Deep End

The wedding had been beautiful and the Brides even more so, both of them wearing white dresses and dazzling smiles. The ceremony filled with laughs, tears, and kisses while both read their own vows to the other. Zach was most surprised however when after the toasts Zara and Mikayla made another toast, to him and Gray. Both Brides on the verge of crying as they told the guests of how there wouldn't even be a wedding if Zach and Gray hadn't saved Zara. Mikayla had even run over and given them hugs and kisses for protecting her Mate when she couldn't. It was a little embarrassing but wonderful that they would do that in a room full of their loved ones. Not long afterwards they had the first dance and then served dinner. Once everyone had been served they opened up the dance floor to anyone who wanted to bust a move. Owen had immediately been snatched up by Mikayla's grandmother for a dance, the older woman's hand's wandering on occasion as they danced to one of the first slow songs of the night. Zach had to hide his laughter as Owen would send him scandalized looks from over the blue-haired Beta's head.

Zach had been asked a few times, but he was happy to just sit and watch the others have fun, especially Owen. So far, anyone who had asked had gotten a spin around the dance floor; Alphas, Betas, and Omegas all came over hoping for a go. He didn't mind because after every dance Owen came back over to the table and took a mini-breather, making sure Zach was okay and to see if he needed anything. It was never too long though before someone else came up and asked for a dance. Zach smirked as Owen plopped down into his seat next to him after finishing dancing with an overenthusiastic young Alpha, his face a bit red from exertion.

"You're the bell of the ball. I thought that was the Brides job?" Zach said.

"What can I say? I'm irresistible, I can't help it." Owen gave him a wink and then took a long pull from his water glass.

"What do you think of Claire's dress?"

Owen looked around to make sure Claire wasn't behind him or nearby and he smiled at Zach. "You mean that lovely dress that is extremely flattering on her but yellow? Oh yeah, she is going to donate that dress as soon as she can to some kind of charity. Maybe even just give it to the raptors to play with. She did not look happy in it. Man, I don't think I've ever seen her in anything but varying degrees of cream and off-whites."

Zach laughed, "She did try to hide her distaste for it."

"Yeah, but not very well."

"Mom, please stop!"

Owen and Zach turned their heads at the shout and tried, but failed, not to laugh at Karen dragging Gray around the dance floor as he tried to unsuccessfully turn away from her. Dancing couples were laughing and smiling as well, watching as the young Beta tried to get away from his mother and her attempt at dancing. Gray's face was red from embarrassment and they could tell that he was regretting saying yes when his mother had asked him for a dance.

Owen turned to Zach, "It's been three songs at least. I think you should go and save him."

Zach gave his Alpha a clear look of you've got to be joking.

"He'll owe you one if you do."

"He already owes me."

"You're a horrible older brother." Owen said with a smile.

"I know. It keeps me awake at night."

A blur ran past and suddenly Gray was there, sitting in his seat and panting, face red and hair mussed, "I am never dancing with mom again."

"How did you even escape little man?"

Gray nodded his head over at the dance floor, "Aunt Claire saved me."

Hazel and brown eyes were quick to look out over the floor and sure enough, poor Claire was now being twirled around by her older sister. Her face making funny twitching motions with every jostle and bump that Karen liked to call dancing.

"This is amazing." Owen took his cell out and proceeded to record what he could before the song ended. "I needed this in my life, I just didn't know it until now."

When the song ended, Claire moved away and back to the head table while Karen made her way back over to their table, still dancing and smiling. She grabbed her wine and took a sip, smiling at her sons and Owen, "I forgot how much fun weddings are!"

"For who?" Gray mumbled under his breath.

Zach couldn't stop the chuckle from escaping him and Gray narrowed his eyes over at his brother, "Hey Mom, Zach hasn't danced yet."

Karen's eyes lit up in a twinkle as Zach's went wide in distress, his mouth opened, ready with some reason as to why he couldn't dance with her when his hand was grabbed and he was suddenly pulled out of his chair. "Sorry, but Zach promised this dance to me. I'll hand him off to you when I'm done." Owen winked over at Karen and her pouting face, "Promise."

Owen led them out onto the dance floor and took up the lead as the DJ started to play a slower song. He pulled Zach as close as he could get him with clothes in the way and smiled down at him, "You're welcome."

"I guess I owe you one now, huh."

"Yup."

"I'm sure I'll regret it, but what would you like in return for rescuing me?"

"I'm offended that you would think it would be something worth regretting."

"You telling me that it isn't going to be something sexual in some way."

"Nope. Completely innocent, but thanks for thinking sex with me is a regret."

Zach's face turned red and he sputtered, "You know what I meant!"

"I know." Owen laughed and kissed Zach's heated cheek before whispering in the younger man's ear, "If it leads to sex though, that isn't something that I can help."

Zach laughed and smiled up at his mate, "I knew it. Alright, lay it on me."

Owen feigned shock and gasped, "Here in public! Zach I never thought that you-" Zach clamped a hand over his mouth. The Omega's eyes wide as he glanced around to see if anyone had heard but everyone was too busy in their own worlds. "I didn't mean that! Ridiculous. " He slowly removed his hand from Owens mouth and clarified, "What would you like for me to do in return after you so valiantly rescued me from the rhythm-less clutches of my mother?"

Owen smiled, "Way to rephrase. I want you to go and request any song you'd like from the DJ and dance with me."

"That's it?"

"That's it."

"Any song?"

"Completely up to you. I will even rock out to New Kids On The Block with you if you want."

"Who?" Zach asked bewildered.

Owen chuckled and kissed his lips before pushing Zach away in the direction of the DJ. "Go on. Any song you want."

Zach looked at him skeptically, "Okay. I'll be back." On his way over he thought about picking the most ridiculous song he knew but then he stopped. It wouldn't really embarrass Owen because the man was frankly unable to be embarrassed and besides his Alpha would probably expect it. So maybe he should take a minute and actually think of a song that meant something more.

Zach paused and leaned against the wall by the booth and took a moment to think of a song that best showed how he felt about Owen. How he felt about them. He thought about meeting Owen for the first time and then prom and how Owen had pretty much taken over the music and danced with him all night. How Owen made him feel when he was with him and when he was gone. How this was the first time he was so open with someone and how it felt to be completely comfortable with someone in all aspects of a relationship and suddenly Zach knew what song he wanted to request.

Owen was standing by himself near the bar, just watching everyone enjoy themselves when Zach came walking back to him and grabbed his wrist; leading them both outside to the patio area. Owen had barely had time to smile at the younger man before he was ushered away. They walked down a ways from the double doors they had exited from and stopped just outside a set of windows. Zach turned and faced him and Owen saw a determined look about the younger man in his eyes. Something big was going on in that brain and Owen was eager to know what it was.

"Desperate to get me all to yourself, huh." Owen smiled at his younger Mate.

Zach's lips twitched up lightly, "Maybe I just wanted to be alone with you for our dance. Away from eyes of the family and strangers variety."

"Oh. Did you choose a naughty song Zach?" The Alpha reached forward and grabbed his Omega's hips and pulled the younger man against him, "Plan on dancing dirty?"

A nice little flush came over his cheeks and Zach leaned forward and gave Owen a quick kiss, "Later in the hotel room, definitely, but not right now."

"So I am getting lucky later. Nice."

The chords of a slightly more upbeat song but still slow, floated out and Zach gave Owen a soft look and held out his hand, palm up, "Dance with me?"

"Hell yeah, babe." Owen smiled and took his Mate's hand, putting his other on the back of Zach's neck instead of his shoulder as Zach's other hand took up place on the small of Owen's back. A rich voice came over the speakers and drifted out to them as Zach swayed them slightly to the beat.

"The real life love is under the mirror of the surface, So cut my cord I want to know how deep we can take it..."

He was a little surprised; honestly Owen thought that maybe Zach would have picked some weird booty shaking song that would counter as inhumane for listening, but that is not what had happened. Even though he had no idea who this was, considering most of his musical choices revolved around bands from the seventies, eighties, and nineties, Owen paid attention to the lyrics while his Mate lead.

"You gotta risk your neck, know in your heart it will be worth it"

Zach's hand tightened around his own before the Omega let go and wrapped it around the Alpha's waist, hugging him around the middle. Owen moved closer, chest to chest, and hugged Zach around his shoulders. His other hand still behind the Omega's neck, fingers casually twirling in Zach's hair. They moved together seamlessly in a slow, lazy circle.

"It's been my fashion to keep my head dry and get my feet wet, Step by step I've been letting you lead me towards the deep end"

Owen smiled and kissed the top of Zach's forehead, before leaning forward and pressing his cheek against the top of his head, soft brown hair brushing against his rougher face as they danced. His Omega's scent filled up, drowning Owen in the arousing scent..

"Well I learned my lesson, honey, Just when you think you're all adult swim, Is precisely when somebody shows you to the ocean"

Zach looked up, his eyes slightly watery but bright, a small lilt to his lips and Owen was stuck for a minute with how handsome he was just in that moment. He opened his mouth to tell his lover so, but Zach leaned forward and caught up his lips, kissing him and pushing him back until Owen's back hit the wall of the hotel.

Zach pulled away and looked up at Owen determined, "You don't get to say it before me."

"Say what?"

There was a long pause before Zach hugged Owen's waist tighter and his eyes shining, "I love you." The younger man smiled softly and said it again, "I love you Owen Grady."

"Head first into the water, And so it hits me, I guess we could breathe all along"

They had spelled them, hinted, and thought the words, but never said them outright and to hear them come first from the beautiful lips of his Omega made Owen's heart swell and pound in a staccato that could have matched the beat of the song playing. Eyes wide and mouth open, but nothing came out, instead Owen surged forward and kissed Zach, his arms snapping around the younger man, bending him back as he stole the air from Zach's lungs and the words from his tongue. After half a minute he pulled away, just a hairsbreadth, staring into Zach's eyes he said, "I love you. I will for the rest of my life." Zach barely had time to smile before Owen swept back in tasting his lips, taking his time and savoring the feeling of the moment and the flavor that was purely Zach.

They stayed like that, kissing outside the hotel while the song faded out...

"And all I know is I wanna be here with you from now on..."