Chapter Two: Checking With the Missus

"Are you serious?"

"Yeah."

Tomoyo's face had an expression of disbelief as we ate across from each other. "Did you hit your head or something?"

"Yeah, on life," I retorted, leveling my gaze at her.

She blinked, apparently considering my response. "Well…I guess it isn't too surprising, with the way you were talking the other night," she said as she pushed her hair over her ear. "And I remember you saying back in December that you would come to me, even if it's a little late; does that have anything to do with it?"

I nodded. "I remember hearing somewhere that 'knowledge is power', and I don't feel very powerful with part of a high-school education."

"Why are you so worried about being powerful?" she asked, confusion in her eyes.

"What I mean is that these companies want people who know stuff, and since I don't know much I don't have much control over my life," I replied. "I want to become smarter so I have more options than just physical jobs."

"But there's nothing wrong with-"

"I'm not saying there is," I interrupted. "But if I can do more, isn't it stupid of me to just stay here, doing a job that I may not really be made for?"

She looked away, and I knew what her next words would be: "If you say so, Tomoya, then I guess it can't be helped."

I reached over and covered her hand with mine. "Look, I'm really glad that you love me even though I'm like…well, this, but if we get married-"

"If?" Her eyes snapped to mine. "What do you mean, 'if'? Don't you want to get married?"

"Yes! Yes!" I exclaimed, raising a hand to stop her. "All I mean is that I want to be able to provide a good life for us."

"Oh. Okay." She lowered her gaze back to her bowl. "For a minute there I thought you might be getting tired of me."

"I misspoke, okay? Good grief, could I please not have to walk through a minefield, here?" I griped.

"I'm sorry…"

I sighed heavily. "No, it's my fault; I shouldn't have yelled. I'm sorry."

"No, you're right," she countered. "I need to have more faith in you instead of believing that you'd break up with me so easily."

"Thanks," I said, though it didn't stop me from thinking back to when I actually did break up with her. "I can understand why you'd worry."

"Thanks."

We ate quietly for several minutes before I worked up the nerve to talk again. "So, would you be okay with me learning stuff? Like I said, I wanted to talk to you about it since it would take out of our time together."

She shifted in her seat. "Well, I don't like that we wouldn't have as much time together, but if it would make you happy…"

"I think it would make us both happy in the long run," I suggested.

She nodded, though hesitantly. "Okay. And I'll help you if I can; that'll give us more time together."

I smiled humorously. "Getting help from the Number Two student from school? I could think of worse."

"Number One, now," she retorted with a flip of her hair. "Ichinose graduated the same time you did, and she was number one last year."

Even though it had been nearly a year, for some reason I remembered meeting Kotomi as though it was yesterday…and a long time before that, oddly enough. "Yeah, I guess she would have, huh? Well, congratulations on your promotion, then."

"Thanks," she chuckled, blushing attractively.

"So, do you think you could get me some of the textbooks from the school?" I asked. "I wouldn't want to borrow yours, of course."

"I'll see what I can do, but I can't make any promises. I'm sorry," she finished, looking regretful.

"It's okay," I said, trying to comfort her. "I'd thought of calling the school myself. I could go to the library on my days off and check out books, too."

"Can you wait until I can go with you?" she asked, abruptly leaning toward me.

"S-Sure," I replied, startled by her sudden eagerness. "That actually sounds like it could be fun."

"But no perverted stuff between the bookcases," she warned.

"Never even thought it," I replied with a raised hand.

We finished our dinner, cleaned up and went to our usual snuggling.

"Listen, um…" I wasn't sure how I was going to bring this up or even if it would be a good idea to bring it up considering how our dinner conversation had ended, but… "I want to talk to you about something, but it's…kinda embarrassing. And personal."

"Okay…" she said cautiously. "I guess it's okay."

I licked my suddenly-dry lips. "I...I think we've misunderstood each other when it comes to…well, 'perverted' things."

She sat up with an exasperated sigh. "You really want to talk about this? Now?"

I nodded earnestly. "I want to be sure we understand each other so we don't hurt each other because of having wrong ideas."

She seemed to calm a bit. "Okay, I think I understand." I watched as she took on a thoughtful expression. "Well, if you think it's best…"

"I do."

"Then what do you want to say?" she asked as she leaned back into me.

I sighed heavily. "Um… first off, I'll admit that I was a little crazy when we first started going out, but now that I've been out in the adult world for a while I've started to really think about stuff."

"I see… Is that why you wanted to talk to me about this?"

"Yeah. I don't want to make you uncomfortable, but…anyway, back to 'perverted' stuff…" I took a deep breath, trying to regain some lost nerves. "I want to…do that…with you because I want to be close to you."

She was quiet for a long time before she spoke again. "When you say 'that' are you referring to…sex?"

I nodded before realizing that she couldn't see me. "Yeah...but nothing weird or anything, just…" I felt my face heat up. "Just two people who love each other…well, loving each other."

"Tomoya…" The emotion in her voice told me she understood.

"I love you, Tomoyo, so I want to…love you."

She was quiet again, then: "I…want to love you, too."

My heart swelled and I think my arms tightened around her.

"But!"

But? "What's wrong?"

She sat up again and half-turned toward me. "I-I want to do that, but I w-want to do it with my husband."

"Y-Your husband?!" I was shocked for several seconds before I understood what she meant. "O-Oh…right…"

"You weren't thinking of trying to do it now, were you?" she said, eyeing me suspiciously.

"N-No, I wasn't! Really!" I exclaimed.

"Really?" she said, suspicious look still in place. "Maybe I should go home now."

"N-No!" I repeated. "I really wasn't thinking like that! I was just thinking about why I was the way I was and came to this stuff, really!"

She said nothing, but the corner of her mouth twitched before she turned and leaned against me again. "Okay, Tomoya; let's get married then."

"Huh?" Had I heard her correctly?

"Let's get married," she repeated, confirming my suspicions. "We're both old enough, right? I'd have to get my parents' permission since I'm not twenty yet."

"U-Um, sure," I said, somewhat intimidated by her confident tone.

"What, does the idea of me being your wife bother you?" she huffed.

"No, it's not that," I said, still trying to get my feet back under me. "You just surprised me with that, that's all." I gave her another squeeze. "I'd love to marry you and be your husband."

"Then it's settled," she decided, snuggling into me further. "We'll find someone to marry us, somewhere to get married, and a beautiful dress for me and a nice suit for you."

"Wow, it sounds like you have it all figured out," I said, impressed and amused.

"Of course I don't have it all figured out," she huffed. "I said 'someone' and 'somewhere'; I didn't give names 'cause I don't have them, yet."

"Yeah, you're right," I admitted. "So when do you want to get started?"

"Let me talk to my parents, first," she said. "There's no point in getting all excited if they end up saying 'no', right?"

"Yeah, you're right," I admitted yet again before giving her another squeeze. "I really hope they say 'yes', though."

She didn't reply, but sat up and turned around completely for another round of kissing.