Ex-Demon of Solara

The hand in Dane's own twitched as gravity left them. Bobby shouted, half in panic, half in joy, as they plummeted down the hundred-foot drop into the water below. The tube surrounding the craft they were in kept the water from them, but they were still sprayed as they went under to keep the theme. A flock of spinney fish that were curiously inspecting the clear tube scattered as the craft plunged underwater.

Cloral's first amusement park was off to a rousing success. It followed the themes of Second Earth's water parks, though they didn't call it such, as any park on the watery world was a water park. It featured interesting rides that spun you, slung you, doused you and made you sick with either nausea or excitement, depending. Like the water coaster Dane and Bobby were currently on, for example.

Dane gulped, forcing his rising bile down, as the were rocketed up out of the water and into the bright sky. He had never been a fan of rollercoasters of any kind, but the day was special and Bobby loved them, so he put aside his reservations and let his boyfriend drag him wherever he wanted.

Boyfriend. Thinking back, there wasn't a moment in Saint Dane's long history where he thought that childish seeming word would apply to him. As of the past year, so many things had changed that if he thought about it too hard his head would start spinning and tears would start falling. It was undignified, so the ex-demon tried not to think about it too often.

But still, so much had changed in such a short time that Dane couldn't help but think there was something he'd been missing for so long. Some part of him he hadn't known was gone, yet when he found it, fit into that section of his being so perfectly it was like it was never gone. He didn't realize, but he'd been incomplete before Bobby Pendragon, and now, he was happier than he'd been, well, ever.

He already managed to snag a house on Bobby's home territory for them to live in, now only one thing was missing to make sure he never lost this part of him again.

He had a plan exactly one year in the making, and he wasn't going to fail this time.

The coaster cruised to a stop and Dane shook his head, blowing his hair out of his face. It was shorter, after an interesting deal with Bobby that left one shorn of his long black locks and the other with a much brighter red head. It was shorter, but that didn't stop it from getting absolutely everywhere whenever the chance arose. In fact, it made it almost worse, sticking up in every direction and near untamable. He shook his head again, to no avail.

"Here, lemme get that for you," Bobby laughed, tucking Dane's hair behind his ears before hopping out of the water coaster craft. Dane followed, wobbling a bit before a steadying hand on his shoulder caught him. Bobby laughed again and Dane smiled.

"Where to next?" Bobby asked. "There's so many other rides here we could check out, or maybe get some more food? I heard there's this interesting cotton candy thing thats like sea salt taffy or whatever it's called but spun like cotton candy and-"

Dane held a hand up, chuckling. "No more food, I'll be sick and you will too. I have a better idea."

He gestured to the photo booth, where one could have their picture taken with the entire park as a backdrop. Next to it was another one, hastily set up, that was turned the opposite direction to catch the rays of the sunset behind you. It was quite beautiful, and Dane steered Bobby towards it.

He tried to go to the other one, with the park behind them, but Dane stopped him and said "We can do that one next. I really want a picture of the sunset behind us before it disappears."

Bobby shrugged and followed, unknowing of Dane's true intentions.

His heart raced as they positioned themselves in front of the camera. The ex-demon reached into his pocket and pulled out the small box there, hiding it in the palm of his hand as he stood a step behind Bobby. He gestured for the camera man to wait, then flashed the box and tilted his head at Bobby. The man's eyes widened a fraction and he nodded. Bobby was oblivious to it all.

Dane took a slow breath and let it out, then faced his boyfriend, dropping to his knee. "Bobby."

Bobby turned, looked confused when Dane wasn't where he was a moment ago, then glanced down. He saw the box in Dane's hands, open, the dark ring inside glinting innocently, and time seemed to slow down.

His eyes, bright as usual but glazed over in confusion, cleared. His mouth dropped fractionally. A sharp breath made his chest rise, and a small sound was heard over the din of the amusement park. The din which, momentarily, faded away until there was nothing between them but anticipation, bated breath, and Dane waiting for the one thing he never knew he needed most.

"Dane..."

The camera flashed and sound returned to them in an explosion. Dane found himself with something hot and heavy in his arms, the box forgotten, his heart still hammering in his chest. Bobby was shaking, though the noise around them kept exactly why he was shaking unknown. Dane blinked, his arms automatically finding their way around Bobby, but his silent question was still unanswered.

Dane pulled back, having to untangle his lover from him, only to find he was crying. Sobbing. Suddenly concerned, Dane pushed his hair out of his face and asked "Are you okay? Bobby, what's wrong?"

Bobby's shoulders shook, but he managed a choked smile. "I love you, I love you so, so much you don't understand. Oh my god, Dane, I love you."

Dane was relieved Bobby was fine, but that still didn't answer his question. "So?" he asked. He looked down at the box, suddenly worried. Was this too much? Was this too fast?

"YES!"

And Bobby was kissing him. Dane laughed into the kiss, tightening his arms around the other man, dipping his head and kissing him within an inch of his life. The camera flashed again, startling them into remembering they had an audience. An audience that was cheering. Bobby's face flushed, but the wide smile that was splitting it apart didn't disappear, instead only growing.

Dane fumbled with the ring, slipping it onto Bobby's finger and struggling not to drop it. He managed, and Bobby held it up to the dying sunlight to admire it.

It was a dark metal band, inset with tiny blue jewels around the edges. A vine pattern was etched around the jewels, setting them as the flowers on the plant.

"I made it myself," Dane murmured. "I spent weeks perfecting the metal alloy, months finding and cutting the perfect sapphires, and more time than I care to admit learning to use the tools to carve those decorations. I wanted it to be perfect, for you. Because you are perfect for me."

"That is the goddamn cheesiest thing you have ever said to me and I love you for it more than you can imagine," Bobby said, laughing. He kissed him again to another round of cheers.

Eventually they stood up and retrieved their photos. The camera man had managed to capture the exact moment Bobby realized his love was proposing to him, the light in his eyes, the flames of the dying sunset behind them, and then proceeded to capture them in a loving embrace to top it off. They paid for the first one, but the camera man insisted the second was on the house. Dane thanked him profusely for them, but Bobby was preoccupied examining his ring in the last rays of the sun.

"I'm framing this one and putting it on the mantlepiece," Dane whispered to Bobby, holding up the first picture.

"What about the other one?" Bobby asked.

"It's going in the bedroom."

Bobby laughed and nudged the taller man. "Lame."

Dane stuck his tongue out childishly, to which Bobby laughed again. "Come on," he said. "Let's go get some of that weird cotton candy and go home. I think this enough excitement for today."

"I agree," Dane replied. "And besides."

"What?"

"Now we need to plan the wedding."