Chapter Text
The warmth inside the apartment hit them like a physical embrace. Harumasa’s coat still hung loosely on Wise’s shoulders, a comforting weight. They shed layers, the silence of the apartment a stark contrast to the city’s recent roar.
“Still cold?” Wise asked, turning from the coat rack.
Harumasa shook his head, running a hand through his slightly dishevelled hair. “Just… processing. You know. The whole ‘new year, new me’ phenomenon.”
Wise snorted. “You’re not changing, Harumasa. You’ll still be chasing down rogue Ethereals and filing mountains of paperwork.”
“True,” Harumasa conceded, a small smile playing on his lips. He walked over to the window, peering out at the still-sparkling distant skyline. “But maybe the paperwork will be less… soul-crushing this year.”
Wise joined him, leaning against the cool glass. “A noble aspiration. What’s the first thing on your list for the new year?”
Harumasa turned, his eyes serious now. “Actually, it’s not paperwork related.” He reached into his pocket, pulling out a small, navy blue velvet-covered box. The light from the streetlamps caught the edges of the fabric, making it glow faintly.
Wise’s breath hitched. His heart, which had just settled, now hammered against his ribs. The city noise, the lingering scent of fireworks, the warmth of the room – all faded into a distant hum.
“Harumasa,” Wise breathed, his voice barely a whisper.
Harumasa's gaze held his, unwavering. “I know this isn’t some grand gesture. No flash mobs, no skywriting. Just us, here, in our quiet little corner of New Eridu.” He opened the box. Inside, a simple silver ring, intricately carved with a subtle, swirling pattern, glinted. “But I wanted it to be real. To be us.”
Wise’s eyes blurred. He saw the tiny etchings on the silver, the way it caught the light, but mostly he saw Harumasa’s face, etched with a vulnerability he rarely showed.
“You… you mean…?” Wise started, the words catching in his throat.
“I mean,” Harumasa cut in, his voice soft but firm, “that I want to face every year with you. The good, the bad. I want to build a life, a future, whatever that looks like, with you by my side.” He took a step closer, the small box held out between them. “Wise, will you marry me?”
The silence stretched, thick and heavy, punctuated only by the distant wail of a siren. Wise stared at the ring, then at Harumasa’s hopeful, anxious eyes. A thousand thoughts raced through his mind – their first meeting, the shared battles, the quiet evenings, the way Harumasa always knew what tea to make.
“Harumasa,” Wise finally managed, a watery laugh escaping him. “You absolute idiot.”
Harumasa’s shoulders sagged slightly, a flicker of disappointment crossing his face. “Is that a ‘no’?”
“No!” Wise quickly clarified, reaching out to cup Harumasa’s face in his hands. His thumbs brushed over Harumasa’s jaw. “It’s a ‘yes, you absolute idiot’. An absolute yes.”
Harumasa’s face broke into a relieved, joyous smile. He closed the box, set it on the windowsill, and pulled Wise into a fierce hug. Wise buried his face in Harumasa’s shoulder, inhaling the familiar scent of ozone, tea, and something uniquely Harumasa.
“I thought I was going to have to fight a swarm of Ethereals for this ring,” Harumasa mumbled into Wise’s hair.
Wise pulled back, a new wave of emotion washing over him. “You really are ridiculous. You planned this, didn’t you? The rooftop, the sentimentality…”
Harumasa’s grin widened. “A little. I’ve been carrying this around for weeks, waiting for the right moment. New Year’s felt… appropriate. A new beginning.”
Wise’s gaze fell to the ring box. “Put it on me, then.”
Harumasa retrieved the box, his hands trembling slightly as he opened it. He carefully took the silver band, his fingers brushing Wise’s as he slipped it onto Wise’s left ring finger. It fit perfectly. The cool metal settled against his skin, a tangible symbol of everything they shared.
“It’s beautiful,” Wise whispered, turning his hand, watching the silver catch the light.
“It’s Ethereal silver,” Harumasa explained, his voice low. “It's forged by a reclusive craftsman who owes me a favour. Said it’ll ward off bad vibes. And rogue Ethereals.”
Wise laughed, a genuine, bubbling sound. “You never stop, do you?”
“It’s a gift that keeps on giving,” Harumasa rejoined, his eyes sparkling. He kissed Wise again, a longer, deeper kiss this time, full of promise and relief. “So, fiancé. What now?”
“Now,” Wise said, pulling back slightly, his eyes still shining. “Now we celebrate properly. And then we can plan the wedding.”
Harumasa’s brow furrowed in mock concern. “No Ethereals?”
Wise raised a brow but smiled nonetheless, "No Ethereals."
Harumasa sagged and sighed dramatically. "Not even as ushers?"
“Absolutely not. They’d probably try to turn the cake into a portal.”
“Fair point.”
Wise shook his head, a smile still plastered on his face. “We’ll discuss the guest list later. For now, let’s just… be.”
They settled onto the sofa, Wise still tracing the pattern on his new ring while leaning on Harumasa's shoulder. The slight adrenaline from the proposal slowly subsided, leaving a profound sense of calm and happiness. The city outside continued its muted hum, but inside, their world felt complete.
“You know,” Wise began, breaking the comfortable silence. “I always thought I’d be the one to propose.”
Harumasa chuckled, pulling Wise closer. “I knew you’d say that. Which is precisely why I had to beat you to it. Couldn’t have you stealing my thunder.”
Wise raised himself and looked at him with disbelief.
“You think I’d steal your thunder? After all the times I’ve had to bail you out of sticky situations with the Section 6 bureaucracy?”
“Those are tactical rescues, not thunder-stealing opportunities. Besides, I wanted to see that look on your face.” Harumasa nudged Wise’s chin with his own. “Pure, unadulterated shock, followed by adorable surprise.”
Wise swatted lightly at Harumasa’s arm. “Adorable, huh? You’re lucky I said yes after that description.”
“I’m very lucky,” Harumasa agreed, his voice softening. “Luckiest man in New Eridu.”
Wise leaned his head on Harumasa’s shoulder again, the weight of the moment settling in.
They sat in comfortable silence for a while, just holding each other. The city lights outside seemed to twinkle brighter, or maybe it was just Wise’s imagination. The sheer audacity of Harumasa, planning such a moment, filled him with a warmth that chased away the last remnants of the cold night air.
“You really pulled it off, you know,” Wise said, looking up at Harumasa. “The whole ‘simple, just us’ thing. It was perfect.”
Harumasa smiled, a genuine, unguarded expression. “I learned from the best. You always say the most impactful moments are the quiet ones.”
“I guess I do say that,” Wise admitted, a blush creeping up his neck. “Doesn’t mean I expected you to actually listen.”
“I listen to everything you say, Wise. Especially when it involves our future.” Harumasa’s thumb stroked the back of Wise’s hand, just above the new ring. “Speaking of which, any thoughts on a date? Or a venue? Or a colour scheme that doesn’t involve ‘tactical grey’?”
Wise laughed. “Slow down, mister. We just got engaged. Let’s enjoy this for a moment. But no, definitely no tactical grey. Maybe something with… iridescent blues? Silvers? Like the city at night.”
“Iridescent blues and silvers,” Harumasa repeated, testing the words. “I can work with that. Although I might have to consult an Ethereal for the lighting.”
“Harumasa,” Wise warned, a playful glint in his eyes.
“Kidding! Mostly,” Harumasa amended, holding up his hands in surrender. “But imagine the ambiance! We could have a real-time projection of the constellations, shifting with the earth’s rotation…”
Wise shook his head, a fond smile on his face. “You’re already planning it, aren’t you?”
“It’s what I do. Strategic planning, risk assessment, optimal deployment of sentimentality.” Harumasa kissed the top of Wise’s head. “I just want it to be everything you want it to be.”
“It already is,” Wise said, his voice thick with emotion. “Just you, and me. That’s everything.”
The new year had begun, not with the expected chaos of another Ethereal incursion or the endless wrangling of Section 6, but with a quiet, profound promise. A promise made under the fading echoes of fireworks, witnessed by the sprawling, indifferent city, and sealed with a simple silver ring. New Eridu might never sleep, but tonight, Wise felt like he could finally rest, knowing that whatever the future held, he wouldn't face it alone.