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inkameswetrust · 1 month ago

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Meet Me At The Altar (A Kames Oneshot)

Pairing: James Diamond x Kendall Diamond

Characters: James Diamond, Kendall Diamond, Logan Hortense Mitchell, Carlos Garcia, Jennifer Knight, Katie Knight, (The Mention Of) Brooke Diamond

Content Warnings: Fluff/Angst, BL, SFW, Adult Romance, Implied/Suggested Homophobia, Gay Marriage

Word Count: 4,408

Timeline: TWS Future

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Kendall looked at himself in the arched full-length mirror, adjusting his Aegean blue tuxedo in his reflection. Something about his appearance didn't feel right. He felt incomplete, as though a puzzle piece had been scattered somewhere out of sight. Kendall focused on the folds and creases enveloping his joints until he'd forgotten about the loose bow tie atop the loveseat behind him. He grimaced at his reflection, desperately searching for something on his person to fix or adjust.

"Honey, are you all right in there?" Jennifer asked, accompanying her query with a gentle knock.

"Yeah, Mom, I'm fine."

"Can I come in?" Jennifer pleaded. "You've been in there for quite some time."

Kendall glances at the dressing room door through his peripherals, his fingers still tracing the lapels of his suit jacket in search of an error to correct. His eyes fluttered shut for a moment, contemplating whether or not to grant his mother entry. It'd been stressful enough fixating on his appearance for as long as he had and holding up the ceremony. Though, Kendall had nothing to lose at this point.

"Sure," Kendall sighed.

The door slowly creaked open with Jennifer's gentle shove. She was hesitant to see how Kendall looked but couldn't help gushing as her eyes betrayed her. Jennifer was misty-eyed as she took in the sight of her beloved son having grown up. She placed her open palm just below her collarbone, her breath balling up in the back of her throat like mildew in a gutter.

"Sweetheart..." Jennifer trembled, gazing at Kendall with wide, tear-stricken eyes.

"Mom, are you all right?" Kendall muttered, awkwardly lifting his shoulders. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

Jennifer took a moment to compose herself, clearing her throat and bringing her fingertip to the corners of her eyes to wipe any tears that dared to betray her conscience. She combed her hair out of her face, a voluminous mixture of greys and reds draping her cheekbones.

"I'm fine, don't worry about me," Jennifer assured, sniffling through her words. "Is it stuffy in here? It feels a little stuffy."

Kendall's chest fell with a heavy sigh as his gaze softened with a more empathetic look to round out his eyes. "C'mere," he breathed as he strode toward his mother with open arms. Kendall curved his upper spine to lean his head on Jennifer's shoulder while his forearms pressed into her back for the beginnings of a tight embrace. Jennifer was initially reluctant but was powerless to protest her son's gesture. With hands twice as shaky as her breath, Jennifer clung to Kendall's shoulders and hugged him back.

"Honey, I'm fine. Really," Jennifer mumbled with false confidence.

"No offense, Mom, but you are a terrible liar," Kendall chuckled, hoping to lighten the mood.

Jennifer pulled back with a sour expression and a gentle smack from the back of her hand awaiting Kendall's shoulder. "Hey!" she cried, withdrawing herself completely.

"I'm just saying. I know I got it from somewhere," Kendall chuckled, "But seriously, are you okay?"

Before Jennifer could respond, the dressing room door swiftly opened halfway through the frame. She and Kendall turned their heads to face their unexpected visitor. Katie poked her head through the door, saying, "Hey, Mom, how much longer is—?"

"Katie, go back to the aisle!!" Jennifer barked, her muscles tense and her face wide-eyed.

"Alright, jeez. But don't you think I'm a little old for this?" Katie groaned, gesturing at the basket of flower petals in her hand.

"Katie. Now."

"Alright, I'm going!"

Before Katie shuts the door, her gaze falls upon Kendall. She looks him up and down, taking in the sight of his appearance entirely. From an outside perspective, her gaze looks judgmental, but truthfully, she's quite impressed.

"Looking good, big brother," Katie remarked on her way out.

Kendall nodded silently with an awkward grin. Jennifer composed herself at the sound of the door shutting behind her. She inhaled with downward-facing eyes and said, "I'm okay."

"Alright then," Kendall replied, silencing his disbelief. "I guess it's about time we head out."

As prepared as Jennifer was to begin the ceremony, she noticed something was missing. She quickly scanned Kendall's person for any hint of incompletion until she saw how barren his collar was without a tie.

"Kendall, where's your tie?"

"I knew I was forgetting something..."

While Kendall awkwardly plunged his fists into his pockets, Jennifer frantically searched the room for his tie. She saw it limp atop the loveseat, untied and unraveled. Jennifer snatched it from the loveseat cushion and hurriedly hooked it around Kendall's collar. Her rapid movements surprised Kendall and caused him to fidget and wriggle before her.

"Mom, stop! I can do this myself!" Kendall protested.

"If you could tie your own tie, we wouldn't be thirty minutes behind schedule," Jennifer refuted as she pulled the ends through one final loop and tightened the bow tie indefinitely. "Now, let's get out there."

As Jennifer reaches for the door, Kendall's feet stay planted before the full-length mirror as he continues studying himself. Dissatisfied and uncertain, he cries, "Mom, wait!" Jennifer turns her head and stares at Kendall blankly.

"I still feel like something's missing..." Kendall confesses, twisting and turning in his reflection.

Jennifer's brows sank as she realized the source behind Kendall's unease. He was indecisive and restless—two of many telltale signs of his nervousness. She crossed her arms and leaned against the doorpost, asking, "Kendall, is it possible you're stalling for time?"

"Don't be ridiculous," Kendall scoffs as he rolls his eyes. "Why on Earth would I do that?"

"Because you're nervous."

Kendall tensed up at Jennifer's response, awkwardly stammering as he desperately tried to string together a confident rebuttal. He tucked his head between his rising shoulders, his voice lifted uncomfortably, and a crooked grin swept over his face as Kendall said, "Pshh! What? No, I'm not nervous. I'm just... dehydrated?"

"Who's the terrible liar now?" Jennifer teased, cocking her brow with a victorious smirk.

"Okay, fine!" Kendall barked defeatedly.

Jennifer strode back into the room and studied Kendall's form to aid him in his pursuit. Even if Kendall was intentionally putting off the ceremony, the least Jennifer could do was play along to calm his nerves. She perked up at the spark of a realization. Kendall had not yet taken his wedding bouquet.

"I think I might know what you're missing," Jennifer remarks as she takes Kendall's bouquet from the table in the corner. She sighed, noticing how a few petals had wilted and fallen off from lack of space, air, or sunlight. You'd think Kendall would know better than to keep a bouquet of fresh lilacs limp on a table.

"Oh, honestly, Kendall!" Jennifer cried, fluffing out the ends of the bouquet in hopes the stems hadn't bent. "With how you keep these flowers, they're set to wilt before you even say your vows!"

"Mom!"

"Right, sorry!"

Jennifer's eyes bounced back and forth between Kendall and his bouquet. She picked a budding flower from the bunch and fastened it into Kendall's breast pocket. After bringing her thumb and index finger to her chin, she said, "I think this is it. What do you think?"

Kendall spun around to face the mirror, his eyes drifting down his suit jacket as his face expressed newfound satisfaction. The lilac in his breast pocket complimented the colors of his suit and tied his whole look together.

"I think it's just right," Kendall breathed confidently, his smile beaming in his reflection.

"Great!" Jennifer replied hurriedly. "Let's get going!"

Kendall rolled his eyes and fled the dressing room with his lilac bouquet in one hand and Jennifer's hand in the other. They rushed to the beginning of the aisle, where Katie waited patiently for them. She had an uncertain look on her face, the left corner of her lips curving downward in a crooked frown.

"Hey, Kendall..." Katie croaked awkwardly.

Kendall's eyes narrowed in concern. Katie's tone of voice alerted him of incoming ill tidings. He nervously gripped the base of his bouquet while attempting to wear a brave face.

"What happened?" Kendall queried as he looked forward and found that his husband-to-be was not waiting for him at the altar. "Where is James?"

"Well..."

The sound of trampling feet alerts Kendall from behind. As the sound draws nearer, a familiar, panting voice calls out for him. He turns back and sees Logan racing toward him.

"Kendall!" Logan cries. "You've gotta come quick! I think something's wrong with James!"

Struggling to make a move, Kendall awkwardly hands his bouquet to Jennifer and sprints for the exit. He leaves his loved ones waiting in suspense and impatience as he hurries away with Logan following closely behind him. His feet drum against the floor with each step, the hallways tunneling behind him as he charges through the double doors.

"Don't worry, man. It's gonna be okay!" Carlos assured weakly, rubbing circles on the groom's back in his fruitless efforts to console him.

"What happened to him?" Kendall asked, his voice demanding in its query and his fists clenching in defense.

"I don't know," Logan replied. "He was on the phone with someone and just started freaking out."

James pulled away from Carlos, his spine curved as he hunched over the hand that frustratingly crammed his cell phone. Not wanting to give up, Carlos outstretched his hand again. He took caution in approaching James as he was evidently uneasy. It killed Carlos to see his best bud crumbling under so much pressure.

"We can still figure something out. It'll be fine!" Carlos continued, the corners in his face sharpening from wariness.

"No, you don't get it!" James snapped as he slapped Carlos' hand away. "There's nothing to figure out!"

Heartbroken and stunned, Carlos steps back as he massages the sting in his hand. Though it couldn't possibly measure up to the stab wound James' sharp words and barking voice left in the deepest crevice of Carlos' heart.

"Woah, take it easy!" Kendall cried as he rushed to James' side. James was immediately pulled from his fraught haze. Kendall took him by the shoulders, ensuring he'd stay put and compose himself. Carlos and Logan stood awkwardly behind them, exchanging worried glances and concerned murmurs.

"What happened? Tell me what's going on." Kendall began, his voice as stern as his grip was firm.

James shook in Kendall's grasp. His body trembled with an uneasy rhythm of buzzing vibrations. He hyperventilated under Kendall's gaze, his chest tightening with each staggered breath. Realizing he was only worsening James' distress, Kendall loosened his grip and softened his voice.

"What happened, James?" Kendall voiced as he slinked his hands down his groom's forearms.

"She's... not coming."

"Who's not coming?"

The words dangled on the tip of James' tongue. They stole his voice and plagued his mind like a curse. His eyes continuously darted back and forth between Kendall and the pair of concerned bystanders they knew as their best friends. His words poisoned him, robbing him of his breath and coherence. James swallowed hard and pinched his eyes shut, blurting out, "M-My mom! My mom, okay?! She's not coming! There, I said it!"

A silent gasp slipped past Kendall's lips as he relinquished his grasp on James. He looked back at his friends with a stoic, hardened gaze, saying, "Could you two give us a moment?"

After sharing pensive glances, they nodded in unison at Kendall and turned back to reenter the wedding venue. They continued waiting for the almost newlyweds among the rest of the guests. Kendall's focus returned to James. His gaze softened at the sight of his groom's eyes rounding in the beginnings of a sob. They were glassy with hot tears of disappointment and betrayal. The contours of James' face deepened as he began to silently weep.

"I-I'm sorry, I can't do this," James croaked. "Not without her."

"What?!" Kendall choked, his jaw sinking and eyes snapping open. "What does that mean, James?"

"My mom... she told me she loved me," James began, turning away to avoid Kendall's gaze. "But she couldn't stand to watch me throw away my life like this."

James rubbed his palm against his eyes, hastily wiping his tears as he turned his back on Kendall. He shook his head with a heavy sigh that rattled through his lungs like loose change in a jar. His words tore at Kendall's heart, tearing it apart like fabric. Kendall watched on the precipice of heartbreak as James curled his fingers in defense.

"I've spent my whole life trying to please her, Kendall. I used to be good enough for her," James continued. "Which is why I thought what was good enough for me was good enough for her, too. I thought she'd finally come around."

James sniffled as he turned back to face Kendall. His eyes reddened from a teary aftermath that left his face dewy and sullen. He swallowed the anguish drying up his throat and manifesting in word vomit by saying, "I gave everything I got to make her happy... and it was all a big waste of time."

"And I gave everything I got not to lose you," Kendall refuted, bringing his palms to the space on his chest just below his collarbone. "But that wasn't a waste of time, was it?"

"No, of course not."

"Then why do you keep letting your mom control you the way she does?" Kendall queried. "The James Diamond I know would never let anyone stand in the way of what makes him happy, not even her."

Kendall strode toward James, his hands gently roaming over the lapels of his smokey violet tuxedo. Their eyes met in a mutually teary gaze. Kendall's eyes traveled down the line of buttons on James' milky white collared shirt, a pensive trail of green swimming down a waterfall of clothing.

"If that were the case, we wouldn't be here today," Kendall added, chuckling through the shakiness in his voice. "You wouldn't have snuck through my bedroom window so often."

James' eyes followed every movement of Kendall's hands. They grounded him somehow, giving him something else to feel and focus on. His chest rose and fell with lighter, slower breaths, allowing Kendall's hands to sail across calmer waters. Their eyes rose to greet each other in a bittersweet gaze of understanding. Kendall could sense James' inner turmoil diminishing, but it had still yet to cease its reign of anguish.

"Why are you here?" James whispered hesitantly, placing his hand atop Kendall's so its impression on his chest would linger.

"What do you mean?"

"Isn't it bad luck to see you before the wedding or something?" James replied with a forced chuckle.

"James, that only applies to brides, and last I checked, I'm not a woman."

"Yeah, but you're not the one who proposed."

"Are you calling me a woman?"

"Not necessarily..."

James and Kendall shared kindred smiles and giggles with one another. Gone were their distressed tears, frowning faces, and hearts teetering on heartbreak. Their gazes had mutually softened, and their previously tear-soaked skin was nearly dry.

"Seriously, though," James began. "Why are you here?"

"You think I wouldn't show up when you needed me?"

"Well, I'm a mess right now," James continued. "You don't think I'm ever too much?"

Kendall stopped to ponder the groom's query. He hummed pensively, his lips curving and his voice vibrating to the tune of his exhale. Kendall thought about the times when their roles were reversed. There were times during their adolescence when James had been Kendall's shoulder to cry on when he'd broken down and faced his most difficult struggles. Why would this be any different?

"Have you ever thought I was too much?" Kendall responded. "I wasn't always the best boyfriend growing up. I was a jerk sometimes. I lied sometimes. I drove you crazy a lot of the time. Sometimes, I even drove you away."

Kendall raised his vacant hand to James' cheek, granting his groom the opportunity to lean into his touch as he gently stroked his face. Though no words had been spoken in that brief moment, it was evident that both men had silently recalled their teenage years and the struggles that came with them.

"You still showed up. You came back every time," Kendall remarked painstakingly. "So, was I ever too much?"

"Of course not."

Though Kendall was relieved to hear James' response, he couldn't help noticing a lingering hint of apprehension. "Then why do you look like you still don't understand?" he asked, ceasing his gentle strokes.

"Because I don't. Why are you still here?"

"Let me ask you this," Kendall began. "Do you wanna marry me?"

"Absolutely."

"Then why don't you meet me at the altar and find out?" Kendall suggested with a cock of his head and the turn of a smirk. "Can you do that for me?"

A small part of James wanted to wait for his mother in case she'd magically show up at the last minute and rescind her earlier disapproval. However, he recognized that'd be a fruitless endeavor and would only lead to additional heartbreak. James thought about what Kendall said about continuing to entertain his mother's emotional dictatorship over him. He'd suffered under her parental tyranny for so long that he'd lost sight of his happiness. But it was time to redirect his focus and start advocating for himself, even if that meant leaving his mother behind.

"Yeah, I can do that," James breathed.

"Good," Kendall whispered, pulling James in for a long overdue hug. He clung to James' upper torso and slowly swayed back and forth to simulate cradling motions. His embrace was grounding, relaxing, and emotionally stimulating. James surrendered to Kendall, clutching his back as he buried his face in his husband-to-be's shoulder. He felt he could finally breathe once again after struggling to tread water in the depths of his inner turmoil for so long.

After giving James' torso a gentle squeeze, Kendall pulled away and let his hands drift down the length of James' arms until they reached his fingers. "C'mon, let's get back in there," he said, intertwining their fingers and leading James back into the venue.

The two soon-to-be-married men hurried back to the beginning of the aisle, where Jennifer and Katie happily awaited their return. Jennifer hurriedly gestured for Katie to begin spreading the flower petals. Katie obliged, beginning her stroll down the aisle as she scattered a mixture of cornflower and lavender petals with each step.

"Change of plans, Mom," Kendall warned as he retrieved his bouquet of lilacs and handed it to James. "You'll be walking James down the aisle instead."

"I will?" Jennifer uttered.

"She will?" James added.

"Just trust me on this," Kendall implored.

James and Jennifer exchanged glances, their brows rising as they contemplated this minor yet unexpected change. "Is that okay with you, James?" she asked, not wanting to anticipate anything.

James turned to Kendall and was met with a confident, assured gaze. The blonde wore a beautifully dimpled smile that put James' worries to rest, assuring him that he was certain about making this gesture. He nodded at James, granting him permission to walk down the aisle in his stead.

"Yeah, I'm fine with that," James replied.

Kendall fled the aisle with two hearty thumbs-ups and stood at the altar in James' place, where Logan, Carlos, and the officiant awaited his presence. Jennifer took James by the arm and looked up at him, saying, "Are you ready?"

James nervously clutched Kendall's bouquet, clinging to it like a lifeline. He kept his eyes forward as he replied, saying, "Ready as I'll ever be."

The two began their silent stroll down the aisle. Kendall stood proudly at the altar, his hands folded firmly before him and his smile beaming with joy so palpable it weighed on the skin of his face. Carlos stood behind him, fighting back the tears that expressed the happiness he felt for two of his best buds. Logan slowly turned his head to Carlos, his eyes wrinkling in an impartial stare.

"Why are you crying? He hasn't even made it down the aisle yet," Logan asked in a hushed whisper.

"Weddings just make me cry, man!" Carlos whispered back. Logan rolled his eyes and consoled Carlos with a couple pats on the back and a quick rub on his shoulder. Carlos frantically wiped his tears to avoid drawing attention from the almost-married couple but his tears kept flooding like a leaky faucet. Logan sighed as he retrieved the handkerchief from his breast pocket and handed it to his weeping friend. As Carlos' nose honked into the handkerchief, Logan pulled him onto his shoulder and rubbed circles into his back to relinquish Carlos' tears indefinitely.

"Thank you for doing this, Mrs. Knight," James mumbled as he and Jennifer continued their stroll.

"You've known me for years, honey," Jennifer replied. "Call me Jennifer."

"Right... thank you, Jennifer."

"You're welcome," Jennifer grinned. "So, are you okay now?"

"No," James confessed with a heavy sigh. "But I will be."

As their stroll down the aisle came to a reluctant end, Jennifer joined Katie in the audience, and James stood across from Kendall at the altar. James' eyes locked with Kendall's, a mixture of hope and contentment swimming in his emerald gaze. His heart swelled to see so much love flickering in Kendall's eyes. They took each other's hands and grinned at one another as if it were almost a competition.

"Oh, here," James utters as he returns the lilac bouquet to Kendall. "You should have this back."

"Thanks for keeping it warm for me," Kendall chuckled, eliciting a kindred reaction from James.

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to celebrate the union of James Diamond and Kendall Knight in matrimony," The wedding officiant began.

The ceremony continued with an overdrawn script from the officiant, a heartfelt exchange of vows, and many shed tears. The nearly married couple cracked a few jokes in their vows, shared a couple laughs, and referred to their two closest friends standing closely behind them. A myriad of reactions emerged from the audience—coos, tears, blank stares, and nodding heads.

"James and Kendall will now exchange rings as a symbol of their love and lifelong commitment." The officiant remarked, allowing Carlos and Logan to present a pair of silver wedding bands. James took Kendall's hand, gently inserting his finger into his assigned ring. Kendall returned the gesture, the excitement on their faces radiant and infectious. Their pair of best buds stepped back and watched as the final moments of the ceremony unfolded.

"Kendall, do you take James Diamond to be your lawfully wedded husband?" The officiant began once more. "Do you promise to love and cherish him, in sickness and in health, for richer for poorer, for better for worse, for so long as you both shall live?"

"I do," Kendall grinned.

"And James, do you take Kendall Knight to be—" The officiant trailed off.

"Yes, absolutely!" James beamed. "You had me at Kendall."

Cheers and giggles emerged from the audience at James' display of eagerness and excitement. Kendall's cheeks flushed with color, highlighting the contours of his dimpled smile. James looked into the audience, his gaze falling upon the reserved seat meant for his mother. It stung to see her chair empty, barren, and cold. But he couldn't afford to focus on a loss that couldn't possibly measure up to the greatest victory awaiting him in real-time. He returned his gaze to Kendall, squeezing his hands the way he'd grown accustomed to feeling.

"If there are no objections, then by the power vested in me by the state of Minnesota, I now pronounce you husband and husband," The officiant concluded. "You may now kiss the—"

James' arms immediately enveloped Kendall's waist in his abrupt kiss. Pleasantly surprised and powerless to resist, Kendall throws his arms around James' neck, their bodies flush against one another as they share their first-ever kiss as a married couple. James lifted his husband from the ground, eliciting a surprised yelp as he spun him in circles. His abrupt movements kept Kendall squealing and clinging to him for dear life.

While James fled the altar with his husband securely cradled in his arms, Kendall tossed his bouquet behind him without a second thought. Logan and Carlos simultaneously dove to catch it, crying, "I got it!" in unison. They charged for the bouquet in mid-air and crashed on the ground as they both grabbed different heights of the stems.

The two bouquet-fetching men rose to their feet, realizing they'd both caught the bouquet. They narrowed their eyes at each other in competitive gazes as the tension began poisoning their better judgment.

"I believe I grabbed the bouquet first, so you can let go now," Logan sneered as he snatched the lilacs away from Carlos.

"I don't think so. You see, I'm the one who caught the bouquet first," Carlos refuted, pulling the bouquet back toward him.

"Oh, you wish," Logan hissed as he seized the bouquet yet again.

"Yeah, I do wish. So, gimme!" Carlos barked in his attempt to regain ownership of the lilacs.

"Keep dreaming, pal!" Logan retaliated.

The two flower-fueled competitors repeated their back-and-forth motions of snatching the bouquet. They rocked back and forth with each fruitless tug and tussle. It wasn't long before their motions had become more aggressive and combative in their efforts to keep the bouquet of lilacs indefinitely.

As they fought each other to no avail, continuing to pull the bouquet away from each other, it eventually flew out of their hands and back into the air. "No!" they cried in unison as they watched their supposed prize evade them.

"Sorry, boys," Katie smirked as she caught the bouquet without needing to rise from her seat. "This one's mine."

Carlos and Logan's faces fell, their jaws dropping and heads hanging low in defeat. They had no choice but to forfeit the bouquet to the one guest they had no chance of defeating or bargaining with. As the two dispirited men stayed at the altar to wallow in their combined failure, the guests began filing out of the venue to attend the reception.

"Hey, everyone's leaving," Carlos observed, sharing a pensive glance with Logan. They nodded at each other in understanding, their smirks wide and energetic in nature.

"Race you to the reception?" Logan suggested.

"You're on!" Carlos roared.

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