Page 119 of Freestyle
The clearing is quiet, tucked between towering cedar and oak, where golden light filters through the leaves like ancient blessings. The grass beneath our feet is soft, sun-warmed, and dotted with scattered wildflowers, tiny bursts of color that feel like nature itself is dressing up for us.
Lanterns hang from low branches, swaying gently in the breeze. Each one glows with warm amber light, flickering like small hearts suspended in air. Fallon and Lyndsy helped string them this morning, their laughter still lingering in the branches.
A circle of stones marks the space, a sacred boundary, not to keep others out but to hold us in. Inside the circle, a simple altar stands wrapped in fabric: rust, olive, and gold. Atop it the ceremonial ribbon waits, braided and ready, trembling ever so slightly in the breeze, like it knows something holy is about to happen.
The guests sit quietly in a ring beyond the stones. Some hold hands, others wipe tears, but all of them seem changed by the gravity in the air. Even the birds seem to hush.
Phoenix catches my eye from across the circle. There’s fire there, excitement, vulnerability, something wild. Gray stands just beside them, calm as tidewater, steady as always. Together, they feel like balance. Like breath.
I step forward, and the grass shifts beneath me. My dress trails like a whisper and for the first time in my life,I feel perfectly placed, not performing, not surviving. Just belonging.
The wind holds its breath. My fingers slide into place between Phoenix’s and Gray’s. Gray’s skin is warm, grounding, familiar. Phoenix’s is electric, like I’m touching the edge of a thunderstorm. Together, our hands form a triangle; not perfect, but whole.
The officiant begins to wind the ribbon, olive, rust, gold, each loop a promise, each pull a thread through time. I feel the fabric tighten around us, not as a tether but as a choice.
Gray’s gaze is steady, the kind that wraps around me like warmth in winter. Phoenix’s jaw trembles slightly, and I squeeze his hand, just once. A silent I see you.
Gray is first to speak.
“I didn’t grow up knowing love could look like this—this kind of gentle, wild, layered thing, but you both taught me. You made space for me to be quiet, and still you hear me. I promise to keep showing up, not just when it’s easy, but when it’s messy and real. I vow to be someone you can lean on, trust with your truth, and grow with, slowly, honestly, always.”
Tears well in my eyes as the last of his words wash over me. His vow wraps around my ribs like it’s made of flesh.
I blink once, twice, trying to catch the tears before they spill. Not because I’m ashamed, but because they feelsacred, like rainfall on scorched ground. He’s still holding my hand, thumb brushing silent comfort across my knuckles. Gentle. Wild. Layered. Just like he said.
Phoenix clears his throat then begins his vows to us.
“You saw me before I knew how to be seen, and you stayed, even when I wasn’t easy to hold. I’ve never felt safer, or more known, than I do in this love. I promise to be your fire and your shelter. To speak when you forget how, to listen when the world gets loud, and to keep choosing you, one breath at a time. You are not my escape, you are my place.”
My beautiful man stands tall and proud beside me. I never knew something could bloom in darkness, but that’s exactly what happened. Opening his heart to both of us meant coming out as bi, and he embraced it wholeheartedly. It was never a question for him. His love for us was more than enough.
The officiant looks to me and nods, ready for me to recite my vows.
“I used to think love meant sacrifice. Then I met you both, and you showed me it could mean returning to myself. With you, I am softer, stronger, and braver. I vow to keep learning how to love you better every day. I promise to hold your hands through storms, to celebrate your joy like it’s mine, and to fight for us, because you’re both worth everything.”
As my words hang in the air, a profound silence envelops the clearing, reverberating with the weight of promises made. The world around us seems to fade, leaving only the three of us, bound by love, trust, and the shared journey that brought us here.
The officiant smiles warmly, acknowledging the sacredness of our vows. “With these words, you have woven a tapestry of commitment, a bond that transcends the ordinary. May your love continue to grow, nourished by honesty, respect, and the wild beauty of your connection.”
I glance at Gray and Phoenix, their eyes shining with unshed tears, their expressions a mixture of joy and vulnerability. In that moment, I realize that we are not just promising to love one another; we are promising to create a space where each of us can flourish, where our scars are transformed into stories of strength.
“Now, let us seal these vows,” the officiant continues, reaching for the braided ribbon. “As you tie this together, may it symbolize the unity of your hearts, forever intertwined.”
With hands still joined, we lean forward, and together we wrap the ribbon around our joined hands, each loop representing the love and commitment we’ve just expressed. As the final knot is tied, a gentle breeze rustles the leaves above us, a soft applause from nature itself.
“May you always find strength in each other, and may your love be a guiding light,” the officiant concludes, stepping back to allow us to bask in the moment.
I turn to Gray and Phoenix, my heart swelling with gratitude and love. “We did this together,” I say, my voice barely above a whisper, yet filled with conviction.
The officiant unties the ribbon from our hands and passes the bundle to me.
I press it against my chest, feeling the heat radiating from Gray and Phoenix.
They take a step forward, cupping my cheeks, one on either side.
Their lips brush against my forehead, my cheeks, and then finally Gray meets my lips.
The kiss is an explosion of pent-up emotion, a collision of our past and present. It’s raw, passionate, and laced with the darkness we’ve embraced together. He pulls back and Nix pulls me into his arms, enveloping me.
