Matrimony
Wynnona
I swear to the Elder Gods, I will strangle this indecisive idiot.
"Do you want to have the ceremony on earth or not?" I ask the two.
"I'm not sure. Brett, what do you think?" Keya asks Brett, who looks up from a palette of colours Athena put together.
"Whatever makes you happy babe." He says with a tired smile. I am going to strangle them. My hands tighten into fists. Just before I can launch at them, Athena places her hands on my shoulders. She allows them to fall past my breast to rest on my stomach, her lips kissing the side of my neck as she places her head on my shoulder. I lace my fingers through hers, turning to kiss her cheek.
"Hi." She whispers to me with a smile.
"Hi." I whisper back, my irritation instantly subsiding as I allow her presence to calm me, to fill me with the ever-lasting love I will always feel for her. Keya starts to feel tired so her and Brett go off to sleep.
"I set a course for earth. We will be there in a couple days." She tells me, going to make some tea. I watch her openly, studying the sway of her hips as she walks to the counter. I memorize the slight curvature of her body, taking in the way her shorter sundress clings to her figure. It hugs her torso, defining the curves of her shoulders, back, waist, hips, and chest. The happy orange fabric accents her eyes, body, lips, and legs. I can't imagine how good she'd look out of that dress, moa- no, bad Wynnona. When did I become such a horn dog? I ask myself as I stand, walking over to her to wrap my arms around her waist. I lean down, kissing her shoulder as she hums to herself.
"All these curves and me without my brakes." I mutter to her, saying it mostly just to get a giggle out of her. She does laugh, tossing her head back onto my shoulder.
"You're ridiculous." She informs me with a happy smile.
"I love you." I whisper to her, pulling her closer if possible. Her smile softens, setting down the knife she had started to cut vegetables with to hold my hands over her stomach.
"I love you too." She tells me, turning in my hold to cup my cheeks and kiss me softly.
"Ew!" I hear a familiar voice say. I pull away from Athena to see Roe with his Uncle Giovanni.
"Very ew indeed." Giovanni agrees with him.
"Oh please, you get up to more nasty things in the dead of night with Jake when you think everyone is asleep." I challenge him as I pull away from Athena. Roe runs into her arms happily, coming to help her make supper. Giovanni grabs my arm, stealing me away from the two. We go down to the cells on the ship where Oriana is.
"Evening Oriana." Giovanni greets coolly. Her matted head of hair lifts to look at us. I toss her a serving of food which she scarfs down as fast as possible. "Ready to finally talk to us?" He asks her as if talking to a friend. She looks up at us through curtains of hair.
"I told you I don't know anything." She cries desperately.
"I'm sick of this and I don't want a bloody mess on my floor. Let's eject her into space." A twisted smile spreads across my lips.
"No! Please," I start to walk over to where the keys are kept, "Lillian was controlling me!" She cries in desperation. I stop and turn back to look at her.
"What do you mean?" I ask. She finally gives up, giving in to us after a week of torment.
"Lillian somehow managed to gain control over my mind and body. I did exactly as she told me to. I was a puppet for her to use." Tears fall down her cheeks as she cries. "I didn't want to do any of the terrible things she made me. This I swear to you."
"How do we know we can trust you?" Giovanni asks. I hear footsteps off to the side, Athena coming down. Likely to check on us and call us up for dinner.
"I know the leader's name, the one who leads all of Needledrop. His name is F-" She doesn't get to finish as she starts to scream in agony. Athena takes a step towards the cage before I can stop her. Oriana grabs her by the throat, squeezing hard to cut off her air way. Athena paws at Oriana's hands, trying to pry them off as she gasps. I stand stunned for a moment before grabbing one of Giovanni's blasters and firing. Oriana falls back in a limp puddle of limbs on the floor. I throw down the blaster, taking a knee to catch Athena.
"Sh, it's alright." I tell her as I hold her close. She coughs and gasps into my shoulder, clinging to me slightly. Giovanni studies the body of Oriana, regret in his eyes. "You'd have done the same if it was Jake." I tell him with a heavy sigh. There was a time Oriana and I were friends, I'm sad to see her gone. But she said Needledrop was controlling her, something we can't afford. So many things make sense now.
"I would have." He admits. "You take care of Athena's injuries; I'll clean up down here." I nod, lifting Athena into my arms like a princess. I take her out of the prison to our room, going to deal with her bruising neck. She doesn't say much as I take her away, into our room then go to get Jake. He comes in, looking at Athena's neck. He says nothing is wrong and the bruises will heal in time. I thank him as he leaves. When I turn around Athena has a book in hand, opening it to a marked page.
"I think Keya will look beautiful in this." She croaks as she shows me the page. I nod, studying the white dress. I come to sit behind her on the bed, wrapping my arms around her waist and placing gentle kisses to her neck. "Then this for Brett with some matching aspects for his group." She flips the page again. "Then I found this pretty sundress I wanna wear." She points to the last marked page, leaning back into me. I nuzzle her neck, my hands tightening around her. There is a loud pinging sound coming from the control room.
"That means we are almost in Earth's atmosphere." I grumble. Athena lets out a small laugh, turning her head to kiss my temple. I pull away, getting up to go and control the ship again. Roe is in the kitchen, a stool beside the oven so that he can see into the large pot on the stove. He is stirring the contents around the pot. I go to the control room, taking over the controls to stop the ship from moving. We sit in space, waiting to land. I plan to land in the NASA wreck yard, leave for my old place to grab a couple things from my old place, then go and chat with Keya's family.
"Momma!" Calls Roe's voice. I turn in my chair to see him standing in the doorway. I smile, opening my arms to him. His minty green lips stretch into a huge smile, rushing forward to me and hopping into my lap. I hug him close to my chest, kissing his forehead. I turn back to the glass, looking at earth from here. "Is this where you grew up?" Roe asks me, playing with the charms of my necklace. I nod, memories flooding to me.
"Yes, but after my parents died, I wasn't a very good person." I tell him honestly. "I hurt a lot of people, including those closest to me."
"You're better now, right?" He asks, hope filling his voice and his eyes looking up at me, bug and innocent.
"Yes, much better." I smile warmly at him, starting to tickle him until he cries from laughter.
"Mama help!" He cries out. Star comes running into the room, hopping into Roe's lap and licking his face. I stop in that moment, letting my son breath. "Momma, supper is ready." He informs me, getting up and running off, Star following behind while yipping at him. I stand, following them to the kitchen where everyone is dishing up the amazing smelling stew. I join them, taking the time to tease an exhausted Brett. He doesn't sleep if Keya doesn't sleep. Even then, Keya has started flailing more in her sleep keeping him up. I feel bad, but also as a sibling have a duty to tease and annoy the hell out of him.
Everyone finishes eating, chatting for a bit. Brett stays awake long enough to play a card game with Jake and Athena, Giovanni and I doing the dishes. After dishes I go to the control room, landing the ship as discreetly as possible in the NASA wreckage where we originally found the ship. It is about 8:45pm when we finish, and everyone heads off to get to bed. The ship has been rather chilly recently, but Brett and I finally managed to fix it. I pull on my t-shirt and sweats, crawling under the covers with Athena. She grabs my forearm, but I don't look down. I know exactly what she's spotted on my arm. I study her face instead to see her reaction.
"These are new." She breaths, running her fingers lightly over the new ink on my arm. A month ago, when I left her in bed to get Giovanni, he and I went to a different space mall where Giovanni gets his tattoos done. The artist did the changes I asked him to do to the forest tattoo on my arm.
"Just a couple changes." I tease her with a lazy smile. She punches my shoulder lightly, making me laugh, winding my arm tightly around her and cuddling her closer. She continues to stare at the new creatures added to the forest, tracing them with the finger. Added were a couple new creatures. On the baby dragon's head is a beautiful flower crown of orange roses. Above the baby dragon is a phoenix flying in the sky, fire wings outstretched as it soars above the waddling dragon. Behind the dragon is a tall, regal hippogriff. Around the neck of the hippogriff is a silver chain with a locket on it. The same locket Jake gave Giovanni, just a little bigger to fit the neck of a hippogriff.
"What do these new ones mean?" She asks me. I smile at her, kissing her forehead.
"The orange roses are Roe; the hippogriff is Giovanni with the locket of Jake. The phoenix is you, soaring high above everyone else illuminating and leading the way. An effortlessly perfect creature that will never die but remains." Tears fill her eyes as she nuzzles into me, crying happy tears. "I love you my phoenix." I whisper to her lovingly as I kiss her forehead. After a while she falls asleep soundly. Slowly I pull away from her, getting up and getting dressed. I leave my blaster, grabbing the keys to my bike and old home.
Slowly I sneak through the ship to the hanger. The door opens quietly, revealing the darkness and the woodsy smell of earth. I grab my bike, getting ready to walk down the open hanger with it.
"Momma?" Asks a tired voice from behind me. I jump slightly, turning to see Roe standing at the entrance to the hanger rubbing at his tired eyes. His shirt is several sizes too large for him, the sleeves reaching his elbows and the bottom of his shirt hitting his knees, the baggy material hiding his frame and shorts. The shirt once belonged to Uncle Brett, but he stole it. "Where are you going?" He asks.
"I was going to go visit the place I used to live and set some things up for your Auntie Keya's wedding tomorrow." I tell him, crouching down to his height when he waddles over to me.
"Can I come with you?" He asks, studying his feet. I smile, placing my hands on his hips to shake his side to side a little.
"Go get your shoes." His eyes brighten, his lips spreading into a huge smile that stretches ear to ear. He runs off to his room to grab a pair of sneakers before running back. I grab a small helmet, plopping it on his head and buckling it up. He walks with me out of the ship, taking in everything about earth. He asks me many questions, ones I answer. I put on my own helmet, getting on the bike, instructing Roe on what to do. He wraps his arms tightly around my waist, securing them in the front of me. I smile as I start the bike, taking off down the abandoned streets. I make sure to pass all the pretty places on the way. We get there, stop the bike, and take off our helmets, strolling into the old house. I ignore the notice on the door that is very old and walk right in. The place is covered in a layer of dust, a big bloodstain still on the carpet in front of the door.
"I don't like this place." Roe says softly. I squeeze his hand reassuringly.
"I know baby, I just have to grab some things then we can leave." I promise him. He nods, following me around. I grab my huge backpacking bag, filling it with clothes and a couple old bottles of whiskey. I grab some photos and books before closing the back, tightening and securing it to my back.
I found a small scarf and leather jacket that used to belong to me as a kid. I go to Roe, noticing that he's cold. I offer him the jacket that fits perfectly and wrap the scarf around his neck. "Better?" I ask him.
"Better." He says with a wide smile.
"Okay, let's go." I start to exit the house with him behind me when I hear a gunshot.
"Wynnona!" I hear a deep voice growl, venomous. Cobra. I exit the house, gently tossing my bag to the ground beside me.
"What?" I ask him. He's become skin and bones, his beard having grown out, his hair a long-tangled mess. Me leaving has really caused him to fall off his high pedestal. Good.
"You've cost me a lot of money." He steps towards me, shoving the gun in my face. I slowly pull Roe behind me, pulling the scarf from his neck.
"Momma?" Roe's voice shakes with fear. His hands grip my sides as he trembles.
"Momma?" Cobra echoes, letting out a cackle. "Did you know your momma kills people for fun?" Cobra asks Roe.
"She'll kill you if you're not careful." Roe challenges, still hiding behind me. Cobra steps forward, opening his mouth to insult Roe when I wrap the scarf around his arm, moving it so that the shot he lets off goes into the house. I elbow him in the face, smashing his nose then slam his wrist into my knee, grabbing the gun as it falls. I turn, pointing the gun at him.
"You broke my nose you bitch." Cobra growls at me.
"I could have broken a lot more." I tell him. I point the gun at his crotch, firing. He screams out in pain. I smile, also shooting him in both knees. I pull the magazine out of the gun, melting the metal in my hand and letting it fall to the ground at my feet. I snap the gun in half, tossing it at his feet. "Don't threaten me or my son." I grab my bag, putting it on again, and walk to the bike. Roe puts on his helmet, sitting in front of me. I smile, watching his grip on the front of the bike. I sit behind him, starting the bike up again and leaving. I drop him off at the ship along with my stuff. After tucking him in with Athena I leave to go visit Keya's brother.
I drive over easily finding the modest place. I walk up to the door, knocking. I place my hands on either side of the door on the door frame. I look off to the side, zoning out. The door flies open revealing the tall, handsome, Latino Nathaniel. His sweats hang low on his hips, showing off his bronze skin and rippling torso muscles.
"Well, don't you look yummy." I tease. I dodge a punch he throws my way.
"After years, that's what you say to me?" He growls. "Where if Kiara?" I slowly back up, stepping on the nice lawn as he follows me.
"You're not still upset, are you?" Of course he is, who am I kidding?
"Shut the fuck up." He all but shouts, punching at me again. His hook doesn't land, but his roundhouse kick to my eye does. I fall, glaring up at him. I sweep his feet, knocking him to the ground. The moment his back hits the floor I jump on him, legs straddling his waist and hands pinning his arms above his head. My face is inches away from his, we are sharing the same air.
"Hi, how are you doing?" I ask him like the smart ass I am.
"You're an asshole." He sighs, calming down.
"I've always been a lovable asshole." I challenge him.
"Why are you here, Wynnona?" He asks me. I climb off him, offering him my hand.
"Keya is safe." I tell him. "I swear to you I have let no harm come to your baby sister." I promise him. He lets out a sigh, looking like a weight has come off his shoulders.
"Thank God." He sighs.
"She chose to join me, but that's a long story that can wait for tomorrow." He looks at me quizzically. "Brett and Keya are getting married tomorrow. And she's pregnant." His eyes bulge out of his head making me clutch my stomach as I hunch over, laughing like a mad man.
"I'm going to kill him." He growls. "I'm going to be an uncle." He breaths out.
"I need the beach house for the weekend, and tomorrow." I tell him as I wipe my tears. "Can you tell your parents?" I asked. He nodded, inviting me inside.
"You are welcome to join me; I was about to put some tea on anyways."
"Still suffering from nightmares?" I ask, crossing my arms. Nathan and I were once remarkably close, I considered him one of my closest friends. Drama arose however when I started dating Gunther and realized I am not straight or interested in men. Nathan was upset I dated Gunther over him as he told me beforehand, he had a crush on me. He was the one who saved me the faithful night at the stupid high school party I went to.
"Yeah, but it's alright. Flora is sleeping upstairs and she helps." I smile, remembering the bubbly girl from my time in school.
"It's good to see you happy Nate, but I have a kid to get back to." He looks at me amazed.
"You, the great Wynnona Allen, lover of no one have a kid?" He's amazed. I smile, punching his shoulder lightly.
"He's adopted. My girlfriend and I took him in." I tell him. His eyes survey me, shining with a new light.
"You've changed for the better Wynnona." He smiles at me. We say our goodbyes, I hop on my bike, driving back to the ship. It is about one in the morning when I get back to the ship. I quietly go back to my room, changing, and quietly slipping into the bed behind Roe. He nuzzles into Athena as I wrap my arm over him to rest on Athena's waist, my hand on the small of her back.
"Did you have a good ride and visit?" Athena asks me, her eyes opening and her hand coming to brush some of my hair out of my face. It is getting long and likely needs a cut. I turn my head to kiss the palm of her hand. She takes that as an answer enough, falling back asleep. I follow suit quickly, resting my cheek against Roe's shoulder.
When I wake up it is alone and too loud shouting. I get out of the empty, cold bed going to where I hear the shouts. I find a very nervous Keya gripping onto Athena's hand.
"Hey princess." I smile at Keya, reassuring her that it is okay. I come in, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Everything okay?" I ask her.
"I'm so nervous." She grips onto my hand as well. "What about Nate? Where are we even doing this? Will we have a honeymoon?" Questions race out of her mouth. I cup her cheeks, getting her attention.
"It's okay baby girl, we have everything figured out." I promise her. She takes a breath, calming down. There is a soft knock on the door. I look up to see Giovanni.
"Hey, the wedding is in an hour. You need to clean up and get dressed Wyatt." He says to me.
"Athena and Jake are going to take amazing care of you princess. Star is here for emotional support." I kiss her forehead, leaving the room following Giovanni. He looks very nice in his deep blue tux and sunset bowtie. I enter the room he leads me too, smiling at the beautiful dress Athena picked out for me. I shower fast, putting the dress on. The top is a halter top, simulating a button down with no sleeves and the shoulders on the back missing. There is a sunset bowtie stuck to the collar of the dress. The bottom is a deep blue flowy skirt that ends at my knees. The shirt is a little tight around my hips and butt, accenting them ever so slightly. A pair of nice blue dress shoes go on my feet with unnoticeable socks underneath. I finish the look with the short, women's cut suit jacket that goes over the nice dress.
I go to the mirror, brushing my teeth and blow-drying my hair. I style my hair the same as always, leaving the longer section to fall over my right eye. I put a small wave to the longer hair, making the rest of it lay flat. I do a little make up around my eyes to accent the two colours. After I paint my lips the same sunset colour as my tie. I walk to the door, opening it to reveal a waiting Giovanni and anxious Brett. Brett wears a beautiful all black suit with a white tie. His hands are in his pockets as he lightly bounces on the balls of his feet. A nervous habit of his.
"You look very handsome Brett." I tell him. He looks over at me, smiling warmly. "Shall we?" I ask him as I hook my arm around one of his. I hook the other one around Giovanni's arm, leading the two towards where the wedding will take place. We meet Nathaniel and his girlfriend Flora there, standing on the beautiful beach.
"Wow." Nate breaths when his eyes land on me. Flora promptly elbows him in the side warningly. I laugh, smiling at her.
"Oh, I do like you." I tease Nate. She smiles at we, mischief gleaming in her eyes. "I'd like to introduce you to Giovanni, my older brother." Nate and Flora turn to look at him, eyes growing wide as they look at him.
"Like, blood brother?" Nate asks, flabbergasted.
"Yes, it's lovely to meet you in person Nathaniel." Giovanni says politely, offering Nate his hand. He shakes it, still staring at Giovanni in wonder. "Keya has told me a lot about you." He releases his hand going to shake Flora's hand. Instead of shaking it, however, he bends down and places a light kiss to her knuckles. Him and his stupid royal manners. I'm about to smack him upside the head when I notice the beautiful flowers elegantly braided into his hair. I smile knowing that Keya was probably very nervous and doing his hair calmed her down.
"We should get ready; the bride should be here soon." Flora speaks softly, a slight blush spreading across her cheeks. Nate glares slightly at Giovanni before placing a light peck to his girlfriend's lips before he goes off to where Keya will be arriving. We go to our places, standing and waiting for the others to arrive. A couple minutes later, Roe comes walking down the makeshift aisle in his hands are the rings my Papa and Dad were married in. Roe looks adorable in his little suit. He comes to stand in front of me with the rings.
After him is Jake and Athena. Jake wears a suit just like Giovanni's, but the suit is a sunset pattern and his tie is deep navy. Athena wears a pair of strappy sandals that end at her knees, the thin leather straps wrapped elegantly around her legs. She wears a sunset dress, the fabric flowing loose around her hips and legs. The bottom of the dress ends just above her knees, the top tightly fit to her torso with a dipping sweetheart neckline and thin straps that go over her shoulders. Her makeup is soft and subtle. Her fully white hair frames her beautiful face, falling to her butt in wavy curtains. A circlet rests on her head, golden ribbons falling from it and mixing with her hair. Her arm is through Jake's, a beautiful bouquet of flowers in her hands. She smiles at me, going to stand on the side that Keya will.
Keya follows shortly after, Nate walking her down the aisle. She wears a beautiful flowing wedding dress, the white complementing her dark hair and skin. Her makeup is neutral. The ceremony goes on and on. I smile at Keya any time she looks at me, my eyes mostly remaining on the beauty of my girlfriend. She seems to glow in the honey glow of the setting sun.
Flora's sister takes a bunch of wedding photos before everyone moves into the large beach house, celebrating and eating some traditional earth meals. I introduced Nate to Athena and Roe; shock decorated his face when I showed him the absolutely stunning beauty that is my girlfriend. Giovanni and Jake fawn over one another, smiling and dancing the night away together. Keya and Brett are the same. Athena and I find ourselves wondering on the beach as the sun begins to fade it has started to get cooler out, Athena stealing my jacket because of that. She walks barefoot through the sand, her sandals dangling in her hand.
I look out over the ocean as it reflects the fading light of the sun. In the distance I see a small island that has never been there before. Every time we have visited this place, there has never been an island you could see. Now, magically, one has appeared out of nowhere.
"This peace won't last long." She speaks softly, breaking the comfortable silence we were in and pulling my attention from the strange island. I sigh, stopping in my tracks to face her. She comes to stand in front of me, hands on my waist. I cup her face, brushing the strands of hair that the wind blew into her face away from her eyes.
"We will be ready for whatever is to come, this I swear to you." I promise her, cupping her face and placing my lips softly against hers, savouring the sweet kiss.
But we were not ready for what was to come.