The Wedding Party

Quick Disclaimer: I do not own these characters or the world they inhabit. They were created by the fabulous people at Zombie Orpheus for their equally fabulous RPG, Masters of the Metaverse!  Be sure to tune in to Twitch.TV/zombieorpheus every Monday at 6PM PST to see more!

There were over two hundred people at the rehearsal dinner. Abbi was pretty sure she could count the ones she actually knew on one hand. She smiled and said thank you as citizens of Sentinel City filed by her seat, all extending good wishes and excitement for the next day. She found her eyes searching the faces as they passed, always looking for someone she thought she knew but couldn’t quite remember. A woman who sang with her heart, a man who loved with his soul, a being who smelled like strawberries.

Hex bounded up, “Are you guys having a good time?”

“Oh, yes. Absolutely.” Abbi smiled, “It’s lovely. Thank you Hex. You and your grandfather. It’s so generous of you to do all this.”

“We wanted to!” Hex waved away the compliment, “You haven’t seen Johnny around have you?”

This was asked with feigned indifference but Abbi knew better. Even without her empathy she would have been able to tell what Hex was feeling. It was obvious to everyone that she and Johnny Legion were smitten with each other. This was less than welcome news to Balthazar, who was doing his grandfatherly duty and being appropriately disapproving of the whole thing.

“I think he was heading toward the kitchen.”

“Thanks!”

“You know you’re just encouraging her.” Butch’s voice murmured in her ear. His kinetic control allowed him to move absolutely silently when he wanted to. Which he often did when the adoring public of Sentinel City came to call.

Abbi shrugged, “She’s a grown woman. Besides, the more people tell her to stay away from him the more appealing he becomes.”

“You’re speaking from experience?”

She turned and looped her arm around his waist, feeling his own coming to rest on her shoulder, “Oh absolutely. People tried to keep me away from this guy for centuries. And now look.”

Butch chuckled, “Point taken. I just can’t get past his man bun douchebaggery.”

“Wasn’t that just Migraine messing with you?”

“Maybe. But Axe body spray doesn’t fade that easily. Besides, he’s still a bit of an ass.”

“I’m sure that’s part of what she likes about him.” Abbi said.

Butch caught sight of someone and groaned, “Incoming.”

The Wedding Planner swanned up and offered an obsequious smile, “And how is the happy couple this evening?”

“Fine.” Butch smiled through gritted teeth.

“Marvelous! Simply marvelous! Now, I just want to make sure we are absolutely set for tomorrow. No last minute changes or emergencies? Nothing to add?”

“I think you’ve pretty much covered everything.” Butch replied, “Sentinel City Square for the ceremony, enough flowers to make a new ecosystem, fireworks, food for days, and several nearly extinct animal species flown in for emphasis.”

The Wedding Planner blinked and looked at Abbi who smiled in return. “I think it’s all fine.” she said, “You’ve been very thorough.”

“Well of course! This is a very big event! The entire city wants to be there to help you celebrate your glorious union! A love story for the ages!”

With a final simper he started to walk away before suddenly turning back, “Ah! There was one last thing!”

“Yes?”

“The matter of the wedding party. You did leave that section blank on your spreadsheet. Have you decided on a best man and a maid of honor?”

Abbi felt Butch go still, “No. No we haven’t. We aren’t going to have any. The people who we wanted can’t be here so we decided not to have anyone.”

“Are you sure?” The Wedding Planner leaned closer, “We can find someone you know. Very easily. Anyone will do!”

Butch’s jaw tightened and Abbi took one step forward, putting herself between him and the ambitious party planner, “No. We don’t want just anyone. We want the people we chose. They’re not here. So we won’t have a wedding party. Thank you.”

The man finally got the hint and hurried away. In the far corner Balthazar was scowling at Hex and Johnny Legion who were making small talk by the bar. Butch sighed and rubbed his head, “I need to get some air.”

Abbi nodded, “Me too. Let’s go.”

“Leave our own party?”

“I doubt anyone will even notice. And if they do, we can always say it was Titan business.”

Butch nodded, “It is a good line.”

The night was clear and cool, the air crisp and smooth as they flew. Mountains, rivers, forests, and valleys sped by beneath them. Ruined cities in various states of rebirth loomed on the horizon. The moon illuminated the way before them until at last they came to rest on a hill overlooking a sea of dunes.

Butch sank bank against a mound of soft sand and Abbi snuggled in beside him. He wrapped his arm around her and they sat in silence, no noise save their own beating hearts.

“So.” Abbi finally said, “Tomorrow’s the day.”

“Yeah, it is. Hundreds of guests, dozens of speeches. More pomp and circumstance than I had at my biggest press conferences.”

“You had press conferences?”

“Funny. And yes. A few.” Butch sighed, “Strange how this whole wedding thing has become a lot more than I bargained for.”

“Oh?” Abbi turned toward him, “I mean, this is a wedding. I guess. I don’t have a ton of experience. I was single for four hundred years so you’ll have to take it with a grain of salt.”

“Is it? I thought weddings were about two people in love promising to spend the rest of their lives with each other. Not balloons, and fire works, and who the best man is. I’m starting to wish we had just eloped.”

“Well, why did you go along with it then?”

Butch stared, “Go along with it? What choice did I have?”

“You had every choice!” Abbi cried, “This wasn’t my decision! This was both of us! You seemed to be happy with it!”

“Well, frankly I’m not!” Butch returned, “This isn’t the wedding I really wanted at all but this is the one we’re stuck with because once again, we’re doing something for everyone else and not for us!”

Abbi made an exasperated sound, “So are you saying you don’t want to do this at all?”

“Of course I’m not saying that! I’m just saying that I wish we were doing it our own way instead of making sure that the citizens of Sentinel City get their dose of celebrity gossip! I’ve done my fair share of wearing a public persona. I just didn’t think I would have to do it on my wedding day!”

“Then why didn’t you say something before? Before all the plans were made? Why wait until the night before?”

Butch threw up his hands, “Because I wanted you to be happy!”

Abbi stared, “Me? Wanted me to be happy? Why would any of this make me happy?”

“Because I thought you wanted this! Most people want this!”

“Well, I’m not most people!” Abbi snapped, “I don’t know if you’ve noticed this but I’m actually very weird!”

Butch stared for a moment and then burst into laughter. Abbi smirked, “Don’t laugh. It’s horrible.”

“Yes.” Butch gasped, “It is. It’s horrible but we’re still going to do it.”

Abbi slumped back against him, “Yeah. I know. But it’s awful.”

Butch sighed and pulled her closer, “Well, maybe it won’t be that bad. Worst case, we can entertain ourselves watching Balthazar try to play keep away with Hex and Johnny.”

Abbi grunted, “Maybe. Still if it was up to me, we would have just done something small. You, me, our friends, Rosencrantz to officiate. Find a hill at sunset and say our vows. Then go to the diner for some fries.”

“Sounds nice.”

“Yeah.”

“Let’s do it.”

“What?”

Butch pushed himself up and offered her a hand, “Let’s do it. Here. Now. Just you and me.”

Abbi got to her feet and stared, “Do what? Get married?”

“Sort of.” Butch took her hands, “Look. My vows? The ones tomorrow? They’re not real.”

“Well, thanks.”

“You know what I mean. They’re traditional. They’re the ones that everyone always says, the ones that were written by people who never met you or me or knew anything about us. They aren’t what I really want to say. And I know that you’ll know anyway. But just for once I would like to tell you what’s in my heart instead of just having you sense it.”

Abbi smiled, “Sometimes it is nice to hear. Even though I do know.”

“Right.” Butch squeezed her hand, “But I can’t do that in front of a crowd of people. That’s not me. And I don’t think that’s you either. But right now, it’s us. Just us. So let’s get married. Let’s say our vows here, tonight, just you and me. The real vows. The ones in our hearts. Tomorrow? That’s the ceremony. Tonight is the marriage. What happens tomorrow is for everyone else, for our friends and the people who love us. Tonight is for us. And for my best man. And your maid of honor.”

Abbi nodded, “Let’s do it.”

Butch smiled and reached down for her other hand, “You want to go first or me?”

“I can.” Abbi said.

Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes. Every moment of their lives together flashed before her. Summer camp, Mount Rushmore, the punch. Endless loops, broken hearts. Memories returning and lives healing, pretend gods falling into nothing. His hands on hers, cleaning away the blood. The days after of rebuilding and healing, the opening of their home to those who needed it most. The constant assurance of his heart alongside her own. The knowledge that she was loved and safe, never to be alone again. Abbi opened her eyes.

“When I think about my life, the moments that come to me all involve you. Even when I didn’t know it, you were a constant star in my sky. A beacon leading me home. I could sit here and talk about the centuries of being alone, the decades of aching for someone I didn’t even remember losing. I could say it was all so tragic. But in reality, it was anything but. You are my love story, Butch Baker. You are my epic adventure. You are my happy ending. We don’t get to choose our beginnings. And the middle often ends up happening to us more than anything. But if my ending is the same as yours then I will count myself lucky. I would sit in a dome for another four hundred years if it meant I could spend them with you. You are a good man. You’re my hero no matter how many pairs of boots you own or what logo you wear. I promise you that I will always be true to you. I promise that I will always remember you. I promise that I will never leave you behind. And I promise to always love you with my whole heart and nothing less.”

Butch took a deep breath.

“I have always felt like a man doing a job he was never meant to do. Turns out I was right, as evidenced by the fact that you are now the Titan in the family. But it didn’t just stop there. A private investigator, an author, a sidekick, even a reality show contestant. I never felt like I was where I was supposed to be, doing what I was supposed to do. Until I met you. Until I found you again. Because, you are what was missing. I know where I belong. I know what I’m meant to do. Being with you. Being there for you. Helping you. Loving you. That’s all I ever wanted. And if all the super powers in the world disappeared tomorrow I would be exactly as happy as I am right now. Because you are my greatest power. Because with you everything is possible. I could bring down mountains if you were with me. I could punch every bank in the city. I could do anything. You are more special than you know. And you are special to me for exactly who you are. I promise you that I will always be true to you. I promise that I will always remember you. I promise that I will never leave you behind. And I promise to always love you with my whole heart and nothing less.”

No one noticed when they reappeared at the dinner. Hex and Johnny were doing the chicken dance while Balthazar chatted with some guests. Butch lost track of Abbi for a while before she reappeared, sliding into the seat next to him.

“Where did you go?” he asked, “I almost had to make small talk.”

She chuckled, “Just a last minute addition to the spreadsheet.”

The ceremony was as opulent as expected. Broadcast throughout the city, it was proclaimed to be the perfect way to mark the rebuilding of Sentinel City. The happy couple looked luminous as they took the floor for their first dance. Guests politely shuffled back, giving them space, while waiters began to serve the food. No one mentioned the two empty seats, one on each side of the bride and groom. No one knew who Crash Jaxun or Andi Jaymes were, nor why they deserved such seats of honor, especially since they weren’t there, but no one thought to ask.

Butch smiled as he took Abbi’s hand, “Hello there, Mrs. Baker.”

She grinned as he spun her, “Why hello, Mr. Baker.”

He pulled her close, “Hi Abbi.”

“Hi Butch.”

They began dancing, faces close, no one hearing their whispered conversation.

“I had an idea.”

“Oh?”

“About the honeymoon.”