Note: This is part of a series:
"Oh God! Everybody save yourselves! He's got the video camera!" Hunter stepped out of the kitchen carrying a cake and ran into Ben who did, in fact, have the infamous video camera in his hand.
"Hey, Pal! It's my anniversary! If I want to get it on tape, I will." Ben pointed the camera at Hunter. "And just for that, you get to be first. Say something."
"Something."
"Say something that won't get you put on clean up detail after the party," Ben threatened.
"Okay, fine. Camera Nazi." Hunter set the cake down and folded his arms over his chest. "I never got what the big deal was about gay marriage. I could never figure out why gays were in such a hurry to be as miserable as my parents were. But after this last year? I get it. You and Michael showed me what marriage is supposed to mean. The whole 'love, honor and cherish' thing makes a lot more sense now. If I get married, I'll know how it's done." Hunter looked expectantly at Ben. "Well? You were expecting a sonnet? I don't know any but I can think of a few limericks if you'd rather..."
"No. No, that's perfect." Ben hugged him with one arm. "Thank you." Ben made sure to note the time on the recorder so that he and Michael could fast forward to Hunter's part later on when they were alone.
So far the anniversary party was a success. Emmett had been so appalled by what he called 'a disturbing lack of sentimentality for a couple of fags' that he had gone ahead and arranged the entire party around Ben and Michael with help from Hunter and their neighbors, Eli and Monty. All Michael and he had to do was show up.
In keeping with the 'Paper Anniversary' the entire house was filled with Chinese hanging paper lanterns lighting the way in every imaginable shade and hue. Tiny origami cranes hung from fishing wire from the ceiling. Emmett outdid himself as usual and everything was beautiful.
Stepping into the living room, Ben's eyes scanned their assembled friends and found Michael standing off to one side talking to Ted and Blake. As he made his way across the room, Ben found himself stopping here and there to talk to Heidi, his grad student and T.A as well as friends from the Gay and Lesbian Center, and to receive a hug and kiss from Deb that left a lipstick mark on his cheek and a smile on his face.
"What's that smile all about?" Michael asked reaching out and instinctively winding his arms around Ben's waist.
Ben loved that Michael was always touching him. Paul hadn't been a demonstrative man, but Michael more than made up for it. Ben enjoyed the feel of Michael in his arms--warm, solid, a perfect fit. "What can I say? I'm a very happily married man."
"Well I for one am glad to hear it, Professor. Otherwise I'd feel pretty fucking stupid getting you boys an anniversary present."
"Brian! I didn't think you were coming!"
The part that amazed Ben was that Michael was genuinely surprised. Ben wasn't. As much as Brian pissed and moaned about heterosexual suicide pacts and Stepford Fags, he loved Michael deeply and made an effort, no matter how modest, to demonstrate it.
"Wouldn't have missed it for the world," Brian drawled. He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out an envelope, presenting it to Michael with a deep, lingering kiss. "Happy Anniversary, Mrs. Novotny-Bruckner. Paper is the correct medium, yes?"
Silently, Ben filed Brian's kiss for later analysis and concentrated on the envelope Michael was opening.
"Brian... Holy shit!" Michael handed Ben the envelope.
Two tickets to Toronto and a hotel confirmation for the Fairmont Royal York. "Brian, this is too much."
"Don't go getting all moist on me Professor. You and the little woman will be doing me a favor. I want you to give this to Gus when you see him." Brian produced a fire engine red and chrome train.
"You can't send it to him FedEx?"
"Those clods? At least with you and Mikey I'm reasonably sure it'll get there in one piece. Plus do you know what overnight out of the country costs? I've only got one nut left. I figure you and Michael need to return to Mecca. That holiest place of spiritual communion that led to your current state of wedded bliss. Like Captain Astro having to return to his home galaxy once a year to recharge his super powers, hmm, Mikey?" Brian tickled his fingers behind Michael's ear. "Well boys, it's been fun. But there are places to go--"
"And people to do," Michael finished with a laugh. "Thank you."
After Brian made his exit, Michael and Ben stood together. "That was very generous of Brian."
"You know, Brian's always been generous. Sometimes not in the ways people expect but when it comes to gifts and things--Brian gives big." Michael tilted his head and looked up at Ben with a smile. "Actually, if it weren't for another of Brian's gifts you and I might not have met."
"Oh? How do you figure?" It was difficult for Ben to wrap his mind around a life without Michael.
"Brian's the one who gave me the comic book I sold on e-Bay to get the money to buy the comic store."
"Then I owe him more than I thought." Leaning forward, Ben caught Michael's lips with his own. They kissed deeply and passionately, forgetting their guests until Emmett's persistent throat clearing broke the spell.
"Sorry, you lovebirds, but it's time to cut the cake. Then you can get rid of us and have your real celebration." Emmett winked before leading them to the cake.
"Have a good time?" Ben unbuttoned his shirt, watching as Michael did the same.
"Yeah. It was really great of Eli and Monty to arrange for a cleaning crew to come tomorrow morning." Michael shrugged out of his shirt and began unbuckling his belt. "I think everyone had a good time."
"They did. Emmett did a wonderful job of putting everything together." Ben finished undressing and laid back on the bed, propping himself up on his elbows so he could watch as Michael removed the rest of his clothes. "We're going to have to start juggling things if we want to be ready to go to Toronto in three days."
"I know!" Michael dropped his socks on the floor and slid into bed beside Ben. "And then to your sister's."
"We'll get it all figured out," Ben replied calmly. He could see the wheels in Michael's head turning at an alarming rate. He could see Michael working himself into a full-fledged panic and made to cut him off. "But for right now, I don't want to think about anything." Ben bent one knee and rested his foot flat on the bed. "Except, of course, you." He trailed a hand over his own chest and gave a murmur of appreciation at the touch. Not as good as Michael's, but it was a start.
Michael stopped mid-ramble, his hands clutching his pants before dropping them on the floor. "Yeah? What are you thinking?"
Aware he had Michael's full attention, Ben gave a small smile and let his hand trail over his stomach to curl around the base of his semi-erect cock. "How much I want you to come over here..." He stroked himself with a light touch, deliberately drawing out the pleasure. "and put your mouth on me." Stroking slowly over the head, Ben moaned and pushed his head back against the pillow. "I love your mouth."
Standing at the end of the bed, Michael climbed on and pressed his lips to the backs of Ben's knee and slowly made his way up the inside of his thigh. "Oh?"
Ben hissed as Michael scraped his teeth along the inside of his thighs. The sharp, fleeting pain mingled with the liquid pleasure flowing through him and the hot pulse of anticipation as Michael reached into the nightstand and retrieved what they'd need to put Ben's words into action. "It's true. It's one of the first things I noticed about you that day in the store."
Michael settled between Ben's legs and stroked his thighs with a devilishly light touch. "What? My mouth?"
Before Ben could respond, Michael dropped his head and took Ben's balls into his mouth one at a time, lavishing attention while pressing down on Ben's thighs, not letting him move. Pinioned with pleasure, Ben fisted one hand in the bed sheets and dug the fingers of his other hand into Michael's hair. "Christ, Michael!"
Finally pulling away, Michael placed a chain of kisses and licks around Ben's swollen cock. "Yes?"
Ben's fingers tightened in Michael's hair. "Suck me." Every muscle in Ben's body was pulled tight in anticipation. Sweat broke out over his body and he couldn't make his restless legs stay still. Michael was so close and Ben knew, he knew what Michael's agile tongue could do.
But Michael was determined to make Ben wait. He touched and stroked and explored Ben's body. He was relentless in finding every possible pleasure point until Ben was shaking with need and biting off harsh expletives.
Eventually Michael petted Ben's thighs and looked up into his lover's eyes. In that moment their eyes met, Michael swallowed Ben whole and began a rough, fast rhythm designed to send Ben spiraling out of control.
Ben's entire body started to curl in on itself as his desire grew. Michael's mouth, hot and willing, was going to drive him over the edge. "Michael... Michael... no." Ben's hands scrabbled at Michael's shoulders to pull him up. "Fuck!"
Michael finally released Ben and crawled up his body until he and Ben were touching from lips to toes as they kissed.
Ben stroked Michael's hair and cradled his face in his hands. "I want inside you." He stroked over Michael's back and down to his ass. "Ride me?"
Michael's answer caught in his throat as Ben teased the cleft of his ass with a blunt, thick finger. "Yes." Silently he reached for the lube which he used to coat Ben's covered cock. But when he started to spread the excess over Ben's fingers, Ben shook his head.
"Use me to open yourself." He practically growled out the words. Ben threw his head back against the pillow as Michael took hold of him and slowly, carefully began to slide down his shaft. He was engulfed in the heat of Michael's body, not to mention the slow burn that was devouring his self control.
Michael gasped as Ben surged up, grabbed him by the back of the neck and took his mouth in a ravenous kiss. When they pulled apart Michael was gasping for breath. He rested his forehead against Ben's, their faces millimeters apart until all he could see was Ben's eyes. Ben's arms enfolded him as he set the rhythm of their wild lovemaking. Passionate, demanding, giving, hot and loving. All the things he associated with their marriage. "Ben, oh fuck!"
Ben kept one arm wrapped tightly around Michael's sweat-slick back and used his free hand to stroke Michael to the same fast pace as their fucking. Michael cried out and went over the edge just seconds before Ben followed.
Exhausted, they fell back onto the bed with Michael sprawled over Ben. Before Ben even opened his eyes, the condom was gone and Michael was planting soft kisses over his jaw and face. Ben brought his hand up and touched Michael's face and kissed him with all the love in his heart. "Happy anniversary, brown eyes."