McKinney Residence
Olympia, WA
“You need to breathe, mate.” that damn Irish accent cut through every racing thought that he had.
He felt like he could run a marathon in record time with as hard as his nerves were going and not even break a sweat.
Kristjan and Mal both met him at the crack of dawn and they let Miles run the both of them through the streets of Olympia for a good 2 hour plus before Bella began to ring their respective phones, with K mumbling something about how she even had his number. But he was grateful at this particular moment because Miles could have easily kept them going with the energy that he was running on on this particular day.
By the time he and the guys crossed the threshold of the residence that was once Carter’s father’s but had since been left to him after his untimely departure, it would play host to the beginning of the next chapter of Miles and Carter’s life together.
Miles’ mom, Mora and Carter’s mom and grams, Joanna and Joan had spent damn near an entire month in preparations for this very day. They would make trips up to check on the progress, only for them to be completely floored at how different it looked from when they were there just a week prior. The ladies outdid themselves from the front of the house to the back side where the wedding and reception were all going to be held on site. It was a nice compromise especially to Carter’s mom when they informed her that they were not going to get married in a church.
And she even threw in a wedding canopy, on the dock, for them to be married under. The details alone, neither one of them could have thought up. It was like the three collective minds together, with how well they knew their sons, came together and pulled it off.
And because it was like the heavens were smiling down on them, despite Carter’s worry since they decided where they wanted to hold the wedding, the weather remained absolutely perfect and was a whole lot cooler than what was originally forecasted 10 days ago. In fact they both were watching every and all weather app for days on end.
Now as it came closer to the ceremony, Bella had returned from the room that Carter and his side were getting ready in with a huge smile and a big double thumbs up, Miles sat there in his tux and Mal’s voice breaking him out of him staring off into nothingness.
“I think he’s going to be sick.” he heard Kristjan pipe in next.
“Both of you stop and give him room,” was when Bella piped in and having her here with those two idiots seemed to be a God send at this moment.
He wondered if Carter was dealing with the same insanity.
Just before they started in again a small knock came to the door, “It’s mom.”
Bella swept over and opened it up letting Mora in, “Hi Mora!”
“Hello there, Bella. You look absolutely amazing, as do you gentlemen.”
Bella looked over at Malachi and Kristjan both looking dapper in their tuxes, except for Kristjan still holding on to the shoes that he knew he was going to have to wear for the ceremony. Bella glanced at the Mother of the Groom and her glorious outfit, “And you look amazing as well. I take it that you are here to speak to your son?”
“I am, Figured it was a good time as Carter’s mom and grams just went into his room but all the guests are arriving and taking their seats.” Mora smiled, “May I get a moment with him alone?”
“Of course,” Kristjan said.
“We’ll just wait for you right outside.” Mal said as the three ushered the other out of the door and closed it behind him before we hear, “You’re gonna have to put those damn shoes on eventually, K.”
“He’s lucky I agreed to them at all, but not until it’s time.”
Miles meanwhile in the background was fiddling with his tie, as his mother made her way over, “Here, let me handle this.”
“Seems like I’m all thumbs today,” Miles laughed as his mom carefully lifts her son's chin and begins to work on the tie. He looks up for a moment before glancing at her, “I gotta say I’ve been nervous before but this is all new.”
“Well it’s a huge step, my boy.”
“It is but I love him. Like I can’t imagine or even remember what life was like before Carter and I don’t want to,” he said as she finished tying him all up, “Was that’s what it was like for you?”
“It felt like that at first. I really did love your father before everything,” Mora said with a sad smile, “But that was our story. The way you and Carter look at one another, well even though I loved your father, I never loved him like that.”
“So that whole nagging voice I’m hearing in the back of my head-?” Miles asks with a worry in his eyes and his voice.
“You are not your father. And neither is Bri or even LJ...well, LJ maybe a little bit. He does have his eyes.” Mora jokes, “But you deserve this happiness as does your husband-to-be.”
The smile that he had been waiting for was finally there, it wasn’t scared nerves anymore, but he felt finally that he really wanted to give he and Carter the best life possible. Miles slid on his tuxedo jacket and all he could think about was that beautiful face that he will now and forever wake up to and fall asleep to from now and beyond, “He really is wonderful.”
Mora smiles and helps her son button up his jacket, and then reaches up and holds Miles’ face in her steady hands, “Save it for your vows. Let’s get you two married.”
***
If anyone knew anything about Miles and Carter, they wanted people there that meant the absolute most to them.
And they got just that. Each and every chair that was set up near the dock was filled. They made it known, and even had a sign that said “Pick a Seat, Not a Side. We’re All Family Once the Knot is tied.” So throughout the faces of the members of Wolfslair and GO Gym, along with other friends and family were patiently waiting.
Once the officiant took their place, everyone turned and watched as Laura “Phoenix” Madison, hand in hand with her son Aaron was the first down, the 5 year old holding onto a decorative box that contained the rings.
Next came the wedding party. First for the Miles side was Malachi and Bella O’Connell, who came down arm and arm, followed by the Best Man Kristjan Baltasarsson. After they were all placed, Miles along with his mother Mora made their way down the aisle. As they reached the end, Mora gave a kiss to her son’s cheek and took her seat next to her daughter who sat in the front row along with her husband Garrett and with them was Riley.
Then it was Carter's side, Dawn Warren, followed by Kat Jones and Best Woman, Ariana Angelos.
It was at this moment, Miles closed his eyes and took a deep breath before he turned and that moment he held it for a moment before he made direct eye contact with the most beautiful image. Carter stands there with both Joan and Joanna at both sides, holding a death grip onto a small collection of lilacs. He felt K nudge him a little bit to remind him once again to breathe.
Even through the music playing in the background, the whispers and all the family and friends that watched them...it was all a blur as Miles and Carter’s eyes never left one another.
When Carter reached the end of the aisle, his mom and grams both gave him a kiss on the cheek and Miles took a few steps forward, smiling the whole way and holding out his hand to Carter. There wasn’t any hesitation as Carter put his hand in Miles’. The ladies just smiled at the couple and took their seats.
Hand in hand they took center stage in front of the officiant.
“We are all gathered here, on this absolutely glorious day to witness the beginning of a new chapter for Miles and for Carter. Now while I’m sure I could stand here for quite some time rambling on about life, love and marriage, they have both told me that they have words of their own. So Carter, if you will.”
Carter nods steadily and looked directly at the man that showed him what true love was, "Miles, I didn't fall in love with you. I walked into love with you, with my eyes wide open, choosing to take every step along the way." he stops for a moment to take a shaky breath, and grip Miles hand a little harder, "I do believe in fate and destiny, but I also believe we are only fated to do the things that we'd choose anyway...and I'd choose you; in a hundred lifetimes, in a hundred worlds, in any version of reality, I'd find you and I'd choose you."
Moments of silence pass by as the officiant looks at Miles but Miles eyes are simply filled with wonder and love and he doesn’t wait for the word to go, he just does.
“Carter, you have no idea how often I wish I could take myself back in time to certain moments with you. Sometimes it feels like there were moments wasted that we could have had. But as one says, even those that are fated sometimes take the long way around to get to the point. Once we got there, I did not want to waste one single solitary moment with you. You have turned my whole world upside down and made me realize that I was worthy of love and happiness. And more importantly, so are you.” Miles looks down at their joining hands and smiles, “Just like from day one and from here on out, I will remind you of that every single day.”
It was hard to find a dry eye after that, the officiant at that point asked for the rings and Aaron Madison, who had been practicing his duties since Miles and Carter had asked him personally in one of their trips to New York, stepped up and offered the decorative box up to the officiant and then made his way right back to his mother, father who was bouncing Máire his arms.
“I don’t think I even need to ask if anywhere here object to this union because by the looks of the best man, I have a feeling that no one would dare. But on your head, be it, if you do.”
Not one soul peeped up especially with not just Kristjan but the entire wedding party minus the happy couple, staring the whole group down, as there is a moment of laughter finally when Miles looks up and simply says “Stand down.”
Once they are able to gather themselves as they were each handed the rings.
“If you will please take the other’s ring and each other’s hand. Miles, do you take Carter to be your husband, your partner, to honor him, cherish him and love him through all and whatever you may face together?”
Miles doesn’t even hesitate with his answer, “With all my heart, I do.”
“And Carter, do you take Miles to be your husband, your partner-”
And Carter just can’t stop himself from interrupting it, cutting off the officiant, “I DO!” which causes the entire audience to burst out in laughter including the couple as they are finally able to slide their wedding bands on.
“By the power invested in me, and by the state of Washington, I now declare you husband and husband, blissfully married and by all means you may kiss your man.”
And both Miles and Carter just let out a “FINALLY!” before they sealed it off with the kiss to end all kisses and the crowd cheering loudly.
***
After they were able to get whisked back up the aisle, they had a few moments alone. There was a signing of their marriage license in which at that moment Miles surprised Carter with signing his new legal name.
Miles Anthony McKinney-Kasey
And Carter in turn surprised Miles right back with signing his
Carter Reese Kasey-McKinney
Both taking the other’s name.
Cheesy but they were both hopeless romantics at heart.
Once they were left alone, they just stood there in each other's arms and something dawned on Miles.
Pulling his head back he looked down, “I never told you where we were going on our honeymoon, did I?”
“Well we booked that BnB before we had to head to the ship, but no, you never did.”
“A few days in a luxury room, alone with you, while it’s always heaven, is not nearly long enough. AND I figure that our time on the cruise is always spectacular and a nice spot to remember the first time you ever told me you loved me, that it’s not exactly romantic either seeing as we’re both going to be working.” Miles turns around and grabs something out of a bag that wasn’t sitting that far away and pulls out a fold and opens it up, “So after we hit land following Summer Xxxtreme, you and I will be on the first flight out to the beautiful French Polynesia”
Carter reads over and sees their first class tickets attached, “You mean Bora Bora?”
“Among several other places, but it’s all set. That's why I made sure to grab your passport before we came up here.” Miles added showing both of their passports.
“So that’s what you were doing in the safe.” Carter mumbled.
“So you love it?” Miles asked only to get another kiss of a lifetime from his now husband. Miles took that as approval and broke it for a moment to put the folder back and just before it started back up again...
“Not as much as I love you.”
A knock comes to the door, and the sound of Bri’s voice through the door, “Hey newlyweds, the photographer is ready for you if you can pry from each other.”
They both sighed, slightly defeated that there moment alone has been already cut short. Carter attempted to pry himself from Miles' arms with a, “To be continued?”
And with a swift kiss before opening the door, in a tone that he knew was going to bring a shiver down his husband’s spine like it has every day since they met, “Oh we have only just begun.”
And he got just that.
***
Swantown Inn
Olympia, WA
After being shoo’d away during the late hours of that evening, Miles and Carter got to spend time with just the two of them. It had been an absolute hectic couple of weeks and in the largest room, they mostly kept to themselves.
Room service was an amazing thing and this was just the first stop on their honeymoon adventure to be continued later but even in the day they really had no desire to mingle with anyone else but each other, if you catch the drift.
Carter wanted to head to the desk though and make sure that they could get many more towels and a few things for the mini-bar and while it took a great feat of strength to let himself out of his sight, he took this chance to move around and get a look at the room beyond what he already saw.
After a few more moments, he decided to open up his phone, find that video button. He checked around real quick, not really giving a damn that he was shirtless at the moment or that those crazy curls were just pointing everywhere. But he would hit record on the video, sit there for several moments with the simplest of smiles on his face.
“I don’t think I have ever been so blissfully happy in all my life. Winning titles, huge matches...yeah it makes you feel absolutely wonderful but knowing that no matter what, I have someone that loves me, I know that we get that every single day for the rest of our lives.”
“Our lives. I’m still getting used to that. But here we are, Carter and Miles, starting our new chapter in life, happy and not a single soul is able to take it away from us.”
“It’s almost disappointing that we have to leave this but neither one of us wants to give it up for the hottest party of the season. While Carter has his hands full with that assclown, Peter Vaughn...Kris Ryan, who for some reason was left off of Climax Control 400 and I are going to practically scorch the seven seas.”
“I have been looking forward to this opportunity since you returned, Kris. In fact, I can’t even believe I’m saying this, I was jealous of the fact that my own baby brother got to be his first opponent back and I think we have all seen that Kris hasn’t lost a single step. He was so damn impressive and imagine my surprise when he even gave LJ a nod with just how good that kid is. This obviously isn’t the same Kris Ryans that when he was in the Mixed Tag Division, looked down his nose at everyone. This is something completely different.”
“And personally I cannot wait to see what we can do in that ring against one another. Mostly because by some amazing chance, we never had this chance until now. I don’t even know how the hell that is possible but alright, we live in the now.”
“The absolute potential of this match being a match of the year candidate to be ticked onto the resume isn’t that bad either. You, Kris Ryans, are a Grand Slam Champ. The only thing that is missing from your time in SCW is a Hall of Fame ring as far as I’m aware and now for your second match back, you get to face someone that isn’t afraid of a damn good challenge.”
“In fact after recent months, I am welcoming a good friendly competition instead of a knock down drag out WAR. It’s a nice change of pace BUT it’s also one that I’m looking to use as a springboard into what is quite obviously the next step in my career. I’ve done the Roulette thing, I have been Internet Champion and seeing as, as of this moment, Peter Vaughn still holds it, it’s off limits to me after I fucked it up. But I have all the faith in the world that Cater has that handled.”
“I’ve always been pegged as the next big thing around here. And for the longest time I lived with the fact that I had to disappoint people. I know I’m the class screw up but every once in a while...it’s like a brilliant moment blazes across the sky and Miles Kasey stands tall. And I’ve had some wild ambitions before but you can feel it, right? I’m not completely crazy in thinking that this is leading to bigger things for the both of us, right?”
“It’s about time that I finally live up to these wild accusations that I’m far better than I’m letting on. What a way to do it against you, Kris. Of course I know damn well you’re not about to make this easy for me and I don’t want it to be that way. You don’t get better by taking the easy road. Ever. And for those that say they are only lying or trying to con their way through and I am not about to remotely entertain that. For myself, my husband, for my family, I have to be better. So let’s start setting the pace, you the vet, the man that has been there, done that, got the dresser full of t-shirts and shelves full of accolades taking on the absolute fastest rising star and the man that has only really just begun. Not a damn thing stopping us, Kris. Let’s make them pay attention.”
In the background we hear the door open to the room followed by Carter’s voice, “Sorry it took so long, they gave me the big towels fresh out of the dryer. They smell so good.”
“Now if you excuse me, I’ve gotta get back to my pre-honeymoon honeymoon. See ya’ll next week.”
And with that Miles gives a wink and the video goes off.
And the rest they say is to be continued.
