[SIDESTORY] Morbit Oneshots

[A_Mi_Manera]

                                                                                                                                                     


A Unwanted Invitation: A Bucket Solo Venture

    You're sitting in the second row of a isle next to a group of hands at the temple, a place of worship toward Rein and it's ideas but also a common setting for a wedding in the region. Rein volunteered you in response to a rather wealthy associate requesting a knight at their special day. Normally you don't like selling yourself toward such for strangers but you're assured there will be many acts of charity from them should it go well. Chelsea happens to be over at the same time, the standard for a meeting between gods. You were told that it'd be a easy thing but it seems like a shortage of staff has forced you to stay longer...

"You're going to be okay helping catering get their stuff all good after yeah? I know it's a ton right now but they're short on hands right now and..."

"I assure you it'll be fine. If the wedding goes smooth they'll be tuckered by midnight."

"Oh? You got somewhere to be?"

"No... not in particularly but less troubles do prompt themselves should the majority be ready to retire prior to the witching hours."

    The volunteer raises a brow for a moment.

"You couldn't deal with that yourself? You're a knight, right?"

"The witching hour is not about literal witches, I do not fear that I lack the mettle to fell the witch by any means. People tend to have unusual occurrences though so late and as such.. I suppose it's a safety concern really! You may disregard such superstitions however."

    You just lied through your teeth, you just want to get out of here as soon as possible. The snake that holds your paycheck and your living situation with a grip has volunteered you for this regardless of whether you had plans or not and now you have to bare and grin despite the fact that you'd rather spend time with Chelsea. Granted, she does come here more frequent as of late but.... it's not enough you suppose. A few days of respite whenever Rein has business with Spit go by very fast. In technical terms, the gaps between them aren't the worst when you consider the larger picture. Hundreds of years ahead of both of you in theory should make the wait a fraction of that for anyone else. Yet no matter how you try to justify this as a normal part of living, a occupational limit you've signed for, it shouldn't be the case to begin with. Those aren't selfish thoughts, yes? Maybe they are.

"Hey, dog uh..."

"Judgment. You may refer to me as such." 

"Right, so they're about to wrap things up not too long from  now, mind keeping your head up a bit? They're going to want you to march out ahead of them. Want a proper knight to escort them and all."

"Of course!"

"Between you and me, not too big on how they're treating this like it's the royal wedding and all."


"Do they still have those?"

"Off continent maybe, kind of arrogant yeah?"


"It's not my business to tell others how to handle such affairs but... off record?"

"Yeah, what's up?"

"It's somewhat snide to make an matter of such personal nature so loud and large and public. Inheriting such fortune and flaunting it in almost a voyeuristic way.. I couldn't imagine it being anything other than intensive in stress and a float and pat of the ego."

"Fancy way to say things." 


"I call it as I do but... I suppose I am not the one getting married today yes?"


"Yeah, well... aren't you close with Rein? I mean I know it's all speculation but..."

"I cannot comment."

"Heh, sure."

    You try to ignore that. You focus your attention back onto the couple and notice an error.

" Is there no bouquet?" 

"There should be? Aww shoot did people forget to set that up? That's.... well nobody noticed maybe. We're short on folks."

"I did. Surely someone else did too."

    You get up.

"Where are you going?! You're going to get in trouble!"

    You shuffle your way into the other room discretely and shuffle about, surely enough there were a row's worth of these nests of freshly cut flowers. 

    You slide back in. Wait for a moment of pause, waiting not to come in right as the vows happen. The couple looks toward you as you approach.

    You keep every moment of poise you can in this, not a single visible sign of the nerves that scatter in the wires of your brain. The entire room is silent. The bride and groom try their best not to scream. Any mistake is a incident, a crashed wedding.  

    You get on one knee and bow, all eyes on you. The Bride reaches down for the bouquet. You wait until she has her grip nice and firm on the wrappings at its base. You lighten your hold as it gains lift. In that flash you vanish in a flame, a skill of yours which you try not to flaunt too often but certainly makes for a saving roll here. You scurry outside while they're distracted. 

    You admittedly stole the show more than you'd like to have. You can hear rows of clapping from outside the temple, just a little louder than the golf claps of expectation. Nobody wants to be rude and make their applause louder than that of the newly weds after all.

    You sit on the stairs just outside, creeping out of view the slightest from the entrance. You'll find praise and scolding after this, and you're admittedly not up to that sort of mood whiplash. You didn't want to be here at all though, you wanted to be back home. Back spending time with Chelsea, you don't get enough of it after all. You wonder how much she notices that, she always seems to be nervous at the idea. You try to give her space, you don't want to make this difficult at all for her... you wonder though of what will eventually come. This likely won't be your last time at the temple, and odds are you'll be exchanging vows yourself though... certainly not with your first choice. 

                         You don't mind but....

    I mean you should! Most of the time you do but whenever it's in the room something makes you drop your guard even if you feel frustrated toward it after... 

    Would it be mad knowing you care more about someone else? That you'd rather be with someone else? When you signed up after all you never intended any of this to happen. You didn't think it would make advances, or bring up the idea of a wedding, or seem interested in such at all. It doesn't resonate emotionally the same way at all though for you and while you'd never say this to its face, you find it as attractive as a tea kettle covered in bandages. You should decline it proper really.. but every time you walk up there's a sensation of guilt. What if you hurt its feelings? What if it genuinely always wanted this? What if it really does care? 

    It's like you lose any will to outright reject anything it says. You don't feel like yourself when that happens. Perhaps that's attraction but... that certainly never lines up with the way things are with Chelsea. Is it influencing through unusual means? Certainly it wouldn't.... you pray so.

    You hope this wedding is over soon. You almost wish it was a funeral, because nobody would blame you for not wanting to be there. 

 




                                                                                                                                                    You want to go home.