Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

The Proposal

• Reki definitely wanted to marry you way before he actually proposed; had the ring for months and everything. Mans only waited so long to ask because he was nervous as hell, and oblivious as shit to how into him you are. He convinced himself you wouldn’t be ready, or you wouldn’t be able to afford it, or you’d just realize he’s lame and say no. (In reality you would have said yes months ago.)
• Literally begged anyone who would listen for advice. Shadow told him to man up and just fucking ask you already. Cherry told him not to overdo it, that something small and classy can be very special. Joe told him the opposite, that “chicks dig that kind of stuff”, and to go big or go home. Miya just said that marriage was stupid and cliche. In the end, Langa was the most helpful without even trying, saying, “Just do what she likes.” 
• Makes a day of shit you like to do. Rides you around on the back of his skateboard with your arms around him even though you have your own, shows and teaches you some of his cool new tricks, brings you to the beach to play around in the water, buys you ice cream on the shore, etc. Lowkey forgets about the plan because it’s just fun, until you ask what today was all about at the skate park at night, and he gets all sheepish. 
• “I was sorta gonna ask earlier, but…”

• Made your engagement ring. I highkey think Reki’s creativity and inventions spread way beyond skateboarding, and he could definitely do it. It’s not some gorgeous, luxury thing, but it’s made from a piece of one of his boards, a thin metal band, and he literally made it. 

Members of the Wedding

• Reki’s got too many fucking friends man.
• He’s absolutely the type to invite anyone he’s been close to like, ever. 
• The wedding will probably end up being on the bigger sign, just because Reki is an outgoing person with a lot of friends. His groomsmen are probably Joe, Shadow, Miya, and Oka, plus a few other close friends from school or skating. I think he’d invite Cherry, but Kaoru would probably end up politely declining because of all the things involved in being a groomsman (activities, publicity, etc.), but he’d probably offer to be involved in another way. 
• Personally I headcanon that Reki’s father isn’t in the picture. His mother is a single mom, and he doesn’t really have a huge father figure, besides the older members of the sk8 crew. Langa would definitely be his best man, though. 
• I like to think that Reki would be with someone a little more outgoing, so you’d probably have a bigger wedding party as well (although he would be just as happy with someone more introverted). Roughly 5-6 people, mainly close friends, siblings, cousins, etc. Even if you don’t have a ton of people to involve in your wedding party, I think you’d definitely be close with his siblings as well, so I can see one of your bridesmaids being his oldest younger sister. 
• Your maid of honor is probably a sister or cousin or close friend; just a pretty typical thing. 
• I like the idea of his youngest sisters being your flower girls, and they probably would be, even if they were a little on the older side when you finally tied the knot. 

Pre-Festivities

• Look. This took all kinds of convincing to pull off. Cherry absolutely pulled his wedding weight here, because bribing Oka into letting them use the workshop of Dope Sketch for the day/night cost way too much; money and pride. (At this point in life, Oka literally owns it and Reki is the manager, and Oka would have let Reki use it just because he cares and he’s nice, but Cherry started offering things like exclusive tickets to concerts and trips to personal masseuses and well… Oka might have gotten carried away).
• The idea is finally letting Reki have his dream of designing boards for all of his closest friends, and this begins really well, with everyone talking, hanging out, eating snacks and checking out/choosing cool equipment and shit. And then alcohol gets involved, and suddenly everyone 100% believes they can design and make skateboards too. And then they take those horribly put together skateboards and ride them, while trying to teach Reki’s non-skating friends how to skate. It’s a mess that Oka is also a part of, and ends with them waking up in various places inside and outside the shop. 
• It’s the height of the summer in Okinawa- you’re spending your bachelorette at the beach. You and your bridesmaids and maid of honor end up getting a hotel for a weekend and staying by the sea-side in Okinawa. Most of your time is spent checking out good food by the shore and trying your hand at surfing, because it can’t be that different from skating, can it? (Turns out it is. You were stupid. And at least your skateboard isn’t clipped to your leg.) 

Planning

• First and foremost, though there are a lot of people invited and coming, you and Reki don’t make a ton of money. You are very happy where you’re at, but this isn’t a luxurious, expensive wedding either. 
• The wedding is definitely held at one of those beautiful garden scape venues. It’s a perfect mixture of modern and traditional, because many of the decorations and architecture are designed in traditional Japanese styles, but there’s much more room for variation in your wants and plans. 
• Reki’s is very specific about finding one with an actual Shinto shrine in it, though, and making sure you are married in front of it, even if it means a little reworking. I absolutely think Reki is a little superstitious when it comes to ceremonies and spirits and things, and while he’s not in a constant state of “bringing honor to his family”, he does look up and refuse to have your wedding on butsumetsu, because of its unluckiness as a day, and he wants some things done in specific ways. 
• Very helpful and involved in the planning. Despite the previous statement, I wouldn’t say he’s controlling, just picky about certain things. Beyond that, it’s a lot of tossing out ideas and responding to yours eagerly. 
• I’m picturing the actual ceremony outdoors, in front of a Shinto shrine, surrounded by greenery and sakura trees and sculpted topiary bushes, and then the reception is held inside with a much more Western feel to it than the ceremony. 
• The garden itself is definitely more 7th generation Japanese. There’s a beautiful stone pond next to the shrine, and there’s a worn path that leads to it that essentially becomes the “aisle”. This is lined with small metal lanterns, though the only one who actually “walks down the aisle” is you, since there’s no seating outside to protect the grounds. 
• Your reception hall is indoors, in a room with several long tables and huge, ceiling-to-floor windows so you can continue enjoying the outdoors. You and Reki have your own separate table on a raised platform in front of all the guests.
• Everything inside is decorated in mostly rich reds and various browns, from light to dark. The ceiling has ornate glass lights, but they also hung some round, paper lanterns to give a more warm feel. 
• There are flowers lining the centers of the long tables, the end of your separate table, and acting as centerpieces on the actual food-holding banquet tables to the side. These are a mixture of things that are in season, but they’re a lot of reds, purples, and pinks, with some whites thrown in. 
• There is a dance floor, and a music system that can hook up to CDs, phones, etc. This is very small, only used closer to the end of the night, and isn’t used by many, but you and Reki really wanted it, and the background music is nice even without any dancing. 
• So honestly I know it’s tradition to simply give money as gifts, but Reki would want actual wrapped gifts so badly and it’s very cute. Your invitations would make it abundantly clear that all gifts are accepted, monetary or otherwise, and while most people still bring monetary gifts, most of the bridal party and a few others contact you both and bring actual gifts. Although you do have to put your foot down to prevent Reki from literally opening the gifts in front of everyone like it’s a damn birthday party. (He’s just too excited lol)
• I love the idea that you both made your hikidemono, or the “thank you” gifts you give to your guests for attending. It’s something you can share and do together, and you both are incredibly creative, so it’s something you like anyways. In order to dissuade him from literally making and giving out tech decks, you spun little bowls yourself and he painted them. And then you bullied Joe into making sweets for you to fill them with at a discount because you and Reki are hella artistic but you’re trash at cooking, especially desserts. 
• Reki definitely became more and more nervous leading up to the wedding, but the day of, as soon as he saw you, he was calm and serene and peaceful, like he’d never felt more right. 

The Wedding

• The wedding is a mixture of traditional Japanese ceremony and modern traditions. Like, you walk down the aisle, but you perform the tradition of san-san-kudo, or taking 3 sips of sake, and your parents doing the same. You exchange rings and offer something to the gods, placed on the shrine, and then seal the ceremony with a kiss. You and Reki wear traditional kimono for the ceremony, but everyone else can wear whatever they please (including the bridesmaids and groomsmen), as long as it’s formal.
• You actually rent your traditional kimono and purchase your formal wear, since you have the option to. It’s cheaper, and you’ll wear the formal wear more anyways.
• Reki’s kimono is the stereotypical ceremonial kimono with the black and white pinstriped bottom, black haori, and white undergarments. He is not wearing his headband, because it’s not formal, and it’s just not happening. I feel like Reki would grow his hair out to roughly Joe’s length as he ages anyways, but more than likely he’d have it down and loose. It’s way less messy and unkempt without the headband though, and it’s all soft and windswept and effortlessly pretty. I also think he’d add something special to his ceremonial clothes because he can’t be plain or he’ll die. I can see him using a red, floral obi belt or something like that. Afterwards his actual suit is black, with a pale pink undershirt, except Reki is absolutely a “wears only the suit vest and no jacket with the sleeves rolled up to the forearms” type of guy. 
• Your kimono has an all white underdress, but the haori stands out beautifully. It matches Reki’s obi belt, because yes, Reki is a little outside the box, but he’s not completely stupid, and he wants you to be happy. Your haori is a brilliant red and covered in the same floral pattern as Reki’s belt. The pattern is like traditional Japanese arts, splashes of fantastic blues and pinks and purples detailing all sorts of flowers from head to toe, beige colored clouds in the background. Your actual wedding dress becomes this all white dress with a fuller skirt, a sweetheart neckline, and off-the-shoulder sleeves that start in the middle of your bicep and go to your wrists. The sleeves are completely sheer, puffy, and covered in lace designed leaves. This same lace covers the faux corseted bodice and tapers off onto the skirt. You don’t wear a traditional headdress, but your hair is in a low updo and just perfectly decorated with an array of flowers. 
• Your engagement ring was made by Reki, but your actual rings were purchased. His is a thicker, gold band with small stones set all around the circle of it, where yours is a thinner gold band with gradient stones set at the front of it, small to largest to small. 

The Reception 

• Reki is way too quick to get his kimono off. They’re just definitely on the heavier side and he wants to have more room to be himself. Still doesn’t don an infamous headband, though I can definitely see you tying his hair back with a band. 
• Did not stick to the norm in the slightest- ya’ll had a lot more food than is typically served in traditional Japanese weddings. I don’t think Joe would cater it, because the venue does it and because lowkey Joe is fucking expensive, but the food is still pretty fantastic. A wide spread of all sorts of sushi, noodles, soups, etc.
• Sort of a dive straight from the wedding into a sort of 2pm lunch. After this comes cutting the cake, and then speeches are done while cake and drinks are being served and eaten. Then comes the thanks for coming, and from there it’s just a lot of mingling and drinking. There wasn’t an open bar (of fucking course not, not with all the people there- Cherry would take half the bill in wine anyways) but after probably 2 drinks on the wedded couple you could simply purchase more. 
• Your cake was pretty pricey, but Reki would have felt horrible if everyone didn’t get a piece. It was a large, three-tiered cake with 3 flavors: chocolate, vanilla, and marbled. It was decorated pretty simply, with gradient edible pearls from the tops of the tiers, down to a plain edible ribbon at the bases. Reki also handed out the pieces himself because it felt more personal that way. 
• The speeches were equal parts comical and sweet. It’s no surprise that yours and Reki’s closer friends were a little too funny with their commentary. There were a lot of horrible stories told about you, especially about the earlier days of your relationship, when you were awkward and embarrassed. Joe talked about catching you making out several times and being grateful you finally got your own place. One of your best friends read off old messages you’d sent gushing about finding a guy you really liked. 
• Some of the sweeter ones included Langa’s, which was surprising and honestly probably unintentional. He talked about feeling like he had no one when he first moved, and how Reki saved him from that, and how Reki saves everyone from that feeling, and that he was glad Reki finally found someone who could save him from his self sacrificing stuff. He also didn’t understand why everyone seemed so touched. Reki’s grandmother wanted to speak and Reki helped her up to do so. She talked about how lovely it was to have someone who influenced and encouraged her Reki’s creativity. 
• There was also the tradition of writing a letter to one’s parents and presenting them gifts, which you both did. You personally thanked Reki’s mother for creating and raising such a fantastic man, and she literally cried. 
• Another situation where the elders left earlier, leaving the younger generation to cut loose and hang out. More people danced than you anticipated, including Shadow, who was called a chicken until he did, and Cherry, who was cut off from alcohol until he danced once with you. 

HIGHLIGHTS

It was such a good thing Oka wasn’t there. Gone for the weekend at that concert Cherry had gifted him in order to shut down shop for a night. More importantly, not here to see the disaster that was this party. 

It honestly hadn’t started this way! Reki had been confused when his wedding party had picked him up and brought him down the familiar roads to his workplace, but then Joe was opening the doors and bringing him to the workshop in the back, already decked out in set ups of tools, design books and more, it clicked. 

He got to sketching right away, explaining the ins-and-outs of skating and boards to his old high school friends while the others explored the shop, checking out the new things in stock. His school friends’ boards had been easy enough to plan out, since they weren’t very particular. Simple designs with some fun colors and interesting decals, but nothing too crazy. His more skate-friendly groomsmen, however? 

Miya needed something smaller, more compact and made for dexterity and trick work rather than motion. But it also had to be personal to himself, and something that would aid in his skating to make it easier and better. It was also while Reki was building Miya’s board that one of his high school friends broke out a bottle of something strong. 

It only took the explanation that it was strawberry flavored before everyone was trying it, and if at the end of designing Miya’s board Reki added a pair of blue cat ears to the front of it, well, they could blame it on the alcohol. 

It was when they got to Cherry’s board that things went downhill. Reki had asked about incorporating Carla into the board by leaving space for a chip, and Cherry had immediately responded, “That isn’t how she works . There isn’t a single chip , wiring runs through the entire board.” 

Of course, Joe had decided to chime in, saying that it couldn’t be that complicated, and before he knew it, Reki had been damn near kicked out of his spot in order to make room for the bickering pair, arguing over who could create a better board. 

Not that Reki minded too much, wanting to rest his sore hands and join in on the circle of drinking in the corner. Another couple swigs and getting Langa to chug for a few seconds later, and Reki found himself sitting on a chair, staring at an old pink shirt with Langa, growing emotional over their years in high school. He could still remember all the scolding from Oka- 

A loud crash came from the other side of the room, and Reki looked up to see one of his friends buried under a pile of shirts and sweaters, claiming he was drowning. A few others were trying to unearth him, but were laughing too hard to get him out. 

Yeah, it was a good thing Oka wasn’t there. 

*** 

You started the wheel again, letting it circle a few times before putting your hands to the clay, covering what had already been airdrying on your fingers with fresh material. You pressed in lightly at the top, pushing inward to create a hole, and pulled it out to make the inside more full. These were supposed to be bowls, after all, even if they were small ones. 

Reki had been the one to come up with the idea: making pieces of your hikidemono instead of just buying the entire thing. And while you were still planning on buying something to fill the bowl with, making a part of your “thank you” gifts just felt more special, like you were personally thanking each person for their time and effort with your own. 

And it was time and effort. These bowls weren’t easy to craft. Thankfully, you got better at them with each one. 

Meanwhile, Reki sat at the table next to you, painting the already finished collection of bowls. You might have chosen that particular job instead of actually crafting them, but Reki had been insistent on painting them. 

“Hey, these are actually starting to look like bowls!” Reki commented, picking a new one up. 

You pouted. “Excuse you! They all look like bowls.” You pushed in just a touch at the base of the bowl you were working on, making the bottom a bit more narrow and causing the top rim to flare outward, giving it a little more flare. You hadn’t been exactly precise with each bowl. They all had their own little designs and personality, even more so when Reki finished painting them. 

Reki picked up one completely finished bowl, painted white with little drawings along the bottom. “This is a very shallow vase.” 

Well, he did have a point. The opening was a tiny bit too narrow on that one. 

“I’ll have you know- wait .” 

Reki froze, looking anxious and confused at the same time. 

“Are those…” you stopped your wheel, coming closer, and Reki paled, pulling the bowl-vase hybrid closer. 

“They’re nothing. Flowers. Sandpipers. Those are flowers, right?” 

You looked at another finished product and gaped. “Have you been painting skateboards on every one of these?” 

Reki’s mouth dropped open, but nothing came out, like his mind went blank, still cradling his bowl. After a moment of lag, he sprung back up, cheeks tinged red. “ No !” he exclaimed defensively, pointing at another bowl, “I put red pandas on that one! And I put hearts on one of them cause you were talking and I got distracted!” 

You set your bowl down, sighing, but smiling all the same, looking at all your finished works. They weren’t perfect, not at all, but they were yours, together. You kissed the top of Reki’s head with a, “I like them.” 

He smiled like a dream, pretty and sweet. 

And then you smeared wet clay across his face, and he jumped up to retaliate with his paint. 

***

Somehow, being officially didn’t feel wildly different, despite literally sitting at the forefront of your wedding, surrounded by family and friends. You didn’t know why you’d been expecting some profound change, but honestly? It felt like a late lunch, just a crowded one, in fancy clothes. 

The food was better than usual, you supposed. You didn’t regularly get sushi this nice. And obviously your finger felt a little heavier with a new ring on it, something you marveled at every once in a while when you caught sight of the gold glimmering under the lights. 

But Reki’s sisters were as crazy as always, shouting at each other from across their table while Reki’s mother scolded them, telling them to act their age. And Langa was still stuffing his face as full of cake as he possibly could without choking himself. 

And Reki was still as enthusiastic as always, talking animatedly with a close friend of his about exactly what his job entailed, and how he was sure he’d have some big break one day and become a famous skateboard designer. And he was still wrapped around you, incapable of not touching you if you were in the immediate vicinity. 

Not only was one of his feet curled around your ankle, but his fingers were entwined with yours, and when his friend thanked him for the conversation and congratulated him on his marriage before taking his leave, Reki leaned his head against your shoulder, as touchy as ever. 

It was almost like a wake up call, at how close to a newlywed couple you had already been, but also a realization in how this was your forever. 

Messy red hair in the mornings that you would tie up for him like you’d done only a few minutes ago so he could wear his favorite headband comfortably, and having his sisters over on the weekends for chaotic board game nights, and skateboarding at dusk when the sky was going a pretty purple and his smile brightened that much more. 

Warm eyes panned up, meeting yours, and he looked slightly concerned. “What’s wrong?” He squeezed your hand, hair already beginning to spill from its ponytail and falling into his eyes. 

You shook your head, mumbling, “Nothing. I just love you. A lot .” 

He paused, almost taken aback, eyes growing wide, and then watery, but his lips broke into a shining grin. He leaned in and kissed you once, then twice, wanting to linger longer but knowing you were surrounded by guests. 

“I love you more ,” he responded, laying his head on your shoulder again.