One Piece: Grand Endeavours

Chapter Hundred: Wedding

Usopp
It is the night before our wedding and Danni has been kidnapped. Well. 'Kidnap' is putting it harsh but the girls decided that because of the can't see each other until the wedding tradition so they have gone somewhere. Me and all the guys are just having drinks and hanging out, except for Kuro who went to do setup. He has been gone four hours and either he is being excessive with the decorations or is taking as long as he can to avoid socialising and drinks. Honestly, the latter would not be surprising given how Kuro is outwardly anti-party even a small party like this. Although he has promised to not ditch the party tomorrow. I take another sip of my drink.
"Should I go find him?" I offer, partly to see what is taking him so long but partly because I want to see what the decorations are.
"No!" several people say at once, on the 'keep it a surprise side' and sigh.

Kuro finally gets back and I look at him in confusion. Plenty of leaves stick out of his hair.
"Where you...in a tree?" I ask, perplexed. He grins slightly and shrugs. "Why were you in a tree?"
"You'll find out tomorrow," he says, starting to make a tea, ignoring the booze. Right. Depressants. He hates them.
"Not even one sake?" Zoro asks him. Kuro gives him a withering look and Zoro shuts up. Kuro is one of the people who can shut someone up with just a look. Which is always pretty great until the look is directed your way. Not so great then.
"So what took you so long?" I ask him, taking another sip.
"I was in a tree. Several trees," he replies, casually, if that is something people do on a regular basis. "And no, Usopp, I am not telling you why. You'll find out tomorrow." I sigh but know this is an argument I know I won't win. Kuro is pretty stubborn.

Sanji brings out a tray of snacks and we quickly dive in. Luffy attacks the bowl of wings (no duh) and Zoro focuses more on the booze (again no duh). Kuro just has small nibbles of a few little things and I do the same as Kuro but with much bigger portions because I don't have a tiny appetite like some people. As we talk Kuro reads and I grin. Some people never change and even if we do talk Kuro into coming to a party we all know a book will be his main focus. A mew grabs my attention and I see Tempest making her way onto my lap.
"Can I stroke her?" I ask Kuro, who nods. I grin and pet her head and she eventually falls asleep on me. Awh. Guessing I am going to be stuck here a while? I don't care though, she is so cute!

"So, Usopp, excited for tomorrow?" Franky asks me.
"Mhm," I say. "I can't wait. But I am a bit worried. Not sure why though."
"That is normal," Kuro says, glancing up from his book. "Heck, apparently everyone gets worried about it."
"Really?" I ask and he nods in clarification. "Phew." I lean back and take another sip but I am making sure not to drink too much because I want a clear head tomorrow. "I'd better not drink any more. I don't want a headache tomorrow given it is the most important day of my life." Most of the group 'awh' except for Kuro.
"Wouldn't the most important day of your life be the day you were born?" he asks. "If it wasn't for that then all the other days would never have happened." I consider that.
"Okay, one of the most important days of my life then," I say, sticking my tongue out at the resident cynic. He returns to his book and we return to the food, me waiting in anticipation and good worry for tomorrow.

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I get up early in the morning so I can have a shower, with the hope at making my hair slightly less uncontrollable. I wear my suit (which was a really good pick from Kuro) and glare at my reflection as my hair poofs even more. Ughhh. I consider and go to Kuro and Luffy's room given Kuro naturally has hair as messy as or more messy than Luffy but manages to get it pretty neat. I go over and knock on the door, Kuro opening it. Luffy isn't there.
"Hey, do you have anything I can use for my hair?" I ask. He nods and heads to a drawer, taking out some products. "They aren't the kind that completely dry out your hair, right?"
"Nah," he replies. "They're more of a mousse than a gel." He passes them over. "How you feeling? Still worried?"
"A bit," I admit, going by the mirror and trying a dollop of the mousse. My hair is still poof but at least now it is manageable. "What if she ditches me at the aisle?"
"Not gonna happen, Usopp," he says, taking some from the pot and using it on the sticking up fringe. "As sappy as saying it is, she obviously loves you." I blush.

"Where's Luffy?" I ask, remembering this is both of their room.
"He is helping Sanji set up the food and practicing the stuff he has to say," Kuro replies. Tempest pads over on her three paws and I 'awh' because somehow Kuro has upped her adorable factor. She has a bowtie collar! Awhhhhhhh! I swear the damn cat is smug about it as well.
"Someone is well dressed," I comment. "The bowtie is a nice touch." I glance at the clock and take a breath. Time for me to go wait up the aisle.

When we get a way out onto the beach I feel my jaw drop. There are white chairs for everyone on either side of the aisle with light blue windows dancing on the breeze and each has a light blue pillow. The aisle doesn't have a carpet given we are outside but he has gathered large shells and pretty stones to line either side to mark it. There is a table off to the side with several dishes covered – Sanji is bringing the hot food out later- and there are white lilies and roses lining the place and an arch where we are going to do the vows. Apparently the 'best part of the decorations' will be more clear later.

I stand where I am meant to, feeling my hands start to sweat slightly. This is so nerve racking. I give a sheepish wave to everyone who is sat down (which is everyone except Kuro who is my Best Man, Luffy who is doing the officiating, Danni and I (duh) and the girls who are doing Bridesmaid duties). Then I see her. Wow. Danni is always beautiful but now? I think I now know what an angel looks like. Her brown hair has a silver clip in it and on her wrist is a dated but beautiful bracelet. Her dress is flowing to the ground and is blue tinged (ohhh that's why Kuro suggested a blue suit) and suits her perfectly. There are straps and an illusion pattern on the sleeves so they mostly look sleeveless except for the intricate patterns but they aren't. There is a train that shimmers behind her like a glittering waterfall but the dress isn't the most beautiful part. She is and always will be. Seeing her in her dress instantly erases all fear and immediately I can't see anyone else.

She comes over and we stand opposite each other, holding hands. Her hands keep me grounded and it feels like now we'll be intertwined forever. It is lucky we decided to go with a traditional lot of vows (but obviously we cut the creepy ass line of 'submitting to your husband' because bleuk) as I can barely focus on anything rather than her as the ceremony ends.

Danni
The ceremony and decorations were everything I dreamed of and more but my focus was more on Usopp. Who I am now married to. My thoughts blush at the mere thought as we head over to the light snacks hand in hand.
"So. We're married," I say with a giggle. He blushes and nods. Brook is laying music and I consider. "Shall we dance?" Screw the tradition of the guy asking the girl, right?
"Sure!" he agrees, cheerfully. We head nearer to where he is playing the music and dance, pretty poorly but we dance. In his arms I relax, smiling, feeling entirely safe and secure.
"You look beautiful," he says and I feel my cheeks heat up with blush. "I mean you always look beautiful but you look even more beautiful today." I blush even more and I am pretty sure that I now resemble a tomato.
"Thanks," I mumble, and we dance a bit longer until the song ends.

He suddenly chuckles, making me jump, and nudges me to look at Kuro and Luffy. It looks like Luffy is trying, and failing, to talk Kuro into dancing. We half walk, half dance over.
"You two going to dance?" I ask.
"I'm trying to convince Kuro to but he hasn't said yes," Luffy says, sticking his tongue out slightly. "And we all know he is going to be pretty good since he is a competitive gymnast." Kuro huffs and shakes his head. "Pwease?!" Another headshake.
"Kuro, you know it is tradition for the Best Man to dance at least once," Usopp points out. Kuro sighs and stands up.
"Fine," he says. Luffy grins, clapping his hands together.

The dancing and partying lasts a while and when it starts getting dark Kuro goes to the trees. He pulls some kind of switch and suddenly the surrounding trees light up with fairy lights and some electric operated lamps, giving a beautiful glow. Wow, Kuro is good. It gives the illusion of starlight and beneath both kinds of stars Usopp and I kiss our first not wedding kiss since the marriage. Sanji comes out with the hot food and I sit by Usopp all of us eating. Then he brings out the cake and I swear I have damn stars in my eyes at how flawless it looks. It is three tiers and flawlessly frosted in white frosting. There is mirror glaze on the top in blue and white that looks like a lake and is frosted down like a waterfall, surrounded by chocolate pebbles and the figurines on the top of us are in an edible boat given I can't swim. The figurine me even has little fox ears. We cut a slice and it is 'normal' cake which is good and I take a bite. It is flawless and I love it, being sweet but not overly so.

We dance and talk until the night ends, and until the sun begins to rise again. Now our new adventure begins with our lives being permanently entwined. More adventures, more hardships, are bound to come but with him I know that there is no danger I can't face.