Chapter 138 - Makai - New Year's Eve Part 2

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Makai

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When I got home, I was surprised to find out that Ocean had already cleaned the bedroom and gotten the table set up in our room. There was a white tablecloth over a table that was just big enough to fit all the food that I bought for us and the plates for us to eat off of. There was also silverware, and drinks ready for us.

I could tell, just from seeing this, that he had been excited about the date the moment that I mentioned it to him, and this was his way of making the wait seem less somehow. I loved that he was already as excited about this as I was. This was going to be a good night. I could already tell that it was going to be beyond amazing.

When I rushed into the room to set up the meal, I hid the third bag that I had come home with. This was the bag of 'supplies' that I had bought for after dinner and dessert. I didn't need Ocean to find them before I was getting ready later.

When I started to set the food up, I saw that Ocean had also brought bowls and plates up to serve the food so that it didn't look like we were eating take out for dinner. I would have loved to have cooked for him, but I needed to get the grocery shopping done first. Not to mention that I needed those supplies for our night together. So, it was just better all around for me to get the dinner while I was out.

With the pasta in a large bowl and the steak elegantly displayed on the serving platter with all the side dishes put into the smaller serving bowls, it was time for us to get ready to eat. I know that I said I would call Ocean to let him know it was time to come up, but I wanted to 'escort' him to this date of ours. So, for that matter, I walked down to the living room where I could see Ocean waiting nervously for my signal. He was always so nervous and shy, and that made me smile. I loved that cute side of him. 

"Ocean." I called his name softly and he turned to look at me with expectant eyes.

"Makai." His grin for me was heart stopping and it made all this effort worth it.

"Would you care to join me for the evening?" I was trying to sound formal and dignified but it was obviously making him want to laugh, judging by the look in his eyes. However, he played along with me and put on a false formal tone of voice as well.

"Why, Makai, I thought that you would never ask." I wonder if he realized how often he naturally said and did the feminine sides of conversations. Like this one for example. That line sounded like it was from some girl being asked to dance at a cotillion. [1]

"May I have your hand." I bowed slightly, continuing the whole debutant and suitor scenario that we had going.

"You're such a dork." He grinned and shook his head, which he usually did when he was nervous. "But I guess I don't mind taking your hand. Only because it's you, babe." I took his hand then as I leaned forward to kiss his lips gently.

"I may be a dork, but I am your dork, my love. Always and forever your dork." That made him blush and it made me think about what our families had been talking about at Christmas.

With Ocean's right hand in my right hand and my left arm wrapped around his waist, I guided him up the stairs to our bedroom. I still got all giddy whenever I thought about that. Our room. This was our room. Every room I have from now on was going to be our room. That was simply wonderful.

Before I had left the room, I lit the candles and dimmed the lights. There was music playing softly in the background as well. It was truly the most romantic that we had ever been while at home. This was the epitome of romance that I could think of.

"Makai?" He gasped a little when he saw the room, and the food. "This is wonderful."

"You set up half of it." I chuckled at him. "You already knew what it looked like."

"I know, but seeing it like this is different. Thank you." He turned in my arms and pressed his lips to mine. "Thanks, babe." 

Even though he had just kissed me, I kissed him again. It was slowly becoming muscle memory for me to kiss him every time that he said that word. But he was also more comfortable with saying it as well and that was the whole point. I wanted him to call me more pet names when we were alone. I loved hearing them with his voice.

I led Ocean over to the table, still holding his hand in mine. I pulled out his seat and got him seated before me. I was being the ever doting and loving boyfriend, showing him just how much I loved and appreciated him.

"You got way more food than I thought you were going to." His eyes were huge as he took in everything that there was to eat.

"Well, I realized that I didn't ask you what you wanted, so I got more than one so you could choose." I blushed a little, because I truly had been inattentive and stupid when I rushed off like that.

"It's fine, you got my favorites, so you were still thinking about me." His easy grin made all the embarrassed chagrin leave me. "Plus, now I can have some of each and that is even better."

"I love you." I couldn't stop the words from coming out, but I didn't care. He knew I loved him, so I was just reaffirming it for him.

We made our plates then. Piling on the foods that we wanted to eat first. With our plates filled and our forks in hand, it was time for us to have a conversation. There was something that I was thinking about that I wanted to ask him.

"Ocean, will you marry me?" Well, I guess I could have chosen a better moment to ask that question. It would have still been tonight, but it could have been when he wasn't shoveling food into his mouth. He had a fork full of pasta that he was putting into his mouth when I asked him that and it led to him gasping and then choking on his food.

"Urgh.. Ahem.. Huuh.. Urgh.. Ahem." He was choking and coughing so much that I ran to his side and was thumping him on his back. I was afraid that he was going to drop dead at any moment because I had been an idiot. Dammit, Makai, pay more attention than that.

"Ocean?" I called his name worriedly when he took a long, deep breath, finally able to breathe again.

"Huuuuu.. Hooooooo." He took a deep breath in and then out as he settled himself. "What in the fucking hell were you thinking?" He snapped at me. "Couldn't you have waited until I wasn't about to take a bite?" He wasn't mad at the question though, that was good.

"I'm sorry, I realized right away that I had fucked up. I'm so sorry" 

"Whatever." He shrugged it off and sat up straighter in his chair.

"I meant it, though." I took his hands in mine and looked into his eyes while I knelt on the floor. "I know we haven't been together all that long, but when our families were talking about us getting married over the summer, I found myself really wanting that to happen. I don't ever want there to be a day when we're not together. I love you ,Ocean. Please, marry me. Become my husband before we go off to school."

There was shock in his eyes, but dare I say, that there was a hint of a smile as well. He was not completely opposed to the idea. There was hope.

"Sit down, Makai, and let's talk about this." His voice was soft and full of love. There was definitely still hope.

"Yes, my love." I nodded and sat down in my seat eagerly.

"Why do you want to get married before college? Why do you want us to be married so bad so soon?" They were logical questions, and I knew that I really did. Still, it was hard for me to articulate the reasons why.

"I guess I just want a way for us to show that we are together that is permanent. It's not going to change anything between us since we will be together regardless, but with us having to hide so much, I think that by the time that we go to college and no longer need to hide that we're together I just want to have the most permanent and concrete evidence that we're together for the world to see. I know that is a stupid and selfish reason, but that's how I feel. I mean, there is also the fact that I love you more than life itself and that I wanted us to be together forever, united firm against anything and everything that might come our way. When someone asks me why I am right there with you all the time, I want to be able to tell them that I am just supporting my husband in whatever it is that he is doing. And I know you feel how intense this connection between us is, it's the same for me as well. All I want is for us to be together forever and ever. And I am eager to be at that point where we can't be separated for any reason at all."

That was a little more in depth and sappy than I initially wanted it to be, but there was no going back now. I was just sitting there and looking him in the eyes as I waited for his response.

He didn't say anything for what felt like a long time. He just sat there and looked at me with an awkward grin on his face as if he didn't quite know how to respond to me. I was starting to get nervous now, though. He wasn't responding to my question at all.

When Ocean did finally speak, I didn't quite process the word at first.

"Yes." 

"What?" I asked him, dumbfounded.

"I said yes." He was looking embarrassed now.

"Yes?" I was still stupidly confused.

"Yes, I will marry you this summer." His cheeks turned bright red and I jumped out of my chair with excitement.

"YES! Thank you, thank you, thank you." I dropped to my knees next to him again and kissed him softly.

These rings that we both always wore around our necks now meant something else entirely. 

[1] Cotillion- 

1: a ballroom dance for couples that resembles the quadrille

2: an elaborate dance with frequent changing of partners carried out under the leadership of one couple at formal balls

3: a formal ball, especially one at which debutantes are presented (US DEFINITION)