Ghoulette Appreciation Week 10
Week 10: Marriage/soul-bonding (& laughing)
Yes I'm behind, shhh!
Cumulus loves watching the humans propose at Rituals, so Cirrus plans a proposal of her own.
Rating: G
Content: fluff. tooth-rotting fluff.
Words: 1090
Read below, or on AO3!
Cirrus and Cumulus burst off the stage, clutching onto each other's arms. They were giddy and giggly with the high of another successful ritual, one of the final ones of the tour.
"Did you see the humans tonight?” asked Cumulus, “they did another one of their ‘proposal’ things during Mary on a Cross!”
“I did!” smiled Cirrus, she knew how much Cumulus loved the displays of love in the congregation at their Rituals.
“They’re so sweet! I wonder why they do it though,” Cumulus thought aloud, “I thought human marriage was a religious thing, don’t they get threatened with stories of afterlife in the pit if they don’t marry?”
“Maybe it’s more like our soul-bonding ceremonies?” Cirrus mused, also curious now. “Plenty of other human religions have marriage too, I think.”
“Oh, so like our ceremonies, but with their friends and families there too?” Cumulus looked positively gooey-eyed at the thought. Cirrus thought it sounded a bit odd, really. Soul bonding ceremonies in the pit were very private affairs; only ever involving the ghouls themselves, and a representative of His court to lead it. Her and Cumulus’s ceremony had been like that. They’d performed the bonding ritual under the guidance of an air ghoul priestess, the three of them on a remote rocky outcrop in the pit where their shared element’s power was strongest.
Cumulus seemed positively enamoured by the concept however, and so Cirrus began to plan.
A short while later, once the ghouls had returned to the Abbey, Cirrus put her first plan into action. She had told Mountain of her idea, and he had offered to encourage the roses in the greenhouse to bloom faster and larger than ever. Cumulus was away for the morning, helping Aurora get settled into her new duties at the Abbey when not touring. She was also in on Cirrus’s plan, and had agreed to act extra clueless to keep Cumulus occupied until Cirrus let her know she was ready.
Cirrus carefully scattered the fallen rose petals Mountain had collected across their bedroom, leading to an ostentatiously oversized bouquet on the dresser. They then led out the window beyond, and to the small balcony where they spent many warm evenings enjoying the breeze. Cirrus double-checked her pocket for the ring Dew and Sunny had helped her craft, and called out to Aurora in her mind that she was ready.
The ring was a work of art, and totally unique. Sunshine had helped her acquire the materials for it, her light-fingeredness easily swiping the summoning cloak from its secure storage place in the bowels of the Abbey. This was the same cloak that had been placed over both their shoulders during their joint summoning, representing their new life topside as a pair. Dew had then used his fire elemental powers to reshape some of the gold and gems from the clasp into a delicate ring, set with a glistening aquamarine stone and pair of diamonds. Cirrus hoped Cumulus would love it.
She waited patiently on the balcony, her palms sweaty. Cirrus never normally got nervous; not before Rituals, not even before their summoning. The only time she had felt this nervous before was when he had asked Cumulus to be her mate. She guessed this was the same, this was the topside equivalent after all.
Eventually, the door creaked open, and Cirrus heard Cumulus’s gasp at the trail of petals and the huge bouquet of blooms.
“Cir?” she called, her voice getting closer, “Are you in here?” She stepped out onto the balcony, and broke out into a beaming smile at seeing Cirrus stood there, holding a final rose.
“The flowers are from you!” she grinned, “They’re beautiful!”
“Not as beautiful as you, my love.” Cirrus couldn’t resist the opportunity to pull the giggle that followed from Cumulus’s lips.
“What’s all this for then?” she smirked at Cirrus, “flowers aren’t normally your style, too human for you!”
Cirrus smiled back at her, proffering the rose to Cumulus which she took, and held to her nose to take a deep sniff. “Beautiful.” She repeated, eyes full of nothing short of adoration.
Taking a deep breath, Cirrus reached into her pocket for the ring, and sunk to one knee.
“Cumulus, love of my life, I don’t pretend to understand why the humans do this, but I know you love it and I love that you do. So would you do me the honour of accepting this ring, and celebrating our love topside with all of our pack?”
Cumulus’s squeal could probably have been heard across the Abbey. She threw herself into Cirrus’s arms, almost sending the precious ring flying. Below them, curiosity had got the better of the band ghouls and they had assembled on the lawn to watch. Aurora let out a whooping cheer from her position atop Mountain’s shoulders, and the rest followed suit. Her hands shaking with adrenaline, both of then laughing at their packmates’ antics, Cirrus slid the ring onto Cumulus’s finger. More cheers sounded from below as the pair kissed, completing the humans’ proposal ritual, and Cumulus leaned over the balcony to wave, proudly display her hand with the ring now pride of place.
Back in Cirrus’s arms, Cumulus giggled wetly into her chest, her emotions getting the better of her.
“This was so sweet of you Cir, thank you!”
“Of course my little songbird, you liked seeing the humans doing their bonding rituals so much, how could I not seal our love topside too!”
“This is only the first step of a topside wedding, you know?” Cumulus teased, winding their tails together, so there was not an inch of space between them. “This is just the asking part!”
“Did I say I was done?” Cirrus smirked leading her back inside away from their audience.
Cirrus had done her research. Upon re-entering their room, Cirrus produced a wrapped gift hidden in the bottom of their wardrobe.
“Next up, I believe we need to have a hen party.”
Cumulus unwrapped the present, revealing a sparkling ice blue dress with diamante-encrusted straps. The rouched fabric perfectly matched the ring on her finger.
“It’s gorgeous!” Cumulus’ eyes glittered with delight.
“I’ve asked Papa if he’ll officiate an adapted ceremony for us too, we can pick out outfits and write vows, have a whole day to celebrate our love and our lives topside with all the people we love.”
“That sounds wonderful Riri,” Cumulus looked about to cry again, as Cirrus gently brushed soft hands across her cheeks, “I love you so much!”
“I love you too, Lulu! I’m glad you liked your surprise.”
“It was perfect, just like you.”
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