The Mysterious Demon

-Dominic-

Oh, God.

I look at myself in the mirror, in the dress I had never imagined I’d see myself wearing.

If you had told me when I was younger that one day I would be ending my story just like a princess would at the end of hers, I would have laughed at you and told you that was disgusting… and yet, here I was. I wasn’t comfortable, I knew that I wouldn’t be the moment I stepped into the wedding dress store. I could appreciate the beauty, intricacy, tradition but I found out that I had insecurities that I wasn’t even insecure about before.

I was always proud of my figure, broad shoulders, strong arms, legs, back, but when you have someone who looks like the stereotypical man putting on a dress, it just doesn’t look right. I still wasn’t the princess that Disney had shown presented me, the Queen of England wouldn’t be forgiving either I’d imagine.

My brothers weren’t a great help although I commend their attempt at motivating me. Jake and Zack were better but they kept clashing with one another about what I looked better in. Zack picked out something in lace but Jake was convinced tulle was more my style. Jason didn’t show up. The only person I was truly grateful for being there was Jessica who already had a bunch of experience with wedding dress shopping and was really enthusiastic and helpful. I told her what I was worried about and she reassured me that I looked beautiful and that whatever I decided to wear, Blake would love.

After a couple of hours, I was getting tired of getting in and out of dresses that built internal conflicts in me but as we were about to leave, my eyes lingered around the room of the little boutique a little longer before something caught my eye. The guys had already left and only Jessica and I were there. She noticed my pause but didn’t say anything as I walked towards the dress.

I was in love with it instantly but… unsure. I looked back at Jessica and was about to ask her what she thought but fear made the question stick to my throat. It turned out I didn’t have to ask it though because when she saw the way I had looked at it, a grin formed on her face and she gave me a nod,

“It’s beautiful.”

Those words made my chest feel light and so I took it from the hanger in excitement and went to put it on.

Ever since that day, whenever I was asked what dress I would be wearing by any of the guys I would joke that I’d be wearing a white suit to twin with Blake. They’d complain at first, Arthur wouldn’t approve at all, the rest would roll their eyes and eventually accept the idea.

“But- but the sparkly train!” Jake cried and Zack would try to console him while indulging in exaggerated sadness. It always made me laugh.

Xavier was the only one who called bullshit, saying that if it wasn’t a dress, he wasn’t going to show up.

I would chuckle at the memory but I was too in awe at the dress that glistened on my body, emphasising everything I was proud of while also making me look unrecognisable in the best way.

A knock on the door caught my attention and I looked round to see Jessica in her bridesmaid’s dress. All of the bridesmaids, who included the girls from Ottawa and Tara from Texas, were in a deep burgundy but all of them in different styles that best suited what they wanted to wear and their body types. They all looked beautiful which they proved to me when the rest of them peaked through too, squealing or complimenting me as they came in which made me smile in glee.

After they helped me with some finishing touches we went down to meet the guys who were waiting for the “suit” that I was going to be wearing. Their backs were turned to me when I got there and apart from Nick and Zack shoving each other over something small I’d imagine, they were quiet and waiting.

My bridesmaids warned them that I was here and started counting down.

“Three… Two… Look!”

And in unison, they turned around, faces going from nervous or plain to showing shock and excitement.

“It has a train!”

Jake exclaimed which started their eruption of cheers.

I laughed along at their reactions

I laughed along at their reactions. Nick was the first to come and hug me, holding me tight in his arms with Arthur right behind him. “I wish our parents could see you right now,” he says quietly with my head in his chest for a moment. I pulled back to see tears rolling down his face which made me bite my lip. I stroked the tears away from his face but wasn’t able to say anything, knowing it would prompt me to get emotional too.

“Hey,” Nick says, putting a hand on each of our shoulders, “They’re always here,” he carries on by moving his hand from our shoulders to on top of our chests.

“Always,” I repeat and we smile at each other, going in for another shorter hug before I turn to the rest who were eager to come closer too.

“You look stunning.” Zack complimented first.

Jake jabbed him with his elbow in reply to it, “Don’t be having any thoughts now, she’s my brother’s, ‘aight?”

“Pff I know that! He should be thankful to me, I bet when I showed him that drawing of hers in class that tied their fates together!”

I shook my head slightly as they continued to argue before we were told to head towards the alter where Blake was waiting with everyone else.

The wedding was held in a Castle venue in the UK where we were both born. It was very grand but I wanted something to represent the greatness of our own lives. Nothing about it was easy but it was rewarding just as this was going to be. I wasn’t too fussy about the planning and some may say I didn’t care enough about it, but the little things are what mattered most to me. There were red and white roses scattered around the hall and garden, the red symbolising the blood of those who were taken away from us along the way. Everything was a traditional victorian theme but with little accents of the modern because we were in our own time celebrating a classic celebration. We didn’t have a priest because we felt that would be a little too ironic and we wouldn’t want to be stood up for that long anyway. We stuck to having personal vows before mentally queuing the ‘you may now kiss the bride.’ That was the plan anyway.

Everyone went in and sat down at the round tables that were in the garden. I along with Xavier were now the only two people left to go. Xavier walked up to me and offered his arm which I took hold of in silence.

Until now he hadn’t said anything to me but-

“I knew you were bullshitting.” He tells me, glancing down at me with a smile that used to be a serious face.

I chuckle back at him, “I couldn’t have you turning away from my wedding now, could I? Not when you’re walking me down the aisle.”

His hand squeezes my own, “I almost don’t want to do it.” He admits which confuses me.

“And why’s that?”

He doesn’t say anything for a bit before sighing,

“I don’t want to take care of the bars while you’re on maternity leave,” he says with such a pained face that I can’t help but burst out laughing. He’s not laughing with me at first but as I clutch my stomach he starts laughing with me too, relaxing us both before our show began.

We hear the music start which was our sign. As we open the door I ask him, “So, did things go according to plan?”

All he does is smirk back at me before we start walking forward where Blake was waiting.

-Blake-

The music starts playing, the doors open, and my Queen walks out onto the Castle Garden.

I don’t know what I was expecting, but Dominic’s entrance blew any of those expectations away. Words wouldn’t be able to express the love and admiration I felt for her and God, did the dress she was wearing make her beautiful beyond compare, on a league of her own.

I had been nervous until now, hoping everything was going to go perfectly, that the work we put in would be worth it, but after seeing her, those nervous emotions washed away because I knew as long as she was here, everything would be okay.

My instant reaction to her walking in was clutching the shirt by my heart where it was pumping at what seemed like a thousand miles per hour. A grin spread on my face and I had to close my eyes in order to contain the excitement that made me want to jump up in exhilaration. When I opened my eyes again she was grinning right back at me which made butterflies form in my stomach. She was perfect. So fucking perfect.

And with every step, she was closer to being my wife.

-unknown-

“Keep the Helicopter steady! Once they say their ‘I do’s ‘ we’ll shoot them down.”

I call out to my men who were flying in the helicopter with me, ready to shoot at our enemies after years of waiting. This was perfect, they were conveniently all here. I smirked down at their innocent ceremony.

“There couldn’t be a more romantic end to The Skulls and Bones Gang.”© 2024 Nôv/el/Dram/a.Org.

-Dominic-

I wasn’t nervous until Xavier passed my hand into Blake’s and suddenly my heart was racing. He looked amazing. Granted, he always did but the suit he had on made him look all the more like the King he was to me.

I remember first seeing him. Thinking that I instantly related to him. It turned out that although we seemed similar externally, internally, he was everything I wasn’t. He was caring, he was stable, he was able to give me strength in everything that I was weak in. One of the only things we shared internally was our love for each other and I wouldn’t have it any other way because that in itself was something I had never thought I’d find or feel and yet now, I had it and it was so beautiful.

That was the beginning of my vow and as I said it, Blake’s hands held my own tightly, and so I carried on.

“I want to continue fighting through life with you, no matter what. Blake, do you take me to be your bride?”

“I do.”

I let out a little sigh in relief after hearing his words which seemed to ignite every electric feeling of happiness within me.

“Dominic,” He started, “If I were to say I fell in love with you from the moment I saw you, I’d be lying. I fell in love with you when I got to know who you truly were when you weren’t hiding and instead when you were on your stage being the strongest person you could be. And by stage, I don’t just mean in the ring, although that was also what makes you so amazing to me, when we’re at home, when we’re celebrating, when I get to see you smile or laugh or cry, just getting to stand by you while you be yourself has been such a pleasure and…” We look into each other’s eyes as he says, “I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life with my best friend,”

I felt like my chest was going to explode.

“This was so corny,” I laughed which made everyone join in with me too.

“Shut up,” Blake says even though he’s chuckling along.

I smirk a little as I remember a line from a day that was particularly special to me.

“Make me,” I say back to him and I can see something flash through his eyes. He knew just as I did as to what I meant. It was my own way of saying ‘I do’.

He pulls me in after that, leaning me down into his arms before giving me a passionate kiss, marking our promise to the world.

Cheers erupted from everyone in the crowd and just as we planned, everyone took out the guns they had stored under the tables, pointing them up to the sky and like fireworks-

Boom.

Blake held me close into his arms and we were about to walk into the castle when suddenly we hear loud noises and we look up to see a helicopter falling out of the sky and towards some distance away. We watched as it crashed, instantly burning into flames.

“That wasn’t our gunfire was it?” I ask

“Maybe,” Blake replies

“Should we go check?”

“Nah, I’d much rather dance with you now,”

We laughed and walked together towards the Castle hand-in-hand.

“I love you”