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Joseph fingered the box in his pocket that was going to either make him or break him in a few minutes.
It was winter in New York, a light dusting of snow blanketing Central Park, and he could hear Caesar grumbling about the cold. It wasn't like this back in Italy, no no no. Joseph smiled a little. It certainly wasn't Italy. New York was a place of its own, his favourite place in the world, and Caesar had moved back there with him after the Pillar Men incident.
It's been a few years since. They lived in an alright apartment together. Two bedrooms, even though they ever used the one nowadays. They didn’t downgrade to avoid suspicion, Caesar said. Joseph didn't really give a damn. Caesar worked as a bartender at an establishment a ten minute walk from their place. Joseph was just doing simple jobs where he could find them. They got by, and Joseph had been stashing his money away for a few months now. A few months leading up to this.
Fingers snapping in front of his face broke him from his reverie. “Joseph! What are we even doing out here?” Caesar complained. “You asked us to go for a walk but you’ve been staring into space and quiet the entire time. It's late and it's cold, let's just go home already.”
Caesar was already turning to head back when Joseph grabbed his wrist.
“No, Caesar, just- wait a minute. I have something to ask.”
“Can’t we do it at home? Inside? Where it's heated?” Caesar didn't pull away though, turning to look at him with a cranky expression. The wrinkle between his eyebrows right now was so cute.
“Uh, no. We can’t.” Joseph reached up with his free hand to scratch at his neck. He’d need to shave again soon.
“It better be worth it. I have an early shift tomorrow.” Caesar pulled his wrist from Joseph’s grasp, folding his arms over his chest. “Hurry up.” His nose and cheeks were pink in the cold, and the lamp lights caught his eyes perfectly. Joseph wanted to fall to his knees.
Instead, he cleared his throat. “Alright.”
“Well, um,” he started awkwardly, to an unimpressed look from Caesar, “It's just. We’ve been together for a while. Not only the years we’ve been dating, but just living together, and the month in Italy. We’ve been through a lot.”
Caesar was looking a lot less cranky now, listening quietly, his arms still crossed.
“And, I mean, I’ve been thinking lately.” A snort from Caesar. “No, really. Anyway, I’ve been thinking. You were right by my side during the toughest time of my life. And you came back with me, stayed by my side, when I was recovering and rebuilding my life here. And that means a lot to me. Not to mention our relationship is great.” Joseph’s eyes softened. “You make me so happy, Caesar. You’re my best friend, you're my boyfriend, and you’ve stuck with me through thick and thin. And…”
Joseph slowly got down on one knee. With his height, though Caesar was tall himself, he still came up to above his waist. He pulled the box from his pocket. Caesar’s arms were still crossed and his eyes were on him like a hawk, expression unreadable.
“Caesar. Caesarino. I…” Joseph swallowed thickly, anxiety suddenly choking him. “I want you to keep being by my side. And I want to be by yours, too.” He lifted and opened the box slowly, a simple silver ring resting inside.
“Caesar, will you marry me?”
Silence.
Oppressive, stomach dropping, silence. Joseph couldn’t see any emotion on Caesar’s face. He felt ready to puke. He had never thought of what to do if he said no. Joseph put on a weak smile.
“Next, you say, ‘yes, you shitty bastard’.” A joke. His nerves were rattling him out of his skull even if his body was still.
Suddenly he felt his scarf being pulled tight, tighter, uncomfortably tight, and he gasped both at that and Caesar’s angry expression.
“It was a joke! It was a joke! You can say whatever you want to- Caesar, you’re going to strangle me!”
Joseph wheezed as the scarf tightened again with a quick pull. “Idiota!” Caesar said, his tone almost shrill.
“So please, before you kill me,” Joseph wheezed out, “what's your answer?”
“Yes, you shitty bastard! And if you ever use that shitty trick of yours during matters like this again I actually will kill you!” With that, Caesar released his grip and snatched the box from Joseph’s hand as Joseph loosened the scarf, taking deep breaths.
“My knees are all wet now,” Joseph mumbled out of habit as he stood, but his heart skipped a beat as he watched Caesar pull the ring from the box and slip it onto the proper finger.
“Well, it fits. Good job.” Caesar said dryly, but Joseph could see the tears welling in the blond’s eyes from the shine of the lamplight.
“Yeah, I- I took one of your rings to the store and they got your size. Sorry it's nothing super flashy, but I figured you weren't the diamond type,” Joseph started to ramble but was cut short by Caesar taking a step to close the distance between them and cup his face, kissing him chastely but firmly.
“Let's just go home. It's cold,” Caesar said softly when they separated. He started walking and Joseph followed, still a little stunned from the sudden kiss.
They walked in silence for a few moments before Joseph recovered and then spoke up.
“You shouldn’t try and strangle your boyfriend during a proposal you know.”
“You were being a moron.”
“Yeah, whatever.” A pause. “My pants are wet. It’s cold.”
“Don’t kneel in snow.”