Day 19 - Time for a Wedding

[achickenformylove]

Who: Lan WangJi, Wei WuXian and anyone else who wants to attend!
Where: Garden carriage and then gym car
When: Day 19 of Egret
What: Wedding! Wedding reception and lots of food.
Warnings: Pretty much up in the air. But there will likely a lot of PDA's from the wedding couple during the reception... because that's how they roll

Finally, it was Day 19, the day that WangJi and WuXian had chosen for their wedding.

Ceremony
Inside the garden, everything had been decorated in red and gold, traditional colors for a wedding in China. There were flowers and a low table set up.

As the ceremony begins, Lan WangJi and Wei WuXian enter with Lan Sizhui and Wen Qing as their attendants. The wedding clothes for WangJi and WuXian are also red, with designs of forest animals in the designs sewn in, including frogs and rabbits. All of this was courtesy of their friendly neighborhood spider. WuXian was also wearing a red veil over his hair and face. Even WangJi’s ever-present forehead ribbon was red today instead of white.

As the pair approached the table, WuXian on one side and WangJi on the other, they alternated bowing to each other three times before kneeling. With the help of their attendants, they each drank a cup of tea, which they used their long sleeves as though hiding that they were doing so behind them. Once they had put the cups down, WangJi reached up, pushing the veil back so that he could see WuXian’s face before removing the forehead ribbon he’d been wearing. Taking WuXian’s hand, he used to make kind of a loose knot between their two wrists, a Gusu Lan symbol that WuXian was his fated partner. Then as they carefully stood, WangJi leaned in to kiss WuXian before they both bowed to their attendants, thanks for assisting them and being there for them.

Reception
Following the wedding ceremony itself, the party then moved to the gym car, where the reception and feast were being held. Like the decorations for the wedding, it was also a lot of red and gold. To those who didn’t know beforehand, it would likely be obvious that red and gold here very important.

Lots of food cooked by wonderful volunteers from the train. Of course, there had to be dessert, which was the cake baked by the couple’s son, Lan Sizhui.

As the wedding couple, they were rather happily seated together of course. WangJi had since replaced the forehead ribbon on his head, but there was a high likelihood that sometime during the party WuXian was going to end up wearing it around his wrist.

[ooc: Mingle post! Feel free to make your own top levels and tag around and have fun. Also, in the picture, ignore the hat for WangJi’s robes. He’s not wearing a hat]

Comments

[so_dark_a_road]

Curufin smiles and takes a sip of his own wine. "Military style suits you. You identify with the army of your world or country?"

And when he answers Bucky's query, he lowers his voice a little as well. "Lan WangJi and Wei WuXian. I don't know either of them well, but I wish them well. It seems there's more than one way of thinking of same-sex unions. Apparently they tried to fit their marriage into the culture of their times, and give one the role of groom and the other the role of bride. I don't think they'll feel obligated to continue in those roles once the party is over. I believe that people should please themselves in these matters, though."

[luckybucky]

"Country," Bucky replies with an easy smile. "I haven't worn this in a good seventy-five years. If I close my eyes I can almost smell the alleys of New York," he chuckles.

He hums again when Curufin answers his question and nods a little. "Where I'm from, that kind of thing can get you killed. Not as bad as it was when I wore this uniform, but bad enough. I'm glad they're safe here."

[so_dark_a_road]

"I have heard of New York," replies Curufin, "though I have never been there. Seventy-five years? Are you one of those who don't fit the mold of most mortals, then? Are you some kind of an immortal, or a time-traveler?"

He goes on, "Uh-oh, a place where being gay can be dangerous. Or did you mean cross-dressing? It's too bad that some cultures don't support people in their choices. My own culture is very ambivalent, I am ashamed to say. Our songs include many about the great male friendships of history, the ones that made history, especially. And it is quietly understood that quite a few of those men were lovers. But no one says it aloud. And the older generation of my time simply looked the other way when the younger generation paired up with people of their own gender, didn't criticize but didn't acknowledge or offer any blessings. And of course, they hounded their sons and daughters about marrying and having children, if it didn't look like the sons or daughters were interested in doing so by the time they were older adolescents."

He wonders if this was too much information, and returns to the topic. "I'm glad that LangJi and WuXian are safe, too. We seem to have a whole train full of passengers who do understand."

[luckybucky]

"To be honest, I'm not sure what I am. There were only two other people that were experimented on with something like the serum used on me, but it does make me stronger and sturdier than a regular human. I was put on ice for most of that seventy-five years, preserved for later use," he shrugs, but his smile has turned to an uneasy frown, though he directs it at his drink rather than Curufin.

He nods a little on the question of what he meant. "Both, really. It seems in the modern world parents can celebrate their children's love if they're willing to. I never would've dreamed something like that was possible, even hundreds of years in the future. But it is," and now his smile is back, albeit tinged with sadness.

He looks up again, gaze wandering across the party, and his smile grows a little warmer. "Say what you will about being kidnapped by an unknown entity, but this..." he gestures at the crowd with his wine. "This is good."

[so_dark_a_road]

Curufin listens closely to Bucky's story. "That must have been troublesome, to be preserved for later use and not allowed to live your life in the meantime. What was this serum that made you strong and sturdy? I've never heard of anything that could have that effect, at least not beyond what a good Elvish healing potion could cause." He can understand the uneasy frown, though he appreciates that Bucky turned his eyes to his drink rather than risk Curufin getting the brunt of it.

"I'm glad that your culture has changed, then. That's what you mean by the modern world, right? Parents don't have to give their children a hard time for loving in a way that isn't in line with old traditions. Maybe there'll be new traditions." He sees the sadness in Bucky's eyes, and he doesn't know its cause, but if Bucky should bring it up, Curufin will listen.

He follows the direction of Bucky's gaze. "I have fewer problems with the kidnapping issue than most do. I was looking for a new home, and this is it. I'm not unhappy at all, on my own account. Though I want justice for those who don't want to be here and do want to go home. But as for this party. . . yes, this is the best of this experience of being on the train, and this is we Void Warriors making the best of it. And our best is very best!"

[luckybucky]

His laugh is soft but bitter. "You think they'd tell me that?" he shakes his head. "All I know is that the formula was lost, and all attempts to recreate it have ended badly."

"I think I'm safer here than I was back home, and there's less of a chance for me to harm the people here than there was at home, too," his voice is fairly quiet as he says it, his smile warming a little more. "Maybe someday they'll let us choose if we want to stay or go, but I think I'll stay put." Maybe he was wrong, and he was already dead. Maybe he'd drowned when the helicopter went down and everyone was lying to him.

He doesn't know, but it doesn't really matter. He's here, happy and safe.

[so_dark_a_road]

Curufin nods. The world Bucky describes is not Curufin's world, but it seems that some things don't change. "I don't suppose they'd tell you, if they had a stake in your not knowing. The world is very strange and harsh in all eras, I guess. People who have power want to take advantage of those they can use, and they don't have any conscience about it."

"I'm glad you're content on the Voidtrecker, then. But what harm could you do to anyone? I don't know you really well, but I picture you as the one who protects others, not as the one who harms them. But yes, if you're safe here and feel you can be useful, then I support your intention of staying. I'll be staying, too."

He feels they have something in common, despite their very different worlds and histories.

[luckybucky]

He shrugs his shoulders. "If the wrong person showed up, I could be used to hurt a lot of people on this train," he replies quietly. "But as long as that doesn't happen, then I'm mostly harmless," he flashes a little grin. "Just don't wake me up, I might chuck you across the car," it sounds playful, but it's an honest warning.

[so_dark_a_road]

"This wrong person is from your world, I take it? Hopefully, they don't show up. But if they do, warn me." He grins savagely. "I'll kick their ass."

His grin settles down to friendly and amused. "Okay, if I see you sleeping in the Garden Coach or on a seat in the Standard Coach, I'll tiptoe past you really quietly and really politely."

[luckybucky]

Bucky nods in agreement and chuckles softly. "You and half the train," he agrees with an easy smile.

The last part has him laughing. "That's probably a good idea," he agrees. "Or like, just avoid touching me."

[so_dark_a_road]

Curufin has to laugh along with Bucky on both counts. "Apparently, you have allies. And okay, I won't high-five you or bro-fist bump you." Grin.

[luckybucky]

He has no idea what a bro-fist bump even is, but it doesn't stop him from grinning right back. "Yeah, I've really made a home for myself here. I hope the train'll let me stay," he replies warmly. "I think being here really suits me."

[so_dark_a_road]

Curufin gives him a bright grin in response. "I'm glad you like it here. I do, too. There aren't many people who are really happy with this situation, so we're in the minority. But that's okay."

[luckybucky]

"I can't blame them. If I'd come from before the war, I'd be a lot less happy about it," he agrees with a chuckle, finishing off his drink with a final sip. "I'm just glad most of the people here have lives worth returning to. It'd be heartbreaking if their lives were bad enough to be worth abandoning."

[so_dark_a_road]

"I agree." Curufin takes the last sip of his drink as well. "As far as I can tell, most people feel their lives were interrupted and they want to get back. Yes, I'd feel the same if I had been snatched onto the train before the war of the Elves and Morgoth. I had a life I liked and was excited about. I can guess that you did, before your war."

He looks around to see where there is more booze.

"Want to go and get refills?" he asks.

[luckybucky]

Bucky hums in agreement. "Yeah, everything changes when you take a life for the first time, even if it's during the heat of battle," he agrees with a weak smile and nods his head. "A refill sounds great." And like an easy way to change the subject to something a little lighter. "Tony said something about the alcohol you guys make, that it'd maybe be strong enough to affect me."

[so_dark_a_road]

Curufin's smile softens. "Yes, that does change everything. It makes you a different person, taking a life. You're never the same again."

And he, too, reaches for a lighter topic. "I think Tony was given one of our recipes, though I think it was one of the brewery products like beer or ale. It does have strange properties, though not everybody is affected by it." His grin gets broader. "Luckily, it's not my East Beleriand moonshine recipe. That might send you reeling with hallucinations. Unless you have some sort of immunity."

[luckybucky]

Bucky nods in agreement, grinning along with Curufin. "It's not an immunity, I just have a fast metabolism so human alcohol burns off before it can get me drunk, but I'd certainly be interested in trying something new if you think it might work on me."

[so_dark_a_road]

"Well then, let's go try the Elvish ale and see what happens?" He smiles and point in the direction of the drinks table.

[luckybucky]

"Oh, I didn't know there was any," he replies brightly, heading in the direction Curufin pointed. "Seems like a pretty good time to try it." He grins.

[so_dark_a_road]

"The party planners thought of it, and they must have asked Tony to provide it. So, yes! There is some." Curufn follows Bucky and they come to the table. He picks up a pitcher and pours out two glasses and hands one to Bucky. "Cheers!" he says, lifting his glass with a grin.

[luckybucky]

Bucky accepts the glass and raises it in salute, grinning a little before taking a long sip. It probably would've been unwise, if he weren't sure his metabolism could handle it. He hummed in pleasant surprise at the flavor, smiling a little at Curufin. "I suppose now we'll just have to wait and see."

[so_dark_a_road]

Curufin takes a sip from his own glass, savoring the flavor.

If this Elvish ale has any odd effect on Bucky at all, which Curufin can't be sure of, it would probably be in the area of perception. Bucky might start to see the world as an Elf does, that is, in great detail and with intense colors and extremely rich textures. The red and gold decorations here in the gym car would seem to pop in a positively hallucinatory fashion. But not all mortals are affected that way.

"Yes, we'll have to wait and see." He grins.

[luckybucky]

Bucky's metabolism is fast, enough that most things designed for humans either don't work at all, or wear off within minutes. It seems that's the same with the alcohol, because for a moment or two everything looks much more beautiful, and he takes that time to admire them.

When it fades, he snorts softly, smiling a little and shaking his head. "Well, I'll be damned. It actually worked for a couple of minutes," he flashed a little grin and took another sip. "If I drank enough of this I might be able to get drunk and stay that way for a half hour or so."

[so_dark_a_road]

Curufin grins back. "I'm pleased to hear that it worked, even if only for moments. Have some more! It looks like there's plenty on the table. Better a half-hour of drunkenness than no drunkenness at all!"

He lifts his own glass in a second toast. "Almien! That's Elvish for Live well!