“No human souls can survive witnessing the full bond.”
The shop quieted slightly after that. Because reality hit again. Our parents wouldn’t see it. Wouldn’t witness the actual ceremony.
Nina’s aunt sounded offended. “Absolutely not.”
The younger brother blinked once. “What.”
“You cannot marry my niece in another dimension without human supervision.”
“That feels aggressively specific.”
“It is called standards.”
Then unexpectedly, my mother stared directly at me and said the simplest possible thing:
“Then do something here too.”
I blinked once. “…What.”
“A human ceremony,” she continued like this was obvious. “Before you disappear into supernatural marriage rituals.”
The entire occult shop fell quiet after that, and within seconds the idea settled over the room with startling ease. Fast, simple, and completely right.
Nina exclaimed dramatically. “WAIT. That’s actually adorable.”
The younger brother was deeply interested already. “Humans perform symbolic bonding rituals too.”
“We call that marriage.”
“That sounds less threatening than mating.”
“It SHOULD.”
Meanwhile my demon had gone completely still beside me. he asked very carefully
“Would you like that?”
And now the answer felt easy.
“Yes.”
No hesitation. Something in him visibly unraveled after that. His mother noticed and sighed. “He’s hopelessly in love.”
“I AM RIGHT HERE.”
Nobody cared. Meanwhile Nina had already turned toward her aunt dramatically. “You’re helping us plan this.”
“No.”
“Yes.”
“…Fine.”
The younger brother beamed delightedly. “This family negotiates through personal warfare.”
“You’ll fit in beautifully.”
Everything spiraled fast after that. Because apparently once human mothers decide weddings are happening , reality itself loses control.
