like a frozen sun

1. Marry You - Bruno Mars

2. All the Small Things - Blink-182

3. Mine - Taylor Swift

4. Home - Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros

5. Our Song - Taylor Swift 

6. Lucky - Jason Mraz and Colbie Caillat 

7. 1,2,3,4 - The Plain White T’s

8. Marry Me - Train

9. All of Me - John Legend

10. A Thousand Years - Christina Perri

11. Can’t Help Falling In Love - Elvis Presley

12. Teenage Dream - Katy Perry

13. Paper Rings - Taylor Swift

14. Lover - Taylor Swift

15. I Really Like You - Carly Rae Jepsen

16. Just the Way You Are - Bruno Mars

17. Kiss Me - Sixpence None the Richer

18. Sakura Kiss - OHSHC Theme Song

19. Lay All Your Love On Me - ABBA

JAKE:

Jake was going back to New York City next week! And he was super duper excited about it. Sure, it was bittersweet to be leaving the place he’d spent the last five years — five very formative years! — in, but hey, this was a new chapter of his life and he was ready to take it by storm. 

He’d basically packed up his entire apartment. Haley was moving into the dorms. Fu was going to get a smaller place on his own. He was still gonna stick around and supervise Haley (in his words, because he’d taught Jake all he could and now it was time to spread his wings). It was all very weird to be pacing around his near empty apartment, but he was ready. They were gonna do the bulk of the moving by magic door and 

Deb was over and they were sitting atop some boxes, drinking milkshakes from Chippamunka’s, and playing a game where they picked a place in Swynlake and listed some of the

“Alright,” said Fu, walking in. “Are we all ready?”

“Yup! Got the boxes packed. Haley’s stuff is in storage or with her.”

“Cool, cool.” Fu paced around the room, looking out the window. “Do you have the Visa forms for Deb?”

Jake felt like someone had hit him in the face with a snowball, and that the ice started to drip down his shirt.

“The… what?”

Fu slowly turned around.

“The… visa forms? You know? When a foreign citizen moves to the United States as a resident… ?”

“Oh.” Jake swallowed. “So… about that… “

DEB:

It still didn't feel real. In a week Deb would be living in New York. New York! A few years ago Deb hadn't even been past her garden gate! This was a stark contrast to the last time her life had been packed up into boxes. For starters she actually had a hand in packing it up this time, and knew where she was going to end up. 

New York with Jake freaking Long, future American Dragon! 

Leaving Swynlake would be weird for sure, but she was so ready to start her brand-new life, without any of the strangeness that mooching about in her too big house still brought her. 

She felt much better in Jake's little apartment, everything boxed up and ready for their new place. 

It was all super smooth sailing! At least, Deb thought, but apparently there was some form they'd forgotten to fill out, and he looked super freaked about it. Probably the stress of moving

"It's no worries!" Deb said brightly, patting Jake's shoulder, "can we just fill these forms in online, or something? Everything's online now right? Or like, even if we had to pay for first class postage it can't cost that much." 

 JAKE:

“Yeah, it’ll be fine,” said Jake, who did kinda think in the back of his mind that it… would not be fine, but —

“You guys know this stuff takes months — hell, sometimes it takes years, but since you’re a Magick and you’re from England… Oh my God!” Fu’s hands went to his head. “Well, I guess you’re gonna have to stay here, Deb, and just apply while we’re in New York.”

“What?!” Jake stood up now. “I’m not moving without Deb.”

“Kid, you kinda have to. The Dragon exam is coming up and we need to get you back in New York. I guess she could come visit, but she’s gonna have to go back.”

“It takes months.” Jake felt stupid. How could they have forgotten this? They’d been so preoccupied with finding a cute apartment and picking out furniture and all that stuff that they’d completely forgotten the biggest part of this. Of course, Jake had been worried about the Dragon exam and had been studying for that, but that was no excuse.

“Most of the time, yes,” said Fu, who clearly felt a little bad now and was trying to assuage Jake. 

“God, months.”

“In the case of a spouse, it’s usually less and — “

A lightbulb went off in Jake’s head. He turned to Deb, grabbing her hand suddenly. This was the solution. This was the only solution. It was clear as day to him — he didn’t want to spend months without Deb, not when he was supposed to be going through the hardest time of his life. He didn’t want her to be alone in Swynlake for months. They were a package deal now. Now and forever. 

Jake knew what he had to do. 

“Babe,” he said, looking right into Deb’s eyes. “Hear me out — this is gonna sound absolutely crazy.” 

And then he got down on one knee.

“Deb…. will you marry me?”  

DEB:

Years. She heard that, and her brain started bubbling. What was a visa, anyway?! How could it keep her out of America and away from Jake for years? That was stupid! She wasn't staying here without him, no way. Especially not when he had so much pressure, he needed her. She was supposed to be in their apartment when he got home with hugs and Chinese food. 

"I'm not leaving Jake." She told Fu, at almost the exact moment he made his own statement about refusing to leave her behind. Despite the sudden stress that made her smile. At least they agreed. 

She should've done more research. That was her whole thing! She liked knowing things, how had she not known this? Was it one of those facts most people just knew, so never thought to share? Deb hated those. 

Spouse. Deb knew that word. That was wife, right? Or like, partner. Married. They'd talked about it, in vague but definite terms; when we get married. Because they would, but they had other stuff to do first. Dragon exams and maybe university for Deb and finding the best pancakes in New York and-- 

And it would be crazy to dispute that. But it would be crazier to be apart for months- maybe years- when they were supposed to be together. Somewhere in her skull- or maybe outside it, she honestly wasn't sure- Flo screamed and danced and nodded like a bobble head. 

Marry Jake. Before they went to New York. So that they could go together. 

When he'd asked her to their first prom there had been choreography and shirt tearing. Like a movie. Deb had spent so long cooped up watching movies, wishing her life could be like that. 

This was better. This was I won't go without you. 

"It did sound crazy." She blurted out, too stunned to be anything but honest. People had called her crazy for so long. Swynlake had showed her that crazy didn't have to mean wrong. 

"Yes." She wouldn't stay here without him. If this was how to make that happen, then this was what they did. Screw the proper order of things. This was Jake and Deb, their first kiss had been in an alternate reality. She giggled, light and fizzing and excited. 

In Jake's little apartment, surrounded by his life in boxes, he found a way around their problems. Like he always did. "Yes! Duh! Of course!" Deb knelt down to grab his face and kiss him, still grinning. "Let's do it." 

JAKE:

Jake gave Deb a big, sloppy kiss, but managed to yank himself away and turn to Fu.

“Okay, so what do we do?”

“Wah — “

“To get married, duh.” Jake stood up, helping Deb to stand and hooking an arm around her waist. “I guess we gotta go to Town Hall? Make sure we have all the documents — “

“You’ll need another witness,” said Fu. 

“Haley!” Jake snapped his fingers. “I’m sure we can snag her. Deb, you wanna change into something nice for pictures? I can dig out a suit jacket or something, snag Haley, and then we can meet at Town Hall. Do the first look thing! Jam all the traditions into one real quick.”

This was crazy. This was absolutely crazy. But he held Deb’s hands, looked into her eyes, and it didn’t seem crazy at all. He had a plan. He may not have been able to plan this in advance, but he was good at thinking on his feet, and now they’d have the best makeshift wedding they could.

“We can get milkshakes after,” he said, squeezing her hands. “Meet you at Town Hall in an hour? Fu — find my suit, I’m gonna get Haley!”

“Uh — okay, okay.”

With that, Jake bolted out of the apartment to find Haley at the comic shoppe.

“Haley!” he yelled, slamming both hands on the counter. “I need your help — long story short, Deb needs a visa, so we’re gonna get courthouse married right now, and you’re gonna be a witness!” He was still breathless from running. “So — let’s go, right now, I know your shift is over.” And then he added, “And don’t try to talk me outta it my mind is MADE UP!” 

DEB:

Her heart was pounding. Were they doing this? Would she change her name? Deb and Jake Long. It was nice. She stood in a bit of a daze, anchored by his arm around her waist. 

Jake snapped his fingers and it snapped her back to attention. Town Hall, and milkshakes. She was amazed by how quickly Jake could just put it all together, like this was how it was meant to happen all along. Before she even blinked everyone was on the move. Jake finding Haley, Fu getting his suit, and Deb was-- changing! Right. She had to go.  

She rushed out, heavy shoes thundering up her staircase when she got home. Deb crashed about her room like a whirlwind, changing and dotting just a little glitter on her cheekbones and covering the scuff marks on the front of her white patent leather platforms with tippex. 

When she ran down to the town hall Deb was laughing the whole way and people were staring and she didn't care one bit. 

She screeched to a halt by the steps, arms flailing to keep her upright, totally breathless. "Jake?" She called out, "Haley?" 

HALEY:

Haley was counting up the cash in the register at the end of her shift, making sure everything was all in order. She’d had an interesting day with a whole bunch of kids who had just come from some kind of movie party in NTO and all wanted various superhero memorabilia. Needless to say, she was tired. 

She was just about to grab her jacket when her brother came in and shouted a whole bunch of nonsense at her. Her brain processed it as fast as she could, blinking in disbelief in his direction.

“I--wait, what?” She stared at her brother a moment. The thing was that Haley was the logical one out of the two of them, but that didn’t mean that Jake didn’t know what he was doing. She analyzed his face. It was made up. He was sure. And the way he’d gone on and on about Deb for the whole year she’d been in town, she saw how much they loved each other. 

“Mom’s gonna killllll you and I’m gonna laugh.” She smirked, pausing a moment before launching into his arms for a hug, “Ah! I’m so excited for you two!”

She took a breath and then looked at what he was wearing, “You’re not getting married in that are you?” 

JAKE:

“Of course not!” laughed Jake. 

He couldn’t stop. He needed to keep going. This was a good feeling. He had to ride the wave — he wasn’t gonna stop to think about what his mom would say, wasn’t gonna stop to think about how Deb deserved a big, white wedding with all their friends (Hey! They could do that later, right? Do it in New York, in style!).

He picked up Haley a little, twirling her around, then dropped her with a thud.

“Come — let’s run to the Boutique and pick out something!”

A quick detour later, and Jake had found a pretty snazzy suit jacket and a nice shirt. He was still wearing jeans, though, but that was okay, because the tie and the jacket and the shirt (plus his sweet shoes with flames) totally made up for it. Dragging Haley, he sprinted to Town Hall —

And there was Deb. Wearing a pretty dress, with glitter smeared on her cheeks, her hair blowing slightly in the wind. She turned to look at him, her face practically glowing, and all of Jake’s stupid worries faded away.

This was the right decision. 

He scooped her up into his arms, planting a big kiss on her lips.

“You look gorgeous.”

“Look, I put on a bow tie,” said Fu, trotting over. He gave Haley a nod. “Alright — let’s go inside, ya crazy kids. I already spoke to the officiant — you’re next in line. You wanna do the walk down the aisle thing, Deb? Jake and Haley and I can wait inside.”

Jake, who had trotted up the stairs of Town Hall, pushed open the door and looked from Haley to Deb.

“Let’s do it,” he declared, and started off to the officiant’s room. Fu stood by the door as Haley and Jake went up to the desk, waiting to give Deb the signal. 

DEB:

Jake kissed her, and Haley was there, and Fu was wearing a bow tie, and Deb’s brain felt like it was made of bubbles and ribbon just twisting and popping and-- oh god, was she doing this? Should she text Shirley? When was the last time Deb had made a decision without her? Had she ever???

Maybe not. Maybe this was the first one. Just Deb’s choice; marrying Jake. Right now. 

She had time to giggle and nod and then she was alone. Well, Fu was there, and she could still see the other two, but this was the part where she walked down the aisle. Which wasn’t really a proper aisle, but this whole thing was about working with what they had. 

They’d tell their kids about this one day.

Luckily, Deb did not forget how to walk in her excitement, and the only odd thing she did on the way to the front of the room was flap her hands about a bit, because she kept thinking she was supposed to have flowers. She’d settled by the time she reached Jake, though, and then was immediately unsettled, bouncing on the balls of her feet and grasping his hands. She glanced over his shoulder at Haley and waved. “Hey.” Deb whispered to Jake, because she wasn’t sure if they were supposed to talk. “Do we-” She glanced towards the person behind the desk, then back to Jake, “what happens next?” 

JAKE:

Jake had never really thought about getting married.

Not that he didn’t want to get married — and not that he didn’t want to get married to Deb. It was more so that he just figured it would happen one day and that the good part would come after. He didn’t dread a wedding (after all, a party with his friends and family sounded dope)... he just never really thought about what the specifics would be.

He looked at Deb walk towards him in her floaty purple dress and he thought that this was exactly how he wanted it. There could be no other way. 

“All you have to do is sign here,” said the officiant. “Your, uh, dog brought me the paperwork.”

“Oh!” Damn — of course there would be more paperwork. He grabbed a pen and started to sign. 

“And you should know we normally don’t do this so last minute, but he was… very persuasive. So, yes, all you’ve got to do is sign with your witnesses, unless you’d like to say some vows.”

Jake looked at Fu Dog, who was doing his best to look stoic and serious, but Jake swore he saw a little teardrop in the corner of his eye. 

“Fu — I —”

“Don’t worry about it, kid. I’m proud of you, you know? And Deb — make sure he treats you well. You’re good for him.”

Fu would be staying behind with Haley, to make sure she was doing alright throughout uni. This would be the first time in five years that Jake and Fu would not be living together. Fu was no longer his teacher. Sure, he’d always be the family Guardian, but … things would be different. Not bad. Just different. 

Jake smiled. He felt like his heart was going to swell. Suddenly, his happiness was tinged with just a sliver of bittersweetness. He was leaving Swynlake. He and Deb were gonna go onto the next great adventure of their lives. But they’d be leaving everything they’d known for the past five years behind. 

He reached for Deb’s hand.

“Deb,” he said. “You are the love of my life. Seriously — I know some people might say high school romances don’t go anywhere, but look, we’ve already proved them wrong. There is no one else I want to wake up every day with, no one else I want to have late night milkshake adventures with, no one else I want to show my favorite places in the city. You make me feel unafraid to be myself and you inspire me every damn day. I love you, and I’ll spend the rest of our lives together making sure you know it.”

Damn it — was he crying?

DEB:

Your dog brought me the paperwork.

Well, there was something not a lot of people got to say about their wedding. Deb gave a delighted little giggle, deciding that it was perfect for them. For the couple who’d technically had their first kiss at Hogwarts, for Jake who had asked her out with blink 182 lyrics because of a funky spell on the town, for Deb who had been so nervous to say she loved him for the first time that Flo had nearly screamed it at him first.

From just a boy in the park with cool socks all the way to here. 

Her head felt like it was going to crack in half but Deb was focusing very hard on not letting it do that. She didn’t want to be split right now. Yes it was a lot of emotions for one body but she wanted all of them. Every overwhelmed little fragment and bubble of excitement was just for her. 

No one had ever told Deb she was good for someone before. Her grin got impossibly big and her chest got all tight and she was sure if she tried to say anything she’d either laugh or cry, but Jake was talking instead. To her, and everything he said made crying an even more real possibility, but that was okay because he was already crying and that kind of just made her want to laugh- not in a mean way, in an ‘oh my god how did we both end up crying messes at our wedding we were just meant to be packing up your apartment’ way. 

And she was probably supposed to say something now, but how did she follow that? "...I can't believe I'm going on this great big adventure with the guy who freaked out over whether or not he could kiss me for the first time." Deb did laugh then, this ecstatic little burst, "and I'm not even scared! I love you, Jake.” 

She signed the paper with her usual big flourishing letters, and then Haley was signing, and that was… It? 

JAKE:

That was it?

That was it. 

That was it!

Jake signed his name and then swept Deb up, giving her a big kiss. He laughed through the kiss, their heads knocking together, like this was their first time kissing instead of the millionth or something like that (Jake had lost count somewhere along the way). He felt — he felt like he could do anything now. It was better than flying — and Jake loved to soar across the town, up high in the clouds, and feel the wind beneath his wings.

This was better, because he got to share it with Deb.

Maybe he would become the next American Dragon. Maybe he wouldn’t. But all that really mattered was that Deb would be with him, through better and worse and all that.

And hey — maybe this wasn’t a traditional wedding! They could do that later! 

There was this old romantic comedy that Jake’s mom loved and there was one line that really stuck out in Jake’s head now, when the dude found the lady at a New Year’s Eve party and said something like When you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible.

Jake pulled away from Deb, just slightly, so he could look her in the eye, and he thought of that line.

“Well?” he asked, holding her hand tightly. “You ready to start the rest of our lives together?” 

DEB:

That was it. Deb just got married. Wow. Should she change her last name? That sounded definitely good, actually. Screw being a Damselbu. 

They kissed and it was clumsy and perfect and Deb, who had spent most of her life feeling wrong, had never felt more right.

Whatever else was ahead they'd face it together.