Resurfacing by Strawberry'd
Chapter Twelve: Special Vows
Poke, poke. Jab.
"What?" Yoh hissed at HoroHoro.
He grinned widely. "You're drooling."
Yoh flushed. Ren elbowed HoroHoro for his immaturity and reassured Yoh that he was not.
But the fact was that Yoh felt that the sight he was seeing now was worth drooling over. But being a guy (even though he's Yoh) he wouldn't want to be caught (especially at his wedding) drooling.
The sight that Yoh was seeing? Anna.
She was beautiful, absolutely breathtaking.
Her hair let down with a few curls placed framing her face. Her dress falling elegantly to the floor and her veil lightly hiding her behind a shimmering cloud of white.
Yoh's eyes traveled from his bride to who her arm was resting on. His brother.
Anna's head whirled. So much had happened in the span of a few hours. First she had gotten ready for her wedding and soon after she had started, Pirika comes to her, breathless, saying that Hao had wanted to see her. Hao! Of all people!
Her mind wandered to what had taken place.
"Hao?" Anna questioned. "He wants to see me?"
Pirika nodded.
"OK," Anna walked out of the room and knocked on the door of the room he occupied.
"Come in." A voice called.
Inside the room was Hao.
"You look very pretty," he said, grinning. Anna fought a blush.
"Yes, I know, what did you want?" she said, coldly.
"I have but a simple request." Hao grinned once more. "Allow me to walk you down the aisle."
"What?" Anna said, stunned. What did he want?
His grin widened. "I want to walk you down the aisle. Seeing as though no one else is capable of the job, and seeing as you have no father-figure to do it, I want to."
"W-why?"
He shrugged. "We haven't gotten on the right foot, and this is sort of my way of apologizing. A bit late, but whatever."
Anna smiled slightly. "I'd like that."
He smiled as well. "Then it's settled."
So now, Anna was walking down a long red carpeted aisle, stiffly holding the one arm she thought she'd never hold.
At first, when Anna came out in all her splendor, the gasps and whispers of admiration made her blush and look down. Slowly, as she progressed down the aisle, holding Hao's arms, Anna looked up, and when she saw Yoh, she clutched the arm tighter.
Yoh-kun looks so kawaii in a tux, we can all agree, ne?
Well apparently, Anna thinks so too, and when she held onto Hao's arm just a little tighter, he chuckled. Anna, however, did not find that particularly funny, and with a rather cold expression on her face, she pinched Hao's arm. HARD.
So of course, Hao gave a funny sort of yelp which made the guests around them stare at him in confusion.
Anna smirked slightly, but the smirk and all the blood in her face drained away as soon as she saw the closeness of the alter.
She had half a mind to turn and run from the church. She wasn't ready to be tied down like this! A married life? Her?
And then Anna looked into the eyes of her fiancée.
He looked so happy. She couldn't bear running away from him. She just sort of… melted. Before she knew it, Hao had deposited her in front of his brother, lifted her veil and lightly kissed her on the top of the head, sure that if he attempted the cheek, she would slap him.
And then he walked away. Anna's world narrowed. She had eyes only for the man opposite her; her fiancée… her soon-to-be-husband.
The priest's drone was hazy and just barely there. Anna heard Yoh repeat the priest's indistinct words, clearly and calmly. Her heart soared at his sincerity.
Yoh looked at her, a smile playing on his lips. He just taller than her by some inches and he gazed down at her, while she tipped her chin up to smile at him shyly.
Not that Kyouyama Anna was shy about anything! She just got caught up in the moment.
She dimly saw the priest stepping back slightly, and Ren giving Yoh some cards. He shook his head.
Ren drew back, a surprised look on his face. He and Horohoro shared a bewildered expression.
"Does he know how long we slaved over those vows?" She heard him hiss sharply at Horohoro.
The other man just shrugged. "What we?" Ren growled and turned his back on the bluehead. (1)
Yoh licked his lips nervously. He knew that Ren had taken a lot of time getting his vows ready but now, at the moment of truth, Yoh didn't want to be reading off some cards his friends wrote. He wanted to say what he really felt.
But right about now, he was frantic. Yoh almost turned back to Ren to get the cards but took a deep breath and told himself to calm down.
"Anna…" He began, nervously. "I… I can't say I've met anyone quite like you, in all my years." He chuckled a little.
She smiled at him, encouraging him. Or so he liked to think. She was probably laughing at him inside.
But he liked that about her. That she was so… so… honest. Honest had to be the best word.
Yoh realized just about now, that he was saying all of this. Her eyes weren't angry, they were amused. Very amused. Her face however, was cold, unfeeling.
Yoh gasped for air and continued with his vows. "You… you've really taught me a lot of valuable lessons. Like, like when to put miso and when not to put miso."
Horohoro, Ren, Tamao and Pirika all smiled simultaneously, thinking of the same moment when Yoh's miso soup had caught on fire. He smiled back at them, but best of all, he found when he turned back to his fiancé—wife.
He told himself. She was his wife. His wife… was smiling. His heart soared.
He proceeded with his vows with every-increasing confidence. He finished, finally and tried to slow his rapid heartbeat.
Anna barely remembered her own vows. She stumbled through them and took comfort and support from her newly wedded husband.
The rest of the celebration was also very muddled and the only part where Anna could fully say she was there for… was the kiss...
The reception party afterwards was like any other. People got drunk, and Horohoro ate all the food… why change a good thing, right?
Anna sat beside Yoh, her hand cradled in his throughout the entire night. Yoh felt drunk. He could barely think straight.
Here he was… after a wedding… his wedding, married to the woman of his dreams… and, and, and… HOROHORO WAS ATTACKING THE WEDDING CAKE!
He was about to jump up and save the poor cake, when Ren leapt after his friend, anticipating just this. He laid restraints on Horohoro's arms and tied him to a pillar, where he kept watch over his blue-haired friend.
Tamao had frequently come by, to give him some food or to talk to him. He looked very happy at the attention.
Pirika and Ren had gotten into an argument, once again. She didn't it was fair to leave her onii-san chained to a pillar, but Ren argued that it was the safety of the guests and for their own. Of course, the argument didn't get very far, because, even tied as he was, Horohoro still had a wide range where he could move and jump about. He did that then, move, I mean, and pushed Ren as discreetly as he could, into his sister.
Last thing Horohoro remembered before falling victim to Tamao's soft, cool hands on his forehead, that his best friend and sister were making out like mad.
The dancing had started. Couples had gotten up and started slow dancing to the music that filled the room.
Yoh and Anna had danced the first one together, and then Yoh went to dance with little Ayame, who insisted on getting the second dance.
Anna watched as Yoh spun Ayame around the room, and then danced with her on his feet. She continued to watch the two as the music slowed and came to a halt.
A new song started to play.
She…
The first low notes came and delicately whirled about Anna.
May be the face I can't forget.
A trace of pleasure or regret
He came up behind her.
May be my treasure or the price I have to pay.
She may be the song that summer sings.
"May I have this dance?" said a low voice behind her.
May be the chill that autumn brings.
May be a hundred different things
Within the measure of a day.
She was startled, but smiled slightly at him and took his offered hand.
She…
May be the beauty or the beast.
He danced with her slowly. His eyes seemed distant, and he didn't look directly at her.
May be the famine or the feast.
May turn each day into a heaven or a hell.
He had stopped. Hao turned to see Yoh, a smile playing on his lips.
"May I cut in?" He asked, politely. Hao surrendered Anna to her husband.
She may be the mirror of my dreams.
A smile reflected in a stream
While Hao had danced with her at proper dancing length, Yoh threw those rules out the window and pulled her close.
She may not be what she may seem
Inside her shell
He whirled with her gently, murmuring things in her ear.
She who always seems so happy in a crowd.
Whose eyes can be so private and so proud
No one's allowed to see them when they cry.
Many things Anna could not understand, but she felt intensely happy anyway.
She may be the love that cannot hope to last
May come to me from shadows of the past.
That I remember till the day I die
"Anna…" He began, his breath catching in his throat at the sight of her, in the moonlight spilling through the open window.
SheMay be the reason I survive
The why and wherefore I'm alive
He was about to say something, but thought better of it.
The one I'll care for through the rough and rainy years
Me I'll take her laughter and her tears
Instead, he just drew her in closer.
And make them all my souvenirs
For where she goes I've got to be
The meaning of my life is
He opened his mouth again.
She, she, oooohh she
"Thank you."
Note: Song was She by Elvis Costello
(1): bluehead, because Horo has blue hair! Like a redhead... get it?
End of Chapter Twelve
