Chapter Fifty-six
The Walk…
The night was still warm as Ichigo, Chad and Renji strolled along the sidewalk. Uryû met up with the group a block away but had plenty to say about the city.
"Sado you're next," Renji said interrupting another of Uryû long discussions.
"Not likely Chado is a bit of a lone warrior right Chado," Ichigo said.
"Agreed," Chad replied as they continued to walk.
"What's with the smile," Ichigo asked.
"Nothing," Chad said.
"Can I just say that asking Orihime had nothing to do with any of you guys," Uryû said looking at each of them.
"Whatever," Ichigo said.
"Sure," Renji agreed.
"Don't look at me," Chad said.
"I'd say I'm more surprised that you didn't ask her sooner," Ichigo said.
Uryû looked a bit surprised as the others nodded in agreement with what Ichigo said.
"Don't look so surprised everyone including the girls all agree you two should have been the first of our group to be married," Ichigo said.
"I see," Uryû said understanding falling over his features.
Clearly Orihime and Uryû had the easiest path to love. There was very little standing in either of their way for them to be together. Orihime was independent living on her own for years as was Uryû. All the roadblocks in their relationship could be solved where the others would constantly have to deal with barriers.
"But hey we all have problems to deal with so don't get too down about it," Ichigo said noticing the sudden glum mood of his friend.
"I still feel like I need to apologize to you and Renji in particular. I've been going on about these irrelevant minor problems and you two have to feel bad facing your situations," Uryû said.
"I felt great all day I have no clue why you are so down but if this is a so called bachelor party I think I'll skip the next one," Renji said walking a little ahead of the group.
"Absolutely," Chad said catching up with Renji.
"Why are you guys taking off without me it was that idiots fault for bring things down," Ichigo jogged to catch up.
"Thanks Ichigo single me out," Uryû said.
"If you're coming hurry up and catch up," Ichigo called back over his shoulder.
Uryû caught up, all the gloom left where it belonged.
Wherever they were headed it was clear that no one expected to have much fun. Renji had to wonder where was the optimism and when did that moment kick in where people did something crazy like the movies.
Thankfully after the gloomy conversation Uryû started no one bothered to bring down the mood.
000
The groom's dressing room made Renji feel like a king. He had all the food and drinks he could manage. The sponsors of the promotional giveaway chipped in with a multitude of primping items. Anything he could think of was before him or at reach with the push of a few buttons. The best of all he didn't need to spend money to get it if that wasn't royal treatment he didn't know what was.
He enjoyed his room so much he nearly lost track of time watching sports channels on a spectacular flat screen television. As he flipped the channels he was quickly brought back to reality when Mr. Arisawa showed up. Suddenly his appetite had vanished as did the regal atmosphere surrounding him.
"It is that time then," Renji said stepping aside as Mr. Arisawa entered the room.
"Sorry to intrude looks like you are enjoying this place," Mr. Arisawa said.
"Yeah I was…I am," Renji said absently sitting down on the edge of the bed.
"A castle can only have one king and it is clear I stormed your castle," Mr. Arisawa said chuckling to himself.
"Almost like you read my mind," Renji said.
"This whole trip has turned out to be something really amazing. I couldn't put something like this together with my ship yard income," Mr. Arisawa said and Renji nodded.
"What are you thinking now I wonder," Mr. Arisawa asked.
"What I'm really thinking is we may never see each other again and we are getting married. Do you think that is so crazy considering that everyone else is in the same predicament," Renji said.
"Crazy is an overused term. You two are just in love. What you said about everyone else may never see each other again; that is absolute right although you'd know more about that than I would," Mr. Arisawa said.
"As a Soul Reaper you'd think I'd know more about it," Renji asked.
"Yes I do think you know a lot more than any of us," Mr. Arisawa said.
"I suppose you'd be right but sometimes I wonder just what you really think sir if I may ask," Renji questioned.
"Is that a question you want answered on your wedding day," Mr. Arisawa said.
"You've accepted that a Soul Reaper is marrying your daughter without much protest. You know what we are and what it means for her so I wonder what is on your mind. Is that what you want for your daughter," Renji asked.
"Tatsuki is happy that is all a father ever wants. You are a really decent man so I have no worries. That is rare and not always the case. Gaining a son like you is a bonus in my life. To question my situation when there are others in far worse situations makes no sense at all.
Now I am no fool and I understand the difficulties you two face but I understand the reason you want to be married to my daughter. I'm more than alright with it. I have faith that things will work out better than you could ever imagine or hope for. Just look at this room and everything that's happened so far," Mr. Arisawa said waving his hands around the room and smiling.
"Still I get the feeling there is more," Renji said.
"Rightly so," Mr. Arisawa said sitting down adding, "Even Tatsuki has voiced her opinions about such things."
"I've told her all about my life anything at all that she asks. The things I do not know I cannot answer and are of no consequence to me but for her to remember a memory from some other place and time concerns her.
Memories I can see as clearly as if they happened and unexplainable puzzle pieces that we choose to ignore don't sit well with her," Renji said.
"I thought she could grow up without any of my problems touching her," Mr. Arisawa said as Renji took his seat once more he continued, "Never did I consider that Kurosaki Isshin's boy would become a Soul Reaper. A case of like father like son unfolded before my eyes."
"You don't need to tell me all this. Tatsuki should hear whatever you need to say," Renji said.
"No I am telling you," Mr. Arisawa said.
"Fine," Renji did his best to just listen.
"Who would ever guess that Ishida and Inoue would also cross paths with my daughter. You see where I'm headed don't you," Mr. Arisawa asked.
"Everyone is connected in some way," Renji replied.
"Instinct and intuition guide me and I would never let someone who could harm Tatsuki in her life. I also know what I've said to you I've said to her because you are that honest with her," Mr. Arisawa said.
Renji didn't feel like he found out much to tell Tatsuki. If anything he should have stayed away from asking questions that would stay on his mind all day. He didn't want to think about these things on a day like today.
The regal feeling would only return as he forced his mind to regain the feelings of earlier that day. He focused only on getting ready. With his mind refocused on preparations Tatsuki began to drift to his thoughts.
By the time Mr. Arisawa came to get him from the room Renji was completely at ease. The only thing he cared about was imagining what his queen would look like by his side.
Imagining wasn't the word for what he was forced to endure. Tatsuki kept him in the dark about every detail. She knew what he was wearing and that seemed to be enough for her to decide on everything else. Perhaps it was her way of returning the surprise he set in motion with the entire trip.
000
The desert sky unpolluted by city lights glistened with stars. Tatsuki excitedly pointed out the constellations she immediately recognized. She couldn't believe she could feel so elated.
Renji smiled and followed after her as they walked along the river. He couldn't take credit for the sound of the rushing water or the brightness of the stars but that look on her face he proudly owned.
"I have to stop you for a just a second," he said leading her hand in hand away from the rocky riverside.
She followed for a while stopping and looked up at him.
"What is it," she asked.
"Years ago I had this wish. I wanted to see your eyes like they are now full of stars and it is amazing," he answered.
So amazing that we need to leave now, he thought.
"How did you know about a place like this," she asked.
He kept her walking as he answered, "At the very last moment I decided to come here after seeing it advertised on the television."
"That could have been a horrible idea," she said.
Yes horrible because the last thing I wanted to do was leave that room, she thought.
"Not a typical place to go I know but I figure you'd want to get out of the suite for a while," he said.
Wrong, wrong so very wrong do you know me at all, she thought.
Moving close to him she thought she would make it clear if he had any doubts about what she really wanted, "Renji I could-
"No arguments trust me I know what you are thinking but if you're assuming that room is the only place I'd want to be with you I have to correct you," he said.
You idiot maybe she was going to say something else, he thought.
"Renji I'm not-
"We'll see just what you want to do," he said.
Walking a little faster she was sending him a clear message and he didn't want to ignore it. Taking action he swept her up in his arms and waited for the protest that never came.
Being this happy gave her optimism that things would work out. She laughed and kissed him happy he understood her feelings. As beautiful as the riverside was she didn't need any extra romantic gestures. She was happy kissing him the setting didn't matter.
As much as she enjoyed this over the top gesture of being carried she wanted to feel the earth beneath her feet and prove she could enjoy the fresh air as well.
"Can we just keep walking for a while," she said.
He set her on her feet.
"Do you want to talk about it," he asked.
"I just flip-flop from feeling low to high like I'm floating above everything. Like noting is standing in our way," she said.
"Lows are only normal but I don't want you to feel stuck in that place," he said.
"All the surprises have been great but I want to know what comes next when we get back," she said.
"I'm no fortune-teller," he said.
"I'm doing it again and I'm sorry. I'm trying so hard to face reality and part of me just wants to ignore that voice that is screaming at me," she said.
"On our last day together before we fly back you are worried. I'm happy about that," he said.
"You are happy that I'm turning into a wreck," she said.
"The wreck looks better on you," he said.
"Shut up," she said as he dodged a punch.
"It means you care so much about our relationship but also that I managed to make you forget all those worries for three whole days," he said.
"Make me forget again," she said.
They never had much of a chance to enjoy the river after that request. Instead they found themselves camped out on the floor of an SUV.
Staring at the stars through a sun roof quickly replaced the suite on Tatsuki's list of places to be after her husband rocked her world. Ever careful not to crush her Renji moved to lie beside her.
"Our room is going to waste," he informed her.
"Look at how unbelievable the sky is from this vantage point. That room doesn't compare," she said.
He forced a glance at the stars then turned to her saying, "too bad that room was great really amazing."
"Amazing," she echoed.
The temperature had dipped rapidly since the sun went down and not a single cloud covered the sky. He held her closer pulling clothing over them where they slept until sunrise the next day.