as promised!
exams, and therefore the wait, is over :)
as always, i do not own the selection nor hetalia. these belong to kiera cass and himaruya hidekaz respectively.
Erin carefully arranged Arthur's veil so it rested just so on top of his hair, tucked neatly underneath a small silver comb – Arthur had drawn the line at flowers in his hair. And stockings. And heels. And a stupid penny in his shoe.
"I don't think I've ever met a grumpier person on their wedding day," Erin joked, trailing her fingers onto the edge of the veil. "You're saving your smiles for later?"
"Don't remind me of the press, please," Arthur snorted, to which Erin laughed as she circled to the back of her brother's outfit. "I'll have more than my fill of wedding photos before we even get to the cake fight."
"Alfred was asking about you, though," Erin mumbled, adjusting the tiny string of pearls resting on Arthur's neck (although Arthur thought an ear piercing would eventually be cool, he had drawn the line at diamonds). "Whether you're still okay with wearing the dress. He said they could switch it if you really didn't want to. With that, I don't have any problems with him wearing the dress...it would be cute, honestly."
"It's not as bad as he thinks it is...it's too beautiful not to wear," Arthur admitted, gently raising his arm to admire the fairy like fabric that made it all a little less heavy to wear. "Maybe when we exchange our vows we can do a switcheroo."
"What a brilliant idea," Erin deadpanned, fastening the pearls together before tapping him on his left shoulder. "All right, Artiekins, turn around."
"Fates, I must look horrible," Arthur said, but he couldn't fight down his smile as he looked at his reflection – and his sister, looking radiant in her bridesmaid dress. As a teenager in the holding facility, he had devoured cheesy romance books – one part that he always liked was that a sister would help the bride get ready before they went out. That little bit he wanted to have to himself.
"Why, you of little faith," Erin replied. "What do you think?"
"You've somehow managed to make myself look presentable," Arthur said, but took his sister's hands in his own. "Thank you, Erin. It's a bit selfish of me but it means a lot."
"Not at all," Erin said, and gave him a fond hug, a warm gesture that made Arthur felt as if he were back in their old house all over again. "Strut your stuff out there, Artie."
Arthur looks up to where Alfred's standing, and to no one's surprise, he looks immaculate - he's wearing a white suit with a sky blue tie, with a cluster of light blue roses tucked into his right breast pocket. A smartly buttoned waistcoat complements the outfit, the gold buttons gleaming as the light from the windows reflects off them. He looks beyond handsome, and it sends Arthur's heart thrumming pleasantly in his chest - if only he could see him a little bit better! - as he shares one last word with Kiku.
"I told you," Kiku whispers, smiling a little deviously. "Congratulations, Art. Or should I say 'Queen of Spades' yet?"
"Just wait a few hours," Arthur jokes back, before giving him a hug. "Leon, Anna, are you okay?"
"I totally understand why they're staring, but…it's your special day," Leon hisses right back, gripping Arthur's hand and carefully tucking his friend's skirts out of the way before giving him a hug. "You're going to do great."
"He's right, you know," Anna says - she looks so much in place with her fairy like dress, gossamer contrasting with her dark skinned shoulders. "Don't worry about the cameras, just…look ahead. It'll pass faster than you think."
"Thank you so much," Arthur says to both of them, overcome. "It means everything to me."
He turns to Erin last; even though they had just shared their last words, he can't resist giving his sister one last hug.
"Have you seen Dylan, Christian or Cormac yet?"
"First row on the left," Erin replies, "Don't respond when Cormac pulls a stupid face."
"It would be embarrassing to punch my brother on live television," Arthur laughs, and squeezes his sister's hands - she looks every bit as proud as Arthur would have dared to imagine. "See you up there."
"Artie, I think the musicians are going to throw a violin if we don't start soon," Allistor whispers from in front of him. "Come on, you."
Hoisting up his skirts, he interlaces his arm with his eldest brother's, and takes a deep breath. He can't see much in front of this stupid veil, but he pushes away that annoyance - it'll be gone soon, anyway.
The music starts up, the all too familiar wedding march as the guests stand up in unison, the harmonious sound sending a shiver up Arthur's back. Fates, he's all too glad to have not put the penny in his shoe, as he's suddenly acutely aware of every brush of tulle against his skin, the flutter of the veil on his nose. He carefully matches Allistor's footsteps as they slowly progress down the church.
"Mother and Father would have been proud of us," Allistor says in a hushed tone after a while, determined to keep this to themselves. "You've done well, Artie."
"Thanks for agreeing to walk me down the aisle," Arthur replies in tandem, "I don't know who else could give me away."
"Chris?" "I don't want to be prosecuted at my wedding," comes the reply, and Allistor almost snorts in the middle of the aisle. "You're far more suited for these sorts of mature occasions."
"Lord, that's the nicest thing I've ever heard you say," Allistor says sarcastically, then starts to look up - Anna was right, it did pass a lot faster than Arthur had imagined. "How do I give you away again?" A hint of worry hatches in Arthur's head, but he can tell his brother's probably screwing with him. "Um, a tag that mentions 'not to be submerged in a pool'."
As it was tradition, Jack Yao is the marriage officiate, and his calm expression seems to almost seep into Arthur's own as both him and Allistor face the royal.
"Does Arthur James Kirkland have the blessing of the family to marry Alfred Fitzgerald of the Crown?" Yao asks.
"On behalf of all that have gathered here, and of all those not able to be with us today," Allistor replies steadily, pausing a little after the second sentence. "He does."
Arthur hears Alfred exhale once, his voice shuddering.
"Good luck up there," Allistor murmurs to his brother as he lets his arm go. "We'll be in the first row if you need us."
Arthur holds onto his brother's hand for one more desperate moment; even though it's just a grip it feels like it means so much more, as if he's letting go of his past life to become someone else entirely.
At the corner of his field of vision, he can see Matthew standing at Alfred's side, in a traditional black suit with hydrangeas in various violet and blue shades to represent his country, his usual large, circular glasses replaced with a pair to match his brother's as his best man. Matthew gives him a little thumbs up as Arthur takes his place next to Alfred, hands trembling at his sides.
The two of them don't share any words as Yao resumes his place on the altar, holding a tome, but Alfred's hand seeks out Arthur's hand and interlaces his fingers with his own, and the steadiness of the grip is enough to sustain him. Yao doesn't speak, and Arthur worries whether or not something is wrong, but once he hears Alfred sniff once, he fondly realizes that Alfred is crying. He gives Alfred's hand a squeeze, to communicate what can't be said verbally.
"Repeat after me," Yao says, facing Alfred first. "I, Alfred Fitzgerald of the Crown,"
"I, Alfred Fitzgerald of the Crown," Alfred repeats, voice quavering, and Arthur fights the urge to look up at him.
"Take you, Arthur James Kirkland,"
"Take you, Arthur James Kirkland,"
"To be my lawfully wedded husband,"
"To be my lawfully wedded husband," Alfred says. Arthur tries not to smile, and hopes that the cameras can't pick up on his beam underneath his veil. One moment, he wanted it to be thick enough so that his face was well hidden, but another moment he wanted to see Alfred's face…
"In sickness and in health," Alfred soldiers on as Arthur blinks, giving Alfred's hand a squeeze again. He hopes Alfred can't feel his hands going clammy with anticipation - he should have worn gloves…
"Until death do us part." Yao concludes, smiling at the two of them. The cameras click away, and Arthur can hear their joint heartbeat in their odd rhythm.
"Until death do us part." Alfred says, looking directly at Arthur. As tradition, they usually remove the veil before the winner of the Deciding speaks their vows. Alfred's gentle in lifting it off his face, the small tickle of the movement neutered by his slightly teary smile, putting even the sun to shame in their dampness. The whole world seems to disappear, leaving only what seems the two of them in a secret space.
"Repeat after me," Yao says, turning to Arthur now. "I, Arthur James Kirkland,"
"I, Arthur James Kirkland," Arthur says, trying to keep his voice from wobbling,
"Take you, Alfred Fitzgerald of the Crown,"
"Take you, Alfred Fitzgerald of the Crown." Arthur repeats, trying to fight back a laugh of pure, unadulterated joy.
"To be my lawfully wedded husband,"
"To be my lawfully wedded husband."
"To have and to hold,"
"To have and to hold," Arthur says. Alfred's warm thumb caress his knuckles as he recites the words.
"From this day forward, for better, for worse," Yao says, his voice rising above the louder clicking of the cameras.
"From this day forward, for better, for worse."
"For richer, for poorer,"
"For richer, for poorer." Arthur says, thinking internally how ridiculous that phrase seemed in context.
"In sickness and health, until death do us part."
"In sickness and health, until death do us part." Arthur finishes, releasing the small choked noise in his throat as he's finally allowed to turn and face Alfred. Arthur notices that he's been visibly crying, and lets his eyes soften.
"Now, in the presence of the Fates," Yao declares, placing the tome of the Spades Fate back onto the altar. "I declare this union to be consensual and valid. May Spades honour and strengthen your bond, and grant you strength to govern and cherish this country and beyond with your joint vows. Long live the Spadian monarchy!"
At this, the attendees rise and clap, Alfred gently taking Arthur's hand in his own and turning the two of them forward to face the audience for what seems like both a minute and an hour. The cameras go into overdrive, and Arthur forces himself not to blink in the face of their flashing lights - but surely the ceremony's not finished without Arthur's (secret) favourite part?
"The two of you may now kiss," Yao says almost as if he can read Arthur's mind, and Alfred doesn't hesitate, scooping Arthur up in his arms and kissing him tightly, his arms securing his waist. Like clockwork, Arthur's hands rest against his chest, trying not to dislodge the flowers tucked into his pocket as they sway a little together. Arthur's cheeks can't help but redden when he realises Alfred's close to tears, and they part a little faster to avoid embarrassing him. Arthur's husband lets out a small sob, lifting his glasses and wiping his eyes before enveloping Arthur into a hug, hearing the cameras capturing the money shot and the guests cheer.
The day's far from finished yet (Arthur's going to get coronated in his wedding dress, to his partial dismay), but Arthur's more than content to lie in Alfred's arms for the rest of the day.
Arthur's now the Queen of Spades.
It was remarkably similar to Kiku's coronation in terms of the words, except where Yao laid the Spadian Fate's tome against his forehead and asked him to recite vows to Spades, not Hearts.
But the main point is that he was married to Alfred.
Arthur was still a little antsy as he fidgeted in his well pressed shoes - their first dance, complete with trembling hands and fumbling feet was over, but why was he still apprehensive? Erin and Christian were whirling Dylan around, Kiku was talking to Yao, and Alfonso was with the handful of Deciding candidates who were giving interviews to the ever hungry cameras - but there was no sign of his husband.
If only Arthur didn't know him so well...
He quickly excused himself, murmuring a few words to an animated Leon, and then slipped away to the gardens, footsteps leading him to a well traveled path adorned with greenery and the imprint of Alfred's expensive shoes on the peat, the layers of snow having melted thanks to the spring.
Alfred sat on the swing in their outhouse, white suit stark against the dark brown wood of the structure. His feet brushed the surface of the floor, legs kicking as one arm lay on his lap and another held the swing still, head dithering so that a thin layer of hair obscures his eyes as Arthur went inside.
"And I thought I was going to be the one running away," Arthur said, trying to keep his voice gentle as to not startle him.
"...! Hey, Art," Alfred mumbled, eyes darting from the floor to Arthur. "Hey, sweetheart, I didn't hear you..."
"I didn't want to scare you," Arthur said, moving to stand a little closer to him. "Are you okay?"
"I guess, other than the fact that I cried on live television," Alfred said, mortification painted on his face, but he still offered up a weak smile. "Fates, yeah. Of course I'm okay. More than okay, really."
"You worried me," Arthur said, kneeling down and tucking a strand of Alfred's hair behind his ear - it had grown by quite a bit compared to the first time they had met. "Here I thought you'd be the life of the party, and you're sitting here in our outhouse, kicking your feet on the swing. That's not like you."
"Not every day a guy becomes husband and king within an hour," Alfred offered, cupping Arthur's hand against his face. "Sorry if I got jumpy."
"Have you been crying again?"
"Sorry," Alfred said awkwardly, looking away. "You just looked so stunning in your dress...and you were walking down with your brother and then it felt like a kick in the chest. Like it was really happening, and it wasn't a dream. That...that really got to me."
"Dearest, that's nothing to be sorry for," Arthur said, wiping away the hint of moisture gathering at Alfred's eyes. "It's a little humbling, actually."
"I'm not supposed to cry, yanno? It's not manly or cool enough."
"Alfred, you should learn to occasionally forget the media's desires of you and just be human," Arthur chided gently. "We're still young – and you're plenty manly."
"Not cool? Boo," Alfred said, but couldn't fight back his grin. "It's getting really lonely up here; I want to share my swing with someone."
"Now who could that be?" Arthur replied, and wrapped his arms around Alfred's neck as the other boy pulled him into his lap bridal style, Arthur's dress overflowing to the other side – Alfred internally thanks the Fates that they had the good idea to remove Arthur's veil. "I don't think I told you how handsome you looked tonight."
"Even when I cried?"
"That doesn't change anything – of course," Arthur said, looking away a little and flushing. "It's that...it's the fact that it's you..."
"Arthur," Alfred murmured, pulling his husband close and dotting kisses over his shut eyelids, his forehead, his freckles, his nose. "I love you."
"Wh-wha..." Arthur's breath caught, a little surprised by the sudden declaration of love. "I love you too."
"Fates, I'm so lucky," Alfred said, lifting Arthur's hand to his lips and letting his mouth trail over his ring. "So, so lucky. I can't wait to wake up next to you tomorrow morning and all those mornings after."
"If you're lucky...what am I?" Arthur replied, touching the side of his face as he moved to nestle himself in the crook of Alfred's warm shoulder.
Alfred beamed, pressing a kiss to Arthur's lips. "My husband, the one I'll always love. More than anything."
one more to go! see you there. special chapter so i'll reply next week (promise!)
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