"Oh, good, you're here." Kuvira moves away from her map, a smile etched on her lips. "I have great news for you."

Baatar looks over at her curiously, his eyebrow raised in question as she strides across the room to greet him.

"We've officially recruited two more engineers that I believe would be valuable to our cause."

"You're replacing me?" Baatar smirks, crossing his arms over his chest in mock hurt. "I thought you loved me."

"Don't be ridiculous." Kuvira waves off his comment, returning to her map. "They're very skilled and would do well to work alongside you. Consider it an upgrade."

He follows her stride and analyzes the new states she has added to the collection of other green irregular shapes, pride swelling in his chest upon the newest addition.

"They were perplexed by the magna-train. It is, after all, and incredible invention, and we own the tracks."

"Are they here now?" Baatar asks.

"No. I've already sent them to recruitment." She meets his eyes. "As soon as I'm notified, I will let you know when to expect assistants—"

"Not assistants." He raises a hand, stopping her before she could continue, "I would prefer that they contribute to our vision independently. I spent too long in my father's shadow, and am not about to put others under my direction in that same manner."

"And if they do not wish to create their own inventions?"

This forces Baatar to reconsider. According to his personal preference, he would normally be against the idea, but Kuvira's question compels him to think. If these engineers only had the intention of working as assistants, he would find a way to make them feel equal. He would find a way to give them the freedom of expressing their minds in the manner that he had never been granted the opportunity of growing up in Zaofu.

Baatar shakes himself from his notions, shoving a hand in his pocket. "Anyways, that's not what I came here for."

Kuvira narrows her eyes, following his gesture.

"Coming to bed? It's late."

—

"You know," Kuvira beings, metalbending the door to their bedroom closed, "if you were trying to surprise me, you shouldn't have put it in such an obvious place."

Baatar pales as he drops down onto their bed and Kuvira instantly notices, a smug smile quickly decorating her features.

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Oh, I think you do, Baatar." She stands adjacent to her partner's side, leaning over him enough to elicit a flush of red over his cheeks.

Before she had the chance to further ruin his surprise, Baatar extends a hand out to grasp her hip and push her out of the way. "I can't keep any secrets from you." He grumbles, sitting up. Now that she understands his intentions and most likely believes will correctly predict his next move, Baatar decides to alter his plan.

Kuvira raises an eyebrow, uncrossing her arms out from behind her back. "I can sense the metal hinges." She says drily, removing her armor.

Baatar chuckles and pats the spot beside him, encouraging her to share his place before reaching into his pocket.

Her smile grows when he fumbles with the small blue box for a brief moment before opening it up, confirming her suspicions.

"So," Baatar's eyes don't shy away from the ring, "which hand is this going on? The right one?"

Kuvira laughs, the sound of her voice like a sweet melody to his ears as she leans into his arm. Her focus is directed on the small diamonds held together by the pure metal belts spouting from the platinum band. If he wanted to toy with her, she would gladly return the favor. But, there was no denying that her heart rate had drastically increased. "So you're not proposing?"

"I am."

"Then I believe that is the wrong hand."

Baatar leans in, their faces only inches apart. "Does it matter?"

For a fleeting moment, she feels her heart pause. Kuvira connects their lips in one swift movement, interlocking her fingers behind his neck as they both fell back against the mattress with a soft thud.

Baatar snaps the box closed, holding it tightly in his grasp as he wraps his arms around her waist, smiling into their kiss.

And once fate deems they break apart, he asks what he's been meaning to ask for the past few months. "Will you marry me, Kuvira?"

She said yes not a moment later, enveloping him in another fervent kiss.

—

This was based off a close friend's recent engagement. She told me how her fiancée proposed and the muse hit me hard!