A Half-Decent Proposal
"Okay Sousuke, I'm leaving for work now!"
"Alright. See you in a few hours. Be safe."
"I will! Love you, bye!" The typing on his laptop slowed to a stop once he heard the door to their apartment close. Even after two years, the knowledge that he shared a home with her still felt surreal at times. After having spent the better part of his youth fighting and knowing that any mission could be his last, it was a very calming, yet strange feeling that he actually had something worth living for now.
Reaching over to the top drawer of his desk, he turned the tiny key and reached in to retrieve a small cardboard box. Taking off the top, he shook it gently until a slightly smaller black velvet box fell quietly into his palm. Opening it carefully, he stared at his purchase in wonder, the multifaceted gem shining back at him as the six diamonds framed it, each one held tightly on a small platinum band. He'd had it made especially for her, and with some helpful suggestions from Mao and Kyoko, he had to admit that he was more than pleased with how the final product came out.
Finally, after three years of hardships, battles, misunderstandings, and enough blown up shoe lockers to reproduce the Eiffel tower, he was going to ask Kaname to marry him.
He smirked as he watched the light from the window play over the small lapis, the same one he had held onto for years and had later given to her, glowing as it refracted and reflected the dancing light. He could still remember how unbelievably nervous he had been the last time they had visited her father and Ayame for the holidays. Even though it was obvious that they loved each other dearly, the sisters could be a real handful when they got going. Still, the memory of speaking to her father was indeed one of the most nerve wracking experiences he'd ever had, yet he still smiled as they once more played across his mind.
~~~~~***~~~~~
Kaname was wrestling with Ayame across the hardwood floors of her father's house, the two girls messing up the area rugs and bumping into accent tables as they fought for supremacy. Building up his courage, Sousuke stood from his seat and went to go join Shunya in the kitchen, hopefully for long enough to say what he wanted without interruption. Thankfully, the perfect opportunity made itself known, as Shunya was finishing with the dishes. "Ah Sousuke, come and dry some these and stack them on the counter. I'll have Ayame put them away for antagonizing her sister into that wrestling match."
"Sir." Grabbing a small hand towel, he set to work drying the dishes that had been left on the wrack next to the sink. As the silence stretched between them, Sousuke could feel his nerves going wild, despite the calm exterior he exuded. There had to be something they could talk about, anything to break the ice and make things even a little less tense.
"So tell me Sousuke, you two leave on the morning flight in three days correct?"
"Ah, yes sir. That's correct."
"What time?"
"9:45 if I'm not mistaken sir, though I can check once I've finished if you like."
"No, that's fine. There's still plenty of time before we need to worry about that." As the silence in the kitchen crept back, Sousuke began to worry again. He was more than aware that Shunya had not exactly approved of Kaname's choice of him, but knew that ultimately it was not his decision who his daughter took interest in, no matter how much he wished it was at times. The sounds of playful wrestling drifting in from the living room had now changed to loud giggles as the two girls continued, eventually quieting down enough that the television could be heard from around the corner.
They had arrived just in time to spend Christmas and New Year's together, and the house was still decorated brightly with lights and festive colors. A large tree had been set up in the corner of the formal living room, donned with garland, ornaments, tinsel, and a shining star at the top. The string of blinking multicolored lights glowed in the relative darkness of the room, the only other light coming from that of the kitchen and the lamps from the room where Ayame and Kaname were watching television.
Gathering his courage, Sousuke put the last of the plates aside and offered Shunya a towel to dry his hands. "Thank you Sousuke. Shall we join my two amazons in the family room then?"
"Uh, sir…"
"Hm? What is it?" Still grasping the small towel, Sousuke squeezed it as he swallowed against the lump in his throat. He could face off against a platoon of enemies without breaking a sweat, yet performing this one task was proving even more nerve wracking than the first time he'd climbed into an M9.
"I-I was wondering if I might speak to you a moment; privately." He could tell Shunya was a little suspicious, it wasn't everyday that they went out of their way to speak to each other aside from when conversing while in the presence of at least one of the two girls. Slightly relieved when Shunya nodded, he followed the man to his study, closing the doors behind him as he turned to join Shunya on the small couch near the far wall.
"So, what exactly is on your mind Sousuke? Kaname isn't pregnant is she?"
"N-NO SIR! I-I would never, ah, I mean, uh-" Sousuke stopped when he heard a light chuckle from the man as he pulled out two small glasses and offered him a small amount of brandy. While normally he didn't care much for alcohol, since he graduated high school he'd had a small amount at special occasions. Though he even had to limit that much considering he'd lost a third of his liver when Kurama had shot him in the stomach. Still, Sousuke took a small sip, hoping that even a small amount might help sooth his nerves.
"Calm down Sousuke, I'm not going to kill you." 'You'd have no chance in hell anyway,' he thought wryly as he watched the older man take a sip of his drink. After setting the glass back down on the coaster, he leaned back and crossed his legs casually. "Now, what is it you wanted to talk about exactly?"
"Uh, well…you see sir, I…" Why was this so hard? It was just a simple question! And it wasn't as if it would change his mind afterward either! Though he would be disappointed if Shunya rejected his intentions, it wouldn't change the fact that Sousuke wanted more than anything to be with his daughter. It would just make things far easier in the long run if they could be a bit more amicable.
"I…um…well, I…" The words froze in his throat a moment, as if speaking them might trigger the apocalypse and end all existence. Calming his breathing, he met Shunya's gaze directly as the words finally made themselves known. "Sir, I-I wanted you to know that I love Kaname very much. She's everything to me, and above all, I want to always make her happy. That's why…"
"Yes?"
"I-I would like to have your blessing sir. With your permission, I w-want to ask her to marry me." The silence stretched on as Shunya sat there, staring back at him with a serious expression. Sousuke could feel the sweat on the back of his neck, and was thankful that he had worn a light shirt that day. Though with the way he was squeezing his thighs as he awaited an answer, he would most likely have small bruises by the end of the night. Sousuke jumped a little when Shunya cleared his throat, taking a moment to sip at the drink he had poured earlier before leaning back into his seat.
"Before I give my answer," he started. The manner he carried himself with reminded Sousuke of Mardukas, setting his nerves on a hair trigger. He was almost sure that the man could ask him nearly anything and he would feel obliged to answer, even matters concerning some of Mithril's most top secret files. "There are a few answers I would like, if you don't mind."
"Ah, o-of course sir."
"Detail to me your relationship history if you would."
"Sir?"
"How many women have you dated? How many you have had intimate relations with, that sort of thing."
"W-well sir, I haven't." Sousuke wasn't sure if Shunya's raised eyebrow was supposed to be a good thing, but considering it was attached to a look of absolute disbelief, his spirits began to slowly sink.
"Haven't?"
"Yes. I have never dated anyone before Kaname. I have never loved before her either, and I have never shared intimacy with anyone." Shunya looked surprised at this, though seeing as Sousuke had never elaborated on his somewhat difficult history, he really should have seen it coming. "You see sir, I had a very…trying…childhood. I was put into a Russian orphanage when my mother died, and after that, I mostly grew up in the remote areas of Afghanistan. I was more concerned with surviving than I was at attempting to find intimate companionship for the majority of my younger years."
"I see." Sousuke guessed he had unnerved him when he took a long sip of his drink, setting it down rather roughly before refilling it. "Then tell me this, Sousuke. If you have indeed, never experienced relationships beyond my daughter, then how do you know you love her? What basis do you have for this?"
"I know I love her. It is not something I can explain sir, but there is no one I trust and admire more. She makes me a better person for knowing her, and I have been blessed just being able to meet her." Sousuke was still nervous as he watched Shunya nod, taking another sip from his drink before clearing his throat and continuing.
"How do you intend to provide for her? I won't have my daughter in danger of being forced to live in her car will I?"
"My salary is roughly $250,000 USD per year sir." At that, Shunya nearly choked on his brandy, spitting the liquid out across the room. "Sir? Are you alright?" Coughing as his lungs cleared, Sousuke watched as Shunya took hold of a nearby calculator, beginning to try and figure things out. "That's roughly 80,175,000 yen I have collected in the last three years sir. I also have a few offshore accounts with nearly double those numbers, though most of it is all compounded interest. Are you feeling alright sir? You look sick."
Shunya was a rather interesting shade of white at the thought of so much money, and for a second, he had to wonder if Kaname knew about the young man's financial situation. Shaking his head as he came back to himself, and wondering slightly if it would be out of place to ask him for assistance on his own debts, as Sousuke certainly had enough to spare, he downed the last of his drink before meeting the young man's gaze. "Well then, Sousuke, with that knowledge I believe I have an answer for you."
Sousuke could feel his nerves building up again, the thought that perhaps he wasn't good enough for the woman he loved persisted, and for what seemed to be the millionth time that day, he wondered if he truly deserved to be with her. There were still times when he wondered if she wouldn't have been happier with someone else, perhaps someone more 'normal' than he was. Someone more like that Fuwa boy she had liked so long ago, she seemed to like him enough, and he certainly didn't blow things up over misunderstandings or hide secret armories in his apartment. He had lost himself so deep in his worries; he hadn't understood Shunya when he spoke. Assuming the worst, Sousuke simply sat and nodded back to the man sadly. "I understand sir, I apologize for troubling you."
"Sousuke, for as observant as Kaname says you are, you need to learn to pay closer attention when people speak to you."
"Sir?"
"I have no valid reason to refuse your request Sousuke. You make my daughter happy, you can provide for her, and from what you've told me, you wouldn't be unfaithful to her; would you?"
"Never sir!"
"Then you have my blessing. I would consider it an honor for you to marry my daughter." His breath caught in his lungs, Sousuke had to remember how to breathe when Shunya had offered his hand to him. His eyes still wide in surprise, Sousuke took it firmly and smiled back at the older man.
"Sir, I promise to do whatever I can to make her the happiest woman in the world! I-I don't know how I could possibly thank you."
"Well, now that you mention it, I have this pesky mortgage…"
~~~~~***~~~~~
Sousuke smirked as he closed the small black box and set it back into the drawer, returning to typing up his monthly report. Though no longer an official member of Mithril, he was kept on retainer as an instructor for new recruits once they passed the initial tests and background checks. He was only called out these days if it was a complete emergency, and thankfully since the fall of Amalgam, those were far few, and in between.
He chuckled softly, remembering when he had asked Shunya if he really wanted him to take care of the man's mortgage, and though the man later told him that he had only been joking about it, Sousuke had already begun to put things in motion. Sousuke would be receiving a phone call later in the week to report to him the exact numbers necessary to pay it off. It might not be much, but it was a way to show Kaname's father how grateful he was that he had been given his blessing. Finishing up his report for the time being, he sent it off and closed up his laptop, stretching as he stood and made his way out to the living room. He had preparations to make for tonight, and everything had to be perfect.
Five hours later, Sousuke wiped at the light sweat on his brow as he finished chopping the last of the ingredients. It had become something of a routine that if he was home, he was to prepare everything needed for dinner, and when Kaname returned home from work, and she would finish it all up and serve them before they settled in for a movie or whatever else sounded good. He had already finished putting away the laundry for her, did some light vacuuming, changed the air filter in the AC unit, and finished cleaning and putting away the dishes from the night before. Normally the dishes would have been taken care of right after dinner to avoid the hassle later, but there had been a few, 'distractions', that had occurred during dinner, and the couple had barely been able to finish eating before giving into their more carnal appetites. Glancing at the clock, he had about another fifteen minutes until Kaname was supposed to be home, giving him just enough time to fix himself and get everything ready.
Once changing and fixing his hair, he retrieved the small velvet box from his desk drawer and set it in his pocket. After opening the sliding glass door, it was an exceptionally beautiful night, his phone started to ring. Grimacing that he might have to postpone anything until after an assignment, he reluctantly pulled out the phone and flipped it open, trying to conceal the sigh at the prospect of having to leave Kaname again for a few days. "Sagara."
"Hey Sousuke! So you got everything ready?" His nerves calmed once he heard Melissa's voice from the other end of the line. Thankful that it wasn't a call to arms, so to say, he replied in a much more usual manner.
"Affirmative Mao. I believe everything is set up."
"That's good to hear, now remember, we all know she'll say yes, so just stay calm about it okay? The last thing we need is for you to go blowing a mental fuse and going comatose from the neck up."
"Understood, I will try not to freak out."
"Good man. Now go get her and call me in the morning with all the juicy details!"
"Uh, I-I will try."
"Great, later!" Flipping the hone closed and placing it in the pocket opposite the black velvet box, he steeled himself as he heard the door open, his girlfriend's lyrical voice drifting throughout their apartment.
"I'm home. Sousuke? You here?" Taking a deep breath to calm himself, he turned to exit the den and greet her.
"Yes, here I am."
"Oh good; I thought for a second they may have called you out again." Seeing the worry and relief on her face had him angry at himself for still putting her through so much. He had offered to completely resign from Mithril for her a while back, all she had to do was give the word and he would, but she had told him that she understood why even being on somewhat active duty was what held Tokyo in one piece. Even if he had come a long way from pulling his Glock on everyone who dared to even get within a few meters of her, it seemed that a part of him had been created for war. It still bothered him that she could see all the blood on his hands, but knowing that Kaname still loved him anyway, always made it more than enough to bear.
Embracing her tightly after she had hung up her coat her taken off her shoes, he kissed her softly, hoping to convey just how grateful he was that she had chosen him. "If they had called me, you know I would have left you a message at least."
"Doesn't make it any easier when they do though." Lightly punching him in the shoulder with a slight pout, Sousuke followed her as Kaname made her way toward the bedroom to change into some more comfortable clothing. Once she had changed, Kaname headed right for the kitchen and began pulling out the pots and pans needed for dinner, making sure that she had all the proper spices as well. After everything had been put together, all that was left was to wait for when it would be ready.
Sousuke knew he had a time limit, as everything would be ready in approximately twenty minutes. Steeling his nerves for what seemed like the thousandth time that day, he asked Kaname to join him on the couch for a minute. "What's up Sousuke? Nothing's wrong is it?"
"N-No, Kaname, nothing's wrong. I-I wanted to…that is, I…"
"Yeah?"
"I-I wanted, uh, I mean, I was hoping…would you-"
KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!
"Oh, hold that thought Sousuke. I'll be right back." Reaching out in a futile attempt to stop her from leaving, his fingertips just missed her as she stood to answer the door.
"Uh, b-but Kaname I-"
"It'll only be a minute. Calm down, there's no rush." Her stride quickly taking her down the hall, she never saw the look of despair across his features, knowing that he would have to once again, mentally prepare himself once she had returned.
Hearing her unlock the door, he grimaced as a voice he knew all too well grew louder as it followed Kaname back into the living room. "Hey Sousuke! You wouldn't believe the shots I got this month! Those new M11 models are amazing!" Trying desperately to hide the urge to roll his eyes at his friend, Sousuke put on his usual serious demeanor, hoping that maybe it would make Kazama re-think about staying too long. Besides, it wasn't Kazama's fault that he had been training the Mithril new hires on the M11 for the past year and a half. The specs were only just now coming out to the public, as the Americans sought to have the best models for their use in 'protecting the world'.
"So, the company asked you to photograph the new M11's then hm?" Trying to still sound interested as Kazama went on and on about random specs and possible weak points, Sousuke kept his replies to a minimum, mostly responding with either short answers or the occasional grunt. Thankfully, after Kazama had gone through all of his pictures, he mentioned something about having to go and meet Maya for dinner. A little surprised, apparently he had mentioned it while droning over his newfound knowledge of the M11s, and Sousuke had simply failed to notice. Following him to the door, Sousuke shook his friends hand and promised that the boys would have a day out sometime soon.
The second the door had closed, Sousuke turned and leaned against it, releasing the sigh he had held back from earlier. As much as he enjoyed his friend's company, both Kazama and most especially Onodera had the world's absolute worst timing. Leaning his head back against the door, he closed his eyes a moment, hoping to regain his courage. A set of slender arms wrapped around him, and he found himself soon after, drowning in pools of warm chocolate. "Have a nice chat with him?"
"Affirmative, though I wish it could have been postponed until later." Kaname grinned before leaning up to kiss his chin, a small giggle coming through as her arms tightened a moment to re-enforce her hug.
"I know. Oh yeah, what was it you were gonna say earlier?" Trying again, Sousuke took a calming breath before meeting her warm gaze again.
"W-well, um, Kaname. I-I was wondering, uh, I mean hoping, that-"
BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!
"Oh my gosh the food!" Kaname dashed back into the apartment, making a bee-line for the kitchen as the smoke detector continued beeping loudly. Sousuke ground his teeth a moment, as yet another distraction kept him from the one question he needed an answer to burned in his throat. "Sousuke! I could use some help in here you know! Open a few windows or something!" His frustration growing, Sousuke walked quickly into the kitchen and grabbed one of the hand towels from off the railing on the oven and began fanning out some of the access smoke, all the while hoping that the worst of it would be over. Or at least that maybe he would finally get just 5 minutes to get the right words out.
Kaname had to be careful as she took hold of the charred remains of the ruined dish and removed it from the oven, the heat from the pan nearly going through the thick material of her oven mitts. Finally managing to dispose of their failed dinner, Kaname turned apologetic eyes over to her boyfriend as he continued to fan out some of the remaining smoke. "Sorry about this Sousuke."
"It's fine Kaname. It's not often we get guests so close to dinner time, and we both were distracted." Sousuke hoped he didn't sound as exasperated as he felt. It only ever took one misunderstanding before the countdown to a swift reunion with her harisen, and as the circumstances were, he wasn't sure if he could brush it off as easily as he normally would have.
When finally the burnt food had been disposed of and the kitchen aired out, Sousuke reached into his pocket, holding the small box and preparing himself for yet another try as he waited for Kaname to finish putting in their order from the Chinese restaurant around the corner. Just as it sounded like she was about finished, the sound of his work phone rang loudly from the other room. Both of them seemed to flinch at the sound, knowing what it was and the possibility of what it could mean. Frustrated at the multitude of interruptions, and furious that he would be called from that phone at such an important time, Sousuke all but stomped down the hall toward the offending noise.
Standing in front on the desk, he glared at the electronic device a moment before clearing his throat and picking it up, opening it with a quick flick of his wrist. "Sagara."
"Hey buddy! So, have you asked her yet? What'd she say man? Come on! Don't leave me hanging!" Normally entertained by Kurz's antics, right now they were about as relaxing as nails on a chalkboard. Hearing the man going on and on about whether or not he had achieved his goal was beginning to annoy him greatly, and that while Sousuke was still back there, Kaname could be sitting patiently on the couch….
….with NO DISTRACTIONS!!!
"So come on Sousuke! What's the deal? Didn't get cold feet now did ya?"
"…no."
"Then what did she say?"
"HOW THE HELL SHOULD I KNOW?! I CAN'T ASK HER WHEN EVERYTHING KEEPS GETTING IN THE WAY!!" Sousuke's grip on the small device finally ended up being more than the electronic could take, and before Kurz could reply, the plastic gave way. Still grinding his teeth, Sousuke pulled the now crushed cellular away from his ear, his frustration only growing at the thought of explaining why he would need to be issued a new one. Leaning his head back with a heavy sigh, Sousuke tried to calm his mind and collect himself. It wasn't helping the situation to get so angry, especially when tonight was supposed to be one of the happiest of his life. Stretching out his shoulders, he turned to head back out to the living room, hoping to have at least a few minutes without an interruption.
Kaname was on her way down the hall when Sousuke came out of the study, his expression still hardened as he closed the door before noticing her. "Sousuke? D-Do you have to go away again?"
His anger at the earlier events stared melting when he saw the sad look on her face, moving quickly to take her in a brief hug an reassure her that he wasn't going anywhere that night. "No Kaname, I'm not being called out right now. It was just Kurz saying a quick 'hello' before he had to finish his paperwork."
"Oh. Sousuke, what was that crunching sound then?"
"………Uh…"
"And what was it you were yelling about when you were talking to Kurz?"
"Uh..."
"Sousuke..."
"Uhhhh...."
"Sousuke!"
"Y-yes?" It never mattered just how long he'd known her, she never ceased to surprise him. Leaning up quickly, she kissed him on the chin, a still nervous expression on his face as he awaited the feel of a harisen that never came. Taking in their current surroundings, it seemed as though nothing else was going to happen for now, so gathering his courage for what seemed like the millionth time that evening, he took a deep breath and met her gaze. "Uh, K-Kaname..."
"Yeah?"
"There's something I wanted to-"
KNOC!KNOCK!KNOCK!
"Oh for the love of-!" Moving Kaname aside, Sousuke marched down the hall and threw open the front door, his patience worn far too thin for such an unexpectedly busy day. "What!?"
"Oh my, I'm sorry to disturb you so late young man, but could you spare a cup of sugar?" The old lady looked kindly up at the strung out soldier, unaware of the frustration that laid just below the surface.
"NO!" He bellowed as the door came crashing back into place, the slight wind from its movement blowing the old lady's hair back as she was so suddenly left alone on the front porch. Turning back into the foyer, Sousuke barely made it two steps before the harisen came crashing down on his head, the familiar pain flowing through his body as he fell to the ground under its surprising force.
"Just what the hell do you think you're doing Sousuke!? That was very rude! You know Mrs. Fujimoto has arthritis and can't move well! How could you just slam the door on her like that!?"
"But Kaname...!"
"No buts mister! There is NO excuse for being so rude to your elders!"
"But, Kaname I-!"
"No! You know what, you sleep on the couch tonight! When you get your manners back you can come back to bed, but until then you can forget it!"
"But...Kaname..." A slam of their bedroom door cut off whatever he might have said, punctuating the end of any negotiations with a click of the lock. Trudging heavily over to the couch, he fell onto his back with a sigh, wondering just why it was that so much had to happen on what was supposed to be one of the biggest nights of his life. After a while, another knock at the door sounded the arrival of the Chinese food they had ordered earlier, and although Kaname came back out, she had ignored him, and once she was back in the bedroom, the door was locked again.
A few hours had passed, and Sousuke found himself sitting aimlessly on the couch, flipping through channels without really seeing what was on, his other hand still gripping the small black velvet box in his pocket. Finally tired of channel surfing, he let it stop on the news, sitting forward to rest his head in his hands with a deep sigh. Why were things so decidedly chaotic right when he didn't need them to be? He'd had everything planned out perfectly too. Kaname was supposed to come home, they would eat dinner, he would pop the question, present the ring, and then wait for her to answer him. It was supposed to be just like every other night they spent together besides that. So why right when he needed to have nothing happen, everything did?
"Sousuke? You're still awake?" She was peeking from around the hallway corner, her hair slightly tussled from sleep and the strap from her night gown slipping off one creamy shoulder. 'Even half asleep she's still breathtaking...'
"Yes. It appears I am Kaname." Standing up, he walked over and put a hand on her shoulder. "You should go back to bed though. You need your rest for work tomorrow." A weak nod and she turned to head back down the hall toward their bedroom. Just as he sat back down on the couch, he heard her calling again.
"Come on Sousuke, you need your rest too."
"But, I thought-"
"Just come to bed already. We can talk about it in the morning." Not really feeling up to arguing, Sousuke tossed the boxes from his dinner in the trash and closed the door behind him. Changing into his sweats went easy enough, though he was surprised that even after being so thoroughly scolded as he had been, as soon as he had pulled up the covers, Kaname rolled over and hugged him, nuzzling his neck as he relaxed into the soft sheets. "Sousuke?"
"Hm?"
"What was it you wanted to say earlier anyway?" Realizing that this may be the exact opportunity he had been waiting for, he asked for her to hold on for a moment as he rolled over and reached into his pant pocket, retrieving the small box he had kept hidden all night.
"Kaname..."
"Yeah?" Bringing his arm around, he flicked open the small box with his thumb, presenting to her the ring he'd had made especially for her. Kaname's eyes went wide as the soft glow from the city outside let her see the glittering gems sitting securely on the platinum band. Tears beginning to build, she heard Sousuke cough to clear his throat.
"I've been trying to ask you all night, and I know I'm not good at things like this...but..."
"Sousuke?"
"Would you marry me, Kaname Chidori?" Kaname stared at him for a moment, and when the first of her tears escaped her lashes, she reached over and tackled him with a strong hug. Wrapping his arms around her, he ran her long hair through his fingers, listening to her as she replied a strangled 'yes' through the torrent of happy tears. Once she had backed up enough, he carefully removed the ring from its place inside the box, slipping it easily onto her finger. With another hug, she took hold of his face, kissing him fiercely. Eventually though, the kisses deepened, and it wasn't long before their limbs tangled beneath the sheets. Later, while stroking her long hair as she slept next to him, he saw the ring glittering on her finger and smiled, knowing that she was, and now always would be only his.