come_sailaway | 10th Contraption: Mawwiage

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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

"To protect me. I see. That sounds totally accurate." But also kinda nice. Getting to just do things together. Doesn't even have to turn into anything sexy. Just them doing little things. Dates and stuff. "Don't we need...uh...a thingy? What's it called? It makes the pottery hard?"

When Nobunaga climbs up into his lap, the rest of the world falls away for a moment and everything sort of calms down a little, but he'll happily take the shoulder to hide against. They smile a little at their laced fingers, lightly squeezing. And once they can talk again, they say, "I'd like that. Sorry I'm so weird sometimes."

"Kiln. Yeah. Maybe we'll get one. Or like an arts workshop?"

Klaus is the best partner ever, and Nobunaga will kill anyone who gets in his way. "Nah. You're cute. And I love you. And I'm happy you're thinking about it. So let's work it out, okay? I want to sleep with you and not worry about shared spaces so much too. Maybe we can ask Dr. Watson and the others how they do it. Rooms." A cheek kiss! Chu! "Love you."

"Yeah. That thing. Maybe. I think people like art enough here? Surprised we don't have an art place."

Klaus sniffles a little, looking at Nobunaga quietly once they feel a little less weepy about everything, moving to rest their chin on his shoulder. "Okay. I've shared living spaces before but not like...with someone I really loved. And I...I want to. Even if like...we've only known each other for like...not that long, really. A few months?" Feels kind of crazy. It might have taken more time, he figures, if like...they'd had their own places and weren't trapped on a boat all this time. But that's not how things went.

"My brother Luther and Sloane got married in like...even less time, so that's like...we're basically slow in comparison, right? So that's like...ummm...setting a record? I don't know." They smile at the cheek kiss. "I love you, too. And yeah. Maybe they...know something?" A beat. "But maybe we can wait and ask them after they've had time to enjoy their marriage...or something. I don't want to bother them."

"Clearly we should get one. And a greenhouse. I designed a fake one with Tommy Bahama prints cut up for flowers. It makes for good cushioning floor."

Nobunaga gently reaches behind him to pet Klaus' hair. "Go easy on yourself. If the chance comes up, then take it. Sound good?"

“I don’t even know if we’d be allowed a greenhouse. But it sounds nice. I was telling SecUnit we deserved a cat that was just a cat so we could hold it when we were feeling sad.” Or like whenever probably. Klaus just wants a cat. Or a pet. Any pet. As long is it’s okay with being held and dealing with his emotional bullshit sometimes.

The hand on their hair makes their eyes close for a moment and they make a small contented noise. “Okay. I’ll figure it out somehow. We will.”

A laugh. "Yeah, I told Dedue, such a thing would be taken over by the weed lovers, but a regular non-actually life one, might be okay. I just hope it wouldn't be seen as mockery."

Nobunaga glances around and gently rubs his head under Klaus' chin like a cat. "I will be your cat. Until you get a better one. You can probably pet Siffleur though, even without playing the game. He is my friend, and he already knows not to eat you. Plus, he needs mental stimulation, so bringing him puzzle boxes of sushi should be relatively entertaining enough." This isn't trust, but it's a type of tentative faith that Siffleur isn't deceiving him. "He helped me find the lion costume to make you smile. And he has a soft spot for Ava, but don't tell him I said that." Nobunaga is also not mentioning that he might have told Pratt to sign up for the game too. Nope. Not telling.

"Yeah, we'll figure everything out."

Klaus laughs. "But weed is good for the soul, Nobunaga. And also I wish we had more weed on this ship. I think we all deserve it." For all the trauma.

That's the cutest thing anyone's ever done and it takes everything in him to not tell Nobunaga how cute it is and ruin the moment because it's a nice, sweet moment. Overwhelmingly so. "I don't want to pet him if he doesn't want to be pet." A beat. "Does he really like that or are you like...assuming he does?" Cause there's definitely a certain level of uncertainty about people being treated like animals even if they are people? He doesn't know. "Oh. He helped you?" Did they know that? They don't remember. "Well, that makes sense. Ava's the best! Why wouldn't he?" Why is that something someone wouldn't want someone else to know?"

"Maybe you can convince Gal Friday to make a drugs dispensary? Or whatever they're called."

A small laugh and more head to chin rubs! "He likes it. He likes murder more, but he won't murder you because he's my friend, and everyone loves you, so it'd make most of the ship pretty mad. Yeah, he helped. He's probably here now," Nobunaga glances around wondering if he can spot the cougar in his human form. "Ehhhh sort of like I wouldn't want most people knowing I have a soft spot for anything? It goes against the image I want to have." HUFF.

"Maybe. I guess I could ask, anyway."

Klaus smiles, moving to lightly card his fingers through Nobunaga's hair, give him a lil subtle head scritch. It's cute hours here. "I hate to be the one to give you the bad news, buddy, but everyone on this ship already knows you have a soft spot for me. Your image is destroyed." They laugh, moving to press a quick kiss to his temple. "But it's okay. You annoy enough people to make them continue to believe you."

"Can't hurt. Probably." A shrug. Even if it does, it might be interesting, which matters more to Nobunaga.

He gives a low rumbly growl of pleasure at the head scritches, almost like a purr, and more head nudges, genuinely to get more scritches!

"Yes good," That everyone is annoyed to death by him. "I'm sure lots of people just think I'm holding you hostage, and they're trying to figure out the best way to launch a rescue mission that won't get you endangered." Or maybe some of them have figured out that Nobunaga will do anything to make Klaus smile. Still, he's pretty sure given Arthur, Erin, and a few others, that nah. They almost definitely think he's holding Klaus at sword's edge probably.

Oh. That's definitely a positive reaction. He'll continue to give him lil head scritches, then. Cause that's adorable. Definitely some form of cat fursona if he ever had to guess. They blame Sharky for these thoughts, but whatever. It's fine.

"I mean maybe but also maybe not." Cause he doesn't want everyone to hate Nobunaga. That doesn't seem to line up with the overarching goal of things. "I dunno. Pratt thinks we're cute, so...I don't think he does. And I don't think I've made anyone think anything suspicious." There's a shrug. "Why do you think people feel that way. Anyone told you so?" Cause they want to know.

"Mrrrr..." More purrs and head nudges. He's a lobster, but that's fine. He's also Klaus' lion.

"I think as your AU twin, Pratt would be contractually obligated to sacrifice himself to rescue you if he actually believed you were in danger." A head tilt. "No, it's probably just a matter of time though. What reputation do you think I have with most people?"

“I don’t think either of us would put it that way. Technically speaking. Also he tried to tell me not to get stabbed to protect him, but I’m also lowkey ignoring that, so…” But this seems like a general non-issue.

“Why do you say that?” A beat. “Well, I know you’ve been a little intense for some people and not everyone is a fan necessarily, but…I dunno if you mean something in specific or not.”

"Uh, don't ignore that. Don't get stabbed to protect him. I've given him a sword, and he likes being stabbed, so it'll be fine. He'll be fine. Don't get stabbed for him."

A huff. "Nothing specific. But I'm pretty sure, no one hears my title and thinks they want to deal with me except as an enemy. Those like you, Pratt, and Crichton are few and far between."

"Well, I don't think it's very fair for one AU twin to be expected to get stabbed for one and not the other way around. That's just ridiculous." Okay, it's mostly just because Nobunaga said something about Pratt getting stabbed for him. Still. Klaus would definitely get stabbed to prevent serious harm to Pratt. It's fiiiiiiiine.

Klaus lets out a small breath before nudging him with his nose. "I don't think it's the title, babe. I think you just forget that sometimes you have to take a gentler approach with people because you don't like to be reigned in and you feel like manners are a bad thing and people should be exposed to things the way you do them because that should change how the feel or view things and that's not always the case. Sometimes it is okay, to take a gentler hand in leading people to your way of seeing things. Some people have weird trauma stuff and don't react well to people telling them how they should do stuff...or like being so intense about it."

They press a few kisses to his temple to make up for the potential upset of the words. Just in case.

"It does, because he thinks it's sexy. And if you're going to get sexy stabbings, it won't be from someone other than me, understood?" Nobunaga gives Klaus a tight grin, and a very gentle kiss to the top of his nose!

But then he goes a little 180, completely hardening and frosting over like ice, although the kisses to his temple do assuage him that Klaus means well. "Klaus..." Huff! He doesn't want to be gentle, he doesn't want to be reigned in, he hates manners, and he'd rather just shoot cannons. "I don't want people to like me. I don't want to pretend I care. I don't want to be gentle." Because it's excruciating, and he'll fail, and that sucks too. "I know everyone has a past, but if they can't handle it, then it isn't better I don't deal with them at all?"

“Um. I’m sure he doesn’t think every stabbing is sexy. I mean, he’s been stabbed a couple times I think and I don’t remember it being a sexy thing for at least one of those times.” But what does he know? “Yeah yeah. No sexy stabbings from someone else. If it’s not sexy, is that still fine?” They imagine the answer is no, but they also imagine they’ll just shoot a Might get stabbed, see you when you get here text if it’s a serious situation.

“If you just want to avoid a lot of people, sure. But I do think maybe sometimes you’re your own worst enemy about things. Like you’ve already decided you’re evil and terrible and we’re all stupid for thinking better of you, but…doing bad things and all the stuff from your past doesn’t make you unworthy of love. You understand that, right?” Just gonna let that sink in for a minute. “So stop pushing people away on purpose and refusing to meet them where they are.”

"It's not always sexy. And the fingers wasn't sexy, but he --" doot doot doot. Nobunaga is actually thinking REALLY HARD to do his best to protect Pratt in this, although he might be failing! "He thought it might get there and by the time it didn't, it was already too far." That's safe to say, he thinks. "Lessons were learned. Why do you want to get stabbed? I won't really stop you, you know that, but if you're doing it to protect Pratt, you're doing it wrong. If you're doing it to be friends with a stabby person, that's fine, I get it. Sometimes if you want to spend time with the God of War, you'll get stabbed. If it's because it's hot? That's not okay. I'll stab you all you want."

But whatever composure Nobunaga had goes out the window. "What? No. Shut up!" All the blushing, and flustered and he gently tugs one of Klaus' cheeks. "Why would you even say that?" HUFFFFF... "Shut up..." he rubs his eyes with an arm trying to get composure. "Fuck. Idiot. Not even my parents..." Another cheek tug. "Don't love me just because you think I'm better than I am. At least... do it for what else I am." He drops his hands, and looks away, a little bit shaky, a quivering mess. "And I don't. I don't." Deserve it, understand it, any of it. Oda wants to say he doesn't need it either. Why are they even talking about him? So confusing. He wants to run away. Kind of literally. But he doesn't want to be that weak either. Meet them where they are? "Where are you?" He's not trying to push Klaus away, but he suddenly feels like he's made of razor blades and it'll cut Klaus if he touches him.

Klaus nods. Yeah. That sounds about right. They knew about the finger thing, but it doesn't actually surprise them that he'd hoped it would be a sex thing. "I don't know how lucky he'd have gotten on that front. Blackbeard wasn't really seeming like he wanted to fuck." Not that he was going to go that way, but...it seemed unlikely. "I just...want to keep you all safe sometimes. Can't really help it. Even if..." There's a long sigh here. "Even if that means I'm a weapon. But if I am, it's my own choice and no one else's. And that's...fine. If I can help keep the people I care about safe and not be a liability."

That's the reaction he was expecting, honestly. Always so huffy about being told he deserves love. "Would you tell me that I don't deserve love because I've done bad things?" And another sigh. "I don't love you because I think you're better than you are. I love you for who you are. I just don't want you to limit yourself. I want you to grow and change and be the best version of you that you can be, but I will love you through every single moment of it. Even if you mess up, I will love you. Because you deserve it." There's a light boop of his nose and they hold him a little tighter. "I'm here. But it's not me you're not meeting. It's other people. You're willing to bend more because of your love for me and I love that you are. I just want you to be able to meet other people where they are, too."

Edited (damn my icon forgetfulness) 2022-12-18 23:41 (UTC)

There's another brief pause. "I've seen you at your worst, seen you crying and hurting because someone lashed out and used your difficulty with making friends against you. I've seen you question why people would think highly of you. I've seen how much it hurts you to be perceived in a negative light and it's obvious it hurts you as much as you boast you like it and love to be seen as evil and bad. So I think you're limiting yourself by not leaning into the part of you that still wants to be liked by others, that yearns to be friends and loved even as you push it away and claim you hate it."

They look down, chin hooked over his shoulder. "It's okay to want to be loved. To want to feel deserving of it. And it's okay to be scared that that's something you want because you're scared it'll be used against you. Because back home, it would be. It's okay to be conflicted about things. But don't cut yourself off at the knees because you're scared. I'm here. And if you wanted someone not to push you a little, you picked the wrong person to fall in love with, buddy. I love you. I love the parts of you that were there with Kipposhi. I love the parts of you that are Nobunaga. I love you even with all your flaws. Even with your past. And I'm gonna keep doing that. So just like...I don't want you to be better for me. I want you to do it for you. Which is annoyingly the same shit people said when I was in the rehab. It's what they always say. If you're not doing it for yourself, then it's not going to stick."

A light poke. "But we can table this discussion for now if you need me to. And talk about it later. Cause I want you to have fun at the wedding. Not be depressed at the wedding."

Edited (and again, damn it!) 2022-12-18 23:43 (UTC)

"I don't think he wanted to fuck Blackbeard specifically," just to clarify. "And no telling Sharky."

Nobunaga's eyes widen immensely at Klaus wanting to protect him, and even more at being willing to be a weapon. He softens completely at the words, the profession, and all of it. Klaus once said Nobunaga was incapable of small emotions, and that's definitely true now! He glomps Klaus in a giant hug, the worry of being a spiky razorblade vanishing like smoke, just needing to hug Klaus -- though it probably topples them backwards in the chair to the floor.

Damn that's overwhelming. He still doesn't want to meet people on their own grounds. That's how you die. That's the exactly wrong strategy. That's the antithesis of Sun Tzu. But if Klaus can be a weapon to protect Nobunaga, then Nobunaga can learn to think of things in other terms than just war, right? Maybe?

There's so damn much! So so so much.

Lean into the part that wants to be liked? That's the most terrifying thing he's ever heard! It's almost hysterical. He wonders if the Captain is a little like this too. If Nobunaga's attempts to show others how to defeat the Captain by using himself as a prototype blueprint applies here too, or if it is worth it, even if it does not.

He won't be scared though. Because with Klaus, Nobunaga feels like there's nothing he can't do safely. Make friends, be a good friend, be safe.

He blushes furiously about Klaus loving the parts that are Kipposhi, and Nobunaga, and the past, and everything. Even though Nobunaga feels the same way, in ABUNDANCE about Klaus, down to the Number 4 and everything, it's weird to have it returned somehow.

Be better for himself?

A deep breath, still hugging Klaus like he's the only bit of gravity keeping Nobunaga from spinning off into space where even the gods couldn't find him.

"I don't want to save this for later, because I don't think I'll be strong enough to come back to it."

There was still a lot to unpackage!

"What made you change your mind? To be a weapon, for you. Not under my control or anything else? Can I still polish you?" The smile is nothing short of demonic, making sure Klaus knew exactly what Nobunaga was implying, even though it's pretty obvious.

"I don't really think you've done that many bad things, but I think I know what you mean." Just snuggles into Klaus' chest, giant lion kitty and all. This is fine. "I won't be scared. I'm not scared when you're with me. I don't want to kill anymore, but I will if I have to, but you're my sheathe. Always protecting me from everything, and ready to say it's enough now. I'll--" shit bright red. "Try to be as strong as you..." Don't look at him! Nobunaga is looking far far away!!! So blushy!

Does it matter if he's hurting from being seen poorly? What matters is what he does with it, right? And it's easier to lean into --

That's like the Captain, wasn't it? The whole using negative emotions instead of the positive ones because it's easier. "Ahhhhh this is what I get for loving an ex-cult leader!" But Nobunaga just snuggles into Klaus' chest all over again anyway, gently rubbing the top of his head to Klaus' neck and chin. Because it was like what Kennyo warned Nobunaga: not to freeze over his heart, or cultivate hate and sorrow from others. A weary sigh! "A world of sorrow and using hate is the one weapon I won't use. Other than you." This time he boops Klaus' nose in revenge! "Unless you want me to. But that's more you just using yourself," a nod!

And a huff! "It sounds like a lot. And I don't know that I can just do it right away. Be the kind of man you want me to be, but..." tsun tsun glance away and blushing again! "I won't give up, and I won't be scared. Because if you're here with me, then I'm safe, the rest doesn't matter."

Klaus holds up his hands. "I'm not gonna tell Sharky. I can't imagine he doesn't know something about it already, though."

Of course, in the next minute, he's very suddenly falling backwards and onto the floor in a very undignified manner, letting out a squeak. So much for his suit not hitting the floor. "Ow," he whines. "I didn't know that was so exciting for you."

But yeah. That blush is adorable and once his brain adjusts from the surprise of being on the floor, but that's fine. This is fine. The mood has shifted once more. "I can bully us back to it if I need to." Cause that's the only way these conversations happen. Somehow.

"I talked with Valdis and...well...I don't think she actually agrees with me on my decision because she says I'm too good of a person...and I don't know. She said something and I felt like she was saying I was useless and I was upset about all the talk about how I shouldn't...and I didn't really like...know why I was so upset when I'd already said I didn't want to be...and...I dunno." They shrug.

"I guess I just sort of thought about it a lot since then. I think it's...I don't...want anyone to choose for me. Not my dad, not you, not the Captain, not anyone. I just...I need to control what happens in some respect. This place is going to make us kill one another or get into dangerous situations...and not being able to take care of myself puts you all in danger. Because you'll be worried about protecting me. I don't want that."

Klaus presses a little kiss to his red cheeks. "I don't know that I'd say I was that strong. I just...listen. And I guess know when to push."

They laugh a little. "Well, I can't help my previous profession. What's done is done." There's a nose wrinkle at the boop and he tries to bite it in further retaliation. "I can use myself."

He smiles a little. "I don't expect immediate perfection. But I hope you're doing this for you and not just me." Nobunaga truly is the most ridiculous man he's ever had the pleasure to meet. "I will be here for you. I promise. Through all of this bullshit." He blushes himself here. "Can't plan our eventual candy wedding otherwise."

"Yeah he told Pratt to get some sort of vanilla kink. It's a tough mission. Pray for him." Maybe he could ask Yato about that. Who knows.

More head nudges to Klaus' chin. Fuck it, if he has to lean into harder things, this is easily the lesser of difficult things to openly admit wanting! "We kind of fought about it, her and me. That was our argument on the expedition. You not wanting to be a weapon, and then me doing the opposite and being one for Yato. I'm not sure which bothers her more, but I kept saying, you're zen. I think it's just associated with being used by others to hurt others and not you getting to protect them that you don't like, right? Same with the army?" All the head nudges and nuzzles! Nobunaga splits into a giant grin when his finger gets nommed on. "Yeah. I like you keeping me safe. It's new. I like it."

Resting his head back on Klaus' chest. "Mmn. I can adapt pretty well. I think. I'm not as flexible as you but--" he doodles a finger absentmindedly in circles on Klaus' chest. "I wouldn't do something like that if I could resent you for it. I don't need to be liked... but freedom... I guess being hated is still a chain of responsibility? And I want the freedom to... have friends. Even if I'm still learning what that means. I don't want to limit myself but... you're not going to escape being my better face. I'm the big guns that gets pulled out when peace and love aren't enough. You can pull me back anytime you need, and I'll reach my hand out to you, to say, 'not everything has to be a war.' But people still have to take that first step. I've had a lifetime of working for everyone else. I didn't think I could earn my freedom, but I did. I'm doing my best, Klaus. To enjoy it, still be me, and not hurt anyone else. Break conditioning without breaking the person." Impatient head nudge!

A soft smile finally. "Yeah. Everything candy." Doki doki!

"What even is a vanilla kink?" Klaus is trying to think if he has vanilla kinks.

They are really just being attacked by a very affectionate kitten right now. Soon he's gonna start headbutting them. That will probably hurt. "Oh. But..." He squints slightly. "You wanting to be a weapon is different? Cause you chose it." There's a small nod of agreement about his assessment. "Everyone has their own ideas. I mean, I guess I could still be used to hurt someone, but I just want to...keep people safe. Like when the people who couldn't fight at the Halloween party were in danger. And like at the excursion when we had to go off on our own for a bit, but I don't think I could do much against the Bahamanal."

Klaus is really debating getting up, but...it's so comfortable like this. He hopes no one spills anything on them. "Yeah. Which definitely means considering your words and actions a little more. Juuuust a little." Cause that's part of it and they know that it's maybe a bit of an ask, but if Nobunaga is willing to try, Klaus is willing to support him in any way. "I'll be here if you need help or reminders or someone in your corner."

They feel a hot flush across their face. "I love you, you weird candy fiend." There's a beat before Klaus starts levitating them up in the air. "Hold on. I'm getting us back into a chair cause I don't want to be stepped on."

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