Two weeks before the wedding
"No, no, no! This one isn't right either! It makes me look like a meringue!" The angry voice rang out through the shop, causing people to look up in surprise.
"Will you quit complaining and just try it on?" The second voice was exasperated, trying to calm the other.
"No way. I'm not wearing this. It's too fussy!"
"The shop owner said you'd look nice in this dress."
"Oh yeah?" the first voice cried, growing high-pitched in frustration. "Well, then he's an idiot!"
The curtain to the changing room was flung aside, and a young woman with auburn hair stormed out and into the street. It was clear that if it wasn't for the scowl twisting her features, she would be very beautiful indeed.
Her companions, three younger girls, did their best to make peace with the shop owner, before following their friend.
"I still can't believe you said something like that, Murrue-san. Those kinds of outbursts aren't like you at all"
Murrue Ramius sighed and sipped her coffee.
"I know, but it's so frustrating! How difficult can buying a wedding dress be?" she said.
Miriallia arched an eyebrow. "Much less so if you weren't so picky."
"Miriallia-san, be reasonable. All girls want their wedding dress to be perfect" Lacus said in her soft voice.
"And it's even more difficult when you're so nervous" she went on.
Murrue set down her coffee. "Nervous? Well...yeah, I guess I am."
"Of course. Who wouldn't be? And it was nerves that made you act that way in the bridal shop" put in Miriallia.
"You're getting married in two weeks, Ramius-san. And we still haven't found you a dress yet. Maybe that's part of the reason you're nervous too?" asked little Meyrin.
Murrue groaned. "Don't remind me..."
Murrue pushed open the door to her house, threw the shopping bags on the floor, and collapsed on the sofa.
"Hard day?" asked a cheerful voice. She cracked an eye open and glared at her fiance.
"Very, if you must know. I still haven't found a dress yet."
Mwu sighed. "It's okay, we have a whole fortnight before we get married. You're sure to find something. Cheer up!"
Murrue pouted. "This is all your fault, anyway."
Three months earlier...
"And with this signature;" the broadcaster said in a hushed voice, "the peace treaty between PLANT and the Orb Union is official!"
The two leaders, the Supreme Chairman and Representative Athha, leaned forward and signed the peace treaty.
The whole room erupted in cheers and shouts.
Everyone was hugging everyone else, and Murrue grabbed Mwu's arm and shook it excitedly. But Mwu seemed subdued, quiet.
"What's the matter? You should be celebrating!" said Murrue.
Mwu smiled softly. "Come with me a moment..."
He pulled her outside onto a balcony. The moon was full in the sky, it's reflection glittering off the sea, turning the world silver. It was beautiful.
"Murrue;" Mwu began, drawing her attention to him. "I just wanted to say that I'm so glad we were able to find each other again. I sure as hell don't deserve someone like you, and the fact that you still love me after all the pain I put you through makes me the luckiest person alive. You said we can always be together now, right? So, how about we make that permanent?"
He got down on one knee and pulled a small velvet box out of his pocket. Inside was a beautiful gold ring, topped with a diamond cut in the shape of a heart.
Murrue couldn't think straight, almost couldn't breathe. Her heart was beating so loudly, she was she he must be able to hear it. Was he...was this...?
Mwu took a deep breath, and looked up at her, long blonde hair blowing in the slight breeze. "Murrue, I love you, will you marry me?"
Murrue gasped, tears streaming down her face. This had to be a dream, she would wake up any second, she knew it. To make sure, she pinched herself, hard.
"What are you doing, silly?" he asked.
"It's not a dream, it's not a dream.." she whispered.
"I hope not. But if it is, I don't want to wake up without getting an answer. So, what do you say?" said Mwu, laughing.
"Oh yes...yes, definitely!" Murrue cried, the tears coming even harder now.
Mwu let out a breath he didn't even know he'd been holding, and slipped the band onto her left ring finger. Then he stood up, and, laughing again, picked her up by the waist and swung her round. Murrue giggled happily, her tears flying into the air, being turned sparkling silver by the moon.
"Yeah, I guess you're right. It was my fault." said Mwu laughing.
Murrue smiled up at him, then frowned again.
"Hey, hey" he said, sitting down on the sofa and pulling her close to him. "This is supposed to be a happy time, remember? So why the sad face?"
"I don't know. I just want everything to be perfect..." his fiancee replied quietly.
"Of course you do. That's the kind of person you are. But don't worry, it'll be okay. Besides, as long as we have each other, and we're happy, we'll be fine."
Murrue smiled, this time for real, and looked up at him. "How come you always know the right thing to say?"
Mwu winked and hugged her close. "'Cause I'm special, that's why" He leaned down and kissed her gently.
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Two weeks before the wedding
"Oh, I don't believe this! It feels like we walked round the whole city at least twice, and we still haven't found anything!"
Miriallia whispered "Picky" under her breath, before speaking normally.
"It looks like we might have to go back to one of the other shops.."
Murrue looked miserable.
"But it's not fair. I wanted my wedding dress to be perfect, something that I could keep forever. You know, the way every bride wants it to be." She was close to tears, and Lacus put an arm around her, trying to comfort her.
The four trailed back to where Murrue had parked her car that morning, and they had almost reached it when Meyrin suddenly pointed.
"Ramius-san, look at that!"
In the window of a nearby shop was a wedding gown. It was pure white, with a strapless bodice and full, sweeping skirt. It even had elbow-length gloves and a lacy veil to go with it. Murrue's marigold eyes widened.
"It's...it's so beautiful..." She hugged Meyrin. "Thank you so much!"
Miriallia looked up at the shop sign. "Typical. We try every ritzy shop in the city, and you had to find your perfect dress in a charity shop..."
Inside the shop, the quartet heard the story of how the dress belonged to a woman who wasn't able to have children, and so wasn't able to pass the dress on to her daughters as she had so wanted to. So she gave the dress to the shop in the hope that another bride would be able to do what she could not.
Murrue held the dress against her, looking in a mirror.
"Murrue-san, it's like that dress was made for you. I'm sure Fllaga-san will love it too"
Murrue blushed a little at that thought. "But I want to keep it a secret from him until our wedding day. Can I keep this dress at your house, Lacus-san?"
The pink-haired girl smiled. "Of course"
The night before the wedding
Murrue looked up at the stars from the front porch. She was spending the night at Lacus' house, since her gown was there, and it was so close to Malchio-sama's chapel, where the wedding would take place.
Mwu had done his best to persuade her not to go, saying that it was only a silly superstition, and what difference did one night make? Murrue hadn't wanted to go either, but she had made her mind up that she would, and refused to back down. With both being equally as stubborn as the other, they had come close to having their first real argument. Luckily, they realised what they were doing.
She stopped in mid-sentence, and put her arms around him, entwining her fingers in his hair.
"I'm sorry. I don't want to go either. But it's only one night, and tomorrow we won't have to be apart again"
Mwu smiled and hugged her back. "I'm sorry too. I didn't mean to be so stubborn"
She looked up at him. "I'll see you tomorrow, sweetheart" Then she kissed him, and was gone.
In their house, which felt so empty without her presence, Mwu stood at the window, also looking up at the stars. He knew it was only one night, and that he should be grateful for this chance to enjoy a night of freedom. But he hadn't counted on freedom feeling so, well, lonely.
"Dammit, I should have asked the guys round..." I'm not used to being alone anymore.
"Are you lonely, Murrue-san?" came Kira's voice.
"Oh, Kira-kun. No, I'm not lonely. How can I be when there are so many people here?"
Kira smiled and sat down next to her. "It's just something I was told once. About how you can be surrounded by dozens of people, but if the one you want to be with isn't there, you'll be lonely."
Murrue sighed, a sad expression on her face.
"It's so childish of me. It's only one night without him..."
"That doesn't matter" replied Kira. "In fact, I'm sure Mwu-san is lonely too."
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The day of the wedding
Mwu stood at the altar of the little chapel, nervous as hell. His hands were shaking, and he was sweating. It didn't help that for once he was dressed properly, with the collar and sleeves of his Orb dress uniform where they should be.
Man, it's so hot in here, he thought, slipping a finger under the band of his cap in an attempt to loosen it. A tiny bead of sweat rolled down his scarred face.
"Mwu-san, calm down. It's going to be okay" came the voice of his best man from beside him. Mwu didn't even acknowledge Kira. He knew the kid meant well, but he was far too fidgety to calm down. All his friends were there, sitting in the pews behind him, and his bride was due to show up any minute.
How could he be calm?
His train of thought was interrupted when the chapel doors opened. Leaning on Andrew Bartfeld's arm was what looked like an angel. Her long white dress trailed out behind her, and her dark auburn hair was piled upon her head underneath a crown of flowers. Murrue drifted down the aisle towards him, drawing gasps of awe from the congregation. Mwu could only stare, sure he had never seen anything or anyone so beautiful in his entire life.
Murrue noticed him staring, and blushed.
As she took her place beside him at the altar, Mwu just kept staring. It was only a gentle reminder from both his bride and Malchio-sama that brought him back to reality.
"Huh? Oh, yeah, right" he said, laughing sheepishly.
The ceremony went smoothly enough. Sure, the couple stuttered over their vows a bit, especially at the 'I do' part, but that was to be expected. And the exchanging of rings had several of the girls in the crowd sniffling, especially when Mwu placed the ring on his bride's finger, then lifted her hand to his lips and kissed it softly.
Murrue was so happy she could hardly breathe. After Jachin Due, she had never dreamed that she could be so happy again. But life had given her a second chance with the one she loved, and soon they would be joined together for always.
As Malchio-sama finished the ceremony, Mwu lifted the veil from his new wife's face, and drew a finger lovingly down her cheek, before kissing her rather passionately, which made the crowd laugh.
Outside the chapel, everyone threw rice and flower petals at the newly married couple, and Mwu took Murrue by the waist and lifted her high into the air. Laughing and crying at the same time, she threw her bouquet into the waiting mass of people, only for it to be caught by Lacus, who blushed.
"I guess this is where a new life starts, huh?" whispered Mwu, bringing Murrue back down to the ground.
"So they say," she replied. "But I think that all we need do is continue the one we were already living. You know, the one where we stay together forever"
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( Ta-da! This was so much fun to write!
It was based on a fanart I found ages ago, and which I love.
I probably won't be able to post the link here, but jadzia and lithiumflower know which one I mean.
And about Murrue-san finding her dress in a charity shop, some of the most beautiful wedding
gowns I've ever seen were in charity shops. So there lol
Please read and review! )
