A Future to Call Our Own

Chapter 12 - A Future to Call Our Own [End]

Chapter 12
A Future to Call Our Own

In the morning, I headed out early to head for the flower bushes placed around the houses, overgrown and messy, but still having beautiful flowers spotting out of the them. I collected a bouquet of carnations, baby's breath, and some yellow lilies. I held the box containing the ring the palm of my other hand as I carried the bouquet in the other. I felt my heart drop as I approached the house again, seeing Komaeda across the street, sitting by the lake.
Swallowing, I tried my best to calm my nerves.
Come on, I've been with him for a long time now . . . I shouldn't be nervous about something like this.
But what if the ring doesn't fit? Or maybe he's allergic to some of these flowers? What if it's such a horrible gift to him and he doesn't understand why I would even consider this? Maybe he doesn't want to be together with me as much as I think. Wait, what if the ring's gone somehow? I need to check, and I need to set the flowers in a correct order. Ugh, maybe I should have looked for a more suitable outfit? Maybe something more formal looking, or just something to impress him with . . .
As I was turned away from him, panicking, I apparently didn't notice him coming up behind me, as him tapping me on the shoulder made me jump up, the flowers falling from my hands.
They fell to the ground, one by one, they drifted off on the road, some flying in the wind.
Komaeda looked down, watching them fly past behind him, exclaiming, "Oh . . . I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean to--"
"A-Ah, what's . . . What's that, Hinata-kun?" he pointed to the box in my hand. I felt my hands tremble slightly, my face becoming flushed.
Not looking at him, I knelt down on one knee, taking his hand, placing his knuckles on my forehead.
"N-N-Nagito," I stuttered, fumbling my fingers around the box's cover, myself managing to get it off with one hand, I held it out above me, myself gaining the little bit of courage I had left in me to look at him. "W-Will you do me the honor of what's left of my life . . . to marry someone like me?"
His eyes glanced back and forth between the ring and my eyes. I saw a tear start sliding down his face, then another, as he held his free hand to his mouth, him trying to cover his sobs as he closed his eyes, moving his hand to cover his eyes.
I felt my eyes sting with tears, as well, as Nagito fell to his knees, embracing me with all the strength he could muster.
"I-I-I'm so glad . . . So, so glad that I've through all th-this bad luck in m-m-my life . . . to have this m-moment . . . right now . . ." he breathed, myself feeling his tears start to go through my shirt. I felt the warm streaks on my face now, as well, as my head pressed into his shoulder, too.
"N-Nagito . . ." I sighed, hugging him more.
Leaning back from my shoulders to look at me, he gave a sad smile, "Hajime Hinata . . . I finally, finally get to say it, knowing that you truly do feel the same way. .
I love you, Hajime! I love you with all my twisted heart can manage! I'm so sick, I'm so very ill, but I'm not letting it hold me back! I'm going to fight it with all I can, because you're so worth it to me, Hajime! You mean everything in this whole destroyed world to me! I absolutely adore every single thing about you, and I find a new thing to love each and every day! Whether it be how you smile, or what you laugh at, or just whenever you do the honor of looking at me! I have never in my whole life been treated so nicely as you have been to me, throughout all this time, I've been so selfish! I haven't thanked you enough, I haven't pleased you in the slightest! And yet you're still here, you're right here! You're right here, with me, of all the people in the world, me! Some lowly piece of fucking filth like me, and you're here! You've said how much you appreciate me, something as horrible as me . . . I don't deserve your kindness, I don't deserve this! You deserve so much better than me, Hajime . . ." he took in a breath, wiping his eyes, "But you're still here . . . Giving me chances time and time again . . . And now, my one and only wish on my verge of death . . ." Taking the ring, he placed it on his ring finger, it being an absolutely perfect fit. "You . . . are the most amazing person in this whole world."
And he started sobbing harshly, himself falling into his hands, my arms wrapping around him, kissing him on his head. My fingertips made their way under his chin, lifting it up to look into his eyes. Closing them, he waited for me to kiss him. And so I did, my hands closing themselves in his hair.
Letting go, I placed my forehead on his, sighing with content as my hands locked around his.
And that was the day I knew I had reached my true happiness.
There, in this abandoned neighborhood, our food dangerously low, our clothes outside drying on the clothing line, Kibo laying down on the front step to our home, the sun shining directly between the trees, the wind moving in our hair, ruffling our clothes, shaking the leaves in the trees . . .
Holding Nagito's one real hand, and his prosthetic one, hearing his heartbeat, feeling his soft skin, his hair brushing across my face, looking into his gray eyes, feeling mine become filled with tears again . . .
"Nagito, anata ga maji daisuki da yo," I smiled, feeling my heart racing, the warm tears sliding down my face.
"Anata mo daisuki desu, Hajime."
. . .
And so started our new future.
One we will create, just the two of us.
Here, together, letting nothing stand in our way.
And we never will again.
Not even Junko could control us anymore . . .
Because, my dear princess Junko, . . .
It's time we finally had our paths disconnected, don't you think?
Nagito and I will walk on our own together, no need to worry about us.
We'll be just fine.
After all, . . .
What's not to be hopeful for?

  ╔ End ╝  

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