Wishfull-star - Thank you!
Zoysite - Even more emotions! lil more sad, lots of crying. Still hope you enjoy! Aaaaaaah it would be inyour top 5!? That's amazing! I'm actually really happy with that because it's the very first chapter written for them (even if posted 9th ahhahaha) and i was still figuring out how to write Ace's perspective since... he sees nothing hahah so yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeey!
This chapter turned a little bit more emotional than I planned to. But it did get me thinking, even with Ace being mostly cheery, Marco being there for him. Being blind, even after having fully accepted it and having learned to live with it, doesn't make some events less hard.
I hope everyone still enjoys the read!
"Mar... ehm... we're going to wear suits for the wedding, right?"
"Hmm?" Marco hummed around a mouth full of spaghetti, swallowing before nodding, "yea, or well, it's what I thought we were doing, why?"
"It's just..."
"If you want to wear something else, it's okay too-yoi."
"No, no, it's not that, a suit if fine. It's just... it will be like fitted to your body, so you need all your measurements taken and stuff and it's just..." Ace fidgeted looking down, "so... the tailor will be like... really close and... and..." Why was he even thinking of this! It was the tailer's job! He's not going to do weird things! "And-... but... I can't see..."
Marco frowned hearing and seeing Ace so nervous. As he scooted his chair back to go over to the raven, he saw him flinch lightly making his frown only deeper. "Ace-yoi." He approached carefully, couching down and taking a gently hold of the hand that were furiously playing with the hem of his shirt. "What's wrong? Please tell me."
Turning to the other he squeezed the hands, whispering "I'm scared."
"Scared? Why are you scared, darling? Of the tailor?"
A small nod was there, "it's- he'll- to measure-... He'll touch me... I think... But I don't- I can't see what he does. I- I'm sorry. It's stupid."
"It's not stupid-yoi." Marco said without hesitation, raising the hands to press a kiss to them, "Do you want me to join you? I can stay with you while he takes the sizes, make sure nothing happens. I could even tell you what he's measuring every time so you're not surprised."
He really wanted Marco there, just to make sure nothing happened, but... "But... It's tradition that you don't see the clothes of the one you're marrying until at the altar. You'll have seen my suit then."
"And yet I know that you'll be ten times as handsome at the wedding even if I know what your suit looks like-yoi."
"Marco..."
Letting go of the hands he instead reached to hold Ace's cheeks, leaning up to press their lips together softly, "If it makes you feel even the slightest bit more comfortable to have me there with you, I'll join you."
Before Ace could reply he heard Marco scoff and speak in a cocky voice.
"Who cares about some old traditions anyway. It's our wedding, so we do what we want."
At that the raven chuckled, putting his hands over Marco's and resting into one, "Thank you, Mar. I want you to join me, please."
"Of course, darling." And with a kiss the deal was sealed. The raven relieved of his worried for the time being.
Ace POV
When the time care near to find their perfect suits, Marco kept his promise and stayed close to him. Making sure he looked good and that the accessories were orange in colour, something they had talked about beforehand. He would get orange accents, while Marco would take blue. Both their favourite colours, or well... had been his favourite colour.
Since he couldn't see anything, he was more focused on the feel of the suit, if it was comfortable and soft, and he knew Marco would make sure it all fit together. And at the time of measuring the blond never strayed far, telling what the tailor was doing even if the man himself told too, Marco would say it again or give more information. And when possible, the blond would stay in psychical contact with him, hold his hand or have a hand on his shoulder.
Still he was a little relieved when the measuring was over and he was back into his own clothes, being lead to a couch by Marco. The blond sitting next to him briefly, telling how great he did before the tailor had returned from putting away his suit and it was Marco's turn.
"I'll be right back, darling-yoi"
That and a kiss pressing to his lips was what he got before the blond left his side. A smile was on his lips as he followed the sound of Marco's footsteps, knowing when he stopped he was on some kind of small pedestal, raising the blond of the floor. Marco had explained the looks of the shop for him so he could picture it a bit.
He had kept smiling, just thinking of their wedding and this being their very first steps to a wonderful life bound together. But... at some point keeping the smile was becoming a little bit difficult...
"Could I see that one-yoi?"
"Of course, sir."
"Hmmmm do you have this style in any other motives?"
"We've got plenty of options sir, I will get you the book, there's a lot more displayed in there then in the shop."
"huh, there really are a lot."
"We're known for that, it is our pride, we can make anything custom."
"Then, please, this colour with this pattern please."
"And fabric?"
"I can even- oh wow, hmm, the one Ace was wearing felt most comfortable."
"Certainly sir."
The smile became even harder to keep up the more he heard Marco speak to the tailor and they moved around. He did his best to keep track of where they walked, if Marco was on the pedestal or not, but with the moving around and the talking it was hard... especially since his whole vision was simply black.
Yet he kept it up, increasing it when he heard footsteps come near him.
"We're all set, love."
The lovely voice of his to-be-husband echoed before him, so he smiled up, reaching out a hand for him. One that was easily grabbed and helped him up. "Thank you. Have you made a date already for a fitting when it's tailored."
He let Marco wrap an arm around his waist, guiding him out the shop as he spoke, making sure to warn of the steps out into the pavement. "I got a few different dates-yoi, so we can both make sure we can get off from work. I told him I would call back to give the date as soon as we knew."
"Thanks mar. What would I be without you." He said, smile a little wobbly as he held onto the blond, eyes turned to the ground, not able to see anything and only needing to guess for obstacles. He wanted his cane... He had left it at home by his own choice, wanting Marco to guide him... but now he wanted it... to see himself. To walk on his own. To show he could be on his own.
"You okay, Ace?"
Thoughts were interrupted as the other spoke.
"You seem a little down-yoi."
Worry was obvious and he hated he made the other feel like this for him, "I'm okay, I'm okay, just a little tired."
A kiss was pressed to his head, and it did make him smile a bit more. He could always rely on Marco. In guiding him and in love. Taking care of him when he needed it, yet treating him like an equal.
Marco POV
He knew something was up with the raven. He had been quiet since they left the tailor, no amount of small talk of pointing out some weird bird noises enough to get the other going. And while usually Ace looked ahead as they walked, looking around like anyone did as they walked, now he looked to ground. Kept looking at the ground and the few times he did look up, he could see the small smile on his face was anything but completely happy.
He tried to think of any reason for Ace to be unhappy right now. Ace said he was tired, which could be a bit of the cause, but not to this amount. And at the start of the day Ace had been his beaming self, they only went to the tailor today and nothing special happened that he knew of? Or... was Ace really this put of by having needed to be measured by a stranger? Though Ace had assured him it was okay if he was there...
When they reached home and got inside, they were instantly greeted by Brownie the second they got into the living room. Dog wagging his tail as he came to them, coming up to him for some pets and going to Ace and gently nudging him to also get some from the raven.
Marco laughed a little at the dog, "Brownie, did you sleep the whole day? You have bed hair! It's sticking everywhere and- pfffffffff your toy is stuck to your hair!" as he laughed he got the toy loose with a few small tugs and went to put it back into the basket.
Still lightly laughing he turned back to see Ace having his head buried into the dog's fur.
"Cute." he murmured stepping closer, but soon frowned as he saw Ace's shoulders shake.
"Ace-yoi?"
A sob was there and when Ace look up a minute after he saw the raven's face was tear stricken.
"Ace! What's wrong?" Closing the distance he fell down next to the raven.
"I-it's- n-nothing."
"It's clearly something. Why else are you crying."
"I-it's nothing I-important."
"Love... If it makes you this sad, it's very important to me..." Marco was worried and confused, this obviously wasn't just from being tired. "Brownie, basket-yoi." He had to repeat the command, the dog also not knowing what to do with Ace crying and his licks didn't help.
"I'm going to take you to the couch." And he picked Ace up with practised ease, bringing him over to the sofa and putting him down in it gently, sitting next to him and holding his hands. "Now, what's wrong, please tell me. I don't like seeing you sad."
"I-it's- It'-s I-" Ace was sniffing, looking towards the blond, but that only made it worse because- "I w-wanne see my husband!"
"h-huh, Ace?"
"Y-you, I- he-heard you speaking- A-asking different s-suits to try- co-colours- pat-patterns" Ace spoke sniffing between words, tears and snot dropping down his face, "B-but I can't- I c-couldn't see anything. I don-n't know what y-you switched for- what y-you ev-eventually chose, I-" he stopped to breath before chokingly sobbing out the thing really wrong, "I-I just- I want t-to see w-what my h-husband l-looks like a-at our wedding!"
Marco was stunned, watching Ace sob and cry his heart out. Even while trying to wrap his mind around things going on, he pulled his to be husband into a tight hug. Holding him close and keeping his head to his chest as the other cried.
"I'm sorry-yoi." he whispered, pressing his head into raven locks, trying to keep from crying himself because it wasn't him that was hurting now. "I'm sorry."
It's the only thing he could think of off what to say. What else could he say? Nothing he said could help Ace. He did hate himself for not noticing. He knew inside that it wasn't easy being blind, that even years in the longing the see would be there. But he hated he didn't notice how much this maybe had been bothering Ace. That he kind of made it worse by ... bragging with his sight? Asking to see everything at the shop while Ace just sat there in the dark, literally.
"I'm sorry."
Eventually the head in his chest shook and pulled away, "N-no. It's not- It's not your fault."
A frown on his face, Marco put a hand on Ace's cheek, wiping over the tears, "I shouldn't have asked to see everything... not so bluntly."
Once more Ace shook his head, more vigorously than before, "no! Don't- don't change for me. Y-you can see. You need to- need to use your eyes. I don't w-want you to hold back f-for me." Reaching out himself he grabbed Marco's face, wanting to know the exact location so he could look into his eyes, "I love you, I l-love you, Marco. I want you to see, t-to enjoy everything. It makes me happy too, to know you picked beautiful things. That we will look good together even if I can't see... I know we will because you put effort into choosing the best things. I-..." a few fresh tears dropped, "T-the whole thing j-just got me e-emotional. And then... then we came home- and- and Brownie had bed-hair and a toy stuck to him and- and it just- it- I-I couldn't see that e-either."
"Ace-"
"I s-should be sorry. I'm sorry" Ace apologized after wiping his tears, "I should be used to it. I r-ruined this day, our first steps to marriage by crying about my blindness... something I had for years. I'm sor-"
Lips on his own silenced him, and by the wetness he felt around the lips he knew not even Marco had kept it dry. He was the reason Marco was crying too now!
"Don't apologize."
"But-"
"No-yoi. I won't apologize for seeing, if you don't apologize for being blind and how it makes you feel." reaching for Ace's hand he took them in his own and squeezed them, "Ace. I can't even begin to picture what you must feel like. No matter what you do, your vision will always be dark. You know..." he started slowly, "When I have a bad day, when I feel a little sad, I try to make you smile more. Because seeing you smile, it gives me those sparks of joy for myself that I need to get through that rough patch. Sure, I love hearing your laughs too, but the combination of hearing you AND seeing you happy brings me joy-yoi. Watching you and Brownie play, that dog going from being the most professional guide dog there is, to being the silliest and goofiest dog around the second you give the command he can be free. It's amazing, and I can't- I can't imagine if one day I couldn't see you again." he felt his eyes water again just at the thought, "If I were to go blind... God, Ace. I can't-. To slowly forget the location of your freckles, to losing the fresh pictures of your smile, I can't- I can't live without them. So- so-"
He had to take a minute to just breath, to hold the hands close to him, bring them up to kiss and look at his fiancé. Take in his whole being, see where every freckle had its perfect spot.
"So don't. Don't apologize for feeling sad for not seeing something, no matter how small it seems. I don't know what it's actually like, so I don't want to say that I know what it is like. But I do know how sad, how devastated I am by just imagining myself going blind-yoi. And... and besides all that."
He released one hand in favour of stroking to Ace's hair before resting it on his cheek, thumb stroking over the skin softly.
"We're going to say our vows soon. There will be a part... promising ourselves to each other through better and worse, through sickness and health, through the good and the bad times. And... Ace-yoi. I mean those words, I will mean those words. We can't always be happy. And while I love your smile, I would do so much to see it on you every single day again and again, it can't be like that every time. Not for you and not for me. A day like today will come again were it all become too much for you, and I don't want you to try and hide it from me, because I want to help you through it. Even if I can't cure you... no matter how much I want to-yoi, I do want to be here to support you. And I hope... that when I'm feeling down some day, you'll also forgive me, because even in the perfect life, we can't always be happy."
He opened his eyes, not knowing when he had even closed them to see Ace silently crying, watching him with so many emotions. Not that he himself was off any better. Even if you asked him what he had just said, he wouldn't be able to fully recite it again, words had just been flowing out of his mouth, trying to convey what he felt and what he wished for... maybe it was a little too much... Ace still crying.
"I'm sorry. I went too far-yoi. I-"
This time it was him being silenced by lips, loving how they were just slightly off before adjusting, a little quirk he loved immensely of Ace.
He waited to speak even after the kiss broke, seeing Ace try to think of words to say back.
"Thank you." was spoken after a few minutes.
The same word repeated a few times over, nothing else following. But it was enough. I conveyed everything he needed. And for the remainder of the time, until they could both dry their tears, they cuddled up together. Enjoying the supporting presence of the other, simply knowing they were there for them, now and in the future, they'll always have each other.