AN: Cheers for 695 hits!
Occurring in and around the timeline of this chapter:
K: Adjacent Seat - Table Sharing. (Audio Drama/Manga)
Ring.
Turning to Anna, Kusanagi reminded. "We've got a wedding to get ready for."
"That's right!" And she was off, taking two steps at a time, Anna raced to be ready for Kusanagi's big day.
Kusanagi at a more leisurely pace, also made for the stairs, only halting briefly to address Yata. "Just so you know, I think Fushimi likes you back." Shrugging his shoulders he climbed the stairs, leaving Yata a sputtering stammering red faced mess.
Dropping into one of the booths, Yata brought his PDA wristwatch into view. Not giving himself a moment to hesitate, while he still had adrenaline courage on his side, he hit Saruhiko's contact listing.
"Misaki, hey." Saruhiko answered. "You calling about the waking-dream?"
"No!" Yata answered hastily. "No." He got out more casually on the second try. "This is- I want to ask you to be my date at the wedding ok, coz I like you, as in like-like!" He'd said it, told Saruhiko what he wanted to tell him. Not eloquently, but in a forward way, nothing kept back.
There was an extended silence, during which every nerve ending in Yata's body felt as if it were humming with nervous energy, and he felt that if he'd had his powers still he might have combusted.
"Ok, you know since the feeling's mutual and all."
Yata was up out of the booth cheering. "Alright!"
While Saruhiko griped and complained about damage to his hearing as a result of the decibels Yata was achieving.
_
Izumo stood on the landing of S4s grand foyer staircase. His anticipation peaking, wringing his hands, his heartbeat audible in his ears.
Then he heard it, a step and a small intake of breath, followed by the voice of the woman he loved. "Good morning." She greeted.
Turning, Izumo could hardly summon words watching her descend from the floor above. All of his slick talk and suave, abandoned him at the sight of his wife to be. "Seri, wow!"
"Like it?" She asked, arriving before him and giving a twirl.
"I'm speechless."
"You shine up nicely yourself."
30 minutes before they were to say their vows, they had set aside time for a 'first look', a few intimate minutes to themselves on their special day, before the rush of it all took hold.
"I think I must be the luckiest man anywhere." Izumo took her hands in his own. "I can't wait to spend my life with you Seri."
To Izumo's satisfaction, her face flushed and ducking her head to clear her throat, she returned. "Yes!" The word was said with conviction, and when she raised her eyes they held the same. "I'm looking forward to facing the future with you at my side, to moving forward, with the one I love most." She declared unabashedly, and what a declaration it was.
Lifting Seri's hand, Izumo guided her in a slow second twirl into his arm, where he kissed her cheek then her smiling lips. Eliciting a pleased laugh from Seri.
Relaxing against him, she brought up what they were both thinking. "That was some night we all had, a 'waking-dream'. And that boy the 'voice' of the slate. Takeru Kusuhara was there too."
"So was Tatara and Mikoto." Izumo added.
Holding his hands and seeping back to observe his face, Seri asked. "Are you ok?"
His fiance knew how much his two best friends meant to him. They had been like brothers the three of them, and Izumo hadn't expected to be the last alive, or rather the last remaining in the waking. In retrospect, he supposed it was always going to be that way, what with how reckless the other two could be. "Yeah, I'm good now. Tatara even let slip that Munakata and Mikoto's baby was born in the dream. They're all carrying on on their side, so I feel like I can do the same wholeheartedly on ours."
"The capt- Munakata's child is growing up in the dream!?" Seri put her hand to her mouth. "Thank goodness, thank goodness!" Her relief on behalf of the man she admired as a King, came to the surface. Next she wanted to know. "What's the child's name?"
"Hibana Suoh Munakata." Izumo grinned.
Seri shook her head mirroring his amusement. "I have no doubt the capt- Munakata heard it all from Suoh. After all, Munakata made no secret about having his husband over each night."
"Husband!?" This was news to Izumo.
"Yes, Munakata informed us the following morning, we were all very surprised at headquarters." Seri supplied.
"They beat us to it! Where was my invite!" He laughed. "Well, we've got some catching up to do."
"Yes, and our guests are probably wondering where we are."
"We could elope." Izumo joked.
"We'd miss out on the cocktail you worked so hard to get just right, and all the reception goodies." Seri bantered back.
Taking his fiance's hand, Izumo allowed her to lead him the rest of the way to the room where the ceremony was to be held.
_
"I now pronounce you wedded. You may kiss your spouse." Reisi told Seri and Izumo Awashima.
A slightly giddy Seri and a dazed Izumo came together in a tender press of lips, Seri's hands finding Izumo's arms, those arms in turn looping about her.
Applause accompanied by some enthusiastic whoops and cheers went up from the crowd, a mixture of Blue clan, Red clan, family and friends.
The wedding was beautiful. Awashima was a graceful sight dressed in a beaded chiffon fanback dress and warm shawl, with a lovely circlet upon her head. While Izumo struck a handsome figure in a three piece suit and polished shoes, with his hair groomed.
And of course Anna's father, Reisi, looked wonderful in his more subdued suit and a nice button front shirt, glasses perched on his nose and his hair tastefully quaffed.
Anna herself was dressed in a pink tea length satin skirt over a cable knit jumper. And was busily dousing the newly wedded in wintersweet from a filigree basket she carried under one arm.
Seri had initially offered her the part of a bridesmaid, but Anna instead asked to be the flower girl. She didn't know Seri's college friends, who were the bridal party, and she had a fondness for flowers. So though it hadn't been in the initial plan, Seri decided to include the role of flower girl, just for Anna.
Breaking apart, Seri and Izumo dashed hand in hand down the aisle, as their guests rained yet more petals over their heads.
Watching the newlyweds and guests, file into the hall leading to the foyer for the first dance, before the reception was to be held at bar homra. Anna made to follow, but noticed Reisi stood still, gazing out the window at the snow covered cherry blossom trees.
She didn't need her powers to guess who was on his mind, she had seen his soul, his memories. And knew that for Reisi, flower viewing each spring, had taken on a greater meaning since the winter of 2012.
Looking around At Anna, Reiei offered a smile. "I'll catch up."
Anna shook her head, and stepped towards her father instead. "Mikoto told me."
Smiling in earnest now, Reisi sat on the step of the carpeted mobile stage, next to his daughter who sat also.
Anna went on. "I'm glad you had the chance to ask him to marry you after all. I sensed how happy it made him."
At this Reisi laughed a delighted laugh, and held his arms open for a hug, which Anna eagerly accepted. "Is that so." His voice held no question, knowing already that she spoke the truth before she even needed to say a thing.
Pulling away, Anna tugged at the cord of the necklace around her neck, the one that had belonged to Mikoto. She had slid Mikoto's ring on to the cord that morning, with this purpose in mind. Taking the ring she pressed it into Reisi's hands saying. "Today, I'll also act as a ring bearer."
Reisi's brows lifted in surprise, for a moment he said nothing, just turned the 3 banded ring over in his hand. Then, features becoming as adamant as Anna had ever seen, he slid it on to the ring finger of his left hand. Lifting that hand to Anna's face, cupping her cheek, he thanked her saying. "It means a lot to receive this, more than I can say."
A sense of accomplishment and pride buoyed up Anna's heart.
"Now, how about we join the others?" Taking her hand, Reisi led Anna to the foyer, where they could hear music, laughter and excited chatter.
_
Once the bar homra reception was through, and parting pleasantries exchanged with the happy couple and other guests. Munakata had taken his daughter back to Scepter 4 headquarters, and it was approaching 1:30 in the morning by time Anna staggered sleepily from their car making a beeline for her bed, eyes falling closed almost before Munakata could kiss her hair and wish her 'sweet dreams'.
But rather than head to bed himself, Munakata confident that Anna would sleep peacefully through to daylight, instead returned to the car and the bright city.
Right now, his bed was unbearably empty, a marrow deep sense of bereavement allowing him no rest. And though he understood that with the passing of the waking-dream, contact with Mikoto was truly lost. He still felt driven to visit their usual place, an unassuming bar below street level, where in times past they would share a table and a drink when they needed to get away.
