The first step is the one you believe in

[handing]

Who: Pepper Potts, Tony Stark, and everyone who has gathered there today.
What: A wedding and reception
When: Sept 14, All Day
Where: Cherry Blossom Hill / The Battle Dome
Summary: Pepper and Tony are getting married finally officially finally.
Rating: PG/PG-13 max? There's at least one kid here.
The decorations on the hill are simple ones; they've chosen this spot because it's naturally beautiful without the need for embellishments. Chairs have been set up for the expected guests, with a clear path laid out for the wedding party. And of course up front there is a place for those people to stand, in sight of everyone gathered so Tony won't be able to tell Pepper "I told you so" as color commentary won't be necessary.

After the ceremony everyone will be invited to go to the Battle Dome for the reception. There Tony's programmed an expansive hall with tables and seating enough for everyone. There's also a dance floor, which everyone is encouraged to take advantage of. The atmosphere is warm and vibrant, clearly intended to help all in attendance have a good time. Dinner will be served, and there's an open bar, with rum by request of the officiant.

Just don't get too rowdy, okay kids?

{{ooc: Visual references and details can be found here. Link is very image heavy. There will be separate threads for before the ceremony, during, and the reception.

EDIT: Now with a sign up to catch the bouquet!}}

Comments

[pendantry]

That got her attention. "What does this one mean?"

[herotypical]

"The silver's very cool -- but impersonal, y'know? Not a lot of warmth there. And the although the draping is semi-soft, those lines on the sleeves and the hem. It's...

Blunt."

[pendantry]

Oh. So it was bad, then. Raven crossed her arms and looked away, hoping that might cover her half-shame embarrassment. This was why she shouldn't have come.

[herotypical]

"But then, of course, there's all that...

Red."

[pendantry]

Red? Raven's eyes went to her bracelets, primarily silver, and her shoes, which were black.

"My hair?"

[herotypical]

"And the jewellery. You'd be surprised how much it stands out against all that metal."

[pendantry]

No, that was the point. She liked red and it looked really good with silver and it was not an often-asked-for stone color. So she had a fair few lying around to be worn.

But whether or not Buffy intended so, Raven felt a growing sense of being completely out of place and wrong about what to do at a wedding.

"Then I should go home."

[herotypical]

"...Go home? Why would you go home?"

Buffy liked the red. After all, she had a certain affinity for the same colour.

[pendantry]

The things Buffy said weren't enough of a reason? Raven's wings flap twice, fluffing against her back.

"I'm...I didn't do this right."

[herotypical]

And as for Buffy's wings? Well -- they were that same red. So the Slayer gave a slight shrug.

"You're doing it just fine. Honestly."

[pendantry]

"No, you just said it's wrong." That it gave the wrong impression, that a dress could tell people something about the way a person was.

[herotypical]

"Pretty sure the word wrong was nowhere near my mouth." A beat. "There's nothing wrong with being a blunt kind of person, Raven. Especially at a wedding. Weddings would be dull without the blunt people."

And after having survived Anya's wedding, Buffy felt she was just about entirely okay with surviving others' bluntness.

[pendantry]

Why did she value Buffy's opinion so much, anyway? Because she sounded so clear and certain about what she said? Or because she was a close acquaintance of Sokka, another person Raven trusted.

"This is the first one..."

[herotypical]

"...First wedding, you mean?"

[pendantry]

She nodded, "The first I've been to. Did you ever give that ring to him?"

[herotypical]

The question caught her off guard, but she worked at restoring her composure. Buffy nodded. "I did. I gave it to him. It was all snowy out and I couldn't have asked for a more perfect night..."

But.

[pendantry]

That wasn't the resolution she thought she'd hear.

"And he didn't say yes?"

[herotypical]

"Oh. He said yes. I think. Mostly, there was a lot of shock and awe and falling to his knees. He definitely said yes -- I'm just not convinced he should have."

[pendantry]

She seemed mostly sure when she came to ask about the ring.

"Because...either of you could disappear?"

[herotypical]

"Because one of us already has. Because I'm not sure that either of us were built to be old marrieds. Not that I don't wanna be -- I just don't think we're ready."

Her eyes drifted to the man in question. Pantsless, wearing a tablecloth like a skirt. Enjoying life.

[pendantry]

Buffy had weird taste in men.

"You're not old." She couldn't give much more than that; while an expert at hiding from life because it might be more painful not to, being that expert meant not telling other people how to handle it.

[herotypical]

"Au contraire, my...sorta-friend. Maybe friend? Acquaintance? Oh well--" The label didn't matter. "I'm practically ancient. Well past my expiry date."

[pendantry]

Another look, and another quiet scoff.

"You don't look older than thirty." And thirty would be pushing it. Hard.

[herotypical]

"I'm flattered. Really.

But in my line of work, we're not usually meant to make it past eighteen."

[pendantry]

"What do you do? Even- even dangerous jobs in my world aren't that bad."

Certain ones in particular, that she wouldn't speak of. Monster hunters.