“Hey,” Vlad said, knocking their knees together under the table.
Sebastian looked up.
Vlad was gazing at him seriously. “I want to.”
Feeling warmth in his chest, his stomach, everywhere, Sebastian hooked their ankles. “Yeah?”
Vlad nodded. “Wouldn’t want Antonio to think you’re available.”
Sebastian rolled his eyes with a long-suffering sigh, but he was grinning as he got to his feet. “Finish up, we need to pick an outfit for you! And we need to feed the cats before leaving.” He frowned, looking around. “Actually, we need to find them first. I haven’t seen Slyth all morning. He must have slithered out.” He chuckled at his pun, pleased with himself.
Vlad just groaned.
* * *
The wedding was huge, with lots of celebrities and press in attendance. Vlad, who had felt overdressed in his Armani tux at home, now understood why Sebastian insisted that they dress to the nines: they fit right in.
As guests who weren’t very close to the marrying couple, he and Sebastian weren’t seated at the front. Vlad was more than fine with that, because he never liked turning his back to so many people, but Sebastian kept craning his neck to try to get a better look. Luke waved at them from the front row where he was sitting with Roman. Vlad nodded back. He found the kid far more tolerable as of late. To his slight surprise, Luke and Roman were still going strong, together already for a year.
“Don’t tell Roman, but Luke’s hoping Roman will propose soon, too,” Sebastian murmured into his ear.
If Vlad had been drinking, he would have choked. “He’d better do it himself,” he said with a chuckle. “I can’t really see Roman proposing.” But then again, if a year ago someone had told him Roman would be in a long-term, serious relationship with Whitford’s brat, he would have thought that person was crazy. Maybe he didn’t know shit.
Sebastian shook his head, and Vlad got a whiff of his scent: cologne, aftershave, and something unique to Sebastian. He had to suppress the urge to put his nose against Sebastian’s skin and breathe him in. They were in public.
“No, Luke wants to be proposed to,” Sebastian said with an amused but fond smile. He and Luke had grown a lot closer, too. “You know he’s a hopeless romantic. Roman had better propose with some grand romantic gesture. Good thing he’s filthy rich and can afford grand romantic gestures.”
Vlad snorted. “If he can’t think of something original, he could always buy Luke a tropical island,” he said dryly, and Sebastian laughed.
Someone hushed them, and they turned their attention back to the wedding.
As the grooms said their vows, Vlad glanced at Sebastian again.
Sebastian’s eyes were suspiciously shiny.
“Shut up,” he said, flushing when he noticed Vlad’s stare. “It’s kind of beautiful, isn’t it? Very romantic.”
Vlad thought back to Tristan DuVal’s wedding vow that involved such words “I hated you at first sight, I still hate you for making me so soppy, and I promise to hate you till death do us part.” It didn’t sound very beautiful or romantic to him.
Vlad looked back at the grooms as they exchanged rings, their eyes only on each other.
He stared.
Unnatural, disgusting freaks, all of them. They should be hunted down and killed like rabid dogs.
The memory of his uncle’s words seemed grotesque and ridiculous as Vlad watched the happy couple share a kiss. There was nothing unnatural or disgusting about it. They were happy, they were in love, they were standing in front of their friends and loved ones, committing to a lifetime together.
His uncle had been wrong. Rationally, Vlad had known that for a long time now, but it was the first time he knew it, felt it with every fiber of his being. Love was love. There was absolutely nothing wrong with loving someone of his own sex.
“Hey,” Sebastian said, touching him on the arm discreetly. “All right? You look odd.”
Vlad shifted his gaze from the happy couple to the man who all these months had put up with his shit without complaints, ever so understanding.
Sebastian’s dark eyes were fixed on him questioningly, his red lips pursed. In his black tux, he looked particularly stunning that day.
His throat suddenly tight with emotion, Vlad wondered what he had done to deserve this man.
“I love you,” he said haltingly. Those three little words had been on the tip of his tongue so many times lately, but Vlad’s hang-ups had always prevented him from saying them. “I love you,” he said firmer when Sebastian’s eyes widened. “I’m in love with you.”
Sebastian blinked a few times, his mouth opening and closing. “Are you sure?”
The hopefulness, the vulnerability in his voice nearly broke Vlad’s heart. He’d had no idea how much Sebastian had needed him to say the words.
Instead of responding, Vlad leaned in and kissed Sebastian right there, in front of three hundred people and countless cameras. Camera flashes went off like crazy, but he found that he didn’t give a damn as along as Sebastian was grinning happily against his mouth.