed, holding up his glass of champagne and showing the large ring on his finger. “Looks like Chuck lost the bet!”
“Shit! We would’ve come out if we’d known the plan!” Chuck replied.
“It was super secret,” Alex replied, grinning. “We’ll put you guys in charge of the LA engagement party… whenever that’s gonna be.”
“You know it! My house is all yours,” Pierre told them.
“To Alex and David!” Jeff exclaimed, holding his glass up.
They all toasted their glasses and with a few more words of congratulations the facetime conversation ended and Jeff snapped some pictures, picking up both Alex and David’s phones to take some as well. The happy mood held over the room as everyone settled back around the table, taking closer looks at the ring and sipping their champagne. Alex relaxed into the chair, slipping his arm around David’s back and sharing a smile with Jeff. Even though the evening hadn’t been the grand gesture that David might’ve wanted, he thought it was fitting for their relationship and he knew it would be memorable. He also hoped it might dissuade David’s aversion to his birthday. It wasn’t a bad thing to get older, or grow up. They’d both grown up a lot over the summer and he knew their relationship had too. It felt like the best time to make their commitment to each other, because they were both at a place in their lives where things were a bit uncertain, but seemed to be working out and they needed each other’s support to navigate what lay ahead. He smiled to himself, looking over at his fiancé.
David met Alex’s eyes, matching his smile. He no longer cared that it was his birthday at all. He was simply happy to have shared this night with Alex and his best friends. He leaned into Alex’s embrace and clasped their hands; maybe growing up and getting married wouldn’t be so bad after all.
# # #
The knock on the front door was quick, but loud, and sent Renaud and Rosie into a barking frenzy as they ran to the door, yipping and howling as a second knock came shortly after the first. David groaned in exasperation, sitting up and shifting away from where he and Alex been curled on the couch together, coffee mugs discarded on the table and the golf TV channel playing on mute. It had been a late, lazy morning after the previous night’s celebrations and even though they both hadn’t drunk too much, David seemed to be suffering more for it. It had been almost noon when he’d finally come downstairs to join Alex on the couch, immediately planting himself in his fiancé’s lap and only moving when bribed with coffee. Alex tried not to laugh at David’s pained expression as he easily stood up from the sofa and went to the front door to see who was there. He carefully pushed the dogs aside with his foot and unlocked the door, seeing a guy in a delivery uniform through the window.
The guy nodded at Alex and held out an ‘overnight’ package. “Just need a signature here,” he said, holding out the scan and sign device after he’d scanned the barcode on the package.
Alex took the device and stylus and scrawled his name on it then handed it back and took the envelope. “Thanks.”
“Sure thing. Last name?”
“Band.” The delivery guy looked up at him then, raising an eyebrow as his eyes caught on the large framed picture hanging in the entry way. Their eyes met again and Alex offered a smile. “Have a good one,” he said, dismissing him clearly.
The guy half-nodded. “You too.” He stepped back from the door and walked off the porch.
Alex closed the door and locked it, watching the guy climb back into the truck and drive away before he turned to go back to the living room. He’d seen the moment of recognition in the guy’s look, but it wasn’t the first time that had happened. It was just another thing they’d had to get used to and hope would be kept quiet.
David looked expectantly at him as he walked back into the room, the dogs charging ahead of him with Rosie bounding onto the couch and into David’s lap. He laughed, ruffling her fur and letting her get one lick of his chin before he scooped her up and put her on the floor. His eyebrows furrowed when he saw the envelope in Alex’s hand. “Delivery? On a Saturday? From who?”
Alex smirked, having already looked at the return address. “Your favorite anonymous birthday-gifter from days-gone-by, I think,” he said, settling beside David on the couch.
“Pierre?” He raised an eyebrow and took the package from Alex’s hand, looking at the label before pulling the tab to open it. “What would he even…” His words trailed off as he pulled out the envelope’s contents. There was a card in an envelope and something small wrapped in layers of plain white tissue paper. ‘David & Alex’ was written on the front of the envelope. He untucked the flap and slipped out the card, laughing as he read the short statement written on it in flowery calligraphy. And they said it wouldn’t last. Jerks. Alex smiled too, leaning to kiss David’s temple as he opened the card. Pierre, Chuck, Lachelle, and Jacqueline had all scrawled messages of congratulations and best wishes on the inside complete with many hearts and stars and even a doodle of a red-hooded figure with a wolf beside it. On the very bottom of the card, in Pierre’s sloppy handwriting, was a brief message: Glad to finally get rid of these. Send Mitch a thank you note.
Alex and David shared a questioning look as David set the card aside and held up the wad of tissue paper, wondering what could be inside of it that they’d need to thank Mitch for. David turned the bundle over, looking for the edge to open it.
“Wait,” Alex said abruptly, holding up his hand, “this might be totally creepy and gross, but do you think it’s going to be old bloody napkins from…”
David made a face. “Oh fuck, ew… I hope not.”
“Okay, cause if it is we’re just throwing them away, right?”
“Oh fuck yeah. I’m not fuckin’ keeping bloody napkins.”
“Good. All right…”
They exchanged glances again and David hesitated. “Shit, now you have me creeped out.”
Alex laughed slightly. “Sorry. Here…” He took the tissue from David’s hand and unrolled it carefully, finally feeling solid items when it was almost fully open. As he removed the final layer to reveal the objects they both looked up at one another with surprised, excited expressions. “No shit!” he exclaimed.
“That’s actually really cool,” David said.
Alex dumped the four guitar picks into David’s hand and set the tissue paper aside before reaching for the familiar red guitar pick. He shook his head, flipping it over and seeing the faded ‘AB’ written in permanent marker. David smiled, picking up one of the black picks with ‘Simple Plan’ stamped on it in white. He glanced at the back to see the white likeness of himself jumping in the air while playing bass. The picks had been leftover from the tour of their second album. David knew he still had a pack of them somewhere, but clearly he’d taken these when he and Jeff had gone to work with Mitch; the fateful trip to LA when he’d met Alex for the first time. How fitting that Pierre had somehow gotten their guitar picks from Mitch and gifted them back upon their engagement. He wondered how long ago the singer had gotten them, and how long he’d been planning the moment. He shook his head. Somehow Pierre never ceased to surprise him.
Alex turned the pick over in his fingers, then met David’s gaze, shaking his head slightly. “I can’t believe he had these,” he said quietly.
“After seven years? I can’t either.” He paused, then smiled again. “What did Mitch know that we didn’t?”
He laughed. “Seriously. Why would he have kept these picks of ours if he didn’t have some indication that he should’ve?”
“Right? But you were still married and we’d only just met… unless he just randomly keeps the picks of everyone he works with… But then how did Pierre know to ask for them? Did he negotiate a trade or something?”
Alex laughed again. “I think we’re overthinking this. We should probably just be happy to have a memento of the time when we first met.”
David looked doubtful. “Too bad I didn’t save the yogurt cup you brought me.”
He rolled his eyes. “I’m not talking about that… I think it’s actually really sweet that we have something to mark our first few months of friendship. And the fact that both Mitch and Pierre were able to salvage them says something about their friendship to us.”
“Even though Pierre’s a raging dick at the best of times?”
“He’s slowly redeeming himself.” Alex smirked. “Overnight envelopes aren’t cheap, you know.”
David snorted and flicked the pick at his fiancé playfully. “I’ll be the judge of that when I’m forced to be around him again to record the new album… I’m not fully convinced he’s mellowed.”
Alex leaned in to kiss David, trying to silence his words about the singer. “Maybe Pierre will mellow when you do,” he murmured against David’s lips.
“That’ll be a cold day in hell,” he replied. They shared a laugh and another lazy kiss before pulling away, both looking back at the guitar picks they held. “I feel like we need to do something special with these, but I have no idea what.”
He shrugged. “We’ll figure it out… get them mounted with a picture of us, or just throw them in with all those picks from Warped.”
“No, we can’t do that… throw them in a jar?” David’s voice was adamant. “These are special, they need a special home.”
Alex smiled. “Okay, we’ll give them a special home. For now we’ll keep them safe in that skull box on your desk. All right?”
He nodded. “Fair enough. But you realize we’ll have to search the depths of my storage to find a picture of us from that summer, right?”
Alex smirked. “Or not…” He reached for his phone and opened his photos, scrolling through the thumbnails briefly before tapping one and holding it out to David.
His eyes widened. “What?! How do you have this picture? Where did you even find this?!” He stared at the image of him and Alex sitting together on the curb outside the studio, Mitch leaning in the doorway behind them, meaning Jeff had probably snapped the photo. David was, of course, wearing jeans and the plain grey hoodie that he’d worn nearly every day that summer, along with the grey fedora with the red and black band. Alex had on jeans and a plain black t-shirt, his hair a light brown color with sun-streaked highlights. They both held cups of something and the sun glinted off the piercings David still had in his nose and lip and ears. “Holy shit…” He scrutinized the picture, hiding the face he wanted to make as he realized Alex was wearing his old wedding band in the picture. He knew it would always be a part of their history together, but it still hurt to acknowledge it sometimes. They’d missed out on a couple years of being together while Alex worked through that broken relationship.
“Jeff actually sent that to me awhile ago,” Alex said quietly. “I just sort of assumed he’d sent it to you too… glad I didn’t use it for a cheesy ‘throwback’ whatever on twitter or something.”
David laughed, looking up at him with a smile. “I wouldn’t have cared… but probably better that you didn’t so you weren’t bombarded with questions about your wedding ring.”
He blanched then looked at the picture again. “I always forget about that.”
He nodded slightly. “You forget about your wedding ring, I forget about my face piercings… probably both for the best.”
Alex smirked. “Though you know, I never got to kiss you with that lip ring… not that I wasn’t curious.”
David shook his head. “Definitely for the best… you’d’ve ripped it right out, knowing how you kiss.”
He laughed. “Maybe so, but I’m still curious.”
“Make out with Jeff the next time you’re both drunk… I won’t hold it against you.”
“Oh, okay, sure…” he said, laughter in his voice. “And I’ll tell him you said it was okay, that’ll make it all better.”
He grinned, leaning in to kiss Alex and press their foreheads together. “You know your relationship is special when you can offer for your fiancé to make out with your best friend and he turns you down sarcastically…”
Alex smiled softly and kissed him back. “Sorry… Jeff just doesn’t turn me on at all.” He reached up, twisting David’s hair around his fingers. “L’homme chignon, pourtant…”
David’s eyebrows shot up in surprise and he smiled wider. “Finally picking up some français, monsieur Band?”
He smirked. “Un peu, David,” he replied, pronouncing David’s name as though it rhymed with rabid, like he’d heard Chuck do many times.
His grin was bright. “Merci beaucoup.” They kissed lightly and let quiet settle between them for a minute before David moved away, snagging the picks in Alex’s hand and carefully putting them all into the envelope with the card from Pierre. He stood up from the sofa, picking up their coffee mugs and taking them to the sink and setting the card by their charging phones. He glanced to the clock and then to Alex, a half smile on his face. “Too late for brunch?” he asked.
Alex smiled, shaking his head and rising from the couch. “Never too late for brunch.”
Twenty minutes later they had dressed, grabbed their phones, leashed Renaud and Rosie, and were on their way out the front door. The midday sun sprinkled through the trees and David reached for Alex’s hand, twining their fingers together in a loose hold. They shared smiles and a brief kiss. “Mm, looking forward to food?” Alex asked, somewhat teasing.
David flashed a grin. “Oui… but looking forward to brunch with my fiancé more.”
He smiled, squeezing their hands. “I like the way that sounds,” he replied.
“Me too,” he said, then gave Alex a sideways glance, “but now I really can’t wait to call you my husband,” he admitted softly.
Alex’s smile widened and he dropped their hands, reaching to pull David into a hug and kiss him deeply. “I can’t either,” he said breathlessly after the kiss. They leaned their foreheads together and held the embrace, standing in the middle of the sidewalk with the dogs waiting patiently at their feet. “Would we be crazy to try to throw together a wedding by Christmas?”
David laughed. “Yes… because I think we should plan it for our unofficial eight-year anniversary.”
“Another June wedding? Would Chuck and Jacqueline be mad?”
He rolled his eyes. “I hope not… since they undermined your birthday this year.”
He shrugged. “I didn’t mind.”
“I know, but I did.”
“You can’t control everything.”
David smirked. “Try as I might?”
They kissed lightly. “Try being the operative word.” He pulled away then, grasping David’s hand again and starting down the sidewalk. “But then, when in June? Since we don’t have an official day… just an official month.”
He shrugged. “Toward the end... For some reason I always think it was the 22nd when we met, but then I realize that’s just the summer solstice or whatever.”
Alex nodded, walking in silence as he thought back to when they’d met. He couldn’t recall the precise date either, but it hardly mattered. “What about the 29th?” he asked.
“June 29th?” David clarified.
“Yeah… zero-six-two-nine… my month, your day.” He shrugged.
His eyebrows furrowed in thought, the number ringing familiar in his head for a reason he couldn’t quite place. “Zero-six-two-nine,” he said it aloud as they continued to walk, then laughed suddenly.
Alex looked vaguely startled. “What’s so funny?”
David shook his head, still laughing. “That’s the license number of my second motorcycle.”
“No shit? It’s settled then… June 29th. That’s fate.”
He looked over at his fiancé and held his gaze, pausing mid-step. “I think it’s been fate all along.”
Alex nodded. “I think you’re right. And now I’m going to take whatever fate wants to give me…” he paused, a cheesy little smile lighting his lips. “After all, she brought me you.”
David’s face melted into a bashful smile and he shook his head, leaning in and kissing Alex softly. “You’re a fucking cheeseball, but I love you.”
“Love you too,” he murmured. They kissed once more then resumed walking, their hands folded lightly together as they went. It was funny, but Alex knew then that he would place his faith in fate, because even though it had dragged them both through trials and tragedies, they’d both come out better for it. They had endured and still had each other’s support, and he knew that it would never waiver. He glanced at David, who was watching the sky as he walked instead of the sidewalk, depending on Alex to steer him out of the way of any rogue trashcans or light poles. He smiled to himself, knowing he would always do that. From now on they would always have each other and there would be no doubts. He glanced at David again, tugging gently on his hand as they reached a corner and stopped at the traffic light. He grinned sheepishly, bringing his head down from the clouds as Alex kissed him lightly. Fate, Alex thought, could throw anything at them now and they’d be just fine. They had each other, and for the moment, that was all they needed.
- - FIN - -
Writer: Ally (wasted_rawkstar)
Fandom: Simple Plan & Alex Band
Pairing: David/Alex
Rating: R
Summary: Mercury is in Retrograde and it's fucking shit up. Alex has big news to share with David, but things aren't going quite right with the bassist after the Reset reunion. They know they can work through the drama together, but will everything turn out for the best like it has in the past?
Parts One to Eight point One
“Hey! Finally!” Jeff’s exclamation rang through the small room as David and Alex walked into the small back room of Mangiafoco and offered smiles to their waiting friends.
“Sorry guys,” David apologized bashfully. “Alex was running a little late.”
Jeff’s expression clearly showed that he didn’t buy the excuse. “Uh huh… it was Alex who was late…” he nodded slowly, locking eyes with David. David half-shrugged, not offering a reply as they finally settled into their chairs around the large table. They were only about twenty minutes late, which wasn’t as horrible as other times he had been late to functions. Typically it was a good day when David was less than a half-hour late to something, but with Alex around he found himself more on-time and accountable. It had been a good change and he hoped he could maybe keep up the new habit.
“No, seriously, I was late,” Alex explained. “Just got into a really good groove during the writing session I was at, and I knew I’d be late getting home.” He glanced apologetically at David. “But I didn’t have a chance to send any texts because I didn’t want to wreck the vibe.”
“I’ve been there before,” Sebastien spoke up, not realizing what he was helping cover up. “Sometimes you just get into that space and don’t realize how long you’ve been going until you finally stop and it’s like, shit I was supposed to be home a half hour ago for that thing…” He glanced to Laurence with a smile. “But thankfully most people tend to be forgiving about it.”
“Some more than others,” Alex said, giving David a bit of a look.
He rolled his eyes and grabbed the drink menu. “Nevermind that,” he replied. “Jeff, what’s your newest amazing cocktail?”
Laurence looked scandalized. “Am I officially losing my sober buddy?”
David met her gaze, a half-smile on his face. “Sorry Laur… I’m cleared for the weekend. Birthdays just aren’t very fun for me anyway unless I’m vaguely intoxicated.”
She shook her head, swirling the sparkling water and lime around in her glass. “Well screw that. This kid didn’t need another unofficial uncle anyway.” She flashed a smile as she said the words to show that she was joking, then finished the drink and leaned back into Seb’s shoulder.
David laughed, but Jeff started to speak before he could reply. “I think,” the guitarist said, “we should have a round of shots for the birthday boy.”
He groaned. “Seriously? Shots? I’ve been stone fucking sober for two months… don’t think my tolerance is quite what it was in June.”
He grinned. “All the better to test that theory!”
“Sorry Jeff,” Alex said, “I’m going to overrule. I want him at least sober enough to shimmy out of those pants when we get home… no fucking way am I, one, peeling them off myself or, two, letting him pass out still in them.” He raised an eyebrow. “Can you imagine trying to get those things off tomorrow morning while hungover?”
Everyone laughed and David leaned back in his chair, conspicuously crossing his legs and exposing how tightly the leather hugged his thighs. He shared a smirk with Alex and Jeff plucked the menu from his hand. “If I can’t force shots on you then I at least get to pick your drinks,” he stated with authority.
He smiled. “Fair enough… I know all the drinks here are good anyway.”
On cue, a waitress came in and set down two salads and some mozzarella appetizers. Jeff thanked her then ordered a round of drinks for everyone, including a pitcher of beer to share, and said they’d order the main course when she came back.
“So your doctor cleared you for the weekend?” Sebastien asked, his gaze momentarily dropping to David’s braced hand and then back to his face.
He nodded. “Yeah, since I’m mostly off all the drugs except for the one of the painkillers. And even that I’ve really cut back on… he gave me the weekend to play and then Tuesday I have the first physical therapy session.”
“That sounds promising,” he replied.
“Yeah, we’ll see how it goes. I’m still kind of limited for the next few weeks or so, but basically the last MRI showed no inflammation anymore, so it’s time to build the muscles back up.” He glanced at Alex before making his next statement. “And then I’ll get to have surgery in about two years.”
“Whoa! what?” Jeff’s voice was incredulous.
“Yeah… Surgery?” Sebastien balked at the statement.
David shrugged one shoulder. “It’s kind of inevitable at this point. There’s some scar tissue build up and that’s what keeps getting inflamed. So unless that’s removed…”
“The cycle repeats,” Jeff finished the statement.
He nodded. “Exactly. And most likely worse each time… so it needs to be cleaned out, and they might have to do a tendon graft,” he made a face, still not exactly sure what that procedure would entail. “But the timing all depends on how I can manage things in the meanwhile. It could be two years, it could be three. Nothing’s concrete.”
“Well, but they figured out what’s happening and that’ll help, right?” Seb asked.
“Yeah, it’ll help me manage it better, but it doesn’t change what’s actually happening to my wrist.”
“True,” he said, nodding.
He shrugged again “I just have to be more careful and more mindful of it.” He looked up at Alex and then to Jeff. “No more crazy ten-hour rehearsals for shit, and someone keep me in line when it’s headed that way.”
Jeff smiled. “Done. I hate those rehearsals anyway… Pierre and Chuck should know better.”
The waitress came back then with drinks, pitchers of beer and water, and another appetizer plate. The group conversation was effectively dropped as everyone finally focused on the food and dissolved into side talk, with Alex and Sebastien talking shop while Jeff and David discussed Jeff’s latest restaurant project. Fifteen minutes later the waitress had come and gone again with another salad and their pizza order and David stood up abruptly, stepping to the doorway with a huge smile. “Stacey!”
She smiled bashfully as she reached the doorway, walking gingerly with crutches and her ankle in an aircast boot. “Hi… sorry I’m so late.”
He shook his head, hugging her lightly. “Who cares? I’m so glad you made it.” He pulled away and turned back toward the table, smiling when he realized Alex had already moved a chair over for her. He gestured to it. “Sit… do you need to put your foot up?”
Jeff took the crutches from Stacey’s hands once she sat down and she nodded. “If I can.” Alex pulled another chair over and she blushed, feeling like they were fussing over her too much. She carefully put her foot onto the chair then felt worse, realizing there were two people at the table she hardly knew, but before she could begin to introduce herself David was talking again.
“Have you met Seb before? And his wife Laurence?” He looked from Stacey to the couple. “Stacey’s our neighbor, and she works at Rufus… she always watches the dogs when I’m gone,” he explained.
They both offered easy smiles and hellos and soon everyone was settled back around the table and the conversations picked back up. Laurence and Stacey bemoaned their lack of alcohol together and soon found a common ground of tennis playing. Dinner passed casually with the waitress in and out occasionally, bringing more beer and water. Alex excused himself from the table just once, but was gone for longer than a bathroom visit should have taken. David hardly registered his boyfriend’s absence, too wrapped in a conversation with Seb and Stacey. When Alex finally returned it was only a few minutes later that large plates of tiramisu were brought in, one lit with sparkling candles, prompting jokes that Laurence or Stacey needed to blow them out because David’s tainted breath might make the fire worse. After the brief song, David made his wish with closed eyes and extinguished the sparklers with one breath. He and Alex shared bites of the delicate dessert and finally Jeff stood up.
“All right, I know this really isn’t anything formal, but we’ve been toasting at almost every gathering we’ve had this summer, so why not your birthday?” They all laughed and Jeff raised his glass. Alex topped off his and Seb’s beers before following suit and sliding his arm over David’s shoulders. “I’ll keep this short and sweet,” the guitarist said. “We’ve known each other for a hella long time, you’re my best friend, I love sharing a stage with you, your boyfriend,” he paused just slightly, “well, he has a dick, but he isn’t a dick, and no matter what, at this point I just kind of love you and hope you have a lot more birthdays. So, happy fuckin’ birthday.” He tipped his glass to David and everyone did the same, glasses ringing all around. They drank generously and before Jeff sat down he looked pointedly at Alex. “Your turn.”
Alex laughed, but made no move to get up from where he sat beside David. “Thanks, Jeff. I’m glad you don’t think I’m a dick.” They shared smiles. “And really, what can I say about David, that I haven’t said already? He’s amazing, he’s gorgeous, I love him, and I can’t imagine having never slammed a door into his face.” Laughter cut around the table and David smacked his thigh. He grinned. “However, there are still three questions I always get asked, no matter where I go. One, ‘aren’t you that guy who had that one song?’ Two, ‘Why didn’t you do anything after that song?’ And three, ‘When are you gonna make it official?’” He glanced meaningfully at David, who rolled his eyes, then to Jeff, who looked entirely too skeptical. It made him laugh, but he continued. “Here are my answers… Yeah, I’m that guy with that song. It was the number one hit of the decade, thank you very much. But fame and fans are quick and fickle and I lost out on a lasting career. I tried my best to follow up that song, but it never quite worked out…” He paused, taking a large drink of his beer and discretely letting his hand drop to his pants, wiping the glass’ condensation from his palm. “As for making anything official… there’re two parties involved in that, and I can only hope the other will say yes to whatever I’m proposing.” He slipped the box from his pocket and flipped it open, sliding it onto the table in front of David.
His eyes widened and his face went pale as he looked at the large ring inside the box. It was a mass of silver, sculpted into a familiar animal head with striking detail. He remembered being in London more than three years ago, at some obscure jewelry store, just browsing the cases. He’d pointed out the ring to Alex and it had been somewhat of a joke then, saying that he’d like that ring more than any sort of traditional engagement ring or wedding band. How Alex had remembered it all these years later… He looked up, meeting his boyfriend’s gaze. Or was it possible he hadn’t just remembered, but instead had bought the ring that long ago and simply waited for the proper moment? Not that in the backroom of Jeff’s pizza place during his low-key birthday celebration was really the proper moment, but hadn’t they waited long enough? He blinked, knowing the silent, empty seconds were ticking by as Alex waited for his answer, only he couldn’t formulate words. He simply grabbed the box off the table and leaned in for a violent kiss, reaching up and pulling Alex close, his lips already wet. They kissed heatedly, lust from earlier in the evening still lingering. As they broke the kiss he leaned his forehead against Alex’s and nodded slightly. “Absolutely. Whatever you’re proposing… yes.” They kissed once more then moved away, both smiling widely.
“Guess Chuck lost that bet,” Jeff stated, grinning.
Everyone laughed and seconds later the waitress appeared with champagne flutes and a bottle of Dom Pérignon, properly chilling in a stainless bucket, a napkin tied neatly around its neck. David shook his head, looking back at Alex. “You had this all fucking planned… was this why you were late getting home? Out buying bottles of expensive champagne and perfecting your proposal?”
He smiled, shrugging slightly. “Maybe.”
He shook his head again and thrust the jewelry box into Alex’s hand. “Just tell me no one else knew about this…”
Alex grinned, extracting the ring from the box and lifting David’s hand, thumb soft on his palm. “No one else knew my plan tonight, except our fabulous waitress. I didn’t even let Jeff in on it.”
David instantly looked at the guitarist, who shook his head. “Definitely didn’t know… I would’ve had a fancier dessert made.”
Alex slipped the ring on David’s finger then. He turned back, meeting the clear blue gaze and folding their fingers together in a tight handhold. The ring felt natural on his finger and he couldn’t help smiling. Had it really been only seven years ago that Alex had slammed the door in his face? He could hardly remember not being with him, and it was impossible to imagine his life without him. He tightened their fingers and leaned in, kissing Alex again lightly. “I love you,” he murmured, pressing their noses together just a tiny bit.
A smile flashed over Alex’s face. “Love you too. Happy birthday.” They kissed again and pulled away.
“All right, who wants to pop the champagne?” Jeff asked, holding up the bottle and wiping the dripping water from it.
Alex immediately held out his hand. “Allow me.” He took the heavy bottle from Jeff’s hand, spiraled the foil from the top, twisted off the wire cage, and grasped the neck firmly, pushing his thumbs beneath the fat cork and only flinching a little as it shot out with a definitive ‘pop!’
Jeff held out glasses to catch the bubbling overflow while Sebastien retrieved the cork before it rolled off the table. He tossed it back to David while Alex poured the bubbly and passed the glasses around, giving Stacey and Laurence tiny sips to celebrate. Everyone laughed and smiled as they toasted their glasses and Alex licked the champagne from his fingers with a grin.
Jeff held up his phone after a second with a smile and panned the room. “Guess what you’re missing, you Montreal-deserters?!”
“What?!”
“No way!”
Pierre and Chuck’s voices came from the screen and David laughed, holding up his glass of champagne and showing the large ring on his finger. “Looks like Chuck lost the bet!”
“Shit! We would’ve come out if we’d known the plan!” Chuck replied.
“It was super secret,” Alex replied, grinning. “We’ll put you guys in charge of the LA engagement party… whenever that’s gonna be.”
“You know it! My house is all yours,” Pierre told them.
“To Alex and David!” Jeff exclaimed, holding his glass up.
They all toasted their glasses and with a few more words of congratulations the facetime conversation ended and Jeff snapped some pictures, picking up both Alex and David’s phones to take some as well. The happy mood held over the room as everyone settled back around the table, taking closer looks at the ring and sipping their champagne. Alex relaxed into the chair, slipping his arm around David’s back and sharing a smile with Jeff. Even though the evening hadn’t been the grand gesture that David might’ve wanted, he thought it was fitting for their relationship and he knew it would be memorable. He also hoped it might dissuade David’s aversion to his birthday. It wasn’t a bad thing to get older, or grow up. They’d both grown up a lot over the summer and he knew their relationship had too. It felt like the best time to make their commitment to each other, because they were both at a place in their lives where things were a bit uncertain, but seemed to be working out and they needed each other’s support to navigate what lay ahead. He smiled to himself, looking over at his fiancé.
David met Alex’s eyes, matching his smile. He no longer cared that it was his birthday at all. He was simply happy to have shared this night with Alex and his best friends. He leaned into Alex’s embrace and clasped their hands; maybe growing up and getting married wouldn’t be so bad after all.
# # #
The knock on the front door was quick, but loud, and sent Renaud and Rosie into a barking frenzy as they ran to the door, yipping and howling as a second knock came shortly after the first. David groaned in exasperation, sitting up and shifting away from where he and Alex been curled on the couch together, coffee mugs discarded on the table and the golf TV channel playing on mute. It had been a late, lazy morning after the previous night’s celebrations and even though they both hadn’t drunk too much, David seemed to be suffering more for it. It had been almost noon when he’d finally come downstairs to join Alex on the couch, immediately planting himself in his fiancé’s lap and only moving when bribed with coffee. Alex tried not to laugh at David’s pained expression as he easily stood up from the sofa and went to the front door to see who was there. He carefully pushed the dogs aside with his foot and unlocked the door, seeing a guy in a delivery uniform through the window.
The guy nodded at Alex and held out an ‘overnight’ package. “Just need a signature here,” he said, holding out the scan and sign device after he’d scanned the barcode on the package.
Alex took the device and stylus and scrawled his name on it then handed it back and took the envelope. “Thanks.”
“Sure thing. Last name?”
“Band.” The delivery guy looked up at him then, raising an eyebrow as his eyes caught on the large framed picture hanging in the entry way. Their eyes met again and Alex offered a smile. “Have a good one,” he said, dismissing him clearly.
The guy half-nodded. “You too.” He stepped back from the door and walked off the porch.
Alex closed the door and locked it, watching the guy climb back into the truck and drive away before he turned to go back to the living room. He’d seen the moment of recognition in the guy’s look, but it wasn’t the first time that had happened. It was just another thing they’d had to get used to and hope would be kept quiet.
David looked expectantly at him as he walked back into the room, the dogs charging ahead of him with Rosie bounding onto the couch and into David’s lap. He laughed, ruffling her fur and letting her get one lick of his chin before he scooped her up and put her on the floor. His eyebrows furrowed when he saw the envelope in Alex’s hand. “Delivery? On a Saturday? From who?”
Alex smirked, having already looked at the return address. “Your favorite anonymous birthday-gifter from days-gone-by, I think,” he said, settling beside David on the couch.
“Pierre?” He raised an eyebrow and took the package from Alex’s hand, looking at the label before pulling the tab to open it. “What would he even…” His words trailed off as he pulled out the envelope’s contents. There was a card in an envelope and something small wrapped in layers of plain white tissue paper. ‘David & Alex’ was written on the front of the envelope. He untucked the flap and slipped out the card, laughing as he read the short statement written on it in flowery calligraphy. And they said it wouldn’t last. Jerks. Alex smiled too, leaning to kiss David’s temple as he opened the card. Pierre, Chuck, Lachelle, and Jacqueline had all scrawled messages of congratulations and best wishes on the inside complete with many hearts and stars and even a doodle of a red-hooded figure with a wolf beside it. On the very bottom of the card, in Pierre’s sloppy handwriting, was a brief message: Glad to finally get rid of these. Send Mitch a thank you note.
Alex and David shared a questioning look as David set the card aside and held up the wad of tissue paper, wondering what could be inside of it that they’d need to thank Mitch for. David turned the bundle over, looking for the edge to open it.
“Wait,” Alex said abruptly, holding up his hand, “this might be totally creepy and gross, but do you think it’s going to be old bloody napkins from…”
David made a face. “Oh fuck, ew… I hope not.”
“Okay, cause if it is we’re just throwing them away, right?”
“Oh fuck yeah. I’m not fuckin’ keeping bloody napkins.”
“Good. All right…”
They exchanged glances again and David hesitated. “Shit, now you have me creeped out.”
Alex laughed slightly. “Sorry. Here…” He took the tissue from David’s hand and unrolled it carefully, finally feeling solid items when it was almost fully open. As he removed the final layer to reveal the objects they both looked up at one another with surprised, excited expressions. “No shit!” he exclaimed.
“That’s actually really cool,” David said.
Alex dumped the four guitar picks into David’s hand and set the tissue paper aside before reaching for the familiar red guitar pick. He shook his head, flipping it over and seeing the faded ‘AB’ written in permanent marker. David smiled, picking up one of the black picks with ‘Simple Plan’ stamped on it in white. He glanced at the back to see the white likeness of himself jumping in the air while playing bass. The picks had been leftover from the tour of their second album. David knew he still had a pack of them somewhere, but clearly he’d taken these when he and Jeff had gone to work with Mitch; the fateful trip to LA when he’d met Alex for the first time. How fitting that Pierre had somehow gotten their guitar picks from Mitch and gifted them back upon their engagement. He wondered how long ago the singer had gotten them, and how long he’d been planning the moment. He shook his head. Somehow Pierre never ceased to surprise him.
Alex turned the pick over in his fingers, then met David’s gaze, shaking his head slightly. “I can’t believe he had these,” he said quietly.
“After seven years? I can’t either.” He paused, then smiled again. “What did Mitch know that we didn’t?”
He laughed. “Seriously. Why would he have kept these picks of ours if he didn’t have some indication that he should’ve?”
“Right? But you were still married and we’d only just met… unless he just randomly keeps the picks of everyone he works with… But then how did Pierre know to ask for them? Did he negotiate a trade or something?”
Alex laughed again. “I think we’re overthinking this. We should probably just be happy to have a memento of the time when we first met.”
David looked doubtful. “Too bad I didn’t save the yogurt cup you brought me.”
He rolled his eyes. “I’m not talking about that… I think it’s actually really sweet that we have something to mark our first few months of friendship. And the fact that both Mitch and Pierre were able to salvage them says something about their friendship to us.”
“Even though Pierre’s a raging dick at the best of times?”
“He’s slowly redeeming himself.” Alex smirked. “Overnight envelopes aren’t cheap, you know.”
David snorted and flicked the pick at his fiancé playfully. “I’ll be the judge of that when I’m forced to be around him again to record the new album… I’m not fully convinced he’s mellowed.”
Alex leaned in to kiss David, trying to silence his words about the singer. “Maybe Pierre will mellow when you do,” he murmured against David’s lips.
“That’ll be a cold day in hell,” he replied. They shared a laugh and another lazy kiss before pulling away, both looking back at the guitar picks they held. “I feel like we need to do something special with these, but I have no idea what.”
He shrugged. “We’ll figure it out… get them mounted with a picture of us, or just throw them in with all those picks from Warped.”
“No, we can’t do that… throw them in a jar?” David’s voice was adamant. “These are special, they need a special home.”
Alex smiled. “Okay, we’ll give them a special home. For now we’ll keep them safe in that skull box on your desk. All right?”
He nodded. “Fair enough. But you realize we’ll have to search the depths of my storage to find a picture of us from that summer, right?”
Alex smirked. “Or not…” He reached for his phone and opened his photos, scrolling through the thumbnails briefly before tapping one and holding it out to David.
His eyes widened. “What?! How do you have this picture? Where did you even find this?!” He stared at the image of him and Alex sitting together on the curb outside the studio, Mitch leaning in the doorway behind them, meaning Jeff had probably snapped the photo. David was, of course, wearing jeans and the plain grey hoodie that he’d worn nearly every day that summer, along with the grey fedora with the red and black band. Alex had on jeans and a plain black t-shirt, his hair a light brown color with sun-streaked highlights. They both held cups of something and the sun glinted off the piercings David still had in his nose and lip and ears. “Holy shit…” He scrutinized the picture, hiding the face he wanted to make as he realized Alex was wearing his old wedding band in the picture. He knew it would always be a part of their history together, but it still hurt to acknowledge it sometimes. They’d missed out on a couple years of being together while Alex worked through that broken relationship.
“Jeff actually sent that to me awhile ago,” Alex said quietly. “I just sort of assumed he’d sent it to you too… glad I didn’t use it for a cheesy ‘throwback’ whatever on twitter or something.”
David laughed, looking up at him with a smile. “I wouldn’t have cared… but probably better that you didn’t so you weren’t bombarded with questions about your wedding ring.”
He blanched then looked at the picture again. “I always forget about that.”
He nodded slightly. “You forget about your wedding ring, I forget about my face piercings… probably both for the best.”
Alex smirked. “Though you know, I never got to kiss you with that lip ring… not that I wasn’t curious.”
David shook his head. “Definitely for the best… you’d’ve ripped it right out, knowing how you kiss.”
He laughed. “Maybe so, but I’m still curious.”
“Make out with Jeff the next time you’re both drunk… I won’t hold it against you.”
“Oh, okay, sure…” he said, laughter in his voice. “And I’ll tell him you said it was okay, that’ll make it all better.”
He grinned, leaning in to kiss Alex and press their foreheads together. “You know your relationship is special when you can offer for your fiancé to make out with your best friend and he turns you down sarcastically…”
Alex smiled softly and kissed him back. “Sorry… Jeff just doesn’t turn me on at all.” He reached up, twisting David’s hair around his fingers. “L’homme chignon, pourtant…”
David’s eyebrows shot up in surprise and he smiled wider. “Finally picking up some français, monsieur Band?”
He smirked. “Un peu, David,” he replied, pronouncing David’s name as though it rhymed with rabid, like he’d heard Chuck do many times.
His grin was bright. “Merci beaucoup.” They kissed lightly and let quiet settle between them for a minute before David moved away, snagging the picks in Alex’s hand and carefully putting them all into the envelope with the card from Pierre. He stood up from the sofa, picking up their coffee mugs and taking them to the sink and setting the card by their charging phones. He glanced to the clock and then to Alex, a half smile on his face. “Too late for brunch?” he asked.
Alex smiled, shaking his head and rising from the couch. “Never too late for brunch.”
Twenty minutes later they had dressed, grabbed their phones, leashed Renaud and Rosie, and were on their way out the front door. The midday sun sprinkled through the trees and David reached for Alex’s hand, twining their fingers together in a loose hold. They shared smiles and a brief kiss. “Mm, looking forward to food?” Alex asked, somewhat teasing.
David flashed a grin. “Oui… but looking forward to brunch with my fiancé more.”
He smiled, squeezing their hands. “I like the way that sounds,” he replied.
“Me too,” he said, then gave Alex a sideways glance, “but now I really can’t wait to call you my husband,” he admitted softly.
Alex’s smile widened and he dropped their hands, reaching to pull David into a hug and kiss him deeply. “I can’t either,” he said breathlessly after the kiss. They leaned their foreheads together and held the embrace, standing in the middle of the sidewalk with the dogs waiting patiently at their feet. “Would we be crazy to try to throw together a wedding by Christmas?”
David laughed. “Yes… because I think we should plan it for our unofficial eight-year anniversary.”
“Another June wedding? Would Chuck and Jacqueline be mad?”
He rolled his eyes. “I hope not… since they undermined your birthday this year.”
He shrugged. “I didn’t mind.”
“I know, but I did.”
“You can’t control everything.”
David smirked. “Try as I might?”
They kissed lightly. “Try being the operative word.” He pulled away then, grasping David’s hand again and starting down the sidewalk. “But then, when in June? Since we don’t have an official day… just an official month.”
He shrugged. “Toward the end... For some reason I always think it was the 22nd when we met, but then I realize that’s just the summer solstice or whatever.”
Alex nodded, walking in silence as he thought back to when they’d met. He couldn’t recall the precise date either, but it hardly mattered. “What about the 29th?” he asked.
“June 29th?” David clarified.
“Yeah… zero-six-two-nine… my month, your day.” He shrugged.
His eyebrows furrowed in thought, the number ringing familiar in his head for a reason he couldn’t quite place. “Zero-six-two-nine,” he said it aloud as they continued to walk, then laughed suddenly.
Alex looked vaguely startled. “What’s so funny?”
David shook his head, still laughing. “That’s the license number of my second motorcycle.”
“No shit? It’s settled then… June 29th. That’s fate.”
He looked over at his fiancé and held his gaze, pausing mid-step. “I think it’s been fate all along.”
Alex nodded. “I think you’re right. And now I’m going to take whatever fate wants to give me…” he paused, a cheesy little smile lighting his lips. “After all, she brought me you.”
David’s face melted into a bashful smile and he shook his head, leaning in and kissing Alex softly. “You’re a fucking cheeseball, but I love you.”
“Love you too,” he murmured. They kissed once more then resumed walking, their hands folded lightly together as they went. It was funny, but Alex knew then that he would place his faith in fate, because even though it had dragged them both through trials and tragedies, they’d both come out better for it. They had endured and still had each other’s support, and he knew that it would never waiver. He glanced at David, who was watching the sky as he walked instead of the sidewalk, depending on Alex to steer him out of the way of any rogue trashcans or light poles. He smiled to himself, knowing he would always do that. From now on they would always have each other and there would be no doubts. He glanced at David again, tugging gently on his hand as they reached a corner and stopped at the traffic light. He grinned sheepishly, bringing his head down from the clouds as Alex kissed him lightly. Fate, Alex thought, could throw anything at them now and they’d be just fine. They had each other, and for the moment, that was all they needed.
- - FIN - -