Wedding Plans or "Hey Yuuno-Kun, how's it going with Nanoha-san?
It happened. Joyous moments.
It is known…
...of all the feelings, love is one of the hardest to conceal.
Everyone knows there is love there. The ineffability in which two persons just treat each other subtly differently from everyone else and yet it becomes so evident to everyone, sometimes even before they are completely aware of it themselves.
Joyous moments for the Harlaown family indeed.
Chrono Harlaown and Amy Limietta are finally getting married after a long time of comings and goings. Some say it was about time. Others say Amy was lovestruck with Chrono since the very first moment the once-children Chrono and Amy met. Rumor has it they are in a rush. Time will only tell if people just gossip without any basis… or if even the young yet very serious commanding officer is not impervious to the explosive combination of hormones and love.
In any case, the entire Harlaown family is ecstatic and by extension, their TSAB family is delighted to see the strength of their two distinguished collaborators settling down for good.
There are obligations and duties from both, as they have important roles with all the experience they have raked in their jobs but that doesn't mean they don't have time (truth be told, rather it was Commander Lindy who forced Chrono to make sure to make time) so they are going over all the details in preparation of the wedding... including the list of guests and sending the invitations.
Why didn't they get a party planner to do it for them? Who knows. The bride wants what the bride wants.
So here they are, a young engaged couple sorting everything out. Setting plans and schedules, menus and color schemes, while the Junior Enforcer, Fate T. Harlaown keeps tiptoeing around her brother and his future wife at every chance she gets with only one thing in her restless mind.
Nanoha.
The girl that actually lives rent-free in her mind. Fate can't help it, Nanoha is in her every thought, from waking up to drifting asleep. If something good happens, Nanoha is the first one she wants to tell. If something bad happens, Nanoha is the first one in her mind as well. If nothing out of the ordinary happens at all, Nanoha will still be in her thoughts and they will tell each other everything. Even the most uninteresting things just because.
That makes her down to the bone happy.
She and Nanoha are as close as ever but in case anyone's wondering… nothing… say… romantic...has happened.
Be it their workload, the strenuous recovery of Nanoha's health, or simply the joy of the comfort of their relationship as it is and has been, that even if Fate has thoughts (many thoughts!) about her beloved best-friend, whatever it may be, deep down she knows it's time to say something or do something.
It's been months since she finally came to terms with the notion that her feelings for Nanoha, beyond the loyalty, trust, sense of protection, complicity, admiration and respect, also harbor and encompass deep romantic feelings. And physical desires, which she has not fully understood yet but are very recognizable.
Ever since Chrono and Amy announced their engagement, all those feelings simply became unbearable and therefore Fate has had a single thought, craving… a little wish, lodged deep in her heart.
She wants to ask Nanoha to be her plus one at Chrono's wedding.
But Fate is also aware she's sometimes too shy and tends to overthink things and she just cannot find it in her to actually do it and ask the girl fo her dreams.
Until it finally happened.
As Chrono and Amy keep crossing to-do lists and checking off completed tasks, Fate took a deep breath, clenched her fists, stood as straight as she could and forced herself to do it… taking advantage of a timely call to Amy, in a completely unnatural reaction, she ultimately insistently tugged at her brother's sleeve and demanded his attention. Whatever train of thought Chrono was having at the moment was derailed as he is confronted with a super-blushed Fate that tells him, in a whiff, that he has to make sure Nanoha does not get an invitation so she can invite her.
Chrono looks at his little sister (well now she's almost as tall as he is, but she will always be his little sister) who is nearly combusting with a massive blush (which keeps increasing) probably from holding her breath after the sudden outburst and more, understanding the importance of what she's asking from him.
"But you can ask her anyway, even if she gets an invitation… why…?" Chrono muses and is cut short with a determined shake of Fate's head.
Fate is not one to ask things from Chrono or anyone for that matter, so he understands even more how much what she is asking from him really means to Fate.
With a complicit nod, he agrees, not showing at all in his countenance that he's actually happy to see Fate's immediate obvious change in her face after his answer.
Fate, true to her speedster reputation, rushes out before Amy gets back to the living room of the Harlaown apartment where they have set the base for the wedding plans.
Amy chitchats idly with Chono as they continue going over all that needs to be done.
Of course, it does not take long for Amy to notice that Nanoha, surprisingly, is not on the guest list.
That is impossible!
Such an issue completely changes the layout of the tables and the count of guests.
How on Midchilda had she overlooked her?
Fixing such a blatant mistake is something that tops Amy's priorities, causing Chrono to panic and in a moment of true blankness tell Amy it's because someone is going to specifically ask Nanoha out for the wedding.
"Who?"
Her eyes sparkle with gossip and Chrono realizes he is on dangerous grounds. On one hand, he knows he can't lie to his fiancee, but on the other neither does he want to put Fate on the spot…
"Well… obviously… you... know...who… blonde mage… head over heels for Takamachi Nanoha… really Amy, let's go with the rest of things…" Chrono stuttered before leaning over and placing a chaste kiss on Amy's cheek.
"Ohh…"
Amy blushes and repeats inside her head the way in which Chrono said… "Ohh…Yuu-no-whoo!" she repeats shooting her hands to her cheeks in true awe It's happening!
Amy winks while Chrono pictures the equivalent of patting himself on the back for his acute commanding tactics and wits quickly fixing a potentially threatening situation. No wonder he is up for commanding promotions, he tells himself.
"Message received, Admiral!" Amy teases Chrono as if they were actually on board talking shop and he had actually been promoted and continues. "Is that so? I never thought... Nanoha and…" Amy shook her head amused leaving Nanoha's suitor unnamed in the air, "...but well, I guess it makes sense... They have known each other for so long... Okay!"
Chrono breathed relieved as it seems his soon-to-be wife has much more on her mind than the romantic adventures of the Ace of Aces.
Crisis averted.
Amy gets back to the catalogs of table napkins and clothes when she just voices her thoughts out loud.
"I guess Yuuno-kun and Nanoha-chan make a cute couple… I just thought…"
Stop.
Stop.
Mayday!
The blood drains from Chrono's face as he realizes his blunder. "What?" Alert! "I meant…" Indirect hostile situation "Who… hoo...what…" Evasive maneuvers "Yeah, the ferret boy… ehh… You know what those kids are, let's continue..."
The words had barely slipped his lips when Chrono was already mentally kicking himself for such a stupid lie, but at the same time it should not be a problem… or so he tells himself.
What matters is the results, not the procedure. Nanoha is not getting an invitation as Fate wanted. There shouldn't be a problem. No one but Amy will know about her wrong inferral and all would be right with the world, right?
Right?
It was not like he had more time to dwell on it as Amy was already pointing out his chores and duties and he had to pay his entire attention to keep track of everything Amy was telling him about the wedding.
He just had to pay attention.
Later that day when Chrono finally remembered to let Fate know what happened, the young Enforcer freaked out. Big time.
Why on Earth would her brother tangle their childhood friend to her plan?
Chrono assures her there is nothing to worry about. Fate is really not that sure. Just because she finally had the courage to put in motion her plan to ask Nanoha doesn't mean she was already ready to actually ask her out.
Stress.
Fate is stressed and Chrono merely pats her on the shoulder before going back to his duties.
What is wrong with him? How can he not see what huge problem this could mean?!
She definitely does not want to ask Nanoha out by a message, she wants to do it in person and Nanoha is out for some special training. Fate knows that by the time Nanoha gets back, now she will be the one away for work.
Where will she find the time to make things right before something messes her plan up?
How does the saying go? Sometimes time's a snitch? No that's not it, but Fate is too worried to remember her language lessons.
Unfortunately for her, Fate does not have much time to dwell in it, as sooner than later she realizes it's time for her off-planet activities.
Days go by without anything out of the ordinary but by the end of the week, the TSAB headquarters' cafeteria became the epicenter of wedding chatter.
Midchildans have been enjoying times of peace and the news of a military wedding is always well received at TSAB. Lunch hour is suddenly synced for an unusually large quantity of personnel and almost everyone in TSAB is talking about the upcoming wedding. The chatter is endless.
The current table where Nanoha is enjoying her lunch is not the exception and, engaging in the lively conversation, she casually mentions that now that she thinks of it she hasn't received her invitation to the Harlaown wedding.
"That's odd," replied a girl from Military Operations and a close friend of Amy.
Half-munching her sandwich, Shari chimes in telling her it's because the head of the Infinity Library Yuuno Scrya is inviting her.
"Shari!" A trio of voices scolds her without haste.
"I'm sure that's just a mistake, nyahaha," Nanoha chuckled, dismissing the idea as silly but there is an uneasy feeling inside her.
As much as she wants to keep her mind cool and collected in her training activities, repeating to herself there is a perfectly reasonable explanation for her lack of invitation...as the days go by and there is indeed no signal of any invitation at all, she starts to suspect that Shari "Big Mouth" Finieno was probably right.
Still, it would seem weird to ask Amy if she's not getting invited to the wedding.
It's not like she and Chrono had a romantic past that would warrant her being omitted from the guestlist… so why wasn't she being considered? It's not something that should worry her, but being close to the entire Harlaown family… could Shari be… correct?
Little could she know that pretty much everyone, everyone, knows already how Yuuno is taking the Harlown wedding to finally ask the Ace of Aces out … that is everyone except Yuuno.
And that's why, luckily for Nanoha, he has not contacted her at all. She actually hasn't heard from him in a long while, but that does not prevent Nanoha from wondering if he actually will and how she is supposed to answer when he asks her.
It does not help that Fate is away on her week-long missions and Hayate has been so busy she hasn't been able to talk to her either, so when the weekend finally comes, Nanoha decided at the very last minute "I'm going home for the weekend!".
Not that anyone was hearing her, but at least Raising Heart had the courtesy to reply to her, "Yes, my master!" so it doesn't look at all like Nanoha is talking aloud to no one.
At sixteen, despite the speedy military career she has already worked, Nanoha sometimes feels like a child and this time it does not help that she also feels weird.
That means that as soon as she gets to her parents' home in Uminari, and is freed from her parents going all mushy over her, she drags her sister Miyuki for a talk.
After catching up on the basics, Nanoha asks her sister flat out if people can go together to a wedding as friends.
"Sure, if you agree to go together… I don't see why…" Miyuki replies slightly puzzled and amused that her little sister is not missing out on normal things at that moment of her life, like dating and attending weddings and parties.
"No, but… I mean, if someone asks you to be their… date… for a wedding… it doesn't need to mean anything, right?"
Miyuki is surprised by the question and wonders who asked her little sister to be their plus-one to a wedding, but Nanoha does not want to tell her until she answers first.
Knowing how hard-headed her little sister can be, Miyuki ponders for a second before answering.
"Let me guess, this is about a certain blonde in your life?" Miyuki taunts, oddly enough, talking about Fate while Nanoha, ridden with tunnel vision due to the unusual situation, is thinking about Yuuno but still refusing to answer.
Finally giving in, and sensing where Nanoha's restlessness is coming from, Miyuki answers what she truly believes and that is that she believes anyone can do anything as friends.
Nanoha nods still unsure of what she should do if… she gets asked out to the wedding...
"But still it's wise to be cautious, Nanoha. Doing or even worse, repeating activities, especially those that are usually done with your significant other and have romantic connotations, with someone that is just your friend and especially if you have no intention of changing the nature of the relationship, could end up in deep misunderstandings. Something as significant as a date to a wedding, well, people can get caught up in the rush of weddings… or they can be completely terrified by it. Someone can end up hurt."
Nanoha is now definitely worried. Yuuno is her childhood friend but a date to a wedding is something that definitely may carry implications. She doesn't want Yuuno to get any wrong ideas.
It is true too, that Nanoha did not know at the moment that Yuuno had no idea about all the gossip running amok in TSAB, but as gossip like that usually takes a life of its own and mutates to a completely different beast, eventually Yuuno did found out about what was being said and somehow he thought it was finally his opportunity. He cannot let Nanoha down if she's expecting him to ask her out!
At first, he doubted if that was true, but after some thought, Yuuno concluded it was surely a plot made, not by Nanoha herself but by her meddling friends to encourage him to ask her out. Surely they want what's best for Nanoha. And maybe it's finally time.
Of course, he is not the only one outside TSAB premises that heard about the date finally happening.
With the days going by, in an almost rehearsed synchronous motion, Hayate is smacking Fate on the head, the Junior Enforcer barely having arrived to Midchilda after ten days away, while at the same time but miles away one Carim Gracia, in the privacy of her quarters is also smacking Chrono on the head.
"What is wrong with you!?" They both berated each Harlaown sibling in perfect timing.
Hayate was on the edge of her nerves because not only had Fate not asked Nanoha out yet, but because her inside Intel told her that one Yuuno Scrya was on his way to TSAB grounds. Fate was completely running out of time. No matter what Nanoha felt or not for Fate, if Yuuno asked her to be his date for the Harlaown wedding, for sure she would say yes.
Carim, for her part, was so amused to hear Hayate's ramblings about Chrono's sister and her friend that when she knew of Hayate's intentions to smack Fate's head and regretted not being able to the same with Chrono - being a superior officer - Carim eagerly volunteered to do it for her. She did not know Nanoha or Fate personally but Hayate talked so much about them she felt like she already did. She could not believe when Hayate told her everything that had happened from Fate's recount of events, to Nanoha's to pretty much everyone that had said anything about her date. It was almost taking all of the attention from the wedding itself! The reason that had Carim Gracia smacking Chrono on the head.
"The bride, your bride! is supposed to be the attention center, you fool!"
Unfortunately that was not nearly enough, Hayate realized she was now running against the clock. Pulling out her bag of tricks and big guns she sent Reinforce Zwei to urgently request Nanoha's presence for an important mission.
Nanoha's mission: to deliver in person very sensitive documents to Maria Gracci herself.
Hayate met with Nanoha at the lowest level of the underground parking lot and hands her a briefcase, handcuffing her to the handle of the briefcase.
"Is this really necessary, Hayate-chan? I mean..." Her week has already been too weird to add Hayate's weirdness, too.
"These are your orders, are you sure you want to make Captain someday?" Hayate struggled with all her might to remain serious. "This matter is so sensitive you have an assigned… bodyguard… that will escort you to the premises."
"Yes ma'am," Nanoha nodded formally and Hayate continued.
"You must deliver the briefcase to Maria Gracci herself. No one else. She holds the key that can open the handcuffs."
"An escort…?" Nanoha muses trying to understand what Hayate explained.
"Your escort must be arriving right about...now."
The sounds of heels walking hurriedly and the person Nanoha least expected to find there brought an instant smile, completely brightening up her face.
"Fate-chan!"
Nanoha has always been respectful of military protocols with everyone except for that little weak spot. She cannot bring herself to stop calling Fate, Fate-chan.
"Ah, Junior Enforcer Harlaown, thank you for being here. I know back-to-back missions are not customary but this matter requires the best of the very best and I am counting on your speed en efficiency. Instructor Takamachi will fill you with the details on your way."
Hayate then handed Fate the keys to the impressive vehicle she has cleared for their use.
At the mere sight of Nanoha, Fate was determined to get the moment to talk to her but the beauty of the vehicle she was currently driving had her captivated.
She loves flying for sure but there is also something that resonates within her when she is driving that makes her heart flutter.
Not to mention she wants to believe she is responsible enough to keep her personal stuff off her duties.
As soon as we deliver the mysterious package to Gracci-san I will talk to Nanoha, Fate thinks as she shifts gears and enjoys the road while Nanoha is also busy with her own thoughts.
All in all, their "mission" turns out to be smooth and quick. They won't admit of considering it pointless as it could be questioning the command of a higher officer… but it did seem they were sent on a mere fool's errand.
True, that Maria Gracci seemed a shady person that was wearing sunglasses, had her hair covered and a long coat, basically concealing her entire appearance but the confirmation codes matched and Nanoha handed in the briefcase without haste and even sooner than they expected it was time for then to go back.
With that part of their mission over, Fate found herself to be more at ease and midway back she suggests to Nanoha to grab a bite and rest a bit before handing back the admirable beast on four wheels she was enjoying.
Nanoha agreed to her suggestion with a smile that could melt an entire snow-covered forest and, despite Fate's best plans, she is incapable of holding it any longer.
Fate pulls over at the resting stop of the road and barely gets the key off the engine before turning again to Nanoha who is looking at her slightly amused.
"Nanoha... I... Would you... Would you come to my brother's wedding with me?"
Nanoha's heart beats in surprise and a broad smile appears on her lips.
She remembers Miyuki's words about misunderstandings and repeatedly doing couples' things as friends. It feels right, however, she doesn't want misunderstandings at all. And she definitely does not want to hurt Fate.
"As friends?"
Fate gapes at the unexpected question... as she reads the seriousness in the blue eyes she adores, the sudden streak of boldness that permeates through her as she takes a deep breath is all she needed.
"As my date," Fate answered with her gentle and stoic self, extending her hand out for Nanoha to take if she agreed to her invitation.
A sense of relief and excitement, rushed through Fate's body as Nanoha reached out and places her palm over Fate's warm palm and together they shared a special smile that seals their date.
"I'd love to."
Feeling that she could actually spin the world in her hand at the snap of her fingers, Fate leads Nanoha to buy something to share and eat together and they take seats in one of the outside benches as the weather is still nice to enjoy eating outdoors.
"I'm glad we did this… it's hard to find some time away from…" Nanoha comments before taking a bite of her hamburger.
"Everything…" Fate munches on the fry Nanoha had fed to her mouth moments before.
"Yeah… just you and me, Fate-chan," Nanoha finished for her feeling a comforting warmth within her. Miyuki's words echo inside her and now she knows.
She looks tenderly as Fate eagerly eats her food and wonder about all the little things they have done and the ones she wants to do.
"I wonder what was so important that needed to be delivered with all this protocol. I really don't envy their commanding positions," Fate finally says, bringing Nanoha out of her musings.
Little did they know that at the same moment, Hayate was almost in tears laughing on video talk with Carim.
"Hayate? Why did you send Instructor Takamachi and Junior Enforcer Harlaown with… a written recipe for chocolate cookies addressed to Maria Gracci? I thought we would use that code name only for…"
"I'm sorry Carim, desperate times, desperate measures, but I knew I could count on you."
By the time Nanoha and Fate get back, Nanoha finally realizes she had completely forgotten about Yuuno coming over. The couple finds him waiting at the common area of the base. Fate nods from afar as greeting and leaves, letting Nanoha and Yuuno talk in private.
"Aren't you worried she's alone with him?" Hayate asks as she finds fate tidying the desk in the temporary office she uses every now and then.
"Of course not. I trust her. It would be embarrassing for him to be turned down with an audience… after all, it was Chrono and me who made all this mess and ended up dragging him into it."
"Does that mean you finally grew a pair and marked your territory?"
"Hayate! That's a… terrible way to say it!"
"Tomato-tomahto, did you finally ask her out? I cannot keep saving you ass, Fate!"
"Ugh, I don't know how you have been promoted and still have time to meddle in our lives. And with that potty-mouth of yours."
"I think your brain autocorrected what was supposed to be 'thank you Hayate-chan for making sure I asked Nanoha before ferret boy appeared and dragged me out of the Harlaown mes '."
"You're impossible Hayate, but yeah, something like that." Fate replied with one of the brightest smiles Hayate had ever seen in the blonde.
"Yeah, he's gotta finally realize he's been standing in the friendzone, but you were too dense too, Fate-chan! Or even worse! You remained in the friend zone voluntarily! Next time you get a genius plan like that, run it by me first, Fate-chan. It was wrong on so many levels, that you are lucky you have me here to smooth things over."
Fate blushed and sighed inwardly, turning her back to Hayate to collect her thoughts. It's not as if she hadn't known everything she felt about Nanoha. Everything also felt good as it was with no need to rush anything or to announce anything. But it was also true that she had wanted to take a step forward for a long time now.
Now, she has a date with Nanoha. To her brother's wedding.
Fate smiles proudly, maybe they should have some other dates before the wedding. It's difficult with their busy schedules between school and her work. And Nanoha's work.
Fate is so proud of Nanoha, she is rocking it as an Aerial Instructor and everyone is saying all kinds of good things about her. Of course she is busy, still they make time to have some dates. They share their first kiss. And their second and their third. Somewhere around the fifteenth kiss, Fate lost count.
Busy with the wedding, the one that hasn't realized what happened is Amy.
To everyone's amusement, the poor girl keeps asking Yuuno how things are going with Nanoha. He seems too shy to say anything.
Amy never noticed Yuuno did not have a date to the wedding.
Amy never noticed Nanoha and Fate stealing kisses from the other inconspicuously before, during and after the wedding.
Chrono eventually confessed everything during their honeymoon, much to Amy's confusion, embarrassment and amusement.
But there must be something about couples, besides the love and passion... whether it's the intimacy, the loyalty, the pure desire to make the other happy...
You see, Chrono has always, in his very serious steadfast way, taken shots at Yuuno, calling him names and basically annoying him or teasing him, depending who you ask.
Amy knows, as everyone does, that Nanoha and Fate are together-together. It's been years now.
They have always been together, and now even raising a daughter as the Takamachi family, no one could be that dense to wonder about anything else. Perhaps that's why there must be a secret pact between Chrono and Amy for her to still tease Yuuno, after so many years, every once in a while with the very innocent, slightly dense, "Hey Yuuno-kun, how's it going with Nanoha?"
And there must be something too between siblings, the loyalty and camaraderie... Where Fate still rolls her eyes at Chrono for the ongoing tease against ferret boy with Nanoha. It's been years now!
Grownups with childish teasing. Nanoha, mortified, even had to ask Fate once if Amy really had no idea about them. Fate was slightly embarrassed to admit how it had all happened... But the result was to hear Nanoha's delightful giggle.
"Nyahaha, Fate-chan, you and Chrono...are terrible."
"Us? Amy is the one that keeps teasing Yuuno. Who's going to make her stop?"
"Not me," the Ace of Aces instantly replies raising her eyebrows up in surprise.
"Not me, either," Fate replies, going in to steal a kiss from her girlfriend.
They share their childish giggle-smile combo that has had Fate in love from the very first time.
They smile because Nanoha understands the complicity between Chrono and Amy because she has shared that complicity with Fate for as long as she can remember. And Fate knows too: the little secrets, inside jokes that belong to a couple.
Unless… there could be a way to make that joke stop altogether for good.
Fate's gaze sparkles as she lifted a single finger asking Nanoha to wait for a second as she looks for something in her pocket.
"Hey, Fate-chan? Maybe it's time we got our own plans, we–"
Her words are cut off as Fate turns around with her loving crimson gaze to meet the bright violet-blue eyes. Fate is extending her hand out to bring a delicate ring forward to Nanoha while bringing her knee down to the floor.
"Nanoha, would you marry me?"
Nanoha, in awe glancing at the ring, in turn, takes Fate's hand and kneels in front of her, almost materializing an equally beautiful ring from thin air in her other hand.
There's that childish shared giggle again with both kneeling in front of each other, each holding an engagement ring for the other.
"Fate-chan, will you marry me?"
Wedding plans seem about right.