This chapter has been rated M for being absolutely heart melting to write.
Just kidding! Heya folks it's Watermalone with installment number four here!
And a special thanks to all my awesome readers and reviewers who persevered my awkward stage of beginning this story and gave me the support I needed to continue writing! (You know who you are.) ;)
Regarding this chapter, I must mention this is the happier of the two segments I am posting next. Reason for splitting them up is because I don't want there be conflicting emotions in a single chapter (I'm thoughtful like that). However, I don't feel it was as up to par as the last one so please excuse the somewhat lackluster comparison with chapter 3, which I felt, undoubtedly, was my best written chapter so far.
That being said, without any further 'ados', I present chapter 4. Read, rate, review, relax and try not to melt with cheesy, romancy goodness.
I OWN SVTFOE AND WILL MAKE STARCO CANON ASAP! Is what I would say if I owned any part of the show, but I don't so you guys get stuck with this instead. :)
Marco Diaz's POV
The air was thin, his legs were shaking, the walls were closing in. His throat contracted as his breathing became forced. He felt sweat run down his neck. It was too much.
Suddenly Marco felt a hand on his shoulder. It was Ferguson, his best man. Friends since they were in kindergarten, he always had his back. He wore a smile on his chubby face.
"Dude, you're killing the air with your stank." He calmly stated, face unchanging.
Marco glared back with contempt.
"C'mon man, you're ready," he gripped Marco firmly by the shoulders, "I've seen the way you two look at each other, it's like how girls look at me, they just can't get enough." He released Marco and struck a pose.
Marco's face softened. He was right. He was ready.
"Besides, if this doesn't work out I can always hook you up with one of my contacts" he winked, "of course not one of the hotter ones but, I mean, it's not like you got standards right?"
Ferguson received an irritated groan and a slight shove in response. Behind him he could hear Alfonso giggling like a schoolgirl to himself. He whispered something to Jared and Chris who followed up with their own fits of laughter.
Marco ignored them. He had to focus on what he was going to say. It had to be perfect.
Closing his eyes he sighed a breath out, calming his nerves and stilling the beat of his heart.
It wasn't before long that the sweet orchestral symphonies began wafting through the room.
He opened his eyes, slowly, and his jaw plummeted to the floor.
"Announcing the bride to be, Ms. Erica Catherine Goodman!" The Justice of the Peace pronounced overzealously.
She was as beautiful as ever, maybe even more. The way her dress-, her hair was so- not to mention her skin, her eyes, it was-.
Even his thoughts weren't coherent.
She was clad in the most gorgeous wedding gown he had ever laid eyes upon. Pure white, appearing to flow around her in the most surreal fashion, it had been patterned with frilly flowers around her waist. A matching thin white veil, perched so delicately atop her head it was almost floating. A halo, beautifully complimenting her amazing hair. Dark gold, woven like silk and softly curled, her long hair was drawn upwards and hung two strands down her cheeks.
Angelic. The first word that came to mind.
Upon approaching the first step of the platform, her father paused and whispered something into her ear. She grinned and released her dad's arm, making her way up.
Marco couldn't help but give off a goofy smile of his own. Lifting his arms, his fingers intertwined with hers as he stared deeply into her eyes.
Brown, just like his. Instantly, he found himself lost in the chocolate lakes that swirled around her pupils.
"Ahem." The Justice of the Peace cleared his throat. "We are gathered here today to celebrate the joining of two souls becoming one in matrimony..."
As though right on cue, Marco's palms started getting sweaty again, his heartbeat echoing in his brain drowned out all external noise. He was going to have a panic attack. No. Not in front of all these people. He had to be strong.
He felt his hands being squeezed tightly. Eyes refocusing ahead of him, all his anxiety dissipated. Her charming smile had the talent to soothe the tell-tale heart.
"...On a no more special day than this. As you may know, today at exactly 11:37 AM, the sun's light will be diminished by the passing of the moon in an event we call, the solar eclipse."
It was true, Marco had planned out the details himself. They booked this specific date and time so that they could be wed under the shadow of the moon and sun coming together. It was supposed to be romantic.
Losing himself in his thoughts again, he shook his head back into reality.
He glanced behind his soon-to-be wife and saw her bridesmaids, swiftly shooting them all glares as they simultaneously rolled their eyes. He had hoped his nervousness wasn't that noticeable.
Fixing his gaze back on Erica, he watched as she repeated, without missing a beat, the traditional vows presented by the Justice of the Peace. Lost in her grace, he had never heard a word either of them said.
"Now Mr. Diaz," Marco jumped a little, "if you would repeat after me." Marco nodded.
"I Marco Ubaldo Diaz,"
Shakily, Marco reiterated. "-I Marco Ubaldo Diaz."
"In the presence of these witnesses do take you, Erica Catherine Goodman,"
"In the presence of these witnesses do take you Erica Catherine Goodman"
He felt his courage building.
"To be my lawful wedded wife"
"To be my lawful wedded wife"
"From this day forward, to have and to hold"
"From this day forward, to have and to hold"
He remembered how soft she felt.
"For better or for worse"
"For better or for worse"
Everything will be perfect.
"For richer, for poorer"
"For richer, for poorer"
"In sickness and in health"
"In sickness and in health"
He wasn't afraid anymore.
"To forever love and cherish"
"To forever love and cherish"
He was ready.
"Till death do us part"
"From your side, I shall never part." The sentence flowed automatically from his lips. Awkward and random, yet true to the heart, he meant every single word.
"Mr. Diaz, the line is-"
"I know what I said." He stated firmly, gazing back into Erica's eyes adoringly, promoting reddened cheeks from the bride. The official couldn't help but smile at the happy couple.
"Alright, now if we could have both the bride and groom exchange rings please."
Erica was first, pulling a silver wedding band away from her Maid of Honour, she lifted Marco's left hand and slipped it on his fourth finger.
"With this ring, I wed thee, Marco Ubaldo Diaz." she recited.
Marco removing his hand, reached behind him, lightly gripping the diamond ring presented to him by Ferguson.
"The rings are a symbol of the couple's undying love for each other..." The elderly official proclaimed.
Turning back, he gently lifted Erica's hand.
"...A representation that with this token, they are bound together eternally..."
Fumbling slightly, he managed to slide the stunning ring up her finger. The sunlight crossed into the path of one of the red glass panes in the dome. Moon in close pursuit to intercept.
"...Souls intertwined to start a brand new life, not as separate entities, but together as one." He motioned for Marco to speak.
"With this ring, I wed thee, Erica Catherine Goodman."
Lifting the couple's hands, still tangled together, he excitedly proclaimed to the crowd, "By the authority vested in me by the laws of the state of California, I now pronounce you..."
Marco held his breath and closed his eyes. The room was bathed in a soft red glow as the moon began to ease its way in front of the sun.
"Husband and wife!" He reopened them. The man had said something else, but it was inaudible due to the deafening cheering that emanated from the crowd.
And before he could register what the next prompt was, Erica pulled him close towards her, noses practically touching...
Dipped him downwards and planted her lips upon his. He didn't have to hear the Justice of the Peace to understand what he forgot.
The moon had completely shadowed the sun and thus, dyed the room a deep, ruby red.
More cheering, it was absolutely ear-splitting. But all cast aside in the moment. Their faces held together, in close embrace for what seemed to be eternity.
So close together, he could smell her perfume, tasted her sweet lips, he never wanted the moment to perish.
Eventually pulling away, he opened his eyes to see a grinning bride still holding him up. He straightened himself up and gave her a devilish grin.
"Huh?" A look of curiosity strewn across her face.
He bent down and lifted her up, carrying her in true bridal-style, earning a playful swat on the arm and a giggle, as he courageously paraded through the aisle, eyes locked onto hers.
He stopped halfway through the lane and leaned forward to whisper into her ear.
"My turn."
She looked at him for a split second before he met her lips with his. Passionate, yet careful, aggressive yet soft. Hungry for more of her sweet essence. More applause from the crowd.
He detached from her and continued into the hallway, faintly recalling his father yell something about the reception party to an ignorant crowd.
Upon exiting the building, he set her down gently. The moon had begun waning from its position.
"That was, amazing…" She breathed, looking up at the sky, careful to shield her eyes.
Marco turned to look at his beautiful wife. The sunlight was now returning as the moon had completed its job, almost complacent with itself, being able to create such a perfect moment.
"Yeah, it was... perfect." Lost in the moment, he couldn't muster any intelligible comment. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her close. An oncoming stampede of romance-crazed patrons threatened to trample the two in about five seconds.
In the temporary silence, the sun, once again, shone in all its full glory, forcing the darkness to retreat.
And he couldn't stop smiling.
As I said, this is the happier of the two chapters I am posting next however I will hold off on bringing chapter 5 too soon so I can let this one sink in first. I'm that kind of evil.
You may have observed a severe lack of 'recognition' for a certain character. I know who it is, you know who it is, and so who are we kidding? Prepare yourself.
And as always, reviews and comments are deeply appreciated, also PM's are fair game, I promise to reply to each one so long as there's no spam. Above all, stay tuned for the heart crushing counterpart, chapter 5. :)
