Because I am ridiculous there will be 2 more installments after this because I only have 2 more ideas for short scenes on this one. After that I will leave this alone, I swear. (I'm pretty sure that's what I said last time, but...)
It was a makeshift altar, more of a bower but Soul wasn't paying attention to those particulars. His eyes were at the end of the aisle, watching as Shelley was trying to delicately guide Izzy, who was inherently being unherdable, through the doorway and into the walkway between the small sets of chairs. Predictably, like the little hurricane she was, as soon as Izzy caught sight of Soul it wasn't the supposedly well-rehearsed parade down to him but instead a flat-out, breakneck run, petals haphazardly fluffing from her basket with each pounding step. He could honestly only laugh.
Shelley didn't bother to catch up with her, continuing the practiced, even steps to the altar where Soul had scooped up his oldest. "Sorry," she murmured as she started to peel the little girl from Soul's arms.
"Wouldn't expect any less," Soul chuckled. "She's still wearing her dress though. So at least there's that." He missed Shelley's eyeroll in reply, his eyes jumping back to the doors again as Black Star entered, Victor balanced on his hip. As always, Victor was the calm after his sister's storm, red eyes that seemed to take in the entire world five times over blinking around at everything in the room. When they finally got side by side, Black Star placed a firm hand on Soul's shoulder as Victor attempted his best at mimicking, patting along Black Star's arm with gusto.
Knowing what is coming is rarely ever enough to prepare anyone for what is actually on its way and this moment was no different. Soul had sucked in air, hoping the oxygen would last him but as soon as Maka stepped in to view he realized how useless it all was. Anything he'd held in was gone and while he would always say that Izzy took after Maka, he tossed evidence in the other corner as he took hurried steps down the altar and down the gravel littered with errant petals.
He'd seen her in everything from his button-downs to a hospital gown and while he'd had a lot of feelings about her get-ups over the years this one left all of him storming, mind and heart both at least on the same page of not knowing what the hell to do. It was nothing frou-frou or extravagant even though he'd told her whatever she chose to spend on the dress would be her business and that the price-tag for them with no mortgage, two steady jobs, and lodgers that refused to not pay rent had no limit, but Soul could guess that anything on Maka was going to be breathtaking and he certainly wasn't wrong.
It wasn't entirely white, more an ivory that eased over every bit of her curves. Since there hadn't been another surprise pregnancy after Victor, Maka's body had come back to her the way she'd wanted but Soul wasn't really one to notice differences much since loving every piece of her had become his pleasure over their years together. When he got close enough he saw the fine dotted pattern, sweet swirls that climbed from foot to bust. Her shoulders were mostly bare, only accented by the thin straps and her honeyed hair that hung loose.
Spirit instantly rolled his eyes but when they fell back on his daughter he saw it was hopeless, the bedazzling smile eating up her face as her future husband gave into every last bit of impatience and met them halfway. "You couldn't wait, huh?" he grumbled.
Soul smirked as he snorted a laugh. "I think she's waited long enough." But Soul didn't break their hands, just grabbing the free one at her other side to sandwich her for the rest of the walk up the aisle. As they finished the stairs, Spirit turned to his daughter, planting a soft kiss on her cheek before stealing his grandson from Black Star and taking a place in the row.
It had been a fight over who would officiate but Kim had oddly been the one to already have her license with the excuse that sometimes while delivering cakes she'd had to perform a couple of emergency weddings. For Maka that had been the end of the argument, ready to give in to the easiest arrangement. The petite pink haired girl cleared her throat and beamed, "We're here today for the long overdue celebration of Maka and Soul." Kim made sure to pause for the flutter of laughs from the crowd and to take in the grimace from Soul as he looked at Maka's pleased smile. "Both of them have prepared their own vows, so if you'll start, Soul…"
"Yeah," he cleared his throat as he rummaged the crushed piece of paper from his breast pocket. His fingers had worried off the edges and there were plenty of inky strike-throughs littered on the front and back. As he brought his hand up to read he felt hers touch the back of his hand and the air finally came back to his lungs. His eyes popped up from the paper, focusing on that beautiful jade that was already shiny with the start of tears. "I should have written right at the top you're so goddamn beautiful because I should have expected it, but… you are. After two kids you look like that and I look like this," he waved a weak hand at the purplish bruise that spanned across the bridge of his nose and under his eyes. They hadn't entirely been blackened but he wasn't winning any pageants any time soon, and it brought another snicker from the crowd and a sweet laugh from her lips.
He finally dropped his eyes back to the words he'd agonized over, trying to do her justice on a page. "I never believed in wishes and definitely not in the ones I ever made because, well, I was sure the chances I had ran out years before I met you. But the night after we made our first ever deal, I made one while I laid sleepless in my bed that night after I dropped you off. I wanted to try because you, from the moment I met you, were worth it. And I sure as hell have messed up," he had to pause to suck in a breath, to will himself not to think about the dark times when he was sure she'd never loved him, "but you've stuck through every last thing with me. And even more than that you've given every last thing to me."
Soul's voice cracked and he had to press the back of his hand to his mouth to cover biting his lip to keep back the tears. "You've given me my job, our home, Izzy and Victor, and your heart. I can't do enough to pay you back for all those things but I'll promise that every last day together I'm going to try." He worried his fingers against the paper again before risking a look at her. There were tears staining her cheeks and without a second thought, he pocketed the paper again and used his fingers to clear them, holding her cheeks and her eyes for that extra second before she patted them away with a sniffle.
"I wish Kim would have asked me to go first because how do you follow that," Maka half murmured but the tiny crowd still caught it, another simmer of laughter trickling through. Shelley was at her elbow, a carefully folded, much less abused piece of paper in her hands. Maka took it and unfolded it delicately as her eyes fell on words that weren't as scribbled but just as meticulously pieced together. "You used to call yourself selfish and sometimes I worry that you still do, so I want to use this moment to set the record straight, in front of friends and family, and tell you how utterly selfless you are. You offer so much protection, but never at the expense of my freedom. You love so desperately even though you never actually ask for the reciprocation and still, at times, seem surprised when it comes your way. And even though your head often fills you with worries you have always been fearless when necessary."
Maka pulled in another long breath, trying to calm the swell in her heart even though his fingers were gently touching the back of her hand. "I never have to ask you for anything, and I certainly know our babies haven't since you are always there for them even before they seem to know what they need. There is no one I would rather have as a partner, no one who could be a better father to Izzy and Victor, and absolutely no one that could possibly love me the way that you do, so obviously every minute of every day. I promise to be just as selfless, to stand with you, and give you all the love you deserve."
It was Soul who stole the paper from her fingers, tucking it away with his so he could capture both of her hands and squeeze, the only action that could possibly abate that surging need to pull her close.
"The rings," Kim chimed in Black Star's direction. Black Star dug in his pocket, taking out the black box that was supposed to be entrusted to Victor but had been found in test runs to be too appetite-wetting to be trusted with the baby. Kim took the box and popped it open, first offering it in Soul's direction. He picked up the delicate gold band that was made to nestle carefully against the engagement ring he'd sat on for too many years. It was an effortless fit.
Maka grabbed the slightly thicker band, designed to take the not so easy work that Soul sometimes did now with his hands. She barely had time for it to hit its mark before he was moving that hand to her, one digging into the heavenly fabric at her waist while the other cupped her barely dried cheek. There was no chance he was waiting for permission especially since there wasn't a chance in hell he was just some guy anymore - he was everything to her and she was everything to him.