Chapter Text
It was the perfect day for the ceremony; 2B had planned it out perfectly. Today was the second anniversary of the two of them waking up together. What better day to get married?
She was rather particular about how she wanted their wedding to be, planning out every little aspect of it meticulously. With all the human literature she had read, it was something she had gleaned quite a bit about.
9S initially hadn’t seen why 2B cared so much. Sure, he was all for swearing his love to her but he had done it countless times before. What made this time so special?
Now that the moment had arrived and he was standing across the altar from her, he finally understood.
Everything was set up in her garden, right behind the house they built together. Rays of light broke through the forest canopy, bathing the altar with golden rays of light.
2B spared no expense for her dress. She was always beautiful but this was a whole different kind of breathtaking. Long flowing white lace with black accents running down its length harkening back to her days as a member of YoRHa. She was always one for symbolism.
Woven into her dress were hundreds of lunar tears, paralleled by the many embroidered black flowers. Her headband had been replaced with a crown of lunar tears, interwoven with her hair. And as an extra flourish, a lunar tear was tucked behind her ear.
It was not just her outfit that was so lavishly decorated with lunar tears. The whole garden was in bloom with the once-endangered white flowers. 2B had spent the last several months growing as many as she could for the ceremony. It was only natural she would include them given her love of flowers, lunar tears most of all.
He had opted for a simple and more traditional outfit. A rich black suit with fine pants that matched. He wasn’t the type to fuss too much about his clothes and 2B didn’t seem to mind. She hadn't been able to keep her eyes off of him since the ceremony had started.
As for lunar tears, it was only fair that he also incorporated them somehow even if it was to a lesser extent. His suit had a single flower in the coat pocket, covering where his black box would be.
The only thing left after that was to find someone to officiate it. Pascal was the only person they knew who had any experience. Not that it was an issue, 2B was rather fond of the peculiar machine and was more than happy to include him in their wedding.
Despite all the work 2B had put into the trappings of their wedding, it was an intimate setting. The ceremony was to be a short one. No long-winded speeches nor gaudy processions: just he and 2B swearing their eternal love to each other.
Only a few select guests had been invited, the most notable being A2. It had been her who had planted the idea of them getting married in the first place. Now she sat a respectable distance away, observing their union with the pods and 4S.
A lot of time had passed since they learned that it had been her, along with their pods, who had tampered with her memories. Maybe it wasn’t logical to forgive them but they wouldn’t be standing here today were it not for the sacrifices they had made. When no one else had, Pod 042, Pod 153, and A2 fought for them and that was worth something.
On cue, Pod 042 and Pod 153 hovered down the aisle toward them. Each pod held within their grasp a small ornate silver box, engraved with all sorts of intricate patterning. Despite its elegant appearances, it was merely a vessel that housed something far more precious inside.
9S reached out to grab his box from Pod 153, giving them an approving pat as thanks. 2B mirrored him with Pod 042, letting their pods move out of the way to observe their union.
Opening his box revealed the ring he had so meticulously crafted for her. It wasn’t outwardly flashy, just simple jet-black metal with a network of pulsing golden lines. It was the symbolic meaning of it that truly mattered.
The process of coming up with her ring had taken quite a lot of thought. He wanted it to be more than just the traditional precious metals and rare gemstones. 2B deserved to have her ring be a labor of love.
When he finally did come up with his idea, he knew it was the perfect one. His quest took him back to the abandoned desert temple to dig up his old corpse. It was a morbid task, looking at his own decayed body; It was a poignant reminder of exactly what he had sacrificed.
He had come for his old defunct black box. It had long since been shattered on 2B’s blade but he wasn’t here to restore it. Using the remnants, he sculpted the old core, what was functionally his heart, into 2B’s ring.
When 2B had learned of it, she had done the very same. Digging through the rubble of the City Ruins gorge, she had uncovered her corpse and retrieved her old black box to make his ring match hers.
Now that he was staring at it once more, 9S was more than certain that all his effort had been well worth it. He plucked the ring made from his old black box from the case and 2B presented her hand to him.
Reverently, he slid the ring onto her finger. Once it was snugly in place, the lights slightly pulsed, interfacing with her systems. He had uploaded a few of his most cherished memories of her onto that ring. Even when they were apart, a small part of him would always be with her.
Looking up, he could see tears clouding 2B’s eyes. He had teased her about if she was going to cry or not. At the time it seemed a bit silly as they were married in all but name. Now, he could feel himself getting choked up as well.
His memory was still a patchwork and likely always would be no matter how hard he searched or how deep he delved. Yet he remembered enough to know of all the promises they had sworn. This moment was the culmination of all of them. It had never been more clear to him that all the sacrifices both of them had made were worth it.
“It’s your turn, 2B,” he whispered.
His soon-to-be wife sniffled, nodding as she wiped away her tears. Flipping open her box, 2B revealed his ring to him for the first time. Despite being made of the same materials, it was markedly different. The lights on the ring were a more silver hue than his stark gold.
Clutching the ring, she placed it on his finger as well. The same process happened to him; the ring pulsed as he felt a tiny bit of 2B merge with him. Flashes of her most beloved memories came with it as well, reinforcing just how much he meant to her.
The two of them spent a moment like that, her hands in his admiring their matching set of wedding rings. It felt like the world had shrunken down to just the two of them.
9S vaguely overheard Pascal say something about them kissing. He wasn’t sure exactly what it was, his focus squarely on the bride before him, but he couldn’t agree more. Wrapping one arm around her waist, he pulled 2B in for a kiss that she eagerly reciprocated.
The act had become routine in the years following their freedom but there was nothing mundane about it. Nothing about being with his wife ever was.
2B.
His wife.
Now that was something he could get used to.