The orange eyes of that fiery lady remained closed as the soft hands of her beloved and husband-to-be caressed her. Suddenly, she felt one of them pull away from her and the other made its way to her cheek. She let out a soft sigh as she felt his thumb begin to caress her and her lip curved into a delicate smile, tilting her head a little to fall against her chest.
The piano music transmitted over that record player created a perfect environment, all those beautiful Vivisteras were spread out on the table and the mirror. The affinity of the moment was so great that even Cinder herself moved away from the door frame when she wanted to enter to warn that the time was getting closer.
With who his future wife would be, tucked into that beautiful wedding dress and sitting in a chair in front of him, Wade admired her from head to toe, her light and flames were as beautiful as the day she met him. Where was that bad temper and strong woman? He didn't know it, but right now she looked so pretty to him dressed like a white rose.
And the best thing is that he was the reason for that white dress.
He delicately grabbed her face and did not hesitate to start attacking her with kisses that sweetly stung her nose, her cheeks, her chin and her forehead, making her beloved tremble with shyness as she felt how her chemistry reacted to her union. Ember did not dare to open her eyes at any time, she only allowed herself to be loved by the only one who could love her in that special and intimate way, the man of water who made her heart and soul produce infinite tenderness in her, one she never thought she needed.
But now she no longer tolerated even missing. Regardless of the fact that their chemistry was destined to destroy each other... Ember no longer suffered, she no longer screamed, she no longer felt her light go out, she just loved. Just like Wade loved them and her for who she was.
It was incredible. All her life, from the day she left her crib, her parents had taught her that water was bad, that those transparent and wet people were just cruel and unpleasant monsters that wanted to hurt her.
Oh really? Harm her?
But in the end, the crazy person who didn't stop loving her and surrendered to that love was one of them.
How could he hurt that queen? Wade had no room in his head for that pathetic idea. She had told him, as long as that light still burned, he must hold on to it.
While Wade showered his adored lady with displays of affection, two hands rested on the back of his head, where his touch was welcomed by the warmth of his beloved. Feeling how small bubbles were produced by her touch, with a slow step, Wade clung to her and hugged her, in a matter of seconds her waist was surrounded by the fine arms of the bride.
Pressing into her hips, sinking her fingers into every inch of her.
He saw her lift her face up to him, those bright, vivid orange eyes which were suffused with tenderness and those pretty scarlet-painted lashes flapping like butterfly wings left him helpless.
"Ashfa, who are all these strangers?" Ember asked between whispers as she was accompanied by her father to the altar, seeing how next to her mother were beings of fire completely unknown to her.
"They are our neighbors and most frequent buyers of the store." Bernie answered while he maintained that smile and held his daughter's hand tight.
"But I don't even know them."
"Your mother and I had to fill chairs, it's not my fault you don't have friends." He shrugged.
The afternoon was beautiful, the reddish sky was turning into a light purple sky accompanied by small white dots that now shone like diamonds.
Ember went by, being a diamond in the eyes of all those guests. She waited until she was released by Bernie to let her go with her love. When facing each other, they couldn't help but give each other a loving smile, in each other's eyes, they were beautiful.
Ember's light radiated like never before. They delicately held each other's hands and caught a glimpse of the fire priest, who was rather short and stocky, almost the same height as Wade's in-laws. They also returned to see their respective families in the audience, giving them all the support and love he could, even Wade could see how his uncle Harold raised his fist in victory and how his mother Brook was being held by her daughter Lake so that she would not break down crying. On the other side of the room in the back chairs was Gale Culumbus, who also kept giving them encouragement, while Fern just gave them a thumbs up.
The couple let out a soft laugh before meeting again and joining their foreheads, enthralled by the beautiful meeting they were about to have. It was then when the Priest took out his sacred book and began the ceremony.
"Dear guests, brothers and sisters, uncles and grandparents, mothers and fathers. We are here together to unite Ember Lumen and Wade Ripple in holy matrimony and prosper that their love blooms like the hysteria over the flames and flows like the wind in the mornings until death do them part. Demonstrating that even when they are such opposite elements, you can never fight against love."
Wade turned to see who was going to be her future wife and to meet those flirtatious orange eyes that could melt his heart. Damn it, he didn't know what she had that turned him on just by looking at her. Ember, however, couldn't think of anything that wasn't a universe just for her and him, how even as his wife she would find the words or the actions to show him how much she adored him. She was wishing it was all over, that she could take his hand, put that ring on him, say her vows and kiss her husband for the first time.
One word after another from that fiery old man, Marco and Polo soon arrived holding that pillow where those rings lay. She took one and Wade another, they held each other delicately and lowered their gaze, it was time.
"Ember Lumen..." He spoke up, taking her fine hand and gently caressing it with his thumbs, "Before I met you, I was lost in the darkness, one that mercilessly drowned me. But when my eyes found your light and your warmth in all the chaos, I came back to life and began to love... and I understood that I wanted to be part of it and be one more part of your heart." Wade confessed as his free hand held her face, making her lean against it. He felt a sting of heat in his palm, since he had kissed it.
"I was so high that I didn't recognize the fire burning in your eyes. You gave me what everyone is looking for but can't find... but what I was looking for, found me. You're that little laugh at a funeral that keeps me strong through tough fights. You are all I have and all I need. My life is a blessing because you are that passionate flame that bathes me with your presence and affection. And now that I do, I promise I'll fix those broken things, mend your broken wings, and make sure everything's okay. May your lively eyes be the first thing to open your eyes and the last thing to close them." Thus, she slipped that ring over the finger of her love.
Lava began to spill down the cheeks of the fire girl accompanied by a small gasp, there was no way that all those broken words would not touch her heart in such a gentle way, her flames became even more intense. It didn't take long for her soul mate to see this and gently brush them free of it.
"I love you Ember Lumen, and I agree to be your husband." he told her.
Cinder began to sob and an old woman of fire who was next to her did not hesitate to give her a fireproof towel so that she could dry her tears. She was so happy to know that her daughter was with the one meant for her.
Ember felt so moved that she no longer remembered what would happen after this, it wasn't until a shriek brought her to reality. Both she and her future husband returned to see what was happening.
"That was so beautiful..." Alan brought his hands to his chest.
Brook started sobbing and puffing out her cheeks. "Oh, my boy is quite a Romeo, that was so cute..." The water woman stammered then immediately dropped a torrent of tears, being comforted by her brother Harold. "My little boy is already a man."
"my Nephew…" Harold pouted to immediately hug her sister and join her crying.
"Little brother…" Lake immediately began to cry, being consoled by Ghibli who also began to cry.
"OUR BOY." Eddy expressed, before having the whole water family involved in endless crying
Gale side-eyed them, then with a raised brow whispered to her partner, "This was supposed to be a wedding, not a funeral."
"I think we already know where Wade got his sensitivity from." Fern commented.
"Well, when I gave him a job he started crying with happiness." Admitted the cloudy lady.
"Oh no..." Wade looked down at her, feeling embarrassed with a pained smile.
Ember just rolled her eyes and giggled, Wade's family was quite a theater and she loved them all so much. She focused back on what she was doing, took Wade's hand and squeezed it gently to get his attention.
"Wade Ripple, before I met you, I never knew what love was. I had nothing to prove to that blue flame that blessed my family forever. A wise old woman asked me to marry fire, but it turned out that my heart ended up falling for water. Something they had told me was dangerous, but how can something that has made me feel loved and protected hurt me?" Ember brought her hand closer to her chest, right where her heart rested. "I don't want a world or a life without you and I know I couldn't have it either if it were an option. We don't have to worry about anything, because we have a love that burns like fire that destroys everything that says we can't love each other. That night under the bridge, where I could feel you and give myself to you, was the first time I experienced tenderness from someone else and I could feel fascination when burning next to me. I want this world to be for us, exploring it and holding your hand even when it is breaking into pieces. May my light be only for you and your heart. That night that I yelled at you that I didn't love you, I was an idiot… I didn't behave like the future wife that you deserved and here now I promise you that I will never again deny how much you mean to me. May my love for you explode just like my light would. I love you and I agree to be your wife".
And so, she put his ring on his finger and then kissed the back of his hand, which caused a bit of steam. The Priest then joined both of their hands and tied them carefully with a black cloth, then separated from the couple to give them space for their first act of love as spouses.
The fiery lady and the water man approached cautiously, her hands on his chest and his on her cheeks, holding her as if she were an angel who should never have been hurt and closing her eyes, feeling how their lips joined in a kiss, Ember's flames turned purple.
"TO THE BRIDE AND THE GROOM!" Gale exclaimed euphorically.
"LONG LIVE THE BRIDE AND GROOM!" .-Bernie exclaimed, raising his fist in the air.
When that room was filled with applause, intense tears, and shouts of celebration, the entire universe had disappeared for the couple. For just that fragment of minutes, they were completely lost. Wade stepped away from her to take her wife by her hip and lift her into her arms to spin her around.
When Wade parted his lips, he saw her fluttering her pretty scarlet-tinged eyelashes. Ember then clung to him in a hug, resting her face against his chest, afraid that this was all a dream and she might lose him once more, like that fire girl from years ago that resigned herself to love for fear of disappointing her father.
A touched smile formed between his lips as lava spilled over his face and Wade was freed from all fear and nightmare at the moment that light cooed against his heart, which he swore on his life to cherish for as long as he had time with his hands on her pretty figure. His now wife was very huggable, he simply didn't want to let her go and lose that burning softness.
"I'm so lucky..." Ember whispered, just to him.
"I am the lucky one to be your husband." Wade told her.
"Thank you, Wade Ripple… for not stopping fighting for me."
"And thank you, my love, for existing."
And that night, with their hearts hanging in their arms, the couple slowly danced to the rhythm of that waltz.
Taking what would be his fourth cup of coffee, Ripple sighed deeply mortified by the silence and waited while his tone turned to the color of that drink.
5 minutes. It was barely 5 minutes that had elapsed and Wade felt that 5 hours had passed. Never in his life had waiting felt so stressful, frightening, and anxious. She moved her legs non-stop to release all that stress that was creeping into her back and brought her two hands to her mouth, her breathing became increasingly heavy and that feeling of anguish was more torturous each time she returned to look at the bathroom door and notice that Ember hadn't come out yet.
How long does a pregnancy test take to give its result? Or did Ember already have the answer but she was so shocked that she couldn't even take it in?
Yes, it had been a long time since they were together. Ember and Wade enjoyed those years being married, life in Elementary City with their soulmate had been perfect, they had stayed together ever since, they blended in perfectly despite the fact that many said it couldn't be like that, regardless of what other elements told them about their polarities and differences. Their love turned out to be more powerful than them.
And for a long time, both Ember and Wade were honest with each other… they really wanted to be parents, have a little boy or girl and raise them in that beautiful world.
Was it even possible? No one ever lived to tell the story of a hybrid of fire and water. Ember really wanted to be a mother, but she was afraid that she wouldn't have the chance to.
All she heard was the "tick tack" of the living room clock and the water from the decorative fountain inside it. The water man was on the couch, waiting for something... ANYTHING.
Until finally, that door was heard opening. Wade looked up, seeing how Ember came out of the bathroom with her completely stupefied gaze and that small instrument in her hands.
"Em!" Wade gasped and quickly got up from the couch, running towards his wife. "Em, what happened? What did the test say? Is everything okay?"
But the fire girl remained still, not a word came out, she was still processing the news.
"Ember..." Wade blinked.
Speechless.
"Why do I feel like you're giving me bad news?"
Silence for another moment, and then,
"Positive..." Ember whispered under her breath.
He blinked twice, at that moment it was as if the neurons of the water type had burned out and his brain went blank. He looked at his wife once more but she didn't see him yet.
"Sweetie... w-what did you just say?" Wade stammered, with a nervous smile.
"Positive…" Ember muttered. Wade could feel his hyperventilated breathing, while lava drops were now sprouting from her eyes. "Wade, it tested positive."
""What?..." Wade questioned stunned.
"Wade... it came out positive. I'm pregnant." Ember couldn't take that smile off her face, her flames turned purple and she handed him that test. "I'm pregnant. WADE BY GOD, I'M PREGNANT! I'LL BE MOTHER! WE'RE HAVING A BABY!"
His blue eyes focused on that small instrument, those two red lines indicating positive. "We're going to be parents..." Wade looked back at his wife, now curving his lips. "WE'RE GOING TO BE PARENTS!"
Ember jumped into the arms of her husband, who immediately hugged her and made her spin in the air, enjoying her laughter and joy. They did not stop crying or screaming with emotion and at the same time Ember did not stop attacking with countless kisses spread all over his face.
The neighbors below grew concerned and believed that there was a crime scene going on, but they did not care. The only thing in their mind was the knowledge that they were going to have a family. When Wade put her down, he grabbed her face with both of his hands and shared a passionate kiss that lasted a few seconds before Wade crouched down from her to be level with Ember's belly.
Of course there wasn't any bump yet, but that didn't stop him from hugging her and attaching his face to hers to give her a kiss. Ember continued laughing with joy, placing a hand on his head.
"Police? Yes, I think they are killing my neighbors next door, they are yelling non-stop and it seems they are also suffering. SEND A PATROL!" Exclaimed a middle-aged water lady from her living room, she was from the apartment next door.
8:00 AM on a Friday. Everything was totally silent in the marriage room between Miss Lumen and young Ripple.
The daylight coming through the window was not enough to wake her up, in fact, that heat made her cling more to the bed to continue sleeping in peace, something that had been difficult for her in recent days, where she could not close her eyes for 5 seconds without the creature inside kicking her.
Last night she had eaten so many nuts covered in gunpowder and drenched in gasoline that she fell like a soldier at bedtime.
The only obstacle for her to continue sleeping was the annoying beeping of that alarm clock. Ember tried to ignore it and continue her nap, but the sound became increasingly unbearable. One of her hands came out of the sheets and began to hit the nightstand hard, trying to turn it off.
"OH SHUT UP!" Already annoyed, the fiery woman got up from the sheets and stretched her hands towards the clock, tearing it from its plug and throwing it with all her might against the wall. The device was broken into pieces.
Ember sighed heavily and rubbed her face with her hands and then stretched between a yawn. She looked quite exhausted.
Her baby was already seven months old and her belly had already grown a lot and was very visible. That process, apart from a huge appetite, came with the return of her bad temper and her strange mood swings, as well as making her more sensitive than she was. Even at her baby shower her mother-in-law gave her a pregnant shirt and she burst into tears believing that she was indirectly telling her that she was now fat.
Leaning back against the bed, Ember placed her hands on her belly and gave her a gentle caress, smiling down.
Leaning back against the bed, Ember placed her hands on her belly and gave her a gentle caress, smiling down.
"So you're finally going easy on mom, eh little one?" She said softly. "Are you tired of kicking every 5 minutes?... Hey love, did you feel them kicking-"
She hadn't realized until this moment that the inspector was not with her in bed. Not only that, he didn't even seem to be in her room to greet her and her baby with cuddles.
"Wade?" She asked with a raised voice, waiting for an answer she never had, something that immediately saddened her. "Darling, where are you? Wade?" She pouted, beginning to sob and hugging her pregnant belly. "Wade? Where did you go?"
"Breakfast is ready!" Her husband entered through that door with a kitchen apron covering his body while he held a spatula, behind him came a delicious aroma of blackberries. He walked elegantly towards her beloved to hug her and say good morning, but instead he was greeted with strong anger from her, which confused him. "Em?"
"WHERE THE FUCK HAVE YOU BEEN?!" Asked the orange-eyed woman with a voice and a surly attitude. "Were you planning to leave the house for cigarettes and leave me with your child?!"
Wade blinked.
"I just went to prepare breakfast..." He explained, still with that soft smile.
"Do not lie!" Ember pointed at him annoyed, hugging her belly protectively, but she immediately began to cry. "You don't love me anymore!"
"Hey, Em, calm down. You're just a little upset." Wade said with a serene voice, leaving his hand on her shoulder. He knew it was just her pregnancy hormones.
"No, get away!" She suddenly began to cry. "You don't love me anymore!"
"What?" Wade questioned between laughs.
"You think I'm ugly and fat, right?" Ember sobbed, even more upset than before.
"No, no, no, of course not..." Wade gently denied, getting closer to his wife.
"YES, I KNOW I'M FAT, WADE!" She screamed between tears, turning my back to him. "I USED TO BE PRETTY BEFORE, I KNOW!"
"No no no. Don't say that, Em." He murmured sweetly, immediately getting on the bed to hug her from behind. "I could never stop loving you, no matter how you look, whether you have a belly or not."
"For me you will always be the most beautiful lady that exists whose light illuminates my life, a wonderful woman and a wonderful future mother." He assured her, lulling her to give her peace of mind. "You shine like a diamond in the sky."
Ember allowed herself to hold on and let herself be loved by her husband while her temper was fading away from her. Even her flames that were purple from before had taken on her natural red color. Only he helped her feel good when everything was wrong. Ever since she met him that morning in her father's old store.
How did they come to be just acquaintances, friends, and then lovers?
How could love between fire and water be truly possible? Who could believe that love story?
At first she just wanted to get rid of him and those fines, she didn't expect to end up in anything more than simple convenience. And now she was married to him, expecting his baby.
"Knock, knock.!"
"I'm coming, I'm coming." A calm Brook immediately went to the door, from which knocking did not stop being heard. When she opened the door she only ran into that fiery middle-aged woman.
"Where's the kid?" Cinder exclaimed desperately, quickly going into the house.
"Oh, Cinder!" Brook commented, seeing how her husband came behind her. "Um... nice to see you?"
"Where is my grandson?" Bernie asked. "How is my daughter? Are she and our grandson okay?"
"Eh, yes." Lake answered, sitting in that chair and crossing their arms. "My sister-in-law, my nephew, and MY brother are fine. Thank you for worrying, sir."
"Hmm, why are they taking so long?" Alan asked, moving one of his legs, very anxious.
"Should we worry that they're taking so long?" Ghibli asked, as she took her partner by the hand.
"It's not good or bad, you just have to be patient." Harold explained.
"Oh, how boring to have to wait!" Marco exclaimed, irritated.
"Yes, I want to meet our cousin!" Polo added.
"Children, behave yourself. When your cousin is born you have to be quiet and careful." Eddy ordered them.
"Has the nurse arrived yet?" Bernie questioned his son-in-law's family. "If not, I can help. I actually had to help Cinder myself when Ember was born."
"Oh, did you? You had to read a book on childbirth that you stole from a library in our old home because you had no idea what to do!" His wife pointed out.
"Do not embarrass me, woman!"
"Hey hey, calm down!" Brook said to the fire couple, staying upright and without fear. "I see where my daughter-in-law got her paranoia from. But don't be alarmed, the nurse arrived a while ago, she's already in her room with Ember. They've been there for a while now, but I know everything will be perfect, also my son is there with her, so she won't be alone."
"As long as Ember doesn't evaporate his hand, everything's fine." Lake commented mockingly, which made Ghibli and Eddy laugh.
"Believe me, everything is perfectly fine." Brook reiterated with certainty. "There is nothing to fear."
"HOLY FUCKING SHIT, GET THAT THING OUT OF ME!"
And while both families were in the living room, inside Ember and Wade's room there was an air nurse attending to the fiery lady who had gone into labor. Ember would not stop screaming in pain and upset, shedding tears as she breathed heavily, she tried to get up.
Following the orders that the doctor gave her with great difficulty, her flames and light had turned completely purple and threatened to destroy the entire room. Fortunately, she had her husband by her side, holding her hand and giving her support and reassurance in that situation, although at the same time poor Wade found himself shedding waterfalls of tears due to the inhuman pain in the circulation in his hand. If Ember kept squeezing like that he was done for.
Until among all that situation which had turned into hell... the couple was distraught the second they heard a baby crying.
Ember separated from her husband and settled on the bed, her flames took control of her and now her teary orange eyes twinkled with tenderness and cute surprise. She could feel her chest beginning to rumble with emotion. The nurse took care of the rest, covering the newborn infant with a blanket, then wiping his forehead before handing him over to the couple. They only heard him cry loudly, looking for the pampering of his mom and dad.
"Congratulations, he's a boy." Said the airy girl happily. "He's very healthy and he's quite beautiful."
Both Wade and Ember exchanged glances, both were crying in disbelief of what was happening, closing everything with an adorable smile. The fiery lady gasped in emotion at the moment that her trembling hands held her son and brought him to her warm chest. She rested her head on her husband's shoulder, in order to see her little newborn son while they cried with tenderness and joy. They had no other way to express what they felt for the fruit that their love gave, and suddenly the baby stopped crying.
He was an adorable little steam baby; white as clouds, fluffy and round like his father. He was curled up in a little ball against his mother's heart and he opened his little mouth in what seemed to be a yawn. Ember widened her smile when the little boy opened her eyelids, revealing a pair of orange eyes, just like hers.
"He's so beautiful... so small and so cute..." Ember was a sobbing mess, pressing her forehead against her baby's, to immediately give him a little kiss on his nose, causing the baby to sneeze which made her laugh through her tears.
Wade kissed her forehead and she returned that show of affection on her cheek, before giving a small kiss to the aforementioned steam baby's forehead.
"Mick?" Asked the nurse politely, "Is that going to be his name?"
"Yes, Mick Ripple Lumen... our little prince." The waterman hummed in wonder at what he was witnessing.
Wade then surrounded Ember in his arms, feeling that the simple image of his beloved wife holding their baby was going to kill him because of the enormous tenderness it gave. Timidly he stretched out one of his fingers towards his son, realizing how his curious little blue eyes focused on him. The baby awkwardly moved his little hand and placed it on top of her father's, revealing the difference in size between them.
Ember handed the baby to her husband so that he could raise him for the first time. However, Mick was not in his father's arms for long, 5 minutes passed before he pouted and and began to sob.
"Oh, my son… the one who's going to take away my sleep for the next 8 years." Wade swallowed, feeling a lump in his throat as he hugged his newborn, while his eyes began to turn glassy.
And just like that, Wade Ripple burst into tears, exaggerated waterfalls from his eyes that drenched the floor. However, this did not stop him from holding his wife, leaving the family united in each other's arms, tears of affinity being shared.
"My baby."
"Yes love, it's our baby." Ember rubbed her face, trying to wipe away those tears. But every time she did, new ones spilled again.
"And that's just it, I already fell for you, little boy..." Wade murmured tenderly, caressing his little head.
"I love you... I love you so much." Ember expressed, immediately seeing the little infant in the arms of her husband.
"I swear on my life that I will dedicate each day to you and him. Even if I die trying." Wade assured, wiping his cheeks, not wanting to break that hug. "Ember, my love, thank you… thank you for letting me be part of this life with you. I never would have known that in you I would find what I never thought I needed, but now I know that if I walk away I'm going to miss you."
"No." The fiery one denied, taking him from his cheek, feeling how small hot bubbles sprouted against her touch. "Thanks to you for entering mine."
However, the cloying atmosphere of the family was interrupted by the squeal coming from the door of the room. Wade and Ember curiously peeked out and saw that it was both nosy families looking for gossip.
"Oh, how beautiful. There is already a new member in the family..." Alan murmured with emotion.
"His name is Mick, after his great-great Grandpa." Harold sobbed with a hiccup attack.
"Oh thank heaven Wade already gave me grandchildren."
That was the last thing Brook said before letting out a huge cry which the other members of the Ripple family continued, Cinder and Bernie on the other side looked at the family with faces of discomfort and confusion.
"And that one says that Ember got her paranoia out of us, huh?" Bernie told his wife.
"Oh drop that, honey, we already have a grandson!" Cinder exclaimed and moved to take him by the arm..
"Well, we won't need to pay a babysitter anymore." Ember told her husband with a soft laugh.
Wade couldn't do more than shake his head, before kissing hier cheek and his child's, joining them in a lovely union.
Wade Ripple and Ember Lumen have since taken a new step in their love story. One that began when fire and water decided to touch each other and form a single element: love.
Because their kisses raised them like the sweet song of a choir.
They were just a piece, a piece of burning love.