Chapter Text
Kirby snored soundly in your lap as your eyes were peeled to the TV. Tiff was naturally unimpressed by the program that was airing while Tuff was enthusiastically mimicking the movements of the superhero on screen. These past few weeks have drained the small troupe as Dedede had kept them on their toes with monster after monster. While not the most exciting way to spend their day, Kirby and his two close friends wanted nothing more than a relaxing day at home and you were happy to join them. The feeling of being on a crowded couch was not something you have felt in a while. That feeling of family togetherness is lost in the presence of your cape-clad lover, Meta Knight. That's not necessarily a bad thing, time spent with Meta Knight is always welcome for copious amounts of love and affection. He just never comes off as a family man which is something you've come to terms with. This small substitute of a family with you and the three most active children in all of Dreamland was more than enough. They were sweet, smart and funny kids that enjoyed your company as much as you did theirs. You had just hoped that Sir Ebrum and Lady Like wouldn't come to suspect that you were stealing their children away from them.
With the couple on your mind, you began to wonder where they could have been. It's very rare that the two are ever seen outside of their home in the castle. "Hey Tiff." You grab the young girl's attention, her disgruntled expression shifting to a happy one as she turns to face you. "Where are your parents? I don't think I've seen them all day." She gasped suddenly, eyes widening.
"That's right! I had completely forgotten since we've been so busy!" She snapped her fingers together in realization. "Today is their anniversary so they're probably out spending time with each other!"
"Anniversary?" You questioned. "You mean like of the day they met?" Tiff bubbled with giddy laughter, covering her mouth with her hands.
"No, [X]." She spoke through her giggle fits. "It's their wedding anniversary."
"Oh! You guys actually do marriage around
here!" You spoke with surprise. Tiff lowered a brow to you, genuinely confused.
"Yeah, you mean you thought marriage didn't happen in Dreamland?"
"Not really, no. I don't know much about your kind, Tiff. For all I knew, your parents were just partners for life. I just thought you guys didn't need that kind of stuff."
"You mean you've never seen the Mayor's wife?" Tiff's voice began to sound decently worried.
"Yeah, or Chief Bookem's wife? Those two can get pretty mushy around each other." Tuff butted into the conversation still reenacting the movements on the television.
"I don't spend too much time in Cappy Town." You admitted. "I'm usually here in the castle with Meta Knight." Tiff giggled again, fully aware of the relationship you and Meta Knight shared. It's a comforting feeling having your strange love affairs be validated if only by one person.
"I guess you're right, the only time you ever really leave the castle is when you come with us to the beach."
"Yeah, or get caught up in Dedede's plans." Tuff jabbed while punching a throw pillow.
"Anyways, yeah." Tiff was quick to put the conversation back on track. "We do marriage here and this will be their 25th wedding anniversary."
"Why would you need to remember something like that?" You asked. "At least for humans, it would be kind of odd for the children to know those dates."
"Well, in our family, we celebrate our parents anniversary together with a big dinner."
"Oh, that's very sweet!" You smiled. "Human anniversaries are usually just celebrated by the couples and not with their kids."
"Nah, the people around here are like that too," Tuff corrected, thoroughly stomping the cushions into submission. "Our parents are just weird."
"Hey! Don't call Mom and Dad weird!" Tiff was quick to defend. "Unless you want your steak to go to Kirby!" Kirby's eyes fluttered open, awakened by the prospect of food. This frightened the young boy terribly as he flailed his arms and began to shout.
"Alright, alright! I'm sorry! I didn't mean it!" He spoke frantically. You simply laughed and pet the top of Kirby's head, lulling him back to sleep.
"That's right 'You're sorry!'," Tiff crossed her arms during her continued scolding. "And while you're at it, quit beating up the couch or else we'll be buying new pillows with your allowance!"
"I think it's great that you're family is so close to celebrate these things together!" You interjected, ending the small feud. "This may be a stretch, but were either of you there for your parents wedding?"
"No, neither of us were even born yet." Tiff answered back in a calm state.
"You mean that some people get married after they have kids and not before?" Tuff questioned, no longer entertained by the miasma of colors being flashed on screen.
"Sometimes." You answered honestly. "Marriage can be tricky for some people, at least for humans."
"I guess so..." Tuff contemplated on the subject, finding what you say hard to believe.
"Anyway, I figured you two wouldn't have been there." You admitted. "I just wonder if a wedding around here would be any different from the ones I know."
"You might see one sooner than you think!" Tuff spoke with excitement. "I think Samo is definitely gonna hook up with Mabel!" Your eyebrows creased forward, particularly puzzled by those names.
"Samo and Mabel?" You repeated.
"Samo runs a bar in Cappy Town and Mabel is the town psychic." Tiff explained. "She tells people's fortunes to help them with their problems."
"I see," You mused. "Just like how someone would come to a bartender for a drink and some advice." You nodded at the connection. "I could see that working out."
"Those two are crazy in love with each other." Tuff speculated. "I bet Samo has the ring and everything but he's just too scared to ask."
"I will admit, they do make a super cute couple!" Tiff clasped her hands together and nuzzled them gently to her face before revealing her anger once more. "But it's not nice to spread rumors like that."
"Don't lie, sis! Don't you think it'd be cool to see those two finally hit it off?" Tiff sighed at Tuff's insistence but smiled all the same.
"It's true, those two would make great newlyweds." She admitted.
"You'll get to come along too, [X]! Then you can tell us if they're any different from your human weddings!"
"Oh no! That's okay!" You held your hands in front of you as if you pushing against an invisible wall. "I wouldn't want to intrude like that." Both Tiff and Tuff were giving you confused looks.
"But didn't you just say you wanted to compare the differences?" Tuff repeated.
"Y-Yes but," You stammered, caught up by your own words. In truth, you were skeptical of ever stepping foot in Cappy Town. Ever since you've found your perfect life here in the castle, interacting with the locals just seemed like a good way to get yourself ostracized. For all you knew, they might see you as another one of Dedede's monsters. Perhaps it was destined to be this way as you have heavily associated yourself with the most secretive and seclusive individuals in Dreamland: Meta Knight. "It would be really weird for a random stranger to show up at somebodies wedding. I don't know anyone in Cappy Town as it is."
"That's not true!" Tuff interjected. "You know our friends: Honey, Spikehead, and Iro." You smiled at the mention of those names. A trio of absolute dolls; cute and kind. They are all so respectful and well behaved. You remember the young girl being very interested in your hair: putting it in braids and decorating it with flowers found by the valley near the sea shore. She would pace back and forth on the grassy knoll, looking for the perfect tulip or daisy as you helped the two boys build the perfect sand castle. It’s a wonderful memory that warms your heart but you can’t help but wonder if they ever tell their parents about you. It's nice that you can get this sort of secondhand contact with the townsfolk but it's a little unnerving to imagine these children telling their parents how they've been playing with a complete stranger from another world.
The memory fades and you continue with the excuses. "Just because I know 3 people doesn't mean I know everyone in town, Tuff."
"You can be our plus one!" Tuff shouts as if it were a grand discovery. He then lowers his voice and turns to Tiff. "That's a thing at weddings, isn't it?"
"I really don't know." Tiff shrugged. "Some of the books I read have had weddings in them but they might not be the same as the ones we have."
"It's probably not too different." You sigh, impressed by how long this conversation has carried on for. "You wear a fancy outfit, eat a bunch of cake and dance. That's pretty much it."
"Wow." Tuff deadpanned. "You made that sound really boring." You laugh at the young boy's brutal input.
"I guess I am missing a few details." You reach across the couch and squish the sides of Tuff's face inward, forcing him to purse his lips. You quirk your voice as if you were speaking to a dog. "Like the part where they kiss!" You get an immediate reaction of Tuff swiping your hand off his face as a spouting of 'EWW!'s pour out of his mouth. You fail to stifle your boisterous laughter with a limp hand to your mouth, reveling in his childish discomfort. You become so enamored with your playful teasing that you forget Kirby is in your lap trying to sleep. You're thoroughly reminded as the pink puff faces you and taps you on your shoulders in an attempt to communicate.
"Poooyoo!" The baby whines and you begin to rub his head softly once more much to his delight.
"I feel like you're forgetting the most important part." Tiff pipes up. Both you and Kirby give her an expectant look, the puffball leaning in for good measure. You're not certain if he's even aware of what the three of you are talking about but the affirmative appeal in Tiff's voice seem to have caught his attention.
"And what's that, Tiff?"
"The ceremony."
"Aw come on, Tiff!" Tuff pouts. "That's the most boring part!"
"It's not boring!" She shouted before clearing her throat and bringing her feet up on the couch, standing tall. This outta be good; another one of Tiff's famed lectures. She was exceptionally good at these: articulating her words in such a way to invoke big reactions out of people. She's told you stories of how she's staved off alien invaders from defacing their home and how she rallied the whole town into rising up against a horde of monsters that was ransacking the countryside. While completely outlandish, you're inclined to believe her. She tucked one arm behind her back and stuck an extended finger into the air. "It's the whole reason why people go to a wedding in the first place: to see the union of two people who love each other more than anything in the world. It's important because it's the start of something new. Those two people aren't just doing it because it's fun or cool but because they feel they are truly made for each other. They want to experience life together as something more than just a couple, but as a family. They want to protect each other and learn from each other. They want to face challenges together as a team and grow from them. The ceremony is just the first challenge. If a couple can go through a wedding together, then they can accomplish anything."
You couldn't help but smile at her heartfelt speech. For someone who is usually very pessimistic, she was quite the hopeless romantic. It caught you off guard, really. It wasn't necessarily profound by any means but it somehow got you invested in your own thoughts. It had you thinking about your future, your family. It got you thinking about Meta Knight.
You thought about when you first met, the initial skepticism and the gradual trust. You thought about the first time he let you see his face under the mask and how quickly he put it back on after your overexcited remarks. You thought about the first time he held your hand and how firm his hold was, refusing to let you slip away. You thought about your first dance together, a cheesy fumbling mess that had you laughing more than swooning. You thought about your first kiss, how quick and nervous lips soon turned passionate and reckless. You thought of all the wonderful moments you shared with the ball in blue and your mind raced to create a new fantasy scenario. You were suddenly bombarded by a multitude of hypotheticals. How would Meta Knight look in a suit? How would you look in a dress? What's the most beautiful area in all of Dreamland? What are the best flowers to have at a wedding? All these questions with no answers had your left brain painting a picture, those two loving golden eyes taking center stage. It was a lovely picture; a romantic, colorful, gorgeous picture. It was something that you wished you could hold onto forever but alas, it was only a picture.
"Wow!" Tuff chirped, your eyes no longer glazed over. "You made it sound even more boring than I thought!" Tiff growled and sat back down with a huff, crossing her arms. She turned toward you, waiting for a response but something stopped her.
"Are you okay, [X]?" She asked. "You're all red." You immediately tense up, now hyperaware of your flustered features. Before you can find a reasonable answer, Tuff pipes in with mischievous laughter.
"I think I know what you were thinking about!" Tuff spoke with an air of arrogance. You grit your teeth, flushing up even more.
"N-n-no you don't!" You manage to squeak out.
"Yeah, I do!" He beamed confidently. "You were thinking about Meta Knight, weren't ya?" You shook your head as if to shake off your furious flushing.
“[X]!” She shouted with a smile. “Are you thinking about—“
“I wasn’t thinking about anything!” You cut her off, your voice far too loud. Tuff’s laughter only grew stronger.
“Yeah, yeah!” The boy continued hooting with excitement. “You were thinking about marrying Meta Knight!” You shook your head and covered your face with both palms, no longer able to detest their collective pressing. Your face was hot on your skin, radiating as if it were sunburnt.
“Don’t be embarrassed, [X]!” Tiff cheered. “This is wonderful news!”
“Yeah!” You heard a short straining noise as the young boy jumped from his seat to find one closer to yours. “You guys are perfect for each other!”
You felt like a turtle hiding in their shell, waiting for the remarks to end and your face to cool. You weren’t shielded for long when a pair of delicate nubs pulled your hands away. Kirby stared at you like a confused puppy dog but once your eyes connected, they returned to their trademark smile. Just one look of that cheery expression calms your nerves enough to where you feel confident enough to speak.
“I’m.. I’m sorry but that’s not happening.” You state bluntly. The three chime in with confused noises.
“But [X],” Tuff’s excitable side had dampened, replaced with newfound worry. “Don’t you like Meta Knight?”
“Of course! I love him.” You spoke in a calm but firm voice. “But marriage is something that takes a very long time to think about.”
“Why?” The boy asked innocently. You sighed, knowing how difficult it would be to explain.
“Being married doesn’t just mean you get to wear a ring. There are a lot things that you have to consider: you suddenly live together, you share your finances, there’s a lot of paperwork involved. Not to mention that weddings can be insanely expensive too. There’s just too much to consider when it comes to this kind of stuff.”
“Not to be rude but,” Tiff raised her finger, drawing your attention. “Don’t you already live together?”
“Yeah, and you and Meta Knight don’t buy things since you never go into town.” Tuff added.
“Actually, I’ve seen Meta Knight visit Tuggle’s store sometimes late at night.”
“Well whatever, he probably gets paid big bucks for being a royal guard or something.”
“I doubt it. That no-good cheapskate Dedede probably doesn’t pay him at all.”
“Then how would he have paid for the groceries?”
“Poyo!”
“Guys!” You yell affirmatively. Their eyes are brought back to you. “Just because we live in the castle doesn’t mean we can avoid all the rules. There’s still the legal part of it where we have to fill out a bunch of forms that give us the right and say to be married.”
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything like that in the books I read.” The young girl moved a hand to her mouth in a thinking posture.
“That’s because it’s not the fun part.”
“Maybe human marriages are just more complicated than ours.” Tuff speculated with a lackadaisical hand raised. “The only person who cares about enforcing the law around here is Chief Bookem and he doesn’t even know ya!” The young boy lowered his hand and began counting on his fingers. “So you already live together, you don’t buy stuff, you don’t need to do paperwork, what’s the problem?”
You groused with frustration much to the dislike of the company that occupied your lap. Once again, a chubby-cheeked, cheery-eyed smile flashes in your direction, happy to see your eyes connected with theirs. You inhale then exhale.
“Tuff, marriage is about trust.” You begin. “It’s the kind of trust that you’d give your life for. And while I trust Meta Knight with all my heart, I can’t be certain he feels the same.”
“Are you saying Meta Knight doesn’t like ya?!” His mouth gaped open.
“No! It’s not like that! It’s just…” You sighed. “I don’t think marriage is something he’d ever be comfortable with.”
“Why not?”
“You know him. He’s a very…” You pause for much longer than intended as you search for the right words. “…’personal’ individual. He likes to keep to himself, he likes to stay busy. Settling down just doesn’t seem right for him. Who knows if his species can even get married in the first place.”
“You won’t know until you ask.” Tiff suggests with a comforting tone.
“Tiff, that’s not something you can just ask people.” You wipe your hands down your face and lean far into the couch cushions. “I’m getting ahead of myself as it is. We’ve only been together for so long.”
“You’ve been dating for like a year or something.” Tuff remarked, much to your surprise.
“9 months isn’t really a year and even then, most people go several years before even discussing getting married. I’m in way over my head.”
“[X].” Tiff gingerly took your hand into her own. “Don’t doubt yourself so much. Meta Knight really loves you. I know that you might be scared or nervous about this but if I know him, he will listen and really think about it. Maybe don’t be so transparent about it but you should definitely ask him how he feels on the subject.” She let’s go of your hand and smiles sweetly. “It’s worth a shot anyways. Right, Kirby?”
“Poyo poooy!” The ball bounces gleefully, his feet tapping on your knees. Even with how absentminded he can be, Kirby appears enthusiastic, almost hopeful for you. You weren’t sure what to think in the moment of this sudden rally. Joy, confusion, frustration, anxiety, fear all mixed in to one as they jumbled to take the leading role in your mind. Was this really something you were ready for? Was this really the next step? Who knew this is how this evening would go? Regardless, the rest of the day was ruined by thought after thought of dresses and suits and flowers and cake.