Is this destiny?

At the beach…

Jarred and Mrs. Ronin are sitting on a towel and facing the lake. Jarred's arm is resting around Mrs. Ronin's shoulders and she is leaning on him.

"I think it's getting late…", Mrs. Ronin said, indicating that she wants to go to her room and call it a night.

"Don't go yet. Let me do something...", Jarred pleaded. "I can rub your shoulders. Are you chilly? I can hold you closer. Are you hungry? I can bring some snacks. Bored maybe? I will tell you a story…"

Mrs. Ronin laughed. Why is Jarred desperate to hold her here?

"What kind of a story?", she asked with amusement apparent in her voice.

"Any story. What do you want to hear? I can make up one."

Mrs. Ronin smiled. "Jarred… we are not kids. I want to rest. We can talk more tomorrow."

Jarred sighed. "I fear that you might change your mind by morning."

"Change my mind? About what?"

"About allowing me to hold you like this…", Jarred squeezed her shoulder gently. "…and being this close. Maybe we are not kids, but I sure feel like one. Tell me, if you go to your room, will you be able to rest and not think about me?"

"Uhm…", Mrs. Ronin paused. "I might think about you, but that does not mean I will not be resting. To tell you the truth, I'm finding this sitting on pebbles a bit uncomfortable."

"You can sit on my lap.", Jarred stretched his legs and patted his thighs cheekily. 

Mrs. Ronin's expression told him that she does not approve. 

"OK. OK… Let's find a more comfortable place to sit." He stood up and offered her his hand. "Or we can dance more…"

Mrs. Ronin accepted his hand and was surprised when instead of letting go, he tugged her toward him, and she ended up in his hug.

"Donnie… I like dancing with you because it allows me to hold you close… like this…"

Mrs. Ronin's eyes widened when she realized that Jarred is going for another kiss. And another, and another… but she didn't dislike it. Her hands moved around him, and the two of them kissed on the beach of the Lake Brienz and she had to admit that she feels like a kid herself.

…

At the bar…

Leah and Pam are sampling cocktails and laughing while giving them silly descriptions such as 'Burning Midnight Sugar', 'Noble Horror Story', 'Tequila Tongue Twister', etc.

"Hello…", a male voice came from behind them.

Lean and Pam turned to see who it is and saw that it's the two men who approached them on the dancefloor. Caleb and Fane.

"Do you mind if we join you?", Caleb asked.

Leah and Pam exchanged glances and shrugged. They don't mind. When they want privacy, they will go to their room.

"The more the merrier.", Pam said.

Caleb and Fane grinned and pulled two barstools closer.

…

At the docks…

Allen and Julius are sitting in the dark, on the edge of the dock with their toes touching the surface of the lake. Their shoes are next to them.

"Al, I confirmed that us being close is not a bad thing.", Julius said resolutely.

Allen was interested to hear more. "Really?"

Julius confirmed. "I saw Pam and Leah earlier on the dancefloor. The two of them were kissing and I listened what others were saying. No one said anything bad."

"Do you want us to go dancing and kiss, in front of everyone?", Allen half-teased. 

Allen decided that if Julius says 'yes' they will do it, but he knows that Julius is shy, so that is not likely to happen.

Julius fidgeted nervously. "Uhm… no. But I know that when we do that, one day, people who care about us will not say that it's wrong."

Allen put his arm around Julius' waist. "You are right. They will either cheer for us or say nothing. And bullies who dare to voice their disapproval will be ignorant strangers who don't know us, and we will take care of them."

Julius leaned on Allen and smiled dreamily. "I am happy that Boss Aiden and Boss Sarah got married. The whole day I could see how happy they are. Both beaming…"

"You like weddings?"

Julius is not sure how to answer this question. Does he like weddings? Not really. They attended number of wedding (and other parties) with Sarah and Aiden, and he observed people and the venue and the atmosphere, and he never thought much of it. But today was different. "I like this one. Probably because I know the both of them, and I wish them all the best. Today, all these people didn't gather for a function, but to celebrate their love."

Allen nodded in understanding. "OK. Good to know… Our wedding will be like this."

Julius could not hide his surprise. "Our wedding?"

"Don't tell me that you plan to marry anyone else?"

Julius' mind exploded. 'Marry someone else?' He didn't think about marrying at all. He is seventeen years old! 

"Well… not… but… but…", Julius stuttered. 

Allen laughed. "Why are you so flustered? You love me, right?"

Julius felt that there is a lump in his throat, preventing him from talking and he was not sure how to answer this, but for some reason, he nodded faintly.

Allen leaned closer and kissed Julius softly on the lips. "Juju, we love each other, and one day when we decide to celebrate our love, we will invite people we consider as friends and family and have a wedding like this."

Julius leaned on Allen limply and stared into the dark lake in front while Allen's words were on replay in his mind. 

'Love? They love each other?' True, he and Allen are inseparable, and he can't imagine being this close to anyone else, and his heart and mind are at ease when they are together, and Allen is the only one who can get him excited and it feels good when they are sleeping while holding each other and… is this love? He was never attracted to a girl, and he was never attracted to any boy either… other than Allen, of course. But love and weddings and all those things are just for girl-boy couples, right? 

Julius' mind was a mess and he hoped that Allen can clarify few things. Allen was always the smart one, how Julius sees it.

"Al?"

"Hmm?"

"If we get married… which one of us will wear a dress?"

Allen burst into laugh. He thought that Julius is adorable. No wonder he is clueless, he is spending most of his time on the training ground.

"What is funny?", Julius asked angrily. He had a genuine question, and Allen is making fun of him!

"Nothing…", Allen responded while catching his breath. "… and everything."

Julius wanted to stand up, but Allen held him back and pinned him down on the dock. "Juju… both of us can wear dresses if that will make you happy. Clothes are not important."

Allen's breath on his neck increased Julius' heartrate and he felt that familiar pressure in his groin as a definite signal that he is getting aroused. 

"What is important?", Julius asked in a whisper.

"Two people who are willing to announce their commitment to each other in front of the witnesses."

"Commitment…", Julius said while remembering Sarah's and Aiden's vows. "And love?"

"And love…", Allen confirmed with a smile before Julius' lips covered his.

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