Alexander stepped in front of her, one hand slipping behind her back, the other still holding the flowers between them. "Dance with ," he said, his eyes locked on hers, dark and stormy yet soft around the edges.
Lilith’s breath caught in her throat but she didn’t pull away. Instead, she placed her hand on his shoulder, letting him guide her closer.
They began to sway, just a subtle back-and-forth among the other couples but for Lilith, the rest of the world seed to lt away, leaving only the warmth of his hold, the steady beat of the music.
A few bridesmaids giggled at the sight. Rose, standing with Loki (who looked thoroughly annoyed with everything romantic happening), clasped her hands together and mouthed, So pretty!
Lilith looked up at Alexander, his sharp features softened by the warm lights overhead, a faint, rare smile playing on his lips.
***
After the wedding ended, the night seed to pass in a soft blur of laughter, hugs, and goodbyes. When Nova and Ava finally stepped out of the venue, hand in hand, they didn’t even want to go anywhere fancy. They both wanted to go ho — their real ho.
Ava sat in the car beside him, her white dress gathered in her lap. She kept peeking at Nova while he drove, her cheeks still pink from all the teasing by guests. She couldn’t stop herself from looking at his hands on the steering wheel, his ring glinting in the streetlights. We’re married, she kept thinking. He’s really my husband now.
They drove through the quiet streets, the city lights slowly giving way to smaller houses, a few trees lining the road, and the faint hum of distant cars. When Nova turned into the small street where their new house stood, Ava’s eyes widened. Even though she’d seen it before, sothing about seeing it tonight — their first night as husband and wife made her heart squeeze tight.
Their house wasn’t big like the expensive mansion’s. It was a simple two-story house, painted warm cream with light blue window fras. There was a small, neat garden in the front, flowers lined up in rows and a tiny swing set under a young tree. A single lamp on the porch glowed softly, like it was welcoming them ho.
Ava got out of the car and just stood there, staring. Her hand ca up to her mouth as her eyes watered. Nova laughed gently behind her, locking the car and walking over. He hugged her from behind, resting his chin on her shoulder.
"You’re crying already?" he teased softly, kissing her temple. "We haven’t even gone inside yet."
Ava sniffed and laughed through her tears. "It’s just... it’s so beautiful. Our little house."
Nova’s smile widened. "Our little ho," he corrected. "Co on. Let’s go in."
He opened the front door and led her inside. Ava stepped onto the smooth wooden floor and gasped. The living room was warm and cozy. There was a small gray couch with colorful pillows, a soft cream rug, and shelves filled with books and tiny houseplants. A few picture fras of them together were already up on the wall — Nova had secretly put them there just last week.
The kitchen was small but bright. There were yellow curtains above the window and a few mugs hanging on hooks. The sll of lavender from a little pot near the sink made the place feel so holy. Ava touched the counter, the shelves, the little dining table with two mismatched chairs, everything felt so perfect.
"Nova, I love it," she whispered.
Before Nova could answer, there was a sudden patter-patter of tiny paws. Ava turned just in ti to see a fluffy little golden retriever puppy tumble out from behind the couch, wagging its tail furiously.
"Oh my god!" Ava gasped, her hands flying to her mouth as the puppy barked and bounded up to them. "What is this?!"
Nova laughed, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "Surprise. et Sunny. He’s our first baby."
Ava dropped to her knees and scooped the puppy into her arms. Sunny imdiately started licking her chin, his tail wagging like crazy. Ava’s laugh echoed through the small living room.
"He’s so cute, Nova! When did you get him?" she asked, looking up with eyes shining with happy tears.
"Two weeks ago," Nova said, crouching beside her. "You told you always wanted a golden retriever puppy, but you never really got the chance to have one. You said you’d na it sothing cute and let it sleep on your bed, rember?" He smiled softly. "Well... maybe it’s ti you finally got that chance."
Ava hugged Sunny closer, burying her face in his soft fur. "You’re perfect. Both of you," she mumbled, voice muffled.
Nova reached over and ruffled her hair. "Co on, let’s show you the rest."
They walked through the rest of the house together, hand in hand, with Sunny trotting behind them, slipping and sliding on the wooden floor. The first bedroom was small but painted a soft pastel green. Ava peeked into the closet and found it already half-filled with Nova’s neatly folded shirts and her own dresses.
"This is our room," Nova said, pulling her close. "And... look."
He pushed open another door. Inside was a tiny guest room that Ava had planned to turn into an art room soday. He had already put up a small wooden table and so of her paints and sketchbooks.
"Nova..." Ava whispered, turning to him. "You did all this?"
He just shrugged shyly. "I wanted you to feel like it’s really yours too. Ours."
They ended up back in the living room, sitting cross-legged on the floor with Sunny sleeping between them, his tiny paws twitching as he dread. Ava leaned her head on Nova’s shoulder, her fingers playing with Sunny’s floppy ears.
"Nova," she said quietly. "Thank you for making this dream co true."
Nova pressed his lips to her hair and held her tighter. "No. Thank you for believing in . In us. This is just the start."
Ava giggled softly, her eyes fluttering shut. "Our little family."
Nova looked down at his new wife — his best friend, his everything and smiled. "Our little family," he agreed.
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