The ceremony was over and everyone was back at the house for a little get-together. Eveyone but the newlyweds.
 

"But that isn't true..." Hati spoke to her brother.

"Are they coming yet?"
"They'll be here soon, Cam."

But not everyone was happy:
"Pfft. This totally sucks. Why's it just us? 'Where are all the model chicks? She's got tons of those friends don't she?"

Fenrir sighed: "Oh stop complaining, this was supposed to be a small informal thing. You even got to keep that outfit on you, didn't you?"

"Hmph. I still say this sucks, the only chicks here are my baby sis, the little pipsqueak and a damn bride."

"I like it this way." Lin smiled. He wasn't too good with people he didn't know, and had always preferred smaller crowds.
"Pfft. You would." Skoll, scoffed.

"Hey---!" Fenrir raised his voice and was about to get up.

But before he could do so, he spotted the couple that had finally arrived.

"Hello again." Sebille smiled, still in her dress.

"Mama!"

She kneeled on the floor, which actually felt really good after standing for such a long time: "Oh, come here, darling."

"Mama's looking way beautiful today."
"So are you, dear."

Sebille was happy to see her daughter wear the dress she and Hati and worked on together. Store bought clothes just didn't have the same feel them it as originals did.

Null watched the two silently, as he always did.

"And Null too!"
Looked beautiful, she meant.

Sebille laughed.

"They finally did it..." Lin's voice was quiet.
"Yeah..."

"Daddy. Up."

"So, how'd you like the ceremony?" Sebille was all smile.
"It was very timid, simple and unlike you."

Hati couldn't help but return the smile, as she continued; " ...But very beautiful. I almost cried."

"Hah, you always cry." Skoll exclaimed from the side.

"Oh, you were here, too."

"I can cry if I want to."
"Sure, if ya wanna look like a total sissy."

Hati paused before chancing the subject; "Which reminds me..."

"Congratulations, dear. I'm happy for you.... -And extremely jealous." She chuckled quietly.

"I'm sure you're going to get hitched soon, too."
"I wish."

"Congratulations." Lin finally got a word in, while Fenrir was distracted by what was happening with Null and his daughter. There was something he needed to say to him.

"Thank you."

She turned to her friend: "Loupe."

"Huh, what?" he was totally out of it. Lin smiled to himself amusedly.

"Aren't you forgetting something?" she spread her arms, waiting for a certain action.

Which wasn't far.
"Sorry..." he whispered as his arms slid around her small frame.

"Congrats, kiddo. I hope you'll be happy."

"I'm sure I will be."

She really was. There were plenty of good points in getting married after knowing eachother for a long time.

While everyone's attention was on the bride, something happened that nobody noticed -except the people that were in on it.

Lin bowed at Null rather formally as to congratulate him.

And the man answered with a small nod.

"What was that?" Camille asked curiously.

But although her father turned to look at her, he never answered.

"What was it?"

"Let us see it now."
"What?"
"The ring, of course!"

"Oh, right." Sebille lifted up her left hand.
"Oh my... it's a garnet again?"
"Mm."

Sebille loved her garnets.

"Why is it that you always get the most perfect things?"

"I wonder that, too."

"I need perfect things to complete me?"

She'd actually wanted to say that 'because her man's perfect', but she didn't want to brag. And he wasn't, even though it felt like it most of the time.

"What? It aint even a diamond? That's lame."

"Are you saying that you'd actually get a girl a diamond ring?" Hati inquired sceptically, while Sebille waited for the answer.
"I if did, she'd have to be pretty fuckin' special."

And then they all chuckled.

Meanwhile, Lin had brought his hand around Fenrir's waist.

"You do know that you need to congratulate him, too."
"Yeah..."
"How about now?" It was Lin's 'determined to make you do what I say' -voice.

"How about not?"
The yellow-eyed man was feeling uncomfortable even thinking about it. No matter how long he knew the man, he always ended up giving Fenrir the creeps.

"Oh, there you are. I was just thinking that we should have some music."

***

Feet moved to the sound of the beat.

"You still haven't congratulated him?"
"Well... I was kind of hoping he'd know I wish them well... without me actually saying it."

As if that would happen.

"Oh, now you're just being silly."
"So what? Someone should be."

"I like candy."

"Sure ya do kid. But you'll get fat if you eat that muffin, too."
Skoll measured the size of the confection, actually planning on eating it himself.

"But..."
Yes... she was sure to discard it now.
"Mama and Hati-aunty say that uncle Skoll never tells the truth..."

"Heyy, that's pretty harsh."

His plan was foiled.

"I should get back to dancing..."

Null had pulled her to the side.

"You do know that this dress isn't the most comfortable to stay in."

"In a minute..."

Sebille let out a small sigh. "Remember that the faster this is over with, the faster we'll get to leave."
"I know."

Then, as the music changed, Sebille turned her head to look at the others; "Oh hey, I like this song."

***

Skoll grinned; "I knew you'd come to me eventually, babe. How about ya ditch him and elope with me?"
"This tears my heart apart, but I can't escape from him." the irony was clear in her voice, and she was still smiling.

"You should go now. It's the perfect chance, isn't it."
 

"I don't know, is it?"
"Oh, Fenris."

"And didn't Hati say she had a shirt for you? Why aren't you wearing it?"
"Dunno. I got no idea where it went."

Sebille was sure he did, though.

"Cam won't get fat :<"

" ..."

Fenrir sighed; "Do I really have to do this?" He knew he was just making it worse by putting it off.
"Yes, Fenris."

"Why do we even try with you?"

Skoll separated and bowed extravagantly;"Now why wouldn't you, miss?"

And Sebille laughed again. She couldn't help it, all she could do right now was to either smile and laugh.

In the mean time, Fenrir had finally made his way to Null.

"He finally went, didn't he?"
"Yup. Let's see if he can pull it off. He's such a baby sometimes."

Camille was wondering why uncle Fenri was looking so strange while he talked.

You couldn't fool kids.

" ...So congratulations." Fenrir offered his hand to him.

A moment -that was too long for Fenrir's tastes, passed before the taller man finally took his hand and shook it.

***

"I did it. Will you two get off my back now?"
"Absolutely, you were very brave." Hati spoke as if to a child.

"Hati aunty...?"

"Oh, Camille. Would you like some cake?"
"Yes, please!"

Sebille was glad they'd chosen to only have these few selected people attend this after-ceremony party. Null hadn't been too happy at the ceremony itself. They'd invired a little more people to it, and someone from his company had been there, too, which Null had been even less pleased about.

"The day wasn't too horrible now, was it?"

"No."


***