Kurogane hummed, shifting a bit to get comfortable as he awoke. He could feel the familiar warm weight of his partner tucked into his arms and sighed in contentment, nuzzling into the soft brown hair. He had no desire to leave the comforting warmth of the soft blankets and the feeling of Alejandro's skin against his own before he absolutely had to.
Except that he did, because he had planned something for today that required both of them awake, and soon.
Sighing, he slid out of the bed as carefully as he could without waking Alejandro. The other man made a soft sound of protest, grabbing for the spot he'd previously occupied and bringing a fond smile to Kurogane's lips as he leaned over to kiss his forehead. "Come on, sharpshooter. Time to wake up for me." He murmured in a soft voice, running his fingers through the short hair.
He could see the moment Alejandro came fully awake, lax muscles springing taught under the brown skin and his breathing catching just slightly. There had once been a time when waking up could be a slow process, when neither of them had needed to know how to come alert in an instant, much less been trained by habit to do so with every awakening. But those days were years past, a long-forgotten luxury of childhood and innocence. Sighing, Kurogane banished the thought. Regrets should be the last thing on his mind today.
"Come on, Sharpshooter, up and at 'em." He murmured, letting his voice soothe the wary tension in his partner's body. "We've got places to be."
Alejandro groaned, the long body relaxing again as he dragged the pillow over his head. "We do not. The mission isn't until afternoon. If you have to wake me, it's not afternoon yet." He complained.
Kurogane laughed, pushing himself to his feet and letting the mattress bounce at the loss of his weight. "Did I say anything about a mission? No. Come on, get up. I wanted to show you something." He let a hint of teasing enter his tone. Alejandro could be as curious as Pidge at times, although he usually hid it better.
He heard an exasperated noise, and a muttered complaint about the time and sunrise behind him as he headed for the closet. A soft, comfortable tunic covered bare skin and scars as he did up the fastenings with the ease of long practice. He fished out another set of clothes, the ones he knew Alejandro preferred, and tossed them over his shoulder. A startled yelp and the whump of fabric hitting flesh told him his aim had been good and he laughed.
Black hair resisted the pull of a hairbrush as he tugged at it. How many years had it been since it was cut? A lot. Possibly not since before space. Not like they'd had other things to worry about, Kurogane snorted to himself.
Studying himself in the mirror, he hummed thoughtfully. Might as well do something special. Deftly, he separated his hair and wove it into a low braid, tying off the end with a twist of hair just as a pair of arms wrapped around his middle and a chin came to rest on his shoulder. "Going fancy today, hmm?" Alejandro asked, one eyebrow raised in curiosity, swaying back and forth where he stood. "What's the occasion?"
"Felt like it." Kurogane chuckled. It was half true, anyway. He leaned into the embrace, turning his head to steal a kiss and lacing his fingers with the hands wrapped around his waist. "Come on, get your coat, I want to show you something."
He pulled away, grabbing his own coat from the hook on the wall as Alejandro let out an exasperated noise and followed him. "You're just all secrets today, huh Spitfire?"
Kurogane just laughed, trotting out into the hall.
He led his partner on a light jog through the empty hallways, keeping his steps light even though he was pretty sure everyone else had spent the night in the lounge. The lights were low, still dark with the ship's night-cycle, but his feet still remembered the paths that led to the front doors.
The surface was only slightly lighter, starlight glinting off the snow fields around them from the panorama overhead. He'd seen enough stars for one lifetime, though, and kept his eyes on his feet to avoid tripping on the rough patches in the ice. The only sound was the crunch of ice under their boots and the soft hush of the wind whipping around the tall spires of the Castle of Lions as they made their way away from it.
Alejandro kept close behind him, silent and expectant. Years of trust meant that either of them could follow the other into unknown situations without question or hesitation. That had saved their lives more times than either of them cared to count, but today Kurogane dropped back a step to lace gloved fingers with his partner. "It's not anything bad." He promised, his breath misting in the cold. "Just something I really wanted to do." Alejandro raised an eyebrow, obviously more curious than ever, but nodded and let Kurogane set off again, following alongside him as they headed for a ridge at the base of a nearby mountain slope.
Kurogane had to release their linked hands to use both of his to haul himself up the steep surface, seeking handholds and footholds by touch in the darkness. But there was a flat space at the top, and he was well-satisfied with his choice as he surveyed their surroundings from the new height. Mountains behind them, more in the distance across a broad, tree-studded plain and, beyond that, a sky that was just beginning to lighten with the first crawling glow of dawn.
He smiled softly as his partner climbed up beside him, leaning back against a large boulder and lacing their fingers once more as the sky continued to lighten. There was no need for words in this moment, just Alejandro's quiet inhalation as the sun painted the sky in soft shades of pink and lavender and dyed the clouds in orange and magenta streaks that drowned out the last stars of night.
"Alejandro." He said quietly, his voice seeming startlingly loud in the utter stillness of the dawn. "I had something I wanted to ask you."
Alejandro glanced at him out of the corner of his eye, raising one eyebrow again. "What's on your mind?" He asked, his own voice low in deference to the silence surrounding them.
Kurogane took a deep breath, one hand slipping into the pocket of his coat and grasping the the small object he'd hidden there a few days before. "I've been thinking...long and hard about this. About everything that's happened. To you. To me. To us. To the people we care about."
A questioning sound rose from Alejandro's face as he turned to face him properly, sensing the seriousness of his partner's mood.
"And I've realized...despite everything, despite what we lost, there was something good that came out of all the shit we went through. Out of Alfor's scheme to try to save the universe." Kurogane's lips quirked slightly, the ghost of a smile as he reached for Alejandro's left hand. "Despite everything...it brought me to you."
Alejandro blushed, ducking his head. "That's sappy even for you." He chuckled.
"Sappy but true." Kurogane countered with a small laugh, pulling the other's hand up to kiss the fingers left exposed by the cut-away gloves. "You're the best thing that ever happened to me, except maybe for Shiro. He gave me family. You gave me love."
He looked away, off to the side for a moment, watching the crests of the mountains becoming edged with gold as the sun continued to rise behind them. A new day starting. It would be filled with conflict and death, like all their days were, but here, now, it was just them and the snow and the sun.
Looking back at his partner, he took a deep breath, returning to the words he'd carefully memorized, rehearsed for hours in his head while he held his sleeping partner in his arms. "And I appreciate, to my dying day, how understanding you've been about why we haven't made it official before now. How you've been willing to be my life partner in all but name because of my hang-ups and grief. But we have a second chance now, a second family and I'd have to be damn stupid to let that opportunity slip away again."
Alejandro inhaled sharply, the blue eyes going wide as Kurogane withdrew his hand from his pocket, cradling a ring in his palm. The band was luxite, sturdy and shining like blue silver, impossible to break. And in place of the stone, a seashell, a tiny spiralling conch from Varadero beach. "I love you, Alejandro." He told him plainly, clasping the other's hand in his. "With all my heart. And I want to marry you, for now and for always."
Alejandro's response was barely more than a breath, but it carried on the still morning air regardless. "Yes. Yes I'll marry you." He bowed his head, pressing their foreheads together. "I love you too. Always."
Kurogane smiled, feeling his eyes burn, but he blinked them away. Instead he turned Alejandro's hand, slipping the ring into place and watching it glint in the sun just breaking over the peaks. Alejandro had tears streaking his cheeks, but a smile fit to crack his head in half spread across his face.
"And this is definitely what you want?" He asked softly, reaching for Kurogane's other wrist and gripping it lightly. His gaze searched Kurogane's eyes, filled with nothing but love and a silent request for certainty. Alejandro had always been like that, so respectful of Kurogane's needs, his feelings, and the fact that he so often neglected them.
Kurogane, though, was certain, and not afraid to show it. His smile was soft but steady and he squeezed Alejandro's hand where he still held it between them. "I'm sure. I wouldn't have asked if I wasn't, would I?"
"No, I guess not." Alejandro huffed, but he couldn't suppress his smile from widening even further. "I can't believe it." He laughed softly. "We're finally getting married. Married!"
He suddenly broke away from the gentle hand-hold in favour of grabbing Kurogane around the waist and spinning him around with a peal of delighted laughter. Kurogane couldn't help laughing in response, wrapping his arms around Alejandro's shoulders and hugging him tight. "Don't drop us off the ridge, you idiot!" He exclaimed, breathless with laughter.
Alejandro blew a raspberry somewhere around his shoulder level, but stopped spinning him in favour of grabbing him by the cheeks and kissing him soundly. Blue eyes gleamed in the sunlight, and Kurogane couldn't help but smile at how beautiful he looked. He leaned into the kiss, letting his fingers tangle in the soft brown hair.
"When do you want to do it?" Alejandro asked when he finally pulled back, panting from the intensity of their kiss.
The question made Kurogane blink. "I...hadn't actually thought that far." He admitted, feeling his cheeks burn with a sudden blush. He'd been so focused on the proposal that he hadn't even given the wedding itself a second thought.
Alejandro just laughed, bouncing on the spot in an excess of joyful energy. "That's fine. Why not do it today?"
"Today?!"
"Well, why not?" The other man repeated, grinning and spreading his arms. "There's no reason we can't push today's mission back a day. Get the team and the pack together, I'm sure Hunk will oblige us with a cake if we ask, and Shiiar'keh and Allura both technically have the authority to marry us by interstellar law. We'll tape it for my mom so she doesn't kill me, and just...do it."
Kurogane stared at him for a moment, flabbergasted. Then he burst out laughing, pulling Alejandro toward him and kissing him soundly once more. "You're right. Of course you're right. Why wait? That would defeat the whole purpose." He breathed a soft sigh and rested his head against Alejandro's shoulder, turning his head towards the sunrise. The sun was bathing the snowy plains in soft yellow now, the mountains casting long blue shadows across them, and the sky had faded into the pale blue of morning. "Let's do it." He chuckled. "Let's get married."
They scrambled down the rock face and raced each other across the ice field toward the Castle, pausing occasionally to scoop up snow and throw it at each other and detouring once to avoid a Sh'ohhl herd. Kurogane's heart pounded in his chest, partly from the exertion and partly from sheer happiness. No regrets. Their leap back in time was a new beginning, for both of them, and t was high time they acted like it.
Chucking their coats onto the floor of their room, they chased each other through the hallways to the kitchen. Hunk looked up from the breakfast ingredients he was in the middle of laying out on the counter. "You two look happy this morning." He commented, seeming quite pleased with the fact as he pulled eggs and milk out of the fridge.
"We are." Alejandro chirped, slinging an arm around Hunk's shoulder and hastily helping to steady him as he accidentally pulled the other off-balance. "And we need a favour."
"And what might that be?" Hunk raised an eyebrow as he started mixing eggs into a bowl for omelettes, neatly cracking them one-handed and tossing the shells into the disposal unit.
Alejandro just grinned mischievously, turning to pull out the frying pan and some sausages. The wonderful thing about the Castle's kitchen was that it used stasis technology for food storage, allowing them to bring large quantities of Earth foods. The two of them had been rediscovering recipe after recipe thanks to Hunk's capable talents. "We need you," he started, frowning in concentration as he laid out the sausages in neat rows in the pan. "To make us a cake."
"A wedding cake." Kurogane clarified, folding his arms and leaning against the wall, giving his partner a soft smile that was met with a beaming grin over the shoulder.
There was a loud crunching noise as Hunk lost his grip on an egg, fumbled it, and squashed it. He didn't seem to notice the egg yolk dripping all over his fingers as he stared at them. "I'm sorry, did you say you needed a wedding cake?" He asked, setting out the words one at a time, with just the hint of a squeak in his voice.
Alejandro just nodded. His smile became shyer as he held out his left hand towards Hunk, the ring gleaming in the overhead lights.
Hunk leaned forward, examining it, and breathed in softly. "Oh my god." Then he abruptly straightened, beaming, and threw his arms around Alejandro in a bone-crushing hug. "Oh my god, that's amazing, you guys!" He released Alejandro and spun towards Kurogane, spreading his arms in invitation and silent request for permission that Kurogane gladly granted, stepping forward into the embrace and letting Hunk squeeze him tight. God, he'd missed Hunk's hugs. He'd taken too long to discover how wonderful they could be.
"I can absolutely do the cake." Hunk declared firmly, pulling away and turning to the sink to clean the egg off his hand. "Kurogane, take over the omelettes. When do you want to get married? I need to come up with some designs." He pulled open one of the drawers and retrieved some paper and a pencil, tossing them over to the kitchen table.
Kurogane exchanged amused glances with Alejandro as he took Hunk's place at the counter, pouring some of the egg mix carefully into the pan. "Today, actually." He said, trying to keep the laughter out of his voice at the sound of a pencil lead snapping behind him.
"Today. Yeah, okay, I can do that." Hunk sighed. "I'm guessing you don't expect me to make cake for the entire pack?" He asked, re-sharpening his pencil before setting it to paper and starting to sketch out ideas.
"Definitely not. Just worry about enough for the people here on the Castle of Lions and maybe a few others." Kurogane chuckled, flipping the omelette carefully.
There was a soft sigh of relief, the sound of pencil scratching against paper, and then footsteps in the hallway as Lance and Keith appeared, yawning. "Morning, guys." Lance mumbled. "What's for breakfast."
Kurogane flashed a grin at his partner. Apparently they were going to be having this conversation a lot today. "Wedding cake." They chorused.
By the time everyone had been fed, everyone else knew and was determined to help. Half the team had disappeared into the bowels of the Castle under Coran's supervision in search of traditional Altean wedding decorations, Hunk had co-opted those who were kitchen-competent-Lance, Colleen, and Matt-to assist with the cake, and Pidge had been put to work preparing music, lights, and recording equipment in the main hall. Within an hour after that Shiiar'keh arrived, patently delighted at the event, with a selection of representatives of the Long Wind pack including Grah'shehn and Malrento. They had brought decorations to contribute, representing the time the wedded pair had spent as part of their pack in the previous timeline, a gesture that surprised and touched Kurogane.
With so many people running every which way, it took him a while to realize that Kovirak seemed to have made herself scarce. And it took him even longer to find her, holed up not in the training room like he expected, but outside, leaning against the cold metal of the ship.
"What are you doing out here?" He asked softly as he approached, the snow crunching under his boots.
Her ears perked up and she looked at him in surprise, obviously not having expected anyone to come looking for her. "Staying out of the way of the preparations, mainly." She admitted. "I don't know the first thing about weddings."
He laughed softly, giving a small nod of understanding. "Yeah, I get that. Alejandro's directing, for the most part. He knows what he's doing, what he wants, and I trust his judgement."
Kovirak gave a small hum of approval, glancing at him as he leaned back against the wall beside her. "Congratulations, by the way. I'm so..." she faltered, then tried again, seemingly trying to abort whatever she'd been about to say. "...You deserve this, both of you. This happiness."
"Thank you." Kurogane said quietly. He gave her a long look out of the corner of his eye, but her expression remained as inscrutable as most people were. "Look...I'm not good at understanding people, but something's obviously on your mind, for you to be out here instead of in there. What's going on?"
For a few seconds the only sound was the wind howling across the snow and ice, but then Kovirak sighed. "I wasn't sure I was welcome at such a momentous event, Kurogane. I may be your mother by blood, but I am in no way your 'mom'. And my actions have caused you deep pain. While you may accept my presence, I had no reason to expect you to be comfortable with my involvement in something so important."
Kurogane blinked, looking at her in surprise, before turning away as he considered her words. She was right, that they were near-strangers to each other. She had respected the boundaries he had set. But at the same time...she and Keith were slowly establishing a rapport. He had seen the pair of them in the training room together just the other day, Kovirak walking Keith slowly through the steps of a complex combat maneuver that Kurogane had learned years ago under the watchful gaze of one of the Blades. There was a soft smile on her face then that had made Kurogane's heart ache.
Kurogane had cautiously started to accept her presence, to allow her near him, to acknowledge the reasons behind her actions. But he still kept a wall between them, and watched her with a wary eye.
This wedding was going to be attended only by those they considered family, either close or honourary. The paladins, Colleen, Ryou, the Alteans, a small group from the Long Wind pack. Was he ready to count Kovirak among that number?
"All she ever wanted was to keep you safe." Alejandro had told him more than once. "She might not know you, but she definitely cares. She wants you happy, whether or not that happiness includes her."
He exhaled slowly, then turned towards her. "Come back inside." He told her, offering her a hand and feeling his chest ache at the way her yellow eyes went impossibly wide at the gesture. "I think they could use another tall person to help put up the decorations."
When she accepted his hand, her smile was as brilliant as the sunlit snow.
Somehow, within a few hours, everything was ready. Hunk had marshalled his assistants into an assembly line of mixing, baking, icing, and decorating that resulted in a frankly impressive three-tier cake with an outer layer decorated in nebula-coloured swirls and ocean waves and curling flames. The main hall of the Castle had blossomed in a riot of colours, Altean banners and garlands mixed with Icebringer tapestries and Sh'raa H'ressnol cave flowers that filled the air with a heady perfume. And the two of them were send back to their room to change into the clothes that had been thrust into their arms with a grin by Coran.
"This is really happening." Alejandro murmured as he kicked the door shut behind him and dropped his armload onto the bed. He picked up the first item and shook it out, revealing a pair of pressed white dress pants with blue accents that he held up to his waist to judge the apparent fit. "We're actually getting married."
"We are." Kurogane confirmed. He'd half-expected to be doubting his impetuous agreement to Alejandro's earlier suggestion, but somehow, he couldn't bring himself to do so. This felt right. This was what he'd wanted for years, but denied himself out of what he recognized in hindsight as a deep guilt, a self-punishment for failing the universe and the people he cared about the most. They wouldn't have wanted that. Shiro wouldn't have wanted that. Silently, he murmured an apology to his long-dead brother for taking so long to realize that.
He shook out his own clothes, a matching formal tunic to Alejandro's with brilliant crimson accents to the white fabric. He suspected that this was intended for paladins, but he couldn't very well go and insist that they couldn't wear them, not when he was pretty sure Coran would have asked the rest of the team's opinions on appropriate wedding clothing for Humans. White wasn't the traditional Altean wedding colour, green was.
The two of them helped each other dress in the complicated outfits, doing up fastenings and securing capes. The soft drapes of fabric hung over one shoulder and trailed down to their hips, brilliant streaks of colour against the white of the tunics. Kurogane stepped back, admiring his partner fondly. "You look amazing." He said softly. The vibrant blue matched his eyes perfectly, shining in the overhead lightly.
"So do you." Alejandro whispered. He reached over, lacing their fingers between them, and tugged him forward to hug him close, pressing a kiss to his cheek. "I love you so much, Spitfire."
"You too, Sharpshooter." Kurogane breathed against the other's neck. He wrapped his free arm around Alejandro's waist, savouring the strength of the other's body against his own. The safety of the closeness, the love in their joined hands. It took him too long to pull himself away and look up with a fond smile. "Come on. Let's go get married." The beaming grin that rewarded him made his heart soar.
They made their way down to the banquet hall hand in hand, where Coran greeted them with a delighted grin and a proud bow as he threw open the doors. Inside, a welcoming cheer rose over the swell of a wedding march.
Their family lined a carpeted aisle, beaming at them with joy in their eyes and more than a few tears on their cheeks. Matt and Pidge, Lance and Keith, Hunk and Shiro, Colleen and Ryou, Allura and Coran, Kovirak and Shiiar'keh. Kurogane found his heart pounding from surprise and joy as he smiled back, grinning so wide his face hurt.
The music swelled louder and Alejandro laughed and tugged him forward, walking side by side and arm in arm down the aisle that had been left open for them. Allura and Shiiar'keh waited side-by-side at the end of it, with Shiro and Hunk ready to stand as their best men. They came to a halt in front of the two leaders, exchanging excited smiles once more as the music finally cut out.
Allura stepped forward, smiling broadly. "Congratulations, both of you. We're all so very happy for you, and delighted to be part of this momentous occasion."
"Thanks, 'lura." Alejandro laughed softly, ducking his head. Kurogane nodded as well, squeezing his partner's hand.
She beamed at them for a long moment, then turned to survey the room, spreading her hands wide. "Family and friends, today we bear witness to and celebrate the formal union of these two who love each other with all their hearts. They ask only to announce their love to the cosmos, and to have it hang among the stars for all time."
Kurogane had heard the traditional intergalactic marriage rights before, life and love continuing on even in the midst of a war, but it had never left him breathless like this, setting his heart pounding again in his chest as he and Alejandro twined their hands between them. Alejandro's eyes shone with a kind of wondering awe, and Kurogane had a feeling that he must look similar.
"Before I formalize your union, do either of you have anything you wish to say?"
"I do." Kurogane said, before he'd even realized he'd spoken, but it was true all the same. He usually preferred to have a little time to plan his words, but right now, they seemed to come to his tongue without even thinking. "Alejandro, I love you. I've loved you for longer than I ever dared to admit to myself, and so deeply that for a long time it scared me half to death. But loving you is the best thing that ever happened to me, and without you I'd be dead a thousand times over, of war or grief or something else."
He ducked his head, watching the lights and colours of the room glint off the ring he had pressed onto Alejandro's finger just a few hours earlier.
"This ring that I gave you," He said carefully, "Is a symbol of all that I love about you. Luxite for your strength. Blue for your soul. And a shell from Varadero Beach for everything that you are, the gentle waves and powerful ocean and the home that made you who you are. It's who you still are, deep down inside, the part of you that will never change. And I love each and every part of you, softness and strength, hurt and heart. And I am grateful for the things that brought us together, and let you love me too."
Alejandro exhaled softly, letting go of one of Kurogane's hands to wipe at the tears that had spilled over onto his cheeks. "Holy shit, mullet...talk about a tough act to follow." He laughed weakly, then grabbed Kurogane's hand again and pulled it up to his lips and kissed it, his gaze loving and admiring. "But I'll do my best I guess."
He paused, surveying their family for a moment, then turned back to Kurogane with that same shy, beaming smile. "I love you. Always and forever. I fell in love the first time I saw you, I just couldn't admit it because I was jealous of your skills. But I got over it, and told you, and I'll always be glad that I did, because you make me happy like no one else ever has, and you love me like no one else ever will."
Alejandro let go of his hand again, digging in his pocket, and Kurogane let out an inarticulate exclamation as he pulled out a ring, letting it rest in his palm before pulling Kurogane's hand up and sliding it gently into place. "Red luxite for your endurance and your burning determination. And a miniature version of the Blades' stones for your family, for both halves of you that I love equally, and for your devotion to everything you love."
Kurogane let out a choked sound, staring at the ring on his finger where his hand rested on Alejandro's. "When did you..." He whispered, faltering. How long had he had that ring on him?
"Just while you were out talking to your mom. I sent Malrento back to the pack cavern to make it." Alejandro admitted in a low voice, ducking his head and blushing. "I came up with the design a long time ago, though, so I guess great minds think alike."
A watery laugh slipped past Kurogane's lips and he shook his head. Trust Alejandro to have a ring in mind for an engagement that he had no reason to believe would ever happen. And only he could be so sentimental in his designs. He pulled his partner's hand to his lips, returning the same kiss he'd been given earlier.
Allura was beaming at them both with tears in her own eyes when they lifted their heads and turned back to her. At their simultaneous nods she nodded in return and reached out to press their joined hands between her own. "Your love is heard and recognized by those gathered here, by Shiiar'keh as the pack leader of the Long Wind, by myself as the captain of the Castle of Lions. It is heard and recognized by the cosmos, by the fire and water, the earth and forest, the sky and void. May it bind and support you until the last stars die and the universe is reborn, and may it bring you nothing but joy."
She chuckled, looking down at them once more, and there was nothing but happiness for them in her gaze. "You may kiss your beloved."
Kurogane didn't hesitate, and neither did Alejandro. They turned in the same instant, moving with the same unspoken synchronicity they had for years, and pressed their lips together as their hands twined tightly between them.
A cheer rose up behind them as they held it for several second before pulling back. Kurogane could feel his face burning with the heat of his blush, but his smile was so wide his cheeks hurt as he gazed fondly at his partner-no, his husband now. "No regrets?" He whispered quietly. He certainly had none of his own.
"Never." Alejandro shook his head. Strong arms wrapped around Kurogane's waist as Alejandro tugged him in for another, deeper kiss.