I wanted to write something cute with Riku and Naminé. It sort of morphed into something else, though still cute. It actually is someone else's wedding day, but from my own experience, what everyone else does at a wedding besides the bride and groom is much more interesting.
Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Heart nor do I make any money from this.
Author's note: Another thingie I wrote in my journal. When I complete Leveling Up Pains, this specific story could be considered a sequel to something I have planned to write. It's another multi-chapter story (probably won't be writing it for a while). Just know that Naminé and two other Nobodies are about and brought back because we just love them.
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The wedding turned out to be a beautiful celebration. Full of flowers and smiles and laughter and tears. Not bad tear, but tears of joy. Everything was simply perfect.
Okay, the wedding had to be moved inside because it rained during the actual vows of joining forever, but it stopped by the time the formal ceremony ended. Actually, the cooled air caused by the rain felt nice and the flowers shimmered from dew-drops. And this one part where the leader of precession, the spiritual head of Destiny Island and three-year straight champion surfer accidentally said the bride's last name instead of the groom's as the taken name. Everyone got a good laugh out of it.
Tidus then commented, "That's how this marriage is gonna be anyways!" More laughter sprung.
Want made this wedding much different then the typical Destiny Island wedding were guests from "other islands" appeared. This was the story told by close family and friends. There was a scarred man who remained silent to anyone who approached him, but even he smiled at the couple's first kiss; a young woman, only a year or two older then the bride, who cried and cheered almost too louder at certain points of the service but; one older gentle who constantly had a cigarette hang out of his mouth kept her in check well enough until the first physical join of the union was present; and a gentle lady who helped with the flower arrangement cried tears of joy after hearing the words joining them as one.
There was also five older women who though did not severe on the bridal party, huddled around the woman before the marriage ceremony. They all took spots on the brides family, yet it was impossible for any of them to be part of her family. Not counted the fact Kairi was adopted, each woman was quite different in looks, posture, attire, and age: One with long brunette strands tied back in a braid with gentle brown eyes and an equally gentle voice; a fiery woman with skin backed like pottery and thick, luscious black hair spilling out past her waist who smirked the whole time; a shy lady with slightly curly ash blonde hair and deep blue eye that sparkled with hope; a striking woman with hair like the sun and large violet eyes who carried herself proud; and a petite lady with bobby-ink mane with pretty little eyes and an almost child-like nature in her voice. All, however, were earthly beauties. There was talk of a six girl (with perfect blond hair and black bows and a blue dress) who had an invitation sent, but she could only appeared in 'spirit' through a gift delivered some how, some way. Each woman that came was accompanied by various regal (and in one case, un-regal) breeds of men. Though of these five, only two couples stayed after the vows.
On another planet, in one palace, a large blue man and a loud parrot kept watch. At the same time in a castle once silverware servants half-kick their master out so he could actually enjoy himself with the lady of the home.
Then worth mention next were the rather strange looking guest that arrived on the groom's side. The cluster tended to be on the small size except for the rather large man with buck teeth. Along with this man were two couples: two that looked to have large, round ears and two that looked to be on the "pale" side. Include in the quintet was a large, yellow dog and two little…chipmunks? Usually pets were not aloud for any reason, but the newly-weds insisted. Besides, they were rather behaved compared to the one little lady with dark hair on the bride's side that constantly called out for everything.
The night was filled with a typical island cook-out and a final ceremony: A celebration among the stars and ocean. Then the baptism in the ocean completed most of the official parts.
The best man faced the ocean from his spot to the side. They original planned to do the whole reception on their island, but with some many people, it was forcibly decided that the childhood play land would be too small. Beside, it served as a good parking spot for out-of-island visitors.
Riku was not hiding. No, he was around for the whole ceremony and before such as him helping with clothing for Sora. The tradition was a white, off-white, or gray shirt and tanned pants with hand-made sandals. He also helped Wakka with setting up music. Not including all emotional things outside of the wedding. This included but not limited to him and Tidus talking Sora out of the bathroom when he had a panic attack them not having the reception at their island. Then him and Selphie talking Kairi out of the bathroom when she panicked about the seating arrangements. But at the end, he stood side by side with Sora and stared with him when Kairi walked down the pathway.
Someone chimed a bell, indicating it was time for the newly-made couple to kiss again. And did they obey. Their reward were loud cheers. Riku let out a quiet laugh, but kept spinning the bit of plant life in his hand.
"Here." A piece of cake slide to the side of him, away from sand by the small, smooth rock to his right as a familiar figure stood near in front of him. Unlike the groom's men, who's uniforms different from the head man's by lieues around their neck, the bride's maids wore a slightly different dress. The wedding gown varied in shape and color, though usually stayed a light tint. In old tradition, the choice of dyes demonstrated the set of mind of the bride. Kairi's ensemble was a light purple, denoting some emotions or another that Riku could not remember, but he thought it might have been fidelity or dedication. Riku was not around for that choice in clothing. The bride's maids complemented their bride. The decided color was light pink with a touch of orange and creamy white-cherry sash to complete the design. Riku never thought Naminé was suited for this color scheme, but it matched her well. Unlike the other bride's maids, even the maid-of-honor, the blonde woman had a shoulder full of sea-reefs that popped against the dress and herself. "You forgot your piece." She took the spot next to him and turned to her own dessert.
He mumbled a thanks and set the plant-life in his hand to the side for a moment so he could 'dig in.' He was not particular hungry: He ate his fill when all the wedding team sat at the head table. Only a third of the precession actually sat at the table now, including the young groom and bride. Riku was glad they decided to have the marriage ceremony on Destiny Island instead of trying for Radiant Garden. He heard the men had to wear stiff suits and the bride wore a big, white dress. How…uncomfortable sounding. He already saw the usual attire worn at Disney Castle and what their parties entitled. Why do that on a wedding day? The point was to be happy, not formal.
Though it explained why the Restoration Committee wore some…strange costumes not appropriate for island life. Nothing too bad or too formal or too heavy that would make them sweat to death, thankfully. The girls were smart enough to discard useless shoes and Leon already shed an over-coat while Cid decided that a cummerbund was retarded.
Hiding?" The girl asked quietly. Not a hounding, but just plain curiosity.
"No…thinking." Actually, he was working on something else before she came, but with Naminé here, he turned to thinking.
She smiled, "Brooding?" She meant it as a harmless joke; she did not think he was, unlike most of his friends when they asked.
"No."
She let out a small giggle and kept chewing on her piece of cake.
The sun fell a little more to tint the sky a weird lighter-but-deeper shade of blue, but not quiet sunset yet. It was interesting to see Tidus talking to a little corner without anyone near him. But Riku spotted two little pixies hovering just above him; one dark one pointing and one yellow one giggling. He guessed where the third one of the bunch was hiding. Or at least who she was near. In another area, Selphie was conversing with Yuffie, where an obviously freaked-out Leon watched the two prattle on. Ever time he moved, on of the girls grabbed his arm and kept him in place.
"You did good with the purity ceremony." He comments and set his plate down.
Naminé shrugged and swallowed a bit of the baked good, "Kairi wanted me to. She felt bad." Her gaze turned to the bride in question. "She didn't need to apologize. I understand. Selphie's her best friend and they already promised." A small, sad smile, "I wasn't even alive at the time."
"They were worried you would feel left out, just being a bride's maid." He grinned, remembering it started another bathroom argument of despair.
Naminé shook her head. "No, I liked my part. A lot." Her fingers went to the green wrappings. "Only female-blood relatives can purify with the bride. She was going to have her mother…" A shy smile formed in the place of the previous one, "I did it, though."
"You are blood relative now anyways." He felt the need to stress this point. He had no idea why.
She looked to blush a little, but still held the sweet grin. In fact, it grew, "She called me sister for it." Even Riku smile. "She looked so tiny next to you."
"Who?"
"Selphie." She crossed her arms over herself. Not for reinsurance to herself or because she felt upset, just a force of habbit. She set down her empty plate and played again with the organic necklace. "I think she did such a good job with the reefs. She's been a good maid-of-honor. She made sure everything made it to the deadline." She slightly giggled. Riku knew where the laughter came from, as the threats Selphie made to everyone with a sweet voice and an equally sweet smile that if anything messed up, she would use her jump robes to hang all by their ankles were quite hard to forget. The blond looked up at Riku. "You were a good best man, too."
He let out a sputter of laughter. "Yes, I deserve a reward for holding out with that bum. He was getting to me at his suddenly 'nervous brain farts' he had, or, 'Oh no, Kairi has to be called Mrs. now; everyone will think she is old. '" The man palmed his forehead. "Where do you even begin to get that thought started?"
"Mrs. Kairi does sounds old." It was surprisingly how she said it with a straight face.
"Yah, it's still stupid." Riku tossed his head back. "I'm glad he finally asked." He let a grin spill over his face. "She was about ready to make the proposal herself."
A strange silence settle between the little corner they occupied. Anyone could see the genuine happiness radiating from Riku with each spoken word, but…
"You seem discourage." Naminé comment and slowly took his hand into hers.
He did not pulled away as he looked at his current companion. "What? No, I'm not." He words spoke truth, but the former witch saw the underline upset hidden behind his orbs. Though he might not be too upset by her suggestion: He never pulled his hand away.
But her deep, blue eyes stared at him with concern and curiosity. It was quiet strange. On Kairi, they always appeared to hold the color of dark blue-violet, almost a color he only saw in the sky opposite of the setting sun. In Naminé, the looked to be navy; a placid lake. It was curious, considering they were the same shade of blue. Roxas' and Sora's eyes, no matter which boy was being watched, could never be mistaken for different colors. The blonde girl's smile shown different then her other. "You aren't sad." And the voice, unlike Kairi's riotous tone, held a quiet timer, "But something else…compunction?"
He opened his mouth to defend himself, but any protest went quiet. No, he did not feel any sadness. But maybe there was some truth to it. He took a deep breath. "Not so much that, but…"
A loud cheer. Someone played music. Obviously, someone decided it was time to pull out the Karaoke stand. Someone was pushed to the stage. A familiar set of a half-curled toe-head was practically dropped in front of everyone with a mike. He looked ready to leave, but the groom started to screech for his "cousin" to sing for everyone. What choice did the poor, unfortunate soul have? As a song was (and possible songs were) decided on, the blushing bride decided she wanted to dance on the center stage. She dragged him out by the collar. If he made any protest, they quickly were silenced by a kiss right in the middle of the dance floor. He pouted a little after the kiss ended, but he gladly took his bride in his arms and started to spin around. Neither were quite the graceful of dancers, but they smiled and giggled and just looked at each other. Even the rather put-upon singer finally smirked while he sang.
"I'm not a part of this." It was such a simple statement. Naminé did not say anything, just closed her hand tighter around his fingers. She waited patiently. By now, Riku knew she excepted him to continue. It was fine to spill everything to her. "It's always been us. I mean, we've always been a group when we were kids and…" The silence last only a few seconds, but showed visible how carefully he needed to think of each word. Riku soon continued on, "After coming home, it was us again, but this…this I can't be a part of. It is kind of hitting now; They're both still my friends, but they are a couple and though I really don't want to be a part of that…I'm not a part of that." He sighed, "I hate that I feel envious of it a little. I'm better then that."
Naminé made no protest, no exclamation that it was okay, offered nothing in offense or defense. She let him poor out his feelings to her before she began any type or reply. Her reply was only this, "What are you envious of?"
Confusion washed over his face. He stared down at the petite girl and replied only with this, "What?"
"What or who are you envious of?"
Riku opened his mouth, to possible call out a name, but no sound passed his maw. There was a name just on the edge of his tongue, but it would never be a total truth. He let go of the petite woman's handsand had a nice, good think. He started at the happy moment in strange, new life. "I…I don't really know." The thought scared him, not only the implications behind this revelation, but he never pondered on the subject.
No, he knew and he saw. He just needed to hear the actual words uttered to his face. If he even started to grasped this, he swallowed those thoughts and blamed in on the darkness in his heart.
The small hand went to his shoulders and called so quietly, "It's okay."
"I just…It's not…" How to word it correctly? It took a bit of thinking. "They mean different things to me." He leaned back and crossed his arms, looking more like himself at the moment. "Kairi's the first girl I noticed. Getting older…I started to noticed those important differences between boys and girls. Needed to show off back then which led to a lot of other things. And…" He was not yet ready to admit anything beyond that; it would merely be redundant.
Naminé supplied some sound for them, "But now that you think about, there is also another color to this shade of green?"
He snorted. Not for irony, but he liked how she described it. She usually was more one to give sagely advice, not pull out the poetics. "Yah, I don't know." He looked again to the couple. "It's weird too…think like that." The man sighed and put his hands behind his head. "Though I guess…I'm not loosing my best friend, either. That's a whole different aspect of things. He's my other half, pretty much." He held his hands high and shrugged.
"Just…both of them married each other. At the same time…they are married now. Meaning…me thinking selfish thoughts. I think I'll miss both of them." He really hated try describe these thoughts.
"Are you still happy, though?"
That took only a second to think about and never have it be too complicated, "Very." It was also the truth.
She nodded. A silence settled over between these two while another two guest arrived. One was a dark haired, dark eyed woman who on this special occasion wore a dress that did perfect justice for her perfect curves. Accompanied with her was a canary-yellow barbed maned stocky man clothed in a rather sharp tux. They looked perfect and beautiful together, but very out of place on the beach. Riku smirked and watched Aerith step up to them with hugs. When they approached the heads of the wedding, Sora laughed and pointed at the black and white outfit and those stiletto sandals. Kairi punched his shoulder for belittling Cloud and Tifa.
In retrospect, maybe the wedding party should have informed on the special invitations about more "appropriate attire." Though the swordsman actually did not feel like coming to this celebration. Not because of his usually act of keeping distance. As confessed in secret to Riku was quote, "I do not want to give Tifa ideas because I know I'm going to be the one in the dress." It probably would have been more laughable if it was less believable. Actually, it probably made it more laughable.
"Is that why you like me?"
The white-haired man blink from the memory and fixed on the girl to his side. The comment came from their earlier conversation. She was after all an ocean wave; a girl made from the sky and the sea. He paused, wondered if this was something he needed to be concerned for.
But no, she wore quite the mischievous grin. She looked to have made a funny joke. Maybe it was one. It made him let out a low chuckle, "Maybe, who really knows? I like to think I like you because you are you."
"I like that, too." Such conversation would seem strange, but between the two, it worked fine. They stood closer together as the sunbeams started disappearing behind the ocean coast. Some of the island residence left for home, because they were warn out or had work tomorrow. Others started to follow the leading couple and dance. A secret vote on the most graceful dancers was a certain belle named appropriately named Belle and her orange-red companion, a dashing man who merely confirmed himself to being the guest with the lady. Even the seasoned islanders were impressed how easily they shuffled. Fires were lit and spread around ever section of the area. People started to feel a little less careful with liquor in their system.
A rather low-sounding horn echoed over the sand. Sora had vanished for a few moment while everyone else dance, but he came back robed. It was Riku's turn to get up and join his friend again. Like the bride, the groom had his own set of formal procedures.
The first test: A test of fire. The coals were laid out. The residence off-world looked with confusion and concerned, but the rest of the islanders cheered. Sora took off his sandals, handed them to his bride, and skimmed across the hot path. Hisses came from his breath, but he made it over, ducked his feet in the ocean, and took deep gulps of breath; looking a little red, but grinning. He held up his feet. No blisters. Everyone cheered.
Next he was pulled out of the water and set around a place marked with various urns. Riku picked one up and perched up one above Sora's head. He did fairly well considering the size of the pot. It still fell off his spikes. Riku helped with putting another one. It appeared to be fuller then the last as some water spilled out with every movement. It soon toppled after. But another jug was put on his head. This one filled to the brim. It lasted longer then the previous pitchers. It was hard to determine if he did good or not, but the groom's crowed laughed and patted him on the back.
Now the next test: A test of fear. Riku took a blind fold and tied it around his eye. Sora shivered a little, butstill bore a grin. The male party guided him over to a cliff.
Naminé watched with something like curiosity. Sora leaned over and whispered something in Roxas' ear. In a similar fashion of Kairi, Sora confessed his own problems. Instead of sins, it would be his fear. Again, a family member needed to help with this part of the bridal and there was no father or brother for Sora so cousin would be used. Roxas counted for that family relation. He also guided him up the path to the top. She smiled and looked over to the bottom of the cliff. Riku, Tidus, and Wakka took their places, a cloth blanket held between them.
Finally at the top, Roxas asked loud enough for everyone to hear if Sora wished to remove his blindfold. Sora bore a near-leer and shook his head. Roxas led him to the edge. He asked again in the same clear voice if he need a push or not. Sora made another head shake and asked to be situated to the end.
The petite woman moved where she was needed. Kairi twisted in her place. Naminé understood her feelings. They both knew Sora would be fine, but what if something happened. None of them could prevent it. The former Nobody quickly moved next to the redhead and grasped her shoulder. Kairi never took her eyes away from the cliff, but reached a hand behind to place over the identical one on her.
Sora took a step forward. There was nothing below the foot so he plummeted. Naminé let out an audible gasp but the near keen Kairi let out covered the sound. Though the loudest sound were the various squawk from Donald, squeak from Minnie, and near shout from Goofy.
Skin hit cloth. The three men strained to keep it the falling Sora from crashing into the ground. He bounced a few times before they laid down the covering flat on the beach. Everyone paused and held their breath (besides Mickey and Daisy, restraining the head knight at Disney castle and it's Court Mage). Then a hand waved in the air. Riku pulled his best friend up, then lifted said hand up high like a winner of a marathon.
Kairi and Naminé out identical held breaths. The honored woman of the day stood up soon after, cradling the sandals against her. Here it was. Would the bride accept these tests of valor?
She and Sora were brought in front of one another. He waited, his face comprised of adriline, fear, and mirth; they all were plastered on his face.
First she whacked him upside the head with the home-made foot-attire, called him an idiot, then smiled widely and without warning grabbed at his ankle. He soon toppled in the sand as his wife pushed on each sandal to the appropriate foot. All the islanders laughed at the display. Traditionally, the bride would ask her man to take a seat and she would perform the service a little more gentling. But this was a good sign. The mother of the groom had tears in her eyes from laughter. So had Disney's head knight and little cheerful peeps from Chip and Dale.
There was symbolism behind each part of the wedding. Traditions passed down from times forgotten. The sandals represented the house, the upkeep, the marriage. He gave her the sandals, asking would she keep his home while he went out to fight for her and hunt for her? She took it to signal she would. He experienced various deeds to prove his worth to her. A long time ago, the test were more hazards: red coals were replaced with bright flames, water bowls were once rocks, and the cliff was a fall straight into the ocean while the community men rescued him. Once upon a time, young man died on their wedding day to please his bride's family. But now, the rites were more or less just harmless games the boys could do at the wedding. No one ever expected a wife to turn down her husband because he burned his foot. The cliff drop itself was a shear drop from about two stories onto a small bed of coast where he could suffer only at the most a broken arm. A wedding death had not happened since anyone could remember.
But this bit of madness was over and everyone when back to mingling as well as taking turns dancing with the two. Naminé smiled and simply watched various turns and trouts and trips performed. A large hand appeared in front of her eyes. She looked up and stared at a beaming Riku. She blinded, then grabbed the hand with her much smaller and much paler palm.
(On a side note if anyone notice, Tifa pulled of those uncomfortable high sandals and gave them for Cloud to hold while she used his free hand to guide them around in something of a waltz)
Soon the rest of the Tiki torches were lit, keeping the beach as bright as if it were daytime. Various folks came out toting devil sticks and setting the edges aflamed. Jasmine grabbed a torch on the side, took a swig of something, and breathed fire, making many of the children 'oooh' and 'ahh.' Aladdin tried, but he accidentally chocked on the drink, making many of the children go into a giggling fit. Aladdin eventually got a hold of some bottle and started juggling container. His princess found that to be a better sport and soon convince them to start doing clown tricks with throws under legs and behind backs. It was quite a hit.
Naminé watched with interest and felt general impressed, but took a look at Sora and Kairi. They also watched the fire display, but made conversation and appreciated anyone who came with cheers.
"Naminé?"
"Hmmm?" She looked over at her own partner.
"Should we tell them we already married?" He kept his voice a near whisper. Riku had a bit of a grin on her face.
The fire players stopped their games. A roar came from the crowned. All cleared from the sand. Two performers came from the side. One with orange hair shaped like a torch. Another with red hair that fell in blood spikes. One was thick, stock, and built to take any amount of beating with cords of muscles on ever part of his frame. Another was thin, tall, and had the manufacture of a dance; lean strength on every inch, but no trace of fat. One had skin burnt a bronze from generics and sunlight with deep, cheerful black-brown eyes. Another had skin much too-pale for an islander with near too-bright green eyes.
It was near comical as both adored the same set of sheets over themselves as they moved identical and looked so different.
Wakka let out a call for the music. Axel made the preparations of the sticks of fire. Wakka grabbed a lit lamp tied to a wire and started spinning around his body. They looked to burn his skin, but the flames only licked him. Axel, of course, came out with a set of rings that smoldered on the outer part of their shell. He spanned the ablaze ornaments around. The blazes danced and looked to be alive with only the two man standing in the middle of them. Their arms and movements were different, but they turned and jumped and duck in perfect beat.
"Well…it is a bit complicated." Naminé's eyes settled anywhere by his. "I mean, we really had no real witnesses and really, we were both minors. And we also lied about our names; I think that's an automatic void of any contract." She rubbed her hands together. Her voice sounded a little nervous. Not of fear, but almost a light, hysterically happiness. She took a deep breath and settled her tiny hands against his broader chest, with a fey of a smile, "Besides, I don't think you can marry someone who didn't exist at the time."
There was no protest from Riku's part. Instead, he grinned and replied, "Or someone who is suppose to be dead." For once, the quite girl let out a distinguish girly giggle. He smirked and leaned down to give a light kiss on her forehead, only spurring more merry laughter from her.
A second song pounded on the drums. Double beats, but softer music. The bass made everyone's heart twitch. Lantern and disc were traded with identical sets of devil sticks. They hit the sticks together for a paused, then performed a mock battle. The movements were not hard and not to fast. It was choreograph, but each hit, each slight yell, each bit of ash flashing off with ever spin looked entrancing under the darken sky. At the end, they sped up and repeated the same move over and over again; each swing a stick while the other ducked over and over. It ended with the sticks cross one, two, three, four, five time, spin, hit. One, two, three, four, five time, spin hit. And the drums cut out when they did. This time some audience 'ooohed' and 'ahhhed' and the display.
Riku looked around. "Oh yah, I know what we planned, but someone…asked me if they could borrow the ring."
Naminé visible frowned, but it was more of a curious frown then an upset frown. "Someone borrowed it?" She looked a little sad.
Riku shook his head. "I'm not letting them keep it, but he wanted to be as proper as he could." Riku pulled out the piece of twine and grass he worked on earlier. Blades of stray reef and strands of sea-grass tied around a band set of strong, but pliable sticks of a small vine. Naminé gazed at it with fascination.
This next act, music and dance, was spurred by the Arabian Princess of Heart's little display. They passed flaming rags in bottles to one another. Laughter sprang out from crowed when a little monkey decided to join in. The disturbance was clearly identify when a certain street-rat called out, "ABU!" As the rascal decided to try and actually catch one of the bottles for whatever strange fancy. Only known to the monkey was his precious (*hat*) got caught on one of the bottle by mistake earlier. Both the performs had to be careful, but they could not stop now. It was easier to pretended it was merely part of the act.
The act itself ended a little after the hat was caught by the monkey, who's tail soon caught on fire. It was considered one of the highlights of this celebration.
"Not a special thing-" Riku would have continued, but by his surprise, he was cut off.
"I like it. It's warmer." And her smiled glowed, which was enough for Riku. But then an initiative glace appeared. "But who did you give it to?"
Wakka, thought thick in built, also was thick skinned. This helped with the wild tricks he performed and left him unmarred.
His partner, well, he was the Flurry of the Dancing Flames.
They bowed to the audience, then to each other.
"I think we'll wait one more act before we do ours.'" Riky commented and crossed his arms. The girl looked with confusion, but let it be and instead waited for the 'show' to being.
After shaking each other's hand and laughing, Wakka took it upon himself to start picking up the debris left scattered around while Axel ran up to the center strange. He shouted loud and clear, "I have an announcement to make! I applies for this and for me hogging the spotlight from our lovely new couple. Let's give them another cheer everyone!" Long arms pointed to Sora and Kairi. Kairi had decided Sora's lap served as a better seat then her own. She held a cup in her hand which she sipped on ever now and then. Sora did not mind so much; her fingers scraped against his scalped in such a nice way. He helped to refill Kairi's glass when it needed it, giggling. They decided it was easier to share one since most of the time both of Sora's hands were happily enjoying keeping his bride near him and touching her soft and warm skin without being too naughtier. And Kairi had no quarrel of using her non-rubbing hand to supply herself and her groom with drink, literally. It was cute, even if this made them a little tipsy.
Axel began again after the cheers and encouragement of more kissing were answered, "Aren't they simple the sweetest thing ever? They'll be having one heck of a honey moon and one great marriage." Laughter and more whooping from everyone. Kairi may have accidentally spilled a little wine on Sora's shirt, but as long as her dress stayed nice, neither really cared. "Like I said, I apologies for interrupting this occasion. Before I begin, would Roxas come up here?"
At the time before this supposed announcement, Roxas had been having a lovely chat. He paused when he first heard the shouting start. He already regretted hearing the voice speak. Because unfortunately he knew he would need to do it something about it or for him. It did not help his digestion track when it decided to attack itself at the mention of his name and his need to go up center stage. He let out a deep breath and left his conversation with several adults consisting of Tifa, Leon, The Prince, and Cloud (later confessed by Yuffie that the talk was about several ways to kill your enemy before they dropped on the ground).
Naminé gave a once-over at her partner just to see if he knew where this would lead to. Riku seemed to be expressing…smugness?
Roxas casually walked up to the stage and held a glare at the clearly taller gentleman. Axel grinned from ear to ear. He waited for the fair-haired one to stand in front of him before suddenly dropping to a knee.
"Oh." The equally fair-haired girl held a hand up to her lips and let just a little sound escape. Riku may have held a straight face, but his eyes danced with laughter. Axel indeed pulled out a white box. He opened it. The contents were a simple silver band. The red-head grinned while everyone else in some way or another dropped their drinks and their jaws, including Roxas. It was also easy to see Axel may have been a little drunk on something by his half-glazed gaze and the way it looked to be an effort for him to stay steady on one foot and one knee with his hands both held out without toppling over. It was also easy to hear Axel was drunk by the slur in his voice, "Baby, will'ou make and honesh man out of mean..me?"
The only change was Roxas' expression, still ever so subtle, slowly morphed from pure shock, to some mix of shock and confusion, to irritation and finally something like rage but not quite to the point of boiling over. A deep breath was visible by the rise and fall of his shoulders before his foot was used to make Axel fall on his bottom. There were a few gasped when Roxas turned about to walk away. Everyone did not know what to do or if they needed to say anything.
But…
Roxas stopped his stalk, took another breath, marched back, bent over, nearly took off Axel's shoulder when he yanked the box away from the slightly closed hand. He took the ring out of the box, slipped the little band over the appropriate ring finger, declared "Idiot," threw the box right on the other's chest (the spot he kicked), and continued his path away with a glare in his eyes and a crooked smile on his face.
And then the exclamations and talking and hilarity broke out. Loudest were the bride's shouts of, "GO GET HIM," the grooms' various cat-calls, and Goofy's rather shrilling whistling. Obviously the main couple had not a problem with this interruptions. Riku's chuckled deeply with Naminé kept her hand near her lips to hide the inappropriate smile on her face caused by her "brother's" actions.
Finally falling out of his hurt stupor, Axel bored his grin back on (it had been lost when his chest and "feelings" were hurt), and gave everyone a thumbs up. He stumbled after what was his with whines of, "Hey, come back to me! Hold on a second, Roxas!" The sand clearly did not help.
The artist turned and gave Riku a look, with a little pout on her lips and hands on her hips. This amused Riku more then the actual proposal just made before him. He saw this look on Kairi many times, but there was just a subtle difference. This looked held more of a 'I-can't-believe-you-did-this-and-I'll-ignore-you-later,' while his red-head friend's held a, 'I'll-hurt-you-later-for-doing-this-just-you-wait.' He grinned. "You'll get the ring back. Roxas will probably understand." The grinned turned into a rather evil leer, "Besides, I paid for it."
Naminé rolled her eyes, but soon giggled just a little. In the metaphorical sense, a light bulb clicked over her little toe-head. "Now, how do we top that?" She hummed this response and crossed her arms over her chest.
Riku blinked, but smiled an amusing smile and loosely placed both his arms around her shoulders. She looked up at him, wiggling herself against him just to be a little more comfortable. "I don't think we need to top anyone. Do you?"
She inhaled and exhaled a deep, content side with a pleasant smile, "No."
The man released one of his hand away from her shoulder, but the one remaining slid around her collar while she wrapped her own arm around his waist as they strolled up to reveal some more good news.
---
I had a lot of fun thinking up a bunch of island-like traditions as well as a few events that happened at weddings I witnessed. I hope everyone enjoyed those most.
Oh, and the poke fun at Tifa and Cloud: I saw a picture of their hypothetic wedding, which had Tifa in a tux and Cloud in the wedding dress. I think I laughed for nearly five minutes.