~ Husband ~

Scandal ain't mine. But I really really really love Fitz & Olivia. Like. A lot.

~.~.~.~

For years, Fitz always called her. At night, every night, before he went to sleep. Just to hear her voice. Even if it was only for the tiniest fraction of a second. That's what he tells her. It was worth it, Olivia, he says to her, in case she ever needs a reminder. Always, he tells her, in case he just really, really wants to make her smile. Always.

They've been in that lovely, lovely house in Vermont. For six months, two weeks, three days. Four hours. Nine minutes. Not that Olivia's counting. But, they - they still call each other, every night. When it was a bad day, when they were angry, or a had a stupid, petty fight - they always call.

Tonight - Fitz is in their bed. Olivia is in their kitchen. They don't know it, they're clueless, they have no idea, but - they're both looking out at the stars, illuminating the darkness with just a little bit, just a tiny, tiny gleam of light.

"Come upstairs, Liv. C'mon."

"Why?" And she's smiling. She's - she's really been doing that a lot lately.

"Because."

"Tell me why," she says. She's biting her lip. Still smiling. Eyes on the smooth, tile floor.

"When you get up here - I have something." Fitz clears his throat. Deprived, pleading - he sounds like he's starving. "For you. I need to - I need to. Come upstairs. I need you with me. I'm - I'm..."

Maybe, she thinks. A very, very small part of her hopes that - maybe. His voice is strangled, he needs her, she knows how much he needs her, how close he needs her, all the time. It's not every day that he - that he, just. Lets her see it. Today he is. So. Maybe.

It's hushed. A whisper, because please. "You're what?"

"I'm going to ask you to marry me."

God, he is. He's doing it. "Fitz."

"Livy, please. Come upstairs."

She does. Very slowly. Some girls would run up these stairs and cry and fall into his arms and pray that he would never let her go. But Olivia is so much different.

She wants this. She wants this more than anything, wants this like children want Christmas, wants this like a little puppy wants a home, wants this like she might just die without it, but at the same time - she doesn't want it all. She doesn't want it, she needs it, she needs it she needs it she needs it. Needs to be closer to him, to completely and entirely and gloriously his. She needs it, so much, and it's - scary. It's scary, but it's wonderful.

Fitz is waiting for her, leaning against the doorway, looking so handsome, simple and sleepy in his pajamas. So handsome, and Olivia looks at him, and it's November, but she's warm, because he's mine. Finally.

He kisses her once. And he looks like he's going to stop, like that's all she's going to get, because he grabs her hand and turns around. But then he dives again, holding her face firmly in his fingers, And he kisses her and kisses her and kisses her, just these tiny, sweet little pecks that make her toes curl and she doesn't know when it happens, but her arms are so tight around his waist, tugging at him. Closer. She wants him closer.

"Ask - ask me." She says, attempting to overcome the complexity of inhaling and exhaling. But he's still kissing her, and it's hard to focus on anything but - his lips, oh god, his lips.

Then, he stops. "Okay." He entwines their fingers, pulls her to the bed. And they're laying down, facing each other. Their noses are almost touching. He holds her hands still, tenderly, like they're treasure, holds them and places them right over his heart.

And he starts talking.

"I want... I want - This." He looks down at their fingers, both clinging on so tightly, and their hands are like - two puzzle pieces. "This is what I want, Olivia. Every day. I want this, every day, for the rest of my life. I know the conventional way to do things, I know - I know I'm supposed to be down on knee. Give you a huge speech that makes you cry. We're not - we're really not conventional." He smiles.

He smiles, and she doesn't understand. She doesn't understand why she let them waste so much time, because - it doesn't matter. Now. They have each other now.

"No. We're not. But. I, just. Love you."

"I wanted to buy you an engagement ring. The day after I kissed you for the first time. I wanted to, but I - I couldn't. Because - Mellie. I was married." She sees him swallow a lump in his throat. It's like the thought of being with anyone else makes him, just - ache. "And - and I was the president. Leader of the free world and all that."

She doesn't say anything. Only looks at him. Knows she has tears in her eyes, certain and positive of it, and she wishes she didn't. Because he's blurry. He's blurry, and she wants to savor every second of this.

"Then, I - then I wanted to buy you one when we moved here. When we finally, finally, finally, finally moved here." A pause, and he squeezes her hand. "You're - you're here with me. Livy." Another pause, because he takes time to kiss every one of her knuckles. He doesn't tear his eyes away from hers. She unknowingly moves closer. "Anyway." He clears his throat. "I knew you'd find it. You're smart. So intelligent, and - and. Brilliant. You're brilliant and you'd know. You know me. And you'd find it."

"I know that you're nervous," Olivia says. "You're shaking. And your heart's pounding, Fitz, god." She rubs his chest, giving him a tiny smile, "Your eyes, too. They - they say it all. You - you shouldn't be nervous. Okay?"

"Because you love me?"

"Yes." She whispers, the word like relief on her tongue, because she held it in. She held it in for so long. Now - now she can say it every day. "It's like - the world is so dark and miniscule and insignificant when - you. Just. You're - everything to me, Fitz."

For a few moments, nothing is said. He just looks at her. Complete awe. Just adoration and love, like he simply can't believe she's really there. "Closer. C'mere, need you closer." Their arms are around each other not even a second later. Olivia curled into him, head on his chest. And he just holds her. "This morning, I - I woke up, and I looked at you. You were right there. Still sleeping. The sun, on your skin, I - you were just. Radiant. Beautiful. And I wanted to be your husband. So much. So much it hurt. There was - it hurt, Livy, it hurt too much, it hurt like - like emptiness. Like there was something missing, and everything, I... I was in pain, Liv. It hurt, and - "

Olivia shakes her head. No. Not - it shouldn't be like that. "But. But I don't want to do that. I don't want to hurt you."

Fitz kisses the very top of her head. He runs his hands up and down her spine. She thinks he's smiling - she hopes. But she's not sure, and being close to him, it feels too - too perfect to move. "It wasn't like before, though," he says. "It wasn't like the kind of pain when I didn't have you, when we weren't - together, when I couldn't see you and I felt like I couldn't breathe. Felt like I was drowning, or choking, or - or..." Fitz doesn't finish his sentence. Olivia closes her eyes tight. She remembers. Exactly what that felt like, she remembers. "It didn't feel like that this morning. Sometimes... it feels like I can't breathe because I love you. Because I love you so much. It hurts, Olivia. But in a good way. Not like - not like before."

She knows that feeling, too. It's - it's gorgeous. She nods. Kisses his hand. Smiles. "Well. So much for no big speech."

When he laughs, it's kind of completely beautiful. Olivia doesn't let herself think about she wasted so much time not hearing it. Because she gets to listen to that laugh for the rest of her days. Each and every one, she'll make sure of it. She smiles.

"I bought the ring. I bought the ring because - your husband. I want to be yours, to - to be your husband. That hurts, too. Just. How much. How much I want that. And now - now I'm asking you."

"Please."

They're not as close anymore, not holding each other like they were. Instead, Olivia is sitting up, back against the headboard. Fitz is kneeling in between her legs, looking happier than she's ever seen him, and - he just... asks.

"Livy. Can I be your husband?"

"Yes."

~.~.~.~

A/N -

holy jesus.

Thank you. So much. All the reviews and the follows and the favorites, just. Made my day. Gah. :3

I'll definitely post more. You guys are truly amazing. So - requests? Prompts, maybe? I don't know if anyone has any, but if you do, lemme know.

Except Olivia & Jake. Sorry, um. Just. No. No thank you. Not my thing.

Stay classy :)