Hearing his baby's honeyed words, Levi's restlessness did not settle down in the slightest. On the contrary, the fire within him burned even more intensely.
It had not even been a full day since they parted, yet Levi felt as if he hadn't seen his baby for a long and torturous eternity. Throughout the entire morning, he had barely managed to restrain himself from running straight over to the Cordia manor to kidnap his bride-ahem, groom!
He kept recalling how his baby acted like a mouse seeing a cat last night, not even daring to look him in the eyes. Would his precious darling get cold feet? That notion alone was enough to make Levi feel as if he had ants in his pants, yet that was not even all of it!
His baby must be looking especially stunning today! And yet, he, Levi, wasn't there to protect his treasure from being subjected to covetous gazes and dirty thoughts of others!! Thinking how this beautiful flower, which should only be his, was now being greedily eyed by bees and butterflies... suffice to say, Levi couldn't stay put!
(Blackie, (눈_눈) '...Bees and butterflies? Has your illness worsened overnight? Your case of brain damage must have reached critical levels if you can look at your baby's relatives and think of them as "bees and butterflies"...')
The minutes ticked by far too slowly, his relatives were annoying him to death, and his baby was not by his side! Levi, who had long reached the limits of his tolerance, finally snapped. He cut the proceedings short and left to pick his baby up himself.
However, this plan was not put to fruition in the end. Because, as soon as the Astar mommy saw that things were not looking good, she promptly called for backup.
Only after being repeatedly reassured by Maery that everything was perfectly fine (and that she would personally keep "the bees and butterflies" off her brother), did Levi manage to calm down enough to head for the wedding venue.
And now that the two had reunited once again, Levi felt that his worries had been fully justified! His baby was clearly beyond perfect; how would others not want to steal him away?!?
Just look how dazzling his precious darling looked in his little outfit!!!
Ah, ironically, all Levi wanted to do was to take it all off... (／≧ω＼) ♡
Levi's blood started to boil at the thought, and his mouth turned dry. He locked his scorching gaze onto the two glittering amber gems that were his baby's eyes and brought the other's slender left hand to his lips.
After dropping a sensual kiss on the engagement ring and seeing his baby's ears turning even redder, Levi felt as if he had been injected with a stimulant. He wanted to seal those alluring lips with his own right now! Wanted everyone to know that this person was his and only his! Everything hidden within his heart was on the verge of spilling out, and he couldn't hold on for much longer!
Levi didn't wait for Noah to recover from the sudden assault. He wrapped his arm around the other's waist, keeping Noah pressed to his side as he intimately led him towards the altar.
The dazed and red-eared little rabbit obediently let himself be guided onwards by the big bad wolf. Noah had long resolved himself to act out the role of a loving spouse without flaw today.
Today, he would put aside all of his worries and reservations. Today, whatever was between him and Levi, or whatever their future held, did not matter. Today, the only thing that mattered was to support Levi and to show everyone that they loved each other very much!
If it was anyone else that he had to act lovey-dovey with, Noah wouldn't be able to pull it off to save his life. But if it was Levi... if it was Levi... then... Noah peeked towards this soon-to-be-husband of his underneath his long eyelashes, his little heart fluttering inside of his chest like a flock of butterflies.
The wedding suit enhanced Levi's innate air of wild sexiness even further. He still emitted a potent and very dangerous allure; however, his previous look of an unrestrained fighter was now closer to an overbearing CEO.
Only now, when this mature and devastatingly handsome man used his deep and magnetic voice to speak sweet nothings in Noah's ear, did Noah realize that previously, when Levi had played lovey-dovey with him, he had shown restraint!
And now, when even that last layer of restraint had been unceremoniously torn off, Noah felt himself drowning in this bubbling sea of magma that was Levi's affection. His knees grew weak, and he felt thankful that Levi held him so securely. He wasn't sure that he would have managed to walk steadily towards the altar by himself.
While the two grooms were having their moment, Cordia daddy made his way around to stand beside Astar daddy behind the altar. With the two city lords acting as celebrants, this union would not only be a union between their families but also their cities. This marriage would both be the act that joins the two cities together to create a new one AND the first registered marriage of the new city.
Summoned by the loud wedding march, the guests gathered around the aisle to watch the two grooms walk down it towards the altar. Traditionally, the father of the bride was supposed to lead her down the aisle. However, since this wedding had no bride, this was changed into the two grooms walking down the aisle together.
Noah didn't initially think that the altar was far away, but as he walked towards it, the distance seemed to stretch endlessly. The closer he got to the altar, the more the reality of his current situation sunk in.
He was getting married!
To a man whom he'd only known for a week!!!
Ah, ah! He was practically a Disney princess! QAQ
Noah's heart jumped so wildly inside of him he thought he might throw it up. His ears buzzed, the sounds around him becoming muffled and unclear. The city lord of Concordia started to read the wedding script, but Noah only managed to catch bits and pieces of their words. ".... We are gathered here...... to witness... union of ... ... Astar Levi and ... ..."
Noah tried hard to concentrate on the words being spoken, but he could barely hear them over his own heartbeat.
Noah's muddled thoughts kept drifting away like clouds, formless and unable to be grasped.
All other sensations were not as clear as the feel of Levi's warm hand holding his.
"I do." Levi's husky timbre sliced through the fog in Noah's mind, and he realized it was already his turn to return those two words back.
The rims of Noah's eyes reddened, and he had to blink away water. Feeling choked up like this, it was very hard to squeeze out those two words.
Those two syllables carried the weight of a lifetime.
They were not just words, but a promise, a vow, a commitment.
Something sacred that couldn't be made casually. Something that once said could not be taken back or broken.
The significance of those two short words hit Noah like a truck. His mouth opened, but no sound came out.
He felt Levi rubbing the back of his hand gently, and Noah involuntarily looked towards the other.
Levi wore a small, encouraging smile, but the tense muscles in his neck showed the truth of his inner nervousness. His deep blue pools stared at Noah unblinkingly, swirling with dread and hope, dark obsession and bright adoration.
Noah saw his own reflection within those two eyes, and abruptly, the fuzzy mess within him became crystal clear.
He would never be able to view his own marriage like a political arrangement. Because to him, marriage was something much more.
If he, Noah, made a vow, then he would keep it. If he couldn't keep it, then he would never make it.
So...
This current life of his... was he willing to promise it to Astar Levi?
The corner of Noah's lips curled up. How foolish was he?
He was determined to only love a person who would love him back.
But to be loved back, you have to love first.
One side had to make the first step, otherwise, they would forever remain in a deadlock.
Noah's pink lips parted. A clear and melodious voice cut through the heavy silence, "I do."
He, Noah, did not need to control the hearts of others. What he needed was to stay true to himself.
He, Noah, could not predict the future, but he was not afraid to love.
Author Note:
Here is another extra long chapter. Thank you, guys, for your well-wishes! ( ˘ ³˘)♥
I can hardly wait for the next chapter, ah! So exciting! What happens next is among my top three scenes of the entire volume! o(≧▽≦)o