The song used in this chapter is Iris by The Goo Goo Dolls.
'Cause every time you hold me in your arms
I'm comfortable enough to feel your warmth
February 2012:
"Oh my God!" Mimi squealed, her shrill voice causing feedback in the speakers. Izzy blushed and Tai laughed as they watched the woman bounce around on the other end of the monitor. She looked more excited than Izzy had. "That. Is. Precious! I'm the first to know, right guys?"
"The first we called," Tai said. He'd told everyone else in person.
"Have you two picked a date yet? Or a venue? Ooh! I'm so excited to plan it all out!" Mimi was starry-eyed, lost in her own thoughts. "Are you wearing tuxes? Or dresses? Oh, Izzy, you'd look so cute in a bridal gown! I'm going to make it perfect for you two!"
"When did she become our planner?" Izzy asked under his breath, trying not to hide behind his new fiancee.
"Just run with it," Tai mumbled with a smile in case Mimi looked at them. "She's in America still, what can she do from there?"
"Miss. Tachikawa?" came a small voice from the computer and a young man nervously poked his head into the dressing room that housed Mimi's webcam. "You're needed on set."
"I'm celebrating!" Mimi snapped, sounding like the princess she had been once. "My friends are getting married – Ridley Scott can wait five minutes!"
"What are you working on now?" Tai asked. Hopefully he could steer the conversation away from Izzy in a dress. He could convince the man to do that later that evening when they were in bed.
"Some dumb movie about space. Promotheus, or something like that? It's a prequel to some 70's movie I've never seen - I get to play a doctor!" Mimi was more than happy to discuss her new career as an actress. Anything to forget how badly she'd been dumped from Avex on her twentieth birthday. If she was "too old" to be a pop idol, she'd become something better – the best actress Japan had ever seen!
"Congrats, Mimi," Tai said and she glowed.
"Miss. Taichikawa..." the young man said again, cowering behind his clipboard. "Please?"
"Oh, fine." She blew a kiss into her webcam as she stood to leave. "I'm proud of you guys! Let me know about the date so I can decide on your colors, ok?"
"I don't think I've ever been more scared of anything in my life," Izzy mumbled, hiding his burning face in Tai's arm as the screen went black. "Mimi – planning our colors?"
"Don't worry, Iz," Tai attempted to reassure. "I'm scared, too."
May 2012:
Tai looked at the phone in his hands.
Mimi had ended up being a Godsend, planning every last detail of the wedding over the past three months, even while on the set of her movie. Every break, every scene she wasn't in, she was on her phone with some professional or another, working out the details of things Tai would have never thought of – the flavor of the cake, the music they would dance to, the design of the flowers, all that chick shit. She'd even created a guest list that neither man could think to add to. Everyone would be there to support their friends and fellow Chosen Children.
Everyone except who Tai was nervously dialing. Kari had said the number was the same, even after she'd moved...
The phone rang and rang, and Tai had to tell himself over and over that it was a simple question. That the worst that could happen would be being told "no". He wished Izzy was with him instead of going tuxedo shopping with Matt.
"Kamiya residence, this is Mia."
Tai's mouth was open, but nothing was coming out. He swallowed hard and ran his tongue over his dry lips, willing for anything to come out, even a squeak.
"Hello? Is someone there?"
'Just put your lips together and breathe,' Tai told himself.
"I'm going to hang up now -"
"M-Mom!" Tai clenched his hand into a fist. He hadn't realized how loud he was. "Mom, it's me..."
"... Tai?" His mother's voice was soft, breathless. "Is that you, Tai?"
"It's been a while, hasn't it, Mom?" Just hearing her voice was enough to almost make him forget the reason he'd called. "I-I wanted to ask you and Dad something..."
"What is it?" She had a desperation in her voice, sounding the same way he felt.
"Will you –?"
There was a sudden rustling on the other end of the phone, and he heard his mother begin to say something as a harsh voice demanded, "Who is this?"
"Dad?" Tai tried to keep the hitch out of his breath. He couldn't fall back into that same numbness from when he was fifteen.
"It's you," the man spat. "I thought I told you to never call here?"
"Dad, please, I..." How could he ever get the words out now? "I'm getting married!"
"Is that so?" Was that pride in Kenichi's voice? "You finally find a woman to carry on our line?"
"No, Dad, I'm still with Izzy. I wanted to invite you – you and Mom – to our wedding." He couldn't stop the words tumbling out of his mouth now. "Please, Dad? It would mean so much to us if you guys could be there. W-we've even talked about it, and Izzy said he'd become a Kamiya! He'll take on the family name if it means you'll be there for us."
There was a heavy silence on the other end for so long, Tai thought he'd been hung up on. Then, his father hissed harshly, "Don't act like you pity me, you little faggot."
The receiver slammed down, and Tai screwed his eyes shut, trying not to cry as the line went dead. He jumped, a surprised sob escaping, as a soft hand fell on his back.
Izzy was standing behind him, biting his lip in concern while Matt glowered behind him. "Tai, are you ok?"
Tai dug the heels of his palms into his eyes, trying to stem the tears flowing down his cheeks.
"Y-yeah." Damn his unsteady breath. "Yeah, Iz, I was just... being an idiot again."
"Look here, man," Matt said, setting down the box that contained Izzy's wedding suit. "I kicked Joe's dad's ass years ago, I'm willing to take on your dad if you want."
"My foot," Tai laughed as he wiped his nose on his sleeve. "I heard you got wasted and Shou whupped you. Did you ever apologize to Joe for getting his arm broken?"
Matt flipped him off as Izzy tried to wave off the fight. As much good as it would do the two men to beat each other up, the wedding date was coming up and it wouldn't do for one groom to have a black eye while his best man had a split lip.
June 2012:
"I don't know how I can do this," Izzy gasped, trying to keep from hyperventilating. He wanted to undo his tie, to loosen the buttons on his lavender tuxedo, but it was getting too close to the ceremony. "I didn't think I would be so nervous. What if something happens? What if Tai doesn't show up?"
Joe was sitting in the chair next to him, trying not to laugh at his poor friend's distress. For once, he wasn't the one in the middle of a panic attack.
"Calm down, Izzy. Remember Pranayama? Deep breaths." The tall man stood, placing comforting hands on his friend's shoulders. "With me – in then out."
Izzy gaped like a fish out of water for a few moments. He closed his eyes and swallowed hard, finally falling into the comforting breathing exercise and allowing his shaking hands to still.
"Better?" Joe asked after a minute of quiet breathing, watching the flush fall from Izzy's cheeks.
"Much better, yes." Joe stepped back, checking to make sure the orange rose boutonniere was still safely pinned to his lapel. "Those yoga techniques are rather helpful."
"You should thank Nana then, she really helped me when I got kicked out of my Dad's place." The blue haired man smiled, thinking of the young woman with the butterfly clip he'd met back in high school.
"I have been meaning to ask, how are your brothers?" Anything to keep his mind off his still rolling stomach.
"They really wanted to be here," Joe said. "But Shin is on a missionary trip to Ethiopia right now, and Shuu and Jun are in Shimane to research the Mirror Pond with Prof. Takenouchi."
"What about your mother?" It was simpler to not ask about Shou.
Joe shrugged. "She's getting better about taking her pills, and the asylum she's in right now isn't too bad. They even have a doctor there who specializes in Bipolar cases."
"I'm glad she's being well taken care of, then." Izzy glanced at the clock hanging in the corner of the room. The small chapel would be filling up soon and he would be called out to the altar with the sound of Mimi's CD.
Joe smiled and looked like he was going to say something else as the door suddenly flew open. Matt stalked into the room, a dark look flashing over his face. He was dressed in a rather ratty looking black suit, the smell of smoke surrounding him. He caught sight of Izzy's still-nervous face and broke into a relaxed smile.
"Hey, man, lookin' sharp." He walked over, almost jumping in surprise when he noticed Joe. "Oh, uh, hi."
"I was just leaving," Joe said as he stood. Izzy bit his lip, wanting the two men to work out their feelings on their own.
"Watch out," Matt grumbled. "Sora's on the warpath out there."
"Oh? What's she on about now?" Joe asked as Izzy looked between his friends.
"That same self-hating, anti-gay, I-can't-admit-I'm-a-lesbian shit she's always bitched at me about." Matt's lips twisted into a grimace. "I don't know why she even showed up if she feels like that."
"Perhaps she felt obligated to come as we used to be such close friends," Izzy rationalized. "I wish she had informed us of her feelings, as I never wanted her to be uncomfortable."
"Eh, she's just a bitch," Matt said, waving her off. He still wasn't over their breakup, even years later. "Don't let her ruin your wedding, Izzy."
"I'll be sure to avoid her negative attitude," Izzy agreed. "W-would you go check on Tai for me?"
Joe laughed, and Izzy could see the light dusting of red on Matt's cheeks. "I told you, Izzy, Tai'll be here."
"Don't worry, man, I'll go," Matt said, trying not to let the nervousness show in his voice. "I gotta get my best man instructions from him, anyway."
Joe glanced away from the blonde as he left, hiding the desire in his expression. Izzy reached out, gently placing a hand on his friend's shoulder. Joe looked up and shook his head at the question in the redhead's eyes.
"I've come to terms with it years ago," Joe said quietly. "Anyway, don't worry about me – we should start getting ready to head out to the altar."
"You're right, I -"
"I said, shut the hell up!"
Joe was already on his feet and out the door before Izzy recognized the voice as Matt's. The redhead stepped into the hallway just in time to watch Matt punch TK, the younger man stumbling and almost falling to the floor. Kari was standing by his side, desperately clutching the skirt of her pale orange dress and biting her tongue. The older brother had his hands clenched into fists and he was shaking with rage while Joe attempted to be heard.
"Look, just calm down," Joe was trying to say, sounding like he used to ages ago when he would stand between Tai and Matt.
"No, go fuck yourself, TK," Matt snarled. TK raised a hand to his split lip, grabbing the crucifix at the base of his throat.
"I will not stand here while you disgrace a house of the Lord with this... unnatural ceremony!" TK cried. Joe reached out to grab his arm, to calm him down, and the blonde flinched away. "Don't touch me, you fag!"
Matt's face turned red with rage and he shouted, "Don't you fucking talk to him like that! Don't you remember how many times he saved your ass when you were a kid?!"
"This is a church!" Kari said, a sob hiding in her voice as she begged her husband. "Please, TK... Don't sound like him..."
"Say to me whatever you feel like you need to," Joe cried, "but at least say it quietly!"
"TK," Izzy called softly. His face burned as all eyes turned toward him and he fought the urge to duck back into his dressing room and back to his panic attack. "Are you truly uncomfortable with how Tai and I are conducting our lives together?"
TK at least had the decency to look away. "Look, Izzy, I appreciate your friendship, and I'll never forget our adventures all those years ago. But." He turned to glare at the groom-to-be. "I will have no part in this blatant disregard for God and His laws."
Matt was shaking and he opened his mouth only for Izzy to continue just as quietly, "Then I apologize for forcing you to attend such an offensive event. If I had realized your feelings, I would have never had Mimi invite you."
TK frowned, a look of shame crossing his face before that hardened expression came back. "It's nothing against you, personally," the man said. "And I will be willing to rekindle our friendship should you choose to end this life of sin and return to a righteous pathway." He turned to leave. "Come on, Kari."
"No, TK," Kari said, crossing her arms. "I'm staying - you can walk home for all I care."
TK's eyes flashed. "Kari, you are my wife -"
"And this is my brother's wedding. I'm not leaving." Kari planted her feet on the floor, but Izzy could see the waver of indecision in her eyes.
The younger blonde threw his hands in the air in defeat. "Fine. Do what you will. I'm going to get Lucian from the babysitter and go to a proper Mass while this... thing happens."
Kari was wiping her eyes desperately, using Matt's sleeve that he offered, as TK stormed off. Sora stepped into the hallway from the shadows where she'd been watching, placing a comforting hand on TK's arm. After a few hushed words, she led the man away turning to look at the small, stunned group. A flash of something darker than TK's righteous fury twisted her face for just a moment before the pair hurried off.
"I'm sorry, Izzy," Kari sobbed as Matt rubbed her back soothingly. "Every time I try to do something for you two, all I do is mess it up..."
"It's not your fault, Kari," Izzy reassured. "I had hoped that whatever grievances Sora and TK had with our type of relationship would be able to be put aside, but it seems that their hatred is too ingrained." Kari pulled away from her in-law with a sniffle. She rubbed her nose and checked the lavender rose corsage around her wrist. A few bruised petals, but nothing Mimi couldn't fix. "Why don't you and Matt go see Tai? It's almost time, after all."
"That little bastard said what?!" Tai yelped, hugging his sister tightly. "Dude, I'm gonna kill your brother!"
"Get in line," Matt grumbled. "Besides, don't call him my little brother – he's no family of mine anymore. Uh, sorry Kari." The girl was glaring sullenly at him.
"Well I'm not. Your husband can go jump on a dick for all I care." Kari kicked her brother as she pouted. Tai made a face, a certain anger still dancing in the back of his eyes. "It'll be ok, Kari. We don't need TK, right?"
Kari lowered her gaze. "You know I love you Tai, but... I am still his wife..."
"So you're gonna leave, too?"
The young woman shook her head. "Of course not! I'm staying for your wedding, Tai! I just... I can't stay any longer than that."
"I understand. You have your own family now." Tai smiled to show he wasn't mad, at least not at her. He turned to Matt, apparently seeing him for the first time. "You're not wearing that are you?"
Matt looked at his suit. "What's wrong with this?"
"Dude, I can still see a moth chewing on it." Tai sat Kari down and made a face at his friend. "How old is that thing, anyway?"
Matt shrugged. "It got my dad through his wedding and divorce and all those trials from when I was little."
"You are not wearing a divorce suit to my wedding! Don't you know that's bad mojo, or whatever Joe would call it?" Tai sighed as Matt made a face. "Thank God we came prepared."
Matt watched as Tai turned to the table next to him, uncovering a plain white box.
"Here, Izzy figured you didn't have a good suit, so we rented one for you to match the rest of us."
Matt looked inside, seeing the pale orange suit similar to Tai's and all his groomsmen. He was quickly ushered behind a curtain to change, emerging just as the opening guitar of the CD Mimi prepared began to play.
Izzy felt the heat rise in his cheeks. The only thing keeping him moving forward was Joe's comforting presence walking beside him. Yolie and Cody stood at the altar stairs, dressed in his same shade of lavender and opposite them were Kari and Davis, the young woman looking much better than she had a few minutes ago. And just past them, approaching from the opposite side of the church, Matt lead a just-as-nervous-looking Tai.
And I'd give up forever to touch you
'Cause I know that you feel me somehow
He could see his parents sitting in the front pew, his mother dabbing her eyes with a handkerchief. His father smiled, a look full of pride, and Izzy blushed. His hands were shaking, and he had no idea how he managed to make it up the three steps to stand before the priest and his lover.
You're the closest to heaven that I'll ever be
And I don't want to go home right now
Tai was glad that Matt was standing next to him. If his nerves decided to take over, the blonde was strong enough to hold him down until this whole thing was over with. What had he been thinking, agreeing to get married in a church? He had never been particularly religious, but at least the priest smiling at them seemed nice enough.
And all I can taste is this moment
And all I can breathe is your life
He ignored the empty space next to Izzy's parents, fighting back the depression that would surely take over. He couldn't let himself be sad, not with the handsome young man standing across from him. He hadn't been sure about the lavender suit, but the pale color brought out what warmth there was in Izzy's skin, and it meshed well with the soft orange of his own tuxedo.
'Cause sooner or later it's over
I just don't want to miss you tonight
Joe smiled as he discretely held Izzy steady. The redhead still looked like he wasn't completely over his panic attack, but he knew having Tai there would be the biggest help. He stole a glance to the blonde across from him, blushing when their eyes met.
And I don't want the world to see me
'Cause I don't think that they'd understand
Matt was suddenly glad that Tai had forced him to change, surrounded by the warmth and splendor Mimi had created. Beautiful floral arrangements lent their heady scent to the warm chapel air, a smell he was no longer familiar with. The last time he'd been in a church was when he was five, and he couldn't recall ever feeling this content. He glanced over to the man at Izzy's side, feeling his cheeks warm as he caught Joe's gaze. If only they were younger again, back in that Digital air...
When everything's made to be broken
I just want you to know who I am
The CD faded to silence as the priest stepped forward. He held his hands out and smiled, a warm, relaxed expression.
"Loved ones, friends and family, we gather today to witness the most joyous of occasions – the blessed union of two who love each other. For eight years, these two men have held true to the sacred bond of love and today, we witness the strengthening of that bond into holy matrimony.
"I take great pride in all I do for God and His children, but nothing compares to the celebration of marriage, and the lives it embraces. Not only are we joining together young Taichi and Koushiro, but we bring together their families, Mrs. Hikari and the Mr. and Mrs. Izumi." He had been well instructed by the scary, pink-clad woman specifically what names to not mention.
"I take the time now, before God and His children, should any person here have reason to deny this marriage to speak now, or forever hold his peace." There was nothing but silence and beaming faces, just the way he liked it. "May I have the best men present the rings?"
Matt and Joe reached into their pockets, pulling out two thin golden bands. The light of the church caught them, a spray of golden sparkles illuminating the warmth dancing in the two lovers' eyes.
"These rings symbolize a lifetime of love, never ending, never wavering. And with their placement, we begin a new life together."
Tai's hands were shaking so bad, he almost dropped the ring, ducking his head and smiling as he slipped it onto Izzy's finger. The redhead was blushing as he placed his lover's ring on his hand.
"Join me, all of God's children, as we welcome the new Mr. and Mr. Izumi."
Tai reached up, gently caressing Izzy's cheek, his new ring warm against his lover's, no, his husband's skin. And as he leaned forward, pressing his lips to Izzy's, he could hear the cheers and applause of everyone who accepted them for who they were.