The task before him was an arduous one.
His opposition, three very determined men pushing and shoving for a better position, was fierce.
Keeping his eyes firmly fixed on the flying object as it hurtled closer and closer, Ben put his well honed basketball skills to use, and, proving that white men could indeed jump, leapt with his hand outstretched and plucked the wedding bouquet from the air.
It had been a spur of the moment thing, one minute he was urging Michael to "get in there" (a phrase rarely used outside of the bedroom) and the next minute he was scoping out the competition, and his feet were leaving the floor. But now that he had the flowers, he didn't quite know what to do with them.
Amidst the sounds of people clapping, cheering, and in Emmett's case, protesting that the whole flower throwing had been rigged, Ben looked down into the uplifted face of his lover. Michael's eyes where ablaze, and his smile mesmerizing The thought of what to do next became an easy one. Leaning down, Ben kissed the man he was fast coming to realize was The One.
The applause and cheers escalated, but both men seemed lost in a world of their own; where only the taste and feel of each other existed.
This was love, Ben thought. It was something he didn't think he'd ever get the chance to experience again. So many men over the last few years had shied away upon hearing his HIV status. Some had lasted weeks, and others only hours. And while they'd gotten off to a shaky start, Ben was now confident in Michael's abilities and strength of character to cope with whatever the future had in store for them.
Michael's lips began to quiver beneath his own, and when he lifted his head a little, a giggling noise started to escape from his lover's lips. Noticing the blush spreading across the smaller man's cheeks, Ben realized that Michael was a little embarrassed from the attention they were receiving. Happy to provide a safe haven for the other man, Ben wrapped his arm around Michael's shoulders and gathered him close to his chest. His heart skipped a beat when Michael buried his face in his chest.
This was love.