come_sailaway | 10th Contraption: Mawwiage

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.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Skulduggery catches that nervous tic, and his voice softens ever so slightly in response. Not so much that he sounds sympathetic -- but that there's little doubt he's being genuine.

"I knew what would happen when I decided to pursue him. The good thing about telling the truth this whole time is that what I've shared will hold up to scrutiny." He taps the rim of his hat. "Whatever happens, it doesn't change what I want. Which is to make sure that all of us have long and happy lives. This wedding has been a very good reminder of just how much we have to lose... and how much we have to gain."

He nods, silent for a moment.

"I confess, I wondered for a moment if this weren't some terrible way of toying with you. Some new game. But I..." Watson frowns. "I spoke with him. And he's rarely straightforward, and I certainly cannot trust him. But also I can't recall him ever actively lying, either, and he seemed almost shocked, himself."

Watson's mouth twists. "He's rather protective of you, you know."

"...He is protective, yes." Which had been flattering in private, but may well become a problem now that things have become more public. "All of this is completely alien to him. You saw him during the ceremony. That was the reason I didn't... realize what was happening at first. Neither of us knew it could happen."

He angles his permanent grin in Watson's direction, because at the end of the day, tonight isn't about him and the Captain, is it? "Then again, I'm going to go out on a limb and suggest the same thing could be said about you, Johnny and César."

"Point taken. It's been rather a surprise for us from start to finish." Watson gives a little puff of laughter. "All the best romances are like that. Honestly, I don't think Johnny ever expected him to say yes to this. He just had a sense that this it was the sort of formality that needs to be followed. He has a strong sense for that sort of thing, you know."

He shouldn't approve of any of this. He's too much a romantic not to.

"Maybe that's your influence, then."

Skulduggery laughs and lifts his shoulders in a brief shrug. "Ah, maybe a bit. I at least helped convince him to go easy."

Maybe this won't do much to soften people's perceptions of the Captain... but it isn't just the passengers he's got to convince. It's much harder to make a joke out of other people's love when you're in love yourself, and he can't help hoping that something tonight will resonate with their would-be captor. ...Even if it's just the desserts at this point.

"Johnny is braver than most of the people on this ship, and I'm glad he had the gall to ask. It's good for the Captain to see what happiness looks like for other people. Give it a few days and he may even say something positive about the whole event."

"Johnny is braver than he thinks he is," Watson says, loyally.

For a moment, he muses over the idea of being some sort of example for the Captain. It's a strange notion, and it involves a shift in perspective that he hadn't expected. The Captain is still an enemy, surely? But Watson knows, has known for a long time, that things are rarely so black and white.

"I think I'm glad he went easy. I admit I wasn't half worried that he wouldn't."

"There was some temptation to plan for a bloodbath..." Because there's no sugar-coating the Captain's usual proclivities. "But I think he's starting to enjoy subverting our expectations. Doubly so when he's rewarded for it."

Definitely just talking about having nice conversations with people who would otherwise hate him. Obviously. What else to you reward a guy like the Captain with?

"It's... promising, you know. I don't know if the non-violent answer you probably want is possible, but... it is promising that this is how the evening has turned out, rather than the likes of the battle royale."

Watson grimaces a little. That was not a fun time.

"Ah, yes. No lobster crackers to the skull, and he can tolerate public displays of affection. Not bad for a few short months."

Especially considering how long this whole thing has been going on. Thousands of years, hundreds of passengers... and yet here they are, just over half a year into their voyage and things are already starting to shift.

He gives a little grunt of laughter, despite himself. "Give him another year and he might be downright civilised."

Skulduggery tilts his head left and right. "I hope not, otherwise he might drag me down with him."

He refuses to be civilized! He'll leave that to the Englishman.

"Well, I've taken up enough of your time tonight. Mmm. Thank you for tolerating the dramatics. I can't say it won't happen again, but at least next time won't be at your wedding."

Watson chuckles at that.

"I rather hope I'm not having another wedding for there to be shenanigans at," Watson smiles. "Do... do be careful. I imagine you will be dealing with some interesting fallout from this, from all sides. I don't know that this will end well, but I don't know that it will end badly, either."

He's probably a good candidate for reassembling Skullduggery after the mob gets him, if it comes down to it.

"I appreciate the concern, but I'll be alright." It's a confidence he doesn't fully believe in, but there's no point in worrying over what will happen in the coming hours and days. If he's lucky, he'll be granted a good bout of social ostracization, instead of getting jumped somewhere out of the way.

(Not that it would matter. Skulduggery's fairly certain that the Captain has a tracker on him.)

"At least, I won't be worse off than I am at home." That, he's sure of. What an insecure, isolated and tragic victim of his own hubris...

"Let's hope for a nice, clean resolution. One that's only slightly disappointing on all sides."

"A good goal."

He lets out a breath he hadn't been aware he was holding. "Or at least more realistic, perhaps, than a happy ending for us all. Thank you," he adds, "for the frank discussion, actually."

"Call me superstitious, but nothing good can come from lying at a wedding." He sticks out one hand for the courtesy handshake that usually happens right about here. "Congratulations again, doctor."

10th Contraption: Mawwiage

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