Four words, simply: grow old, with me [gathering, 5/5]

[mitsubishievo]

Though Newt and Joseph Kavinsky had been married, legally, since January 15, they'd put off any sort of reception for months. When they'd decided to go to the court house and sign the papers together, they'd already decided that the marriage would be small, no one but themselves and the court clerks present. The wedding, the reception really, though. That was what they were looking forward to.

Things had shifted in the Kavinsky household in the time that they had been together. They had loved and lost in this house. But it was built and filled with love, and there was nothing that seemed capable of stopping that.

They'd settled on Friday afternoon, since it was just going to be a backyard thing. The new deck was finished, the garden was in bloom, and it was warm enough and good enough weather that the dreamed up garden roof was retracted to let in the natural warmth of mid Spring. Everything was light with the smell of flowers and fresh cut grass and the noise of the finches that lived in the tree at the back of the yard, dreamt once and lively as ever.

Kavinsky had set up a small buffet in the living room. The cats were roaming among the guests. Kavinsky was trying to not drink too much. He could hardly be pried from his husband's side, and when he did, his gaze was soft and adoring whenever he found him again.

All in all, it looked like it wasn't going to be a bad party at all.

Comments

[thebloodyglue]

Newt feels like he's floating. He'd never ever expected his garden to flourish like this, to be this beautiful. He never expected to end up with anyone this beautiful, either. He stands in the shade of his favorite tree, one alive with white and pink flowers in the spring, and he watches the party go on around him. He's so happy, and it's quiet and still in a way that he thought he'd never, ever find, not after the Maze and the Scorch.

He likes to think Albie would be happy for him.

[mitsubishievo]

Kavinsky separated himself from a quiet conversation and gravitated back to Newt. He'd been doing that off and on, a constant orbit that brought him back to Newt every time.

Right now, he slipped his arm around him and held him close. Things felt at peace, and Kavinsky couldn't be more glad for that. It was all he wanted out of this life. He brushed a kiss to his temple and smiled softly. "Hey, sugar. Enjoying everything?"

[thebloodyglue]

"It's a shucking beautiful party," says Newt, turning his head to press a kiss against the sharp line of Kavinsky's jaw. "What about you? Are you enjoying it?"

[mitsubishievo]

"Of course," he said, smiling softly. There was a bittersweetness to it. Al should have been part of this, part of making this little family. All the smiling faces here meant so much to him, but there were ones that were missing who would never be back in their lives.

He didn't let it drag on him too much. He couldn't.

He kissed behind Newt's ear. "I love you so much, sugar. And you look real handsome."

[shuck_you]

Thomas hadn't really known how to dress for a wedding reception. It wasn't like he'd gone to many before and any receptions that he had gone to were long gone from his memories.

So, he'd tried to dress nicely but not overly formal. It was warm out and he didn't want to sweat during a party. Once he got there, he spent a little time wandering around, checking things out. He paid particular attention to the garden and all the flowers before eventually making his way out to the backyard proper.

He grabbed some water and sipped it slowly while he walked around.

[mitsubishievo]

"Thomas, hey," Kavinsky called, smiling a little bit. He waved a bit as he came over. He scooped up one of the cats on his way, just idle, and let it perch on his shoulders comfortably. He was all smiles today.

"See you found the buffet," he said, nodding to the water. "Don't worry, it's not like one of Magnus's things, nothing funny going on. How've you been?"

[shuck_you]

"See, I wasn't even thinking of that until you said something," Thomas replied, eyeing his water carefully but deciding to trust Kavinsky's words. He didn't think they'd want to do anything strange at their reception but he was going to keep a watch anyway.

"I've been okay," he said, shrugging. "Just working and hanging out mostly. There's not a lot of other things to do, you know? Not like I can leave to explore other places. Think I'm running out of new places in this city."

[mitsubishievo]

"Amen to that," Kavinsky said, shaking his head. He liked Darrow; he loved parts of it, people, little things. But a box was a box was a box, and Kavinsky had been living in boxes his whole life. He didn't think it was ever going to change.

"At least the weather's starting to get better. You can hang out outside and shit."

[thebloodyglue]

"Hey there, shank," says Newt, stepping in beside his best friend, nudging him with his shoulder. He's got a beer in hand and he just stands, for a moment, surveying the garden, his friends, his husband, the birds in the trees. "Thanks for coming, Tommy. Having fun?"

[shuck_you]

"Yeah, this place is really nice," Thomas said, nodding. "Much better than the apartments they give us. Much, much better than the Homestead."

Thomas still missed that place even if he hadn't been there as long as the other Gladers. It had felt like longer and Thomas wouldn't have minded a few more easy weeks there, getting supplies and running the Maze before they'd broken out.

"You having a good time?"

[thebloodyglue]

"It's not huge but it's ours," says Newt, and his pride in the little house is obvious. He still feels a twinge of missing the homestead, though, a thing that he figures Tommy would understand. Once a Glader, always a Glader. "Yeah, I am. I was just thinking about Alby."

[priordivergence]

I came for Newt but I'm not entirely sure what his husband thinks of me. The only time that I think he and I had anything like a serious encounter had been at Fight Club and had culminated with my knee between his legs. Not that I plan to repeat the action but I worry it might make things awkward.

That thought keeps me toward the edge of the party, one of the cats winding around my ankles while I drink a cup of water. Although there are many familiar faces, I still feel oddly shy.

[thebloodyglue]

"Tris!" Newt wraps his arms around her from behind, giving her a quick squeeze before he lets her go. "I'm glad you came." He gives her a dubious look. "Are you? Tommy's around here somewhere."

[priordivergence]

I smile and squeeze his forearms in lieu of hugging him back. "I am," I say, though I realize that I must look otherwise. "You know me. And yes, I saw him. Are you having a good time?"

[thebloodyglue]

"You looked like you were really faraway for a minute," he says, pressing a kiss on her cheek before she pulls away. "Yeah, I'm having a great time. Not as good as Kavinsky's having, showing off the fact that we're married, but close."

[nothingmorehorrifying]

Wanda arrives with a rounded, hand-made halvah studded with coffee beans–and a store bought confection in case she's screwed up the recipe. It's a silly joke based on the kitten that had been gifted to her, slightly under duress, though she thinks now the cat looks more like some kind of orange pastille than sweetened, marble sesame paste and sugar.

She doesn't think she's met Kavinsky's husband, though he'd referred to his boys a few times in the past and then to a fiancé. The wedding had gone through, she knows, but this is the first time she's seen them together.

[mitsubishievo]

"Sestra!"

Kavinsky caught Wanda around the middle from behind, which he knew was probably a bad idea, but he was happy she was here. And had brought sweets. He was taller enough than her that he could pick her up off her feet, but he did it gently, not wanting to disrupt her holding the halvah.

[nothingmorehorrifying]

It's a good thing he shouts with that nickname or else Wanda might really have sent him flying. Hearing his voice, she expects the hug and lets Kavinsky left her off the ground. The halvah nearly does slip but she rights it with a wave of a finger.

"Congratulations," she says, knowing that it's late to the actual ceremony but true enough anyway.

[mitsubishievo]

"Thanks," Kavinsky said. He released her, beaming, and took the halvah from her, carrying it toward the buffet table. Whether or not anyone else was going to eat it, Kavinsky didn't care. If he was the only one, he was going to relish it entirely.

"You didn't have to make something, man," he said, pulling her in close again and giving her waist a squeeze. "But thank you. Man, it's been months, and it still feels, like. Fresh and new?"

[afabulouskilljoy]

Poison likes Newt, and most of the time he even likes Kavinsky, and despite the shit that has gone down between them all recently, he wants to be here. He wants to support them and he brings Jack and Girl with him, because they want to be there too.

He's got a drink but he's watching himself; not because he doesn't trust himself - Kav looks like Kav again n- but because he doesn't want to get too comfortable, or sloppy. While making out with Jack on the couch might seem like a great idea, it seems like a jackass move at a wedding reception.

He finds himself out on the deck, looking at the garden with a beer in hand. He thinks of the house he's living in with Jack, feels warm and domestic and a little terrified. This is a life he never could have imagined for himself a year ago; a life he couldn't even have conceived of. But now here he is, twisting the ring on his finger, the promise. Soon enough, this will be he and Jack.

[thebloodyglue]

"Hey," says Newt, a fresh beer in his hand as he comes up behind Poison, takes a sip. They haven't spoken face to face since everything happened and Newt feels a shiver of...something, that's quickly and easily dismissed. "Having a good time?"

[afabulouskilljoy]

"Awesome time," he says with a little smile, easy but also... well, he's aware that the last time they talked it had been for a shitty reason. "Really happy for you man, seriously. Wasn't sure if you guys were soliciting gifts or anything but I think I know something."

[thebloodyglue]

"We don't need any gifts," says Newt, but his smile is genuine as he drops his arm around Poison and gives him a quick squeeze. "Did Jack come with you?"

He knows that Kavinsky's hoping that he did.

[mitsubishievo]

Kavinsky nudges Poison gently as he came up beside him, the gentlest of shoulder checks, before he leaned against the rail of the deck that separated them from the rest of the back yard. He tilted his head up and took in the sky. This was hard, but he was happy.

"Thanks for coming," he said, honestly. And it wasn't a Poison, et al sort of thanks, either. It was meant specifically for Poison, because Kavinsky was genuinely grateful to have him there.

[afabulouskilljoy]

Poison nudges back and moves to lean against the rail, too, facing the house while Kav faces the garden. "Yeah, man, of course. I'm happy for you two."

He gives Kav a smile, because he means it. For all their problems, their differences, he means it every time he says he doesn't hate Kav. And he quite likes Newt.

"How are you doing?"