"Marry me."

My teacup froze in between my lips right before I had taken a drink. Lowering it slowly I gazed straight into his solemn eyes. Those deep, endless eyes which I'm sure have seen so much. They stared right back at me with such a searing intensity…..

"E-Excuse me?" My voice trembled slightly. "Those agents outside, they targeted you because you're a single female, correct?" His voice was firm and stoic, just like his expression. The way he spoke to me…. It's like he was on a mission of his own, which he must be since he's asking a perfect stranger to marry him. But what kind of mission or who he was exactly, I couldn't hazard a guess. Maybe he's like my brother and an assassin for hire. But that still wouldn't explain what he'd want with me.

My balled hand rose up a little as I peered down to my teacup uncomfortably. "Lots of girls have been taken away lately…." "You're probably unaware of this, but you've been short-listed by the government as a potential spy." What?! "B-But I'm not! I'm just a server! I'm not a spy!" I retorted a little too loudly. He gave me a look which told me to quiet down, which I did. His head also lowered a tad. "I have no doubt. If you were really a spy, you would've been aware that you're being constantly monitored."

That's when it hit me; I don't know why it took this long. Our eyes met again, mine more suspicious this time. "How do you…. know all this?" He didn't answer right away, instead merely watching me for some time. Eventually he leaned back in his chair, clasping his hands on his lap. "I'm a government psychiatrist. It's my job to know these things." "You're a psychiatrist? And you're working for the government?" "Correct, which is why I'm aware of how much danger you're in, miss. All of this interrogation would disappear if you were married," there was a hint of demand in his tone just then, like he was telling me what to do. My hands trembled nervously on my lap as I kept shifting my stare from his face to my legs. My lips parted a silver, but it took a minute for any sound to come out.

"But….. But why should you care about that? Do you….. even know my name?" More hesitation on his part to answer me. "No," he finally said. He's lying, my eyes narrowed onto him intently. I can't be sure, but something tells me that he's lying… Why would he do? Is he trying to abduct me? Is this a way to get back at my brother for a previous victim of his? Or is he going to hand me off to the secret service?

"W-Why do you care, then? What would you get from marrying an ordinary civilian like me?" He shrugged, trying to act somewhat casual and nonchalant- poorly. Only then did his eyes leave mine briefly since we sat down in the café. "The higher-ups have been pressuring me to get hitched for a while now; something about starting a family will make me more loyal to the party." "Ah," that makes sense…. I suppose. Still, it didn't really explain why he would ask a random girl he'd literally just met to be his bride. And I got the feeling that I'd never find out either…

I felt his eyes burning a hole through me again. This man had a more intense stare than I'd ever seen in my life. His back arched forward in a sort of dominant position, his hands still clasped together out in front of him.

"So what do you say? Will you be my wife?" He inquired and I hesitated. It's not that I didn't want to get married; it's just that I've never particularly thought about it before. But if I did get married someday, this certainly wasn't the way I pictured it happening. What would Yuri say? Then again, he'd probably have a heart attack if he knew I was being monitored. If this guy was telling the truth- and judging by what just happened, I'd say there was a good chance he was- then getting married might be my best move, or the safest one anyway. He might still be trying to kidnap me, but if it's not him then it'll be those terrifying secret agents, and who knows where they'll take me. Perhaps I should… even if it's just for a couple of years until this cold war dies down. We could always get divorced in the future….. Or wait, didn't the government just make divorce illegal? Dear god, I don't know what to do….. I don't know what to do.

"Miss?" His voice made me jump a little. My head shot up to face his. "U-Uh well, I don't know…. This is all happening so fast." "It has to, for your sake. Once you're shortlisted, there's not much time. Don't worry, I won't take advantage of the situation. Getting married would benefit us both, but that can be the end of it." "Really?" I gazed at him unsure. So then, he wouldn't try and get fresh with me….. despite us being married? Well, that makes me feel a bit better about the whole thing. At least I know he won't try to pull anything with me, even if I am legally his wife. I pondered quietly a bit more, raising my hand up to cover my mouth. He waited patiently for me to reply this time, eying me like I held the balance of both our futures in my hands.

My lips opened a tiny bit again. "W-Well then, I suppose….. if it would benefit both of us…" "It would, but you need a husband more than I need a wife right now," he stated with finality. Our eyes locked once more. My hand slowly lowered down from my face, revealing my trembling lips. "I-In that case….." That's all I could force myself to say. That was the first time he grinned at me; not a real smile but his first show of any positivity.

"Very well then. I'll have a marriage certificate drawn up for us tonight. Do you need any help moving your effects to my place?" My eyes widened in surprise and alarm. "W-Wait! You mean I'm moving in tonight?" "Certainly. It's our first night as a married couple. You don't expect me to let my wife sleep in her own apartment without me?" This should have been romantic, but the way he said this sounded more business-like than anything. That's when I realized, this was a business transaction for him, just like it was for me I suppose. This man would be my husband, meaning that at least in public, he'd treat me like his wife. We had to make this look relatively real….. for both our sakes.

My head fell down. "N-No, thank you. I can bring them on my own." "Alright. I'll write down my address for you. Do NOT show this to anyone, you understand?" "Yes," I nodded meekly. Boy, my brand-new husband was sure bossy. I hope I wouldn't come to regret this decision. He scribbled something down onto a little white card and handed it to me. Then he got up, put his coat on, and left some money on the table for our drinks. "I'll expect you at the house around dinner time. Take the main roads and don't talk to anyone until I'm with you." "Yes," I repeated. He's bossy, but obviously concerned for me….. So strange. We've only just met too.

He helped me put my coat on, which was another surprise. I noticed him side-eye out the café window, where we spotted two agents looking in. They were clearly watching our table. Fully comprehending the terror I'd narrowly just avoided, this surge of panic and dread began to fill me. Recognizing this, the man put his gloved hand on my shoulder, leaning in so he could whisper into my ear. "I'll go out first and draw them off, but wait a bit before you go outside." I nodded and he removed his hand.

Taking a few steps away from me towards the door, the man shoved one hand in his pocket and put on his hat with the other. He turned back to peer at me from over his shoulder. "What name should I have put on the marriage register?" "Huh? Oh! It's uh….. Yor. Yor Briar." He stared my way a moment before nodding resolutely. Then that half-grin returned to his lips. Again, not exactly a smile but not a scowl either. It made my heart leap a little. "Nice to meet you, Miss Briar.

I'm Loid Forger."