Our bellies were still full of perfect food. Throughout the halls, Tetsu had been dancing to the memorized music from "O" in his head as he hummed it quietly, no doubt remembering favorite moments. We stood at the elevators as he swayed back and forth behind me. I gazed up at him as he smiled in his memory. Adoring him as he had one of the best nights of his life. It was so tellable. 

Compared to just last week, that comparable nightmare we'd gone through. Our horrible descent into Los Angeles, his obvious distress. Trying to make it better, but unable to come up with a solution. Seeing him get better, but so worried about me. Now, that caution was lifting. But, that trauma was still no doubt there underneath. 

We'd gotten through those troubles. Now, he was finally enjoying America, the way it should have been. Forgetting those terrible things, if only for a few hours. I'd realized this while I watched him be captivated by the show. How he was forgetting himself. I wanted to keep it going, and my little plan was the perfect way. 

At the end of "O", Sawai-san had leaned over to me and said my little project was all done. She told me that the package I'd wanted sent to my room had been sent, she'd gotten a confirmation on her phone. It made me nervous, but a happy kind. Very soon, we'd be going back to the room and there it'd be. Would he be happy about it?

We entered the elevator and Natsuko pressed the number for our floor. We ascended and as we did, my heart only got more nervous. My hand gripped my armrest as I stared at the number she'd pushed. Waiting, counting. All the while, Tetsu was behind me, dancing slightly, his happiness as its peak.

As we traveled to our room, my toes curled in my shoes. We stopped at our respective doors. Sawai-san and Natsuko were again staying in the connecting room next to ours. They were some of the only people going to bed. The rest of Lyra had twirled off to other places after the show, still so full of energy. Fumi and Tatara had gone off to gamble. Even Davy and his wife went to go get dessert. Keitaro and Karin had bid everyone a good night and went to bed. It was only because of my plan that I wasn't tired. My eyes were definitely burning in wanting to sleep, but my mind was completely on alert.

Sawai-san gave a little yawn, her hand hovering over her mouth. "Good-night," she bid us. Natsuko waved to us similarly. I waved to them back with almost lazy fingers, faking tiredness, as Tetsu said good-night enthusiastically and opened our door. We made our way in, and immediately...

"What's this?!" 

He swung the door closed behind us, racing my chair up to the little table in the room which had now been curiously moved to the center of it. Before us was something even better than I could have planned.

"Ehhhhh?!" His grin was unmatched, causing waves of joy in my body. It made me know I had to do this more often. His arms extended, taking in the grandeur of the large red bouquet of long stemmed roses displayed on the table in a fancy vase. There had to be two dozen there. There was a small card, which he plucked from its holder that was sticking out from the display. "Huh, is it from Koiwai-san, like last time?" He asked. He flipped the card over and then back over, his lips pursing cutely. "It's in English," he grinned at me. With two hands, he gently gave me the card, his smile dazzling me no matter what. 

I shook my head as I took it. 

"Huh, what?" He asked kindly, focusing all that energy on me, but still so gentle. 

My eyes scanned the card as I blushed. To be honest, I didn't know where these roses were from. It wasn't part of what I had planned. Even so, I read out the card. "For my husband, I love you," I read out, translating. These simple words. But, what an effect they had. I was just as surprised as he was, my eyes bugging at them slightly.

His hand went over his chest as he mocked a slow faint. "Whaaat? Sah-nahhh!" Such a melodic way of saying my name, soothing such a deep part inside.

I started giggling, still holding this precious card. Was this part of what Sawai-san had done? Below the roses, next to the vase, there were two boxes piled on top of each other. One was larger, but the other was a small gold box. There was another card on top of this one. I decided to present them to him. He leaned in to the roses, delicately perching his nose nearby them. He lifted the smell inside, wafting with his hand. The picture was so beautiful that I didn't want to disturb it, but I had to. 

"Here," I said, suddenly shy at his image. How beautiful he was, smelling the roses. "This is for you, too."

"What is it?" 

His face was enchanting me. Was that all it took? Giving him lovely things? What if I could have this all the time? Was there a way to do it? To make him happy like this?

"I don't know. Open it?" I honestly didn't know. But, I wanted to find out. I only had a slight idea of what could be in the biggest box, because surely in there was what I'd instructed Sawai-san to buy. However, she'd instead managed to do all of this. The big box was even wrapped in beautiful paper. Had the hotel done it? It was mystifying to me. How fancy they were. 

He took the small box from me and took the card off. He did the same thing as before, flipping it over. It could only mean it was in English again. He handed it to me with that smile, and I felt as if I could float off the earth. Our hands brushed briefly and electricity went up my spine. Just this small touch, when he was this happy had done it. It only made me smile wider. 

I flipped the card over and saw how cute it was. Under this box, on the biggest one, there was yet another card. What could that one possibly say? This was so corny, and I hadn't planned for cards. So, no doubt these messages had been cooked up by someone else. It made me giggle.

"Because you are sweet," I read out, the back of my hand covering my mouth at how absurdly adorable it was. 

"Awwww," he sighed, his face softening so much. He undid the gold ribbon on the box quickly, then lifted the lid and we both peered inside. The smell of it immediately let me know I couldn't have any, but that just made me happier because it meant he could enjoy it all.

"Chocolate!" I gasped, seeing how high quality they were. They were marbles of colors with gilded confetti in traditional high end gift chocolate packaging. They gave off a citrusy scent along with the telltale chocolate smells. 

"You got me chocolate!" He echoed me. "Oh, I've never seen chocolate like this!"

"What does it taste like?" I made gestures to get him to try one, rolling my hand toward it to encourage him. He obliged, his fingers diving for a pink and green marbled one. It went into his mouth just as fast and he made to fake faint again, making me giggle. 

"Strawberry with sweet matcha and dark chocolate," he purred through his chewing. His crows feet made an appearance as he pressed his eyelids hard together in enjoyment of the taste. I admired him unabashedly, since he couldn't see me. 

I used this distraction to my advantage. Nervousness was overtaking me, because this box? It wasn't heavy in my hands, but there was weight to it. It was a rectangular box, slim and covered in red paper with a gold ribbon like the first box. The card was once again tucked into that ribbon. 

"For you," I said, unable to come up with anything better to say. My nervousness was making my hands tremble a little. He opened his eyes and saw the box shaking. 

"Ah! Sana!" He gasped, seeing it as I tried to hold it out to him. The box of chocolates dashed onto the table and he took the larger box gently from me. "Huh? It's not heavy at all?" He held it with one hand under it like a pizza box, plucking the card out. By now, I knew the routine. 

"No, it wasn't heavy, but I'm so excited," I admitted, letting out a small burst of air. This relieved something inside, but he handed me the card and the words on it just made my smile reflect what I felt inside. This relief. Somehow, this card told it all so simply. Everything he needed to hear. I held the card out to him and he looked at me curiously, taking the card back. 

He flipped it over again, even more curious. "Nervous?" He asked. 

I nodded, my hands folding onto my lap tightly. My shoulders curled forward, getting so tense in trying to control myself. There was no doubt. The present in that box was what I'd picked out, just from the card alone. When he saw what was in that box, would he be happy? What kind of new happiness could I be about to see? 

"Um, the card says, 'because you are beautiful.'" The edges of my eyes pinched as I breathed deeply, trying to control myself. 

His hand went over his chest, his face shocked. His gorgeous eyes went over the box now, the desperation in them apparent. Needing to know what was in the box. It seemed too slow as he removed the ribbon, struggling with it as he tried to go too fast. 

The sound of the paper ripping only heightened my nerves, the crinkling ripping as politeness was forgone and eagerness took over. The paper dropped to the floor as he beheld the designer label on the clothing box. 

"Huh, but- we were in this store earlier today," he said, much too quiet in his wonder. "What is it?" Said more to himself. But, as he lifted away the top, he just smiled to me. His breath came out, as recognition went over his face. Before I knew it, he was presenting the box to me instead. "It must be for you. I remember, you liked this."

I could only smile at his confusion. Seeing the shining, dark purple silk of the slip-like nightgown in the box. A long, sexy elegant thing, which better suited his personality than mine. I had liked the color, but knew the style was all wrong for me. As I'd thought of it in the lobby as we'd waited for our friends, it became the perfect solution. Putting two and two together, how the style suited him best. This solution to what he'd said to me upstairs, of wanting to be himself. This nightgown was all that and more. A sexy piece, to make him feel beautiful. The card had said it all.

I shook my head again, just as I'd done to claim the credit for the roses. "It's too big for me," I said, encouraging him along. 

Realization dawned on his beautiful face. His plush lips parted as he peered into the box once more. The nightgown waited for him, partially wrapped in white tissue paper. But, I jumped as the box clattered onto the table, on top of the chocolates so precariously. A split second of worry, but-

"Sana..." His warmth surrounded me, his strong arms holding me close and protecting me from all harm. He held me this way, tenderly, but surely, his chin on my shoulder. His breaths were shuddering slightly, tears there. My arms slipped around him, my tiredness in every inch, but I needed to show my love. Assuring him, showing him it was true. 

"I want you to feel beautiful," I whispered into his ear, my cheek rubbing into his.

His arms went even tighter. "Sana," said so pinched. Trying not to cry. But, he could cry if he wanted. Nobody was watching. He didn't have to feel self conscious. The nightgown was the perfect present, because he'd never have to wear it in front of others. He could feel beautiful in private if that's what we needed to do for now. It fit neatly into that need, the perfect garment for that purpose. 

"I love you," I whispered, stroking his back with all of my love. The velvet of his jacket was just as soft as before, but I longed to feel the silk of the nightgown. 

"I love you," he sniffled, holding onto me even more. He sniffled again, and then again, and I knew he was crying. I'd hold him as long as he wanted, even though my arms were burning. My need to hold him was worth far more than my pain. His importance far outweighed any hurt I could have. This overwhelming desire to show that I loved every part of him. That he didn't have to ever be ashamed. 

As the lights of Las Vegas shone behind us in our little window, he held me in his arms. My feet were on top of his, safe there, as he led me in a dance. The smooth purple silk was slippery and warm under my fingers as I held him just as tightly. My face was tilted on his shoulder as I dreamily gazed about our darkened room. His hair tickled my cheek and forehead as I smiled and closed my eyes. 

He sighed again as surely his own smile was stuck to his face. Dancing us to a silent rhythm in his head, swaying and moving. The long skirt of the nightgown kept billowing against my bare legs, creating a weighted coolness. A constant reminder of how comfortable he was. His happiness, making him dance slowly with me. 

My eyes opened wide as I felt myself falling, but it was false. He was coming with me, and I realized we were going into a dip. His hair framed his face, his pretty and gentle grin. Those eyes, so in bliss. 

Familiar, puckered pink lips found mine, going deep and I let out my pleasure of it in a noise. His own came out in a small giggle, going into my mouth. The most gorgeous feeling, as his giggle entered my body. His joy. He held me this way for a while, his tongue slipping between my lips and teasing my own. My little noises only made him more passionate. 

We didn't move from this spot. His kiss became more exploratory, truly enjoying me. He sucked on my bottom lip, then he moved to kiss me full on, then nipped my bottom lip again. As his tongue entered my mouth once more, my hands traveled to his cheeks to feel his jaw. Holding his precious face like this. Without my arms embracing him, he tightened his grip around my body, making me feel even more secure and protected. 

As the lights from below shone into our room, and surely there was a moon above, we kissed. This completeness in my heart, his relaxed kisses showing me the same in his. Kissing me as if we had all the time in the world, forgetting ourselves. Entering a dream that was no longer a dream. Just loving him, feeling his love. His beauty overwhelming, overwhelming my senses, how beautiful he was in every aspect.