Lucarly: Ugh...I'm having writer's block...and I'm forcing myself to write...It's miserable. So I hope this chapter doesn't sound so...blegh...In any case, The majority of this chapter is how Mikage and Jack came to be a couple and then it'll lead up to his proposal. Yay you.

Aki: Yay me.

Lucarly: ...

Aki: ...Lucarly does not own Yu-Gi-Oh 5D's.

Miracles - Chapter 5

Mikage's POV

Christmas evening

It never ceases to amaze me how far two people can come in what feels like such a short amount of time.

When I first met Jack five years ago, I didn't think of him as much more than a very handsome man. As time went on though, I grew to admire him for his great self-esteem and confidence - something I never had. Soon enough, I suppose you could say I had a sort of infatuation for him.

Then he lost to Yusei for the first time. No one except him, Godwin, Jeager, Akutsu and I were aware of it, but it absolutely crushed him. It hurt me a lot to see him so upset. He lost interest in dueling for awhile, and often yelled at others - including myself. I think most women would be driven away by this - I'm sure I would be too...

If it weren't for that one night he was sitting on the sofa, his face hanging low in his hands. He wasn't crying, but it was quite obvious to me he was upset. I was completely unsure of what to do or say - I didn't want to leave him alone in such a state, but at the same time, I didn't want to do anything that would upset him further.

I ended up coming to the decision of taking a risk with the latter.

So I sat simply sat beside him and rested my head on his shoulder, running my hand over his back comfortingly - It was the first romantic gesture I ever made to him.

He didn't yell. He didn't push me away. He didn't even really seem to realize I was there. Still, he allowed me to be there with him, comforting him.

And that's when I fell in love with Jack Atlas.

I can't say the same for him though - He barely showed any sort of romantic interest in me until after the whole Signer fiasco three years ago.

We were walking through the streets of Neo Domino together, on purely platonic business for Godwin, when I must of subconsciously rubbed my hand against his. I hadn't realized I had done so until he took my hand into his, mistaking my accidental contact with him for an indication that I wanted him to hold my hand.

Of course, I wasn't complaining - Just surprised that he had taken the initiative.

But then, the next day, he acted as if nothing had happened - Typical Jack.

It wasn't the last time we had shared any romantic contact though. Every once in awhile, we'd be off holding hands again in public, as if we actually were a couple - Only for Jack to pretend there was nothing going on between us the next day.

It was disheartening.

However, I soon realized that Jack and my "Fling days" grew more in frequency, and that each time he would seem to grow more comfortable with doing different things with me. There were times when I would be sitting on his lap, sleeping on his shoulder, or he'd be resting his head on my lap.

Still, nothing remained constant. There were days I thought that we'd we surely get together, and days I thought that there was no way it could work out.

Then he kissed me for the first time.

From that point on, we finally had a steady relationship. He never actually referred to me as his girlfriend, or said that we were dating - I just assumed we were, since we acted like it.

Eventually, he asked me to move in to his newly bought apartment with him. I was surprised to say in the least, since he never gave any sort of hint that we were entering into a more serious relationship, but I accepted.

Although, I guess I really shouldn't have been so shocked that we were suddenly becoming more intimate - Jack never was one to use words to describe where "we" stood, just actions.

In fact, he never once told me he loved me - I again just assumed he did. Moreover, it made sense to me that he was with me for love and not anything else.

I didn't think he was with me because of my attractiveness. Actually, he only made reference to my physical appearance once one morning when he told me he thought I looked pretty with long hair.

Nor did I think he was with me for sex. In fact, sex was a rare occurrence between us. I sort of like it that way, not because I didn't love him enough, or because I wasn't comfortable with it, just that I wasn't exactly keen on risking pregnancy out of wedlock. Still, there came those once in blue moon nights when he'd come into the bedroom, kiss me on the neck, and then we'd be making love under the sheets within minutes.

Most of the time though, we'd just sleep together with me curled into his chest and him having one arm wrapped around me.

In recent weeks though, I noticed he had grown increasingly more nervous whenever we were together...His kisses were hesitant, his muscles became tense whenever I touched him, but whenever I asked him what was wrong, he always replied with "Nothing."

I remained concerned though and eventually went to Aki for her thoughts; which were that I shouldn't be too worried. Though I'm not sure why she was confident that everything would be fine, I trusted her enough to try dropping my concerns.

The fire crackled loudly in the fireplace as Jack sat in a chair facing it, shuffling nervously through his deck. Though he was no longer king, he often entered tournaments to win money in light of supporting him and I.

I watched him from the doorway, estranged that he had picked up such a habit of nervousness. I sighed after a moment, and approached him, bringing myself onto his lap. As if on cue, he immediately became tense as I wrapped my arms around his neck intimately.

"Jack...What's wrong? You've been like this for awhile now..." I asked him, looking up into his violet eyes, which were avoiding mine.

"Acting like what?" he said, trying to act totally oblivious to his own apprehension.

"Like this...You seem so stressed...So nervous..."

"I'm fine." he said, looking away

"You don't seem fine...Jack, look at me." I pleaded.

Jack said nothing for a moment, his eyes still away from me.

"Mikage, have I ever told you that I love you?" he asked me quietly.

I blinked, taken aback by his question.

"Nani?" I asked.

"Have I ever told you that I love you?" he repeated.

I blinked again, perplexed by his question.

"Iie, I can't recall that you have..."

"Well, I do. Sumimasen, that's a cheap way of getting out of saying it..."

"Jack, what're you-" I began to ask before he cut me off

"-No, just hear me out the whole way through." said Jack sternly. I only nodded incredulously.

Jack then took in a deep breath before standing up with me and taking my hands into his as he looked directly into my eyes.

"Mikage Sagiri...I love you. Iie, that's not even fair for me to say. I love you so, so much that I can't even put in words. I know I have trouble showing it most of the time, but you have to believe me, I do. God, I sound like such a tart..." said Jack, his voice trailing off.

I was nearly shocked speechless. Never, had Jack been so openly direct with me.

"Iie, you're fine..." I said after struggling to find my voice. Jack nodded and took another breath before continuing.

"And while I'm at it...I might as well tell you that I think you are so damn beautiful - And you don't even realize it. You know, I've been with other attractive women before, but none of them can even compare to you. And of all those women, I have never felt so strongly for anyone as much as you. And that's why..." said Jack, stopping for a moment to fumble with something in his pocket. He finally pulled out a tiny, velvet box and opened it to reveal a ring with a stunning white diamond on it.

I gasped aloud upon the sight of it, and fell back into the chair in pure disbelief as he proceeded to get down on one knee.

"...I want you to be my wife."

I stared at him for a moment, the words not having registered in my mind yet.

"J-Jack, I-I'd be thrilled...Or...I-I...I don't know what to say." I stuttered, still in shock.

"Just a simple "Yes" or "No" would do. Though, I prefer the former..." said Jack, giving me a weak smile.

"I...Yes, Jack. Yes!" I said happily, kissing him fully on the lips. Jack, caught up in the moment, swept me off my feet, returning the kiss.

After we broke apart, Jack whispered airily into my ear:

"Merry Christmas."

Translations

Nani? - What?

Iie - No

Sumimasen - Sorry

Lucarly: Well...That wasn't as bad as I thought it would. I hope everyone enjoyed it...Everyone have a Merry Christmas, m'kay? Next chapter is the last...

Aki: Finally. Please review...