A/N: Hellooo! So. This is my first fic! I've had the idea for this in mind since the beginning of s5 and i finally got the time/energy to write down - it is unbeta'd so if anyone would like to drop a review with any helpful comments on grammar/flow of the story that would be amazing! This is my own personal headcanon of the Klaine wedding, and what it would mean to Rachel. :)
DISCLAIMER: i do not own glee or anything associated.
Rachel took a deep breath, in and out, exhaling slowly as she rose from her seat. Clearing her throat, she addressed the room at large. 'Umm excuse me? Excuse me everyone.' Her voice lost in the ballroom filled with chatter, no-one except for those sitting closest to her took any notice.
Heads turned to the back of the ballroom where she was stood as the clinking sound of a fork hitting a glass reverberated of the lavishly decorated walls. Rachel looked to her left, where an amused Burt was holding his glass and fork aloft, looking at her with an exasperated expression. 'Oh. Right. Thanks, Burt.' He raised his hand in acknowledgment, dropping his fork in the process, earning chuckles from the room at large, whose attention was now focused on the long table where Rachel and the rest of the wedding party was sat.
Rachel took a moment to survey her audience, most of which she knew, mustering up her confidence, trying (and failing) to steady her shaking hands. Come on, Berry. You owe them this. Don't screw it up. Rachel turned her head to the centre of the table and locked eyes with her best friend. Piercing blue-green-grey-whateverthehellthatcoloris met her chocolate brown as Kurt inclined his head down slightly, mouthing 'smile and breathe', those words giving her all the courage she needed to do this thing.
Turning back to the crowd, situated around small circular tables, she sought out Santana, who was seated at the table closest to her. She too, offered words of encouragement to her (sometimes best) friend, mouthing 'man-up Berry' to the other brunette, rolling her eyes, before giving her a small thumbs up and a flash of an encouraging smile. Ok, Rachel thought to herself. Show time.
Hand on hip, and a wide smile painted on her face, Rachel finally began to speak. "Hello, friends and family of the groom and, well – groom. I'm Rachel Berry and I am Kurt's Best-Maid of Honour-Woman." Kurt lovingly rolled his eyes at the admittedly ridiculous title, as Blaine, along with some others in the room sniggered. "I know we've already had Sam's... lovely speech about the wonder that is Nightbird, and he shared some both touching, entertaining and sometimes a tad revealing adventures he and his trusty sidekick Kurt have been on," Sam grinned at her from the other side of the table, winking at Kurt and Blaine as they blushed at some of the more embarrassing anecdotes Sam had shared about some of the rather – compromising-positions he had caught them in, but she pressed on; "But I'm sure you'll listen to what I have to say about my best friend, Kurt Hummel-Anderson and the love of his life, Blaine Warbler," she said, (a tad dramatically, because, well duh she's Rachel Berry) "because that's who he'll always be to me." She winked at Blaine, who's mouth twitched in spite of his attempt at looking offended.
"Anyway, back to the wonder and diva extraordinaire that is, Mr Kurt Hummel. Well Kurt Hummel-Anderson now, I suppose." From the same table where Santana was seated, Artie did his patented 'preach' hand, making Rachel giggle, shaking off her nerves.
"Most people believe soul mates are like those two love birds sitting two seats down from me. Our true loves. The one person in our lives who knows you, and loves you no matter what. Your – your person. That person who's not only your life but your home." Here Rachel looked up into the crowd and met Mr Schue-no- Will's concerned eyes, he and he alone knowing the significance of the words she was speaking. Rachel looked down, smoothing her skirt before continuing, willing the tears to not roll down her face. "And there is no doubt in my mind that that is what Kurt and Blaine are to each other. I can't speak for Blaine, but I can tell you now that after he and Kurt met, it was like, like he became-well not a new person exactly, but he just seemed to be so much fuller of life. And then when they fiiiiiiinally got it together and just damn well kissed" Burt, along with the original New Direction members, as well as the few Warblers present whooped and laughed appreciatively; "They just seemed to be so content, like they were finally whole." Rachel along with everyone else in the room turned to smile at Kurt and Blaine, who were looking into each other's eyes, oblivious to the 50 or so pairs of eyes on them.
"And as you can see," Rachel continued, laughing slightly, "they are still that way, still so, so in love it almost hurts to look. And there is no doubt in my mind that they will always be that way." Rachel paused, still staring at the couple. "But – the thing is, in Kurt's high school yearbook I called him my soul mate." Kurt and Blaine finally looked away from each other, to look at her, wondering just where she was going with this. "And I once told Kurt he 'makes me want to be his boyfriend'. Do you remember that?" Kurt nodded, smiling fondly, and mouthed the words "gay high-five" causing Rachel to laugh, both at the memory and at the look of bewilderment on Blaine's face, and his pout at being left out of the joke. "And I still believe that he is. Kurt is my better half, makes me a better person. Makes me want to be a better person, so he can be proud to call me a friend." Rachel took a careful step, turning to face Kurt and Blaine. "And if I have to share my best friend - my soulmate with someone, I couldn't - sorry, Kurt couldn't have chosen anyone better." Kurt smiled as Blaine placed his hand over where Kurt's rested on his chest.
Rachel bowed her head to the couple before turning to face the crowd once more. Now for the hard part. "Even back in high school we knew Kurt and Blaine would get married someday - the two of them together just makes sense - it was inevitable." Rachel paused.
"In fact, Finn - Finn and I - we actually spoke about - well argued really, about which one of us Kurt would choose - Finn as his best man, or me as his best maid of honour woman - Finn actually came up with that title." Rachel told her now solemn audience with a sad smile. She opened and closed her mouth several times, startled by the taste of salt on her lip, apparent from the tears she hadn't realised had begun to roll down her face, overwhelmed as she was by the influx of memories that were running through her mind, dizzying her.
She looked down as she felt a cool hand clasp her warm one. Carole smiled up at her from where she was seated next to her, and murmured "It's ok sweetie. Take your time." Rachel squeezed her hand in gratitude, taking another couple of deep breaths before continuing. "And we made a deal - a promise, that whoever Kurt picked, we would let the other say a few words also. Because you meant - mean so much to us both." Rachel smiled at her best friend, brushing her hair out of her eyes before nodding toward Sam, Puck and Artie, who all began to make their way to the dance floor and stage at the back of the room. " - unfortunately Finn is no longer with us to fulfill his part of the promise - and I don't know what he'd of said, will never know what exact words he would of used. But I did know him. And I know what he said and what he felt when he welcomed you, Kurt, into his family. That you were amazing, and that he loved you, and was proud to call you a brother ." Rachel locked eyes with Blaine. "And I just know he would have felt the same way about you Blaine. You two - you did for him the exact same thing as you did for me. You made us better people."
Rachel turned to address the crowd once again. "Ladies and Gentlemen I know it is customary to give a toast at the end of one's speech. But - Kurt and Blaine are not a very conventional couple." Rachel grinned as Mercedes and Santana approached the head table to grab a groom each, pulling them, despite their protests out of their seats and down through the guests and onto the open stretch of floor. "So I was wondering if it would be ok to finish with a song also. A song that was once sung at a wedding by someone some of us in here loved very much. And I know that Finn, wherever he is, would have meant it as much now as he did then. So will you all please join me in raising your glasses. To Kurt and Blaine." The room echoed the line, and then - thunderous applause. Rachel waited only to accept a hug from Carole and a kiss on the cheek from Burt before darting through the (still applauding) crowd.
Reaching the stage where her glee boys were waiting, she stood in front of the mike, and gazed down on the couple in front of her. "This is for you boys." Touching her necklace once more for luck, she opened her mouth and began.
Oh, your eyes, your eyes
Make the stars look like they're not shinin'
Your hair, your hair
Falls perfectly without you trying
He's so beautiful
And I tell him everyday….