His chewing slows to a near stop as he stares at his partner, actual glee apparent all over his face. Luca being so animated was a rarity to most people and every time keys got to see it, it was water colors and celestial glitters combined at the base of his skull and sent the rest of him short circuiting in a way he’d never felt before. It’s one of the things that surprised him most about luca. Despite the gruff exterior, luca had given him a new sensation and it wasn’t one that dulled over the years they’d known each other. In fact he swore it was stronger every time. It made him smile his doofy smile and pick up a napkin to reach over and pick some dumpling out of the other man’s beard as he continued to speak excitedly. Keys nod matches luca’s in energy as he wipes at luca’s face, knowing there’s just going to be more in there five minutes later that he’ll also, happily pick off. “Yeah, that would be friggin’ awesome.” Keys lingers for a bit, admiring how obnoxiously handsome the man is, even this close. There’s no move for him to lessen the distance, instead making himself comfortable practically on his knees in the booth as he rests his elbows on the table. “So I was thinking, this is going pretty well. I mean, extraordinarily well?”” His voice goes up an octave. A question of genuine surprise. He’d managed to do something right for once in his life, and although the situation wasn’t ideal given the decisions, he had to make to get here, he never regretted it for a second since. Luca was the only person he’d ever been sure of once he mind up his mind, and luca was the one who was patient with keys while he did that. And here they were. Amid the surrounding chaos, happy. Eating dumplings. Talking about adopting dogs.
“If we have dogs and shit, especially senior ones or even ones with special needs, hauling them up and down all day every day for the rest of their lives would kinda suck for them, I feel. so…Maybe in another six months we can start looking at actual houses just on the edge of the city somewhere. With space and privacy to start like….a life…” Large, hazel eyes go soft, as nervous as he is to present the idea before he leans in, closing the small distance between them thanks to the dork still sitting on his knees in the booth to kiss luca. Perfect. Like he knew it’d be, the taste of whiskey and sesame oil present on his lips just the comfort he needs to know that no matter what the answer, they’d be okay.There was no rush, anyway.
Luca is caught up in the idea of them going down to the shelter and meeting all the dogs together. Keys would inevitably fall in love with the oldest, ugliest, scrappiest looking dog in the building, and Luca would love him even more for it. That was one of his favorite things about his partner, he didn’t seem to believe in lost causes because he never gave up on anyone or any thing, no matter how hopeless it seemed. Luca was proof of that. He’s so absorbed in the daydream, he almost doesn’t even notice the other man reaching over to pick something out of his beard, probably a tiny piece of dumpling that went flying some time during his stoned ramblings while he stuffs his face with dumplings. Not to mention he finds it endearing the way his partner notices even the littlest changes in anything at all. “Oh, is that so?” he asks playfully. “I guess i am pretty smitten with you,” he teases, leaning into kiss the smaller man’s nose. Smitten was an understatement, Luca had never been so in love in his life, never knew it was even possible to love someone so much.
He nods eagerly and fills his mouth with another dumpling as his partner talks about their potential dog. Getting a house, settling down, that was a life he’d never pictured for himself, until he met Keys. Now, there’s nothing in the world he wants more than that. “Yeah.. Yeah, i would like that. Let’s do it,” he replies with confidence. He can tell Keys is nervous, and it’s slightly comforting to know he’s not the only one at this table full of butterflies. He leans in to the kiss, and its one of those rare moments when it feels like they’re the only two people in the whole world. The kiss eases his nerves about taking such a big step, so he sneaks in one more before settling back in his seat more comfortably. “Maybe one with a nice back yard, for the dog but for us too, you know?”