Jervis Little never thought he'd find himself in a moment like this. He was a quiet man, content with his books, his tea, and the comfort of a routine that never surprised him too much. But then Jonathan came along—sharp-witted, a little rough around the edges, and somehow impossibly gentle when it came to him.
The two had been together for years, long enough that Jervis knew every one of Jonathan's little tells. The way his fingers tapped when he was anxious, the way he avoided eye contact when he was planning something. And today? Today Jonathan had been acting suspiciously peculiar.
The sun had just set, casting a warm orange glow over the park where they walked. Jervis held his boyfriend's hand, his heart already fluttering for reasons he couldn't quite name.
"You've been awfully quiet," Jervis noted, giving Jonathan a sidelong glance.
Jonathan smirked, but there was something nervous in it. "Just thinking."
"Thinking about what?"
Jonathan exhaled, stopping in the middle of the path. The evening breeze rustled through the trees, and Jervis felt the moment shift around them, something heavy and charged settling in the air. Jonathan reached into his coat pocket, and for a brief, absurd moment, Jervis thought he was about to pull out a flask or a book—something mundane. Instead, Jonathan got down on one knee.
Jervis's breath hitched.
"I know I'm not always the easiest person to be with," Jonathan began, voice uncharacteristically soft. "I overthink things. I get caught up in my work. But you—you make all of it worth it. I never imagined I'd be the kind of person to do something like this, but then again, I never imagined I'd meet someone like you."
Jervis felt his eyes sting, his hands shaking as he clasped them together.
Jonathan opened the small velvet box in his hands, revealing a simple silver ring. "Jervis Little, will you marry me?"
Jervis let out a laugh—breathless, joyous, disbelieving. "You ridiculous, wonderful man," he said, kneeling down so they were on the same level. "Yes. Of course, yes."
Jonathan barely had time to slide the ring onto his finger before Jervis tackled him in a kiss, the two of them laughing as they tumbled into the grass, tangled up in love and the golden glow of the evening.