behappyhere | [open mingle] I can not overstate it; I will be overjoyed.

Five years.

Five years after the Tower; the portals were still open, the smaller tower still there, but there had been time to heal. Time for the worst of the nightmares to fade, time for things to return to something like normal.

Time enough to finish high school, finish college, and make it to today. The preparations had taken weeks; there were photographs to take, invitations to drop off across multiple worlds, and a thousand other little things to do.

That all led up to now - five years, and now it was the biggest day of Yukiko and Ryoji's lives. The day of their wedding, the first day of the rest of their lives.

Yukiko smiles into a hand mirror, making a few last adjustments to her white kimono.

Then it was time; the car pulled up to Tatsuhime Shrine, and she carefully stepped out, then walked up the stairs.

~*~

After the ceremony, everyone is invited back to the Amagi Inn for a celebration. The dining area has been cleaned and decorated with flowers and streamers, and a large stage has been prepared for the happy couple to sit on. on the floor next to it is a podium with a microphone, and anyone who wishes to offer their toasts to the newlyweds can do so.

Or they can just enjoy the food, and maybe take part in the dance afterwards if they aren’t too shy. Ryoji (in his own traditional kimono) and Yukiko won’t stay up on stage for long, and will go from table to table to make sure everyone is enjoying themselves and offer thanks for everyone’s presence there. It has been a while since they have seen all of their old friends, and though it has been five years since being trapped there, they certainly haven’t forgotten all the people they cared about and the perils they faced together.

But if anyone asks, that’s certainly not why Ryoji is tearing up. Not at all.

((This is a mingle for everyone and anyone! Feel free to come pester the bride and groom while they prepare for their big day, and socialize during the ceremony and reception!))

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[switching to action in comments because reasons]

[Yukiko couldn't stop smiling if she tried. Everything so far has gone off without a single hitch, and she feels like she can finally let out the breath she feels like she's been holding since she first got home. If something was going to happen, it would happen that day, but...no.

She might be tearing up a little herself, but she isn't sad. Nothing could be further from the truth.]

[If Yukiko is holding her breath, Ryoji will take care of her until she's certain she can release it. He's been by her side continuously, even after the ceremony, just so he can protect her.

It had taken them so long to get their happiness back, and he knew that Yukiko deserved it more than anything. He wouldn't let that be taken away now... so if he panics a bit when he sees her tearing up, that may be why.

He squeezes her hand and looks over at her.]

It's okay... Yukiko, it's okay.

I'm not sad in the slightest.

[She reaches up and carefully dabs at her eyes.]

I'm crying because I don't think I've ever been happier. Everything that happened has led up to this, and I - I knew I'd be happy, but I didn't know I'd be this happy.

I don’t think I knew either. It’s… not at all like what I imagined. It’s even better.

[It’s been such a long road, and Ryoji’s amazed they made it this far. He never wanted to admit it, but he’d hoped that Yukiko would be the woman he had the joy of marrying, and here his dreams had come true.]

So. No regrets?

It's like - no. It is a dream come true.

[She shakes her head and giggles.]

Not once, not ever.

[He laughs too.]

I never expected we’d have a fairytale ending like this. Especially with the way we got together.

[Yukiko smiles, looking around the room.]

I think it's better than a fairytale. We've been through so much, fought so hard for this, and it's that much sweeter for it.

You’re right about that. Everything we made through… it just made us stronger, didn’t it? I wouldn’t have wanted you to go through that… but I guess if I love you this much, it isn’t so bad.

[Plus they have so many friends to share this moment with now.]

If I could have stopped it, even for a minute, I would have. I just -

[She gets choked up for a second.]

- I'm so proud of you. Of us. Of every single one of us.

[She gestures around the room.]

We wouldn't be here without everyone.

I’m proud of you too.

[He seems to think of something and chuckles.]

You put it much more eloquently than I would have. Maybe you should be up there making a toast for our friends?

[He knows it’s mainly for toasts to the happy couple, but they can ignore tradition once in a while.]

You think I should? I can certainly try...

I think you should give it a try! I’ll be here to help if you need, so don’t worry.

A-all right.

[She clears her throat and claps to get everyone's attention.]

I know today is about celebrating the two of us, but I'd like everyone here to take a minute to celebrate yourself. We wouldn't be here today without you, and we can't thank you enough.

[Ryoji takes her hand while she makes her speech, smiling warmly.]

We’ve all been through a lot, but since it meant meeting all of you and becoming friends… I wouldn’t trade any of it. We have to thank you, for being there for us and finding the good in this experience.

[The finer details that Waver had agonized over regarding how to destroy the Grail didn't really matter now. It had been seen to and Waver himself had only narrowly avoided the magical version of a death sentence. To say that the now thirty-two-year-old Lord El-Melloi II was feared and respected as a direct result might have been an understatement.]

[But that was there and this was here. And here he was just Waver Velvet, in a black suit with a forest green vest and tie--sunglasses perched on his head and ponytail (with one or two strands of gray) tied exactly as usual. With the worst of things behind him, Waver might have even looked a little less severe and a lot less overworked.]

[The inn was pleasant, but he still didn't speak a single word of Japanese--he'd have felt out of place if he didn't know for a fact he was far from the most out of place among their party. Parallel worlds tended to have that effect.]

[No, Waver certainly isn't the most out of place. Even Yukiko's friends from home have some odd quirks to them, so paired with the rest of the group from Animus, Waver almost fits in.

Ryoji comes around to his table just after dinner, smiling warmly.]

I'm glad you could make it.

Of course I made it. [He offered a hesitant smile, like Waver was still getting used to the gesture itself even after five years.]

You look well, Ryoji.

I feel well. Everything’s been better than I imagined since the Tower. I… really can’t believe we made it this far.

[His own smile is genuine, glad to have this moment as well as people he cares about to share it with.]

[No need to worry; Yukiko has gotten a good grasp on English during her time away.]

I'm so glad you could make it.

[open mingle] I can not overstate it; I will be overjoyed.

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