Back from hiatus! Sorry it took a tad longer than promised!
Let the fluff resume!
Months had passed, the holidays came to an end, and the wedding had arrived. Over the few months of relaxed peace Eridan and Nepeta experienced together, they also found old relationships requited and returned to a new bliss.
Firstly, Nepeta-with help from Kanaya, sought to revive her friendship with Equius, and he was quick to express his desire to have her back in his life. He apologized many times and treated her even kinder than before after she accepted his apologies.
Then, in an unexpected twist of events, Cronus was on Eridan's doorstep; broken, defeated, and remorseful. He had nowhere to stay, and after a long, tense discussion outside in the middle of the night, Eridan agreed to let him stay at his place. He even helped land him a job at the same place Nepeta works, and the brothers found conversation easy when talking about their father. In a twisted sort of bonding, they often joked about what they'd do with his vast inheritance.
Even more so, due to the watch Eridan gave to Mr. Leijon, he supplied them with enough money to keep them afloat while Mr. Leijon found a new job. Nepeta had no need to take on another job, but decided to take another part time position at a retail store in the mall.
Now Kanaya and Rose's wedding had arrived, and the ending to a great few months of unity couldn't have been more perfect.
Rehearsal had gone over pleasantly the night before. It was now seven in the morning, and Nepeta was wide awake. After at least six mugs of chamomile tea, she had a very peaceful rest. Now she was ready to look hot and be a bridesmaid in one of her best friend's wedding.
Every other member of the wedding party was wearing a pretty jade green while the rest wore a delicate light purple; Rose's and Kanaya's favorite colors. Nepeta was fortunate enough to be in green, which was her favorite color. Eridan, who was her partner in the party, wore a light purple tie.
The ladies all changed in the bathrooms, while the guys just showed up in their suits and received their ties upon arriving. The party consisted of eight ladies and eight gentlemen. The girls were Vriska, Terezi, Aradia, Nepeta, Feferi, Jade, and both of the brides' older sisters Porrim and Roxy.
The guys accompanying them were John, Dave, Equius, Eridan, Karkat, Tavros, Sollux, and Gamzee. Both Rose and Kanaya were a little more than reluctant to allow some of the people into the party, but they both knew that all of them have stuck with them both to the end. They both decided to put their doubts aside and welcome them anyways.
The brides both decided to not see each other until they both walked down the aisle, and so the bridesmaids were rotating between rooms to keep them company and make sure neither were going to throw up from nervousness.
Nepeta was wandering around the church to find the bridesmen all relaxing in the main cathedral, with an exception of an argument breaking out between Eridan and Sollux.
"Eridan!" Nepeta called. She hadn't seen him yet and wasn't surprised to find him arguing with someone.
Eridan pushed Sollux aside, who nearly fell over due to his scrawny frame.
"How's my girl?" He said, taking her hands and swaying them.
Nepeta giggled. "I am so excited. This is going to be great!"
"You're adorable when you're excited," Eridan said, crinkling his nose at her and smiling gaily.
"When will you learn, I am always adorable," Nepeta said, sticking her tongue out at him. "You look sharp. I can't wait for tonight, for the ballroom dance."
"I can't wait either. You are going to look so magnificent on that dance floor. Especially in my arms."
"Let's not forget who tonight is really about though, Mr. Ampora," Nepeta scolded playfully.
"Who?" Eridan returned with a smirk.
Nepeta rolled her eyes and quickly pecked his lips. "Whatever. Behave. I'm going to check on Kanaya."
Kanaya, along with her sister and a few other bridesmaids sat in a room that was used for kid's service or something along those lines. Nepeta smiled and quickly shut the door as she entered the room.
"How are you doing?" Nepeta asked her.
"Still fine since the last time you asked, thanks."
"You're not even a little bit nervous?"
"Of course she is, don't be ludicrous. She's just good at not showing it," Porrim said, slightly stern.
"Porrim, I can speak for myself. But yes, I am a tad nervous, and concealing it helps me cope. I suppose."
"It's natural to have feelings of nervousness sister, it's your wedding day! It would be just odd if you weren't."
"You're acting so strange today Porrim, I already assured you, there wasn't any real chance of Rose and I not ending up together. This just seals the deal I suppose."
Nepeta then looked at Kanaya's clothes-skinny jeans and a sweatshirt. Nepeta was slightly surprised Kanaya owned a sweatshirt, and much less allowed herself to be seen in it.
"When do you plan on changing into your dress?" Nepeta asked her.
Kanaya looked over at a clock mounted on the wall. "The ceremony starts in a few hours. I suppose I should put it on pretty soon, hm? Does Rose have hers on?"
"Since the last time I visited her, no," Nepeta responded. "I can go run down there really quick and check up on her."
"Please do so. If she doesn't have it on, ask her for a time that she thinks it would be best to put ours on," Kanaya said.
"Yes ma'am," Nepeta said, saluting her and exiting the room.
As she walked to the room Rose was in, she saw a figure round a corner and appear at the other end of the hallway. She walked elegantly, her heels leaving a light tap as they touched the ground. She wore a magnificent green dress and had her hair styled similar to Kanaya's. Nepeta felt slightly intimidated as the distance between them decreased, and she wrapped her arms around herself.
There was hardly a few feet of space between them now. The woman locked eyes with Nepeta. "Excuse me, miss, where is Kanaya Maryam?" She asked her.
"Oh, um, last door on your right," Nepeta said, pointing down the hall.
"Nepeta?" She asked suddenly, the fine features on her face brightening. She looked an awful lot like Porrim.
"Uh, yeah. I'm sorry...who are you?" Nepeta asked bashfully.
The woman laughed and offered a warm smile. "I'm Kanaya's mother. I wouldn't expect you to remember me, it's been ages since I've seen you."
Nepeta felt just short of an idiot. With a blush and a slight stutter she exclaimed, "Oh! Nice to see you!"
The woman dipped her head in acknowledgement. "Likewise. I'll see you very soon, I assume."
With that, she was on her way again. Nepeta watched her walk a short ways before she headed back to Rose's room.
She found her room just after she thought she'd gotten lost. She knocked on the door and waited for a reply.
"Wait!" Roxy's voice called out.
"Okay!" Nepeta responded.
"Nepeta?" Jade's voice asked.
"Yeah?" Nepeta responded.
"Oh, you can come in!" Roxy's voice said.
Nepeta quickly slipped into the room and shut the door behind her.
Rose was standing in front of a mirror, wearing a lacy, slim white dress. Roxy was fumbling messily with the strings on the back of the bodice, and Aradia was fruitlessly trying to help her.
"Hello Nepeta," Rose said, smiling at her through the reflection in the mirror.
Nepeta smiled and waved back. "Kanaya was just wondering when she should put her dress on."
Rose rolled her eyes and placed her hands on her hips. "Now."
Nepeta giggled. "I'll tell her. You look stunning, Rose."
Rose smiled lightly. "I feel extraordinary."
Nepeta smiled at her one last time before she slipped out of the room again.
When she got back into Kanaya's room, she found all three of the Maryams in a quiet, teary-eyed discussion.
Nepeta walked over to Vriska, who was seated in a fold able chair in a corner. "What's going on?" she whispered curiously.
"I guess it's the first time they've seen each other in a few years or something like that. No one expected her mom to show up," Vriska replied in a similar tone. She seemed more bored than interested, though.
"Oh, wow," was all Nepeta could manage. She then stood beside Vriska awkwardly and watched the three ladies whisper among themselves.
Finally Kanaya made eye contact with Nepeta and she felt okay to say something. "Rose is in her dress. She said it would be a good idea if you got into yours as well."
"Did you happen to see the photographer?" Kanaya asked her.
Nepeta shook her head.
"They were supposed to be here by now. Oh well."
With that said, Kanaya then wasted no time getting into her dress. She quickly stripped down and slipped into her dress. Nepeta knew that this was normal during a wedding. Kanaya had informed her that the bride has her bridesmaids help her into her dress; but she couldn't help but blush and decide it was time to check on Rose.
She quickly absconded the room and decided that she was going to make sure the guys weren't being reckless instead. She went into the cathedral and saw no one. Her curiosity peaked, and she started searching the church. She even went as far as to stick her head into the men's room and call out for them, getting an empty reply.
She did finally find them, in the front lawn of the church. They were all standing still in a line, with their backs to her. She ran up behind them and jumped on Eridan's back, only to find that they were in the middle of a photo shoot with the photographer.
Eridan let out a surprised yelp and Karkat, who was standing next to him, tried not to fall over from the sudden surprise. Nepeta tried to hide her face from the photographer, but to her dismay she heard her call out "Got it!"
Eridan grabbed her legs and hoisted her on his back in a more piggy back style. She placed her arms around his shoulders as the photographer proceeded to take more pictures.
"One of the brides is looking for you," Nepeta called out.
"Who?" The photographer asked, peeking out from behind her camera.
"The bride, Kanaya. She says you're late," Nepeta said.
"Oh! Right. We'll be on our way." With that, the photographer grabbed the bag that was at her feet while a second person, probably her assistant, followed close by with a camera in hand.
To Nepeta's surprise, Eridan suddenly started spinning underneath her. She watched the world spin around her in a dizzying blur. She cried out in an excited surprise and buried her face in the side of his head to try to stop everything from spinning. He laughed and stopped spinning.
"Had enough?" He asked her.
Nepeta replied with a laugh.
"Maybe I should just drop it huh?" He said.
She picked up her head to look at him, just as he let go of her legs.
She couldn't let out a full yelp before he grabbed her and prevented her from falling. He laughed again, this time a heartier and even a little cocky. She beat his chest once with her fist and sneered at him.
"You know I wouldn't do that to you right," Eridan said with a smirk.
"Whatever," Nepeta said, rolling her eyes.
"I mean it; if I had, the way your hands are hanging around my neck, you'd end up choking me. And we wouldn't want that."
"Pft. You're a brat!" Nepeta playfully hit his shoulder and shook her head with a smile.
"Whatever, you know you love me," He walked over to a bench, stood with his back facing the seat, and gently released his hold on her.
She set her feet on the bench, but kept her arms around his neck. "Who said I was finished?"
"Me," Eridan retorted quickly.
"You're no fun." She pouted, and removed her arms.
The next few short hours Nepeta spent rotating between Kanayas room, Roses room, and hanging out with the guys-namely Eridan. As the time between where she currently stood and the start of the ceremonies shortened, Nepeta's anxieties rose. The brides seemed to get a little more restless, but maintained better composure than Nepeta.
With sweat glistening her forehead and her heart threatening to pound out of her chest, Nepeta entered Kanayas room a little too fast and shut the door a little too hard. All heads in the room turned to her, and Kanaya's expression held concern.
"Nepeta? Oh my goodness, you're all sweaty! Come here," she said, holding out her hands and beckoning her.
Nepeta walked over to her best friend. Kanaya looked simply like a goddess, her heels making her the tallest in the room, her white dress seemingly cloaking her in light and her makeup emphasizing her features. As Kanaya pulled her into the hug that Nepeta was expecting to come, Nepeta couldn't help but feel slightly intimidated and slightly awed in her friends presence.
Kanaya pulled away and looked over Nepeta's face. "Oh, look at you. You've sweated all your makeup off. That part was meant for the reception, don't get ahead of yourself. Porrim, get me a napkin, or paper towel, whatever you can find."
Shortly there was a tissue in Kanaya's hand and she was wiping off Nepeta's face.
"Why are you all sweaty?" Kanaya asked her as she wiped around her eye, careful not to ruin her eyeliner.
"I don't know, I've just been running around checking on everyone I guess," Nepeta said.
"Why? Just stay here. It's not your job to make sure everything goes according to plan."
"I know but...it's your wedding day, Kanaya," Nepeta insisted.
"So I've been told. That being said, it's exactly that. My wedding day. When you say your vows, then you can fret about everything and anything, and I'll wipe your sweat off of your face and fix your makeup. But for today, just relax, alright?" Kanaya smiled warmly at her and squeezed her hand.
"But don't you understand what this means? We're all growing up. We're not in highschool, we're all living on our own, and we're working jobs, now you're getting married! Isn't this a little crazy to you?" Nepeta said, eyes wide.
Kanaya laughed as she grabbed a makeup bag sitting nearby. She began to reapply the foundation Nepeta had sweated off in her haste.
"Nepeta my darling, you may be an adult, but that doesn't mean you have to grow up. You're thinking about this too hard, it's honestly no big deal. The ceremony is starting in fifteen minutes, try to enjoy yourself, please? For Rose and I?"
Nepeta sighed and nodded slightly. Kanaya finished up her foundation and eyed the clock. "There's no time to reapply your blush." Kanaya turned to her bridesmaids, "ladies, it's time for you all to get in position."
Kanaya pulled Nepeta into a hug and sent her out. The rest of the bridesmaids hugged Kanaya on their way out, saying kind words or just smiling.
Nepeta, along with the other bridesmaids, got into a line behind one of the side doors of the cathedral.
"This is crazy. Back in junior high, I never thought I'd be a bridesmaid in this wedding," Vriska said, causing some light laughter from a few other girls.
The bridesmaids chatted for a few more minutes as Nepeta watched the last of the guests escorted to their seats by the bridesmen. She spotted Eridan and tried to wave, but he didn't see her. She then looked over the crowd, and was slightly surprised by the turnout. She didn't realize just how many people had close relations to Kanaya and Rose. She then thought of the reception, and Rose's comment at rehearsal about how she expected the crowd to triple.
Then, music began playing. The ceremonies had officially started.