unwaver [illumi zoldyck]

Chapter 19 - Illumi x and x Emiko Zoldyck

When Illumi asked her to go on a date the night before, Emiko was thrown into a whirlwind of confusion. She had paused whatever she was doing, the cup in her hand practically falling to the ground with a loud shatter.

This wasn't the first time Illumi had been apparent about his feelings - a while ago they had decided to start a relationship. This was though, the first time he had initiated something bigger than a pat on the head, or a careful touch of the hand.

No matter what it was, it still didn't ever change the surprise that flooded her when he did.

She tilted her head up slightly to look at him. She couldn't remember the last time they did something as ordinary as walking down the streets aimlessly, eyes peeled for attractive sights and mouth watering delicacies. They wandered from stall to stall, sampling mulled wine and skewered meat, fondling velvet-line hood and tokens, but Emiko mulled over the sight from afar with her hands tucked in her pockets.

"When did you know you liked me?" She asked suddenly, finishing off the last of her skewer.

"When? I'm not sure -"

"You don't think I'll betray you?" She had interjected with another question before he had the chance to respond.

"I know you won't," he said firmly, "Not if we get married anyways."

"Marriage?" Emiko nearly choked. Illumi had brought up the matter several times, always gauging out the same reaction from her.

"Well look, we've known each other for nearly twenty years. You know I won't even if we don't," she said with sincerity, "I promise."

"Speaking of marriage, how does marriage usually work?" He asked. When he turned to look at her, she was 20 feet away, ordering something at one of the stalls.

"Emiko, did you hear what I said?"

She was distracted as she paid for her coffee, "What?" She called back.

"Marriage ceremonies for people, what are they like? How are they performed?"

"People? Are you trying to say that you're not people?" She joked.

"I'm curious," he said.

Emiko absently stirred her straw. Illumi usually asked these odd, out of the blue sort of questions, so she wasn't too surprised by his curiosity regarding ceremonies. "Well... The couple exchanges vows in front of an official. Normally there are rings as well, and it's usually done in front of friends and family, but some people elope and do it privately."

Illumi hummed thoughtfully. "Vows are not exchanged for the Zoldycks. What are the normal vows like?"

"They're not exchanged? What about a ceremony?" Emiko asked inquisitively.

"Let's see. Mother and Father got married in Kukuroo Mountain, with a select few as witnesses. There was a celebratory feast."

Emiko sipped on her straw, the sharp taste of tangerine pricking her taste buds, "Okay. Well, it's stuff like 'I, so-and-so, take you, so-and-so, to be my lawfully wedded husband-slash-wife,' and then there are some other stuff after that."

"What 'other stuff'?"

She answered, "There's stuff like 'for better or worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health', a lot of things, and then, 'until death us do part'."

"So if you were to marry me, you would say...?"

She stopped walking and arched a brow questionningly, "Illumi..."

"What? Won't you humor me? There is no official here, so you just saying the words would not make us married, correct?"

Something seemed suspicious. But guessing he had a point, she rolled her eyes and pulled him aside, so they weren't standing in the middle of the street, halting crowds. "Fine. I would say this. I, Emiko Portor, take you, Illumi Zoldyck, to be my lawfully wedded husband. For better, for worse. For richer, for poorer. In sickness and in health, until death us do part."