It was a delicate operation. One that required the utmost precision, patience, and care. One misstep, and it would all come crashing down. Months of preparation. Hard work. Care. It would all go down the drain. He held his breath as the target shifted. He felt himself go rigid, but after a moment, the motion stopped. He breathed in relief. Sweat trickled down the back of his neck, and he did his best to ignore it. He needed to focus.
Kara snorted in her sleep, a loose strand of blond hair wafting in front of her eyes. Percy was lucky she was such a heavy sleeper. Moving carefully, he wrapped the measuring tape around her left index finger. He pulled it taut and nodded in satisfaction as he read the measurement. She shifted, grunting in her sleep and shifted. Percy quickly pulled the tape back and shoved it back in his pocket.
He'd been planning this for months now. They'd been talking marriage for some time. It was the natural next step in their relationship, and they were both more than ready for that step to be taken. So Percy had taken it upon himself to begin working on the project. He'd been careful, at least he thought so. While they were in agreement that they were going to marry, he still wanted the proposal itself to be a surprise. He didn't want her expecting it. That take all of the fun, the magic, out of the experience.
He knew how he was going to do it, knew where he was going to do it. He'd been reaching out to photographers and had managed to find one of the best wedding photographers in Metropolis. Lois had recommended them and while they were certainly expensive, judging by the portfolio on the photographer's website, the woman was talented so Percy was happy with the decision.
Percy stood, and jogged off to the shower. This had been the final step of preparations, and Percy was ready to go out and make the purchase. Kara wasn't going to suspect anything, he was sure of it. It was a Friday, so she was expecting him to be out the door before she was so he could make it to school on time. What she didn't know, was that the school was going to be closed for administrative meetings all day that Percy wasn't needed for.
It was the perfect opportunity.
Showering quickly and getting dressed, Percy wandered back into their bedroom and pressed a soft kiss to Kara's brow before leaving the townhouse. It wasn't a long walk to the jeweler. Only about twenty minutes from their home. Percy had researched carefully, and had chosen whom he believed was the best jeweler in the city.
He made the walk in good time, and was happy to see the two people standing outside already waiting for him. Percy smiled and waived, and Martha Kent and Lana Lang waived back. Percy had met Kara's aunt only a handful times, she was normally around the farm every holiday. She was one of Clark's oldest friends from when he was a kid. A tall woman, her long red hair danced over her shoulders in the soft breeze of the early morning. Her rosy cheeks were curved and dimpled as she smiled at him, and wrapped him up in a warm hug.
"Good to see you Percy," she said.
"Great to see you, too," he said, before breaking the hug and turning to Martha and wrapping the older woman up tightly. "You too, Martha. Thank you both for coming all the way out here."
"Wouldn't have missed it for the world, sweetheart," she said. She broke off the embrace and pat him on the chest, "And thank you for inviting us, it really means a lot."
Percy smiled, and rubbed at the back of his head, "felt like the right thing to do," he chuckled.
"More like you're completely lost and want us to hold your hand through it." Lana grinned wickedly at him, and Percy felt his cheeks flush. He didn't deign that with a response, and thankfully, Martha threw him a lifeline.
"Let's not tease the poor boy, Lana," she giggled, "poor boy is already stressed enough." She reached out and looped her arm through Percy's. The bell above the entrance tinkled, as the stale smell of aging air freshener wafted over them. The walls of the jeweler were lined with display cases. Percy could see a varied and impressive assortment of rings, necklaces, bracelets and earrings. In the back corner, Percy could see a set of small tables with large looking glasses and magnifying lens', likely used for inspecting the pieces or putting them together. A square display of cases sat in the middle of the store, and an older bald man with dark skin and in a finely tailored beamed at them as they entered.
"Good morning," the man greeted, his faux smile showing off rows of brilliant white teeth. "How can I help you?"
"This one needs an engagement ring," said Lana, strutting forward gazing down at the rows of rings in the case.
"Oooh," said the man in excitement, looking Percy up and down. "Congratulations!"
"Thank you," said Percy meaningfully.
"Do we know what we're looking for?"
"Kind of?" Said Percy. He unhooked himself from Martha and pulled his phone free from his pocket and he scrolled through his notes for a moment. He and Kara had spent some time going through different kinds of rings, cuts, bands, everything. It had been enough to make Percy's head spin, but he had done his best to take good notes.
"I'm looking for something…cushing cut?" he said uncertainly, looking up at the man who smiled patiently.
"Cushion cut is an excellent choice," the man corrected smoothly. "Very popular, but a beautifully classic and classy look. They're going to love it. Do you know what kind of budget you're looking for?"
"I'm willing to spend up to ten," said Percy.
"Hundred?" Asked the man, his shoulders drooping slightly.
"Thousand," Percy corrected, and was amused by the way the man's entire demeanor changed. Percy was, once again, thankful for all of the work he did for Kent back in college. He might have been horrifically depressed, by Percy had made himself a small fortune.
"Well that certainly opens some doors," he said, clapping his hands together. "I presume we're thinking diamond for the center stone?" He asked, and Percy nodded. He reached under the cases and pulled a small box out. He flipped the lid open and spun the box around on the case for Percy and the others to examine. It was a small display of the different kinds of cushion cuts the jeweler offered. The small square diamonds varied in size ranging from very small to comically large.
"Nothing too ostentatious, I think," murmured Martha, more to herself than Percy. "Kara doesn't really do…flashy."
"Not when it comes to jewelry, anyway," agreed Lana. "But we don't want anything too small either. She might not want anything ridiculous, but she wants a bit of a rock. How do we feel about this one?" She pointed a medium sized stone near the middle of the display. The cut of the diamond was almost like a helix, swirling in on itself. Percy found he rather liked the look of the piece, and asked for it to be set aside as an option.
They looked and debated over the other cuts of diamonds for some time, but ultimately decided on the diamond that Lana had originally pointed out. The band took considerably longer to decide on. They were a mess of different kinds of bands. From simple single bands, to interlocking messes of different metals. Some of smaller stones embedded in the band while others were simple.
In the end, Percy decided on a simple silver band with smaller diamonds running from the center-stone halfway down the band in two neat, little columns. The man disappeared from the counter for a minute and disappeared into the back. A few minutes later he emerged with a copy of the ring that had been generated on the computer. Percy gazed at the created image, and beamed in delight. It was a 1.91 Carat cushion cut diamond, with a round split band and diamond halo along the band. It was perfect.
It would a little more than a month, before the ring would be ready. That was good enough for him, it would give Percy the time to begin putting together a hiding place. With Kara being able to see through almost anything, he would need to use magic in order to hide the ring, but Percy was pretty sure he knew where it go.
Namely, the bottom of the Atlantic.
Which, when the ring was completed on time a month later, was exactly where it ended up. Hidden in a small outcropping at the bottom of the Marianas Trench, protected by a small gang of angler fish who were all too willing to do the job.
Everything was getting set. Percy had the date in mind for when he was going to do it. He'd gone ahead and registered the time, date, and location with the photographer, who he'd met on the weekends while Kara was busy dealing with a forest fire in California. He would admit to being more than a little nervous. He wasn't afraid that she would say no. He knew that she would say yes, but it was scary nevertheless. It was a tremendous commitment. Something that would fundamentally alter his life forever.
But he was excited. For as terrifying as it was, it also felt right. It was the right decision, because of course it was. They loved each other. They spend their lives together. They'd come to that decision well before any thought of rings were involved, and they didn't need legal marital status or a ceremony to prove that to one another.
It was just a nice perk.
Everything finally culminated a few weeks after the ring finally arrived. The weekend was fast approaching, and with it, the proposal. He had everything planned out. They would be going out to their favorite restaurant, followed by a small walk. It would be during that walk, when they were alone and when they were in a predetermined spot, that Percy do it.
He'd been feeling butterflies for the better part of a week, and he'd been a bundle of nerves at school. It had gotten so bad, that even his students had started to notice. Though Percy had simply brushed it off at the time. He just needed to make it through the rest of the day, and then make it through Friday and Saturday and the date on Saturday night.
He could do this.
Assuming he didn't lose it altogether.
"Caleb," he sighed in exasperation, "Come on man, we've talked about this. No phones out during lecture. And really Rebecca, you too? Come on guys."
Caleb, a straw-haired fourteen-year-old, looked as though he barely even heard Percy. His eyes were glued to the screen, his eyes wide and his mouth agape. Rebecca too, a gangly girl with dark black hair and thick-rimmed glasses, didn't look like she heard him.
"Guys, hello?" Percy asked in exasperation, walking down the line of chairs to where the two students were seated. He knelt on the ground and glanced between them, torn between agitation and amusement.
"Anybody in there?" There was no answer, and Percy's stomach lurched and his smile faltered.
"Guys…" he said slowly, gently. "Hey, what's going on, you two?"
"Mr. Jackson…" Percy turned, looking at the red-haired girl in the front row. She too had her phone out and was staring at it, her eyes wide.
"Barbara…" said Percy carefully, "What's going on?"
She didn't look like she trusted herself to say anything, so she handed over her phone to him. Percy saw out of the corners of his eyes as the rest of the students followed suit and pulled their phones out. There was an alert on the screen, a government issued alert that Percy was certain was on his own device as well.
Fleet of alien ships sighted. Justice League investigating. Citizens are suggested to find cover and await further instruction.
Percy's heart hammered against his chest, but he forced himself to remain calm.
"All right everyone," he said, his voice steady, "Everything is going to be all right."
"Look!" Someone shouted, pointing out the window. The students all rose in unison, rushing to the window. Clammering, pointing, speaking quickly over one another. Percy carefully pushed himself to the front. In the sky, high above the city, were the strangest looking ships that Percy had ever seen. Long, metallic structures with bulbous fronts and enormous engines. There must have been hundreds of the damned things, and they blotted the sky like a swarm of locusts.
He pulled his phone free, there was already a text from Kara.
Thanagarian ships, Shayera and Carter say they're peaceful. Will update. Be safe and look after your kids. I love you.
He put his phone back in his pocket, his heart hammering.
Alarm bells erupted across the city, and the lights in the school shut off as the lockdown procedures went into effect.
He didn't know what this meant. Didn't know what Hawkgirl and Hawkman's people were doing on Earth…
But his instincts were telling him this wasn't good.
AN: Merry Christmas! AN: As always shoutout to Double0Sxvxn for being an awesome Beta and dealing with my bullshit and as always if you enjoyed this but haven't checked out my other work, give them a try you never know you might find something else you like. I'm also on discord now, where I and a bunch of other writers hang out, chat and brainstorm ideas, you just have to copy the link that's in my profile bio if you want to come and hang out with us. Stay safe, stay healthy and have an awesome week
All My Love,
LilDB