Matrimony pt 2

"Normal speech"

'Thoughts'

"Speech over phone or terminal"

Feldt

The ceremony had gone amazing. Feldt wasn't ashamed to say that she cried when she said her vows and her heart had skipped a beat when Setsuna looked at her like goddess as she walked up the aisle. And when they kissed, it felt magical. There was something different about a kiss declaring their declaration of loyalty to each other. They would be there for each other for the rest of their lives.

When the bouquet had been thrown, a white-haired woman had caught it, who had smiled at Allelujah. And Feldt's face had been bright red the entire time Setsuna had taken off the bridal garter, who had decided he would do it with his teeth. 'He'll pay for that tonight!' She swore she had heard Sumeragi and Christina wolf whistling at the situation. Setsuna had given her a smirk before he threw it to the crowd of men, with a tall brown-haired man catching it. She vaguely remembered that was the brother of one of Setsuna's groomsmen.

With that finished, everyone settled down for the meal. Feldt and Setsuna had decided to do a buffet, the guests steadily getting their food before sitting down. As she noticed all the guests having gotten their drinks and food, she picked up a mic and stood up, clearing her throat, "Hi there! I just want to thank everyone for being here! While you guys get started, the maid of honor and best man have speeches prepared." She saw the stack of notecards in front of Christina, and she saw her best friend give her a mischievous grin. 'I asked for this.' Feldt continued, "And since I know she's just waiting to embarrass me, I'll hand it off to the maid of honor."

She handed the microphone to Christine, who stood up excitedly, a wicked glean in her eye. Christina gave a wide grin to the crowd, "Don't worry, this is payback for my wedding." Feldt let out a groan as part of the crowd laughed. Christina cleared her throat as the laughter died down, "So I actually have some notes, unlike Feldt at mine, so I do have details. Feldt and I have had a relatively short history, but in that time she has become my best friend. Including a few embarrassing moments. Like the time she forgot her key to the apartment, trying to get in through my window, not noticing that Lichty and I were…intimate till she was halfway through the open window, when she proceeded to fall back outside and then run to the front door, forgetting she didn't have her key! I mean I was embarrassed too, but it was really funny in retrospect." Christina let the crowd laugh, taking a breath.

Feldt let out a groan, blushing. She hid her head in Setsuna's shoulder, hoping to hide from the look of the crowd. That had been a massively embarrassing day and those bruises lasted for a few days from the fall, reminding her what had happened. She also did not need to see her friend having sex with her boyfriend. 'She wouldn't stop teasing me for a month!' Christina flashed her a grin as she continued, "She couldn't look me in the eye for a week! There also was the time we went to karoke night and she got very drunk. She went up on stage several times. And when I told her she was actually a good singer, she just shoved me away, saying it was my fault!"

Setsuna quietly whispered in Feldt's ear, "You are a good singer." She just responded by smacking him lightly on the chest and her face going redder as she kept her face in Setsuna's shoulder.

Setsuna kissed her on the forehead as she heard the brunette continue, Christina's voice softening, "But outside of embarrassing moments, she really is my best friend. I don't think I would have made it through college without her. She helped me study and even kicked my ass into asking out my husband when I was being a coward. I owe her so much. So when I heard that the boy she had a crush on lived in the same city as us, I had to help."

Feldt lifted her face out from Setsuna's shoulder, intertwining their hands under the table, and looked at her friend who gave her a warm smile, the crowd awing at her words. Feldt nodded at Christina, who said, "And as I watched her get closer to Setsuna, I saw her become a more confident woman. I saw her slowly fall in love with her husband and open up. This was unlike all the blind dates I set her up on in college. She and him are a perfect match and I was rooting for them the entire time. They just seem to work in sync and I've never seen her eyes light up talking about anything else." Christina shrugged her shoulders, "Well maybe besides Haro. She always got excited talking about that." The crowd chuckled at that.

Feldt mock glared at her friend but couldn't help but feel a few tears wanting to come out. She had never realized how much Christina was rooting for her and Setsuna. Setsuna squeezed her hand, kissing her on the cheek, causing her to blush. She saw Christina let out a silent aw at that before she continued, "Well in my closing words, I want to wish the two of you luck for the future. You two are amazing together and will be amazing parents. Don't forget I will always be there for you, Feldt, and I will remember your promise that I will the godmother of your first kid. If you don't, I will hunt you down." Feldt smiled widely as the crowd laughed.

Christina handed the microphone back to Feldt, but Feldt just stood up and hugged her friend, quietly saying, "Thank you. Thank you."

A few of her tears dropped onto Christina's shoulder from Feldt as the brown-haired woman wrapped an arm around her friend, who responded, "You don't need to thank me. It's what friends do."

Setsuna

After the two women broke their hug and Christina sat down, Feldt nodded at Saji, who stood up and took the remote from her hands. Louise looked at her husband, giving him an encouraging thumbs up. Saji cleared his throat, giving the crowd a grin, "Well I guess I have a lot to live up to after that." He laughed nervously, playing with his tie, "Well I can't say I share a bond like that with Setsuna, I would certainly say that we became close friends."

He looked at Setsuna, smiling, "Do I have to hug you after this? Because I can."

Setsuna shook his head, smiling back at his former roommate, "No, I'm good." The crowd laughed at that and Setsuna could see and see Christina and Feldt giggle in his peripheral vision.

Saji let out a happy sigh, "Good. You were never that touchy feely and I would be shocked if you suddenly were." Saji gazed back at the crowd, "So, back on topic. I'm not really a public speaker so bear with me. Setsuna was my college roommate since sophomore year. I would never have expected that a random roommate assignment would lead to a long-term roommate after college, but here we are. When I first met him, he seemed kind of cold and impersonal. As well as impervious to embarrassment. Louise swore that she would have to flash him to get him to blush." Louise smirked at Setsuna, who just chuckled. 'She wouldn't have been wrong.' Saji, not noticing that, continued, "But the more I got to know him, the more I realized he was just introverted and not outwardly emotional. Any time I asked him to help me with something, he would. And he helped me through rough patches and terrible classes. And he never asked for anything in return. He just seemed to do it by instinct."

Graham gave Setsuna a proud smile, Setsuna blushing slightly. Feldt smiled warmly at him, whispering, "He's right. You are very noble." She gave him a quick kiss, causing some of the audience to aww at the display and Saji's words. Setsuna blushed even more, looking at his lap.

Saji chuckled at Setsuna, "This is the reaction that Louise wanted and all it took was getting a girlfriend." Louise nodded victoriously as Saji turned his attention back to the room, "When Setsuna first came to me, asking for help with a date. I was shocked. Not only that he was going on a date, which I hadn't seen before, but how much worry was in his eyes. He seemed to really want to get this right and after seeing him with Feldt for the first time in person, I could tell she was the woman for him. I could see the kindness in her eyes and her willingness to understand him. Most people I know wouldn't have spent hours building models with their significant other, but she seemed to enjoy it enough to stay up late building with him. She brought out the best in him and he seemed happier, more open than he was before. Beyond all the teasing Louise did after she saw the pictures, Setsuna spoke with more joy and happiness than I have ever seen, even more than his models."

He looked at Feldt and Setsuna, smiling warmly, "It reminded me of myself when I spoke about Louise to my sister. She said I sounded like a fool, but she hugged me and said keep her close. So I would say the same about you two. Even when you two get into rough patches and argue, never let each other go. Just talk and you will make it through it. A relationship like this is hard to find, so never take it for granted." He looked around at the crowd, rubbing the back of his head, "I don't know how to end this so…here?" The crowd laughed as he handed the microphone back to Setsuna.

Setsuna stood up, smiling at his friend before he looked over the crowd, "Well anyone who wants to speak now, speak up." No one raised their hand, Feldt letting out a happy sigh. He continued, "Well then, please get back to enjoying your food. And for those of you who I know want to see me embarrass myself, the dance floor will open once all the guests who have gotten their food." The guests responded happily, Setsuna spotting a few smirks focused on him, and he handed the mic to one of the staff, who took it away. As he sat down, Feldt grinned at him, "I know you are a good dancer. Why would you say you would embarrass yourself?"

He just smirked back, "Well if I'm a good dancer, you are a good singer."

Feldt blushed and blew a raspberry at him, mirth in her eyes, "Well, maybe both of us are more talented than we know."

Author's Note

The speeches are done! Only one chapter left. This has been a ride, but all rides must eventually end. I'll have more next week but I thank all of you for reading and I hope you enjoyed the story. I also will announce an upcoming project coming in the future next week! See you then!