The AI was strangely quiet the last couple of days, with none of his usual spicy comebacks.
"Blackie? You alright?" Noah asked while glancing at the current time on his communicator.
"I'm great," Blackie's response came soon after. "No, I'm MORE than great! o(￣▽￣)ｄ The deep admiration and awe I feel for your work have made me at a loss for words. （︶‿︶）
Ah, you only got here last week, and you're already getting married! This efficiency! Other hosts should learn from you!" ╰(*°▽°*)╯
Noah, "........." Typical Blackie. Miss him when he is quiet, but as soon as he speaks up, you can't wait to press the mute button. (눈_눈)
"Blackie..." Noah's right eyebrow twitched several times, and he silently ground his teeth, "Save it. All your praises are insults in disguise."
Blackie, who was, for once, genuinely praising his host for his excellent mission progress, "..." ಠ_ಠ
'Alright, suit yourself. ╮(╯∀╰)╭ Don't regret it later.'
Blackie wasn't the only one that was strangely silent the last couple of days. The terrorists, too, fell quiet ever since they captured Swiftrain – no more attacks, not a peep.
Noah hoped it was because they were lying low and not because this peace was the calm before the storm.
He especially didn't wish for his wedding to be ruined by a terrorist attack. So they enforced maximum security measures over the entire proceedings. They used Intenters to question the loyalties of all staff before hiring them. Layers upon layers of forcefields and shields covered everything. Scanners checked each and every guest and worker, as well as their belongings, before allowing them entry. It was impossible for anyone to smuggle anything dangerous in. The only thing that could possibly disturb the event would be if one of the guests attacked others with his powers. But even then, they would be quickly subdued by the security.
This wedding would be a happy occasion, and nothing was allowed to disrupt it.
***
The remaining guests started showing up at the wedding venue long before the grooms. As per the wedding procedure, the grooms were supposed to arrive last and proceed straight towards the altar. Thus, while awaiting the arrival of the two protagonists of the event, the guests mingled amongst themselves, enjoying the served refreshments and the stunning view around them.
Noah's and Levi's wedding was set to be held in the Cordias' aquarium resort. Unlike the bungalow where Noah had taken Levi the last time, their wedding venue wasn't so private and isolated. On the contrary, they had reserved the most premium site in the resort - a vast, luxurious hall connected by an indoor bridge with the main resort building.
Its ceiling was made of bullet-proof glass, making everyone feel as if they were outdoors under the beautiful clear sky. The floor was also made of the same glass, and underneath it stretched the aquarium, filled with corals and exotic fish. Coupled with beautiful greenery and flowers inside the hall itself, it gave this place an ethereal allure, as if it was Eden inside a dome, right in between the sea and the sky.
However, the altar itself was not set up indoors, but in front of the building, on the sandy beach with vibrant green palm trees and a beautiful view of the aquamarine blue sea. They would speak their vows with the earth, the sea, and the sky as their witness.
The place was beautiful, and the intention poetic, yet the atmosphere that should have been tranquil and pleasant was currently oppressing and uncomfortable instead. The source of this gloomy mood was none other than Astar Levi. The man stood in front of the altar with a scrunched-up face, impatiently tapping his foot. His fierce eyes rarely spared a glance towards the guests. Instead, they alternated between staring at the entrance and checking the time.
Astar daddy wore his perfectly neutral icy-cold expression as he waited behind the altar, finding nothing strange with his son's behavior. Meanwhile, his wife went around chatting, trying to lift the mood and explain the strange behavior of her two EQ-deficient family members, but in the end, she could only hold her forehead, feeling helpless. How did she, an Empathizer, end up with such a low-EQ husband and son?! (◞‸ლ)
Astar Levi's best man stood next to the groom, not daring to let out a peep, staring at his own feet as if he was searching for clamshells in the sand. He was very familiar with his young master's foul temper, so he knew that right now, he ought to just disappear into the woodworks.
Levi's acquaintances and colleagues stood a bit farther away, only daring to speak in hushed voices so as to not disturb the groom's silent brooding.
As expected. That press release they had read was all a load of crap. Astar Levi, in love? Pfft! What a joke! They had thought it was incredulous and hard to imagine back when they read it. And judging by what they've seen after arriving here, they had been right to doubt it.
How did this look like a man who was smitten with his groom and was looking forward to the wedding?! What mutual love?! Was this fierce wild wolf even capable of love? Heck, right now, they were starting to suspect whether this was a war tactic by Astars that wished to draw out Cordias into a trap in this very venue! Ah, ah! Will they end up as random casualties of war between the two powers?! 😱
The guests stood there, awkwardly wiping off cold sweat due to their own imaginations. Thinking that even if this wedding wasn't just a ploy to capture the enemies, they could be sure that this wasn't a happy event as the media had been led to believe. Just look at the groom! This was clearly a man who wasn't looking forward to the marriage but getting this hassle over and done with! He was clearly treating this like a visit to the dentist – annoying and hateful, yet very necessary!
The guests shared a sympathetic look between themselves, feeling great pity towards the poor bloke that would become Astar Levi's spouse. Ah, Aris must have committed grave sins in his past life to be matched with such a menace in this life!
Just as the tense mood was reaching unbearable levels, finally, there was movement at the entrance to the area, and Noah's gorgeous form appeared.
The backs of the guests stiffened, and they turned to look at the horror that was Astar Levi, expecting his dreaded eruption. They hoped that they wouldn't be dragged into this upcoming charged confrontation between the two grooms.
And as they expected, when Astar Levi laid his eyes on his spouse-to-be, his face showed a violent reaction. As if flipping a switch, the thunderous expression ...!!
...dissipated like smoke replaced by a childish excitement and glee?!?
The guests' recoiled back in shock, their mouths dropping open wide enough to stuff an apple and their eyes nearly popping out of their sockets. What the fuck?! They couldn't resist the urge to rub their eyes because this change was so jarring they thought they might be hallucinating it! （ ﾟДﾟ）
The wild wolf Astar Levi turned into a happy puppy, trotting over to his master–ahem, groom – with shining eyes, a skip in his step, and metaphorical flowers blooming all around him. If he had a tail, it would be excitedly wagging behind him.
Confronted with that incredulous picture, the viewers could almost hear the touching and romantic background music like in a romance TV drama!
Before Noah could get a word out, he was crushed into Levi's chest as the other rubbed his cheek against Noah's fluffy hair, making the previously neatly styled hair stick all over the place.
Worst still, the newly arrived groom didn't get upset that his meticulous hairstyle was ruined and this soon-to-be-husband was embarrassing him! Though a soft pink tinge colored his cheeks, he indulgently returned the hug and rubbed the other's back very patiently.
Yet, it was what they heard next that made everyone feel light-headed!
The imposing and fierce loner wolf Astar Levi whined coquettishly, "Baby, what took you so long? I almost thought you ran away!"
Sweetness and warmth spread through Noah's body from inside out. He couldn't help but let out a musical chuckle, his beautiful amber eyes curving into crescents. "You make it sound like I was late, yet it was you who came early." Noah gently nudged Levi's head with his own. "But... I... I missed you, too..." With his cheeks enticingly pink and his voice soft and syrupy, the impact of his words on everyone present was especially potent.
The disillusioned guests, who were metaphorically punched in the gut yet still couldn't believe that the sight in front of them was real, "........" _('ཀ'∠)_ 'Who am I? Where am I? What am I doing? What kind of sorcery is this?!? ............ ........... ......... Can I go home now?'
Author Note:
Prepare your insulin injections; the next chapters might contain deadly doses of sugar. (／≧ω＼)
P.S. Writing a wedding chapter on my own wedding anniversary has a special feeling to it. Here, here. Let me give you a longer chapter so you, too, can have a festive day. (⸝⸝⸝ºωº⸝⸝⸝)