Twenty five
In the end, plans didn't quite matter; it felt rather like they had only just managed to lay down in bed, curled comfortably together, when someone pounded at the door. Kimiko muttered a faint curse and pressed her face a bit more against Shuuichi's chest, heavily disinclined to move. The thumping repeated, and there was a raised voice that was... familiar...
She grumbled again and sent out a sleepy tendril of energy to see who it was so she knew who to yell at later, then practically popped upright when she recognized the sparks of her brother.
"...so much for rest," Shuuichi said, sighing a little and sitting up at well.
"What the hell is he... are they," she amended, now recognizing more than one energy signature, "doing here?!"
"Concern, perhaps?" he offered, gently nudging her aside so that he could start getting dressed. "We should hurry before your brother tries to pick the lock."
Knowing Yusuke, that was probably what he would do sooner rather than later, so Kimiko quickly scampered into her room, throwing her pajamas on the bed and grabbing the first outfit from her dresser that seemed sensible.
She didn't hear Shuuichi cross the room, but the sound of the door opening was unmistakable.
"Jeez, sure took you long enough!" Yusuke crabbed. "It's still cold as shit out here!"
"We weren't precisely expecting visitors," was the dry response.
"Is everything all right?" Shizuru asked.
"Yeah, man, you just kind of dropped of the radar there..." Kazuma added.
"It's... been a trying few days," Shuuichi replied. "Please, come in."
"Sorry to intrude," Keiko said, sounding somewhere between worn and sheepish.
Kimiko quickly checked her hair—the braid was messy, but it would do—then stepped into the living room as her friends all trooped inside; Shuuichi moved to the kitchen to start some tea, and everyone else flopped down in various spots in the living room.
"Shouldn't you be resting?" Kimiko asked, raising an eyebrow at Keiko.
"Aren't you supposed to inform people before you drop off the face of the earth?" Yusuke retorted before Keiko could say anything. "Damnit, Sis, you tell us you're going to save the world, and then don't pick up your phone for three days?! And what the hell is up with your hair?"
"...actually, the phone broke in the fight," Shuuichi offered as Kimiko just blinked at her annoyed brother. "And there have been... other concerns."
This didn't placate Yusuke much, and after a moment, Kimiko sighed. She didn't really have the energy to deal with his temper, even though she couldn't help but acknowledge that seeing him, all of them, was comforting.
"Yuu, turn down the attitude for a bit, will you?" she asked tiredly. "I've been... asleep the past three days. It's not like it was an easy fight..." Then she blinked, and frowned at Shuuichi's back. "Wait, it broke? Damnit, I've managed to keep that phone for eight months and it broke?"
"Yes," he smiled ruefully, bringing over a tray of cups that steamed gently, and passed them around. "You left your jacket on..."
"Damnit... I was actually starting to like that phone too..."
"Okay, so tell us about the fight," Yusuke demanded.
"Yusuke," Keiko scolded. "Maybe give her a chance to sit down first? Or even meet her niece, which was the other reason we came by?"
Kimiko blinked a little ass Yusuke settled back with a grumble, only just noticing the carry seat on the couch, and the large diaper bag hidden just beneath the coffee table.
"You brought her?" she asked softly.
"We thought you might like to say hi," Shizuru said with a small smile. "Y'know, save the world, meet new tiny member of the family that was part of why."
Keiko smiled encouragingly, and Kimiko approached hesitantly.
"Did you decide on a name?"
"Mmhm. Sayaka, after my grandmother," Keiko said, gently picking up the small bundle.
The baby girl had been bundled up quite thoroughly against the outside temperatures, but Keiko gently pulled off the hat and unwrapped the blanket, revealing the same sort of squashed features all newborns had, topped by a tuft of wispy hair that was the same deep black as Yusuke's. As if sensing she was being watched, the baby blinked open brown eyes and stared back at Kimiko, then yawned.
"...hey there little one," Kimiko said softly, feeling almost shy.
"Do you want to hold her?" Keiko asked, shifting to offer the bundle of baby to her.
Kimiko immediately held up her hands, backing away and almost running into Shuuichi who chuckled and caught her by the elbows to keep her from falling over. Nor was he the only one who was amused; Shizuru was grinning, and Kazuma snickered a little, though he tried to turn it into a cough when he caught her glaring.
"Nope. That's much to small for a person to be."
Now Yusuke snickered.
"It's not that hard, Sis," he said, clearly gently mocking her aversion. "S'a matter, you fight so many big things you're scared of a tiny?"
"You're not to big for me to find a river to throw you in Yuu," she shot back. "I'm good, thanks."
"May I?" Shuuichi asked.
"Sure."
He slid by Kimiko and went to sit next to Keiko, who instructed him on the proper way to hold a newborn. Yusuke grinned and offered a smart comment that got him elbowed by Keiko, but Kimiko was paying more attention to her lover. Holding Sayaka he looked... almost more at peace than she'd ever seen him except in sleep. Unconsciously her hands crept over her stomach, but after a moment she gave herself a mental shake; it was still much too soon to think about that. There was too much else to think of first.
Instead, ignoring the knowing glance Shizuru was tossing at her, she went and perched carefully on the arm of the couch next to him, and smiled down at the baby... who had decided that it seemed the perfect time to go back to sleep.
"Guess we're not very interesting," Kimiko said with a grin, leaning lightly on Shuiichi's shoulder.
"She's mostly just going to go through cycles of eat, shit, sleep for a few months," Yusuke said, making a face. "Kid's got some lungs on her... 2am feeding time is no joke."
"He's right," Keiko giggled, accepting Sayaka back from Shuuichi. "Mom and Dad dote on her already, though. It's going to take some work to keep her from being too spoiled."
"Especially with the aunts and uncles she has," Shuuichi offered with a faint chuckle, making a light gesture to take in the gathered adults.
Kimiko pushed him gently, then squeaked when he moved just enough to overbalance her into his lap. That made the rest of them laugh even as she lightly punched him in the shoulder, blushing. Clearly unrepentant, he smiled down at her and comfortably wrapped his arms around her waist. Kimiko huffed at him after a moment, then leaned her head on his shoulder.
"...y'know, I'd have thought Granny would be here making sure you were okay if that fight put you out for three days," Yusuke said after a moment. "I mean, weren't you kind of her pet project?"
Kimiko bowed her head slightly, then let out a slow breath.
"Let's start from the beginning, then..."
The silence at the end of the explanation was so complete that the outside noise was able to filter in unhindered. Shuuichi could hear the customers in the shop below as Kokoda and the other workers filled orders and greeted people with politeness. A faint shout from farther outside sounded like someone warning someone else, and of course the cars passing by on the streets below were not silent.
Kimiko was still in his hold, tension rippling through her frame as she waited, he knew, to be condemned for what she couldn't do. Convincing her that it wasn't her fault was going to be a long, uphill battle...
"Well...shit," Yusuke finally said. "I didn't think there was anyone that could hurt that old bat, but..."
Words failed him after a moment and he leaned back on the couch, plainly stunned. Keiko remained silent, simply staring at them both even as she leaned on Yusuke. Whether seeking comfort or giving it, Shuuichi couldn't tell... Both, though, seemed quite plausible.
"You did everything you could," Shizuru said abruptly, leaning around her equally stunned brother so that she could look directly at Kimiko and Shuuichi by extension. "No one here blames you, kiddo. We're all glad you made it out alive."
"What's... gonna happen to that compound up there?" Kazuma asked cautiously.
"We'll have to read Master Genkai's will after..." Kimiko's voice faltered, and Shuuichi briefly tightened his hold on her. "After the funeral. B-but... knowing her.."
"I don't think things will change too much," Shuuichi said as Kimiko fumbled. "Master Genkai seems the sort of have planned for this sort of eventuality. That she fell in battle, instead of passing in her sleep, doesn't change things."
Yusuke, peering around his wife, finally seemed to recognize that Kimiko was hurting far more than she was openly showing. He quickly switched places with Keiko, so he could put a hand over one of his sister's.
"Hey. C'mon Sis, no one's mad at you," he said, his usual abrasive tone far gentler than normal. "Shit happens. You had no way of knowing that it'd come out like this."
Shuuichi felt Kimiko's breath hitch, and loosened his grasp on her; this was a time where she needed her brother much more, and he could not begrudge that familial affection. Sure enough, Kimiko flung her arms around Yusuke's shoulders and hung on.
In an effort to give them space, Shuuichi quietly gathered up the teacups and motioned for the others to follow him into the kitchen area. It wasn't out of sight, but it could at least grant the illusion of privacy.
Shizuru was the first to sit down at the kitchen table, and Kazuma claimed the other chair after Keiko declined. The brunette instead elected to rock Sayaka on her shoulder, smiling a little in the direction of the twins.
"He's such a dip when it comes to feelings most of the time," Kazuma said, glancing over as well, and keeping his voice low. "He's only touchy-feely with Keiko and Kimiko."
"Up until I met them in primary school, they were all each other had," Keiko replied, her voice soft and warm. "And when he got into fights, she always tried to fix things." After a moment she giggled, "Even when some of those fights were because other kids were picking on her. I mean, she was never a pushover, she'd kick other kids in the shins if she had to, but she's definitely always been the fixer. Someone that never gave up on him, even when he kind of gave up on himself."
"And there are some hurts that only family can help with," Shuuichi said with a faint, sad smile. "This is going to be a hard band of grief for her..."
"She's known Genkai for over ten years," Shizuru said quietly, leaning back in her chair. "I'm amazed she actually told that part without bursting into tears."
"She did this morning, after she woke up," Shuuichi replied, setting out a small plate of snacks. "We had planned, actually, to come visit you... I was hoping to give her a chance to recover a bit more first."
It might have been a bit selfish of him to want to try and talk her into waiting a few days, but it had become a moot point. Perhaps it truly was better this way. The telling had seemed easier on her, for the most part, other than this particular moment.
"So, uh... what's gonna happen to this Bui guy?" Kazuma asked. "And where's pint-size?"
"I'm not sure. Jin and Toya took him back to the mountain, and I suspect they argued about dropping him down a deep pit for a while. As for Hiei," Shuuichi shrugged. "At the moment, he's keeping his distance. He may check in once he's sure she's survived. He's a bit funny like that."
"You think she'll accept help in making funeral preparations?" Shizuru asked quietly, nodding lightly over towards Kimiko.
"It may be that Koenma has everything arranged already," Shuuichi replied, sighing a little. "But she's really in no shape to talk about such things right now. What she needs most is more rest and a chance for this pain to heal."
Keiko did, eventually, manage to coax Kimiko into holding Sayaka, and then teasingly made her and Shuuichi hold still until she could take their picture. Given the way Kimiko became entranced with the small fist that wrapped around one finger, it wasn't hard to do. Shuuichi had to smile at her expression; someday, perhaps, they would have their own children to care for...
But there were several loose threads to tie up first, not the least of which being what precisely was going to happen to that compound. It was certainly logical that Genkai would leave it to Kimiko, if not the whole small group to do with as they pleased... but what would they do with it then?
Sayaka was returned to Keiko with haste when the baby began wailing, prompting Yusuke to tease his sister, and get hit for his smart comment. After Keiko first changed, then fed Sayaka, the group said their goodbyes and headed out to go back home.
Stifling a yawn, Kimiko came into the kitchen to help him clean up, and they spent several minutes in comfortable silence, washing and drying dishes.
"It figured Yuu would wreck my plans," she said as she carefully stacked the used cups int the drying rack. "He's good at that..."
Shuuichi smiled, and leaned over to kiss her temple.
"It helped you to see him though, didn't it?"
"...yeah. But he could have called you instead of me."
"He... might have," Shuuichi rubbed the back of his neck a bit sheepishly. "I have not necessarily been paying attention to my phone, however... I believe it's actually dead at the moment."
She blinked up at him, then giggled a little, shaking her head slightly.
"In any case, it's not me he wanted to check on, it was you," Shuuichi continued. "I'm not certain that calling my phone would have been his top priority, or that hearing what I had to say would have put his mind any more at ease than coming to see you did."
"...I suppose..."
"Did you want to try and return to our nap, or would you like to go out now? I seem to have missed my opportunity to let Shizuru dress you up, sadly..."
She snorted a little, and lightly smacked him with the dish towel, a faint blush coating her cheeks. He couldn't help but chuckle and gave her another kiss, curling his arm around her shoulders in a loose hug. Keeping her close eased his mind considerably...
"...it's almost three now," she said, glancing at the clock, even as she leaned into his hold. "I suppose we'll have to shelve the nap if we want to do the shopping... mn... I need to check at an ATM how much I have, too. I don't want to spend too much."
"A sensible precaution," he nodded a little, shifting so that he could loosely wrap his other arm around her waist. She leaned into the hug automatically, and her own arms draped around his waist loosely as she snuggled her head against his chest. "I have a particular purchase I'd like to make... if you'd care to accompany me?"
She blinked and looked up at him, curiosity in her eyes. After a moment, he smiled fondly at her, and kissed the tip of her nose, making her blush.
"You're plotting again, aren't you?" she asked.
"Perhaps. If you ask Hiei, it would seem that I always am."
Kimiko scoffed a little, and gave him a very gentle shove.
"Let me fix my hair, and then we can go, okay? And you should probably check in with Kokoda-kun too, all things considered."
"...you are, perhaps, correct," and he sighed, releasing her with unfeigned reluctance. "I shall meet you downstairs, then?"
She leaned up and kissed him quickly, then nodded.
"Sounds like a plan."
Fixing her hair took less time than she expected; while the braid had looked fairly tatty, it actually hadn't been that badly tangled, so she was able to gather up the rest of her stuff—sighing again over the loss of the phone—in short order before she walked out the door, locking it behind her.
"So. You're not dead."
For once, she didn't jump, only looked over at Hiei and gave him a dry smile.
"Nope."
"Hmph. Good. It would have been a pain to deal with the aftermath of that."
She chuckled a little.
"Thanks for worrying, Hiei. I think."
He looked away, feigning indifference to hide embarrassment.
"I wasn't worried," he said shortly.
"Riiiiight. You're okay then? No lingering after effects of that.. dragon thing?"
"The dragon is part of me now," and his tone was smug. "I own that power. It can't hurt me."
Kimiko just shook her head lightly; clearly the fight hadn't changed him too much. But then, why would it? Of all of them, he was the least connected to this world.
"What're you going to do now?" she asked after a minute as she started down the stairs.
He slid easily down the railing, keeping up, and she almost wished he'd trip, just because it would have been funny.
"I haven't decided yet. Maybe I'll go challenge one of the Kings of Demon World."
"...don't commit suicide, okay? I'd hate to tell Yukina that her brother got killed because he was a hot-headed idiot."
"So that would be a 'no' on asking Kurama to come with me."
She slanted him a glance, not sure if he was joking or serious. With his deadpan expression, it was hard to tell.
"...that's up to Shuuichi," she finally said. "But ask him another day, because we're going to run errands. Unless you mean to tag along?"
"Pass."
He was gone before she'd cleared the end of the alley, and she shook her head in bemusement. Of all the demons she'd ever met, he was still one of the strangest.
Shuuichi and Kokoda had their heads bent over something when she walked into the store itself, so she kept her distance to avoid interrupting them.
"Welcome, can I help you?" one of the teenager clerks asked.
"No, thank you, I'm just waiting for Shuuichi to finish talking with his brother," Kimiko replied with a faint smile. "It's warmer in here than it is outside."
The teenager looked briefly disappointed, then nodded and left her alone to tend someone else who had just walked in.
Having never actually been inside the store itself, Kimiko looked around curiously, relaxing a little at the sight of so much green. She hadn't been inside the greenhouse for ages, it felt, and while this was much noisier with all the people in it, it was comfortable too. It was a helpful reminder that not everything would remain bleak and gray. Soon, spring would arrive, and with it, color.
Abruptly reminded that Genkai would not be seeing it this year, she bowed her head and took in a few deep breathes; her master would only be annoyed if she kept crying about it, and really, her eyes hurt enough as it was.
A hand caught hers up, squeezing gently, and she glanced up into Shuuichi's sympathetic expression.
"My apologies. Kokoda wanted me to, ah... speak to our 'supplier' about several new batches of flowers, as we do appear to be running low," he said. "He also says that he hopes you continue to feel better... mostly so that I can take some days to run the store. I believe he's feeling a bit overwhelmed."
She managed a smile for him, and nodded.
"It's okay. Let's go find an ATM?"
"Of course."
Kimiko, he discovered, was definitely not a person who shopped for outfits. She confined her selections entirely to leggings and tank tops, mostly in neutral colors, completely bypassing everything else. It shouldn't have been surprising, but it somehow was.
So he decided to take it upon himself to coax her into trying on other things. A long sweater here, a knee-length skirt there. A jumper that reminded him of the one she'd worn at Christmas, just in greens and blues. She didn't protest much—she actually seemed resigned to the suggestions—though she inevitably found one reason or another to justify putting them back.
He simply went and retrieved some of them, not to add to what she was buying, but to buy as gifts. The long sweaters looked very nice on her, actually, though he could understand her aversion to skirts. The jumper, unfortunately, did not come in the proper size. The jumpsuit was a lucky find, and she actually liked it enough to add to her own purchases, albeit only the one. As a sort of insurance, he found two more in different colors, quietly adding them to his own purchases.
She didn't say anything when they both walked out of the store carrying bags, but she did give him a wry, sidelong look.
"Did you find your particular purchase?" she asked dryly.
"Not as such," he replied with a fond smile at her. "But that wasn't quite the store to find it."
"You're making me even more curious, you know."
Shuuichi chuckled, and winked at her playfully.
"That is, of course, part of the fun."
"My hands are full, I can't smack you. C'mere so I can kick you."
She was grinning, though, and while he did move closer, it was only to give her a quick peck on the cheek.
"We will need free hands for the next task, so let's drop these off at home, and then I have a specific shop I wish to take you to."
"So curious."
The shop was a small one, tucked along an alleyway with only a small sign to indicate there was even a store there. It was off most main thoroughfares, and getting to it had been a convoluted path of alleys and back streets. Shuuichi, though, had seemed to know precisely where he was going.
"This is the person I brought the beacon enchantment from," he said as they headed down the stairs. "They also do more mundane items that pay most of their bills. Enchantments are extra."
The shop glittered. Kimiko had to stop and shield her eyes for a moment it was so bright. When she could see again she couldn't help but stare; hundreds of crystals in various cuts and hues hung from fishing line some plainly not for sale as they were in front of ceiling lights, casting darts of color across the floor, others hanging from wooden racks that had lights positioned near them. Wind chimes made delicate warbling sounds as the air from outside stirred through them, and there were at least four fountains that spouted water and she was willing to swear one boasted live fish.
"...it is a bit overwhelming," he said apologetically. "They are very... fond of things that glitter."
"Ohohoh, I know that voice~ Yoko's come to visit!"
The person that bounced around the counter was festooned with sequins, a veritable rainbow jumpsuit that reminded Kimiko heavily of the Rainbow Cyclone technique of Suzuki's. Dozens of bangles decorated their arms and ankles, chains of various sizes and metals hung around their neck. She couldn't say what color their hair was, as it their head was mostly wrapped in what looked to be an elaborate turban, also festooned with things that sparkled and glittered. They looked to be just over four and a half-feet, and cheerfully glommed onto Shuuichi's waist, grinning up at him in abject adulation.
"...Tooril, as I've explained, my name in this form is Shuuichi," he said patiently, very gently prying their arms apart. "I brought someone to meet you."
Tooril turned and Kimiko blinked; pale, pale gray eyes looked her up and down, suddenly very old despite the young appearance. After a moment, they nodded, and she squeaked to find herself on the receiving end of that hug.
"Hi! I'm Tooril!" they said cheerfully. "You're pretty!"
"Ah... Thank you?" Kimiko replied uncertainly, looking a bit helplessly at Shuuichi. "I'm Kimiko... it's nice to meet you."
Shuuichi, for his part, had a hand up and looked like he was having a hard time stifling laughter. Kicking him was starting to seem like a palatable idea, really...
"Ooooh, you're Yoko's pretty lady! Do you like the enchantment? It's useful, huh? Not very sparkly, but he said you weren't too into glittery, so I made it nice and subtle! I can make it more sparkly if you want me to update it, I'm sure I have lots of pretty sparkles for you to choose from!"
Tooril released Kimiko abruptly and darted behind the counter, and seemed to quickly be going through some boxes, leaving Kimiko staring after in absolute bewilderment. This... being was definitely a demon, but she had never met one quite so hyperactive before. Or so inclined to stand out. Suzuki could be flamboyant, but he also preferred to live with other demons on the mountain, not... like this.
"Tooril is a bit like Hiei," Shuuichi said, amusement thick in his voice. "Something of an acquired taste."
"...I am going to smack you," Kimiko muttered, giving her lover a sour look.
He chuckled and leaned over to kiss her temple lightly.
"Tooril, as lovely as your work is, I'm actually here about that item we discussed on my last visit," he said. "Did you ever get around to making it?"
"Oh? Oh! Yes, yes, I remember~" Tooril's head came up from their boxes, and they scampered off, reappearing after only a few moments with a thin wooden box that looked like it could hold a necklace. "You wanted it so plain..."
"Unfortunately, Tooril, I cannot always afford your most glittery things," he said with a wry smile. "Simple suits both my budget, and the person I am getting things for."
Tooril just sighed and seemed disappointed, even as they handed the slender box to the redhead.
"Much more fun as Yoko. Yoko loved shiny things."
"Different lives create different priorities, Tooril," Shuuichi replied. "How much?"
"No charge, no charge! Yoko was always good to Tooril, Tooril will be good to Yoko~"
Tooril beamed, and Shuuichi sighed, seeming resigned to this.
"One of these days I will get you to take payment," he said.
Despite confusion, Kimiko had to giggle. Tooril did too, waving cheerfully at them as they left the shop.
"Okay, I'm both intensely curious and also not sure I want to know, but what on earth was that about?" Kimiko asked once they were back on the street.
"Tooril... worked for me in the past," Shuuichi said after a moment. "Rather, I pulled them out of a failed heist of their own, effectively saving them, and they have been quite loyal to me ever since. Of my prior allies, only Tooril and Hiei have ever sought me out. While they are quite eccentric, Tooril is mostly harmless... and an extreme hoarder of all things that glitter."
"...no kidding."
"I have worked with them in the past for special gifts... when my mother remarried, for example, I asked Tooril for the rings. Or, as you know, the beacons we wear."
"And that?" Kimiko asked, pointing at the box he held gently.
"And this," he said with a faint smile. "Though you must wait a few more moments to find out what it is."
"Now you're just being mean."
He laughed softly, and gave her a quick kiss.
Perfection, he'd come to realize, was an impossible goal to reach. Sometimes even just 'good enough' was hard to find, and so he had spent quite some time thinking about where he might do this. Doing things publicly seemed like asking for more attention than he really wanted, or she was comfortable with,but in the apartment seemed almost... too informal.
He could practically feel her bursting with curiosity as he led her to the park where he'd witnessed first hand how efficiently ruthless she could be, and also how... vulnerable. The jogging woman he'd built up questions around had never quite been normal, even then, but Shuuichi had to admit that he hadn't realized just how 'not normal' her life was.
Cold or not, there were still people here; other couples, families with children, bikers and joggers. It was perhaps as close to a calm, 'normal' setting as he could find, and when he settled on the bench, she snuggled up next to him, resting her head on his shoulder. Quietly, they watched the world go by, before he gently slid the thin box into her lap.
"I though my life was well ordered," he said when she looked at the box, then up at him curiously. "I had my degree, and the store was well off, if a bit too crowded sometimes. My mother was happy, and even though I could not entirely assuage my curiosity about a young woman who went jogging past the store, I also wasn't too worried about it. It was very different from my life as Kurama, and I was happy to keep it that way."
He glanced down at her; those purple eyes were locked onto his face, and he couldn't help but smile at the wealth of emotion he saw there; curiosity more prominent, but also affection, love, and the shadow of grief that would take a long time to pass.
"You quite literally fell into my life, and that order mostly went out the window," and he chuckled a little, gently booping the end of her nose, just to make her squeak. "You brought in spontaneity, a somewhat haphazard randomness that altered things for the better. I find myself quite a bit happier now than I have been in the past several years, being dragged along into your adventures."
Now she blushed, ducking her head a little even as she smiled. He kissed her forehead, and briefly tugged her closer.
"Even when I tried to plan for what you might do, you somehow always managed to surprise me and make things go just a little faster." He chuckled a little; now she looked embarrassed. "So I think perhaps this time instead of waiting for the right moment, I shall simply ask. Kimiko... will you marry me?"
He reached down and flipped open the small box in her lap, revealing a ring of yellow and rose gold. The rose gold, properly enough, was shaped like a rose, with a lavender stone nestled at the heart of the blossom, while the yellow gold leaves were studded with emeralds. The band twined the two colors together, and there was a woven gold chain to go with it.
"...it's beautiful," she said softly. Then looked up at him, her eyes wide. "You had this made for me?"
He nodded.
"In truth, I only asked if it was possible to make something like this when I inquired about the beacon spell. I didn't want to jeopardize anything by expecting things would turn out the way they have," he smiled ruefully. "Though I will not lie, even then I was hoping they would. You are a gift, Kimiko, one I would like to always have with me..."
Shuuichi had planned to say more, to explain that he didn't expect her to answer right away, but she leaned up and kissed him, depriving him of that chance. Something settled in him, the fear that she might not feel as strongly as he did, or that he might scare her away with the question faded as he kissed back, tucking his arms around her more firmly.
It was hard to keep those nebulous thoughts, after all, when the one he had worried about was quite clearly enthused.
"You're such a worrier," she teased gently, once she'd pulled back. "Silly. Of course I'll marry you! I wouldn't have it any other way."