Notes:

BIG SHOUT OUT AND THANK YOU TO kondo-hijikata FOR THIS LIL DRABBLE!

Work Text:

"Are you really nervous, Shin?" Etsu asked, buttoning up the last few buttons of his white shirt. Shinpachi grabbed his dark green tie from their bed and put it on, but Etsu calmly moved his hands aside with a smile and put it on for him, making sure he looked sharp.

Shinpachi let out a sigh and removed his bandanna, combing his fingers through his reddish-brown hair. "A-a bit, Etsu…"

"Honey Bear," She grabbed a handkerchief she'd placed on the bed earlier and wiped his brow with it. "You're sweating buckets…Really, Mom and Dad are going to love you because I do. They want me to be happy."

"But Etsu-chan, these are your parents. I-I know they have a certain standard…what if…what if they don't approve of me?" Shinpachi inhaled and focused his eyes on his socks.

"Aw, Honey Bear," Etsu cooed and grabbed his cheeks, forcing him to look at her. "My parents just want me to be with a good man. A man that I love, and do you know how much I love you?" She pecked his lips, happy that her wedges allowed her to reach his lips so easily.

"A lot?"

Etsu rolled her eyes and lightly smacked his broad chest. "Yes, a lot. Don't you dare doubt me."

Shinpachi chuckled and kissed her pouting lips. "Yeah, I don't doubt you. I love you lots too, Dumplin'."

–

Etsu was grinning from ear to ear as Shinpachi was driving them home. "See? What did I tell you? They absolutely loved you! Honestly, I expected Dad to give you a hard time because you're the first and only boyfriend I've ever introduced to them! But you had to get him talking about baseball and soccer." She rolled her eyes and gave his hand a squeeze.

"And your mom?"

Etsu flushed a bright red, happy that he couldn't see her…but she was going to tell him anyways. "She's…um…well…"

At a red light, he turned to look at her and saw her biting her lip as she struggled with words. "Yeah?"

"…She…said…we'd give her very…pretty grandkids…" She coughed into her fist, rather shy she'd actually repeated her mother's words to him.

"Oh? Pretty grandkids, Etsu? Is that what I heard?" His mouth split into a big grin and he continued driving when the light turned green. "She wants grandkids, huh…"

"Ah! It's not like I said it to pressure you or anything, Shin! I…also…think we'd have beautiful children…" She could not believe she just said that. Sure, they'd been dating for over five years now, so bringing up the topic of children shouldn't be too weird, right?

Shinpachi pulled into the parking space and turned off the car, looking over at her. He reached over to cup her red face and kiss her softly. "We will. All gorgeous. With their mother's eyes."

Etsu thought her heart was going to burst from her chest with all the happiness she felt in this very moment. This man drove her wild, insane in all the good ways, and she loved every bit of him so, so much. "Shin…" She wiped at her eyes and Shinpachi grew startled at the sight of her tears. "I'm…just so happy you're with me."

He chuckled and kissed the corner of her eyes after wiping her tears with his thumb. "No, I'm the lucky one here. You've…turned me into a better man. If it weren't for you, who knows where I'd be right now. God, I love you so much, Etsu." He took her lips, putting so much passion behind this kiss, Etsu grew dizzy and felt drunk on happiness.

"Let's go inside, Shin." She gave him that cute smile that he loved and nodded.

Shinpachi stayed in the car for a moment longer, admiring the little black velvet box he dug out of his pocket and opened it, revealing a simple gold band with a heart-shaped diamond. Yeah, he wanted this woman in the rest of his life. He'd never been more sure about anything else.