Welcome to the Family: Chad James
Word Count: 1124 My First Extra Life 2018 fic.
Making your way through the throngs of people towards the broadcast area where Extra Life 2018 was in full swing as a task unto itself. You had texted Chad and let him know that you were running late, gathering all of the materials you’d promised to bring took longer than you’d originally thought that it would. However, when you emerged to the main area you were immediately greeted by a few loud cheers.
“Y/N!”
You laughed as you made your way in front of the cameras and waved to them, as well as the people around the stage. Almost as soon as you were there, Chad made his way over and wrapped you up in a hug, pressing a kiss to your cheek.You smiled and hugged him back and rubbed his back as he pulled away from you. “It looks like y’all have already caused too much chaos,” you observed, eyes scanning the area.
“Well, we try,” he chuckled, stepping to the side but keeping an arm around you.
Turning your head to look back at the Wheel of Vengeance a certain item written down caught your attention. “Uh… Chad, my love, what the fuck does, uh, ‘Surprise for Y/N’ mean?” you questioned slowly, looking back at the man at your side.
Chad only laughed and pressed another kiss to your cheek, “Don’t worry about it.”
You narrowed your eyes at him but he only slipped away from you and went to rejoin the shenanigans going on. With a sigh, you slipped off to find yourself a drink. A drink turned into two, which mysteriously became three, and somehow transformed itself into a fourth. The wheel was spun a few times but it always managed to just miss the section with your surprise inscribed on it.
Eventually you found yourself curled up on one of the couches near the wheel when Chad made his way over to the wheel which caught your attention. He smiled at you as he grabbed hold of one of the prongs and gave it a harsh pull sending it spinning. You watched through heavy and slightly bleary eyes. The wheel click-click-clicked until it slowed to a stop.
“Surprise for Y/N!” Chad shouted.
Your head perked up and you looked around for a moment, mildly confused. “What… what does that mean?” you asked softly, glancing back up at Chad. He smiled slightly though he suddenly looked a little nervous. Without a word, he hurried off towards the Off Topic set and promptly returned with a stool.
“Come sit,” he said, patting the cushion.
Quirking an eyebrow, you slowly pushed yourself up from your seat and slowly made your way over. Chad grabbed hold of your arm and helped you up onto the stool. He looked at you for a moment before he reached back over your head to grab the hood of the sweatshirt you were wearing to pull it up over your head and cover your face.
“Is this necessary?” you asked with a laugh.
Chad gave your head a gentle pat, “Absolutely. Now… no one say a fucking word.”
Very quickly it felt as though you were left completely alone, even though you knew that you were surrounded by people. You let out a sigh and began to tap a little impatiently at your legs. “I fucking hate this, by the way,” you said loudly, shifting anxiously on the spot. Around you, you could hear a sudden rush of whispers that for some reason set your anxiety on edge.
“Okay, Y/N, take your hood off,” Chad’s voice called from somewhere in front of you.
You raised your hands and grabbed hold of the hem of the hood, pushing it up just below your nose. “I don’t wanna,” you mumbled, letting out a nervous sort of laugh. Everyone around you chuckled and you heard Chad’s resigned sigh over all of it. You took a deep breath and very cautiously lifted the hood up, dropping it back behind your head. You looked around you but didn’t see Chad until you finally glanced down to see him just to your right.
Down on one knee.
Almost immediately, you felt your eyes fill with tear and your hands raised up to cover your mouth. The two of you had talked in the previous months about marriage and family, but suddenly being confronted with the prospect was more overwhelming than you had expected it to be. From out of nowhere, someone was holding a microphone in front of you as well as someone holding one for Chad.
“I hate you,” you nearly whimpered from behind your hands.
“Y/N, two years ago I could never have imagined I would be in this place. A place where I look into the eyes of my best friend and love them everyday. You are the sweetest, most loving, caring and kind person I have ever known, and I have no doubt that you make me a better man. You believe in me and have shown me how to love with unconditional acceptance and every day you reaffirm that you are my soul mate. Together we are an unbreakable pair, bound by our love. I'm not sure that a lifetime is long enough for me to return all that you have given me but I want to spend the rest of my life trying. So, Will you marry me?”
There was a sudden hush around all of broadcast as you looked down at Chad to see him pulling a beautiful ring out of his pocket to present to you. You could feel a few tears slip down your cheeks and slowly, you lowered your hands as you nodded your head. “Yes,” you very nearly whispered, voice wavering. “Yeah… yes,” you said a little louder, nodding more fervently. All around you people started to clap and cheer but all that you could focus on was Chad as he got to his feet and walked closer. He very quickly slipped the ring onto your finger before he grabbed hold of your chin between his thumb and forefinger to hold your head still and pressed a firm kiss to your lips.
You inhaled sharply through your nose and reached out to grasp at the sides of Chad’s neck. Slowly, the two of you pulled away from each other and you stared into eyes. A smile languidly made its way across your lips and Chad’s did the same. For just a moment in time, it was easy to forget that you were sitting in the middle of a crowded broadcast and on stream for thousands and thousands of people to see.
It was just the two of you, the way it always was and would be.