A/N- I really liked how this one came out... Well, I think it's a bit OOC and it might be a little boring in the middle, but I still hope you guys enjoy it! Also, I used another 'ImagineYourOTP' prompt- I'll put it at the end of the chapter, so I don't spoil anything here :3 And as always, reviews are author food- please feed me, the starving author? XD *noms chinese food* I'm not really starving... but reviews and feedback are still appreciated ^^
11. Proposal (Egoist)
"Hey, Hiro-san, let's go out for dinner. Somewhere fancy." Hiroki looked up from the rather sad pile of leftovers in the refrigerator, nodding. There was something like relief behind his eyes, although Nowaki assumed it was simply because he had been saved from having to eat the leftovers from a few night before.
"Okay... Where?" Hiroki asked, straightening up and closing the fridge doors. "I have that gift certificate Akihiko gave me for my birthday, so maybe we could go there if you hadn't already planned something?"
"Hmm... Okay. But if we're going somewhere like that, I need to change." Nowaki looked down at the jeans and t-shirt he had thrown on when he got home earlier that day. "I'll be back in a minute." Hiroki looked down and decided that his own clothes were probably fine to wear out- he'd had a faculty meeting at the university earlier that day, and hadn't had a chance to change once he got home.
He wandered into that bathroom and pulled a comb carefully through his hair, noting that a few pieces were sticking up at odd angles. Once he was satisfied with that, he made his way into the living room and pulled his wallet out of his bag, as well as a small black box which he shoved unceremoniously into his pocket.
"Are you ready?" Nowaki asked, and Hiroki whirled around spasmodically, hoping the other man hadn't noticed anything unusual. Apparently he hadn't, and Hiroki forced himself to relax before nodding slightly.
"How many in your party?" asked a blonde waitress who looked way too happy for her own good.
"Two." Nowaki answered for them. Neither him nor Hiroki had missed the woman's bright blue eyes glancing around to see if they had dates or if it really was just the two of them.
"Oh, alright!" she said, recovering quickly once she saw that they'd figured out her assumption, "Well, if you'll just come right this way, then!" the young woman led them to a table near the floor-to-ceiling window that looked out on the heavily crowded street outside. "Would you like me to get you some waters while you look at the menu?" both men nodded, and the woman walked quickly away.
Neither Hiroki nor Nowaki were particularly used to such prestigious dining- the whole dining room was filled with small two- person tables with flowers and white linen tablecloths. There were large chandeliers casting a warm light over the whole place, and expensive-looking paintings lined the walls.
"Just out of curiosity, what was the occasion for going out tonight?" Hiroki asked as he skimmed the extensive drink menu. "Anything in particular?"
"Of course there's something." Nowaki said with a light smile, being frustratingly vague. "You'll find out what it is soon enough, though." Hiroki scowled, looking back down and busying himself with choosing a drink. It was a bit annoying that Nowaki wasn't explaining himself, but at the same time, he had to admit that the man probably had a good reason, as he always did when doing things like this.
Once their waitress had returned to take their drink orders, Nowaki started a conversation to fill the awkward silence. "So, how was work today? You had a meeting, right?" Hiroki nodded.
"Yeah- I couldn't tell you half of what we talked about, though; Miyagi kept poking me and passing notes and just generally being an idiot." Nowaki smiled.
"Well, I just hope the meeting wasn't about anything too terribly important, then." Nowaki said, skimming over the menu options. Nothing was particularly calling out to him at the moment, so he looked up to watch Hiroki.
"It wasn't." the professor mumbled, not looking up from the menu. "It was just a meeting to formally tell all of the staff about the schedule and new grading system for next year, but all of that stuff's of the school's website already anyway." Hiroki looked up, probably feeling Nowaki's eyes looking at him, and a crease formed between his eyebrows, bringing them together slightly.
"Anyway, Miyagi kept on passing me stupid notes and doodles the whole time like some middle-schooler so I wouldn't have been able to pay attention anyway, even if I'd wanted to." Nowaki smiled again, this time because the demon professor had actually admitted to not wanting to pay attention during a meeting. Usually he gave off a 'work first, everything else second' kind of aura, but Nowaki had mastered the art of breaking it down to figure out what his lover truly felt.
The waitress returned a moment later, taking their dinner orders and leaving them to talk while their meals were cooked.
"How was work for you, Nowaki?" Hiroki asked, unsure how to fill the silence that had suddenly enveloped the two. "Earlier this morning, or late last night, or... whenever it was." Nowaki smiled, taking a sip of his drink before answering,
"It was fine, I guess. One of the littler kids who's been an inpatient in the hospital for a few months is finally getting released, so that was obviously really great news. Um... Now much happened, really. I wished I was at home, in bed with you, and not working, but thats true every time I have a night shift." Hiroki blushed lightly- even after so long of them being together, it was a little embarrassing that he still blushed so easily at hearing such things.
"Y-yeah, it's definitely more lonely when you're not around..." Hiroki half-mumbled, hoping he hadn't sounded too terribly stupid saying something like that. Apparently he hadn't, as Nowaki reached not-so-discreetly across the table to grasp the professor's hand. Hiroki struggled to pull it away only a moment later, however, saying something about them being out in public.
"Oh, come on, Hiro-san, I'm sure it's pretty obvious to anyone who's paying attention that we're on a date~!" Despite the fact that his tone was hushed, the words seemed to carry more than if he had said them in a normal, conversational tone. "And anyway, it's not like it really matters anymore, right? I mean, now that marriage has been legalized-" Hiroki shook his head furiously.
"Idiot! don't say stuff like that, now it's really obvious..." Luckily, Nowaki didn't have time to think of a reply because at that very moment, their overly-bubbly waitress returned with their food. Neither had really paid attention to what the other had ordered, and once the waitress had left, Nowaki said through a smile,
"Really, Hiro-san? The most expensive piece of meat on the menu?" Hiroki shrugged.
"Akihiko gave me a gift certificate for two hundred and fifty dollars." Hiroki said, "I think I can afford to get filet mignon if I want to." conversation tapered off a bit after that, both greatly enjoying the high-quality meal. Although as well as his steak, Hiroki's thoughts almost drifted somewhere near nervousness or worry when he thought of the small black box in his pocket.
After a while, though, Hiroki noticed the expression of complete and utter contentment in the eyes of the man across from him. "Um... Nowaki, is there something you want to-" Hiroki never finished this statement, however.
Because Nowaki had gotten out of his chair, and was currently kneeling in front of Hiroki. On one knee. And pulling a small box out of his pocket that looked strikingly similar to the small box in his own pocket. "Hiro-san..." Nowaki took a deep breath, then opened the box to reveal a simple gold webbing band, "Will you marry me?" Hiroki's head stopped. He froze for a moment, not moving other than the shaking fingers that were drifting towards his pocket.
He pulled it out and opened it, and his fingers were at this point shaking so badly that he struggled not to drop it. But he managed, and the expression on Nowaki's face when he opened it to reveal his own ring intended for the dark-haired doctor was one he would never forget.
"H- Hiro-san, you..." For once, Nowaki was speechless.
"... Yes. Yes, I'll marry you, you big idiot." and the applause of the rest of the restaurant's occupants was completely drowned out by the rushing in his ears as Nowaki reached up to kiss him, full on the mouth.
And for the first time ever, Hiroki didn't care that it was a public display of affection- not in the slightest.
And here's the prompt I used- (Imagine Person A of your OTP extravagantly proposing to Person B. When they ask, "Will you marry me?" Person B awkwardly pulls out the ring they had planned to propose to Person A with out of their pocket.)