Thanks to everyone who's been reading, left reviews, favorites, likes, whatever. ^^

Just a quick reminder that each chapter is supposed to be able to exist as it's own emotional fluff one-shot. The time line is going to start fast forwarding a lot over the next couple of chapters.

I Do

Ryuuji examined himself in the mirror of the tiny church bathroom, adjusted his tie and then undid it, only to tie it again.

He was flushed and sweating in his exorcist regalia, the most formal suit he owned, and was beginning to have trouble breathing. The air in the tiny bathroom felt heavy and thick. He cursed under his breath as he jerked at his collar, loosening his tie only to promptly tighten it. Couldn't get married with a loose tie, or a crooked one, or-

"What the hell is taking you so long?"

Ryuuji looked up sharply, glaring at Izumo as she stormed in to the bathroom. "What the hell? This is the men's room, what are you-"

"Konekomaru and Yukio are busy trying to convince Rin to give up his ring so you can exchange them for the ceremony—something you'd probably have more luck at—and Shima is busy flirting with one of the nuns," she said, rolling her eyes. "Shiemi was also too embarrassed to come in here, which left me. What the hell are you doing? We're all waiting."

She stood, arms crossed over her chest, tapping her foot like a mother, or perhaps a teacher, waiting skeptically to hear what excuse he might offer.

Ryuuji's cheeks colored and he ducked his head, looking back in the mirror.

"My tie is crooked," he mumbled, though the words felt weak even as they left his mouth.

"Oh, for the love of- Let me do it,' she said, grabbing him by the shoulders and forcing him to face her, even though she was almost a full head shorter and weighed less than half as much as him. She gripped the tie, shifting the fabric and tightening it under his chin with a rough jerk of her hands.

"You're not getting cold feet, are you?" she asked.

"No. God, no," Ryuuji said as he slapped her hands away. He looked in the mirror. Well, at least the tie was straight now, but that had only been a superficial problem to begin with. "I just want things to be perfect, and I'm worried something will go wrong."

"You mean like Rin's tie won't be straight."

Ryuuji snorted. "It probably won't be."

And that was her point. Ryuuji knew he was overstressing the issue, like he always did. The ceremony was already imperfect, cobbled together on short notice. He had deliberately not invited his parents because he knew his mother would make a huge deal out of it, and thateveryone from Kyoto would have ended up coming, invited or not, and then things would spiral out of control, becoming way more complicated than they had to be. She would be pissed, but she'd get over and then she would be happy for him.

And yet it was all as perfect as it needed to be. They were having a religious ceremony—Nagatomo had offered as soon as he'd heard the news about their engagement, and Mephisto had offered them the use of one of the school's chapels—and their closest friends were there.

They were getting married. Everything else be damned.

He shook his head and then turned to face her again, his usual scowl softening slightly. She planted her hands on her hips and quirked an eyebrow, as if to say "what the hell are you smiling about?" She was one of very few people who never let him get away with anything, and though it had caused him no amount of headaches when he was younger, Ryuuji had eventually come to be thankful for it. He could always trust her to tell the whole truth without sugar coating it, and if she backed you on something, she did it wholeheartedly. And she was there right now.

"So, are you about done, or what?

"Yeah," he chuckled, "I think so. Thanks."

"For what?"

"Being yourself I guess," he shrugged, exiting the bathroom even as she cursed him out for that innocuous comment, but he stopped short as he entered the chapel.

Sunlight was pouring in through the old stained glass windows, illuminating his friends and loved ones with brilliant, colored light. Rin was still arguing with his brother, but he looked up as Ryuuji entered and smiled at him. In that instant Ryuuji could have cared less about all the little details that had felt overwhelming moments ago. Rin was here, willing and waiting, unquestioning, and Ryuuji knew he had nothing to worry about. Not crooked ties or creased uniforms, or what anyone might think of the two of them.

He breathed slowly, unable to tear his eyes away from Rin. His chest swelled and he began to feel short of breath again, but this time he wasn't worried. He didn't know what it was—uniforms aside, it's not like they were wearing fancy clothes, or had been made up inordinately compared to how they normally looked—but Rin had never looked more handsome to him than he did right then, standing there at the front of the chapel as Ryuuji approached the group. Perhaps it was just the way Rin smiled at him knowing that this was finally happening.

They were getting married and it was in a way so much more meaningful to Rin than a piece of paper or government approval could ever make it.

As Ryuuji reached the group Rin finally slid his ring off and handed it to Konekomaru, urging him to be careful with it while Yukio rolled his eyes and Konekomaru reminded him he'd be getting it back within ten minutes and there was virtually no way he could lose it in such a short span of time.

"You can just leave it on if you want," Ryuuji said.

"Are you sure?"

The question came from more than one person, and Ryuuji grit his teeth, ignoring the way they stared at him as if he'd been replaced by an imposter as he took his place at the front of the chapel.

"Yes. That's not the important part of the ceremony anyways," Ryuuji ground out, waving them off, "Are we doing this or not?"

Rin blinked before grabbing his ring back from Konekomaru. He slipped it back on before hurrying to stand beside Ryuuji and then smiled up at him.

"Ready to get started?" Nagatomo asked, taking up position in front of them as a quiet hush fell over the rest of the group.

"You may now kiss the… groom," Nagatomo said, finalizing the ceremony as the small crowd erupted in to applause. Rin and Ryuuji kissed briefly as Shiemi showered them with flower petals and they slowly pulled apart, caught up in each other's eyes, but conscious of the small crowd they had.

They turned to face their friends, still holding hands, smiles etched deep on their faces, when Rin stepped forward and thrust their joined fists in to the air.

"Married in the eyes of God! No more living in sin!"

Ryuuji turned to stare at him, his hand still held aloft, and face palmed.