As usual, Dorian spent another dreaded afternoon with his mother. Now, it wasn't that he didn't like his mother - she was much better off than the rest of his family. However, his mother often called him in for luncheons with many suitable ladies. Dorian had mostly gotten over his lingering feelings for Celaena, but it wasn't quite easy. It had given him time to rebuild his friendship wit Chaol, which hadn't quite been left in pieces, but they were teetering on a dangerous edge.
"Now, Dorian, you know you're getting quite old and you really must pick a suitable lady to marry. Perhaps you should try your luck with one of the ladies from this luncheon," his mother droned on as he picked at his food. "Perhaps you could at least practice proposing," his mother finished.
"I guess I could give it a try." He sighed. His mother gave him a pleased smile. He regretted his words the minute he said them. He didn't want to make empty promises. So, perhaps he would go out and practice proposing, and he knew just the person to practice with.
Chaol did his daily round of the perimeter before heading in for the night. He noticed a figure by a tree, and moved toward it (reminding himself that this was the reason he did his nightly rounds). He caught the quick movements, as he'd trained all his life to do. He knew Celaena was upset with him for being so loyal to the king. He'd at first been unable to accept her, but he realized that this world wasn't black and white. It was hard though, old habits die hard. He'd given everything up to be a warrior, a warrior that he thought did the right thing. He didn't know what was right or wrong anymore, he didn't know what to believe.
He caught another movement from the figure behind the tree, as he got closer. He reached out and grabbed the figure from behind, just as they jumped out.
"Mph", Dorian grunted, as Chaol brought his arm around his neck in one quick movement. Chaol rolled his eyes when he realized it was just Dorian. He let him go, and the red-faced Dorian gasped for air.
"I could've killed you. You should know better than to try and sneak up on me," Chaol scolded. He really worried for Dorian sometimes. Well, if he was being perfectly honest then he always worried over Dorian. No matter how angry Dorian was with him, Chaol would always watch over him. He wouldn't forgive himself if anything happened to Dorian. The Prince might think he could take care of himself, but Dorian was known for getting himself into trouble. Chaol had to admit though, he really did enjoy saving his royal ass every now and then.
"Try? I clearly scared you enough to make you think I was a threat." Dorian scoffed. They were both too stubborn for their own good, and it seriously made Chaol wonder how they were such great friends.
"I'm trained to act on instinct, my instinct was to take out the figure that I could see from three miles away," Chaol retorted.
A pink tint took over Dorian's features. He sheepishly kicked a rock, not having anything better to argue.
"Did you come here for a reason? Other than just dying to get killed?" Chaol questioned.
Dorian chuckled. "Did you just make a pun, Captain Westfall?" Dorian scoffed.
It was Chaol's turn to be embarrassed. Dorian quite often teased him about his sense of humor. Dorian knew how well Chaol tried to hide the lighter side of him, often prompting him to either take or make a joke once in a while. Chaol knew he was just trying to make sure his friend saw the light in all the darkness he was used to, but with everything he'd seen recently it was getting harder and harder to fake a smile.
"Alright, so there was something I wanted to ask you," Dorian admitted. Chaol arched an eyebrow in question, prompting Dorian to continue.
"Would you practice proposing with me?" Dorian finished quickly, so that he wouldn't lose his nerve.
Chaol laughed. What exactly Dorian meant, he didn't understand. All he knew was that the way Dorian was looking at him, with nervousness clear in his eyes, made him want to stop laughing and put his friend at ease. "And what exactly do you mean?", Chaol asked.
"My mother wants me to practice proposing, so that I can work up the nerve to ask one of her preferred lady's hand in marriage. Will you do it? Will you let me practice on you?" Dorian explained.
Chaol tilted his head in thought, thinking of only how to word his reply. He'd already decided his answer the minute Dorian had opened his mouth. Dorian waited in aggravating anticipation. Chaol did quite enjoy the way Dorian nervously bit his lip, and strung his hands together.
"No," he answered.
"No?" Dorian repeated, etching his confusion.
"Why don't you ask a lady? Gods forbid you could've just asked Celaena when we all knew you wanted to," Chaol answered, moving to walk away.
Dorian stepped in front of him. "What kind of friend would I have been if I'd ignored the way you looked at each other. What kind of fool would I have been to have gone as far to have asked her. She'd left me long before working up the nerve was even a possibility. She never would've said yes Chaol, and at first I thought it was because of you. Now I realize her heart belongs to neither you or me, and our hearts shouldn't be in her hands forever. You fall in love more than once, Chaol. If I believe I can, then why can't you believe that your heart is capable of more? You don't see who you really are Chaol, I don't understand how you can't see the man I see standing in front of me." Dorian huffed. "Besides, my mother wanted me to practice on some maiden, because of course she'd say yes. This way I can keep my promise until I find the person I really do want to spend my whole life with." He continued.
Dorian had just sad what Chaol had tried to forget. What Chaol had spent sleepless nights worrying about. The thoughts that made his eyes water, to the point where he only fell asleep when there were no more tears to cry. Dorian had just opened the wound in Chaol's heart, and rubbed salt in it. To the point where Chaol felt the pain all over. Yet, somehow it didn't hurt as much as he thought it would. His tear ducts weren't beckoning to be opened. His heart wasn't falling out into his feet. Hearing these words from Dorian somehow patched the open wound all on their own. As if, finally they were little boys running around and saving their people again. As if they'd never grown up, and they were still lying in the gardens. As if they were still staring up at the stars, telling each other their hopes and dreams.
"You're right," Chaol voiced, beginning to walk again.
Dorian, once again, stepped in Chaol's way. "Wait, Chaol." He started.
He got down on his knee. "Will you marry me?" He asked, with a wink. A wink, by Wyrd, Chaol had never felt so uncomfortable around Dorian. He didn't know if he'd visibly cringed, but it was that bad.
"In your dreams." Chaol chuckled, making another move to walk away, and this time he maneuvered around Dorian.
"Wait! Is that a no?" Dorian called.
"Definitely a no. Practice was definitely a good idea, you suck at this. You need something more romantic, a grand gesture!" Chaol called, over his shoulder. He found himself laughing to himself all the way back to his rooms.
For once, Chaol fell asleep with a smile on his face.