Making promises was easy. Anyone could do that. But fulfilling promises was another matter altogether.
Haru began doing his part by leaving the workplace early, reassuring Homura that he'd be coming back tomorrow as soon as possible. Right now, he had a lot to do to make their union work. If they got through this, they'd have all the time in the world to themselves. Homura bade him farewell with another warm embrace, this time without the protective gear in the way. They wanted to feel each others' warmth in their hearts.
On his way out, Haru tossed another cigarette to the counter, catching Mike off-guard. "What the hell, man?" Mike asked.
"You didn't see me leave." With that ominous warning, Haru was gone. It was an hour before mid-day, not exactly the busiest hour at the office. Mike had been lazily flipping through a magazine until his friend chose to make the dramatic exit. Well, researchers were subjected to a less strict schedule, they could leave for the day as long their work wasn't lagging behind. Mike used to envy them until today. That poor guy had been going through a lot more than he had let on. Mike was a bachelor too, but he didn't have threats looming over his shoulder to force him to get married. Maybe researchers weren't all that lucky. Then he remembered Haru took the hazard suit with him.
"Hope that guy isn't planning to set the island on fire or something." Mike mumbled before returning his attention to the magazine. Haru had his flaws - erratic behavior, anger issues, but setting the town on fire wasn't something Mike could picture him doing. As long as the workplace equipment was returned tomorrow, he had no reason to alert the superiors.
Mike was actually on his way to the dock - he had plenty of things to do today. This island of Dewford wasn't exactly the ideal place to find necessary things, so his best bet would be to take the ferry to Slateport.
"Ah, so nice of you to drop by again, Mr. Takahashi, sir! Was last month's supply to your satisfaction?"
The clerk at the laboratory supply shop addressed Haru, who was more often known by his family name to his business associates, a fact that he hated. Why couldn't he have an identity of his own instead of being overshadowed by his family? Instead of complaining to the clockwork clerk, however, Haru smiled. "As always. Otherwise Devon Corporation wouldn't be buying from you anymore, would we?"
"Just making sure, sir. So, what can we get you today?" The clerk prepared to take notes.
"Actually today I'm here for some personal business, if that's okay with you. So put the bills on my personal account and not the corporation." Haru began twiddling his fingers, unsure how to proceed. "See the flame-retardant suite I'm wearing?"
"They look fine on you. Isn't that our product?"
"Exactly. Can you, uh - supply me with a loose sheet of the same material?"
"That can be arranged, no problem. Should be ready by tomorrow, sir, but I'd need a size." The clerk pointed out.
"Um, size, huh?" Haru hadn't thought this through. "What about the size of a standard double-bed? The ones couples share?" Haru blushed at the idea as he spoke.
"Okay, that's a good reference point." The clerk noted it down, despite the request being phrased in a very strange way. "Pardon me, sir, it might not be within my juridictions to ask, but exactly what do you need a bedsheet sized Grade III flame-retardant fabric for?" His curiosity got the best of him.
"To use as a bedsheet? You know, make the order a double; I'd also need one as a blanket." Haru spoke as a matter-of-fact. Shouldn't that be obvious?
The clerk had to forcefully stifle a cough before catching on. "Ah, do you perhaps enjoy lighting up tobacco in bed?" Yeah, that had to be it. This guy smelled of cigarettes.
"No, I don't smoke indoors." Haru clarified.
"Then -" The clerk became intrigued again.
"I'm getting married in three days. Hence, the new bedsheet and blankets." Haru smiled.
"What can I say except congratulations, sir! But um, if you don't mind a suggestion, these materials aren't exactly the most comfortable to lie on - or under, if you use them as a blanket." What were young couples up to these days?
"I'm getting married to a fierce Fire-type Pokemon, buddy. You know what, you're invited! Feel free to bring the entire town and then some! There won't be any food, but you can be part of a once-in-a-lifetime event, right at the Milotic Shrine of Dewford, three days from today at mid-day. Okay then, deliver them to the 'Takahashi Residence' at Dewford, close to the labs, please. As always, pleasure doing business with you!"
With those words, Haru left the clerk completely astonished and stormed off once more. He had wasted enough time here already. He had to find a lawyer next, and also pick something elegant and pretty for his fiancee from the Accessory Shop. Time was of essence. Also, he had to invite as many people as possible to their wedding. The more witnesses, the better.
All the while, the poor clerk tried to process what he just heard. He would've written this off as a practical joke had the customer not been a regular from Devon Corporation. "Might as well check out this so-called historical event; if nothing else, it might provide some good entertainment. That guy can't seriously be getting married to a Pokemon!" He continued to mumble to himself for the remainder of his shift.
Meanwhile, Homura was anxiously playing with the wooden stick she carried as a wand, lighting the tip on fire and putting it out again, ad infinitum. She wasn't the type to be anxious, but today probably had been the most intense day of her life so far. The human she longed so much for had agreed to be her mate for life, and then stormed off after stealing an embrace from her. At least he looked really happy, so she felt happy, too. After all, they were going to have all the time in the world if things worked out well, which was what her mate had set out to do. Homura wished she could help, but that wasn't possible in her circumstances.
She had been within the laboratory walls ever since she could remember, born to her Delphox parents. They were taken from her soon after she had evolved into a Braixen. She had gotten over it by now, but right now she could use some advice from them about courtship and mating. Then again, her circumstances were different. She was pretty sure the union between two Delphox would be different. The human union ceremony called 'marriage' sounded strange to her. Whatever it was, she was sure Haru would walk her through it, like he always had. Homura finally stopped playing with her wand and got over to the other part of the large room to observe herself in the mirror. Haru often called her beautiful. She didn't know what 'beautiful' meant, and when she had asked Haru, he had told her that nobody really knew - people know something as beautiful when they see it.
"So he likes you for who you are, huh?" Homura called out to her reflection.
It was a quiet evening at the Takahashi Residence. Until Haru returned home after sundown, anyway.
As he was setting down his shoes on the rack, a hoarse voice boomed through the house. It belonged to his father, who was sitting on the living room couch, flipping through TV channels.
"May I ask what have you been up to this entire day? They said you left work early and boarded the ship somewhere." Senior Takahashi spoke to his son without diverting his glance from the TV.
"No, you may not. And exactly who said that, father? I really doubt my friends from work would sell me out like that." Haru narrowed his glance. Couldn't the accusational questions wait until he got his coffee, at least?
Senior Takahashi scoffed, "You mean to tell me that you actually have friends?"
"No, I mean to tell you that you have been spying on the dock. Exactly what were you looking for? I didn't tell you that I was supposed to go somewhere." Haru sat down on the smaller couch diagonal to his father. Traditions dictated that you were supposed to respect your elders and listen to whatever they had to say. But when traditions burrowed their roots deep into your life and tried to uproot it, Haru needed to fight back.
"Would it be wrong for me to look out for my kid?" Senior Takahashi suddenly became all-too-focused on the TV screen. It was a show featuring an alcoholic hiker.
"Well, yes, for starters, I think you were just spying on the bikini-clad swimmers and then happened to find me in sight! I bought that binoculur with my money, and you're using it for selfish purposes. Secondly, I'm not a kid anymore! I'm twenty four!" Haru yelled.
"Still a kid. Until you have a spouse, you're still a kid." his father muttered. Haru audibly sighed. Why wasn't he surprised?
"I think you just want a free maid, that's all! If you really cared about my well-being, you'd stop -" Haru forcibley restrained himself from telling his old man to 'stop being a cunt'. No need to add fuel to the fire. He had an actual important conversation to hold.
"Stop what, kid?" Senior Takahashi scoffed. The hiker on the TV reminded him of his good old days.
"Well, uh, stop worrying about me? Because I think I found the perfect girl." Haru mumbled.
The remote fell from the old man's grasp in awe. "Say what, Haru?"
"I hadn't told you before, but there's this girl I've liked for a long time -" Haru technically wasn't lying. Withholding key information was a valid technique in a situation like this.
"Really? And you're telling me that now? Heh, don't tell me my threats to kick you out actually got you, kid!" The father smirked. "What's her name?"
"Homura, and it suites her personality quite well." Haru smirked too.
"Can she cook?" Was Senior Takahashi's second inquiry.
"Definitely. Fire is her specialty." Once again, Haru wasn't lying.
The conversation went on until Haru had his father's words that his wife was going to be treated with utmost respect in this household regardless of who she was and Haru and his wife wasn't going to lose their share of the house or the inheritance.
Haru literally had his words - recorded on the hidden voice recorder he carried with him for most of the time. All he had to do was to make multiple safe copies for archival and dealing with possible legal matters later. With a tired body, Haru got upstairs to his room and sat down in front of his computer, getting to work. He still had a lot to do, for the sake of Homura and himself.