You Can't Sing Without Air- Harry Styles Fanfic

31. It's a Shock to Be Okay

"And then he fell right off the park bench! He wasn't even tipsy or anything, he just fell."

I'm only half-listening to Sean. He's been talking about his boyfriend José for the past fifteen minutes and all I can think about is the conversation I had with my mum this morning.

She spoke with my CF team to arrange a time to transport me to the hospital in Dublin. I'm too ill to take a plane so I'll have to be transported via emergency flight. Thankfully Niall has more than enough money to fund the trip.

We decided it'll be best for me to leave at the end of next month. I haven't had the chance to tell Sean. Niall and I spoke after I got off the phone with my mum. To say he's elated is an understatement. I didn't realize how desperately he wanted for me to enlist for a transplant. He practically dropped the phone when I told him the news. It reaffirmed that I'm making the right choice.

"And then he asked me to marry him."

My attention snaps back to Sean, who's looking at me with a sheepish grin. Or rather, a giddy one.

"What?" I say, not trusting my ears.

"I said, he asked me to marry him." He pulls out a chain from under the neckline of his shirt. A gold band dangles from the string.

My face bursts into a grin.

"What!" I scream, but this time it's more of a statement than a question.

"SEAN!" I scream with glee, "You're engaged?! My best friend is engaged!" I practically jump on his lap, engulfing him in a hug.

He just laughs and hugs me back.

"There's one more thing," he says when I finally release him. "I want you to be my best man."

I look at him in shock.

"Me?" I ask.

"Of course! You said it yourself, you're my best friend. I want to be a part of as much as you can."

I reach my hand out to grab his.

"I would love that." I say.

He sighs. "Oh good. I was scared you wouldn't be interested."

He's teasing me. He hasn't done that in a while.

I give him a little shove in the shoulder.

"Shut up." I say with a smile.

"So what, are you going to have a traditional Irish- Ecuadorian wedding?"

"Ha. Like that's a thing." He says. "Although one thing I'll say about both our cultures, we know how to throw a party."

I laugh. I can't speak for Ecuadorians, but Irishmen sure do.

I'm so lost in excitement I forget that I have news too. My heart sinks. The chances that I'll be able to go to Sean's wedding, much less be a part of it, are very slim.

"Sean, I have something to tell you too." I say, my face serious.

"Yeah?"

I take a breath. "I've decided to list for transplant. In Dublin. I leave at the end of next month."

He stares at me blankly.

"What?"

I meet his gaze, expecting to see hurt in his eyes. To my surprise, he's smiling.

"Ayd, that's amazing!" He says.

"Really?"

"Of course! You're accepting a transplant! You're getting a second chance at life!"  

He's beaming. 

"I thought you would be hurt I didn't tell you." I say. "You know this means I can't be in your wedding."

"Of course I'm not hurt. And we'll just have to get married sooner than we expected." He says.

No way.

"Sean, I leave in six weeks! You can't plan a wedding in six weeks!" I exclaim.

He seems wholly unfazed.

"For you love, I could do anything."

......................................

Turns out, planning a wedding in six weeks is a little difficult when both families live halfway around the world. Somehow, Sean finds reasonable flights for both his family and José's, although the price point is enough to make even me squirm. I feel responsible so I offer to cover the expenses, but Sean refuses.

We're in a rush to get everything done, and it takes all three of us, plus many FaceTime calls with family to get everything together. 

 If it were my wedding, I'd be going crazy. Jose however isn't bothered at all by the short time frame. In fact I think he actually prefers it. He's so head-over-heels for Sean even after all these years that he doesn't want to wait a second longer than he needs to. It's adorable.

We spend almost every day working out details. Sean pushes me in my wheelchair to shop after shop in downtown LA, unsatisfied until he's found himself the perfect suits and plates and flowers and everything else I didn't know a wedding involved. It's exhausting but his excitement gives me a boost of energy.  

Still, by the end of every day I'm worn out. My treatment regimen becomes more and more difficult to maintain and I sleep longer every day.

"Lemon or Vanilla?" José asks, his slight Ecuadorian accent seeping through his voice. He holds a forkful of cake out to Sean, who accepts it dutifully.

"Yuck." He says, "Definitely not lemon."

"Ay, mi amooor." José says disdainfully.

"What? I don't like it!"

"Let me try." I say, reaching for the cake. José hands me a fork.

I take a bite. It's sour and bitter, the taste bringing water to my eyes.

I make a face at José.

"Ugh, alright." He says, throwing up his hands I'm mock frustration. "You'd think I was marrying the both of you!"

Sean looks at me. I smirk.

"You kind of are." He says.

Both José and I smack him on the arm.

"Heyyy!" He whines.

Before José can stop him, Sean grabs the reminder of the slice of cake and swipes the frosting across his face.

"Oohhhh no you didn't." He says, lurching forward at Sean.

The wedding planner and the rest of the patrons in the small business look our way. Sean and José pay them no mind. Instead of ducking away from José's grasp, Sean plants his face directly in front of him, kissing him firmly on the lips.

When they back away they both have frosting on their faces.

"Gross!" I say.

The both turn to look at me, bursting into laughter.

I join in. Even though it sends me into a coughing fit that ends with me coughing up blood and us having to leave, I don't mind. It feels good to laugh.