Tatsumi and Mine had been back home for a over three months. They had been training non stop for the last two weeks to get Mine's skills back on top. They were taking a break from training to eat the lunch Mine had prepared.
"So, do you think I'll be as good as you before long babe?" Mine asked. "I think in terms of sword skills you're about where I was when my dad started training me. It's gonna take some time to get you where I am in skills." Tatsumi explained.
A year ago, Mine would've smacked Tatsumi for saying that, but she had matured a lot in the year they've been together. After lunch, they went right back to training until the sun went down. Mine went to take a bath while Tatsumi went to the kitchen to prepare a dish he hadn't made in awhile that he knew Mine loved.
Mine returned from her bath in her usual nightgown to find dinner on the table. It was a traditional Tribe dish that she told him her mother used to make for her when she was a little girl. "Tatsumi, why'd you make this?" she asked as she sat down. "I wanted to surprise you. I saw Akame make this for you on your birthday last year so I figured that you deserve a thank you from me for always saying what you thought even if it hurt me or bothered me."
Mine didn't know what to say really. She almost wanted to cry but she wasn't sure why. "I know that your mom used to make this for you, that's also why I made it for you. I know what it's like to not have a mom. But this isn't to remind you of sad times, but happy ones instead!" Tatsumi said in a proud voice.
Mine got up and walked around the table to stand in front of Tatsumi. Tatsumi stood there with a confused look on his face, as he wasn't sure what Mine was about to do. "Tatsumi, my mom used to make that for me when I was little yes, but I only asked Akame to make it for me once. The ingredients for that are so hard to find that my mom had to search for 8 months to find them all. I wanna know how you mananged to find them without any trouble."
"Well, it wasn't that hard really. Esdeath had tons of the ingredients in the palace so it was easy for me to steal as much as I could before anyone had a chance to notice. So I had Akame keep them in her room to hide them from the rest of the group under strict orders that she not touch them without my permission. I wanted to make it for you for a long time, but the only reason Akame made it for you was because I had the ingredients." Tatsumi explained before catching his breath.
Mine was amazed at how fast Tatsumi spoke. She almost didn't catch everything he said. She hugged him tight and kissed him on the cheek before she sat back down in her seat and started eating her food. She noticed that Tatsumi didn't have any food for himself on the table. "Tatsumi, why aren't you eating?" she asked.
"Well, I already ate my dinner while I was making yours. Like I said I wanted to surprise you. Anyway I'm glad you like it." he said. "I like anything you make sweetie. Sometimes I think you're honestly a better cook than me." Mine replied while smiling.
After dinner, it was time for bed. Mine laid down and waited for Tatsumi to join her but noticed something was wrong when he came in the room. "What's wrong Tatsumi? Is everything okay?" she asked. "Huh? Oh yeah it's just I was thinkin about everything that happened last year. I told you two months ago that I rarely ever think about it, but when I DO think about it, it kinda haunts me." Tatsumi explained.
He told Mine about the things he thought when everyone around him was dying off one by one. He even told her what he thought and felt when he thought she died after she told him she loved him. Mine didn't know what to say so she sat up and held onto Tatsumi as if he would fade away.
"I'm sorry I hurt you Tatsumi. I really didn't want to tell you my feelings until the fighting was over. But considering that I thought I was about to die, I had to tell you. I don't regret telling you either. I love you Tatsumi, more than I ever could love anyone else in the world." Mine said as she tightned her hold on Tatsumi.
"Mine?" "Yes, Tatsumi?" "Let's get married, Mine." Tatsumi finally said. Mine pulled away from Tatsumi and looked him in the eye. "Are-are you serious Tatsumi?" she asked. "I wanna spend the rest of my life with you Mine. I want to protect you and care for you in everyway possible. I want to be yours and yours alone. Marry me Mine, become my wife." He proposed.
Mine didn't know what to say. She never expected him to propose to her this soon. But with how much she loved Tatsumi and was willing to do whatever it took to make him happy, she decided her answer right then, "YES! I'll marry you, you big dumbass!" she said as she hugged him as tight as she could, with tears flowing down her face.
They kissed each other with all the passion they had for one another. After they pulled away, Tatsumi got up and walked over to the desk on the other side of the room. He picked up a box and opened it up, revealing a beautiful sapphire ring. He turned around to show it to Mine, and her eyes went big. She kept crying when Tatsumi slid the ring on her left ring finger and pulled him in for another passion filled kiss.
TO BE CONTINUED...