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un: firstspear | text

Name: Diarmuid Ua Duibhne
Date: 11/01
Format: Text

[Embarrassing as it is for Diarmuid to admit, it's only natural that he's been thinking about this kind of thing recently, right? It's not really something he'd had much say in the first time around- largely of his own volition- but now that he doesn't have servants to do most of the organisation... well, he's going to have to be a little more hands-on.]

A question, if you will. What kinds of marital traditions did your people observe in your homelands? This world has much in common with my own so we share some of the same customs but with so many of us from so many places I'm curious about others too. What kinds of ceremonies do you hold? What brings the couple fortune?

Forgive my superstition but let's just say that the betrothed aren't exactly blessed with great luck. It might take more than a horseshoe and some rye to ward off misfortune in their case.

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Marital traditions generally involve a great deal of ceremony, Diarmuid. Music, dance, song. That sort of thing. Flute-players. Garlands.

It's been a while since I was married.

Is someone you know getting married?

In a manner of speaking, yes.

Aye, it's the same for me- and for all the spectacle I barely remember most of it. But more importantly... you dance, Saber? Is your footwork as impressive as your swordplay?

Admittedly I am not as skilled at dancing, but I have done it. I indulged a little at the masque.

I must have missed you. A shame, really- we're closely matched in combat but I'm confident I could best you in dance.

[is he or is he just looking for an excuse to challenge her who can say]

I believe you would be mistaken, Diarmuid.

[ Look out, she's competitive. ]

[kill bill sirens]

Your self-assurance is admirable but misplaced in this instance.

We should test it.

If this is a challenge, then I accept.

Name the time and place.

there's lots of tradtions where i'm from. most of them include bowing.

[he was never one who even cared about traditions...until he was the one getting married. only then did he want to do it "right".]

you also wear the color red, for happiness and prosperity. oh, and there's the betrothal gifts, and the fortune teller, and the virgin boy!

[Okay, he's going to go back to the rest of that in just a moment but there's just one little thing he needs to-]

The virgin boy???

right. a virgin boy is suppossed to sleep in the bed with the groom the night before the wedding. for good luck!

I see. Strange as it sounds to me, I can understand it- my own people are notoriously superstitious. But it does make you wonder how such things began...

As for fortune telling, that's something we have in common. Druids often used the clouds in my time. Neldoracht, they called it.

if you want to hear something really strange, i know of a wedding that had two grooms. the poor guy had to sleep between them - and he was the brother of one of them!

[probably the worst night of jiang cheng's life. or at least in the top 10.]

what were they looking for?

Well.. I can't think of a more awkward situation to be in than that. Poor lad. Poor grooms. Was their union at least blessed with fortune enough to make up for it?

Truthfully, I have absolutely no idea. My father tried to teach me but I wasn't mystically inclined.

[Still isn't if his mediocre spellwork is anything to go by but he's damn good at finding dogs shapes in clouds.]

Edited 2021-01-12 18:47 (UTC)

[he barely restrains a laugh at poor grooms. poor lan wangji, for sure. wei wuxian was just enough of a gremlin to appreciate the humor of the situation. but his mirth softens a little with the question that follows. it's bittersweet - his husband's memory is incomplete now, and wei wuxian, for better or worse, has kept the truth from him.]

yeah. they'll always be blessed as long as they're together.

if you like, i can probably help you pick an auspicious day for a wedding. and i know a place that has noisemakers for chasing away the evil spirits.

No one could want for more.

[And maybe that's what he'll find with Berserker. For a while, in his past life, he came close but he'd always known it was temporary. Here, in this new world, unbound by fate and grudges and oaths-

Focus.]

I was considering bells but between us we have so many spectres at our backs that

[NO WAIT FORGET YOU READ THAT]

They were considering bells. The betrothed, that is.

[sorry friend, he'd already pretty much figured it out. the 'asking for a friend' energy was strong.]

if bells won't do the trick, might i suggest drums and dizis? there's always fireworks too.

i'm sure that the betrothed will get off to a lucky start no matter what.

[Bless whoever this is for not calling attention to it anyway. Still, there doesn't seem much point in trying to keep up the charade in this particular conversation anymore.]

Dizis? Are they a kind of instrument?

I don't have the best of luck with weddings: one nearly ruined my life and my own first marriage was doomed from the start. Forgive my unease.

it's a type of flute. i can show you one if you want.

...and buy you a drink while i'm at it.

[because that is a lot and wei wuxian can see why he'd be spooked.]

but it's all over and done with now, right? forget the past if you can. you have another chance here, one that i bet you'd regret not taking.

the bigger budget you get, the more you can splurge on all extravagant shit. i bet having well-off parents helps a lot too

though yeah, there is one thing that definitely does guarantees good fortune...

I don't think the couple in question are much for extravagance. There won't be a shortage of drink though I can promise that.

What might that be?

that makes it much easier!

let them save, take every donation or loan they can get to amass a hefty budget. then make them spend on the whole marriage deal only 10% of it

remaining 90% they get to keep sounds like quite a fortune

I was thinking more metaphorical fortune than money. Not to mention that seems highly dishonest.

dishonest? mmmaybe a little

[ probably a lot ]

money can't buy you good luck and fortune, but they sure make for the best cushion when the bad luck strikes

[ He sees this, Diarmuid. He sees this and completely understands why he's doing it.

Doesn't mean he won't gently tease him for it later, of course. ]

[don't...... have mercy....]

how is this betrothed unlucky?

I'm not sure that there's a facet of their lives where at least one of them hasn't been beset by some kind of misfortune. Perhaps they were born under the wrong stars.

I just want things to go well for once.

do i know the betrothed? otherwise i cannot do anything else but refer you to the library for a book about good luck spells.

i do not mind to keep you company.

[you know what it's cool for you to know, enkidu]

Actually, I'm one of them. Berserker proposed to me at the end of the year and I said yes but I've yet to say anything publically in case

[In case Berserker sees how unworthy he is and changes his mind? In case something terrible happens? Life has made Diarmuid naturally suspicious and he can't help but worry about the worst outcomes.

For now, though, he's trying to focus on the present: he'll bask in the warmth of loving and feeling loved for as long as he can.]

he didn't want me to.

this seems like a good reason to send you one of these

[Hold on.]

😃

[There.]

that is good news and i do not think a good luck charm is needed. yet it is unsure what the mirrors will do and when they call someone back or not.

but i think it is not right to focus on such a negative thing. especially since you both are lucky to have one another.

Thank you, Enkidu, I appreciate it.

I'm sure you're more familiar with that than most. I haven't had a chance to say so yet but I'm delighted that your own lover has returned.

[even if he can't stand him]

But... yes, we are. I won't deny it. I can't imagine a life here without him and to be offered the chance to celebrate the commitment publically is wonderful.

i am delighted as well but i also know how whimsical the mirrors can be.

[It isn't a forever. Not in the way how Diarmuid and Cu are forever.]

you love one another like a husband and wife, not? but may i ask, is that different than other sorts of love?

Oh I know what this is about.

[ yep. that's all he's got. he's also definitely answering this in bed like the lazy vamp he is. ]

Excellent deduction. Anything you'd like to add?

Congratulations?

Edited 2021-01-15 01:00 (UTC)

Thank you. Your blessing truly does mean a lot to me.

You're welcome? Do you know when you're going to have this celebration?

Haven't the faintest. There's no need to rush anything and I don't think either of us have even thought that far ahead anyway.

You will be there though, won't you?

Ciaran already asked me to be so I will. I'm going to bring Alucard with me. Since that's what people do I guess.

I thought he might have, I just wanted to make sure.

Ah, the mysterious Alucard. I'd love to meet him.

He can sometimes have a stick up his ass [ when it's not him ] but otherwise he's fine. I guess. Very worldly.

Well first, congratulations to the betrothed. Planning for the wedding ceremony can be stressful but it will be worth it in the end.

Compared to Western wedding customs, a Shinto wedding can seem rather minimal. It does involve a ritual where the couple exchanges cups of sake, rice wine with each other, offerings and prayers to the gods, and more sake drinking. The reception, on the other hand, can be the complete opposite if the couple desires it.

Speaking from personal experience, my own wedding was a bit of a mix between a Shinto wedding and a Western one because we wanted it to reflect ourselves.

As is my experience. The day itself is such a hassle but making your commitment to the world is rewarding enough to make up for it.

I only visited Japan for a short time but I can see how that would fit in with the world I saw. It was so different to my own but beautiful and interesting in its own way, though I don't know how much of that was to do with the changing times. I was a stranger in both time and place, you see.

Was your husband a Westerner?

Oh?? I remember seeing you around on the network! Have you and Ciarán decided to get hitched??

[METTATON DOESN'T FORGET]

Anyway. When I think about it, I don't think I've discussed much about weddings from my world. That's because they're mostly terrible! Especially to humans. Yes... Just about every ritual monsters engage in involve puzzles and magic. Puzzles of dastardly, daunting difficulties. Guests bringing cards, that try to shoot you in innovative and surprising ways... Sentiment enough to bring a tear to my optical fluid release ducts. Haha.

[WELL WELL IF IT ISN'T ROBOT CASSANDRA]

There's not much point pretending otherwise now. I have to congratulate you on your foresight- have you considered a career in soothsaying?

Ha, perhaps I'm just a strange human but that sounds just grand to me. What kind of a celebration would it be without challenges and opportunities to show off? Well, maybe not the murderous cards but the rest of it.

Well. I AM a Puca. We have a gift for trustworthy foresight!

[1. his ego is being stroked; 2. Puca only have foresight for danger, not marriage!]

Just about any self-respecting human could do without the bullet-patterned wedding cards. But monsters don't see it the same way! We express ourselves that way... Though I prefer using my body, like a human. So I'll take a dance instead of the magic! Humans dance at their weddings, after all.

So! When did you two get engaged? Recently?

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