"I'm very happy for you, Ezra, dear." Marjorie said as she lifted her glass to Ezra, toasting him and the good news he and Anthony had shared not twenty minutes before at their gathering.

It was a relatively quiet affair, which was good since they had spent the day moving the last of Ezra and Adam's things to the house, the furniture unneeded left for the next tenant. Which was, to say most of it except what belonged to Adam, and the bookshelves.

Marjorie was joined at the gathering by Newton and Anathema, as well as Oscar and Richard. Anthony had extended the invitation to Eric and Bea, of course, though both declined because of travel (though Ezra suspected it was more because of the way Anathema and Newton were quite close in Eric's case). There was nibbles and wine, the boys were playing nicely with Isabel on a blanket spread out in the backyard, the novelty of having a little one entertaining them for the most part.

"Thank you, Marjorie," Ezra replied as he tapped his glass to hers. "I do feel a bit guilty, however. Like I preyed on your good nature and hospitality."

"Ezra, dear, it's hardly like Eliza was going to be staying in that flat once she and Gavin had settled things. You leaving to live with Anthony isn't a bad thing. If anything it warms my heart to see you've found someone you love enough to share life with. And makes me a little sad I won't have you so close for gossip anymore."

"I'm sure we can have a little get together and a chit-chat now and then." Ezra assured, placing a hand briefly on Marjorie's arm. "I'll miss our talks terribly if I don't see you very often. Not to mention it's not like I have all that many people in my life these days whom I can count as my friends." He added as he took a sip of wine.

Marjorie gave him a sympathetic smile. "At least you know the ones who you do count as friends are ones you can count on." She noted.

"I suppose you're right," He agreed with a smile.

Marjorie then excused herself to go talk to Anathema, the two having not seen much of one another in the last couple of months.

Anthony was chatting with Richard and Oscar, Newton standing with him awkwardly, probably enduring topics of fatherhood while looking at his beer.

Ezra was about to go join them, ease some of the tension, when he thought he heard a car in the driveway. He glanced back at his love and his friends, no one seeming to have heard it themselves, and decided to go investigate.

He went to the garden gate, stepping out and heading down the drive, spotting a familiar silver vehicle parked on the side of the road. Setting his wine glass down the front step, Ezra began to make his way over to Gabriel's car, apprehensive of what might come.

Gabriel got out of his car, but hadn't seemed to notice Ezra right away. He looked down at his feet as he leaned against the car, facing the house while not looking at it. He wasn't dressed in his normal, tailor clothing, but nor was he dressed in jogging gear. He was a picture of casual in denims and a jumper, but he still somehow looked like he'd thrown the clothing on at the last moment.

Ezra waited a moment, seeing what would happen, but Gabriel continued to stare at his feet.

"I must say, this is an unexpected surprise." Ezra said, startling Gabriel, causing him to whip his head up in Ezra's direction and stare.

"Ezra," He said softly, almost reverently. Gabriel stared at him, bringing to Ezra's mind the image of a thirsty man looking at an oasis in the dessert. "I… I wasn't sure if I was going to come." Gabriel confessed.

"I had truly thought you wouldn't." Ezra confessed, slowly heading to Gabriel, mindful to keep some distance between them.

Gabriel gave a strangled, single chuckle. "Yeah, well. I think that's what made me at least get in my car. Thought if I made the effort to try, well, it would already make me a bit better than the guy you say you're gonna marry."

"That's not precisely how I would steer this conversation, my dear fellow." Ezra warned as he leaned against Gabriel's car with a few feet between them, glancing back at the house.

"Right, sorry." Gabriel said, though Ezra didn't think he meant it. "I guess I just hate losing."

"You can't lose what was never yours to gain." Ezra said gently.

"But you were." Gabriel said in equal tones. "You were mine. Maybe not my lover for more than a night, but you were mine. My best friend, my… my sunshine. My everything. You were everything I have ever wanted: smart, witty, just this little bit of a mean streak when you wanted. And beautiful. Crowley always had it right when he said you were an angel, but it never really, fully captured it. Because you're more than that. Better than that. I have loved you forever."

Ezra sighed. "I am sorry," he said.

"You don't have anything to be sorry about, sunshine." Gabriel said lovingly. "Hope and love blind me, and that's on me."

Ezra's brows lifted, and he found himself speechless.

"I'm not going to congratulate you." Gabriel said gently, glancing at the house before looking at Ezra. "I want you happy, Ezra, but I wish it wasn't with him. And I will never believe he loves you, not like I love you, and if I ever find any evidence to that, I will not hesitate to prove it to you."

"And if you never do?" Ezra challenged.

Gabriel sighed. "Wait for him to die?" He said with just enough humor that Ezra could laugh before smacking him on the chest.

"Don't put that in the universe, I already lost too many."

"You're right. Sorry, sunshine." Gabriel conceded. "I guess I'll just hope I can meet someone else like you."

"I do hope you will meet someone better." Ezra said honestly. "At least, better for you." He smiled, and Gabriel gave a grin back. "Would you like to come join us? It's not an overly large gathering, most of Anthony's family already knew, and between the two of us, we had few friends who could make it or weren't part of both our lives already."

"No, no, I'm… I'm going to head home." Gabriel said decisively. "I just wanted to come say my piece, tell you I'm still here."

"I appreciate that." Ezra said, nearly reaching for the man when he decided it wasn't a good idea. Gabriel seemed to notice, and became a little crestfallen though he nodded in understanding. "Mind how you go, dear fellow." Ezra said as he pushed off the car, heading back toward the house.

He spotted Anthony leaning against the back gate, Ezra's wine in hand with his own, and a loving smile gracing his face.

"Won't come in, will he?" Anthony asked when Ezra was near enough.

"No," He replied, refraining from looking back. He took his wine glass, then met Anthony's gaze. "Thank you, dearest." He said, kissing Anthony quickly.

"For what?" he asked.

"I know you, darling, and I know you were probably waiting here for far longer than you would have ever let on. So, I thank you for giving Gabriel and me a moment where we could sort things out and put a patch on our friendship, perhaps even save it."

Anthony's mouth moved for a moment, his eyes darting from over Ezra's shoulder, to him, away, back again. "If I could have been able to step up and put a patch on our friendship all those years ago, I would have appreciated whoever you were with allowing me the space to do it without anyone hovering. I don't like the man, but I understand where he comes from. And I know he means something to you."

"You are often far too wonderful, you know." Ezra said, reaching up and kissing Anthony softly. Anthony chased after him when he parted, placing two more kisses on Ezra's lips before grinning.

"I'm not wonderful," Anthony protested. "I'm an idiot, is what I am. Anyone else would do what they could to make sure he stays away."

"And that's what makes you wonderful." Ezra assured. "Now, we should probably get back to our friends." Ezra said as he threaded his fingers with Anthony's leading them into the back garden once more.

~C~

"One more," Crowley insisted, and the boys rolled their eyes, looking at each other with side eyes before plastering on another smile. "Alright, and… okay, one, one more ."

"Dad," They said in unison, and Ezra chuckled behind Crowley.

"Okay, okay, fine." Crowley agreed, raising his hands in surrender before putting his phone away. "Alright, are you two ready?"

"Are you?" Ezra asked, and Crowley gaped at him a moment. He didn't seem the least bit emotional, which Crowley loathed just a little. He had to wear his sunglasses and his contacts to make sure that no one would see his red-rimmed eyes or how much it killed him that his little boy was starting primary. Add a second kid to the mix, and he was damn near losing his mind.

When Crowley could only stare at Ezra, the blonde man stepped forward and knelt in front of their sons. He straightened Warlock's tie, then smoothed out the collar of Adam's shirt, their uniforms hardly needed the adjustments.

"You two will be just fine." Ezra assured. "You'll have each other, and you'll have your friends from nursery, and you'll make more I'm sure of it. Your dad and I are very proud of you both." He said with a smile that showed just how true that was. "Now, I'll not embarrass you by giving you any kisses here."

"I will," Crowley declared before swooping down quicker than any of them could react and wrapping an arm around both boys. He kissed their cheeks an equal amount, going back and forth between Warlock and Adam a half dozen each until they were giggling and asking him to please stop. He let them go, grinning at Ezra who tried so hard to look perturbed but failed. Ezra re-straightened their uniforms, gave their arms a squeeze.

"We love you," he said to them, a hand on each boy's cheek for just a moment.

"Have a good day, papa," Warlock said with a grin.

"Bye papa, bye dad," Adam said, turning around and heading for the line for their class.

"Bye, dad." Warlock added, tossing a wave over his shoulder as he chased after Adam.

Crowley sniffled. "How'd he grow up so damn fast?" He asked.

"I do know what you mean," Ezra agreed as he stood up and went to Crowley's side.

After a moment,watching the boys begin to file in with their classmates, Crowley asked, "how are you really, angel?"

"Heartsick," Ezra admitted, looking to Crowley with the first trace of dampness in his eyes that morning. "I feel like I shouldn't be so happy or so proud right now, because I was never meant to be the one to have this day."

"She'd want you to be happy," Crowley assured, taking Ezra's hand and squeezing.

"I know," He admitted. "And I'm sure one day I won't dwell as heavily on it. But it will not be today." He took a deep breath. "And now, we have to get to work."

"We do," Crowley lamented. "I do need to go to London today, just a quick jaunt, won't be late. But just a heads up if there's an issue with one of the boys."

"I'll bear that in mind," Ezra said as they moved around the Bentley to get in. "Though I'm sure they'll be just fine."

"Yeah," Crowley agreed. "Probably will."

He walked into the shop from his on-foot delivery a half hour late and ridiculously giddy.

"What the hell is up with you?" Bea asked, barely glancing at him but likely sensing his vibration from a distance.

"I did something stupid." He said with a grin that nearly hurt his face.

"Of course you did," Bea said. "But you're not normally this ridiculous."

Crowley reached inside his jacket pocket, pulling out the velvet ring box tucked inside, and opening it for Bea to see.

He'd spotted in the window on his way to drop off an expensive arrangement a few blocks down and stopped dead. He had to buy it, and what's more, he had to pay for the while-you-wait engraving. Because the ring in the velvet box had screamed Ezra the moment he spotted it. Gold, the band had feathers like a set of wings touching each other beneath a smooth ring that might have been a halo if someone used their imagination. On the opposite side of said halo from the feathers was a shield on a what might be flames, or leaves, or more feathers. Crowley wasn't sure, but he liked the idea of it being flames. The shield was blank when he bought it, but now it bore the three diamonds and the three flowers.

Bea looked at the ring, then looked to Crowley. "I'm going to have to decline, seeing as how you already asked your boyfriend to marry you."

"I didn't ask him, he asked me." Crowley retorted. "And it's for him."

"Of course," Bea said, pausing as a customer came over with a form and handed it to them. Bea gave them a fake smile as they accepted them. "That your family crest?" They asked Crowley.

"Not giving Ezra the Crowley crest on a ring, that's possessive." He scowled. "It's the Fell crest."

"You're giving your boyfriend a ring with his own family crest? Quite the choice in engagement rings." Bea said, glancing at the customer and giving them another wave in a subtle gesture for them to leave. The young man gave them a quick grin and darted out, the bell tinkling softly as he left.

"It's not an engagement ring, we aren't doing rings." Crowley protested as he closed the box and tucked it back inside his coat.

Bea smirked. "So by it not being an actual engagement ring, you won't get in trouble for giving it to him. How devious. And underhanded."

"Thanks," Crowley said honestly, the bell above the door chiming again, getting their attention. "Neil!" He exclaimed. "I was just showing Bea the ring I bought Ezra."

His brother frowned. "I thought you weren't getting rings for each other?" He asked.

"We aren't, that's what made this so clever." Crowley smiled wide.

"Has anyone ever told you two that one of you needs a change of style?" Bea asked, eyes darting between the two of them. "It's terrifying how much you two look alike."

"Might need to change it up, depending on how something goes." Neil replied. "Which is why I'm here, actually."

"What's up?" Crowley asked, stuffing his hands in his denim pockets.

"Asking my girlfriend to marry me, and I want you to do the flowers for the thing I have planned."

"I'd love to, Neil, but I have an appointment in ten."

"It's me, I'm your appointment. Do you really think I would book it in my real name?" He countered.

"Why wouldn't you?" Crowley countered.

"Because you're an idiot, and you'd do it for free because we're family." Neil countered, and Crowley couldn't argue that, even when he was about to.

"Fine," Crowley relented. "Let's step into my office. Hey, wanna see a picture of the boys from this morning? First day of primary!"

~A~

The boys were tucked in after a long day, and as had been the habit when Ezra felt up to it, he began to unpack. Last week he'd done his clothes in preparation for the upcoming school year, not wanting to live out of boxes and suitcases in fear of wrinkles. Anthony had a walk-in closet in his room, which had to be rearranged to allow room for Ezra's far smaller wardrobe. It had been something wonderful to see their clothes, Anthony's dark tones and splashes of silver mixed with Ezra's beiges and browns with touches of blues.

There had been kitchen things as well, Ezra's prized mugs making their way into Anthony's cupboards, his kettle next to the coffee machine, a brief spat over who's French press should go before they decided to keep both. During the days, Anthony and the boys had put together Adam's room, and on evenings when there wasn't more to do, Ezra helped Anthony set up his office in a small room down stairs, just off the living room that was hardly bigger than a broom closet but held his furniture.

Tonight, though, Ezra would finally be able to set up his book shelves. It was something that required a little rearranging in the living room for, but Anthony had been more than willing to move a few pieces of decorative art in order to make room.

Now, with a glass of wine on the nearby coffee table, a record playing softly, Ezra opened a box and began to sort through them.

He looked over each one with reverence, finding where they went on the shelves, stroking their spines once they were in place.

"Do you remember giving this to me?" Ezra asked as he flashed the black and red cover in Anthony's direction.

"Yes," Anthony grumbled. "The year I gave you the wing mug." Then more solemnly. "Our last Christmas." A second later he was off the sofa and coming up behind Ezra. "You still have it? Really?"

"It's a book, darling, and it was from you."

"Yeah, but… it was from me. Right before…."

"I kept the mug, and I kept the book," Ezra turned to face Anthony, wondering at how the man could still be surprised to learn how much Ezra held on to him. With a smile, he thumbed open the book, and pulled out the photo of them from secondary that he hadn't looked at in months, not since their reunion.

Anthony took it from him, looking it over while shaking his head.

"You can see how much I adore you." He said. "Wearing it all on my sleeve, I am."

"I thought the same thing." Ezra remarked. "Eliza gave it to me, found it… maybe when Adam was four or five months old, I can't be sure. I couldn't bear to let her toss it, but I couldn't bear to look at it."

"We should frame it." Anthony suggested. "Put it somewhere, bit of a reminder not to be as stupid as we were back then."

Ezra giggled. "Perhaps," he agreed. "Although," he said thoughtfully, shelving the book before sorting through a few others, finding a children's book he'd read to Adam countless times when he lived with him before. He opened the cover, and nearly dropped the photo tucked within. "I request that this one go up, too, somewhere." He said as he got hold of the picture and handed it to Anthony.

It was one he quite liked, though he had left it at Eliza's originally because he felt it belonged more to her than him. He was asleep in it, as was baby Adam, flopped on his chest in a rocking chair Eliza had had when he was younger. In his lap was the book the photo was kept in.

"Oh, look at you two." Anthony cooed. "I have one similar with Warlock, hold on." He said as he handed the picture back and pulled out his phone, doing something on it. The frown on his face meant he'd likely be a while.

Ezra smiled at him, setting the photo of him and Adam aside with the one with him and Crowley, then shelved the book. He then pulled out another one from when Adam was younger, and opened that one, musing how his habit of tucking cherished photos into meaningful books might have to change a bit. But the book had been another relic of Adam's babyhood, only it had been one he dubbed as Eliza's. And within it was her least favorite picture of her and Adam, though he treasured it.

Eliza had hated it because she was tired, and her hair and make-up was not done. She was in a simple jumper that she would say didn't flatter her at all, and if one looked too close, one might see a stain of some sort on the sleeve. But she was smiling so brightly at Adam, turned just enough toward the camera that one could see most of her face. But her eyes were for her son, who was also smiling, mid-laugh, at about six months old. She had what she had called a better one, because her face was pressed against Adam, hiding most of her while her son was front and center. Simple photos taken in relatively quick succession on a camera phone, later printed off because Ezra was old fashioned that way, and Eliza relented that perhaps she should have some sort of physical picture of her and her son somewhere.

Adam had that one now, in his room, because Ezra had frankly forgotten about this far better one. He'd have to switch it out over the weekend, give Adam a better view of his mother than the side of her face.

"Here it is," Anthony said, getting down on his knees beside Ezra. He looked at his phone, then to the photo in Ezra's hand and smiled. "Oh, that's a great picture of Liza," he said as Ezra set it aside.

"I always thought so, too." Ezra said, turning to Anthony. "Now, where's tha- good lord ." He said as he took in the picture on Anthony's phone that, had there not been a baby in it, might have been bordering on indecent in some circles.

Anthony was sprawled on a couch asleep, a small, likely still newborn Warlock curled up on his bare chest with one of Anthony's hands holding him safe even in sleep. He was only in black pajama bottoms, and he had long, model-like curly hair that fanned out beneath him like he was posing for some sort of erotic novel cover.

"Mum took that one," Anthony said, like it hadn't made Ezra stop functioning. "She'd come over from time to time, let herself in, make sure I wasn't about to lose my mind or starve myself. Sorta glad she did, I don't have many pictures of my hair when it was that long."

"There is quite a difference between the photo of me and Adam, and this." Ezra said, gesturing with the picture. "I, for one, am wearing at least two layers."

Anthony snickered but said nothing, Ezra continued on.

"For another, mine is… well, it's just a photo, isn't it? Yours… you look like art, my dear. And, quite frankly, I'm starting to wonder how in the world you ended up choosing me."

"It's not that… great." Anthony said as he flicked the photo.

"Darling, had you put this as a dating profile picture instead of just on your insta-thingy, Warlock included, you'd have had more requests than you'd ever be able to fill." Ezra said looking at the photo. "Honestly, I believe I have seen something similar gracing the covers of a few books I'd never admit to reading. Did you do any modeling the last ten years to supplement your income."

"Not that I'm aware of," Anthony replied, amused. "Probably a few snaps from the secret service here and there I didn't notice."

"You had this hair when you were the gardener?" Ezra asked in disbelief.

"I said it was long," Anthony reminded him. "Had to keep it out of the way while I worked most of the time. It was a blood pain to braid, but sometimes a ponytail or a knot was a bit too heavy on the neck. Harriet would do it for me, sometimes, if she was out and about and notice I looked a bit strained."

"No wonder she had an affair with you," Ezra mumbled, giggling at the indignant squawks coming from his betrothed. "Oh, come now. You're a lovely man as you are, but here you are downright beautiful. And you call me, angel."

"You are," Anthony jabbed him in the side with his finger. "Bit of a bastard sometimes, but an angel over all."

"You adore me," Ezra said, kissing his cheek. He barely pulled away when Anthony captured his cheek and kissed him soundly, deeply.

"I do," Anthony said against his lips. "Always have. Not growing my hair out like that again, though, so don't ask."

"Oh, I would never." Ezra assured quickly. "No, I could see how that would have been an utter hassle."

"Might cut it short for the wedding," He said, and Ezra noted he seemed uncertain.

"It's your decision, of course. But why for the wedding in particular?" Ezra asked.

Anthony shrugged, shifting the photos until the one from when they were younger was more visible. "Does look a bit neater shorter, doesn't it?" He asked, sounding like he wasn't sure.

"I think you'd never let it look less than neat regardless of the length."

"Oh," Anthony said, eyes lighting up. "Speaking of weddings, forgot to tell you. Neil's proposing to his girlfriend."

"That's wonderful," Ezra beamed.

"Yeah, might mean working around theirs," Anthony added. "We still haven't settled on a date. Figured if they pick first."

"I'm more than willing to allow them to marry first, second, whenever they like." Ezra assured. "As long as the end result is still having you as my husband sometime before the boys move out."

Anthony laughed. "Think we can arrange that sometime in the next thirteen years." He agreed. Then he looked at Ezra nervously, which only interested Ezra further. "Speaking of… it's not…."

"What is it, dear?" Ezra asked, furrowing his brow.

Anthony flinched, then shifted on to his knees, tucking his phone away before reaching into his front pockets. "It's not what you think."

He then pulled a lovely, intricate, antique gold ring from his pocket and presented it to Ezra.

Ezra took it from him with reverence, running his fingers over the feathers in the ring until the tips touched, He examined the crest, his heart clenching at the sight of the Fell crest etched in it.

"Oh, Anthony," He breathed. "We said no rings."

"I know, I know." Anthony rushed to say. "But, it's not an engagement ring, per se. It's… it's just a ring that I saw and thought of you."

Ezra smiled at the jewelry. "Probably for the best for it seems you greatly underestimated the size of my fingers."

"Oh, I am quite knowledgeable about your fingers." Anthony retorted with a wicked smirk, and Ezra smacked him on the chest, inciting a small cackle.

"You fiend," Ezra smirked at him. "Knowledge of one another's appendages doesn't mean one can buy something like this without an idea of proper sizing. Certainly wouldn't choose a ring for you based on such."

Anthony then took the ring from Ezra's hold, then grasped Ezra's right hand gently in his own before slipping the ring onto Ezra's pinkie finger.

"Admittedly," Anthony said as he ran his thumb over the ring, "I had thought this would go on this finger," he said, tapping against Ezra's right ring finger.

"Not as intimately acquainted as you thought." Ezra teased, admiring the way the gold contrasted nicely on his hand, how well the ring fit and how comfortable it was.

"Maybe I can be just a bit more later," Anthony quipped, snagging Ezra's wine glass off the coffee table and taking a sip.

"Perhaps, but no promises. I'm already fairly tired, and I have more work to do." Ezra replied, taking his wine from Anthony for a sip.

"We'll work together," Anthony offered. "Besides, might find more little gems tucked away in these old stacks. Photos tucked away." He said with an affectionate smile.

"Oh, I know I have one from Oscar and Richard's wedding in one of the books." Ezra assured. "Probably more here and there of Adam and Eliza."

"Let's see, shall we?" Anthony replied, picking up the next book in the box and thumbing through it. He did find the one from Oscar and Richard's wedding, and Ezra began to tell Anthony about the night it took place. And for each moment Ezra unearthed from the pages of various books, Anthony would bring up an equivalent on his phone, the two spending the evening sharing memories instead of putting the books away properly like they were supposed to.