Saimatsu Week 2019 Day 6: Wedding
This literally took me four weeks to write and I still think it’s obvious where my speed bumps were. Nevertheless, I hope you all enjoy it. Happy Saimatsu Week <3 ~~I probably won’t post to AO3 until much later tbh~~ @saimatsuweek
It was so close to midnight, the freeway was mostly clear of traffic, enabling a quick, smooth drive. Shuichi held one of Kaede’s hands clasped in his own, in her lap. Despite how she leaned her forehead against the window, she bounced their hands gently in her lap.
“Excited?” Shuichi asked.
“Very,” she chirped, lifting her head. “Today, honestly, really was the best day of my life. But it was sooo long and busy. I’m ready to change out of this dress and go to bed with my new husband.” She took in a breath to say something more but instead opted not to.
He squeezed her hand, a playful smile blooming on his face. “Who might that be?”
She broke out in a bubbly fit of childish giggles. “Oh, didn’t you hear? I married you today. Weren’t you there for that?”
At the reception earlier, she’d gone around to all her lady friends to tell them the news as if she hadn’t personally invited them to the ceremony. They’d gotten over a dozen congratulations, many of them tearful — she hadn’t expected Miu to be on her best behavior, not to mention cry so much. Even Kaito held back tears while he gave a brief speech at their request. Shuichi’s aunt and uncle told her that they were proud to welcome her into their family. Kaede’s parents thankfully weren’t as reserved as they normally were at formal gatherings, although her mother’s attention was mostly aimed at making sure the wedding parties were perfect in every aspect.
Kaede continued, “I’m sorry, I can’t help it. I’m so ecstatic to finally be married.” Her bouncing of his hand picked up in speed.
Shuichi took his hand away to use his blinker, returning it to hers once he had made the first turn off the freeway. “Me, too. I’m still giddy from the ceremony!” His hand took over the bouncing for a moment. “And we’re going to spend the rest of our lives together…”
She lifted his hand to kiss it, leaving a faint mark in lipstick. “It was also really nice of your parents to get us a room in a nice hotel for the weekend. Kind of a shame they were too busy to come.”
“It’s their loss. Uncle filmed the entire thing for them, so they’ll get to watch that, at least.
“But about the hotel, my mother told me the view is gorgeous at sunset. Even though we missed it tonight, we’ve got the rest of the weekend to ourselves.” He breathed a sigh when he cruised into the hotel parking lot. “I can’t wait to get into our room.”
A maroon carpet stretched across the polished white floor of the lobby. Velvet chairs and sofas lounged throughout, surrounding small accent tables donning flower vases bursting with colorful arrangements. The glass of the chandelier set in the ceiling high above twinkled in its own golden light, and even the support beams seemed like an elegant corridor that led straight to the concierge desk. Grand as it was, all of it was a mere foretaste of what newlyweds looked forward to after spending a few minutes checking in.
Shuichi unlocked the door of their suite and let Kaede go in first. She flicked on two switches, which bathed the room in a mellow, warm yellow light coming from two lamps on bedside tables and one larger lamp on a desk across the room. A wooden, cabinet-like closet was set in the left wall of the short hallway, which opened up to the rest of the suite. Kaede stepped off to the right, in front of the door to the pristine white bathroom, to ease the high heels off of her sore feet. Shuichi rolled both suitcases up to the foot of the sprawling king-sized bed before lying down, his body sinking into its soft mattress.
“Ah…” he breathed. “This is heaven already.”
Kaede flopped down beside him. “Ohh, this is nice…” she said. Tilting her head back against the mattress, she looked across the room at the opposite wall, which was almost entirely composed of a window. Half a dozen skyscrapers bejeweled with blue and yellow lights peeked over the top of the long sofa under the window and the desk in front of it. She remarked, “It might be past sundown, but your mom was right about the view.”
“I agree...” was his sleepy reply. She looked over at him to find him staring right at her, simpering with affection. The intensity of his stare, even with a slow blink, made her cheeks redden.
“I still agree that the view is gorgeous.” Shuichi chuckled at how her blush deepened before she sat up, legs over one side of the bed.
“Geez, you can’t just say things like that…” Her scolding words were totally betrayed by her fond tone. Shuichi sat up, too, and leaned over to press his shoulder against hers.
“What? I’m just saying what I think. You know what else I think?” His smile grew into a goofy grin. “I think you look cute when you’re embarrassed.”
Kaede could hardly meet his eyes without a bashful laugh of her own. “Well, I’m glad I don’t need to pay anything to hear your thoughts. I think we should be getting to bed, though. I’m exhausted.”
“And I think that’s a good idea.” Rising to his feet, he swung each suitcase onto the bed, then opened his own, revealing stacks of neatly folded clothes.
Kaede undid her hair bun and combed her fingers through her blonde locks as they fell around her shoulders at last. Then, opening up her suitcase, she changed out of her white wedding gown and into an old tee shirt. After spending all day swapping between several expensive gowns, to wear something cheap and casual felt freeing. She was halfway pulling up the sweatpants she wore to bed when she realized she technically didn’t need to wear bottoms if it was just her and Shuichi, her husband… She pulled them up anyway. It didn’t feel quite right not to wear them at the moment.
Shuichi was kneeling on the sofa, gripping the fabric of the curtains in his hands, having just pulled them closed. He peeked over his shoulder. “Are… you decent?” he asked shyly.
“Yep, I’m good,” she said with a smile of understanding. He simpered right back.
Kaede drew some cotton pads from her suitcase to remove her makeup in the bathroom. Within minutes, she finished, and her husband joined her so they could brush their teeth at the sink together. That done, she shut her suitcase and climbed into bed first, burrowing under the plush comforter. The downy pillow yielded easily under her head as she lay back, and her eyes threatened to fall shut then and there. Meanwhile, Shuichi unpacked his few clothes in the little closet. His suit and her gown hung neatly within already—he had gone through the extra step of packing them away earlier.
At last, he turned off the light and joined her. Snuggling into her open arms, he kissed her forehead and rested his cheek against her chest. Kaede leaned her head forward so their lips could meet in a soft, slow kiss, her hand running up the back of his flannel pajamas and coming to stop at his lower jaw. His heart thumped against her fluttery stomach. He scooted in for a second kiss, bumping noses with her instead. They both chuckled, and she stroked her hand through his hair.
“Hey, thanks for putting my dress in the closet for me. I was so focused on just getting out of it, you know…”
“You’re very welcome, Kaede.” Shuichi’s head rested on her chest again. “By the way, I have some news for you.”
“I’m a married man now. Can you believe it?”
She had to laugh again. “No way. When did that happen?”
“Earlier today, actually. I could have sworn I saw you at the wedding.”
“I don’t know, I had a pretty important engagement planned today myself.”
Shuichi cuddled in closer. “Kaede is my wife… It feels so surreal to say it. My wife…”
Kaede stroked his hair some more. “Better get used to it, sweetheart. You’re stuck with me forever.” She heard him blow a raspberry as his reply before drifting off to sleep with him.
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