Styx, Fae, and Malleus—Oh my!
Okay I'm writing this more as a marker for myself because I keep breaking my brain with connecting C6 to C7, but I've included my notes down below to kind of trail through how things might go with the next C7 update. Since the Shroud brothers are back in business, we'll be seeing a lot more of Styx's hand too, so I also wanted to collect as much information (canon) as I can on them too. Because I just think they're neat, and combining all the information makes them that much neater!
Warning for a long-ish post.
All About Styx (Up to C7, April 2024)
Styx, originally serving as just the Watchman before the Age of Gods (which Malleus discusses in C6 part 18),
is an independently operating institution (non-government affiliated) that specifically focuses on research pertaining to blot. According to the welcome video narrated by Idia’s mother and father, Styx covers the following:
Safe use of technomantic technology
Magical power analysis
Preservation of ruins and mage stones
Blot emission reduction
Post OB treatment
Magical disaster prediction systems
Maintaining phantom databases
Styx operates off of the Isle of Woe, an area mostly inaccessible to outsiders due to its status as being below the ocean and only accessible via the Oceanus Gate. Styx is seemingly composed of multiple units and teams, including the Hex Team, with most of the employees living in the residential block of Oceanus and using chariots (technomantic vehicles) to get to the tower. Another unit that Styx controls are the Charon members. These appear to be the equivalent of armed forces under Styx’s command. They specifically act as retrievers of over blotted mages, or more specifically the phantoms involved in the overblot. Magic Marshals and the Arcane Response Unit often handle overblot cases, but in extreme incidents, Charon members step in.
It’s mentioned that they also arrive regardless of if they have authorization from the government of the location the overblot is occurring.
Regarding the technomantic equipment mentioned, this is what Styx seems to mainly use for all operations, likely due to the nature of its research. Technomantic technology has an ability to almost entirely nullify magic. Although not 100% effective, it was enough to even make Rooks UM limited, forcing him to only track the kidnapped students when there were second breaks in the tech. This tech was also used on the overblot students, with Riddle stating that it’s equivalent to his UM (C6 part 26).
The tower that Styx operates out of is a large structure located in the centre of the ancient city that was originally attached to the Kingdom of Heroes. Within this tower, Styx keeps phantoms preserved frozen in the lower layers. This area is referred to as Tartarus and hosts approximately 10,000 subjects split into 12 levels. A-class are considered exceedingly dangerous phantoms, according to Ortho. Sector 12 is where the original Phantoms are housed, known as the ‘Titans’. These are three phantoms that have been sealed in Tartarus by the original Jupiter family members since the Age of Gods.
The system designed to preserve these phantoms is known as the Cerberus System. This encapsulates the entire Isle, not just Styx. According to Idia, mages are taken and housed for testing in this region before being wiped by Lethe, another system operated by Styx that re-wires memories and implants false ones. Interestingly, Lethe works differently on fae than humans due to fae’s long lifespans. Idia states that it’s hard to adjust what information to remove and rewrite without making it obvious that there was an erasure. He does mention Malleus by name when discussing this, but not Lilia.
All About The Fae in Briar Valley (Up to April 2024, JP Spoilers)
Fae appear to live broadly across Twisted Wonderland, but a large majority do reside in Briar Valley (other additions such as Fairyland/Land of Fairy have been mentioned and seem to host diurnal fae. More of this can be found in the fairy gala events. Diurnal fae are considered to herald the coming of spring with this gala, which ties in with later discussions about fae and nature). Various species were also noted to exist, including:
Dragon fae (note: Dragons are mentioned to have arrived for Meleanor during her youth, however after her passing a decade later it appears that Dragons have either gone underground or extinct across the broader Twisted Wonderland area)
Raven fae
Bat fae
Crocodile fae
Subcategories of crafter fae and the likes exist too, but don’t quite count as species
There appears to be a hierarchy of value among fae. In one conversation by a Senate member (in Chapter 7, release 6), Lilia is referred to in derogatory terms due to his status as a bat fae. It is unknown if this bias is strictly the Senate member, Briar Valley, or if it spreads across broader fae populations. Fae also appear to have monarchies, although the only two known so far are the Queen of Fairyland and the Draconia Family. Fae also appear to age at different rates (Malleus states infant fae often take 30 years to walk, and it took him 20 years alone to gain his 2-legged form).
Due to Briar Valley being the major focus of C7, we’ll look at fae in this region specifically.
For context, constant conflict has arisen between fae and humans, specifically within Briar Valley. A major conflict and large plot point in C7 so far is the conflict between Briar Nation (former name of Briar Valley) and the Silver owls. The Silver Owls, run by Henrik, carried out mining operations throughout Briar Nation without permission from the royal family. Despite the name Silver Owls, it should be noted that they are also called Iron Ones due to their iron weapons and armor. According to Briar Nation soldiers, Silver Owls recklessly endangered fae by driving wildlife into villages in addition to colonizing the region. The Silver Owls (Henrik in particular) are aiming to attain Princess Glow. Henrik stated that he wanted it for his father (unlikely, lbr). Princess Glow appeared to be a gem associated with the Draconia Family that was capable of performing miracles like healing incurable ailments. It’s unknown if this is factual or not, but Meleanor does appear to put value on the gem when discussing it with Lilia.
Conflict with the Silver Owls extended across several regions in Briar Nation, including:
Verdant Moors (outside the present day borders—confirmed by Sebek in C7)
Canyon of Howling Winds (also called Valley of Howling winds in some translations)
Mystical Mountain/Forbidden Mountain
Thunderclap Mountains
Cape Sunrise
Tenebrae Forest/Dark Night Forest
Crimson plain
Dragon’s Tail Mountains
Wild Rose Palace
Black Scale Palace
Dragon Capital City (surrounding Black Scale Palace)
Cradle Tower
Note: present day Briar Valley is situated farther up north and is said to have a cold climate for the most part, including particularly harsh winters (confirmed by Silver in release 4 of C7). Double note: Names may be susceptible to change with EN release.
The conflict ended with Meleanor and Levan (Malleus’ parents) allegedly dead. Fae ceased intermingling with humans likely after this conflict according to Lilia in C6 part 18, leaving to heavy deficits in the validity of history surrounding the fae. This also means that a lot of human history books miss history that fae may have personally experienced or have to share (as spoken by Trein and Lilia).
In terms of powers, fae in Twisted Wonderland seem to rely on nature a great deal for their magical abilities. Idia’s father discusses the extent of what some fae can do due to their connection with ancient magic, including mentioning how fae have had control over climate change and diastrophism since the Age of Myths (presumably predating the Age of Gods). Malleus’ ability to alter the world in a designated area falls under this category. He is stated to have magic tied to the earth itself. Idia’s mother also mentions that fae can also draw magical energy from nature itself, building on Idia’s fathers statement about how fae’s magic directly connects to the earth. Generally, fae with elemental connections can do this, which proposes the idea that Malleus has such an ability.
It also appears that fae can lend this magic to humans. The Knight of Dawn frequently calls upon the blessings of diurnal fae to aid him in his fights throughout C7 (note: he says 'fairy guardians', so this could be just this specific instance).
So… what’s up with chapter 7, as of April 2024? (JP Spoilers)
Well… Malleus over blotted. Inconvenient, absolutely. Fortunately, his grandmother snitched and gave all of his information over to Styx, allowing them to formulate somewhat of a plan to use.
We know specifically that the Arcane Response Unit is unable to get access to Malleus through the thorns because, should the thorn wall be penetrated or collapse, it will kill whoever is caught inside of it. At the moment, ARU is likely on the borders of Malleus’ thorn wall while Ortho (acting as a stand-in Charon member, in this case) deals with the issue. Anyone who gets too close to the thorns (fae or human) are also being sucked into the barrier.
Silver, Sebek, Yuu and Grim are currently travelling through various dreams. This allowed some insight on fae (see Fae in Briar Valley for more) as well as the abilities that they possess. Ortho has pulled the group into Idia’s dream, stating that Malleus is using all resources to keep Lilia asleep. Ortho was able to penetrate into the barrier using a counter-spell barrier and ethereal slicers, in addition to a magical cannon honed by Styx.
We also know it’s confirmed that Malleus needs to either voluntarily end his spell or die in order to actually cause the barriers to drop.
What might happen, then? (JP Spoilers)
Who knows! Yana likes to keep us on our toes. That being said, one of the biggest takeaways that came from this is the technology (technomantic) that Styx has access to, as well as what fae seem to rely on to continually use their magic. Styx’s access to technology that can almost entirely nullify magic in combination with their isolation from ‘nature’ (based on the brutalism architecture their facility had) could be two avenues of mitigating Malleus enough to at least let the students get an upper hand.
However, Styx also did confirm that their technomantic equipment was not having as good of an effect on Malleus’ barrier as they anticipated. If technomantic equipment were to be used on Malleus, it would need to be something advanced, like Ortho’s Cerberus gear, but on a larger scale. Ortho has already shown that Malleus’ magic is ineffective when faced with the type of tech that Ortho is equipped with, positing the idea that this can be an avenue to take. In the battle with Ortho, Malleus does appear to freeze up and misses a hit.
The comment about Malleus needing to break the spell himself was emphasized a lot in this section. Styx confirmed they’ll reach out to Queen Maleficia to see if she can persuade Malleus to drop the spell, but they’re also convincing the dreamers to persuade Malleus as well.
So… it seems like a triple whammy of tech, Maleficia, and guilt tripping as a way to take Malleus down. Exciting!!
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Neighbor Series: Ch. 4 Part 2
A Delicate Ecosystem
Part 2: Carmen is obviously down bad, but does Sydney feel as deeply? Is her career or love most important?
I think this might be the last in this series.
The rest of the day and night went smoothly. Sydney tried to dismiss that stupid conversation with Richie from her mind. Carmy was the same as ever. She supposed he didn't have "the talk" with him. Typical that Rich thought it was her responsibility to control the actions of a grown man.
The next day Sydney walked past Marcus and Fak huddled in conversation and thought she heard her name. She shrugged it off, put away her stuff in her locker and joined them.
"Hey, sorry to interrupt. Marcus can we talk for minute?"
Fak who usually had something quirky to say, just waved at her and scuddled away.
"Yeah, anything wrong?" Marcus asked with an odd, no an irritated look, on his face.
"Well, yes. Our bread supplier isn't going to come through for the rest of the week. A death in the family. Carmy wanted me let you know that we'll have to make it in-house today, but we have a backup ready for tommorrow."
"Got it."
"Okay, let me know if you need anything."
"I said I got it."
Sydney was thrown off by his tone. Yes, Marcus had asked her out several months ago and it was weird for that night. Afterwards, they'd moved on and were back on good terms. She racked her brain trying to think if she'd done or said something recently to offend him.
"Um, is there a problem?"
"Nope."
Marcus's face was now unreadable and he walked away to his station. It was eerie, but Sydney had many other things to do so she shelved it for now.
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The following day Carmy stood behind the restaurant for a his "smoke" break right before nightly service. He quit cigarettes a shortly after The Bear opened because he had caught pneumonia and missed two days of work. His doctor told him that she'd seen a lot of pneumonia cases in her elderly and smoking patients that season. So now he chewed Nicorette and pretended that it was just as satisfying. While he stood there enjoying the solitude, Anna, a new hostess came out and began smoking her vape pen. She had a one of those warm, generic voices that was perfect for customer service, but she could instantly switch to a cloying Kardashian-esque accent. She used it whenever she could talk to Carmy alone. However, today she didn't immediately begin speaking when she saw him. He decided to not waste the chance to escape. Just as he was about to go back in Anna spoke up.
"So…do you like know of any nice apartments around here?"
Carmy was facing the door so he could roll his eyes, without her seeing. Then he turned around trying to look neutral.
"Uh, no. Well, I like mine. It's 10 minutes from here, but there's almost never anything available."
"Oh, really? Didn't Sydney just get a place there? Or did she move in with you?"
"Excuse me?"
"Oh, I just thought I heard like you were maybe together?"
Anna kept her voice light, but she seemed nervous. One hand was gripping her vape pen and the other was twirling her long brown hair.
"No, we don't live together. What does that have to do with you finding an apartment?"
"No? Well, I didn't think so. Sydney is great and all, but she's…like you could like date anyone here, you know?" Anna replied choosing to ignore his question.
Carmen couldn't believe he was having this conversation. This time he couldn't help rolling his eyes in her face. The unmitigated gall of this women to talk about Sydney and to approach her employer in this manner.
"Anna, my dating life is not up for discussion."
Carmen wanted to say more, but he knew that it would be best to discuss it with Natalie first. She came from corporate America and knew the proper HR way of dealing this stuff.
"Oh, oh yeah. Like, okay. Um, I better get back" Anna stammered, blushing and darted through the door.
That night Carmy was on alert. It was one minor incident, but he had to suppress his compulsion to spiral with doubt and worry that Sydney would be hurt because of him. He hadn't really thought much about how others might view their potential relationship. He probably blocked it out because there was already so much to worry about. Also, their kitchen "mind-meld" flow was getting better all the time. It was exhilarating how they had become more and more attuned with one another during service. Often while working side by side they would hand each other the very thing they needed without even having to speak, much less look at each other. They could plate a dish together faster than a pit crew could replace a tire. With a glance Carmy knew when Sydney needed a break on their most insane evenings. He'd just squeeze her shoulder and she'd move so he could take over for a quick five. He did the same for others though.
However, what happened the other night might have raised some eyebrows. He was asked to greet a congressperson who was dining there and he beckoned for Sydney to join him. Before they went out he grabbed a towel to pat her dewy forehead, retied her chef's coat and smoothed it down like he was her personal valet. This was in front of the entire kitchen. He hadn't meant to do anything that would make Sydney a target. His intention was to support her, not romance her at work. Of' course there were slip ups. He just hoped the conversation with Anna was a one-off. To be on the safe side during service he tried not to do anything extra with her besides their usual telepathic routine. Sydney followed his lead avoiding making unnecessary remarks or touching him.
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Later he walked her home. They were silent at first, their stride in perfect harmony.
Carmy cleared his throat.
"Sydney, has anyone been treating you differently?"
Sydney paused in surprise for a second, but then she answered "Am I that easy to read?"
Carmen was now very concerned.
"No, it's just that I had a weird conversation before service with one of the front staff."
"Was it about us?"
"Yeah, has anyone said anything to you?"
"Yes, Richie did. A couple others are just being a little icy this week. It's no big deal."
Carmen took her hand in his, intertwining their fingers.
"What did Richie say?"
"Oh, Mr. Richard had a speech. He wanted to make sure I kept the "shop" closed until you and Nat could pay back Cicero. He's afraid I'll mess up the ecosystem. "
Carmy's froze for a second, then he blushed scarlet from the mention of him getting anywhere near Sydney's "shop" and from Richie's audacity to address Syd instead of him.
She continued.
"At the time I thought he was just being Richie. Now, I don't know. I don't want to mess anything up for you, for us. The Bear is so new and we are on track to paying off the debt and maybe even getting a star."
"Sydney. We make an excellent team and nothing that we've done or will do together outside of The Bear will change it. I promise you, that I won't let it change. Your dreams are first priority."
"So are yours, Carmy."
Carmy's focused on his breathe for a moment, his heart pounding in his ears. His dream was doing this with HER. He meant it when he said he wouldn't even want to do it without her. Each day together wove a new thread from his heart to hers, but he wouldn't force it on her.
"Sydney, I like you. More than anyone I've ever…."
He stopped unsure if she was ready to hear how deep his feelings ran.
"But I understand if you want me to back off. Whatever you decide I will talk to them and fix this. You deserve nothing but respect."
They reached the front of their building and Sydney turned to face him. He was visibly trembling. Tenderness for him surged from her heart. Carmen was the most sincere man she'd ever met. He couldn't fake happiness, indifference, or confidence unless that was how he truly felt. Past the anxiety, occasional moodiness, and temper, at his core she saw someone who desperately desired to serve and to be understood.
He stood there defenseless.
She put a hand over his heart as if to speak to it.
"No, don't back off. I don't care what any of them think as long as we're good."
Carmy breathed again, took her hand in his and kissed her palm, nuzzling it against his cheek.
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Sydney lay in bed that night thinking. She knew down to her bones that her foundation was stronger than his. It was not due to any fault of his own. Her home had been filled with safety and love. It was her nature to be a perfectionist, but even when she failed she knew that she had intrinsic value as a person. What she lacked that Carmen had was the courage to be vulnerable. He was open to her about Mikey within the first few weeks of their meeting despite not knowing how she would respond. This and his consistent effort to know her, drew her in despite the chaos of early days at The Beef. She knew that he would actually listen and give her an opportunity to grow. There was another intangible factor, which scared and thrilled Sydney. When she often found him gazing at her, there was a feeling that he was not only moved by her beauty, but for who she was. It reminded of her of how her father looked at her mom, even when she was sick. It was one of her few memories that hadn't faded. She also knew there were no strings attached when he promoted her to CDC, but her heart demanded more with each passing day. She wanted to be Carmen's refuge and release in every way. This knowing was overwhelming and she was grateful that he moved slowly despite the hunger in his eyes.
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The next day Natalie was working on-site when Carmen came into her office and closed the door.
"Hey Carm, how are you?"
"I'm good. Sorry, I didn't respond to your text last night. Baby PJ looked very cute in his White Sox outfit"
"Well, at least send a smiley face or something! But what's up?"
"So, I don't know if you've noticed but I'm interested in someone who works here."
"Oh, bro I know…so are you and Sydney official?"
Carmy brushed his hair back with his fingers and shook his head.
"Were you never going to say anything?" he asked.
"The best thing a sister can do is stay out of it. It's brothers who get involved with their sister's romantic choices. Thank God, you couldn't run off Pete."
"Okay. No, we're not rushing into anything. So far, she allows me to walk her to and from work. And we talk everyday."
Natalie clutched her chest and sank down further into her chair.
"She allows you to…I CAN'T! I had no idea my baby brother was this sweet!"
"SUGAR, the point of me bringing this up is that some of the staff have been going behind my back to talk to her, icing her out, and there's been a rumor that we live together. I won't have it! Anyways, I figure you know the corporate way to handle it."
"Okay, we were going to discuss health insurance options for the next enrollment period during family service, but I can slide in a talk about relational professionalism."
"Thank you."
Natalie sighed and squeezed Carmy's hand.
"She allows you to walk with her! Oh, Pete is going to melt."
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For old time's sake Sydney prepared Mikey's spaghetti recipe for family service. Carmy saved her a seat and she sat down next to him feeling Anna's bitter glances and Richie's disapproval. Marcus ignored them. As they ate Natalie gave the insurance presentation and then her politically correct professionalism talk. She took care to make it not obviously about Sydney and Carm. When she was done and people started to file out, Carmen asked for the original Beef staff to remain behind. They took their seats again looking intrigued.
He moved to stand at the head of the table.
"Alright, great…Okay. So I asked Natalie to give that talk. And thank you Nat, but I have something I need to say. too"
"So, You've all been here a long time. Before I came you already had each other's backs and then I took over. It was an adjustment. Then Sydney came and I had a partner from my world. There more changes but somehow we found a way to work together. Then we found the money and we started this. You all choosing to stay and gain new skills, means so much me and I know it does to you too.
The Bear is a special place because it's a family business. And not just because of Natalie and I, but it's all of you too. The thing is we got to have each other's backs. It's not enough to to get through service, get the reviews, a star, whatever, but we got to respect each other. You know that without Sydney and Natalie giving it everything they had during the reno, none of this would have happened. Where we're sitting would be a parking lot or a Dunkin's. Anyways, I'm disappointed that some in here saw everything Sydney did to help get us here and they're giving her crap because I like her. In HERE I respect all of you, everyone is paid fairly, given opportunities, and I care about you…your lives. She didn't do anything, but her job and she deserves your respect. Out THERE I hope to spend as much time with her as she'll let me. But in HERE we're a business and we're a family.
The silence was palpable. Sydney's eyes never left Carmy's face while he spoke and when he took the courage to meet them, he saw admiration there and her beautiful smile.
Tina broke the heavy mood.
"So, Jeff. Are y'all together? Are we what they a call a "mom and pop" now?"
Carmy grinned, still looking at Sydney.
"I'm working on it."
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Live A Little | A Worth It AU | Ralph Penbury x You | Masterlist
In This Edition: You and Ralph venture out of your cabin!
Words: 1.3k
You wake to the sound of angry whispers.
"It's not proper!"
"Those kids have been through Hell together!"
"They're not married!"
Ralph's eyes open. You hold your breath and listen closely, watching each other beneath the covers and not daring to move a muscle.
"And?"
"And it's despicable! Having to share a room with… with…"
"With my niece, and the boy who saved her life?"
"I thought you said his sister was on board! Send him there, or back to the lounge!"
"My girl wouldn't leave that boy to get on a boat and save her own life, and you think she's going to let him go because you said so?"
A proud smile spreads across your face. You knew Aunt Molly would always be on your side.
"Ugh!" The other woman groans in frustration, and you hear the door open.
"If you think for one minute that I'm--" Molly shuts the door, and your eavesdropping is abruptly cut off.
"She's got it wrong," Ralph whispers. "You're the one who saved me."
"Aunt Molly is never wrong," you smile.
"Then perhaps we'll have to agree to disagree."
"That won't do," you argue, reaching out to cup the side of his face. "Because we saved each other."
You're already close, but you both move your faces forward just a tiny bit for a kiss.
The door closes again.
"Food's here, kids! I let you sleep through dinner last night, but I draw the line at missing breakfast."
Aunt Molly sits on her bed and tells you about how the other survivors are being treated by the generous crew and passengers of the Carpathia while you eat, but you find it hard to concentrate. You do notice that she makes no mention of the argument with her roommate… whose few possessions have disappeared.
Molly leaves again when you've finished eating, and you and Ralph return to bed. You've never been so exhausted in your life. You're grateful for your tiny bed, and the boy you're sharing it with.
There are no windows in your cabin. The only marker of time is whispered words on well-timed bouts of consciousness with Ralph. You remember getting up to eat once more, and to visit the lavatory. You have a vague memory of Molly suggesting that you switch beds, now that Hettie had found other accommodations, and guiding you and Ralph to the slightly larger mattress.
You'd continue to sleep inches apart anyhow.
"Should we go find Victoria?" you ask, during one of those rare occasions you're both awake at the same time.
"No," Ralph sighs. "I don't want to see her."
"I don't want to see anyone but you," you breathe.
"Likewise," he says.
And then you both drift off again.
"I can't stop dreaming about it," Ralph admits another time.
You know exactly what he's talking about. It haunts you too.
"What would you like to dream about?" you ask.
"You," he answers.
"Perhaps if we concentrate on happier things, we'll dream about them?"
"It's worth a try," Ralph sighs. "I want to see snow. Real snow, not just a flurry. I want to be in a warm house, with you, looking out the window at the falling snow. At Christmastime."
"That sounds wonderful," you smile, closing your eyes and trying to picture it. "I'll make us hot cocoa... we can bake cookies… maybe it'll be so hot, we'll have to take our clothes off…"
"Mm…" Ralph hums.
You both drift off again, hoping to experience the romantic scene you've set instead of the horrifying vision of the sea swallowing an unsinkable ship.
It's not until after dinner, delivered by Molly, that you feel truly awake again. Your aches have subsided. Your brain isn't foggy anymore. Your body still wants to remain in bed, however, so you lie there on your back next to Ralph, looking at the ceiling.
"I think I'll enjoy being on solid ground again," you muse.
Ralph doesn't respond. You turn your head to see a worried expression on his face.
"Ralph? Are you alright?"
"Do you still want to marry me?
His question makes your heart stop. Is he having second thoughts? You turn your gaze back to the ceiling, rather than stare at him in fear.
"Of course I do, Ralph. Do you still want to marry me?"
"Absolutely, but… do you think your parents will allow it?"
"I'd like to see them try and stop us," you respond without even having to think about it.
Ralph looks taken aback by your comment.
"I love you, Ralph Penbury," you smile, squeezing his hand and gazing at him in adoration. "I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Whether it's an hour or a lifetime, I want it to be with you. And I don't give a damn what anyone else has to say about it."
Ralph's eyes begin to water. He leans over for a kiss. It starts sweet, but soon turns desperate. Passionate. Something you haven't felt up to in days.
"I'm so happy I met you," he breathes.
"So am I," you smile, cupping his jaw and staring into his beautiful eyes. You can't imagine spending another day without him.
"Let's do it," you suggest.
"Do what?"
"Let's get married."
"Have we not just established we're going to?" he asks.
"Now."
"Now?"
"Let's get married now," you clarify. "They can't object if it's already done."
"Do you mean it?"
You nod.
"But… weddings take months to plan."
"Do you want to wait months, Ralph?"
His brow furrows, and you can see him weighing his options.
"You'd be willing to forego the dress, and the flowers, and the church? Your family being present? All those traditions? For me?"
"I don't need any of that, Ralph," you smile. "All I need is you."
"Are you sure?"
"Ralph, please don't think that I'm trying to pressure you into this. We don't have to do this if you don't want to. We're both tired and hazy still. If you want to--"
"No," he interrupts. "Are you sure you want me?"
The unsure look on his face pains you. How can he not see that he's your entire world? You lean forward for a deep kiss.
"Now who's mad?" you ask, pulling back with a smile. You cradle his face in your hands. "Of course I want you, Ralph. You're the only one I've ever wanted. And I'll still want you tomorrow, and the day after, and the day after that. We don't have to do this now, if you're not ready. I'll wait forever for you."
Ralph stares at you for a moment, then laughs.
"I love you," he says, leaning over to pepper your face with kisses.
"I love you too, Ralph," you giggle, lying helplessly under his attack.
"Well, my love, shall we find ourselves a minister?" he asks when he finishes.
You grin and roll out of bed. You visit the lavatories and fix yourselves up the best you can, and set off in search of a holy man. A steward directs you to the person you're looking for.
You had no idea a wedding could happen so quickly. All the ones you'd attended back home had taken months to plan, like Ralph said. Hundreds of guests, many of whom the bride and groom probably didn't even like. Thousands spent on venues and decorations and dinner for hundreds. So much commotion, the people it was for barely had time to speak to each other.
And then there was this. A quiet ceremony in a dark corner of a ship's library, days after an event that would surely be one for the history books. In the clothes you'd been wearing for days. No fanfare at all; just you, the man you love, and the man reading scripture who would happily sign the necessary papers for a young couple who chose love in the face of tragedy.
It was perfect.
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