Hello everyone! How're you all? Fine and safe?
Before starting, let me wish a very very happy birthday to Hiromifan, one of my sweetest, cutest, dearest readers and little sisters. Yep, it is her birthday today! Yay! *Showers confetti and flowers on her*
Honey, I'm so sorry because I really didn't know that today is your birthday. But since I've known it, you deserve a gift from your Misty Di, right? Here is the cute little one-shot with a pinch of humor at the starting. I don't know whether you like Julia or any OC with Tala but I guessed that you support TalaJul from reading the second chapter of your fic. I hope you'll like my effort though it's last-minute addition :P
The story is based on a song of an old Bollywood movie: Taal. I hope you've heard its name and listened to the song too. Before it, there was a similar shot in this site written by Indigo Jupiter named "A bendy straw" but I guess she deleted it (Bad Noni *Pouts* -_- -_-). Anyways, that shot was fabulous and mine one is really a bendy straw in comparison with hers, yet, I've tried my best because I was very quick.
So...enjoy! :D
"Mr. Tala Valkov," The formal, serious voice of the priest echoed throughout the wedding hall, "Do you accept Julia Fernandez as your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death you do part?"
The red-haired Russian, ex-captain of Blitzkrieg boys, dressed in complete black tuxedo like a groom with his scarlet hair down and brushed nicely, raised his face as his sapphire pools met the emeralds of his wife. Even as the bride, presenting herself in a full, plain white, georgette ball-gown with semi-sweetheart neckline and circular-flounce sleeves with diamond fringe necklace and teardrop earrings, pearl and moonstone-studded coronet and a white rose tucked to her chocolate locks bound in a loose bun. Orange bangs surpassed the limit of her white veil and fell on her forehead. He felt as if he'd lost in any wonderland and a Disney princess had been standing before him. But when he discovered flames of annoyance in her jades, he backed to the reality. Gulping, he spoke, "Yes, yes, I do. No need to eat me with your eyes like that."
Almost all the hall burst out wild laughter at the unique confession of the groom. Glaring, the minister turned to the Spaniard and uttered, "Miss Julia Fernandez, Do you accept Tala Valkov as your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death you do part?"
Unlike her fiancé who was going to be her husband within no moment, Julia didn't take much time to respond. Sighing, she spoke, "Yes, I do. Do I have any other choice except that?"
Again, the wedding hall got filled with the laughter of the guests. Tala heaved. Why did he have to fall in love with her? Anyways, he wasn't regretting his decision. The wedding vows would be memorable for them and in their new life, they would cherish this memory to bring happiness.
"Congratulations!" The director announced, "From now on, you both are husband and wife. Now, Mr. Valkov, you may kiss the bride."
The scarlet-haired guy slowly neared his Spanish bride and cupped her chin. Pulling her closer, he leaned against her mouth hungrily and captured her lips into his. She closed her eyes in pleasure, enjoying the precious moment so that she could never forget it. It wasn't like it was their first kiss but the kiss in front of the crowd, at the center of the wedding hall was way divine and memorable than any other kisses. Forgetting what embarrassment was called and how it was, they were drowning deeper into passion and love. The boys grinned like idiots except the bestman and the girls giggled together.
"Man…." The navy-haired guy facepalmed, "Get a room! I'm hungry!"
At this shout of him, for the third time, exultation spread all over the environment. Getting the hint and blushing, Tala and Julia stopped the kiss, bending their heads down. After the short speeches from the bestman and the maid in honor, it was the turn of tossing the garter and the bouquet. When it was announced, maidens became impatient but the boys tried to remain calm and cool, maybe, for hiding their nervousness. At first, the unmarried girls stood behind the bride as the dual-haired Spaniard threw the bouquet of the white and red roses wrapped with a white cellophane paper back. Pushing all other ladies, a brunette in an off-shoulder, sleeveless, coral column gown caught it flawlessly.
"Hilary Tachibana, the maid in honor!" A pinkette cheered, "She'll get married next!"
Blushing, the chocolate-haired girl looked at the queue of the unmarried guys where there was the dual-haired Russian, crossing his arms on his chest as if he hadn't been bothered or excited a bit. She sighed at his expressions. Would the person over whom she'd been swooning for the last eight or nine years be able to perceive her feelings ever?
Now, it was the time to throw the garter. Backing the bachelors, the groom flung the white floral stocking-band of his wife as the bestman simply extended one of his arms. The ribbon landed on his palm as the boys became astonished. Kai Hiwatari, the sourpuss, was concerned about his own wedding? Especially when the bouquet was caught by Hilary Tachibana? Nonetheless, looking at the maid in honor, the bestman smirked a bit which increased the heartbeats of the brunette.
As per the rituals, the bestman and the maid in honor came at the altar. Putting off one of her heels, the chocolate-haired girl placed her feet on the knee of the man as the latter knelt down on the floor. His hands moved under her gown and touched her thigh. She felt tickled there, along with her stomach and chest. The beats of her heart rose to the peak of her obsessions with the slate-haired Russian. She was so lost that she couldn't realize when he was done with his job. As she couldn't feel his fingers around her leg anymore, she understood that the ritual was completed. Blushing heavily, she worn her heel back and moved away. Were some signs of reticence evident on the face of the bestman too, somehow?
Soon, the dance round started. Tyson aimed for the purple-haired cousin of his best friend who had already had a huge crush on the world-champ. Max was with Mariam, Ray with Mariah, Kane with Salima and Michael was with Emily. The single boys including the rest of the Blitzkrieg boys remained busy in guzzling wine fulfilling the content of their heart, throat and stomach. There became a small crowd to witness the fierce drinking contest between Bryan and Spencer. Ian's voice was at the top of his lungs when he was cheering the duo. Kai wasn't interested, just keep standing at a corner, leaning against the wall. Noticing it, the single brunette went to him.
"It doesn't suit the bestman to stand at a corner in the wedding of his best friend, you know," Hilary spoke, "Come and enjoy."
"You're the maid in honor," He retorted, "Why're you alone?"
"Umm….I just couldn't find a suitable partner to dance…." She fiddled with her fingers, "That's why…."
"Hn." He straightened his back and stretched a hand before the brunette. Confused, the maid in honor frowned at him.
"One and one makes two." He grinned.
Understanding his hint, she blushingly nodded and placed her hand on his. They both approached the dance floor, taking the soft flow of the music springing from the speakers together. He wrapped an arm protectively around her slender waist and tugged her near. One of her hands rested on his broad shoulder and another joined his. They circled as their gazes kept locked together. In his black suit and her coral gown, it felt as if the petals of a black rose and a light-orange rose had been wavering together in the gusts of crazy wind, stroking each other again and again. They weren't experienced dancers but unbelievably, they were good. The sync of the feet was flawless when he twirled her. She thought that she was Cinderella but there was no clock to stop their moment. They swayed, swirled, approached with each other, claiming the dance floor informally.
The dance ended, so did the feast. When everyone was gossiping, the brunette reached the stage where there was a chance to sing with karaoke. She turned the button of the karaoke on. A beautiful melody escaped from her vocal cord as the microphone neared her mouth, drifting the environment with pure rapture and honey:
What is dying, without love?
What is life, without love?
What is dying, without love?
What is life, without love?
Love is sweeter than jaggery,
Love is sourer than tamarind,
Love is a strong promise,
Love is a weak thread,
What is dying, without love?
What is life, without love?
Ray, Max and Tyson accompanied her on the stage and sang chorus. Their girlfriends and crushes clapped in the rhythm. Soon, there was about to take another round of dance. Hilary could sense a pair of amethyst eyes watching her as the owner was listening to the lyrics with much attention and admiration. As he was cozily sitting on a chair, his fingers rhythmically tapped his knee as if he'd been enjoying it. Of course, mesmerizing her voice was, even able to melt the icy heart of the phoenix-prince. She felt shy but this silent act of him encouraged her to no end. She continued with double enthusiasm:
Love is on earth and God is above
Everything else is in between them
Love is on earth and God is above
Everything else is in between them
Not one, say a hundred things
All hundred things have one meaning
Kami is the most beautiful
But love is more beautiful than Kami
Kami is the most beautiful
But love is more beautiful than Kami
The chorus of the boys went on behind her:
What is life, without love
What is dying, without love
What is life, without love
What is dying, without love
Love is sweeter than jaggery
Love is sourer than tamarind
Love is sweeter than jaggery
Love is sourer than tamarind
Love is neither a diamond nor emerald
Love is just a desire
Love is neither a diamond nor emerald
Love is just a desire
What is dying, without love
What is life, without love
Getting up, the slate-haired guy grabbed a guitar from the hand of a guest and strode towards the stage. Everyone became astonished but left space for him. His mouth touched the microphone which had been blessed by the lips of the brunette. His fingers drummed the strings as his charming, bold voice resonated across the wedding hall:
Who knows what love is?
Everyone knows what love is
The city of love has unknown paths
Who knows where is my lover's house
Life is short and the journey is long
Who knows what love is?
Is it the pain itself or the cure?
Is this my lover or the Kami himself?
Is this my lover or Kami himself?
The claps of the guests increased and sounded like raindrops falling on the tin-made roof of any hut. The girls nudged the brunette, her shyness topped her voice. With embarrassment-ridden footsteps, she ran down from the podium and reached the drinks corner where the bottles of different beverages were nicely arranged on a rectangular table. It was behind the curtains, there was nobody. Relieved a bit, she grabbed a glass bottle with a straw and drank from it. She was thirsty, she didn't know which caused it: Her nervousness before her crush or the singing? However, she needed the drink.
Gulping the coke a bit, her restlessness reduced as she placed the bottle and tried to view from the spot whether the slate-haired man was still singing or not, removing the curtains a bit. Not finding him there on the sage or in the crowd, no sooner had she turned back than she discovered the bestman there, his lips touching the same straw which had received her ones only before a few seconds. The black sweetened liquid was flowing up and entering his mouth, his eyes were closed. Her cheeks turned red within no moment, she swallowed nervously. He just…drank with the same straw?
Seeing her baffled mien, the bestman stretched the bottle to her and silently asked her whether she would like to drink from it or not. Embarrassed she was, slowly shaking her head left and right and refusing his offer. Giving a nod, the slate-haired Russian kept the half-empty bottle on the table with a gentle thud, much to notify her and strode past her from the corner.
Relieved a bit, Hilary looked at the bottle which still had half of the coke. She didn't have any idea what to do with it. Once he was gone, unknowingly, she grabbed the bottle. Her heart fluttered, hands shook but she couldn't resist herself to put the straw between her lips and guzzle from the glass bottle. This time, surprisingly, the coke tasted much sweeter to her taste buds. But sweetness was almost absent in his traits, right? Then why?
She couldn't even finish the drink when the slate-haired man peeped at her through the curtains again. She wasn't prepared for it at all. Befuddled and ashamed, she quickly kept the bottle on the table. Smirking at her, he entered, took it, threw off the straw and quenched all the coke inside it. Finished, he responded, "It's so sweet that you don't need a straw to drink it all."
Hilary easily understood what he meant. Red from her top to toe, she shoved him softly and chuckled, wanting to rush towards the stage but feeling a tug at her wrist, she stopped there, so did her heart. He pulled her closer to his chest, seizing her waist and back. Her hands fell on his shirt, her nervous rubies met his calm amethysts as the latter spoke up, "Are my lips too sweet?"
Swerving her gazes, she somehow nodded. Without any warning, unexpectedly, his lips crushed hers, her heart rose from its dead condition inside her chest. Nonetheless, she closed her eyes, enjoying every bit of the passionate, heated French kiss. He was literally eating her lips as if his ones had been starving for a whole year but she didn't mind. To be frank, the coke wasn't able to quench her thirst but his lips became successful to do that. She needed it more than that sweetened, carbonated beverage. It was artificial, his ones were real. So were hers. Two pairs of lips were together then, without the assistance of the straw.
As they broke the kiss for air, his mouth reached one of her ears as seduction showered from his pitch:
"I love you, Hil."
She was stunned. Vermilion of the sun reddened her cheeks in the form of blood rush. Hearts danced together, chuckling, she lightly kept her head on his chest and bound him in a hug, indirectly accepting his invitation for love and confessing it in her own way. His embrace around her torso was gentle but an infatuating one. Only the coke bottles and the straw fallen on the ground were the witness. Specially, the latter smirked discreetly because it was thinking that no one was luckier than it at that moment.
Nope, it was wrong. Two pairs of lips were.
Hmm...so how was it? Good or bad?
Dear Hiromi (Let me call you Hiromi because I really don't what I should call you though XD), pardon Misty Di because honestly she wasn't prepared for it. Besides, I was so busy with my studies and did it as quickly as possible, so obviously, it hasn't been so good. Yet, Misty Di loves you a lot and she wishes you good luck, good health and a blessed life. Once again, many many happy returns of the day! *_* *_*
People, do read and review. Pardon the grammatical and spelling errors. Take care and stay safe :D
-Misty ^_^ ^_^