A/N – Holy crap that took a long time to write! Maybe it's because I'm single now and haven't been to a wedding in 14 years XD
This fic is inspired by From This Moment On by Shania Twain
The young woman let out a frustrated noise as she sits at her vanity with open tubes of makeup and hair products strewn across its surface. She had been up since dawn, the sun barely peeking above the horizon, trying to get ready but nothing was going well this morning, on this day of all days.
"It's still not right. Do it over!" She demands, pulling out the pins and gems out of her hair, her frantic hands knocking over a lamp on the vanity to the floor with a crash.
"No, Mari! Stop!" Her best friend cries, grabbing her hands to restrain her from doing anything more. "We don't have the time to do this over. The ceremony starts in about an hour."
Mari spins towards Dia, wrenching her arms free as she looks towards the clock next to her bed. 1:49pm. "No, no, this can't be right," she says as tears well in her eyes.
Dia pulls her out of the chair and walks her over to the edge of the bed, brushing the various wedding magazines to the floor. She pulls the blonde against her side, whispering a few nonsense words to calm her down while dabbing the corners of her eyes to keep the tears from ruining her makeup. She had never seen Mari act like this before, usually the girl was always so bubbly and happy. Dia could count on one hand the number of times Mari had been mad or truly upset in front of her.
"Mari, is something the matter?" Mari mumbled something, but the words are muffled by her hands and her sobs, so Dia asks her to repeat.
"What if this isn't a good idea, Dia? What if this is all a mistake? The last time I was close to marrying someone, they just up and left me. They couldn't deal with me anymore. Me and Kanan have a much better relationship than me or Kaito ever did, but we still argue sometimes and have disagreements. What if that amplifies after our wedding? What if things end like they did before?" Mari buries her face again into her hands as a fresh wave of tears flows forth. As Dia rubbed her back, she couldn't help but wonder how long Mari had been bottling up these feelings. Years had passed, but it wasn't until this moment that Dia realized how much Kaito leaving effected the blonde.
"Listen," Dia said softly, brushing a strand of hair behind Mari's ear, "Don't focus on the bad days, the hard times of your previous relationship but on the good moments you share now with Kanan. Your relationship with Kaito ended years ago Mari, so don't let those bad memories and feelings effect what you have with Kanan right now. That girl loves you more than anything else in the world and I know you feel the same!"
"I think Rina loves her even more than I do." Mari said with a small laugh.
"See Mari! You have both shared wonderful memories since then, many dates, birthdays, anniversaries, days,..."
"Nights," Mari adds cheekily, prompting Dia to roll her eyes.
"All I'm saying is Kanan loves you and you love her. Just focus on the moments that were filled with her love and affection, and you'll know in your heart that this is a good thing."
Mari sighs before giving her friend a smile. "You're right."
"Of course I'm right," Dia says as she drags Mari back before the mirror. "Now sit! I need to redo your makeup and finish your hair and you still aren't even in your dress yet."
xxxxx
"Will you stop fumbling with your tie?" Yoshiko yelled from her spot on the couch. Kanan had been standing in front of the mirror, trying to fix her tie for the past 10 minutes and if she didn't stop Yoshiko was gonna stuff that tie up her nose.
"Sorry, I'm just nervous." Kanan admitted, her cheeks turning pink.
"No shit." Yoshiko rolled her eyes. She got up and grabbed the purple tie, fixing it up. "Try to relax, ok Kanan?"
"Easier said than done." She told her sister with a sigh.
"Papa, when is the wedding gonna start?" Rina asked in a bored voice. She was wearing a beautiful, lilac colored, flower girls dress. Her hair was curled and pulled back with rhinestone covered clips.
"In one hour, little fish." Kanan slipped on her vest and looked over at the little girl, who was seated cross legged on the couch between her new Aunt Yoshiko and Aunt Riko. Rina had wanted to be with her mother before the wedding, but Dia claimed she would be too much of a distraction and shoved her with Kanan. "Hey Rina, I need some help with my buttons. Can you do them up for me?" Kanan asked.
"Of course!" Rina jumped off the couch and dragged over a small stepstool, excited to finally have something to do besides sit and wait. She placed it in front of her Papa and slowly started to button up the lilac colored vest. "Your vest is the same color as my dress." Rina pointed out.
"Yea it is." Kanan smiled. She watched quietly as Rina used her little fingers to push the buttons through the slits. Kanan felt her heart swell with love as she watched her soon-to-be daughter bite her bottom lip, her ruby colored eyes focusing hard on the task she was given.
"There all done!" Rina said proudly. Shining ruby eyes and a playful smile, Mari's smile, beamed up at Kanan and the woman felt her heart burst.
"Hey Rina, can I ask you a question?" Kanan knelt down on one knee and looked up at Rina softly. "I know I asked you before but I want to ask you this one more time." Kanan took one of Rina's hands in hers and squeezed it. "Is it ok if I marry your mommy today?"
"Of course!" Rina answered immediately. "I don't want anybody but you to be my Papa." Kanan let out a chuckle and nodded her head.
"Ok, just checking."
xxxxx
Kanan walked down the aisle and took her place beside the officiant, fiddling with her hands nervously since she knew Yoshiko would punch her if she began adjusting her tie again. Dia and Yoshiko were the first pair to walk down the aisle after Kanan. Dia was dressed in a lavender dress with a bouquet of purple and pink roses in her hands while Yoshiko wore a sharp black suit with a lavender vest and tie. They escorted each other down the aisle quietly before separating and going to their respective sides. Following them were their wives, Riko and Hanamaru, both of whom were dressed almost identically to their partners. Finally, there was Kanan's childhood friend Chika and her wife, You. Once Chika and You took their places beside Riko and Hanamaru respectively it was time for the flower girls. Rina and Yuuka walked side by side, both with huge smiles on their faces, as they scattered rose petals all down the aisle. Once the girls took their place beside Dia, the music changed and the crowd stood up in anticipation.
The minute Mari came into view, Kanan started crying. Her dress was pure white with purple and pink roses lining the bottom and top of her dress, matching the flower crown in her hair and bouquet in her hands. The soft music filled the room and Kanan couldn't take her eyes off her bride as she slowly made her way down the aisle.
"You are stunning." Kanan whispered in Mari's ear as they turned to face the officiant.
"So are you." Mari winked.
"It is now time to read your vows." The officiant told the couple and Kanan nearly fell over. She had completely zoned out and didn't realize how much time had passed. She was so busy trying to remember her vows and getting distracted by how beautiful Mari looked that she didn't pay attention to the ceremony at all. "You first Mari." The officiant said as Dia handed Mari an index card.
"Kanan." She read. "I always dreamed I would marry a prince. I dreamed that I would live in a beautiful town inside a large castle. As I grew up, life happened and stopped believing in that dream. When you came into my life Kanan, I found myself starting to believe in that dream again. You are the most selfless, loving, funny and hardworking person I know. You are my best friend, my lover, my partner in crime and my knight in shining armor. You are the best thing I never knew I needed and I couldn't have picked a better person to be Rina's Papa. Every once in a while, right in the middle of an ordinary life, love gives us a fairytale, and you were mine. I love you Kanan and even though forever is a long time, there is no one I'd rather spend it with."
"Kanan, your turn." Kanan put a shaking hand inside her pants pocket and pulled out a piece of paper, smoothing it out before she began reading.
"Mari, I could go on for hours about how much you mean to me. I never thought I would love someone the way I love you, you have changed my life in ways you don't even realize. You are funny, outgoing, cheerful, stubborn and sometimes oblivious, but I love it all. When you smile, everyone smiles with you because it's so infectious and I want to be the reason behind that smile, because you're the reason for mine. Thank you for letting me fix your tire in the parking lot that day. Thank you for agreeing to go out with me. Thank you for allowing me the honor of marrying you and thank you for giving me the honor of being Rina's Papa. You are the love that came without a warning. You had my heart before I could say no, and I wouldn't have it any other way."
Kanan took a breath and looked past Mari. "Can you come over here Little Fish?" Kanan asked, kneeling down on one knee, motioning to Rina to come over. Rina nodded and moved to stand in front of Mari, her flower girl basket clutched tightly in her hands.
"Rina. I wasn't there the day you were born. I didn't get to see your first steps, or hear your first words. But I was there on your first day of kindergarten and when you learned how to swim. I promise to be there for your first day of summer camp and I promise to be there for all your firsts to come. Just like your mother, you have changed my entire life and given life new meaning. I promise to protect you, support you and cherish every single moment I get to spend with you. But most importantly, I promise to love you unconditionally. On this day, I marry your mommy and become her wife, but I also marry you and become your Papa. I love you so much Little Fish, and I always will."
Kanan produced a tiny velvet and opened it to reveal a small silver ring with a (fake) heart shaped diamond on top. Kanan smiled at Rina and slipped the small ring onto her finger. Mari had no idea that Kanan was going to do this, and was finding it hard to control her tears as she watched Rina's face light up at the ring. The bride found herself wanting to cry even more when she watched Rina jump into Kanans arms, who scooped her up off the ground with ease. Kanan peppered kisses on the girls face as they hugged each other tightly.
Kanan eventually put Rina down, and allowed her to go back to her spot beside Yuuka and the two women faced each other, holding hands as the officiant began speaking.
"Love is the reason we are here. In marriage we not only say, 'I love you today', but also, 'I promise to love you for all of our tomorrows. Mari and Kanan, in the days ahead of you, there will be stormy times and good times, times of conflict and times of joy. I ask you to remember this advice: Never go to bed angry. Let your love be stronger than your anger. Learn the wisdom of compromise, for it is better to bend than to break. Believe the best of your beloved rather than the worst. Confide in your partner and ask for help when you need it. Remember that true friendship is the basis for any lasting relationship. Give your spouse the same courtesies and kindnesses you bestow on your friends and say 'I love you' every day."
"Mari, with this understanding, do you take Kanan to be your wedded wife to live together in marriage? Do you promise to love her, comfort her, honor and keep her for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, forsaking all others and to be faithful only to her, so long as you both shall live?"
"I do."
"Kanan, with this understanding, do you take Mari to be your wedded wife, to live together in marriage? Do you promise to love her, comfort her, honor and keep her, for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, forsaking all others and to be faithful only to her, so long as you both shall live?"
"I do."
"Then with the power granted to me, I now pronounce you wife and wife." The officiant spoke loudly. "You may now kiss the bride." Kanan instantly wrapped her arms around Maris waist and kissed her wife solidly on the lips. "Now for the first time!" The officiant spoke once the two had separated. "I present to you, Mrs. and Mrs. Kanan Matsuura!" Kanan grabbed Mari's hand and walked her back down the aisle, both women sporting a giant grin.
xxxx
"Ok, just need both of you to sign right here and it will become official."
It was a week after the wedding and the Matsuura family was sitting in large office with papers scattered around the small desk. The two women looked over the slip of paper that was handed to them and read it over one last time.
"It looks good to me." Kanan smiled, signing the paper and handing it to Mari. Mari looked over at Rina, who was sitting on Kanan's lap, and nodded in agreement. Rina wiggled excitedly as she watched her mother sign the paper and hand it back.
"Ok then, I'll go make a copy of this paper right now. The copy will serve as a temporary document until the official one comes in the mail. I'll be right back." The woman smiled, grabbing the papers off the table and leaving the room. A few minutes later she walked back inside and handed the family a piece of paper.
"There you go. Kanan Matsuura joins Mari Matsuura as the legal guardian of Rina Matsuura." She announced. "I need to go submit this paperwork now. You're free to go. Congratulations."
"How does it feel to officially be a Matsuura?" Kanan asked playfully as they left the office building
"It feels really good!" Rina cheered. "I'm really glad you're my Papa."
"I'm glad you're my daughter." She smiled, picking Rina and sitting her down on her shoulders. "Now come on, lets go get some ice cream to celebrate."
Kanan held onto Rina's legs securely with Mari walking beside her, their elbows interlocked, as Rina held Kanan's head for balance. The three Matsuuras walking together down the street as an official, legal, family for the first time.
So, in this fic I mention the background couples, DiaMaru, YoshRiko and ChikaYou. I have a confession though...I don't ship any of those couples at all! I only chose those ships because they are very popular and when I wrote the first fic, She Didn't Have Time, I didn't really ship anyone but KanaMari.
My OTPs for Aqours are KanaMari, YoshMaru, RikoYou, RubyLeah and DiaSarah. I also ship DiaKanaMari and ChikaYouRiko.
Don't worry though, I don't intend to change the ships I have canonized in this series and they will be featured in upcoming one-shots.
Comments make my world go 'round! The more you leave, the faster I'll write more oneshots!~
Forever&Always,
Kimmie