By Victory Thru Tears and Star
Notes: There's a tiny reference to the Really Long Survey that Vic and I did for the Queertet and the Lesbians. You can find it on our site.
And yes, we're back.
*grins*
Maya's POV
I've been to three weddings in my life. My old, blue-haired aunt
Edith's, she married some guy with dentures at the tender age of 64; my
cousin Sasha's wedding; and some friend of the family's. And during every
single one, at one time I have fallen asleep. Not like snoring sleep, but
dozed off.
But during this one, my attention didn't wander far from the altar
at all. Maybe it was because Taz was a bridesmaid, or just because I know
(and like) Casey and Gordon. Either way, I hope my wedding is as lovely
as this one.
We had been so confused at the beginning of the ceremony...we, as in the Queertet and me. We weren't exactly sure which side of the aisle to sit on. Obviously, the Ducks were here on Gordon's invitation, but the Queertet were just as close to Casey. Or in my case, I didn't know either of them very well.
In the end, we decided to sit on Casey's side. Only because Goldberg and Averman were on Bombay's side with their parents, looking very surly indeed. No one wanted to rub them the wrong way, and start a fight in the middle of the wedding.
So now we're on our way to the reception, piled into the Banks' car. It's really uncomfortable...it's a nice car, very expensive, but not horribly roomy. Of course, since I'm the smallest one, I'm squashed into the backseat with the Bash Brothers and Jesse. And Adam gets the front seat all to himself while his dad drives.
This sucks. Come on, the Bash Brothers are each the size of two people, and Jesse's all tall...so I'm basically hanging out of a window. Or, I would be, if the window were open. Since it's not, I'm smushed up against it. This can't be good for my dress.
Taz, Charlie, and all of the others in the wedding are still back at the chapel, taking pictures. I think it's so, so, great that Taz was involved with this wedding, and it's good that she and Casey have the relationship that they do. And I seriously mean that. Taz misses her 'Mum' so much, you can just see it in the way she watches anyone with his or her mother. I'm glad that Casey has given her at least a part of the relationship that she lost.
Argh, ok, enough of the mushy thoughts. Reception hall is in sight!
I wince as Portman shifts, and accidentally sits on my hand. Ooh, yeah, definitely heard a bone crunch.
I try to nudge him lightly with my other elbow, but he's deep in conversation with Jesse. So instead of moving off my hand, he scoots the opposite way, and my wrist also gets buried under his mass of hulk.
"Portman, get off!!" I squeak out.
He glances at me. "What? Oh, sorry little munchkin."
Please note that he doesn't move an inch.
Deep sigh.
*~*~*
Make that a double, extra large, with whipped cream on top deep sigh.
It's been about half an hour. Taz and Charlie are still not here. It wouldn't be so bad, I've got other friends here, but they seem to have ditched me for some of their fellow mallards. Adam is trying to catch up a slightly overweight boy, who they keep calling Karp, on the hockey events of last year, strategically leaving out the part about the hate campaign against the Queertet. Fulton and Portman are busy giggling (Yes, the big slabs of muscle are giggling) with Jesse and his little brother. And I can't even talk to Guy - not that he and I are especially close, I only talk to him because of Julie - because he's too busy flirting with Connie.
Argh! And there's this creepy little guy sitting at the end of the table, staring at me!
I glare at him. He's one of the original Ducks, I know that because otherwise he wouldn't be sitting with us. But I've never been introduced to him, and I've got no idea who he is.
He smirks at me, and my eyes narrow even further. Ok, time to take some action.
I elbow Adam in the ribs. It takes a few more jabs for him to look at me. Honestly, you'd think that his best friend is more interesting than some ex-hockey player he hasn't seen in years.
"What's up?" He asks me, and I swallow my irritation. About him, at least.
I motion discreetly towards the dark-haired boy on the other side of the table.
"He's staring at me." I whisper to him.
Adam's face splits into a grin. "That's Peter, for you."
I wrinkle my nose. "Peter?"
Adam holds a hand up to Karp and me, and gets up to sit next to this Peter character. They converse quietly for a few minutes, occasionally glancing up at me. I try not to watch with much interest as Peter scoots his chair back and comes to sit next to me, where Adam had been.
I raise my eyebrows and purse my lips at him, as he gives me an appraising look. He glances back at Adam, who gives him the thumbs up sign.
"So, Banks tells me that you're single..."
Ooh, I am going to kill that little fairy.
_____________________________________________________________
Taz's POV
"Mum!" I say excitedly. It's taken all of my powers of restraint to stay quiet and calm as long as I have, but we're at the reception now. Time to get crazy!
"You look fantastic!" It's probably the hundredth time I've told her.
"Thank you, Taz. You look very pretty too."
"Can I hug you now we're not too worried about messing up your dress?" I ask nervously. I've tried to behave myself all day.
She pulls me into a hug and motions for Charlie to come join us. "You were a great bridesmaid. And do you know something?"
"What?" I ask.
"Traditionally, the bridesmaid and the best man are supposed to get it on at the reception!"
I giggle loudly. "I couldn't!" I say in tones of shock. "Charles is the devil, and I'm a good catholic girl."
"She means it the other way round, Mom." Charlie says, tugging at my arm. "She's the devil and -"
"You're a good catholic girl?" I wink at Casey then turn back to Charlie. "So what are we waiting for? Let's get nake -"
Charlie claps his hand over my mouth and drags me away. I wave at Casey who rejoins her new husband.
"Come dance with me, Purple." He says. "I don't want you too close to the rest of my relatives, you're already stalking my mother, the rest of the Conway clan can't handle it."
I open my mouth to protest, but realise he might have a point. "Ok then."
I almost trip on my dress several times as Charlie pulls me along.
"You are a klutz." He comments.
"You try walking in a long dress and heels!" I retort.
He bats his lashes at me. "Oooh! Can I? Let's go to the 'loos' and swap clothes!"
I giggle. "Can I at least ditch these heels?" Without waiting for an answer I tear them off and plunk them on the nearest table.
"Oh, Taryn, I can't believe you just did that."
"What?" I shrug innocently. "There's a guy over there without any trousers on."
He follows my gaze and then rolls his eyes. "That's my two year old nephew. Kids do that."
"Owww!" I glare at him as he steps on my foot.
"Taz!" He says in exasperation. "You just took your shoes off, it's not my fault if your feet get injured."
I consider this for a few moments, then come to a decision. I place a foot on each of his. "Now dance?"
He laughs and we dance that way for the rest of the song before rejoining the others.
I make a beeline for Adam. "Hey Ads," I grin at him cheerfully. "I hope you don't mind, but Casey says it's tradition for the best man and the bridesmaid to get it on at the reception." I pat his arm. "But don't worry, I'm going to close my eyes and think of Maya."
Charlie manhandles me out of the seat and deposits me on Maya's lap, then he turns to his boyfriend. "And don't worry, because the second she closes her eyes I'm making a swift exit so I can come and find you."
I grin at Maya. "So, now it's all over, tell me honestly. How stupid do I look in this dress?"
"You look cute." She grins at me and runs her hand down my side. "And this dress is very tactile…"
"Stop it!" Portman demands. "I don't know what's got into you two lately, but please, get a room!"
We stare at him. "And which one of us here shared just a bit too much information on that survey the other day?" Maya asks with a wink.
Portman blushes, I've never seen him blush before, and Fulton laughs. He quickly changes the subject. "So, wedding, pretty. Anybody, chime in, please."
_____________________________________________________________
Connie's POV
I smile at Guy as he recounts the tale of his baby sister's boyfriend. She met him in the park and she knows it's love because she hates all boys but he lent her his baseball cap to keep the sun out of her eyes. Ok, so his Mom made him, but as boys go, Ginny decided he's ok.
"So they kick each other and pick on each other when other people are around so nobody realises they like each other." He finishes with a grin.
"Ah, young love." I smile. "It's a beautiful thing." As I say it, I think about myself and Guy. I'm not sure when we became a couple, we were always together since kindergarten. I guess the kiss made it official, when we were ten when the Ducks won the Peewee Hockey finals.
I remember the day after that, he turned up at my house and asked if he could be my boyfriend. I got in a huff and slammed the door in his face, I'd thought he already was my boyfriend.
So he turned up the following day with a twelve red roses for me and begged forgiveness. I later found out from Auntie Grace that he cleaned a lot of attics to pay for them. But ever since then he was mine and I was his.
For four years. Until I made him chose between the bitch that I became and some friends that needed his support.
I see Taz and Maya glaring daggers at me, and my heart gives a painful twist as I remember that Guy isn't mine any more. And maybe never will be again.
Guy smiles again. "I'm glad we weren't like that."
I think back to how we were when we were five. "Guy Germaine, you disappoint me. You don't remember the lost year."
"Lost year?"
"That year you spent beating me up." I remind him.
"Oh, that." He grins. "I'd done so well trying to repress that. Charlie told me girls had Cooties. Even really cool girls like you. And how come you're saying I beat you up? We only had one fight and which one of us when home with a black eye and a split lip?"
"Girl power." I say.
"Well, is it too Neanderthal of me to ask you to dance?"
"Not at all." I take his hand and he leads me to the dance floor. Once more I catch sight of the girls who are glaring at me. I try to keep my expression neutral. I know that Julie is their friend, and she's been mine a lot longer, but how would they feel if the person they loved more than anyone else in the world started dating their best friend?
As he takes me in his arms and we sway to a slow song I think back to the events that lost me the boy I love. Have you ever felt like you're on a rollercoaster that doesn't have end? That's what it was like back then. My initial reaction to the Queertet was, admittedly, disgust. I couldn't help it, it just seemed like something I couldn't change, like my inherent dislike for the colour orange. And it probably would have died down if people hadn't agreed with me. I take full responsibility for the hate campaign, but if I hadn't had backing I would have had time to sit down, process everything and come to the conclusion that I have now. Adam, Charlie, Fulton and Portman are the same people they were before I found out they were gay. Charlie is the same guy who told Guy that girls have Cooties, Adam is the same guy who could win all of our games single handed and answers to the (now) affectionate name of 'Cake Eater'. Fulton and Portman are the guys that will take on an entire team if one of our flock is insulted.
I couldn't see that then. All I could see were four 'queers'. And after Guy broke up with me, all I could see were four queers who had cost me my boyfriend.
I sigh and rest my head on his shoulder, the way I always did when we danced. He lets me until we turn slightly and he's once more facing the table where the Queertet are sitting.
"Cons, personal space, remember?" He says gently pushing me back a little.
"Sorry." I say. "I just miss us so much."
His mouth works silently, the corners twitching, and I know him well enough to know that he's fighting not to say something. He manages not to say whatever was on the tip of his tongue and we continue dancing.
I'm careful to keep a respectable distance from him, but a spark of hope dances in my heart.
_____________________________________________________________
Fulton's POV
I guess I had kind of forgotten what it feels like to be a Duck. It was actually a big deal last year, getting out of the habit of depending on the Ducks and learning to be independent. But I did it…and now it feels really strange to be around people that, well, can tolerate me.
All of the old Ducks know by now. Either Jesse or one of us has told them. Strangely…not a single one of them seems to care.
Why couldn't they have stayed on the team?
I hear a loud laugh coming from the end of the table and glance over to see Charlie, Adam, and Jesse avidly whispering. Maya and Taz are on the dance floor, I can't see them, but I can hear Taz. Guy and Connie are dancing, too…
I seem to be the only even remotely brooding. Everyone's enjoying the moment. I guess I should have been, too, it's just that…well, I'd developed a sort of paranoia. Everything's too good to be true, if you ask me. Something's always going to mess up.
Portman elbows me. This is one of those times when I think he can read my mind. He narrows his eyes at me, and cups my chin with his hand.
"Cheer up." He grins, and I slowly return the expression.
He nods towards Adam, Charlie, and Jesse again. Now Peter, Tommy, Karp, and Terry have joined them. Charlie has got that look on his face again…the same one that he had when he suggested we set the ants loose in the Varsity dorm last year…
"What do you think they're planning?" Portman asks me.
"No clue. Let's go find out." We stand from our chairs and move to the other end of the table. I sit down just to hear Terry say, "And Jesse and I can run down and get some balloons right now!"
"Balloons?" Portman repeats. "Why do you need balloons, they're all over!" He motions to the decorations around him.
Everyone at the table just stares at him. I grin and clap Portman on the shoulder as an indication that I'm very proud of his observation abilities.
"No. See, we decided that maybe we were going to make some water balloons…and throw them at some people…" Jesse glances in Averman and Goldberg's direction.
I blink. Wasn't Jesse nearly best friends with Averman back when he was on the team? I'm not so sure if I like this sudden change. Yeah, sure, Goldberg and Averman were on a hate campaign against us…but is that a reason to go on one against them?
Portman, bless him, seems to feel the same way. "Uh, are you sure that's a good idea?"
"Sure it is. It'll be funny!" Tommy nods importantly. I have to hide a laugh at him. The kid's grown probably three inches since we last saw him.
"Well…I don't think they'll be too happy about that." Portman says lamely.
Everyone blinks at him like he's sprouted a second head.
Charlie speaks, slowly. "Of course not. Would you like to be bombarded with water balloons?"
Portman opens his mouth to say something, but I cut him off.
"Well, Gordon and Casey wouldn't be too happy either. And you don't want to ruin today for them, do you?" I know that my remark will get Charlie in the right way, and make him not want to do it.
A look of uneasiness comes onto his face. Success!
"But we wanted to cause some kind of chaos…" Karp whines.
"Chaos! Chaos is good." Portman settles down in a chair. "Well, why don't we cause some chaos…with some real Duck pride?"
And so disaster is averted…only to be replaced with more disaster.