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mack couldn’t stop fidgeting with the cuff of his shirt.
he was already dressed. hair mostly done. suit pressed. boutonnière pinned with care. everything was ready, everyone was ready. everyone but him.
his hands were a little clammy. his heart hadn’t stopped fluttering since he woke up. the hotel room was too quiet, even with the soft jazz coming from a speaker in the corner. and he just kept pacing, running his palms down the front of his vest like it would calm him down.
“you’re gonna wrinkle it,” a voice said gently.
mack turned to see will eklund leaning against the doorway, a soft grin tugging at his lips.
“i already did, didn’t i?” mack sighed, fingers twitching toward the vest again.
eklund crossed the room and gave him a once over. “you look great. like, actually great. will’s gonna cry when he sees you.”
mack’s mouth quirked, but the nerves didn’t go anywhere. “what if i cry first?”
“then he’ll cry harder. and everyone else will cry. i’ll cry. it’ll be great.”
mack laughed, but it came out shaky. he looked down at his hands, then toward the mirror. “i feel like i forgot something.”
eklund stepped behind him, meeting his eyes through the mirror. “you didn’t.”
“i’m serious, eeks. what if i trip walking out? what if i say something stupid? what if—”
“what if you get married to the love of your life, and it’s perfect even if you do trip or say something dumb?” eklund said gently. he reached up and combed his fingers through mack’s hair, fluffing one side slightly. “also, your hair’s doing that weird flat thing. let me fix it.”
“is it?” mack blinked and tried to look. “shit.”
eklund rolled his eyes and grabbed the comb from the counter. “sit.”
mack sat on the edge of the chair and let his friend work. the soft tug of the comb, the occasional spray of product, the quiet hum of eklund focusing, it all slowed him down. calmed something in his chest. it wasn’t that he doubted marrying will- god, no. he’d known from their second date that this was it. will smith was it for him. but the nerves had crept in anyway, coiled around his spine and wrapped around his ribs.
“you remember that rookie year road trip to calgary?” eklund said suddenly, still working on mack’s hair.
mack blinked. “uh. yeah?”
“you had that whole meltdown about forgetting your lucky socks.”
“because i did forget them. and we lost that game.”
eklund grinned. “yeah, but you scored twice. and you told me after that it wasn’t the socks that mattered, it was that will texted you right before warmups.”
mack smiled faintly. “yeah. he told me to stop spiraling. and to eat a banana.”
“see? that’s love. banana texts and all.”
mack huffed out a laugh, the weight in his chest loosening. “he’s probably way calmer than me right now.”
eklund stepped back and gave one final look at the hair. “okay, done. you look like a groom.”
“thanks, eeks.”
eklund patted his shoulder. “you’re gonna be okay. and you’re gonna be really, really happy.”
mack stood slowly, looking at himself in the mirror one last time. and then, like a switch flipping, something inside him clicked into place. it wasn’t that the nerves were gone—but he could breathe through them now. he could carry them with him. because at the end of that aisle was will. and that was all he wanted.
.
the small outdoor venue was lit with soft string lights. the ocean breeze was just enough to rustle the flowers without sending them flying. a soft piano played in the background as people shifted in their seats, turning to look when the wedding coordinator gave the signal.
and then the music changed.
mack took one slow, steadying breath.
he stepped out.
he didn’t see the crowd. didn’t register the camera flashes or the soft gasps or the whispers of how good he looked. all he saw; immediately, utterly- was will.
will stood at the end of the aisle, in a tailored blue suit that brought out the color of his eyes. his hair was carefully styled, and his smile was blinding. wide, real, a little watery. he was already crying. just like eeks said.
mack’s heart stuttered and then soared.
his steps were slow but sure. every one brought him closer to the only person in the world who had ever made him feel like home. he barely noticed when he passed brock and quinn in the front row, both grinning like idiots. didn’t even notice eklund subtly wiping at his own eyes. everything tunneled into will.
when he finally reached the end, will let out a soft breath like he’d been holding it for hours.
“hi,” mack whispered, barely able to find his voice.
will’s hand found his. “hi.”
“you look—” mack’s eyes flicked over him, filled with awe. “—you look amazing.”
“you’re not so bad yourself,” will teased, voice a little thick.
they stood there, hands tangled, eyes locked, while the officiant welcomed everyone and started to speak. but mack wasn’t really listening. not fully. not when he had the weight of will’s hand in his, the warmth of his gaze, the knowledge that this- this right here was the most certain he’d ever felt in his life.
“will, do you take mack to be your lawfully wedded husband?” the officiant asked, gently.
“i do,” will said, firm and soft all at once.
“mack, do you take will to be your lawfully wedded husband?”
mack smiled so wide it hurt. “i do.”
when the kiss came, it was soft and sweet and grounding. will cupped his cheek like he always did when they were alone, like he was holding something precious. mack leaned in like it was the most natural thing in the world.
someone cheered. someone else whistled. mack didn’t care.
he was kissing his husband.
.
later, long after the ceremony, after the dinner and the speeches and the dancing, mack found himself barefoot on the grass with will, slow dancing to a song no one else could hear. most of the guests had wandered off. the lights twinkled above them like lazy stars, and the ocean kept whispering just beyond the dunes.
“still nervous?” will murmured, his hand resting against mack’s spine.
“not even a little,” mack said, forehead resting against will’s. “you kinda fixed that.”
“i aim to please.”
mack let out a content sigh. “you do. every day.”
they stayed like that for a while, just swaying, wrapped up in each other. mack could still feel his heartbeat; but now it wasn’t panic. it was something slower, deeper. love, maybe. or peace. or both.
he pressed a kiss to will’s cheek. “i love you.”
will smiled against his jaw. “i love you more.”
“impossible.”
“wanna bet?”
mack laughed, eyes closing, breath steady.
married. to will. to his will.
yeah.
this was everything.