Amamiya Ren sat on a train, bag in his lap. The car was half-full, midday Sunday being less crowded than weekday commuting times. Makoto said she'd be out all day. It was the perfect time to meet Sae-san.
These were modern times. Ren didn't actually need Sae-san's blessing to ask Makoto to marry him. However, Makoto worried. Anything he could do to anticipate and quell those worries he did. Thus, the visit.
Ren covered the short walk between the station and the Niijima's apartment in long brisk strides. Though he had developed a bond with Sae-san towards the end of his time as a phantom thief, he was never quite sure about her feelings regarding his relationship with her sister. It was best not to to keep her waiting... that, and he needed to burn the nervous energy.
Running his hand through his hair, Ren waited at the door. A few seconds later, Sae-san appeared, ushering him inside.
"Pardon my intrusion," said Ren as he slipped off his shoes and stepped into the Niijima home. He followed her into the living room.
"So what is it you wanted to see me about?" Sae-san stood by the coffee table, turning to look him in the eye.
"I plan to propose to Makoto," Ren's voice was even. He had practiced this.
"...propose to Makoto?" Sae-san tilted her head downward, grimacing. Then she whipped her head back up and stared directly at Ren. "As if I'd let you!"
A black cloud enveloped her. She emerged as Leviathan. The metal-clad monstrous shadow reached nearly to the ceiling. She clapped her sword arm and her gatling arm together in a loud clang before she opened fire.
Ren dove behind the sofa. The bullets ripped right through the fabric. He was on his feet again fast, searching for cover. The kitchen perhaps? The sound of heavy metal pounding on the floor told him it wasn't just bullets he had to evade.
Wait.
If she's a shadow then...
Ren reached for his dagger.
He found nothing.
Looking down, he really found nothing. What happened to his clothes? And-
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"Hey, don't space out on me," Morgana's voice broke Ren from his vision, returning him to the world of what he could see rushing past through the train car windows. The cat was poking his head out from the bag. "You'll miss your stop."
"I'm not spacing out," Ren whispered as he pressed the cat's head back into the bag. Even if the train wasn't busy, all it took was one set of eyes.
Ren sighed. He was being ridiculous. Sae-san wasn't going to turn into a shadow. Leviathan and the Metaverse were gone. Instead, it would probably be something like...
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"So what is it you wanted to see me about?" Sae-san stood by the coffee table, turning to look him in the eye.
"I plan to propose to Makoto."
Sae-san closed the distance between her and Ren in an instant... in fact, what she really closed was the distance between her knee and Ren's crotch. He doubled over and sank to his knees.
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No... she wouldn't do that... that's just not cool. What would really happen was...
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Sae-san closed the distance between her and Ren in an instant... in fact, what she really closed was the distance between her fist and his gut.
Ren fell to the ground, contracting into a fetal position. Makoto had always said her sister was the stronger one. Now he knew for sure.
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"Ren..." the cat whined. "Are you okay? You're making a face."
Ren absent-mindedly pressed the cat's head down again, not even checking to see if he was poking out of the bag.
Anyway, the Niijima women could fight, sure, but they weren't violent. It was more likely that...
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"So what is it you wanted to see me about?" Sae-san stood by the coffee table, turning to look him in the eye.
"I plan to propose to Makoto."
"You WHAT?" Sae-san's eyes narrowed.
Ren swallowed. "I plan to propose to Makoto. I would like your blessing."
"I can't give it to you," Sae-san breathed an annoyed sigh. "My sister is trying to become police commissioner. It's a hard enough road as it is. She doesn't need relations with a man with a record dragging her down."
Sae-san didn't let up. Her words came faster, louder. "Not only that, you lack direction. You did well in school but you're scattershot—too many odd jobs and diversions with no depth. How are you supposed to build a future for anyone? Look at you, you still haven't learned how to comb your hair. You-"
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"Ren." Morgana rustled around in the bag.
"Shh!" Ren forced the air through his teeth. He didn't realize how agitated he was getting. It was worrisome that even in his own daydream he managed to forget his responses to Sae's possible concerns. He had prepared for this. He was ready to address all of them. (Well, except the hair one.)
Maybe he should try again...
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"So what is it you wanted to see me about?" Sae-san stood by the coffee table, turning to look him in the eye.
"I plan to propose to Makoto."
"Oh." Sae-san frowned, furrowing her brows. She took a short breath before she spoke again. "I'm sorry... Makoto is betrothed to the son of one of our late father's best friends. You didn't know?"
Ren stood up straight, mouth agape. "Uh... I..."
"She'd never consider breaking it," Sae continued. A cruel smirk pulled a the corner of her mouth. "You've never been but a toy to her while she waits for his return. Really... you can't compare. He's taller, richer, and has perfect hair. Not only that-"
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No. That was just silly. Makoto would never do that. If there was one thing he was certain of in this world, one thing he could rely on, it was them.
Ren took a deep breath.
Let's try this again...
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"So what is it you wanted to see me about?" Sae-san stood by the coffee table, turning to look him in the eye.
"I plan to propose to Makoto."
"Oh." Sae-san frowned. She bit her lip the same way Makoto sometimes did when she was worried. She turned away from Ren. "I... I guess I knew this day would come."
This was odd. It wasn't an answer however. "Sae-san?"
A few short, nasal breaths came from the prosecutor's direction. Was she... sniffling?
"Sae-san, are you alrigh-"
"I'm sorry!" she blurted out. She turned, tears streaming down her face.
Oh no, she's crying.
"It's just... Makoto is all that I have... a-and you'll be taking her away..."
What am I supposed to do? Should I like, hug her, or something?
She wailed. "I'm going to be all alone."
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No that's just ridiculous.
It's definitely going to be...
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Sae-san closed the distance between her and Ren in an instant... in fact, what she really closed was the distance between her fist and Ren's gut. As he doubled over, this time she followed up with a knee to his solar plexus.
Ren fell to the ground, contracting into a fetal position, gasping for breath.
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"Oi, Ren, next stop!" Morgana seemed to be running circles in the bag.
It was time.
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Ren covered the short walk between the station and the Niijima apartment in long brisk strides. His heart pounded. He breathed heavily.
The seconds between ringing the doorbell and Sae-san's appearance were all too short. Soon he was inside, taking off his shoes and stepping into their home. "Pardon my intrusion."
"So what is it you wanted to see me about?" Sae-san asked as she led him to the living room.
"I plan to propose to Makoto." The statement came out firmer than he intended. His hands were balled into fists at his sides.
"And?" Sae-san looked at him.
"I was hoping to have your blessing," Ren said as he worried his thumbs into his palms. "I'm sure it would mean a lot to Makoto."
Sae-san chuckled lightly. She made one of those reassuring smiles, like she used to when he was in prison. "Very well."
"...that's it?" Ren felt like he was holding his breath.
"Yes. That's it. You didn't actually require my permission, but if it makes Makoto happy..." Sae-san's smile widened as she trailed off. "Why? What were you expecting?
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Meanwhile...
Niijima Makoto sat on a train, bag in her lap. The car was half-full. Trains out to where Ren's parents lived weren't terribly busy.
These were modern times, but it seemed proper that Makoto should get Ren's parents' blessing if she planned to propose.
She had a hand to her chin, her index finger looping up over her lips. She mumbled to herself. "What if there's a test? What if all the women from the country can cook like a dream? What if they're hoping for someone with money? What if they've been holding out for a more traditional girl? What if-"
Author's Note: Thanks for reading! That wraps up my ShuMako Week 2019. I contributed six fics and one piece of digital art covering the seven prompts. In the near future I'm focusing on completing my next multi-chapter fic before posting it (presently about a quarter written) and writing the occasional one shot. I may experiment with posting AO3 only, so please find me there under the same pen name if you're interested in reading my works.