He Makes Me Quiet

Chapter 8

In their junior year of college, Dorian's cousin, Cala, married Gansey's best friend, Penelope.

Dorian had long since stopped thinking of Penelope as a source of conflict, and they'd gotten fairly close over the past several years.

Penelope had, of course, been an important part of their search for Glendower, but it still surprised Dorian how easily she melded into life at 300 Fox Way. She had also helped Dorian with college applications, and calmed his nerves about being away from home for the first time, and she was always there to lend an ear or a hand.

More importantly, he had never seen Cala this happy.

He had mostly stopped playfully stealing various trinkets out of Penelope's personal effects, though he still did sometimes— just for the fun of it. Penelope usually caught him, and he easily gave whatever odd or end back. It was all well and good, considering she often stole some of his things as well, as was common in the Reed household.

When Penelope had proposed, Cala had asked if she had talked to Dorian instead of answering, and made her call him for permission before she would accept.

Dorian had given it happily.

•••

They'd arranged the wedding so it fell neatly over Dorian and Gansey's spring breaks, and Gansey picked him up on the way back to Lexington.

Dorian was Cala's "maid of honour", naturally, and he ordered around the various aunts, cousins, and friends who had descended on 300 Fox Way with authority. No one questioned him, not even his mother.

Gansey had easily directed Penelope's side of the equation, also acting as an unorthodox maid of honour. Dorian could tell that nothing would have made him happier. And, even though he'd never say anything about it, he could tell that Gansey had nearly cried as he walked Penelope down the aisle to give her away in place of her father— whom they'd all collectively disowned.

Cala had been wearing an elaborate golden princess-style gown while Penelope had gone for a silver dress with a sleek cut and long train. Dorian and Gansey had spent many long nights collaborating to create both, and their efforts had paid off beautifully.

•••

After the ceremony, the party began. The backyard had been filled with tables and chairs, long buffet benches, and a dance floor that had been erected under Dorian's favourite tree. Dorian still flitted about, making sure everything ran smoothly. But Gansey rather suddenly snagged Dorian around the waist as he passed and pulled Dorian into his lap where he sat at their table.

After making a rather undignified squeak in surprise, he laughed and kissed Gansey's cheek.

"Miss me?" he teased.

"I always miss you, Jack," Gansey smiled up at him.

His pale grey suit he'd chosen to match Penelope's dress contrasted nicely with the blue tie he wore to match Dorian's outfit, and he smoothed it down against Gansey's chest.

"Sit with me for a minute?" he asked.

Dorian just nodded and kissed his other cheek.

They sat and watched couples on the dance floor, kids running around, parents idly watching them, and older relatives surveying it all.

They only got a couple of minutes of peace, though, before a distant cousin or other approached with a baby in her arms and a problem. Dorian sighed and got up with a final squeeze to Gansey's hand to go settle an argument between some aunt and some cousin.

When he went to return to the table, however, he realised with a slight start that the baby had been left with Gansey. He paused, halfway across the yard, to take in the sight.

Gansey sat exactly where Dorian had left him, the baby of about nine months seated on his thigh where he bounced happily, Gansey's arm wrapped around his back securely and his other hand gently keeping a leg in place so the tiny person didn't slide off him. The baby gurgled and spit up a little, and Gansey easily snagged a napkin off the table and wiped up the spit, talking to the little one throughout. He could tell, even from this distance, that Gansey wasn't bothering with baby talk despite knowing full well that the infant had no conceivable understanding of what he was saying to it. But, that was just Gansey's way, and the baby was laughing and burbling all the same.

He melted a little, sue him. It was adorable. Besides, the idea of Gansey with a little mixed-race baby? It was definitely something Dorian had imagined before.

It was even more perfect in person.

Science had progressed enough that there were ways they could have that without adopting, and Dorian was really beginning to consider it as a legitimate possibility. It wasn't like Gansey didn't have the money to make it happen.

Gansey finally noticed Dorian staring and looked up. He grinned the instant his eyes caught on Dorian, still gently bouncing the baby. He crossed the yard to Gansey and sat in the chair beside the pair.

"You make a friend?" he asked.

"I want one, Jack."

"You what now?" he gaped.

"I'm aware we haven't really talked about it, and it'll be a while. But I do want kids. So you know."

"Oh, Gansey," he sighed, then leaned over the giggling baby to kiss him soundly.

Gansey kissed him back, slow and sweet and tasting like mint. The baby grabbed at Dorian's necklace now that it was within arm's length, and Dorian laughed as he pulled back.

"You're a grabby little thing aren't you?" Then he looked to Gansey, reaching out and rubbing his glittery lipstick off Gansey's face. "Who does he belong to, anyway?"

"That woman who came to get you? I don't know her name. Or his, actually."

Dorian laughed and tickled the baby's stomach. It shrieked with joy.

"Is that a yes to having a kid, then?"

Dorian looked up at him. "Yes, it's a yes. Someday."

Gansey grinned, and it was like the sun.

Shortly after, the baby's mother came back, apologizing for how long she had been gone and informing Dorian that he had 'a real keeper with this one', throwing a wink over her shoulder at Gansey as she strode away with the baby. Gansey flushed bright red, and even his ears turned a little pink.

"Nothing to be embarrassed about," Dorian smiled and kissed him softly, sliding into his boyfriend's lap as he did. "I do have a good one here."

"Do you ever think about getting married?" Gansey asked, his face still pink.

"Oh," Dorian blinked. "Someday, I suppose."

"Like, to me?"

"Yes to you, idiot."

Gansey smiled brightly again and Dorian smiled softly back at him.

"Where's all this coming from anyways?"

He shrugged and looked around, watching the fairy lights strung overhead twinkle for a moment before he spoke again.

"I suppose romantic weddings like this just make me think of these things," he told the lights.

"Softie," Dorian teased.

"You're thinking it, too."

He loosely wrapped his arms around Dorian as he spoke, tucking his face against Dorian's jaw.

"Maybe."

"You want to keep me," he pressed his smile into Dorian's neck.

"You planning on going somewhere?"

"Never."

"Well, then that's settled."

They kissed again, soft in the moonlight and fairy lights.