Weddings

Chapter 19

5 months later.

Paul rolled over in bed, nuzzling into the tanned chest of the man behind him. Richard.

"Morning, Chrissie." He mumbled, blinking tired eyes open and looking up at his partner.

"2.30 PM actually. I just hopped back in bed for a siesta. Didn't realise you were still here!"

Schneider nudged Paul with a teasing grin, tickling his ribs and kissing his neck. Paul shuddered as he tried to simultaneously stretch and escape the drummer's hands.

"Was a late night last night." Paul scowled in protest, shooting Schneider a fond smile as he sat up in bed. "A man's gotta sleep, Schnei!"

"Has he?" Schneider smiled seductively, moving closer. "What else has a man gotta do, Paulie? Educate me?"

Paul blushed a little as he felt Schneider's hands inching their way over his torso towards his decidedly soft cock. The caress was interrupted by Paul's phone ringing, and he immediately answered it, causing the drummer to groan and roll back to his side of the bed in clear frustration.

"Hey, Emil. Yeah? Okay.... Well, if you want to, but... Of course I could... No! No I'm not busy at all." Schneider scowled at Paul at this point, clearly wishing an excuse had been made. "Na klar... I understand Emil. No problem... Okay bye!" Paul put his phone on the side table, looking around for his clothes.

"Going to explain?" Schneider quipped from behind him.

Paul turned, crawling over the bed on all fours, towards his boyfriend, and kissing him softly and slowly. "Shopping list from Emil. He wants us to cook a big meal tonight. A curry, perhaps."

"Mmm." Schneider was clearly not wholly satisfied with the excuse. "Well I'm sure you'll have fun, Paul."

"Yes!" Paul breathed, shortly. "If you'd like to join us..?"

"Sounds great!" The drummer beamed, kissing the smaller man one last time before leaving him to get dressed and head home.

Half an hour later Paul was crunching across Schneider's gravelled drive, slumping into his car, blinking a few times to try and chase off the rest of his sleepiness, and heading to the nearest Kaufland.

As he wheeled through the aisles, scouring the shelves for curry ingredients, he felt two large hands land on his shoulders. "Security, sir. If you'd come with me please."
Oh, what now? Paul turned, Till. "Very funny." He nodded, squinting to show how unimpressed he was. "So original too!"

"I know. Me and my creative ways!" Till grinned, warmly embracing his smaller friend. As Paul pulled back after the hug, he saw someone lurking behind Till. Richard. The lead guitarist's eyes flickered up to meet Paul's and, rather than a hug, he greeted his friend with a short nod. "What are you doing here, anyway?" Till rumbled, still looking down at his friend affectionately, seeming not to notice the awkwardness radiating between Paul and Richard. This was the first time they'd met since the incident, and Paul still felt pretty beaten up about what happened there. It had been a month before he'd stopped crying every day, and convinced himself to move on from Richard with Schneider.

"Picking stuff up for a curry night." Paul replied, swallowing the raw pain that was beginning to rear its head once more. "Just me, Emil, and Schneider. And you guys, what are you doing?"

"The same!" Till grinned. "Richard's been as sad as a willow for months! Thought I'd cheer him up with good food and company."

Has he been sad over me? No. No. Paul wouldn't even let himself think it. He remembered that night briefly, the clear message Richard had sent, the feel of the concrete pillar under his fingers as he had sobbed, waking up with Emil curled around him. Emil had cried too, distressed at seeing his dad so completely heartbroken. Paul remembered waking up to the sound of Emil softly begging him not to cry anymore, sniffing as if he'd been up all night weeping for his father. He probably had. "Well... coincidence!" Paul said, absentmindedly. Looking past Till, towards the end of the aisle, wishing for escape.

"Yeah! So let's combine nights, huh?"

"Huh?!" Paul's attention snapped back to Till.

"Well it only makes sense! We'll save cash and more people means more conversation to cheer us all up."

"W-Well, I think Emil wants it just to be us.." Paul began.

"And Schneider? Is he your son too now, Paul?"

"Uh.. Well no.." Shit! Shit! Shit! "I just.. I just saw him earlier, and he wanted to come so I really had to invite him."

"And Emil didn't mind? C'mon Paul! It's not like we're just some random pals from the pub, Emil knows us! I'm sure he'll be fine."

"Yeah." Paul blushed, looking at the floor as he realised he'd been defeated. "My place about 7?"

"Sounds good!" Till beamed. "I guess we should shop together, then."

Ohhh, fuck it! What have I done to deserve this?! I swear to God I'll never shop in Kaufland again!

"Of course." Paul smiled, looking at Richard momentarily. The man was not looking at Paul, his eyes turned to the floor instead, and glazed over as if he were trapped in a memory or thought. Whatever it was, he didn't look pleased at the idea of dinner with Paul.

Paul text his son the changed plans, traipsing along with Till and trying to hide his discomfort. Richard spoke only occasionally, and never directly to Paul. He constantly tried to change plans or bow out of the upcoming meal, but Till just rolled his eyes and explained to Paul just how long he'd been trying to convince Richard to do this in the first place. Till was kind but firm as he clarified for Richard that there was 'no way in hell' he would let the guitarist back out now.
After an awkward 40 minutes Paul was finally loading his car, relieved that part was over, but dreading the meal. He told Till he'd get some alcohol before he went home, and was horrified at the response. "So.. Is Emil in if we drive over to yours now, or shall we get drinks with you and follow you there, Paul?"

"Uhh.. Um, what?"

"We need to cook it, don't we?" Till gave Paul an odd smile, waving a hand before the younger man's eyes, before gently knocking on his forehead. "Hellooo? Anyone in there today?"

"Oh! No, me and Emil can do it!" Paul's heart plummeted as he realised he might have to spend an afternoon with Richard. I can't do it. I can't do this anymore!

"You and you're son will cook a large selection of curry dishes for 5 people, on your own, in what.. 3 hours?"

"Yeah! No problem!" Paul tried to seem positive about this.

"Shut up, Paul." Till rebuffed him fondly. "This'll take all afternoon even with us helping out. I'm not waiting till tomorrow to eat this."

"Hah.. o-okay then!" Paul ignored the knot in his throat as he walked around the aisles of alcohol in the drinks building. Finally having a good enough selection to make sure everyone involved would have enough alcohol to forget the night completely, he headed back to the car.

As he loaded the boot once more, he texted Emil to expect Till and Richard soon. Hearing his phone beep as he clambered into the safety of his car.

One new text from Emil 'You okay Dad?'

'Yeah.. fine.' He put his phone down again, only to have it buzz almost immediately, before he could even start the engine.

'You're going to be fine. Me and Schnei will look after you.' Paul really, really loved his son sometimes.

Emil had been a rock to him these last months, and it was so nice to have someone who accepted him, no matter what he did. 'Thanks son, see you soon.'