The sun was setting on another peaceful day in Shuggazoom City, although the echoes of the past were still affecting the present, the war having been over for a good few months, it takes a long time to rebuild a city ravaged by five years of war. It had been long, drawn-out, torturous and unforgiving. But as the newly freed citizens and warriors were now finding out, the darkest skies are often before the dawn appears over the horizon, and out of the darkness people see better than before.
The city was torn and slashed, ruins and debris still scattered in its surroundings and in the heart of the city. On the edge of the city a portion of landscape had been cleared and leveled and on this space were rows of unified pearl-white headstones- simple and uniform in appearance, for it was the names and words inscribed on the marble that mattered.
Continue along the edge of the city for about half a mile and you would come across a small clump of trees, like everything else, they were damaged and broken in places, not many leaves were still growing on the flimsy branches and there were scorch marks on the trunks. What did make these trees different tonight however was that through the branches someone had draped long strings of flowery bunting, as well as soft pastel pink ribbons that were slung low off the branches with colourful lanterns nestled in the soft folds at the bottom. What else made this area special however was the approaching couple walking into the clearing holding hands together. She was giggling softly, the giggling giving way to a short intake of breath every so often and an exclamation of delight as she neared and saw the beautiful display. The pastel pink of her hair matched the ribbons and, although it was not possible for Jinmay to age- or appear to age without some sort of mechanical enhancement, she appeared to have done just that in the last few years. She'd cut her hair to shoulder length in recent times, and had matured throughout the war, she moved through life with a purposefulness now, a sense of belonging, she had seen and learnt things she had never wished to, but it had instilled in her a touch of authority that was becoming of her.
The boy who walked beside her however had had an almost opposite change in the last few years. Chiro had grown tall and lanky with the awkwardness of youth; his hair still wouldn't lie flat and he'd been left with a livid pink scar across one cheek and a gap between his front teeth as a result of an unfortunate head injury, as well as scars below the surface. His cocky personality had withdrawn as the war had waged on and on and he was now more quiet and reserved, he meditated a lot more, planned things more carefully and was a lot harder on himself when they didn't go to plan. You would rarely hear Chiro speak unless he had something to say. Like today.
"Chiro…it's beautiful", Jinmay exclaimed with a sigh, stepping forward into the clearing and clasping her hands to her chest. She turned round to grin at him and, even so far into their relationship Chiro still grinned, blushed and glanced away. The still smiling Jinmay turned back toward the trees to admire the decorations, that looked all the more impressive the lower the sun descended in the burnt orange sky, casting dancing shadows over the city.
"It's where we first met", Jinmay remarked more to herself than to Chiro, surveying the clearing, "well, where you first saw me, when you got so distracted you almost fell off the robot", she laughed out loud at the not-too-distant memory of a young, naïve boy, with a silly grin who had made her robotic insides jump even then. "But I don't understand", she paused with a frown, "what's the special…" she stopped talking abruptly when she turned around to find her boyfriend behind her knelt on one knee.
"Jinmay…" Chiro started, immediately cut off when Jinmay let out a squeal , hands to her mouth and spun round and then back again to check she was seeing what she was actually seeing.
"Sorry"! she gasped, trying to regain some of her composure by clasping her hands demurely in front of her and lifting her chin slightly to smile at him.
Slightly thrown of course, and turning even more beetroot shade in colour as time passed, Chiro tried again. "Jinmay, there is something I need to ask you, you've probably already guessed what it is", at this they both gave a laugh, and Chiro visibly relaxed slightly. " but before I ask you", at this Chiro stood up, offering Jinmay his open hands for her to hold, which she did, "I need to thank you".
At this the young man took in a deep breath, closing his eyes for a split second, when he opened them again they were shiny with tears. "Thank you, for fighting alongside me, for never doubting me, for being the shoulder I've cried on many times and my strongest cheerleader. Thank you for believing in me especially when I couldn't believe in myself, for making me laugh when it was the last thing I wanted to do, for not letting me ever doubt my friends and family for one second, for being patient with me when I tried things out, and helping me to think fast when I needed to as well. Thank you for the long nights, the stories, the boring TV shows and the stupid jokes that took my mind off the injuries, and the way you're so good and kind to my endless stream of weird friends" Jinmay laughed softly, removing one hand from his momentarily to wipe the tears from his face with her sleeve. "I don't have a ring", Chiro continued, "but I have a heart that loves you, and a promise I'll never break if you say yes".
It was her turn now to cry now, tears slid down her cheeks, pooling in the soft creases of her smile.
"Jinmay, because I have never been so sure of anything else in my life, will you marry me"?
Jinmay placed both her hands on the sides of Chiro's head and gave a nod so faint, that anyone watching would of missed it, as it was it was just them and they only had eyes for each other. She lent in softly and kissed him as the word he needed to hear left her lips, their tears mingled where they met and he wrapped his arms around her waist, because there was nothing he needed to hold onto more right now.
As their kiss had swallowed her answer it swallowed the unasked questions too. The ones they knew but couldn't face asking right now. Humans grow old, robots cannot grow old with them, and would this young man get the chance to grow up anyway. The past had been full of uncertainties and the future was just as cloudy, could they guarantee never having to fight a new enemy? Could they foresee the long-term complications of Chiro's injuries? Could they live through the all-encompassing survivors' guilt, which at times racked them so badly it was like they could not breathe? There was most likely not a couple in history who had a more uncertain future and damaged past than them. But the past had taught them something, that it cannot be changed and that the future cannot truly be planned for. One thing you can have however is the now. So without having to say a word, Chiro and Jinmay made their promise, that the beginning had been hard, the ending when it came, would definitely be harder, but that the here and now demanded their attention and they would live and love in it together for as long as they were able to.
Below them the world shifted, roots were starting to form new life and new beginnings creating a world more different and beautiful than the world it had been the day before, as Shuggazoom city's first engaged heroes in history hugged and laughed and cried above it leaving all of their worries outside of the now.
Above them the stars peeped through in a clear sky and would shine on for many years to come.