He could face the prospect of a bloody battle to determine the fate of the world, steady and unblinking. He could stare into the dark, knowing it would take and break him, and retain his composure even as he fell. He could free himself from the chains that tried to keep him from where he belonged and not feel their weight afterward, even as it tried to drag his companions into the depths. He could hear the starsong's promise of terrible times and stand strong.
Comparatively, proposing to the woman-warrior-princess he loved should be easy. So why was he sweating like a hog waiting for her to come in the door?
He knew his plan was a little unconventional. When he had consulted their group of friends, reactions had been pretty evenly split on what she would think of the gesture he was working on (not that she would accept, just what she would think of his method; they all knew she would say yes faster than a lightning strike) and if he'd even be able to get it right.
Masato pulled at his tie, wishing he hadn't worn it but knowing a more casual outfit would just look stupid with what he was doing. He turned over the little box in his pocket again and again, as though it would magically answer all his burning questions and assure him that things would go according to his meticulously thought-out plan. The box, naturally, was silent.
88888888
Makoto, completely unaware of the agony her boyfriend was putting himself through in their shared bedroom, puttered around in the kitchen as she hummed one of Minako's latest songs. She didn't care that she was off-key as she waltzed around the island, vigorously stirring the concoction in her arms as she went. When she ran out of space in there, she spun into the main room, still beating the egg whites to stiffness as she went.
It was fortunate that when looking for a place of their own, they had chosen one with lots of open space. Even with Makoto's many plants, there was plenty of room for her happy dancing.
Satisfied with the state of her cake base, the brunette returned to the kitchen and her remaining ingredients. The flour/sugar mixture was added with a quick, practiced hand as she folded it together just enough to mix the ingredients without jeopardizing the fluffiness she had worked so hard to create. Once she was satisfied, she scooped the batter into the prepared pan and slid it into the oven, setting the timer without even looking.
Angel food cake ran the risk of falling if any heavy vibrations, like loud noises, occurred while they baked, so she returned again to the living room. Watering her plants, she wondered when her boyfriend would finally come home. She'd expected him over an hour ago, but the door remained stubbornly closed and she was starting to worry just a touch. She decided to grab a coat from the bedroom and wait for him at the front of the building. The rain that she could sense starting would help her stay calm.
The room was dark, so she flipped on a light as she strode in, not even thinking twice. The closet was thrown open with more force than necessary, and her raincoat was plucked from its hanger. She swung back around to face the bed – and stopped.
A green gown was laid out neatly on top of the quilt she had made for the two of them when she was eighteen.
A very familiar looking green gown.
It wasn't identical to the one she remembered, though she rather suspected that was deliberate, since the dark green and the light had been switched. The light green was pale to the point of almost seeming fragile, but given a stronger push by the dark green that formed the underskirt. It looked like it had been cut so that the slit didn't go as high up the leg, rising only to the knee or so. The flowers on either side of the waist line were significantly smaller.
"Do you like it?" Masato asked anxiously.
She spun, startled from the internal comparison she'd been doing. It took a moment to understand what he'd asked and decide on a response. "Well, yes, it's beautiful – amazing, even – but I don't understand. Are we going to a fancy party or something? And why is it so much like my old gown?"
No longer distracted by the gorgeous dress, she studied her boyfriend with a similarly critical eye. His face was paler than usual and a thin sheen of sweat glazed his skin. He also kept tugging at the tie she had no idea why he was wearing. Something was obviously bothering him.
That something became exquisitely clear when he awkwardly shoved a small jewelry box in her general direction. Her mouth dropped open in surprise as she took it, barely avoiding dropping it as she did.
The ring she found inside was just as stunning as the gown. A single round emerald was set in braided bands of silver, minute etchings on the metal. Looking more closely, she realized the strands were supposed to be vines, a second silent callback to who and what she was.
"I – I wasn't sure how you'd feel about me doing things like this, you know, with the references to our past, but it just seemed right, you know? I mean, obviously I don't love you just for the past or anything like that, but it did start there so it felt important to honor that. I got Ami-chan to give me the measurements for the gown, and the tailor was really confused about why I was going to such lengths and nitpicking everything, but I thought it came out okay."
She blinked at him, bemused. "You're rambling."
"I – what?"
"You're rambling, Neph. Are you that nervous? Do you think I'm going to say no?"
"Um, no, of course not. I mean – wait, that was wrong. I hope you're not going to say no, anyway. It'd be a little weird after going to all this trouble, plus the others swore up and down that you'd be all for it."
"Neph."
"Yeah?" he asked uncertainly.
"Have you actually asked yet?"
"Have I asked… oh. Shit. I had a whole speech planned, but then you came in and you looked so beautiful and I thought I was too lucky already and I just couldn't help myself."
"You're doing it again."
A veritable flood of curses poured out of his mouth at the rejoinder, and she barely managed to stifle the chuckle threatening to well up. He was about to start talking again, looking even more panicked than he had when she first saw him, so she took pity on the poor man. Taking the delicate silver ring from the box, she slid it onto her finger as she went onto her tiptoes for a kiss.
"I love you, you know."
"Um, thanks? I'm not handling this well. I love you too, Makoto. Let's see if I can get it right now." He went down to one knee, visibly biting his lip to keep from hemorrhaging words all over again, then took a deep breath and met her eyes. "You've been the love of my life twice now, and you'll be the love of my life any other chance we get. It doesn't matter if you're Jupiter or Makoto or, I don't know, Lita or something. The dress is because I want you to be my princess now, not just the heir of a kingdom. I'm asking you to marry me in front of our friends, combining the past and present as we look forward to a good future together. So will you make the happiest man alive?"
She caught herself before letting out a sob, not wanting to cry and make him think he'd done something wrong. "Yes. Yes! Of course I'll marry you!"
Makoto pulled him up and into another kiss, even as Masato started smiling so hugely it was like a man possessed.
