A/N: It's been one year since I first posted The Way Things Are. In celebration of it's first birthday here is the proposal.

For my darling readers who don't have privy to the goings on in my head. This takes place in the fall of 2001. Matthew is 13-15 months. Matthew was born July 1, 2000. Francis and Arthur adopted him December 1, 2000. And Massachusetts doesn't allow gay marriage until May 17, 2004.

The Proposal

The house was quiet. Arthur and Matthew were out for a walk and he had just finished his last project. Gentle golden light slept on floor. Orange and red leaves rustled in the yard. Francis stretched and let his back pop. The blond turned on the radio as he started to put away his work. Beyonce's Single Ladies jumped out of the speakers.

Francis smiled. He looked around the living room for a hairbrush, but he settled for swiping a magazine instead. With all the glee of someone who had the weekend ahead of them he began to sing into his makeshift microphone.

"All the single ladies. All the single ladies," Francis sang in a falsetto voice. He flipped his hand back and forth while he rocked his hips. He shimmed behind the couch.

"If you like it then you shoulda put a ring on it," he rolled onto the couch. Francis laughed through the lyrics.

The blond didn't hear the front door open, but he felt the chill sweep through the room. A sweet giggle came from behind him. Francis turned around to see Matthew toddling towards him with his arms out. A blue sock was trailing off his left foot.

"Papa," the baby gurgled.

"Mon enfant!" Francis sung sweeping the blond boy into his arms. He bounced around the room with Matthew laughing.

"Need no permission, did I mention," Francis paused and blew raspberries onto Matthew's belly. The two twirled around the room, Francis singing and his baby laughing.

The song finished with a lingering ooh. Francis stopped dancing to plant kisses all over Matthew's tiny cheeks. In the stillness he realized that Arthur should have come in with the boy.

"And where's Daddy? Hmm?" Francis asked the boy as he glanced around the living room.

Francis's eyes caught on Arthur standing by the door. Warm light spilled around his boyfriend turning his hair into spun gold. He was dressed in a sharp gray button down with the silk tie Francis's got him for his birthday. In his right hand was a tiny box.

"Oh my god," the words slipped out of his mouth in no more than a whisper.

The shorter man strode over to him. A rose colored blush was painted across his face while but his smile was more magnificent than the first light of dawn.

Francis clutched the baby closer to his chest. His heart thumped faster and faster. Slowly the Brit went down on one knee. All the air rushed out of Francis's lungs. He'd hoped, but never thought... Arthur cleared his throat.

"Francis," his boyfriend began, "I almost lost you once due to my own stupidity."

Matthew's tiny fists wrapped around a lock of his hair and tugged. The sudden pain seemed to echoed the hurt Francis experienced when he'd found out Arthur had left for the States without telling him.

Arthur took a deep breath, "I never want there to be a chance for something like that to happen again."

At the thought of a lifetime with Arthur beside him Francis grinned. Matthew began chanting for Dada but neither man moved to accommodate the baby. Francis's entire universe was focused on the man he loved.

Because Arthur was proposing.

"It's your love and laughter that fill my most cherished memories," Arthur continued as his blush darkened and spread out to cover his neck and ears.

"My love for you has only ever grown. Each moment I discover something new about you," Arthur broke off again and chuckled, "and even when it annoys me, it is still beloved."

Tears crouched in the corners of Francis's eyes. He'd known his answer before Arthur had even started speaking. Arthur cracked opened the blue box to reveal a thin band encrusted in sapphires and white diamonds.

"Will you marry me?"

Francis's breath stopped. It felt like his heart had been shot out of a gun. The world hung on a pendulum for a moment before falling, swinging in a new direction.

"Oui! Oui! Oh Arthur!" Francis exclaimed as a tear slipped down his cheek.

Arthur slid the ring on his index finger and Francis pulled him up into his arms. Arthur's lips were like gravity as Francis pulled his fiancée – his fiancée!- into a hot kiss. He shifted Matthew to pull Arthur closer.

Francis broke away grinning a grin that would put supermodels to shame. He swore the joy emanating from them was brighter than all the lights in Paris.

"Oui, oui, oui," Matthew chirped between them. He was smiling too. Francis laughed and leaned into to kiss the baby.

"Oui, mon petit enfant! Oui!"

Arthur laughed and pulled Francis into another hug. It was tight and needy and perfect. They stayed pressed against each other until Matthew's wiggling forced Francis to set him on the ground. The baby toddled off towards his bear and Francis looked back to Arthur. His fiancée. He wrapped his arms around Arthur again and nudged the other man with his hip.

"I didn't realize Brits knew how to be romantic," Francis said.

Arthur punched him and laughed, "There are plenty of great English romantics!"

Francis grinned and kissed Arthur. Francis pressed the Brit back into the couch with the goal of ravishing him senseless. His lips tasted like Earl Grey and Autumn.

"Dadadadada," Matthew gurgled. Francis pulled away to see his baby trying to pull himself up onto the couch.

"Oh my littlest love," Arthur cooed, nearly breathless, as he swept the toddler into his arms. The only time he'd seen Arthur this happy was the day they'd gotten Matthew.

The family curled around each other and Arthur began telling Francis about the many other occasions he'd tried to pop the question in the last few weeks. The fancy restaurant, when they went star gazing, at the coffee shop. Francis laughed over the, until now bizarre, memories.

Matthew twisted and tugged at his engagement ring drawing Francis's eyes back down to it. God, it was beautiful and masculine. Not at all like a traditional engagement ring but so him.

"Papa!" the baby whined pulling at it again.

"I know, petit isn't it lovely?" Francis smiled. He raised his hand so Matthew could twist at it easier.

"Your Dada and I are getting married," Francis whispered into the child's seashell ear.

Their child stared at him seriously. Then his blue eyes shifted so he could look between Francis and Arthur.

"Dada?"

"Yes love?" Arthur grinned.

"Papa?"

"Oui petit?" Francis echoed his fiancée's smile.

The baby looked between them again before emitting a joyful squeal and clapping his pudgy hands together as if he too could understand the importance of the moment. At that moment Francis was positive a wishing star was retiring somewhere. Because everything he'd ever wished for had come true.

A/N: If you are interested seeing the ring I've included a link on my profile.