Andrew pulled on his fancy, burgundy suit in the spare room in his office. Dr. Cox was there to help, as was Richard, as both had caught on to what was going on today. Richard, because he lived with them, and Dr. Cox because she wasn't stupid.
That wasn't a mark against Dr. Piper. She was on a different project right now that meant she was out of the office a lot. She barely came into the office to check in before she was bouncing out of the office to one of the lower offices, and then out to a few companies. Trying to get alpha blood samples.
She was doing the lord's work for their department, and who wouldn't like a preppy, sweet, slightly ditzy beta coming to their office asking for blood? Not many, was the answer. Dr. Piper had only been rejected a handful of times from getting blood, which was why she was out and about.
Apparently it was a normal thing that happened in January? Andrew didn't ask too many questions. He'd already given his blood.
"I…you know what? You're right. This would be Dad's forte. He would be pissed if we looked only to Mom for help. I'll keep that in mind for my own wedding." Richard muttered and Andrew felt a wide, giddy smile touch his lips.
Richard had never spoken about his wedding before. Not once. Hadn't even considered it before. He had made faces at the words when he was younger, but now that he was kind of seeing someone, the words came naturally out of his mouth.
…Or maybe not, given how red his face had gone after he had said the words.
"Yeah. That is something to consider. How were they for Rose's wedding?" Andrew asked, changing the subject a bit so that Richard and Andrew were distracted.
"Well, Jordan has a surprisingly big family, so they had to fight for their rights to be involved. If you think the Beckett family is a lot, you'd be surprised by Jordan's. He's a bit of an odd one out, so that's why he spends more time with our family, but Rose makes sure that they don't feel left out. They normally have a Christmas dinner with them before Christmas, since our family is smaller, and it's one less mouth for Jordan's Mom to feed." Richard chuckled. "That will change when Jordan announces that he's pregnant, I believe. They love babies from what I've been told, and noticed."
It was a great distraction for both of them, and before Andrew knew it, he was fully dressed and just needed to touch up his hair.
The nerves came back with a vengeance.
Andrew had gone a sickly pale colour and Richard forced him to sit down and Dr. Cox did his hair. She was calm, methodical, and did it nicely. Richard made Andrew drink a juice box, one that Dr. Cox kept in her drawers in case her daughter came by with Maria.
"Andrew, you big dumb idiot, there's no way he's going to say no." Richard said, clearly thinking that they were proposing on the same day. He didn't correct him. Andrew's leg was twitching, tapping against the floor rapidly.
Richard was right. There was no way he was going to say no. That didn't mean that he didn't want it to be perfect. God, what if something went wrong? Should he check in with the florist again? They were probably annoyed that he kept calling. He could hear it in their tone the last time he'd called.
He was going to be a bridezilla, not Maxwell.
"I-I know, but I just…" Andrew gulped air into his lungs. "I just want it to be perfect." Andrew whispered softly and both Dr. Cox and Richard shared a look over Andrew's bent head. Richard sighed.
"It will be. Do you think Maxwell Beckett is going to allow for anything less?" Richard asked and Andrew let out a tight laugh. He was right, which was why Andrew was panicking so much. What if his proposal didn't live up to the one that Maxwell had planned?
A hand landed on his shoulder, giving it a squeeze.
"Andrew." Dr. Cox began, her voice soft. "Mr. Beckett loves you for you. It doesn't have to be perfect for him. You just need to make sure that it's perfect for you. Mr. Beckett is probably going to go all out in his own way, and he would be disappointed in you if you didn't go all out in your own way. He's going to marry you for you, not because you match him." Dr. Cox said softly. Andrew gulped air into his lungs, letting the words sink in.
She was right.
Maxwell had taken a chance on him before either of them knew that he came from money, from anything similar to what Maxwell was. He was ready to go to bat for him long before that was realised, had fallen in love with him when he was just a goofy blonde haired beta in the apartments next door. He liked Andrew because he was Andrew. It was the words he needed to hear.
Andrew slowly calmed down, pushing his glasses up his face as he straightened up. He'd opted out of contacts because he had a feeling he'd be crying too much and they might come out. He didn't really know how contacts worked.
That was a lie. He knew how they worked, and he knew that he would cry them out. It would be a waste, and Maxwell had known him with glasses longer than he had with the occasional contact wearing night. It felt more authentic to himself.
Finally, the time ticked closer, and Andrew got up, grabbed his thick, selected by Maxwell jacket, and pulled it on over his suit. Richard and Dr. Cox watched him, warmth in their gazes as Andrew made sure he had all of the things he needed for the night. Then, he gulped, turned to Richard and gave a nod, before turning to Dr. Cox and she stepped forward, hugging him.
It was a surprise, since Dr. Cox was more of a distant, words of affirmation kind of gal, but Andrew wasn't upset. He accepted her hug willingly.
"You're going to do great. Send us a photo once it's all over, will you?" She asked and Andrew let out a laugh.
"Of course. I'll send it to our group chat." Andrew said and she pulled back, nodded, and stepped away.
"Good luck, Andy. You don't need it, but I thought you'd appreciate the words." She told him, laughter in her eyes as Andrew nodded and headed up.
They had planned to meet in the lobby with the photographer. No doubt word would spread almost immediately once others noticed what was going on, but Andrew didn't mind, nor did Maxwell.
Andrew was surprised when he stepped out of the elevator at 4:55 pm that Maxwell wasn't already there. He spotted the photographer, who was chatting to the receptionist. She had been told to look out for a tall blonde man in a burgundy suit, and her eyes went wide as she saw Andrew.
Andrew smiled wide, waving to her as the elevators across the way opened and out stepped Ellis and Maxwell.
Andrew's breath caught.
Maxwell was wearing a three piece suit, all black, but Maxwell style. It wasn't just black, but done in a similar pattern to what Andrew was wearing. From a distance it looked like it was one colour, but upon closer inspection you could tell that it had a velvet pattern etched into the fabric. It wasn't lost on Andrew that Maxwell wanted to wear matching suits. It was cute, in a Maxwell way.
He was wearing a large coat, but unlike what he normally wore. He wasn't bundled up like a snowman, and instead looked every inch of the suave businessman that he was. He looked like he'd stepped out of a damn magazine, and Andrew hoped that he matched him in the way that Maxwell wanted him to.
Maxwell was chatting to Ellis, clearly working up until the last minute. When he saw Andrew standing across from him, watching him with a dumb expression on his face, Maxwell grinned. Andrew felt the man pause, scan Andrew from head to toe, before a predatory smile touched his lips.
He made his way over to Andrew, slow, collected, before he stopped just a few feet away from him.
"You look handsome. I wonder who chose that suit for you?" Maxwell asked, a teasing smile on his lips, his eyes burning. Andrew gulped.
"A rather handsome man selected it for me. Wanted us to look like a pair." Andrew replied, his throat feeling dry, and his eyes already feeling wet. God, he was going to be bawling the whole time.
Maxwell reached out, gently taking Andrew's hand in his own and giving it a squeeze.
"A handsome man? Is that what you think?" Maxwell asked, teasing, and Andrew gave him a helpless look.
"So handsome that I'm worried I won't match him." Andrew told him softly and Maxwell chuckled. His eyes softened as he stepped closer, going up on his tippy toes to press a kiss against his chin. It was the closest he could get to his lips.
"My Baby has silly worries. Of course you match me. We're a pair, aren't we?" Maxwell whispered softly, his eyes going to where he'd bitten Andrew. It was healing nicely, and leaving a rather distinct, could not be mistaken mark. Andrew shivered.
"We are." He agreed and Maxwell dropped back down, giving Andrew's hand a squeeze.
"Perfect. Let's go speak to the photographer together then, my Andy."