beneath these fireworks
Written for March Madness 2022, Prompt: fireworks. Title from Matt Nathanson's album of the same name. Comments and kudos would be awesome. Enjoy!
It seems like the whole of the O.Z. has turned up for the celebration.
Humongous crowds of people flock to surround the Finaquan palace in the weeks leading up to the celebration, coming from near and far. Many are camped out along the lakeshores, where little cities have popped up to support them – people selling goods and trinkets, offering food and drink of varying types, the air filled with singing and dancing, filled with music from all across the O.Z.
All leading up to tonight's grand celebration.
A wedding.
The first real evidence that the world has moved on from the reign of the Wicked Witch, defeated three annuals back now. That the royal family is really back, really here to stay having vanquished the evil from the land and rebuilt in its wake.
The fact that it's the not-so-wicked witch herself getting married is surprisingly well-received, all things considered. The Princess Azkedellia takes Jeb Cain as her Prince, a leader of the Resistance and the son of the Tin Man who helped Princess DG overcome the witch.
Speaking of, Wyatt Cain observes the festivities with pride. After all the time he spent in the iron suit, watching what he thought was the death of his wife and son on an endless loop, he'd resigned himself to the loss of such ideas. He would not see his son grow up, he would not see him married, would not see him have the future he deserved. But now, it seems, he's been granted that chance, after all.
And he has Glitch at his side for all of it.
Azkadellia and Jeb lead the way out onto the balcony of the palace, trailed by the Queen Lavender, King Ahamo and Princess DG. He and Glitch follow after. Raw is close behind them, flanked by a few other high-ranking royals.
"Ready?" Glitch (the name Ambrose chose to stick with in the aftermath of his re-braining) asks, having designed a wondrous surprise for the happy couple with a little help from DG. When he gets an affirmative, he signals to a few trusted students across the lake to begin the show.
Suddenly, the sky erupts into an extravagant display of color and light bursting across the night sky, so bright it almost feels like daylight. Everyone is immediately transfixed by the brilliant explosions over the lakes. The loud booms echo across the lush lands, deep resonating pops and bangs that seem to reverberate down into their bones. Bursts of vivid greens and reds and blues, some shooting high into the sky and exploding into varying shapes, others shatter more quickly, erupting into thousands of sparks that rain down over the water.
It is astounding.
"Well done, Glitch, it's amazing," Cain says, squeezing Glitch's hand in his own. He tears his gaze away from the fireworks display and finds himself watching Glitch, instead. He can see the shifting colors of light reflecting on his pale face and in his eyes. "You're amazing."
He sees the flush on Glitch's face, too, at that. The shy little smile that only thinly veils his confidence at this sort of thing – in the end, it was science, just gunpowder and chemicals, fuses and detonators, all easy enough to work out. Glitch leans into him, and Cain slips an arm around his shoulder, holds him close.
"Marry me?" he whispers to his lover. He had not planned to ask now, but he had been planning a bit more abstractly. But the words slip out. He's been hopelessly swept up in the magic of this celebration and he longs to make the same vows to Glitch as he did to Adora all those years ago.
Glitch beams at him, the sparkle in his eyes brighter than every firework, and pulls him into a sound kiss. "Of course," he answers, happy and content as the festivities continue on around them, "Of course."
