Be mine, sugar

Everything was ready.

Doug had this plan in the works for weeks. He and Tal had been ‘together’ for years. He had been with Tal through his kids growing up, starting elementary school, his own vices and virtues. Tal was his soft spot, the one thing he would do anything for. And after three years, he was ready.

Tal walked in from his little trip, humming a little tune under his breath. They had just finished their purple nettle harvest, and Tal had wandered into town to sell their goods. He dropped the money he had earned on the ground.

“Dougie! Where are ya?” Tal called. Doug jumped a little.

“In the bedroom.” Doug said. Tal followed the sound of his partner.

There were tea candles lining the stairway, with rose petals and a gold coin or two littering the ground Tal walked on.

“What’s all this?” He called up the stairs.

“Just get up here.” He heard his partner grumble. He grinned, rolling his eyes lovingly, and made his way up the stairs.

Their bedroom had flashes of red roses and incense scattered around the room. There was a bottle of wine on their bedside table. Doug was standing by the door, waiting for him.

When Tal made it into the bedroom, Doug closed the door behind him and ushered him into a corner. This corner, which was part dresser and part door, felt very enclosed. Tal looked up at Doug, who was leaning with his head against the walls, and was facing down at him. Their faces were centimeters apart. The older man grinned.

“What’s goin on, pumpkin?” Tal said, trailing a hand from his partner’s chest to his neck. Doug sighed slowly. Tal felt Doug’s hands land on his waist. He noticed Doug’s missing hat, which was sat on it’s little shelf, and he took the opportunity to push his hands through his hair. Doug dipped his head into Tal’s neck and shoulder.

“Be mine, sugar.” Doug mumbled into his skin. Tal blinked in surprise.

“What?”

Doug kissed where his head was laying, then up his neck, across his cheek, and into his lips. He pressed their foreheads together.

“Marry me, Tal.” Doug started. Tal stood still in shock. When he didn’t get an answer right away, Doug continued. “We’ll get hitched on the farm, and I’ll carry you over the door frame.”

As Doug began to ramble, swaying his partner slowly, Tal’s face softened. This sounded so out of character for his partner. Doug wasn’t normally the type to bear his emotions so openly like this. However, the idea of marrying his own grumpy ol’ goofball made Tal smile. He pet Doug’s hair softly.

“You’ll be mine, and I’ll be yours. We’ll be each other’s.” This pause was much shorter. Doug squeezed the older man a little tighter. “I can’t handle a world without you, Tal. You're the best thing that's ever happened to me.”

“Oh, Dougie.” Tal said. Doug’s brows raised. There was a mixture of hope and fear in that sightless face. “Why would you ever think that I’d say no?” He said. Doug’s eyebrows raised higher. “I will. I will!”

Doug’s surprised face slowly changed. His face slowly burst into a bright smile. He grabbed Tal tighter, and lifted him up with a little struggle. Tal burst into laughter, wrapping his arms around Doug’s shoulders so he wouldn’t fall. The taller man spun him around.

“Dougie, you’re making me dizzy!” he said. Doug chuckled into Tal’s cheek and sat his partner down on their bed. He kissed him slow, letting Tal brush through his hair. When their kiss ended, Doug touched their foreheads again. It was only a couple of years ago when he wouldn’t let a single person touch him, but now, it felt like he never wanted to let go. Tal put his hands on Doug’s shoulders.

“Let’s enjoy that wine, shall we?” Tal said, gesturing back to the alcohol on the bedside table. Doug huffed through his nose with that smile again, and shook his head slowly.

“Thought you’d never ask.”