Here you go-the main event. Hope you enjoy! :)
Steve stood at attention, eyes fixed straight ahead, nodding curtly at each person who went by. Danny nudged him in the ribs, not for the first time. "Hey, relax, this isn't an inspection."
"Oh, yes, it is," Steve disagreed. "I wasn't under this much scrutiny in the Navy."
"Can you at least maybe try for parade rest?" Danny begged.
Steve tried to relax, he really did, but even at parade rest he was tense, and his eyes were still fixed at a distance.
"Maybe even try for a smile?" Danny coaxed.
Steve pasted a patently false smile on his face. Danny studied him for a moment.
"Never mind. That's worse than aneurysm face."
Steve let his facial muscles relax. "I need a drink."
"Sorry, not until after we're done with the receiving line."
"How much longer is that?"
Danny glanced at his watch. "Probably about another half hour. Most people should be here by then."
"Good," Steve said. "I can't wait to sit down."
"Oh, no, no, no," Danny said. "No sitting. We have to mingle."
Steve was horrified. "Mingle?"
"Mingle," Danny said firmly. "You know, circulate, say hi, chit-chat, that sort of thing."
"Do I have to?" Steve whined.
"Yes, you do. Don't worry—all anybody will want to know is how we met, how long we've been together, that sort of thing. You probably won't even have to get personal."
"Swell," Steve said, unconvincingly.
"Look on the bright side," Danny said. "At least you don't have to wear a bridesmaid's dress."
Steve looked over to where Grace was slouched in a corner, trying to hide the hideous gold, layered concoction Clara had picked out. "True. I don't blame her for trying to leave it behind. They all look like they have jaundice." Danny had noticed the garment bag was missing when they got to the airport and had raced home to get it, grateful they had plenty of time. Now, he was regretting it. Poor Grace was miserable. He should have let her "forget" it, but his mother would never have forgiven that.
Steve did his best to suck it up and greeted and mingled and downed as much wine as he could get away with until it was finally time for dinner. Not that that was much better. Steve and Danny were seated at the head table with Danny's parents and sisters and Grace. Steve still felt like he was on display. They hadn't had a head table at their wedding; everybody had been at round tables. Steve and Danny had been near the front, but they blended in with everybody else, and they'd had Grace and Mary and the rest of the team with them. Here, Steve was sitting with a bunch of people he barely knew.
The dinner was typical banquet fare—dry roast beef, cold mashed potatoes, and soggy vegetables. Steve had advocated for fish, at least, but Clara had overruled him. After dinner, Steve had to listen to speeches from Danny's parents and sisters. Actually, those were kind of fun. They were filled with embarrassing stories about Danny, and mercifully mostly empty of embarrassing stories about Steve, although Danny did get up and regaled the audience with how they met, from pointing guns at each other to socking Steve in the jaw, plus a few other colorful stories featuring Steve. But that was okay. Danny still got the brunt of it.
Then it was time for cake. The cake was a hideous, three tiered affair layered with gold leaf and elaborate white frosting. The cake itself was a white cake with raspberry filling. Steve didn't even like raspberry and would have much preferred chocolate, but once again, he didn't get a say in the matter. They hadn't even had a traditional wedding cake at their wedding, opting instead for chocolate and lemon sheet cakes from their favorite bakery.
Steve dutifully cut the cake with Danny's help, slicing precisely into the layers. He carefully put slices on plates for himself and Danny, then took a small forkful and held it out to Danny. Danny teasingly took the cake into his mouth, locking eyes with Steve and making him wish they were somewhere he could take Danny up on the non-verbal suggestions he was making. Then Danny scooped up some cake with his hand and mashed it onto Steve's face.
"Hey, no fair!" Steve spluttered, wiping the cake of his face. Danny immediately leaned in and sucked it off Steve's fingers, really making him wish there weren't over a hundred people watching.
"It's boring just eating it," Danny said. "Part of the fun is smushing it in your spouse's face."
"Oh, is that so?" Steve scooped up some cake of his own and mashed it onto Danny's face. Danny grinned and darted his tongue out to like the frosting around his lips. Steve couldn't help grinning back.
"I think that's the first time I've seen you smile all day," Danny said.
Huh, Steve thought. Danny was right. Okay, so not all of this day was horrible—just most of it.
Fortunately, the rest of the evening went quickly after that. Clara spared them a first dance (or any dancing for that matter, which relieved Steve greatly). She did lament that there wasn't a bridal bouquet or a garter to throw, but Danny convinced her no one would miss it. Finally, the guests departed, clutching their little bags of Jordan almonds personalized with Steve and Danny's names. Once again, Steve thought their favors were so much better—they'd made magnets with a photo of Steve and Danny in their dress uniforms and their names and the date printed on them. Different, and something the guests could treasure for always. And Steve detested Jordan almonds.
At last, Steve and Danny were back at the hotel. "I'm glad that's over," Steve said as he loosened the tie on his uniform (Clara had insisted they wear exactly what they'd gotten married in).
Danny went to help him, then kissed him deeply. "You did good, babe. I think you deserve a reward."
Steve grinned. "Yeah?"
"Oh, yeah," Danny said and pushed him back on the bed.
Danny's "reward" almost made it all worth it. Almost.
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A/N: Don't worry-I haven't forgotten Dragon!Danny or Ninja and Bullet and friends. Just trying to focus more. Plenty more of those coming! :)