Pomp and Circumstance [2/?]
anonymous
April 5 2009, 10:42:35 UTC
Roderich was not superstitious by nature, but he believed that the secret to things going well was people not noticing they are going well. The minute someone did, something was bound to go terribly, embarrassingly wrong.
The toasts had gone well, in that nothing happened that they hadn't carefully prepared for. They'd stood side by side, smiling and nodding at each of their guests. They did the same through Ludwig's short congratulation, Arthur's carefully memorized discourse and Francis' winks and double entendres.
The reception was also going surprisingly well. No one, for example, had noticed that Gilbert hadn't shown up, and Roderich fervently hoped things would stay that way. He had been invited, but mostly because everyone else had been, too. Roderich and he were not on particularly good terms at the moment and he did not enjoy the prospect of being reminded that he had Gilbert to thank for his current political situation. And the wedding, a treacherous thought supplied.
Unfortunately though, halfway through the evening Ludwig found it appropriate to express his surprise at his brother's absence. Some twenty minutes later (Roderich was surprised that it hadn't been exactly on cue) the object of Ludwig's inquiry sauntered towards them across the reception hall and draped both arms over his and Elizabeth's shoulders.
' 'Evening, love-birds!' he said happily. 'Did I miss anything?' 'About half,' Roderich answered, his expression carefully blank. 'A few hours longer and you might have missed everything.' Gilbert stared at him for a moment, then began to laugh. He had a strange laugh - it started off loudly, like a bark, and then gradually turned into the sort of snicker that suggested he'd just heard a joke that nobody else had. 'Wouldn't miss it for the world,' he said, between chuckles. He turned to Elizabeth, who was quite irritated, but unlike Roderich, didn't try to hide it. 'See, as I understand, I'm a bit of a match-maker here,' he drawled. 'It wouldn't do to miss a wedding I practically arranged.' 'Don't give yourself too much credit,' Roderich said. And please, he added in the privacy of his mind, go away. 'This union is a mutually beneficial political agreement that will...' 'Piffle,' Gilbert cut in, ignoring him and practically draping himself over Elizabeth. 'You like the man or not?' Roderich wondered if that was enough to have him unceremoniously escorted outside and dumped head-first into the decorative fountain. It probably wasn't, but before he had time to decide, his new wife smiled brightly and said, in tones practically dripping molasses, 'Piss off, Gilbert.'
The other blinked and then broke into laughter again. 'I think you've got yourself a handful, friend,' he told Roderich. 'Or a mouthful in any case.' He caught Elizabeth's dangerous glare. 'Alright, alright, I'm gone,' he conceded. 'The two of you can go back to your lack of conversation. But I have to say, I hope the rest of your marriage is going to be more exciting than this, because I'll be keeping an eye on it. There's nothing to do at home these days,' he added, a touch sullenly. 'Boss's writing a constitution.'
He bowed in their direction and turned on his heels. Halfway across the reception hall, he called back, loud enough for everyone to hear 'And I do hope you enjoy the wedding present.'
The toasts had gone well, in that nothing happened that they hadn't carefully prepared for. They'd stood side by side, smiling and nodding at each of their guests. They did the same through Ludwig's short congratulation, Arthur's carefully memorized discourse and Francis' winks and double entendres.
The reception was also going surprisingly well. No one, for example, had noticed that Gilbert hadn't shown up, and Roderich fervently hoped things would stay that way. He had been invited, but mostly because everyone else had been, too. Roderich and he were not on particularly good terms at the moment and he did not enjoy the prospect of being reminded that he had Gilbert to thank for his current political situation. And the wedding, a treacherous thought supplied.
Unfortunately though, halfway through the evening Ludwig found it appropriate to express his surprise at his brother's absence. Some twenty minutes later (Roderich was surprised that it hadn't been exactly on cue) the object of Ludwig's inquiry sauntered towards them across the reception hall and draped both arms over his and Elizabeth's shoulders.
' 'Evening, love-birds!' he said happily. 'Did I miss anything?'
'About half,' Roderich answered, his expression carefully blank. 'A few hours longer and you might have missed everything.'
Gilbert stared at him for a moment, then began to laugh. He had a strange laugh - it started off loudly, like a bark, and then gradually turned into the sort of snicker that suggested he'd just heard a joke that nobody else had.
'Wouldn't miss it for the world,' he said, between chuckles. He turned to Elizabeth, who was quite irritated, but unlike Roderich, didn't try to hide it.
'See, as I understand, I'm a bit of a match-maker here,' he drawled. 'It wouldn't do to miss a wedding I practically arranged.'
'Don't give yourself too much credit,' Roderich said. And please, he added in the privacy of his mind, go away. 'This union is a mutually beneficial political agreement that will...'
'Piffle,' Gilbert cut in, ignoring him and practically draping himself over Elizabeth. 'You like the man or not?'
Roderich wondered if that was enough to have him unceremoniously escorted outside and dumped head-first into the decorative fountain. It probably wasn't, but before he had time to decide, his new wife smiled brightly and said, in tones practically dripping molasses, 'Piss off, Gilbert.'
The other blinked and then broke into laughter again. 'I think you've got yourself a handful, friend,' he told Roderich. 'Or a mouthful in any case.' He caught Elizabeth's dangerous glare.
'Alright, alright, I'm gone,' he conceded. 'The two of you can go back to your lack of conversation. But I have to say, I hope the rest of your marriage is going to be more exciting than this, because I'll be keeping an eye on it. There's nothing to do at home these days,' he added, a touch sullenly. 'Boss's writing a constitution.'
He bowed in their direction and turned on his heels. Halfway across the reception hall, he called back, loud enough for everyone to hear 'And I do hope you enjoy the wedding present.'
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