¤ I Get to Love You
Ruelle ↲

I get to love you
It's the best thing that I'll ever do
I get to love you
It's a promise I'm making to you
Whatever may come your heart I will choose
Forever I'm yours, forever I do
I get to love you

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Five years, nine months, and twenty two days later.

It was an overcast and windy morning. Everyone had been monitoring the weather for the last couple of days, hopeful that it would be sunny and warm.

So far it was not.

It was still early, however, and Taehyung wasn't going to let this small detail bother him. Weather patterns changed all the time; he had a good feeling everything would be sunny by the time the ceremony started.

He still had two hours until he needed to arrive at the lake, so he spent some time completing a sketch of Juyeon he started a couple weeks ago. She had become a beautiful, witty, and sharp-tongued young woman, just celebrating her eighteenth birthday last weekend. As a gift for her, Taehyung offered to draw anything she wanted.

Juyeon wanted a picture of herself, of course.

Taehyung smiled to himself as he finished the drawing, taking in eyes and a smile so similar to Jungkook's. His sister was truly a remarkable person, one whose early battles shaped her into the courageous woman she was today. And while she still took daily medications to help her body with her transplant, she was as healthy as ever. The outlook was positive - she'd live a long life, free from dialysis.

Taehyung's family was still immensely grateful for all he'd done years back, participating in a paired kidney exchange so Juyeon could live fully. Taehyung sometimes forgot he even had the surgery; it was just a part of who he was now. But the Jeons never forgot. They never could forget.

Jaewoo loved to bring up the day Taehyung had surgery without telling anyone, occasionally pulling him into a wrestling hold and ruffling his hair. Taehyung always let the older man amuse himself; he secretly loved all the light teasing and affection. It was during one of those joking moments - when Jaewoo held Taehyung in a headlock - that Taehyung said, in a rather annoyed tone, Let go of me, Dad.

From that moment on, Taehyung referred to the two eldest Jeons as Mom and Dad.

As they got older, more changes occurred to their living and working situations. For one, Taehyung and Jungkook no longer lived in the apartment on the university campus. Once Jungkook graduated with his photography degree - just two years after he resumed his courses - the two moved into a cozy condo on the outskirts of the city. It was still close to the rest of the Jeons, yet accessible enough to get downtown in no time at all. That was convenient, since both Jungkook and Taehyung worked right in the heart of the city.

After receiving his degree, Jungkook worked as a nature photographer for a while, commissioned by major magazines like National Geographic. That enabled him to travel quite a bit, and he always arranged those trips so Taehyung could come as well. Together they'd explore new countries and cultures, finding fun and adventure wherever they went.

Most recently, however, Jungkook started freelancing. His photos had reached critical acclaim in some areas, and he was invited to host several photography exhibits - all of his own work. From there, he met many more clients and gallerists, all of whom wanted to work with him further.

Taehyung's career was also going well. He still worked at the design company he started at right after graduation, though he was no longer a concept artist. He was now the Director of Design and Innovation, a role he surprisingly loved with all his heart. It was so different than what he always thought he wanted to do, but that was okay. Dreams changed. This role, heading the vision of an entire organization, gave him joy every single day.

And on the side, Taehyung continued to draw portraits of friends and family, finding solace in those leisurely drawing sessions. His favorite subject remained Jungkook, but he wasn't surprised by that. As time matured them and slightly altered their faces, Taehyung always found a new way to portray his love's beauty.

And, to this day, Taehyung and Jungkook still captured naked images of the other. That was a favorite activity they'd continue doing for years to come.

The last few years - while tough in some moments - strengthened Taehyung and Jungkook's relationship more than Taehyung knew was possible. When they got engaged all those years ago, he couldn't have imagined the growth that'd occur for them. They had to learn to navigate so much together, from school to their careers, bills to investments, and other major life decisions.

But they did everything together, falling back on that strong communication system they built when they were just nineteen and twenty one.

And now, almost six years later, they were still together and very much in love.

And to their never-ending excitement, today - April 5 - they were getting married.

Taehyung started getting ready an hour before he was set to be at the lake. He donned white pants, a white button up, and a white jacket with beadwork and embroidery. It was formal, yet with his shirt unbuttoned partly down his chest, it wasn't stiff or stuffy. He pushed his hair back from his eyes, knowing Jungkook would want a clear view of his face today.

A series of knocks sounded at the door just as he finished getting ready. He quickly sprayed on a bit of cologne Jungkook was obsessed with, which added to the scents of his signature soaps. Going to his door, he let his group of friends inside, all of whom were in charge of bringing him to his wedding.

"Wow, look at you, handsome," Jimin smiled as he strode through the door, eyes light with joy. "Kook is going to start crying the moment he sees you."

"He's already crying," Namjoon corrected, patting Taehyung's shoulder as he walked further inside.

Jin, trailing right behind his fiancé, nodded his head in emphasis. "It's true. We just left him with Jaewoo and the kid couldn't stop the tears from falling."

Hoseok and Yoongi, who'd been married for a couple of years now, smiled at each other, a secret look only they truly understood.

"Yoongi was like that on our wedding day," Hoseok revealed, nudging his husband's shoulder with his own. "I can clearly picture the bit of snot coming out of his nose."

"It was charming and endearing," Yoongi defended, crossing his arms over his chest. "And see, it gave you something cute to remember."

Taehyung beamed at them all, so happy his friends were here to escort him to his wedding. Their energy and excitement was contagious, giving him an added boost for the day ahead.

But more than anything, he was just so damn excited to see the love of his life again.

It had only been twelve or so hours since they last saw each other, but it felt like a lifetime. He and Jungkook decided to spend the night before their wedding apart, keeping up with old traditions. The younger stayed with the Jeons while Taehyung remained at their apartment. As for getting to their wedding, they agreed that the Jeons would drive Jungkook and their friends would drive Taehyung.

"How's he doing?" He asked his friends in curiosity, picturing a blubbering Jungkook in his head. It made him smile; his fiancé wasn't afraid to let his emotions show.

"You know him, Tae," Jimin started, slinging an arm around his shoulders. "He's crying one minute then talking about consummating your marriage the next. The boy will be fine."

Taehyung chuckled. Of course Jungkook was thinking about their wedding night. But that was okay. He was excited for it, too.

A short while later and they were off to the lake, trading jokes and stories during the ride over. And despite the countless questions regarding Taehyung's nerves, he really wasn't nervous. He was overjoyed that this day was finally here.

He and Jungkook waited this long for a reason.

Sure, they had wanted to wait until they were older and had their lives in a stable state. It made sense to enjoy a long engagement and experience their young adulthood together. But once they finally felt settled, they started seriously discussing their marriage. A couple years back, as they were talking about what their dream wedding day would look like, they both reached the same conclusion on one very important factor.

And in order to make this factor a part of their wedding, they needed to wait until now.

"We're here, Tae," Jin told him twenty or so minutes later, patting his knee gently. "Are you ready?"

Taehyung nodded, his heart beating fast in anticipation. "I've never been more ready in my life."

The five boys ushered him to a small tent away from where all the guests were. Before he was tucked away, however, he managed to steal a glance of their venue.

It was absolutely stunning.

Right in front of the lake was a large arbor, an arch made of branches and bright orange flowers. Rows of white seats were situated around the main focal point, with many people already sitting down. Off to the side was a large tent filled with tables and chairs for the dinner portion, and a dance floor was situated in another corner by the lake. And all around the area were bouquets of colorful flowers, all designed by Juyeon herself.

It was perfect.

"Alright, everything should start in about five minutes or so," Yoongi informed him, straightening out Taehyung's jacket. "I guess Juyeon isn't here yet."

Taehyung choked on a laugh. "Does anyone know where she is? We literally can't get married without her."

"Don't worry, she'll be here," Hoseok reassured him, grabbing a flower and trying to stick it in Taehyung's hair.

Namjoon swatted his hand away and started ushering the boys out of the tent. "Alright, Tae. We'll see you out there. And next time we talk, you'll be a married man."

They left him at that, with those words repeating in Taehyung's head. A married man.

After so many years filled with the best memories of his life, Jungkook was finally going to become his husband.

Ten minutes later and the flap of Taehyung's tent opened, revealing a very emotional Jiho and Jaewoo. Without words, they pulled him into a hug and squeezed him tight.

"You ready, son?" Jaewoo asked, gingerly pushing back Taehyung's hair.

He nodded, unable to form words over the sudden lump in his throat.

"We just walked Kookie up the aisle," Jiho said, grasping Taehyung's hand within her own. "Time we walk you up, too."

"So I'm guessing Juyeon finally showed up?" He asked, letting his parents pull him from the tent. When he got outside, a ray of sun blinded him.

He knew the weather would turn around.

"She'd forgotten her journal at home," Jaewoo revealed, positioning the three of them at the end of the aisle. "Kind of essential for her to marry you two."

Taehyung laughed lightly. If he had to guess, Juyeon was so busy setting up their flowers and decor that she never realized her journal - which contained all her notes and the wedding script - wasn't within her possession.

Back when Jungkook and Taehyung discussed their future wedding, they both knew they wanted Juyeon to be the one to perform their ceremony. Her involvement in their relationship was incredibly special, and it felt right to involve her in their wedding this way.

And while their marriage wouldn't be legally recognized by their country - seeing as gay marriage was considered illegal - that didn't make their union any less official to them. In their hearts, a marriage ceremony conducted by their little sister was more official than any piece of paper could ever signify. Taehyung would still be able to go through the process of changing his name, and the boys already combined their financial accounts. The presence of a marriage certificate didn't matter to them.

Taehyung and Jungkook decided to wait until Juyeon was eighteen, that way she'd at least be a legal adult when she married them. Once the boys asked her to perform the ceremony, the strong-willed girl saluted them and immediately started looking up scripts.

She'd been planning everything for almost two years now. Taehyung knew their entire day would be prepared with love and careful consideration. No matter what, it'd be the best day of his life.

And now, standing at the end of the aisle with his parents by his side, Taehyung walked towards his love.

Jungkook was resplendent in white, wearing a similar outfit to his own but without the embroidery. His hair was pushed away from his face, revealing watery eyes and tear stained cheeks. And through his tears, he was smiling wide, overjoyed to be looking at Taehyung.

Taehyung was crying now as well, hands clutching Jiho's and Jaewoo's tightly. He didn't tear his eyes away from Jungkook, even as they walked by their family and friends and up towards Juyeon.

He only had eyes for Jungkook.

And then he was in front of the arbor, exchanging kisses and hugs with his parents and then Juyeon. The music, a soft violin in the background, faded and all he could hear was the steady beat of his heart as he turned towards Jungkook.

"Hi," his fiancé breathed, grabbing his hands within his own and intertwining their fingers.

"Hi," Taehyung smiled, moving to peck him on the lips. That was the last time they'd kiss as fiancés.

The next time, they'd be husbands.

"Welcome, everyone, to the long awaited marriage between Jeon Jungkook and Kim Taehyung. We're here not to mark the beginning of a new relationship, but the next chapter in their lives," Juyeon started, smiling at the two boys before looking at the crowd.

"Before I begin, please know that my brothers gave me free reign to conduct this ceremony however I wanted. Since I'm the reason we're all here today, it makes sense, if you ask me. And while I could go on and on about my accomplishments in getting these two together, I'll try to keep my involvement out of their story."

Everyone in the crowd chuckled, with Taehyung and Jungkook both rolling their eyes.

"Today," Juyeon continued, projecting her voice so everyone could hear, "Jungkook and Taehyung will affirm their love for each other in front of their dearest family and friends. They chose to celebrate their love with us, as we've all witnessed the growth of these two individuals as they've become one partnership, one team. And I know we all can see how far they've come. From the day they met in a nude art class to standing before us now, it's been a beautiful journey."

Taehyung laughed under his breath. Ever since Jungkook accidentally revealed how the two met, Juyeon could never quite keep quiet about that fact. She taunted for years how she was going to bring it up during their wedding . . . And here they were.

Juyeon cleared her throat, looking at Jungkook who was also chuckling. "Kookie and TaeTae, today you're not only marrying the right person, you're marrying the love of your life. In each other, you've found a partner who you can stand and face the world with. You two have shown us all - have shown me - what it means to be strong in the face of adversity and how love can conquer anything thrown your way. Today, we celebrate that with you."

Juyeon continued on for a little while longer, explaining how she saw Jungkook grow by Taehyung's side and vice versa. She expressed her love for her brothers - one by blood and another by choice.

"You two chose to write your own vows, so I'll turn it over to you. Kook?" Juyeon motioned to Jungkook, giving him permission to start his vows.

"Tae . . ." Jungkook started, taking a deep breath and pushing out the air from between his lips. His eyes were big and dark, staring directly into Taehyung's with all the love in the world.

"The best mistake I ever made was not researching that art class all those years back. If I listened to the professor and looked up what type of modeling I was supposed to do, I'm not sure I would've shown up. And if I never did, I probably wouldn't have met you.

"Meeting you, getting to know you, and eventually loving you have been the best moments in my life. And this moment right now is one I'll forever remember, even when we're old and gray. There are so many things I love about you, so many things I will always cherish. Your thoughtfulness and selflessness, your unwavering loyalty. Your devotion to our family and your pride for being a Jeon. I love the way you order me around and become Mr. Demanding. I love how your eyes crinkle when you smile really big.

"I promise to always be patient with you, to always hear you out. Wherever we go, I'll promise to always be yours in mind, body, heart, and soul. Being yours is the greatest accomplishment I'll ever have and it's one I'll work to fulfill every single day. No matter what, know I'll always love you."

Taehyung squeezed his hands, tears clouding his vision. His throat burned and he had the urgent need to bury his face in Jungkook's neck. But Juyeon was looking at him expectantly and he knew it was his turn to speak.

Clearing his throat and letting his tears fall, he began. "Kook, in all my years growing up, I never imagined that I'd end up here. Falling in love, getting married . . . That was never in the cards for me. But meeting you . . . Finding my way to you . . . Everything became so clear. I could suddenly see a road ahead, an adventure that always included you by my side. You came into my life to bring me into yours, and now we've built this incredible life together.

"I'm so lucky to be yours, Kook. I get to spend my life listening to your laugh, looking into your beautiful eyes, and marveling over those exquisite tattoos of yours. I get to spend my life watching you hoard countless bottles of my body products, but I'll always rest assured that we'll never run out. Whatever happens down the road, know you'll always have me to count on. I promise to support you, honor you, and to love you unconditionally. I can't imagine where I'd be without you . . . I'm so glad you found me, love. Together we can do it all and I'm so excited to see what life has in store for us. There will never be a day when I don't love you more than the last. You are my everything and my future. I love you now and for forever."

The crowd murmured around them, yet Taehyung couldn't really hear any of it. All of his senses were honed in on Jungkook. The silent I love you, baby that Jungkook mouthed to him was louder than the world around them.

Juyeon continued through the declaration of intent, with both Jungkook and Taehyung saying I do. They exchanged their rings, which were very similar to their engagement bands, stacking them on top of one another. It served as a reminder of their past and a token of their future.

Once their rings were set on their fingers, Juyeon turned a page in her journal and smiled wide. "Now, by the power vested in me by - hell, I don't know who gave me this power - I now declare you Jeon Jungkook and Jeon Taehyung, husband and husband! TaeTae, Kook . . . You may now kiss each other."

Taehyung and Jungkook melted into each other's arms, creating their own little cocoon that filtered out everything but the two of them. Their mouths met softly, sealing in a kiss that warmed Taehyung to his core.

This was his future. This was his life.

Jungkook.

They broke apart wearing huge smiles, their eyes sparkling and noses sniffling. Their friends and family stood and cheered, prompting them to walk down the aisle and celebrate their amazing love.

Jungkook linked their arms together and practically ran them down the aisle, laughing with pure, unadulterated joy. He led them to the private tent Taehyung was in earlier in the morning and pulled him into a hug.

"We're married, baby," Jungkook said into his neck, pecking kisses all over his skin. "You're my husband."

"It's about damn time," Taehyung giggled, taking hold of his husband's face by cupping his cheeks. "Hi, husband."

"Hi, Jeon Taehyung."

And without any indication from the other, their mouths met in a passionate kiss that robbed Taehyung of his breath. But he didn't need air right now. This - Jungkook - was all he needed.

"You're my everything, Tae. My best friend, my person, my love, and my husband. My husband!" Jungkook laughed with glee, tossing his head back. "You better not get sick of me, baby, because you're going to be stuck with me for a very long time."

"I bet Mr. Demanding can keep you in line, baby boy," Taehyung teased, rubbing their noses together gently. "Kook . . . You're my husband. We're married."

They kissed again and for a while, even as a photographer called them to take their official wedding portraits. But, as was a theme for their love, they were in no rush. They'd get there when they'd get there, and until then, they'd enjoy the journey.

After god knows how long, they broke apart with puffy lips and wide smiles.

Jungkook took hold of Taehyung's hands, intertwining their fingers and beaming at him. "I'm forever yours."

And Taehyung gave him a smile that turned his eyes into those little crescents, that smile Jungkook loved so much. And he knew there was only one thing he wanted to be for the rest of his life.

"Forever yours."

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The End.

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》 V A L E N W R I T I N G 《

The End?! What?!

How did we like their wedding?!

I have SO MUCH to say, guys. Please continue on to my Author's Note - I have a lot of things I want to share with you all.