Tasuki woke bright and early, moaning softly as a wave of sickness washed over her. She buried her head under her pillow and waited for it to pass. "Awwww, is the little american sick?"
She took the pillow off of her head "Oh, are you still here? I thought you would be out trying to ruin my life and Ri-sensei's career." With that she forced herself up, ignoring her churning stomach and quickly got dressed. She put her sketch book into her bag, making sure her sketches of Chichiri and the others were in there and then grabbed a few papers from her travel bag from the plane ride, like her birth certificate and other papers that she would need to have handy today. She gave her roommate a mock friendly wave and left her room, hurrying down the stairs where she met Chiriko coming into her building.
"Morning Tasuki. Would you like some breakfast before..." he stopped talking as she tossed the bag at him, slapped a hand over her mouth and then darted into the bathroom on the hall. A girl from the bottom floor came out and made a comment about a girl throwing up.
Chiriko was waiting with a worried expression when she came out and she smiled slightly. "It's ok, Chiriko. Sorry about that."
The youngest seishi nodded and handed her the bag. "Let's go, we are meeting at Miaka's. Are you sure you can make it over there? We could call a cab."
She shook her head, her stubborn nature coming out and she started walking in the direction of Miaka's. The conversation was light hearted as they walked, although Chiriko could tell she was distracted. "Are you ok?"
She blinked and glanced at him. "Hai, I'm fine. Had to put up with my roommate threatening to tell the school and get Chichiri fired last night and then the sickness this morning. Plus, if everything goes as planned, today is my wedding day. Hehe, what is there to be scared of?" Chiriko smiled at her. "Well, we will all be with you today, so no fears and worries, ok?" Tasuki smiled at her celestial brother. "Of course, thanks Chiriko. I would be lost without you guys."
The conversation became more upbeat as they approached Miaka's building, right as Chichiri and Mitsukake arrived, Hotohori and Nuriko's vehicle already present in the apartment parking lot. Chichiri and Mitsukake waited for Chiriko and Tasuki to catch up and the group was silent until they entered Miaka's apartment.
"Are you ok, Tasuki?" The former bandit raised startled eyes to Mitsukake and then Chichiri. "Yes, I'm fine why?"
"You look pale, na no da." Chichiri brushed a strand of stray hair from her face and studied her. "Second thoughts, no da?" Tasuki glanced up into his eyes and saw real fear and worry there. She gave a fanged smirk. "Not on your life. I had my first experience of morning sickness on my way out of my dorm, that's all."
Mitsukake turned from conversing quietly with Chiriko. "Are you ok? Do you need something to settle your stomach?"
Tasuki gave a shake of her head. "Nah, the walk helped take it away, and tossing my cookies. We all know I'm use to being physically ill, with as much as I loved sake in my past life." The group burst out laughing and were joined in the Sukunami's foyer by the the others. Hotohori was hanging up the phone. "Well, you two have blood work first thing this morning at a private clinic. Let's get moving. Then after that we have awhile till we have to be at the courthouse to expediate the process of your marraige certificate. We can grab a bite then." Chichiri and Chiriko turned glances to Tasuki who managed to not look too green and nod at Hotohori's words. "Alright, I say we get this show on the road. The sooner we are married, the easier I breathe. I don't want Chichiri to lose his job and if I know my roommate, she is already starting the rumor and trying to destroy us." The others nodded and Chiriko and Mitsukake joined Taka and Miaka in their vehicle, Hotohori and Nuriko in theirs and Chichiri and Tasuki would follow behind the others, all going to the clinic.
Tasuki blushed as Chichiri held her door open for her and sank into her seat and belted herself in and then smiled as Chichiri slid into the driver seat. "I wonder if my vehicle could be shipped and driven over here." The ex monk turned and glanced at her as she placed a trembling hand over her stomach, still trying to quell the churning that had started again. "I don't think it will be a problem, no da. Are you sure you are up to this?" Tasuki gave a nod as her lover pulled out and followed their friends into traffic. "Hai, I'm ok. I just want to go to bed tonight as Mrs. Houjun Ri." She smiled and he glanced at her out of the corner of his eyes. "Mrs. Houjun Ri?"
She giggled "That's the american in me. As long as I'm married to you when I fall asleep tonight, I am fine with it." He laughed softly and took her hand into his as they pulled into the clinic parking lot. "Let's go."
The clinic appointment went by quickly and Chichiri and Tasuki were given their results and sent on their way. By this point, Tasuki's morning sickness had developed into full blown, Miaka worthy hunger. The group drove towards the restraunt owned by Keisuke and settled in for a meal, laughing and chatting with each other. They spent over two hours at the restraunt and then were off to the courthouse, where Hotohori had called in many favors and got the local judge to agree to expediate the application and then marry the couple.
The process of filling out the application went quickly, with both Tasuki and Chichiri prepared with documentation and having the blood test already done. The wait for it to be filed though was about 3 hours and Miaka and Tasuki were raiding the nearby vending machine when the judge came out of his chambers with a smile. "I have a 30 minute break, your paperwork is finished. Are you ready to get married?"
Tasuki dropped her bag of peanuts on the floor in shock, having expected to wait longer and she stared at the judge as Miaka picked up her snack and began to lead her towards where the others were standing, grinning and chatting excitedly. Chichiri moved forward and took his love's hand and her eyes met his. He was pleased to see calm and love in her eyes and they smiled at each other as the group filed into the judge's chambers and Tasuki and Chichiri stood before the judge and repeated their vows to love honor and cherish each other.
The small ceremony went quickly and Tasuki burst into tears of joy as Chichiri's eyes sparkled with unshed tears when the judge proclaimed them husband and wife. Their first kiss as husband and wife was sweet and quick. Their friends jumped to their feet with cheers for the two seishi and the judge congratulated them and Hotohori took care of the fee and then with final thank you's and well wishes, the wedding party filed into the hallway and Chichiri took his bride's hand and smiled as they left the courthouse. Even with the rush of the ceremony and getting married, the group paused on the courtsteps and smiled at each other with pure love and emotion that only those who have lived the life they had, could share. The moment was soon broke by Miaka's stomach growling and it was a laughing group that headed to the diner across the street to eat a quick lunch.
Tasuki and Chiriko entered her room and paused as her roommate looked up and smirked. "By this time tomorrow, you and Ri-sensei will be finished here. I told everything." Tasuki smiled and then threw open her wardrobe and began to pull out the boxes of summery clothes and her suitcases. "Where do you think you are going?"
"I'm moving out, what does it look like?"
Chiriko chuckled and began to clear off her desk and put the items in a suitcase as she quickly emptied out her wardrobe.
"You can't move out. Where will you live?"
"Why do you care? You made it clear last night that you didn't want to be roommates anymore, so I am leaving."
Suki smirked "So, you are going back to America then?"
Tasuki chuckled as she zipped her first bag closed and then started to fill her second suitcase. "Hardly. I'm moving in with my husband." The clothes were fairly flying into the bag now, Chiriko was done with his bag and helping her finish packing by checking under her bed, still quiet.
Suki stuttered "Hu-Hu-husband?" Tasuki nodded "Yes, Husband." She zipped up her last bag and did a quick glance around her half of the room and then surveyed her roommates side and saw nothing of hers there. "I will be back tomorrow to finish cleaning my half before I turn in my key. As for now, it's my wedding night, I'm going home."
She gave a wave, and between herself and Chiriko, they grabbed all the bags and boxes and loaded them into the hallway, where the others were waiting and boxes were quickly grabbed by Nuriko and the group left a shocked Suki standing in the doorway, watching them walk away.
The boxes and belongings of Tasuki were loaded into Chichiri's car and the group agreed to meet for dinner, giving the newly married couple a chance to be alone. Chichiri and Tasuki we quiet on the first drive to their home together. They pulled into the parking lot of the apartment complex and Tasuki grabbed a suitcase, Chichiri grabbing the other two. They would grab the boxes later. As they rounded the corner that led towards Chichiri's door, he stopped short at the sight of his supervisor on his doorstep. Tasuki's bag bumped into his leg and she glanced past him towards the distinguished man on the doorstep.
He pushed away from the wall and stared at the teacher and student. "So, it is true then."
Chichiri gave a slight frown and walked forward, the other teacher stepped aside as the former monk opened his door and walked in. Tasuki followed quietly and moved towards the bedroom as the other teacher watched Chichiri place the two bags down and turn towards his supervisor. "What is true, no da?"
"Don't give me that, Ri. Your student just went into your bedroom like she owned the place."
"Well, she does live here, no da, and Holly-chan is no longer my student." He reached into a coat pocket and pulled out the envelope housing his marraige certificate. Handing it to his supervisor he spoke again "She is my wife."
The supervisor's startled eyes raised to meet his subordinates mahoghanny eyes and then pulled the certificate out of the envelope and looked it over. "You got married today?"
Chichiri nodded and kept his voice even as he told a small lie. "Hai, I had proposed to her over winter break and it was all planned before we returned to Japan with our friends. How else would we have been able to get married so quickly? The only reason we didn't get married in the United States is because I didn't have the necessary paperwork with me to marry there."
The supervisor handed back the certificate, realizing that he couldn't fire Houjun for being married and the student was no longer in Ri's class. "You do realize that marraige is a permanent condition, right Houjun?" The monk gave a nod "Hai, I know. I plan to be married to Holly for the rest of this life." This statement earned him a strange look, but he ignored it.
"You have a three year contract and that means next year is your last year on your contract. Don't expect it to be renewed." Chichiri shook his head "No, I would not expect that, sir."
The man nodded and glanced up to where Chichiri knew Tasuki stood in the bedroom doorway. "Congratulations Smith-san... I mean.." She grinned slightly. "Don't worry about it. Thank you for your well wishes though." She gave a polite bow and he returned it stiffly. He looked between the two of them. "I will want to see her papers and scores on your tests, to make sure she wasn't favored. It will be brought before a committee and if we find she was favored, you will get a mark on your files, Ri, and she will be made to take those classes over again."
Chichiri and Tasuki both nodded at this, as they knew she had earned her grade, which was not a perfect one. The man gave a slight bow to them both and then left, looking confused.
Chichiri closed the door after him and locked it. He then grabbed Tasuki's other bags and walked towards the bedroom where Tasuki still stood in the doorway. She stepped aside and let him pass and he placed the bags beside the one she carried. "That went well, no da."
Tasuki gave a nod and went into his waiting arms, leaning into his chest, her head under his chin. "Yes, it did. At least you didn't lose your job. And with the score I made in your class, he can't say you favored me." Chichiri chuckled at her tone and tightened his arms around her, breathing in her calming scent that was very similiar to Genrou's, minus the slight sake scent that had hung around the bandit, even when not drinking. "You still passed the class with good scores, Tasuki. And you earned them." She gave a nod and her lips found his neck "I'm glad. Well, now that we know your job is safe and I'm still a student, I think we should celebrate. Plus it is our wedding day." Chichiri glanced down at her as she looked up at him and their lips met in a deep kiss, passion quickly moving them to forget the outside world and it's problems.