Russian Roulette: Flashbacks [male x male]

Ch. 63, part 1: Now, Uncle Phoenix?

Now

"For the love of... Seven fingers... Hamster... Christ..."

With a soft smile, Phoenix walked up behind his father, pushed the man's hands away, and undid the bowtie he had fought with to redo it for him. He smiled with understanding at Indigo in the mirror, and the man let his arms fall and relaxed, though with a slight blush to his cheeks.

"Thanks, kiddo. These hands aren't as young as they used to be."

"Bow ties are fickle fuckers, and this feels nice." Phoenix leaned in to back-hug his father while he tied the silk-satin male accessory from hell. "Thank you for everything. Mum, too. This day wouldn't be perfect without you, and the way you've accepted Jace..."

Indigo met his son's eyes in the mirror, leaning back into Phoenix's chest. "We would have accepted any person of your choosing. That being said, Jace is everything we've ever wanted for you. The depth of his love, I believe, is only surpassed by how much you love him." Clearing his throat, blinking the mist in his eyes away, Indigo tried to find some composure. "We're happy for you, your mother and I, and it's a privilege to be here today."

"I've waited a long time for this. But it's been worth it."

"I know, and the wait is over in mere minutes. Be happy, son."

Phoenix did not know what to say. He had never shorted on support from his parents. In their eyes, he could do nothing wrong, but he knew they had wondered if he would spend his life alone because the fine art of dating, and the intricacies of love, they had feared he would never learn. He had too, for that matter.

He finished the bow tie for his father and went back to his dressing station, looking at himself in the mirror. His bow was perfect, and he only needed his jacket and the boutonniere. Moments and a few more things, and he was ready to marry Jace.

Fucking finally!

"Knock knock."

A small voice carried into the tent where all Phoenix's groomsmen were in the final stages of getting ready. Roarke held up a hand to stop Phoenix from going and went to the tent opening and pushed the flap slightly to the side to look out.

Rein tilted his head up at him with his big, blue eyes, looking absolutely adorable in his kid tuxedo, bow tie and all. Though Mackenzie had tried to tame his curls, they stood about his head as always, and the child smiled from ear to ear.

"Mom said I should go here." He held up a small basket with flower petals and a white and blue chiffon ribbon to match the seat covers.

Roarke smiled and let Rein inside, glancing at the seats outside to see if people were in place. Some still milled about to get settled, but everything looked about ready.

"What are you doing here?" Phoenix rushed to Rein when he saw him enter, afraid something had gone wrong. His fear of a catastrophe in the making had icy chills run down his spine from his nerves spiking.

Rein put the basket on the floor and scratched his neck, tilting his head all the way back to see Phoenix's face. The height difference between them was comical, but Rein was used to all the tall men around him.

"Leoni saw the pillow with the rings and wanted to carry that instead of throwing flowers." He shrugged the same way Gareth would have done if overpowered by Mackenzie. Rein was as much a copycat of his father as Leoni was of their mother. "I don't mind. If it makes her happy, I'm fine. She can get to throw flowers after the ceremony."