Luxury cars lined the curb of the city’s church on a bright Saturday morning. Guests adjusted their formal clothing and talked on their way up the stairs, into the church. Today was the big day. It took convincing on Elan’s part to get his parents to sign off on his marriage at 16. His methods weren’t the most mature, he thought. He remembered the uncomfortable conversation with his parents at a restaurant. The months since then seemed to fly by.
Elan and his parents were seated together in a booth at Blackridge Grill & Bar. Mila hugged Elan tightly. “Happy birthday, Elan! Is there anything you want for your birthday? Sorry, I’m really bad at gift shopping.” Elan found the courage to ask for their consent to marry Ethan. “Well … Mom, Dad. I really want something. I want to marry Ethan.” He pulled out marriage consent forms from his backpack and placed them on the table.
Alphonse read them over before sliding them back. “Sorry, Son, but the answer’s no. You’re still too young.” He adjusted his glasses and looked at him sternly. Mila turned to Alphonse and looked at him with fire in her eyes. “Woah, woah, woah! He wants to marry his old babysitter. Why aren’t you surprised?!” “Well, I’ve known for a while.” “For how long?!” “Honey, that’s not important. Let’s focus,” his attention turned to Elan once more, “16 is too young for marriage.”
Things were taking a turn for the worse. Desperate times called for desperate measures. “T-then I’ll run away with him somewhere and elope!” His threat angered Mila more. She spoke with a slow, menacing tone, “You wouldn’t dare…” He shrank into his seat. “Calm down, you two. You don’t need to do that, Son. You win. We’ll sign your paperwork.” “What?!” “Listen, my love. I know Ethan, and I trust he’s what’s best for Elan. I’ve known their secret since our little ’Lan was a young cub.” “But he’s still a kid and Ethan’s an adult!”
“Didn’t you confess to me that you had a crush on your babysitter when you were a cub? That you always dreamed of marrying him?” He rubbed her arm tenderly. It seemed to soothe her rage. “That’s… This is different.” She remembered sorrowful memories of her childhood babysitter. Her parents refused their love and sent him packing. She never saw him again. “You loved him like Elan loves Ethan. Please. Give him the chance you never got.”
Hearing about his step-mother’s childhood both surprised and saddened him. What if he was separated from Ethan when he was younger? He didn’t know if he'd be able to get over it like her. Both of their attention was now back on him. “Alright, Elan. I’ll sign it too. But remember: this isn’t a game. Take this seriously, okay?” Mila wrote her signature on the form and passed the pen to Alphonse. “I-I will, Mom! Thank you!”
After the drama was over with, everyone calmed down. Alphonse finished his tall mug of beer before speaking again. “Well, I guess we’ll need to get started with the planning… You don’t mind taking care of that, do you, dear?” “As if! Handling ours was a nightmare. Let’s hire a planner for them.” She noticed Elan’s gleeful smile. “Oh! And don’t think this is happening right now, young man. Not until you’re on summer vaction. School comes first.” “Okay, Mom. I can wait.”
While remembering that fateful day, he phased out. The old priestess turned to address him for his vows. “Do you, Elan Fisher, take this man, Ethan Garcia, to be your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, to love and honor, for as long as you both shall live?” “I do!” “I now pronounce you husbands. You may now kiss!” Elan and Ethan sealed their marriage with a passionate kiss. Friends and family of the grooms stood and cheered joyfully for the newly married couple.
An hour after the ceremony, everyone gathered at the nearby reception hall. Family from both grooms mingled and danced on the dance floor. Elan and Ethan gathered together with their old friends Dakota and Teras. “Dakota! Take our picture together!” Elan had changed a lot since he was a young cub. He became a little more confident and extroverted, thanks to his babysitter/husband.
Dakota looked at the couple with mock disgust. “Bleh! Could you two get any gayer?” “Sounds like someone’s jealous.” Teras snuck up behind Dakota and gave him a noogie. “No, I’m not! Fine. Get together.” They embraced each other while Dakota readied his phone. “Say ‘cheese,’ or whatever.” Elan kissed Ethan’s cheek as Dakota’s phone flashed.
He checked the picture and grinned. “I still can’t believe this is happening!” “Well, I did promise you, little man. Uh, I mean, big man? Heh, you’re not a little kid anymore.” “I-it’s alright. I still like it when you call me that.” Elan rubbed his arm bashfully. “Ugh! Get a room, losers!” “Oh, we will~.” Ethan looked at Elan slyly. “O-oh…” He looked away, blushing. At his core he was still his shy cub self. While the three boys chatted, Ethan remembered Elan’s proposal to him years ago.
Late August, 5 years ago…
Tonight was the annual meteor shower. Soon the entire night sky would be decorated with the streaks of shooting stars. All over the city, family and friends gathered to watch the celestial event together. Elan and Ethan rode together on Ethan’s bicycle to the nearby Petalwood Forest. They dismounted at the park’s entrance and trekked to a clearing in the center of the vast forest. After minutes of walking, they found it and set up their picnic blanket and stereo. Elan played some chill electronic music to set the mood.
Both lied down on the blanket and watched the empty night sky together for a few minutes. Ethan hated to do this, but it was time to get serious with him. “Elan? We need to have a talk.” “Hm? About what?” “Well, I can’t stay in town forever. Eventually I need to go back to college… That’d mean moving away.” “W-what?!” Elan sat up and looked at him, distraught. “You can’t do this!”
He was on the verge of breaking down crying. Ethan sat up too and looked at him pitifully. “I’m not saying it’s happening right now. I just, I want you to be prepared for when it does happen.” “M-marry me!” Elan’s cheeks were red and covered with tears. “Haha, sure thing, little man.” “I-I mean it!” “W-well, I can’t do that.” “Why not?!” “That’s only for grown-ups. Sorry.” “What about when I’m older?” Ethan gulped nervously. Commitment had always stressed him out. But could he set aside those feelings of uncertainty for him?
He wiped away Elan’s tears lovingly. That calmed him down a little. “Why do you even want to get married?” “W-well, if we get married we’ll always be together.” “Alright, fine. We’ll get married when you’re older.” “I want you to promise me.” Elan looked into his eyes, full of determination. “I promise, Elan. Now, let’s watch the stars.”
They lied back down and searched the sky for shooting stars. “Ooh! There’s one!” Elan pointed excitedly at the sky. Dozens of beautiful stars were streaking across the purple night sky now. “What’d you wish for, little man?” Elan looked at him blankly. “Oh. That’s right. Well, I’m glad it came true!” “What about you, Ethan?” “Hm… I’d wish for a new car so I’d have to stop riding this bike everywhere. Maybe when I save up a little more.”
“ … Hey. … Hey! Hellooo?! What are you doing?!” Dakota was aggressively waving his hand in front of his face. “Hm, what is it, Dakota?” “What the hell? We left and you were staring at nothing like a weirdo for five minutes. It’s time for you to dance with your ‘husband’. Well? Hurry up, already!” “O-oh. Whoops!” At the end of the room, Elan was waiting for him on the dance floor with a crowd surrounding him. Ethan smiled at him and adjusted his tuxedo’s lapels. “Alright. Let’s do this!”
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