Chapter 263

Chapter 263
Noah

He kissed me that morning like it was the most natural thing in the world.

Which, okay—it kinda was. We’d been doing mornings together forever now. But this one? Yeah. This one hit different. Because it was my actual wedding day, and I was freaking out and floating and buzzing like a kid on Christmas morning after a double shot of espresso.

Aiden, on the other hand—being Aiden—looked calm and steady and annoyingly composed. All warmth. All soft smiles. All grounding presence. But I knew him. And behind those calm eyes, he was totally freaking out too. Just…quietly. Elegantly. Like anxiety, but in a tux.

“Remind me again,” he said, brushing his thumb over my cheek, “why you have to leave? We own a two-story house. You could get dressed upstairs; I’ll get dressed downstairs…”

“And then we’d meet in the middle and make out before the ceremony,” I said. “And my mother would have a stroke. Protocol, remember?”

He sighed like I’d personally wounded him. “I hate protocol.”

“I know.” I kissed him again. Then again. Then way too many times for someone who was supposedly leaving. “But if I stay, we’re going to forget the wedding and christen every room.”

That earned me the look.

The one that said, “Don’t tempt me, boy.”

So I grabbed my bag before either of us broke tradition and broke the law of physics at the same time. He stole one last kiss—slow, lingering, like a promise wrapped in warmth—and let me go.

And that was it.

My last kiss as a technically single man.

I spent the rest of the morning at my mom's house, alternating between smiling like an idiot and wanting to puke into a decorative vase.

Because, yeah. This wasn’t my first attempt at marriage.

And the last one…hadn’t exactly gone well.

Old nerves crept back in. The kind that sit in your chest and whisper things like, “Are you sure you’re allowed to be happy now? Are you sure it’s real? Are you sure the world won’t explode again?”
PTSD is rude like that.

But this time was different. This wasn’t about fixing anything or surviving anything or proving anything. This was choosing forever. Choosing love. Choosing the life we bled our way toward.

Still didn’t stop my hands from shaking while my mom straightened my tie for the thousandth time.

The NFL stuff hovered in the background too, because it always did. Being a gay player still wasn’t exactly common. But I wasn’t the terrified rookie kid anymore. I’d proven myself. My reputation was solid. My contract was locked down tight with clauses that meant they couldn’t just nuke my career because my personal life wasn’t “traditional.” Aiden had gone over every word of it with me—twice—and had said something like:

“You’ll still get backlash. Controversy doesn’t disappear. But your future is secure now. We waited until it was.”

“We’ve waited long enough.” I’d told him.

Our house was paid for. My family was safe. Our lives were ours.

To hell with the rest.

We’d kept the wedding quiet. No press. No leaks. No fans or reporters camping outside. Just friends. Family. Love.

And even with all that reassurance, all the grounding, all the logic… I was still shaking when Hale picked us up and drove us outside of town to the beautiful small site. 

But the second my foot hit the chapel steps, every single fear in my head vanished like smoke.

I don’t even remember the music starting.

I just remember looking up…and there he was.

My Aiden. The love of my life.

He looked unreal. His tux fit perfectly, classic and sharp, black and crisp against his skin. But none of that was what got me.

It was the way he looked at me…

His beautiful eyes filled with so much love it honestly took my breath away.

His jaw trembled when he saw me. His lips parted like he’d just forgotten how to breathe. And his hands…his hands actually shook where they hung at his sides. Proud. Overwhelmed. Trying to hold himself together.

God, I loved him so much it hurt.

My chest squeezed. My eyes burned. And the ceremony hadn’t even started yet! I was already gone. Completely, hopelessly gone.

Everything else faded. Guests. Light. Sound. World.

There was just us.

Step by step, I reached him. And when I finally stood in front of him, close enough to feel his breath ghost across my cheek, he took my hands like they were something sacred. His thumb trembled against my skin.

And then it was time.

The priest spoke gently about love and storms and healing and finding home where you least expect it. It was probably beautiful and emotional, but I swear I didn't hear a word he said. I was too focused on surviving the flood of emotions.

When it came time for our vows, Aiden took my hands—both of them—and our eyes locked.

My throat tightened instantly, because we both knew these weren’t new words.
These were the vows we had once whispered in secret when everything felt fragile. When we weren’t sure we’d ever be together. When loving each other still felt impossible.

And now…we were here.
Safe.
Standing in the open.
Repeating them not as a plea—but as a promise.

My eyes filled before I even started. His did too.

We didn’t look at anyone else.
Just each other.
For us.
For our people.

For forever.

I swallowed, steadied my breath, and began:

“I, Noah,” I whispered back, voice shaking like hell, “right here, tonight, give you my heart.”

My fingers slid to his chest, pressing over the place where I’d always belonged.

“Even if everything else gets stripped from me—my name, my career, my future—this stays yours. I stay yours. Now and always.”

Aiden’s breath left him in one broken exhale. Tears slid down his face, and he didn’t even try to hide them.

He lifted my hand, like it was priceless, and kissed my palm so gently my knees almost gave out.

Then he spoke.

“And I, Aiden,” he said, voice wrecked, “give you mine. All of it. The parts you already hold. The parts I’ve never let anyone see.”

My heart freaking shattered.

“I’m yours, Noah. If the world burns for it, let it burn. I’ll walk through every fire at your side.”

We were both crying now. And smiling. And trying not to laugh because we were an absolute mess.

The rings came next.

His hand shook as he slid the band onto my finger. Mine wasn’t much steadier. But when our hands finally settled together, metal against metal, there was this feeling like a lock clicking into place.

Like home.

“You may kiss—”

Aiden didn’t wait.
He pulled me in, one hand to my cheek, the other at my back, kissing me like the rest of the world had finally been dismissed. And the room exploded into applause and laughter and pure joy.

I pressed my forehead against his, breathless, glowing, dizzy.

“Hi, husband,” he whispered.

I laughed. Probably cried again.

And then I turned a little toward the room, still holding onto him because no way in hell was I letting go now. “So…before we head out…I have a tiny surprise for my husband.”

His eyebrows shot up.

Keon slipped quietly into the little side room beside the altar. The priest gave me the softest, most knowing nod, and a moment later Keon placed my guitar gently into my hands.

Aiden’s hand flew straight to his mouth.

Total shock. Total wonder. His eyes shone like he might fall apart right there.

I steadied the guitar strap over my shoulder, heart pounding.

“This is for you,” I said softly. “My husband.”

His breath broke.

I started to play.

A slow, familiar melody filled the chapel—the one that had carried us through fear and distance and healing. And I sang for him. 

“Heart beats fast
Colors and promises
How to be brave?
How can I love when I'm afraid to fall?
But watching you stand alone
All of my doubt suddenly goes away somehow

One step closer…”

By the time I reached the chorus—the promise—Aiden’s tears were spilling freely. He didn’t hide. He just watched me like I were his whole world.

I heard soft sobs around us. Small laughs. Sniffles.

But for me?

There was only him. And God knew I had loved him for what seemed like a thousand years, and I would love him for the rest of my life.

The last chord faded, and Keon took my guitar.

Silence.

Then he was in front of me—closing the space, wrapping me into his arms like I belonged nowhere else. I buried my face against him as he held me close, like he never planned to let go.

We kissed—slow and full of everything we’d survived—and the world vanished.

Only love remained.
Only us.
Only forever.