The conversation with Keigo had left Mariko feeling completely exhausted. Now, they were cuddling on the couch.
"You're not gonna read the reports yet?" he asked, rubbing her back comfortingly.
The brunette shook her head. "I'll look at it later. I've got three weeks to familiarize myself with it after all."
He hummed, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "How're you feeling?"
She laid against him, playing with the ends of his hair and occasionally pressing a kiss to his neck. Even though he knew it was because she was reassuring herself of his presence and seeking comfort in him, he really liked how physical she was being.
"Tired," she murmured against his skin.
"Sleep for a bit then."
"I'm not that tired," she told him. That was a lie, she felt like sleeping for an eternity, but she knew that as soon as she did, she'd be plagued with nightmares. "Kei?" she asked after a moment.
"Hm?" He'd never get tired of hearing her call him that.
"What did you think... when I told you that story?" she asked. She'd always questioned her decision to blow up the compound. Even if they had been reduced to monsters, all of those creatures had at one point been humans with families; families that would never get closure for what happened to their kids.
"I was angry," he told her honestly.
Immediately, Mariko tried pushing away from him.
He calmed her down by placing a kiss on her head, he knew what she'd been thinking and that wasn't it. "I was- still am- angry that the most amazing and important person in my life suffered so much and I couldn't even be there to hold her hand through any of it. I'm sad and upset and hurt that you're living your life carrying this burden on your shoulders. And I'm also surprised because I thought it wasn't possible for me to fall in love with you any more than I already am. You amaze me every single day I know you Chickee, because despite everything that's happened you still smile and live your life helping others. I love you Mari... so much, and no amount of shitty past is ever going to change that."
His words shook her to the core, and her whole body trembled as she fought back the urge to burst into tears. She hadn't known how much power those three little words could have when they came from someone you loved. A single tear escaped her eye, and trailed down her cheek until it landed on his collar bone.
"You okay?" he asked. He hadn't thought when he'd said those words. Maybe he'd jumped the gun?
"Thank you," she whimpered. "I love you."
Keigo tried to hide his surprise. After all, they weren't officially "dating" yet, and they hadn't even verbally confessed that they liked each other. Instead of being put off by it as he thought she might be given her tendency to bury her emotions, she had said it back. His chest swelled with adoration for the woman in his arms and a soft chuckle escaped his lips. "You keep proving me wrong Mari. Maybe there's just no limit to how much I can love you," he contemplated contentedly.
The brunette smiled and shook her head in disbelief. "I'm such a disaster. I wonder what the hell I did to be blessed with you?" she whispered.
Her sweet words made the blonde turn bright red and he was thankful she wasn't looking at him right now. He knew she'd make fun of him for getting so flustered. She could make his heart race just by being in the same room as him. "If you're a disaster, you're the most beautiful disaster I've ever seen."
"Must've been something I did in a past life," she muttered, finally drifting off to sleep.