Februabba Day 9 - Wedding
The Proposal Scene (An excerpt)
(To read the full piece and the actual wedding content see the link below; this takes place in an AU where EVERYONE lives so we got La Squadra at this wedding!!!!)
...
Even though he knows everyone’s eyes are on him, it makes Bruno feels much less conspicuous having his team behind him. As he’s making his way up the center aisle, there’s one memory that keeps pushing itself into his mind and blurring everything around him.
It was the night he proposed. He and Leone had been walking along the winding path of a public garden. He’d had the ring in his pocket for weeks and had been waiting for the appropriate moment, but, up until that point, nothing had felt quite right. He’d tried to arrange several romantic situations, from nice quiet dinners to boat rides, but they’d all felt forced and superficial. But there in that garden with the two of them just meandering about together with their way lit by lanterns and moonlight and not a soul in sight...he watched Leone’s eyes as they wandered over the foliage. He was taking everything in in absolute silence and yet Bruno could read the other man’s every thought just by his expression. He could see what impressed him and what didn’t, what he admired and what he thought Bruno would admire. He could see when Leone’s mind wandered away somewhere else to things that troubled him or to things that pleased him and he could see the moment that Leone came back to him. Leone always came back to him. No matter what he was going through or how difficult things were with the gang...this man was always at his side, even when he wasn’t.
They were hand in hand and Leone was rubbing his thumb over Bruno’s. They’d not said a word to each other in over an hour. It wasn’t that they had nothing to say to one another. It was simply that they didn’t need words to communicate.
When Bruno had suddenly cleared his throat, Leone had looked a bit startled.
“Leone…there’s something I’ve been meaning to talk to you about…”
“Oh?” Leone looked genuinely curious as he tilted his head to look at Bruno. But he must have suspected something serious was about to be said because he unconsciously tightened his grip on Bruno’s hand.
Bruno’s heart was racing and he was fumbling in his pocket for the ring.
“I’ve been thinking about things for a while...about us...” His empty hand came out of his pocket. Leone noticed and Bruno saw his face fall just the slightest bit. And then he remembered. He’d put the ring box in his other pocket and to get to it he’d have to let go of Leone’s hand and...
The moment he dropped Leone’s hand he saw a flicker of fear in the other man’s eye.
“Bruno…are you...is this your way of-” His voice sounded strained and he was folding his arms across his chest, was starting to close himself off, but before he could get any farther Bruno had taken a knee.
Leone’s hands fell limp at his sides.
Bruno had the ring box now and even before he’d opened his mouth to begin, he could see the tears starting in Leone’s eyes and it was causing him to tear up too because he’s never seen Leone cry before and his hands were starting to shake violently and the words he’d so carefully prepared were stuck in his throat. But he didn’t need to say a thing because Leone was already nodding soundlessly and helping Bruno back to his feet and pulling him into an embrace.
...
https://archiveofourown.org/works/17638013/chapters/41883521