Wedding Bells Are Ringing...And It's Almost Turkey Dinner

[manwithoutfear]

The ceremony itself is small and quick. The paperwork (what little of it there is) was filed earlier in the day, so by the time Ellen and I meet our officiant, the venerable Jamie Madrox, at the local church, there's not much left but to say our vows. Madrox wouldn't have been my first choice, but he's the only man I know to have a religious background, making the list of options fairly low. Regardless, the moment is sweet and understated, free of the drama my love life has historically entailed, and I let out a happy sigh of relief as I kiss Ellen for the first time as husband and wife.

The reception is a little more lively. With Thanksgiving right around the corner, it made sense to extend the invitation to anyone who wanted to drop by. There are tables and decorations (lost on me, but surely nice for the guests) set outside our newly renovated house, food and drink (plenty of water and juice for the bride), and enough wedding cake to go around. As long as I ignore Zeus chasing my heels, it's the perfect afternoon. A few friends, some good food, and the exciting promise of a good life?

For once it feels like I have plenty to be thankful for.

Open to all friends of Ellen and Matt, including students and any and all Marvels. Will be linked before the end of November.

Comments

[shewaswarned]

She'd been the one who'd asked for a short ceremony - mostly because she's having trouble standing for long periods of time without her back killing her. But she'd found a white dress, courtesy of the clothes box - it was like it had known she'd needed something perfect - and worn slippers on her swollen feet instead of high heels.

After the ceremony, she's sitting at one of the tables with her feet propped up, watching people mill around and chat. They'd extended the reception to everyone who wanted to stop by and celebrate with them - or just anyone who wanted to show up and eat. She's got a plate of food resting on her belly, occasionally picking up another piece to nibble from.

Zeus, of course, is there to gobble up anything she happens to drop on the ground.

[daretodo]

I'm here. Of course I'm here. It would've been rude not to show. Hell, in some way, it's kind of good the usual Thanksgiving shindig isn't on Thanksgiving, because God knows I have some mixed feelings about that celebration here. The only family left to me is a clone from another universe. Not exactly the stuff dreams are made of. I look at Matt and his wife and his-- His baby on the way, though, and I have to think the guy stole my life.

Just stole my life right from under my nose. Because that was supposed to be me, yanno? Wife. Kids. Picket fence. Except all I have to my name is a dog the size of a pony I inherited from my best friend who vanished and an empty home. I don't have the right to be jealous. I know I don't. But there it is, anyway, that green-eyed monster lurking over my shoulder.

And I'm not talking about Bruce.

(God, even the Hulk has a better love-life than me. How's that for feeling low?)

I wish the happy couple the best, I do. I've grown out of my vindictive phase. But looking around this party, it becomes abundantly clear that I'll never have that. I'll never get this future. Even if Mary Jane comes back...

I don't know if I'm the man she fell in love with anymore.

Sighing, I put down my emptied glass and pinch the bridge of my nose.

"Happy Thanksgiving, all right."

[howmanylives]

We did it first. Layla and me. Last year. Ours was a little more spontaneous -- and it occurs to me in this moment that I have no idea what to do for our anniversary -- but still. A Thanksgiving wedding was our idea. Not that I officiated that one, granted... Although with the arrival of Old Delhi, that may have very well been possible. If only John Maddox were rattling somewhere in the back of my head still...

Though for his sake, it's probably for the best that he's not.

Wearing a collar had felt disingenuous -- he wasn't ordained, after all -- but that hadn't stopped Jamie from wearing all black to the ceremony and the reception after. Unfortunately, that meant the cake he'd just dropped down his shirt smeared very visible vanilla icing all down his front, sending him on a search for a napkin.

"Excuse me--"

[summerchild]

It was interesting to see another world's kind of wedding, where they pledged themselves in front of different gods that Bran didn't know. The important parts were the same, though, and that was what counted. There was a big party afterwards, too, which helped tremendously.

Bran was at the wedding cake and putting deep thought into just which slice to choose. Maybe he wanted the corner piece with the most sweet icing, even if it was almost too far away from him to reach.