TIME FOR TWO
Chapter One
Mimi stood with her back to him, hands on her hips. Her voice was quiet, barely audible over the sound of the sizzling pan in Yamato's hand.
"Are we over?"
He let go of the steel handle and turned to her, leaning against the countertop edge. He stared at her for a moment, eyeing her coolly. She was in his favorite dress of hers, golden brown hair braided to one side. She was all pink and ruffles and every time he saw her in it he could only think 'princess.'
"You think it's that easy?"
She whirled around, her russet eyes laying into him hard. He expected her to shout at him, the look on her face made him sure, but she said nothing. The heat of her gaze faltered at his sudden smile and slight shake of his head.
"Mimi, aren't we supposed to be getting married?"
"Of-of... course, Yamato. I mean...we were, but-" She lowered her head and didn't finish.
He shrugged nonchalantly and turned back to stir the browned vegetables. He was used to this by now, her overreacting to things that left him unfazed.
"Nothing's changed." He waited a few beats before adding, "Nothing will ever change between us."
Her voice was quiet again. "I said such horrible things about her though. I'm a terrible person."
Still focused on dinner, he said without turning, "Forgive yourself, Mimi. And move on. I have."
A sigh was her only response. Above all else, he was a true friend to her. He was there to comfort, to support, to encourage. He was always quick to forgive her, overlooking her every failure.
Facing her now, he looked her over with a grin. "Actually...jealousy is okay with me."
She crossed her arms tight, pouting. "I don't like it."
"You'll always be jealous, Tachikawa."
Her mouth gaped slightly in astonishment. "Is that...an insult, Ishida?"
Before answering, he crossed over to the cabinets beside her, pulling out plates for them both. "Don't look at me like that. I'm not insulting you. I like it."
She took the outstretched plate he offered her and caught his gaze. "Why?"
"Because it's you. It's just your nature."
She nodded her understanding and followed him to the stove, both plating their meals from the steaming pan. She breathed in the familiar aroma of garlic and ginger, smiling as she watched him beside her. He cooked for her almost every night and she would anticipate this time spent together throughout the day. Their days were busy and usually spent apart, but their nights were a promise of solitude just for the two.
"The crazy thing is that you have no need to be jealous. Who is prettier than my Mimi?" He glanced over to her with a smile and she grinned brightly in turn.
"Have you ever been jealous?" she asked, "With me?"
"No."
She narrowed unbelieving eyes at him. "No?"
"You want me to say yes?"
"Well..."
He took her arm in his with his free hand, leading her to the dining table. They sat across from each other in mirrored positions of crossed arms atop the table as they waited for their food to cool.
"You should be jealous all the time," she told him.
"I should? Give me a reason."
She shrugged one delicate shoulder. "I don't have any. You just should be."
"Am I not the most handsome?"
"No one comes close, rest assured."
"So why should I be jealous of Taichi?" He feigned a wince, barely containing his smile. "Did I just give it away?"
She burst into bright laughter, leaning forward. "Of all people."
He tossed her a playful glare. "He hugs you too much. And he looks at you too much."
Her laughter continued as she finally picked up her chopsticks, selecting a bite of chicken and rice. "He's just amiable. He does that with everyone."
"He's a flirt."
"Oh, Yamato." She shook her head, resting her chin in her hand. "Now I can't tell if you're still kidding."
He sat back in his chair, intense blue eyes looking her over yet not meeting her face. "I'm not joking. He needs to stop."
She couldn't help but smile. "Do you want me to talk to him, Yama?"
"I already did. Yesterday."
She felt her stomach sink anxiously at his words. "What did he say?"
"He thought I was hilarious. I told him to keep his hands and eyes off of you or-"
"You're joking, please say you're joking?"
His glaring eyes flew to her at the interruption. He told her flatly, "No."
She laid her chopsticks down and buried her face in her hands. "Oh no," she moaned.
"Are you embarrassed?" He was perplexed at this self conscious reaction from her. He shook his head. "Don't be. You should be flattered. And happy."
She let her hands fall to her lap. "What if he never talks to me again? He's our friend."
"I didn't tell him not to speak with you. I told him not to touch you."
She sat with a returning pout, staring down at her plate. "You may as well have."
"We're getting married next month, he needs to learn his place some time."
She released a defeated sigh. "You're right I guess..."
"We're not kids anymore, and he should have stopped once we got together." He waited for her to object, continuing in her silence, "I think he does it on purpose."
"He does not."
His lips twitched to a smirk. "That was a joke."
"Good."
They shared a warm smile, both satisfied with their settled argument. He gestured for her to eat and she did, smiling with every savory bite. Her phone vibrated on the table, catching thier attention. She glanced to see that she had a new text message but she didn't make a move.
"Why aren't you looking?" he asked. "Go ahead."
She picked it up, quickly reading over the short text. She scoffed and put it back down.
"What's wrong?"
Instead of speaking, she handed him the phone to see for himself. He read over it and gave a low laugh, looking up to see her scowling face. He handed her back the pink device.
"So," he couldn't contain the cheer in his voice, "Yagami Taichi says your fiance is overbearing and possessive. Do you agree?"
"I agree with him...but I like it. It's your nature to protect me. And you want me all to yourself, that's why we're getting married."
"Exactly. Now put that in your text. You said it much better than I did."
Phone in hand, she began to type. "Okay. But I think I have something better."
"Like what?"
She set it back down with a smile "I told him you're the perfect man."
His eyes were brought to hers in shock. "Mimi, you're joking?"
She looked offended at the very question. Disregarding her obvious displeasure, he rose from the table and approached her.
"What is it, Yamato?"
He stopped next to her chair, holding his hand out expectantly. She knew without a word what he wanted and placed the phone in his hand.
He read over the screen, his frown ceasing instantly. He repeated the typed words aloud, "He's the perfect man for me."
Another quick smirk and he handed it back to her. He stayed standing beside her, waiting for her to look up at him. When she did, he grasped her chin in his hand.
"Funny how two words can change everything."
"Were you embarrassed by what you thought I said? Seriously? It would have been a compliment all the same."
"Of course I was embarrassed."
He released her chin, choosing to instead run slow fingers through the fringe now fallen from her long braid.
"I think you should stop talking to him. This relationship is getting out of hand."
His voice matched the tranquility of his handsome features as he gazed down at her, and she knew he was trying to make her smile.
She turned in her chair to directly face him. "How should I break it to him?"
No answer came. He simply stared down at her sweet, upturned face. He was accustomed to her in every way by now. He relished in her charm, he overlooked her flaws as if none existed. Just to look at her, taking in her beauty even at the simplest of times, was somehow always a new delight.
Taking her by the wrists, he brought her to her feet and tightly against him. She smiled contentedly up at him, her eyes closing in anticipation of his kiss. He hesitated, taking in the pale perfection in his grasp. His eyes swept over the rosy tint of her cheeks, the curl of thick brown lashes, and the warmth of her smiling lips. She would be his, and it would be final. It was too long to wait. He needed her cemented in his life as his bride.
She tiptoed up in impatience, pressing her mouth to his firmly. She pulled away when she realized he wasn't kissing her back and looked to him for an answer.
He asked her, "Why are we waiting?"
"Waiting for what?"
"The wedding."
Her lashes fluttered in confusion, blinking up at him. "Because..." For a moment she didn't know how to answer. "Because it's not ready yet, I'm not done planning. It takes time."
"Why are you making me wait?"
She opened her mouth wordlessly, pink lips agape as she fought for a reasonable answer for him. "I... Yamato..."
He removed his hands from her wrists, taking her face in his hands. "Flowers and cake."
She smiled despite herself. "You make it sound silly..."
"I know you have a whole binder on this stuff, but Mimi...this is taking too long."
She took his hands from her face and held on, bringing them to rest on the bones of her chest. "What do you want?"
He exhaled and tilted his head back, lowering it once more to address her with averted eyes. "I want this to be our place, not just mine. You shouldn't have to leave after every dinner. We should be having breakfast together every morning." He smiled, feeling absurd but carrying on despite it. "I don't want to keep watching you go. Tonight we have one more hour together here. And then I won't see you again until tomorrow night. You should be my wife now, not later."
She gripped his hands tighter and wondered for an instant if he could feel how fast and hard her heart was beating. She enveloped him in a hug suddenly, springing up to hold onto his neck.
She told him in a whisper to his skin, "I want to make you happy."
He circled an arm around her back as he held her close. This wasn't a surprise. He knew if he said it she would comply. She regularly sacrificed for him as if it was nothing and he often found himself refusing such displays of love with his usual words of, "think of yourself, what about you?" But this sacrificial request of his would benefit them both.
"You are my happiness," he told her. "But this can't wait."