Chapter Twenty Five: The Best Man

Disclaimer: I do not own Eyeshield 21. Future-Fic.

Song Playing: She Will Be Loved

Theme 7: Friend

Musashi decided that there were a few things people never listed as the duties of being the best man at a wedding. He knew the couple themselves were rather unconventional so logically their wedding would be... interesting to say the least. Still he never expected the preparations to be quite so chaotic.

His first challenge as the best man actually came before they were even engaged. Next to the actual proposal it was the single most important thing before the marriage: the ring.

Musashi checked his watch for what seemed like the hundredth time in the last hour. From his seat in the corner he leaned back his head and stared at the ceiling. It was a plain boring cream colored and looked exactly like the ceiling in the last four jewelry stores they had been in that morning. Still staring up he spoke. "You find one yet?"

"Diamonds. They're all fucking diamonds." The blond haired customer grumbled in disgust as his sharp eye scrutinized the glass case full of engagement rings.

The former kicker followed a fly with his eyes as it scurried across the wall. "They say that diamonds are forever."

Something that sounded similar to idiotic babble was said as the blonde stormed out of the glittering store. A moment later the other man let out a sigh and reluctantly removed himself from his comfortable seat and followed his frustrated companion out the door.

It took an additional three stores, seven total, before the ever irritated blond had found exactly what he was looking for: a simple gold banded ring with an orange topaz in the center with two smaller blue topazes on either side. None of the gems were overly huge or eye-catching but they were exactly what he wanted.

Things went fairly smoothly after that until the big day actually arrived. It was then that things got complicated. First came the fight to keep the groom from seeing the bride before the ceremony started.

"Get out of the way, fucking gramps!"

Musashi merely turned the page of the newspaper he was currently reading. At the moment he was sitting in the rather dangerous spot of right in front of the only door that could provide an exit for the angry groom. "No can do. Haven't you even heard that it's bad luck to see the bride in her gown before the ceremony?"

After that there was the matter of convincing him that he could not kidnap the bride and blackmail the fist person with a marriage lisence to wed them.

The sound of a thumb rapidly dialing a number caused Musashi to look up from an interesting article about how a construction accident had caused a personality change in a worker to find the devilish blonde talking over the phone. "Well then unless you want your wife to find out what kind of 'business' you're really doing after work hours. You're going to make time cause we're going to be there in ten minutes. So get those vows ready and-"

The best man promptly snatched the cell out of the groom's hand and ended the call. He then slipped the electronic device in his suit pocket. He continued on with his article despite his friends curses and threats. All of which he responded with the off handed comment of, "Anezaki isn't going to settle for a shotgun wedding."

Stripping him of all weaponry before the vows was war itself. It had taken the entire former defensive line of the devilbats to hold him down while he carefully disarmed him of all firearms, a special request from the bride.

"Fucking brats! Let go!" The groom yelled as he attempted to break the iron grip they all had on him.

Musashi shook his head at the sight before him. Kurita was restraining the former quarterback by his arms while Daikichi and Kuroki keld on to his left leg. Then there was Togano and Jumanji who both had a vice grip of the demon's right leg. All in all they had him pretty much completely restrained.

The best man quickly went to work on pulling gun after gun, firearm after firaearm, out of his pockets, hands, shoes, anything that could possibly hold a weapon. Then when he was done with that he searched the places that he normally wouldn't expect to have a hidden danger. All the while Sena and Monta made fast work of properly disposing the ever growing pile.

At the foul mouthed threats being directed to him he camly stated that, "Promised you'd be clean when you said your vows."

But the most surprising task of all had to have been the act of actually getting the groom down the aisle to the alter.

For all the yelling and pacing he had been doing, the groom was surprising silent and rather stiff as he stood before the door that lead him to the rest of his life. He didn't move. He didn't talk. He just... stood there, staring at the woodwork.

Musashi checked his watch before shoving both hands in his pockets. He turned his head as he took in the scenery of the sunny spring day. "You have to go in sooner or later."

He was met with silence.

The former kicker ran a hand through his hair as he actually felt the tension the radiate from his friend. He attempted once again to encourage the blond foreword. "The guests should be settled in by now."

Once again he was greeted with nothing.

He let out a sigh as he watched a bird flutter by, if he didn't do something soon there could be problem. So he pulled out his final resort. If this didn't work he was calling Kuirta in and have him physically carried into the temple. "Anezaki won't forgive you if you leave her at the alter."

"Shut up fucking gramps!"

He turned his head to find the groom glaring daggers, his eyes clearly reflected that he was beyond angry at being accused for even thinking of just leaving her there in front of everyone of such a day. With a new resolve he snapped his attention to the door and flung it open

Watching him disappear as the doors closed behind him, he couldn't help but smile.

Standing at his spot next to the groom, he watched his expression as the bride made her way down the aisle. He decided that it was all worth it to see Anezaki in her white wedding dress and Hiruma looking like he was struck by lightning. He was so pleased with himself that he completely ignored the fact that he still had no idea what he was going to say for his toast. After all he had been through coming up with a speech was going to be a piece of cake.

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