Requested by XblackcatwidowX

He saw to outcomes. One: she accepted, throwing her arms around him and refusing to allow him to take a breath as she ravished his lips. Two: she rejected, running her mouth off about how presumptuous he was and he'd go swirling into the fiery pit of her anger. That was it. Perhaps others might think those reactions a bit extreme, but they didn't know Merida. She rarely did anything halfway. And that's why he loved her.

He was just hoping that on this particular occasion the extreme favored the first option.

His fingers tightened around her calloused hand. She squeezed his back and laid her head on his shoulder. Red tendrils defied gravity and stuck to his cheek and lips. He laughed and pushed the strands of hair away.

"You know, I think it's a bit like cotton candy," he said.

"What?" she asked, lifting her head to look at him.

"Your hair. One problem though, it certainly doesn't taste like it." He pulled another curl from his face, smacking his mouth for emphasis.

She smiled and looked away.

He frowned.

That was not like her. She always had a rebuttal. Merida would fight tooth and nail for the last word.

"Granted, you'd be like the Wicked Witch then. You'd start melting the moment it starts raining."

She nodded.

"Okay," he said stopping short. "What the hell?"

Her brows furrowed over bright eyes. "Huh?"

"What the hell is up with you today?"

"That's the question you have for me?"

"What? No—Well, yes. It's a question for you. I want an answer. I swear; I don't know what's up with you today. It's starting to drive me crazy—and not in the way you usually do."

"Not a question," she corrected. "The question."

"Who said I had anything to ask you?" he bit out.

"Oh, no one. It's nothing," she said with a wave of her hand. She tugged on his hand and tried to pull him farther down the path.

"No." He dug his heels into the ground. "I want to know what's been up with you lately. I don't know what's going on. It's making me wonder—"

"What? Wonder what, Jack?"

"Ah, nothing." It was his turn to shrug off answering.

"Don't tell me you're going to chicken out and not propose!" she groaned.

"What?"

Merida's lips pursed. "Oops," she mumbled.

"How did you know?" he demanded.

"The boys overheard you talking with Mum…"

With a huff, he dragged his hand down his face. "Of course. Ratted out by those little buggers."

"I just didn't want to ruin it," she said quietly.

"Ruin it?"

"Your proposal." She slipped her hand from his grip and shoved it into her jean pocket. Pushing a stray wisp of hair from her eye, she kicked at a rock. "Guys are big on that 'it-being-perfect' crap, right?"

A smile began to twitch at the corner of his lips. Laughter bubble up and broke through his lips. He doubled over, placing his hands on his knees to brace himself.

"Stop laughing!"

"Sorry," he squeezed out. Jack stood and stepped towards Merida. She flinched away, but he snatched her shoulders and yanked her close. Pressing her to his body, he ensnared her lips. After a moment he pulled away and said, "It wouldn't be "perfect" without at least one smartass comment from you."

"Good," she hummed.

"Well," he prompted.

"A deep hole used to get water out of the ground."

"There we go." His lips brushed over hers.

"Yes," she breathed out before pulling his mouth to hers and throwing her arms around his neck.