A/N: This story is pure fluff. And I love it. And it was fun to write. And I needed a palette cleanse. And shut up. Enjoy!
Nick was once again at the mercy of the Feeling Cup. He hated this game, but a bored Jess is an insufferable Jess, so when he suggested they play, it was more a move of self-preservation than anything else.
"Is it a mini barbel?" he asked, biting his lip.
Jess stifled a laugh."Uh-uh."
"It's definitely not a – ah crap! I think I broke it. Wait, wait, that's soft. It's a cotton ball – 2 cotton balls!" He removed his blindfold and looked in the cup. "What - " he said, slowly removing the item and looking at it with some amusement, said "Marshmallows on a spaghetti stick?"
"Sucka! Jess strikes another blow for the Nick Miller Feeling Cup losing streak!"
"Okay, okay, don't get cocky, we have one more round and now you're in the hot seat."
"Ooh, the hot seat! Is that because I'm so steamy?" she said seductively. She took the blindfold and put it on, crossing her arms when finished. "Bring it on."
"Hold on, will ya? Geez, so impatient." Nick said, leaving her at the table.
"I'm impatient?" she exclaimed. "Yesterday you yelled at the burrito wrapper because it said 'heat 7 minutes' !"
"What kind of burrito takes 7 minutes? No self respecting microwaveable item should take more than 4." he yelled from somewhere in the loft.
"Nick? Where are you?" Jess said loudly.
"I'm getting it, hold on!" he yelled back. Making his way to his room, he glanced around for any idea, anything he could stump her with. He was sick of losing, and he for damn sure wasn't gonna go out on marshmallows on a spaghetti stick. Nick rummaged through the drawer of his bedside table, removing and discarding multiple items. No, none of these are good enough. Think Miller! Reaching further back, his fingertips felt a familiar object. Taking the velvet box from it's hiding place, he opened it and looked at the delicate item it contained for what felt like the thousandth time since he bought it a month ago.
Perfect.
Removing the jewel from the box, he placed it in his pocket and then grabbed a pad of paper from his desk and quickly wrote something on it and headed back towards the kitchen. But something made him hesitate, and he slowed his step. What if this is the wrong move? He peeked around the corner. Jess was still seated at the table, arms crossed, blindfold still in place. He could see a trace of a smile, and she was making a sound – was that humming? Yes, she was humming. She was humming 'Ride of the Valkyries'. With a smile on her face.
Yep, definitely the right move.
"OK, ready?" Nick said, resuming his walk to the table.
She quickly silenced her solo. "Yep"
He placed the paper in the cup and hesitated a moment, then handed it to her. Before he could release the cup, Schmidt exited his room, and Nick quickly pulled the cup back. Dammit.
"Wha – Schmidt, I thought you were out man!" Nick exclaimed, sounding a little irritated at the interruption.
"It's the third Sunday of the month – got Hottie Pilates in an hour. Check it out - " he said, turning his back to the pair. Jess lifted her blindfold to see the words Eyes On The Prize emblazoned across his rear. "It's wordplay." he said with a grin. Nick frowned and caught Jess out of the corner of his eye leaning over the table to see into the cup.
"Hey, no peeking!" He said, pointing at her.
"Oooh, Feeling Cup! Let the master give it a try!" Schmidt said, coming towards the table. Nick pulled the cup to his chest. "No, it's Jess's turn." He said.
"I don't mind." she said cheerily, handing Schmidt the blindfold. They'd been playing for an hour now, and she really wanted a cup of tea.
"No." Nick said again. "Just me and Jess are playing, it's the last round. I'm not prepared for a new player. You'll upset the balance."
Jess seemed ignorant to his ire. "It's okay, he can be my proxy, just give it to him."
"No!"
"Nick! Come on, we'll do another round, it's no big deal." she said.
"This is chaos!" he yelled. "There have to be rules! Without rules -"
"Hey, is that a turtle?" Schmidt said, pointing to the empty hall. Nick turned to look, and Jess snatched the cup from his hand. Schmidt pulled down his blindfold and Jess handed him the cup.
"Jess, no, that's not meant for him!" Nick exclaimed.
"What the hell? It's just paper." Schmidt said, frowning. "That's just lazy, even for Nick." Schmidt took off the blindfold and began to unfold the paper. "There's something written on it." he said. Nick lunged across the table, and Schmidt pulled it to his chest. "Whoa! Somebody doesn't want to share! Is it a dirty note? Pray tell, what does Nick Miller have to say that Schmiddty can't hear?" he teased
"Schmidt, give that to me or I swear to God.." Nick said through gritted teeth.
Reading the note, Schmidt began out loud, "Will you – seriously?" He looked at Nick, eyes wide.
"What's it say?" Jess asked.
"What? Nothing." Schmidt said.
"Yeah, it's nothing." Nick repeated.
"Schmidt!" she exclaimed, reaching for the paper. "Nick! What did you write? Is it dirty or something?"
"It says will you take out the trash!" Nick said, backing up from the table.
"Is that a bird-cat?" Jess said, pointing at the window behind Schmidt. He looked and she snatched the paper. "Aha!"
"Jess, please, don't -" Nick started.
"Will you marry me!" she exclaimed triumphantly. The words hung silently in the air. In the excitement of winning the paper, Jess hadn't really processed what she had read. But the expectant expression on Nick's face brought her back from glory and she looked again at the crumpled paper, muttering the words to herself.
"Nick?" she looked at him curiously, unsure of what was happening. Was he proposing? Looking into his eyes, she saw a number of emotions there – anger, love, disappointment. Fear. Nick always had a look of fear, whether he was trying new food or using GPS ("what self respecting man doesn't use a map?"), but this time it was directed at her. Was he afraid she'd say no?
"Dammit." He said, taking a breath and closing his eyes. "Jess, I'm sorry, this wasn't supposed to go this way – I had it planned out and everything, it was supposed to romantic, and then that idiot over there -" he said, pointing to Schmidt.
Schmidt balked. "Hey! In my defense, you shouldn't go around just writing proposals on paper and not expecting people to read them!"
They continued to argue, but the words were just noise to her. As she stood there, watching the man she had fallen in love with argue with his roommate about the method of his proposal, in the middle of his proposal, she tried to suppress a smile at the ridiculous idea that she could possibly spend the rest of her life without him. "Yes." she answered.
Hearing the word, the argument ceased, and Nick snapped his attention back to the blue eyes boring into him. Did she just say yes? Did she, Jessica Day, just agree to marry this schlub, Nick Miller?
"Jess? Did you, I mean -" he stuttered.
"Yes, Nick. I will marry you." she said softly. Her eyes brimmed brightly with forming tears, and a megawatt smile broke out on her face.
"Oh my God, yes? Yes! YES!" He moved around the table to embrace her, but was caught instead in a full body hug by Schmidt.
"She said yes man!" Schmidt exclaimed.
Nick struggled to get Schmidt to release him. "Yeah, I know. Get off dude, at least let me get this part right!" he said, finally released. Nick fumbled in his pocket and pulled out the delicate item retrieved from his drawer. Taking Jess's hand, he slipped the thin gold band on her slender finger and pulled her close.
"You said yes." he murmured into her hair, as if he still didn't believe it.
She looked up at him, and he brought his thumb to her cheek, wiping the damp skin. "You asked." she retorted. "So does this mean I won Feeling Cup?" she asked with a soft smile.
"Nope, I definitely won this time." Nick said, finally bringing his lips down on hers.