Disclaimer: Yeah, these characters are mine. Except Eduard. He belongs to Contra Mundi.

Warnings: Happy slash. Happy fangirl. Happy tuxes. Oh, and more spoilers.

quintessential: Noun. (kwin-tes-uhns) The ultimate; the escence of the escence.

Arnen paced outside the doors of the chapel, anxiety wracking at his nerves. This was it; the big day. His suit was hot and uncomfortable, the hallway was acrid and stuffy. And goodness, the burning sensation in the pit of his stomach was only making him want to puke!

It might have seemed like second thoughts to anyone who didn't know the suffering man. Arnen gritted his teeth. Second thoughts? Never in his life! It was just… the realization that from that day on, he would truly and utterly belong to his Eduard, and there was no longer anything that could stand in their way. He'd been wishing for as long as he could remember for Eduard to have him, and to give his ownership solely to the person he loved. Now that it was finally happening…

It was an overwhelming emotion.

"Oy, Arnen." The twenty-one-year-old jumped at being addressed and turned to see a quite-dashing-in-a-suit Eduard walking toward him. "I know I'm not supposed to see the bride before the wedding, but I thought it would be nice to see how you're doing. …You're sweating," he joked. Arnen smiled pathetically.

"Do you have a handkerchief? It's so warm in here." Eduard grinned and patted at his pockets before he snapped his fingers.

"Aha! I gave it to you already. Don't you still have it? Ah…" His arm sunk to his side and his smile faded as some realization struck him. Arnen tilted his head to the side in question. Eduard really was strange sometimes…

"Er, Eduard—?" The redhead reached over and placed a hand upon Arnen's forehead. The twenty-one-year-old blushed, self-conscious of how sweaty he was; but Eduard gently wiped away the perspiration, his lips forming into a tender smile. Once Arnen's skin was mostly dry, the brunet—who had closed his eyes at the nice feeling—felt Eduard's hand on his cheek.

"There," Eduard said softly, and before Arnen could open his eyes to see what Eduard was doing, he felt lips faintly against his own. And again, there was the burning, fluttering sensation in his stomach as he pressed closer, making the kiss firmer, more tangible.

He felt embarrassed to admit it, especially since Eduard didn't seem to have the same problem, but the longer Arnen was with the redhead, the more he craved intimacy; he loved the feeling of warm hands tracing over his cheeks or neck or stomach. He relished in the playfulness of lips upon lips, tongues dancing with unrivaled passion until lightheadedness urged a pause, only so that it may start afresh. Such sweet kisses had always been as far as either of them intended to go, but now that they were to be married, would things be different?

Arnen began to lightly suck on Eduard's lower lip, gently coaxing the other's mouth open enough so that Arnen might take pleasure in what it beheld. He quivered as he pressed his tongue against Eduard's; pushed farther, wanting more. Yes, he supposed that if they were to be married, he would love such a beautiful closeness. His blush darkened, the word "consummation" ringing through his head.

Eduard pulled away, at which point both opened their eyes to stare at each other, each labouring for breath. "Arnen," the redhead murmured, his voice low and hoarse, but his tone laced with amusement. "You realize we're in a church, yes?" The twenty-one-year-old laughed.

"Yeah," he replied, grinning. "Sorry. I'm just… nervous." Eduard smiled back.

"Why? It's just legal stuff, really. In fact, we'll more likely only be here at the longest for a half hour. Or at least, that's what Tempest said." Arnen's grin faded into more of a sad smile.

"I… I know, it's not that," he murmured softly. Eduard gave him a worried look and pulled him closer. But before the redhead could reassure Arnen that he could tell him anything, the twenty-one-year-old interjected; "I'm so happy Eduard. Honestly, I've… I've always wished for this day, for as long as I can remember, and now that it's finally happening, I'm just a little overwhelmed." He tilted his head toward Eduard's, stood up on his toes and, smiling, gave his fiancé a peck on the corner of his mouth. "Thank you." He felt Eduard's grin against his cheek, his blush deepening as Eduard's arms wrapped tightly around his lower back to keep him at the same height.

"You know, you're maddeningly cute when you get all red in the face like that," Eduard said roguishly, placing feather-light kisses along Arnen's crimson cheeks.

"E-Eduard, nnh, stoppit," Arnen half-laughed, half-whined. "We're in a church, remember?" The redhead ignored the poorly articulated complaint and moved to the twenty-one-year-old's earlobe, nipping at it lovingly.

"You didn't seem to mind a moment ago," he whispered, his voice playfully seductive. Arnen bit his lip, the moan he barely managed to suppress coming out as a muffled breath that touched lightly on his vocal cords. The redhead then moved to his neck, his lips light enough to distract Arnen until he felt a hand dragging down to grope his unsuspecting bottom.

"Ah! Ed…Eduard, hey—!"

"Er…"

It took a moment for both boys to quite realize they were no longer alone, and when they did, they jumped quickly away from each other, heads jerking over to the new presence in the hall; Tempest stood a few yards away, one hand holding her other arm and her face and eyes averted from the couple in embarrassment.

"S-Sorry for interrupting, but Eduard, Arnen, the minister is ready to begin the ceremony," she stammered, looking quite flustered as she darted back into the chapel. The men glanced at each other, and after a short moment of silence, began laughing at how comical she had looked.

"Sometimes I really do appreciate that girl," Eduard chuckled, wiping away an (actually not entirely fake) tear. (He had laughed too hard, really.)

Arnen smiled and took his fiancé's hand, raising it to his lips and giving it a tender kiss before holding it at his side. "I'm glad you two are friends," Arnen said, leaning closer. "But, in any case, we ought to get out there." Eduard gave him a look.

"And you're alright? Do you feel sick? Or are you hungry? I don't want you to do this if you might puke or something, 'cause we can always ask the minister back tomorrow, and—" he checked himself and stopped, smiling as Arnen grinned and gave his hand a squeeze.

"I'm so happy I could sing," the twenty-one-year-old said brightly. Eduard smirked.

"How about we skip the song and get married instead, eh?" he replied, his tone equally cheerful. Arnen laughed and nodded, tightening his grip on Eduard as they both stepped forward.

Tempest had said she knew a minister who was supportive of gay marriage, and that she also had connections to the people of St. Mary Abbott's cathedral. Neither Eduard nor Arnen really wanted a church wedding, but she had insisted, so they obliged. It was larger than he'd expected. The pews stretched along a forty-foot walkway to the front of the church where the Father weekly performed his sermon upon a raised platform. Narrow, stained-glass windows depicting scenes of the life of Christ in beautifully vibrant colours ran along two walls. Another man in a suit stood at the head of the church; the minister who would perform their wedding ceremony. A wooden carving of Jesus' crucifix was hung high above the ground behind the minister. Arnen looked away from the statue, the morbid image sending shivers down his spine.

Arnen felt a strange pressure upon his chest as they made their way slowly along the aisles. His lips parted slightly, his evanescent breathing and the tap of his and Eduard's shoes on the marble floor the only sound in his ears. He closed his eyes and tried to mentally sink away from that tension, but it grew stronger by the second, heavier, unbearable…

When he opened his eyes, it was no longer a bright, empty chapel; many people of all different ages occupied every seat available, and it was considerably dimmer than before. He let out a small gasp, but his mouth omitted all sound. He looked over to his fiancé; the redhead was still firmly holding onto Arnen and he stared straight ahead of him with a contented expression; but his body was suddenly translucent, the colour of his skin, his hair, his suit, his eyes—everything had been reduced to shades of grey and black and white. Arnen stared through his fiancé to see the people sitting there in the pews all stared back at him, joyous smiles adorning their snow-pale faces.

Through it all, Arnen knew he should have been frightened; plain logic told him that it was simply impossible for any of it to be happening. But somewhere inside himself, he could feel all the ghostly people—as he passed them in slow motion he could sense their bond to him. Their many eyes watched him as he walked forward, following his movements with obsessive intensity, happiness seeping from their beings.

As he moved closer to the front of the chapel, he began to see people he did recognize. The first five were vaguely familiar, but the sixth… A woman, her black hair tumbling down upon her shoulders, her dark eyes brightening at the sight of him, stood at the edge of the aisle, eagerly awaiting his approach. Arnen smiled, feeling an overwhelming amount of relief seeping into him that he might finally apologize.

"Rose Mannen," he whispered.

"Arnen!" she cried, and ran toward him. Arnen started, but received her sudden embrace with an accordingly tight grip. He had realized with minimal shock that he was having some sort of out-of-body experience, because his body kept walking hand-in-hand with Eduard down the aisle while what must have been his spirit or soul or something stayed behind to talk to his victim.

"Rose, I'm so sorry," he said hastily, clinging to her as his guilt began to set more firmly upon him.

"Oh, Arnen, please don't apologize like that," she said, pulling away and giving him a loving pat on the head. "I knew what the risks were as soon as I saw your eyes." She smiled fondly at him, her own eyes twinkling with sadness. When she spoke, her voice shook tearfully. "They have pupils now. Have you disposed of Shiigan like you had always planned to?" Arnen nodded, biting back the urge to cry. "Good," she said softly. She reached up and wiped away the tears that began streaming from her own eyes, but to no avail. "You've grown up so much, Arnen," she sobbed, covering her face with her arms and trying to wipe away the saline streaks dripping down to her neck.

"R-Rose," Arnen stammered weakly, feeling the regret brimming in his eyes, scalding his cheeks as they dropped down.

"Don't cry," the woman blubbered in her usual way which left no room for argument, much despite herself. "This is a joyous occasion." She turned and pointed to the head of the church where the forms of Arnen and Eduard stood facing each other; the translucent silhouette of the minister was behind them, giving his sermon, and Tempest, also translucent, gazed at their matrimony from not far off, smiling and giggling with mirthful tears in her eyes. "This day," Rose said as Arnen stared at his and Eduard's interlocked hands, feeling suddenly breathless, "is the day when you are no longer captive to your blood-drenched past. This is the day when your soul can smile and look toward what now settles you and holds you as if your very being were its own. And you are, are you not? That is the person you care about more than anything in the world, is he not?" Arnen bit his lip, his eyes trailing over his fiancé, loving everything about him.

"Yes. Ever since the moment I saw him, there's been nothing that could mean as much to me as he does. I… I love him so much… it's impossible to imagine myself being able to live without him."

Rose nodded, watching the couple being married with a knowing expression. "So I thought, even upon first meeting you two. He always was the only person who could have set you free. Now, under the eyes of God…" Arnen's eyes shot up to the ceiling, as if he would see a pair of eyes staring down at him, "…your bond with Shiigan is fully severed, and the bond with your saviour is intensified; it will never be broken." Arnen pulled his gaze from the ceiling to Rose.

"My saviour?" he asked uncertainly. She smiled, put a hand on his arm, and turned him to face the front of the chapel. As he looked over, Arnen, Eduard, and Tempest laughed soundlessly and the minister grinned at the joke he apparently made.

"It's Eduard," she said softly, patting Arnen's shoulder. The twenty-one-year-old blinked and again experienced a breathlessness for a reason he knew was there but still could not comprehend. He raised his hand and slowly placed it atop his heart, feeling it beat steadily, even though its rhythm was strong against his chest.

"Rose," he said, his voice faint, his eyes never leaving Eduard. "What will happen to you once the ceremony is over?"

She smiled. "This being that I currently inhabit will be set free. I suppose I'll probably go off to wherever it is we go when we die."

Arnen did not speak. He chewed on his lip and, still watching the ceremony continue, said, "Is… is there any way to… t-to bring any of these people back?" Rose's smile became sad.

"No, dear. These people are ready to go to rest."

Arnen shut his eyes tightly to relieve them of the sting of tears. "Th-Thank you, Rose. You were the one who told us what was wrong with me. I am f-forever indebted to you." There was a soft smack of skin, and Arnen's eyes opened in shock as Rose lightly slapped both of his cheeks with her hands, forcing his face in her direction.

"Stop that! No debts, no regrets, no sorrows. This is the best moment of your life! The day you marry the person you are truly in love with!" Her expression softened. "We'll both be free now. Don't grieve, you silly boy; rejoice!" Arnen quirked a smile.

"You're so strange, Rose," he said. She smiled cheerfully.

"Get over to your fiancé. You're missing your own ceremony!"

"Yes, Rose." He leaned down and kissed her on the cheek. "Sleep well."

"I will, I will, now get over there!" She gave him a hefty push towards his body. Arnen took the clue and sprinted the last couple feet, deciding the most effective thing would be to walk into himself. (What else could he have done in such a rare situation?) When he did, he felt himself grow heavier and closed his eyes as he grew used to the sensation. When he opened them, he was looking up into glimmering green, and blushed at how intently Eduard was staring at him.

"I do," the redhead said, his tone more serious than Arnen ever remembered hearing.

"And do you, Arnen Hayes, take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband; in sickness and in health; for richer or for poorer; until death do you part?"

Arnen did not take his eyes away from Eduard's as he said the words he felt so deeply in his heart he could fly: "Even death cannot part us. I will stay by Eduard forever." His eyes ran along his husband's face—eyes sparkling and mouth gaping with numb surprise, cheeks dusted an unusual shade of pink…

"You may kiss," he heard the minister say.

The twenty-one-year-old felt such elation, such unadulterated happiness; there was no longer a pressure upon his chest; everything was light in a way he had never before experienced. He looked out to the pews—empty as it had been when they first stepped into the chapel. His gaze then fell back upon Eduard. No, it wasn't empty. It was simply replaced with the most beautiful bond he could ever imagine.

Eduard leaned down, stopping less than an inch before their lips touched. "I love you," Arnen whispered, his eyes drifting closed as he inclined his head towards his husband's until their lips finally met. Legally, under the eyes of God, it didn't matter. They were then what had always been what fate intended:

Together.

Sono te hanasanaide, hanasanaide.
Boku ga sobani iru kara,
Donna toki demo waratte waratte.
Hana wo sakasete yo.

-Pigstar, Hana Kimi