Chapter Text
Monika had never considered herself a calm person. Collected, maybe, but not calm. She could project the illusion of being in control rather effectively, even though the real thing was beyond her. Monika projected a lot of illusions in general.
The web of lies she spun was enough to capture the love of her life. Sayori. The sweet coral-haired girl who had confessed love in the Literature Club's closet, all those years ago. And now…
The wedding dress clung to Monika's body. She was sweating hard, ruining things in so many different ways. Soon, she would walk to the altar and seal Sayori's fate forever. The sunny girl would be trapped in a relationship with her until the end of her days. Perhaps even in the same form, eternally.
Because that was the other thing that weighed upon Monika's mind. She worried if that purest expression of love would ever be possible for her. She had accepted all that Sayori was - not least her bravery for coming out as trans - but could the reverse be true? Could her body become one with another?
She was dragged back to the present by the bridesmaid entering the shrine's preparation room. Both of them, and only one. NY was a tall woman with hair that shimmered through pink and purple. She was both Natsuki and Yuri, when they saw fit. They weren't married in law, but the change would be minimal if they were. Natsuki had always described ceremony as a waste of time.
NY's eyes shifted closer to pink. "What's the holdup?"
Monika grimaced. "Nothing. I'm just overthinking things, ahaha…"
NY's hair faded towards purple as she took Monika's hand. "You can speak with us if anything is troubling you. This is your special day, and I would never allow it to progress poorly."
"Thanks… but the problem is me. I'm stuck thinking, what if I take her hand after the vows and nothing happens?" Monika looked down at her arms, which were clad in long glovers.
NY said, "You two love each other. If you're both willing to communicate, then there's no obstacle you can't overcome. And, that's different from encountering no obstacles at all."
Monika's smile settled to something more natural. "Thank you."
NY smirked, and patted her lightly on the back. "It's what friends are for. Although…" The tall woman closed her eyes, and light covered her body. After a moment, two forms stepped out of the mass, and NY had disassembled.
Natsuki said, "I gotta make like a banana and split. Someone needs to keep the blue-eyed bridezilla under control."
Yuri frowned. "I would hope you were not saving up that pithy remark for this entire morning."
Natsuki responded by smirking, and jogging out towards the lobby.
Yuri said, "She is utterly unsufferable. Sometimes I do wonder why I chose her of all people."
Monika said, "I thought she confessed to you first."
Yuri blushed. "I-Irrelevant minutia. You have a wedding to focus on."
That was the case, as much as Monika was trying to avoid it. She could hear the dull shrine bells ringing, even through the thick wooden walls. Within minutes, she would be exchanging vows.
Monika said, "Yuri… do you ever think you're not good enough for…"
"Hush. Those thoughts have their place and time, and this is not it." Yuri ran her fingers through her long hair. "Fixating on the future can endanger the now."
One step at a time across the lush carpet. Just one foot in front of the other as Monika drew closer to the priest and his booming voice. The veil on her face cast a mesh web across her view of the shrine. Few were in attendance, and that is how she preferred it. If everyone she knew was there, she'd probably evaporate into mist.
Behind her, Yuri was walking quietly and stealing glances. She meant well, but it only increased Monika's fears. Not only was she endangering her own wedding, but she was causing stress for her friends.
There was something easing her spiral of negative thought, however. Sayori's choice of outfit had been hidden from her. Would she wear a dress? Monika had, mostly to follow the western tradition of her heritage. Maybe Sayori would wear a uchikake for similar reasons.
Monika took her place in front of the altar, and could only wait. The priest was an old man who gave her a tiny nod as she made eye-contact. He continued to read through the required script, and called upon the second bride.
Sayori appeared breathtaking. She always was, even when wearing oversized shirts and baggy pants. The suit that covered her body was delicately tailored to emphasise the beauty of her form. It stretched across her chest and rushed down to ornate gloves. Most charming of all was the red bow on her collar.
A few steps behind her was Natsuki, who pumped her eyebrows in response to Monika's gaze.
Once everyone was in their required spots, the ceremony continued. The priest said, "Will all of you, gathered here to witness this union, do all in your power to love and support this couple now, and in the years ahead? If so please respond, 'we will.'"
The few attendees echoed, "We will". Monika could pick out a few voices from among them. That boy who attended Literature Club with them, years ago. An old friend from debate club. A handful of Monika's co-workers.
Monika repeated after the priest when needed, and Sayori did the same. Sayori placed a ring upon her finger, and Monika did the same. Then, it was finally time.
The time to kiss the bride. The time to take her hand and move forward as one.
Monika placed her lips upon her lover's. They'd had kisses like this a thousand times before. It was nothing special, and yet caused Monika's heart to flutter every time. Then, she took Sayori's hand.
Nothing happened.
The priest immediately noticed this, and continued reading the script. Monika struggled to make out his words, and could only look into Sayori's eyes. Her wife should have surely felt wounded, but Monika couldn't see anything of the sort within the deep blue.
Monika laid across the couch, with her head on Sayori's lap. Natsuki and Yuri's apartment was dimly lit by a dying bulb that the former refused to replace. If Monika was being honest, the angle of her head was a little uncomfortable. She'd never mention that, since Sayori's thighs were worth any inconvenience.
Natsuki said, "You'll work it out eventually. Besides, some couples never reach that point."
Yuri sat across from her on a recliner. "Or heaven forbid, they are initially capable and drift apart."
Sayori stroked Monika's hair idly. "When were you two first able to fuse?"
Natsuki's face was lit up with a radiant blush. "Uh… We had a bit of a spat and… things got intense. This was just after graduation, I think?"
"Don't play coy. You know full well everything that happened that day." Yuri closed her eyes with a frown. "Spending our rental money sending your manga out to a publisher was still irresponsible."
Natsuki stuck out her tongue. "And who's paying the rent now? That was the best 20k yen I've ever spent. In return I got a book deal, a steady income, and a smoking hot girlfriend."
"Flattery is ineffective." Yuri attempted to hide her increasingly red face behind her hair. "Besides, you are not being helpful for our guests."
Sayori said, "So you two still have arguments?"
Yuri nodded. "A strong relationship is not the absence of conflict. It is the ability to cooperate past said conflict."
Natsuki said, "Communication and all that shit. Figure out who takes out the bins and who washes the dishes."
She stood up from her chair. "I'll give you two a demonstration. Check this out." She held out a hand towards Yuri, who reached out to hold it. "Now… GATTAI!"
Yuri pulled her hand away, and crossed her arms in front of her face. "Darling, please! Act your age."
Natsuki smirked. "See? Communication is important. She's cringing too hard right now to do anything."
Monika said, "We don't really have arguments, though. I think the problem is more…"
Yuri stood up from her chair, and grabbed Natsuki in a tight hug. For a moment, their bodies were covered with light, and then they were NY once more. The resulting woman was slightly taller than Yuri, although her hair shrunk back to shoulder length twin-tails.
NY said, "For the record, I don't do chores often. It would take twice as much time overall."
Sayori said, "Eh? But you have twice the skills. I'd love to borrow Monika's big brain for things."
Monika turned her head to look her wife in the eyes. "Don't put yourself down. Your brain is fine, even if it's a natural disaster." She winked.
NY's hair shifted to pink. "If you want my brutally honest opinion, you two need to be direct with each other. Get rid of your fears and worries, and have at it. And by that I mean naked, in bed."
Then, an equally rapid shift to purple. "Disregard that statement. Union is something that will arrive naturally with time. One day you two will wake up as one, and it will be mundane."
Sayori said, "I hope you're both right…"