Aoi's POV

The past few months have been busy. At every island stop, Izo would drag me off to look at wedding dresses, ignoring me when I pointed out that I could just water-craft one later. Besides, it would reduce the risk of Ace seeing the dress before the wedding. But Izo insisted on dress shopping, and far be it from me to crush his spirit.

After all, it's not every day that the only girl in the crew get married.

We found some very pretty dresses. Izo suggested a mermaid dress since I was "their little mermaid." To which I responded: "I am not reforming my ass so I can walk in a dress." Izo laughed at that, but he got the message.

Then came the planning of the wedding. The date, the cake, the food, the colors, the vows, the location, etc.

I told Ace no barbecue for the wedding menu. He pouted for a few hours, but after being reminded by me, Thatch, Izo and Marco that I would be in a white dress he stopped pouting and agreed with me on Sushi and a few special recipes I remembered from Reality that I would teach to Thatch later.

We agreed for the sake of not staining, we'd have a vanilla cake with butter cream frosting. Thatch was excited about our choice. Apparently Butter cream was his favorite frosting to make.

As for the colors, Ace and I agreed on Red & Cyan. Our favorite colors. As for location, well... We were on the ocean. So... The deck. As for the time, Ace and I agreed sunset.

We had decided the date as well. December 17th. Why that date? Well, it was December when Ace and I really started realizing our feelings for each other. And Ace was 17 when he set out to be a pirate. I figured that December 17th was perfect and Ace agreed with me.

We had one more island stop before it was time for the wedding. Izo insisted on dress shopping yet again. And far be it from me to ruin my friend's fun.

"How about this Kimono?" He asked. Pointing at a white kimono.

"I don't think so, Izo. I mean, I've always wanted a kimono, but I just don't think I could pull off getting married in one." I said.

"Then why not have it for the honeymoon?" He asked with a very suggestive tone. I felt my face turn as red as Luffy's vest.

"I-Izo!" I whined, covering my face in embarassment.

"Oh, come on, Aoi-chan, everyone already knows that you two do it." He said.

"Izo!" I said, burrying my face further in my hands if it was possible. Izo smacked my on the back.

"Oh, I'm just teasing you, Aoi. But really, I think that Ace would love seeing you in this." He said.

It was a small Kimono that was mostly white with black at the bottom, the sash and what appeared to be cherry blossom tree branch patterns and pinkish-red gradient sleeves.

Izo also pointed to a kimono like dress that was all white with a pink & red cherry blossom sash.

Izo talked me in to buying the smaller one for the "Honeymoon nights" as he put it. We continued to look around at wedding dresses.

"Fluffy?" He asked.

"Hell no." I said.

"Whyyyyy?"

"Because I don't want to have to push the fluf down to actually reach my husband for our first kiss as a married couple."

"High-low?"

"From where we will be standing, even the slightest breeze will show my underwear to everyone."

"Pencil skirt?"

"I want it to be long."

"Wow, Aoi-chan. You're pretty picky." Izo said.

"I'm planning on only getting married once. I want it to be perfect." I said. Izo chuckled at me.

"You know, at the end of the day, it's who you marry that makes it all perfect." He said. I smiled at him.

"Awww, that's so romantic!" I teased. He grinned at me.

"But, yeah, I get what you're saying. I just want this one day to at least come close to Ace's perfection." I sighed.

"You really see him as perfect?" Izo asked.

"Well, I mean, no one is perfect. Perfection is something achieved through life. Once you become perfect, you die. But, to me... Even with his little imperfections, Ace is perfect enough for me." I said. Izo sighed, then chuckled.

"Now who's the romantic?" He teased. I rolled my eyes.

"Yeah, yeah, let's find a dress already." I said.

Ace's POV

"Well, I mean, no one is perfect. Perfection is something achieved through life. Once you become perfect, you die. But, to me... Even with his little imperfections, Ace is perfect enough for me." I heard Aoi say. I felt a small smile crawl up my face.

I peaked around the corner of the building and watched Izo drag Aoi off towards a dress shop. Even though Aoi had encouraged it, I knew she hated the task.

"You're perfect enough for me, too, Aoi." I hummed silently.

"Alright. You heard what you wanted to hear, now quite trying to spy on your future wife." Marco said, grabbing my arm and dragging me away.

"Oi! Marco why won't you let me see the dress Aoi picks?" I asked.

"Are you really that dumb?" He asked.

"Hey!" I said.

"It's bad luck if the groom sees his bride's dress before the wedding!" Marco told me.

"Is it really?" I asked.

"You really don't know..." Marco sighed.

Aoi's POV

"Izo... It's perfect." I said breathlessly.

"Which one?" He asked. I reached out and touched the dress.

"This one." I said. I heard him gasp.

"Go try it on!" Izo encouraged in a giddy fashion. I did as I was told and tried on the dress.

It was a sweetheart neckline and was one strap. Where the shoulder strap met the neckline, there was a white rose. The dress fit my form perfectly.

"Oh, Aoi-chan.... You're right." Izo said.

"It's perfect." I said, looking at my reflection. I smiled as I imagined walking down the isle in this dress. I felt my heart bursting with joy.

It was perfect.