A/N: Because I know I won't get anything done without some incentive, here is (less than) half a chapter. The rest will follow shortly. I promise I am alive and all of my stories will continue to update, so no worries. You can follow my fanfiction Tumblr a-n-clara for updates on posting and whatever else. Not even low key begging for reviews anymore (I'm needy, guys). Enjoy this much awaited update that sat in my drafts for over four months before I had motivation to write.

Rainy1 - Ahhhh, thank you so much! I thrive on attention and every review gives me motivation to write more, so thank you, AGAIN (you're the real MVP). This story ended up being like 90% fluff and 10% angst, when it was flipped before. You can thank OutToGarden for that. Otherwise, haha, everyone would probably be dead. (Speaking of her, I know she's reading this, so hey, honey! Did you see what they said? I have a way with romance ;) *eyebrow wiggle*) I really like how this turned out because you're absolutely right! It's a story about celebrating life and love, even when it gets hard. Let me know what you think about what comes next :D

XXShyNightmareXX - Your words are so beautiful. Feel free to shower me with adoration and compliments ;) Tbh, this is only realistic because I write about real life situations I've experienced. It is wayyyy out of my comfort zone to write about things I know nothing about. Mushy, romantic relationship? Check. Awkward sexual encounter? Check. Cries over everything? Double check. Thank you so much and I hope I hear from you again!

Diaflower - I'm sorry about the cliffhangers, but I can't promise there won't be any more. I'm so happy you like this, I could cry. Thank you for your review :)

As always, this chapter is dedicated to my girlfriend, OutToGarden, who is my inspiration, and truly the love of my life.

You and I were simply meant to be. I tried to explain it to you once or twice, you tried to explain the identical feeling right back, and even though we both felt it, it wasn't something easily expressed in words. How could you make a bunch of meaningless sounds into this... What even was it? It couldn't be a feeling. I knew what those were.

Every second with you felt like Christmas morning as a child. I was happy and excited about life and what was in store for us, no matter how bleak it appeared right now. Getting through the day didn't feel like just getting through it anymore. Waking up was something I enjoyed doing because at some point in the near future, I would get to see you.

I never understood the desire to plaster someone's face everywhere until you set yours as the lock screen on my mobile, and then it hit me. When you weren't with me, seeing the ridiculously adorable selfie reminded me that I would be coming home to that beautiful man. I could miss you more than anything else, and feel better knowing I was so in love with that stupid face, and you loved me almost as much, too. We knew it was just the honeymoon phase, but something about us made me think that this feeling would last. I know you thought that as well.

This feeling was as different as you were. Whatever it was, I could only begin to describe it as a sixth sense of some sort. I could feel that we were meant to be together and that is the closest I ever came to cracking the mystery behind it. We were a preordained combination known by every fibre of my being. At this point, maybe I was beginning to believe in the idea of everyone having that one special person they are destined to spend their lives with. As always, I would never share this with you. Some things - minute, insignificant facts like this - were better left as small personal secrets, even if we were getting married.

You mentioned a while ago that your favourite myth explained soulmates as a person split in two. Humans weren't a threat to the gods anymore if they spent their lives trying to find their other half, so they always felt like something was missing without the person that would make them complete. That came precariously close to describing how I felt with you.

This isn't to say there was a part of me missing before. I was whole, and I do not think anyone needs someone else to complete them, especially those who seem to thrive without the distraction of love, which blinds you whether or not you're prepared. However that may be, you ignited something inside me that had either been extinguished long ago, or had never burned at all. Perhaps I was candle, meant to be lit and snuffed repeatedly throughout my life, and you, the source of the flame.

We had to be together or I felt I couldn't survive. You said it wasn't dramatic when I mentioned this once, though it was, and completely mad. I thought it was silly at first. How did I live this long without you, then? I'd ask myself. That is when I reconsidered my view on life.

Was what I was doing before really considered living? I'd sit alone and mock people in my head, or spend all my time working, or reading. Nothing was wrong with the latter two, to an extent. But where was my human interaction? Even the most solitary beings need companionship, whether from another human or a pet perhaps. I had nothing. No one. Occasionally, Francis was there to remind me I had someone to care about me, but even then, he had a life with Matthew and very little time for me. Even my acquaintances, who I can only call that and not friends, were not enough to keep me from feeling lonely.

And then there was you. Alfred F. Jones, who burned more brightly than the sun and stars in heaven. The most kind, loving, generous person I had ever had the pleasure of knowing, and you wanted me. You who so openly accepted me into your life when you insisted on making up for a minor mistake with coffee. My hero. Your innocent smile was so sweet it gave me cavities, though I could not even pretend to mind. There were so many lucky enough to take place by your side; friends, a brother, a new family. Me.

That is why, when it came to the vows, and we were both standing there weeping, that I asked: why me? It didn't make a bit of sense to me. You were so perfect, while I... Well, we all knew exactly what I was like. An arse, mostly. Then again, you were forgetful. In fact, you said you felt like you forgot something "very important" as we prepared to start the ceremony. You probably chose not to remember the bad things about me then.

Your tear stained face dropped for a second. "Why you...?" But you always understood me, so you smiled again, more meaningfully this time. "What can I say, Arthur? You stole my heart."

"I'm no thief," I remarked, and you chuckled. "You went and threw the blasted thing at me."

Matthew grinned happily over your shoulder, seeming to enjoy our playful, loving banter. His approval meant so much to me. I couldn't wait to call him my brother as well. Actually, I could wait. I wanted to stop time, just for a little while, though I probably wouldn't be satisfied with anything less than forever. We could wait here like this for as long as I lived and I'd be content. There is nothing I'd rather see than your smiling face every second for the rest of my days, and that is why I wanted to marry you. You gave my life purpose, filling it with joy and light. It was selfish of me to marry you so that you would be bound to me forever, but then again, it was you who asked me. I simply accepted.

"You know, Arthur, I always say these things about how I'm the hero." You reached out to brush a tear from my cheek during this pause. "But from the moment we met, you're the one that saved me."

I don't think I've ever cried so hard in my entire life. The poor officiant hadn't a clue one of the grooms was dying, so this normally sweet moment seemed blown out of proportion by how three of us began bawling, and he was evidently startled by it. Only Francis kept his wits about him, taking hold of Matthew's hand in support. He hurriedly waved the officiant on. While he loved weddings more than the rest of us combined, it was getting rather ridiculous.

"Do you, Alfred, take Arthur to be your lawfully wedded husband in sickness and in health, for better or worse, as long as you both shall live?"

The condensed vows were of little bother to any of us, as we just wanted to be done with it. You were crying more than Matthew and I both, so hard, in fact, that you could only nod and stutter out something the officiant accepted as "I do".

"And do you, Arthur, take Alfred to be your lawfully wedded husband in sickness and in health, for better or worse, as long as you both shall live?"

"I do."

"By the power vested in me… you may kiss."

With that kiss, I had married the man of my dreams. The first thing I expected you to say was something along the lines of "I love you, Arthur," but that was not the case. You got this panicked look in your eye and instead of expressing the insurmountable love for your new husband, you said;

"Oh, shit. Liz is going to kill me."

You forgot to invite her.