fic: Surprise, Surprise
Nov. 30th, 2019 06:07 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
bonnefoisTitle: Surprise, Surprise
Series: Ace Attorney
Character/pairing: Nahyuta/Ema
Rating: PG-13
Word count: 4k
Summary: Planning a surprise is difficult when working with a detective, and Nahyuta's attempts to keep a secret causes Ema quite a bit of anguish.
Author's note: Part of Holidaze series
The previous chapters are:
I'll Be Home For Christmas
I'll Be Cleaning Up Bottles With You On New Years Day
14th
Moving In
Since they don't have official birthdays, only birth years, I guessed via personalities. I promptly sorted Ema as a Taurus, because they love food and material possessions, are stubborn, and are prone to holding massive grudges. (For the record, I figured Nahyuta was a Aquarius. Detached/spiritual/prone to facades.)
I even resisted the urge to just sort them as Virgo, the best sign. (My personal sign, lol.)
For Seta_Suzume, happy holidays.
His lovely fiancee lingered in his office. She kept pushing back her light brown hair, a gesture of annoyance, and oh how a fire filled her dark green eyes. It was quite obvious that something had upset her. It was as if an aura of darkest irritation, mixed with the vengeance of the seven hells of eight million years surrounded her. To say nothing of the layer of crumbs over her shirt, showing that many bags of Snackoos had been gone through that day. Of course, with his stormy fiancee, any guess was what that could be. It could be anything from running out of her Snackoos, to Apollo mentioning Prosecutor Gavin in passing.
Nahyuta looked up from the scroll laid across his desk. His braid slipped down his shoulder. "Did you need something, love?"
"Nothing," she muttered.
Ah, if she was in that kind of mood then she likely would take some time to cool off. Nahyuta tried to think back. They'd had no fights recently, not even over cases, but then again they'd both been very busy. Perhaps that was what had upset her.
"Do you have enough time to spend lunch together?" Nahyuta said.
She looked away, though her ire had softened ever so much. "Yeah, we could do that."
Ah, good. Perhaps that was it. She was simply grumpy at how exhausting rebuilding the entire country and legal system was. He could hardly blame her. Despite meditation, at times he had lost his temper dealing with such a grueling task.
Thankfully, Ema was often at his side, assisting where she could. This endeavor would certainly be hopeless without her. As much of his life.
Of course, Ema would surely tell him whatever had bothered her sooner or later. Often sooner, knowing her.
Nahyuta had counted upon her leaving early for lunch (as she always did, because nothing got between his favorite detective and a meal) and then he could finish the last shipping order notes to be sent out that date. However, something kept her stubbornly here.
If he didn't get these shipping details smoothed out, the packages would arrive far too late. And he had a meeting later on to attend. With little choice, Nahyuta looked over the notes upon the scroll, his hand placed just so to obscure the dates, the times, the details.
"What the hell?" Ema muttered.
He glanced up. "Is something the matter? I thought you would be picking lunch out. Are we going to eat at the marketplace today?"
"No, that's not it. It's just---I knew it. You're literally hiding something from me. With your hand, right now. Even though this is a case is something I have to work on too. You're keeping secrets again, Nahyuta."
Nahyuta rolled the scroll up and set it aside. "This is not a case; it is a different affair. One of utmost importance, too."
"Affair, huh..." Ema said
Ema dug into her bag, but found nothing but an empty crinkling containers left over. She let out a disgusted sigh and tossed the refuse into the trash.
"What has caused you to be upset, Ema?"
She leveled her gaze with his. Fury filled her dark green eyes. While the mention of lunch had made her lessen, if but for a moment, now her furor was back in full force. Apparently this time, he was the cause of her anger.
"What even is this? You've been weird for weeks. It all started after we moved in together. You didn't even take me with you on that last trip and you always take me. I didn't even know you had gone until Princess Rayfa told me. Do you know how embarrassing it is to not even know where your own fiance is?"
"I had to attend to something quickly and in a private manner. There was no helping it," Nahyuta said.
"By yourself? What, I'm not allowed in? A no girls allowed club?"
Nahyuta cleared his throat. "Ema--"
Ema held up her hand and cut him off. "And, it's been like this for a while after we moved in together. I mean, it used to piss me off when you'd be all secretive before. It was kind of hot but also a pain. But I get why you were like that. You--and the old queen--but now... What's wrong? Why is there this big--barrier up again?" Her voice cracked, and he felt a pain himself within his chest that he had caused her even a moment of discomfort.
"Nothing is wrong, Ema," he said softly. "Please do not worry yourself. Simply there are some things I had to take care of and they've occupied my mind. There is much to do, and much to occupy my mind."
"Really? Because you could really fool me! It's just--I don't even want to say it, but... Are you trying to break up with me? Is that why you're so distant?"
He frowned. "Ema, how can you say such an utterly putrid thing? Truly, how has such a thing even crossed your mind?"
"Well, what am I supposed to make of this? Like the magazine quizzes I took said cheating, but you're a monk and I can't see you doing that. You wouldn't even think of it. So, what else does that leave? It happened right after we took that big step of moving together. You not being able to face me because you want out? Did you...get cold feet? Did we go too fast?"
Ema had such pain in her eyes. He'd never wanted to see her like that again. His rosary twisted in his fingers, a silent prayer on his lips. Oh, Holy Mother, he'd done it this time.
She closed her eyes, and let out a sigh as she continued. "Best case scenario, we don't break up and make the engagement go longer, because you feel it's going too fast and don't know how to tell me. I don't even want to think about the worst case, but I have to. I have to face it right on. ...Nahyuta, Are you trying to break up with me?"
His rosary pushed into his hand as he held tight. Leave it to Ema to bluntly confront him at the worst time. Yet, this was why he loved her. Her stubborn strength, even if it meant they were at odds when doing cases.
Whatever surprises he had planned were nothing compared to her well being.
"Whatever these magazines have gotten you thinking are all wrong.
"Well, something is up," Ema said moodily. "I'm not imagining the fact that you're drawing away and being super secretive."
There was nothing to it. He would simply have to reveal the surprise, or she would never let this go. His favorite detective was a bit too astute.
"Ema, what day is it?" Nahyuta said softly.
Ema gave him a confused, and slightly annoyed look. "Don't change the subject, just tell me so I can--"
"That is the answer. What is the current date?"
"What...? It's April eleventh," she said.
He looked pointedly at her, but she still hadn't connected the dots.
"What will it be a ten days from now?"
"April twenty-first--oh!" She clutched her cheek, wide-eyed as everything began to come to her. Her cheeks quickly flushed.
"All this was---?! Oh my God, you're saying I got all worked up because you were doing something for my birthday?"
He nodded. "Much of my day is spent with you. and I love most every moment, but loving a detective makes surprises rather difficult...You would instantly see the signs and try and deduce them. Had I taken you on that trip, it would've been impossible to bring back anything for you without ruining the surprise. And I liked the concept of your country's 'surprise parties' very much. I wanted to throw you one--but only for us two."
"B-but you've been like this for weeks! You've seriously have been planning this all this time?"
"Of course. I would not spare any expense or time for my future wife. The research or efforts it took to procure some of the more rare aspects were nothing compared to the potential joy it could bring you."
Her cheeks burned in shame. "Oh no..... I can't believe I overreacted like this. I mean, it's not that I distrust you, but it just seemed...It seemed like you were pulling away from me. And I couldn't figure out why you would do this. The only answer seemed you wanted out. And the more I thought about it, the more sense it made. Because everything about this is too good to be true. Everything about you is too good to be true."
He laid his rosary upon the desk, and reached out to her. "Ema, come here," he said softly.
She gladly came into his embrace, and nestled close against his chest.
"God, I'm so stupid."
He leaned in to kiss her at the top of her head. "Ema Skye, you are the most brilliant detective I have ever worked with. Stubborn, yes. Impulsive, and quick to anger, surely. But never stupid," Nahyuta said softly.
She let out a snort, and shifted to meet his gaze. "You're twice as stubborn as I am. Except you just go quiet and unreadable. Like a brick wall. And I just lock down and get moody and start fights."
He smiled. "Yes, your assessment is entirely right. As per usual."
"Seriously, all this over a birthday surprise? I cried over this! God, I can't believe--" She let out a frustrated groan. "Actually, I can believe. That's exactly the kind of thing messy Detective Ema Skye would do. I always ruin everything...I wanted to think I was finally past that."
"Could it be that you don't trust yourself?" he said.
She tightened her grip on his gilded monk's frock. Her gaze was far off, to a distant time.
"Having a good life, that's suspicious. Nothing good ever really lasts for a long time. I have horrible luck. I mean, I have to share you with a lot of people. And plenty of them would gladly take my place. And honestly, sometimes it feels like we're such a strange match. Like, there's tons of other monk ladies out there who can recite prayers with you, and be liked by the people here. Sure, I love you but it still feels like one day you'll come to your senses and this is all gonna just...end. So maybe I have to get ready for something like that so it won't hurt as much when it happens. Maybe that kind of thought has always been in the back of my mind."
"Ema, do not say such a thing. The thought of being separated from you is...nightmarish. You are my detective, my future wife. I rely on you so much in ruling, in cases, and most of all as my partner and love. None of them match me like you do. I wish you by my side the entirety of my life, and find you again in every life after."
Ema peeked up at him. "Are you mad at me for all...that?"
He smiled gently, and brushed her hair back from her face. "I can never stay angry at you for long. And in truth, the fault is mine. I focused so much on the future that I was not mindful of the present, and how upset I had made you. For all I teach of mindfulness and being present in this very moment via meditation, I myself failed to heed such a teaching. To think, my attempts to surprise you left you feeling that worried..."
"I can't exactly be pissed at you for trying to get me a birthday gift and keep it a secret. Sheesh, I can't believe I jumped to conclusions and freaked out like this. I mean, I can believe it, but I wanted to think I grew past that. But in the end, I'm still same old Ema."
He brushed his fingers through her hair. "You are the woman I love, that's what you are."
Ema smiled. "You've got some taste, Nahyuta Sahdmadhi. But I guess I'm lucky that you like your women bitchy, prone to snacking and obsessed with science."
"And named Ema Skye," he said.
"For a little longer. Eventually, I'll have a Sahdmadhi on me. In more than one way."
She was as mercurial as the changing seasons. "You're feeling better, I see."
"Well, I was trying to crack a joke to lighten the mood. I still feel awful about all that. Just imagine if I didn't have such a patient and understanding boyfriend. It was just all going too well. I saw what I thought was you drawing away and I thought 'here it is, the bad things I've been waiting for.'"
"I cannot promise a life without conflict and pain. I have seen so much pain that I have only just begun to believe a happy life could be a possibility. However, I love you completely and will do everything within my--considerable--power to ensure that happiness remains."
"I know and I love you too. I would've been so heartbroken if you'd said yes. It's just--I have bad luck, okay? I'm used to things falling through. I failed that damn exam so many times and got stuck in a job I hated and with a boss I hated. It all just convinced me that nothing could go well and took me years to get out. And that was after losing my parents and almost losing Lana. It's just...." She shook her head.
"Luck can be changed. You taught me that, Ema Skye. Now, come with me. I'll show you what I have been tirelessly working upon for the past few weeks."
"No, no, it's okay. I believe you."
"I think it is important that we lay this to rest, before we are haunted by the ghosts."
"Eh, if it'll get all this past us, then I don't mind being spoiled for my birthday gift. Just call us Ghostbusters."
"Ghostbusters?"
"Okay, I gotta show you that one. You'll probably rant a bit. Just remember that it's from the 80s."
"I shall look forward to sharing it with you, sermon and all."
She got up first. Once he'd risen, Nahyuta took her hand, and led her several rooms away within the courtyard, to a pavilion he had built there. In the shadow of their residence and his mother's tomb. Caught between death and new life was celebration. The ceiling was covered with fairy lights that lit up the dark like stars. At the middle was a single table, draped in a white tablecloth. Ema gazed up in awe.
"So this is what was going here. The guards wouldn't let me in. It's so beautiful..."
"There were still a few finishing touches I wished to do before then. Meals to be prepared, poetry to be recited," he said.
Ema puffed out her cheeks. "And I went and ruined it the surprise. Real great, Ema. You always find a way to mess things up." She let out a sigh and shook her head. "I'm my own worst enemy, I swear."
He took her hand and kissed the knuckles. "No."
"This time you're wrong, my silver-tongued prince. I totally flew off the handle. The only positive thing there is I trusted you to never cheat."
He took her hand in his.
"A day to celebrate one's birth...I spend every day being grateful that you were born, and that I got to meet you despite all the odds. We were born in separate sides of the world. It would've been so easy to have passed you by my entire life and never met you. And yet, fate intervened and we became prosecutor and detective. And we fell in love not long after that, despite such horrible odds stacked against us."
He brushed his thumb across her knuckles.
"Each day with you is filled with such joy, and I am so very grateful that I was given that chance. My fate changed the moment I met you. Before then, I had surely given up all hope of anything but dying a martyr. You inspired me, and helped me break free from Queen Ga'ran's clutches just as much as the efforts of Apollo and my father. So, to me, every day is your 'birthday' as much as the actual date, because I send a thousand prayers to the Holy Mother every day I am lucky enough to get to spend with you."
Ema smiled softly. "Sheesh, you're always so romantic. What am I supposed to even say to that?"
"That you forgive me?" he said.
"There's nothing to forgive. I was the one who messed up. You should be the one forgiving me."
"But, I was the one who did not adequately sense your needs. I was too caught up in the grandiose promise of a romantic night that I did not sense your growing unease," he said.
"Yeah. I fell back into old bad habits. Instead of using my words and talking it through calmly like an adult. Actually, I used my words a little too much and uh, didn't do so well on the calm part. Or I could've just looked at a calendar and thought 'hey, maybe I'm stuck in a sitcom and he doesn't just hate me, he's just gift shopping.'"
He brushed back her brown hair, and kissed her there, beneath the fairy lights. He lingered there against her lips, tasting the warmth and sweetness of her mouth.
"Mmmn, if you'd kiss me like that, I'll totally say I forgive you. Even if there's nothing to forgive you for."
Ema chuckled.
"I guess we still have a lot to learn. I kind of wanted to believe that because we were getting married, we were past something like that. Or I should say, I was past that. I keep thinking I'm past old Ema and she keeps coming back like a bad cold I can't get rid of."
"Do not judge yourself too harshly. We have learned a valuable lesson today. For now on, should I need to keep a secret from you due to a romantic reason, I will simply point to the calendar and remind you that an important holiday is coming up."
"Are you saying you think I'll still fly off the handle next year, too? That's kind of depressing."
He smiled. "Just in case."
"I guess its heartening that you make it sound like you'll still love me in the future even if I'm doing--that. Jumping to conclusions, being impulsive, stubborn, moody..."
"Surely I will love you then, just as I love you now. Perhaps I will love you even more. And then, if you grow alarmed at my behavior, this time I will comfort you and reassure you that things have not gone wrong, and I am simply preparing something for you."
"Sounds good. Now, any chance you got a sample of that birthday cake, since the secret is spoiled? I'm starving."
"Not quite yet, it was to be baked at the opportune time to remain fresh. However, I had some Hahtin'supaise made up fresh for lunch, just as you like it."
"Oh, that's great. I would've gotten seriously hangry if I had to wait any more. Er, hangrier."
"Was it that 'hangriness' which caused the outburst?"
Ema grimaced. "Maybe it brought it to the surface? I've been worried for a while. Just this fear at the back of my mind that this was all too good to be true and I was stupid for ever believing I could have a happy life."
"Have I calmed that demon that tormented your mind?"
"It might come back, but this time I want to try actually talking things over instead of freaking out and making a fool of myself."
"You were no fool. If anything, I was the fool for ever thinking I could hide something from my favorite and most talented detective. Of course you would deduce the clues before I had a chance to complete my plans."
"Geez, you really are--I love you, okay? Ignore all I said back there."
"No, I will take it to heart and make it so you never feel such a worry again," Nahyuta said.
Soon, meals were laid out on the tables by two guards. Ema took a bite of the exquisite food, and took a moment before speaking. Her face was filled with pleasure.
"Okay, this was totally worth it. I'll just pretend to act surprised when my birthday comes around, okay?"
He reached across the table and laid his hand over hers.
"Maybe I will celebrate every single day of your birth month as a holiday, maybe I will declare it a day for all to celebrate. There are so many possibilities when it comes to you."
Ema blushed. "Okay, you're being so good it's pretty much unfair for people at this rate. People are going to go down in history and go 'wow, how did she snag herself such an amazing boyfriend?'"
"Then I will leave a history of all the multitudes of reasons I love you. Just as the sacred texts, I will detail them so all future generations will know how happy you have made me. They will never wonder as to why I loved you, for I shall tell them in great detail. Perhaps with some marked and specific lapses...such as those given to the night--and the occasional lunch break in a supply closet."
Ema stared down at her dish. The blush hadn't left her cheeks. "How do you go and make such an awful day feel like my birthday, just like that?"
He smiled.
She held up her hand before he spoke. "Let me just say this. I'm just--glad, okay? Glad we met, glad we managed to get together despite it all and really glad we keep making it through this. I've never felt this way about anyone and I just...have never been so damn happy to be wrong! About that, not you."
She gave him such a beautiful smile, even through her tears. "And now I'm crying. They're happy tears. Or kind of happy tears. It's been one hell of a ride today. And that was all on me." He reached over to brush the tears from her eyes.
"Me too, Ema, my love. I am happy beyond words just to be here with you."
And they stayed in that moment with twinkling lights above them. The concept of a surprise may have been technically ruined, but the smile on her face made it worth it.
Series: Ace Attorney
Character/pairing: Nahyuta/Ema
Rating: PG-13
Word count: 4k
Summary: Planning a surprise is difficult when working with a detective, and Nahyuta's attempts to keep a secret causes Ema quite a bit of anguish.
Author's note: Part of Holidaze series
The previous chapters are:
I'll Be Home For Christmas
I'll Be Cleaning Up Bottles With You On New Years Day
14th
Moving In
Since they don't have official birthdays, only birth years, I guessed via personalities. I promptly sorted Ema as a Taurus, because they love food and material possessions, are stubborn, and are prone to holding massive grudges. (For the record, I figured Nahyuta was a Aquarius. Detached/spiritual/prone to facades.)
I even resisted the urge to just sort them as Virgo, the best sign. (My personal sign, lol.)
For Seta_Suzume, happy holidays.
His lovely fiancee lingered in his office. She kept pushing back her light brown hair, a gesture of annoyance, and oh how a fire filled her dark green eyes. It was quite obvious that something had upset her. It was as if an aura of darkest irritation, mixed with the vengeance of the seven hells of eight million years surrounded her. To say nothing of the layer of crumbs over her shirt, showing that many bags of Snackoos had been gone through that day. Of course, with his stormy fiancee, any guess was what that could be. It could be anything from running out of her Snackoos, to Apollo mentioning Prosecutor Gavin in passing.
Nahyuta looked up from the scroll laid across his desk. His braid slipped down his shoulder. "Did you need something, love?"
"Nothing," she muttered.
Ah, if she was in that kind of mood then she likely would take some time to cool off. Nahyuta tried to think back. They'd had no fights recently, not even over cases, but then again they'd both been very busy. Perhaps that was what had upset her.
"Do you have enough time to spend lunch together?" Nahyuta said.
She looked away, though her ire had softened ever so much. "Yeah, we could do that."
Ah, good. Perhaps that was it. She was simply grumpy at how exhausting rebuilding the entire country and legal system was. He could hardly blame her. Despite meditation, at times he had lost his temper dealing with such a grueling task.
Thankfully, Ema was often at his side, assisting where she could. This endeavor would certainly be hopeless without her. As much of his life.
Of course, Ema would surely tell him whatever had bothered her sooner or later. Often sooner, knowing her.
Nahyuta had counted upon her leaving early for lunch (as she always did, because nothing got between his favorite detective and a meal) and then he could finish the last shipping order notes to be sent out that date. However, something kept her stubbornly here.
If he didn't get these shipping details smoothed out, the packages would arrive far too late. And he had a meeting later on to attend. With little choice, Nahyuta looked over the notes upon the scroll, his hand placed just so to obscure the dates, the times, the details.
"What the hell?" Ema muttered.
He glanced up. "Is something the matter? I thought you would be picking lunch out. Are we going to eat at the marketplace today?"
"No, that's not it. It's just---I knew it. You're literally hiding something from me. With your hand, right now. Even though this is a case is something I have to work on too. You're keeping secrets again, Nahyuta."
Nahyuta rolled the scroll up and set it aside. "This is not a case; it is a different affair. One of utmost importance, too."
"Affair, huh..." Ema said
Ema dug into her bag, but found nothing but an empty crinkling containers left over. She let out a disgusted sigh and tossed the refuse into the trash.
"What has caused you to be upset, Ema?"
She leveled her gaze with his. Fury filled her dark green eyes. While the mention of lunch had made her lessen, if but for a moment, now her furor was back in full force. Apparently this time, he was the cause of her anger.
"What even is this? You've been weird for weeks. It all started after we moved in together. You didn't even take me with you on that last trip and you always take me. I didn't even know you had gone until Princess Rayfa told me. Do you know how embarrassing it is to not even know where your own fiance is?"
"I had to attend to something quickly and in a private manner. There was no helping it," Nahyuta said.
"By yourself? What, I'm not allowed in? A no girls allowed club?"
Nahyuta cleared his throat. "Ema--"
Ema held up her hand and cut him off. "And, it's been like this for a while after we moved in together. I mean, it used to piss me off when you'd be all secretive before. It was kind of hot but also a pain. But I get why you were like that. You--and the old queen--but now... What's wrong? Why is there this big--barrier up again?" Her voice cracked, and he felt a pain himself within his chest that he had caused her even a moment of discomfort.
"Nothing is wrong, Ema," he said softly. "Please do not worry yourself. Simply there are some things I had to take care of and they've occupied my mind. There is much to do, and much to occupy my mind."
"Really? Because you could really fool me! It's just--I don't even want to say it, but... Are you trying to break up with me? Is that why you're so distant?"
He frowned. "Ema, how can you say such an utterly putrid thing? Truly, how has such a thing even crossed your mind?"
"Well, what am I supposed to make of this? Like the magazine quizzes I took said cheating, but you're a monk and I can't see you doing that. You wouldn't even think of it. So, what else does that leave? It happened right after we took that big step of moving together. You not being able to face me because you want out? Did you...get cold feet? Did we go too fast?"
Ema had such pain in her eyes. He'd never wanted to see her like that again. His rosary twisted in his fingers, a silent prayer on his lips. Oh, Holy Mother, he'd done it this time.
She closed her eyes, and let out a sigh as she continued. "Best case scenario, we don't break up and make the engagement go longer, because you feel it's going too fast and don't know how to tell me. I don't even want to think about the worst case, but I have to. I have to face it right on. ...Nahyuta, Are you trying to break up with me?"
His rosary pushed into his hand as he held tight. Leave it to Ema to bluntly confront him at the worst time. Yet, this was why he loved her. Her stubborn strength, even if it meant they were at odds when doing cases.
Whatever surprises he had planned were nothing compared to her well being.
"Whatever these magazines have gotten you thinking are all wrong.
"Well, something is up," Ema said moodily. "I'm not imagining the fact that you're drawing away and being super secretive."
There was nothing to it. He would simply have to reveal the surprise, or she would never let this go. His favorite detective was a bit too astute.
"Ema, what day is it?" Nahyuta said softly.
Ema gave him a confused, and slightly annoyed look. "Don't change the subject, just tell me so I can--"
"That is the answer. What is the current date?"
"What...? It's April eleventh," she said.
He looked pointedly at her, but she still hadn't connected the dots.
"What will it be a ten days from now?"
"April twenty-first--oh!" She clutched her cheek, wide-eyed as everything began to come to her. Her cheeks quickly flushed.
"All this was---?! Oh my God, you're saying I got all worked up because you were doing something for my birthday?"
He nodded. "Much of my day is spent with you. and I love most every moment, but loving a detective makes surprises rather difficult...You would instantly see the signs and try and deduce them. Had I taken you on that trip, it would've been impossible to bring back anything for you without ruining the surprise. And I liked the concept of your country's 'surprise parties' very much. I wanted to throw you one--but only for us two."
"B-but you've been like this for weeks! You've seriously have been planning this all this time?"
"Of course. I would not spare any expense or time for my future wife. The research or efforts it took to procure some of the more rare aspects were nothing compared to the potential joy it could bring you."
Her cheeks burned in shame. "Oh no..... I can't believe I overreacted like this. I mean, it's not that I distrust you, but it just seemed...It seemed like you were pulling away from me. And I couldn't figure out why you would do this. The only answer seemed you wanted out. And the more I thought about it, the more sense it made. Because everything about this is too good to be true. Everything about you is too good to be true."
He laid his rosary upon the desk, and reached out to her. "Ema, come here," he said softly.
She gladly came into his embrace, and nestled close against his chest.
"God, I'm so stupid."
He leaned in to kiss her at the top of her head. "Ema Skye, you are the most brilliant detective I have ever worked with. Stubborn, yes. Impulsive, and quick to anger, surely. But never stupid," Nahyuta said softly.
She let out a snort, and shifted to meet his gaze. "You're twice as stubborn as I am. Except you just go quiet and unreadable. Like a brick wall. And I just lock down and get moody and start fights."
He smiled. "Yes, your assessment is entirely right. As per usual."
"Seriously, all this over a birthday surprise? I cried over this! God, I can't believe--" She let out a frustrated groan. "Actually, I can believe. That's exactly the kind of thing messy Detective Ema Skye would do. I always ruin everything...I wanted to think I was finally past that."
"Could it be that you don't trust yourself?" he said.
She tightened her grip on his gilded monk's frock. Her gaze was far off, to a distant time.
"Having a good life, that's suspicious. Nothing good ever really lasts for a long time. I have horrible luck. I mean, I have to share you with a lot of people. And plenty of them would gladly take my place. And honestly, sometimes it feels like we're such a strange match. Like, there's tons of other monk ladies out there who can recite prayers with you, and be liked by the people here. Sure, I love you but it still feels like one day you'll come to your senses and this is all gonna just...end. So maybe I have to get ready for something like that so it won't hurt as much when it happens. Maybe that kind of thought has always been in the back of my mind."
"Ema, do not say such a thing. The thought of being separated from you is...nightmarish. You are my detective, my future wife. I rely on you so much in ruling, in cases, and most of all as my partner and love. None of them match me like you do. I wish you by my side the entirety of my life, and find you again in every life after."
Ema peeked up at him. "Are you mad at me for all...that?"
He smiled gently, and brushed her hair back from her face. "I can never stay angry at you for long. And in truth, the fault is mine. I focused so much on the future that I was not mindful of the present, and how upset I had made you. For all I teach of mindfulness and being present in this very moment via meditation, I myself failed to heed such a teaching. To think, my attempts to surprise you left you feeling that worried..."
"I can't exactly be pissed at you for trying to get me a birthday gift and keep it a secret. Sheesh, I can't believe I jumped to conclusions and freaked out like this. I mean, I can believe it, but I wanted to think I grew past that. But in the end, I'm still same old Ema."
He brushed his fingers through her hair. "You are the woman I love, that's what you are."
Ema smiled. "You've got some taste, Nahyuta Sahdmadhi. But I guess I'm lucky that you like your women bitchy, prone to snacking and obsessed with science."
"And named Ema Skye," he said.
"For a little longer. Eventually, I'll have a Sahdmadhi on me. In more than one way."
She was as mercurial as the changing seasons. "You're feeling better, I see."
"Well, I was trying to crack a joke to lighten the mood. I still feel awful about all that. Just imagine if I didn't have such a patient and understanding boyfriend. It was just all going too well. I saw what I thought was you drawing away and I thought 'here it is, the bad things I've been waiting for.'"
"I cannot promise a life without conflict and pain. I have seen so much pain that I have only just begun to believe a happy life could be a possibility. However, I love you completely and will do everything within my--considerable--power to ensure that happiness remains."
"I know and I love you too. I would've been so heartbroken if you'd said yes. It's just--I have bad luck, okay? I'm used to things falling through. I failed that damn exam so many times and got stuck in a job I hated and with a boss I hated. It all just convinced me that nothing could go well and took me years to get out. And that was after losing my parents and almost losing Lana. It's just...." She shook her head.
"Luck can be changed. You taught me that, Ema Skye. Now, come with me. I'll show you what I have been tirelessly working upon for the past few weeks."
"No, no, it's okay. I believe you."
"I think it is important that we lay this to rest, before we are haunted by the ghosts."
"Eh, if it'll get all this past us, then I don't mind being spoiled for my birthday gift. Just call us Ghostbusters."
"Ghostbusters?"
"Okay, I gotta show you that one. You'll probably rant a bit. Just remember that it's from the 80s."
"I shall look forward to sharing it with you, sermon and all."
She got up first. Once he'd risen, Nahyuta took her hand, and led her several rooms away within the courtyard, to a pavilion he had built there. In the shadow of their residence and his mother's tomb. Caught between death and new life was celebration. The ceiling was covered with fairy lights that lit up the dark like stars. At the middle was a single table, draped in a white tablecloth. Ema gazed up in awe.
"So this is what was going here. The guards wouldn't let me in. It's so beautiful..."
"There were still a few finishing touches I wished to do before then. Meals to be prepared, poetry to be recited," he said.
Ema puffed out her cheeks. "And I went and ruined it the surprise. Real great, Ema. You always find a way to mess things up." She let out a sigh and shook her head. "I'm my own worst enemy, I swear."
He took her hand and kissed the knuckles. "No."
"This time you're wrong, my silver-tongued prince. I totally flew off the handle. The only positive thing there is I trusted you to never cheat."
He took her hand in his.
"A day to celebrate one's birth...I spend every day being grateful that you were born, and that I got to meet you despite all the odds. We were born in separate sides of the world. It would've been so easy to have passed you by my entire life and never met you. And yet, fate intervened and we became prosecutor and detective. And we fell in love not long after that, despite such horrible odds stacked against us."
He brushed his thumb across her knuckles.
"Each day with you is filled with such joy, and I am so very grateful that I was given that chance. My fate changed the moment I met you. Before then, I had surely given up all hope of anything but dying a martyr. You inspired me, and helped me break free from Queen Ga'ran's clutches just as much as the efforts of Apollo and my father. So, to me, every day is your 'birthday' as much as the actual date, because I send a thousand prayers to the Holy Mother every day I am lucky enough to get to spend with you."
Ema smiled softly. "Sheesh, you're always so romantic. What am I supposed to even say to that?"
"That you forgive me?" he said.
"There's nothing to forgive. I was the one who messed up. You should be the one forgiving me."
"But, I was the one who did not adequately sense your needs. I was too caught up in the grandiose promise of a romantic night that I did not sense your growing unease," he said.
"Yeah. I fell back into old bad habits. Instead of using my words and talking it through calmly like an adult. Actually, I used my words a little too much and uh, didn't do so well on the calm part. Or I could've just looked at a calendar and thought 'hey, maybe I'm stuck in a sitcom and he doesn't just hate me, he's just gift shopping.'"
He brushed back her brown hair, and kissed her there, beneath the fairy lights. He lingered there against her lips, tasting the warmth and sweetness of her mouth.
"Mmmn, if you'd kiss me like that, I'll totally say I forgive you. Even if there's nothing to forgive you for."
Ema chuckled.
"I guess we still have a lot to learn. I kind of wanted to believe that because we were getting married, we were past something like that. Or I should say, I was past that. I keep thinking I'm past old Ema and she keeps coming back like a bad cold I can't get rid of."
"Do not judge yourself too harshly. We have learned a valuable lesson today. For now on, should I need to keep a secret from you due to a romantic reason, I will simply point to the calendar and remind you that an important holiday is coming up."
"Are you saying you think I'll still fly off the handle next year, too? That's kind of depressing."
He smiled. "Just in case."
"I guess its heartening that you make it sound like you'll still love me in the future even if I'm doing--that. Jumping to conclusions, being impulsive, stubborn, moody..."
"Surely I will love you then, just as I love you now. Perhaps I will love you even more. And then, if you grow alarmed at my behavior, this time I will comfort you and reassure you that things have not gone wrong, and I am simply preparing something for you."
"Sounds good. Now, any chance you got a sample of that birthday cake, since the secret is spoiled? I'm starving."
"Not quite yet, it was to be baked at the opportune time to remain fresh. However, I had some Hahtin'supaise made up fresh for lunch, just as you like it."
"Oh, that's great. I would've gotten seriously hangry if I had to wait any more. Er, hangrier."
"Was it that 'hangriness' which caused the outburst?"
Ema grimaced. "Maybe it brought it to the surface? I've been worried for a while. Just this fear at the back of my mind that this was all too good to be true and I was stupid for ever believing I could have a happy life."
"Have I calmed that demon that tormented your mind?"
"It might come back, but this time I want to try actually talking things over instead of freaking out and making a fool of myself."
"You were no fool. If anything, I was the fool for ever thinking I could hide something from my favorite and most talented detective. Of course you would deduce the clues before I had a chance to complete my plans."
"Geez, you really are--I love you, okay? Ignore all I said back there."
"No, I will take it to heart and make it so you never feel such a worry again," Nahyuta said.
Soon, meals were laid out on the tables by two guards. Ema took a bite of the exquisite food, and took a moment before speaking. Her face was filled with pleasure.
"Okay, this was totally worth it. I'll just pretend to act surprised when my birthday comes around, okay?"
He reached across the table and laid his hand over hers.
"Maybe I will celebrate every single day of your birth month as a holiday, maybe I will declare it a day for all to celebrate. There are so many possibilities when it comes to you."
Ema blushed. "Okay, you're being so good it's pretty much unfair for people at this rate. People are going to go down in history and go 'wow, how did she snag herself such an amazing boyfriend?'"
"Then I will leave a history of all the multitudes of reasons I love you. Just as the sacred texts, I will detail them so all future generations will know how happy you have made me. They will never wonder as to why I loved you, for I shall tell them in great detail. Perhaps with some marked and specific lapses...such as those given to the night--and the occasional lunch break in a supply closet."
Ema stared down at her dish. The blush hadn't left her cheeks. "How do you go and make such an awful day feel like my birthday, just like that?"
He smiled.
She held up her hand before he spoke. "Let me just say this. I'm just--glad, okay? Glad we met, glad we managed to get together despite it all and really glad we keep making it through this. I've never felt this way about anyone and I just...have never been so damn happy to be wrong! About that, not you."
She gave him such a beautiful smile, even through her tears. "And now I'm crying. They're happy tears. Or kind of happy tears. It's been one hell of a ride today. And that was all on me." He reached over to brush the tears from her eyes.
"Me too, Ema, my love. I am happy beyond words just to be here with you."
And they stayed in that moment with twinkling lights above them. The concept of a surprise may have been technically ruined, but the smile on her face made it worth it.
