Sorry for the long wait! I bet you all couldn't wait for the next chapter ;)
Disclaimer: This is the last time I'm writing it, so read carefully! If I owned Bakugan, Shun and Alice would have gotten together a long time ago. Unfortunately, it belongs to TMS Entertainment, so all of us ShunxAlice fans are left to our imaginations.
marriage; n. the legal union of a man and woman as husband and wife
Shun and Alice were walking past a shop when Alice's head turned for a brief moment to catch a glimpse of what was in the window. Shun noticed this and also turned his head to see what she was looking at. In the window were several wedding dresses on display, all of them white with frilly headdresses to match. As the crowd began to thicken and people continually bumped into the two of them, Shun frowned and pulled Alice's hand.
"Come on, let's go somewhere quieter."
He turned towards her, but he could see that her mind was elsewhere. He saw the distant sparkle in her eyes and knew that she was still thinking about the wedding dresses.
"Alice? I'm taking you somewhere quieter, okay?" He called a little louder, just to make sure she was listening.
"Oh, sure. Lead the way," she blinked, and smiled at him.
Leading her towards the park, they were settling underneath the shade of a tree when they spotted a bridal party who had just finished at the wedding ceremony and were now taking some pictures. Shun observed the married couple; the way he had his hand protectively around her waist, the way she smiled brightly at him. It was obvious that they were perfect for each other and now happy together.
"Hey, Alice."
"Yeah, Shun?"
"Have you ever thought about… getting married?"
"G-G-Getting… m-married?!" Alice's cheeks flushed several shades of pink as she repeated his question.
"No, no! I didn't mean now!" Shun couldn't help but laugh as Alice let out a huge sigh. "Not now; not when we're so young. I meant in the future."
"Well, um… marriage isn't something that crosses my mind everyday…"
"I know what you mean. But sometimes it's fun to think about how things will be different in ten years time."
His eyes drifted to the sky, when his mouth curved into a smile.
"What are you so happy about?" Alice asked.
"Just thinking… about how you'll make such a beautiful bride in that wedding dress," he turned towards her just as she began to blush. "Did you see the white one with the flowers on the veil?"
"What? You like that one?" She exclaimed. "No offense, but the neckline was just way too low. But I did like the beaded design on the one next to it."
"Really? I didn't know you would be into that sort of thing."
"Shun, why are you even worrying about wedding dresses? You're not the one who has to wear it on your wedding day."
"But surely the groom gets to have a say in what his bride will be wearing?"
"Actually, did you know that it's bad luck for the groom to see his bride in her wedding dress before she appears in church?"
"That's a shame; the groom has to wait all that time before he sees the bride in all of her beauty."
She giggled quietly; a wind chime laughter that rung through the air. He also managed a small smile and stared towards the sky when something came into his mind again.
"Hey Alice," he turned towards her again. "Even if we don't end up… marrying each other, you'll still invite me to your wedding, right?'
"Of course I will; as long as you do the same for me."
"It's a promise."
Shun and Alice both watched the bridal party leave just as the groom swept his new bride up into his arms. Her arms locked around his neck as they pressed their foreheads together, sharing in a light kiss.
Maybe they would be together. Maybe they would go separate ways. He didn't know what the future held for them. For now, having Alice by his side was enough for him.
Hooray! I hit the halfway mark! Only thirteen chapters to go!
Thank you dear readers, for your continual support and encouragement. I hope you will keep reading right to the end!
Hopefully, you won't have to wait long for Chapter 14: Nature. Review, please? :D