The Big Day *SWS post for ![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif)
we_sing_sins & the rest of the Wedding People*
mood: 
ecstatic
ecstatic
A simple little ceremony at sunset. Jonesy said he liked red so that was a theme. It worked well since in Chinese it was a color of celebration. She found a place that set up chairs and tables for parties and she got there early to put covers over them, while the boys set up the wedding arch. On each chair was a take-out box with a fortune cookie and a pewter calligraphy charm meaning love on a black cord. She wanted it to be unisex. Next to each chair were Chinese umbrellas that River hand painted. It was actually her favorite task in the whole process. She didn't think the ceremony would be long enough for people to be uncomfortable enough to really need them but they were part of the wedding favors. River asked Mal to perform the ceremony. Being a Captain of his own ship, he had that authority. She wanted Simon to give her away. So she made sure that both men had the same style tuxedo as Jonesy and his best man. Though Mal insisted on wearing his gun.
Setting up the tent for the reception wasn't as simple. It took a few hours and a lot of help to get the it the way she wanted it. The decorations were simple but she went a little nuts with the lighting. Around 5 pm, the cake was finally ready so River sent Mal to get it while she and anyone else that needed to get ready went back to the two hotel suites she had rented. One for the men. One for the women. She wasn't superstitious but she did want Jonesy to be surprised. He hadn't seen the dress yet but she hadn't wasted any time picking it. As soon as she saw she knew she wanted it. It didn't even have to be altered. The lady at the bridal shop tried to get her to look around more and even seemed a little put out that River only wanted the dress. She didn't want to try on any others. And she had no intention of buying either a veil or shoes. The man at the jewelry store had more luck. While she was picking out Jonesy's ring, he talked her into buying the pewter charms. Enough for the entire wedding.
Zoe wore a simple bronzed colored dress that skimmed over her contours and she left her dark hair down in ringlets. She wasn't for really dressing up but weddings were one of those occasions. It was one of the last times she would see River too and so she wanted it to be a fond memory. Right now she was glaring at Jayne who just grunted, "Ain't no need for me to go. Someone needs to watch the ship anyhow." He shrugged, taking a bite of the apple he had.
"Jayne, it's her wedding." Inara murmured as she swept into the room, looking a vision in red and gold. Her long dark hair was pinned up with a pretty red rose at the nape of her neck, just under her ear.
"And it ain't like we're family." Jayne shook his head, moving away and muttering about not getting fancied up for a wedding.
"It's alright, it's probably best that he doesn't go." Simon replied, straightening his jacket before looking at everyone. "Are we all ready? Where is the Cap'n?"
He couldn't stop straightening his tuxedo. And fussing with his hair. He was really such the girl of the group about some things. At least, that's what the guys always teased him about. Usually he just flipped them off, but today he laughed at the sheer appropriateness of the comments.
He looked himself over one more time, deeming himself appropriate, and ready. It was almost time.
Finally, he was at the counter and as soon as he dropped River's name the woman smiled and shuffled to the back to retrieve it. "Such an unusual request" she said as she came back carefully carrying the cake in a special kind of box to protect it during transport. It wasn't real big but neither was the wedding so it worked. "Real unusual but the girl was a touch on the strange side too." The lady chuckled. "Went on a bit about all the ingredients and the exact dimensions she wanted the hexagons. I had to buy new pans but it came out really pretty. The girl designed a pretty cake."
Mal picked up the cake as carefully as he could and gave the woman a little nod. "Yeah, the girl's a peach. We done." The woman nodded. "She took care of everything when she came in." He nodded back. "Right. Then you have a good day." He replied then head out.
Mal popped his head in when they had about ten minutes to go. "You ready?" He asked curtly. She gave him a little nod "I am sufficient."
He gave her a strange look. "Ain't ya gonna do anything with your hair?" River gave him a "not amused" look before the other women in the room shooed him out.
So he head down to the men's room to get the groom. Giving it a little knock as he opened the door, Mal looked the younger man over. He cleaned up alright. "Hey. You just about ready?"
Becca watched Jonesy fuss with his clothes again, then stepped forward, holding her wand out and casting a quick spell. "There," she murmured, "perfect." He really did look good. As always, the boys ALL cleaned up nice (like she'd ever doubted that?). She hugged Jonesy and kissed his cheek, careful not to leave lipstick prints. "Handsome as anything. Let's get you married, sweetheart."
He smiled, relieved, when she deemed him perfect. Then he looked up when the door opened, nodding at Mal. "I'm ready. How's River? Is SHE ready?" God, now he was nervous again. That, however, was more that the older man was intimidating... Not that he was about to admit that out loud.
"'Cept for still being crazy, she's a right vision. Now come on, we got spots to take n' all."
She tugged Caz along, leaving Sweep (the best man) with Jonesy, and heading down to the ceremony site.
He kissed Becca's cheek and gave Caz a huge hug before they headed away. Then he turned to Sweep. "You ready for this, Kent?" he asked, wrinkling his nose when Sweep gave him a look.
"While we're on small introductions, Mal, this is my best friend Kent Sweet. We all call him Sweep. Sweep, Mal. He's Captain of Serenity." He'd mentioned a little bit about it to the guys, so they wouldn't ask too many questions.
"Okay, ready to take my place," he grinned.
"Oh. Right." He nodded his head curtly and went to do just that. Moving away and heading to where he had been told River was waiting.
She felt drawn to him from the beginning and barely ten seconds in she had him blushing. But it wasn't until he sang to her Everlong, that she knew just how true the lyrics were. It felt like her whole life she'd been waiting, holding her breath slowly suffocating, and it wasn't until him that she could breathe.
But for all that breathing, she didn't feel like there was enough air now. River fidgeted with her bouquet. She wasn't even sure why she felt so nervous but ironically she could have used Jonesy right then. She just told herself that she would see him soon and then they would be married. Man and wife. Able to start a brand new life together and leave the nightmares of her last one behind.
River sighed with relief as she saw her brother. "Ge ge" She said softly with a smile as she took his hand and placed it on her cheek.
Mal was mostly joking but in all seriousness, he'd watched her take down Jayne, a bar full of people and see watch could do to a room full of reapers. He was not looking forward to being on the receiving end of her wrath. River was a little thing with only enough room for one major emotion at a time. When she was angry, she was all the way angry. There was no gray with her though it worked the same way with the happier side of things too so at least it balanced out. Plus, she was usually pretty good about keeping the violence nonlethal with crew, which was always appreciated.
Walking Jonesy and Sweep a different way than he knew the bride and her brother would be, Mal took his place in front. This would be the first time he'd actually performed a wedding. He was set to do Wash and Zoe's but after the bachelor party, he was replaced with a stuffy little man from Greenleaf. Still couldn't be that hard. The girl'd given him guidelines. Well, technically she'd given him a script but he'd taken them as guidelines. 'Sides it was too Gorram long. He'd cliff notes it.
Instead of a track of the wedding march, River had hired a young guy with an acoustic guitar to pick out something for her to walk down the isle to. She didn't give him much in the way of instructions but she told him she didn't want classical music. She prefered something more modern though she did like the Beatles. So when it was time to start, he started playing "In My Life".
He stood in his place at the front of the crowd, looking out over his
friendsfamily, and River's, smiling at everyone. His nerves were jangling but he knew as soon as he saw his girl, he'd breathe easy again.He grinned a little as the guitar started playing, singing the words under his breath as a way to keep himself from becoming even more nervous.
Part of River wanted to dig her heels in and go back to the ship but the bigger part wanted to run down that isle and hold the man that would be her husband.
It wasn't that she didn't want to marry him. She did. more than anything but with the music starting it was really happening. After this she would never be River Tam again. Her brother and the Serenity crew would leave to go back to work and while she had a portal cortex and they could wave whenever they wanted to, it wouldn't be the same. This really would take her from that life she knew. Both good and bad.
Softly, she started to sing the words to the song and she suddenly tuned into Jonesy. She didn't have to see him to know he was singing too. Singing for her. And just like that, she was comforted.
Finally ready to go, she gave her brother's arm a little squeeze and started walking. Coming around the reception tent, she immediately saw the brightly colored umbrellas but her eyes went straight to Jonesy. He looked so handsome in his tuxedo, she was caught between butterflies and unbridled lust and it only grew more pronounced with every step. A little smirk played on her lips as she mused with the idea of taking him in front of everyone. Jonesy would never go for it. Mal would freak out. Simon would pass out. And the band... hell they'd probably join in.
She snickered to herself but she knew she wouldn't do it. Today was special. There would be plenty of time all that after they were married. Besides, the tuxedos were rentals and she knew how enthusiastic she could get.
He had no idea what to expect from her dress or the way she'd look turning up the isle and walking to him. When he saw her he had a few seconds that he quite literally could not breathe. And then his breath caught and he was shaking just a little, his heart thudding so loudly he was sure the entire world must be able to hear it. Or maybe just her. His River.
He caught the smirk and wondered where her mind had gone, but knowing her he knew it was likely something that would have made him bright red and the guests shocked. It was just the way she was. Free, uninhibited, wild. His.
He took a half-step toward her, positioning himself right where he was supposed to be.