Chapter Seventy: Wedding and Reception
Duo, Heero, and Quatre stood with attendants waiting for the single from the coordinator to start. They tried to calm their jittery nerves.
A little six year old decided that she has enough of waiting and stomped her foot. "I wanna go now." She stated as she headed out for the aisle that she would be going now. She moved too quickly for the others to grab as she set herself properly. Deathscythe and Alex decided to agree with her and moved too quickly for the others as well and started their journey down the aisles a minute before they should be.
Duo grinned as he waved the others to get into position. You had to love kids and animals. They always new the right time to do things.
Wufei and Trowa fidgeted as they waited for their loves to come down the aisles. They still had a minute before things began and they wanted the ceremony to be over with already. He looked up startled when the music from the little orchestra changed over to the beginning march for the attendants. He looked over at the other groom and raised a questioning eyebrow.
Trowa nodded to the aisle that Sakura would be coming down and quirked his lips slightly as Sakura started down the aisle a second before Alex and Tua and Deathscythe started down their own aisles.
The dragon rolled his eyes at his daughter's antics and moved to the precise spot that he was supposed to be in Zechs joining him as Anne joined Trowa. He knew his daughter's temperament and was surprised she had lasted this long before she started making trouble. He turned eyes to watch as the people he had come to call friends and family made their way down the aisles. All of them were beauties in their own ways and their clothing stated that quiet beauty.
Heero grunted and smirked slightly as he watched the others get ready to make their walk down the aisles. Duo had warned them that Sakura might pull something like this but Quatre and he hadn't thought she would. He watched the sweet asian princess as she took her last steps up the gazebo and give her baba and uncle a hug before taking a seat on the benches inside the area. He took his first steps forward with his grandfather in perfect step with Shinigami and Sandrock.
Duo gave a little chuckle when he saw Sakura hug her baba and uncle.
"Little munchkin's gotta make a show of it." Muttered Howard Green as he escorted his adopted son to the love of his life.
"Yup she wouldn't be Sakura if she didn't." The paramedic kept instep with the older man trying not to rush his way to his lawyer. He so wanted to be with the man he absolutely adored and loved right now.
"Very true. Very true."
Quatre hooked his arm with Iria and laughed softly as Trowa lifted Alex up into the gazebo to join the other family and friends in there. He shook his head when Sakura bounced off her seat to talk with Alex only to be moved back to her seat.
"That young lady is never going to be able to sit still." Iria said fondly to her brother.
"She is absolutely fine if you are playing a game or reading to her." The younger blond stated as he moved in step with his sister. "But you put her in a situation that is out of her control and she will do everything possible to get attention." He looked fondly at the people in he had come to love. "I just wish that we had found each other sooner."
"This was the right time to find each other. If you found one another sooner it may not have worked they way it has now." The older blond told her brother. "And this may not be happening. I have already found other spots to start projects like this and have started the ball rolling. Finding Duo when you did worked the best way it could."
"Allah be praised." Quatre said softly as he took the steps up into the Gazebo with Heero and Duo. The long haired brunet flashed him a grin as he moved to the side of his asian love's side. The young doctor moved with Heero to sandwich the tall auburn hair man they loved.
"Who brings these men to marry these men?" The judge that had volunteered his services to Wufei for this day called out. He was an older gentleman that had a distinguishing air that made people stop and look when he passed. He was middle aged with salt and pepper hair that was slicked back. He wore traditional judges robes over a dove grey suit.
Iria, Howard, and Dr. Jacobson answered promptly. "We do."
He looked out over the people that had gathered for the men's special day. "This is the time that you have chosen to become spouses. We are here not only to witness your commitment to each other, but to wish you every happiness in your future life together. Marriage is founded on sincerity and understanding which leads to tolerance, confidence and trust. We believe that those qualities which have attracted you both to each other, can be best developed during a life spent together. A happy marriage will enable you to establish a home with love and stability where your family and friends will always be welcome.
"Two lives, two people, so very different, yet so similar. Together we stand as one, sharing our future as it comes. The past is that past. Buds are yet to blossom, with care and trust, the best is yet to be revealed. Honesty and kindness, are the fruits of love. Lord bless this day and always to enrich us so our love will never end. Before you are joined together in marriage in my presence and in the presence of these your family and witnesses, I am bound to remind you of the solemn and firm nature of the relationship into which you are about to enter. Marriage as most of us understand it, is the voluntary commitment of a man to the person they love to the exclusion of all others and is entered into with the desire, the hope and the firm intention that it will last for life.
"Now we shall now say your vows." The minister finished. "Chang Wufei, will you start us off?"
Wufei turned to Duo ignoring the giggling of his daughter behind him. I Chang Wufei affirm my love to you Duo Maxwell, as I invite you to share my life. We may not have started out easily but I promise always to respect your needs. I will endeavour through kindness, unselfishness and trust to achieve the warm rich life we now look forward to with the family we have made for ourselves and the ones that are yet to come into our lives. I hope that my efforts will be not in vain for what we will share in our continuing life together. To this end I call upon all present to witness that I take you Duo to be my lawful spouse, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health while we both shall live."
Duo ignored the shushing of his soon to be daughter to focus on the man he loved. "I Duo Maxwell affirm my love to you Chang Wufei as I invite you to share my life. Even if I am likely to put your quiet life through a roller-coaster ride of emotions." He paused to look up through his lashes with a tiny grin at his taller lover. "I promise to always try to respect your needs. I will endeavour through kindness, unselfishness and trust to achieve the warm rich life we now look forward to with the hope that you will be forgiving when our family drives you up one wall and down another. To this end I call upon all present to witness that I take you Wufei to be my lawful husband, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health while we both shall live."
The judge turned to the trio."Now Trowa if you would begin your vows." He motioned to the three men to for a ring.
Trowa turned so he could both Heero and Quatre. "I Trowa Barton affirm my love to you Heero Yuy, and Quatre Raberba Winner as I invite you to share my life. I know that I am quiet and follow the both of you along but I have always been there through the worst of times to the best. I promise always to respect both of your needs. I will endeavour through kindness, unselfishness and trust to achieve the warm rich life we now look forward to. To this end I call upon all present to witness that I take you Heero, and Quatre to be my lawful spouses, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health while we both shall live.
Heero shifted slightly to bring both his taller and shorter lover into his line of sight. "I Heero Yuy affirm my love to you Trowa Barton, and Quatre Raberba Winner as I invite you to share my life. I know that I don't always stop to see what I am doing and focus on things to much but I promise always to respect both your needs." He paused to gather himself to say more with emotion no one had ever heard from him before. "I have been known to jump into situations that could be extremely dangerous but I promise to be more careful in doing so. I will endeavour through kindness, unselfishness and trust to achieve the warm rich life we now look forward to. To this end I call upon all present to witness that I take you Trowa and Quatre to be my lawful husbands, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health while we both shall live.
Tears were forming in everyone's eyes as they watched the vows taking place by the five men standing in such a beautiful setting of renewed life.
Quatre let the tears that had been forming as he felt the love surrounding him flow down his checks before he gathered himself to speak. "I Quatre Raberba Winner affirm my love to you Trowa Barton, and Heero Yuy as I invite you to share my life. I know that I am a hard person to live with and that I have control issues but I promise always to respect both your needs. I will endeavour through kindness, unselfishness and trust to achieve the warm rich life we now look forward to. To bring new life where this life takes us and love everything that it brings to us." He paused to take a deep breath. "To this end I call upon all present to witness that I take you Trowa and Heero to be my lawful husband, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health while we both shall live."
The judge waited a moment for the emotions to wash over them. "Now for the giving of the rings." He turned to Wufei and Duo. "Take these rings to place on each other and have as a symbol of your love for all to see."
Wufei took his wraith's hand into his own. With loving eyes he slowly slid the ring onto Duo's finger. "Duo; with this ring I thee wed. Take it and wear it as a symbol of all we shall share from now till the day we are taken from this earth once more."
Duo shook slightly as he took the ring from the judge to place on his dragon's finger. Wufei's hand was shaking slightly as he slid the ring onto his finger. They had kept with the celtic theme for these rings as well. "Wufei; with this ring I thee wed. Take it and wear it as a symbol of all we shall share from now till the day we are taken from this earth once more."
The middle age man nodded and moved on the triad. "Trowa, Heero, Quatre take these rings to place on each other as a symbol of your for all to see."
Trowa took Heero's hand in his own and took the first slim ring to slide on his hand. He then took Quatre's hand to slide on another one exactly like the one on Heero's finger. "Heero, Quatre; with this ring I thee wed. Take it and wear it as the symbol of all we shall share from now till the day we are taken from this earth once more."
Heero nearly dropped the ring as he slipped it onto the larger finger of his tall lover. He turned to accept the other ring to slide on the blond's hand. "Trowa, Quatre; with this ring I thee wed. Take it and wear it as the symbol of all we shall share from now till the day we are taken from this earth once more."
Quatre was visibly shaking even to the assemblage outside the gazebo as he slid the ring he held on Trowa's hand. He turned and quickly caught the ring he almost dropped with a blush. He slid it on his japanese lovers finger before he could once more drop it. "Trowa, Heero; with this ring I thee wed. Take it and wear it as the symbol of all we share from now till the day we are taken from this earth once more."
"I will now read from Corinthians 1; 13:
"Love is always patient and kind. It is never jealous. Love is never boastful or conceited, it is never rude or selfish, it does not take offense and is not resentful. Love takes no pleasure in other people's faults, but delights in the truth. It is always ready to excuse, to trust, to hope. It is always ready to endure whatever comes. True love does not come to an end."
The older man stopped to look over the gathering before turning back to the men getting married. "You have declared before all of us that you will live together in marriage. You have made special promises to each other, which have been symbolized by the joining of hands, taking of vows and the giving and receiving of two ring's. By the authority vested in me as a Minister in the State of New York, I now pronounce you to be husband and spouse, and husband and spouses. Now that the ceremony is over and the experience of living day by day is about to begin, go and meet it gladly.
"Embrace each other."
Duo wrapped his arms around the love of his life accepting the slow drugging kiss. The triad beside him doing the same to in a surprisingly well done three way kiss.
"I now present you Chang Wufei and Chang Duo." The judge stated motioning to the long haired couple. "And Trowa Barton-Yuy-Winner, Heero Barton-Yuy-Winner, Quatre Barton-Yuy-Winner." He didn't motion the others for they were already raising their hands in a wave. He stepped back and let the wash of cheers pervade the smallish structure.
Duo and Wufei went to start the promenade down the center aisle when they were tackled. They looked down to see their daughter grinning up at them from where she was holding one of their legs each. The long haired man looked up fondly into black eyes.
The slightly older man reached down to pluck the the little girl up into his arms before crooking an arm for his wraith to take hold onto and proceed on their way.
The pictures had been taken and people were starting to arrive for the reception. Only certain people had been asked to join the reception or they would have been overflowing more than they could handle. Dogs mingled with people keeping an eye on everyone that was working their way between the home and yard. The occasional growl could be heard when someone went into areas that weren't allowed to enter but otherwise the animals behaved themselves well.
The table that held presents and a box for cards was filling up quickly and the staff manning the reception were getting ready to move some of it to the inside area out of the way. The grooms and attendants would be making their appearance soon and Bev couldn't wait to see them. She was bursting with pride and delight at the ceremony she had witnessed earlier. She just hoped that her own wedding would be as beautiful as this one had been and had given her ideas as well.
She looked up fondly at swearing coming from the window to the kitchen.
"You will move ze tush out of the way you flea bitten mongrel!" Andy's voice could be heard. She shook her head fondly as she moved to check the tables. Am an that made Caleb look smaller stood in front of the rotisseries. His arms folded and waiting.
"Can I help you sir?" She asked as she peered up at the giant before it dawned on her who it was. A huge smile spread over her features. "Rashid!"
The man turned to look at her more clearly. A slow grin spreading over his daunting features. "Beverly!" his voice almost boomed before he leaned down to embrace her in a bear hug.
She gave a delighted laugh as her feet left the ground.
Duo laughed softly as he watched Suki fix Sakura's hair once again. Wufei sat behind him smoothing out the tangles in his chestnut locks before braiding them. Everyone around him was fixing little things in their appearance before they joined the reception.
At a sound to his left he lifted his head.
"Are you ready yet Duo-Daddy?" The tiny asian girl asked as her nana let her loose.
"Almost munchkin." He informed her he felt the asian man behind him start to weave his hair into his usual long braid.
"Good." She stated with a firm nod before going off to cuddle with her uncle Heero.
He could feel the silent laughter behind him as the dragon finished the last of his braid. "I can't believe that that is my daughter." The soft tenor murmured into his ear sending shivers down his spine.
"Neither can I." Duo whispered back before standing. "Okay people lets get this show on the road." He called out with over exaggerated shooing motions. People laughed as the moved before him down the wide hall of the apartment to joint he throngs of waiting guests outside.
Sakura bound out the door leading to the garden and other children to play with. She stopped to look around at all the people and smiled excitedly. She now had her Duo-Daddy as her real daddy. Not that he wasn't before just that he was 'egally hers now. She looked around for the first person she wanted to meet. She had been informed that everyone here was friends of her daddies and uncles and were safe to be around.
Her eyes landed on what she thought of as a tree and thought she would go check it out. She traipsed through the people to stand and stare up at what she found out was a man. The tiny mouth dropped open in shock as she stared upward almost falling backward before gaining her balance.
"WOW!" She finally shouted.
The man finally looked down to see the little girl staring up at him.
"Are you a 'iant?" She asked as she continued to look upward at him.
The man observed her with a look of bemusement before looking around to see who she belonged too. He crouched down to her level before answering. "No, I am a Maugunac." He voice nearly boomed even though he softened it.
A frown spread across her features as she tried to figure out what he meant. "Watsa ma'ganac?" was the question asked.
"A maugunac is a fighter that helped Master Quatre during the war." He infromed the tiny being.
Little black eyes widened in awe as they stared at him. "You know Uncle Quatre?"
Startled eyes looked around once more for said man. "Master Quatre is your uncle little one? I didn't know that any of his sisters had married an asian person."
Sakura frowned in confusion at the man. "I don't have a mommy any more. She died in da war. Baba says she died bavely to save me and nainai and yeye." She stated as she reached out to see if this person was real. Brussels appeared by her side to see what she was up to and she giggled as he sniffed her over. She pushed him away with one hand as she felt the clothed arm that had reached out for her.
"Who is your baba little one?" The giant man asked of her.
She turned to look around for her baba and frowned at the forest of legs she couldn't see through. She scowled and turned to the ma'ganac. "Up." she demanded with a foot stamp. "I see better if you up." She raised her arms and waited for him to comply.
The man didn't know if he should do so or not. He wasn't sure how her parents would react to his lifting her up. As the scowl deepened he decided it would be worth the effort and he didn't need the screaming fit that would come if he didn't comply. He lifted the little princess up and settled her against his chest at the huge dog watched him carefully he was surprised when a white and a black german shepherd appeared from no where to watch him as well.
The little princess squealed with joy as she was raised high above the people to look around. She looked around for her baba and Duo-Daddy. She found her baba standing and talking to a group of people wearing hats similar to the man that was holding her. "Dere he is." She declared with joy as she pointed to him.
The man's eyes widened as she followed the little finger's direction. General Shenlong was at the end of the fingers direction. "Chang-san is your father?" He asked as he started in his direction to stop at the growls that resounded from the three dogs in front of him.
"Bad dog. Bad!" Sakura expressed her anger as she glared down at the animals spread out before her. "'Russels, 'Taku, 'Scythe be good." she said firmly. She motioned for him to move to her baba but the man was still staring down at the growling beasts.
"What have you got there Rashid?"
A voice that the diminutive girl recognized. She squealed happily as she peered around the mans arm holding her. "Uncle Tro!" She reached out arms to one of her favourite uncles.
"Ahhh..." He said as he accepted the burden of his niece. "What have you been up to little munchkin?"
"I talkin' to the ma'ganac." She told him as she motioned to the much taller man. "He 'igger than 'aleb."
"Yup definitely bigger than Caleb." Trowa answered with laughter filled eyes as the dogs stopped their growling. "And the maugunac's name is Rashid."
"It nice to meet you Miter Ra'id." Sakura said as she turned back to the much taller man.
"Nice to meet you as well. But I still do not know your name." Rashid answered the look of bemusement once again on his face.
"I Chang Sakura." She beamed up at him. "It 'ice to meet you Miter Ra'id." She turned and placed a wet kiss on her uncle's cheek. "Down Uncle Tro. Gotta find Alex."
The acrobat swept her upward with a squeal before setting her on her feet. He patted her bottom and sent her once more on her way. "I am glad you could come Rashid." Placing a hand on the larger man's shoulder before moving off to check up on others in the family.
Duo sighed and stretched as he got up from Sakura's bed. She had been running around the backyard all evening and had finally fallen asleep in his arms a few minutes ago. He would be leaving on his honeymoon with Wufei in the morning before she woke but he would check on her then as well. The reception was winding down and how she stayed awake so long was beyond him the other children were long gone in sleep. He moved to the door and found Wufei standing there watching them with love filled eyes.
"I love you my wraith." He stated as he moved to usher his love to their own room. The wraith in question protested this move. "Damian, Katey, and Angel will be going through Caleb and Andy's things. We are going to bed because we have to wake up early."
The chestnut haired man peered down the hall to see his brother patting down the gaelic man while his sisters-in-law was going through boxes with. He relaxed and allowed the ebony haired man guide him to the bedroom they called their own for a good nights sleep.
Authors Note: I wanted to put more but my back is killing me and I need sleep. I hope that this is enough for everyone.
I got the vows for the wedding from this site. www. Weddings . Enjoy it. ^_^