"I'm gonna piss my pants, dude."
"Oh my god, E, calm down!" Grayson laughs, patting his brother on the back. "I don't think I've ever seen you this stressed. Not even finals of senior year back in college."
Ethan paces in front of the car, shaking his head and running his fingers through his hair. Due to his intoxication, he stumbles over his own feet, blinking slowly at his brother when he's stopped. He might be a little panicky.
In his defense, he's getting married in about two weeks.
Just 15 more days and he'll be a married man. He knew before this that he'd be getting married, sure, but it didn't really hit him until right now. The thought is terrifying.
"Since when are you a nervous drunk?" Grayson laughs, holding his brother by the shoulders. "Blake loves you, dude. And you love her. She wouldn't have said yes if she didn't wanna marry you, so what're you freaking out over?"
"She's gonna change her mind. She's gonna realize she's way too good for me and leave me three months into being married? Have you seen her? Do you know how hot and cool and smart she is? Gray, we're still so young, what if we're rushing this--?"
"You're 26. And you're in love. Plus, you've been engaged for like, two years already."
"But, Gray... I sprung the proposal on her. You know we had that rough patch, and like, what if we're just not ready? I can't lose her again," Ethan whines, collapsing against the hood of the car. He had nerves before, but being drunk amplified them.
Him and Blake were practically inseparable for the first year or so of their relationship. After they figured out all of their initial problems, things were really good. They had their arguments, but nothing serious. They were happy, and in love, and things were practically perfect.
Then they broke up.
Ethan can't even remember why, exactly. They were stressed about other things--moving, work, life in general catching up to them since they'd graduated from university. Being so stressed, they just kept fighting again, and then they both snapped. They couldn't take it... so they decided to separate.
It was shitty for both of them. They were so in love, and then suddenly they weren't together anymore. The feelings don't go away when that happens. Blake moved out, and they didn't see each other for ten months. There was no bad blood, it was just too hard. Their mutual friends learned to deal with it instead of forcing them to see each other.
Who broke up with who? Well, really, it was more mutual. They were screaming at each other in the kitchen one day, and Blake shouted something along the lines of, "I can't fucking handle this anymore."
It stopped the argument cold, Ethan gave her a slow swallow in response and choked out the harsh words, "Then maybe we should take a break." Of course, it wasn't really just a break. It was a clean split, one with no intention of reconciliation once Blake moved out mere days later.
Ten months apart. At first, the pain was too hard for either of them to stomach, but it eventually dulled. They both tried dating... not that it went well.
Blake was the first girl Ethan truly loved, and she was the reason his new relationship didn't work out. The girl he was been seeing for about four months broke up with him because it was obvious he wasn't over Blake. Ethan couldn't blame her, really, because he wasn't. Things got easier, being apart got easier, but the feelings never faded. He saw a couple of other girls for a few short weeks, but nothing stuck. They weren't Blake, and she was all he wanted. Ethan didn't know if he would ever be able to move on, but he'd never experienced this before so he assumed it was just going to take time.
She also had a girlfriend during that time apart, but broke up with her after only two months. The feelings for her weren't the same as the ones she had for Ethan... so two weeks after breaking up with her, she emailed him.
Yeah, emailed. He laughed when he saw it, even though it made his heart skip a beat or four.
From there, they started texting, because no way in hell Ethan was gonna email her back and forth. Then one random day, she told him about a protest she was going to, and he showed up. Blake didn't specifically invite him, but she hinted she wanted him there. He kissed her about three minutes after seeing her, then promptly apologized right before she pulled him in for another kiss.
"...hey, Blake."
"Ethan, it's... it's good to see you."
She cautiously pulls him in for a hug, burying her face in the crook of his neck. He uses a new cologne now, she doesn't recognize the scent like she used to. Blake's perfume is the same though, and as his arms wrap tightly around her, it wafts into Ethan's nose--a very familiar feeling of comfort fills him.
Their attention is gripped toward a demonstration not too far away, causing them to pull apart with awkward coughs. They'd been... friendly over text, but this is the first time in ten months that they've been together in person. It's overwhelming, exciting, and terrifying all at once.
As they walk closer, listening to someone speak above the crowd, their arms brush. It's enough to get them tingling.
"I know we've texted a little bit, but uh, how've you been, Dolan?"
His last name slips from Blake's lips without her even needing to think about it. Ethan remembers wanting to hear his first name come from her for so long, but it's hearing his last name from Blake that sends him now.
Ethan can't help it... he gently caresses Blake's face and leans in for a kiss. The second before their lips meet feels like hours--eye fluttering shut, tuning the crowd out, his fingertips against her face--it's so familiar, but with the time that's passed, there's something new.
Blake leans into him, their lips finally meeting in a kiss they were both aching for. Her tongue slowly traces his bottom lip, just barely meeting his before they pull away.
"Bad," Ethan whispers, all the feelings for Blake that he thought he was coming to terms with filling him again, but most importantly, regret. Regret for how things ended, regret for the things he said to her, regret for letting her go, and regret for kissing her without warning. "Fuck, I'm sorry, che--Blake. I shouldn't have--"
"Shut up and kiss me."
They both can't help but smile into it when Blake pulls Ethan's lips to hers again, holding him tight and never wanting to let go. When they pull away, hot in the face and hearts full, they turn their attention back to the protest with minds running rampant of the discussion they'll have later. For now, they just enjoy each other's company, linking hands in silence.
They couldn't remember why exactly they broke up, and they didn't care. All they knew was that they were still in love, and the space only made them grow stronger--and gave them time to grow up a little more. They needed to explore themselves alone for a while before they could return to one another.
Ethan needed to date and care about other people, even if his feelings didn't compare to the ones he had for Blake. He needed to learn and mature as a person--and so did she. Blake needed to remind herself who she was without him after all the time they spent together, and why she felt like a better version of herself when with him.
About a month after they started officially dating again, which they dragged their feet on doing out of fear, Ethan proposed.
It was sudden, and shocking, but Blake said yes. She couldn't see herself marrying anyone else. He didn't even have a ring, they were just on a night out, and Ethan knew he never wanted to lose her again so he asked. He tied a ribbon around her finger for the evening, and the next morning spent three hours looking at rings to bring one home to her... not that they even lived together again at that point. They decided they needed a long engagement however, due to the fact that they spent so long apart. They didn't really rush into wedding planning, they were happy enough making the promise to marry each other.
Now, that day is almost upon them, and obviously, Ethan's worried. How could he not be, with the ups and downs they've had? He doesn't want to lose her again, but the statistics of first loves lasting is not great. Statistics have always been Blake's thing though, and right now he's too drunk to focus on that, he can only think about Blake wanting a divorce after realizing she's stuck with him, and how much that would hurt.
She's it for him. Ethan knows now after trying to date other women that he will never love anyone more than he loves Blake. If things with her don't work out, they won't work with anyone. She's the only one he wants.
Blake's stressed about the wedding too, but not for the exact same reasons. She does worry though that they might have bad fights again, the reason they've broken up twice now. She knows she loves him, but she also knows that isn't always enough.
It has to be for them. They're 26 now, they have careers, and truthfully, they haven't had a big fight in a long time. Everything has been good. Blake is willing to do whatever it takes to make it work, and she knows Ethan is too.
Planning the wedding is also stressing her out like hell, and yes Ethan's helping a lot, but she needs everything to be perfect. That's her biggest worry about the wedding. Their relationship wasn't always perfect--and that's okay--but their wedding has to be. He doesn't know how badly that's getting to her. Blake's always been a perfectionist, she's always overworked herself, but she internalized a lot of it this time around so he wouldn't worry.
Ethan's still pacing by the car, shaking his hands out as if it will shake away his nerves. Grayson sighs at his antsy brother, patting him on the back. "C'mon, bro. Your future wife is probably awake, wine drunk, and waiting to take care of you inside."
It' a little after 2am, but yes, she's awake and painting with Lara. Sober, however. She had her bachelorette party on a different day, just because of how her friends schedules worked. So tonight was spent just relaxing, and Lara insisted on keeping her company since she was free and going to be bored without Grayson at home.
Her and Grayson own a home about half an hour away that they moved into just a few months prior. The two got engaged a few months after Ethan proposed, and are already married. They wasted no time, practically rushing because they were so excited.
"One drunk bachelor," Grayson laughs, holding Ethan upright. "He hasn't stopped talking about you all night."
"Oh! You're back!" Blake grins, spilling paint on her shirt (his shirt) as she stands up. "How was the bachelor party, babe?"
"It was good," he smiles tiredly, nerves calming a bit as she kisses him. "Ryan threw up in someone's bushes. Seth and Chad di-did karaoke. A couple of the other guys got us kicked out of a sex shop. Grayson... was sober and boring all night."
"Someone had to keep an eye on you all and get you home," his brother snorts, reaching for his wife. "We're gonna head home though, it's late. Talk to you guys tomorrow," Grayson waves, Lara saying a quick goodbye as she gathers her things.
"Hey," Ethan whispers, swaying on his feet and staring down at Blake. They hear the door shut and Blake walks over to lock it. "I'm drunk."
"I know," she laughs, shaking her head. "It's like you're in Kappa all over again. Let's get you to bed, Dolan."
"Wait! I want... I want a snack," Ethan mumbles with a pout, slight lisp coming out. "Do we have anymore vegan mac and cheese? I could... go for some mac and cheese."
Blake rolls her eyes with a nod, pushing him toward their bedroom. "Go change and get in bed. I'll bring you a bowl."
Ethan doesn't really get this drunk anymore, so seeing him like this is a rare occurrence. Blake doesn't mind, she always thought he was a cute drunk. His hangover in the morning might change her mind though, if it puts him in a bad mood.
She makes him a small bowl and carries it back to their room, where he's completely naked on his stomach on top of the covers. Sleeping naked is pretty normal for him these days, but he does usually go under the covers.
"E, your ass is out."
"You like it," he mumbles, moving to lean against the headboard so he can accept the bowl. Blake only laughs, throwing the covers over his bare lap. She changes out of the paint-stained clothes, walking away to brush her teeth before she climbs into bed next to him. Ethan is surprisingly quiet as he eats, staring down into his bowl in contemplation. "Do you still wanna marry me?"
"What? Of course," she says, noting the dark and slightly furrowed, worried brows on him. "E, babe, if I didn't want to marry you I wouldn't be next to you while you're naked and eating pasta in our bed."
"But is it still gonna be cute in 40 years?"
Blake laughs, taking the empty bowl from his hands and gets up, walking toward their bedroom door again. "I'm still gonna love you in 40 years, no matter how much pasta you eat in bed. But if I have a problem with it between now and then, I'll let you know."
After rinsing and placing the bowl in the sink, she goes back to their room to find that Ethan's stumbled toward their en-suite bathroom to brush his teeth--with boxers on now. He's teetering on his feet, having trouble standing upright until she comes to his side and lets him lean on her. Ethan's feeling a little less nervous about the wedding now that he's back home with her.
She helps him back to bed, where he tugs her onto his lap with a smile. "I'm excited to be your husband."
"I guess I'm excited to be your wife," she teases, leaning forward to catch his lips in a kiss. When she feels Ethan slipping a hand under her shirt, she stops him. "You need some sleep, babe. Tomorrow."
Blake plants one more soft kiss on his lips, and then his nose before rolling over, clapping to turn the lights off. That was Ethan's idea, installing those--it made for an interesting discovery the very first night when the lights repeatedly flicked on and off. They've learned how to turn that feature off now, but it's helpful for nights like this where they're both already comfortable in bed.
He wraps his arms around her and pulls her close, nuzzling his face in her neck and drifting off to a peaceful sleep. Ethan happens to get extra cuddly when drunk, but Blake isn't complaining.
--
Ethan wakes up to the smell of toast wafting through the air. Blake left the bedroom curtains closed for him, which he's thankful for because his head hurts quite a bit and the bright light wouldn't help.
He downs the water and pills she left on his nightstand before slipping his robe on and dragging himself into the kitchen. Blake is still just wearing his shirt, hanging just high enough so he can see the bottom of her ass as she gets breakfast ready. Of course, he comes up behind her, lightly slapping it, his hands lingering, and planting kisses on her shoulder.
"Morning, chérie." Ethan's voice is deep, extra gruff in her ear from just having woken up. It brings a smile upon her face, pouring out a cup of coffee for him while he stands behind her.
"Good morning," Blake hums, turning to hand it to him. "You were so drunk last night."
"I know," he chuckles, leaning down to kiss her. Her nose scrunches up, only giving him a small peck. "Gimme more, that was pathetic."
"You have morning breath," she snorts. Ethan rolls his eyes, wrapping his arms completely around her again and puckering his lips for another kiss. "You're so lucky I love you, Dolan."
"Y'know, you're gonna be a Dolan soon too," he reminds with a smile. It all feels too good to be true.
Blake laughs, carrying his plate to the table and forcing him to sit and eat his avocado toast. She finished eating before he even woke up. "Hyphen Dolan, actually. We went over this, I'm still keeping my name."
"I know, I know. Blake Adams-Dolan. I'm still excited. Hyphen Dolan counts."
"You're in a good mood for someone with a hangover," she hums, placing her mug in the sink. "And you're awake early."
"Is it early?" Ethan asks, turning to see it's half-past eight. If they didn't have to be, they usually weren't out of bed before ten. "Gross. Why are we awake-wait, where are you going?"
"Gotta get dressed, babe."
"No you don't," he pouts, following after her and abandoning his breakfast. "It's Sunday, chérie! Don't leave me here all aloooone."
"E, I promised I'd go into work today and finish things up, remember?"
"Cancel. Come back to bed with me and sit on my face instead."
"Ethan," Blake laughs, buttoning her shirt, "you know I can't do that. You're gonna have to entertain yourself for a while." He groans, wrapping his arms tightly around her. "Sorry, Mr. CEO, but taking like, a month off of work is a big deal for some of us. Today's the last day I'm working until after our honeymoon."
"Okay, okay. It's a big deal for me too though!" Ethan sighs, planting a kiss on her lips before letting her get her shoes on. "You're lucky your job is cool as shit, otherwise I'd be disappointed."
"I really gotta go, babe. Oh, and after you feel better, think you could do some important wedding stuff? I could do it on my break, but if you're gonna be home anyway... there's a list on the fridge. I love you!"
"Love you too, chérie."
They both took the next few weeks off of work for the wedding and their honeymoon. Even though the wedding isn't for two weeks, they want to prepare for it--especially Blake. It's coming so soon, and there's still so much to do. It's never-ending.
Since they've been planning for so long, they were able to save up vacation days and make their schedules work around it. That, and they both have good jobs.
Ethan, like Blake mentioned, is a CEO at a non-profit organization. For some time after finishing school, he really wasn't sure what he wanted. It took him a while to find his footing, but he ended up there, working his way up the company. When the former CEO retired, Ethan was promoted due to his performance, and the recommendation from the former because he had a soft spot for Ethan. He really loves his job and what they do, and truthfully, he owes it to Blake. She helped him discover how much he enjoys helping people--and helped him find the job in the first place.
Blake has her dream job. She's an environmental engineer at NASA, like she wanted to be for so long (and which Ethan never stops bragging to everyone about).
Ethan finished up his work week on Friday, like usual, ready for the time off. It was an extraordinarily busy week, everyone preparing for him to be gone--and he had to train a new assistant. Someone else could've, but he preferred to do it himself. The last assistant had to be let go, officially for being unprofessional, but unofficially because she wouldn't stop flirting with Ethan.
Her last day, she walked in on him with Blake bent over his desk at lunch. Suffice to say, that got the point across that he wasn't interested.
Blake's official last day before her vacation time was Friday, but she was so close to finishing a project that she's going in today to get it done. Having things unfinished like that still bothers her.
It doesn't take the full day like planned for, so Blake gets home a little before four. She finds Ethan on the couch, napping and shirtless with The Truman Show playing on the TV.
She laughs quietly, shaking her head and going to change into something more comfortable. When she comes back into the kitchen and starts putting the dishes away, it stirs Ethan awake.
"Morning," Blake teases, getting glanced at through squinted eyes as he sits up. "Sorry if I woke you."
Ethan shakes his head, rubbing his face, puffy from sleep. After it sets in that Blake is home, his eyes widen immensely, darting toward the clock. "Oh, fuck."
"What's wrong?"
"I'm sorry, I forgot to do the stuff on that list."
"Ethan, you what? I asked you to--it was like, four things! That's it!"
"I know, I'm sorry, chérie. I went out and ran some errands this morning, then I took a shower, and after that I just... passed out for a few hours. I can do them now, if you want."
"No, Ethan, I--" Blake rips the list off of the fridge, grabbing her phone with a huff. "Some of these things are time-sensitive, Ethan! You were home all day, and you couldn't do any of it?"
"...I said I'm sorry? It wasn't intentional, Blake," he sighs, quickly walking over to her. "C'mon. Let's not yell. Give me the list."
Blake ignores him, hands shaking as she picks up her phone and dials one of the numbers. It rings for a minute, but goes to voicemail. Because it's Sunday, most places are closed early. Most on the list closed at least an hour ago.
She dials another one but gets their voicemail too. They were supposed to call the vendors today and make sure everything was all set--it was just a few phone calls, Ethan couldn't do that while she was out?
"Blake! Give me the fucking list, c'mon," Ethan groans, raising his voice now. "Being a little late on a few things will be fine! They'll understand."
"You better hope things are fine," she mutters, reaching for her laptop. "We also still have to finalize and email the playlist for the DJ, and finish the itinerary, and--"
"It's going to be fine!" He shakes his head, watching her sit at the table and start typing. She's just as bad as she was back in college. "Seriously, we have time. I'm sure people will understand if we--hey, shit, don't cry. Blake, you don't have to cry--chérie, please."
"Two weeks isn't enough time, Ethan, we're never gonna be ready," she sniffles, her fingers moving a mile a minute on the keyboard. "Maybe we aren't ready."
Her eyes are fill with tears, anxiety over all of the planning finally bubbling over. That, along with the prospect of actually being married, fear deep down that it won't work--it's all spilling out now.
Though it's worrying Ethan tremendously, he can't let her know that now. Instead, he pulls a chair up right beside her and wraps his arms around her shoulders.
The sound of typing stops, and she lets some tears fall and relaxes in his arms. "E, I can't do this. I love you, but I can't."
"You? Giving up?" He teases, pulling back from the hug to wipe some of her tears. "That's not the Blake I know."
His heartbeat is pounding in his ears, afraid that Blake might change her mind right now with all of this stress. But he knows she needs him to at least appear calm right now. Usually, Ethan would let himself panic too, but something about seeing Blake so upset always makes him step up.
She swallows thickly, blinking back more tears. "It's just too much."
"Chérie, you work for fucking NASA. Pretty sure you can do anything."
Blake lets out a small laugh, sniffling once more. She hates feeling like this, so helpless and fearful. This isn't what wedding planning should be like.
Wedding planning is known to be stressful, but it shouldn't be this bad. All she wants to do is be past all of it--two weeks feels way too soon and far too long at the same time. Something has to change.
"What if--what if we just cancelled all of it?"
Ethan's heart drops. "Blake..."
"No, babe, seriously," she nods, seeing his eyes squeeze shut. "We should cancel the wedding and just fucking elope."
"Wait, what?" He pauses, chuckling slightly at her. But the smile on her face continues growing as her mind spins with the idea. "Are you serious?"
"Yeah! Why not? I don't care about any of this, E. I just wanna marry you," she insists, watching relief fill his features. Blake still wants to marry him, she just doesn't care about the wedding. "I don't want a big wedding. Just you."
"But... are you sure? It's two weeks away, chérie," Ethan presses, grasping both of her hands. Honestly, he doesn't care whether or not they have a big wedding. He doesn't care if they lose all of their deposits, or where they get married, he's just glad she isn't calling things off. Blake nods, more sure than ever. "You pick now of all times not to be a perfectionist?"
She laughs, pulling him in by the back of his neck for a kiss. "Maybe I still am. I've been trying to get everything perfect, but it never was. Because that wedding we've been planning isn't what I really want."
"I am so in love with you," he chuckles, kissing her again. "Holy shit, we're getting eloped."
--
Four days later, Ethan's standing on some rocks on the beach, rocking back and forth on the balls of his feet. "Is my tie straight?"
"It looks fine, man," Grayson laughs. He pats his brother on the back, reassuring him that things are okay. "I can't believe you guys called off the whole big wedding you had planned."
"Yeah... me neither," Ethan chuckles nervously. "Wasn't really us though, don't you think?"
"Definitely not," Ryan interjects, looking out at the ocean. "I'm surprised it was Blake's idea though, and not something you said while drunk."
"So... you gonna talk to Ava?"
Ryan and Ava broke up over a year ago because they wanted different things, but everyone could see them stealing glances at each other whenever they were close. She'd coincidentally broken up with the guy she was seeing two weeks ago, and Ryan isn't seeing anyone new at the moment.
"Shut up or I'll leave you guys here without an officiant, E."
The last four days were a whirlwind.
After canceling the wedding, they had a lot to figure out. Firstly, who was actually going to be there, because they still wanted some people they cared about around. It's just their friends, Grayson obviously, Ethan's mom and older sister, and Blake's parents and older sister.
Funnily enough, Ryan's the officiant for the ceremony. When he heard they were getting eloped he jumped at the opportunity, remembering he got ordained back in college as a joke. It just seemed fitting to let him do it, even if he'll likely say some stupid things.
They also rescheduled their flights for the honeymoon. They're leaving Saturday morning instead, in two days, just because of when the dates worked out.
Of course, they still dressed up. They already had her dress and his tux, so it only made sense. Deciding where to get married was probably the hardest part, but with the current weather, the beach turned out to be perfect.
Most of what they couldn't cancel for the wedding is being donated. Grayson and Lara promised they'd handle it, since Ethan and Blake will be in Hawaii when a lot of that happens.
"Is Blake gonna hurry up or what?" Ryan jokes, Ethan rolling his eyes and hoping she's not rethinking this.
She isn't.
Inside the beach house they rented for the next couple of nights before the honeymoon, she's sitting with Lara and Ava, both of them fussing about fixing her makeup. Blake just lets them--they're worrying more than her at this point.
It's almost concerning to them that she's so calm. But Blake just feels like everything is right.
"Guys, Ethan's gonna get bored and take a nap if we don't hurry this up," she laughs, running her fingers down the sides of her dress. "My parents and sister are out there with his family and the guys, right?"
"Yeah, you saw them when they arrived," Lara reminds, touching up her lipstick. "Billie and Cameron were getting along pretty well."
"Good, good," Blake nods. "Okay! Seriously, I think I'm ready."
"You look gorgeous, B," Ava smiles, hugging her. "I'm gonna go tell the guys you're ready. Lara, you'll walk her out, right?"
Lara nods, shooing Ava out with one last laugh. They decided they didn't want to have her father walk her and give her away, just keep things simple and not make the ceremony a big deal. Plus, Blake never cared for that tradition.
They sit and talk for a little bit longer, Blake shaking away some last minute jitters. This is really happening.
When she finally exits the beach house, arm linked with Lara's, Ethan is laughing with Ryan and Grayson about something. Grayson sees Blake first, slapping his brothers chest and nodding toward her.
Ethan's eyes widen, his heart skipping a couple of beats when he sees her.
He slaps a hand over his mouth and has to turn the other way to look out at the ocean for a second, shaking his head with a smile when his gaze returns to her. Blake looks at him in awe--she's seen his tux before but not on him. She can't believe she's marrying him, today.
Ethan has to refrain from kissing Blake immediately when she reaches him, not wanting to mess up the ceremony. She looks him up and down, sunlight catching his watery eyes.
"You gonna cry, Dolan?" She teases, blinking back tears of her own.
"Yeah, I am," he chuckles. A few tears slip, and Ethan doesn't even care. "You shouldn't though, chérie. You'll ruin your makeup."
"Alright kids, stop crying, we got a ceremony to start."
Neither of them thought they would cry, but they were so overcome with emotion it happened before they could even think about stopping it. After so long, they're getting married. Blake never would've guessed back in college that she'd end up here with Ethan, but she wouldn't want to be here with anyone else.
Ethan should've known the moment Blake walked out of his bedroom at Kappa Sigma that he wasn't going to be able let her go.
For months he kept up the idea that all he wanted was to sleep with Blake, but if that were ever true he wouldn't have been so persistent. Blake captivated his attention the moment she came into his life, and captivated all of it to this day. He lived so long without knowing her, spent too long without her, and he never wants to do it again.
Blake loves Ethan, and loves being with Ethan. When he first started butting his way into her life, she thought he was cute, if a little annoying. That changed quickly, getting caught up in a whirlwind of Ethan and everything that surrounded him--which was a lot, his life was intense, and he was an intense person. Being with Ethan was unlike any of her past relationships. He was lively, and genuine, and calmed her down like no one else. Of course, he pissed her off like no one else too, but that was rare these days and they were learning to ride the waves.
When Ethan met Blake and really got to know her, he honestly didn't know what he wanted in life. Yeah, he was in school, he was on a path to do something in business, but there wasn't much he cared about. He was 21, almost 22 back then, and he hadn't grown up at all. Blake forced him to grow up, but not for her, for himself. He just earned her in the process.
As he stands, holding her hands with watery eyes, minutes away from being her husband, he knows he's never felt more elated. Nothing will beat this moment.
"You can kiss the fucking bride."
Blake smiles, leaning in faster than he can to connect their lips, their friends and family awing. "I'm supposed to kiss you, chérie," Ethan laughs quietly, his eyes still shiny. "You got a little mascara pooling under your eyes."
"I figured," Blake wipes it, smiling up at him. "And if you're supposed to kiss me, then do it. There's no rule against two kisses."
So he does, rubbing more of her lipstick onto his lips and both of them filled to the brim with happiness. When they finally pull apart, they're flushed in the face and still smiley before talking to and hugging their loved ones.
Ethan gets pulled to the side by Blake's father, Thomas, while everyone else goes inside the beach house. He can't pretend he isn't a little bit nervous, despite always having gotten along with the man.
"Congratulations," Thomas starts, patting Ethan on the shoulder, "now, we already gave you your wedding gift, but I have something for you."
"Oh, Thomas, you don't have to--"
"It's okay, Ethan," the man chuckles, pulling a box out of his pocket. Ethan's eyebrows scrunch up curiously, but he hasn't any idea what lies inside. He flicks the box open, Ethan's mouth dropping open. "This watch has been passed to the eldest son in my family for a few generations now. Obviously, we never had a son ourselves, but I want you to have it."
"...thank you," he breathes, accepting the family heirloom.
"Hopefully you have a son of your own to pass it on to someday."
Ethan cries about that too.
Of course, he waits until after hugging Thomas, going upstairs in the beach house to the bedroom where Blake is changing out of her wedding dress. She sees him with a wide smile and more watery eyes when he walks in. He definitely didn't think he would cry this much today.
"We're married," Blake sighs contently, wrapping her arms around his neck. "I love you. Whatcha got there?"
"I love you too," he gushes. Wordlessly, he opens the box to show her the watch, which her eyes light up at and she rushes to help him put it on. "Your dad just gave it to me."
"He likes you... guess that means I'm stuck with you now, Dolan."
"Yeah, you fuckin' are, chérie. You've been stuck with me ever since you agreed to go upstairs with me at Kappa Sigma."
"I really don't know what I was thinking that night. I definitely had too much to drink."
They both laugh, Ethan ditching his tie and tux jacket before they meet everyone downstairs to eat and celebrate for a couple of hours. Ethan loses his own mothers attention during dinner to Blake--to his wife--while they get enamored in their own conversation without him. He can't even be mad about it.
Ryan and Ava are sat next to each other, and they end up talking a decent amount. Everyone's in really good moods, so it's easy for them to get along again.
A few hours later, their families are leaving--as are Ryan and Ava, who claim they're just carpooling, but it's obvious they're leaving to spend time together. Lara and Grayson hang back however, having some wine with the newlyweds.
"Congrats, guys," Grayson smiles, hugging Blake. "You keep him in check, yeah?"
"I will," she nods, holding her necklace tight in her hand subconsciously. Ethan rolls his eyes and punches Grayson on the arm, who of course hits him back. "Hey! Not today."
"Idiots," Lara says with a laugh. "I think Gray and I are gonna go for a walk on the beach and then head home. You probably wanna be alone for a while."
She wiggles her eyebrows at them, getting shoved away before they all hug once more, and then it's just Blake and Ethan. He turns to her immediately, "We should get a beach house."
"We'll see, babe," she promises. They're planning to look into buying a house after their honeymoon, why not a beach house? It would always remind them of their wedding. Before Blake can say anything else, Ethan scoops her up bridal style and carries her up the stairs. "Ethan!"
"You looked so gorgeous all day, Blake," Ethan mumbles against her neck, where he's already kissing. "So hard to keep my hands off of you."
"You're always horny."
"Okay, so fuck me."
Blake laughs once more, squirming in his grasp before he tosses her onto the bed. "Babe, can we slow down for a second?" Ethan stops unbuttoning his shirt, looking down at her with pursed lips. "I actually have to talk to you about something. It can't wait anymore."
That doesn't sound good at all.
He doesn't say anything, hoping the pit in his stomach is wrong and that this isn't bad news she's about to give. It's their wedding night--what could be so important?
She sits up, patting the bed next to her where he tentatively takes a seat. Taking a deep breath, she faces him.
"So, I have some news." Ethan urges her to continue, the suspense making him feel worse. "And I know you said you wanted to wait a few years, but--I'm pregnant. We're pregnant."
Ethan's eyes widen, mouth falling open as he stares toward his wife. He's not sure if he heard her correctly at first.
The next few seconds feel like years to Blake, who's been trying to figure out how to tell him and how he would react to it. She was worried it would freak him out, that they weren't ready, and his face isn't exactly helping.
But after the news sinks in, Ethan grins and wraps his arms around Blake tighter than ever. "I'm gonna be a dad? We're gonna be parents?"
"Yeah, babe," she breathes, her nerves calming. "I found out last week--I'm sorry I didn't say anything sooner. I was nervous."
"No, oh my god, chérie, it's totally fine! I'm just--holy shit," he laughs again, "this is fucking fantastic. We're gonna have a baby!"
"You're really happy?"
"Yeah! Are you kidding? It's sooner than expected, but I fucking love you, and we're married now... do you know how long?"
"About five weeks already."
"Holy shit." Ethan pauses, smirking at her. "Five weeks. Was that the day at my office?"
"It definitely could've been."
"Hell yeah." Ecstatic, he kisses her deeply, both of them smiling and giggling as they hold each other. Newlyweds, a baby on the way, deeply in love... everything is m perfect. "Wait! What about alcohol? Haven't you been--"
"Nope. Been pouring out drinks behind your back."
Ethan nods with another laugh, standing quickly to his feet just to release some energy, dragging Blake up with him so he can hold her in his arms. "Gray's gonna be so jealous. He was sure he was gonna be a dad first."
"Well you can tell him soon, E," Blake tells him, connecting their lips again. "We're having a baby."
"I love you so much," he murmurs, peppering kisses all over her face. "I'm going to fuck you, my wife, until this bed breaks now. But lovingly."
"You can sure as hell try."
"Shut up and kiss me, chérie."
Blake leans back on the bed again, Ethan unbuttoning his shirt before joining her. They both have big smiles, their hearts more full of love for each other than they ever thought possible and knowing it will continue to grow every day.
This is where they were always meant to be, and they've never been more sure that they're on the right path than right now. This love is warm, inviting, and overwhelming in the best way. This love is the kind of thing people write sonnets about, the kind of thing people search for their entire lives, the most comforting thing they've ever felt.
When Ethan was marrying Blake, he thought nothing could beat that moment and he was wrong. They're going to have a child, they're now married, and they're going to spend every day together for the rest of their lives. Neither of them want anything more--he knows that every day spent with Blake is going to be better than the last.
THE END
A/N
TOTAL WORD COUNT: 98.5k
IF YOU'RE INTERESTED: there are a few short bonus scenes in the chapters after the epilogue, all up now! just cute little things that didn't fit in the plans, but i wrote anyway and wanted to share.
:( andddddd we're done. this shit was long as hell and i lovedddd writing it. thank you all so much for reading it. blake and ethan (this version of him haha) are some of my favorite characters i've ever written.
i think this is actually my longest fic so far-nearly 100k words. it's longer than the first two Harry Potter books! almost as long as the third! i got so obsessed with the concept of it that, sometime last year (2020), I wrote all of the first draft in less than two weeks. It means a lot to me that you guys have read it at all, but especially if you've finished it and even commented or voted at all.
PSA: if you like my work or are just looking for something new to read, I'm posting the first two chapters of a new Ethan fic called Tutors tomorrow afternoon! I've also got a ton of stuff up my sleeve and already published haha
Seriously, from the bottom of my heart, thank you again for reading this. <3