Edited 7/6/22.

A/N: This chapter contains mild swearing and implied sexual content.

***

"Come on, dude- give me a smile! Say cheese!"

"...I can tell you're recording."

"What? How?"

"Because I can see the recording button..?"

"Ah, whatever. But show me those pearly whites anyway! How many times in your life are you going to do an adult themed bouncy obstacle course?"

"You know what? You got me there." Marshall grins and holds up a peace sign. "Cheese!"

"That's the spirit! There's that award winning smile!" Brad beams. "And a big ol' happy birthday from me to you!"

Marshall takes hold of his Barcelona pendant with one hand, while the other holds his phone. The video from three years ago stops on a blurred image of Brad laughing; he had been running away with his friend's phone in hand. A large white circle with a clear triangle is in the middle of the screen, partially hiding Romero's face.

A radiant smile makes Marshall feel a bit choked up.

He scrolls a few times and comes face to face with a picture of himself. His cheeks are covered in pink frosting. He's frozen in a half leaning position with his hands meeting for a clap. A large grin makes his eyes scrunch.

Marshall scrolls again.

In another picture, he's wearing a comically large pair of sunglasses. Brad is wearing a fuzzy pink wig, and his hazel eyes are crossed while his tongue is sticking out.

The image is silly. And it sums up their friendship pretty well if the vampire is being honest.

Funny, sweet, endearing.

It hurts to know that Brad's not here right now.

"You okay, Marshmallow?" Paul asks. He glances over before turning back toward the road in front of them.

"Yeah, it's just-" Marshall sighs. "This is my first birthday without Brad since we met. No matter what, we always did something together whether it be big or small. It feels... weird... to not have him be part of this. To not be part of today."

"Isn't he though?

Paul stops at a red light. His gaze is pulled over toward his husband. Brown eyes look down at the Barcelona pendant. He takes it into his hands and gives it a light kiss. The necklace is then placed against Marshall's lips.

"Because, although he may not be here physically, you've still got a piece of him. Right here."

Golden eyes fall toward the vampire's lap as a sense of bashfulness comes over him. He feels the phantom sensation of a blush in his cheeks. His chest also feels warm.

Marshall takes hold of the pendant again with both hands. He fiddles with it when the car resumes its movements.

The pit that has been forming in his stomach all day has finally begun to dissipate. He doesn't feel as sad as he has been. And it's all because of a simple statement from his partner.

"I don't know how I ever dealt with things before I met you," Marshall says. "You make my problems go away as soon as you learn about them. It's like you're magical or some shit."

"Maybe I am. You never know," Paul answers with a grin. "But seriously. I'm glad I can help you when you need it. And I'm always going to do so. You won't ever have to face your problems by yourself again as long as I'm here, Honey Bun."

"Mmm, I do have another issue though."

"Oh? What's that?"

"I still have no idea where we're going."

"...I'll help you with any problem except that one." Paul sticks his tongue out in a playful manner. "We'll be there soon, don't worry. You're going to love it."

Marshall's teasing expression softens. He leans back in his seat and pulls his attention toward the window.

It's pretty gray and bleak out today. Trees are differing hues with autumn now being in full swing. A harsh breeze tosses dead leaves through the air like paper. Light droplets of rain make contact with the front windshield, but they're small enough to barely be noticeable.

It's quite a different scene in comparison to last year during the beach party.

Gloomy weather or not though—a certain somebody's birthday is being celebrated all the same. And he's going to have as much fun as he can.

His eyebrows raise when they pull into a large parking lot similar to the ones that huge malls have. At first, all that can be seen is a large gray building. He can't fully make out the sign due to its angling in conjunction with the car's position. As the two get closer though, Marshall feels his excitement sky rocket.

Here goes another first that Paul will be taking.

"A roller rink?!"

"And arcade, Honey Bun."

"Paul!"

Marshall does a little happy dance in his seat.

He's never gone skating before, at least not with roller blades or those old fashioned skates. It's because of his upbringing that the vampire has never been able to partake in the activity. He was around when disco roller rinks were at their most popular, but he was never able to go. This is probably the closest he's going to get to experiencing the real thing.

Either way, it's cool. It's really cool. He's also more than excited to be trying something new today.

"Babe, seriously- you pick the best spots," Marshall states, shaking his head in disbelief. "I'm totally going to bust my ass. And it's going to be hilarious."

Both males break out into squeaky cackles. It continues even after they park the car in a spot toward the center of the lot. Golden eyes take in the structure a few meters away.

Written in bold green and blue letters is Rollin' Galaxy Skate Rink. A pair of black skates are hanging off of the 'k' in Rink. Large tinted glass doors lead to the inside of the establishment. From his position, Marshall can see flashing lights coming from inside. Although he's far, he can smell the faint scent of popcorn and cotton candy.

It fills him with a childish level of excitement.

He aims to exit the car but stops when a hand settles on his left arm. "Hm? All good, Tiger?"

"Yeah, all good. Just- before we go in, I want you to open one of your presents. You'll get the other one later."

Paul reaches behind his seat and pulls a box out from underneath it. The cardboard is white with a bright purple ribbon keeping everything together. It's a moderately sized box as well, which makes his husband's eyes widen.

Marshall takes the box. He sets it in his lap, while his hands begin to untie the soft ribbon. A single tug makes it come undone. The strip of fabric is rolled up and placed into the cup holder beside him to be saved for later.

He brings his attention back down to his lap. Both hands take hold of either side of the box's lid, pulling it upward.

Golden eyes take in the sight of a new leather jacket with Lahote displayed on the back. It's a custom-made garment similar to the one Paul's wearing right now. Hand stitched lettering is in a vibrant shade of fluorescent purple. Beneath it is a hand stitched design of a silver wolf's side profile.

Marshall sets the top of the box down onto the dashboard. He takes the entire jacket out to get a better look at it.

The leather feels wonderful; it's not thin or rubbery. It doesn't feel like it'll tear easily. Similarly to his old jacket, it has silver braided chains hanging off of the arms. His first name is embroidered along the jacket's neckline. The zipper for the front is a shimmering silver. A familiar form of a pair of wings is the shape used for its base.

"Paul, this is- it's beautiful."

"Well, when you put it on, it'll be right where it belongs."

Marshall smiles.

The other part of the box is set onto the dashboard as well. He doesn't notice when Paul takes both pieces and puts them in the back seat. The vampire is too preoccupied with taking off his trench coat—which is tossed in the back as well. He slides on the new garment with ease.

It's the perfect size. The inside is lined with thin fleece. It's soft and warm against his skin. A single hand runs up against the leather to appreciate it more.

"Did I do good?" Paul teases.

"Oh, I'll show you how good you did when we get home."

Laughing, both men exit the car. Marshall circles around toward the trunk and is met by his husband as he locks the car. They join hands like normal.

With their jackets being open, both garments bellow in response to a constant breeze. Said breeze is also tousling their hair, but it isn't enough to pose as an issue. Gold and silver chains clink against each other. Their strides and statures are confident.

A few people look their way. Intrigued glances are ignored. Two sets of eyes are more focused on the lights flashing from inside.

Paul opens the door, and Marshall walks in first. He takes in the sights around him as his husband checks in at the front desk.

Most of the area consists of the roller rink itself, which is made up of shining light hardwood. People of all ages are skating inside of it. A glimmering disco ball is hanging from the ceiling. Spotlights are illuminating the room in a plethora of colors. Below him, the carpet has space themed shapes making up its patterns. Tables and chairs also follow suit in terms of design. Toward the back, he can make out a decently sized arcade setup. It isn't as expansive as the one from the amusement park, but it's still big.

"Blades or skates, Marshmallow?"

"Uh- I'll go with skates."

He's given a pink wristband, along with a pair of vintage looking roller skates. They're high tops with four wheels. A stopper acting as a break sits on the bottom toe of both shoes. They're a strange conglomeration of blue, red, and green. The color palette somehow fuels a vintage feel.

A single hand takes hold of both skates, while the other is claimed by Paul. Marshall is led further into the establishment. He continues to look around some more while bobbing his head to the music playing from some overhead speakers.

The vampire is glancing over the menu by a small snack bar when multiple familiar scents catch his attention. He finds his eyes widening as he sees some of his coworkers, along with the pack members, and even Bobby, sitting at a few tables. Everyone gives excited waves in response to being seen.

"Happy birthday!"

"This is going to be every year, isn't it?" Marshall chuckles. His grin turns shy. "Thanks, guys."

"Are we finally going to see you do something you're not good at?" Carlos teases.

"Yes, yes you are. And it's going to be amazing."

Everyone bursts into laughter at the honest statement.

Marshall sits down at a free booth to begin removing his shoes. They're placed underneath his seat with purple laces keeping them together. He slides on the pair of skates and is thankful for their comfortable interior. They're laced up like regular shoes. He also double knots just to make sure nothing goes flying when he falls—because he knows he's going to at some point.

When he's ready, Marshall stands up. It's a little fast though, and he finds his body moving without him telling it to. He braces himself against the table.

"Oh, we are in for a ride today!"

The vampire is rescued by Paul as he allows for his husband to use him for support.

The overhead speakers become a bit louder due to a song change, a groovy seventies tune coming on when everyone decides to move to the rink.

A couple of people skate on without any issues, while a few others remain toward the outer edges to have something to hold onto. Marshall is one of these people. He smiles when a little girl steadies herself against his pant leg in order to not fall. Her mother gives an apology, but it's waved off. They make small conversation before the mother-daughter duo continue skating.

Marshall feels a pair of hands brace against his shoulders not even a minute later. He teeters a bit.

"Jared, I swear- I will fall, and I will bring you with me!"

As if he doesn't take the threat seriously, Jared adds a bit more weight.

Both men actually go toppling over.

In his peripheral vision, Marshall can make out Paul shaking his head and laughing. He chooses to be helpful by skating over to assist.

Well, his husband, at least.

When the vampire is pulled upright again, Jared is left to flail on the ground. He's rescued by Sam, who is also laughing at the pitiful display.

"I told you I'd bust my ass. And I was also right when I said it'd be hilarious."

"Yeah, yeah." Paul smirks.

A pair of hands settle against the vampire's hips. They act as support, so he can actually start learning how to skate. Cautious steps are taken to get used to the glide of the wheels. He finds himself stopping short a few times because he's unsure of how to hold his weight. The chains on his jacket clink when his arms flap in an attempt to keep himself from slipping.

Marshall knows that Paul wouldn't purposely let that happen, but he'd rather be a little more cautious now that they're closer to the center of the rink.

The vampire listens with unwavering attention as his husband and a few friends give some pointers. Bobby's tip of gliding with the front skate helps things move a little better.

Marshall's strides become a little longer and less wobbly as he practices. The hands keeping him steady never leave his hips. He catches Emily taking pictures while everything happens. It makes him feel tingly inside.

Marshall takes one of Paul's hands when it's presented. The vampire feels a firm chest settle against his back. Both men take careful strides across the shining floor. Rolling wheels against hardwood are quiet because of loud overhead speakers.

At one point, Marshall's other hip is released. He's pulled into a slow spin. It's a bit much for him, and he actually does slip a bit. He's grabbed again before being given a chance to start falling.

A quick breath is sucked in when he's pulled against his husband's chest again. This time though, both men are given the opportunity to look at each other. They're silent as Paul spins them as a collective unit.

Boisterous laughter is lost in the background. Colorful lights are reflected in shimmering eyes. It feels less like they're skating and more like they're dancing.

Another flash of a camera goes off in the distance. Neither male questions it because they're more preoccupied with sharing light kisses.

Everyone continues skating for awhile until people start complaining of feeling hungry. They make their way back to the tables for a short break.

Marshall plops down in a booth with a huff. He slides off his skates and rolls out his ankles that are no longer confined.

A waitress comes over, taking a large order of six pizzas and four pitchers of soda. She's polite when jotting everything down. After she walks off, everyone chooses that moment to crowd around the birthday boy to present him with gifts.

Considering it's a public space, the gifts aren't anything too big. It seems to have been taken into account that Marshall will have to carry everything back to the car; so his gifts are on the smaller side.

That doesn't make them less meaningful though.

He's presented with an array of new shirts and jeans, some vinyls, a new pair of earphones, some games for the consoles at home, and a pretty lengthy recipe book. One of the gifts that really hits it home though, is a gift from Bobby: a flask with a picture on the front of it.

The photograph depicts the bartender himself, Marshall, and Brad. They're all clinking drinks together while smiling.

The vampire tears up a little but does his best to play it off.

The last gift he's presented with is an envelope from Paul.

"Happy birthday, Marshmallow. I hope you like it," he says with a soft grin.

Marshall is careful when he tears open the envelope. He tilts his head to the side when he sees a letter and a postcard. The second item is picked up first.

A beautiful image of The Charles Bridge in Prague is shown. It's snowing in the picture. Everything is caked in a faint coating of white. Orange hued lights are shining off of the water surrounding the bridge, and neighboring complexes are lit up as well.

Humming, Marshall turns the card over. His eyes widen when he sees, written in Paul's handwriting, a short message: See you soon!

They make eye contact before the letter is unfolded. Marshall takes it upon himself to read it out loud.

"Hey there, Marshmallow. Seems your birthday's rolled around again. Isn't that crazy? Another year around the sun. It's been a pretty hectic year, and I know things have been tough. But life's also getting better. Because of that, I thought we'd do something crazy.

"Our marriage was pretty sudden, so we never got to go on our honeymoon. Well, let's change that!" He pauses to let out a huff in surprise. "After our big show, we have another pretty lengthy break. So let's do something crazy, and go- oh my God- and go to Europe! We're going to have loads to do.

"Now, you might be wondering- where has my amazing, handsome husband planned for us to go? Well, considering the types of places you like, we'll be stopping in: Prague in the Czech Republic; Vienna in Austria; Bern in Switzerland; and Amalfi Coast in Italy. So grab your passport, Honey Bun. Because you're going to need it! See you in Europe next- next month!

"Holy- Paul!!"

Marshall can't contain his eager excitement. He sets everything down onto the table and launches himself at his husband. The two meet for a tight embrace. Multiple fat kisses are given to Paul all over his face.

After releasing his husband, Marshall does little hops from foot to foot. His smile is the biggest it's ever been. And despite his eyes being full of tears, there's an unmistakable look of complete adoration in them.

For just a moment, the couple forget that other people are around them. For a moment, all they pay attention to is each other's open, vulnerable expressions.

It makes Marshall and Paul feel as if they're falling in love all over again.