Reverie and Nightmares

17

Ryuga's View

My knees had never trembled at the speed they were at that moment; I probably could've even shredded an entire log of wood with the bone of my knee. Mixed feelings riddled the courses of my blood and veins, the thoughts leading more towards questions.

Why was it she who proposed? Shouldn't it be the man? Shouldn't I have gotten on one knee? Would this change anything with the results? What does that make of the ring in my coat's pocket? Should I pawn it off? Would that piss her off?

And the biggest question in the multitude of many: does this mean I can't propose anymore?

The sounds of water whooshing had practically all disappeared at that moment, as all I could hear was the sound of my heartbeat drumming aggressively into my ears. The mowing from the kittens was still present, as they'd been holding it if they'd kept quiet throughout the night. I'd been begging for the answer to what was up with those mysterious twin boxes and why there was a need to give each one a separate box, and it then occurred to me that was just the moral thing to do. If this was the same feeling I'd given Mikan when I confessed to her on the same beach, I was happy to finally feel it mutually, as she had. The butterfly on top of her head twinkled despite having no light, almost as if it had a life of its own.

And the moon was pretty, just as she'd been with her dress and adorable face.

"Mikan...You... You said you-"

"Love you? Yes, I have ever since I met you. It must've been that way, Ryuga. It must've been that way because you always made my heartthrob, and even more right now. It's beating tougher than ever, and I think I might explode if I did something else."

"Mikan..."

I embraced her tightly to my bony chest, kissing her repeatedly by her neck and cheek with her head down. It was all too much of a surprise to me. I couldn't believe that Mikan had pulled every string to get me at my emotional weakness to get me so happy. Something about her didn't seem so requited as for her. It was her lost puppy eyes, the kind of reaction that she would've likely gotten if I'd said no. But why the hell was I going to say no to that? Why would I refuse my girlfriend's marriage proposal after all we've been through? All the drama that we had to face to get to this point, and on top of those moments, our love for each other, as it was clear now that that existed more than everything else. If this were how marriages were supposed to be founded, then I was more than happy to be the one who opted out as the woman in the traditional fashion of getting one knee.

But Mikan still needed to be finished. Actually, her job still needed to be finished. She'd gotten the message across.

"Mikan... Say the words, then."

"But... Ryuga... My heart is beating too hard. I don't think I can-"

"You bought the ring. Loo, I don't want to come off as the bad guy, but hear me out. You shouldn't have shouldered this, babe... If you had just waited a little longer, I would have done it for you. I... I would've asked you to marry me."

My heavy breathing wasn't enough to top off hers, and I couldn't even consider competing to at least match the beats per minute. I could feel her jaw shaking, and she probably bit her lip. I imagined that the pain would only be masked by the emotions swelling into her brain, so I rubbed the tip of her forehead, pushing a few of her bangs to the side of her ears. She separated herself from my arms, and I stepped back for her to get into a kneeling position. Her bare feet scraped at the sand, but she didn't care, not even letting out a simple moan.

And out of her mouth came the words: "Will you be mine forever, now and till death do us part? Will you marry me, Ryuga Shirogane?"

Yet her eyes were elsewhere, distracted maybe, but I pushed it off as her being afraid with shyness, and yes, I did find her reaction far more than bold, my lips slipping for her bravery a solid-