Reggie hadn’t realized how quickly it would come when he decided he wanted to marry Luke during pride month. He had invited regulars in the shop, Luke’s parents, Ray, and of course their friends turned family. They were going to get married in a small building near the music shop. Now the big day was just two days away.
Reggie woke up that morning, his right arm curled around Luke’s waist. He instinctively pulled him closer, hearing his love chuckle softly. “Baby?” He called hoarsely, full of sleep, “Are you awake already?” Luke turned around to look into his fiancé’s face.
“Yeah, babe.” He grinned sleepily, “I’m awake. I was just enjoying laying in bed with you.” Reggie leaned forward, connecting their lips in a slow, languid kiss. “Now I’m definitely awake.” Luke muttered as Reggie pulled away. “How long do you think we have before Julie and mom come for wedding prep?” A knock at the front door answered that question, causing Reggie to giggle.
“Can you let them in? I gotta-“ Reggie sort of gestured at his prosthetics next to the bed. Luke stole another kiss before rolling out of bed, answering the door in just his pajama pants.
“Hey mom, hey Jules.”
“Hello, darling.” Emily smiled as she hugged her son. “Where’s Reggie? We have a few things we need to get done today.”
“Right here.” Reggie waved his good hand before locking the prosthetic into place. “Just give me a sec to change and get my leg on and I’ll be ready.”
“Take your time, honey.” She smiled again. Luke grinned at her before hurrying into the room to help Reggie. He’d gotten practiced over the year and a half they shared a home, knowing which things Reggie needed help with and which things he didn’t. Within just a few minutes, Reggie was ready to head out for the day. Luke gave him a gentle kiss before nudging him out the door, promising to see him later.
Reggie was a ball of nerves, anxiously playing with his flannel sleeves as Emily and Julie pulled him through the final planning stages. His gaze always falling back onto the ring Luke put on his right hand. “Hey Jules, mom,” his voice was small, but they immediately turned to look at him. “Do you think it’s-do you think it’s a bad thing that I can’t wear the ring on my left hand?”
Emily’s face softened, “Oh sweetheart, rings aren’t a measure of love. Anyone that knows you two knows that you are simply meant to be. I’ve seen it since you were a teenager.” She chuckled when Reggie’s face flushed. “Of course I knew, sweetheart. Your hand isn’t an obstacle in this marriage. If anything I would call it a strength. I’ve seen relationships fall apart for completely avoidable reasons, and you and Luke have already overcome something big. So don’t you worry.”
Julie had been listening with a smile, nodding along with what Emily said. “I meant what I said too, no one is as grossly in love as you two. No matter where the rings goes, when we’re all fifty years down the line, you two will still be the embodiment of true love.” Julie’s gaze flicked to her own wedding band before she looked at Reggie with a warm tint in her eyes, “You are going to make an amazing husband, big brother.”
“Thanks. Thank you guys so much.” Reggie wiped at his eyes before focusing back to the task at hand, “So, the flowers will be delivered at nine am, right?”
Luke was with Willie and Flynn that day. Organizing the music playlist that Flynn had set up, and watching the shop while Reggie was out with his mom. Technically, Willie was in charge as the actual employee, but Luke was still glad that Reggie trusted him with the place from time to time. He was playing with his own ring, smiling as he thought back to the gig when Reggie proposed. “Yo, lover boy, pay attention.” Flynn snapped her fingers in front of his face.
“I’m here, I’m here. What’s up?” He asked, quickly shaking his head to focus on the present.
“I asked if you still wanted to perform that song or not? You know, the acoustic you wrote?” Flynn quirked an eyebrow. Luke nodded ferociously.
“Yes, absolutely.”
“He can’t be outdone by Reggie’s song.” Willie chuckled from the counter, the office door open.
“Shut it, William.” Luke snapped as he blushed. “I just want to make him feel special.”
“No,” Flynn countered with a grin, “Willie is right. You just want to show him that you write songs about him, too. Which is fine. It’s your wedding.”
“Yeah,” Willie added, “And don’t think we didn’t catch you crying at the song Julie wrote you for your wedding, Flynn.” Flynn flushed, throwing a pencil threw the door at Willie, who just chuckled more. “Oh, hell.” They heard Willie mutter just before the bell above the door rang. “Get out, Lily.” Luke’s head snapped up, and he and Flynn rushed to the front room.
“How unserviceable. I’m here to talk to that abomination,” She pointed at Luke, “Not to a criminal.”
“Willie isn’t a criminal. You’d have to be arrested for that. Like you.” Luke countered easily, remembering the time she had gotten arrested for her DUI while they were in high school.
Lily narrowed her eyes, “I am just here to tell you that I am not going to let this wedding happen.”
“It isn’t your decision.” Flynn barked viciously. “This is about Reggie and Luke, not your bigoted ass.”
“I am stopping this wedding to protect Reginald. This...man has put poisonous thoughts in his head. Reginald will not go to Hell because he believed his lies.”
Luke let out an angry laugh, “Oh, so now you care? Not when you were hitting him? Or when his dad was hitting him? Or when you were both fighting so much that I had to be the one to take him to the hospital after you threw him into a wall so hard it dislocated his shoulder? You don’t care about Reggie. You don’t even care enough to know that he hates being called Reginald.”
Lily just continued to glare, “Mark my words, Lucas. This wedding will not happen.” She spun on her heel and marched back out the door. Luke let out a frustrated noise, squeezing onto the counter as he tried to recenter himself.
“Willie, can you call Alex? Make sure everything is okay on their end. I’ll give Regs a call.” Willie nodded, already holding his phone to his ear as he waited for his fiancé to answer. Luke called Reggie, warning him that his mother was back immediately this time instead of waiting. He refused to let her come between them again, no matter how brief the argument was before.
“She’s gonna try and stop the wedding?” Reggie asked later. They were piled in their living room, some music playing in the background but no one cared enough to pay attention to what was on. Emily and Mitch were with Ray, helping him with his equipment for the big day. “What are we supposed to do about her?”
“Don’t you worry about her.” Julie said firmly, sharing a glance with Flynn. “We have that covered.”
“How exactly?” Alex questioned from his seat behind Willie, his fiancé tucked into his chest. “I mean, not to be a pessimist but we haven’t had much luck and being rid of her lately.”
“Don’t worry about it.” Flynn said definitively. “I have a plan for her, and she won’t be able to interfere with your day. You two should get some rest. It’s your last night together before the big day.”
“What do you mean?” Luke looked at Reggie curiously, “We aren’t sleeping together tomorrow?”
Reggie kissed his nose, “It's traditional for couples to spend the night before the wedding separately, so they can get ready apart and all that stuff.” Luke’s brow furrowed and Willie let out a loud laugh.
“Dude, you didn’t know that Julie and Alex were crashing with you tomorrow?”
Luke shook his head, “I knew it was a thing. I guess I just didn’t realize we were gonna do it.”
“That’s my fault.” Reggie said shyly, fiddling with Luke’s fingers. “I made the plan with the girls. I figured you’d want Alex with you, and Julie wanted to be there in case you got cold feet.” Reggie finished the sentence quietly, still playing with the guitarist’s fingers, and Luke knew it was Reggie’s concern as much, if not more, than Julie’s.
“Hey,” he nudged Reggie with his nose, “I will be at that altar no matter what. Nothing is going to stop me from marrying you.” He pressed gentle kisses to Reggie’s cheek as he spoke, trying to soothe the nerves he knew were working through his future husband’s brain. “Besides, I don’t think Cinder would let me back out.” He finished with a grin. His dad's sibling, Cinder had gotten ordained just to marry the two of them. He didn’t want to let them down either. Reggie chuckled, cuddling in closer as he kept hold of Luke’s hand. Julie and Alex motioned to the others, leaving the happy couple in their bubble and heading across the hall to their own apartments.
The next day flew by, everything was ready and they hadn’t seen Reggie’s mother once since she left the shop. That night, as Reggie got ready for bed, he relaxed into Willie’s couch. Well, he tried to relax. His brain was running through every scenario it could think of about what Lily was up to. Willie and Flynn put on Star Wars, cuddling into the couch beside him. Willie took his left side, still being the one that knew the most about his prosthetics, while Flynn took his right side and placed the popcorn in his lap. “Guys, what is the plan for dealing with her exactly?”
“Don’t worry about it Reg.” Flynn squeezed his arm. “I promise you, she will not be able to stop it from happening. I already issued the paperwork.”
“Paperwork?” Reggie looked at Willie, who shrugged, before looking at the girl that had become his other sister.
“Just trust me, Reggie.” She gave him a reassuring smile, and he let himself relax a bit, slowly falling asleep as the movie played. He vaguely registered Willie lay him down and help him out of his appendages, before he fell into a deep sleep.
Luke was pacing in his own apartment. Alex and Julie watching him calmly. Well, Julie was calm. Luke was making Alex anxious. “Bro, you talk about my runway strut. Will you please sit down?” Luke sat on the edge of the couch, raking his fingers through his hair.
“I don’t like not being with Reggie. Especially if his mother is plotting something.” He said nervously, “Who knows what she could be up to?”
“It’ll be okay.” Julie assured him, “Flynn and I already took care of it.”
He and Alex shared a confused look, Alex voiced the question, “Took care of it how exactly? Cause the last time Flynn saw her, she looked ready to commit murder.”
Julie held up her hands, “Hey, unfortunately the woman is still alive. But Flynn contacted her cousin and we took care of the problem.” She turned to face Luke directly, “It’s going to be okay. I promise.”
The next morning, Luke and Julie and Alex made their way to the location they chose for the wedding. It was a small, nondescript banquet hall, large enough for the people they invited. Luke knew his mom was already inside getting the flowers set up after they were delivered. But they were greeted with a sight they didn’t expect. Lily Shada was marching the front of the building, a wing of religious nuts at her side as she led a protest against the wedding. “You have to be fucking kidding me.” Alex deadpanned as they took in the sight.
A look crossed Julie’s face as she practically growled her next words, “I will handle this.” She whipped out phone, furiously sending off text messages, before stomping over to the woman in question, “What do you think you are doing here?” She barked out.
“Exercising my right to freedom of assembly.” Lily answered with a smirk. “I told Lucas I would not let this wedding happen.”
“You aren’t allowed here.” Julie growled out as a sleek black car pulled up.
A woman that looked alarmingly like Flynn climbed out of the driver’s seat, her heels clicking on the sidewalk as she approached the group. “I’m looking for a Missus Lily Shada?” Her voice was stern but polite. Luke and Alex watched the situation with rapt attention.
“That would be me.” Lily glowered at the woman.
“I suspected as much. You were delivered paperwork yesterday, that I have your signature on. You are not permitted within seven hundred yards of Missus and Missus Julie and Flynn Molina. If you do not evacuate this premises, that you entered upon with knowledge of both the restraining order and the fact that they would present at the wedding taking place here today, I will be forced to call the police.”
“And just who the hell are you?” Lily snapped, glaring at the woman.
“You may call me Vyxra. I’m an attorney for the city, and we take hate crimes very seriously. You are here because of your violent tendencies toward your son, not out of religious belief or motherly insight. You have five minutes to leave the premises before the police with be notified.”
“Well, you can make me leave.” Lily grinned maliciously, “But you can’t make the rest of them leave.” Julie’s face paled a bit. She hadn’t considered that Lily would be able to enlist the help of others.
“You are correct, I cannot.” Vyxra agreed, “But what I can do is file a civil suit against them for obstructing the sidewalk and the only entrance to the building, which they can be arrested for.”
“We can?” One of the protestors asked. Lily turned her glare on him, only to realize they had all stopped to listen.
“Yes, you can, in fact. It is your decision what happens.” Julie beamed at the lawyer, and Luke and Alex shared a look that said the same thing, no wonder Flynn is such a badass, it must run in the family.
“This isn’t over.” Lily snapped as she marched away, the other protestors quickly dispersing.
Julie took a deep breath, hugging the woman on the sidewalk. “Thank you, Vyxra.”
“Anything for my favorite cousin and her new wife.” The woman smiled for the first time. “You must be Luke and Alex.” She turned her attention to the two boys.
“Oh, uh, yeah,” Luke answered, shaking himself out of his impressed stupor, “Thank you so much.” She shook her head with a smile.
“I hate people like that. The girls asked me if anyone would take the case, and when Flynn told me what the woman was like, I immediately volunteered. I was a domestic violence survivor myself. Her parents practically saved my life.” Before anyone could say another word, Alex stepped forward and hugged the woman.
“I’m sorry, I just really appreciate you right now.” He mumbled as he pulled away, causing Vyxra to laugh.
“It’s entirely okay. Why don’t you guys go ahead and get inside? Julie and I can stand guard for a bit before she has to get ready.” Julie eagerly nodded, pushing Luke toward the door.
Reggie saw the way Flynn tensed at the text she received, it before he could wonder too much, she was calling someone about the problem. When he asked, she just smiled and said she was taking care of it like she promised. He looked at her questioningly, but Willie was already rushing into the room and muttering about getting a move on. They were getting ready in Willie’s apartment, and Julie and the other guys were getting ready at the venue. Reggie had just finished pulling suit jacket over his flannel (cause was there ever a doubt he was getting married in it), when he phone started ringing. When he picked it up, the first thing he heard was coughing.
Reggie rushed up to the barricade, the firefighters not letting him through. He was calling Luke’s name, anxiously searching the area, but he couldn’t find him. The smoke was burning his eyes, but he felt a tug on his sleeve. He turned to Flynn, she was pointing to a couple men on the corner, holding a woman on the ground as they waited for police. His mother. Reggie ran faster than he had in years, stumbling as his prosthetic had trouble keeping up with the speed, he started screaming. “What is wrong with you!? Why couldn’t you just be a mom like Emily?? You had to attack the people I love? Couldn’t you have just come after me?” Lily didn’t even have the decency to look sorry. The two men that had grabbed her, Reggie belatedly recognized were regulars in the shop he had invited to the wedding. Nick and Rob. They stared at the ground tears in their eyes, as Nick mumbled something about getting there right as she threw the fire threw the window. Willie grabbed Reggie’s arm, letting Reggie fall into him as he cried. Flynn didn’t let Willie stop her though. She pulled her fist back and smashed it into Lily’s face. But Reggie couldn’t focus on that. As he clung to Willie, he looked around desperately, refusing to believe that this was how their story ended. He saw a flash of movement toward the back alley of the building, and he realized it was Ray. “Ray!” He yelled, following the edge of the barrier, away from his mother, “Dad!!” He knew Willie and Flynn were behind him as he trailed the perimeter.
Ray looked toward the voice as he sat in the back of the ambulance, his eyes lighting up in recognition when he heard Reggie call him dad, “Reggie!” He called, making the medics and the other patients look up. As Reggie got closer, he could make out other people. He saw Emily and Mitch. He saw Julie. He saw Alex. He was thankful they were okay. But he didn’t see Luke.
“Dad!” He called again as he got closer, “Dad, where’s Luke? Is everyone okay?”
“We’re okay. We were too far into the building for anyone to get hurt. Luke is-“
“I’m here, Regs.” Reggie turned to see his fiancé walking away from an officer, and Reggie flung himself into his arms. “I’m right here, Regs. It’s okay.”
“No it’s not. Lily almost killed you.”
“But she didn’t.” Luke insisted. “I told you, nothing will keep me from marrying you.”
“Where the hell are we gonna do it?” Reggie asked as he cried into Luke’s shoulder. “ Lily destroyed this place.”
“It’s mostly just smoke damage.” Alex corrected, as Willie pulled Alex tightly into a hug and Flynn went to Julie. “We’re all good to go once the paramedics give us the all clear. We’ll just do the wedding somewhere else. We aren’t going to let that crazy bitch win.”
“Alexander.” Emily scolded. “Language.”
“I think it’s warranted.” Mitch squeezed her hand.
“Where else is there?” Willie asked, “Not a lot of places you can go at the last minute.”
“The shop!” Luke exclaimed, squeezing Reggie tightly. “It makes sense. It’s where a lot of things have happened, it’s where you came back into my life. I don’t know why we didn’t do it there to begin with.”
“You’d be okay with that?” Reggie asked, pulling back just enough to look into his love’s face, “We wouldn’t have the flowers or the food or anything.”
“As long as I’m married to you by the end of the day, I couldn’t care less where or how.”
That evening, with help from everyone invited to the wedding, they rearranged the music shop into a make shift chapel. It wasn’t anywhere near as nice as Reggie had planned with Emily and Julie, but it was enough, because it was them. As Cinder asked them to recite their vows, Reggie had to try and contain the tears threatened to spill over his eyes. “Reggie, I have always wanted to spend this moment with you. Of course, it was never preceded by a near death experience. But I guess it wouldn’t really be us if things went according to plan.” Luke smiled brightly at Reggie, squeezing his hands gently. “But if I had to do it again to be here with you? I would in a heartbeat. Because I love you more than anything. I love the way you play bass. I love the way you ramble when you get nervous. Or the way you play with my hands when you’re trying to focus your brain. I love how funny you are, even when you aren’t trying to be. You are so much smarter than you give yourself credit for, and god you are the most gorgeous person I’ve ever seen. I love you with everything I have, and every piece of who I am. I cannot wait to spend forever with you.” Reggie wiped his eyes quickly, not missing the way Luke’s eyes lit up as he caught the flannel sleeve sticking out of his jacket.
“Luke, I honestly don’t think I’ll ever completely have the words to tell you how much I love you. You make everyone you know want to be a better person. You are an amazing guitar player, but an even better human being. When you came back into my life, it was a miracle I never thought I’d get. And when you agreed to marry me, I was convinced that car accident had actually put me in a coma because there was no way it could be real. I love you more than anything. I love you more than I ever loved music, and that’s saying something since we are literally standing in my music store. You are my dream come true.”
With just a few pieces of advice, Cinder pronounced them husband and husband, in front of every person that has ever mattered to them. Til death do they part.