We're getting married!

Our story begins on a website called GaiaOnline. In its heyday, very popular. These days...rarely so. I was surprised when I received a private message from a user by the name of Nekokannes - someone who wanted to write with me, create a story together, and see where it took us. We began chatting outside of the site, and feeling how we clicked, the desire to meet grew stronger and stronger until January 2018, when Marissa came to visit me. And I was promptly late for our first date. But our first kiss is something I will never forget. Little did we both expect just how far this would go. Four years later and after an arduous two years long distance, we did it. We made it, engaged in September 2019 and eager to spend the rest of our lives together.

After meeting Marissa, I learned that she was pursuing a dream - to teach in Japan. Naturally, I was happy, thrilled for her. But it meant we would be six thousand, eight hundred and sixty five miles apart. Not what you could call 'a short hop.' Even so, we stayed together, and yes, it was rough, raw, emotional being so far away. When all you have is each others' voice with the occasional video call, it hurts. It hurts that you can't hug them, touch them, simply be with them when that's all you want. And yet, we persevered. Stuck through it no matter what, and when time allowed, we would take journeys to visit each other. And those were the best days. Being in the same room once more.

The day had come. The day I knew I wanted to be with her the rest of my life. The day I wanted to make us forever. Problem is...I didn't have a ring. Or a plan. Or...really anything prepared. I had been visiting Marissa in Japan, spending a three month vacation with her in a tiny 200 sq. ft apartment. It was late Saturday evening, the two of us snuggling in her loft bed. I thought to myself 'this feels right,' and, after a moment of deliberation, I got out of bed, got down on one knee, and asked her to be my wife. Her saying yes...thinking of it even to this day makes me tear up. I could not have found a better friend, partner, and caring person in my life. And to think I'd all but given up on this crazy thing called love. Who knew.