Archive of Our Own

He doesn't know what started it exactly, maybe the exhaustion, which has been wearing him down for a while now, maybe the sensation of Wataru's arms pulled tight around him, the only thing that seems to help against it, maybe the way the other seems to always be ready to greet him with a fond smile when he surfaces once again from a light nap. Maybe the fact that he has been thinking of it all week, in between sipping on Piña Coladas and cold ocean water running through the gaps between his toes. If he turns his head slightly, he can watch the sun set in a beautiful marriage of oranges and violets. But Wataru's face is right there, and more beautiful, so he doesn't.

That reminds him. "Wataru," he starts, hating the way the name scratches along his throat. He's been forced to wear his nasal cannula again, and the experience inexplicably leaves not only his tracheae dry, but the entire area surrounding it as well. Wataru smiles a little in response, though he stays silent otherwise, evidently waiting for Eichi to continue. "I would like to discuss the manner of our wedding ceremony."

There is no greater actor in the world than Hibiki Wataru, of that Eichi is sure; and yet he think he can see a minute change in the other's expression, some sort of shift in the light of his eyes in response to the words. Eichi in turn feels his palms grow sweaty.

"It is a big occasion even in the least influential of families, and as you well know mine is anything but." he continues, entirely aware that Wataru already knows everything he is about to speak about, but at the same time unable to give up the comfort of listening to his own voice, which has always had the effect of allowing him to calm his thoughts, remove his personal investment in a situation somewhat through rhetoric. Talking isn't the difficulty; words are cheap. Silence has always shown to cost him way more.

"Add to this the unique position we find ourselves in as idols, and furthermore as representatives of ES. Idealists would speak of the sanctity of the private, of the importance inherent to the emotional symbol that is two hands clasped together, outside of any expectations not belonging to the individuals at hand. But," He adjusts the thin tube snaking around his ear, and allows Wataru to rest his hand on his nape once he is done. "I have not been afforded the luxury of idealism, and so I of course have to consider the implications of every decision made around the festivities. You will be able to follow the line of reasoning when I speak of the guest list as a politically expedient act I am sure; we will have to draw up lists of possible alliances to be strengthened and opportunities to be harvested. Think of the offense negliently caused by letting the Prime Minister sit next to the leader of the opposition, or tennou next to the American delegate."

"Or Rei next to his darling brother." Wataru adds, nodding thoughtfully.

Eichi actually thinks that choice in particular would present a decently fun prank played on his friend, whose annoyance might grow into outright frustration by the time the reception starts, therefore leading to the possibility of Rei being shoved into the cake. But maybe Wataru is right, and he should put Mao in between the two of them. "Exactly," he agrees now. "and given we represent not only ourselves, not only fine, not only Starpro but also Ensemble Square as a whole, there needs to be put thought into every detail of the occasion. Who will our caterer be? Who will we wear? Who will our flower girls wear? Do I allow my mother to organize a two hour jet spectacular in celebration? Will we find ourselves with the need of an additional ceremony, this time at a temple, to keep our relations with the monks friendly? Do we-"

"Eichi," Wataru interrupts, gently. "These are of course all manners of great importance. But don't you think you might enjoy discussing them better once you feel a little better? You may rest tonight, and if you so wish it, I will whisk us away come tomorrow! ...To a wedding planner."

Eichi frowns, displeased by the notion Wataru would know his health better than he does. 'Tomorrow' is another day removed from the proposal, just like every other day has been before it, building up to nearly one and a half years since Wataru fell to his knees for the second time, now with a ring instead of a mask, in an empty rainy street after a worldshattering performance instead of on a rooftop. Eichi plays with said ring now, lets his thumb run over the small stone inlaid in a simple golden band, secret message punctuated by two doves holding a heart on the inside. Wataru had saved up for it with the money earned through his thespian endeavours, and while his question had been answered with a 'Yes', they haven't talked about their plans ever since, not really. He now feels a great big urgency grow monstrous behind him, sitting on his neck and threatening to break it. How is he to make Wataru understand that it feels like he may speak now, or forever hold his peace?

He is aware of the fact that Wataru has been studying his face in the silence that preceded, and makes no attempts to keep him from tightening his embrace, even though truthfully it feels sort of dizzying, touching everywhere like this. "Or maybe indulging in beautiful daydreams for just a tiny bit is the remedy to the vile spirits raging inside of you right this moment." Wataru murmurs, so close that Eichi sort of wishes he had not brought up the topic after all, and they could just be melting their lips together instead. Not that Wataru would have allowed that to go much further either, naturally.

"I don't think I can let you wear a dress." he answers, aware of how the words sounds. "At least not until the reception."

"Amazing! Splendiferous! Had it been any other trying to cage this free spirit like this, I might have stormed and raged and become large as a house to defend my freedoms! But with you, the only thing I feel is the gladness for the certainty of the leash, the comfort of belonging... ♪" Wataru's smile softens the words further. "Can I at least make Tomoya-kun wear one?"

Eichi considers that. It is of course important not to destroy any ES idol's image for the sake of their wedding, but ra*bits hardly presents a big player to begin with, and Tomoya's neotenous, puerile charms are the only thing he can imagine his fans appreciating him for anyhow. Plus, his apparent distate for crossdressing, while counter-intuitive to his stage aspirations, in turn makes the humiliation taste even sweeter. "I suppose so." he answers. "I was thinking how lovely cute Tori and Hajime-kun would be as flower girls anyhow, so we could add Mashiro-kun to their numbers~"

"Oho!" Wataru's countenance reminds suddenly of a great mischievousness, light hair framing a face dotted with cheeky shadows. "And what about your former right hand man? I think he would make the most beautiful flower girl of them all..."

While the picture of Keito in a frilly dress throwing flowers about surrounded by a handful of younger idols makes him smile, he answers Wataru's question with a stern shake of the head. "I've always assumed he would be the one guiding me when it came to my death, so I suppose I would think of him as the one leading me to the altar, to give me away, as well." He realizes the truth of the words only once he's spoken them out loud, feeling like he has let go of a secret he had been carefully nursing close to his heart for decades. Wataru, to his credit, does not comment on the sudden shine in his betrothed's eyes.

"How impressive, how enviable, to be able to answer this important question so easily!" he exclaims instead. "Personally I've been torn on the matter for weeks and weeks, tossing, turning, keeping my lovely birds awake, who peck at my skin to voice their displeasure! I have four, no maybe six, (or even seven!) lovely souls I would ask for the task, and am hesitant to decide! But then again two of them would rather die, and two others would do it with the most heartrendering of annoyance, which is worse, and one is a flower girl now, so that leaves two! But how shall I decide? I flip coin after coin and every single one of them lands on their spine! Oh, the horror ♪ "

Eichi is pretty sure they both know who will be chosen in the end, so he allows himself to wonder at the reaction he will get from Keito once he shares the news with him. At least two incorrigibles for sure. "I am sure the great Hibiki Wataru will not let such a small trifle defeat him~"

"Of course not!" Wataru forehead feels cool against his as the other manages to scoot even closer. "Say..." he whispers. "If I am not to wear any of the dozens of dresses so thoughtfully already sent to your family's estate by their various designers, will you at least allow me the honour of jumping out of the cake? Oh! I could also arrive by having my trust betrayed, and being thrown out of my own balloon... Imagine Hibiki Wataru, amateur magician, novice meteor..."

"Wataru has so many demands." Eichi responds, fighting against the dryness of his mouth to make the words sounds sufficiently sweet. "Maybe he can try bribing me~"

"Trust me to jump into the shark-infested waters right this moment, no snorkel required, and to find the lost city of Atlantis, and to then pull it to shore, lay it right at my beloved's feet so he may trample it!"

Sometimes Wataru can be sort of frustrating. "I think a kiss would suffice..."

"Can a bribe really be considered such if it takes nothing from the one in desperate straits, and might even taste to him like honey? What a conundrum ♪" Wataru punctuates the words with a quick peck to Eichi's lips, so fleeting it might as well not have happened at all. Eichi answers by following the other's lips, swallowing Wataru's amused chuckle as they embrace once more, one strong hand steady on the back of Eichi's head while Wataru licks along his bottom lip.

"We could have a mock cake." Eichi finally acquieces some time later. The room suddenly feels stuffier than before, air thick as water as he tries to breathe in first through his mouth, disappointment settling in as he realizes he will have to rely on the tubes for the time being. He is not sure why he assumed kissing Wataru would suddenly make him better, just that he desperately believed it would be so. "I do not want to make an enemy of the frenchmen who are supplying the real one. At least not yet."

"A mock cake! But one would be sort of lonely wouldn't it ♪ We should have dozens of them, hundreds, so that every guest gets their own cake to jump out of! I would never think to keep such pleasure selfishly, to myself..." Wataru's eyes narrow, his smile growing sharper. "There's only one of those I will do that for ♪"

Sometimes Wataru can be very frustrating, especially when he won't follow up on his innuendos. "Such a big entrance should be kept special." Eichi muses, trying not to let it bother him. "There's only one bride after all."

"Oho! So you think of me as the 'bride'? Amazing... ☆"

He supposes he does, even though the thought has never occured to him until that moment. "When I was a child, the word 'marriage' always presented the necessary social contract between a man and a woman, or rather their families, in order to ensure a continuation of the legacy of their bloodlines, and the propagation of wealth. I've always known my mother and father, as much as they may have tried to love me, did not hold such feelings towards one another."

Wataru untwists the ruly tube behind his ear before Eichi can get to it. "So are you saying that we are getting married in order to continue our names only then?" he asks, with the sort of breezy tone that makes it obvious he knows the answer already.

"? No. That's absurd."

"So why are we getting married then? Eichi."

Eichi frowns, annoyed that he has to voice a truth both of them share already, a truth he personally has lived for longer than one and a half years now, possibly ever since he first laid eyes on the other. He still does it, quietly, lips so close to Wataru's ears they touch it on the last syllable. Wataru's ensuing happy smile nearly makes up for the way all of Eichi's blood seems intent on congregating in his face now.

"We should talk about the seating arrangements." he says, sounding stupid even to his own ears.

Wataru indulges him, possibly because he was indulged so heavily just now. Possibly because Wataru loves him. "And what better way to do so than to rely on visualization! Behold, our guests!"

At the clap of Wataru's hands, a hill of shiny dark pebbles starts growing between them, first small, but still growing larger, larger, until it's too big for them to stay embracing, until they have to scoot away from one another to make space. Eichi thinks that he shouldn't have said anything as he contemplates the pieces lying in the space in between the two of them now. There are definitely enough to satisfactorily plan out the seating arrangements for their hypothetical guests, though the uniform colouring of the small stones would make differentiating between them difficult. He looks back up at Wataru, who is still smiling. "Wataru." he says.

"Yes?"

Eichi picks up one of the pieces, lets Wataru look at it. "If we consider this to be Itsuki-kun, wouldn't it be fitting to give him a more personal colour than this dull black? I'm sure he'd feel wounded if he knew he was being represented by this~"

"And as we all know, you do care a lot about not causing grievous harm to Shu's emotional state." Wataru nods enthusiastically, making a white feather fall out of his hair and land on the mattress. "But nevermind just that, just this, furthermore, Eichi! Already making demands of this toiling and turning Hibiki Wataru again, and without any praise for work well done in the first place~ Ah, to have a heart so unbothered by petty concerns, so entirely naive, so cute..." His hands are warm when they close around Eichi's, and his face suddenly again so close that Eichi's heart starts beating a little more quickly, with the expectation of being kissed once more. His eyes fall to Wataru's lips.

"Now then~" Wataru whispers, the words winding along Eichi's skin. "In order to make magic happen one must of course follow the rules. 'What rules?' you ask? It doesn't matter! Any will do for us." When Eichi raises his gaze again he realizes Wataru has been looking at him all along. "Eichi," the other says. "would you count with me?"

"I would do anything you ask of me." Eichi answers without hesitation, earning himself a chuckle.

"You do repeat that quite often, don't you... At some point I may even dare to believe it's the truth!" Wataru continues before Eichi has a chance to reiterate: "But first, our numbers! I will start: One!"

"...Two." Eichi adds, with less enthusiasm.

"Three! Voilá!" Wataru blows his breath across his hands, still wrapped around Eichi's. Not for much longer though, and when it is freed Eichi drops his gaze to the piece in his palm, sparkling rosé, elegant golden lines in a handwriting that is neither of theirs spelling out the name 'Itsuki Shu'. Much the same has happened to the remaining stones on the bed, each now sporting their own unique colour, a cornucopia of them, a complicated rainbow congregation of pebbles. He scoops up the ones representing Tori, Hajime, Tomoya and Keito, as they would be standing close to them at the altar, then on second thought does so for Yuzuru as well, who would refuse to be parted from his ward. The pieces inscribed with the names of industry moguls, share holders, politicians and other relatively boring occupations he pushes to the side. He could hire someone to seat those.

"The first row would necessarily be closest friends and family." he elaborates as he pushes the colours of the former eccentrics around. "I've been thinking of putting Mao in between the Sakuma brothers, but he would probably miss the rest of Trickstar... Or maybe he wants to sit next to Sengoku-kun instead? But then that would conflict with Ayase-kun's interests, and I am sure Ryuseitai wants to sit together as well, so one has to wonder if instead of first row Shinkai-kun would rather sit with them... Ah, but then Chiaki, I do want in first row as well, since we need to balance the scales between your friends and mine. He could sit next to Amano-chan, though her fiancé is know to be quite easily jealous, so maybe Toriko-chan could sit next to her instead, if she decides to even appear-"

"Hm-hmm." Wataru continues smiling. "Do go on~"

Eichi is about to, until he isn't. "...You're waiting for me to realize that this is too complicated to work out in one evening, especially when I am in a less than ideal physical condition, and that I should rest instead, ideally by going to sleep, aren't you?"

Wataru is still smiling. "Amazing, the amount of meaning you seem to be able to extract from three and a half words, which were simply meant to encourage you! Some would say what you are doing is projecting your own perhaps unwanted thoughts on a safer canvas, so you can use me as a means of allowing yourself to 'slow down'! Some being of course neither you nor me... Eichi, I would never dare to imply I don't love the sound of your voice just as well as you do yourself, but I do think you deserve to rest!"

Wataru truly doesn't need to tell him. Every breath he takes through the tubes already reminds him of the fact that he is currently weak and in need of gentle handling. "Then kiss me until I am tired enough to sleep." he pouts in response. To his delight, Wataru just tilts his head, and then slowly nods.

"Once again, one can hardly see the punishment in that request ♪"

In between them a tiny firework happens as the stones explode into confetti one after another. Eichi barely has the time to admire the trick before he is being pulled across the bed, back into Wataru's arms. When he looks up at the other, his hair surrounds them like their own personal canopy. "Let lips do what hands do." he whispers before Wataru can, who blinks, then grins.

"Certainly."

What begins first as a gentle journey along Eichi's throat, then his jaw, then his face, butterfly wing kisses that leave his skin tingling, soon devolves into into touches of a more carnal matter as Eichi opens his mouth under Wataru's, tongues first shyly greeting each other, then becoming more formally acquainted. Speaking without words, Communication on the primal level, until Eichi feels it necessary to pull back a little lest he become entirely breathless, only sound to disturb the comfortable silence his oxygen generator.

"Maybe I will find my desires overriding my good manners and steal you away just for myself." Wataru mumbles. "Riding the winds with great abandon, finding a resting space for us alone somewhere far far away, a moonkissed valley that doesn't even know the power of a name yet~"

"So you'd have it be a secret." Eichi adds, somewhat overwhelmed. "A truth shared only between the two of us."

Wataru kisses him again, sweet feather-touches against the thin skin underneath his eyes. "You misunderstand," he purrs. "to think the woods would be empty of curious souls... A thousand eyes upon us, and then a thousand more! Our audience will be of squirrels, of hedgehogs, of weasels, the birds singing our wedding march while the toads punctuate with their lovely deep exclamations, our dresses made up of butterflies while the fireflies light our way to the altar in the dark, where an owl waits to take our vows~"

Eichi smiles, imagining the owl wearing a pair of glasses, and scolding them when they kiss before expressly told to do so. "And then what happens?"

"You can take the man from the stage, but hardly the stage from the man~ Of course I would fall to my knees, and recite every play ever written, an endurance performance dedicated to my love, until the deer fall asleep standing and the gophers start throwing tomatoes in an attempt to stop me! And then I shall take your hand, and hope you can forgive me the indulgence!"

He would. Of course he would.

"Finally, the curtain falls on love's true kiss and our story ends~ What happens after? Even I don't know, even you wouldn't! The moon watches on as we embrace, two shadows joining their forms into one, and in a hundred years they won't remember our faces, or the sound of your laughter, only our names, for the rabbits wrote down: