Fic: Put A Ring On It - MultiFandom, PG-13, 5x, Romance, Schmoop
anyothergirl415, this is for you. I wrote it way back in November, but after the madness that was my holiday season, I kind of forgot about it. Oops. Anyway, I thought you could use it this week.
CW RPS - me writing CW RPS is pretty much all anyothergirl415's fault anyway.
Psych - My first time writing Psych characters!
Buffy - My first time writing Spike!
The West Wing - My first official fandom OTP, from many years ago.
LOTR RPS - First time I have ever posted LOTR RPS anywhere and my first time writing this pairing.
Here you go - Five marriage proposals. PG-13, 2539 words
Title: Put A Ring On It
Author: The Artful Dodger / dodger_sister
Fandom: CW RPS, Psych, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, The West Wing & LOTR RPS
Category: 5x, Romance, Schmoop
Characters/Pairing: Mike/Misha, Shawn/Gus, Spike/Xander, Josh/Sam & Elijah/Orlando
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: Schmoopy-Romance Overload
Spoilers: If you know these shows and peoples, you are probably good to go. Spike is post-season six here.
Summary: Five marriage proposals.
Word Count: 2,539 words.
Date Written: 11/02/2010
Disclaimer: See how lazy I have become? I’m not bothering to disclaim all of this shit. Nothing here, TV Shows/Movies/Real People, belong to me. What belongs to me? This fic, but it doesn’t give me money, so…yep.
Feedback: Bring it. dodger_sister / TheArtofDodger@comcast.net
Beta’d: Nope.
Author's Notes: One night anyothergirl415 asked me something about the Lord of The Rings actors and I said something like, “If you are a LOTR RPS person, I will ask you to marry me now,” and she responded something like, “I expect a huge diamond!”. Instead, I wrote her this. In my life, I have never written Shawn/Gus, Spike/Xander or Elijah/Orlando, but she loves them and I aim to please. In the end, I had the most fun finding their voices, especially Gus and Xander. That was fun. Maybe the easiest flowing thing I have written in a long time. And oh yes, Gus’ little phobia of biting into food and finding other things in said food? Yes, hi, waves…that’s me.
Dedication: To anyothergirl415, because I’m not one to string anybody along. Also, I kind of want to plan all their weddings. Don’t you? Hope you like it, babe!
Star Wars was playing on the television, the volume turned down low and the flickering of the screen the only light in the room. Misha and Mike were tucked underneath the red and black blanket, smooshed together in the middle section of the couch that was worn down from years of use.
Misha was warm and happy and at home here, in his boyfriend’s living room.
He turned his head to watch Mike’s face in the shadow of the TV. Mike was slumped down, practically sliding off the couch, eyes nearly closed. But even in his semi-conscious state, he was still mouthing along to all of Han Solo’s lines.
It was Mike and it was everything.
When Mike looked over and caught Misha staring, he simply smiled. “What are you thinking about in that pretty head of yours, Mish?” he asked and trailed a finger up Misha’s arm.
“Marry me,” Misha said before the words had even registered in his own brain.
Mike tilted his head, looked at Misha with a searching gaze, eyes darting from Misha’s eyes to his lips and back again.
“Marry me,” Misha said again, this time more sure than before. “Let’s do this together every night for the rest of our lives.”
“Star Wars might get old every night for the rest of our lives,” Mike said and then, “Plus, sometimes we should be naked.”
“Michael.”
Mike let his eyes roam over Misha’s face one more time, then leaned over, brushed his lips across Misha’s cheek until their mouths were hovering over each other, breath mingling together.
“Ask me again,” Mike whispered.
“Marry me?”
“Yes,” Mike said, choking on the words, and then pressed their lips together and surged forward until Misha was falling back along the couch.
On the screen, Han Solo was yeehawing and whooping and Luke was going in for the final shot.
***
Shawn paid the vendor and went bounding back over to where Gus was waiting on the boardwalk. The sun was beaming down hard on them, but the breeze off the ocean was cool and crisp.
Mostly, Shawn thought it was the best day ever.
He held up his purchase. “It’s double dark chocolate,” Shawn said and handed the cup of ice cream over to Gus.
“It’s in a cup. I’m not allowed cones anymore?”
“You’ll get it all over your stupid purple shirt.”
“I look good in purple.”
“Not untrue,” Shawn answered and smiled at his friend.
“It doesn’t have fudge chunks in it, does it?” Gus asked and looked suspiciously at the ice cream.
“No, Gus, you silly-ninny, it does not. I know you don’t like to bite into things and find other things in there.”
“It’s not insane, Shawn.”
“It’s a little insane.”
“You think it’s a nut, but it could be a cockroach.’
“Never-mind that you have never even seen a cockroach in your entire life,” Shawn reminded him.
“You don’t know, Shawn. I’m not playin’ about this.”
Shawn reached up a hand and brushed it along the small of Gus’ back. “I know you’re not, buddy. Just eat it, it’s good.”
Gus shrugged. “Okay. Thanks, dude.”
As soon as he put the ice cream in his mouth, he jerked the spoon back.
“There’s something in my ice cream, Shawn!”
“What’s in your ice cream, Gus?”
“I don’t know! You look for me.”
“You look. It might be a cockroach.”
“Shawn!”
Shawn sighed and reached his fingers into Gus’ ice cream and pulled out a shiny ring.
“It’s a ring. Why is there a ring in my ice cream?”
Shawn took a deep breath and got down on one knee.
“Shawn?” and Gus’ voice cracked just a little, the cup of ice cream slipping from his hand.
“You’re like my best friend ever, Gus. And we are great together. You’re the Stevie Wonder to my Paul McCartney. The Ray Charles to my Pepsi….”
“I’m not a blind man, Shawn,” but his voice was soft and shaking.
“You’re my better half. Without you, I’d probably be singing on a cruise ship somewhere and yeah, girls in bikinis, but I get so sea-sick and you’d be playing chess and scrabble in the park with the old dudes and…”
“Shawn.” Gus reached down and pulled him up until they were able to look each other in the eyes.
Shawn leaned in, pressed his face to the crook of Gus’ neck. “I love you. Let’s get married.”
“Yes.”
Shawn pulled back to look at Gus. “Yeah? Cuz I got this airplane that’s gonna pull this sign and…”
“Yes, Shawn, I’ll marry you.”
Shawn grinned and licked the ice cream from the ring before slipping it onto Gus’ finger.
They were too busy kissing for either one of them to notice the airplane in the sky, pulling a sign that read “Gus, will you marry me? - and also I ate all the Cheetos at the office.”
***
Xander spun and lunged out, the stake driving through the vampire’s heart. It dusted and he turned again and searched the graveyard for Spike.
The other man - vampire, whatever - was on the ground, pinned by a large burly creature of the night.
Xander leapt over a tombstone, tripped and fell on his face.
“Nice, Harris.” Spike drawled and struggled to keep the other vamp from turning his stake around on him. That would suck, to be taken out by his own stake.
Xander surged to his feet and stabbed the vampire through the back. The dust settled down on Spike and he brushed it off himself frantically.
“Bloody git, getting his remains all over my new shirt.”
Xander reached out a hand and pulled Spike to his feet.
“Thanks, Harris. Sweet of you to save my life and all.”
“Yeah, well, I’m kind of getting used to having you around, running your damn mouth,” Xander said and wiped at the dust on Spike’s coat.
“Plus, then who would suck your…”
“Alright, settle down there, Sparky.”
Spike just grabbed the front of Xander’s coat and pulled him in, crushed their mouths together and went to town. His tongue slid in past Xander’s lips and the boy moaned and pressed against him.
“Could keep you pliant for the rest of your damn life,” Spike mumbled, when he pulled away to let Xander breath.
“Careful there, mister,” Xander said and mouthed along Spike’s neck. “For the rest of your life, almost sounds like a marriage proposal.”
Spike pulled back and looked at Xander. “I would totally marry you.”
Xander laughed. “Well, that’ll be a problem.”
“Why?”
“For one, you don’t exist. I can’t marry someone who doesn’t have a social security number. Or, like, a birth certificate.”
“Details.”
“Where are we going to do it…in a church?”
“Xander,” Spike said and his voice had dropped unusually low. “I want to spend the rest of your life with you.”
Xander swallowed and looked down at the ground. “You’re serious?”
“Deadly.”
Xander looked up. “You won’t laugh at me when I answer and then announce it was all a joke?”
“No, love, no,” Spike whispered. “I won’t.”
“Then…yes. Yes, Spike, I’ll marry you. Or whatever a human and a vampire do when they…”
But the rest was lost as Spike was kissing him again and lowering Xander to the ground in between two gravestones.
Really, for Spike, it was all about the romance.
***
“Did you get a chance to look at any of the Commerce report?” Josh asked, as he leaned in the doorway to Sam’s office.
“No, not yet,” Sam said and didn’t look up from where he was scribbling in his notebook.
“Okay,” Josh answered and then, “You should feel free to ignore me some more though.”
“Uh-huh,” Sam said and continued writing.
“Wha’cha working on?”
Sam looked up then and Josh thought he seemed a little pale.
“Nothing,” Sam answered and clutched the notebook to his chest.
“Okay. You feeling alright? You look like hell.”
Sam scowled. “Thank you, Josh. Those are just the words I was hoping you would say to me. You woo me with your flattery.”
Josh sighed and took a step into the office. “I don’t have to woo you, Sam. I’m a machine in bed. That’s enough to guarantee you’ll love me forever.”
“Or at least until you get all old and worn down,” Sam said and grinned. “Now,” and he pointed at the door, “get out. I’m working.”
“What’cha working on?”
“Nothing,” Sam answered once more and continued to clutch the notebook to his chest.
“Alrighty then.” Josh turned to head out of the office. Then he sprinted back and grabbed for the notebook.
“Josh!” But Sam was unprepared and Josh yanked it away easily.
“Josh, come on, that’s not funny,” Sam said and made a grab for it.
“Writing me love letters, Sam?” Josh smirked and looked back down at the page. “Dear Josh, I love you. When I first met you I was alone, curled in on myself. You…”
“Josh, please,” and it was almost a sob.
Josh looked up from the notebook to see Sam sitting back down in his chair, head cradle in his hands.
Josh let his eyes flick down the page.
“This is a marriage proposal. Are you…is this…”
“It’s just a rough draft,” Sam mumbled into his fingers.
“You’re writing a rough draft for a marriage proposal?”
Sam didn’t answer.
Josh read the rest of the page, then set the notebook down on the desk and went to his knees between Sam’s legs.
“Are you asking me to marry you?’
Sam nodded into his hands once, twice…before Josh was pushing them aside and leaning up to crush his lips against Sam’s.
“Yes, Sam, yes. Let’s do it.”
“I haven’t bought the ring yet,” Sam said and pulled away from Josh’s mouth.
“Jesus Christ, Sam, I don’t care. I’m saying yes here.”
“Oh.” And then a small slow smile spread across Sam’s face and he was sliding to the floor and pulling Josh against him.
“Sam, do you need…” Bonnie started, sticking her head in the door. “Oh. Never-mind, I’ll come back.”
“Hey, Bonnie,” Josh said, leaning over from where he was still kneeling on the floor. “Sam and I are getting…”
But his words were cut off by Sam kissing him, crushing their lips together.
“Whatever,” Bonnie said and clicked the door shut.
Sam bought a ring the next day.
***
Orlando was fidgeting in the seat, straightening his silverware and folding and unfolding his napkin in his lap. He’d been doing it all through dinner.
“What’s the matter with you?” Elijah asked and eyed him critically.
“Nothing,” Orlando said, rather brightly. “I’m great. How are you?”
“Oookay then,” Elijah said and raised his eyebrows at Orlando.
“More wine?” Orli asked and held up the bottle.
“We’re taking a cab home, right?” But the pasta was sitting full in his stomach so Elijah figured one more glass couldn’t hurt.
Orlando poured them each another glass of wine and then sat back in his seat.
Elijah caught him absently patting his jacket pocket.
For the tenth time.
“So,” Elijah started, willing to ignore whatever was making Orlando so weird tonight, since his boyfriend didn’t seem to want to talk about it. “I don’t think the Dom-stain is coming out of the couch, so I was thinking tomorrow we should go look at a new living room set.”
“Okay,” Orlando said and Elijah saw him look down, as if he were checking his hand for something.
“Are you looking at your text messages?”
“What?” Orlando said startled and looked up. “No.”
Elijah watched him suspiciously, but decided to let it go.
“So, what are we doing with the old couch?” Orlando asked. ‘We could sell it on Ebay as the couch Dominic Monaghan put his dog-poo feet all over. A fan might buy it.”
Elijah smiled. “We could do that. Proceeds to go to the charity of Dom’s choosing?”
“Or the beer fund.”
Elijah laughed and leaned across the table. “I love you, you know?”
Orlando turned a light shade of pink, just like he did every time Elijah said those words.
“Hang on…ah, bathroom,” Orlando said and then bolted away from the table in a direction that was most certainly not the bathroom.
Elijah watched as Orlando approached…Dom.
It was Dom, who grinned over at him and then dragged Orlando away into a section of the restaurant that Elijah couldn’t see.
He started to get up, then sat back down. He had absolutely no idea what was with Orlando tonight, but it was starting to get annoying.
A moment later, Orlando was back and behind him Dom was waving goodbye with the stupidest grin on his face.
Orlando sat back down and looked sheepishly at Elijah. “Sorry. Dom had a…thing.”
“He had a thing?” Elijah asked, dumbfounded. “Orli, what the hell? What is going on with you tonight?”
Orlando sighed and looked down at his hands. “It isn’t going the way I expected. I wanted to be all romantic and I was going to do it last night, but I had such a bad day and I didn’t want to screw it up and then I made us reservations for here and you were so excited that I was taking us out and then I put on a different jacket from the one I was wearing and I left it there, but I didn’t want to wait any longer and then I called Dom and he went and got it and then he brought here, but I was so nervous he wouldn’t show and…”
“Whoa,” Elijah said and held up his hand. “Okay, hang on.” Elijah got up from the table and went around to crouch down next to Orlando’s chair. He took his boyfriend’s hand in his own and looked up at him. “What are you talking about, sweetheart?”
Orlando looked positively miserable. “I’m suppose to be the one on my knees holding your hand,” he all but whispered.
Elijah raised a suggestive eyebrow. “Maybe when we get home,” he replied.
“No,” Orlando said and let out a breath. “No, I mean…” and then he stopped, looked at Elijah and licked his lips. “This,” he finished and reached into his pocket to pull out a small box.
Elijah gasped and fell back onto his heels. Orlando reached out and pulled him up, nearly into his lap.
The ring inside was small and delicate and sparkled in the candlelight from the table.
“I love you, Lij. I love you so much. You make my whole life better. I can’t imagine not being with you. You’re my heart.”
Elijah couldn’t breathe, he could barely hear Orlando’s words through the rush in his ears.
“Will you do me the honor of being my husband?”
Elijah became very aware of the tears rolling down his face.
“Yes. God, Orli, yes.” and then he was actually in Orlando’s lap, kissing him with everything he had, as his boyfriend, his fiance, slid the ring onto his finger.
From somewhere near the front of the restaurant, a very familiar voice shouted out, “One of you lot had better make me your best man! Do you hear me?”
In the end, one of them did.
The End
CW RPS - me writing CW RPS is pretty much all anyothergirl415's fault anyway.
Psych - My first time writing Psych characters!
Buffy - My first time writing Spike!
The West Wing - My first official fandom OTP, from many years ago.
LOTR RPS - First time I have ever posted LOTR RPS anywhere and my first time writing this pairing.
Here you go - Five marriage proposals. PG-13, 2539 words
Title: Put A Ring On It
Author: The Artful Dodger / dodger_sister
Fandom: CW RPS, Psych, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, The West Wing & LOTR RPS
Category: 5x, Romance, Schmoop
Characters/Pairing: Mike/Misha, Shawn/Gus, Spike/Xander, Josh/Sam & Elijah/Orlando
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: Schmoopy-Romance Overload
Spoilers: If you know these shows and peoples, you are probably good to go. Spike is post-season six here.
Summary: Five marriage proposals.
Word Count: 2,539 words.
Date Written: 11/02/2010
Disclaimer: See how lazy I have become? I’m not bothering to disclaim all of this shit. Nothing here, TV Shows/Movies/Real People, belong to me. What belongs to me? This fic, but it doesn’t give me money, so…yep.
Feedback: Bring it. dodger_sister / TheArtofDodger@comcast.net
Beta’d: Nope.
Author's Notes: One night anyothergirl415 asked me something about the Lord of The Rings actors and I said something like, “If you are a LOTR RPS person, I will ask you to marry me now,” and she responded something like, “I expect a huge diamond!”. Instead, I wrote her this. In my life, I have never written Shawn/Gus, Spike/Xander or Elijah/Orlando, but she loves them and I aim to please. In the end, I had the most fun finding their voices, especially Gus and Xander. That was fun. Maybe the easiest flowing thing I have written in a long time. And oh yes, Gus’ little phobia of biting into food and finding other things in said food? Yes, hi, waves…that’s me.
Dedication: To anyothergirl415, because I’m not one to string anybody along. Also, I kind of want to plan all their weddings. Don’t you? Hope you like it, babe!
Star Wars was playing on the television, the volume turned down low and the flickering of the screen the only light in the room. Misha and Mike were tucked underneath the red and black blanket, smooshed together in the middle section of the couch that was worn down from years of use.
Misha was warm and happy and at home here, in his boyfriend’s living room.
He turned his head to watch Mike’s face in the shadow of the TV. Mike was slumped down, practically sliding off the couch, eyes nearly closed. But even in his semi-conscious state, he was still mouthing along to all of Han Solo’s lines.
It was Mike and it was everything.
When Mike looked over and caught Misha staring, he simply smiled. “What are you thinking about in that pretty head of yours, Mish?” he asked and trailed a finger up Misha’s arm.
“Marry me,” Misha said before the words had even registered in his own brain.
Mike tilted his head, looked at Misha with a searching gaze, eyes darting from Misha’s eyes to his lips and back again.
“Marry me,” Misha said again, this time more sure than before. “Let’s do this together every night for the rest of our lives.”
“Star Wars might get old every night for the rest of our lives,” Mike said and then, “Plus, sometimes we should be naked.”
“Michael.”
Mike let his eyes roam over Misha’s face one more time, then leaned over, brushed his lips across Misha’s cheek until their mouths were hovering over each other, breath mingling together.
“Ask me again,” Mike whispered.
“Marry me?”
“Yes,” Mike said, choking on the words, and then pressed their lips together and surged forward until Misha was falling back along the couch.
On the screen, Han Solo was yeehawing and whooping and Luke was going in for the final shot.
***
Shawn paid the vendor and went bounding back over to where Gus was waiting on the boardwalk. The sun was beaming down hard on them, but the breeze off the ocean was cool and crisp.
Mostly, Shawn thought it was the best day ever.
He held up his purchase. “It’s double dark chocolate,” Shawn said and handed the cup of ice cream over to Gus.
“It’s in a cup. I’m not allowed cones anymore?”
“You’ll get it all over your stupid purple shirt.”
“I look good in purple.”
“Not untrue,” Shawn answered and smiled at his friend.
“It doesn’t have fudge chunks in it, does it?” Gus asked and looked suspiciously at the ice cream.
“No, Gus, you silly-ninny, it does not. I know you don’t like to bite into things and find other things in there.”
“It’s not insane, Shawn.”
“It’s a little insane.”
“You think it’s a nut, but it could be a cockroach.’
“Never-mind that you have never even seen a cockroach in your entire life,” Shawn reminded him.
“You don’t know, Shawn. I’m not playin’ about this.”
Shawn reached up a hand and brushed it along the small of Gus’ back. “I know you’re not, buddy. Just eat it, it’s good.”
Gus shrugged. “Okay. Thanks, dude.”
As soon as he put the ice cream in his mouth, he jerked the spoon back.
“There’s something in my ice cream, Shawn!”
“What’s in your ice cream, Gus?”
“I don’t know! You look for me.”
“You look. It might be a cockroach.”
“Shawn!”
Shawn sighed and reached his fingers into Gus’ ice cream and pulled out a shiny ring.
“It’s a ring. Why is there a ring in my ice cream?”
Shawn took a deep breath and got down on one knee.
“Shawn?” and Gus’ voice cracked just a little, the cup of ice cream slipping from his hand.
“You’re like my best friend ever, Gus. And we are great together. You’re the Stevie Wonder to my Paul McCartney. The Ray Charles to my Pepsi….”
“I’m not a blind man, Shawn,” but his voice was soft and shaking.
“You’re my better half. Without you, I’d probably be singing on a cruise ship somewhere and yeah, girls in bikinis, but I get so sea-sick and you’d be playing chess and scrabble in the park with the old dudes and…”
“Shawn.” Gus reached down and pulled him up until they were able to look each other in the eyes.
Shawn leaned in, pressed his face to the crook of Gus’ neck. “I love you. Let’s get married.”
“Yes.”
Shawn pulled back to look at Gus. “Yeah? Cuz I got this airplane that’s gonna pull this sign and…”
“Yes, Shawn, I’ll marry you.”
Shawn grinned and licked the ice cream from the ring before slipping it onto Gus’ finger.
They were too busy kissing for either one of them to notice the airplane in the sky, pulling a sign that read “Gus, will you marry me? - and also I ate all the Cheetos at the office.”
***
Xander spun and lunged out, the stake driving through the vampire’s heart. It dusted and he turned again and searched the graveyard for Spike.
The other man - vampire, whatever - was on the ground, pinned by a large burly creature of the night.
Xander leapt over a tombstone, tripped and fell on his face.
“Nice, Harris.” Spike drawled and struggled to keep the other vamp from turning his stake around on him. That would suck, to be taken out by his own stake.
Xander surged to his feet and stabbed the vampire through the back. The dust settled down on Spike and he brushed it off himself frantically.
“Bloody git, getting his remains all over my new shirt.”
Xander reached out a hand and pulled Spike to his feet.
“Thanks, Harris. Sweet of you to save my life and all.”
“Yeah, well, I’m kind of getting used to having you around, running your damn mouth,” Xander said and wiped at the dust on Spike’s coat.
“Plus, then who would suck your…”
“Alright, settle down there, Sparky.”
Spike just grabbed the front of Xander’s coat and pulled him in, crushed their mouths together and went to town. His tongue slid in past Xander’s lips and the boy moaned and pressed against him.
“Could keep you pliant for the rest of your damn life,” Spike mumbled, when he pulled away to let Xander breath.
“Careful there, mister,” Xander said and mouthed along Spike’s neck. “For the rest of your life, almost sounds like a marriage proposal.”
Spike pulled back and looked at Xander. “I would totally marry you.”
Xander laughed. “Well, that’ll be a problem.”
“Why?”
“For one, you don’t exist. I can’t marry someone who doesn’t have a social security number. Or, like, a birth certificate.”
“Details.”
“Where are we going to do it…in a church?”
“Xander,” Spike said and his voice had dropped unusually low. “I want to spend the rest of your life with you.”
Xander swallowed and looked down at the ground. “You’re serious?”
“Deadly.”
Xander looked up. “You won’t laugh at me when I answer and then announce it was all a joke?”
“No, love, no,” Spike whispered. “I won’t.”
“Then…yes. Yes, Spike, I’ll marry you. Or whatever a human and a vampire do when they…”
But the rest was lost as Spike was kissing him again and lowering Xander to the ground in between two gravestones.
Really, for Spike, it was all about the romance.
***
“Did you get a chance to look at any of the Commerce report?” Josh asked, as he leaned in the doorway to Sam’s office.
“No, not yet,” Sam said and didn’t look up from where he was scribbling in his notebook.
“Okay,” Josh answered and then, “You should feel free to ignore me some more though.”
“Uh-huh,” Sam said and continued writing.
“Wha’cha working on?”
Sam looked up then and Josh thought he seemed a little pale.
“Nothing,” Sam answered and clutched the notebook to his chest.
“Okay. You feeling alright? You look like hell.”
Sam scowled. “Thank you, Josh. Those are just the words I was hoping you would say to me. You woo me with your flattery.”
Josh sighed and took a step into the office. “I don’t have to woo you, Sam. I’m a machine in bed. That’s enough to guarantee you’ll love me forever.”
“Or at least until you get all old and worn down,” Sam said and grinned. “Now,” and he pointed at the door, “get out. I’m working.”
“What’cha working on?”
“Nothing,” Sam answered once more and continued to clutch the notebook to his chest.
“Alrighty then.” Josh turned to head out of the office. Then he sprinted back and grabbed for the notebook.
“Josh!” But Sam was unprepared and Josh yanked it away easily.
“Josh, come on, that’s not funny,” Sam said and made a grab for it.
“Writing me love letters, Sam?” Josh smirked and looked back down at the page. “Dear Josh, I love you. When I first met you I was alone, curled in on myself. You…”
“Josh, please,” and it was almost a sob.
Josh looked up from the notebook to see Sam sitting back down in his chair, head cradle in his hands.
Josh let his eyes flick down the page.
“This is a marriage proposal. Are you…is this…”
“It’s just a rough draft,” Sam mumbled into his fingers.
“You’re writing a rough draft for a marriage proposal?”
Sam didn’t answer.
Josh read the rest of the page, then set the notebook down on the desk and went to his knees between Sam’s legs.
“Are you asking me to marry you?’
Sam nodded into his hands once, twice…before Josh was pushing them aside and leaning up to crush his lips against Sam’s.
“Yes, Sam, yes. Let’s do it.”
“I haven’t bought the ring yet,” Sam said and pulled away from Josh’s mouth.
“Jesus Christ, Sam, I don’t care. I’m saying yes here.”
“Oh.” And then a small slow smile spread across Sam’s face and he was sliding to the floor and pulling Josh against him.
“Sam, do you need…” Bonnie started, sticking her head in the door. “Oh. Never-mind, I’ll come back.”
“Hey, Bonnie,” Josh said, leaning over from where he was still kneeling on the floor. “Sam and I are getting…”
But his words were cut off by Sam kissing him, crushing their lips together.
“Whatever,” Bonnie said and clicked the door shut.
Sam bought a ring the next day.
***
Orlando was fidgeting in the seat, straightening his silverware and folding and unfolding his napkin in his lap. He’d been doing it all through dinner.
“What’s the matter with you?” Elijah asked and eyed him critically.
“Nothing,” Orlando said, rather brightly. “I’m great. How are you?”
“Oookay then,” Elijah said and raised his eyebrows at Orlando.
“More wine?” Orli asked and held up the bottle.
“We’re taking a cab home, right?” But the pasta was sitting full in his stomach so Elijah figured one more glass couldn’t hurt.
Orlando poured them each another glass of wine and then sat back in his seat.
Elijah caught him absently patting his jacket pocket.
For the tenth time.
“So,” Elijah started, willing to ignore whatever was making Orlando so weird tonight, since his boyfriend didn’t seem to want to talk about it. “I don’t think the Dom-stain is coming out of the couch, so I was thinking tomorrow we should go look at a new living room set.”
“Okay,” Orlando said and Elijah saw him look down, as if he were checking his hand for something.
“Are you looking at your text messages?”
“What?” Orlando said startled and looked up. “No.”
Elijah watched him suspiciously, but decided to let it go.
“So, what are we doing with the old couch?” Orlando asked. ‘We could sell it on Ebay as the couch Dominic Monaghan put his dog-poo feet all over. A fan might buy it.”
Elijah smiled. “We could do that. Proceeds to go to the charity of Dom’s choosing?”
“Or the beer fund.”
Elijah laughed and leaned across the table. “I love you, you know?”
Orlando turned a light shade of pink, just like he did every time Elijah said those words.
“Hang on…ah, bathroom,” Orlando said and then bolted away from the table in a direction that was most certainly not the bathroom.
Elijah watched as Orlando approached…Dom.
It was Dom, who grinned over at him and then dragged Orlando away into a section of the restaurant that Elijah couldn’t see.
He started to get up, then sat back down. He had absolutely no idea what was with Orlando tonight, but it was starting to get annoying.
A moment later, Orlando was back and behind him Dom was waving goodbye with the stupidest grin on his face.
Orlando sat back down and looked sheepishly at Elijah. “Sorry. Dom had a…thing.”
“He had a thing?” Elijah asked, dumbfounded. “Orli, what the hell? What is going on with you tonight?”
Orlando sighed and looked down at his hands. “It isn’t going the way I expected. I wanted to be all romantic and I was going to do it last night, but I had such a bad day and I didn’t want to screw it up and then I made us reservations for here and you were so excited that I was taking us out and then I put on a different jacket from the one I was wearing and I left it there, but I didn’t want to wait any longer and then I called Dom and he went and got it and then he brought here, but I was so nervous he wouldn’t show and…”
“Whoa,” Elijah said and held up his hand. “Okay, hang on.” Elijah got up from the table and went around to crouch down next to Orlando’s chair. He took his boyfriend’s hand in his own and looked up at him. “What are you talking about, sweetheart?”
Orlando looked positively miserable. “I’m suppose to be the one on my knees holding your hand,” he all but whispered.
Elijah raised a suggestive eyebrow. “Maybe when we get home,” he replied.
“No,” Orlando said and let out a breath. “No, I mean…” and then he stopped, looked at Elijah and licked his lips. “This,” he finished and reached into his pocket to pull out a small box.
Elijah gasped and fell back onto his heels. Orlando reached out and pulled him up, nearly into his lap.
The ring inside was small and delicate and sparkled in the candlelight from the table.
“I love you, Lij. I love you so much. You make my whole life better. I can’t imagine not being with you. You’re my heart.”
Elijah couldn’t breathe, he could barely hear Orlando’s words through the rush in his ears.
“Will you do me the honor of being my husband?”
Elijah became very aware of the tears rolling down his face.
“Yes. God, Orli, yes.” and then he was actually in Orlando’s lap, kissing him with everything he had, as his boyfriend, his fiance, slid the ring onto his finger.
From somewhere near the front of the restaurant, a very familiar voice shouted out, “One of you lot had better make me your best man! Do you hear me?”
In the end, one of them did.
The End