Flames of the Phoenix

Chapter 31: Mr. and Mrs. Hearth

I worked side by side with Shoto for another three years before he knelt down on his knee while we were at dinner. "Cyra, you are the most beautiful and wonderful woman I have ever met. I am so glad we have been able to spend these last seven years together, and I hope we can spend the rest of forever together. Will you marry me?"

"Yes!"

Our wedding venue was beautiful. We decided to have it in a large open field in the countryside. The cherry trees were in bloom, and the petals looked like snow as they fluttered to the ground.

I held my breath as Mom zipped up the back of my dress. The long white fabric was soft against my skin. "You look beautiful." Mina wiped her eyes before throwing her arms around me. "I can't believe it took you this long to finally tie the knot!"

"Mina!" I laughed. "You know that we didn't want to rush things too fast."

She grinned and motioned her finger in a circle. I obliged and made a small spin. "I love your dress! To be honest, the simple silk is perfect because it lets you shine!"

Harrison cried as he walked me down the aisle. I squeezed his hand as we got closer to where he had to let me go. He smiled, even as his lips quivered. "Thank you for always being there for me." He nodded and sat in his assigned seat.

My eyes drifted to the empty one between him and my mother. I bit the inside of my lip and took the final few steps to Shoto.

"Do you, Shoto Todoroki, take Cyra Hearth, to be your wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, until parted by death?"

Shoto's dual-colored eyes met mine. "I do."

"Do you, Cyra Hearth, take Shoto Todoroki, to be your husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, until parted by death?"

I nodded and squeezed Shoto's hands. "I do."

"Then I pronounce you Husband and Wife."

We leaned forward and wrapped each other in a tight embrace. I rested my head on his chest for a second and just listened to his heartbeat before looking up at him and letting our lips connect.

We turned back to the crowd. "Thank you so much for being here to celebrate with us today! We have food and drink under that canopy. Please help yourself."

Shoto pressed a kiss to my forehead as we swayed to the music. He gently led me through the steps of the dance we had practiced. To my surprise, I didn't trip. I guess the extra lessons Momo has been taking me to have been paying off. I've never been clumsy on the dance floor, but I'm normally not the most graceful.

After our first dance, I made my way over to Harrison and pulled him toward the dancing area. "Would you please do the honors of dancing with me for the father-daughter dance?"

He nodded and wiped away his tears. "I wish that your father was here to see you. He would be proud of all your accomplishments and the guy you chose."

"I know. But you really are like my second dad. I wish that the two of you had gotten the chance to get married."

He wiped another tear off his cheek. "I know. But watching you grow up has been one of my favorite things, even if I'm not your legal father." He pulled me into a tight hug. "Go hang out with your hubby, Mrs. Todoroki."

I laughed. "It's actually Mrs. Hearth. We decided to take my name as the family name."

Harrison smiled and squeezed my hand. "Why am I not surprised? Go hang out with your hubby."

I grinned up at Shoto as he wrapped his arms around me. We swayed to the beat of the music as we addressed all of our family and friends. "Thank you so much for gathering here with us today! We are so grateful for all your love and support!"

Mina stood up. "I would like to say that getting these two love birds together was a tough task. Momo, Jiro, and I spent months trying to guide the two of them toward each other, but they are two of the most oblivious people I have had the pleasure of hooking up."

I snorted at Mina's speech, but it was a little embracing that it was accurate.

Izuku stood up next. "I'll keep this short, but as the best friend of Shoto and the twin of Cyra, I'd like to say that I know both of them really well. They are both amazing, and I hope they live a long life together filled with happiness." His smile sharpened. Now is not the time for a prank. "The bridesmaids and groomsmen would now like to present our dance."

He waved his hands toward Mina, Momo, Jiro, Bakugo, and Kirishima. They all stood up and grinned as they walked onto the dance floor.

I leaned into Shoto's ear. "Did you give them permission?"

"No."

The room went silent as the music turned off. We looked up at the group, who grinned and then began dancing as the music started again. They chose a popular TikTok from the internet. I can't believe them right now.

After the dances, the photographer beckoned us over. "The light is perfect right now for pictures."

We nodded and positioned ourselves in front of the cherry trees. Shoto leaned down and pressed his forehead against mine. Our noses bumped together, and I could feel the rise and fall of his chest. One of his hands got lost in my hair cascading down my back, and the other gently held my hip. I wished the moment could forever, our breathing in sync, our love for each other constantly growing, and our dreams for the future parallel.

The camera clicked, encapsulating the memory forever.