Chapter Text
Epilogue.
Akihiro brought Johnny to his mother’s town.
The last stranger he’d brought had caused death and destruction, but the community embraced Johnny with their warmth, welcoming him and making him feel at home.
They had taken good care of Akihiro’s mother, and she appeared well-rested, perfectly in her element, at peace with herself. She was healing too, and Akihiro was glad. She had waited for his return to bury her blades, and he acted as her witness the day of their arrival, knowing how much it meant to her.
While Akihiro and his mother tended to this business, Johnny stayed behind to introduce himself to the rest of the family with phrases in broken Japanese, aided by Satoko and Hoshi.
Hoshi looked good too, but Akihiro made it a point to spend time with him in the following days. He shared something of his experience with Romulus; the boy had to know that it wasn’t his fault, that he had fallen for the lies of a master manipulator. Now that Hoshi remembered everything, he recounted how he’d approached Romulus when it became clear that Akihiro wasn’t coming back; his motives were the same that he had told them when Kwannon had tricked them all, his worry and his love for his sister the only reason why he’d sought out help. It had been Romulus to suggest that Hoshi try and use the blades of Akihiro’s mother, since Hoshi had spoken confusedly of them without revealing too much.
The boy carried the weight of the death of his great-grandmother, but Akihiro told him that the monsters would have found a way to come, with or without Hoshi’s help. They had once found Logan, and Akihiro’s mother, in Jasmine Falls; they would have succeeded in this endeavor too, eventually, and the boy was not to beat himself up over this. His great-grandmother had lived well, and she had loved them all, and now she was at peace.
Akihiro visited the family shrine, of course, to pay his respects to the ashes of the old woman who had allowed his mother to seek a new way of living, the once vibrant girl who had taken it upon herself to pass down the teachings and traditions that would one day help Hoshi and Satoko.
Satoko and his mother had reached a new understanding: his mother told Akihiro on the first day, as they returned from the site where she buried her blades.
“I’m going to stay, my son, and take on the mantle I spurned in my youth. Satoko is still young, and can still learn many things. I want her to live life to the fullest, and return when she has made all the experiences she craves. And after… they’ll carve a new way, she and Hoshi. She’ll be freer. This place will change for the better.”
Akihiro had thought that might happen.
“If it makes you happy, okaasan,” he murmured, and she cupped his jaw.
“It does.” Her smile showed her dimples. “And I’ll make my own way too. I’m not going to stay in one place either.”
Satoko looked at peace with the decision, glad to have years to find herself; Bellona would undoubtedly be pleased too.
They made the climb then, his mother and he; Hoshi refused to come. When Akihiro had been kidnapped, the boy had woken up alone and freezing, and while he had managed a makeshift shelter and a small fire, he had been on the verge of serious harm when he was found; thus, he was afraid to get on the mountain again, so soon after his misadventure.
When they reached the ancient torii, Akihiro called upon the tenko for the last time, to pass her onto his mother. The tenko appeared, bright and bushy-tailed, as if nothing had happened at all, and coaxed them into her realm.
Akihiro’s mother gasped as she passed through, her eyes filling with tears as she met their ancestor. She bowed deeply, and the tenko approached slowly, her rich robes swishing with a wind that wasn’t there.
‘My darling Itsu,’ she warmly said, touching the bowed head. ‘I’m glad to see you home. I’m glad you chose my path. Son of my heart,’ she added, looking up at Akihiro. ‘You did good. Your part is done. Inari is pleased.’
He bowed his head just slightly. “You knew what was coming.”
The tenko gazed at him with infinite sadness. ‘That is so. But still, I could only follow the threads of fate. When young Hoshi marred a ritual so, I had to punish him. I had to come out at young Hoshi’s plea. And so, I gave the monsters the means to acquire us and torture you, to even threaten Inari.’
“Hoshi was tricked,” said Akihiro’s mother. “Please, if it’s at all possible, return his gift to him. He wants to do good. He is a good soul.”
‘He is,’ the tenko agreed. ‘But you will have to bring him here again, daughter of my heart.’
She cupped Akihiro’s face then, and kissed his brow; then she ran a finger from his forehead to his throat, and she smiled.
‘Now come, my dear’, she told Akihiro’s mother. ‘Walk with me.’
Akihiro was pushed out of the torii, a gaping absence that made him gasp. Touching the hollow of his throat, he found that the small ridge of raised skin was gone.
It was over. He wasn’t burdened with terrible knowledge anymore. He was just himself, a fighter on the path to healing, but still not a healer. A hero, perhaps, but never a healer.
He waited in the cold, and for once it didn’t hurt him as it once had, the biting sensations of his youth and his training. He made a fire and waited, and it was dawn when his mother finally emerged, her eyes full of stars, the mark of the tenko on her throat.
She smiled. “It is done, my son.”
He embraced her.
The family celebrated their return; they had a new shaman, finally, after so long, and they lined the houses with lanterns as if for a festival. Coming down the mountains and seeing the lights, Akihiro wondered what the rest of the town would think, seeing the cluster of houses standing so bright.
They all gathered around Akihiro’s mother, and Akihiro let her go, happy for her.
They were all wearing traditional clothes, and someone had lent Johnny hakama and nagagi and a warm haori too, together with a fur collar. He looked lovely all bundled up, his cheeks red with merriment as he greeted Akihiro.
“I told them I don’t feel the cold that much, but they insisted,” he laughed.
“They had a splendid idea,” Akihiro exhaled, taking in the sight. The garments were a lovely red, complimenting Johnny’s features. He caught Johnny’s hands; his chest ached, oh, so much, his head filled with wild fantasies. “You’re a vision.”
Johnny blushed, then pulled Akihiro towards the house they had been assigned for the duration of their stay. “Come on, they left clothes for you too.”
The clothing left for Akihiro wasn’t modern, like what had been given to Johnny, but it was ancient fabric, like the kimono that his mother and Satoko had worn at the Hellfire Gala. Akihiro wore the family heirloom carefully, entrating Johnny to help him, and then took a look at Johnny and declared that his hakama was tied incorrectly.
“You really didn’t learn, it wasn’t an excuse,” he mused, briskly undoing the knots of Johnny’s hakama and doing them again.
He recalled when they had bought the clothes for a gala, together with the haori Akihiro had then worn while Johnny was gone, that had looked so good on Johnny.
He recalled the thoughts he had entertained then, seeing his partner wearing traditional clothing, and seeing Johnny now, after all they had been through, seeing him smile bright and tease Akihiro with a shrug and a smirk, Akihiro's chest ached with a sparkling resolution that settled in him with grace.
That night was magical, the people happy and raucous and his mother a radiant pillar of joyful certainty. Akihiro watched her and knew she would thrive here, and do good, and pick herself up and find the healing she wanted to also help others to find. She smiled at him, brilliant and happy, and his heart burst for her.
Johnny and he spent some more time in town, enjoying the peace and quiet, lending their help where they could; Akihiro spoke with Hoshi more and more, making sure he would be fine when they left. The boy had decided to stay, even if Satoko was going to leave soon, and he would make his own way far from his sister, for the distance was needed. Satoko counted the days leading to her departure, but for now she was helping Akihiro’s mother, and soaking up whatever she hadn’t learnt yet. She apparently had every intention to go help in the Healing Gardens once she got back to Krakoa.
Soon came the time for their return to New York, and to their duties. The world had kept turning while they had their much-needed vacation, and while things seemed to be going better for mutants, with a decreasing number of attacks that allowed the Marauders to finally catch their breath, there was the looming threat Destiny had implied, and Akihiro and Johnny were going to do their best to stave off any danger. There would be investigations to make, and careful work. They would have to fend off the following that stemmed from Johnny’s miraculous resurrection, that had only seemed to grow larger while they rested and recuperated and stayed out of the spotlight.
But before any of that, Akihiro had something far more important to accomplish.
He enlisted his family’s help; he had space to move, because Johnny wanted to spend some time alone with his family before he and Akihiro returned to the Marauders. They were waiting for the ship to return to Krakoa, and time was of the essence, so Akihiro gathered his loved ones in Logan’s living room and announced his intention.
He wanted to ask Johnny to marry him.
He had never believed he needed a ring to show the world his love, but he was brimming with the desire to mark a new step in their relationship, and he knew Johnny felt the same. After all the pain they had been through, the terrifying ordeals, they needed stability.
It was a flutter in his chest that had been there even as early as when he’d asked Johnny to find an apartment and move in together, something he hadn’t been consciously entertaining. A stray thought, here and there, as they found their domesticity, as they found an easy rhythm. Something he had blocked out completely when Johnny disappeared.
He had almost let Johnny go so many times, and he was never going to do that again. It was a promise to stand by him, no matter what.
When he shared his news, Gabby shrieked and began jumping up and down. Logan looked ready to faint, standing there behind the sofa the girls where sat upon, and he was holding himself up by sheer force of will, his hands gripping tightly the back of the sofa. Bellona seemed happy for Akihiro, although pensive as she was still waiting for Satoko’s return; and his Laura, of course, smiled brightly.
Together they brainstormed ideas. Akihiro had a vision, and he wanted everything to be perfect. Johnny deserved nothing less.
“I’ll need Kurt to teleport okaasan in on the day of the proposal, Logan,” Akihiro added.
“Sure, son,” Logan exhaled. “He’ll love it. Your momma knows, then?”
“Of course she does, I told her before we left.”
His mother had taken his hands and told him she was so happy for him, and so proud of the man he had become. She had said that of course she would be there when he asked.
“Good, then,” Logan nodded, still a bit pale.
“Sit down, dad, you’re going to have a stroke.”
“It’s just…” Logan began to get weepy, but he did as he was told. “I can’t believe I’ll get to see it. My son, all grown up -”
“I’ve been grown up for a long while, Logan,” Akihiro said, exasperated, but allowed Logan to pull him in for a tearful hug.
Well. He had been grown up for a while, yes, but he had certainly grown over the course of such a small period of time. Only two years ago, still pained and reeling, searching for meaning, he would have never guessed that fate would bring him here.
Akihiro was only sad that he couldn’t marry Johnny in Japan, since it was illegal there. He would have loved to do it in Sendai, where he had spent the first years of his life; where he had been loved too, in a painful way. It could have been an occasion to finally meet Zach’s family too, Akihide’s family; to bridge that divide. But perhaps he could still invite them.
Zach was brought in on the secret, to make sure that Franklin didn’t catch any rumors whenever he spent time on Krakoa; Zach looked at him with wide, wide eyes, and told him with a strangled voice that of course he would keep an eye on Franklin.
“Way to go, gramps!” he choked.
The preparations were going swimmingly, but the only problem was finding the appropriate venue and the right moment. That problem was solved when an invitation came from the Fantastic Four themselves: they would host a party to strengthen human-mutant relationships. It was on a short notice, but it would have to do, since the Marauders were coming back soon.
It was also perfect, because Johnny would be surrounded by all his friends in the superhero community, and he would love that. Akihiro told X-Factor to be there or else, and obviously he also notified Lorna, who cackled in delight but hadn’t needed his invite, since the X-men were going by default. A big delegation would be sent from Krakoa, and Xavier and Magneto were certainly going to be there, but also, of course, Ororo and Kurt, and Logan wouldn’t look out of place then.
The day of the party it was snowing, and the white backdrop would be perfectly lovely for the proposal. Johnny would love it.
Akihiro went to their apartment, secure in the knowledge that Johnny wouldn’t be there, as he said he was helping his family with the final touches. He went there because he wanted to take and wear the suit they had chosen together, that Johnny had chosen for him; the suit he had worn at the Hellfire Gala to survive Johnny’s absence.
He found Johnny home, in their bedroom, cursing up a storm as he tried and failed to tie up the very hakama they had chosen together, months and months ago. On a chair was a bundle of the clothes he must have just changed out of.
“Do you need help, dearest?” Akihiro said, leaning against the doorframe, his chest aching with tenderness.
He spoke softly, to avoid startling Johnny, but Johnny had been so absorbed that he jumped a little. Johnny stood there, counting his breaths, and Akihiro waited as Johnny returned to his surroundings.
“Aki? What are you doing here?” Johnny regarded Akihiro with wide eyes, his face bright red. He gestured helplessly down. “Damn, look at this. I’m an idiot.”
“You’re not an idiot, Johnny, you just get distracted when I explain how it works.”
Akihiro went to join his partner and took the hakama’s long front belts from Johnny’s hands. Johnny’s nagagi hung hopen, exposing his chest, which was reached by the deep flush still gracing Johnny’s features.
“Now, dearest, pay attention.”
He worked slowly, explaining what he was doing, as Johnny grasped Akihiro’s upper arms to steady himself, his lovely gaze focused on Akihiro’s hands.
“There, all done.” Akihiro looped his fingers in the belts. “I thought you were helping your family with the final touches?”
Johnny ducked his head, his hands so warm on Akihiro’s arms. “I wanted to wear this. I never got to. It seemed fitting.”
Akihiro hummed, overwhelmed with love. His Johnny had wanted to surprise him.
“As it happens, it seemed fitting to me too, to wear these clothes. I came to take the red suit.”
It would be fitting indeed, to propose in these clothes; Akihiro looked forward to it.
“Aki,” Johnny exhaled as he lifted his head to look at Akihiro, his face filled with emotion.
He drew Akihiro to himself and kissed him.
Akihiro made a low sound in his throat and lost himself in the kiss, slow and deep and so sensuous; Johnny held him so tightly. Akihiro slid his hands beneath the open nagagi, stroking Johnny’s hot skin, his waist and the small of his back; and their sensual embrace became a heated affair soon after. Akihiro's every sense was haywire, heightened by what he was going to do that night, and he wanted to hold and revere every inch of the man that he wanted to be his husband.
His, and his alone.
They had come so far. They had survived so much, and they were still together, and it was a miracle worth celebrating.
Johnny held him with similar urgency. It was still very few the times they had lost themselves to passion after their ordeal, Johnny so frequently on edge, but he was groaning and writhing now, a hand rising to cup Akihiro’s nape, the other splayed on Akihiro’s back to hold him against himself, his erection growing hard against Akihiro.
Akihiro broke the kiss to press their foreheads together, and Johnny whined.
“You’re going to ruin those clothes,” Akihiro chided.
Johnny laughed, breathless, and he was already shrugging out of the nagagi, which Akihiro caught before it hit the ground. He hung it safely and when he turned back to his partner, Johnny was desperately trying to undo the knots on his hakama, pouting.
“See? It’s pointless.”
“Oh, dearest, let me help.”
He did quick work of the knots, and helped Johnny out of the hakama, and made sure the fabric wasn’t stained before carefully putting it down. Then he joined his love at the feet of their bed, where they kissed again, deep and hungry, heat pooling in Akihiro’s belly. Johnny tugged at Akihiro’s hair, which was held in a high ponytail, and freed it, letting it flow and burying his hands in it. Akihiro groaned loudly.
“You’re way too dressed,” Johnny muttered in-between kisses, “which is awfully inconsiderate of you. You wanna…”
“Yes,” Akihiro moaned. “Yes, dearest heart, yes.”
Johnny caught the edge of Akihiro’s sweater and tugged it upwards; Akihiro raised his arms to allow Johnny to pull the sweater off of him, and when it was done he embraced Johnny again, reveling in the contact of their naked skin pressed together. His jeans were painfully tight, and Akihiro shimmied out of them with difficulty, unwilling to step away from Johnny in order to do it more comfortably.
Now in their briefs, they stumbled onto the bed, rolling together until Johnny was on top of him, his face flushed, his gaze adoring. He bent his head to latch his mouth to Akihiro’s neck, and Akihiro bucked his hips, overwhelmed, his every sense focused on the hot tongue lavishing the hollow of his throat. They began rocking against each other, still separated by the thin layers of fabric covering their groins.
Akihiro buried his fingers in Johnny’s hair, cupping Johnny’s nape with the other hand.
Johnny lifted his head to check in with glazed eyes, and Akihiro whined in protest.
“Still good?” Johnny panted, his lips plump and red and lovely. “You okay, my love?”
“I’m perfect,” Akihiro exhaled. “Are you alright, dearest?”
Johnny was being more assertive than he had been in a long while, his touch maddening and precise. It felt amazing.
“I’m more than perfect.” Johnny beamed down at him, bright and so beautiful. “I love you so much. What do you wanna do?”
“I want to feel you,” Akihiro breathed. “All of you, dearest, yes -”
“Of course, Aki.” Johnny lifted his weight off of Akihiro to push his briefs past his hips and down his legs, but when Akihiro hooked his fingers in the waistband of his own underwear to do the same, Johnny caught his wrists. “No, let me. Let me take care of you.”
He gently pushed Akihiro’s arms on either side of him, and Akihiro kept them there, planted against the mattress, gazing in wonder at the love of his life and lifting his hips obediently to allow Johnny to free him.
“What now?” he questioned, seeing the fire in Johnny’s gaze. “Tell me, dearest.”
“Hold your arms up?” Johnny said with an uncertain lilt, mimicking what he meant. “Over your head, like this?”
Like Johnny had to hold them when he was tied up.
“Like this?” Akihiro said, fanning out his hair on the pillow before resting his arms over the silky mane Johnny loved so much.
His heart, oh, it was hammering against his ribcage, filled with tenderness and trust.
“Yeah.” Johnny gazed down at him, his eyes flickering with affection. “Is that alright?”
“More than alright. I wanted to ask you myself, one of these days.”
“Did you?” Johnny’s pupils dilated. “And your legs -”
Akihiro let them spread, exposing himself to his lover’s searing gaze.
Johnny gulped.
“What else, sir?” Akihiro murmured sweetly.
“No, it’s not a scene,” Johnny said, settling between Akihiro’s thighs as he began caressing Akihiro, his weight shifted to the side as he propped himself up with an arm. “I just wanna be us. You and me, yes? No games, just -”
“Just us,” Akihiro exhaled. If his heart could be filled with any more love, it would surely burst into flames. “Yes, dearest heart. Just you and me.”
“I want to make you feel good,” Johnny murmured, pressing a feather-light kiss to Akihiro’s lips, then peppering Akihiro’s face and neck, his chest, with lovely kisses that made Akihiro sigh and shiver. Johnny’s warm hand stroked him reverently; a gentle caress, so intense, that made him feel worshiped. “You’re so good to me, Aki.”
“You too,” Akihiro retorted, basking in the sensations, in the weight of Johnny pressed against him. Johnny’s scent was intoxicating, his gaze filled with love and focus. He stroked Akihiro’s waist, his thigh, and reached up again, to gently tease a buttock as he latched his mouth to Akihiro’s nipple. His tongue wrote symphonies with Akihiro’s voice, an overwhelmed vibrato: theme and variation. “Johnny… Johnny, Johnny… oh, Johnny…”
“Yes, my love.” Johnny kissed his way to the other nipple, a smile on his lips. “Let me take care of you. I wanna take care of you forever.”
God. Enamored, his heartbeat hammering against his eardrums, Akihiro could only lose himself to the feeling, to the glorious feeling. Johnny massaged his buttock, his thigh, teasing the firm flesh with deft fingers; his wet kisses rendered Akihiro delirious, especially when he began tracing Akihiro’s tattoo with lips and teeth and tongue, going up and down the expanse of Akihiro’s chest and stomach. It took a great deal of control for Akihiro to keep his arms up, but he was whining incoherently by the time Johnny lifted his head from his masterpiece, lips red and shining.
“Alright?” Johnny asked, his voice shaking a bit with the raw need blazing in his lovely eyes.
Akihiro was gone, hypnotized. “Yes, yes, please… I want to touch you, please…”
“Keep an arm up,” Johnny said softly, and groaned when Akihiro hugged him to himself, holding him close, so close, splaying his fingers between Johnny’s shoulderblades. Dutifully keeping the other arm up, Akihiro closed his legs around Johnny, too, latching his heels over Johnny’s thighs; and finally, with a low moan, Johnny shifted his weight fully on top of Akihiro, their erections rubbing together. He gripped Akihiro’s side, drawing him closer as he began gyrating his hips, so slowly. “God, Aki, love -”
“Yes,” Akihiro groaned. “Ah, yes…”
He arched, overcome with love. Johnny, bright and flushed above him, his hair a crown of gold: a vision, a perfect vision of beauty and kindness. His Johnny. Johnny’s hand suddenly left Akihiro’s hip, and Akihiro whined, but then he keened as Johnny clasped Akihiro’s hand that was still held above Akihiro’s head, lacing their fingers together, pinning it to the mattress. The simple assertive gesture drove Akihiro wild.
They rubbed against each other, their gazes locked, breathing each other’s moans. They moved in perfect concert, focused on each other, and Johnny tilted his face for a heady kiss that undid Akihiro and remade him brighter, lighter. Akihiro’s palm traveled lower, first to the small of Johnny’s back, then to his buttocks; he cupped one, pressing Johnny firmly against himself.
Johnny broke the kiss with a wild groan and pressed their foreheads together, his gaze filled with unfettered love. “Alright?” he murmured, hips stuttering to a halt.
“Always, with you,” Akihiro sighed. “Don’t stop, my love, I need you. I’m yours, yours, I’ll always be -”
“Yours, yours, Aki, for as long as you’ll have me,” gasped Johnny. “God, oh -”
Johnny pressed his face to the side of Akihiro’s head, his lips just shy of Akihiro’s ear, and resumed rocking against Akihiro, faster now, urgent; his voice was low and filled with raw emotion, syrupy murmurs punctuated with groans of pleasure. Akihiro held him fast and arched against him, chasing a white hot star, Johnny’s voice a golden compass.
“I’m gonna take care of you -”
“Johnny… Johnny…”
“I’m going to cherish and love you for as long as I live -”
Akihiro gripped Johnny’s fingers, he dug his fingers into Johnny’s buttock; was Johnny… was he saying…?
“From this day forward…”
Oh… oh!
“Yes -”
“Always and forever -”
“Yes… yes… yes, yes, hai, ah -”
“Til death… do us… part!”
Afterwards, as they lay there catching their breath, slick and sticky and aching, their hair an absolute mess, both of them in dire need of a bath, Akihiro thought that this was the most perfect moment he had ever lived. His dearest Johnny had a way to defy expectations; he had made his way into Akihiro’s heart, after all, just with his luminous presence.
“Johnny?” he murmured, carding his fingers through Johnny’s hair, pressing a kiss to the beloved brow, beaded with sweat. “I have a question.”
Johnny stirred, his smile dazed and precious and oh so lovely. “Yeah, Aki? Was that okay? Are you alright?”
“It was perfect. You’re perfect. I love you.” He cupped Johnny’s face, tenderly thumbing Johnny’s jaw. “Were those marriage vows, towards the end?”
Johnny’s dazed smile broke as he blinked, and blinked some more, realizing what he had said. “Oh, I…”
“Because I loved it,” Akihiro said soothingly, stroking his back. “I love you.”
“Oh, no.” Johnny’s voice broke a little. “I ruined it.”
“You didn’t ruin anything,” Akihiro retorted, kissing his cheek. “I love you.”
“But I had the whole speech planned…”
“Yeah? For what?” Akihiro teased, his heart swelled with tenderness. “Tell me, dearest heart.”
“I was going to… to propose.” Johnny gazed at him from beneath a fringe of slick hair, his eyes questioning. “Tonight, at the party. The guys helped… The party was Sue’s idea, to have an excuse to gather everyone, and… I wanted everything to be perfect, because you deserve everything. You’ve been my rock, Aki.” He paused, then nodded to himself, gaze alight with a firm resolution. “I know it’s not the same, I kind of made a mess, but the cat is out of the bag now and… wait a sec…”
He launched himself off of the bed and went rummaging in the clothes he’d left on the chair, returning with a small box. Sitting up, Akihiro thought that it was a small miracle that nothing got out of his own pocket while they undressed each other.
It was with some trepidation that Johnny rejoined Akihiro on the bed, and kneeling there at Akihiro’s side, he blurted out: “Will you marry me, Aki?”
Akihiro was beaming; his heart, oh, so very light.
“Yes,” he said firmly. “Yes, Johnny.”
Grinning, his eyes full of love, Johnny went to open the box and show him the ring, but Akihiro put a hand on his arm.
“Give me a moment?” he said, and when Johnny nodded, curious, Akihiro crawled to the feet of the bed and picked up his jeans, fishing his own small box out of the back pocket.
Johnny gasped loudly. He stared, bright-eyed, as Akihiro went back to him.
“You see, I was also going to propose tonight at the party.”
Johnny opened his mouth, closed it again. His eyes sparkling, he put a hand over his mouth, which did nothing to cover his wide grin.
“Aki.”
“I like it like this instead. It’s more intimate. Just us,” Akihiro said soothingly. “So you didn’t ruin anything, my love. If anything, it goes to show how in tune we -”
He couldn’t finish the sentence, because Johnny, exhaling a delighted laugh, tackled him and kissed him, small giddy kisses that tasted like relief and joy and love, a love so strong it could overcome anything. Their rings forgotten, they fell back against the bed, delirious with happiness. Akihiro kissed him and laughed too, laughed so much, his heart so light. It was so lovely to see Johnny so carefree after everything that had happened.
And the timing was, frankly, hysterical.
“We're getting married!”
“We're getting married.”
“How long have you been thinking -”
“Oh, a long time.”
“We're getting married!”
And laughter again.
“And I wanted to be wearing these clothes when I proposed… It seemed fitting and… You too?”
“We had the same idea, yes.”
“We even told Franklin to keep his mouth shut in front of Zach –”
Akihiro snorted inelegantly.
“I don’t think he did, considering the face Zach made when I told him, the little sneak.”
“The little pests,” Johnny agreed, and he was laughing again, rolling off of Akihiro and kicking his feet in the air. “Oh, I can’t wait to see their faces when they see we already -”
He broke off, his mirth turning into horror.
Akihiro sat up and pushed his sticky mane of hair out of his face. “What is it?”
“The guys put so much effort into helping,” Johnny whispered, wide-eyed. “Sue’s going to kill me.”
“Oh, absolutely.” Akihiro grinned, his shoulders shaking with laughter. Gleefully, he added: “Gabby is going to murder me.”
“Val is going to explode, she made all these special lights… they were going to light up all of New York as soon as you said yes. She got, uh, a little excited -”
“Lorna and Jubilee were going to make silent fireworks,” Akihiro revealed. “Lorna absolutely insisted she had to help out Jubilee with that, and Jubilee did nothing to dissuade her. Poor Laura got caught in the middle. They’re definitely going to hunt me down. Not Laura, though.” He paused. “Maybe Laura, too.”
“Fireworks!” Johnny exclaimed, delighted. “Oh, but I want to see them!”
“We could… you know…” Akihiro trailed his fingers over Johnny’s chest. “Just pretend we don’t know anything.”
“Oh! Oh.” Johnny bit his lower lip. “That’s evil.”
“Well, my mother’s coming just to watch me propose, so I can’t leave her hanging.”
“We certainly can’t.” Johnny’s lips tugged into a devious smile that made Akihiro love him even more, and he spoke with a conspiratorial tone. “So, just turn up at the party and…”
“And propose. You can go first.”
Johnny sat up too, grinning giddily. “No, no. I already asked. Sort of. You go first.”
Akihiro pretended to think about it. “Well, you can’t lie for the life of you, so all my family’s going to know we’re hiding something. It makes sense for me to go first.”
“Huh-uh.” Johnny smirked.
“But I want to hear that speech you have planned, so you’re on after that.”
“Absolutely.” Johnny embraced Akihiro, still shaking with silent laughter, and it was so beautiful to be here, now, and be able to laugh, be able to go on living. Johnny pressed a soft kiss to Akihiro’s shoulder, and sighed. “It’s going to be a beautiful night.”
“A night to remember,” Akihiro agreed, and embraced Johnny too, filled with quiet joy. “You and me, dearest heart, for as long as we live.”
“Always and forever.” Johnny beamed.
They sat on the bed, lost in each other’s arms, for a little while yet.
Soon they would get up and get ready to show their families and their friends the shining beauty of their love, their strength. There would be laughter and joy and love, and they would make a promise to each other, a promise that would be made official soon.
And there were dangers ahead, and perhaps a war, and they were still battling with their traumas, new and old; but they would face everything together, and together they would overcome all odds, just as they had overcome everything that had happened.
For now, they held each other, and watched the snow fall upon the city.
Fin.