PROPOSAL
A/N: There was a list of dialogue prompts on Tumblr, so I decided to take the prompts and write different fics for different ships I like based on the same prompt. This is based on prompt #1: "It's really not that complicated."
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"It's really not that complicated," Lazul said. "You find the right moment and then you ask her."
"You know it's not the same for me as it is for you," Kohza snapped. "For me, it is complicated! Vivi is the queen! You don't – you don't just 'find the right moment' and go up to the ruler of the country and ask her to marry you!"
"Well then, don't 'find' it. Make it."
So began Kohza's quest for the perfect proposal. First, the father's permission. Kohza sought an audience with the old king and, with trembling legs, requested his permission to marry his daughter.
Nefertari Cobra said, "My daughter is queen now; she doesn't need my permission to marry anyone. She can do as she pleases in this matter. And so can you."
"Yes, Your Majesty," said Kohza. "But… But I should still like your blessing."
Cobra smiled at him. "I always liked you, young man. If she accepts your offer of marriage, I shall be delighted."
Second, the bracelet. In Alabasta, bracelets were the traditional marker of engagement. Generally, this took the form of a bracelet of smooth sand-coloured beads inlaid with gold, and two blue gemstones linked together in the middle of it. He acquired one by proxy through Lazul, who in turn got a trusted friend of a trusted friend to buy it. It would have raised too many eyebrows and started a million tongues wagging if Nefertari Vivi's boyfriend or his best friend went around looking for an engagement bracelet.
Next, the date and the setting. He considered proposing on her birthday. But it seemed too commonplace, and besides, the birthday of the monarch always involved many, many state functions which would leave him with hardly any time and space for a proper proposal.
"Choose a random day," his father said. "It'll be a bigger surprise that way."
Kohza had standing arrangements with Vivi to meet at least once a week for some private time. They had decided early on in the relationship that fixing a regular date was the best way to ensure that they got to spend some time together. As the environmental minister, Kohza was a busy man, but Vivi was the queen and many times busier than Kohza. Occasionally these weekly dates had to be cancelled due to important state affairs, but to make up for it they occasionally managed to squeeze in three dates in a week. (Vivi's official week-long vacations twice a year were a different matter, of course.)
Once he had the engagement bracelet in hand, Kohza picked a random date, as his father had suggested.
"There." He pointed at a date in his calendar. "That's when I'll propose to her."
Lazul leaned over his shoulder to look at it. "Hmm. Three weeks away. Is that enough time for you?"
"I hope so."
It proved to be just barely enough time. Kohza felt the need to turn out in new clothes on the day and decided to have a new outfit in the formal Alabastan style made. He had to put off fittings for a week because work commitments prevented him from meeting the tailor. That left two weeks and two weeks, as his tailor informed him with an injured and harried air, was far too little time for a custom set.
Under pressure, Kohza had to tell the man what he was planning. The tailor gasped, "Sir! You should have told me earlier still! We need to make you look your very, very best for such an occasion!"
"Save the 'very, very best' for the wedding, perhaps," said Kohza. "If she says yes."
Kohza also had to let Igaram, Terracotta, and Vivi's chief lady-in-waiting, Topaz, in on the secret. He tasked them with getting the place ready on the day itself. Vivi's favourite flowers were to be brought in and used to decorate the queen's private dining room. The cooks should be instructed to have the couple's favourite dishes made. Topaz volunteered to nudge Vivi into choosing a dress and jewelry that would complement the engagement bracelet. Kohza agreed to that, albeit warily.
"I don't want her feeling like I'm being presumptuous or forcing her into anything," he said.
Topaz reassured him. "I'll just drop hints and suggestions. Her Majesty won't be forced into anything."
But Kohza's careful planning came to nought, for when he came to the palace on that day, Igaram met him with news that the queen was quite ill. So instead of seeing her dressed beautifully in a wonderfully decorated dining room with her favourite food on the table, he saw Vivi lying in bed with the blankets drawn up to her chin as Topaz fanned her.
"I hate this," mumbled Vivi. "I'm hot and I'm cold at the same time."
"Give me the fan," Kohza said to Topaz. "I'll do that."
She handed him the fan, curtsied, and left them in private. Kohza sat down on the floor beside her bed and carried on fanning her.
"Stop for a while," said Vivi. "A bit too cold right now."
"Poor thing." Kohza patted her head. "I'm sorry you feel so awful."
"You don't have to sit here, you know."
"You're in my schedule so I kind of have to," he joked.
Vivi laughed weakly.
A comfortable silence settled between them for a while. Vivi had her eyes closed. Kohza let her rest, thinking dolefully that all his efforts for the day had been wasted.
Ah well. I suppose I'll just propose next week.
It did rather take the wind out of his sails though…
Suddenly, Vivi spoke. "Why are you dressed so nicely today?"
"Huh? Oh. I didn't think you'd noticed that."
"I'm sick, but not so much that I'm blind," she said, opening an eye to look at him before closing it again. "That's a new outfit. You look good."
He smiled. "Thank you."
She gestured towards the fan. "I feel hot."
Kohza picked up the fine paper fan – a gift from Amazon Lily – and waved it in Vivi's direction.
After a few moments, Vivi spoke again. "So why the new outfit?"
"Would you believe me if I told you that I planned to propose to you today?"
"Heh. I might, but it seems odd that you'd say so if that was the case, so I guess I don't."
"It's true though."
Vivi let out an unladylike snort, which turned into a cough. "You're just saying that to cheer me up because I'm so miserable right now."
Planning be damned, thought Kohza.
He put the fan down and drew the bracelet from his pocket. Then he gently took Vivi's hand, turned the palm up and dropped the bracelet into it. Without raising her head from the pillow, she opened her eyes. She saw the bracelet, and gaped at him.
"Your dining room was supposed to be filled with flowers," he said, rubbing her wrist with his thumb. "I had it all planned out. We'd have dinner, and at the end of it I would ask you to marry me. Looks like my plans didn't turn out."
"Kohza…"
"This is probably not a great time to propose." Kohza gazed absently at the bracelet in her hand. "But I'm going to take that bracelet back in a bit… And then, when you're better, I'll ask you again. Okay?"
Vivi took a moment to feel the bracelet, run her fingers over the blue gemstones. The corners of her lips turned up. "Okay."
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A/N (2): My first VivixKohza fic! Whee! I hope people like it :)