Author's note: This is a Historical Fanfiction set in the early 1900's. Women were not allowed to vote and the Gay Rights Movement was yet to occur. So, with that being said, onwards!
Alair found himself unable to speak.
His father smiled a bit more and nodded slightly.
You two are to marry.
"You and Lenore have my blessing."
As long as you do not shame me or your family, his eyes added and Alair nodded still in a daze.
He could do that.
I think.
Alair turned and left the room and it wasn't until he closed the door to his room did the panic finally set in.
Marry? But I- I cannot-
Lenore…
...is not to be wed.
She was his friend and-
Alair locked the door this room, suddenly feeling ill. He could not do anything now and he did not do a thing moments before. He had nodded silently and left. He might as well go die now. He… he could not even think of kiss her. How did his father expect him to marry her?
He could not do that.
Not to Lenore nor to himself.
She was content with life and he wished he was as well, but he could not sit around in his room any longer for his mother was soon to hear as she would be returning from the market. Once she heard of the news, Alair knew everyone would know.
He had to tell Lenore first.
And seconds after he did, Lenore slapped him across the face.
Alair winced and looked away.
Where did she learn to hit like that? Ow...
"How dare you say nothing to your father when he suggested such a thing!" Lenore scowled up at him, his hand lingering by his face once more. "I could not have asked for anything else! You are twit, but I love you for it!"
Alair stared at her in shock.
She loves-
She hit him again.
"You will marry me, right?"
Alair nodded.
"Good." Lenore smiled a bit and sat down on the sofa in her sitting room, pleased with herself. "But do not expect me to sleep with you. That is something I refu-"
"You do not even have to speak of such things," Alair sat down as well in one of the ornate wooden chairs, his face still stinging. But he was relieved beyond measure, even if this conversation he was engaging in was not one of his liking. "I assure you that I have no such interest in you. However, I wish not to offend, however. You are a beautiful woman."
"I accept your compliment and your agreement." Lenore smiled at him and he smiled back.
Both of them were saved and they had one another to share their lives and adventures with until they died; time soon moving swiftly forwards as Lenore finished medical school in the next two years and Alair did his best to stay out of trouble. As much as could be avoided as it was difficult to do so, but he managed with the assistance of William who did his best to help in times of need. Which was not as difficult as the two first thought as Alair's parents were busy watching Susie grow up into a sweet little girl who made her way down the aisle. A basket of white flowers in her hands, the petals falling on the ground before the mother of the bride walked down the aisle, announcing the bride's arrival.
Once she was sitting, Alair's eyes watching her do so, everyone looked up as the bride herself, glowing and proud walked down the petal lain path.
Each step uncertain.
Were they doing the correct thing? Was it even….
Alair did his best to smile, even though he could not help but remember William's forlorn gaze as he spoke of how he would be wed the following night. The gaze broke his heart, but Alair took Lenore's hand which she held tightly, wishing it was Abigail's but she knew it unwise to attend, so the two parted as well; leaving Lenore and Alair to the mercy of God as they knelt before the altar and the priest; their eyes meeting, wishing they need not lie to themselves, yet they did not belong here.
Alair glanced down at the ground for a moment, none the less.
They belonged down there.
But while they lived, he wanted nothing more than to be by Lenore's side. To protect her, to care for her in sickness and most of all accept her as she was.
"And now," The priest smiled at the couple, so happy, tears lingered in the bride's eyes. "I pronounce you man and wife." He glanced at Alair who smiled a little more. "You may kiss the bride."
The groom nodded and slowly lifted the lace veil from Lenore's face, her eyes sad, but his as well as he wrapped his arms around her.
Alair heard heard the sound of applauding, but he felt nothing.
Only cold.
Cold Lenore wished she could wish away, but she shivered none the less; his lips unwelcome, but it was for the masquerade she let Alair kiss her, his mind on William, her's upon the one she loved.
The one who was far away from her, but close in her heart.
Lenore kissed Alair back moments before he let her go, only to find mere seconds had passed in what seemed to be an eternity. She smiled at him once again, seeing Alair slightly shaken and the two turned and made their way back down the aisle, both of their mothers openly crying as they passed by.
But even a bit unsure still, Alair gave Lenore a small smile none the less.
And she smiled back.
Their secrets were safe with one another and they were pretty damn good actors, now they thought of it.
"And umm…" Lenore murmured, sighing a bit as she did so. "you really are good, are you not?"
"Yes" Alair replied, knowing they were not supposed to be doing this, but they had nothing else to do in the small cottage. "I think you have me beat."
"Good," Lenore smiled and swiped the money off the table small table, "and this is mine."
"I would not have it any other way," Alair admitted, picking up the deck again and shuffling their old cards into the mix. "Make sure, however, not to let my father know that you have a bit of money saved away. He would order me to take it, being your husband and all."
"I do not care, Alair," Lenore scowled at him from across the table, still not pleased this place was made for a honeymoon, so they had moved one of the nightstands to use for a card table. "I am your wife and you must respect me."
"I always will," he replied, dealing out the next hand of poker, "my parents are, however, old-fashioned. Now… I am starting with… half a pence."
Lenore frowned.
That was rather daring, but then again, he had a good hand.
"Damn it," She muttered, setting down her cards a few minutes later, defeated by his three aces. "And one of those had better not come from your sleeve."
Alair grinned at her and she cussed again.
"You cheat!" She cried, tossing her cards at his face.
"Well, of course I do."
The two shared a look before laughing. Both of them were, but when neither found the other remotely attractive and the mere idea of sleeping together made them feel ill, it was agreed upon before their wedding they would be allowed to continue their current relationships.
"But you are low," Lenore let her foot kick Alair's leg under the table, making him wince. "Cheating at cards. I think you would have learned better!" But then again, Alair's man, William was quite sly with a deck of cards and, "oh, damn it! I am surrounded by cheaters! William taught you all his tricks, did he not?!"
Alair just laughed again, making Lenore snatch the deck right out of his hands.
"Enough of this. Down to business." She slid the tray of cookies towards him, the ones she had brought along in her suitcase. One she packed on her own, so only had cookies and proper sleeping attire. None of the lace and frills for her. "We have to figure out many a good lie, Alair. After tonight, we will be expected to have a child, but I have decided that we will say that I cannot give birth to children. Is that understood?" She hated lording over Alair's decisions, but it was her body, she could do what she wished with it.
Or she was going to divorce him. Or wait, she could not do that, so she would make sure to kill him.
"Yes, of course" Alair could not agree more on the matter of children. "That is a wonderful lie and I know nothing of women, so you are going to have to assist me by teaching me everything you know-from a book of course- about human anatomy."
Lenore grinned back. She loved her husband. So kind, caring and respectful. "Of course I will. Now, we have something to do since neither of us play fair at cards."
Alair gasped stared at her in shock, "what...What?! You cheat too?!"
"Of course I do. Now, let me get the book. I brought it with me."
Minutes later the two were laying on the bed, studying anatomy, the pages of the book making it too heavy to hold up, but Alair fixed this as he just set it on the bed instead.
"There. More easy," he said, "now you do not need to hold it up."
"Thank you and it seems that we have proof needed for the rest of the lie," Lenore turned another page, "we laid on a bed. There."
Alair snickered and continued to read. She was correct. The Bride and Groom were on a bed, in the middle of… wherever the hell they were. Somewhere north of London. "At least we did something right."
"That and you did carry me across the threshold," Lenore pointed out, glancing at the doorway, "Well, half of me as you dropped me as your wrist gave out."
"Oh," Alair rolled down the sleeve of his left wrist and frowned at the deep scars, "it did. I nearly forgot. Thank you so much, dear for fixing it up."
"Think nothing of it as long as you do not call me that," Lenore was going to set strict rules right there and then. "Only a few get away with that name."
"Ah," Alair nodded a bit and kept reading. "And what are we going to do about the house. I am rubbish at keeping it up and-"
"I will uphold the house," Lenore said, already having thought it over. "But, it is my house. Not yours. Only by law and whatever I choose to do with it, save, your room-"
"Wait a minute," Alair did not like reality and he knew she did not either. "We cannot have separate rooms, we are married, it is expec-"
"Fine." Lenore frowned and turned to another section of the book, "we share. I can live with that as long as you upkeep your promise to me. You do not get drunk often, do you?"
"Not often, no," Alair said, "and I do not have any foolish ideas involving women, no. I tend to… get rather dangerous when drunk, so so Daniel has said. But I would never assault you."
Lenore raised an eyebrow, that was uncommon to hear. "Truly?"
Alair nodded. "If anything, I would be put in jail for kissing some random man on the streets. I think that has happened before, actually. Now that I think about it. Maybe a little too hard as the gentleman fell over. Ah, never mind. Like them that way."
"Ah, I see," Lenore smiled pleasantly and turned the page for them, "I laugh quite a bit and you must pardon me if I become rather raunchy."
"Take no mind," Alair did not care in the least. "Now, what would you like to vote?"
"Vote? When?"
"The next elections, or politics or whatever they are called. I am assuming we shall try our best to agree on my vote before I cast it."
"And you swear you will not change it on me?" Lenore demanded, frowning a bit, sure he would do that if he cheated at cards.
"No, no. I do not give a damn about politics," Alair said, "in fact, your vote will be mine. You choose, I vote. Now, what else is there. Oh, yes, the money. I am assuming you wish for an allowance, corre-"
"Salary," Lenore corrected, "for all the cooking and cleaning and half of what you make?"
"Well, I make three to five pounds a week in my current profession, so yes, I can give that to you. I wish for this to work as well as possible between us. So, I am willing to make compromises and such. I also suggest we have a vacation box where we save a few pence for travels. I wish to see the world, you know?"
"As do I," Lenore was pleased with what they had agreed upon so far as well. "And we shall not be adopting any children."
"I said before, no children, so matter settled," Alair did not know what she was so worried about, but decided it was best to reassure her. "And another matter, I know many gentlemen, also known as my brother and Daniel are going to ask a few… questions about this occasion. As indecent as they are. So, tell me how you were."
"Well…" Lenore smiled foolishly and sat back on the bed, thinking. "You are going to have to tell me as well."
"True… go on."
"Well, I was rather.. naive, but once I figured out all of it, it was a delightful time. I am a nurse after all and I wa-why are you frowning at me?"
"You are giving into a false assumptions about the medical profession!" Alair cried, throwing his hands into the air. "You do no good for a man's imagination."
"Well, the truth is always boring," Lenore replied, turning up her nose. "And you?"
"I would say I am a master, as William tells me after the night is through; but then again, given I have just now been wed, I am nothing but a simple virgin who was gentle but passionate."
"Is that all?" Lenore knew her friends would want more than that. "All right, it is… Now, what did we do?"
"What did we not do?" Alair suggested, only to add, "that is legal anyhow."
"Legal?!" Lenore laughed, shaking her head slightly. "My husband is concerned about legal? Oh, why do we not say we became carried away and come back looking as if we have not slept in days?"
"I understand," Alair had to admit he liked that plan. "So, shall we?"
Lenore nodded and laid down on the bed. "We shall."
"Good," Alair yawned and laid down next to her and closed his eyes. "For all is good. Sleep well, Lenore."
"What are you talking about? Want to mess around some more?"
"Oh, yes." Alair yawned.
With that, the two of them fell right to sleep without a second thought. They would stay up the last night of three and return rather messy, but a happy couple to a house full of secrets and lies.
Author's note: This chapter was fun to write yet again and special thanks to Tsarina Torment for helping me with the wedding and placing everyone in the right places. And yes, there were outlawed types of sexual practice back then. And thank you for waiting so long for this update, it is really appreciated, my dear readers.
The chapter title comes from a My Chemical Romance song of the same name.