Epilouge
Cloud took a deep breath, checking himself one last time in the mirror.
"Come on Cloud! We're waiting!" Yuffie said, pounding on the door. Cloud took one last look at himself.
He wore a white three-piece suit, exactly like the groom would wear on his wedding day except for the color. Sephiroth was wearing the traditional groom's clothes, Cloud knew, but hadn't yet seen his lover in the clothes. Yuffie had gone on and on about it was supposedly bad luck for the groom to see his bride in her dress before the wedding and had therefore banned Cloud and Sephiroth from showing the other their outfits.
Sephiroth had invited his family to the wedding- Cloud hadn't bothered, knowing that the only person from his family he would want with him was his late mother. Apparently, Sephiroth's parents had been surprised when he told them he was getting 'married' to a man, but had gotten over it and accepted Sephiroth.
Today, actually, was the first time they were going to meet Cloud.
Cloud turned and walked out of his bedroom, coming face-to-face with Yuffie.
"About time, bride-boy!" she huffed, twirling in her olive-green dress- as this wasn't a traditional wedding and they didn't really have a female bride, they had decided to just invite people to come and watch them exchange vows, but not have a best man, flower girl, or anything like that.
Yuffie had offered to drive Cloud to the garden they would be exchanging vows in, claiming that the bride never drove herself to her wedding and saying that- as Cloud was playing 'bride'- he shouldn't have to either.
"Let's go." Cloud said, smiling as Yuffie skipped ahead of him. He locked the condo behind them, and they were off.
Scene Change
Sephiroth was nervous. he was very rarely nervous, but this was one of the few times.
"Oh, honey, you look wonderful! I'm sure this man of yours will think so too." his mother said, encouragingly patting his back.
"Well, he sure as hell didn't run out on my son- right boy?" Sephiroth's father asked, smiling proudly. "Sephiroth has that old family charm, doesn't he dear?"
"Oh yes- he's as handsome as you were, back in the day... when I first met you..." Sephiroth's mother got a faraway look in her green eyes, her long brown hair being slightly whipped by the wind. She was a tall, thin woman and wore a blue shirt and dress shirt in honor of her son's day. His father had silver hair- some fading to grey, now- and electric blue eyes. He was taller than Sephiroth, but just as broad in the shoulder. He wore a grey suit and a blue tie, to match his wife.
"Back in the day?" he parroted. "Not now?"
"Oh, stop." Sephiroth's mother said, smiling.
The screeching of tires alerted them to the new arrival.
"Sounds like Yuffie's here." Zack said, going to sit next to Aeris.
"She never did learn to drive very well." Tifa said, sighing as she leaned against Barret. "I should have made sure she didn't get into trouble."
"She would have found trouble anyway." Vincent said, sitting down in the front. One by one, all of Cloud's friends, and all of Sephiroth's friends and family sat down. Yuffie was the first to appear, running up.
"He'll be here in a minute." she said in way of explanation, quickly taking a seat beside Vincent.
The crowd was silent for a moment, then the soft sounds of footsteps on the grass alerted them to the arrival of the 'bride'.
Sephiroth's family was shocked by what they saw- a very attractive blonde, dressed completely in white with a stub earring in his ear. He wore a band on his left ring finger, just like Sephiroth.
"That's him? My, my, Sephiroth has got great taste..." Sephiroth's mother whispered as Cloud passed them, vaguely noticing how much of an angel her son's husband looked like.
"Must have inherited that from me. We both have great taste." the father replied, lightly kissing his wife. She smiled, and they both watched as Cloud stood next to Sephiroth and faced the silver-haired man.
As there was no preacher or preist, or holy man of any kind, they went straight to the vows.
"Sephiroth, I've loved you for so long I can't remember when it all started. Maybe it was when I saw you smile, or maybe when I first saw you. I love everything about you- you're an angel, something perfect sent down from Heaven to be with me. I never want to be parted from you- it may be selfish, but I want you to be mine and mine alone. I love you so much." Cloud's blue eyes sparkled in the sun, tears of joy barely being held back.
"I love you too, Cloud. I have no words to tell how much. I, too, forgot when this love for you began, only I know that it will never end. Not even death can stop something as powerful as my love for you. It is not selfish to want me to be yours alone, as long as you are only mine. I am your Sephiroth so long as you are my Cloud." Sephiroth smiled, looking softly at his love. "This is not just for life- it is for eternity. Can you promise me that?" Cloud nodded.
"Yes- I can." With that, Sephiroth pulled out a ring from his pocket as Cloud pulled one from his. Together, they placed the rings on the other's ring finger, identical platinum bands with a gold line in the center. As one, they kissed, chastly because they were in front of family as well as friends.
When they broke apart, it was dead silent for a few seconds until Zack let out a whoop.
"Congratulations!" he said, clapping. Everyone else joined in, some of the woman crying at the sweetness of the vows.
Cloud and Sephiroth just smiled at each other as they walked to mingle with the crowd as the entire group slowly drifted back to the picnic tables they had set up earlier, dish after dish piled on top.
Sephiroth's parents, however, walked up to the newlyweds.
"So you're Cloud! Sephiroth told us so much about you!" Sephiroth's mother exclaimed, pulling the blonde into a hug. "Take care of my son- and welcome to the family!"
"You snagged a good one there- take care of him." Sephiroth's father said, smiling at Cloud. Cloud just grinned and nodded.
"Thank you." he said, as the Sephiroth's parents turned and walked to the picnic tables.
"I'm glad they're okay with it." Cloud said. Sephiroth squeezed his hand lightly.
"Why wouldn't they be? You're my choice- I'd have stayed even if they had been against it."
"And I love you all the more for it." Cloud said, leaning lightly against his husband.
Cloud wasn't sure, but for a just a moment he was sure that he felt his mother's presence.
'I love you, my son. I'm very happy for you.' the wind seemed to say.
Cloud grinned as the wind played with his hair, tousling the blonde locks.
'Thank you, mother.' he thought, continuing with Sephiroth to the picnic tables.
As Cloud piled food on top of a plate, he realized how perfect his life was. He had everything he wanted- and he owed it all to a dumb bet he lost one day in high school.
Thinking back now, he's really happy he made that bet. He wouldn't change it for the world.
End
Done! Hope you all enjoyed it!
And for Kingdom Hearts fans, I'm in the process of writing a SoraRikuSora and AxelRoxasAxel fic!
Bye-bye.