SDMN Oneshots

Follow You Follow Me - (simon/?)

Fairy lights.

Other than the beautiful man in front of him, that's all he can see. Ironic really, considering the man in front of him is both of those things.

A fairy, and the light of his life.

He's 55 years of age, stood staring into the eyes of the man whose waist his arms are wrapped around, the other's draped lovingly across his shoulders, hands coming to interlock behind his neck, as the two begin to sway quietly. Their friends and family surround them, huddled at the edges of the makeshift dance floor this expensive hotel has to offer, some with phones in hand, recording this precious moment.

Their first dance.

The opening plucks of the guitar, moving into Phil Collins' voice cause the man in front of him to blur, tears brimming in his eyes. He blinks to get them away, desperate to look up and connect eyes with the love of his life again. Now certainly is the time to get sentimental, but not so much he can't recall the curve of the man's smile in this moment, the lines that have formed beside his eyes, from years of laughing together. He wants those engraved in his brain for years to come, an intricate manuscript there forever.

"right here by my side if ever I need you"

That's the first lyric of the song that made him set on it for his wedding song, back in 1985. Equality in marriage, that's what it made him think of. Two people relying on each other and loving one another, that's what it was about. He needed that, platonic or not, being a closeted gay man slap-bang in the middle of a homophobic time period. It wasn't until 2 years later that he met Simon, at a Genesis gig no less. Later, that's what would convince him it was fate, that they were meant to be.

Of course, it being the mid-80s, they'd had to be so careful. Judgement was still rife, and neither of them came out for a number of years, even to each other. Hell, they didn't get together officially until 2002, by which point they were both already bordering on 40.

They could've had a civil partnership all that time ago, but neither wanted it. Marriage was what they wanted, equality for everyone, even if civil partnerships are essentially the same, without God in their vows. The two wanted traditional, and that's what they got, 15 years later, the greys really starting to kick into their hair. But fuck, has the wait been worth it, he thinks.

"I will follow you, will you follow me? All the days and nights that we know will be."

That's all he wanted. Someone to love him and stay with him as time slipped through his fingers, so he didn't feel so alone in the world, trapped in self-hatred that had been drummed into him since childhood by society. The AIDS crisis, the outing of gay celebrities and their shunning. Having someone who loved him, even if it was only stated as romantic almost 20 years later, was a godsend. He promised Simon, and he promised himself that in those horrific moments and in those great ones, he'd be there.

"All my fears are drifting by me so slowly now, fading away."

It's pretty self-explanatory at points. He loves Simon a lot, and they've finally gotten to consolidate that in an expensive piece of paper, a couple or rings and some talk about God,but it's worth it all the same.

It's a massive 'fuck you' to the past. To all those years he spent staring at the wall in his room, wondering why he was such a freak, such a fucking fairy. Hearing of Freddie Mercury's death was one of the most painful blows at the time (24th November 1991, he remembers it like it's yesterday), and if he's honest, it's still pretty hard-hitting.

But they did it. They did it for Freddie and for themselves. They're here, with people who support them and love them, and couldn't care less about whether they like it up the arse or not, and one another. His best friend, his lifeline.

"You are here, close at hand, oh I'm better for the smile you give."

Simon gives him the cheesiest grin he can muster at that lyric, and he laughs, leaning forward to bury his face into the crevice between his shoulder and neck, inhaling his smell. Simon knows how much this song means to the man leaning into him, and pulls him in even closer, their bodies aligning perfectly with their gentle movements.

This song never fails to amaze him, every time he listens to it, he thinks about the fact it's one of the few songs all the band worked on together, Mike Rutherford writing the lyrics in a supposed matter of minutes, the love song coming easily, with the aim of attracting more female audience members. The blokes seemed to love it, in all it's cheesiness as well, though the long stories of Genesis seem to be what sticks best. Either way, the song reminds him of him and Simon. Simple in structure, because they're just made for each other, but with that prog rock vibe you never quite lose. He and Simon are a product of their time, and even as that time moves on, he'll stay in love, the music following them too.

"...and while I live I will follow you..."

Death is something that's always been in his consideration. What with the AIDS situation, back before a cure of sorts was found, it was a constant threat to anyone, and served to isolate you from anyone, anyone who even just suspected you were queer. He's glad to see how far society has come, the kids being so open about sexuality and owning those words that once stung like a bitch, ones that still dig up those well-covered feelings from their usually inaccessible catacomb on Tuesday nights, when Simon's working late and can't cuddle him and whisper dumb shit about elephants or whatever it is he's found a new and short lived interest in to bring him back down to the ground.

When he dies, he'll've been happy to have spent the rest of his life with Simon. To have had someone that loves him, openly and honestly, and tells him so, even if he's less able to return it all the time. He hopes his actions speak louder than his words to Simon, and at that moment, it seems like they do, a radiant warmth shining through the taller man's eyes as he leans his forehead down to touch against his own. It feels like love is seeping out of them, and if he were a weaker man, he'd probably let those brimming tears from earlier return, and lose the moment he wants to treasure to his emotions, so he keeps himself together.

"Just one single tear in each passing year."

As the song reaches its end, easing down to a close with a quietening repetition of the chorus, he pulls back slightly from Simon, and leans up to his ear, whispering to him softly, a grin passing over the man's face. Simon utters his reply, before grabbing his husband's face and pulling him in to kiss him.

"I will follow you, will you follow me?"

"I'll follow you to the end of the world, Josh."

Author's Notes
Hey, so I thought I'd try my hand at a oneshot to try and get a story across a bit quicker than maybe I naturally do.

I'm also secretly a middle-aged dad trapped in the body of a 17 year old girl, so my love of Genesis and older couples getting married may or may not have come out in this fic a little bit - whoops.

But hey, I hope you like it, and please don't hesitate to drop me a prompt, I'll try my best to do something with it. 💙