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You sat side by side, the wooden porch beneath you supporting your weight as you talked aimlessly about anything. You didn’t care about what you talked about, just being in the other’s presence was enough for you both.
“Y/n.” He spoke after a moment of silence, you knew the mood had already changed. “Yes?” You looked at him with curious eyes, you could feel the intensity of his gaze. “Do you want to get married?”
The question caught you by surprise, eyes going comically wide. “Are you asking me to marry you? Or are you asking if I’d ever want to get married?” You felt butterflies fly into a frenzy in your stomach.
“I guess I’m asking you both.” Your cheeks flushed as you registered exactly what he meant. “Well, I guess I would say yes to both. I’d love to get married and have a family, and I’d be more than happy if it was with you, Kyojuro.”
The man next to you smiled, he seemed to be glowing under the lantern light. “It may not be flamboyant like Uzui wanted, but I couldn’t think of any better way to ask you.” You smiled as he held out his hand, stepping off the porch to guide you into the garden.
“I wanted to get you a beautiful ring, one as brilliant as you are. However, I wanted you to pick it out with me. So instead…” he led you into the grass, holding you close as he pulled out a simple iron ring. One that matched the one on his finger.
“It’s a placeholder for now.” He smiled as he slipped it over your knuckles. “It’s perfect nonetheless, Kyojuro.” You smiled as he brought your hand to his lips, kissing it gently. “Dance with me.”
His arm wrapped around your waist, his other holding your hand out with his. You placed your arm around his neck and let him guide you around the grass. No music accompanied you, just the quiet chirps of crickets and soft rustling of leaves.
But it was perfect.
You laughed as you stepped on his foot, laughter turning to squeals as he whisked you off your feet and began spinning you around in his arms. “I could listen to you laugh like that forever.” There was a childish glee in his voice.
“I’d love it if you made me laugh like this forever.” You tried to contain your giggles, but you felt like a little kid soaring through the air in your fathers arms again. You tilted back a bit, letting your arms spread behind you as he twirled you again.
He was starstruck by you, the way your hair moved in the breeze, the way the moon made your skin glow. “The moon is beautiful, isn’t it, Kyojuro?” You gazed up at the glowing orb, smiling at its beauty. “It is very beautiful, y/n.”
He set you down gently, placing a kiss on your forehead. “We will keep this secret.” He smiled as he placed his forehead against yours. “I’d like to cherish you before announcing to the world we are engaged.” He wanted it to remain an intimate moment for a little while. Something only they knew.
“That gives us time to make a flamboyant announcement…for Uzui’s sake.” Laughter bubbled in your chest, eyes looking up to stare at his closed ones. Quietly, you stood on your tip toes and placed a soft kiss on his lips.
He reciprocated it instantly, holding onto your hand tightly as his other came up to cup your cheek. “This may be…too soon to ask…” he seemed nervous as he pulled away. “What is it?” You smiled at him, the pink tint to his cheeks was endearing.
“Do you want to start a family?” Your eyes went even wider than they did a little while earlier. “Y…yes. I do.” You didn’t fully know what his intentions were at that moment, but it was Kyojuro after all. “Well…” he sighed, scooping you up bridal style, enjoying the surprised squeals that it caused.
“Shall we?” He looked at you with a warm smile, “shall we?” You questioned, head tilting slightly. “Start a family, my love.” Your cheeks turned red hot as he carried you inside the house, laughter booming from him.
You sat alone now, sitting on the dirt and twirling a stick of incense between your fingers. Your face was stoic, nothing compared to the night you couldn’t stop thinking about. The iron ring on your finger still remained.
You stared at the engraved stone before you, still not ready to light the incense. “One year ago today you asked me to marry you.” You smiled fondly down at the “placeholder” ring, one he never got to change for you.
“It’s also been one year since you asked me to start a family with you.” You felt a pang in your chest, yet no tears ever threatened to fall. “And, lastly, as you know…a week from now will mark 10 months since you left me.” You lit the incense at that.
Watching the smoke rise slowly into the air, dissipating into the golden sky. Kyojuro’s grave seemed to glow as brightly as he did in the sunset. It was always warm when you sat with him, somehow that warmth still seemed to reach you.
You were about to speak again, but the movement on your back stopped you. “Are you waking up my love?” You twisted yourself a bit, pulling the cloth around yourself so your son was by your chest instead. “Did you want to say hello to your father?”
You smiled down at your nearly month old son, his eyes slowly blinking away sleep to look at you. You found out you were pregnant two months after Kyojuro’s death, based on the timing he was born, Kyojuro really did get you pregnant that night. The baby in your arms looked just like his father, that alone brought you comfort. You’d always have a piece of the man you loved so dearly.
You looked up at the golden sky, the sun beginning to set behind the mountains.
“The sun set is beautiful isn’t it, Kyojuro?”