"You're killing me, Zak."

"I told you to be patient!"

Darryl sighed, crossing his arms and pouting slightly. "I'm trying to be patient, you muffin!" The 'Just Married' ribbon they'd stolen off of the bumper of their wedding car was still around his neck.

Tugging on the material and pulling him closer, Zak rested their foreheads together. "You'll find out where we're going when we get there, okay?"

"Okay..." stealing a quick kiss, Darryl resignedly put his arms around him and lay back in his seat. As they looked out of the window at the clouds floating by, the seatbelt light flickered on and the pilot's voice came through the speakers.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we are just about to begin our descent and we will be landing shortly in-"

Zak quickly clamped his hands over Darryl's ears, releasing them a second later as the pilot carried on.

"Please make sure your seatbelt is securely fastened, and remind yourself of the emergency safety procedures as we land. We hope you enjoyed flying with us, and we hope you have a great stay!"

"This hardly seems fair," Darryl muttered, clipping both of their belts into place. "You know I'll find out where we are at the airport, right?"

"I don't care, we're not staying here anyways," Zak shrugged, smirking at his outraged expression. "Can you not just trust me, Mr Carder?"

Blushing furiously, Darryl bit his lip and looked away. Hearing his new surname made him so happy, and he became a pink stuttering mess every time Zak used it.

"What's the matter, Mr Carder? Cat got your tongue?" A mischievous glint flashed in Zak's eyes. "You like it when I call you that, huh? Do you find it cute? Sexy?" Sliding his hand onto Darryl's lap, he started to trace light circles on his inner thighs. Moving further up and sliding his hand under the fabric of Darryl's jeans, he batted his eyelashes at him.

Pulling Zak's hand away, Darryl held it in both of his. "What are you doing?! We're in the middle of a plane!"

"Yeah, a plane where we're the only people in first class, so nobody would even know..." Unbuckling his seatbelt, Zak sat sideways on Darryl's lap and started to play with strands of his hair. "Anyway, what's wrong with having an audience?"

"Oh my goodness... there are so many things wrong with that, you muffin. Get off of me and put your seatbelt back on, it's dangerous!"

"Nope," Zak grinned, spinning on his lap so they could look out of the window at the airport below. "Now give me a cuddle, hubby."

Laughing, Darryl wrapped his arms around him and kissed his cheek. "You're crazy."

"Crazy in love with you," Zak joked, giggling slightly, as the plane touched down onto the tarmac runway.

"Have you been drinking, by any chance?"

"No! I'm not drunk. Sleep deprived, maybe... am I not allowed to give you a compliment?"

"You're allowed to do whatever you like, you muffin." Darryl picked up their hand luggage in one hand and interlaced their fingers with the other. Heading into the arrivals area, they handed over their passports for inspection. "Didn't you sleep well?"

Now it was Zak's turn to blush. "I couldn't sleep... without you."

"Aww, that's sickeningly sweet."

"Name and birthdate, both of you," the inspection officer barked, and they quickly snapped back to his gaze.

"Zak Carder, January 9th, 2000."

"Darryl... Carder, April 2nd, 1998."

"Your name doesn't match these details," the officer stated, glaring at Darryl.

He held up the marriage banner draped around his neck. "My surname changed today..." Checking his watch, he shrugged, "actually, yesterday now. My bachelor name is Darryl Noveschosch, if that helps."

Typing on his computer, the officer scrolled through some form of list until he found sufficient proof. "Very well," the man scowled, apparently disappointed that they were telling the truth. Thrusting their passports back into their hands, he brusquely waved them away.

"Well, wasn't he just a ray of sunshine?" Darryl rolled his eyes, turning to take Zak's hand again - but he wasn't there. Quickly scanning the lobby, he spotted him and snorted.

"Zak, get off of there!"

"You can't make me!" Zak shouted. He was sat on a revolving plate in the middle of the baggage carousel, slowly making his way around it as he looked for their suitcase.

Darryl was bent double, trying his best to be stern but cracking up with laughter every time he opened his mouth. He just looked so ridiculous, spinning round and round...

Grabbing their case and hopping off, Zak walked casually out of the front doors, as if nothing had ever happened. He got into a nearby taxi, giving the driver an address and pulling Darryl in too.

Setting off, the driver peered in her overhead mirror at them. She glanced at the ribbon banner Zak was fiddling with and smirked, winding up a black divider behind her head. "I'll let you two have some space, but don't make a mess of my seats."

They turned to each other in slight shock, not saying anything. Then that same glint appeared in Zak's eyes, and he knotted his fingers through Darryl's hair, pulling their lips together as they quietly melded their bodies together.

By the time the taxi pulled to a stop at the end of a lane, they were both in quite a state. Laughing at their flushed faces and scruffy suits, the driver opened the doors to let them out. "Have a nice time!"

"Thank you," Zak grinned, taking out their suitcase and pulling up the handle. He started to drag it down the road, Darryl following behind with their hand luggage.

After a few minutes, he started to get nervous that they were in the wrong place, but the house appeared around the next corner.

Nestled into a clearing between the trees was a modern seaside lodge. Beyond it stretched an untouched, white sand beach, the water sparkling in the early morning sunlight. But the thing that caught their eyes was the trail of red rose petals, laid all the way down the path to the front door.

Stopping in the middle of the lane, Darryl dropped their bags and pulled Zak into a fierce hug. "It's so beautiful..."

"Me or the house?"

"Both, you muffin." He started to kiss his neck and jaw, keeping their bodies close as he murmured, "I love you so much."

"I'd be worried if you didn't, you idot." Running to the front door and opening it, Zak threw their bags inside, then slipped his hands back onto Darryl's chest. "I love you too." Wrapping his arms around his neck, he jumped up and wrapped his legs around his waist.

"You can't be serious," Darryl laughed, holding him up. "This is so not how you're meant to do it."

"Shut up and carry me over the threshold, you idot." Growling playfully, Zak strained upwards so that their lips pressed together. Carrying him into the lodge, Darryl returned the kiss and set him gently down.

"You know, in the past men carried unwilling brides over the threshold to establish dominance and trap them in their home, then used them for sex whenever they wanted." Zak smiled innocently, moving closer and closer as it turned into a wicked grin. "I'm not a bride, and I'm not unwilling, but you can still use my body for whatever you want."

"Even..." pressing him against the wall, Darryl slid his hands under Zak's shirt and put his mouth to his ear. "Even cuddles?"

Bursting into laughter, Zak slid his arms around Darryl's waist. Leaning on his chest, he met his eyes. "Even cuddles."

---------------------------------------------------------

Okay, so!

This was Part 1 of the sequel to Bashful, Demure!

I hope you guys enjoyed it, and let me know in the comments if you have any ideas you'd like me to include in this book!

The plan is that during the honeymoon period, we'll have one part with the Skephalo couple, then two or three with the others back at the house (although knowing me, it'll probably go out the window). So don't worry, they'll still all be main characters and will feature just as much!

Nadia ❤️