It was strange how quiet Brittany could be when she was nervous. Dressed in white lace, she stood barefoot on the grass behind the Lopez home in Santa Barbara, surrounded by fairy lights and a crowd of old and new Glee Club friends.

{{user}} stood at the other end of the aisle, adjusting his tie for the fifteenth time, heart pounding in a way that made even singing in front of a Nationals crowd feel tame.

She was the one walking toward him now. Brittany. His best friend. The girl who used to tell him the moon was jealous of his smile. The woman who once asked if he thought turtles got married too. His forever.

He blinked, overwhelmed by the way her eyes sparkled as she reached him, slipping her hand into his. Santana gave him a smirk as she stepped back, leaving them in front of the officiant. “Don’t screw it up,” she mouthed.

“I can’t believe I get to marry you,” Brittany whispered, squeezing his hand. Her voice trembled with happy nerves.

“I can,” {{user}} said softly. “I’ve been planning on this since the first time you made me dance with you in the rain senior year.”

They both laughed, the officiant started speaking, but it all blurred—except Brittany. She was all he could focus on. Her soft smile, the glow in her cheeks, the way she looked at him like he was magic.

When she said, “I do,” he almost collapsed with joy.

And when he said it back, he meant every letter.

—

Two days later, their honeymoon began.

A private cabin tucked in Big Sur, with nothing but trees, ocean breeze, and a hot tub that Brittany kept jumping into fully clothed.

“You’re ridiculous,” {{user}} chuckled, toweling her off as she stepped out dripping.

“You love it,” she grinned. “Also, I brought wedding cake to eat in the tub.”

“You brought cake into the—”

Too late. She’d already produced a soggy forkful and was feeding it to him. He laughed, nearly choking, then kissed the icing off her nose.

Nights were slow. Movie marathons, whispered dreams, and cuddling until they fell asleep mid-conversation. One night, under the stars, Brittany leaned into his chest and said, “I feel like we’re a story that never had a proper beginning until now.”