Planning Ever After
"You are hence invited to the wedding of Cinder Linh and Kaito Prince on August 27. We hope you are able to celebrate with us and ..." Thorne trailed off, looking up from the papers that Cinder had handed him. They were obviously ripped from a notebook (not very clean either) and while it was clear that she had painstakingly tried to be neat, the handwriting was still a bit messy and the corners were smudged. It was exactly what he would expect from Cinder. "What is this?"
Cinder scoffed at him. "What do you think it is? It's the wedding invitation. Sort of," she added.
"Sort of is right. This is hardly fit for a party invitation that a teenager hands out when his parents are out of town." Thorne cocked an eyebrow at his scornful-looking best friend. To make his point, he held up the paper with the invitation text again, making sure to also point to the smudges and the writing itself—especially the ridiculous use of "hence".
"Hey, don't make fun of it," Cinder huffed, obviously embarrassed but trying not to show it. "It's just the notes and a few ideas. Look, the guest list is on the other papers."
Thorne skimmed them and indeed, there was the guest list scribbled down. He was actually surprised by how long it was. Page after page of names even Thorne didn't recognize. He thought his friends were trying to go for something smaller. "That many?"
"Unfortunately." It was Kai who answered. He carried in a few drinks and a tray of hot, steaming mini pork buns - Thorne's favorite. They were from a small restaurant on the other side of the city, so Cinder and Kai never bothered to get those for him, except on very special occasions.
The fact that they seemed to have made an effort to get him the coveted treats for a simple get-together would've made him suspicious if he weren't already distracted by the mouth-watering scent wafting into the room. There was also an array of other dumplings, shrimp wonton, rice with steamed vegetable and Crab Rangoon - another of Thorne's favorites that Cinder and Kai usually reprimanded him for, since it apparently wasn't an authentic Chinese dish.
As if Thorne cared about that.
Thorne and Cinder helped Kai arrange the dishes, handed around napkins and chopsticks, and started eating. Thorne was already chewing on his fourth pork bun - he was trying to get a headstart before Kai and Cinder switched from the other food- when he pointed his chopsticks at Kai. "So, why so many people?"
"Manners, Thorne," Cinder reminded him, although it would have been more effective if his friend's mouth weren't equally full when she said it. They grinned at each other, while Kai, proper as always, carefully chewed and swallowed before answering.
"Not by choice, actually," Kai said. "But I will have to invite party members, ministers, donors and other people who supported my campaign so far. It's going to be more of a social event than I would like it to be but ..." He trailed off with a shrug.
Thorne nodded in understanding. Since last year, Kai's career had really taken off. Even though he was still young, he was very popular which, with his good education and the right connections from his father, had already secured him a place in the city council. It also helped that the media loved him (and rated him as one of the most attractive politicians in the country - a fact that Kai was embarrassed about and one which Thorne loved to remind him of). And while Thorne disliked politicians and authority figures on principle, Kai had his heart in the right place and worked hard to get the right things done.
Although, judging from the dark rings under his eyes, he worked a bit too hard. Slumped over and quiet, he looked so different from the charismatic figure Thorne sometimes caught on TV.
Cinder reached over to pat Kai's knee in a comforting fashion. "It's alright. It's just for one day and I doubt it would be any easier with less people around. Thirty guests, three-hundred, what difference does it make?"
A big one, actually, as Thorne knew. It was his job, after all, but he focused on snatching the last mini pork bun from Cinder instead of correcting her. Rather than reprimanding him or even trying to snatch it back from him, as was expected from his best friend, Cinder just puffed her cheeks and took a shrimp wonton. Now this was suspicious. There was something going on, he could feel it. He decided to wait and see where all of this was going.
Kai talked a bit more about the various guests they had to invite while Cinder made coffee and tea for them - with an extra cookie for Thorne.
The good one with chocolate chips that she usually hid from him when he came by.
Now he was convinced that something was up and was tempted to call them out on it, but he wanted to see how far they would go. Especially Cinder. Judging from her forced smile, he knew that she hated being nice to him like this. Cinder never spoiled him without a good reason (and if Thorne had to guess, the reason had to involve, at least, the loss of two fingers and a bullet wound). Whatever she - and he assumed Kai was onto it - wanted, it had to be huge.
Maybe he could take advantage of whatever it was. He was overdue on getting his Rampion checked, and Cinder had always been good with cars.
For now he enjoyed watching her squirm.
"So you see, it's a big wedding. Tons of work, really," Kai finished.
"Of course." Thorne took the cookie and dipped it into his coffee. Cinder hated that, too, but now she just watched him, trying very hard not to show her displeasure. He took a bite from the soggy side with a happy sigh. "But as you know, I've already organized weddings with many more guests. As long as you can pay." Thorne squinted his eye. "You know I already gave you the friend discount."
Which hopefully wouldn't become a routine. With Scarlet and Ze'ev already married and Cinder and Kai soon, too, Thorne didn't have any more close friends who could ask for it anyway. And he felt especially gracious with the couple in front of him since he might be landing some rich new clients at their wedding, compensating for any losses.
Kai nodded. "Yes, and we appreciate that. We also appreciate you're not pulling any of your usual stunts to skim off some extra money," he added with a grin.
"Hey, I resent that. It's been years since I've done a few of my extra deals. I can assure you my reputation is spotless."
Cinder harrumphed at that before smothering the sound into a cough.
Thorne looked pointedly at her."Say, Cinder, do you have some more cookies? The good ones with the chocolate chips in particular?" he asked as sweetly as possible.
If looks could kill, nothing but moon dust would be left of Thorne. Her jaw working, Cinder actually stood up to go to the kitchen. Not without hissing, "Tell him," to Kai though.
Always the politician, Kai waited until he had Thorne's attention. "We are so glad that you agreed to do this. It's a big day for us and we couldn't imagine anyone better for the job. You do have a weird knack for this wedding stuff." He paused when Cinder came back, practically smacking the cookie box into Thorne's chest before planting herself next to Kai again. Thorne watched Kai take her hand and rub it in a soothing motion before continuing. "You are our friend and no one knows us better. We are sure that you know exactly what you're doing. However, we would also like you to participate in our wedding. Not only as a wedding planner or guest but, more than that, as my best man."
Thorne hadn't expected that. Not at all. He actually needed a few seconds before he could come up with a response. "Wow, Kai. Who knew you only had so few friends?"
Kai just laughed good-naturedly, but Thorne couldn't help but scratch his neck a bit bashfully. This was the first time he had been asked to be a best man and it actually meant a lot more to him than he wanted to admit. Cinder was still fuming, but regardless of whatever retort she had planned to hurl at him, Kai smoothly continued.
"Right. But we imagine it's quite impossible to be both our wedding planner and my best man. So, we thought ..."
Oh.
"... that you might..."
Oh no.
"... need some help."
Thorne quickly waved their concerns away and bit into another cookie. "Nah, don't worry. I know how to delegate my work, so I can do easily do both without help. Trust your Captain," he added with a casual two-fingered salute. He hoped that was enough to disperse any doubts, but then Cinder and Kai exchanged one of those looks.
"Thorne, we would feel more comfortable if there was someone else taking over during the ceremony and the reception. It's not just the many guests. We know how talented you are but at the same time, we want our friend to enjoy this special day with u-"
"Kai asked someone else already!" It suddenly burst out of Cinder. Faster than Thorne could blink, Cinder leaned forward and snatched the cookie box away from Thorne. Rather than trying to get it back, Thorne just tried to grasp what had just happened.
"Cinder, we talked about this," Kai said, exasperated. "We wanted to try it my way. Diplomatically and-"
Cinder just waved him off. "Yes, yes, Mr. City Council. But it obviously didn't work." Cinder leaned smugly back and bit into a cookie before adding with a full mouth, "Just tell him that we mixed things up and you asked your friend first." She turned back to Thorne, swallowing the last bit. "And I obviously asked you first," she added with a friendly bump to his shoulder, but Thorne was distracted.
"Hold on." Thorne waved to catch Kai's attention once more before dramatically gesturing towards himself. "I'm your best friend. You just appointed me as your best man. I'm also a highly-qualified event consultant. In fact, you two met at one of my weddings." Thorne pointed at Cinder's engagement ring as if to make his point. "And you tell me that your first choice for your wedding planner was not me?" He leaned back. "Ouch."
Kai held up his hands. "In my defense ... you're Cinder's best friend?" he said apologetically before Cinder poked him in the side.
Thorne didn't know what to think. Sure, he was honored to be asked to be Kai's best man. He actually had been Cinder's best friend when she had still been hopelessly crushing on the popular guy who had volunteered at some charity home-building project (and who had absolutely failed at it beyond handing people the necessary tools - only sometimes succeeding to pick the right ones). Neither Cinder nor Kai knew how many strings Thorne had to pull to get both of them to attend the same wedding.
But since then, Kai had been a part of their group and he and Thorne had gotten close. Thorne had expected to be asked to plan the wedding but he had been less sure about being the best man. Now he couldn't help but think it had been maybe just another way to butter him up.
Pork buns, chocolate chip cookies, best man. Thorne didn't appreciate it.
And he didn't appreciate working in teams either.
"So, let me get this straight. You asked some friend of yours to plan your extremely important wedding with over three hundred guests? Who is it? Why have I never heard of them before? I hope you're not just dishing out favors?"
"No, no favors. Seriously, she's really good and if you work together, she can take over the ceremony while you're my best man. I'm sure you'll like her."
A woman? At that, Thorne perked up. "She hot?"
He didn't expect the stern look Kai shot him. "Don't even think about it."
"That's a no." Great. "Okay, who is she?"
"She's an old friend of mine. Cress." When Thorne didn't respond, Kai tried once more. "Cress? Crescent Darnel?"
"Never heard of her."
"I told you about her. Known her since childhood. We haven't seen each other much in the last few years but—"
"I mean I've never heard of her professionally." Although, apparently he had also drowned out any mention of some childhood friend Thorne never had the intention to meet, too.
"Oh." Suddenly looking a bit more uncomfortable, Kai nevertheless faced the question in his usual fashion. Frank and to the point. "She's just starting out with her own business. But she already -" once again Kai couldn't finish because Thorne gasped.
Loudly.
"You must be kidding! This wedding is huge and you asked a complete newbie?" He caught Cinder's gaze, trying not to look too desperate. "Cinder, you can't agree to this. It's your wedding, full of important guests, and it's way too much for someone with no experience!"
Cinder considered him a long time before answering. "Thorne, it would really mean a lot to Kai and me if you and Cress could work together. I haven't met her yet—"
Thorne groaned.
"—but I've seen some photos of the weddings she's organized and the recommendations on her website. And from what Kai told me, she didn't just - no offense, Thorne - become a wedding planner because it was the most convenient option but because she wanted it for a really long time. And, this way, I know it will be possible for you to be Kai's best man. Since, you know, I asked Iko to be my maid of honor. It wouldn't feel right to ask Ze'ev and leave out Scarlet. That's why Kai asked Cress instead of you - it was obvious to him that you would rather be his best man too, instead of just planning the wedding." With a rueful smile, she offered him the cookie box in which one last cookie remained. "Don't make us beg."
Thorne got up from his seat and started pacing around the room. He was aware of the gazes following him. He hated that his agitation showed but he needed a few seconds to sort things out.
And then it came to him. These weren't his friends. They were his clients. They paid him to do his job and he had to make sure that he did just that.
Right now, he wasn't the guy who had plotted behind his friend's back so she could get a chance to meet her crush and he wasn't the guy who had accompanied Kai when he bought the ring.
He was Carswell Thorne, one of the best event-slash-wedding consultants you could hire for the right amount of money. He could only advise his clients against some things but Thorne had learned that sometimes he had to concede even against his better judgement. So, if they wanted him to work with someone else, he would do it. He would keep it professional with that Crescent girl and hope she wouldn't mess up.
He turned to them sitting on the couch, looking at him expectantly."Alright. For this wedding, I'll work together with someone else. Be aware that we might have totally different ideas and you have to be really clear about what you want. When she's coming?"
"This Friday. That okay?"
Thorne nodded. "You know that I already secured the location and booked a few other things in advance as well? The vendors, specifically?"
"Of course. Cress knows, too. Seriously, Thorne, don't think of her as an interference, she's mostly there to support you, so you can be my best man."
He grabbed the last cookie that Cinder had offered him but didn't enjoy it as much as usual. What else was there left to say?
"Fine."
Although, he now regretted giving them that friend discount.
Author's Note: Hi everyone. This is is my first multi-chaptered fanfic ... ever. I had this idea for a while and it luckily coincided with one of the TLC Shipweeks' prompts, "Ever After". I actually wouldn't have actually written it down if it weren't for lovelunarchron and her encouragement but more than that, she took pity on this poor non-native speaker and offered to beta for me. So, a big thanks to her for all the effort. Well, I hope you enjoy my fanfic.