Chapter 1
In its first three years, Solstice Modeling grew from nothing to a powerhouse. With Winter calling the shots and Velvet snapping the pictures, the company went on to do shoots for almost every major clothing company in Vale and many beyond. Nora, Yang, Winter and Blake were regular models, with Pyrrha, Sun, Glynda and Raven joining them when time and circumstance permitted. Even Velvet took a place in front of the camera from time to time. The company developed a strong enough reputation for mainstream work that Winter even felt comfortable enough to allow Yang and Nora to pose for the artistic nudes they never stopped asking to shoot.
Solstice Modeling was sometimes under threat. Winter's father would not forgive her departure, and he did everything he could to force her return. Lawsuits targeting the company or Winter herself were a frequent distraction, but Winter's lawyers were just as good as his. Jacques Schnee purchased and promoted a modeling company of his own to compete, and Winter countered by representing his competition. Yang and some of the others were a bit concerned by the ongoing battle, but Winter seemed to relish the chance to further defy her father and make his life difficult.
Pyrrha got her doctorate, joining Glynda as a full-fledged psychologist. Slowly she began taking on many of Glynda's patients as Glynda turned her focus from regular appointments to volunteer work. Raven got a job as a bartender, one of the many skills she had picked up in her years of drifting. Sun continued running his parkour gym, but had less time to dedicate to it as Solstice Modeling's steady growth meant he was needed more and more often.
On the personal front, the couples stayed together, only growing closer with the passage of time. Sun, the one single in the group, went through a series of short-lived relationships that never amounted to anything. He still had plenty of fun though, and did not seem overly concerned by his lack of long-term companionship. With the help of lovers and friends, the group healed, never forgetting their departed loved ones but coming to terms with their losses. Eventually it got to the point where the support group was just an excuse for everyone to hang out. After a few weeks of that, they decided just having a night out was more appropriate, and it was officially disbanded.
Blake posed near the cliff's edge, her light, floral-patterned blouse blowing in the breeze. Velvet snapped shot after shot. The angle of the sun was perfect, the direction of the wind was perfect, Blake was perfect. The cliff overlooked a verdant forest, and along with the bright hues of Blake's attire it all made for a vibrant mix of color, of natural and human beauty. As she often did in such situations, Velvet began to tear up as she continued taking pictures. The beauty and perfection filled her with overwhelming emotions and brought happy memories, both recent and distant, to the surface.
"You alright Velvs?" Blake asked as Velvet stopped snapping pictures.
"Yeah, I'm fine." Velvet sniffled. "You know how I get." She started digging around in her case. "Winter said she wants me to take few more shots with another lens, then we're done." She sighed. "I wish it didn't have to end."
Velvet became vaguely aware of Yang doing something nearby. She looked up just in time to see Blake catch a small object, apparently tossed to her by Yang. "Nice catch Blakey." Yang laughed. "And you were worried it would go off the cliff."
"Wouldn't you be?" Blake snapped back.
"Have fun." Yang said before walking away.
"Where's she going?" Velvet asked. "What are you two up to?" Blake hid the object in her hand and took a few steps towards Velvet. She dropped to a knee. Velvet at first thought she tripped, but it looked far too intentional for that. "Blake…"
Blake looked up, meeting Velvet's gaze, and smiled. She held out her hand, revealing a tiny box containing a sparkling ring. "Well Velvs, will you marry me?" Blake asked.
Velvet froze in place, her mouth agape. Slowly she reached for her camera, lifted it to her eye and snapped a picture of Blake. "Y-yes!" She stammered. She rushed forward and allowed Blake to slip the ring onto her finger.
"That was easier than I was expecting." Blake laughed.
"I...I...I…" Velvet stuttered.
"I love you too." Blake said, wrapping Velvet in a tender embrace. "So, shall we celebrate?"
"Celebrate?" Velvet gasped.
Blake smirked. "There's a lovely little campsite setup over there, and Yang took off so we're the only people around for miles."
The autumn proposal led to a spring wedding. Winter had thrown herself into the planning even before the proposal itself, and it was a role she relished. When Blake and Velvet decided they wanted to have a Gothic-themed wedding - they liked the aesthetic - Winter was all over it. In days she located and booked a suitable venue - an old manor a few hours south of Vale, it fit the Gothic theme and was outfitted with a large ballroom that could accommodate the reception or even the wedding itself if the need arose - and presented the couple with a list of clothing companies experienced in producing the desired styles. The catering, entertainment and other logistical considerations were all taken care of swiftly. Winter even paid for the whole thing. All that remained was a three month wait, and the wedding itself. It was decided that, weather permitting, the wedding would be held outside, in a beautiful garden on the manor grounds.
The weather was beautiful, blue skies with some puffy white clouds, and just the slightest breeze. Blake stood at the altar wearing an elaborate tuxedo and a top hat. Her Best Woman - Pyrrha - stood beside her wearing a slightly simpler suit, the same as the groomsmen - Nora and Sun. Sun put his own spin on the outfit by leaving it completely unbuttoned, exposing his abs, and no one even questioned it. Across from the group, the bridesmaids - Glynda, Yang and Raven - wore matching Gothic dresses with black habit-like veils. Clad in a suit that resembled a military uniform, Winter walked Velvet down the aisle. The bride wore a more complex version of the dress the bridesmaids wore. It was a small ceremony, with only about a dozen guests beyond the main party.
Velvet stepped to Blake's side and they held hands, meeting one another's gaze as the priest spoke. "Into this union, Blake Belladonna and Velvet Scarlatina now come to be joined." The priest said. "If any of you can show just cause why they may not lawfully be wed, speak now or forever hold your peace."
"I object on the grounds that an ass that good should never be married away!" Nora shouted, crouching and gesturing toward Blake's behind.
"I concur!" Yang cheered.
A wave of chuckles rose from the crowd as Pyrrha and Glynda released a collective groan. "Objection ignored." Blake declared. "My ass is hers now."
The rest of the wedding proceeded quickly and without incident. Fairly standard vows were made, "I do's" were said, rings were exchanged and it was all sealed with a kiss. Then it was into the manor where the party would really begin. Some formalities, pictures being one, had to be taken care of before things got off the ground, and most of the attendees were left to wait as the newlyweds posed for a series of photos. Glynda and Pyrrha ended up alone at their table, their respective dates having wandered off.
"Where did Nora run off to?" Glynda asked.
"She was hungry so…" Pyrrha started. She turned her head to see Nora approaching. "Here she is."
Nora slid in between Pyrrha and Glynda with a large plate of snacks in hand. In addition to various pastries was a large slice of lavishly decorated cake with a sizable bite taken out. Nora took another bite as Pyrrha and Glynda stared at her aghast. "Catering's great!" Nora cheered. She did not get the response she was expecting. "What?"
"Nora...that's the wedding cake." Glynda gasped.
"Is that a big deal?" Nora asked. "A cake's a cake."
"Oh no...Nora...it's a big tradition that the newlyweds cut the cake!" Pyrrha shouted.
"Uh...I…" Nora struggled. She turned to see Blake and Velvet approaching, strained looks on their faces, and froze. "God Blake, Velvet, I'm so sorry I didn't know! Oh God…" Blake and Velvet burst out laughing, leaving Nora confused and scared. "Wha-what?"
"It's okay Nora, it's not the real cake." Blake chuckled.
"Oh, okay." Nora breathed a sigh of relief. She took another large bite of cake.
"That's the stunt double." Velvet laughed. "Winter's idea. Even she knows not to leave something edible out when Nora's around."
"It was my idea to drug it though." Blake smirked.
Nora paused mid-bite. "Drugged?" Pyrrha gasped.
"Just a mild sedative." Blake explained. "Our little cake thief will be a little drowsy but otherwise perfectly fine."
Nora shrugged and continued eating. She even went back for seconds. Sedatives or not, it was good cake. Pyrrha tried to stop her but knew it was a losing battle. No one could stand between Nora and her sweets. The real cake was wheeled out and more pictures taken. With that out of the way, Blake, Pyrrha and Nora ditched their suit-jackets. Velvet removed her skirt, only to reveal a smaller, lighter and more practical version beneath. Winter and Glynda took off their veils, but Yang and Raven kept theirs. Yang said it made her "feel like a sexy nun" and Raven was already too drunk to care.
The sedatives apparently did their job as Nora sat silently, even as the party switched from tradition wedding reception to a rave. The lights were turned down, glowsticks and glow-jewelry were handed out, and the music ramped up. Winter joined Raven in extreme inebriation, with Velvet becoming a bit tipsy as well. Pyrrha and Nora sat on the sidelines while the others danced, Pyrrha slightly concerned by her partner's out-of-character behavior. Rather than joining in, Nora sat there with a dreamy look on her face as she watched Sun dance his little heart out. He had shed his suit jacket and the shirt beneath, and was now decked out in as much glow-jewelry as could be affixed to him. Slick with sweat, Sun danced vigorously to the heavy beat, a blur of neon colors in the darkness.
Sun seemed to have limitless energy but others tired, with Glynda, Blake and Velvet joining Pyrrha and Nora at their seats. "Enjoying yourselves?" Glynda asked.
"Not as much as Sun apparently." Pyrrha observed.
"Oh yeah, Sage spiked his drink with Dust." Blake said.
"He's shiny!" Nora squealed.
"Sage brought Dust to your wedding?!" Glynda gasped.
"He cleared it with us beforehand." Blake explained, accompanied by a nod of agreement from Velvet. "He wanted Sun to lighten up a little and cut loose. Apparently he used to use it a lot before Neptune died."
"This is reckless." Glynda complained. "His health…"
"I think it's sweet." Blake cut her off. "And we're all here to keep an eye on him. Scarlet is making sure he drinks enough water, and the glowy stuff will keep everyone out of his way."
"Ugh, fine." Glynda sighed. "I need another drink...or several." She walked over to the bar with a huff.
"So, Blake, Velvet, what do you have planned for the future?" Pyrrha asked.
"We've been discussing ideas for some time, and we've settled on one thing." Blake started.
"We want to adopt!" Velvet finished for her.
"Ooh!" Nora cheered, apparently breaking from her stupor. "Kids are the future! You'll make great moms!"
"Thanks Nora." Velvet said. "We hope we are."
"Dibs on babysitting!" Nora yelled.
"You'll have to fight over that with Yang." Blake laughed.
The rave continued but Sun soon crashed. He was exhausted, barely able to stand on his own, so Sage and Scarlet took him to the nearby hotel where the guests were staying. With the life of the party gone, most of the others departed as well, leaving only the key participants behind. Nora livened up and danced with Pyrrha for a while, but the real show was on the sidelines. Winter, finally free of the responsibility of planning the wedding and making sure it went off without a hitch, got incredibly drunk. Raven was plastered as well, and the pair started making out passionately.
"You can't be fucking serious." Yang groaned.
"Raven and I are going to have words later." Glynda grumbled.
"Maybe we should make out, you know, for solidarity." Yang suggested. Glynda met the proposition with a blank stare. "Okay, fine, sure…"
Without warning, Glynda grabbed the sides of Yang's face and kissed her deeply.
"Whoo yeah!" Nora cheered. "Go Glynda!"
"Aw." Pyrrha said.
"Nice." Blake laughed.
Glynda broke away from a heavily flushed and panting Yang. "Satisfied?" She asked.
"Guh." Yang managed, standing there dumbfounded.
"Good." Glynda said with a smirk.
"Hey Glynda, where's ours?" Nora asked.
Fuck it, I'm not drunk but I can pass off the blame. Glynda thought. She strode over to Nora, pulling her into a hungry kiss. Nora squealed and giggled when Glynda pulled away and moved on to Pyrrha who melted into Glynda's gentle embrace. After a slow and loving kiss, Glynda pecked Pyrrha on the temple and moved on once more, allowing Pyrrha to collapse into a nearby chair.
Glynda turned to Blake who grinned. "I don't remember hiring a cougar for entertainment." Blake joked. Glynda pulled both Blake and Velvet close. She kissed Blake first, then Velvet who fell into Blake's arms. Now it was time to deal with Raven. She had watched the whole scene and now sat there slackjawed as Winter continued to kiss down her throat, entirely oblivious of what was happening around her.
Glynda grabbed Raven and Yang Winter, pulling them apart. Winter turned around and was very confused. "Yang?" She gasped. "But I was just." She turned back and forth, looking at Raven and Yang. "Two Yangs? Jackpot!" She giggled and began kissing her intended target. Glynda looped her arm around Raven, leading her off into the manor for a little fun of their own.
"Well...that happened." Pyrrha sighed.
"Guh." Velvet managed.
Early the next morning Blake and Velvet departed for their honeymoon. They would take a round-the-world cruise with stops in many major cities and tourist havens. Blake had always wanted to travel the world but had been hamstrung by a fear of flying she could not seem to shake. Even as Solstice Modeling went worldwide, Blake had remained limited to places to which she could drive, ride a train, or take a ferry. The cruise would be a fine workaround until Glynda and Pyrrha could help her through her phobia.
Most of the others chose to go out for breakfast, but Pyrrha and Nora decided to stick to the free breakfast on offer at the hotel. They had had an exhausting night of sex, followed by a morning of shower sex, and neither was feeling like going anywhere. The breakfast setup in the hotel was quite good anyway. A wide selection of pastries was the centerpiece, but there were also pancake and waffle makers, along with a variety of juices. Offered all the pancakes she could eat, there was no question what Nora's choice would be.
Pyrrha made a waffle and sat down at an empty table. As she looked around she noticed that all the tables were empty actually. It was not tourist season and the rest of the wedding guests had gone out or slept in, leaving Pyrrha and Nora alone in the breakfast bar. Pyrrha worried that such freedom would lead to Nora overeating. With no line and no limits she could easily scarf down enough to make herself sick. That worry made it all the more surprising when she sat down with a pair of pancakes, and after applying liberal amounts of syrup, played with them more than ate them. The pancakes were not particularly large and if Nora wanted to, she was more than capable of inhaling them in seconds.
"Is something wrong?" Pyrrha asked. "Are they not good?"
"No, they're great." Nora replied, taking a small bite like a normal human being.
"So what's up?" Pyrrha pressed, taking a bite of her waffle.
"I want your babies!" Nora blurted out.
Pyrrha gasped and began choking on her food. A few coughs and some orange juice cleared the blockage and she set about trying to catch her breath. "Ah...Nora...I don't think that's quite how it works." Pyrrha finally managed.
"I know." Nora sighed. "I know, but I want kids."
"You're serious?" Pyrrha asked.
Nora cast her gaze down at the floor and nodded. "Yeah...I've thought about it a lot." She replied. "Me and Ren...we talked a lot about having kids. That was one of the reasons we bought a house. He just...he wanted to wait, get settled in a bit...you know…" She sniffled. "I know it's not exactly the same, but I still want to have kids."
"Why bring it up now?" Pyrrha asked.
"Last night Blake and Velvet said they were going to adopt...it just got me thinking about it again." Nora answered. "I've thought about it before, lots of times, but now for them it's so real."
"Okay, we'll visit an orphanage or talk to an adoption…" Pyrrha started.
"No, I want it to be my baby." Nora cut her off. "I want the feeling...the connection...of being a real mother."
"Oh...that's not so hard." Pyrrha said. "We can go to the sperm bank and…"
"No, no." Nora shook her head. "I don't want the father to be some random guy I've never met."
"So then how…" Pyrrha trailed off.
"Sun." Nora said.
"Wha…" Pyrrha struggled.
"I want Sun to be the father." Nora declared. "And I want him to do it naturally."
"You mean…" Pyrrha gasped.
"Yep." Nora confirmed. "But I...if you're not okay with it I can…"
"No, don't rule it out just yet." Pyrrha said. "It sounds like you've given it a lot of thought. I really haven't."
"Sun is perfect for this." Nora said. "He's my best friend, we both trust him, he's super nice and good with kids, and...I mean look at him. Together we'll make little super heroes."
"That's...I'm having a hard time arguing with this." Pyrrha admitted. "I'm just...not entirely comfortable with the idea of you having sex with someone else. It's not that I don't trust you or him, I just...I guess I'm a little jealous."
"You can be there if you want." Nora suggested. "We could make it a three-way."
"And I'm not entirely comfortable with that either." Pyrrha sighed. "But if this makes you happy, I'll support you. Have you talked to Sun about it?"
"God no." Nora gasped. "I don't want to scare him away." She sighed. "I also don't want him to laugh in my face."
"Nora...you wouldn't scare him off, and I'm sure he wouldn't laugh if he knows you're serious." Pyrrha encouraged. "Before we do anything else we need to know if he's okay with it. If not, there's no point worrying about any of it."
"Okay, so how should we ask him?" Nora asked.
"How about we invite him to lunch?" Pyrrha asked. "Or maybe dinner. He had a rough night…"