A Proposal of Sorts

Chapter Nine: How to propose

It's officially been over a year since Nikola and Dimitrie began dating. Their mothers were overjoyed when they finally told them, which was only about three months ago because Nikola didn't want to admit they were right until absolutely necessary. Graduation is tomorrow and the two of them are both fortunate enough to already be hired on at the places they have been assisting for the past year. Almost everything is perfect. The only thing is that, despite Nikola telling him he could, Dimitrie has not proposed or even eluded to it. It doesn't bother Nikola, not at all, really.

"Damnit I don't care!" Nikola hisses, glaring at an exasperated Roderich across the table.

"He'll do it eventually. We all know he wants to. Technically you could argue that it was never called off in the first place…" Roderich points out. "…Or…was it?"

The Bulgarian shrinks down in his seat. "I...I may have officially…called it off shortly after we met…" He mumbles and Roderich reaches over the table, bopping him on the head with a restaurant menu.

"Bad Nikola!"

"I'm not a dog…" Nikola groans.

"You might as well be." Roderich sighs. "You're so stupid."

"I'm not stupid you dick. Just because you and Vash are living a happily married life or whatever doesn't mean you know it all."

"We're not married, Vash doesn't want to get married." Roderich reminds him before leaning forward. "But, here's an idea for you I know you never thought of…Dimitrie wants to get married, you want to get married, why don't you get off your high horse and propose yourself?"

"I-! Well-! H-…huh…maybe I should…" Nikola mumbles. "Yeah…I guess…that makes sense."

"You're such an idiot." Roderich sighs. "Just do it yourself."

Nikola smiles. "Yeah, I suppose I can go find a ring."

"Don't make it girly."

"Pfft, yeah, because I was totally gonna get him a huge diamond or something. Don't be stupid Roderich."

Roderich nods. "Yeah….but…knowing Dimitrie he'd probably enjoy the diamond."

Nikola laughs a little. "Yeah, probably." The two continue with their dinner, spending most of the evening tomorrow while Vash and Dimitrie are off to work. After they eat Roderich brings Nikola to the place to find a ring. A job that, really, neither should be doing.

"There's one." Roderich says, pointing to a horseshoe shaped ring.

"...I don't think he likes horseshoes…" Nikola mumbles as the woman behind the counter watches them confused. "Maybe…maybe one with…the clock on it? He's always late so with this he can arrive on time for once." He says annoyed before looking to Roderich. "Is that…a good proposal ring?"

"Hell if I know. Engagements and marriage aren't really my thing." The aristocrat says, walking up and staring at the ring. "It looks gaudy. Don't get it."

"Ummm are you two looking for engagement rings?" A woman with blonde hair pulled back in a red hair band asks.

"Yes!" Nikola says and Roderich quickly adds.

"Not for each other."

The woman smiles. "Well I'm Bella, and I would happily help you with your search!"

"Alright, well, it's for a dude and um…he's like twenty or something…so…I don't know…if that matters…" Nikola mumbles before reaching into his pocket. "I have a picture if that will help."

Bella laughs a little. "Wow, you really don't know what you're doing at all, huh?" She asks and both men shake their heads no. "Well, I'd be happy to help you!"

Nikola and Roderich sigh in relief. "Thank god." They mutter in unison.

"Alright, so what does he prefer…gold or silver?" Bella asks and Nikola blanches.

"…We don't really get each other jewelry…" Nikola says before opening his wallet and shoving a picture of Dimitrie in her face. "This is him! He works at the art museum in town and he has this weird obsession with pulling his sketchbook out in the most random of places and drawing something out like a creeper and-!"

"Don't forget he wears a lot of red." Roderich adds and Nikola nods.

"Yes! That's right!"

Bella stares at the two amused. "Well…in this picture is a gold broach with a red jewel in it on the dresser…is that his?" She asks and Nikola nods. "Then I suggest gold."

"Yes! That makes sense!" Nikola says, receiving an annoyed look from Roderich.

"You dumbass, he has a broach and you never thought of that?"

"He doesn't wear it, it's an heirloom."

Bella smiles at them, trying not to laugh. "Well we have some wonderful golden engagement rings for men right over here." She says, ushering their attention to a display. "You can choose from a simple band to an intricate design. Feel free to look around and make your choice."

Nikola and Roderich look at the rings and then each other before staring down Bella. "You choose." They command and Bella laughs a little.

"I would, but it's supposed to come from you, right?" Bella asks and Nikola pouts.

"Isn't buying it enough? God this is such a pain…do I really love him enough to do this shit?" Nikola grumbles.

"Shut up and pick one." Roderich sighs. "We don't have forever."

Nikola looks at the rings and notices one that has milgrain edging. "That's pretty nice…" He mumbles before staring up at Bella from his crouched position. "…Right?"

Bella smiles. "Yes, it's very nice."

"Don't lie to him. If it's ugly tell him because the idiot won't ever know." Roderich says from the watch display on the other side of the small store.

"He's right. I won't." Nikola admits and Bella nods.

"I assure you it's actually a very good choice." She confirms, making Nikola smile.

"Great! I'll get that then!" Nikola says, quickly buying it and leaving with Roderich.

"When I get home I'm going to drag Vash into some 'thank you for not wanting to get married' sex. Immediately." The Austrian grumbles.

"Yeah…no wonder Dimitrie hasn't done it. This is insane! How the hell am I supposed to know jewelry?" Nikola groans.

Both men return to their homes, Nikola hiding the ring before Dimitrie gets home.

"So what did you and Roderich do tonight?" Dimitrie asks when he comes home and Nikola laughs awkwardly.

"Just went out to dinner…like usual." He means to give him the ring tonight, but his nerves get the better of him and he chickens out. Being proposed to on the day of graduation is probably romantic, too.

"I see." Dimitrie comes up to Nikola and smiles, kissing him. "I thought you agreed to give me a kiss when I got home from now on, Nikola~?"

"I don't remember that agreement." Nikola mumbles, blushing a little.

"Hey do you think husbands kiss each other when one of them comes home?" Dimitrie asks and Nikola gets nervous.

"P-probably…"

"Well then I guess…" Dimitrie kneels down in front of Nikola and pulls out a ring. "Would you finally accept being engaged to me? Then! Then when we get married I expect welcome home kisses."

Nikola stares at him blankly for a moment before covering Dimitrie's face with one hand and pushing him back, causing the man to fall onto the ground. "That was the stupidest proposal I have ever heard!" He groans. "And don't beat me to the punch you dick! I spent two hours choosing an engagement ring for you today! You know how hard that sort of thing is?"

"I can't help that it sucked! I got nervous!" Dimitrie laughs behind Nikola's hand, licking the man's palm to make him move it. "Of course I do, I got one too, you know."

"Why didn't you do this before?" Nikola asks annoyed.

"I wanted to make you wait!" Dimitrie explains, grabbing Nikola's wrist and yanking him into his lap on the floor. "You made me wait so it's only fair, right?"

"Uncool." Nikola groans, leaning forward and biting Dimitrie's nose. "I even came up with a stupidly romantic proposal, too." He says, wrapping his arms around Dimitrie's neck. "Jerk."

"Well, Nikola…" Dimitrie begins, wrapping his arms around Nikola's waist. "Since mine was so bad, why don't you do it?"

Nikola pulls away to look at him confused. "But you already did it so why should I have to?"

"Mine was lame. You do it." Dimitrie orders and Nikola sighs, reaching into his back pocket to pull out a small box.

"Um…urrmmm…" Nikola takes a deep breath, his fingers fumbling with the box as he straddles Dimitrie's waist. "I know…I called off our…original engagement, since we didn't know each other…and, you know, I was expecting a girl." He mumbles, making sure not to look into Dimitrie's eyes. The idiot was right, this whole romantic proposal is hard, and he can definitely see why Dimitrie just cut to the point. "But I'm really glad you weren't, honestly…I um…I'm sorry I made you wait, though. And that I didn't notice it at first, mostly because I didn't want to since let's be honest you were pretty damn obvious."

Dimitrie watches Nikola squirm and stammer as he fumbles with the ring box. "You're so cute~!" He exclaims, moving to kiss Nikola.

"No!" The man huffs, covering Dimitrie's face with his hand again. "I'm not done! Control yourself, man!" Nikola orders, sighing to himself. "Anyways…I made you wait for over a year, but a year isn't that long…c-compared to…forever-so-I-want-us-to-get-married-and-for-you -to-stop-staring-and-take-the-damn-ring!" He says quickly, shoving the box into Dimitrie's chest before moving his hand from the man's face.

Dimitrie grabs the box with one hand and uses his other to pull Nikola into a kiss the older man has to forcefully stop when he needs air. "Yes, yes, yes! I'll marry you Nikola!" He says, pulling his own ring box out and handing it to Nikola. They both open them in unison, revealing identical rings.

"…Hey Dimitrie…."

"Yeah?"

"Where did you get your ring?" Nikola asks and Dimitrie smiles.

"A place downtown! A nice girl named Bella helped me!" He explains, making Nikola laugh. "What's so funny?"

"Nothing, nothing." Nikola says, kissing him quickly. "I love you."

Dimitrie smiles, hugging him. "I love you too!"

"…But I'm not welcoming you home with a kiss every day." Nikola grumbles. "That's just ridiculous."

"Wh-what? That's not fair!" Dimitrie whines.

A/N: AAaaannnnnnd it's over. The proposal isn't over the top this time, because simple can be cute, too...right? ...Right? ...Yeah. Yes silence means I'm right.