>>5537329Daryl's shocked at this, and considers this offer with clasped hands, staring at the table between the two of you. Despite the fact that a brother is the standard choice for a best man, the thought that you'd give him the honor never seemed to have occurred to him. It's probably to do with your respective temperaments: You're devil-may-care, he's hypervigilant. You've also been somewhat at arm's length since college, or even before that. All things considered, he's actually the perfect choice- he's fashionable, organized, rigorous, and cultured. "I'll make the time. I was going to have to anyway, given you're getting married, but I'm..." His face scrunches up into a self-conscious, giddy grin. "Thank you. I'll get you some ideas for your bachelor's party by the end of the week." Good God, even when he's excited he's on a schedule.
"How have things been going for you?" he asks. The two of you trade college stories, and time slips by. It's nice to be back. It's not quite Fourth of July when you were fifteen, but it's close enough given how much the two of you have changed. That night, you had carried a recently teenage Daryl on your shoulders so he could see the fireworks better. It was tiring, but worth it, and he bought you both snowcones. He was much more excitable when he was younger, happy to talk with his big brother about anything and everything. It feels pretty good that you'll be able to bring that out of him again for the happiest day of your old life.
The conversation turns into a blur, and the pizza disappears. The topic never covers politics, but it does brush up against shared interests, like first-person shooters. In public, Daryl hates them, finding them boring, all-the-same shlock. You do know, however, that he has a love of more tactical FPS, justifying it through a variety of smokescreens but ultimately because it's fun. He's not very good, to be honest, but he's definitely passionate. Hearing the Woodsman scion taunt the enemy team for clearing them all out was a sight to behold.
When you head home, the cheery discussion continues until he looks up and stops talking. It's cool out. You're initially worried that something's off, but you follow his gaze to see Meryl standing outside, absent-mindedly looking at the stars. This doesn't seem like the sort of opportunity you pass up. <span class="mu-g">Give us a bit?</span> He nods, and says, "I probably need to call it a night anyway. It was fun." He slips inside without another word, and you're left in the summer night with your wife.
Meryl is happy when you embrace her from behind, attaching herself to your arm in peace and quiet. <span class="mu-b">"I think we're going to make it after all."</span>
>"Of course we will." Reassure her.>"Did something happen?" Why is she out here alone?>"Your parents..." They wanted to show up, is she fine with that?>"Maine next, right?" You've done all you need to here.>Being alone in the dark gives the two of you opportunity for intimacy.>[Write-In] 