Dimensional Descent

[Bonus chapter courtesy of Fire2112 (aka Firemonster) <3 6/6]

Aina felt as though time had come to a stop. She had waited so long to hear these words, and they had come so unexpectedly that they hit her like a speeding truck.

Her golden eyes misted over, and her lips trembled. It was taking everything she had to not start an ugly sort of sobbing fit. She didn't want Leonel to see that.

But the longer she tried not to cry, the more time the silence lingered.

And yet, Leonel just lay there on her lap, a bright smile on his face.

He had thought about waiting for a grand occasion, maybe after he had accomplished some amazing feat or maybe after he had eliminated some powerful enemy.

But when he really thought about it, it felt like that tranquil confidence taking control again. He was confident that Aina would always stay by his side, so why rush? He was confident that he'd be at the center of grand feat after grand feat, so why be in a hurry to choose which one of them to propose in?

His mind could think millions of thoughts a second. The number of venues, variations, methods he had thought of just to ask this seemingly simple question were endless.

He could probably construct the marriage proposal heard around the world if he really wanted to. But he had thought of thousands of ways to do exactly that.

He was too obsessed with showy displays, and when that was matched with obsessing over being in control of every detail of every little thing, it manifested in the worst of ways.

He threw himself into life and death situations he should have had no part in; he confessed to the woman he liked in front of wide stairs in front of as many eyes as possible, and he ignored his best friend's plight and decided on cracked ribs instead of throwing a game that was ultimately meaningless to him.

So this time... he threw all of that out of the window.

"Yes..."

word was so soft and nondescript that even with

that? I can't hear you." Leonel said

Aina was trying so hard to hold back unleashed

if you make me ugly cry on

as she grabbed Leonel's face, not caring as she mixed in her salty

laughed, letting his wife cup his cheeks and

this her wedding day told Leonel all he needed to know. She never cared about the proposal

ceremonies were unnecessary; she hadn't even asked for a

up through Aina's avalanche of kisses, pushing

looked like a mess, her eyes barely able to remain open through her tears. Even so, everything about her expression spilled over with love. She couldn't have roared it

you, Leonel," she said

Leonel replied, his smile gentle and his

trying to memorize the face of the other,

suddenly said, her hips doing a little wiggle. She laughed and giggled as more tears seemed to

think that's how you

nothing to do with you. I can use any word however

"Yes, ma'am!"

clothes became nothing but a distant memory. They intertwined in every way they could, their hands, their tongues, even

long while, and yet neither

of one another, basked in every scent, every sensation.