Lovino clutched the ring, taking a few practiced breaths. He straightened himself out and tried to think strong thoughts, but doubts kept wheedling away at his brain. He flipped the now-warm ring around his fingers and breathed in slowly, holding it, and releasing it just as slowly. Squaring his shoulders, Lovino walked out of the bathroom purposefully.
Antonio waited at the table and turned when he heard Lovino’s return, a sparkle lighting up his eyes as they always did for only Lovino. The Spaniard greeted Lovino cheerfully and Lovino had to swallow his nerves before choking out an answer. Though Antonio blinked and gave him one of his small, infamous, confused smiles, he didn’t question him.
Lovino slid into his seat and fiddled with his fingers and the ring under the table. Was this too normal? Antonio was an eccentric guy, what if he wanted an eccentric proposal? What if Antonio didn’t even want to get married? Lovino swore he’d talked to Antonio before about this but now, the conversation escaped his mind.
Even if Antonio did want to get married, this was a pretty average way to do it... they were on Lovino’s family’s balcony, the one in the restaurant that overlooked all of Venice. Lovino had carefully put this date together to make sure that they weren’t interrupted by other customers. What if Antonio wanted something extravagant, like skydiving with Will you marry me? spelled out on the ground?
“Lovino!”
Lovino flinched violently, turning his wide eyes to meet Antonio’s worried ones. Antonio looked concerned and tried another smile, worrying his lip and fiddling with his fork.
“Are you alright?” he asked softly. “If your distracted, we can do this another time–”
“Marry me,” Lovino blurted out. Antonio’s smile froze, as did the rest of his body. His gaze was locked on Lovino’s.
A few emotions raged few Lovino in those few seconds after he had ever so tactfully blurted those two words out. He felt incredibly embarrassed but also liberated. He had done it. Awfully, and he needed a smooth, suave follow up, but he had done it.
He took one final deep breath and stood up, nearing Antonio and falling onto one knee. He heard Antonio’s sharp intake of breath, felt the wood underneath his knee, and both fear and anticipation pulsed through his entire being. Lovino looked up at Antonio, who already looked like he was tearing up.
“Antonio Fernandez Carriedo,” Lovino started. He hesitated for a single moment before taking the final plunge. Lovino’s eyes locked with Antonio’s and suddenly, that was all he could see. His entire world was encompassed in those green seas that swam with tears.
“Many years ago, you tried to get my number while I was working, but I was always too busy to pay attention to you. So you waited, two and a half hours, for my shift to be over, just for my number.”
He stopped to gather himself and tried to push back his own bout of tears that had started threatening to show.
“After that we had a series of dates that felt like a dream. I swore that there had to be a catch, because there was no way that–” he closed his eyes and broke off, feeling those tears start to fall just as his throat closed off. Antonio reached forward and brushed his fingers against Lovino’s cheek, smoothing the tears away and fueling him to continue. His eyes found Antonio’s again.
“There was no way that this funny, charismatic, perfect man was interested in me. And after we became a couple, the amazing dates never ended, and my doubts grew higher and higher...” Lovino smiled, just a little, as he looked back on it. “I knew that you were the one for me after our first fight.”
The surprise on Antonio’s face made Lovino let out a laugh, leaning into Antonio’s hand, which had still not left his face. “Before, all of my relationships ended with a fight, but we were able to work through it. It was that night, when we were falling asleep next to each other, that I thought I want to marry this man.”
Antonio’s breath hitched in his throat and Lovino could barely see him through the water in his eyes. “And I’m sorry it took me this long to act on that thought.”
Antonio shook his head in disbelief, smiling dumbfoundedly, as if he couldn’t believe that Lovino was apologizing for that.
“S-so...” Lovino stuttered. He steeled himself. “Antonio Fernandez Carriedo, I love you more than life itself. Will you marry me?” He held the ring out, arms shaking anxiously. He had laid his heart out and now, all he could do was wait.
“O-oh...” Antonio breathed. He slid off of his chair to be eye-to-eye with Lovino and grasped his face between his hands. Both of them had tears freely sliding down their faces and Antonio had a watery smile adorning his features. “Lovino, I love you more than I can say... and I would be honored to marry you.”
Lovino wanted to burst into sobs and kiss Antonio like there was no tomorrow, but instead, he shakily took Antonio’s hand off of his face and slipped the metal band onto his finger. Antonio blinked rapidly, twisting the ring around his finger in awe, looking completely floored.
It was like a snapping string, the way Antonio lurched forwards and enveloped Lovino in his arms. He started babbling incoherently, Lovino catching tidbits like “I love you,” “Oh my god,” and “We’re getting married!”
Lovino shut him up by grabbing his face and pressing their lips together. Antonio immediately responded and pulled their bodies flush against one another. Lovino’s hands tangled into Antonio’s curls and he felt his lips start to bruise from the Antonio’s fervor.
Eventually they had to part for air, and they leaned their foreheads together, breathing heavily.
“Did you... like it?” Lovino whispered, eyes searching Antonio’s face.
Antonio seemed to understand what Lovino was referencing and his smile worked its way into a beaming grin. “Everything was perfect. Is perfect.”
“Only the best for you,” Lovino said, allowing himself one moment of teeth-aching sweetness. After all, this was for Antonio. Antonio deserved the world and more.
Antonio laughed and nuzzled Lovino’s face. “I love you more than any language can explain. Te quiero. Te amo. Ti amo, Lovino–”
“Shut up and kiss me, bastard,” Lovino interrupted him, entangling his fingers further into Antonio’s hair.
Antonio gave him a crooked smile. “Who am I to deny my fiancé?“ the word rolled off of his tongue and Lovino shivered. Moments later Antonio’s lips were on his and all he could think about was Antonio, his lips, and fiancé...
“Ti amo anch’io...” he murmured over and over between kisses. “Ti amo tanto, Antonio...”
They were a mess, full of tears, mussed hair, and a tangle of limbs on the floor, but in their eyes, it was perfect, because their fiancé was there to hold them and kiss them like there was no tomorrow.
