79. Ring.
God. It felt like I was carrying a lump of lead in my pocket and not just a small velvet box with a ring. My father must have been lying when he said this was the easiest thing in the world to do. I thought my heart was going to explode at just the thought of proposing to Ichigo. What if he said no? What if he laughed at me? Threw his drink on me? Maybe six years together wasn't a long enough time to be together before marriage? We'd been living together for three years but that didn't mean anything to me with the anxiety I was feeling right now.
"Grimm what are you doing? It's one in the afternoon and you're staring into the fridge wearing a suit." I jumped at the sleepy voice of my partner; slamming the fridge shut. He'd probably just woken up from a quick study nap. Ichigo had the oddest sleeping habits but he always looked so cute when he woke up.
"I want to take you out to dinner," I muttered, wondering what the fuck possessed me to get dressed for dinner before I had even asked him. I wanted to groan at my own stupidity.
"Sure but it's still only one and you hate suits, we wouldn't be going out until at least seven," he said, grabbing at the edges of my jacket pulling me close. I smiled kissing him. I loved him so much.
"I had a meeting at work, I was ordered to look nice. I just got home, did you enjoy your nap Ichi?" I asked, kissing him again quickly, hoping he wouldn't catch onto my lie. He stood back motioning for me to turn, appreciating the view.
"You look damn good, yeah I did but I wish you were with me. I like being wrapped up in your arms. Hold me?" he asked, batting his eyes at me. I pulled him in close, resting my head on top of his. Holding him like this made my difficult task seem easy, I knew he was going to say yes. I wasn't scared anymore. I let him go, stepping away. He looked at me confused about to say something when I got down on one knee.
"Ichigo Kurosaki," I said. Ichigo stared at me in shock, trying to hide his face with his hands. I smiled at him grabbing his hand so he couldn't, one hand trying to hide the blush on his face and neck.
"I love you more than anything and these six years together weren't enough. I want to be with you forever."
"Grimmjow," he whispered tearing up. I pulled out the ring, opening the box and presenting it to him.
"Will you marry me?" I asked, standing. He covered his face fully, bawling like a baby. I chuckled, earning myself a punch to the ribs.
"Yes, of course Grimm. Yes!" he shouted, tackling me to the floor in a tight hug. I held him close patting his head. Ichigo grabbed the ring box from my hand, kissing me like there was no tomorrow.
"I love you too," he muttered, kissing me quickly sitting up to stare at the ring on his hand. I had the feeling that he had yet to look at it. It was simple, braided silver with a sapphire for the stone.
"It's beautiful I love it Grimm," he said, hugging me.
"I'm glad I thought you were going to say no, I was in the middle of a panic attack when you found me. Being with you calmed me down and then suddenly I couldn't wait until tonight, I wanted to hear you say yes as soon as possible." Ichigo started to laugh, his forehead rested against mine as he did so.
"Grimmjow we've been together six years, you're a hard person to live with but I like your grumpy bear attitude and that hidden sweet side you have just for me. I would have stayed with you until I died and then I would have haunted you until you died. I would have stayed regardless of you asking me to marry you because I love you more then life. Hearing you ask me to marry you just confirms that you feel the same way." I sighed at his words, pulling him in close to kiss him. I grabbed his left hand staring at the ring that rested on his finger, kissing his hand before kissing him again.
"Why is it that you think you're dying first Ichi? I'm older and I have the more deadlier occupation, you have to live a long life Ichigo, you die before me and I'll beat up god himself to fix it," I said, hugging him tightly, not wanting to imagine life without him.
"We're just going to have to go at the same time, because I don't want to live a life without you in it Grimmjow. That's how much I love you, I was actually planning on asking you to marry me after my exams were over," he said pulling a necklace out from under his shirt, a ring threaded onto the chain. He grabbed my left hand, putting the ring on my finger. It was a thick black band with an amber stone set in it. "I actually picked it out maybe a month after we started dating," he revealed, his blush returning full force. I just stared at him, completely shocked by his confession. "That date where we went for Ice cream in winter, where the snow was mid shin and you complained the entire walk about the cold and wet. When i asked why you even bothered if you were just going to be a bitch about it, you said something about how i mentioned that ice cream was best during winter. It was the most random thing i had said on our first date, I didn't even think you'd been paying that much attention. That was the moment i decided i wanted to spend the rest of my life with you. Two days later i was walking past a jewelers, saw that ring and i just knew it was going to be the one i proposed to you with one day. I've been wearing it ever since." He had that ring for six years. I kissed him again, almost on the verge of tears. "I knew when i punched that hole in the wall over that client that had screwed me over big time. You didn't scream at me, you didn't try and blame me, or worse look at me with fear. Just pulled me over to the kitchen sink and stuck my busted hand under running water while you got the first aid kit. Zero judgement over how i lost control of my anger that day, it made my feelings feel valid. That it was okay to express them more openly than i had been. I think that was the first time in a long time I had truly felt like i could be myself around someone. Been searching for the perfect ring ever since," I admitted. It had taken me a year to find that ring but it was worth it.
Ichigo was worth it.