(I feel like Snowman is the dog to end this story. He was the one who helped me start most of them, and even though he's gone now, I'm still finding his fur in random places years later...)
"I can't find my bow tie," Marsh mumbled as he stood in the doorway in a disheveled, matching tan suit.
His hair had been styled earlier, but no amount of gel had been able to keep it from looking as wild as he was.
So handsome.
Marsh's cheeks tinted pink at his thought, making Walker smile softly as he walked over and pulled him into his arms for a quick hug.
"That's fine. You look perfect as you are," he said before taking Marsh's hand and walking out of their room.
They stopped at the top of the stairs, the scent of his mother's cooking making both their stomach's grumble in anticipation. She had come for the ceremony, of course, as well as Chase and a few of Heian's good friends he knows from his farming business.
"Marshall? Come on down here and taste these dishes for me, please?" his mom called up with a beaming smile.
She knew that her dishes were all delicious, but there was no stopping her doting on Marsh, and of course, getting compliments.
"Go ahead," Walker said as he nudged Marsh, then pressed a kiss to the top of his head.
There was no need to say anything else. Marsh was down the stairs, after returning the kiss with one of his own to Walker's cheek, and in the kitchen with a handful of forks.
Chuckling beneath his breath, Walker headed downstairs, too, but instead of going to the kitchen, he continued straight and walked out the door after slipping on his shoes. It was no surprise seeing two beautiful horses bounding around in front of the house as he stepped out onto the porch. The smaller one, Toshi, was being chased by Nia, but her larger horse was going much slower than it actually could, and was also being very careful whenever she did get close.
Such a good older sister.
"Hey bro!" his brother yelled, directing Walker's attention to his right.
I can see that someone is overjoyed today...
"Hell yeah!" his brother replied, even though Walker had been actually thinking about Heian and his horse, not their rider. The man's horse looked as if it could barely contain its excitement to finally have Ranger so relaxed on his back. Its head was bobbing and swinging every few moments as it snorted, clearly eager to show his mate how fast he could carry him across the fields.
Heian's stallion stopped at the bottom of the steps and bowed its head toward him slightly.
"Hey, where is your bear? We're about to start, aren't we?" Ranger asked, making Walker grin as he glanced back through the open front door.
"He'll be here in a minute. He's been given a beary important job," he said, trying his best to hold back his laughter as his brother groaned.
"Mom really needs to stop feeding him so much. I know his human side somehow isn't gaining weight, but his bear has got some serious thickness going on," Ranger said, joking... for the most part.
Marsh's bear has definitely gained the pounds his human side should have, but it was actually quite adorable. He would, of course, make sure that it didn't get out of hand, but for now he was perfectly content with his chubby bear.
"Marsh's bear is here," came a voice to his right as soon as he'd returned his attention to his brother, drawing his eyes back to the open doorway that now held his husband.
"Dang, he cleans up nice," Ranger said in surprise, earning a snort from his own man's shift as Heian's stallion quickly turned and began nonchalantly walking away, making Ranger confused.
So cute.
He could sense his brother's confusion through their bond, but he didn't question him about his husband's reaction to him complimenting Marsh.
"We finally see the jealous side of Heian, hmm?" Walker said as he felt an arm wrap around his own middle as Marsh hugged him tightly.
"He can keep the cat at his house now, right?" he asked, making Walker give him a look before realizing that Marsh was actually joking with him.
It... was so odd, but there was no mistaking that cheeky grin on his husband's face.
"I actually don't mind your brother anymore. He isn't a bad person, and his horse is nice, too. His kids behave well, too, but my bear still wants to chew on the smaller one. He knows better, though, because he'd get kicked in the face if he tried to chase him... again."
That wasn't exactly why the bear should know better, but it was good enough for him as long as it kept the chunky predator away from the horses. It had been nearly two weeks since Marsh's bear had tried its luck when Toshi and Nia visited without Heian. Thankfully Nia was on guard and easily disabled Marsh's chubby bear. It had actually been a pretty easy target since he'd yelled at Marsh's bear to stop as soon as it had begun its chase. He honestly didn't think he would have hurt the horse, either. His bear had been barely moving to begin with and didn't hesitate to slow the moment he was called.
"The more important the lesson, the more it hurts, it seems," Marsh said before taking Walker's hand and tugging him down the steps and toward the back of the house where guests were milling about with drinks in their hands.
It wasn't exactly a fancy set up, but it was perfect for him and his brother. He knew that Marsh wasn't very comfortable around people, either, so they hadn't invited too many. Besides, they had their close friends and family there, so that was fine.
"We're actually about ready to start. Have you seen Nekosi?" he asked, drawing his husband's eyes over toward the barn.
They'd invited him, of course, but he hadn't really answered them, and he definitely didn't want Marsh to force him to come. When Marsh looked up at him, silently asking if he should go bring him over, Walker smiled and shook his head.
"We'll save him some food and cake. I don't want to make him uncomfortable," he said as they got called over to the reception.
His brother and his horse, now in his human form and dressed in a pitch black tuxedo and dark green tie, showed up a few minutes later. Heian's hair was braided in several random places, making Walker grin. Nia had done a perfect job for her father's wedding.
Her and Toshi joined them once they'd both run off their extra energy, and Walker quickly noticed that Toshi's mane was actually braided all the way through.
Heian and I helped her braid it last night after getting Toshi's permission.
Walker couldn't hold back his widening smile.
You're going to make a fantastic father to those kids.
He felt his brother grumble a little, but he couldn't hide the pride that exuded from him when he'd told him that.
"Alright, let's get this show on the road!" yelled Chase, who also happened to not be a person who could legally marry two people. They'd just planned to go to the government office and get the paperwork done another time, but as far as the ceremony went, Chase was more than capable of being the one to do it.
Walker allowed his bear to lead him forward until they stopped in front of their friend. The guy greeted them with a nod before looking up. All eyes followed his as Heian lead Ranger forward.
Breathe, Rane.
His brother looked so nervous and was beginning to get quite pale.
Heian, thankfully, seemed to notice because he gestured for them to wait a moment as he tugged Ranger over to sit down in one of the decorated white lawn chairs lining either side of the grassy aisle. Walker watched them as the rest of the people present returned their attention to the front as to not be rude. He'd thought about doing that, too, but Ranger was his brother. He wouldn't intervene, but he'd never seen him so nervous, so he just wanted to make sure that he was going to be okay.
He sat hunched over in his light gray suit, his fingers mussing up his previously-styled hair. The waves of stress he felt coming from him nearly had Walker heading his way, but he stopped himself when he saw Heian carefully kneel in front of his brother in the grass.
His action drew his brother's attention after a few tense moments, making him lift curious, stressed eyes up to meet his own. That's when Heian reaching into his tux's pocket and produced the case that held the ring he'd bought for him.
Walker's heart sped up just watching the man carefully open the lid and show the beautiful ring to Ranger as he leaned forward and up, turning his head just enough to whisper something into his brother's ear. He hadn't heard him with his own ears, but he could tell exactly what words came out of his mouth as he felt his bond between his brother and himself explode with excitement and happiness, the two emotions quickly pushing away the stress and nervousness that had previously overcome Ranger.
When his brother nodded with tears in his eyes, Walker bit back his own waterworks.
You got a good one there.
He felt his brother's jumbled mind try to form some sort of response, but he eventually gave up as he grabbed either side of his husband's face and kissed him, hard. They thankfully kept that part short, since Heian's kids were there and the ceremony technically hadn't even started yet.
The two soon joined them in front of Chase. Ranger wiped away the few straggling tears running down his face with a left hand that had a brand new ring on its fourth finger. Seeing the item there made Walker more than ready for his own happy ending.
He quickly returned his attention to the man before him. Marsh stood tall before him, a little case in his right hand that Walker hadn't noticed previously.
Where did he get that?
Before his thoughts could wander any further Chase began the ceremony. It was short and to the point, but also pretty funny when he mentioned how both pairs had first met face to face, one during a hunting trip that landed him in the hospital while the other got a surprise when he lead a horse into their barn to return to a neighbor... only to find out that the owner had actually been that horse.
When it came time to present the rings, Heian reached forward and took Ranger's left hand, then lifted it to his lips, pressing a kiss to the ring he had previously slipped onto it. Ranger did allow himself to cry in front of their guests at that point as he shakily slipped the ring he'd purchased for Heian onto the man's finger. Walker quickly joined in the waterworks when Marsh reached forward and took his own left hand, drawing his attention immediately.
"Walker, I'm sorry I lost control of my bear with Toshi before. I told him that he'd been bad to try and catch the little horse and he got really sad. I mean, we are both him, so it was my fault, too. I mean, I—" Marsh's words were silenced when Walker leaned forward and pressed their lips together.
His husband remained quiet as he leaned back again, smiling warmly.
"Marsh, I'm not mad at you for that anymore. Yes, I was upset that you had chased Toshi, but we all understand that you are a bear, and you always will be. Nia is more than capable of protecting her little brother or Heian wouldn't have allowed them to come over by themselves."
When Marsh slowly nodded but wouldn't meet his eyes, Walker knelt down in the grass until he could see his husband's worried eyes staring back at him.
"Marsh, when you are married to someone there are times where you are mad at each other. There are stressful times, and times when you aren't sure if you made the right decision..."
Marsh swallowed hard, trying to keep his blinking eyes from allowing the water within them to fall.
"But there are also times when you are so happy that you swear you could dance. When you wake up in the morning and see the person sleeping next to you and think wow, this person is really mine."
Walker slowly stood up, still holding hands with his husband. As he moved, Marsh's eyes followed his and allowed his head to rise until they were both standing straight again.
"Marsh, I love everything about you. You have grown so much in such a short time, and I've loved watching you learn new things, but also still be yourself. You have proved time and again that you can provide for the both of us in your own ways. You are the one I want to stand beside me on my journey in life. You are the best, and only bear that I'd like to ask... will you marry me?"
His husband's eyes were waterfalls as he quickly nodded like a bobble-head, refusing to stop until Walker had slipped a carved silver ring onto his finger with a dark green emerald embedded within its center. It was specially made to shrink or expend to accommodate shapeshifting, just like the ones his brother had received.
As soon as his ring was on Marsh hurried to scramble with the box in his own hand. When he opened the lid, Walker couldn't believe his eyes.
Wow, that's beautiful...
"I found this stone in the river while I was fishing for our dinner a few days ago," Marsh said, his words just-barely audible through his tearful sniffling.
"The cat helped me pick out a design for a woodworker at a carving store."
Walker looked at his brother with a warm smile that his Ranger returned with a big one of his own as he grabbed him in a tight hug, then mussed up his hair before releasing him.
"I think the forest carved into it fits you well," he said, making Walker blink back his own tears as he watched Marsh nervously slide the ring onto his finger.
There was a loud round of applause as the two pairs faced Chase again.
"I actually forgot to read what I was supposed to do after this part, but I'm pretty sure I can just say I now pronounce you..." he paused for a moment as he looked between the two couples, then continued. "Bear and human, and horse and cat."
Ranger burst out laughing first as Heian tried, but failed, to bite back his own chuckles as he shook his head.
Hearing the man say words that were close enough to what Walker had told Marsh he needed to wait for before kissing him, Walker was suddenly jumped and fell over into the grass with Marsh leaning over him, pressing their lips together happily.
"Having fun, bro?" Ranger said, teasing him until Walker saw him suddenly get grabbed by Heian and kissed hard. The man even leaned him over until his brother had to rely on his husband to support his weight.
Having fun, bro? Walked teased right back as Marsh finally release his lips and sat back on his chest with a smile a mile wide.
Fuck yes! his brother replied right before Marsh spoke.
"Walker is finally officially mine!"
Walker nodded his head against the grass before Ranger appeared behind his husband and lifted Marsh up off of him.
"It's food time," Ranger said when Marsh scowled at him. "You can eat him later."
Those words changed his bear's expression immediately as he reached down and helped Walker to his feet, then practically ran toward the buffet table. Walker ran with him, of course, because why not? He gladly followed his bear around the table as they piled up their plates, then sat down and talked with their friends and family as they ate all sorts of delicious dishes, then finished off the feast with massive slices of cake that Heian had made together with Ranger, Nia, and Toshi. He would never tell his mother, but that cake was absolutely the best tasting thing there, and that was impressive considering that his mother was an amazing cook.
"Hey Walker?" Marsh asked as he nervously poked his leg beneath the table to get his attention.
Walker turned his attention to his husband, then smiled and leaned closer as Marsh leaned toward him.
"Walker, I dug you a present for the honey time," he said, making Walker tilt his head in confusion for a moment before he realized that Marsh meant honeymoon.
"Oh?" he asked, wanting a bit more elaboration.
Marsh glanced down at his nervously-twisting hands in his lap before looking back up and leaning closer.
"I made a super big den and brought some blankets and pillows and I even remembered a flashlight, since my husband can't see the best in the dark..."
Oh my god, so sweet... and no wonder he's been returning home each night so dirty.
"Will Walker spend the night with me in in my den... please?"
There was nothing that would have made him happier.
"Absolutely, my husband," Walker agreed, then added, "how about we bring some snacks, too? Maybe some honey?"
The light that flared to life in his bear's eyes had Walker the slightest bit nervous, but he quickly and easily nudged the feeling aside.
Can I lick it off of you?
The sheer excitement and hopefulness that thought held was impressive. Walker leaned a little closer and pressed his lips right up against Marsh's ear as he replied in a whisper.
"I haven't gotten you a wedding present yet... is that what you'd like, love?"
The look on his husband's bright red face was the best thing he'd ever seen. When he eventually remembered to nod in response, Walker tilted his head and leaned in for a gentle kiss.
"Then we have a date once everyone leaves this evening."
Marsh didn't miss a beat when he looked him in the eyes and thought, my bear wants to chase them all out now, but I'm being good.
Unable to help himself, Walker let a bit of laughter slip from between his lips before he reached over and mussed up Marsh's hair.
"Thank you, sweetheart, for always being the best bear. And now, thank you for being my bear."
(Thank you guys for coming along on this odd little journey. I know there are some questions about Nekosi, and while I did add him to be part of their family, I don't force my characters into situations they don't want, so I think he might find himself in a spinoff in the near future instead of staying with our boys. We shall see. Until then, feel free to check out Snake, which is also a spinoff from Fox, or one of my other currently-updating stories (Silent Guard, Pirate, and soon, Bleeding Heart) or older ones. :))