"Tousan..." Ran whispered and held the paper as delicately in his hand as one would hold a small child, barely noticing the small droplets of moisture that fell to the paper. Folding it up, he put it back into the box and turned to draw his remaining family member into his arms. His face leaned down into her soft head of hair, careful not to muss her curls, even as he could still hear his father's stern but loving voice whispering the words in his ear. Try as he might, he couldn't stop the quiet gentle tears of utter joy from sliding down his cheeks, touched by his father's words written years ago.
Remembering she had asked what the private father-son note had written on it, he said in a soft whisper, "He said all I ever needed to know..."
Aya's arms slid about her brother's waist accepting the tight hold and giving him one of her own. After a moment of silence between the two she pulled back giving him a warm smile and a soft kiss on his cheek. "I'm glad. I know how you worry about what they would have thought about you. They can't possibly be any more proud of you than I am. You're who I strive to emulate when I work. I try to walk parallel to your footsteps, be someone who you can be proud of. You're the model I strive to become. You're my hero Ran. In so many ways."
She lifted his hand and pulled the cufflinks from them and fastened each one carefully. "You make me proud to be a Fujimiya."
~ ~ ~
"Quit tugging at it!"
"Look, if I shove this right here it'll work."
"No it won't you'll just fuck it up!"
"Damn it. I know what I'm doing! I've done this hundreds of times."
"Uh huh."
"Would you trust me?"
"Ow... OW! Damnit don't pull it so hard!"
"You big baby. I barely tugged at."
"Youji get your hands off my damn tie!"
"Ken, quit whining and relax I can... Oops."
Ken glanced down at the mess Youji was making of his tie. In the room with the pair were Omi and Yuushi. Reiichi and Masato and Naru were off seating the guests and making sure things were going smoothly. The buzz of their voices could be heard coming to him from Youji's earpiece. Only Aya would treat this as a mission. She was definitely a Fujimiya. Hearing them over the line Ken had to giggle.
"There's a L.W.B.H. in Sector 2. Move her, Rook."
Ken had looked perplexed. "L.W.B.H?"
Youji had smirked and the three of them had chimed dully. "Lady with Big Hair."
That had been as he'd walked in and Omi, Yuushi, and Youji had cornered him in his area designated as his room which was in fact Youji's room, and they'd dragged him to scrub him down and get him dressed. Youji was fiddling with the tie declaring it his duty as best man.
Of course true to Kudou Nature... he'd fucked it up. There was now a nice tear in his tie and Ken was busy fwapping him over the head with it repeatedly trying to kill the blonde with the strip of silk.
"Ken!! Stop! You can't kill the best man! Especially with a silk tie!" He squawked as he dodged another blow.
Raising his arm for another strike, Ken let him have it. "Oh yeah!? You can with a strip of dental floss! Dammit you ruined the tie! Yuushi, Omi... please tell me there's a spare around here or one of you two can tie this and hide it from Gwenevere before she ties my nuts in a knot for ruining the wedding because Youji's an idiot!"
"Ah don't worry about that. She won't tie any part of you up." Dropping the two bickering Weiß members a wink, the golden Knight of Crashers just chuckled. "I think she'll leave that to Ran. And if she hurt any part of you, he may hurt her. You need that for the wedding night."
"Mooou! You guys!" Omi scrunched up his nose, flopping down on the bed as he tugged the tie from Ken's hand to inspect the damage. "Stop talking about the wedding night and tying things up and such things! ...Leave that to Ran-kun and Ken-kun when they're alone ne?" Giggling softly, Omi eyed the rip in the tie and then shook his head.
"That bad?" Yuushi said as he lifted up a slim golden eyebrow, looking over at the genki kid.
"Hai... I knew this was going to happen."
"How'd you know that."
"Because!" the bright blue eyed male answered, pulling out of the small bag a thin box. "Youji-kun sometimes screws things up when they're important and Ken-kun is a klutz. And Murphy's Law is eeeeeevil." Holding out the box, Omi dropped Ken a light wink. "Here's a spare I brought. Any comments about me always being prepared and being a Boyscout and I'll... do something you wont like! Ne, let me put it on this time ne? Youji-kun! Don't you dare touch that boutonniere to that lapel or you'll rip the jacket too!"
~ ~ ~
"Ah, Aya..." Ran said softly, lifting his perfectly cuffed hand to wipe the tears from her eyes carefully, using the same accurate touch that allowed him to never pierce himself on a thorn keeping the tears from ruining her make-up or touching on his shirt sleeve. "You've gone above and beyond anything I ever could do. The pupil surely has surpassed the master in this case." Smiling softly at her, he rose up from the bed and picked up his pristine white jacket, slipping it over his upper torso. "But I suppose there is nothing wrong with being one another's hero. It's... it's almost time for the ceremony to start ne?"
Aya nodded and dabbed at her eyes with a handkerchief she pulled from her skirt pocket. "I still need to put on my dress and we'll head out as soon as Ken and the boys that stayed behind as his escort take him over to the building." She smiled warmly. It was a surprise to both Ran and Ken that the wedding was being held atop the very rooftop they met.
For security reasons guests were arriving at Koneko first then being driven to the location in large limousines. From what she'd heard over the mic most of the guests had already been taken downtown and all that remained were Ken, Youji, Omi and her fiancé. A light smile tugged on her lips as it always did when she remembered her intended. She blushed lightly as her eyes collided with her brother's, catching the knowing smile on his lips.
Rising from her perch on the bed she moved gracefully to the closet and picked up her garment bag and ushered herself into the bathroom. After a few moments she reappeared in a gold toned form-fitting gown. It flattered her every curve making her look like the twenty-year-old woman she was for once. Her long hair was upswept into an array of curls seeming to tumble and spill from the top of the twist and frame her face and accent her long graceful neck. The gown was sleeveless save for thin spaghetti straps. The bodice dipped with a lip of a satiny material that caught the light. The lip was the only shiny part of the gown. The rest of it in a non-reflective fabric. She wore matching gloves and shoes. Around her neck was a simple gold necklace with a small chess piece pendant dangling from it in the shape of the Knight. A gift from the bearer of the name for her twentieth birthday. Completing the outfit were the earrings her brother had once worn so long ago and atop her head was a small tiara. As it was snowing outside a matching velvet hooded cape would be draped over it while she was outside. It was trimmed and lined in the softest fur imaginable. She looked like a princess from faraway lands.
Aya twirled for Ran as she exited the bathroom and clasped his hands on hers. "We'll go as soon as I know Ken is out of the house. It'll be just you me and Yuushi in the last limo. You think he'll like the dress. He's yet to see me in it. God I don't know how you can be so calm. My own wedding is six months away and I still get mad butterflies in my tummy!"
~ ~ ~
"So what the hell am I supposed to do!?" Youji huffed and started digging around in his pockets for a cigarette. "Just sit around on my ass and stay out of the way?"
Ken held up the box of cigarettes that Youji was looking for. Smirking softly he tucked them back into his jacket, an evil glint in his eyes. "No smoking. You can wait until the reception. I'm not going to have you reeking like a smokestack while I get married!" Watching Youji pout he nodded to Omi thanking him for the spare with a wink and a ruffle to his hair before walking over to Yuushi and smacking the tie box in his hand. "Yes, Youji, that's exactly what you're supposed to do. Stand there and look pretty until the ceremony is over. Then you can hit on Manx at the reception."
Youji visibly brightened. That was always fun. "Okay you just made my day." For the remainder of the time they spent getting ready, Youji pondered and cycled through his pickup lines looking for his best ones and at the same time ones he had yet to use on Manx. After all they had gone out to dinner on more than one occasion. It was obvious the woman had succumb to his charm. Now to get her to stay succumbed.
As if reading Youji's thoughts, Ken chuckled lightly and glanced up at Yuushi. "You're going to have to deal with this soon. Looking forward to it?"
~ ~ ~
"You look amazing Aya... Calm? I'm always calm. It's my talent. You can heal all wounds magically, I can be the epitome of calm. It evens out ne?" Smirking softly, he held up his hand to take hers, twirling her once as he had so many times when she would be a ballerina, insisting she neeeeeded him to do her pirouettes. It had been cute when she was five and it was still cute. "A pity we both desired opposite seasons for our weddings or we could have had a double wedding. But then..." he rolled his eyes and then dropped her a wink. "You would have been a prettier bride than I, and we couldn't have that."
Keeping her gloved hands in his, he sighed softly and stayed standing, swinging their hands lightly between the two of them. He saw that mysterious smirk on her lips. "Aya. Where is this miraculous wedding taking place... You have to tell me. Or..." He paused to ponder. He couldn't very well just say 'I won't go'. Idle threat and everyone knew it. And if Ken ever found out Ran threatened that for anything, he would face the 'no sex' decree for the honeymoon. And that would be bad because he wanted tonight to be special...
Grumbling as he gave up finding a good threat, for now, he just tried to work the cute big innocent violet eyes very few ever saw. "Please tell me?"
~ ~ ~
"Dammit. Aya ties these things better than I do..." Yuushi murmured after watching the interaction between the two with a light smile. Their bickering reminded him way too much of himself with Masato. Or with Naru. Or Naru fighting with Masato. Glancing over his shoulder he had to laugh to himself as he saw Omi sweatdropping and tapping his foot in wait for them to behave. Just like Reiichi...
"Well why don't we go ask her-" Omi brightened and actually headed towards the door to get the redhead's sister to help.
"Ommmi! We can't! What are you crazy? Then the groom will see the bride and the bride will see the groom and Aya will kill me!"
"... They're both guys. Groom/groom!"
"No, Ran's the bride. Anyway it's bad luck."
"How?"
"Tradition says it is."
"I don't get it."
"No one does. That's why it's tradition." Shrugging lightly, Yuushi wiggled the tie a tiny bit to straighten it. Scrunching his nose, he undid the tie to do this one more time, focusing a bit more on the task. A warm smile was bestowed upon the male as he adjusted any last minutes fix-its on his outfit, making sure all was perfect. "Looking forward to officially starting the rest of my life with the woman I adore? Oh you betcha, tiger. Also looking forward to actually sleeping in the same bed with Aya and for once seeing her fresh out of bed." Yes it was true. Though the two Crashers had lived together for months, they had never fully consummated their relationship or even spent the night together in any form or fashion. They had separate bedrooms - one of which would be turned into a study or... eventual nursery... after their marriage - and every time he saw her in the mornings, she was perfectly showered, her hair done, clothes fully on for the day, a touch of make up... But how he longed to see the woman curled in his arms, lying in their marriage bed with him. Sunlight streaming down on her to have her awaken with the dawning morning like the precious beautiful flower she was to him.
Grinning, he patted the perfect bow tie. "And you are all tied Mr. Soon-to-be-Married. If you want to back out now's the time to do it. None? Sure? Great! No one will have to kill you." Never even giving him a second to respond, Yuushi pulled down the mic set from his thick blonde strands behind his ear, flipping it on. "Gwenevere, honey, I have the groom all dressed and ready to go. I will contact you again when Bombay and Balinese have Siberian secured in the limousine and on their way to the rendezvous point." He started to flip it up and then paused, pulling it back down. "And doll? No mics for our wedding. Please?"
~ ~ ~
Aya had flicked down her mic as soon as she heard the deep molasses tones of her fiancé. A voice which sent delicious shivers up and down her spine ever time she heard it unexpectedly. Long lashes fluttered lightly before she regained her composure and blushed demurely before her brother. "All right, Knight, love, Abyssinian and I are still doing our brother sister chit-chat. We should be at the rendezvous point shortly after you arrive. Make sure to get the last of the guests too. And darling? Knowing my brother and Ken they're going to love denying us mics on our wedding and insist on having their own. A little bit of turn about." Winking softly at Ran she blew Yuushi a soft kiss over the mic and tucked it back into her hair and turned off the transmitter.
She turned her attention back to her brother. "You know me and my thing for romance. If you think about it you'll figure it out. I'll give you a hint though. We're going back to the beginning."
~ ~ ~
As he, Youji and Omi settled themselves into the limo, Ken waved off Yuushi, giving the blonde a salute before he relaxed. He'd given a hard time to the male for his answer teasing him that he was only in it to bed Aya, but both of them knew that had that been true, Aya, Ran and he would have figured it out and the Chess Crashers would have been looking for a replacement Knight.
Ken took a deep breath as the limo pulled out from the Koneko and immediately starting fussing with his tie. A sudden smack from Youji stopped him from wrecking it.
"Stop. Or I'll have to retie it." Youji smirked with a twinkle as Ken immediately stopped fidgeting. "Whatcha so worried about. You two are... perfect for each other."
Ken had to blink at that. "You're serious. I would have figured you to be the last person to say that considering..."
"Well I'll admit and say I wasn't too thrilled about it, but... I don't know, Ken. Whatever miracle you worked on him, he finally seems to deserve it." He shrugged lightly and gave the boy a wink. "It's obvious how you two feel about each other and woe be to anyone who tries to come between that and I like my head attached to my neck. And anyway... I only wanted to see you happy, Ken."
"I am, Youji. Thanks."
Youji waved his hand as if it was nothing. "Ahh, thanks enough is making me your best man."
"By that smile on your lips I think I should start worrying about your Best Man speech."
"Oh you should be Ken. You should be."
The limo slowed after a few minutes and Ken and the others stepped out. Ken looked up the tall building and smiled. "Is this the..."
"It sure is Ken."
"God damn. You guys and Aya are the best."
"Haaaai it was Aya-chan's idea!" Omi grinned and bumped the limo door shut, fussing with own tie a bit as he remembered that his own girlfriend was already seated and waiting. They had already decided that they were going to dance the night away at the reception. Someone - he blamed Youji, he always blamed Youji - had let it slip that the genki boy could cut quite a rug. And now everyone wanted to see it for themselves. Including Sakura.
"She'd heard about the place from Ran-kun, all we had to do was give her the location. Easy enough!" Walking towards the building, the boy turned to walk backwards to look at the beaming brunette. It had brought an even broader smile to his lips to hear the conversation between the two. He wasn't as oblivious as he'd been eight months ago. He'd seen Youji continue to pine over Ran six months ago though he tried to hide it, Omi was clued in. Wanting to see the man who had helped him through so much happy, Omi had worked his genki charms on Manx and convinced her to just go on one date with Youji. One. Just two hours of her time with him. Surprising, the woman had agreed. More surprising, she'd found herself enjoying the... what had once been called a 'performance evaluation meeting'... date.
That is one sneaky fluff ball.
~ ~ ~
Weren't you supposed to be blindfolded during the honeymoon if you were into that, not on the way to the wedding ceremony? Ran sighed softly and crossed his arms but knew if he tried to take off the blindfold Yuushi or Aya would just choke him with his tie. Pests. He bet they were making out in the limo while he couldn't see and glare. He'd tried miffing, pouting, whining, begging... but he could only try so many things before Yuushi came upstairs to get the two since it was safe and the groom had left the premises.
"This is ridiculous... Give me one more hint?" he whined in monotone, a crimson eyebrow arching up over the blindfold.
"Oh come on Ran-otouto..."
"O... tou... to?"
"What, you are going to be my brother-in-law in a few months and you are younger than I am!" Yuushi grinned happily, his hand resting lightly on Aya's leg as they sat across from the redhead in the limo.
"Don't ever call me that again."
"Fine. Anyway. I can't believe you're asking for more details... You, the man who could probably figure out a man's identity just by looking at his eyes or something. Of figure out a complex plot from two carefully placed words. Asking for more details? Com'on, Ran..."
"If we are going back to the beginning, are we going to turn around soon and head back to Koneko?" Ran smirked lightly even as he was getting vastly annoyed with the blindfold, Yuushi and Aya not wanting him to figure it out just by noticing the direction they were taking. "Is the wedding ceremony going to be a reenactment of Ken beating me into unconsciousness as he did when I first joined Weiß? If so... I'm skipping to the honeymoon."
"*bzzt* Wrong. You're in the right dojo, wrong sword style. Anyway. We're here."
"Finally..." Sighing softly, Ran reached up to remove his blindfold, only to blink up at the building they had pulled up to. "Oh. Right beginning. Wrong fight."
Before them was the building where Ran had first met up with Weiß and his katana blade had met with Ken's Bugnuk prongs. The very first night even being pure passion and fire between the males, both knowing something had sparked between them that cold night and not realizing until much alter what it fully was.
Aya clasped Yuushi's hand twining her fingers with his. She'd left the cloak down as it wasn't snowing but the moment a flake fell she'd be flipping the hood over her curls. She let go of the blonde's hand momentarily to primp her brother lightly, smoothing the lines of his coat, straightening the tie, making sure his hair was perfect. She smiled as she noted the brilliance of his eyes and the nervous happiness sparkling within them. Plucking the ear mic off she ushered off a few last minute orders and handed the device to Yuushi. She ushered the male off with a soft kiss and a swift pat on his backside. Winking at Yuushi she dropped her head on Ran's shoulder. "Ready, Nii?"
~ ~ ~
Ken stood nervously with Youji at his side, the both of them under an archway of white roses, gardenias, and rare white gentians, all twined within an elaborate wooden lattice. The guests were seated in white leather couches under a tent which was heated by carefully placed and concealed space heaters. The rooftop looked like a fairy tale winter wonderland. Rather than cover all the snow they'd gone with the snowy ambiance. Snow and ice sculptures abound, white flower petals mixed with the snow, small torches in faux ivory sconces and candelabras. The area was lit with small white holiday lights and candles.
The brunette had been floored when he'd come up the stairs. He'd caught Omi and Youji's knowing grins and had been momentarily blinded by the flash bulbs that had gone off to catch his initial reaction. It had been the most beautiful sight he had ever seen. To see the place where he and Ran had first gone head to head against each other transformed into... a wintry paradise. He'd had to be dragged up the aisle as he was just eyeing everything. Especially the fact that they were roughly forty stories up and approaching midnight and the city lights were twinkling amidst the stars and soft lights.
Aya had certainly outdone herself.
Youji nudged the brunette. "Nervous?"
The male nodded and blushed smiling sheepishly as he tugged at his collar once more. He swore his neck was allergic to ties. "A bit, but it's a good kinda nervous. Ya know?"
The blonde glanced over at Manx then back and Ken and nodded, "Yeah I know."
"Oooh! You and..."
"Shut it. Maybe... we'll see." He shrugged casually as he tugged the mic off. "They're here."
A light coy smile was sent the blonde's way as the red haired secretary of Weiß caught his quick glance. Manx brushed back her hair, sculpted gracefully into small ringlets falling over her shoulders. A warm velvet dress of a deep aqua to match her eyes fell around her form as she got comfortable on her couch. Seated at her side was Birman, both secretaries having silk handkerchiefs in their hands.
Seated near them were Omi and Sakura, the genki fluff eyeing the girl expectantly as if expecting her to start bawling or stop the wedding. Omi and Sakura had been happy together for many months now, but there was always that moment of panic in Omi's mind when she mentioned the redhead's name.
Yuushi settled down in the seats with the rest of the Crashers, both the Chess- and Camelot-codenamed. Because Ran and Ken basically had all the same friends, the whole groom's side and bride's side idea had been forgone... and there had been occasional amusing bickers on who was the bride and who was the groom.
~ ~ ~
Ran's own pale hand moved over his white tuxedo to preen it perfectly, not wanting even the tiniest thing out of place after all that Aya put into planning and coordinating this wedding. And it was the beginning of his marriage to Ken Hidaka who deserved only the best. His hand shook a tiny bit in near giddiness and nerves but he quickly willed it to stay still once more, hearing his father's words in his mind once more. They quickly soothed his nerves. Glancing down at his sister leaning against him, he drew her into a tight hug once more in thanks of all she'd done for him. In so many ways.
"Yes. I'm ready," he said with a soft smile, and they were perhaps the most honestly said words of his life, carrying behind them the weight of everything he was.
"Good. Or else I'd have to explain to one deadly assassin who can rip my little body to shreds why my brother is standing him up to the altar. Now I like my body in one piece as does Yuushi so let's not do that, ne?" Aya winked cheerily at her brother and looped her arm about his and dragged Yuushi up behind her with a wink.It was quiet and peaceful up in the elevator, Aya simply watching her brother watch the elevator ascend to the last floor where they would take the remaining stairs up to the roof. She dropped sudden smiles to her fiancé with which she was given several breathtaking kisses as her reward. When the elevator doors finally slid open she gave the blonde a hearty shove to head out before them. The pair of them waited at the door waiting for the music to cue up.
~ ~ ~
Ken's hands were drenched with sweat. The air around him felt like a sauna rather than sub zero temperatures. He fidgeted nervously and gave Youji more than his fair share of death glares for every teasing remark. When Youji had claimed to have lost the rings the brunette had nearly decked him right there on the spot until Youji had produced them. He had the strong urge to vomit but Youji refused to let him out of his sight especially when the door opened revealing one blonde Crasher.
When Yuushi emerged from the door, signaling they were about to begin, Youji had simply clapped his hand on Ken's back and smacked him one upside the head to stop his fidgeting. He blew a kiss to Manx for good measure and silently gave a nod to the pianist. He didn't know how in the Hell Aya had managed to bring a grand piano up on the roof but there it was with a string quartet. To say he was impressed was an understatement of the millennia. He failed to imagine just how Aya could top this winter wonderland but he knew she would. She always did. She was a Fujimiya.
As the strains of the piano started playing the wedding march and the door opening to the roof swung open to reveal the pure white bliss of his wedding, Ran gulped and looked down at the gold clad girl at his side. "You really outdid yourself this time, Aya... Even for an overachiever, you outdid yourself... Even for an overachieving Fujimiya... You are your mother's daughter," he said softly to his sister as they walked down the aisle, her arm in his crooked arm. They were quite a sight to see walking through the glittering white, the gold of her gown shining like a bright sun threatening to melt the white snow but miraculously not doing so. The man's violet eyes shined like gems set on the pale velvet of his skin, his crimson bangs falling over his face.
The pair came to a stop after walking up the aisle, Ran already able to hear some of the guests slightly sniffling. He could see from the corner of his eye the aqua-haired Crasher secretary known only as Queen trying to subtly wipe at her eyes. His deep violet gaze looked over his fiancé clad in white, a shy smile touching his lips as he just mouthed 'hi' to Ken silently and waited for the ceremony to fully begin. The sight of Ken clad in the pure white color caused a storm of heat to flood through him despite the chill in the air, remembering all too well wrapped in the white sheets of their bed after slow sweet lovemaking, their bodies damp from their passion and spent, clinging tightly to one another. He blushed softly and was glad he could blame it on the cold, willing to stop himself from thinking about the honeymoon before the ceremony even started and they were still very much in front of people.
God how he loved Ken in white though...
This is why it was a bad thing he hadn't been able to see Ken all day. Always the mere sight of him sent shivers up his spine and he'd been denied seeing the one who made everything in his world right all day.
Ken pressed a soft kiss to Aya's cheek before she relinquished Ran to him. With their hands clasped together he gave a beaming smile to the redhead then stepped closer to him, his aqua gemmed eyes never leaving those of Ran's the entire ceremony.
The ceremony given by an ordained Kritiker agent went off without a hitch. By the time the pair's soul felt vows were given, words of deep love, fate, forgiveness, understanding, heroics, nobility, and honor were uttered along with the journey each one of them took to reach the place where they now stood. Both of them ready to tackle the world not just as two separate men but as one heart, one soul, one mind, joined eternally by love and devotion.
Tears of love and joy streamed down Ken's cheeks as he gazed at Ran the two of them having completed their vows. It was unlikely there was a dry eye in the entire gathering. Even Youji had shed a tear or two at the obvious love between them. He was glad Ken had found what he'd so longed for and deserved and was even happier Ran had smartened up. No ill will was felt toward the redhead, it was clear he was as in love with Ken as Ken was with him. It was safe to say Ken was in good hands. Besides his hands were now occupied with his own redhead.
