It Started With A Nap (A Mao Mao x Badgerclops fanfic)

Chapter 17: The Rehearsal Dinner

"How does it look?" Badgerclops asked the tanuki, bat, and cats that had been watching him and Mao Mao set up the table for their rehearsal dinner. Both had politely refused the king's offer to let his chefs cook for them, they preferred making their own food.

Now all the cooking and backing they had done paid off. The cybernetic badger had constructed a long table to hold all if the food, which were things like roasted chicken, a variety of cakes and puddings, sodas and juices, different kinds of sandwiches, s'mores, ham, lots of salads, sushi, muffins, and a variety of cobblers of course. The audience who had been watching them cook for a solid two and a half hours, was now letting out sounds of awe as they inhaled the beautiful, salivating, aromas. Shin Mao had even taken off his armor for the special meal.

"It looks..." Brunhilde trailed off as a big waft of the food smells hit her noise.

"Divine...simply divine..." Brunhilde only nodded to Misha's words, staring at the heavenly food. Badgerclops stifled a laugh behind his paw. The sheriff managed to keep his laugh contained, but a goofy grin had broken across his face.

"Can we eat it now?" Jade asked, wiping saliva from her mouth.

"Sure." The couple said in union. They all took their seats and began to fill their plates. It wasn't long before there were many compliments and thanks heading towards Badgerclops and Mao Mao's direction, followed by lively conversation.

When everyone got to desert, the sheriff stood up and gather everyone's attention by clearing his throat loudly. As everyone turned there gazes to the small cat, even his badger partner who had no idea why he had stood up. Mao Mao let out a nervous breath and spoke to his entire family.

"I just wanted to say, thank you all for supporting me and being there for me, and thank you all for accepting who I've chosen to spend my life with." The cat's paw gripped Badgerclops's, who smiled and gently squeezed Mao Mao's paw in encouragement. The sheriff took notice of the gentle grins of his family members, and found the courage to continue, "For so long I was afraid that no one would accept me for who I was, but you all have. You all showed that you cared, and I want you to all know I care about you all, I always have. Tommorow I get married, and there's I wouldn't have any other group at my wedding." Mao Mao sat down and glanced up in surprise as everyone at the table applauded him, even Badgerclops, who kissed the top of the cat's head.

"You did great." The badger whispered happily into Mao Mao's ear. The sheriff turned his head up and kissed his deputy's cheek.

"I love you~" Badgerclops smiled at his lover's words.

"I love you too. Just wait until tomorrow, Kitten~" Badgerclops and Mao Mao let their fingers intertwine as the cat leaned against the bigger mammal lovingly. They stayed like that until Mao Mao's sisters started teasing them, making them start eating again, but not before Mao Mao whispered one more thing to his lover.

"Tomorrow will be the best day of my life, because it's the start of my life as yours, 'Clops." Mao Mao turned and started biting into his cobbler, pretending not to notice the red face that his partner now wore.

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After everyone had pitched in to wash the dishes, Badgerclops grabbed Mao Mao and took him to the dojo so they could be alone. The badger picked up his partner and used one of the wooden post to help hold the cat up and gave his fiance a deep, passionate kiss, pressing into the post as the sheriff wrapped his arms around the badger's neck.

"What was that for?" Mao Mao asked with a smile after they broke apart for air. Badgerclops wore the same smile.

"I just wanted a moment alone with you~" The badger cooed as he gave the cat another kiss, "We haven't gotten as much alone time to just be with each other since the engagement."

"True~" The sheriff gave a seductive look to his fiance.

"You look like you want something?" Badgerclops obviously knew what his partner wanted, but decided to mess with him anyway.

"I do." Mao Mao leaned in closer, never breaking eye contact from Badgerclops.

"Are you going to ask?" The deputy blinked once, wondering if he could actually get the little cat in his arm to ask the question that was burning in him.

"Fine~" Mao Mao gave a playful eye roll, "Can I have another kiss?" Badgerclops didn't give his answer verbally, but he instead chuckled and gave Mao Mao another kiss. This one wasn't ended by the couple, but instead by the giggles they heard from the doorway.

"Wow." Manori said as she let out another childish giggle.

"Guys!" Mao Mao shouted in a high, embarrassed voice.