vdistinctive | At the docks, then out to sea, Sunday

The colors from the previous days were still holding, if maybe slightly more muted, Fandom's magic slowly fading but still managing to hang on for another day.

Seemed like a good omen as any for a wedding that Eliot still couldn't quite believe was happening.

Eliot's boat wasn't big enough for all their guests so they had "rented" (long story) a well-appointed yacht for the day. It was docked in the Port of Fandom, waiting for all the guests to board. Once the last person had crossed the gangplank, it sailed almost to the edge of the island, where blue water lapped with gray. Eliot's boat was already there, anchor down, Hardison in a tux, playing around with a sound system.

A few minutes to futz with mics and the speakers set up discreetly around the yacht came to life. "Testin'...Testin'..." Hardison murmured. Good. Everybody would be able to hear the ceremony on the second ship.

Looks like it was time to begin.

[TIME FOR A WEDDING! If you think you were invited, you were. Some OCD coming]

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"I mean, probably in another ten years, when that song becomes a retro hit again," Dante said, looking thoughtful. "You enjoying yourself so far?"

"It's nice," Anders nodded. "This is the first time I've been to a wedding in this world, and I liked the way they did it. And the boat's gorgeous. What about you?"

Dante shrugged. "It's still all bougey bullshit," he said. "But hey, the food looks good, the music's all right, and the water's nice. I've had worse parties."

"What's bougey about it?" Anders asked, with a puzzled little squint.

"The whole... marriage thing," Dante said, waving his hand.

"I think weddings are sweet," Anders protested. "You're standing up telling everyone you care about that you're making a commitment. It's not ---"

He waved a hand in the air as if that somehow illustrated bougey-ness.

"Anyhow, I don't think the bride wearing black climbing gear is exactly traditional."

"What's the point of doing that, though?" Dante said. "Like, fuck, I bought us a house. You moved in with me. So did Kathy. We're committed, fuck everyone else."

"And we could both move out tomorrow and never talk to you again," Anders pointed out. "I won't, because I love you, but if we could get married there'd at least be a piece of paper saying we belonged to each other."

A pause as he thought about it. "I don't feel ready to get married yet. But someday..."

"No, there wouldn't be a piece of paper," Dante said, shaking his head. "What they're doing right now? Not actually legal. They basically just threw a party and invited a priest."

That took Anders aback slightly. He hadn't thought through the legal complications of a three-way marriage, other than to believe they'd somehow found a way. But if Dante was right...

"All right, that does make it a little phony," he said, dropping his voice. "But it's not their fault the law isn't written for people like us."

"I'm not blaming 'em," Dante said, shrugging. "I just think it's bougey as fuck, but hey, whatever makes them happy."

"So you don't think you're ever going to want to do something like this?" Anders asked, curious. "Even if we didn't call it a wedding?"

"I mean, I'll do it if it makes you guys happy," Dante said slowly, "Hell, I'll throw a party anytime. But it's just... really not my bag."

"I get that," Anders said, chewing on his lip. "And I don't want to do it if you're just going through the motions to make us happy, so maybe we should just ... leave it for now?"

"Sorry," Dante said, in earnest. "I know Kat's big on the idea too, I just... can't fake a lot of enthusiasm about that shit."

Anders shook his head, a little disappointed but not angry -- or even surprised, really. Dante and weddings didn't quite go together, much as he wished they did.

"Don't be sorry. I'd rather you were honest. I'm not desperate for it, anyhow, it's just -- something I always saw myself doing someday."

Dante sighed softly.

"How about kids?" he said finally. "How do you feel about that?"

"I'm still working that out myself," Anders admitted, glancing away. "I like other people's, but my own? It seems so ... so huge, and I'm not sure I'd be any good at being a father. Besides, much as I love being a mage, I'm not sure I want to wish it on someone else."

"Might be different if they're not growing up where you come from," Dante pointed out gently.

"Or if they aren't biologically mine," Anders granted, after the barest pause. He knew growing up a mage might be easier outside Thedas, but that wouldn't spare his child the Fade and its temptations. "What about you, are you eager for little quarter-angels?"

"Not sure I wanna do that to somebody either," Dante said wryly. "But... yeah, I think I want kids. Eventually."

"Eventually," Anders echoed slowly, clearly working something out. "I wonder -- do you think we could make it work, if you and Kathy had a child and I was just sort of a live-in uncle? Or would it unbalance things too much?"

"Whoever winds up donating the sperm for that kid, you and me are both gonna be dad," Dante said, snorting. "Fuck uncles."

Anders found himself grinning at that. "Sounds fair," he conceded. "The brat wouldn't need to know about the sperm and egg bits for a couple years at least, anyhow."

"Exactly," Dante said, nudging him gently. "Whenever we decide to do that, we decide to do it together. We don't got rankings in this relationship now, why the fuck start?"

Re: The Reception

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