A bit of a short one since I'm on a roll with ideas for both fanfics and my original novel and want to do as much as possible.

"I thought we were just going to have a simple wedding, Rika," Kazuto said setting down the circuit board he had been fiddling with.

"We are," I said, flipping through the sample folder from the caterer. "But there are some things that I want to do right."

"This is the fourth sample book you've looked through," he said. "And you haven't paused for a moment on anything."

I closed the binder I had in my lap and twisted on the couch to face him. "Kazuto, you know that I love you, and will do anything for you, but if I don't do this, it'll fall to Asuna and Keiko, and we already know how that will go."

He nodded, remembering my stories from dress shopping and trying to pick colors for the groomsmen. We had decided for a non-traditional ceremony, given the fact that the gown now sitting in reserve at the dress shop blended two styles nicely enough. We had taken a look at several nice gathering halls that would fit most of the friends we would invite and had talked to Andrew to be our MC for the non-religious event. Though we would still do the sansankudo, that was more or less the only traditional part we would observe outside of the wedding party wearing formal wear. We had narrowed down the date to a fall wedding, but that was as far as we had gotten there.

"Besides," I said, picking up another binder. "We need to figure out who is going to feed everyone at this thing because you've seen how Ryoutarou can eat." I paused at a page that showed what looked like a cross between barbecued meats and thick soups. "What about this?" I asked.

He glanced at the page. "Well, it will be nice if it turns out to be cold on the day. Nice warm food." He scooted over and draped an arm over my shoulders. "Looks like they have a pretty good variety, too."

I nodded. "And pretty affordable, too." I flipped a few more pages to get to the pastries and cakes. "So are the pastry options." Then I flipped a page and was blinded by a sublime vision of white frosting and lemon-yelllow fondant decorations.

"Is that," Kazuto began, looking at the picture.

"Thinker and Yulier's wedding cake," I whispered, recognizing the guild symbol of the Aincrad Liberation Army. The caption showed their real names, but we knew from the symbol whose it was. I glanced at him and smiled.

"Do you still have the screencaps of Dark Repulser?" I asked.

"You know I do, Liiiiisbeth." he said, using the old teasing name. "And of your Asgarde, too."

"Then I think we're together on this?" I asked, tossing the binder onto the table and leaning into him.

"Always"

That word echoed in my mind even hours later as I laid down to sleep.

Always