A Random Meda-Short: Usual disclaimers apply.
Main Characters: Ikki and Karin, with the others in minor roles
Pairings Warning: Ikki/Karin fluff, mild hints of Spyke/Erika
Explanation: Fluff. Pure and simple fluff set in one possible future for the gang. And somehow it seems a bit in character for Karin to do something as odd as this…
~ * Flipping Out * ~
"…You may now kiss the bride."
Ikki Tenryou felt a huge grin spread over his face, even as he flipped his blushing bride's veil back and happily obliged with the priest's command. Nearly thirteen years after first developing a huge crush, the now world-famous medafighter was finally married to the lovely redhead Karin.
The entire evening was passing by in a happy daze, as they hurried to the next part of the grand celebration. Unlike the wedding, the party was a much more private affair, with only their closest friends attending – both humans and medabots. The only member of the press allowed in the room was Erika, and all the photos she was snapping were going into a massive scrapbook, rather than the front page.
Everything seemed to be going off without a hitch. Metabee caught the garter when Ikki launched it into the air, even though he didn't seem to understand the significance of this and went after it only thanks to his competitive spirit. He only reacted when Karin threw the bouquet and Samantha ended up with it. Neither appreciated the laughter that broke out, especially when Erika forced them to pose together for several photos, while Rintaro led the other Screws in jeering singsongs about the 'happy new couple'.
As Metabee finally snapped and tore off after Rintaro, Samantha not far behind, Koji managed to regain enough composure to walk over and congratulate the newlyweds.
"Well, Ikki, I suppose I have to hand it to you," he commented, shaking his rival's hand. "You won her heart, fair and square."
"Yeah, well," Ikki folded his other arm behind his head and grinned, "I have to admit, I was worried at first… especially when we ended up proposing at almost the exact same time!"
"I remember that," Erika chimed in, smiling at the memory. "I couldn't believe it, how you dropped to your knees at the exact same time and shouted it at the top of your lungs…"
"'Karin-will-you-marry-ME?'" mimicked Spyke, squeezing Erika gently around the shoulders where his arms were draped. He smirked, adding, "It was funny when you glared at each other afterward."
"Yeah!" Erika tittered, any hint of lingering bitterness she felt toward the redhead melting away as she absently stroked Spyke's arm. Noticing the bride nearby, she asked, "Hey, so how did you end up choosing, anyway? It must have taken the whole night, considering you didn't give any answer until we saw each other again the next morning!"
"Oh, that?" Karin smiled her charming, cute smile. "I flipped a coin."
Everyone within earshot burst out laughing, Spyke and Erika nearly collapsing against each other. Karin blinked, honestly surprised by their reaction.
"No, really!"
Her insistence only prompted more laughter from almost everyone in the room. Metabee and Samantha weren't paying any attention, as they had managed to corner Rintaro. Rintaro wasn't laughing much, either, as he was currently on the verge of being choked to death with a garter and a long pink ribbon that had once been tied around the bouquet.
The only other person not cracking up was Ikki. Instead, he was simply staring at Karin, shock evident on his once smiling face.
The rest of the day passed in a blur to him. All too soon, he and Karin were running outside the church, getting pelted with rice thrown by all his friends, and ushered into his new bride's pink limousine. As the driver pulled away and started off towards the site where their private honeymoon would take place, Karin sighed happily and leaned against her husband.
"I'm so glad the others agreed to let Metabee and Neutranurse stay with them," she murmured, shifting her head to gaze up at Ikki. "We'll be all alone…"
When Ikki did not reply, didn't even react to her gently nuzzling him, the redhead looked up with real confusion.
"…What's wrong, Ikki?"
"…Karin… I thought… thought we had something special…"
"We do, of course," insisted Karin, turning around and fixing her husband with a confused, saddened look. "Why on earth would you think differently…?"
"Because of what you said!" Ikki exploded, causing her to recoil with surprise. His dark blue eyes filled with pain, he went on, "I love you, Karin, more than anything else in the world. My biggest fear has always been that I'd lose you… to Koji, or anyone else, but especially him. I was always afraid that he had all the advantages – he saw you more, knew you longer, could offer you everything you wanted! When he… when he proposed the same time I did, I spent the whole night worrying that you'd end up choosing him."
"…Ikki…I didn't…"
"You don't know how wonderful I felt when you looked me in the eyes and told me I was the one you'd chosen. I can't even describe how it felt… it was like nothing else in the world mattered, other than the fact that I finally had the woman I loved." Ikki looked down at his lap, at the fists he was clenching helplessly. "And to find out it was all a matter of chance…"
"Ikki…" Karin repeated, gently brushing her fingers against her husband's cheek. They came back wet, and she realized with a start that he was crying. "Ikki, please look at me."
Shaking, trembling with emotion, Ikki nevertheless obliged. Karin continued to caress his face with her slender fingers, reaching out with her other hand and keeping his misty eyes level with hers.
"I said that I flipped a coin to decide. But, Ikki…" she smiled winningly, a faint blush spreading over her pearly cheeks, "I never did mention whose name actually won."
Ikki blinked, then slowly a shaky smile spread over his face as he slowly began to comprehend what she went. Karin leaned forward, hands slipping from his cheeks to his shoulders, then twining her arms around his back.
"Oh, Ikki," she whispered in her husband's ear. "When I saw how the coin landed, I just knew I couldn't really become Mrs. Karin Karakuchi… I really do prefer… Mrs. Karin Tenryou…"
The two melted into a blissful kiss, sinking down until the plush seats of the limousine hid them from view, while outside the scenery continued to fly by unnoticed.
