Work Text:
They are having dinner in Delenn’s suite aboard the ship, with the notable absence of Sheridan (who is resting) and Londo (who claims indigestion, but is likely both hungover and takes exception to the charms of Minbari cuisine) and the conversation starts something like this:
“There is so much I have not yet been able to understand about Humans,” Delenn says, expression rueful. She has not touched her food.
G’Kar has almost cleared his plate. “Neither has most of the universe, Delenn. Don’t take it personally.” At her wordless sigh, he finally looks up. “…Is there some trouble?” he asks delicately.
Delenn looks for a moment as though she is ready to brush his concern off, but then she pauses and gives him a considering look before saying: “…There is the small matter of a certain ritual.”
“Between you and Sheridan?”
“Between John and I, yes…” Delenn looks pensive.
G’Kar finishes his food and leans back a little. While he waits for her to gather her words, he turns away for a second and pops his prosthetic eye out. A little show of weakness among friends, and the damn thing had begun to give him a headache towards the end of the day. He can see her, two of her, from the lower angle of his palm, suddenly looking from one eye to the other.
“Can it still see?” she asks, a little hushed.
“Yes.” He turns it off and tucks it away into an inner pocket of his coat. “And now, no.”
She shakes her head. “Forgive me.”
He waves her off. “What is the matter, Delenn?”
“The very final ritual. We are to be married, soon, and this is the final step… He does not understand it, and he refuses it. We have argued. We have done every ritual as properly as we could, to this point. And now…”
G’Kar takes a breath before saying: “I do not pretend to speak for him. I know very little of the intricacies of the Human mind. But given what has happened to him, and so recently… HIs reactions and his words may be stronger than he might mean, later. His wounds may still be raw, and he may be affected by things that seem strange to anyone else.”
Delenn’s lips pale slightly and she nods. “I do not know. Perhaps it is that, perhaps it is not. He has said he will not speak of it for now.”
G’Kar nods. “And this ritual, may I know…?”
“The ritual of Witnessing. John… He seems to view it with some strange mix of fear and disgust.”
G’Kar is not well-informed on Minbari courtship and marriage rituals, but he has an inkling what this particular one involves. “He does not like to be watched, I suppose,” he says dryly.
“No,” Delenn says. “No, he… Seems to think of the first wedding night as some sort of secret behavior. There is shame, I think. It is hard to explain.”
“In this matter, I think Humans are almost as strange as Centauri.”
“You must understand, G’Kar, we Minbari are not entirely open about such things, either.”
“Open? Delenn, most of the universe isn’t sure whether Minbari mate at all. Perhaps you just hew one another out of crystal,” G’Kar says bluntly.
She huffs – half laughter, half frustration. “I offered for him to choose an Anla’shok to stand Witness, someone he did not know well, if that made it easier. Or, perhaps, Lennier, who was present for another one of the rituals… But he has refused me in all things. He wants no-one in the room at all. He is adamant.”
G’Kar nods slowly. “And this is an impediment to your union?”
“Yes. It is custom – more than that, it legitimizes the marriage on Minbar. There must be a third present to witness the spousal enjoinment on their wedding night – it is symbolic. In one form or another, the ritual predates Valen’s time by many centuries.”
“I see.”
“I have explained it to him, but still, he will not understand.”
“The Humans view mating in an oddly guilty manner, Centauri see it as yet another power struggle, and to Pak’ma’ra, I have heard, it is no more significant than a handshake. Everyone has a ‘hang-up’ as they say.”
Delenn looks at him. “And on Narn?”
“An enjoyable pastime,” he says with an expansive shrug.
“I see…”
“Personal, I suppose, but not a taboo matter.”
Delenn considers that for a while, then begins to frown again. “Do you know, I even gave him the choice of selecting a Witness of his own!” she finally bursts out.
“And what did he say?”
“That he would not be able to ‘get it up’ if one of his co-workers were in the room.”
“Ah. Well. Human males…” G’Kar sighs, “They have their quirks, in that department.”
She shakes her head. “I think he is being disingenuous. To say ‘co-worker’ of Ivanova, his dear friend of many years! If she were not injured, I would be honored to have her as Witness! I suppose that even though it was not his fault, the wound between him and Garibaldi is not quite healed enough for such a thing, and I understand that, but what of Dr. Franklin? If he were to view it as a medical procedure…”
“Delenn, I think that would make it even worse.” Then, he pauses. “No, the worst option would be Londo. He would start heckling, giving advice and commentary…”
Delenn giggles. “No, surely not.”
“And as for me, I fear that the sight of an armored Narn standing over his marriage bed would make Sheridan lose his… Nerve – entirely.”
Delenn tries not to laugh again.
G’Kar ruminates on that for a while. Then, it comes to him and he nearly laughs at how simple it could be. “…Delenn. My eye. If the Witnessing is what makes the marriage legitimate by Minbari measure, and yet he wishes for no-one to be in the room…”
Delenn’s eyes nearly glow. “You would do this?”
“If you wish it.”
“Then the marriage shall happen immediately. Aboard the ship, before we return to Babylon 5. A small, quick ceremony. I will have you sign the Witness’s Certificate afterwards.”
G’Kar could see the thoughts flying behind those sparkling eyes. “How will you explain it to Sheridan?”
Her gaze is sharp upon him. “What need is there to explain? There will be no-one in the room, as he wishes.”
It’s not the most morally dubious thing he’s agreed to. After all, is not the Interstellar Alliance based upon the principle of inter-cultural respect and cooperation? What Sheridan doesn’t know will not hurt him. “Very well.”
Delenn places her small hand on his arm. “Thank you.”
His own engulfs it when he lays it over hers. “It will be my honor.” He cannot help the slight amusement that creeps into his voice – he has agreed to far less pleasant things as favors to friends.