Kei had proposed one evening when they were walking home from the flower shop Tadashi worked at. Tadashi had laughed in his face and then pulled him in for a kiss and said yes, as if there was anything else he could have said. They were twenty three and they held hands all the way home. They got married a year later. Kei's mother cried and probably kissed Tadashi more than she kissed Kei.
Kei cried when he saw Tadashi and Tadashi started laughing, that kind of bubbly laughter that he did whenever he was nervous and they didn't listen when people called Tadashi a bride because he wasn't even if only their families knew.
Tadashi smashed the cake in Kei's face and they danced to Iris and Kei cried when Tadashi kissed him. For their honeymoon they had gone to a flower festival but spent more time in the hotel than anywhere else. It was all Kei had ever dreamed of.
They're twenty seven now and when his students ask about Kei's ring he has to lie about having a wife because he's not allowed to have a husband out loud. Tadashi promises he doesn't mind but Kei wishes they didn't have to hide it.
The day that they find out, it's raining. It's raining so hard Kei has to run to the flower shop and by the time he gets there he's completely wet but as soon as he opens the door to the shop, Tadashi is jumping into his arms.
"Hey," he says smiling down at Tadashi and then pulls away. "You'll get wet."
"I don't care," Tadashi says stepping closer again, throwing his arms over Kei's neck. "Did you hear the news?"
"The news?" Kei asks. "I've been in the university all day, I haven't heard anything."
Tadashi steps away and he's beaming, the way he does just before Kei opens his birthday present. He doesn't answer though, flips the open sign to closed and locks the front door, then takes Kei's hand and they walk to the back. The back has fridges with flowers and two tables for flower arrangements and a small couch. Tadashi makes him sit down but stays standing himself and just smiles at Kei.
"Tell me," Kei says quietly and he's smiling himself even though he doesn't know why.
"Same sex couples can get married now," Tadashi finally tells him, still a huge grin on his face.
"We're already married," Kei answers but he's smiling still, pulling Tadashi closer to him and then they're kissing. This means so much more now. It means that now they aren't just the lucky couple who could get married because one of them was designated female at birth.
Eventually they end up laying on the coach, their legs dangling over the edge and Tadashi is half on top of him. They talk, about their first kiss and the first I love you's, about the day they moved in together and how awkward they were in high school, sweaty hands and awful pining. Sometimes they move to kiss each other or whatever is closest that they can reach.
They get home in a cab and still manage to get their feet wet from the puddles, Tadashi laughs at Kei's hair and they kiss in the hall, in front of their door.
***
"Call me a boy," Tadashi asks quietly when they're laying in bed. Kei turns away from the TV and looks at Tadashi's face. He looks tired.
"You're twenty seven," Kei says after a moment. "You're a man."
***
The next day is a Sunday and Kei doesn't have to be at the university but he gets out of bed anyway. Just because Tadashi wouldn't get up alone. He makes breakfast and when he goes to wake Tadashi, he's met with a sleepy stare.
"Come back to bed," Tadashi says, making grabby hands at him and for a moment Kei almost does but then he's pulling Tadashi out of bed and onto his feet. "Traitor," Tadashi hisses and they kiss close mouthed because Tadashi hasn't brushed his teeth yet.
Kei waits for Tadashi to shower just so they could eat together even if it means their breakfast goes cold. He reads the newspaper, even if it's cliche and Tadashi's obviously making fun of him when he calls him honey.
They eat breakfast. Tadashi complains about there not being enough sugar is his tea, Kei says it's unhealthy and Tadashi sticks out his tongue but doesn't try to get more sugar. Which is good because Kei put it on the highest shelf where only he can reach.
Tadashi wears Kei's sweater which is a little too big on him but not enough to look weird. He says it's lonely on the days that Kei doesn't come pick him up after finishing at the university. Kei smiles, kisses the top of his hair and tells Tadashi to call him during his lunch break. They wave at their neighbor, a young college student, in the hall and she hesitates for a moment as if to say something, then shakes her head and waves back.
Kei spends the day reading essays and answers Tadashi as soon as the phone rings. He tells Tadashi the highlights of the essays and Tadashi tells him about his clients.
***
They get an invitation to Hitoka and Kiyoko's wedding a couple weeks later. Tadashi asks whose last name does he think they will take and they talk about what gift they should buy.
On the day of the wedding Tadashi wears a tux. When he looks in the mirror, Kei standing behind him, there's something in Tadashi's eyes that's different.
"You look very handsome," Kei say leaning down to kiss Tadashi's shoulder and earns a grin.
Tadashi drives them there and while Kei gets their gift from the back, he chats with Yachi's mother who's trying very hard not to cry. Kei walks up to them just as she's telling Tadashi that a white tux would have fit his skin complexion better.
"Isn't white just for the the people getting married?" he asks as Kei puts his arm around Tadashi.
"Did you wear white on your wedding?" she asks, casually and Kei feels Tadashi stiffen.
"Light blue, actually," Kei answers for him which is true. She doesn't need to know Tadashi was wearing a dress.
They don't get to talk to Kiyoko or Hitoka before the ceremony starts. When Hitoka starts crying in the middle of her vows, Tadashi nudges Kei's side and smiles. He doesn't have to say anything for Kei to know he's being made fun of for crying so bad he couldn't even get his vows out on their wedding day.
"Shut up," he whispers and slides his hand in Tadashi's.
Hitoka comes up to them as soon as reception starts. She says Tadashi looks great in a tux, Tadashi asks her about the flowers. Kiyoko shows up a bit later. She's wearing a pink dress now and it doesn't fit into their white-gold color scheme for the wedding but Kei figures no one will tell one of the brides off for it.
During the first dance Kei keeps wondering if he and Tadashi looked as graceful as Kiyoko and Hitoka do. When he says it loud Tadashi laughs and tells him that no they did not.
Tadashi invites Hitoka to dance and Kei asks for Kiyoko's hand even though he's forgotten everything he learned from the dancing lessons he took just before his wedding. Kiyoko doesn't mind that they're not dancing much, she's stuck on watching Hitoka anyway.
"Almost looks like they're the newlyweds," she says, quietly, as if more to herself than to Kei.
"When Hitoka first joined I thought he liked her," Kei confesses and Kiyoko turns to him, smiling.
"I'm glad they're not the couple getting married. This is the best day of my life, Kei," Kiyoko says and there's nothing but love in her voice. He remembers feeling that way too.
"I know," he tells her. "We got lucky."
***
Kiyoko and Hitoka send them a postcard from the city they're staying in for their honeymoon. Tadashi puts it on their book shelf. Kei notices they don't have any pictures of their wedding on there.
***
Saeko calls them the day before their wedding anniversary dinner to say that she got in a fight with Akiteru and is coming over to watch a horror movie. Kei spends the first twenty minutes with his face buried in Tadashi's neck and leaves as soon as real horror starts.
He calls Akiteru and listens to him talk about it, promises to tell Saeko Akiteru's sorry and he does, when the movie finishes. She sleeps on their couch and makes breakfast in the morning to say thank you. Tadashi asks about her new tattoo and about how the parlor is going. In exchange, she listens to him talk about the flower shop. Kei drinks his coffee in silence. Listens.
Saeko stays until afternoon, sits on the bed and comments on Kei's clothes while Tadashi's in the flower shop. She tells him that Akiteru and her will be alright and she kisses his cheek and leaves. Kei calls Tadashi to say that he loves him.
It's one of the rare days there's no need to make dinner so Kei reads and does the laundry, stops to chat with one of their neighbors in the hallway.
Tadashi comes home himself that day. They get dressed next to each other and keep stopping to kiss and giggle until they can't anymore or they'll be late.
Kei's holding Tadashi's hand when they walk into the restaurant. There's a few stares, a few glares, people start to whisper. Kei leans into Tadashi to tell him he looks amazing in a suit.
They hold hands under the table and talk about their favorite memories and things they should do again.
Before they can order, the waiter calls Tadashi ma'm and Kei gets angry, causes a scene. Tadashi tells him to calm down but he doesn't. They leave the restaurant without eating, fight their whole way home.
"I don't need you to do things like that," Tadashi says, angry, as they're walking into the apartment.
"I don't want people to treat you like that," Kei says, kicks his expensive shoes off and turns to look at Tadashi, who's crying.
"There will always be people who misgender me, Kei, you can't get angry every time."
Kei takes a step closer, waits for Tadashi to pull away and when he doesn't, he kisses him. Tadashi unties Kei's tie and pulls away to rest his head against Kei's chest.
"I hate fighting," Kei tells him, wraps his arms around Tadashi's waist.
"At least it's not like last time," Tadashi answers and there's a smile in his voice. Last time Kei broke a mug and then got really upset in the morning because it was his favorite mug. Tadashi spent half of his day off looking for an identical one.
They stay standing for a little bit longer and then get changed and go to McDonalds. Tadashi kisses him with his mouth full of fries and no one says anything and it's all good.
***
They're sitting on the couch in the back of the flower shop again, waiting out the rain when Kei says:
"We should get married again." Tadashi straightens from where he was leaning against Kei's shoulder a moment ago and looks at him.
"Why?" he asks, confused.
"So you can wear a tux," Kei answers. "And they'll call you a groom instead of a bride and-"
He doesn't get the chance to finish it because Tadashi is kissing him, pulling away to say yes and then kissing him again. They stay in the shop until it gets dark and the couch starts making them stiff.
They stay up that whole night, talk about plans, about a second honeymoon, about how long it will take them to get everything done. At some point they start talking about custom cakes and Tadashi finds the encyclopedias they have to prove that Kei would enjoy the dinosaur cake he's suggesting. They lay on the floor and kiss, Tadashi makes fun of Kei when he complains about his back hurting. He moves to stand up but Kei holds him in place, kisses him and decides a sore back is worth this.
Kei says he won't cry this time, Tadashi laughs in his face. They hold their hands to each other's hearts and feel like they're eighteen again and have just kissed for the first time.
Kei calls in sick to work the next day. Tadashi doesn't even consider opening the shop, they watch bad movies in bed and fall asleep at ten in the morning, all tangled in each other.
***
It takes them two years to get everything sorted. Tadashi hires someone else for the flowers so he wouldn't have to stress about it. His suit is white. Kiyoko and Yachi sit in the front row and Yachi waves at Tadashi. Kei cries as soon as Tadashi starts saying his new vows. He gets cake on his suit, kisses Tadashi longer this time and they dance to Iris again.
They get home from their honeymoon and hang pictures on the wall above their bed. Kei comes to the flower shop two days later so they can walk home. Their neighbor stops them in the hall to tell them that she proposed to her girlfriend. They wish her luck and go home to make dinner. Nothing seems different but Kei sees the way Tadashi looks at their wedding pictures now and he knows it is. It's so much better this time.