Mateless and Home Bound

Chapter 54: Tunnel Vision

"He's come a long way," Nick looked proudly on the dance floor. Charlie couldn't help but shake his head at his old friend. It had been too long since they had gotten to have a normal conversation, and he was dying to see just how well Eric had learned to dance.

He wasn't stumbling, which was a good thing. Him and Jane weren't the best, but they looked like they were having fun at least. He had been waiting for a moment when the two of them would actually look like that around each other. They practically glowed with happiness, even when they were apart. It reminded Charlie of when him and Max were first married. After they came back from their honeymoon, he couldn't remember being upset for at least a month or two. There was just too much joy in the pack that he couldn't be upset.

"I can't believe someone actually convinced him," Max shook his head. "He used to hate whenever you talked about it, because that would always mean that you were going to try and teach him."

"He was so stubborn when it came to that," Nick laughed and shook his head. "Now we just have to get Victor to learn."

"I'd say it's best we leave him be for now," Charlie chuckled. He was having too much fun seeing his son awkwardly talk to one of the deltas that he had apparently had a crush on for a while. He was glad that Sage convinced him to do it, because even though he looked nervous, he also had a smile on his face. It would be good for his social skills anyway.

"And he said he was bad at romance," Nick pointed his thumb in that direction. "He's got that kid hooked to his every word."

"I'm just glad he's talking to someone else," Max said, keeping an arm around Charlie's waist as they all walked around. He would have been carrying Sasha if she didn't have to go to bed right then. The bubbly toddler had gotten a little grumpy with all the noise, so he thought it would be best to have her grandparents put her to bed for the night instead of trying to stick it out through the party.

"Speaking of talking," Nick pointed over to another part of the dance floor. Reggie and Sage were laughing with Ana and her husband. All of them as happy as could be.

"I told you!" Sage laughed, stumbling a bit. "I absolutely suck at this!"

"Who cares?" Ana giggled with him. "The whole point is to have fun anyway."

Reggie pulled him closer and whispered something into his ear before Sage pulled away, smacking him playfully. The way that they acted when they were together was so different from when Charlie first knew them. Reggie was so shy, even as he got older. And Sage was so scared when he first met him. Now it seemed like both of them could conquer the world together.

"They're perfect together," Charlie shook his head. "I can't believe his parents tried to take him away from that."

That was another thing that Charlie was a tad bit worried about. Lafayette and his wife had been quiet and reserved since the incident with Sage. They were out of line for doing that, but it didn't mean that Charlie wanted them to completely cut themselves off from the pack, or even their own son. Scott had come up to him a few times to ask what had happened. He tried to apologize for his parents, but Max wasn't going to take it from him. They needed to be the ones to say sorry, and it wasn't just to Max for stepping out of line.

"They have some big egos to get over first," Max sighed. "I'm just glad to see Reggie like that. I never would have known just how stressed he was until now."

"Sage could make anyone happy," Nick waved off. "He reminds me of someone else I know. Of course, that person won't even try to dance."

"I've danced before plenty of times, Nick," Charlie laughed. "I just don't do it at every party." It wasn't something he did a lot of. Of course, he danced a bit at his wedding, and a few parties that they had, but he was better off as the one who walked around and talked to everyone.