“Congratulations, you two!”

            Junmyeon wore his grateful, handsome smile gamely, though his cheeks were starting to ache. He had been standing in this same spot for a solid fifteen minutes, a small crowd of distant cousins and work acquaintances trapping him with their well wishes and handshakes. He wasn’t even sure who this woman was, with her garish lipstick and heavy floral perfume. But he thanked her like he had all the others, bowing his head in respect. She beamed at him, reaching out to squeeze his shoulder once, then took a step to her left.

            “It really was a beautiful ceremony.”

            “I’m so glad you were able to make it. We both are.” Junmyeon felt fingers linking with his own. He angled slightly to his right, meeting Kyungsoo’s warm gaze, and felt his lips curve into a deeper smile. His fingertips circled the knuckles on his new husband’s hand, thrilling at the touch of cool metal, recognizing the thin platinum band he’d placed there just a few hours before.

            Kyungsoo squeezed Junmyeon’s hand twice, before letting go and returning to the woman before him. It was subtle, but the message was clear.

            “Soo? Have you checked on the food?”

            Kyungsoo turned back to Junmyeon, his round eyes wide at the question.

            “I haven’t, no.” His lips pouted out a bit. He was by far the better actor of the two of them, feigning a mildly concerned demeanor, nodding and flicking his eyes to the ornate, open archway at the other end of the ballroom, beyond which lay a long hallway ending in the entrance to the kitchen. “You think we should, just to be sure everything’s running smoothly?”

            The woman in front of them waved her hand dismissively, drawing both their attentions.

            “Oh you shouldn’t worry about that. Someone will take care of it for you.” Junmyeon swallowed, unsure how to continue without sounding rude.

            “We’d hate to burden anyone with that. You’re our guests, after all.” Kyungsoo bowed earnestly to the woman, taking her hand gently in his. Junmyeon marveled at Kyungsoo’s charm, the humble tone in his voice, the tilt of his lips and the squinted edge of his eyes as he smiled. The woman chuckled and winked at the two of them, scooting back to return to her table.

            “After you.” The charismatic tone in Kyungsoo’s voice had been replaced by the low half-whisper he reserved for Junmyeon’s ears alone. His hand pressed against the small of Junmyeon’s back as he raised his eyebrows once, looking toward their exit.

            Their guests made way for them, patting their shoulders or waving as they passed. Junmyeon did his best to return their greetings graciously, rather than take Kyungsoo’s hand and skip through the maze of candlelit ivory-tablecloth-topped tables like his feet were tempted to do. Slowly, they made their way across the room… just a few more feet…

            “Finally.” There was that half-whisper again, warm and tingling just behind him, and suddenly Junmyeon felt resistance at his wrist. He turned abruptly, stumbling right into Kyungsoo’s waiting arms, his patent dress shoes stuttering on the marble floor. But Kyungsoo held him steady, angling them both back a step to press Junmyeon gently against the dark wood-paneled wall. “I’ve been dying for a minute alone with you all day.” Kyungsoo’s voice was low and calm, colored with a relief that Junmyeon reciprocated now that they were out of eye and ear shot of their guests.

            “Why’s that?” Junmyeon couldn’t help the breathy quality to his voice. He tried to play it off, but the little curve edging at Kyungsoo’s plush lips was enough to know it hadn’t gone unnoticed.

            “Well, I really just wanted to get you alone…” Junmyeon saw Kyungsoo’s eyes focus, sharpen in that certain, ineffable way, as his hands shifted from Junmyeon’s sleeves to his neck, “… to tell you where no one could overhear…” his fingers tickled at the skin just below Junmyeon’s ears, a weakness he’d discovered on their fourth date six years ago. He leaned forward, closing the gap between his lips and Junmyeon’s.

            “Yes?” Junmyeon whispered, pulse thrumming beneath Kyungsoo’s deft fingers, which dragged across his throat, pausing as Junmyeon swallowed.

            “Your bowtie is a little wonky.” Kyungsoo’s fingers fell from Junmyeon’s neck to the black silk bow wrapped around it, adjusting and fiddling meticulously. Junmyeon huffed out a little cough of complaint, shoving Kyungsoo’s chest gently to free himself from the wall.

            “What? You didn’t think I was going to jump you in the hall at our reception, did you?” Kyungsoo laughed, then resumed his bowtie-straightening endeavor. Junmyeon sighed and stood still, taking the opportunity to appreciate Kyungsoo’s shiny, precisely parted hair, stark black and smelling faintly of the cologne he’d given Kyungsoo for his last birthday.

            “Well, you’ll have to forgive me for my foolishness.” Kyungsoo narrowed his eyes as he assessed his handiwork, brushing off Junmyeon’s lapels in satisfaction. “You know how I feel about you in a tux.” Kyungsoo looked up at that, meeting Junmyeon’s lopsided grin.

            “That I do. Thus why I’m in tails, and not something more comfortable.” Kyungsoo lifted one mildly annoyed eyebrow, but Junmyeon smiled, lifting his hand between the two of them, rotating his index finger a few times.

            The band swelled into another brassy tune in the ballroom behind them. Kyungsoo rolled his eyes and the wordless request, but backed up a step and spun around once, stepping in time to the romantic song, arms extended, showing off his perfectly tailored ensemble, all sleek black silk and crisp angles. He ended with a deep bow, pointing the toe of his left foot backward to complete the grand gesture.

            “I do love how you indulge me, husband.” Junmyeon felt an inexplicable giggle form in his throat as he spoke. Kyungsoo really did look better than he ever had in Junmyeon’s eyes: handsome, of course, but somehow radiant, glowing despite the dim hallway atmosphere. But as he continued to look, he knew it wasn’t his tux or his shoes or his hair that made him so captivating. It wasn’t the grand setting or the high energy of the day that made Junmyeon’s heart positively ache with affection for the man before him.

            Kyungsoo tilted his head a little, curiosity playing across his features.

            “What?”

            Junmyeon held out his hands out in front of him, palms up.

            “Dance with me?” Kyungsoo laughed once before taking Junmyeon’s right hand in his left, wrapping his right arm around Junmyeon’s waist, pulling him in close.

            The music lilted along through the hall, the languid echo of their own party, but Kyungsoo led Junmyeon in a small arc around their little hallway haven, swaying comfortably with the swing of the beat. Junmyeon closed his eyes, enjoying the fizzy feeling in his head, letting his fingers wander up to touch the clean cut edge of Kyungsoo’s hair.

            “I love you.”

            Junmyeon had said those words to Kyungsoo thousands upon thousands of times. Hell, he’d known he would marry him one day after dating just two months, despite the warnings of his best friends who had cleaned up one too many post-breakup messes. He knew it like it had been etched into his very bones. But here, in this fleeting moment of intimacy, Junmyeon gave Kyungsoo those words as if they contained his soul.

            Their families had told them over and over – marriage changes you. Your lives will be different; be prepared for that. Junmyeon had thought this was a warning to be careful, attentive to how they shared their lives as spouses. But he hadn’t expected this – this overwhelming, blood-rush of emotion. Every other time he’d said those words felt like a first draft for this moment.

            Kyungsoo hummed and turned to look at Junmyeon, eyes deep and relaxed as he slowly spun them both across the cool marble floor.

            “I love you, husband.”

            The swell of horns and piano drifted down the hall as Kyungsoo braced one hand against Junmyeon’s back, the other around the base of his head, tipping him back just a little. Junmyeon’s breath skipped as Kyungsoo leaned in, pressing his lips, those lips that had been comfort and desire and reassurance for Junmyeon the last six years, so softly to his own.

            And it was different. Junmyeon gasped a little at the feeling, then melted into Kyungsoo’s touch, feeling for the first time, that he was fully, completely home.