A/N: The two girls in this chapter are from a story of mine (that is ongoing, though I haven't published in forever), and this drabble/one-shot type thing was really fun for me to play around with. There's a lot of different ways I played with dashes, parentheses, and just overall sentence structure so I could figure out what was most comfortable for me. ^.^
Please enjoy!
Their wedding was as extravagant as an Atobe wedding should be. Shishido commented on how grandly gaudy it was, after all. Atobe, being the man that he was, paid for each person's expenses: from plane tickets, hotel rooms and limousine fare (no guest under Atobe's care would take a cab) right down to each meal they ate. The ceremony was held in a large church too quaint for Atobe's tastes, but it was one that the couple had been attending anyways- she always made sure he went to church with her -because it was one she had fallen in love with. The reception was held in one of the grandest palaces Atobe could find; it was fit for the gods, to be quite honest.
Food was being handled by waiters and waitresses, their service platters never without hors d'oeuvres, drinks never empty, music never stopping and laughter never ceasing. He made sure that the joyful mood she was in would be felt by all those that attended. A part of him selfishly thought that it was his own actions that she was so joyful to begin with. That's not to say that he wasn't happy as well; saying he was ecstatic wouldn't even begin to cover the emotions within him.
Currently Atobe was lazing around at the table, drink in hand and a smirk on his face while he spoke to Oshitari and Shishido, those two were some of the closest friends he ever had, ones that stuck with him through thick and thin. The whole wedding itself seemed to double as a tennis reunion, as each team that Hyotei's middle school and high school ever encountered had come. To Hitomi, it was a reunion of familiar famous actors and actresses, directors, producers and the like; being a famous celebrity certainly had its perks as well.
Because of some congratulations from Atobe's ever-present opponents (he and Tezuka were long overdue for a match, and Sanada was always there to help Atobe with frustrations, surprisingly enough) he had lost his wife- even thinking the word wife got a big, cocky smirk on his face -amongst the crowd. It wasn't long before he found her in the center of the dance floor. Jirou's sugar rush kicked in, which started the silly dancing all around that continued to make her laugh with delight. Echizen Kamiko pulled people onto the floor to dance with the woman, and at one point danced with the wedded woman herself. They danced in front of Hitomi, behind her, even with her, making her jump and twirl around. She was still laughing when the song changed and she had twirled into the arms of her beloved.
Her laughter quieted down to giggles, then a long and content sigh as she rested her head in between the nook of his neck and shoulder, letting him lead the slow dance while their hands entangled in one another's.
"You're beautiful."
She bounced up a bit higher on one foot to kiss his cheek, and he noticed then that the smile on her face had been there since he saw her walking down the aisle at the church.
"It's the happiest day of my life and everyone here is happy with me," She replied, "I would hope that I looked good as well."
"Divine is more appropriate."
She laughed, "Keigo, stop!"
"As you wish," He kissed the top of her head, and smiled down at her, "I do believe that there's a certain someone who doesn't seem to be very happy."
"There is?" She asked. Oh he loved the way she looked when she was curious: her lips parted slightly- teasingly, in his mind- and only one of her eyebrows rose to question him; it gave her eyes a certain gleam in them, and a light glare of authority that he found himself uncharacteristically crumbling under. He swayed around till she got a perfect view of a table, where a couple detrimental to today's happenings sat.
"Fuji has been looking apprehensive since last week, it's hard to assume that it's not about the little peasant."
Hitomi smiled at the nickname. Atobe's name for Kamiko had stuck since the beginning of their friendship, and it was always odd to see her boyfriend- husband -calling the woman a little peasant when everyone was well into their twenties. Had it really been that long? Her teenage years had been such a blur, except for the most important parts; and Atobe seemed to be in a lot of that.
"And this means?"
"Tezuka told me that Fuji has had a ring for nine months, hidden in his pocket at all times."
"What?! And he let us get married first?!" The song ended, transitioning to a quicker beat, and Hitomi pulled Atobe off the dance floor, "He's proposing today whether he likes it or not, I'll make sure of it!"
His wife already left him standing alone beside Shitenhoji, and Shiraishi laughed, "Congrats, Atobe. So who's the lucky fellow that Atobe-chan is helping?"
"The little peasant and her tensai boyfriend," Atobe smirked, giving a nod of appreciation at Shiraishi using Atobe's family name for Hitomi, "It seems like we cut in line on the list of marriage."
"Ah, but your wife isn't one for subtlety, now is she?" Kenya watched as Hitomi strode over towards Seigaku's table.
"She never was." Atobe nodded again, after excusing himself he quickly caught up to his wife in no time at all.
"Greet the other tables as well," His arm quickly went around her waist, and Hitomi courteously greeted each table with smiles and laughs, even pictures. Atobe made sure that Seishun's alumni table was last, "Ha~h? Where did that little peasant go?"
"Maneuvering her way around the wedding to get Ryoma and Ryuzaki to dance." Momo snickered, "Congrats!"
"Thank you!" Hitomi sat down in Kamiko's seat, and Atobe placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Hitomi." His tone suggested that she be cautious of how she was going to confront the tensai.
Hitomi placed her hand on his to show she had heard Atobe, and looked at Fuji, "Why haven't you proposed to the woman of your dreams yet?"
'As subtle as a pile driver.' Atobe thought to himself, not minding how she had completely disregarded him. Okay, he did mind, but he had known Hitomi long enough, and he knew that she would certainly get her way today. Even if he had to step in himself to help her get her way, because it was their wedding day, after all, and he would accept no less than Hitomi's utmost happiest mood.
"What gave you the impression that I haven't yet?" Fuji glanced at Tezuka, who was sternly glaring at Atobe. It seems the exchange of looks amused Hitomi.
She tapped his breast pocket, and looked unimpressed at hearing a hollow tap, "The ring you've had for nine months is still in your pocket. Atobe and I were engaged for only five, Kamiko could have been married by now!'"
"Saa, well-"
"It's not like she'll say no, Fuji. It'd be stupid to think that she ever would!"
"H-"
"It's my day. So you go out onto that dance floor right now and propose to her so I can be happy."
"A-ah...Hitomi," Fuji was surprised as Hitomi pulled Fuji towards the dance floor, and she laughed at the confusion of the tensai, who let his worries go for the sake of the woman and danced along with her to the slow song. She hadn't laughed this much for as long as he'd known her, for she was fairly calm in public. 'Love does change people.'
Fuji himself had grown and matured, becoming serious in anything he did (when it was for Kamiko, of course). It was the reason why he had such a difficult time coming up with ways to ask for Kamiko's hand in marriage. He only ever had doubts about how he could accomplish anything when it came to the elder Echizen, because when it came to her he felt like a complete idiot. Before, it took all of Fuji's willpower to not go all out and try to impress her, or show her how strong he was or how talented he was because he simply thought that it wasn't enough- so why go all out now when he can impress her later? After middle school and high school nothing could stop him, he vowed to impress her with every fiber of his being because she knew. Years of tennis playing and training together meant she knew that he was never really serious about the sport. He wanted to show her that he could be serious, with anything and everything. Growing up with her, dating her, and just being with her made him who he was today, and he wanted her there with him forever. But any (rare) time he did gather the courage to ask forces outside of his control would stop him.
"There's a reason why I want you to propose to her so badly, you know that don't you?" Hitomi asked through the dance.
Fuji shook his head, "No, I can't say I do."
"I want the godparents of my child to be married."
Fuji froze, and it suddenly made sense why the woman was already glowing when she arrived at the church, or why she only accepted the minimal amount of alcohol. Everyone had assumed it was the wedding excitement (and she was practically infamous at special events for claiming that she had a low resistance to alcohol). It never occurred to Fuji that she was pregnant with Atobe's child. This was why she was so happy. She smiled fondly at Fuji and stepped back.
"I took so many tests just to be sure, but they all ended up the same." She explained with a big smile, "Keigo doesn't know yet."
The two stopping on the dance floor had gotten everyone around them to stop, and all eyes were suddenly on the two. Being able to shock Fuji into freezing up and saying nothing, with his mouth open and his blue eyes wide, was a feat that only few people could say they accomplished. Hitomi dismissed this fact and found the microphone- there was always a microphone when Atobe hosted an event -and stood next to Fuji.
"Kamiko," Hitomi called out, "Your boyfriend has something important to tell you, something that he's been trying to tell you for the last half year."
Kamiko's eyes were wide as she approached the two, not fully understanding what was going on. But she could almost tell, maybe. When she saw Fuji's apprehensive state Kamiko felt anxious herself. No, it couldn't be true, could it? Why would he ask now?
Hitomi cleared her throat expectantly at the still man beside her, and rolled her eyes with a smile before nudging him in the shoulder, "Take the mic and walk, Fuji-kun."
Fuji could see the expectation in everyone's eyes, and composed himself well. They all had known this day was to come, some had even made a pool as to when Kamiko and Fuji would be engaged. The tensai could see how amusing it was for everyone, especially Hitomi, since she instigated the whole ordeal.
Luckily- for Fuji -he had never grown out of his viciously troublesome side.
"Saa, Ko-chan," Kamiko smiled nervously at the nickname, "I guess being... outgoing is contagious in the Atobe family-" Guests laughed at Fuji's joke, "But Hitomi asked for a special present for her wedding, and I told her we would give her that gift."
Kamiko's view of Fuji suddenly became a view of Hitomi, as he gestured to the newly wed while reaching out for Kamiko's hand.
"She asked for married godparents to care for and spoil her expected child."
"Fuji!" The red on Hitomi's face was accented by the white she wore.
Kenya sputtered out his drink, and choked until Zaizen had hit him in the back, "What did he say?!"
"Mada Mada Dane." Ryoma smiled, watching the growing happiness on his cousin's face and the embarrassed smile on Hitomi's.
"Not such a white gown after all..." Niou commented with a smirk from his table.
"I hope you're not reconsidering your decision." Fuji chuckled while the guests were clapping and cheering. Hitomi grabbed the microphone away from the 'bastard' (as she quietly called him that at the moment) and tried her best to glare, though the smile on her face kept showing through.
"I was going to tell him later tonight!" She scolded Fuji, but felt the microphone slip away and her body being maneuvered to turn towards Atobe.
"You're pregnant?" He asked.
Atobe's hands traveled up to gently hold both sides of her face, with their bodies so close to each other's and his eyes looking into hers, searching for confirmation. He found the answer soon enough, and smiled. It was a smile that Hitomi had never been familiar with before, not even when the two were alone, not even after he had wedded her. It was filled with so much happiness, so big with pride and joy that Hitomi thought for just a second that the two were all alone in a room, because Atobe would never show this much lack of composure to anyone other than her.
"I found out before I left this morning." She grinned, placing a hand over his, and using her other hand to hold onto his wrist (the euphoric emotions and the never ending joy of it all, not to mention how close she was with Atobe right now, was making her lightheaded); she hadn't realized that their foreheads were touching, and that their eyes never left each other's.
"This time I am truly awed by the sight of you."
Before she could reply he had captured her lips with his, and she had gladly responded by parting her lips to deepen the kiss. The passionate moment lasted no more than ten seconds, but it was enough to bring the whole palace of people to cheer loudly and coo at the couples (for Kamiko and Fuji had shared a kiss as well) with 'oohs' and 'awws'.
Shishido crossed his arms and shook his head at the sight of the two, and even sighed when Fuji bent down on one knee and slid the engagement ring onto Kamiko's finger.
"Che, this is as gaudy as it gets."
"Shishido-san, I'm pretty sure you were smiling through it all."
"I wouldn't be that lame."
Chotarou chuckled, "Shishido-san, I saw you crying at the ceremony."
"For the last time, Chotarou: someone threw rice into my eye!"
Chotarou let his friend be, seeing as the argument would circle until they were interrupted. He looked around the reception as people came around to congratulate the couples. Yuuta looked a lot like Shishido, seeing as how the two were downplaying their true happiness in order to remain macho, and Chotarou noted how Kintarou had jumped onto the table, causing some dishes and glasses to fly around. Chotarou saw the path that they were going and was about to call out to inform an auburn haired girl that had the misfortune of being in the way, until she was suddenly pulled to safety by Ryoma. Luckily, Kamio had caught the dishes and glasses before any could break, and while Sengoku thanked his lucky stars for the sudden dessert landing on his plate Niou had taken a picture of the girl and Ryoma holding her, catching also the moment where Kei had stolen food from Aoi.
"I don't think it's gaudy, just eccentric; as we always are."
Disclaimer: I do not own any characters/plot/etc., of the PoT manga/anime.