“That’s the last of them…” Daichi announced, “Everyone’s gone… Asahi wanted me to tell you to have a glass of water or three before bed if you don’t want a headache tomorrow.” Daichi grinned, looking down to where Koushi had sprawled out on a blanket someone had spread out under the giant tree in their backyard. His eyes were closed, hair mussed, clothes rumpled. It had been a night to remember, for sure.
The fairy lights they’d hung together the day before lit Koushi’s face with a soft golden glow, and in that light, the man was almost angelic with his fair hair and pink cheeks. Daichi had questioned the need for so damn many of the little lights - wouldn’t a few bigger lights have made more sense? - but as soon as the sun had set, he understood. There really was something magical in those lights. Koushi had been right, as he was about a great many things.
“Suga,” he prompted, and then shook his head. How many years had they been together now? How many times had he been gently - and not so gently - reminded to call him Koushi? Habits were hard to break, and Daichi didn’t miss the furrow that drew a vertical line between Koushi’s brows.
“Nuh uh,” Koushi murmured without opening his eyes, fighting the heaviness of alcohol or the exhaustion of the day. Probably both. “Not anymore, sir.” He paused and let a smile spread across his face. A picture of pure content, illuminated in gold. “For real. For keeps.”
And it hit him. Not anymore. As of 5:37 that evening, while the sun was setting, Sugawara Koushi had become Sawamura Koushi. Right here in their backyard. Under this very tree. In front of all their friends and family.
“Sawamura-san?” Daichi offered, mostly as a joke, though that was…
Koushi’s eyes opened and he sat up, propped on his elbows. His nose wrinkled as the wheels in his head whirred. “Well, that’s just weird,” he finally decided.
Half a heartbeat passed as they looked at one another in silence. Koushi was the first to break, giggling in that infectious way he had, and it wasn’t long before Daichi joined in and the two of them were laughing in earnest.
“You’re gonna have to get used to it…” Daichi finally rebuffed.
“I will, I will,” Koushi sniffed, making the first futile attempt to get to his feet, “But from you, just all of a sudden like that… it’s weird!”
“Uh huh,” Daichi deadpanned, taking the few steps needed to reach his new husband, “weird.”
“It is! And it’s your name, too! So maybe you’re just talking to yourself. How will I know?”
“Right, because that’s something I do. Address myself in third person. By name. Formally.”
“I don’t know all your secrets. Maybe you do,” Koushi answered, indignantly thrusting his hand up at Daichi, “I’m gonna need some help here…”
“Maybe I do… and maaaaybe that’s the champagne talking,” Daichi laughed, hauling Koushi up to his feet, “Do I need to carry you inside? That’s the tradition, right? A bridal carry over the threshold…”
“No, you big dummy,” came the reply. Koushi’s tone was sullen, but after so many years, Daichi knew the difference between real pouting and play. He waited, only smirking a little.
The flush on Koushi’s cheeks deepened as he looked at Daichi from under thick lashes, suddenly bashful. That look took Daichi by surprise, wiped the smirk off his face and made something in his chest twist. He knew, of course he knew, but sometimes… sometimes the fact that Koushi was so damn… beautiful… knocked Daichi flat on his ass.
“I think… maybe that would be nice,” Koushi said, fiddling with a button on his vest, “I only get the one chance, right?”
Daichi hummed thoughtfully as tucked a stray bit of hair behind Koushi’s ear and let his hand settle to cup his jaw, lifting the other man’s face so their eyes met. “Maybe just the one chance on your wedding night,” he agreed, and it was his turn to blush as he continued, “But I’ll carry you as much as you need now. For the rest of your life. As long as you’ll have me.”
Koushi’s eyes snapped open. Daichi felt the muscles in his jaw work as a flash of emotion passed across his face in an instant. Eyes wide and glassy, there were tears welling there, moments from spilling out. “Same,” Koushi managed to choke out. "For the rest of... forever."
Maybe it was the damn fairy lights casting some kind of romance spell - though probably it was the reality of the word forever sinking in - but that exchange felt like their real vows, treasures spoken in secret and just for them. He felt the sting of tears in his own eyes, hot and urgent, but decidedly good. They were smiling at each other, after all. Unguarded and happy because they both knew there wasn’t a single lie in those words.
“Dummy,” Koushi finally said, as he rapped Daichi’s chest with the back of his hand. “Come here.” He tugged at Daichi’s tie, pulling him closer, and their lips met for a kiss that tasted like champagne and promises.
They stayed that way for a long while, wrapped up in themselves and lost in the new world they shared. In the end, neither was steady enough for the bridal carry experience, so they compromised. After Daichi lifted Koushi onto his back and adjusted his center of gravity so they were steady, Koushi leaned forward and kissed his cheek.
“I was right,” he said, “This is nice.”
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