AN: So, this is in response to a fic request I received on Tumblr.
"Well... since ezria's first wedding anniversary is approaching... do you think you could write a little oneshot about it to celebrate? Please ❤"
I am sure I'm late on this, as I actually have no idea when their anniversary is, and it seems like PLL is nowhere to be seen on my dash anymore. (Can't say I help that problem...it just lost its magic in that final season...) Anyway. I sat on this for a long time because I don't really want to write Ezria anymore (I just like where I left them) but the more I let the ask sit in my inbox, the more I thought, you know...this could be a nice final goodbye.
So, here it is. My last Ezria one-shot. Please enjoy, and thank you for the ask.
Sometimes, when you finally get around to having an anniversary, life isn't what you expected. It's like birthdays when you pass thirty. After a while...it's just another day.
When Aria and Ezra finally throw themselves at their bed, him face down into a pile of blankets, her hitting her head against her pillow so hard it almost hurts, neither of them has the energy to talk about what they want to do for their first anniversary the following day.
In all honesty, they'd almost forgotten about it. Though neither of them dares confined that in the other.
It's just...between their book deal and everything else, life's gotten in the way.
Ezra rolls over and his arm is thrown into Aria's side. She grumbles and pulls her body away from his, then thinking better of her actions, she lets herself fall back into him.
"I'm tired," she says simply. "Why am I so tired? It's only ten o'clock."
He mumbles something that sounds like agreement, but she isn't sure any words are actually said.
"Can you believe...this time last year..."
"Please, don't remind me," Ezra says, cutting her off. "Just thinking about planning that wedding makes me feel like I might pass out. I'm tired enough as it is."
"I know," she says. Her voice grows a little more quiet. "I was just thinking about the good parts. When we actually got married. Not all the shit leading up to it."
"I'm sorry," Ezra whispers. He turns to face her and pulls her closer. She lets him, but has a look on her face like she's sorry she brought it up at all.
This should be a happy time. They should be celebrating. They shouldn't be so exhausted that they can't even have a conversation about their wedding day.
Hesitantly, Ezra dips his head until it's resting in the crook of her neck and starts to breath her in, blowing hot breath across her skin here and there. Eventually Aria's face pulls into a smile and the tension that was there between them is gone. The longer they lay there and flirt with each other, gentle touches passed between quiet looks, barely a whisper spoken into the otherwise empty room, the more they feel like everything is new.
Later that night, they're sitting up in bed, Aria resting back against Ezra's chest, a blanket across their laps. She's playing with one of his hands which is dangling in front of her, his forearm propped across her shoulder.
"What are you thinking about?" she asks, looking up to meet his eyes.
He bows to meet her gaze and plants a chaste kiss on her lips before answering.
When he does, he says, "you," like she's the only thing in the world.
They don't make plans for the following day. It's a Saturday, and that's a treat in and of itself. Maybe they'll stay in bed a little longer. Maybe they'll go see an old move. They'll almost surely run out for pie before the day is over.
In the end, it's not what they do that matters. Just that they're doing it together.
After all, that's what marriage is all about.