It's the tiniest of things that reinforce to Connor he's made the right decision.
It's the extra light in Oliver's smile, the way he can see rays of happiness beaming from him and rushing through the room, like water over the falls, full of joy and life and energy. How he doesn't even need to be in the room with you to warm you up… but his hand will reach out anyway, and his fingers will lock in to Connor's, and he can feel every inch of him locking in, like a teeth in a zipper or two opposite poles of a magnet. It's all so right and just holding hands he finds he doesn't care about questions because the answer will always be Oliver.
It's the tiny frown he gets on his face when he's coding… when Connor sits beside him and hands him a mug of coffee and pushes up his glasses for him because he's concentrating so damn hard on his tests and checking his code translations and writing, and his eyebrows just slide together until he puts his head in his hands and Connor kisses every finger and tickles him and sings with him until he's had enough of a break to recharge and goes back to blocking the world.
It's the way how when Connor's sick he sits beside him and sings until he falls asleep, then makes tea and cooks all these old recipes from his home and his childhood, and Connor feels so safe in his arms, warm and welcome, like just the brush of fingertips against his forehead can calm a fever a degree. And it's also the way how whenever Oliver gets sick he sits all miserable in bed and won't let Connor come near him because he has to protect him from everything.
It's the patience exuding from him no matter what the circumstance. It's watching him smile and talk to his nephews and teach them how to tie their shoes. It's knowing after a terrible day of work where he's had to cancel their dinner plans for the fifth time, that Oliver will still be there waiting for him with home-cooked dinner and dessert left out on the bench.
It's his muscles just tightening around him like a glove, a blanket, and the way his hand just fits into the angles of his hips and his jaw settles over Connor's shoulder, the fact he can let Oliver sit there without squirming.
It's everything, absolutely everything. And that's how he knows.
They're on vacation in New York, strolling along Central Park like some old romantic film that you watch in black and white while counting the days til Christmas. Oliver has his hand in Connor's and they match each other with every step, smiling at babies in prams and laughing at the dogs out on walks. They climb to the top of the Belvedere Castle and Connor leans back against the bricks, pulling Oliver in for a kiss.
They descend and keep wandering through the park, taking in the scenery and laughing and whispering in each other's ear. Connor grows more and more nervous… but he never gives off anything, just keeps steering them towards the west side of the park. He's got this planned down to a T – the exact spot where he'll kneel, how he'll pull out the ring and give a speech he's been sitting on for months now, and he'll stand up and smile and the crowd will cheer for them, not against them, because he's on top of the world just thinking about it and nothing can get him down.
Of course, they've only just entered Strawberry Fields when he begins to fidget with the blue velvet box in his pocket. And, even worse, it's there that a squirrel darts out of a tree in front of them and Connor jumps… causing him to fumble and promptly drop the box.
It doesn't go unnoticed by Oliver, who breathes in as he jumps to pick it up, "Is that…"
Shit. Even this I screw up. Connor shakes his head, pulling Oliver closer to the mosaic. "No. This needs to be perfect." They finally get to the centre, stopping on either side of the bold IMAGINE, and Connor holds the box in his left hand, his right gripping onto Oliver's. "Oliver, I don't… When I first met you, I couldn't begin to consider the idea of a boyfriend. But you changed that – you changed me – and now my imagination is taking me so much further, past boyfriends, past civil partnerships, past long-term relationships…"
"You can't be serious…"
He looks down at the ground, letting the word trigger his speech. "With you, I don't need to imagine there being no heaven – because with you I'm already in it. There's no heaven above us, no hell below us, because we're living this together and when I'm with you… it's only us. When I'm with you, I finally begin to understand peace – not that you calm the world, but you calm me, and that's all that anyone can ask for. With you I would share all my possessions… but with you I need none. I would go hungry and starve. I would give up my world, my career, my life, only to make you happy. You're the dreamer in this relationship, and you always have been, but that doesn't mean I can't dream too," he drops down on one knee, "and all I ever dream about is waking up with you beside me for the rest of eternity. So Oliver Hampton," he finally glances up and sees a few tears streaming down Oliver's cheek, a smile bigger than the city, "will you marry me?"
Oliver can only nod, and Connor slides the band over his finger before pulling his fiancée into his arms, lips pressed to his like kissing was the only way he could get oxygen. He lives and breathes Oliver. And they're still kissing to the roar of the crowd and tears stream down Connor's face too – because no matter how many times and how badly he'd screwed up in the past, none of it mattered. It's them and only them, forever as one, floating away on the clouds of the heavens above.
Well hello there!
So this was another Tumblr prompt - they wanted a marriage proposal... and I was thinking about Connor being afraid of squirrels (it just sort of popped out) and so that led to the first time I ever saw a squirrel, which was in Central Park, and they're in PA so why the hell can't they just head to Manhattan for a vacation? And then looking up romantic places spurred this... because Connor has to control everything, perfect everything :-)
Like it? Hate it? Want me to be internalised by marshmallows and cooked and made into a s'more? Please let me know!
Keep smiling! :D