A/n: Yay! Raving reviews! Plus no threats! (except from my muses) Yessss!
To the questions: 'Yes! Yes! Sure!'; I can't use email. Really strict parents here. Wah..
Welcome to Part Two of Le Wedding Day. (bows)
Disclaimer: I never own Yugioh.
Chapter Thirty- Eight: Something Old, and Something New...!
Normal 3rd Person POV
Congratulations! Yugi quietly smiled in mixed relief as the limos peeled away from the curb. Good thing there are two - limos, that is - it would be awful if a fight between the couples broke out. I'm kind of surprised the ceremony went so smoothly, without a hitch. Beside him, Téa shared the astonished feeling. She wiped tears from her eyes, watching them go. She felt happiness, of course, but a little sad. What a beautiful ceremony - it made me cry!
Not as sad as Mrs. W, Joey's and Serenity's grown-up mother, who was bawling. "My babies! Where are they going . . . ?" she asked forlornly.
"Uh . . . to the reception room," they said, since no one seemed to want to get too near to her. "Do you, uh, need some . . . help?" Mrs. W cried that she was to be all alone now. "Of course not," Téa said briskly. "You still have your grandson, don't you?"
Mistake.
"OH MY BABY!" Mrs. W cried even louder, grabbing Christian right off his car seat where he'd been napping because he woke up, started startled-wailing. It was hard to tell who was crying the hardest. "Yo are so RIGHT, I forgot about you!"
"Mrs. W, please . . . let go . . . it's not good for him to be grabbed so rough!" Téa managed to release him, he started sniffling. "Heh . . . uh . . . why don't you start on ahead without us? Okay? That's right."
Finally, Mrs. W was led away by another relative, being comforted. "That was close," said Yugi. "For a minute, I thought she was going to grab me. Is he all right?"
"Yes, but I think he needs to be fed." They started on their way to the room, which was just next door, but the limo took the newlyweds on a traditional ride around town. They would join them later. "Or maybe not . . . " she switched to the other arm. "Oof, he's heavy."
"Gyaayayayaaaa . . . heavy," said Chris. Though only a month old, he was already the size of a small toddler.
"Growing like a, uh . . . sunflower seed," Yugi remarked, remembered one of his Grandpa's expression.
"That's a nice saying, Yugi," Téa went on, as the cheer of voices and laughter got closer. "Your grandfather's?"
". . . .Yeah."
Téa looked down. Chris was playing with her golden locket.
"He sure is a cutie, though." She ticked under the baby's fat chin. "Don't grow up, hope, hope, hope, like your daddy though, okay sweetie-pie?" Chris giggled and opened the locket with a spring. "Hey!" She quickly closed it again; luckily, Yugi was deep in thought, as the double-doored entrance was opened.
The reception room was lovely. Bushels of all different sorts of flowers, orchids, chyrsanthemums, carnations, and mostly roses were everywhere. And even there were different kinds of roses: white, pink, light-pink, red, yellow. It was like being outdoors. The crystal windows, matching the vases, were thrown open so the air was light and sunny. It was beautiful weather outside, clear and a slight breeze. Téa checked her watch: only 3 pm.
"There's my little sweetheart!" Serenity came rushing over. "I thought that, since Mom didn't have you, we forgot!" She took him. "Thanks, Téa."
"No problem. He needs to be fed." Téa looked up," Uh. . . I think your new husband's calling you."
It felt weird to be saying that to somebody younger.
"Oh. . . . Would one of you just tell him I'll be in the ladies' room? And to stay and mingle." Serenity went off to nurse. "Wave bye to Auntie Téa! And Uncle Yugi!"
" 'Bye," Chris said. Téa and Yugi stared at each other.
"You want to . . . be the one to tell Kaiba he has to socialize, I mean?" Téa said, breaking the silence. Her eyes were alight with laughter.
"Uh, okay . . . " Yugi said; she and Kaiba didn't get along. Especially by her. They stared at each other for a minute longer, silently, then she said, looking over:
"I'll try to wrestle the baby's bag away from Mrs. W; she has a hold on it now."
"O.K.," he could only repeat. Was it his imagination or did she look self-concious when he was staring so hard at her?
He turned away, picked up an elegant piece of silverware from the lacy table cloth. Don't make such a big deal about this... it's what his Grandpa and Yami would've said. 'Relax, Yugi.' But how was he to have fun when this could be the last night she was here? And he how was to know, even, that's what they would've said? Grandpa's dead . . . Yami's died . . . again . . .
"What are you moping around here, Motou?" said a voice. "Where did she go?"
Without looking up, Yugi recognized it. "Hi, Kaiba," he said morosely. Then he remembered, he had almost forgotten. "Serenity's in the bathroom; she said to socialize." He said in a montone. He wished he would go away now, so he could be left to think about death in peace.
Kaiba said nothing. He seemed to being mulling Yugi's message in his head. Then he studied him. Taking a glass when the caterer came by, he went and stubbronly sat away from the others where Yugi was moping. "Why couldn't you have hooked up with that Hawkins girl?" he said disgustedly. "Look at them! . . . "
Relucantly, Yugi lifted his eyes. Mokuba was doing an impression, and Rebecca was looking at him, adoring, like he were a rock star and she was just a groupie. It was kind of funny thing to see, though judging from Kaiba's face, he was less than amused. Oh, great, did God send Kaiba to cheer me up? He looked away, at Joey and Mai, who were having a great time meeting new relatives.
What was he thinking? What could he have to offer her? He wasn't charming like Joey or suave like Kaiba . He was a Grade A, typical, Nice guy. LIke Tristan. And look how long he had to get a girlfriend, Yugi thought with a wry smile, watching Tristan go around with a video camera and his nephew on one hand. But he could he make her choose him over her career ? - no, not her career. Her dream!
"It would just seem . . . so . . . selfish!" he said aloud, chin in one hand, throwing up the other.
Kaiba decided to cheer Yugi up as payback for helping him get to the hospital when his son was born, and for fulfilling the promise of "socializing." I always was practical. "Listen up, Yugi," he said, "Since you're making me suffer with the Hawkins brat, the very least you can do is get together with that Gardener!" He exclaimed. "Then I'll know my suffering isn't for nothing!"
Yugi frowned up, towards heaven. You're not doing a good job up there!
Kaiba looked down, swirling the glass of wine, ignoring Yugi's lack of attention. "Of course, she'll trail after you during our duels, but then again, she already does." He took a sip. "Serenity told me about the leaving for New York, so you better get a move on!"
"It's not that simple," Yugi murmured. "You don't understand . . . the idea . . . of 'alone'. How it feels like . . . your own death sentence. Even the prospect of it."
He looked down bleaky, then curiously up at Kaiba when there was silence. Oh, jeeez. Did I bum him out? Am I really that depressed that I'm bumming KAIBA out? I'd better be happy, then. "Er . . . aha . . . I meant, of course you do know! Why, you never talked to us, I don't know."
"Do you feel better?"
Yugi got up and said, "Yup; Thanks, I feel a lot better!" He fairly ran away.
I made someone feel better. ". . . " Welp, that's enough socializing. For the year. She didn't say how long I had to!
Meanwhile
Meeting all of the Wheeler relatives was a new experience. They seemed to be a tight-knit family, but Mai already knew that, by looking at Joey and Serenity. Serenity beamed.
"Uncle Max, meet my new wife." Joey said, beaming like his sister, after greeting them on his own with claps on the shoulder.
"Milady," the equally beaming man kissed her hand and bowing very low.
"I see where Joey gets his charm," she said, while specators laughed in amusement. They just seemed all so happy, all the time. But she loved it. Most of the family didn't even make it through, though, to the reception, unfortunately. Odion was the top security usher, and he looked like a bouncer. They were all scared away. Those who weren't were accused of being reporters.
But some got through. And they were all called to take the wedding photos but before they could go, a "present" by a holographic Pegasus arrived, a bright shiny bowed box. It was ...a time bomb that would explode any second if they didn't solve the riddle! "Time to liven up the party, little wifey! Tell me Kaiba- boy...
did you remember to do the old superstition of something borrowed, something blue?"
"Yes."
"Liar, liar. Go ahead and open the box."
Serenity, who was holding it gingerly, looked over for answers. Kaiba made a gesture not to open it. But it was halfhearted. No doubt Pegasus would know that he wouldn't open it, so...
Fake snakes shot every direction. Something glittery - another hologram - rose out, then disappeared in a shimmer.
"There you go! Something borrowed and blue."
It was a dragon.
To calm down, they all took the formal wedding photographs.
"I don't get it," Joey said, posing with his new wife.
"..." Mai said, "Borrowed and blue. Old and new. I bet he was just playing, showing off. I forgot all about that old superstition."
Ryou, the wedding photographer, was hopping from camera to camera, apparently having been spooked by the "bomb."
"I hate getting my picture taken." Kaiba was grumpy because of Pegasus. "It makes me look fake."
"Oh, darling. . .," Serenity chided. "You have a nice smile." He smiled because of that.
"Smile!" ryou said nervously. SNAP!
"You forgot to take a lens cap off!" Everybody chorused in unison.
Finally, pictures were taken with the lights on, lens cap off, shutter speed on the correct setting. Ishizu ended up taking some of them. A lot of them. Then, it was time for the father and daughter dance.
Mai danced with Mr. V, Joey danced with Serenity, and Kaiba danced with Mrs. W. "So, how's it going, Sis?"
"Excellent!" she said brightly. "Me and Seto were just talking about you, big bro."
"Oh, brother."
"Yes," she said, nodding until serious, "he's your brother-in-law."
"Oh, brother." Joey looked over her shoulder at Mai, giggling while she danced. He smiled to see it; Kaiba and Mrs. W . . . that's right, 'pal.' Smarm up to her. Bleah.
Seeing his sour-nausea look, Serenity looked over. "You know, Mrs. V is going to like you."
"Huh? Oh, yeah. I guess." Joey dreading when he'd have to dance with Mai's mother. "Mai said I oughta use my 'charm' the same one that got her, she says."
Her grin faded away. "I wish you'd get along as well with our mother."
Though Joey thought Mrs. W as Serenity's, he felt a stab of guilt. "We got along fine, Sis."
"Liar, liar." She made a face and gave him a playful swat.
"I Never Lie." The song ended and they switched partners, as everybody - the rest of the guests - came to join them on the dance floor. Serenity went off to change Chris's diaper, Joey gathered his courage and decided to get it over with:
"Madam? May I ask you to dance?" Mrs. V looked cross, but she gingerly went to the dance floor as if walking on glass. Mr. V's gout made him sit this one out.
Phew...for a minute...They were barely dancing, to make matters worse for Joey, he looked up and saw - Kaiba and Mai waltzing around as the new song began. He could swear Kaiba smirked at him as they passed by. Joey wanted to fling Mrs. V at him. But he had promised Mai not to be jealous during their marriage. So, with uttmost restraint, he tightened Mrs. V's hand, with did not make her very happy. But she didn't say anything about it, this was a contest of willpower.
"You make my daughter very happy."
"Huh?" Joey hadn't been paying attention.
"Young man, are you listening?"
"Yeah. Yes. Sorry, the, uh, music."
"I said, I've never seen her this happy!' Mrs. V yelled, over the music. She still looked a little cross, and grudging. Joey was still listening with only hall an ear.
Finally, the song ended and Joey left Mrs. V blabbing about his faults, but was stopped by...Mrs. W.
"Will . . . will you dance with your mother . . . ?" she asked, tearfully using a handkerchief to blow her nose.
"Ahhhh...alright."
So he was forced to dance with Mrs. W, who kept crying and blowing her nose and hiccuping. There was silence between them, as Joey completely ignored her and looked over his shoulder. Mai was now dancing with one of his friends. Phew. I mean, it's not that I don't trust her, it's not that, definitely. Joey watched the other couple.s dance, waving as they passed. Ryou and Ishizu, Mokuba and Rebecca, Téa and Yugi. I'll have to do a little something later, he thought to himself.
"You look just like your father," Mrs. W folded her handkerchief up. "On his wedding day..."
Ergh.
Joey didn't know what to say.
"You and your sis-sister are married now," Mrs. W whimpered on, her lip quivering like Serenity's did, "and I'm not. I'm all alone!"
She started wailing. " 'Course you're not, Ma," Joey said, hastily, "we'll, uh, come an' visit ya uh. . . sometimes!" Well, Sis will. "And you still got your grandson."
He smiled at her.
The middle aged lady smiled tremulously back. "Well, I guess you're right." She blinked furiously beneath her glasses. "You've grown up..."
Her lip started quivering again.
"Uh, Ma, why don't you dance with Roland?" Joey said, since he was the nearest guy around. But Mrs. W's grip tightened on him. A few tension-filled seconds passed. Then she let go, nodded, quiet now.
Joey watched as Roland waltzed away with Mrs. W. Despite Kaiba marrying into his family, having to share his wedding day, anxieties about Mai's parents, anxieties with his own parents, he felt, strangely, happy. It was like it was there even in front of his worries facing him. He'd been happy, sure, before, but it was differen't from any other happiness he had felt - one you could trust in...to always be there.
"Hey, stranger. You mind giving me a dance from your storage?"
He turned from a tap on his shoulder.
"I always have a dance left for my wife."
Mai laughed. "So, been having fun?" She'd been watching him, having to dance with both mothers and feeling sorry for him.
"Getting better." He took her hand and a jazz song began. "What'd you and your dad talk about?"
"Catching up, mostly." she answered.
"He's a nice guy."
She suppressed a grin only halfheartedly. She knew he was dying to ask about the other dance. "So . . . Mis-ter Wheeler," she went on, as if learning his surname for the first time, "it seems . . . we're married."
"Seems so." He liked the way her eyes glowed and sparkled with energy. "And that would make you . . . Mrs.-"
"Valentine-Wheeler," she finished. "I decided to keep my father's name. That is, if it's all right with you, dear?"
"It's all right." He considered.
"Good. One thin I love about you is your open-mindedness, you know." She laid her head on his shoulder as a saxophone drew on its last note. "Among other things."
Later
After the dancing, everyone took a break to sit and eat. Except for the brides and grooms, who had to cut the wedding cake. It was beautiful, with four tiers and silvery-white topping and a chocolate middle. The little people on the top had been tampered with and Kaiba glared suspiciously around.
Mai picked up the knife. Joey stood beside her. Together they pressed the knife into the cake while every guest clapped and cheers. Flashbulbs popped. She sliced a perfect amount of cake, and put it on a beautiful, expensive china plate. It was a great slice. Grinning elegantly, she picked a piece with a shining fork and hovered it over Joey's mouth.
"Darling, don't you know that you can't have your cake and eat it too?" she said before pushing the plate into his face.
Roars of laughter cheered as there was another splat: Serenity had pushed the cake into Kaiba's face on the other side too. They got retaliated on, though.
Téa smiled as she watched them both chase around the wedding cake - I wonder if my wedding is going to be like this? "Yugi," she murmured, not really paying attention to what she was saying, "do you ever think about...getting married?"
He almost fell. Surely I didn't hear what I think I-
Luckily, the brides and grooms were called, while the guests ate and sat. It was time for the throwing of the bouquets. Single women were called to gather up in a bunch while the brides wiped their face. "C'mon, Téa!" said Rebecca, who was having such a great time with Mokuba she was feeling more friendly towards her. "Let's go!" Téa was pushed forward.
Oh, great, they see me...Serenity and Mai grinned at each other, and aiming for Téa, Rebecca caught one and Ryou caught the other. Actually, it got stuck in his hair ("I am NOT a GIRL!"). There was a rethrow. Téa caught it, feeling foolish. Oh, and just after I said to him - what did I say? she though haphazardly. OH GOD!
She threw a shy look at Yugi. He looked very surprised. Meanwhile, Rebecca was hugging her "Momo" around the neck, like they were going to get hitched in Vegas. Which they probably were.
"Grrrrreat!" the announcer said. "Now . . . it's time for the garters!" The men hooted. "Woo, woo . . . boys come up here!"
Now it was poor Yugi to be pushed around the gathering of single men by Mokuba, he wasn't really going to catch it - it would be embarrassing...
"Darling, you'd better hurry, Kaiba's almost got Serenity's off," Mai whispered down, as Jeoy was looking around. He got down on his knees and shot a look over at his sister, who was extremely giggly all the sudden, and his mouth dropped open. There was something indecent about watching Kaiba reach up under his sister's dress. Kaiba threw it, as everyone had figured, at Mokuba, who got it stuck in his hair. You should've seen the way Mokuba and Rebecca were hugging and kissing at the cheering.
Okay... my turn... Finally, Joey got up again and aimed for Yugi, who had gotten pushed out of the ring of single men. He threw. The lacy, white, little strap of a thing flew through the air, and ringed around Yugi's hair. He threw a deep shade of magenta. He didn't use the red streak in his hair anymore, but if he did, that's the color.
"All riiight!" But Téa and Yugi didn't hug or kiss. They just looked embarrassed, blushing, and sneaking looks at one another until the commotion died down, the relatives siad their goodbyes, and the main course arrived. Halibut and beef wellington. Both were Yugi's favorite, but he felt ever less than hungry. He knew her well, so he knew that look she was giving him.
Goodbye.
Finally, they sat down. Yugi was sure to keep far, but not too far, away from her in the circle of chairs.
After they began and were just finishing their meal, Mai remarked, "You know . . . we never did do that superstition..."
Since she didn't continue, there was a pause, and Téa said, "Which - the 'something old, something new'?" Yugi looked quicky at her.
"Yeah. It doesn't feel right... Quick, everybody, think of something."
Everybody chewed, thoughtfully.
"Well, I did borrow my pearls from Mom," Serenity said, touching her neck.
"And I did borrow these earrings from you," said Mai, looking slightly guilty.
"And I've got - some - blue linin' in my suit jacket." said Joey. They all looked at Kaiba, next: his tuxedo suit was completely black and white.
"You look like Tuxedo Mask, darling." Serenity giggled. He gave her Very funny smirk.
"Ha, ha, you're unlucky."
"Well, we all know that you're lucky, Wheeler," Kaiba said, miffed, "we've all seen you duel."
Joey opened his mouth to retort, but "Knock it off, you two," Mai said. "We'll settle for his eyes. Now, what about 'old'. . . and 'new' . . . " she said mysteriously.
I beat him in our last duel . . . and he says- Joey wasn't paying attention.He was too busy mumbling under his breath.
Ryou suggested that Christian be the 'new' part, since he just came into the Earth. Everyone agreed, until it was suggested that he also be the old thing, since no one could come up with one. And it's wasn't cheering to picture such a cute baby getting old and dying. Everybody was silent. Then, Tea said:
"Well . . . " She put down her glass of champagne. "How about . . . . memories?
"Yeah," she carefully avoided Yugi's eyes, "because you guys-" she looked towards the newlyweds, "-have memories together, right? Already?And now you'll be making," she took a sip so her voice came out a bit muffled. "new ones."
Everyone took a vote and liked it. It was settled. The wedding day went on...
TBC
A/N: Agh, decided to stop it there. Aren't I the cliff queen. I liked the part of Joey gawking at his sister and the garter-throwing. Couldsooooo picture it. And when Kaiba tried to cheer Yugi up. (snicker snicker) Priceless. Ok, next: Part three of Le Wedding Day. And then, Le Wedding Night -ooh la la...XD Please review!