APH Rarepair Week 2021!

Day 3: Culture

"Apologies again for canceling our date today," Lukas said as he hastily slid on his buckled shoes. "If the idiot hadn't invited me last minute I wouldn't have made plans with you in the first place-"

"Iie, Lukas, it's fine." Kiku waved off the apology. "Weddings are important. It can't be helped."

Just a few days prior, Lukas had gotten an invitation for the wedding of a human friend of his. Not a diplomat or anything, just someone Lukas had met in Evanger and gotten along with pretty well. The two had remained friends, even though friendship between human and personification isn't advised (too many mistakes have been made in the past), and they were apparently close enough for Lukas to get a wedding invitation. A very short notice one, which Lukas still wasn't happy about, but Lukas was going to go anyway. 

Kiku wasn't mad about the cancelation of their date night, of course he wouldn't be, but he was a bit disappointed. 

"Ja, ja…" Lukas pulled on his second shoe, then went to adjust his socks. "Kiku, could you get my hat for me? It's in the closet. I think."

"Of course." Kiku nodded and went to do so, but paused after taking one step. "Ah, but I've been meaning to ask you something…"

Lukas looked up. "Mhm?"

"Why are you wearing that outfit for a wedding?" Kiku asked, eyes trailing over Lukas's traditional bunad, which Kiku rarely saw out unless it was May 17th (or their first date, but we don't need to go there). "Very sorry if that's a rude thing to ask- I've just heard that Norway has adopted more western wedding customs recently."

"Oh, we definitely have," Lukas replied. "But that doesn't mean you can't wear bunad instead of a suit or dress. Plus, Trygve said he and his fiancé are trying to have a more traditional Norwegian wedding."

"More traditional?"

"I think they just want people to wear their bunad. But maybe they're planning something else, I have no idea."

"I see." Kiku didn't really see. He would like to understand how weddings work in Norway, since they probably differ quite a bit from weddings in Japan, but he wasn't quite grasping Lukas's words. 

"What exactly is the difference between a not traditional wedding and a traditional one?" Kiku asked after a pause.

"I would love to answer that, kjære, but if I don't leave now, I'm going to be late," Lukas said. He stood up from the bed and went to the closet to fetch his hat himself. 

Kiku internally kicked himself. "Right- Sorry for all the questions. It's just interesting to me."

Lukas dusted off his black hat and situated it atop his head, then spun on his heel to face Kiku. "Come with me then."

"E-Eh??"

"I can bring a guest, and it'll be a learning experience for you."

"I don't have anything to wear though-"

"Here." Lukas pulled something out of the closet and tossed it towards Kiku, who just barely caught it. "It's Emil's, so it'll probably fit you."

Kiku blinked at Lukas, then glanced down at the suit in his arms. He wanted to learn, he really did, but he wasn't sure if this was okay. He's never even met Trygve before, after all. His hesitation was put to an end when Lukas nudged past him.

"Well? Put it on. I'll wait for you in the car," Lukas said as he passed.

Kiku slowly nodded. Whatever. Lukas thinks it'll be fine for Kiku to tag along, so Kiku will think that too. He quickly changed into the suit, which did thankfully fit, by the way (though he isn't sure how excited he should be that a child's suit fits him), and then he headed out to the car.