Kohaku did not consider herself a romantic person. She didn't sigh over every new cute person she meets. She hadn't started planning some future wedding or named future kids. She didn't fret about if so-and-so will like how she looks in her new dress. Romance and weddings and all that nonsense are things she didn't quite get.
But there is something about watching her sister finally marry the guy she's loved all her life that's making her cry.
Senku snickered from where he was standing next to her, although he did offer her his handkerchief.
Ruri and Chrome had chosen to use the beautifully simple marriage traditions of Ishigami Village while letting Yuzuriha put together a reception for celebrating afterwards. As such, the blissfully happy couple simply said their vows in front of the entire village and they were considered married.
The party was, as expected, a riot, colorful and loud and featuring cuisine from all over the world. Friends had traveled from far and wide bringing gifts to celebrate the long-awaited wedding.
"Took them long enough," Senku muttered as he joined Kohaku standing under a tree dripping with lights and ribbons. "I was worried they'd be old as Kaseki before they got around to it." Kaseki, still kicking, was showing off his gift of some kind of machine to an appreciative Chrome and a polite Ruri.
Kohaku giggled as she sipped the cocktail Francois had prepared for her. "I think Ruri was worried about that, too. I told you she planned the whole thing and then told Chrome when and where to show up ready to recite his vows, right?"
Senku laughed loudly. "No, you didn't! Chrome didn't either! I guess he didn't mind, seeing as he showed up on time and in a nice suit and all."
They watched as Yuzuriha hurried past them, her wide-eyed baby strapped to her back, her most intense face on display as she started rearranging a bouquet that had been knocked over.
"I can't believe it's been two years since Taiju and Yuzuriha got married," Kohaku said, shaking her head.
"And since we got stuck in the Bermuda Triangle."
"And then scienced our way right out of it."
Senku laughed again. "Wow, it really has been two years, though, hasn't it?"
Kohaku paused, her drink halfway to her mouth. "Oh? What's this? Does Dr Stone himself not know the exact number of seconds it's been since any given moment?"
Groaning at the nickname that had taken off around the world, Senku said, "Yeah. My therapist has me doing some other stuff to deal with anxiety."
"Anxiety?"
He tugged his ear. "Yeah. Imagine that, right? But it's been good to talk to him about stuff. Counting all the time made me feel like I was in control of something, you know? It was dead useful for knowing the exact date when I first woke up, but not so much every second after that. It was…actually kind of terrible. So I got help." He held up his wrist and she saw that he was wearing a nice watch—probably from Joel. "Got myself this and everything, too."
Kohaku looked back at his face. He did seem…happier. More relaxed. "I'm glad for you, then," she said. Then her dad was calling for her to be in some family pictures and Senku went off to help Yuzuriha wrangle a particularly troublesome flower arrangement.
They met back up as the first reception was winding down—yes, first reception, because Ryusui had decided that having a second reception on his yacht was the best idea ever. Ruri and Chrome had excused themselves from the party and had left for the night, as had Yuzuriha, Taiju, and their baby, and most of the older villagers and guests.
Kohaku wasn't feeling up to more partying, though, and had gone off to sit on a cliff edge far enough away that she couldn't hear the loud music blasting over the speakers.
She heard someone approaching, and she knew from the sound of the steps that it was Senku. "Mind if I join you?" he asked. She patted the ground next to her and he plopped down with a sigh. He had taken off his coat and tie, undone the top few buttons of his shirt and rolled up his sleeves, and altogether looked pretty much like he normally did these days. Except…
"Wait, are you growing a beard?"
He laughed as he leaned back on his hands. "Not very well, if you just noticed it."
"I didn't know you could grow a beard!" She reached up and ran her fingers over the short stubble.
He smiled under her fingertips. "Yeah. It's coming in blond, though. Kind of just looks scruffy, so I don't think I'll keep it. And it's a bit itchy."
She giggled and scratched his chin.
"I know you're joking, but that honestly feels really nice," he said, closing his eyes and humming a bit.
And she wasn't sure what prompted her next move—she wasn't drunk or anything—but she lifted her other hand to rest on the other side of his face, gently running her thumbs over his cheeks.
He opened his eyes slowly and blinked up at her, not looking upset or trying to pull away.
It was…too much, the weight of his gaze. She dropped her hands and turned back to the ocean, clearing her throat.
After a few minutes of sitting in silence, Senku asked, "Did you have a good time at the reception?"
She sighed. "Yeah."
"That wasn't very convincing."
"It's just…!" Groaning, she continued, "My dad has pretty much left me alone about dating and marriage so far. And then he said something…weird tonight, and I think he's been talking to some people to, like…arrange something for me, and I honestly want to die just thinking about it."
"Do you…want to get married?"
And how on earth was she supposed to tell him that the only person she'd want to marry was him? "I mean, I'm not against it at all. It…it sounds really nice, actually. Like super-best-friends or something."
"Friends, huh? No romance?"
"Yes romance, but, like…just as a little part of it. Not all of it. Not the focus."
Senku shifted a bit. "So…you want a super-best-friend. A bound-by-law best friend, ride or die, with you through everything, always has your back. And maybe a bit of romance. Kids?"
"Yeah. I like kids. I'd love to have one or two, help them grow up, watch them live in a world I never could have imagined on my own." She smiled as she thought about it. "We'd have family adventures or something. Go camping or hunting or sailing for a while. I think my partner would have to be pretty smart, because I still don't understand all that school nonsense, but I'd teach my kids to fight if they wanted to know how." As she spoke, she saw Senku pull out something and start fiddling with it—not unusual for him. So she continued imagining her future family that she knew would stay fantasy—all the while not even letting herself imagine Senku as that future partner. "I'd tell them stories about everything we've done. Our friends would love them, I'm sure of it, so they'd be able to learn lots of things, all over the world."
"Sounds pretty awesome to me," Senku said as he started pulling apart whatever it was he was holding. Was he ever not working on a project? Maybe he should talk to his therapist about that next—how to take a break. "Do you have someone in mind for your partner?"
She wanted to lie. She really did. But she also wanted to tell the truth…when Senku looked at her, eyebrows raised, she realized she'd been quiet for too long. "Oh. Um. No." Ah, crap.
"Very convincing," he drawled. "Seriously. Do you? If you do, I'll help you ask them out and you can get started on that plan you have. Maybe we can make a roadmap for you."
She forced herself to laugh. "Don't worry about it. Sorry I talked your ear off." She stood up quickly, ready to make a break for it (and cursing her uncharacteristic cowardice) but Senku grabbed her wrist.
"Hey, now, where are you running to, lioness? Did I scare you off?"
"N-no. I'm just tired."
"Because I wanted to ask you something."
She turned halfway towards him, not meeting his eyes. "Oh?" She hoped he made it quick. She was struggling to keep her composure.
"Will you marry me?"
She stared at him. He was offering her a…a ring? What? Oh, he'd taken apart the thing he had, and part of it was a ring-shaped bit of metal that looked about her size.
He smiled a half smile at her. "I don't know if you realize this, but we want pretty much the exact same things as far as marriage and family go. We're good friends and have been for ages. And I…well, I think being your husband would be ten billion percent awesome."
He was…not joking? "You're serious?" she asked in a voice that came out as a whisper. "You want to marry me?"
He nodded.
She felt a smile start to grow across her face, turning to face him fully. "Yes. Yes!"
He smiled back, rising to his feet and slipping the makeshift ring onto her fourth finger. "Good, it fits," he murmured. He bit his lip and thought for a moment, then lifted her hand to press a kiss to her knuckle above the ring.
She was practically vibrating in excitement and happiness. "Um, this might be a bit soon to ask, but when do you want to get married?"
"What, don't want a Chrome repeat?" he said with a laugh. "I don't care. Whenever you want."
Well, Kohaku was not known for her patience. "How about now?"
He choked on air. "Um, what?"
"A boat captain can marry us, right? It was a thing I heard some people talking about. Ryusui's a captain."
"I mean, I guess, but don't you want the whole 'Ishigami Village' experience?"
"Nah. And all our friends are already here, so they wouldn't have to travel again."
"Well…I guess…" He laughed incredulously. "Yeah, okay. Sure. Let's go get married."
And they walked over to the ship where the second reception was in full swing, Kohaku daring to hold his hand as they walked. He didn't pull away, and even threaded their fingers together.
"Ryusui," called Senku, "come here for a second."
The boisterous man made his way over, talking to guests as he went, until he stood before them. "About time you two showed up!" he said with a laugh. "You're just in time for—"
"Actually," Kohaku cut in, worried they'd get dragged into something that would take forever to finish. "We have a request."
"We want you to officiate our wedding," Senku said.
The party was loud, so no one else heard, and Ryusui didn't look like he believed what he'd heard anyways. "Uh—what?"
"We're getting married," Kohaku explained a bit more. "You're a ship captain so you can officiate, right?"
"I—I guess? But just because I'm a part of the council—wait, hold on, are you serious? Are you drunk?"
"Stone cold sober, my friend," Senku replied with a smirk. "I could reinvent a breathalyzer if you need proof."
Ryusui huffed and looked at the two of them, a baffled smile on his face. "Well. Well, alright then. Sure thing! I'd love to! When were you thinking?"
"Does now work for you?" Kohaku asked with her most innocent smile.
Ryusui's eyes bulged momentarily and he burst out laughing. "Yeah, sure! Of course! Why not!"
He dragged them to the small stage that had been set up on the deck, then gestured for Francois to join them. He said something to them and they proceeded to arrange Kohaku's hair and Senku's suit to their liking.
"My friends! Sorry to interrupt a most excellent party, but may I have your attention please?" called Ryusui from the stage, the sound system projecting his voice across the deck. "I have a very special announcement to make, and I can honestly say that you won't believe it!"
"It's not that weird," muttered Senku. "It's just a wedding." Francois cinched up his tie a bit tighter than necessary and he coughed and pulled it a bit looser.
"My apologies," they said in their least apologetic voice (which is to say, their normal voice with eyebrows raised a bit higher than usual). "It's all rather last-minute, you see, so I'm feeling a bit rushed." And then they hurried off to do something else.
"My friends," said Ryusui, "it is my pleasure and privilege to announce an engagement this evening!" He then turned and gestured to where Senku and Kohaku were standing. "The engagement of none other than our dear friends Kohaku and Senku!"
To say that the response was loud and skeptical would be underselling it. It was, of course, nothing to the sheer cacophony that erupted when Ryusui continued, "And it is my even greater pleasure to announce their immediate wedding!"
Kohaku couldn't help but giggle, hiding her face against Senku's arm.
"Don't abandon me now, lioness," Senku murmured. "This was your idea."
"I won't, I won't. I'm just happy," she said.
The actual ceremony was simple and efficient—and maybe it felt a bit unreal to Kohaku. Real or not, she promised to love and stand with Senku all her life, and he promised the same.
The only minor hiccup was when Ryusui asked if they had rings to exchange. Francois came to the rescue, swooping in with a simple metal band for Senku, and Kohaku decided not to ask where they'd found a ring that fit Senku perfectly on such short notice—they'd probably say something mysterious anyways.
"I pronounce you husband and wife!" Ryusui finished with a massive smile. "May you have many happy years together!"
The guests cheered, and Kohaku heard more than one person say, "I knew they liked each other," or alternatively, "I had no idea!"
And then Senku was pulling her close, wrapping her in a hug, which she couldn't remember him ever initiating before, and to be honest, it thrilled her more than any kiss would have. He'd wanted to marry her. They were married.
"Alright, legally-bound best friend," he said right above her ear, "what's the plan from here?"
"Well, legally-bound best friend," she said with a laugh, "now we celebrate with our friends. We can figure out tomorrow when it comes."
He turned his head, pressing his lips to her temple. "Alright. Strength in numbers or divide and conquer?"
"Stay by me," she requested, pulling back to hold his hand again. "You did promise to, after all."
He smiled at her. "I guess I did. Together, then."
Together they made their way through the crowd of their friends, accepting their well-wishes and congratulations.
Together they made their way to Senku's house—their house—for the night, just to sleep. Neither of them felt like their relationship was ready for sex.
Together they woke up to Kokuyo pounding on the door, the entire village behind him, asking what on earth "those kids" were talking about when they said they'd gotten married.
Together they explained at least a dozen times that, yes, they'd gotten married, yes, married, not engaged.
And together they apologized to their kind of upset friends that had missed the very spontaneous wedding.