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

"She does like her men in suits." It's a pattern that is not difficult to see, between Maximilien, Skulduggery, and, well, him.

"Dr. Watson takes the well-being of others very seriously. That's something I admire in him. Still, I can imagine revealing that part of yourself can't have been easy?"

"She does seem to, yes." There's a soft laugh at that.

"Not at that time, no. I still have some difficulty trusting humans. There are still some here that don't know, but...after the camping excursion, I realized the Captain knew and probably would take it on himself to tell others without my express permission if he felt it so necessary." There's a beat and she sighs. "I was proven right about that at the game show. He will use things about us whether or not we are prepared to let others know that about us. So I told people before he could so he couldn't hold it over me."

There's a small shrug. "It's at least easier than trying to explain why I don't know everything that happened in human history anyway."

Remembering what had gone on at the game show brings a frown to his face. Yes, she's right. No secret stays that way here. Not everyone was paying enough attention to catch his reaction, but some did. More than he wanted.

"You do make a good point." He lets out a slow breath. Maybe it's time.

"Do you remember at the game show, when the third contestant for one of the challenges did not come to the stage. The one called Number 6?"

Maeve looks over at him quietly for a moment, realizing the moment for what it was. She can put the clues together without the admission at this point, but she'll let him do it so he feels like it's under his control.

"I remember it, yes."

He nods. He can tell she's already guessed its connection to him. But, there's more to it.

"Before I was brought here, I was being held as a prisoner in another place. That place was called The Village, and in it, no one was allowed to keep their name. We were numbered, and we were...subjected to horrors that sometimes still outrank what I've experienced here. Number 6 was my designation." So, she can probably tell now why it angered him so much.

Maeve at least keeps her expression neutral at the admission, but she understands a little more now why...he is how he is. And why he would be upset with the Captain for using that name. "It seems we're more similar than previously realized." Even though she did have a name and held prisoner was...subject to interpretation.

"I would not want him to use my serial number to identify me either, but that seems to be what occurred with all the others like me that participated."

"Yes. I wish it weren't for such reasons." Their circumstances may not match precisely, but this is, in essence, why he has always felt a certain level of kinship to her. They both know what it is for someone else to hold power over them.

"I confronted him after the fact. I demanded to know why he would expose those of us that way. He claimed it was to do with our 'true names' but I refuse to believe that. My true name may not be Smith, but it most certainly is not Number 6."

“So do I,” she says quietly. It’s terrible to know quite how much they’ve both been through, but not really surprising all the same.

“I don’t see serial numbers as true names. Certainly not a number forced on someone by others.” She has little to no faith in the Captain as it is. “It seems, more than likely, his interpretation and a hint of cruelty.” A beat. “More than a hint, really.”

"Ava pleads his case often, that cruelty is all he has known and thus is all he knows to give. That could be true, but it does not remove the sting." And it does not absolve the Captain of his responsibility in Number 6's eyes.

"Try as I might, my patience with him wears thin. For her sake, I restrain myself. And, for all our sakes, I hope she is right when she says that he can learn to do better."

Maeve is with Peter on this. She doesn't forgive the Captain for all his wrong doings just because all he's known is cruelty. "By that logic, shouldn't both of us be much crueler than we are?" Of course, Maeve could speak to having some kindness, but more cruelty than not.

There's a nod. "Yes. I agree. The more he does, the less of a shit I give. He's childish and it's exhausting to deal with." She sighs. "But let's have fun for the rest of the evening. Being in a poor mood at a wedding is bad manners."

"We both could have been, easily. But our choices have been different." In his estimation, their reactions matter just as much. Could it be because they had people to care for beyond themselves? In that case, Skulduggery may well be the key to it all. But, that's enough brooding for one night.

"Yes. You're right. Let's put it out of our minds for now. For tonight, at least, I do believe all will be well. And you are a very pleasant dance partner."

10th Contraption: Mawwiage

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okay with starting to wrap this one up?

yeppers peppers

thank you!