Needledrop

27

Matrimony

Wynnona

I swear to the Elder Gods, I will strangle this indecisive idiot.

"Do you want to have the ceremony on earth or not?" I ask the two.

"I'm not sure. Brett, what do you think?" Keya asks Brett, who looks up from a palette of colours Athena put together.

"Whatever makes you happy babe." He says with a tired smile. I am going to strangle them. My hands tighten into fists. Just before I can launch at them, Athena places her hands on my shoulders. She allows them to fall past my breast to rest on my stomach, her lips kissing the side of my neck as she places her head on my shoulder. I lace my fingers through hers, turning to kiss her cheek.

"Hi." She whispers to me with a smile.

"Hi." I whisper back, my irritation instantly subsiding as I allow her presence to calm me, to fill me with the ever-lasting love I will always feel for her. Keya starts to feel tired so her and Brett go off to sleep.

"I set a course for earth. We will be there in a couple days." She tells me, going to make some tea. I watch her openly, studying the sway of her hips as she walks to the counter. I memorize the slight curvature of her body, taking in the way her shorter sundress clings to her figure. It hugs her torso, defining the curves of her shoulders, back, waist, hips, and chest. The happy orange fabric accents her eyes, body, lips, and legs. I can't imagine how good she'd look out of that dress, moa- no, bad Wynnona. When did I become such a horn dog? I ask myself as I stand, walking over to her to wrap my arms around her waist. I lean down, kissing her shoulder as she hums to herself.

"All these curves and me without my brakes." I mutter to her, saying it mostly just to get a giggle out of her. She does laugh, tossing her head back onto my shoulder.

"You're ridiculous." She informs me with a happy smile.

"I love you." I whisper to her, pulling her closer if possible. Her smile softens, setting down the knife she had started to cut vegetables with to hold my hands over her stomach.

"I love you too." She tells me, turning in my hold to cup my cheeks and kiss me softly.

"Ew!" I hear a familiar voice say. I pull away from Athena to see Roe with his Uncle Giovanni.

"Very ew indeed." Giovanni agrees with him.

"Oh please, you get up to more nasty things in the dead of night with Jake when you think everyone is asleep." I challenge him as I pull away from Athena. Roe runs into her arms happily, coming to help her make supper. Giovanni grabs my arm, stealing me away from the two. We go down to the cells on the ship where Oriana is.

"Evening Oriana." Giovanni greets coolly. Her matted head of hair lifts to look at us. I toss her a serving of food which she scarfs down as fast as possible. "Ready to finally talk to us?" He asks her as if talking to a friend. She looks up at us through curtains of hair.

"I told you I don't know anything." She cries desperately.

"I'm sick of this and I don't want a bloody mess on my floor. Let's eject her into space." A twisted smile spreads across my lips.

"No! Please," I start to walk over to where the keys are kept, "Lillian was controlling me!" She cries in desperation. I stop and turn back to look at her.

"What do you mean?" I ask. She finally gives up, giving in to us after a week of torment.

"Lillian somehow managed to gain control over my mind and body. I did exactly as she told me to. I was a puppet for her to use." Tears fall down her cheeks as she cries. "I didn't want to do any of the terrible things she made me. This I swear to you."