10th Contraption: Mawwiage

[pineapplesalmon]

Who: John Watson, Johnny Summer, and César Salazar with Rich Goranski, Fio, and Honoria Crabb AND YOU Oh god why are weddings like this
What: The throuple getting married by... the Captain?!
When: December 11th at 7pm
Where: John's
Warnings: I believe in us! But for now, nothing.


SEATING

John's has been transformed, the seating up front rearranged in rows towards the center dias with an aisle down the middle, the piano moved off to one side. The buffet for later can be seen off to the other. Decorations taken from Spirit Halloween appear here and there–flowers taken from cavalera flower crowns, sun and moon candlestick holders from the tarot collection, festively colored tablecloths draped down the walls like curtains or banners. A sign near the entrance says "seat yourself", although the front row on one side is reserved with a ribbon across the backs.

What can't be seen is who is officiating. Or the husbands, but at least that part makes sense. The dais is empty.


THE CEREMONY

As one of the few traditions in this wedding, music announces the start of the ceremony. Rich strolls in first, trying to look professional even if he’s clearly shaking a bit as he holds the small pillow with the rings laid on it. At least he’s dressed quite smartly, Johnny ensuring his red suit is wrinkle free and his cuff links are set in place. Fio, in a winged black dress and flowery headdress, follows after the ring bearer, adorning the path with paper petals as she moves along.

The first husband to be down the aisle is none other than Johnny, in a smart charcoal grey suit with a goldenrod pocketsquare, gold jewelry, and a wreath of orange blossoms on his head; and accompanied by Honoria Crabb in her perfectly tailored black tuxedo, worn with black gloves and a white bow tie. Watson and César take up the rear, arms linked together. César is wearing an equally fancy suitcoat with his tie held in place with a ruby and silver tie pin, and Watson is wearing an officer’s dress uniform, with the sword and without the helmet, and also his good cane. All three husbands-to-be are wearing green carnation boutonnières.


AFTER PARTY

It's time to eat, dance, and party!

The seating has been rearranged for sitting at tables around the "dance" floor. Food from Windjammer has been placed on some tables for a buffet. There’s a selection of fancy cheeses and crackers, sushi, premade sandwiches, and salad with dressings on the side. For dessert, to one side there’s a table with cupcakes, cookies, and chocolates arranged in a heart. On the bar are a couple bowls of punch (including one explicitly labeled as non-alcoholic) made by Johnny ahead of time, because he's been forbidden to bartend his own wedding, much to his deep chagrin.

There’s a space set just off the dancefloor for musicians who wish to perform, the usual John’s piano (bribed into behaving with a whole pan of beef brisket from the buffet) off to one side.

Comments

[not_the_last]

She looks around, and nods in agreement.

And then pauses, as something strikes her. "By any chance, is part of that iceberg of bullshit anything to do with girls not being allowed to fancy other girls?"

[crushed_pearls]

"Correct!" Not that Erin is fucking bitter or anything. "For that matter, boys with boys either. My world does not have its gender shit handled."

A beat. "...Neither do I but I think the new look is a good step for me there."

[not_the_last]

"I can't speak for my whole world -- there are similar issues in parts of Wildemount, I'm told -- but we don't have much of that nonsense where I live."

[crushed_pearls]

"Warms my heart to hear," Erin says, and means it. "...Mind you, I still mighta been oblivious under those circumstances. Never underestimate the ability of queer kids to just not fucking notice."

There's a fond smile with that. Poor Ruby will get there.

[not_the_last]

"I think anyone can be oblivious," she says consideringly. "I'm almost sure my brother was in love with his wife for months before he knew it."

[crushed_pearls]

"That sounds adorable." Ah, the madness of love. "...So, noticed you and SecUnit earlier."

A statement. One that leaves it up to Cass what she wants to share.

[not_the_last]

"Yes?" Cassandra doesn't seem aware that there's anything to either share or avoid sharing, on that subject.

[crushed_pearls]

"Nothing in particular. I'm just really glad y'all have found friends in each other. It...is very dear to me too."

[not_the_last]

"I'm glad we have too. And it's good to know that."

[crushed_pearls]

"...I do hope, however this all ends, that we can stay together. The passengers, y'know? I like the people here." Erin looks...wistful. "They're all so beautiful in their own ways. And the longer I'm here the more the idea of going back home just. Doesn't appeal. There's people I miss. That I'll always miss, I think, but...I dunno. Maybe I've been talked around to the idea that I've got more to offer to this garden."

[not_the_last]

Cassandra ...

... is quiet, and doesn't look up, for nearly a full measure of the music.

[crushed_pearls]

"...Cass?" Erin's voice is all soft concern. "...Too much for a dance?"

[not_the_last]

She lifts her head and meets Erin's gaze with a small unhappy smile, grateful for the offered way out. "A little too much, I'm afraid. Please don't trouble yourself about it."

At least, she thinks with a burst of the old self-loathing, at least she didn't fall back on reflecting back to Erin what she surely wanted to hear.

[crushed_pearls]

"Well...would weird good news be welcome to chase it off?"

(Like we aren't dying to tell people anyway.)

It! Can! Be both!

[not_the_last]

She tries for a stronger smile. "Let's find out."

[crushed_pearls]

"Miss Ruby has the power evidenced by stray cats and has adopted me as her older sister." Erin smiles in wonder and bewilderment. "It came up recently during her teaching me about this Aura I picked up that's like the ones from her world. I've...never had a sibling before."

[not_the_last]

And the thing is -- this would be good news, would be charming and delightful and entirely welcome. If it weren't coming hard on the heels of Erin talking about how much she's growing attached to everyone here, how she wants less and less to go home, and what's this but another attachment?

No, be honest, now: if it weren't coming on the heels of the hard realization that she doesn't feel the same way, and vehemently doesn't want to.

But she smiles at Erin, and says "It's nice, isn't it?", and means it. And works hard to ignore the jeering voice in her mind, saying so much for not telling her what she wants to hear.

[crushed_pearls]

Erin's ears twitch, then droop. The taste in the air is wrong, and though Cass is good at masking, Erin is good at spotting masks; she wore so many in her life, after all, and in any event she was made into the kind of creature that does this.

For a long moment she considers just letting it go. Instead she draws Cassandra close, as close to a hug as can still be passed off as part of the dance, and murmurs words only for Cass to hear.

"...You know if I found a chance for you to go, I'd help. Even if it meant I had to stay behind, and lose you. I'd never ask you to stay."

[not_the_last]

Very softly, Cassandra answers "I know. And I hope you know how much that means to me."

And with a deep sigh, she drops her forehead against Erin's shoulder and leans into the almost-hug. Still, just barely, within the parameters of a dance.

No louder: "You can always see me. Even when I'm trying to hide."

[crushed_pearls]

"...I'm not always sure if I should. But. Yeah." Erin lets out a soft and slow breath. "'m sorry, Cass. I didn't mean to drop something heavy on you like that, but...I sure did."

[not_the_last]

"It would be ... nice," she mumbles, "if we could all stay together somehow. But I want to be home. And even if I could somehow bring you all there with me, then what about anyone else who wants their home? Or who wants to stay here, where they met?"

[crushed_pearls]

"Said it to Vance before; burn that bridge when we cross it. If escape is all or nothing, then we've got shit to figure out. If it isn't...well, if Whitestone isn't right for me maybe we can visit." Erin's voice gets playful. "Just promise not to give me the pearl-studded hammocks."

[not_the_last]

That gets a muffled laugh.

"I promise to spare you the hammocks."

[crushed_pearls]

"...If it helps, you're not the only one who worries. I went and made friends with people who don't wanna be here, who have goals that are not like mine, and...it weighs. That it might be the thing that ends a friendship, or a romance. 'm just. Choosing to love them anyway. Not getting attached sucks to live with. I'm not doing that again."

[not_the_last]

Cassandra hesitates. Draws back to look Erin in the face.

"Is it awful of me?" she asks, so low as to barely be audible over the music. "To ... let people get close to me, when I know I would leave them behind in a moment if the chance presented itself?"