~Chapter Sixty Five~
First Comes Marriage
I'm Gonna Pick Up the Pieces,
And Build A Lego House.
If Things Go Wrong,
We Can Knock It Down.
I'll Pick You Up When You're Getting Down,
And Out of All These Things I've Done,
I Think I Love You Better Now
I'll Do It All For You In Time.
My Three Words Have Two Meanings.
There's One Thing On My Mind:
It's All For You…
~Lego House, by Ed Sheeran
Disclaimer: Me No Own; You No Sue.
Sammy smiled mischievously at me.
"You know, I think this situation is kind of like déjà vu," Sammy drawled through parted pink lips, blue eyes warm and dancing in the light of the decorative lamps. Seeing my confused expression, Sammy laughed, leaned forward, and whispered, "Do you want hints?"
"Yes," I whispered back to her, barely conscious enough to sway in time with the music because the small, beautiful girl proved hypnotizing with the love shining in her blue eyes. My face lowered to hers.
"We danced together, and I leaned forward…" Here, Sammy pressed her chest to mine and stared straight at me, eyes shuttered almost completely beneath her glittery white eyelids. "…and then I…" Lips moved to cover my own.
Fireworks erupted in the skies, all the colors of the rainbow, with deep reds and blues and golden whites. Sammy and I pulled apart, staring at the night sky in awe, eyes wide and sparking with each burst of fire. Tamaki and Haruhi stopped beside us, as did the other couples, to stare into the endless night, the stars glittering like diamonds and the fireworks showering Ouran High School in beautiful light. Brilliant fire chased the worries of the future away as one chapter ended, and another began.
Takashi's P.O.V.
The Misuzu Pension glittered beautifully in the later afternoon sunshine, the straight lines of the blue roof shingles shining like columns of sapphires beneath the warm orange and yellow of the sky. A fresh layer of white paint, purchased by the Morinozuka Clan, brightened the outside of the already cute and quaint little Pension. It was also decorated in translucent white streamers and colorful fairy lights, which Lady Hitachiin, Sammy, and Okaa-san all requested be strung from the awnings and trees closest to the Pension. Sunshine flitted in and out of the white streamers and the lights, turning the place into a world of hope, dreams, and fairytales.
This was my wedding to Sammy. She deserved the best, and while I had been happy to let her choose the Misuzu Pension and pick the colors, her dress, and all of the decorations, I had been pleasantly surprised to find that Sammy wanted to involve me in the wedding preparations, too. Most Noblewomen would refuse to let their future husband have much input in their wedding, while expecting him to fund it. My fiancée, however, insisted that I be involved in decisions. She also insisted that the wedding be a combination of three cultures; her cultures and mine. American, German, and Japanese.
Everything is perfect…
I smiled softly.
"What do you think of it, Senpai?" Tamaki asked, and his normally loud voice was now soft and hopeful. The Frenchman fidgeted nervously while waiting for approval, his hands clasped beneath his chin and his big eyes on me.
Truthfully, I had been wary about letting the overdramatic teenager help with anything at all, let alone decorating the Misuzu Pension. But Sammy, who thought much the same, decided to give him the benefit of the doubt. I trusted her decision. So I let Tamaki wreak his usual creative havoc. It had been fun – chaotic, loud, and somewhat traumatizing, but also fun.
"It is beautiful, Tamaki-san," I murmured. My own voice, though gruff, trembled with emotion, and I reached out to clasp his slender shoulder in a motion of gratitude; it still proved difficult to sometimes put everything inside me into words that others could hear.
But I tried – for Sammy, and for the Hosts.
My family…
"Merci beaucoup," Tamaki whispered, with two tears of happiness in his shining violet eyes. He could tell, like the others, that I was proud of them and infinitely grateful for their presence. "I was surprised that you would permit my assistance, but…"
"…Sammy-chan is very persuasive," I dryly finished for the Frenchman. A blush warmed the skin along my ears and neck because I remembered exactly how the little minx had decided to convince me to consider her idea to let Tamaki decorate the Pension. Black lace and –
A chuckle escaped from between his lips. Tamaki brightened and winked at me, eyes warm with his teasing laughter. "Do I even want to know how Big Sister accomplished that feat?" The Host King teased with a warm smile that lit his entire face from the inside.
Seeing his playful grin, I ruffled his blonde hair and smirked down at the Lord. He squawked his indignation, but I ignored the dramatic protest and laughed, "Do I look like I want to know what happens between you and Haruhi-chan, Tamaki-san?"
Cheeks pink, Tamaki battled with his thick hair in the attempt to get it to fall back down into its previously shiny and sleek appearance. He gave me a disgruntled look and grumbled, "Why does everybody have to tease me about dating her?"
The Shadow King, who had suddenly appeared behind his lighter counterpart, smirked in honest amusement. "We were just wondering if it would happen in this lifetime," Kyoya explained in a sly but matter-of-fact tone of voice.
"Hey!" Tamaki protested, but Kyoya ignored him in favor of blinking down at Mitsukuni. The Ninja had slipped in between the two like an eel and latched himself onto Tamaki with tentacle arms. He cheered loudly and easily drowned out the Host King with his own exclamation of – "HERE COMES THE BRIDE~!"
"For the last time, Senpai," Kyoya wearily said while staring at him through his glinting glasses, "you must be patient. That is not a signal for Sammy-chan to suddenly burst out into the aisle, though the girl is likely to do that simply for laughs." He gave me a small smile, to which I grinned back. "It is a song to let guests know of her arrival. Not the other way around…"
My cousin huffed, and although Mitsukuni might want people to believe it to be in irritation, the Ninja was really just excited. "But Sa-chan is taking too long!" He insisted with a pout. "Ko-chan takes awhile to get dressed in formal clothes, but Sa-chan and Ki-chan and Haru-chan always take less time!"
Amused, I leaned down to run my palm through his hair, long fingers curling around the back of his head. I pulled him closer and, in his ear, whispered, "Trouble maker. You know that Hikaru and Kaoru are in there. You want to join them, and probably only to peek at Kotoko-san."
"…Am I that obvious, Takashi?" Mitsukuni giggled into my own ear. Laughter danced in his honey brown eyes as my mouth curled into the small smirk that I shot him, happy for the distraction since I was so nervous about waiting.
Waiting was always the worst…
My fiancée had mentioned that Germans considered the number four to be lucky and would have liked the wedding to be at this time, but Sammy was also in love with the Japanese culture. She was aware that the number four sounded like death to most here and would bother the Japanese in attendance at the wedding. Eight, however, was a commonly lucky number in Japan. We compromised and agreed, like always, to meet each other halfway, and have the wedding in between the two times.
So at five minutes to six, I glanced to the enormous clock tower embedded in the side of the huge Pension. My eyes were riveted to the longer of the two black hands, following the motion with each resounding tick and tock of the mechanical whirligigs inside of it. I counted down, from five, to four, to three, to two, and then – finally – to one.
My stomach lurched, the little bit of buttered toast I had managed to eat this morning bouncing around with nerves, excitement, happiness, and fear. This was my entire world changing, from childhood to adulthood. My past with Sammy would become the future that I shared with her. We would be going from high school sweethearts – from a cute and awkward teenage couple – to husband and wife. In another hour, Sammy and I would be married.
We would become Lord Morinozuka and Lady Morinozuka.
Sammy's P.O.V.
Everything became real in the moment that I put that kimono on. I was so nervous and worried that the slender kimono would not fit, which it did, thankfully – and like a glove, too. Letting Kotoko put on my makeup while Kiki and Haruhi shoved the Twins out the door was another step closer to panic. Listening to Hikaru and Kaoru shout, "Goodbye, Lady Morinozuka," through the closed door, however, proved to be completely disastrous…
"Mein Gott. Oh. My. God. OMG. Whatever!" I exclaimed in panic. My meltdown consisted of blinking rapidly, and wringing both hands, and bouncing nervously around the room as my closest friends observed the breakdown in bemusement. "I cannot do this now. Nope! No way!"
"What are you talking about, Sammy-chan?" Haruhi asked, being simultaneously confused and exasperated and incredulous. "You're in love with Mori-senpai, and have been for months! You've been planning this wedding for months! Why the sudden change of mind?"
"She's just being a chicken," Kiki drawled and, in the perfect impression of her boyfriend, the Shadow King, dismissively waved her hand at me. I scowled at her. Damn Canadian was pressing all the right buttons!
"I'm not being a chicken," I exclaimed, stopped just in front of her, and then glared at her, face to face. She lifted her eyebrow and pointedly stared down at me, as if to ask, "What are you gonna do 'bout it, Shrimp?"
"You are, too!" The Canadian retorted without pause. She looked to be enjoying herself, but then again, Kiki liked to mess with people. In fact, Kiki had practically made it into a sport – Frustrate Family and Friends for Fun. Rated PG-13.
"Am not!"
"Are too!"
"Am not!"
"Bawk bawk bawk!"
"Dammit, Kiki-chan, stop being such a cow," I snapped at her, sky blue irises darkening and then sparking with frustration. My arms were crossed and shoulders hunched, but I still glared at her from my several inches below the Canadian.
"You must be stupid!" My friend playfully tapped her longest finger on my nose. She snickered quietly as my eyes crossed to follow the unexpected movement. "Because I'm clearly making chicken noises!"
"You of all people would be familiar with how to make those sounds, wouldn't you?"
"What the Hell is that supposed to mean?! Forget it! Just bite me!"
"No chance in Hell! You might have Mad Cow Disease!"
"SHUT UP!"
Nose to nose, chest to chest, Kiki and I both stopped, completely frozen by the command. We slowly thawed and turned to the side, blinking at Haruhi in surprise. I hesitantly stepped back first, knowing that Kiki would consider it her victory. As expected, Kiki smirked at me, and I grumbled quietly to myself in annoyance. Crazy Canadian…
"You have been in love with Mori-senpai since the moment you met him, Sammy-chan," Haruhi said seriously, her small hands to her small hips. "You're best friends with him. You love him. Why are you so scared of him all of the sudden?"
My cheeks reddened with the embarrassment of being called out. Of all the friendships I had made while at Ouran High School, Haruhi and I had been friends the longest and the girl had turned out to be like a younger sister. She was annoying sometimes, but also stubborn and kindhearted and caring and too smart to be fooled by my mask. My best friend could tell something still upset me.
Glancing down, I rubbed at the goosebumps pebbling my skin and mumbled, "I'm not scared of him. I just…" My vision blurred beneath the tears that threatened to spill. "I really don't want to disappoint him. And I don't want to disappoint our parents. I am not Japanese, and I asked for all sorts of wedding traditions that do not really mix well with his culture –"
"Your culture," Kiki interrupted. She lifted her finger, the finger that had pushed into my nose, to shush me. "You might not be Japanese by birth, Sammy-chan, but you are still part of this country. You have friends and family here." A wicked smile claimed her lips. "Hell! Your kids will be half Japanese!"
"Halfers," I blurted with a startled laugh and slumped against the wall, relieved to have that last fear finally taken away, "and like Tama-chan, too! Who would've thought it? My children will have a role model in the Host King!"
My friend spluttered indignantly and pointed to her paler skin and her slanted purple eyes. She was always claiming to be Just Canadian, but in that moment, Kiki also wanted to be Japanese. "Who needs him when they have me?" Kiki demanded, tossing her hands in the air.
Politely clearing her throat, Kotoko entered the room we were all using to finish getting ready for the wedding. Arms curled around the material in her hands, Kotoko smiled warmly, turned to Haruhi, and cheerfully asked, "What have I missed?"
My best friend smiled softly while Kiki and I continued to bicker back and forth and, hearing her question, only shrugged lithe shoulders and said, "Usual dramatics. We have had laughter, and screaming, and bickering. We only need tears to make it a normal experience with the Host Club!"
"Well, I do believe I can make that last requirement possible," Kotoko mused with a snort. She had graduated from Ouran, like Takashi, Mitsukuni, and I, and had moved out of her Manor. After leaving her mother behind, Kotoko had relaxed considerably around the rest of us.
"Should I be worried?" Haruhi dryly asked while glancing curiously down at the small bundle that had been wrapped and placed in the long and slender arms of her older friend. She saw a note from Hikaru and Kaoru and softly groaned. "…It looks like I should be worried."
Giggling, Kotoko lifted her hands to show that the material in her arms was my veil. I gasped, and both Kiki and Haruhi stared at the flowing white material with big eyes. It was many years old, and had belonged to Mutti, but the veil had been cleaned and newly mended by the Twins to fit me as well. Little flowers, much like those that Mitsukuni and Satoshi had used to decorate the hood of the limousine, were sewn into the material of the old veil and the new wedding kimono.
"Something new, something old, and something blue."
My eyes watered at the memories of talking about weddings with Mutti. While I thought it odd to be interested in boys back then, Mutti insisted that I would someday change my mind – that I would find somebody I wanted to love. A watery laugh escaped, and I hurriedly swiped at both eyes as memories flitted to the front of the mind. Being sisters, Sarah and I had been promised her wedding clothes. Sarah had wanted the dress, but I had fallen in love with her veil. Mutti promised that I could have it for my own wedding. Even if I thought boys were yucky…
"Sorry. Jesus, I'm sorry. My Mutti would have loved being here. She would've loved Takashi-kun." I smiled through the tears, which I also wiped at with the palms of both hands. I stared at the three girls with happiness in my eyes and then whispered, "My family would've loved all of you…"
My best friends – Haruhi, Kotoko, and Kiki – all rushed forward to hug me. I leaned into their embrace and reveled it the warmth and the happiness that sparked out from our very souls. My heart swelled with affection for these three girls who, like me, were young and old, happy and sad, bold and scared, all at once. We were now adults. We would all walk different paths.
But I refused to let that separate us.
The Host Club would always be there for each other.
"As Haruhi-chan said," Kotoko softly reassured, with her face buried between my neck and shoulder, from beside Haruhi, who had done the same on my other side, "the Host Club is famous for its dramatics and its tears!"
"No wedding is complete without the waterworks," Kiki agreed with the Noblewoman. She, as the tallest there, had put her arms over us all and hugged the hardest, though the girl would probably deny it if anybody pointed out her affectionate and sentimental side.
Ever the sensible girl, Haruhi pulled back from the hug and silently rolled her eyes. She clearly found weddings too dramatic for her taste. Kiki snorted at her reaction, knowing that Haruhi could sometimes be even more dramatic than Tamaki, and jabbed her thumb in her direction. "You think that this shindig is crazy? Just wait until her wedding!"
We all snickered at face that Haruhi made, and I cheerfully chirped, "You know, I think that Tama-chan will be the one crying at their wedding, and not Haru-chan!" My smile widened because Haruhi had turned bright red and then, mortified, stuck her tongue out at me.
"Dude, I'll totally take that bet! Tamaki-kun is a crybaby, but Haruhi is a secret romantic," Kiki immediately retorted, lifting her hand to firmly shake mine. We grinned at each other while Kotoko and Haruhi just sighed fondly at us.
"All true, Kiki-chan, but I believe you are all forgetting that it is almost time. How about we concern ourselves with the wedding taking place at the moment?" Kotoko suggested with twinkling green eyes. At the reminder, I flushed again, my nose and cheeks pink.
"Are you scared still?" Haruhi asked curiously, the concern in her voice audible, and reached out to curl her hand around mine. A light tug of her fingers sent warmth and comfort through my entire body. I squeezed back with sweaty fingers.
"Yes, I am," I admitted truthfully because nothing could fool these three, least of all Haruhi, who would make it her business to pull the truth from me. "But," I slowly mused, "I'm also really excited!"
"Then what are we waiting for?!" Kiki yelled the rhetorical question at the top of her lungs while lifting her hands in the air again, obviously excited herself. "Let's get this party – uh, wedding – started!" She sheepishly rubbed the back of her neck. "I really want to have some wine…"
We all sweatdropped, facepalmed, and exclaimed, "Kiki-chan!"
"What?!"
Takashi's P.O.V.
"It is finally six o' clock," Kyoya observed, his slender hand lifting to adjust his glasses and resettle them atop the bridge of his nose.
Ears perked at the announcement, Tamaki – being Tamaki – gave us all his Puppy Dog Eyes and childishly whined, "What is taking them so incredibly long?"
While I disliked his whining because it made me nervous and restless, I agreed with his line of questioning at the moment. So I glanced from the Host King to the Shadow King and quietly murmured, "Ah. Where are our girls?"
My stomach dropped to the bottoms of my expensive leather shoes.
…Sammy-chan isn't having second thoughts, is she?
The Twins, Hikaru and Kaoru, grinned knowingly at each other. They had been back to help the girls for the last hour and had returned about thirty minutes ago after leaving them to finish their hair and makeup, which Kotoko insisted be left to her. Hikaru smirked; Kaoru winked at me. I angrily scowled at them both. If I survive their sister, then these tricky little Devils will be the death of me…
Laughing at my expression, Satoshi dropped his large hand down on my equally large shoulder and pointed out, "You just answered the question, Taka-nii-san! They're girls, and everybody knows that girls need forever to get ready for something!"
"Is that so…?"
The Noblewoman that had asked the question had spoken softly, with poison dripping from each pointed word. Given his reaction – Satoshi suddenly paled, whirled around, and smiled warily at her – my sibling had recognized the voice, and thus his mistake. Our mother was a short former Haninozuka at only five feet and eight inches, but in her current state, with hands to the hips of her tomesode, the formal black kimono that symbolized her relationship to the groom, and her smile dangerous, the Noblewoman was quite imposing. My little brother, while sweating profusely, slowly lifted his left hand in a wave.
"H-Hello, Okaa-sama," Satoshi sweetly greeted her, clearing his throat and tugging at the stiff collar of his tuxedo, which all of the male guests had been asked to wear in honor of all three cultures. A thought sparked at the motion, and Satoshi complimented, "You look very nice!"
"Do not Okaa-sama me! Do not compliment me so soon after insulting Takashi, either!" Okaa-san snapped at her other son – who, though three inches taller than her, cowered beneath her shadow and whimpered in apology. "This is a wedding – Shi-chan's wedding! Not a something!"
At her side, Lady Hitachiin attempted to stay serious throughout the confrontation, but her own pink lips twitched upwards at the (rather hilarious) sight that Lady Morinozuka and the Second Heir posed just then. She caught my eye, winked, and smiled playfully, before schooling her features into her polite mask once more. Sammy might not be related to her by blood, but I noticed several similarities between the two.
Amused, I grinned crookedly and then looked down and to the side to hide it.
Who would have thought that having a Mother-In-Law could be such fun?
As Okaa-san continued to fuss at Satoshi, Lady Hitachiin brushed her manicured hands down her own tomesode, which symbolized her motherly relationship to the bride. She pointedly cleared her throat and said, "Karin-san, I hate to interrupt, but I believe that is time to take our seats…"
My mother immediately straightened and glanced from the famous fashion designer to the doors at the doors of the Pension. Kotoko and Kiki exited the building and calmly walked forward to their seats. Everyone, including the two mothers, followed suit and headed for their own seats amongst the chairs designated for the guests. As Haruhi arrived and went to her seat, Tamaki smiled at me, and the Twins both gave me a matching pair of thumbs up. Kyoya nodded solemnly at me. Satoshi mimicked him, though his smile was warmer. Caleb whistled cheerfully through his teeth while Nekozawa waved slightly at me.
Then, in the soft light flickering from the fairy lights and the lanterns, which swayed in the light breeze, I noticed her –
My Sammy was wearing the wedding kimono Lady Hitachiin and her boys designed for her. It was snow white with little blue flowers, tied together with a sky blue obi that matched her satin ballerina flats. She had her mother's veil in place, the white lace framing her face and falling down atop her shoulders, back, and legs, where it began to trail the carpet. A white ribbon circled her bouquet of blue roses, in recognition of part of the traditions here in Japan.
She, in remembrance of her mother, also followed her tradition of something old, something new, something blue. Long blonde hair was pulled back by two long silk blue ribbons, which brought attention to the sky blue of her irises. The Twins had also slyly added that the blue ribbons, obi, and shoes were not the only blue items their sister had been wearing earlier, either. I swallowed down my excitement, and blush, at all of the possibilities.
"She is beautiful," I breathed in awe, a small but bewitched smile appearing without warning. I inhaled sharply at the picture the young woman painted. A completely beautiful and stunning picture, I thought.
My Otou-san, from his spot beside the altar, heard the comment and had immediately taken note of the stunned expression I now wore. He bit back his laughter and smirked down at me. "You, Takashi, are an incredibly lucky young man."
"Ah…"
Sammy's P.O.V.
Nervous…
I was so nervous!
Walking down that aisle proved to be one of the most overwhelming experiences of all time!
It was simultaneously terrifying and exhilarating because, while I would be walking to Takashi, who I loved beyond words, all of these people would be out here to see. Everyone, in fact, had turned around to stare at me as the big white doors opened and I stepped out into the soft light emitted by the colorful fairy lights and the circular lanterns lighting the way. My first step hushed the crowd, and the second made Takashi turn around to face me.
Our eyes met – silver and sapphire – and Takashi smiled handsomely, with that familiarly gentle expression of his in place. I melted, all of the tension suddenly flowing out from my soul and disappearing into the wind that rustled the veil covering part of my eyes. From beneath it, I peered at Takashi, who gently placed his hand atop mine and pulled until I stepped closer, stopping beside him, his father, and the priest.
"We are all gathered here today…"
Takashi and I stared at each other, listening to the words of the priest and then, finally, speaking our vows. His words, and mine, were inconsequential – beautiful and true, but inconsequential. As I had said before, I loved Takashi so much, and beyond words. Nothing could truly explain the depth of love I had for him. But I could show him…
"You may now step forward and kiss the bride, Lord Morinozuka," The Priest finished with a cheerful smile.
Slowly, Takashi and I stepped closer to each other. My husband – husband – leaned down, tall and strong form moving closer to mine, and I stretched with tippy toes. His lips met mine and, much like the first time, I was warm and burning inside with the flames of his love. We were completely lost within each other in that moment, with hands entwined, faces tilted, and lips locked together. Ecstatic cheering met our ears as we separated after the chaste kiss.
"Now, I pronounce you man and wife – Lord and Lady Morinozuka!"
We smiled warmly at each other and the crowd, listening to the congratulations of close friends and family members. Lord Akira talked with Lord Hiro, Lady Karin and Lady Yuzuha giggled with Ellen, Caleb hugged Umehito, and the Host Club chatted together. We were so incredibly blessed to have been given this chance to wed with all of them here, but I still wished…
Sammy!
Meine Liebling!
Hey, Big Sister! Over here!
Eyes wide, I glanced to the side and stared into the trees in the distance, frantically searching for the owners of those three familiar voices. Green leaves glittered like emeralds beneath the shine of the fairy lights, and in that sparkling light, I suddenly noticed them. Hearing my sharp inhale, Takashi glanced in the same direction, also breathing in sharply at the sight of these three guests. A man wearing military fatigues, a woman wearing her favorite yellow sundress, and their little daughter, dressed in a white shirt and little pink shorts, were standing – hand in hand – beneath the trees. Waving at us. Smiling…
My husband put his hand in mine and gently squeezed the fingers beneath his own. I glanced from the three of them, to him, and back. My lips slowly curled into a warm and happy smile, shining brighter than the fiery burst of the setting sun.
Daddy, Mutti, and Sarah had made it to my wedding, too.
***Author's Note***
PLEASE DON'T HURT ME!
A lot has been happening lately! Between being kind of worried and depressed, and the rain and other effects of the hurricane here in the United States, I have either not been uninterested in writing or unable to write. I would be depressed and not want to write, although I had electricity, and then I would suddenly want to write, having been hit with inspiration, and then I could not get to my story because of the sudden lack of electricity! My family is safe and sound, though, unlike so many people that lost their lives and their pets and their homes here. So I am grateful for small blessings, and also sad for all of these people...! :(
On a much lighter note, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! I have one more and then the epilogue planned, plus the Bonus Chapters! Woohoo! :)
Please check out the one-shots, Beneath the Masks (Kyoya and Kiki) and Sweet and Sour (Mitsukuni and Kotoko).
Close to 1,000! It would be awesome to reach 1,000 reviews by the end of Picking Up the Pieces, so...
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