Me: WE'RE BACK!
Rukia: AND NO OUTRIGHT PERVYNESS IN THIS CHAPP! JUST FLUFF!
Me: Because even the perviest of minds need a break or two from it, right? RIGHT?
Ichigo: WRONG.
Me: (Glares)
Ichigo: (Gulps) ...I-I-I mean RIGHT!
Me: (Pats head) Good boy! We have quite a few cakes this time...(before i can even snap my fingers, we hear Kon panting and wheeling out cakes) Good boy, you're learning!
Kon and Ichigo: Thank you! (Glare at each other)
Kon: She meant me.
Ichigo: NO, she meant ME.
Kon: NO, she meant ME, and she's rewarding me with some nude pics!
Me: AM NOT!
Ichigo: NO, you jackass, she meant ME, and she's rewarding me with a shower scene with Peyton!
Me: AM NO- ...Well, i dunno, MAYBE.
Ichigo: Yessss!
Me: (Throws gauntlet) IT'S NOT DEFINITE! ON TO THE CAKES!
Kon: RIGHT!
(Cake Number one is from Josie-Chan, it's of Lindsay, Seth, and Peyton. Peyton and Lindsay are hugging and sweatdropping while Seth is on his knees screaming "I MISSED VIVA LA BAM! WHY!")
Ichigo: (Sweatdrops after kicking Kon into the wall) That was one of the most pathetic things I've ever seen Seth do in my LIFE.
Me: Yeah, but it was hilarious, eh?
Ichigo: Hell yeah.
Me: (Nods importantly) Thought so. ONTO CAKE NUMBER TWO!
(Cake 2 is ALSO from Josie-Chan, it's of Nel playing her new game while she is screaming "YAH whets PWAY ITSYGO AND ITSYGO'S GIRLFRIEND!" while Ichigo and Peyton are trying not to tackle each other and have hot hot sex. Ichigo mutters "stupid hormones" and Peyton mutters "damn mother nature" while on the background Josie is yelling "I KNOW WHAT U MEAN PEYTON~SAMA!")
Ichigo: Now THAT was a really, really grim day.
Rukia: (Eye-roll)
Me: Oh you poor thing (words practically dripping with sarcasm) CAKE NUMBER 3!
(Cake 3 is from Squee. It's a 13-story-high, keyblade shaped, chocolate/strawberry/awesomesauce flavored cake with chocolate frosting for me and Ichigo)
Ichigo: (Drooling) Oh, i am SO all over that.
Me: NOT IF I GET TO IT FIRST!
Rukia: WAIT, we have more cake!
(Cake 4 and 5 are from Reason to Scatter. Cake 4 is a chocolate cake topped with strawberries that spell out "A game...a weally ACTIVE game..." and Cake 5 is a devil's food cake shaped like a gauntlet)
Me: OMNOMNOMNOMNOM- OH! ALSO! Reason to Scatter, just so ya know, those coolbeans in awesomesauce with a side of epicfries sounded just fine! Hahaha- NO, MINE! (Snatches cake back from Ichigo)
Me, Rukia, and Ichigo: OMNOMNOMMNOMNOMNOMNOMNOMNOM! (Translation: Enjoy.)
Peyton better be considered a good candidate as a mother, considering she played with Nel most of the rest of the day, and after school the next day.
Nel really liked the new game they had come up with (not as much as she and Ichigo liked THEIR games), and the way Peyton saw it, maybe the kid was helping them.
Nel was a good distraction from her Period Symptoms and messed-up hormones, because honestly, who would act on EITHER of those around someone so innocent as Nel?
She also figured that the reason her hormones were driving her so wild was in fact her early period; the same thing used to happen to her mom.
...THOSE were terrifying days in the Cullen household.
But now the wedding was today, and Peyton had to pick out and wear a dress while bloated, which wasn't the funnest activity in the world.
Oh, and the HEELS Lindsay insisted she bought? ...Oh dear God, she was scared she might bleed to death. There are some people that were just plain BORN to wear heels and dresses and not trip in public a single time.
...Peyton was not, never was, and never would be one of those people.
"I hope you realize I'm sacrificing a lot of unbruised skin for ya'll," Peyton informed Miya and Dad as she re-wrapped her wrist bandage at breakfast, as usual.
Miya smiled, and Dad rolled his eyes. "You'll be fine, Peyton, I promise."
"You say that NOW. Wait 'till I go flying down the aisle and cause all the bridesmaids to fall like dominos. Just WAIT."
Seth nodded ominously. "She'll do it, you know. Not purposely, but she'll do it."
Peyton's temple throbbed. "Seth, this is the part where you totally DISAGREE with my statement and give me some form of compliment."
Lindsay held up a finger as if the following idea was ingenius. "Oooh! How about this for a compliment? You really do look great in the shade of green in that dress you picked out. Can hardly tell you're bloated!"
Hardly?
Her temple throbbed again. "Not helping."
"I tried."
"You want a golden star sticker for that?"
"No thanks, sis, I'm good."
Peyton huffed, looking around. "Well I do. I haven't worn a sticker in forever!"
Everyone sweatdropped, and Nanaw shook her head. "My Hunk Muffin's in love with a child."
They all sweatdropped again, and Peyton's temple throbbed. "I'M SURE YOU KNOW WHAT THAT FEELS LIKE, YA DAMN COUGAR!"
TWO HOURS LATER...
Peyton was walking by Miya and Dad's room, trying with all her might to whistle (and failing epically, as per usual), when she heard a whistle come from behind the closed door.
"Peyton? I need your help!"
She shrugged and opened the door, then sweatdropped. Miya was sitting on the bed, legs crossed, among a sea of balled-up paper and lots of different-colored (occasionally feathery) pens.
Miya smiled bashfully, brushing back some hair that fell out of her messy ponytail. "Umm...I forgot to write my vows."
Peyton sweatdropped. "...Did you really? You're joking, right?"
"No. Afraid not. I need help," she whined rather uncharacteristically. Peyton sighed before shrugging and jumping onto the bed, giggling like a little kid when she made a wave in the Paper Wad Sea.
"How far are you?"
"Almost done, just...I've never been good with words and tried to put this off as much as possible," Miya confessed guiltily.
Peyton waved off her guilt. "I would too, don't worry about it! Hmm...So...what's gotchya stuck?"
Miya sighed again and handed her the paper she hadn't yet tossed aside, talking while she read it over. "Weelll, I don't want it to be all cheesy like most vows, but I want it to mean something. Ya know? I want it to be good enough so people can see once and for all that I don't CARE that he's almost eight years older than me. I don't CARE that he has three kids. And I don't CARE that he may or may not have money. I'm here with him, living with him, watching his kids grow up with him...because I love him and couldn't see my life without him in it," she concluded hotly.
Peyton nearly dropped her paper, what with what her stepmom had said and the proud yet tender way she had said it. "...Dude...Say THAT."
"Really?"
"Oh hell yes. With a vow like that, even I'll be crying. And that's SAYING something!" Miya turned a little red as she laughed. "Thanks, Peyton."
"You can call me P, you know. Everyone else does around here." Except Ichigo; she never fully understood why he didn't.
His answer had changed several times since they met. First it was "because that would imply we're friends", then it was "because Jake the Douche calls you P all the time", and then it was "because I never have and it's a bit late to start now, stupid".
Now it was "because I like your whole name, not just a letter. Do you really think I'm lazy enough to cut out one extra syllable?".
Peyton shrugged the thought away, and Miya smiled. "Alright, P. Thanks." She nodded and left to fix some food, and she was almost to the door when she had a sudden thought tugging at her brain.
Should I say...
Maybe later, Peyton decided, nodding her head to herself before leaving the bride to writing down the rest of her vows.
FIVE HOURS LATER...
"Ta-daaaa!" Lindsay cheered as she plugged in the curling iron, raising her hands dramatically as the red light flashed on.
Peyton rolled her eyes, and Rukia poked her head out of the former's closet. "Ooooh, I like your dress, Peyton."
Matsumoto poked her head out as well, assessing the youngest Cullen sister in under fifteen seconds.
"Nice choice. Short empire green bridesmaid dress, strapless, and empire cut with a crimpled bust. Complete with a beautiful one shoulder strap with back spaghetti straps and sheer chiffon over the satin skirt part. It really DOES make you look not even the least bit bloated!"
Lindsay nodded happily. "I helped pick it out!"
Rukia sweatdropped. "So...In normal-people terms, it's..."
"It's a green dress that makes my boobs look a little awesomer and my stomach not look as bloated since I'm on my period and need all the confidence I can get at the moment," Peyton replied, temple throbbing.
Matsumoto crossed her arms and shook her head. "We need to get you two out shopping more. You've gotta learn Shoppaholic Linguistics."
"I have a better idea, why don't I go slit my wrists?" Peyton replied dully. Lindsay sweatdropped as everyone else laughed.
"Yeeep, you're DEFINITELY on your period! I'll be extra careful not to burn you with the iron or stab you in the eye with the mascara wand."
"OR you could just lemme get MYSELF ready."
Her older sister laughed. "Ha! That's a good one, sis. I love your sense of humor."
Peyton suddenly looked in the mirror at her closet, sweatdropping as more clothes were thrown out.
"...Okay, first of all, MATSUMOTO, what the hell are YOU doing in there? Like hell any of my clothes are gonna fit your boobs!"
"Like they'll fit RUKIA'S boobs either! What little boobs she has!"
"HEY! …No need to make it more vivid for me," Rukia snapped, making them all snicker.
Peyton waited patiently (here meaning bouncing her leg and causing the side of her head to get burnt at least four times) for Lindsay to finish her hair, and FINALLY she set the iron down with finality.
"Yay! On to makeup!"
"PLEASE lemme do this one myself," Peyton pleaded, tearing up dramatically. Rukia and Matsumoto sweatdropped as Lindsay started bawling.
"How selfish of me! Anything for my little sister! I'm just glad to have you back! Do what you want, I'll go get myself ready!"
Lindsay scurried away before coming back and taking the iron, shuffling away dramatically. "...I need this."
Rukia sighed and shook her head as Peyton grinned triumphantly. "You've been hanging around ME too much."
Peyton simply smiled innocently. "Whatever do you mean, Rukia? You mean...You PRETEND to be that innocent? NO WAY!"
Matsumoto snorted a laugh. "Anyone who's toying with Renji like our dear little Kuchiki here is SO not innocent."
BAM!
"Ow, my BOOBS!"
"I AM NOT TOYING WITH RENJI! AND EVEN IF I WAS, WHAT ABOUT YOU AND TOHSIRO?"
"What ABOUT my Captain and I?"
Rukia opened her mouth to shout some more, but Peyton held up a hand and shook her head. "Don't have a coronary, Rukia, everyone ELSE knows it's obvious."
Matsumoto grinned. "What, like Rukia and Renji's obviousity?"
"Actually, yes, EXACTLY like that."
"HEY!"
"...Oh, HI Rukia!"
Rukia narrowed her eyes and grabbed one of Peyton's few dresses from the closet, slipping off her jeans. "...I'm wearing this."
After Peyton finished getting ready, still debating whether or not she should even bother trying to get away with wearing her monkey house shoes, Dad ran into her spastically.
"GAH! Just who I was looking for! ...Do you know how to tie a tie?"
Peyton sweatdropped. "...Dad...How have you gone all this time WITHOUT knowing how to tie a tie?"
"Well, your momma used to do it for me, it was her thing...and I haven't needed one since she died."
Her face softened, and she rolled her eyes as usual before tightening the tie around his neck. "I guess I'm glad you ran into me, then. Otherwise I'm sure you'd try and sneak on a clip-on, and Linds would absolutely MURDER you."
"Not likely, she hid it somewhere."
They both laughed as they heard her shouting at Seth to comb his hair, as if to prove how wound-up she was. "Her and weddings, I just don't get it, dad."
He smiled and ruffled her hair. "That's 'cause you're different. Lindsay's your typical southern belle, just like my momma. You, on the other hand...You're just like Steph. Ballsy, don't take crap from anyone, wanna do things your way or no way. And I will tell you that she'd never been a fan of marriage."
Peyton's eyebrows shot up. "She seemed plenty happy with the concept when I knew her. Talked about our future weddings all the time with grandmomma and her sisters, remember?"
"You'll be the same way soon enough, too. Steph...she found someone who made her believe in it. ...And then she settled for me," he added sarcastically, making her grin.
"Dad?"
"Huh?"
"Uhh...I missed you. While I was...gone. And I, uh...yeah."
Dad chuckled and hugged her tightly. "Yeah, I missed you too, hon. Now go make sure Lindsay doesn't rip your big brother apart."
"Aye-aye, Mon Capitan!"
AN HOUR LATER...
Lindsay was busy making sure the wedding itself ran smoothly, so Peyton was the one helping Miya get ready in the designated church room for brides.
She was in the middle of lacing up the back of her wedding dress for her when Miya suddenly asked, "Peyton? Are you...okay with this?"
Peyton looked at Miya via the mirror. "Why do you ask?"
"Well, I know how you feel about your mom's death, and I just...wanted to make sure...I wasn't upsetting you."
She bit her lip thoughtfully. "Well...Actually, I wanted to mention this earlier. It's been gnawing at my brain, I think I need to say it."
Miya paled. "G-Go ahead."
"Well, at first, it did more than bug me. It made me miserable. I never knew you existed until Dad brought you home for dinner that day, and then suddenly you're living in my house and engaged to my dad."
Miya looked down at her hands, and Peyton sighed. "Lemme finish before you become overcome with guilt! Jeez. Anyway, yeah, I wasn't too happy. I thought you were...I dunno...Dad's way of replacing mom. But now...I think I get it."
Miya looked back up as Peyton looked down at the dress' back, a bit uncomfortable with what she was about to say.
"I kinda...I think I really, REALLY understood when I was on my way to that hill, to be executed. When I thought Ichigo was dead...I...I was absolutely devastated. I wanted to die, too. I'll admit it, I was about to welcome the idea of dying, because I figured he'd be there too, and...I...I love him so much. But then I realized he'd want me to live and be happy, or it'd be like all the time we spent together, and all the things he'd done to keep me safe, would be for nothing. I had to do more than live, I had to keep going. And on our way back to Karakura, it just kinda dawned on me out of nowhere that it was the same thing with you and Dad."
She finished tying the back, but her hands stayed there anyway. "He'll always love mom. Always. But it's okay for him to keep going, and move on, and have room to love someone else just as much. And...I can tell, just like Lindsay said I would eventually. I can just tell how much he loves you. Though it sounds kinda self-absorbed, I can tell how much he loves you because I recognize him doing and saying the same things I do around Ichigo, and what he does and says to me."
She smiled a little. "And I'll tell you right now, I may be sixteen, but I can honestly say I don't think I could ever love anyone as much as I love that orange-haired dumbass. I'd do anything for him. And dad would do absolutely anything for you, just like I know you would for him."
There was silence, and Peyton looked up to see Miya giving her the sappiest look she'd ever seen her wear.
She hugged Peyton tearfully. "Oh, Peyton, that's gotta be the most romantic thing I've ever heard! Not just from you, but from anybody!"
She blushed, hugging Miya back. "R-Really, I didn't mean to sound so sappy, I just kinda rambled, and-"
"Don't ruin it, I'm about to get married and I'm ultra-emotional and...NOW I DON'T HAVE COLD FEET THANKS TO YOU, YOU STOPPED 'EM BEFORE I COULD EVEN REALLY GET THEM!" She choked out tearfully.
"Okay, okay, that's great, loosen your grip a little! I'm turning purple and it's clashing horribly with my outfit and my hair!"
LATER...
"Oh, Linds, this is great!" Rukia said in an "oooh" and "ahhh" kind of tone, looking around. They were at some place in Karakura overlooking the river for the reception party, like one big patio. The sun was setting, and paper lanterns in different shapes and colors were strung around the joint, in the air.
Lindsay smiled, still flushed red from excitement and energy. It made her look even more beautiful, matching great with her breezy pink-and-purple spring dress and braided blonde hair.
Peyton wasn't jealous; she was actually quite contented watching her sister enjoy her hard work. She was just too tired herself to do much, what with her early period AND having to stand through the entire wedding.
Weddings were so boring. Would it be wrong for her to say that she kind of thought funerals were a lot more interesting?
Not more ENJOYABLE, but more interesting. Funerals seemed to go by faster. Maybe it was because weddings were part of a new start, and funerals were part of an unwelcome end?
...Wow, I just got all deep on myself.
"She really outdid herself on this, eh?" Matsumoto commented from beside her, making Peyton nearly fall out of her chair in surprise. "Jeez, Matsumoto, don't DO that!"
"But it's so fun," she giggled.
Peyton just sighed, then nodded. "...Yeah, she really did. Y'know, she helped dad with Japanese since the week he announced his engagement?"
"I didn't know that!"
"Neither did I. She told me about it on the way here."
Dad had said his vows entirely in Japanese, which he had been slowly learning since last fall, as a surprise for Miya. His bride wasn't the only one who had no clue he spoke correct slang-free English, much less another language entirely.
So he totally won over Miya's mom. Finally.
Peyton had yet to do that, Katana still didn't seem to favor her very much. She was currently discussing with Orihime about their "alternative cooking styles".
That's right, Katana was one of the rare people that liked Orihime's cooking.
Matsumoto suddenly grinned like mad, and pointed to her Captain. Peyton promptly laughed her ass off. "HAHAHAHAHA! Toshiro...In a TUX? HAHAHAHA!"
Matsumoto grinned some more and ran over to him before pointing at Peyton. HE was the one laughing this time.
"HAHAHAHAHAHA! PEYTON...in a DRESS? HAHAHAHAHA!"
Peyton's temple throbbed. "...Okay, I should've seen that one coming."
As if on cue, a sort of upbeat but obviously romantic song came on, and Peyton's glare turned into a sneaky grin. "Go on, you two," she prompted.
Matsumoto didn't hesitate in pulling her Captain onto the dance floor, much to his horror and Peyton's sadistic pleasure.
She glanced over to see who was singing and gasped. "Hey, I THOUGHT I knew this song!" One of the first Japanese songs she had ever listened to; "Momo No Hanabira", by Ai Otsuka.
Now that she thought about it, Linds HAD mentioned getting Ai Otsuka to sing at the wedding.
...Damn, she really SHOULD have paid more attention. Maybe Ai would've signed her napkin or something before going onstage.
Oh well, maybe she could catch the singer afterward. Peyton was looking at her swinging feet (which were killing her, thanks to the damn shoes) and humming along when someone caught her feet.
She looked up, and glared with mock anger. "Ichigoooo, gimme my feet back."
He grinned and held up...her monkey house shoes. Peyton smiled, then started giggling as he slipped off her shoes and stared down at the cursed heels. "...I think I see your blood pooling in these."
She sighed. "I wouldn't be the least bit surprised. Now you see why I'm sitting."
"Yeah, well NOW," He said as he slid the last monkey on her foot, "You have no excuse not to dance with me."
"But I can't dance good, AT ALL," she whined as he pulled her up onto her feet (which already felt a lot better).
Ichigo sweatdropped. "This coming from the girl who's famous for her Happy Dance and doing the moonwalk out of classrooms she aces a test in."
She huffed. "That's different."
"I think you're just too scared to dance with me."
"Am NOT!" Peyton cried out indignantly, huffing in defeat as he carefully grabbed her wrapped-up hand and guided it towards the back of his neck.
She wrapped the other one around his neck as well, and his own hands wrapped around her waist.
"Gee, Ichigo, you didn't have to dress up so fancy for this," she commented, looking pointedly at his jeans and "Nice Vibe" t-shirt.
"Hey, I have a tie on, don't I? And Yuzu IRONED these for me," Ichigo replied defensively, gesturing at his clothes.
"Really?"
"Yeah. And my underwear. I don't get why the hell she wanted to in the first place, but she wouldn't lemme take 'em from her, so I had no choice but to watch my little sister handle my delicates."
Peyton bit back a laugh. "...Your delicates, Ichigo?"
"Oh shut up!"
That made the laughter slip out, and he just shook his head. "At least YOU find it funny."
"I do. Hey, Toshiro's wearing a tux."
Ichigo glanced around, found him, and smirked. "...That doesn't surprise me very much. The guy's such a hard-ass. What surprises me is that he's letting Matsumoto strangle him like that."
They sweatdropped as the aforementioned Captain and Lieutenant did another spin on the dance floor, Toshiro's nose practically buried in her cleavage. His temple throb was so massive they could see it on Constant Throb-Mode from where they were, yards away.
They both started laughing at the two Soul Reapers, and then Ichigo looked her up and down. "...Well, that surprises me too."
"What does?" She narrowed her eyes. "Careful how you answer that question, Kurosaki."
He grinned. "No, nothing bad, just...I've never seen you in a dress before."
Peyton's eyebrows shot up. "Really? I thought you had...Hey, wait, what the hell do you call the kimono I had on for my execution?"
He waved her off. "That didn't count, that was the last thing I was looking at."
Peyton sweatdropped. "...Oh, what I'd give to see how that makes sense to you." Ichigo's grin grew. "You wanna know something?"
"Whaaaat?"
He leaned down and rested his forehead against hers. "You look downright beautiful. I think you might be taking attention away from the bride."
Peyton grinned like an idiot. "Only in your mind, Ichigo, but that's good enough for me." She glanced at the aforementioned bride, who was currently dancing with her father.
"You know...I'm kinda glad she's around. Dad was more torn up about mom and all that than I was, which YOU KNOW is saying something, but I noticed it sorta...went away. Out of nowhere."
Her grin grew as she looked back at Ichigo. "I found out it was around the day he first started working with Miya."
Ichigo nodded, glancing at her dad. "I guess Mark found the thing that made his rain stop for good."
Peyton's brows furrowed. "What rain?"
He grinned again and shook his head, kissing her forehead. "Nothing, it's a long story."
Miya sighed and shook her head at her husband. "Mark, let it go." His gaze shifted back to her with a smile. "Oh, I'm not mad about it. I mean, ...I still don't like how I found out about 'em, but..."
They both looked at Ichigo and Peyton as he spun her around and she laughed. The two newlyweds sweatdropped once they noticed her shoes, and Mark shook his head with a chuckle. "How can I not respect a man that makes her that happy, and brought her back home when I couldn't?"
Miya nodded happily. "Exactly. Although...I don't know how long he'll live if Lindsay sees Peyton's shoes."
Mark grinned. "Naw, she'll probably be cooin' about how sweet it is-" As if on cue, they suddenly heard Lindsay go "Awww, KEIGO! Look at what ICHIGO did, even though I threatened both of their lives if I saw those house shoes on her feet!"
"Thanks a lot, Kurosaki," Keigo muttered as he dipped Lindsay, who giggled and kissed him. "Don't worry, I still love you."
Mark sighed and shook his head. "Miya, my kids are growin' up. Seth's off to college in about a month, Linds is goin' next year, Peyton's gonna be married and/or pregnant before I have time to BLINK..."
His wife laughed and shook her head. "Mr. Cullen, you worry too much. You better lighten up before you get gray hairs."
He smiled. "But that's what YOU'RE here for. Mrs. Cullen, you have the honor of getting gray hairs with me."
"I'm more than happy to," she replied before kissing him.