For Sinthia, Wedding Plans

[red_peril]

It still felt like something from a dream. Illya had proposed to Sinthia a couple of months before. Surprising her with a Faberge ring at her work. The date they had chosen was only a few months away.

"Avi, buddy, hold still just a little longer," Illya told the dog and petted him before pinning the tuxedo's hem so it wouldn't interfere with the dog's tail. It would come down just to his hips. He had the dog up on his work table, so he didn't have to bend down to work. The fabric was a fabulous silver silk brocade. Far too expensive in most people's view for a dog's tuxedo but how many times would he and Sinthia get married. Luckily for the tall Russian, his furry friend liked Illya enough that he actually was very patient with being fussed over. Illya carefully placed the pins, "You are being such a good boy."

Comments

[abyssum_invocat]

"I did, and I even found the right kind," she chuckled, handing him the small bag of her purchases from the store. "I think it's a beautiful coat on Avi. He'll like being part of things with us."

She let Avi lean against her legs, ruffling his ears as she talked with her fiance. "I wrote some things down if you wanted to look at our vows," she said. "Pierre told me to go home, I was too nervous to concentrate on work today."

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"Excellent," he took the bag. She had even found the exact color gray of the embroidery silk he needed for her dress. "This is perfect." He set the bag on his worktable. "I would love to read them."

[abyssum_invocat]

Sinthia kissed his cheek and went to go get the papers she'd been writing on all afternoon; they had corrections and plenty of editing marks on them by now, but around all those were lines of script she'd kept.

"I was thinking about what we'd say to each other," she began, "And I wanted the words to be personal and reflect us. So I wrote vows...I hope you don't mind that. And like them." Sinthia handed over the sheets for him to read.

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"I don't mind. I think this is great idea," He accepted the pages and sat down on the couch to read them. Illya read the words between the scribbles and the editing. "Sinthia, these are beautiful." He kept reading, a tear threatening to fall from his eye. His bride to be wasn't the only one getting emotional. In a little over a month, they would be saying these vows. "I like this, 'while we both wish it, I give you that which is mine to give'."

[abyssum_invocat]

"It...it isn't perfect," she said. "I'm still working on them. But these are things I can promise you, and you can promise me."

She joined him on the couch, curling up beside him and laying her head on his shoulder, tucking her hair out of her face behind an ear. It was growing out, but still short of her shoulders. Sinthia had been leaving tiny hints of hair clips around the apartment, and was planning to ask Illya for his help designing one. "And I will promise them to you, in five weeks."

[red_peril]

He smiled softly when she curled up next to him and put her head on his shoulder. "It will be perfect for us. Even if words aren't perfect, meaning will be." Illya took a deep breath as a twinge of anxiety went through him. "It is only five weeks."

The wedding wasn't going to be very traditional or very formal. A friend of Illya's who had an amazing garden, was doing the flowers; another friend of Sinthia's was making the cake. Pierre, Sinthia's supervisor, had offered the large meeting room at Christie's auction house for the wedding. He took a deep breath and let it out.

"There's so much to do." But it was well after 8 pm now and he had been working on things all day. "But I will work on them more tomorrow." He turned his head to kiss her forehead. "I love you so very much."

[abyssum_invocat]

"You should put these down, and we should have dinner and rest for the evening. Everything that needs to get done will get done," she assured him, kissing his cheek.

"Not getting cold feet?" she asked, finger-brushing his hair out of the way. "I love you too. What do you say to pizza?"

[red_peril]

"OK," he set the papers down on the coffee table. "You are right. I am just a little nervous." Illya sat back and put his stockinged feet up on the coffee table. "Cold feet? No. Pizza? Yes."

[abyssum_invocat]

"It's okay," she soothed. "I'm nervous too, just...I know that we're happy now, and getting married won't change that. It will just mean one more piece of paper."

Sinthia dug out her phone to call in an order for pizza, laying in Illya's lap. "Have you been designing anything else for this wedding?"

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Somehow, knowing she felt nervous too, made Illya feel a bit better. "And excited. Yes, it is just a piece of paper. But it means so much to stand up before our friends and declare it."

That made him laugh, "You know me too well. I have ideas about everything."

[abyssum_invocat]

Sinthia laughed, shaking her head gently. "Why don't you tell me about your ideas while we wait for the pizza. Maybe it will make you less nervous."

She loved feeling comfortable with Illya, relaxing on their couch as he talked. It was blissfully quiet, but content for her. She'd had enough excitement lately.

[red_peril]

"Well, I was thinking of favors. Like having little egg shaped chocolates decorated like Faberge eggs," he said excitedly. He loved relaxing with her too and telling her all his ideas.

[abyssum_invocat]

"That would be very pretty," she answered, laying her head back and smiling absently. "They can get very intricate now, you know, with chocolate. There's that shop down the street from work that makes filled chocolates, I bet they could do eggs."

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"I have walked past that shop. They have some beautiful chocolates in their display window," he smiled and ran his fingers through her hair. "Do you want to talk to them tomorrow?"

The reception would be immediately after the wedding in the same room. It actually had a wooden floor that would be perfect for dancing. "I'm thinking maybe DJ instead of band, unless you have your heart set on having live band."

[abyssum_invocat]

"If you come with me," she said, looking up at him with a soft smile. "We can talk and show them your sketches, and taste chocolates. And then come home and make love all evening," Sinthia murmured, lacing her fingers with his.

"I don't have my heart set on a band at all. I like recorded music just fine. But I'd like something...older for the ceremony. Not digital."

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"Of course, I'll go with you. I like this idea very much," he smiled. "Oh good. Yes something acoustic. Do you want traditional wedding march or something different, like Vivaldi?"

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She gave him a funny look for that. "I am not a wedding march kind of woman," Sinthia said dryly.

"I think....something different. Maybe the Bach preludes? They're very pretty."

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Illya laughed, "Somehow I did not think so. Prelude in C Major would be nice. Or Pachebel's canon. But you can have whatever music you like."

[abyssum_invocat]

"I'm sure we'll decide on one of them," she said lightly. "We have time."

[red_peril]

"True," He leaned down to kiss her. "So while we are relaxing tonight, is there anything you would like to do?"

[abyssum_invocat]

Sinthia tilted her chin up and happily kissed back, enjoying having Illya supporting her and curled around her, warm and comforting.

"I bought some things while I was getting your buttons that I thought we could do together," she said. "I know you're making my dress and veil, but I want to make something for you too. Do you want to help me make your boutonniere, and my hair comb?"

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"Oh yes?" he smiled. "I love that we can be creative together. What did you get?"

[abyssum_invocat]

She rose gracefully, and went to get a small bag of silk flowers and wire and some floral odds and ends nestled among which was a small black velour box. "Look and see."

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He opened the bag, "What is this? You got me present?" Illya pulled out the black jewelry box. It was too big for a ring box. Setting the bag on the coffee table, he pried open the box, revealing a small and delicate rose stick pin. Carefully, he took it out of the box. It seemed so tiny in his hands. The petals were studded with something sparkly that on close examination, weren't rhinestones. "This is so beautiful, darling. Thank you."

[abyssum_invocat]

"Now we match," she said softly, smiling as he held the stick pin in his hands. "You should wear it for the ceremony," Sinthia murmured. "When I wear my rose."

She'd made it to match, having collaborated closely with one of the shops the auction house used to restore antiques to near-perfect condition. "It...seemed right."