"Let's get married!"
"No."
"But Nezumi," Shion whined, setting down his chopsticks and leaning forward in his chair at the dinner table. "You've been back for 6 months and we haven't done anything!"
Nezumi glanced up from his food for the first time in the conversation. It was something he still hated doing, as he saw no problem with his habit of keeping his food in his sight at all times, but Shion had this thing about eye contact. Nezumi did give in this relationship, but there was no way he was going to marry Shion or plan his wedding with Shion or make Shion his groom. It was just... No. With nothing more than a looking of are you kidding me?, Nezumi shifted his gaze back down to his curry.
"Don't ignore me, Nezumi," Shion warned. Nezumi tried glaring again, but while his guard was down, Shion leaned over and snatched his bowl.
"That's why I hate looking away from my food!" Nezumi growled, leaning back in his chair in defeat.
"We're having this conversation, and you can get your food after," Shion said with a grin, holding the dish under the table.
"I'm not a child, Shion."
"Then act like an adult and marry me."
"What, did I get you pregnant or something? I don't want to get married. And we have done something. We live together."
"We lived together before you left."
"Stick with what works."
"Nezumi-,"
"Shion. Listen to me. I. Am. Not. Going. To. Marry. You." As soon as he said it, Nezumi realized that maybe that was the worst thing he could have said.
Shion's face fell gently at first, and then hardened. Without a word, he set Nezumi's food back in front of him and walked to their bedroom. He didn't close the door, didn't turn on the light. He just kinda dropped back onto the mattress, like impersonating a bag of flour was his hobby. And here Nezumi thought he was the drama professional.
Nezumi followed, knowing full well he was being controlled, and sat down beside his lover. "Shion, come on. I didn't mean it like that."
"You know, you don't have to talk to me. You made it clear that that conversation is over." Shion's rose eyes remained closed as he spoke sharply and slowly.
With a huff of frustration, Nezumi muttered, "I'm sorry I'm an ass," and took Shion's hand, meeting no resistence.
Shion said nothing, just laid there like a corpse.
"It's not that I don't want to marry you, I just don't want to marry you."
No response.
Nezumi rolled his eyes, grumbling something about who was the childish one in this relationship again, and sat further back on the bed. In one fluid motion, he pulled Shion into a sitting position across his lap, white hair pressing against practiced lips. "I love you, Shion. You're a genius, you should know that."
Shion finally opened up his pained eyes and stared at Nezumi's sharp features as he murmured, "I love you, too... Then why won't you marry me? Why won't you just do it, for me? For my peace of mind?"
"Because you've got this idea it will bring you peace of mind," Nezumi spat, realizing it was true as he said it.
"What do you mean?" Shion shifted to sit more comfortably, head resting against his love's toned shoulder.
"You shouldn't need some worthless government to say my promises are true. Governments ruin everything they touch. I'm not going to leave you. Never again. I'm not going to cheat on you, and I'm not going to stop loving you. Ever. But if the government knows that, they'll find a way to screw us over."
If Nezumi had any other closing thoughts to that rushed, flushed, and muttered confession, he never got a chance to say it. Shion's lips were on his too fast. Shion pulled back, only for a moment. With a guilty, earnest smile, he looked into Nezumi's eyes muttered an apology.
"Idiot," was all the response Nezumi gave.
Somewhere in their months together, apology kisses had been added to their dictionary of unspoken communication techniques, right after the I'm Cold Hug and right before the I'm Tired Sigh. Another prime example would be the I Love You Kisses that came next as Nezumi lost himself in his his boyfriend, forgetting entirely about his abandoned curry.
"Besides," he brought up the next evening, "I would make a horrible husband."
"That's not true; you could just do what you do now. Just with a ring on your finger."
"That's all it takes?"
"Well, yeah. I guess so. I don't want to change you."
"Shit, then why are you so freaking adamant?"
"Marriage is an important cultural ritual. There are several psychological benifits to being married, as well. And I love you. It just seems right."
After a brief moment of thought, Nezumi stood up from the table and disappeared into the kitchen. Shion called after him, but he didn't respond until he was kneeling beside Shion's chair, grabbing his left hand.
Looking Shion in those cherry eyes with a content smirk, Nezumi slid a small tin foil loop over each of their ring fingers. "Happy?"
"Very."
Nezumi returned to his seat, and the newlyweds exchanged no words over their stew until Shion piped up.
"Let's have kids."