Chapter Text
Alder Chrysacoma had believed for a long time that there would never come a day he would be married. Not happily, if that day ever came. Not willingly. Not without protest, and a mess made of the entire thing. He had made sure of that many times before, with every single attempted person arranged to be his fiance by the grove elders and his family.
And then he met Rain Nexus.
It wasn’t that marriage even meant much to Alder. Not the marriage of the grove. Not the tradition, nor creepy boring parading around, cutting their hair and spilling blood. Giving away parts of their bodies to declare they shall be tied together forever more. Eternally unhappy until they have far too many children and die in some boring way like old age.
Life was meant to be a wild adventure. If Alder learned anything from studying the life around him of the swamp, if he learned anything from running around in quag, exploring what he could of the people and drink- It was that life, at its core, was meant to be lived to the fullest , in the most messy and earnest way possible. It’s how he wanted to live.
As a result of this earnest wild fullness, Alder followed Rain far across the world. Into a great unknown, and it was the best choice he ever made. Not just for himself, but for his sister. Even if some things didn’t always go perfectly. Even if getting stabbed through the chest with a root felt like the deepest betrayal he’d ever had to bear… Alder didn’t regret it. He would never take back any of it, and as he found himself mostly whole again- At least physically he found himself understanding for the first time what marriage meant to him.
He wanted Rain. To say: That is my husband, my family, my life. My everything. To anyone who saw him and heard of his name. They would know who Rain belonged to and in turn who Alder belonged to as well. Alder wasn’t a dramatic man. Not often and not in the typical way, but for Rain…
Alder liked the idea of a word that could quantify what he felt for Rain. A word to explain it to the world without Alder having to actually explain it, to anyone at all, except for Rain, himself.
And though it barely scratched the surface of what he truly felt for the other man, he liked the idea as well, of a ceremony in which they defined that word for themselves. Before the world, too. Even if they didn’t need to know of it, that didn’t mean Alder didn’t love the idea of showing off. Of shouting it from the highest mountains and into the deepest of burrows that Rain Nexus was the love of his life. Rain deserved that most of all, deep proud declarations of love and devotion, and Alder loved a good party.
****
Planning out a wedding and actually just having one m, were two very different things that felt enormous to work out. Somehow there was a meeting in the middle to make it not too crazy. Not perfected, organized, and too orchestrated, yet not too simple, casual, or spur of the moment.
Or maybe it wasn’t a middle ground, it was hard to really know or gauge having no real reference of doing this before, in such a way.
The process of it all somehow ended up in the hands of his baby sister and future niece-in-law, strange as that felt, but the two girls had ran around organizing and setting everything up with such a determination that Alder was almost afraid of hindering their work.
In the end of it all, Alder was mostly just grateful that there was no stress for Rain, and mostly none for himself as well. Things finally stable enough that they could even have this felt crazy. Getting his clothes on that Aria insisted on putting together, Alder took in a deep nervous breath.
For a moment Alder looked himself over once more in the mirror. Readjusting the white, suit like one piece he wore. An off white cream that was almost pink. The front dipped low, revealing a bit of his chest as it turned to a proper light pink lace pattern of swirls going down his front. He loved how it felt and how it looked, warped pearls that looked almost like rain drops dipped across his chest just below his sternum, like a too low necklace.
Along the folds of the front were thin branches of bronze thread. Leading way to light pink and white flower buds, growing up to his shoulders where they sat in half opened bunches. Following the flow to go down his arms as they opened up more gradually into an ombre of pink and gold bronze thread.
The sleeves billow around his wrist loosely, showing of the golden leaves along his arms. Pink petals sewn into the hem of the sleeves. Around his waist more cloth flared out in rippling layers, the embroidered flower petals looked like they were in flight of the wind. Turning in the mirror he grinned as he looked at the pants. It showed off his ass well. He had to commend Aria for her creativity, understanding his request to have something not simple, yet not typical either.
Upon the girls' instance, they would be mixing traditions. One of them was that the grooms would not see eachother until they were to go down the aisle.
Together , Alder had insisted. He didn’t want to be given away; There was no leaving anyone in this. He would have Rain, and be Rain’s, there was no question to it, but there was nothing of loss or letting go to this either.
Alder wanted to go forward with Rain hand in hand to their union.
Running hands through golden bright willow leaves of his hair, Alder holds his hair back nervously. Pausing to cast a glance at the door as it opens to Andromeda, who walks in with a bounce in her step. Beaming at her brother with excitement. She wears a light pink dress, simple as it billows out behind her the tail ends looking a bit like butterfly wings. Even though she is officiating, she is also his best woman? Regardless of what it was, they agreed both could work.
“Alder.” Andromeda says, looking her brother other, and nodding her head at him proudly. Neither of them could have ever imagined a day like this. that it would ever look like this either made it all the more perfect.
Andromeda had been committed to officiating and had spent a lot of time organizing so much of the decorations and party as a whole that Alder didn’t really bother questioning how it would work when they got there. Of all people he trusted that his sister understood what it meant to him to be here .
“Hey sprout,” Alder sighs. Having dropped his hands for just a moment he goes back to fidgeting with his hair again. Alder insisted he would just keep it how he usually did, after receiving his suit. The bronze gold leaves glowing bright, matched well with the pinks, whites, and golds he wore. Making him look warmer, softer and yet more toned all together.
“Hey- do you want me to help you with your hair?” Andromeda asks. Gesturing as she watches him consider himself in the mirror for a minute again. Furrowing his eyebrows at himself as Alder considers.
“Would it… Is it too much to do something with my hair? This already feels like more than enough right? I look hot as fuck, obviously, there’s no need to worry about my hair-” Alder says. Running his hands now through his hair as he shakes his head.
Needing something to do with his hands to work out the nerves. Why was he nervous? This was Rain, as much as they’d been through, as crazy as life had been he was sure of Rain, in a way that nothing compared to.
Andromeda lets her brother ramble, as she pulls his hands down into hers. Smiling at him and raising an eyebrow. She nods her head along with him as she gives his hands a squeeze.
“You do look hot as fuck Alder. Your hair always looks wonderful, and if you want it to look different than normal, I have something for you.” Andromeda says. Looking at her brother with a sneaky grin. He raises an eyebrow at her. Surprised that she could have any more surprises for him.
“What is it?” Alder asks. Looking at her hands holding his. She clearly wasn’t holding it currently.. Without missing a beat, Andromeda reaches into her bag on her hip. Never without it, though it looks far lighter than it once had. Less need to hull around every little thing with her.
Alder’s eyes fixate for a moment on Notoes perched on her shoulder. A white eyepatch over the pigeon's eye. Even he’s a bit more dressed up today.Andromeda cups her hands around what she’s pulled from her bag. Hiding it to suspend the surprise.
“Close your eyes!” Andromeda demands. Alder does so, willing to simply embrace it as he feels hands reaching up. Brushing back hair that stays pinned back, something brushing against his neck in the process as well. Eager to open his eyes, Alder does so as he feels his sister lean back from him. Watching her look at him with a big grin of satisfaction.
“What is it?”
“Look.” Andromeda answers, gesturing to the mirror. In his hair pinning it back is a white clip like a cloud, gold chains dangle down from it with pearl, opal, and sapphire gems, glittering like rain drops cascading across the right side of his head. He stares at them, feeling amused and pleased all at once.
The theme of everything felt silly in the best way. Like a spring shower, when it rains and yet the sun insists on staying. When the flowers are in full bloom and the world is the most wild, just as it is the most bright and beautiful.
“Oh… I like this,” Alder says softly. Turning his head and loving how the chains of jewelry fall over his hair and towards his neck. Gradually getting longer the farther it went down to his shoulder. “Fuck I’m nervous, sprout. Is it almost finally time?”
“Aria’s getting Rain, I’m getting you. Yeah, it’s almost time. You have your vows on you?”
“I have them! I keep fucking rewriting them, but I have them- Yeah,”
“You’ll be fine! You got this. Rain loves you and it just matters that he hears what you have to say. We’re just here to celebrate it happening, and you're gonna have the best party ever when it's done. You already have a beautiful home together. There’s nothing to worry about,” Andromeda says. Placing her hand on her brother's shoulders and giving him a pep talk.
He just looks at her and nods. Wordlessly as the moment sinks in more and more with each passing second. They truly made so much of the setting up hands off for him and Rain. Just asked them what they wanted most. What they loved most and what they wanted most out of this.
A party. Alder wanted a party to celebrate their love.
Rain wanted to have his family here for it. Their family.
They could truly have it all.
****
Stepping out to the open field where the crown badger inn houses circled was a decorated area just for them. In the trees- lights were hung all about on string. It wasn’t by any means late yet, but the option to spend the entire day outside partying was surely a wonderful one.
All about the area were white lilies, and foxglove. Blue and gold fabrics in ribbons, twirling with pinks and brown. A table was set out covered in food. All of Alder and Rains favorites. A tea station and bottles of flower wine and other alcohol. Fruit covered in chocolate, and a whole assortment of goods. In the center of the table a cake sits.
Chocolate at the bottom uncovered and crumbling to look like the earth, layered between with a black and raspberry filling. Atop it was a green frosting to look like grass, flowers made out of berry jelly and sour gummy worms laid out across the dirt cake. Both beautiful and playful, as everything was.
Alder takes in a deep breath of awe at how fun it already feels. The biggest part he hated of the grove and its traditions was the stiffness, the lack of life or personality to anything at all. This would forever be far better than anything they could have tried to make him accept.
There are benches in front of an arch of trees. Made more of an arch by the streamers of fabric and lights tied around the branches, flowers decorating it all the more. Already sitting and milling about, Alder takes in Solar looking over excitedly, Dimitri next to them also offering a kind smile. Wit with his partners sitting on one of the benches also glancing back before they stand up. Arlow beams and waves at Alder, Dimitri follows after him as they walk over.
“Aria should be out with Rain in a minute and I believe that will be the start. When she starts playing the music,” Arlow says lightly, looking Alder over as if to check in with him.
“Are you alright, excited, nervous?” He asks. Alder tilts his head back a little, laughing as a confident smile comes to his face.
“Oh I’m nervous as shit, but I’m also so fucking excited it doesn’t matter,”
“Right. Wonderful. Well I’ll be throwing flowers and carrying the rings. Andromeda will go after, sense she’s your best woman, and also the ordainer? Is that the word? Aria will be playing the procession music, and you and Rain will be seeing each other at the same time- Oh I have to cover your eyes,” Arlow says. Alder lets out a chuckle, nodding his head, and appreciating being run through what’s going to be happening soon.
“Rain’s eyes are going to be closed too till you're both outside together,” Andromeda says as Arlow simply places webbed hands over Alders eyes, not fully touching him but covering his view for the moment.
“Is he coming out now?” Alder asks, surprised.
“Yup” Andromeda says, popping the p at the end as he starts to hear Aria’s talking getting nearer. Assuredly leading a blinded Rain towards the gathering spot. Alder shivers as he feels Arlow’s hands press closer, but that the presence of a person in front of him becomes more absent, and then full again. All he can think about is Rain, standing in front of him
“Alright. One. Two. Three-” Alder’s heart starts racing as he hears Aria countdown, not realizing it’s already happening right now. He feels Arlow's hands pull away and his eyes fly open, to in front of him.
Rain right there, standing before him as his heart skips a beat and then picks up speed. A breathless feeling coming over him as he stares into soft pink eyes watching him, back just as eager and full of adoration.
Alder notices Rain’s hair first. Fixated on his face and wanting to take it all in slowly. To soak it in. The clear white skin like pure and perfect marble dusted pink from Rain’s blushing, a color matching his rosy, quartz colored eyes.
Turning up his left temple is a hair clip of golden wreathed vines, like a willow tree. Pushing back silver and white hair from Rain’s beautiful face. Along the other side, Alder takes in golden chains with pink flowers that spill down over to his right shoulder, in a way mirror Alder’s own hair style, the gems along his own shoulder highlighting Alder’s tattoo of raindrops under his ear.
On Rain’s right shoulder sits a black cape. Short as it stops slightly above his elbow, where his sleeves also are cuffed and pulled back. A light almost gray black color. Along his shoulder looks like a sun of embroidered lines over a soft brown-black fabric. Snaking like lightning. The collar and lapels patterned with golden leaves like a willow, and alder tree. White flowers that look like lilies are also among the embroidery. Along the bottom of Rain’s cape and suit jacket are golden bramble-like vines, with thorns that look a bit like the lighting sun on Rain’s shoulder.
He looks fierce and yet so soft. So stunning. Where his suit sleeves are rolled, light gray white skin fades to darker gray and charcoal black hands held together nervously.
His suit actuating the changelings height, and yet somehow making him seem not as looming. Alder reaches his hands forwards for Rain’s. Finding himself met in the middle as Aria starts to play her lute. A cheerful sweet tune. As Arlow said, flowers are thrown about, Andromeda helps sprinkle them in the air like confetti.
Alder only looks away from Rain for a second, unable to bear it for longer as they now are to follow down the incredible short Aisle just for them. Arlow standing to the side to hold the rings, and Andromeda with a small notebook in hand to ordain their marriage.
“You're beautiful.” Alder breathes, staring into Rain’s eyes with his own wide golden ones. Rain face goes through a series of warm emotions, surprise and joy. The pink warmth of his face turns into a deeper red for a moment as he smirks and tilts his head. Eyes alight upon Alder, as he dips his head closer to the other man- also breathless from witnessing his soon to be husband’s suit.
“You are far more stunning than any sunset,” Rain says softly. A smile on his lips as he tucks Alders hand into his arm. Pulling Alder into his side so that they may walk side by side. Alder pushes at his hair for a moment. Feeling flowers bloom rapidly and feeling grateful it fits with the entire theme of the wedding. They thought well ahead, it seems.
“Oh-”
“Ready?” Rain asks. Giving the other man no time to give a response of a sweater complement, or leading them to getting side tracked and forgetting the proper wedding all together. Too many ideas of what they could get up to after now filling the other’s mind- and how exciting it’ll be to get him out of such beautiful clothing.
Without further delay the two men walk down the aisle, eyes far more locked onto the other than anything else. They keep their focus enough to make it to the arch, where they unlink their arms so that they may fully face each other again. Pure adoration and devotion on both of their faces, abashed and glowing in their fixations on the other.
“Hello, everyone. We are gathered here today for the wondrous union,” Andromeda starts, clearing her throat just a little to make it clear she is now starting the exchange. “Of Alder Chrysocoma and Rain Nexis. Two people who love each other very much. Thanks to this love we are gathered here, to witness their promise to each other, to stay together for the rest of their lives. Would either of you like to go first in sharing your promises with the other, and everyone gathered here as witnesses?” Andromeda says. Having rehearsed this so much she has it down near perfectly. If speaking a little rushed.
“I would like to go first,” Alder says quickly, glancing from his sister to rain. Then to the gathering of their family, and again to Rain. The other man nods with a pleased grin, eyes fixated only on Alder in front of him. Alder reaches into his front pocket, where he had kept a small booklet solely for his vows to be kept in. easier that way, Aria has suggested. To keep it in once place and work it out there for themselves.
“Rain,” Alder says his name like a prayer. Like he is saying the only important thing in the universe, worth saying. “You are my light in the dark. I felt lost before you found me. I didn’t care before… I stopped caring more and more, but you brought to life a longing for so much more than I ever thought I could have. That I would ever even want. You called me everything once, and I didn’t know how to say it back , or say anything else then, so I showed you,” Alder says, smirking a secret smile just for them.
Rain’s face goes a deeper pink as he watches Alder. Unblinking, soaking in all of him. Memorizing his expressions, his nervousness and yet confident smile. The way he’ll look down at the paper in hands, running his fingers over words he’s written before looking back to Rain.
“You are my everything Rain. The whole world, my world, is you. My sun, the light I live for is you. I love you, for you are my love. I may not be immortal, and I may not live forever, but my forever is you. Devoted unapologetically until the sun burns out and the entire world disappears. It’ll always be you,” Alder says, pushing his words forwards as his heart races and his face warms. Eyes stinging as he puts all his weight and love into these words. There are never enough words with enough weight for what he feels for Rain. How desperately he needs him like air, like water and sunlight.
“I want to live for you, as long as I can. Life is fleeting and desperate and you make it more beautiful every day. I want it to only be full of you, from here on out, and nothing else,” Alder says. Speaking softly now. He closes the pamphlet in hand as he looks up at Rain only, smiling.
“I want to promise myself to you. That I’ll be here, taking care of you, loving you, seeing you- All of you and never shying away. You are a beautiful guiding light I’d never go blind from looking at.” Alder declares. Holding his hand out again to Rain who takes it into his. Linking slender blackened fingers into warm peachy tan ones.
“I promise, I’ll always see you.” Alder says once more. Looking at Rain with a pleased smile. Rain nods, his own eyes becoming red rimmed as he sneaks his free hand into his coat to pull out his own vows. Letting Alder’s words hang in the air between them a moment longer before he clears his own throat, a blush coming to his face again. persistently.
“Sunspot,” Rain says, his voice barely a whisper. He can’t help it, the pet name coming from his mouth before his brain catches up with the words. “My Alder,” Rain adds. Not to correct, but to carry on. To not get lost in simply saying his name or pet names. and yet.
“My love, my everything. You are the world given life. You make everyday brighter, every breath taken more meaningful. I look at you and I feel like I am living,” Rain says, speaking slowly and carefully. He’s said so many things of love and longing to Alder before. This needs to sink in and hold the weight of everything.
And he’ll say so much more again. Over and over and more likely than anything soon later tonight. But this is a promise that it’ll be them. Them forever.
“This is my promise to you, because most of all, you deserve my word. I will stay by you until there is no more breath in your lungs. Until there is no more beating in your heart. No more blooming of beautiful flowers in your hair. And even when you are gone and have left this world I will still have you and hold you in my heart,” Rain says, taking in a deep breath.
“You make me mortal. You make me weak, and fallible. They say love makes a fool of us all, that love makes us do crazy things. I know that to be true most of all thanks to you. But love also makes me steady, makes me stronger and more sure that you make everything I’ve ever had to live through, to get to this moment, worth it,” Rain continues, feeling his eyes watering and stinging again as he watches Alder.
Alder feels his heart racing in his chest, the stinging of his own eyes as tears spill despite the overwhelming joy of it all. The tears are not of grief, but of love. The love has somewhere to go and it is being felt so intensely. Held onto desperately as Alder takes in a deep breath of air. Remembering to breathe.
“I promise to remain with you. To love you as you deserve. To chase away all the dark for you, and carry whatever light you need me to carry. I promise I’ll carry you out of the dark. And when I find myself lost, I’ll let you carry me too. I’ll rely on you, and I’ll see you, too. I’ll do my best to not shy away from you, and never shy from our love.” Rain says. Looking at Alder only, leaning closer to him and smiling unabashedly. Sparkling eyes of pink like too sugary strawberry candies.
Alder couldn’t help, but think of all the things he was going to do to Rain after this ceremony was over. In their home . Lifting a hand to Rain’s face as his palm presses to his cheek. Fingers brushing under Rain's eyes to chase away tears that haven’t fallen fully yet. Fingers trailing towards his white hair, on pink flowers hanging from golden chains. His own hair feels heavier and he knows there are surly more flowers than he’s ever had at one time.
It’s not terrifying. Nothing of Rain could terrify Alder, and not even his desperate all consuming love for the other man could scare him anymore. How desperately he needed Rain to breathe fully, knowing that Rain needed him just as desperately. Just as all consuming.
“...With your vows shared now, Promise Alder that you will remain with Rain forever as his husband,” Andromeda says. Hesitant to speak up, but needing to announce them as wedded after their final promise.
“I promise to be beside you forever,” Alder says, fixated on Rain. Rain lifts his own hand, trading the one that was holding Alders to reach the opposite side, to wipe away Alder’s tears as well. A nervous look coming to the changelings eyes, even as he understands how the overflow of feelings can capsize, and spill out.
“Promise Rain, that you will promise to do the same. Stay beside Alder as his husband,”
“I promise, forever beside you,” Rain echoes back. Andromeda nods her head, though it goes mostly unseen as she continues to speak.
“Then, I pronounce you, Rain Nexis, and Alder Nexis as Husbands. For forever onward, together in life and death, through sickness and health. Through the dark and into the light, you may-”
Before Andromeda finishes saying the words Alder is reaching with both hands now for Rain’s face. Pulling him closer and not caring for the hair accessories as he starts to snake his hands into Rain's hair.
Rain follows Alder’s pull. Cupping his own hands along Alder’s cheeks and for a moment hiding away their lips meeting, as their kiss deepens quickly.
“-kiss the groom, sealing the promise made. Wooo!” Andromeda finished saying. Cheering for them as she steps away from the arch and gestures to Arlow.
“You may now also exchange rings. Ahem-” Andromeda says, clearing her throat to pull the newlyweds attention back to the last thing. Arlow standing with the pillow that holds the rings also stepping closer.
Rain slowly pulls away from Alder, who follows after his lips hungrily. Rain keeps his own heavy gaze on Alder. Both of them soaking in the moment as a giddy laugh slips from Alders lips, nodding his head as he glances at Andromeda and Arlow, then down at the pillow that holds the rings.
Rain reaches over towards the ring for Alder first. Taking his hand gently and running his finger over Alder’s knuckle. With the utmost care he slides the silver banded ring down Alders ring finger. Lifting his knuckles to Rain's lips, his breath ghosting over Alder’s skin as he smiles into a gently placed kiss.
Across the entire band of silver are a wreath of leaves that look like raindrops, filled in with shimmering white and blue opal jewels, that catch the light and shine iridescent.
Alder runs his tongue over his lips. Savoring the taste of Rain in his mouth as he reaches for the other’s ring. Taking Rain’s gentle and careful hands, Alder slides a golden band like his own. Detailing of flowers embedded into the ring all around, rose quartz and amber centers coloring the ring beautifully
“We’re married now, it’s official,” Alder says softly. Looking at Rains hands, how the gold looks so beautiful on him.
“Very Official,” Rain agrees. Eyes only on Alder.
****
The cake was delicious. The texture of it all and combination of sweet and sour so perfect for both Alder and Rain. The sweetness of the tea and the burning of the alcohol warming Alder all the more.
They didn’t linger long and didn’t bother making excuses as they not so sneakily snuck away. Eagerly making their way to their home, already breathless and frenzied with anticipation.
Together they would start their night. Together forever and then on. With gentle hands that occasionally became rough and fast yet always so loving. So adoring and devoted to the care of the moments. Soaking it all in a new light. A new type of first they would relish in for years to come. Through gasping breaths and longing, loving moans. Through hands intertwining, the glittering shimmering of their rings making it so real and solid.