I Do

All the guests sat around them on white chairs, but Qiu Yue wasn't entirely too concerned with them. The only person she was looking at stood under a giant old tree, dressed in white with just an indigo overcoat that matched her, Qiao Feng. His eyes had lit up when she had started to walk down the aisle, into his sights. She had stolen his breath in a moment, and he had been stunned. That small proud smile on her face was beautiful, the way she held herself, high and eager was breathtaking. His grip on his folded hands tightened with happiness. A certain greed in him wanted this moment to freeze forever. Yet, as she got closer, he wanted it to last forever instead. Finally, with just a single step, she was right next to him, looking right into his eyes laughing lightly at his enchanted expression. He so wanted to reach out and hold her hand but he swallowed instead, turning to include the officiant in his view.

"Welcome family, friends, and loved ones. We are gathered today to celebrate the marriage of Qiu Yue and Qiao Feng. We are all here to support this commitment of love and to share the joy of them both as they choose to spend their journey together", The officiant began.

"Today is a day you will always remember. With moments to cherish and treasure. And although there'll be times when you both disagree, these will surely be outweighed by joy. You'll have heard many words of advice in the past when the secrets of marriage were spoken. But you know that the answers lie hidden inside, where the bond of true love lies unbroken. So live happy forever as lovers, as friends. It is the dawn of a new life for you, as you stand there together with love in your eyes, from the moment you whisper 'I do'. With luck, all your hopes, your dreams can be real. May success find its way to your hearts. Tomorrow can bring you the greatest of joys, but it all starts today."

When she finished, the officiant asked them to turn towards each other and hold the other's hands. Her words had awoken a strange solemnity in Qiu Yue, the feeling it was happening was stronger than ever. Taking a deep stabilizing breath, Qiu Yue went first. They had both written their own vows, and they were a little long, and she knew she'd break down crying if she went second, so she wanted to speak first. She didn't need a piece of paper because there was no way she could forget what she wanted to say.

"I don't understand when it was or even why our relationship started. It wasn't at first sight because my eyes were always clouded by tears and I was too afraid to trust anyone. But you made me want to. You made me want to be better, you make me want to let go and fall into the feelings, the emotions. I felt fear for the first time when I thought I was going to lose you. You are a part of me that I can not live without. You make me happier with just your presence and I never understood love and you made me fall head over heels into it."

Qiao Feng could hear her voice shaking, he could feel her fingers trembling in his, and he rubbed his thumb across her skin, soothing her. He could never leave her, she was the first person who had given herself so wholly to him. She thought nothing of herself, almost aggressively she had thrown her love, care, and everything at him and he just never wanted her to feel insecure or fearful. As long as it was in his hands, he'd never let them be separated. He didn't think he could handle it at all.

"I vow to forever protect you with everything that I have and more. To never let go of your hand, I will be with you. To make you happy every day we live together. I want to learn more of you for years and years in the future. I love you and I end with these lines because they hold significant meaning to me. I take you, to be my husband. To have and to hold, from this day forward. For better, or for worse-"

Qiu Yue's words shook as she paused to collect herself, tears had already started pool in her eyes. She took another deep breath as she felt him squeeze her hands, and she gave him a watery smile.

"-for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health. To love and to cherish. Till death do us apart."

Her words were almost a whisper, so quiet because she could barely finish them with the tears that seemed to tear through her. And he was yet to even speak, Qiu Yue knew today was not going to be one without tears.

People seemed shaken to see her so emotional, but Qiao Feng knew, he understood. Not entirely, but he knew she was always scared of many things and this was why she couldn't say these words easily. Every fiber of her being had put her all into those words, and she had done so for him.

Steadily, he started to speak.

"There is a part of you I can not understand. The part of you that thinks that it is I who saved you when it is your presence that brings me back from the brink, keeps me steady. You came into my life like a perennial rainbow, making everyday beautiful. You gave me unconditional love without ever stopping to think about asking for anything in return. You trusted me with all your heart and soul, more than I have ever considered myself capable of receiving."

Qiu Yue was swallowing frantically and painfully, she still had to say I do, she couldn't just lapse into sobs. It was like a heavy stone sat at the back of her throat, trapping her voice. Qiao Feng could see tears openly falling down her cheeks, and he wanted to brush them off her face, but he continued because he knew he wanted her to know this.

"You have been my ray of hope. And I love you more than I'd ever thought I'd feel for anyone. You taught me how to love myself and you make every day we spend together happier than the one before. I will never let go, I will never leave you. I will support you in every way possible. Only you will I ever love. You are my sunshine and moonlight and nothing will ever mar your brilliance till I exist. No force in existence will ever pull us apart. I love you with all my being."

Qiu Yue just couldn't hold back. Though she was trying to hold them back, her tears had already started falling, and she was heaving a little, trying to stop herself from breaking down completely. It hurt to see her cry, he knew she wasn't sad, but seeing her like this was never easy.

"And I end with these lines because they hold significant meaning to you. I take you, to be my wife. To have and to hold, from this day forward. For better, or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health. To love and to cherish. May not even death, part us."

Qiu Yue gave up as he finished, burying her face in his chest, letting herself cry for a little, still not relenting on sobbing. It wasn't loud, but it was heartbreaking for him. He held her shuddering body as quietly cried in his chest. Silence reigned in the garden.

A few minutes later, she seemed to be able to compose herself, bringing up a finger to dab away at the corner of her eyes, brushing away her tears. Her throat still felt constricted and she would pull him away the moment this was done, but she was more composed.

The officiant began slowly as she saw the bride settle herself a bit.

"Your rings represent this promise to one another. This never-ending circle is a symbol of infinite, unbreakable love. Qiao Feng, please place the ring on Qiu Yue's finger."

Fan Yin, Qiao Feng's best man handed him the small velvet box that contained the ring. The ring that Huo Zi Feng had picked was as new as that very day, and finally today Qiu Yue would wear it as his wife.

"Qiu Yue, I give you this ring as a symbol of the promise I made to you today."

"Qiu Yue, please place the ring on Qiao Feng's finger."

Qiu Yue turned to Yao Yan, her maid of honor that looked at her with a complicated gaze as she handed her a similar box. Qiu Yue smiled as placed the ring on Qiao Feng's finger. Her voice was quiet and hoarse, but her words made Qiao Feng grin like the sun itself.

"Qiao Feng, I give you this ring as a symbol of the promise I made to you today."

Finally, at long last the officiant went ahead to speak, "Having pledged your love and promise to one another today in front of all of your friends and family and by the power vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife."

"You may now kiss the bride."

Qiu Yue was absolutely ready, and she was so impatient. She immediately reached out and grabbed the front of his shirt roughly and yanked him down towards herself. His laugh rumbled against her lips, one of his hands slipped around her waist, settling on the small of her back. The warmth of his skin separated from her bare skin by a thin net. His other hand ran across her clavicle, reaching and stopping at the nape of her neck, gently pulling her in and deepening the kiss. Qiu Yue's hand unconsciously gave way in the pure stability of him and rested on his chest. She didn't realize how long they kissed for but as he leaned back at last she finally registered the hoots and claps, the resounding cheers making her smirk. Her eyes were still rimmed red, dull tear streaks crossing her face and yet her smirk meant she was happy and honestly that's all Qiao Feng cared about anyway. With their hands clasped together, they were finally husband and wife.