"First, the warning," Father Edwards said. "Marriage is hard. There will be times when you exasperate each other. There will be times when money is tight, or when your spouse is tired, or sick. Being Guardians, you are functionally immortal. Today, you are pledging to spend the rest of your very long lives together. Few Guardian marriages last that long. Hearts grow hard, and couples drift apart. If you wish to outlast the rest, you must view this relationship as a chance to serve God and the Light. You must set aside your own self-interest and serve each other. Be like the wise man who built his house on the rock. The rains fell and the wind beat against the house, but it stood firm. To marry to gratify the self only is to be like the foolish man who built his house on the sand. The rain fell and the wind blew, and that house collapsed."
Father Edwards smiled. "And now, the blessing. Jayesh, Kari, I've known you both since the plague winter. You serve the Light with your whole hearts. I have no doubt that you will be wise and build your house upon the rock. I now give you the blessing of the Lord of Light: peace be upon you. May the Light fill your hearts with unfading love that no Darkness can touch. May this marriage be a fountain of strength and a sanctuary from the trials that will come."
He turned to their Ghosts, who were floating off to the right, Neko in blue, Phoenix in red.
"Dear Ghosts," Father Edwards said. "Friends and fellow servants of the Light. You have what is perhaps the hardest role in this relationship: that of support. You must stand by and watch your Guardians learn how the relationship works, and often, your advice will be unwelcome. You may feel neglected and ignored for a while. Today, you are taking a vow to support your Guardian's spouse, to love and care for them as you would your own Guardian. I've seen few Ghosts really succeed at this. Trust the Light. Allow it to strengthen you. Become the exceptions."
Neko and Phoenix nodded.
Father Edwards turned back to the bride and groom. "Kari Winters. Do you vow to love and to cherish this man, to support and obey, to respect and serve him, no matter if he is sick or well, rich or poor, so long as you both live?"
"I do," Kari said, meeting Jayesh's gaze.
Father Edwards turned to Jayesh. "Jayesh Khatri. Do you vow to love and cherish this woman, to shelter and protect her, to respect and serve her, no matter if she is sick or well, rich or poor, so long as you both live?"
"I do," Jayesh said softly.
Father Edwards turned to the Ghosts. "And you, Phoenix and Neko. Do you vow to strengthen and uphold these Guardians, loving them, serving them in the times of Darkness and times of Light, with all the power the Light has granted you?"
"I do," the two Ghosts said in unison.
"Then produce the rings, please."
Neko and Phoenix transmatted a pair of gold rings into Father Edwards's hands. He passed them to Kari and Jayesh, who slipped them on each other's fingers.
"You may now kiss the bride," Father Edwards said. "I pronounce you man and wife."
Jayesh kissed Kari lightly on the lips, just a quick touch that promised better kisses to come. Then, holding hands, they descended the steps and walked down the aisle together as everyone clapped and cheered.
"Well, that's that," Jayesh said as they emerged from the chapel and had a few seconds alone. "I really hope that blessing sticks."
"It will," Kari said. "We're already living it."
He turned to her and opened his mouth, a question in his eyes, but there was no time to ask it. The other Guardians poured out of the chapel to congratulate them and shake hands. Surrounded by a cheerful crowd, they began transmatting back to the Tower in batches for the reception.
Kari arrived before Jayesh somehow. The rest of the crowd streamed away, leaving Kari alone on the Tower walk. Jayesh appeared a moment later, Phoenix beside him.
"Where'd you go?" she asked.
"Had to pay the priest," Jayesh muttered. "Etiquette and all."
Kari caught his hand and pressed it. "We're married."
Jayesh's smile burst across his face like the sun emerging from behind a cloud. "We're married, Kari." He pulled her into a hug and kissed her again, his lips warm and enthusiastic against hers. She kissed him back. Whatever insecurities he was hiding, it didn't stop him from showing affection. She had her own secret worries, but now wasn't the time to voice them.
Jayesh released her and brushed a stray lock of hair away from her eyes. "How do you feel? The guys told me that brides are usually too nervous to eat."
"I skipped breakfast because of nerves," Kari replied. "And now I'm starving. Do you think Shaxx's deep pit is ready?"
Jayesh slipped an arm around her waist. "Let's find out."
The reception was being held in the Tower food court. Flowers in tubs and pots had been brought in, and a vast canvas shade had been added to shelter the guests. Ikora had provided lamps that were usually saved for the Dawning - golden globes that gently showered glints of Light down upon the people below. It added a hint of magic.
Lord Shaxx had set up a huge cast iron deep pit barbecue at one corner of the food court, near the edge of the wall. Smoke drifted in a constant cloud over the wall and into the blue sky, perfuming the air with spices and roasting pork. Shaxx paced around it, watching Crucible matches on his tablet and keeping an eye on the smoke. He was a huge Titan in white and orange armor, with a face-concealing helmet that he never took off.
When Jayesh and Kari approached, Shaxx greeted them with open arms. "Guardians! Fresh from your ceremony! My best wishes for both of you." He hugged them both - a rough, one-armed hug for Jayesh, and a gentler hug for Kari, mindful that Shaxx was in armor and she was not.
"Now, down to the important things," Shaxx boomed. "This pig is done to perfection. Summon the kitchen staff and let the feast begin!"
A small crowd of caterers in white had been setting out covered platters and dishes along several long tables. At Shaxx's words, they hurried to the barbecue, extracted the pig, carried it to a separate table covered in a single cutting board the size of a door, and began slicing the meat.
Kari and Jayesh had the first servings of everything, and sat at the high table with their closest friends. Everyone else filled their plates and sat at the food court tables. The place echoed with voices, laughter, and the clatter of dishes.
As the first rush died down and food had mostly disappeared, people began to give toasts. Madrid stood up first, cup in hand. "To my good friends Kari and Jayesh," the Awoken Hunter said, gesturing to them with his glass. "May you share much happiness for years to come."
People clapped and drank, and Madrid sat down.
Then Max stood up. "I haven't known you two very long," he said, "but I'm honored to call you my friends. May you have a long life together. And many hot nights," he added. People laughed and clapped.
Next, from a nearby table, Cayde-6 stood up. Kari grinned. "Oh no," she whispered to Jayesh. "He's already drunk, too."
Whatever Exos drank to achieve inebriation, Cayde had already had too much. His blue eyes flickered a little, and he swayed as he stood. "To Jayesh," Cayde said, slurring a little. "You should have been a Hunter, kid. Hunters are best in bed. But I hear warlocks aren't so bad, so maybe you'll hold your own. Kari, you have problems with him, bring him to me. I've got lots of advice. Lots of advice." He raised his glass to general clapping and laughter.
Jayesh looked as if he might like to slide under the table and hide. Kari caught his arm and leaned her head against his, her shoulders shaking with laughter. "You stay right here."
"Can we be done, now?" Jayesh whispered, hiding his face behind one hand.
"No," Kari whispered back. "Look, Zavala's going to say something."
Jayesh cringed. "We should have eloped."
The Vanguard Commander had risen from his seat, dressed in parade armor polished so bright that it flashed in the sun like a mirror. As he began to speak, the crowd hushed to listen.
"Guardians," Zavala said in his low, intense voice. "Kari. Jayesh. You have entered into a covenant relationship as deep as the one we share with the Traveler. Cherish your time together, because it may be shorter than you think. The Darkness is still out there. Every day that these walls stand is precious. Never take each other for granted. The day may come when one or both of you are gone." He sat down. There was scattered clapping, but no laughter this time.
"Uh," Jayesh muttered to Kari, "that was dark."
"Zavala married a mortal woman," Kari whispered back. "She died."
Jayesh nodded in sudden comprehension. His hand found hers under the table and clasped it.
After a few minutes, Ikora Rey rose from her seat, where she had been sitting with a group of other warlocks. She was a black woman with striking features, dressed in a violet robe.
As the Warlock Vanguard, Jayesh and Kari reported directly to her, and she oversaw all their Vanguard missions.
"My friends," Ikora began. "This has been quite the drama you've played out over the last few years. I confess, I saw it coming." She smiled, and a chuckle ran through the crowd. "Kari, I've watched your career since you were resurrected. You've had successes and setbacks. When we lost the Dreadnaught team, I watched you spiral. I wondered if you would ever recover. And then you came along, Jayesh. You've been good for her in ways you may not ever understand. At last, I've seen healing begin. This wedding is only the beginning of great things, I'm sure of it … because the two of you are stronger together. You have my blessing." She sat down. People cheered and clapped.
Kari smiled at her husband. He smiled back, blinking as if holding back tears.
Ikora's speech seemed to end the toasts. The caterers brought out the cake, a vast affair of white sugar and candy roses. Jayesh and Kari cut the first slices, and held them for each other to taste.
"Some couples smash the cake into each other's faces," Kari remarked.
"I've seen videos," Jayesh replied, wiping his hands on a napkin. "People also deface works of art. I'm not one of those people."
This was such a Jayesh thing to say, suddenly Kari wanted him. The ache flashed through her whole body, the impulse to make passionate love to this kind, gentle man. She settled for squeezing his arm a little. "You are so hot."
Jayesh grinned, a glint of blue Light dancing in his eyes. "Why, because I didn't mess up your makeup?"
"Because you care."
Jayesh's smile faded. His pupils dilated and he swayed toward her a step, as if the same impulse that had swept Kari had also gripped him. Then he seemed to recover a little and drew a deep breath. "I wonder how soon we can leave."
"There's a DJ coming after lunch, and dancing planned for this evening," Kari said in an undertone. "But, uh, we could change out of our formal clothes right now."
"Let's do that," Jayesh said in a low voice.
Kari hurried off to tell her bridesmaids that they were going to change but they'd be back in a few hours. Ildoreth and Ellie-9 nodded knowingly and giggled. "We'll keep the party going until you come back."
The bride and groom left the party and headed back for the dormitories further along the Tower Walk. Everywhere was empty and quiet, the majority of the Guardians attending the reception.
"I'm glad my clothes are already moved into your place," Jayesh said. "I'd hate to have to run up and down stairs to find everything."
"Our place, now," Kari corrected.
"Our place," Jayesh echoed.
They didn't say anything else until they were safely in the apartment with the door locked. Then they stood and kissed for a while, nuzzling each other's faces, and kissing some more, as if the caresses were their own language.
After a while, Jayesh murmured, "Are we actually just changing clothes, or doing … other things?"
"Other things," Kari said. "Speaking of which, can you unlace the back of this dress?"
Jayesh fumbled with the complex knots. "Um, so, about that question I asked earlier."
"Yes?" Kari said.
Jayesh hesitated a moment. "I mean, we've come down to it. And I … well, Rem was a Titan."
"So?" Kari said.
"So … I'm a Titan dropout. Just a warlock. Not even a great fighter. Just a healer."
"Jay," Kari said, looking at his frowning face over her shoulder. "Let me ask you a question."
"All right."
The laces finally loosened. Kari struggled out of the dress's outer layer and carefully laid it across the sofa. She faced Jayesh in a tight slip. "I'm a lot older than you. You haven't been a Guardian that long, and I … well, I feel like I'm taking advantage of you, somehow. I don't want to come across as … as a cougar, if you know what I'm saying."
"Oh, Kari," Jayesh breathed, taking her in his arms. He kissed her temple and rocked her a little. "No, you're not too old. Guardians barely age as it is. I've always been a little in awe of you, and … and for you to love me like this … it's more than I deserve."
"That's my answer, too," she murmured, stroking his cheek. "I don't care how you're built or how the Light manifests in you. I fell in love with you. The kind, caring man who refuses to use Light against civilians, and asks the Traveler for more Light to turn into constructs."
Jayesh grinned sheepishly. "You would bring that up."
Kari kissed his neck and unbuckled the catch on his robe. "Now, forget all these worries for a while. I've waited a whole year to make love to you, and I'm not waiting any more."
His arms tightened around her. "Yes, ma'am."
Jayesh awoke the next morning, feeling pleasantly warm and rested. Kari lay beside him, still sleeping, her back resting against his side. He gazed at her for a while, taking in the swirl of auburn hair against the pillow, the sweep of her eyelashes, the curve of her lips.
They had spent the afternoon together, then rejoined the reception for more food and dancing. Then they'd gone back to their apartment for the rest of the night. And what a night it had been.
Jayesh sighed in contentment. He was at peace, now, his fears allayed for the moment. Kari loved and trusted him. He would make sure he stayed worthy of that trust. She had given him her love and herself, and it was an indescribable joy and a huge burden all at once.
His fears about lovemaking had proved groundless. Kari had never once compared him to her first husband, and Jayesh had not been as inadequate as he'd feared. It was a relief, really.
As he lay there, gazing at his friend and wife, Phoenix said in his head, "Good morning."
Jayesh's contentment vanished. He'd entirely forgotten about their Ghosts since yesterday afternoon. He stiffened and stared at the ceiling. "Oh. Phoenix."
"Hi," Phoenix said, sounding amused. "When the priest said I might feel neglected, I didn't expect it to happen so soon."
Jayesh usually slept with Phoenix on his pillow, or cuddled under his chin. This was the first night since his resurrection that Phoenix had stayed phased all night. At least, Jayesh hoped he had.
"You didn't, uh, watch, did you?"
Phoenix didn't answer.
Jayesh's heart sank. "Phoenix, come on …"
"I was curious," Phoenix replied. "But I'm not curious anymore."
Jayesh pressed a hand to his forehead.
"It's not really that interesting," Phoenix added, sensing his Guardian's humiliation. "Neko and I got bored and played games in the living room. Neko's just kind of sad."
"Why?"
"Because he said that Kari hasn't been this happy since Rem died. And he still misses Rem's Ghost, Trina. Neko said she was like his little sister, always following him around and asking questions."
This was an angle Jayesh hadn't considered before - that Neko's jealousy might stem from an old grief. He also had never thought about Rem's Ghost before, let alone what she must have been like.
"I'm sorry," Jayesh thought. "I hope Neko can … adjust."
"We get along all right," Phoenix replied. "He wanted Kari to marry you, remember. He knew it would help her so much. But he's never really healed, himself."
Jayesh thought about this for a while. This was his family now: a widow and two Ghosts. He had to be the leader, the protector, if this family was to bond and flourish. At that moment, he swore to himself that he would, no matter how many extra missions and patrols he had to pick up.
Kari stirred and made a sound, shifting her hips against his. Jayesh rolled over and cuddled up against her, burying his face in the hair at the base of her neck. "Good morning."
She smiled, reached back, and stroked his face. "Good morning, heartspark."
He chuckled breathily against her skin. "Heartspark?"
"Like sweetheart," Kari said, adjusting positions to face him. "Only more Guardian-appropriate."
He kissed down her temple, her cheek, and the line of her jaw, before arriving at her lips. It also gave him a moment to think. "If I'm your heartspark, then you're my lovelight."
"Mmm." She gazed into his eyes from a few inches away. "Coming from you, being your Light anything is a big deal."
He smiled and caressed her. "That's one of the perks of being married, right? Stupid pet names?"
Her arms slipped around him and pulled him closer. "They're not stupid," she murmured, her lips brushing his.
A while later, as they were dressing, Jayesh said, "Did we ever decide on a honeymoon?"
"Yes," Kari said. "We're going to spend a whole week right here. All the comforts of home, and no aliens trying to kill us."
"Ah, good," Jayesh said in relief. "I wasn't looking forward to those bunks on your ship."
"Neither was I." Kari pulled on pants and a shirt, then sat on the sofa, holding out a hand. Neko appeared. She whispered to him and stroked his shell.
Phoenix appeared, too, hovering nervously beside Jayesh's shoulder. "Are we doing this now?"
"Doing what?" Jayesh asked.
Phoenix jittered up and down in midair. "Maybe nobody ever told you this, because it's kind of obscure. But married Guardians have the right to handle each other's Ghosts. So, is that what we're doing? Neko's been sweating all morning."
"Literally?"
Phoenix half-closed his eye sarcastically. "Metaphorically."
"Uh, Kari, did you know about handling each other's Ghosts?" Jayesh felt silly the instant the words left his mouth. Of course she knew. She'd done this before.
Kari looked up with a quick smile. "The Ghosts make a bigger deal of it than it is. Here, sit down beside me."
Jayesh did, and opened both hands. Kari did the same. Neko hesitantly flew to Jayesh, and Phoenix flew to Kari.
Jayesh gently lifted Neko out of the air and gazed into his blue eye. Neko gazed back, his shell opening and closing slightly, like the panicked breaths of a bird. He seemed ready to disappear at any second.
"Thanks," Jayesh murmured to him. "For taking such good care of Kari. I hope that, one day, you and I can become friends."
Neko's panicked pulsing slowed, then stopped. "I hope so, too," he said, his digital voice unsteady. "You're … you're gentle. Rem used to half-crush me."
"I'm not him," Jayesh said. He ran his fingers lightly over Neko's blue shell with its rampant lion. "Still wearing Rem's logo?"
Neko looked down. "Well. Yes. In memory."
Jayesh lifted Neko back into the air. "I can respect that."
Neko shot to the ceiling and hovered there, safely out of reach. But after a moment, he said, "Thanks," and drifted back down to float between Kari and Jayesh.
Kari had lifted Phoenix out of the air and hugged him at once. "You darling thing. You've fought for Jay when I couldn't."
When she drew Phoenix away again to look at him, he lay in her hands as if stunned. "Uh. Not what I was expecting. But yes. I fought for him." He blinked up at Kari. "And so have you."
"Yes," she whispered. "Public opinion is harder to fight than any alien. You can beat an alien."
"Well," Phoenix said stoutly, "now that he has you, he's going to do great things. Things so amazing, people will forget this media smear job. And you'll be amazing, too, Kari. But in a different way, because you're different."
Kari kissed Phoenix's shell beside his eye. He flinched, startled.
"Oh, I'm going to love having you around," Kari said. "You're as sweet as Jay is."
Phoenix's eye blushed pink.
The Ghosts returned to their proper Guardians. Jayesh leaned back and put an arm around Kari. "That was interesting."
"It was," Kari said. "Don't you ever kiss Phoenix? He acted like he wasn't used to it."
"Uh, not really," Jayesh said, glancing at his Ghost. "He's a manly Ghost. He gets hugs and high fives."
Kari laughed. "Well, he's going to have to get used to it." She looked at Phoenix. "Neko gets kisses, and so will you."
Phoenix ducked behind Jayesh. "Kiss Jay, not me."
Jayesh laughed and leaned his head against Kari's. I think we're off to a good start."
She kissed his temple. "I think so, too."
The end