Who cares baby, I think I wanna marry you! [Event]

Don't be afraid to catch feels, ride drop top and chase thrills,
Baby, I know you ain't scared to catch feels, feels with me
Artemis Dagger

It was a strange day for Artemis Dagger, it was his day off and he had aspired for some semblance of normality. Something to make him feel his 'usual' self, away from Morte or the responsibility of running an underground criminal organisation under the influence of his family. So he had gotten up, thrown on some trackies and gone for a morning jog. It had been whilst he'd been running through town that he'd been flagged down by a rather over-enthusiastic leafleting girl. She had assailed him some quickly and vigorously that he'd barely had a minute to comprehend what she was even saying. Something about a valentine's day event, needing volunteers, catering a wedding, and other random babble.

Yet she had been so desperate and so relentless that somehow he'd ended up here, his driver dropping him off outside a rather random warehouse, which was apparently the preparation area for today's event. Where he would get ready and be prepped for whatever it was he was actually doing. "What time shall I pick you up sir?" Elio, his newest driver would ask. He glanced around outside the car window, debating the likelihood of him needing a pick-up. "Take the afternoon off Elio, I'll catch a lift if need be." He told him, and with a swift goodbye, he climbed out of the car and shut the door behind him. He strode across the gravel, crimson eyes looking for someone to talk to. He reached into his jacket pocket, pulling out the leaflet. He eyed it once more, there weren't names on there to tell him who he shouldn't be looking for. His gaze landed on a lanky man in a pastel yellow suit with a clipboard and headgear. Which was enough to tell him that this might be someone worth checking in with. The redhead sauntered over to the pastel-wearing man, catching his attention quickly.

"Hello Sir, are you here for the wedding reception job?" Artemis nodded, earning a gleeful grin return, "Fantastic, well I'm Reginald, but you can call me Ginny. Have you been filled in on the requirements of today's task?" Artemis shook his head in response, "Of course you haven't, god forbid anyone else do their jobs around here today! Okay so we're currently hosting a special wedding fair of sorts, but unlike normal wedding fairs with various stalls, blah, blah, blah. We're hosting an actual wedding, amazing right? Not a real wedding, of course, all for show. We just want our guests to have that real wedding feel so they will be swayed to invest in our services for their own weddings. You're task, Mister Tall Red and Handsome. Is to be our groom for the day! This will require you to play out a 'fake ceremony' with some traditional marital binding magic. Don't worry, it only lasts a day, and none of it is legitimised unless you register at your town hall." Artemis blinked in surprise, not really sure how to take this. It was crazy, but also kind of sounded like a riot. Although the 'getting married' part was a little sketchy, Daggers and marriage was kind of a big deal. If this got out, well, it would be A LOT of stress for him and the poor girl who ended up dragged into it. Then again, if he got the company to back his story maybe it would be so bad, also there was the likelihood that it wouldn't escalate to that point in the first place. "Um..." He went to speak but Ginny quickly spoke over him.

"Ahh, and it seems your beautiful bride for the day has arrived! Such a lucky man, if I were straight I'd be jealous!" He said with a playful wink, drawing Arty's attention to the mystery girl.

---

They had her at 'cake'.

Sivvy had been having a normal day out, doing a bit of shopping and snacking around Rose Garden, a town that her friend had opened up to her one day that seemed like a lifetime ago now. She'd already been to 'Beerus's Bean Cafe' for a nice, warm coffee that didn't skimp on the flavor. If she hadn't been inside its hidden gem, she'd have had no idea such a lively place existed behind the hot brews and books. There was a strange tickle in her chest as if knowing that secret made it and the memories it held even more special to her. Leaving it behind without knowing if any dancing was going on was hard, but she kept the mystery and left. By the time the girl with the leaflet asking for volunteers to test out some sort of Valentine's wedding event, her arms were heavy laden with shopping bags full of the most eclectic items and clothing. Sivvy's interest was hardly piqued...until catering and cake were mentioned. It was simple as that. Snatching the flyer, she made her way to the indicated address.

She arrived at the destination and was nearly wordlessly directed inside by a flamboyant man in a baby-chick yellow suit. He mentioned that someone named Agatha needed to do her job for a change and would explain once she was inside, then very nearly shoved her through the doors. When she walked into the warehouse, a flurry erupted around her. A gaggle of giggling girls shepherded her off to the right, taking her bags off her arms as she went. They assured her they'd put them someplace secure for her to retrieve afterward, and though she did love her stuff, she was more concerned about what was about to happen. Which one of these ladies was Agatha? Where were her instructions she was supposed to get? The clone wasn't familiar with love let alone the impractical ceremonies potentially linked to it. It all felt alien to her, so she was a bit apprehensive over what she'd gotten into. Then again, if there were edible delicacies, it couldn't be anything bad, right?

"The groom is already here! We must hurry!" one older lady clucked after touching her communication earpiece, proceeding to assault her with measuring tape and then dash to a nearby wardrobe. Was this Agatha? Another two pulled out her pigtails and brushed her hair once they wrangled her into a chair. Was either of them Agatha? A fourth girl cleaned her face with some sort of wipe, then started applying makeup. Agatha?! At no point were her partial questions acknowledged, and now she couldn't ask due to the fussing about her lips with smears of color. This seemed like a lot of work just to test some food.

A woman stepped in once Sivvy was laced into a poofy white dress. She was dressed in a severe black tux and showed no signs of mirth. "I'm Agatha," she said with a slight bow, and finally Sivvy had met the fabled information giver. Her eyes were harsh and appraising beneath bushy brows and slicked back ebony hair cut short. "Don't forget the veil," she reminded the prepping crew, so soon one of those was tossed over her head to trail behind her. "Bouquet!" she barked, and again snappy movements had a bunch of roses in her hands within seconds. After a pause, she nodded. "Now you look like a proper bride. It'll be a great match with the handsome groom. Such a lucky woman, if I were straight I'd be jealous."

The girls bid her farewell as she followed Agatha out of the room. "All you need to do is get fake married to the man waiting for you at the end of the aisle and do the traditional marital binding magic, then go through a normal wedding reception. The guests in attendance are all potential customers of ours, so please, do put on the act of a proper blushing bride. This needs to come off as close to an actual marriage as possible to show off our newly offered matrimonial ceremony packages. Love is as lucrative as it is tricky, and since our chocolates have already flourished, why not expand? Please, don't screw this up."

Sivvy had many questions, topmost being that she had no idea how a 'proper blushing bride' was expected to act, but it seemed the crude explanation is all she'd get. She was grabbed by the shoulders and placed at the very back of an elegantly decorated faux-chapel. The walkway split the mass of chairs with strangers seated in them in half. Petals were littered all over the white floor runner. Arches made of roses and silk bows lined the walls and capped the end of the aisle, framed by a stained glass window lit as if by natural light. At her appearance, the soft piano music that had been lilting through the air came to an end and a louder, more announcing melody began. As she walked, her eyes scanned the unfamiliar faces and surroundings. Once she was about halfway finished with her walk to the alter, she actually looked forward. There was an older man in a robe standing there, but more importantly, there was a familiar head of deep red hair standing off to the right. As soon as Sivvy saw Artemis standing there, her face visibly softened and brightened. She didn't know how or why he was here since they hadn't made any plans today, but she was happy for the coincidence. The corners of her eyes crinkled in response to the growing smile on her lips, the slightly wider smile reserved just for him.

Sivvy came to stand across from him under the arch, signaling the true start to the day's odd plans for the two.

---

Don't be afraid to catch feels, ride drop top and chase thrills,
Baby, I know you ain't scared to catch feels, feels with me
Artemis Dagger

The woman that rounded the corner was not what Artemis was expected, for a start, she looked about seventy. He arched a brow, glancing back at Ginny with a perturbed expression. "Oops, false alarm, no that's actually one of the guests. An investor would you believe." He told Artemis, who would then shrug in response. "Alright sure, seems easy enough." He agreed. His parents would have refused him permission to partake in such a job on the grounds that it was 'inappropriate for one of noble status'. Which kind of made him want to do it more, not that he wanted to deal with the fallout of them finding out. But the idea of some sort of personal private rebellion that he could just enjoy for a day appeased him of his daily frustration with his family.

Ginny would guide Artemis along, deciding that now he had his approval, there was no time wasting time preparing for the 'ceremony'. Taking him into a changing area, they quickly fitted him into a tux. All the while Ginny nattered away about the steps of the wedding; the words that would be exchanged, the magical binding, the reception and whatnot. It was all such a whirlwind that Artemis had to ask him to repeat things several times, much to Ginny's chagrin. After a while, Ginny would leave, having got word that the 'real bride' was here, in the meantime Artemis's fitting was just about finished. He got look at himself in one of the changing area mirrors, it was a simple black tux. Giving off a very nice and traditional appearance to the would-be groom of the day. It might have made him nervous if he hadn't been for the fact that in his lifetime he'd in more variations of suits than he could count. Years and years of attending events and balls at his families behest. Besides, it wasn't real, right?

"Quickly now, we need to get you to the altar!" One of the stylists, barked, ushering him out of the room where one of the event planners led him through the wedding hall. He glanced around the hall, which was much more authentic than he expected it to be. For a start, there were about eighty guests in the parlour, filing into their seats. Random people, not a single face he recognised. Which was a relief in itself, it meant there were less likely to be any awkward encounters today. Then there was the setting, it was a beautiful layout, the use of white roses and silk bows giving it a pure and delicate atmosphere. The red-headed male made his way to alter, standing before an stained-glass window.

Despite his attempts to remind himself that it was a fake wedding, he couldn't help but feel a slight sense of anxiously. It was just so realistic. Maybe there would be consequences to today's actions, what if the bride was a complete pain in the arse and he had to pretend to be in love with her for an entire day just for some rebellious whim. As panic began to rise in the Dagger lad, the familiar sound of wedding music rang through the air, telling him it was too little too late. He froze, eyes darting around, wondering if their might still be a way to duck out. He heard the soft gasps and happy chirping of the audience, telling him the bride had walked in. He wasn't going to look, he had been considering how much force would be needed to break the stained glass window. And yet, somehow as though, of its own accord, his head would turn taking a look at the proclaimed 'bride to be'.

And so he saw her.

He blinked for a moment, wondering if he was imagining it, or perhaps that it was a trick of the light. But as she looked up at him, her delicate features softening, giving him that signature smile of hers. His entire body relaxed, his own lips curling up into a grin. It wasn't just that it was Sivvy, it was Sivvy looking like that. The breath-taking image of her in that dress, closing the distance between them. It had him momentarily mesmerised, holding in a trance until she stepped up across from him where he became present enough to greet her under his breath. "Hey you," He whispered to her, his tone both amused and genuinely pleased.

---

"Hey," she whispered back, giving his hands a little squeeze. She seemed rather pleased to see him as well, her eyes focused entirely on his and the rest of his face while the officiant began the ceremony. All other verbal communication was cut off, but it hardly seemed they needed it for now. She content to just observe him, idly listening to the prattling of the man in the black robe speaking about the complexities of things like love and marriage, both entirely lost on the emotionally stunted girl in the fluffy white dress. If she gave it any thought at all, it was just to internally admit she didn't understand it or see the merit in most of it. If only the poor girl knew what was going on in her very human heart.

The priest blathered on, but not as long as he could have. It was an abbreviated service, so soon he was finishing with the marital binding magic, though it, too, was altered to be temporary. Once it was complete, there was only one more thing that needed to be done to both conclude the ceremony proper as well as bind their magic for the day. "You may now kiss to seal your marriage!"

Wait, what? Sivvy blinked, turning to look at the expectant officiant. While she might have gotten slightly wrapped up in memorizing every detail of Artemis's face, she hadn't been so zoned out that she wasn't listening. Of course, she knew what a kiss was, but what did a kiss have to do with anything? Even through all of her various experiences with men and their dalliances with 'love' and lust, Sivvy had actually never been kissed on the mouth. The inexperience with it is the only thing that gave her pause, but it passed quickly. If they had to kiss to proceed with the task, then kiss they would.

Thinking and feeling nothing of the action she initiating, Sivvy turned toward Artemis and with absolute confidence hoisted herself up on her toe tips to lessen the height difference while her gloved hands left his and rose to his face. Fingers curled at the nape of his neck and thumbs gently brushed his cheeks as she'd attempt to lower his face to hers. While most women might wait halfway for the other to agree and complete the kiss, Sivvy did no such thing. Her lips pressed to his with just as much assured determination as she applied to any other action she completed. It wasn't hesitant or too soft, but also not rough or too hard. In fact, it was almost a kiss that two people who were very familiar with each other might share, just one average kiss amongst hundreds or thousands shared. In a sense that's how she looked at it since the pair were very good friends and had been for a while. This was no different to her than how they held hands or danced.

Except it was. It was different. She realized it much too late, but as soon as her lips touched his her heart started racing. It was an immediate visceral reaction. A magnetism. A deep-seated craving for the red-headed man she enjoyed spending time with. Nothing in Sivvy's life had managed to switch her mind off and draw feelings to the forefront, but there was a first for everything. What was supposed to be a simple and quick kiss for the task at hand turned into a lingering one that the clone couldn't pull herself away from.

---

Don't be afraid to catch feels, ride drop top and chase thrills,
Baby, I know you ain't scared to catch feels, feels with me
Artemis Dagger

Like Sivvy, Artemis paid little to no attention to the ceremony. His mind was reeling at the sight of her, she was breathtaking, so delicate and beautiful. It was hard to not stare at her, it weirded him out a little. How okay he was with this. Surely, the renowned playboy of the Dagger Family would feel greater hesitation about this, there was no greater commitment after all. But, it was Sivvy. If he was going to fake marry anyone, she was by far his first choice and the fact that it had been her walking down that aisle had been enough to steady his thoughts of escape. He wanted to stay, to experience this with her. Although what did that mean? They were just friends after all. And whilst Artemis was in no denial of his physical attraction to the pinkette, he had been doing his best to resist such temptations. Cementing the foundations of their would-be friendship, his longing to be around her, the enjoyment he felt when she was around. These were consequences of their amicable relationship was it not?  

Or perhaps, was it a little more than that?

The ceremony would draw to its peak and Artemis glanced over at the priest sharply, he was to kiss her? His crimson eyes widened with uncertainty. Normally, kisses meant nothing to him. But he had been making a very conscious effort not to kiss Sivvy up until this point. For the sake of keeping behind the boundary, he'd set for himself. He looked back at her, finding himself trapped by her carmine eyes as she moved closer. His trepidation freezing him in place, a part of him was telling him this was not a good idea. But another part, a perhaps louder voice was nudging him to do it. Because deep down, as much as he would deny it, he wanted to kiss her.

And then her hands were on his face, pulling him toward her, and unable to resist he would let her. His eyes closing as her lips met hers, his hands rising up would find a resting place on her hips. And as he kissed her back, his mind would descend into a fog and he was lost. Lost in her. He pulled her closer, his lips moving to deepen the kiss, feeling tingles of electricity tingling as he sunk into it. His hands wrapping further around her, pulling her closer to him, every thought of boundaries slipping from his mind as he slipped into the sweet, satisfying abyss that was her delectable little mouth. He was lost in her lips, he realised this. It should have been little more than a soft peck, something to appease the crowd. But this hadn't been possible, because she had captured him. He understood that for so long he'd avoided becoming entrapped in such feelings, permitted little more than lust than friendship into his being. But this was so much more. Sivvy had somehow broken through to him, and it was for this reason that he couldn't get enough of her.

They had been kissing for far too long, this was made obvious by the sudden and loud clearing of the minister throat. Artemis pulled back, opening his eyes he looked down at her, his breathing slightly ragged as his heart pounded in his chest. He looked around at the crowd, who were applauding vigorously at this point, satisfied with the apparent show they had delivered. A photographer snuck forward, thrusting more flowers at Artemis and ushering them to stand together as the priest moved out of the way of the photo. "Smile lovebirds!" He chirped eagerly, Artemis managed a small performative smile although he was still rather bewildered by what had just transpired between them. That kiss had been... something else.

After a few bright flashes of photography, the pair were guided down the aisle. The red-headed male waved at the audience, moving as though in a trance as they were brought out of the church and into the reception hall in which the celebrations would be held. When they were finally alone for a few minutes, whilst the wedding staff rushed off to lead people into the wedding hall, he turned to Sivvy, his eyes glancing to her lips. He'd only just got done kissing her, and he was already craving more. He pulled his eyes back up to her, a grin on his lips. "So er... I guess we're married now huh? I must say, Mrs Dagger, you look... stunning." He told her, his eyes unable to resist the urge to glance over her once more.

---

The warm rush had carried her away like an ocean's undertow. She spared his arms wrapping her up, pulling her in not a second thought. In fact, she wasn't thinking at all. Pressing against him felt natural, just as much as her hands found homes in his or the way she touched her friendship bracelet to feel his pulse. The always calculating clone with the brain that never truly rested was simply caving to the craving that had sprung from the frozen winter grounds. Everything was soft as if every atom that made up her body and the world she lived in had been wrapped in gossamer. It was the truest Sivvy had ever been able to be with herself and the emotions she was indoctrinated to banish. Though she was inexperienced with it all, that didn't keep her fingers from tangling in his hair, her lips still just as confident as they had been at the start though it was far from the uncomplicated friend-kiss she'd anticipated. Sivvy never did anything halfway, and even though her heart was involved for a change, this was no exception.

That was...something. As soon as it began it ended, leaving her with the same lightheadedness that she felt after a bit of wine. That encounter with Artemis was nothing like she'd experienced before. As he pulled his lips from hers, she was left baffled and breathless. If she'd had more of her mind about her maybe she'd have grabbed his face again to explore the new sensations she was feeling, but as it was his sudden withdraw shook her back to the present in time to smile happily for the picture. The blush on her cheeks and cheery expression were also usually blamed on drink, but it seemed her temporary intoxication stemmed from something much more physical.

It was sometime during their short trek back down the aisle that the normally stoic girl regained herself. Her expression returned to its base expression, a guarded politeness that was only allowed to break for wider smiles at friends. And while she seemed externally calm and cool as ever, her reactivated mind was doing backflips, trying to catch up and analyze what had just transpired. Trying to make sense of such intense feelings that had no precedent. She applied logic and reason as much as she could, but could come to no good conclusion for what had just happened between them. She could still taste him on her mouth. Her heart throbbed oddly, not unlike her empty stomach would by comparison. But how could a heart be hungry? This was all very confusing for Sivvy, and there was nothing more she hated than not being able to figure something out.

Once alone, her carmine eyes turned on him with her full investigative force. "Thank you," she replied in consternation to his compliment, studying him intently as if for a spell or sign of...well, anything that could alter her and her senses. However, all she found was the man she frankly liked looking at, one that now made her heart kick up the pace if she looked at his lips. Satisfied that there was nothing nefarious at work with Artemis but unsatisfied with her lack of answers for her behavioral shift, she made the mental note that perhaps there was just something wrong with her. Maybe it was time to pay Dr. Raelin a visit for a check-up. "I've never had a last name before. I'll endeavor to do it justice today, Mr. Dagger," she said after a second delay, her mind still whirling enough that she was just a tad off her game. Nonetheless, she smiled at him, reaching forward to slip her hand into his since that was what she was most used to, and right now she needed to feel grounded by the familiar touch.

Once the congregation had been herded to their tables at the reception, it was time to move in the happy couple to much fanfare. "Here come the bride and groom! Announcing Mr. and Mrs. Dagger!" someone boomed over a loudspeaker. Once the pair entered, they'd find a room dripping in crystal chandeliers and low lighting for mood. An elegant shade of purple seemed to be the theme, shown in the lights shining on the walls and the flowers in each glass vase decorating guest tables. Everything glittered, down to the ribbon wrapped around each tier of a large cake in the center of a table set with two long-stem glasses and a bottle of champagne. It was intended that they head there next, which Sivvy seemed content to do. Even in the depths of her boggled mind, Sivvy was still first and foremost drawn to food. It was why the cake was such an important part of the festivities that had her wondering about what exactly the next wedding rituals they'd have to complete were. Judging by everyone's watchful behavior, this was more than just cutting themselves slices. "What are we supposed to do?" Sivvy asked, for once showing how much common knowledge she lacked about every day events.

---

Don't be afraid to catch feels, ride drop top and chase thrills,
Baby, I know you ain't scared to catch feels, feels with me
Artemis Dagger

Still reeling from the disorientating kiss he'd shared with Sivvy, the incidents that followed Artemis went on in a blur; the photograph, walking down the hall, folks reaching ove and patting him on the back in faux congratulations. People might have spoken to him, but he didn't really take anything in, he just smiled and nodded. His mind entirely transfixed on what had just happened, he tried to calm himself but he couldn't seem to tame the rush of feelings that seemed to flood him. And whilst their momentary reprieve from the guests did help lessen his daze, it did little to settle his lingering exhilaration. He grinned at her remark, reminded once again that Sivvy was different from other girls. Not raised in the traditional sense, but as an artificial experiment, brought up in a laboratory. He did consider that technically one might assume she would have taken her creators surname, but he didn't like that idea either and so decided not to mention that. Something about this Doctor, it irked him, the small mentions of him here and there. From what Artemis could stipulate, he didn't sound like the warm-doting father figure he should have been to the pinkette. But then again, neither were his own parents, perhaps he just resented people of that nature due to his own troublesome upbringing. "I'm sure you will," He replied instead, shooting her a playful grin.

The moment of quiet was quickly disturbed by the beginning of the reception, they were queued to enter once they heard their introduction. And so linking his hand with Sivvy, they would do so as their marital names were declared over the speaker. As he entered the room, he waved at the guests as was to be expected, plastering on a well-trained dazzling smile he'd perfected over his years dealing with the press. He admired the great hall and its lavish decorations. It was nice, very cute. Much more reasonable than the weddings he was used to, the sort of marriage ceremonies he witnessed were usually much grandeur, with over the top decorations and excessively designer everything. He'd once attended one of his third cousin's weddings which had been held on a flying cruise ship with its own make-shift waterfall. Very overdone, but a good time nonetheless, thanks to the benefits of an open bar.

The couple was steered over to the five-tier wedding cake, elegantly decorated with purple icing ribbons, candied gemstones in the bow and, silver and purple roses that climbed its body in a cursive fashion. At the very top stood little figurines of the two of them, he grinned at this, somehow the company had managed to make quick little models of them in their exact wedding attire. He made a mental note to snatch those later as a souvenir of this crazy day. As Sivvy questioned what they had to do, he realised he would have to guide her. "It's simple really, we cut the cake together, then take a piece and feed each other. Here just, follow my lead." He steered her in front of the mountainous desert, taking the cutting knife from the table. He would take Sivvys hands, gently guiding its hilt into hers before placing his hands over hers to hold as they cut the cake. The blade's edge was brought to the bottom tier, applying a soft pressure, the knife sliced it's way through. The guests erupted into zealous applause, the flickering of iLacs could be seen as they were waved vigorously in their direction to recognise this symbolic moment in the wedding event. Artemis helped Sivvy steer the blade up once more, moving the knife along for a healthy portion before cutting a neat triangle. "Nice, alright so, now we feed each other a piece, try not to bite off any fingers." He teased, letting go of her hands, he picked up a piece of the cake. A reasonable size for the likes of Sivvy, but not so big as that the crowd would be shocked.

He turned to face her fully, raising the cake up, his crimson gaze fell to her lips. His thoughts immediately brought back to their earlier exchange, his breathing would catch slightly, his eyes narrowing softly. "Open your mouth." He instructed quietly, his tone laced with a slight strain and huskiness. He brought the cake closer, mesmerised momentarily by her parted lips, he would freeze for a moment in pause as feelings surged through him once more. And then someone sneezed. It was a loud sneeze, the kind that roared through the quiet with explosive vigour. So sudden and so jarring, that Artemis's hand jolted forward in panic, and significantly missing Sivvy's mouth and smushing the cake into her eye. Artemis swore under her breath, hastily putting down the cake, he searched the table. Locating the napkins, he snatched them, leaning down, he attempted to help her wipe away the smushed confection. Siv! I'm so sorry, Are you ok?"

---

Sivvy continued to be absolutely bamboozled by the supposed importance of cutting the cake. Even as Artemis explained it to her and guided her hands and the cutter to the confection, she kept expecting something special to happen. Confetti? Magical fireworks? In a way, she guessed it did. The unexpected cheering, once they sliced the elegant cake, made her turn her head and search for the 'special' result they were cheering, but she saw nothing. Everyone was just watching them and snapping pictures. How strange. So the next part was just feeding it to each other? She'd fed him stuff before and nothing special had happened...other than him dunking his head into a barrel of apples and water. That seemed unlikely to happen again, especially just from cake.

Weddings defied logic.

Pushing the nonsensicalness of all of this from her mind in favor of unquestioningly going with the flow, she became far more focused on the piece of cake they had cut together. Her sensitive nose could smell it. Expensive vanilla beans had been folded into the batter and the frosting. Simple, but effective for a potentially picky crowd. Sivvy had yet to meet a flavor she wouldn't readily consume, so the concept of being picky was unimaginable. Carmine eyes widened at the fluffy, sugary goodness in anticipation. "I'll be careful with your fingers," she assured him, though she couldn't promise she wouldn't lick the icing off of them once she finished her bite. However, perhaps in a testament to just how observant she was, her groom managed to distract her attention from her food with that tone. With confusion showing in the positioning of her pink brows, her eyes flickered up to his face. With eyes locked, she obeyed, opening her mouth though her mind was tumbling over the source of that change in his voice. For reasons unknown to her, her heart rate kicked up a notch. So, essentially, it was the perfect storm. He was startled and his aim went off course, and she was too focused on his face instead of the cake to see it coming until it was quite literally all she could see out of one eye.

Concentration broken, reflexively both of her eyes clamped shut to try and squeeze the cake out of her eye as well as protect the sensitive ocular beneath. "Ow," she muttered quietly, though otherwise, she showed no obvious signs of pain or anger. She reached up to try and smear it away, but soon Artemis was doing that far more effectively with a napkin, so she let him clear it out the best he could while holding perfectly still. "I'm okay," she assured him. Once Artemis took away the napkin and it seemed safe to open her eyes again she did so, blinking a few times to truly rid the last of the sugary goop from her vision. Upon the last blink, when she left her eyes open to look back up at him, something strange had happened. The scleras turned from their usual white to inky black with perhaps slightly different red eyes. They weren't Sivvy's eyes, but they would be eerily familiar to the man standing across from her. Even more potentially alarming was while she was looking right at Artemis, she had a slightly faraway look as if she was hearing something maybe he couldn't. The pinkette's head tilted ever so slightly to the left as if she was thinking deeply about something odd.

---

Don't be afraid to catch feels, ride drop top and chase thrills,
Baby, I know you ain't scared to catch feels, feels with me
Artemis Dagger

Artemis carefully wiped away the cake that had smeared over her face, feeling a little embarrassed by his own clumsiness. It was strange, he was never this awkward with people ever, he always carried himself with cool collected confidence. Yet somehow this seemed to just switch off sometimes, particularly around Sivvy and her... well Sivvy-ness. She just had a tendency to coax a part of him out that he didn't know he had, he attempted to keep her at a distance but be close to her at the same time. It was convoluted and confusing, but he didn't exactly dislike it or himself around her. Somehow he felt a little more genuine when he spent time with the Ambassador of Dies Irae. Like despite having to hide so much of himself from her, he could still be himself. Without the need for bravado or rich-boy flair, none of the flirty games he used to play with girls in the past. He had always put up a bit of a front before, somewhat of a guard to shield himself from getting attached. A shield that he just hadn't really been able to put up with Sivvy, no matter how much he tried.

Once she assured him that she was okay, he moved back the napkin, dropping it onto the table next to them. He brought his hands to either side of her face, angling it up towards him so he could take a better look. The instant of which she opened her eyes, his soft gaze hardened, brows lifting, eyes widening as horror set in. Looking back at him with one of Sivvy's normal eyes and another eye, one not belonging to Sivvy but someone else entirely. Eyes that had looked back at him in the mirror more times then he could count, someone he was very familiar with. He reached within himself, looking for Morte only to feel his consciousness elsewhere. And then he remembered the briefing during the suit-fitting, the talk about the magical binding. He'd barely paid attention, but he remembered an offhand comment about linking to each other's magic. As the conclusion came to him, he realised that through marrying Sivvy, he had given Morte access to her. Letting go of her face, he snatched her hand, pulling her with a little more force than he intended to. He would drag her away from their audience, dragging her over to the random side room. He yanked it open, before pulling her inside with him, shutting the door to the supply closet. He rounded on Sivvy, his face an expression of panic and anger.

"Get out of her now!" He snapped angrily, holding her by her shoulders. He couldn't have that monster inside of her, he didn't know what he would say. What lies he could spread, the damage he could do. It was beyond comprehension. The sinister creature that now resided inside Sivvy was not only cruel but manipulative. He had made Artemis do some horrible thing in their time together, and he could easily show that to Sivvy. Or worse, make her do them too. All the whilst inside, Sivvy would hear a malevolent chuckle in her head as Morte addressed her

Hello pretty. Nice to finally meet you, I am Zaebros.

---

At first she wasn't sure why she was being dragged off. The cake was clear from her eye now, so she didn't need medical assistance or a restroom. Still, Sivvy's unfaltering trust him him meant she'd follow where ever Artemis led her. The change in his face earlier puzzled her, but it was hard for her to keep up with all his expressions today. They changed before she could even begin to figure out what they meant.

The groom pulled his new bride into a closet, much to the whooping and hollering of the crowd that was still snapping pictures and elbowing each other suggestively. While they thought that perhaps this couple couldn't wait to consummate their fake marriage, it couldn't have been further from the truth. Artemis whirled on her, finally with an expression she easily understood. However, what she couldn't connect is why he was scared and angry. He shouted at her, and though she didn't flinch or shy away from him in any way, she managed to look a tiny bit confused as her eyes blinked about twice as fast as usual. "Why are you yelling at me? What am I supposed to get out of myself?" she wanted to know, her tone calm as ever. If he'd done this to any other girl on the planet, he'd probably have elicited tears or counter screams or at least fear, but this was Sivvy. She never reacted like normal girls.

She understood right after, though. Her normal eye went from being focused on his to slightly distant as if she was looking through him. "Oh, it's Zaebros," she said as if someone completely mundane was calling her on her iLac for a chat. She also seemed to put Artemis on hold in favor of answering the call.

In the meantime, Artemis had his own intruder to deal with.

You're fake married for ten minutes and give my girl a demon. Really?

The voice was even albeit sassy in nature. There was no mistake the voice was also a bit annoyed, but it was also amused as if she knew something no one else did. And honestly, she did. Somehow the spirit in his head emanated ancient wisdom, betraying just how old and powerful this newly revealed being was. You aren't the only one with secrets. I am a secret even to her and I'd like to keep it that way. I hope we understand each other. The powerful voice continued in his head as someone stepped into view as if from just beyond the scope of his peripheral. It was an ethereal being, standing just behind and slightly to the left of Sivvy so Artemis could see her clearly. Her clothing was regal, her choice for humanized Nephalem garb. Slender arms crossed over her chest and one lone blue eye pierced him, seemingly assessing him down to his atoms as it peeked from under cascades of gunmetal hued hair, most of which was pulled into a high pony-tail. Don't be afraid. 'Zaebros', she paused to make air quotes for effect, can't harm her. I won't allow it, so you can calm yourself.

The Nephalem looked to Sivvy, gaze softening just a bit though there was something else in her gaze, something complicated. I'm still not sure about you, though, she tossed at him, again turning her gaze to him with thinly veiled hostility. She didn't like her host cavorting with men contracted with demons, but then again, she wasn't very fond of her hanging around so many of her siblings and their hosts either. Until now no one had any means of detecting her, but it seemed his marriage binding forced her hand. Iudex didn't like any of it. While the mysterious 8th seal did choose to reveal her real appearance to the red-haired man, something not even Sivvy had seen, she didn't seem to be very forthcoming about anything else. Not her identity or her intentions with the pinkette. It seemed the number of secrets between Artemis and Sivvy would only grow in number and complexity.

Sivvy couldn't hear or see 'The Sage' she called her oldest friend, nor could she hear her right now. Her eyes remained distant, adjusting to the new voice in her mind belonging to Artemis's demon. Was this the marriage binding? How interesting. Most would have been scared, but as usual, Sivvy showed no fear. Fear was strictly reserved for sleep and failure. Hello, Zaebros, she responded internally, tilting her head. Are you the reason Artemis is acting so strange? she asked the demon now, hoping to get to the bottom of all of this. Efficient as ever.

---

Don't be afraid to catch feels, ride drop top and chase thrills,
Baby, I know you ain't scared to catch feels, feels with me
Artemis Dagger

As he shouted in panic, it wasn't Morte who answered him, but Sivvy. Understandably confused as to what he was talking about, Artemis's reckless response had revealed a side of him that he didn't want Sivvy to know. His fear of the demon that resided within him. He gritted his teeth, trying to figure out how to continue, he steadied his gaze. She spoke again mentioning the fake demon alias Morte had given her before that one time during the winter festival. So he had spoken to her, introduced himself as Zaebros again. This sent a fresh ripple of panic through him, chills running down his spine as he only could fathom just what it was he was saying to her. "Sivvy, listen to me, whatever he says. Don't listen to him, he's a liar and a manipulator." He warned her, hoping desperately that she would heed him.

It was then that Artemis heard the voice, he paused, frozen as the sound of a woman spoke through his mind. Talking at him with a firm tone layered with frustration and amusement. It was just like when Morte spoke to him, except it wasn't Morte. He listened to her as she explained that she was something that Sivvy didn't know about. Artemis watched as she materialized behind the pinkette, hair a dark grey colour, pulling into a ponytail. She was dressed like royalty and carried the air of confidence about her. She advised him not to fear Morte, or 'Zaebros', although her air quotes suggested she was not buying into the nickname. That she wouldn't allow him to bring any harm to her, which was only slightly reassuring. Artemis knew nothing of this creature, or it's power. Could it really stop Morte if it came to that? She threw another remark his way, one laced in a less accepting manner. Artemis narrowed his eyes, not sure what to take of it. On one hand, she was implying that he wasn't to be trusted, but on the other hand, he wasn't sure he trusted himself anyway. But that didn't make it any easier to hear, especially not from a complete stranger. He wasn't sure how to communicate with her, he could talk aloud, but then Sivvy would hear him, and she'd specifically said she didn't want her to know. Instead, he would try to talk to her the way he did Morte, thinking his thoughts loudly in hopes she would hear them. Who are you? Are you a demon?

Meanwhile, inside Sivvy, the invader would answer her enquiry; Yes, the boy has quite a short fuse, doesn't he? He seems to figure I might try something unsavoury. Morte chuckled softly, He might not be wrong, you're incredibly suitable for a vessel. Unlike most humans, I first jump into who take some stretching out. You're already so comfortable, I could move right in and I'm sure you would whinge and whine about my nature. The boy would certainly hate that. Honestly, it's particularly tempting, the thought of inhabiting someone he's so tenderly fond of. He purred silkily.

It was at this point there was a rapid knocking on the door, "Um... Sorry to ... interrupt. We're hoping to start the first dance now, if you could, um, finish up and come out." Sound the voice through the door, Artemis sighed, if he wasn't so tense he might've found that funny. They clearly they thought that Sivvy and Artemis had got 'caught up in the moment' and escape for some amorous affairs. If only. He would much rather be doing that than enduring this frustrating scenario of the demon he hated inside her. Artemis glanced back at Sivvy, sighing dejectedly. He felt so helpless to this situation, the only upside is that at least the marriage binding wouldn't last longer than a day. But there was a lot of damage Morte could do given a few minutes, let alone an entire day. "We should head back out there." He commented quietly, turning he twisted open the door of the supply closet. Moving back out into the wedding hall, where speculative gazes fell upon them.

"It has now come to that time of the event that we have all been waiting for, The first dance of the evening with the new Mr & Mrs Dagger, so ladies and gentlemen, please put your hands together and welcome them onto the dancefloor. " They were guided over to the dancefloor, the guests would clap distantly in the background as the music began to play. There was a curious tingling sensation from the ground up, the enchanted floor fueling them with magic. It wasn't entirely necessary, Artemis was a skilling enough dancer to pull it off. But no matter, better to get on with it so they could figure out just what the hell to do about the monster than now lurked inside his date. As so, as the soft melody began to play, Artemis would step toward her, taking his hand in her whilst placing the other on her waist, he began to move, taking her on a journey around the dancefloor.

---

Mmm, child. Wouldn't you like to know, she said coyly, the corners of her mouth pulling up. All you need to know is I am her oldest friend. I am her 'Sage'. I also know who she should be, which presents quite the case for Nature versus Nurture, she continued thoughtfully as if lost in her thoughts for a second. However, Sivvy's next words brought her out of it.

"Oh, he likes me," Sivvy said aloud to Artemis with a small smile, as if speaking about his puppy and not his contracted demon. She was still not quite understanding why Artemis had been so upset. Zaebros sounded very approving of her, and she liked that the being that dwelled inside her friend also liked her. Mars didn't seem to care for her too much...or care for her at all. Mars just loved to fight. "He says I'm already stretched out and comfortable, but he doesn't want to leave you because you'd hate that," the pinkette informed him, misunderstanding completely what Zaebros meant.

The celestial being standing behind her quirked a brow, then sighed. Of course, she didn't want Morte to know about her any more than he wanted Mars to know about him, though probably for quite different reasons. Iudex just wanted to keep things simple and observe, unnoticed until she was needed. Her barrier around Sivvy's brain would be enough to keep Artemis's demon out even if he did chose to try and take her as a vessel. Two souls existing in one body was crowded enough. She had no plans of sharing her space with the likes of him.

Waving goodbye to the riled up groom, Iudex stepped into Sivvy and disappeared. The eye that didn't sport the black sclera underwent a change, turning the iris to her pristine water blue. In her effort to balance the whole situation, as was her job now that this magic binding was a thing, she'd allow 'Zaebros' to chill in Sivvy, but his consciousness should also link back to Artemis. She'd prefer an even split. However, she'd also be sharing her own power with him as if to keep his demon in line for the duration of this little binding, though to Morte it'd just be some sort of generic cognitive magic and not that of the 8th Nephalem Seal. She sincerely hoped this marriage thing never became permanent, though she was keenly aware of Sivvy's feelings even if the clone wasn't.

The knock came at just the right time. While Artemis suffered, Siv was blissfully unaware and seeing this all as only a good thing. Things were only getting better. Dancing! She hadn't known this was a wedding event, but it was one of the only ones she could whole-heartedly get behind. She enjoyed dancing very much, especially with the red-head she kept company with. As the magic from the floor trickled up into her legs and through her whole body, she initiated a fancy spin she definitely didn't know how to do in a dancing capacity. Her body gracefully whirled toward him, landing perfectly in his embrace as their feet began to work a complicated number as if it was as easy as breathing. Not even a thought was necessary for her body to move with his, answering whatever the magic had them do. She smiled up at him with her mismatched eyes, completely herself. That had to account for something, right?

"This is fun," she said to him as they entertained the crowd, though now she ignored their constant photography. "Have I done something wrong?" she asked, her smile fading a little. "I miss your smile, Artemis," Sivvy said honestly, though she surprised herself a little. Smiling wasn't necessary or encouraged in her life. Why was she searching for his so intently?

---

Don't be afraid to catch feels, ride drop top and chase thrills,
Baby, I know you ain't scared to catch feels, feels with me
Artemis Dagger

There wasn't much Artemis could say or do at this point to change his situation, although this 'Sage' that was inside Sivvy was suspicious he got the feeling that she meant no harm to her host. He didn't know why, but he trusted her word and that she would prevent Morte from doing anything unsavoury like taking over Sivvy's body and massacring innocents. As he guided Sivvy outside onto the dancefloor, where they would dance across the floor with grace and skill. Her words would catch him, pulling him back out of his worrisome thoughts. AS she asked him if she'd don't something wrong, guilt would sink through him. She was so blissfully unaware of the darkness that was 'Zaebros', convinced by the bizarre that he had told her. He hadn't shared with her that part of him yet, he didn't want to share it with her. He couldn't. It was painful to even think about, let alone talk of.

He shook his head softly, he couldn't be selfish and allow his own misery to ruin her day. He pushed it away, refocusing on the dance. He smiled, "I'm sorry, I was just a little anxious. I feared... Zaebros, might say something displeasing to you. I'm relieved he is behaving himself." He explained to her. The day had been a wild whirlwind of emotions for him; the glee he felt when he saw her walking down the eye towards him, the intense stir of want as she had kissed him, and the sheer horror of knowing that the malevolent demon he'd so foolishly contracted with was now residing inside of the girl he liked. Yep, Liked. Because despite his attempts, he couldn't deny anymore. He didn't just fancy Sivvy, or lust over her. There was more this, he ached for more, the lose himself in her kisses and spend his days with just her. It was both exhilarating and painful to know, to finally feel such feelings gain, feelings he'd hadn't been sure if he'd ever have again. And now that that we're there, he could only reside in pain and longing. Knowing that despite wanting her, he could not have her or succumb to his wants. Because as long as Morte was allowed, there was any hope for them. At least that was how the Dagger boy saw it.

He sighed, "I'm sorry. Let's forget what just happened. I'll try and be a better date." He promised, swooping her up by the waist, he spun her across the floor, "Now let's enjoy this wedding shall we?" He told her warmly, pushing his worries temporarily to the side and allowing himself to submit to just enjoying her company for now.

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