Disclaimer: I don't own Bravely Default.
Jackal pored over his newspaper, eyes scanning for anything pertaining to his thieves guild. Nothing so far, which gave him mixed feelings. On the one hand, they had no exposure, on the other hand, they had no exposure. It was hard to become a legendary thief if you had nothing in the way of advertisement. A low profile was fine, but recognition was even better.
"Hey, Jackie?"
The bandit put down his paper with a sigh. "What." was his flat reply.
"Hmph. Sorry, did I interrupt something important?"
Jackal rolled his eyes. How and why he had fallen for such a dizzy blonde was a mystery for the ages. Where he was reserved and focused, she was exuberant and scatterbrained. His gruff, almost wolfish nature contrasted her peppy, bunny-like one. They were polar opposites, and not a day went by where they didn't fight over at least one thing, whether it was one of the thieves making goo-goo eyes at her, his rough and prickly demeanor, any amount of things. She was a pain, had been since he met her over that misunderstanding of Kamiizumi and the Chief, and it seemed like she was going to be a pain for the foreseeable future.
And here they were, having been dating for almost two years. And though he would never, ever, ever, ever, EVER admit it, every day with her was like a mini-vacation in his own private oasis. She was his sun, his moon, the wind in his face, the life-nourishing water that soothed his weary soul, his very reason for waking (that didn't include thieving, of course), and he couldn't imagine what his life was like, would be like, without her in it.
"Nah, nothing." he replied a bit more evenly. "What's up?"
She twirled her fingers, as though she was unsure whether or not she should ask the next question. "Umm…if you were gonna…propose to me, how would you do it?"
Jackal blinked, staying silent for what seemed like eons.
"How long did you sunbathe today?" he finally asked.
"I'm serious!" Praline blushed as she crossed her arms, puffing her cheeks out slightly. Jackal very nearly chuckled. She was oddly cute when she was mad. Trying so hard to be fierce and intimidating, the exact opposite of the adorable little bunny she really was. "If you were gonna propose to me, how would you do it?"
"Why do you wanna know?" asked the thief, leaning back in his chair.
"I'm just curious, is all. Can't a girl be curious?"
Jackal tilted his chair back to position, folding his arms on the table. "A girl can be anything she wants. Even rhetorical and annoying."
Praline scowled. "Or stupid enough to fall for a bratty little thief."
The bandit almost laughed. She was still the only one who would ever really call him out on his crap. "Toucan."
"Touché."
"Shut up. Want me to answer the question or not?"
Praline rolled her eyes but stayed silent.
"How'd I propose to you…actually, I got an idea."
"Ooh, there's a first."
"Ha, ha, ha." Jackal laughed sarcastically. "Put on your walking shoes; let's go."
Confused, Praline complied, also making sure to grab her blue cloak. Never again would she want the desert to turn her hair into a dry, frizzy mess.
With a grunt, Jackal pulled Praline up the last step, the songstress finally reaching the summit of the mountain Jackal /insisted/ they climb. To what end, she had no idea, but she knew Jackal; he never did anything without purpose. "So," she asked. "Why are we up here? I hate heights…"
"You asked how I'd propose, so here we are." Jackal gestured with a wide sweep of his hand. "This is the highest point in Harena. You can see everything from here."
That she could. From where she stood, she could see the city of Ancheim, the massive windmills spinning as they took the desert wind, the enormous clock serving as a sort of backdrop for the town. She could see the oasis, where she first met Khint, who had been like a father to her, and the place she had first sung for Jackal. She could see the entrance to the Thieves' Lair, her home for the last two years ever since she had gotten serious about dating Jackal. The desert spread out before her like a painting, a golden sea that seemed to stretch on for miles, a far cry from grassy Florem, but home nonetheless.
"It's pretty." she whipped, her voice carrying on the wind's breath. "But, what does this have to do with—"
She was cut off as Jackal grabbed her hands between his, holding them tightly as though they were precious treasures he had just stolen. "How'd I propose? I guess I'd say that you make me a better person. You're annoying as hell, but…in a good way. You're beautiful, nice, all that mushy shit. I can't promise you much," Again, he gestured to the wide expanse that was Harena. "But I can promise you this. The freedom you've always wanted. A life of adventure and no inhibitions. A life that I can't imagine without you or whatever, a life that I promise to protect and treasure with everything I have."
Tears were forming at the corner of Praline's eyes. "Aw, Jackie, you hopeless romantic." she cooed, wrapping her arms around him in a hug.
"Wait, I forgot something."
Detangling himself from Praline's arms, he reached into his pocket and fished out something that made the songstress gasp. A gold ring with a cobalt, the same color of her eyes, the gemstone shining in the light of the blazing desert sun. Sighing, Jackal took a knee, grabbing Praline's hand and slipping the ring onto the stunned singer's finger. "Will you marry me or whatever?"
One question ran through Praline's mind. "Did you steal this?"
"For once, no."
Smiling, Praline knelt to Jackal's level, pulling the thief forward in a long, deep kiss. After she pulled away, she was delighted to see the blush on his face.
"Then yes."
END
…or is it?
Khint kept his binoculars trained on the mountain, his fave offering no information to his confederates.
"Well?" asked Khamer, wringing his hands. "What's going on? Did she say yes?"
"It appears so." was the Spell Fencer's reply.
"Let me see, let me see!" came the heavily accented voice of Erutus Profiteur. Khint handed the merchant the binoculars, the well-dressed man immediately using Takeover several times to create a pillar of money to use as a vantage point. "Oh, ho, ho…" drawled the financier. "She said 'yes', alright. Still seems to be saying it."
"What!?" exclaimed Khamer. "Right there on the mountain!? In public!? Scandalous!"
"I'm more worried about them getting sunburned." Khint stated, a ghost of a smile on his face. "And I believe I'm owed some money from the two of you."
Grumbling, the elder men handed Khint his pg, the Spell Fencer already planning the perfect wedding gift for his two charges.
END…for real