Chapter Text
Carlos took a deep breath, drawing the fresh air deliberately into his lungs.
They were seated on a picnic blanket on the grass. There was an open jar of rose jam in front of them and a Tupperware of sliced bread. They’d been having sandwiches. There was a thermos of sweet tea that TK had been taking sips from. They were surrounded by trees, thick with green leaves and branches swaying in the wind. The sun was just setting, dipping steadily over the horizon and had painted the sky in dark colors of purples and blues. The wind was pleasantly cool.
The fireflies were just starting to blink their tiny yellow lights in the dusk and TK was looking at them, fascinated.
The hero of the hour, Lou II, was in his temporary glass tank, holding one corner of the picnic blanket down, fast asleep.
His dad’s speech, written on paper though it was, was a solid, comforting weight in his jacket pocket. He had read through it earlier. Unfinished, as it would always be. But he could hear his father’s words in the gaps between the sentences. He hadn’t shared it with TK yet. Maybe he would, maybe he wouldn’t - he hadn’t decided yet.
TK cleared his throat. Carlos looked up at him. He reached into his jacket pocket and handed Carlos a flashdrive. “This is for you,” he said, lowering his eyes a little shyly. He was playing with the strings of his hoodie.
Charmed by his uncharacteristic display of shyness, Carlos took it from him and turned it over in his hands. He raised his eyebrows at his husband.
“It’s the video of you and your dad,” TK explained. “I found this store downtown that digitizes VHS tapes and had them digitize the tape of you and your dad and put it on a flashdrive. Now you won’t have to worry about wear and tear. Or finding the VHS player. And you can watch it whenever you like.”
Carlos studied the flashdrive, heart full, every beat spelling out TK’s name. TK had immortalized this finite, precious little peek into his past so that he would never forget again. Somewhere between then and later, when Carlos came out to his parents, their relationship had changed. But they had found their way back to each other. He felt he knew their whole story now - the full arc, beginning to end - and not just the rough parts of it. When they went home, he could add the flashdrive and the speech to the box containing his father’s hat, his badge, the puzzle and his other papers, stored neatly in his wardrobe. He had started by breaking his father’s life down into piles of his things in his parents’ house, but now he was building one with all the parts that meant the most to him. To both of them.
“Is that okay? Sorry, I should have asked you before taking it,” TK said, now sounding nervous.
Carlos realized that he’d been silent for a beat too long. He pocketed the flashdrive, tucking it safely next to the sheet containing his father’s speech, and leaned in to press a long kiss to TK’s cheek. “Thank you, baby,” he said quietly into his ear. He wanted to say much more than that but fell short of words, but he knew TK would forgive him.
“Sorry we’re not at your grave, dad,” he started. “I wanted to tell you that we got the monster, the one you were after. I never stopped looking and I finished what you started. We did,” he corrected himself and pressed TK’s hand. TK nudged him pointedly. He huffed and rolled his eyes, but acquiesced. “And Lou II too,” he said, and TK grinned. “And the people he hurt are gonna get the help they need. Justice.”
“I understand what you were trying to tell me,” he continued. “I will always be proud of you. And I will work hard every day to be a good man and a good husband, like you. Like how you showed me.”
Next to him, TK kissed his hand.
“You can rest now, papá,” Carlos said. “I’ll see you.”
The fireflies took flight.
Gabriel’s speech
Dear Carlitos Carlos Carlitos
Webster’s dictionary defines
I was so happy when I can’t tell you how happy I was when
I can’t tell you how honored I was when you asked me to be your best man. I’m so proud of you of the person you are of the man you are. I know haven’t said that enough, but I hope you know how proud of you I am and always have been. I know we’ve had our ups and downs, but I’m very happy that you’re here Through all our ups and downs, I have always been proud of you and I’m so honored you asked me to be part of your wedding day. It has been the greatest honor pleasure of my life to watch you grow up. It feels like you grew up so quickly, in the blink of an eye. I feel like it was just yesterday when you used to sneak into my study and pretend to read my papers, mi pequeño investigador, but I looked away for a minute and suddenly, you were even taller than me, and now here I am, giving a speech on your wedding day
TK - when I first met you, I thought I wouldn’t have to worry about Carlitos anymore. I didn’t realize that now, I have two boys to worry about. (pause) But when I saw how well you look after him, and specially especially (specially?) how hard you fought for him fought to find him fought with everyone, including me, to find him I knew you were meant for each other because you love him like I do, stubbornly and unreasonably, even when he doesn’t want to be loved. And I have many more stories of Carlitos, just ask me
Carlitos - no more going off on your own, si? In marriage any relationship it’s very important to listen and be listened to. And it’s important to share in all things, happiness, joy and sadness. You have many people who love you, me, tu mamá and tk -
And now, let us raise a glass how to end? Quote?
I hope you know that I’ll always be here for you both, and I wish you all the happiness in the world