Work Text:
Somehow, it didn’t seem inappropriate at all to find her sanguine-eyed exarch fast asleep on a stone bench surrounded by stacks of weathered tomes. Despite the gravity of their current situation and the state of the star as a whole, the frankly adorable sight made W’ynter smile. Offering up a tiny mote of brevity amidst the literal end of the world and she wasn’t too proud to take what was offered. Taking a moment to allow her own mismatched irises to glide over that beloved face. Rememorizing the planes and angles she’d learned so well and knew by heart whether it was her eyes or her fingertips that did the tracing. They’d come so far, gone through so much, yet she still felt humbled as her gaze fell to the thin gold chain around his neck and the pendant ring dangling from it. The circle of bright gold with its chips of heaven-shaded crystal rested in the center of his chest - over his heart always, he’d once told her - even though she’d given him leave to wear it on his hand if he chose. Official joining notwithstanding, their bond and their promise to one another was more than strong enough to warrant the display. But he seemed content to wear it this way, in the same fashion in which she sported her own matching decoration and that small show of solidarity only made her fall just a bit more in love with him.
The warriors of light muffled a quiet chuckle as her eyes found Krile’s and the two of them shared a bit of humour over the sight of both G’raha and Alisaie snoozing soundly beneath the vaulted stone ceiling of the little gazebo. Books scattered around them and heads nodding as they dreamed. Though it was tempting to wake them, she settled instead for pressing her finger to her lips as she settled herself more comfortably back onto the bench beside her fiance. Reaching over to rescue the tome that was dangling precariously from his lax fingers before it fell to the ground, she closed it and returned it to its place on the top of the stack.
The soft silence of the night wrapped around them as she leaned back against the stone of the bench. Not the thick, suffocating absence of sound that had shrouded the icy landscape of the blasted city of Garlemald, or the almost eerie sense of vastness that she felt walking the lunar surface. But a companionable sort of silence. The soft quiet of a peaceful night, broken only so often by the familiar sounds of a city turning towards rest. The occasional soft voice from streets nearby, the gentle rustling of the wind through the leaves around them…the faint lap of the waves in the harbour as they curled and crashed against the docks. They were the sounds of home, even though Sharlayan was not that for her personally. Rather…the sort of sounds that communicated that familiar sense of security and belonging. It was soothing, and for a moment W’ynter found herself able to close her eyes and forget that it was the eleventh hour and they were poised on a knife edge. Holding in a desperate breath before they set off on a perilous endeavor that they couldn’t fail.
Logically, she was no fool. She knew that failure was, by simple technicality, a potential outcome of this plan. But technicalities and harsh realities weren’t what would bring them their victory, and so the star’s champion chose instead to push them aside and refuse to entertain those possible futures. Because they couldn’t be allowed to come to pass and so even the thought of them would not be allowed to become a weight holding them back.
They would succeed. Because failure was simply not an option.
Her attention turned to G’raha as he blinked himself awake, frowning slightly as he gradually became aware of his surroundings. Muffling a giggle at his expense as she watched him predictably blush crimson at the realization he had dozed off mid-reading, her hand reached for his to twine fingers through his with a gentle squeeze. He was adorable when he was flustered, and she leaned over to whisper as much into his ear only to bite back another snort of amusement as he managed to turn an even darker shade of red. Letting go of her hand and pushing long fingers through thick red fringe as he dropped his head into his hands in embarrassment. With Krile’s laughter joining her own, and Alisaie’s desperate demands that they under no circumstances breathe a word to anyone about her dozing off…it felt normal again.
They remained there for a time, chatting and teasing idly before their small group began to break up and go their separate ways. Watching Alisaie and Krile head off, she stood up and turned to G’raha. Reaching to catch his hand again and tug him with her, an uncharacteristically apprehensive look on her face as she did so. Ever in tune with her many moods and mannerisms, the former exarch cocked his head to the side and raised an eyebrow. His expression one of curiosity tinged with concern for whatever seemed to obviously be weighing on her mind. “What is it?”
There was, of course, an answer. A rather straightforward one at that, but instead of simply voicing it W’ynter shook her head. Giving another gentle, insistent tug to his hand, she pulled him along behind her as she wove her way through the green-lined streets of Sharlayan. She did have a destination in mind, and her companion seemed to understand that as he allowed her to lead the way. Implicitly trusting in the fact that he would understand when she deemed it the right time. When they eventually slowed to a stop in front of a small, unimposing structure, G’raha’s confused frown deepened and he stepped closer to her. Reaching to tenderly cup his hand against her cheek as he glanced from the building to her and back again.
“A church? I must say, I never considered you to be the religious type.”
It was half jest and half serious comment and W’ynter favoured him with a roll of her eyes as she shook her head. Stepping into his embrace and leaning up to plant a soft kiss on his lips with a small smile. “I’m not, you fool. There are other reasons to go to a church besides prayer, Raha.” Hooking one of her fingertips into the gold band hanging from his neck, she swallowed hard before she spoke again.
“Marry me. Here. Now. Before anything else happens, before the world falls down around us. There’ll be time aplenty when we’re victorious to have a proper ceremony with everyone. I’ll even let Tataru handle all the decorating, I just…”
Here was where she faltered. Where the words choked up and stuck in her throat as she swallowed hard. Knowing that he would understand. That he would know what it was that she couldn’t bring herself to voice.
I need this before we face the darkness. Before we walk into a battle that may prove to be our last, I want to share this with you. I don’t want to waste what could be the last chance I have.
To say that he was blindsided would have been an understatement, if his reaction was anything to go by. His jaw dropped open and crimson eyes widened impossibly as he stared at her and for a moment W’ynter thought she could literally hear the gears in his brain stuttering as they strained to process her words. It would have been a cause for laughter were it not for the seriousness of her words and it was a relief when the stunned expression on his visage faded into one of tender warmth and love. Raising his other hand to cup her face and pull her in for a gentle kiss, he pressed his forehead to hers with a soft chuckle.
“And here I thought you’d ask me for something difficult. Of course I will. And you’re right; the only possible way to escape Tataru’s wrath at being left out will be to allow her to plan the most outlandish and grand ceremony she possibly can when we return. Though speaking of ceremony…” He stepped back enough to gesture at himself. “Should I...put on something nicer? I mean…this is our wedding, after all.”
Trust her Raha to know exactly what to say, and W’ynter rolled her eyes again and gave him a playful shove to the solar plexus with a snort of laughter. “You’re perfect just the way you are. Save the finery for Tataru’s celebration. For now… I just want you. Just the way you are.”
His radiant smile told her everything that she needed to hear, and soon enough they were standing in the small candle-lit chapel. Hands clasped across the alter, lost in each other’s gaze as the officiant led them through the words. Blinking back tears of emotion as matching gold and blue bands were slipped off of their respective chains and slid into their proper places before those fingers were once again laced together. Swallowing back enough emotion that she could manage a whispered ‘I love you’ as they were finally pronounced wed and his arm tightened around her waist to pull her into a deep kiss. Fingers cupping the back of her head as she tightened her arms around his neck.
They might have to face their end tomorrow...all of them, for the sake of the star. An end that they were all more than prepared to march to if that be their destiny. But for now… for tonight, at least… they would lose themselves in each other.