The librarian

Rafe relaxed into Noel when the younger man pulled him in for a kiss, still a bit surprised that the man had said yes in the first place.  He’d been preparing himself for the very good chance that his boyfriend would end up turning him down.  The guard huffed softly when the kiss ended, breaking eye contact with Noel and smiling a little.  “Oh, okay, good.  I’m – yeah.”  He cleared his throat, starting to take the ring out of the box.

“Happy?” Noel asked watching Rafe get the ring from the box. It was a lovely ring and part of him was nervous and excited about what it would mean to have it on his finger. Yes he was Rafe’s asset, but he knew that the man never bought him to own him. He bought him because he wanted to be with him and a love had blossomed between them that had sated Noel’s need to leave. At times he wanted too, but less now and even less once he felt the ring on his finger such an unfamiliar weight he was eager to be familiar with. 

“Nah.  I would have called her Charlotte or something just to annoy you.”  Rafe teased, wrapping his arms around Noel and pulling the man back against him so that he could press a kiss to his shoulder.  “Nah, I like those suits.  The new fancy ones that make me look ridiculous are the ones I don’t like.”  He smiled a little, shaking his head.  “I wouldn’t be surprised.”

“Why am I not surprised?  At least you didn’t actually name her Kitten, I would have had to come up with a nickname of my own for her.”  Rafe smirked a bit when Noel rolled his eyes at him, tilting his head at the other man.  “Oh, please.  She looked adorable, nowhere near as ridiculous as I look when I wear those stupid suits.”  He reached out to poke Noel in the side.  “Hush, I picked that suit out on my own, thank you.”

The guard watched Noel a little nervously as he waited for him to reply, worrying at his bottom lip.  It took him a second to realize that Noel had said yes, half expecting the man to say no, and Rafe blinked before smiling a little nervously.  “Really?”

“Of course.  She’s your Christmas present, you name her.  Christmas wouldn’t be a bad name, but you’re definitely not going to name her after one of us, that’d be too confusing.”  Rafe smirked a bit, tilting his head and watching Noel for a moment as he fussed over the cat.

The guard had to bite back a snort of laughter at even the suggestion of naming the kitten Cat, only hoping that Noel was joking and wouldn’t actually go with that.  The name he did settle on was clearly French, not that it surprised Rafe at all and he started to smile a little as Noel walked back toward him with the kitten in his arms.

“Mmhm, it’s a good name.  French, I’m assuming?”  He chuckled softly, returning the kiss and leaning in for a second one before pulling away.  “I love you too.  And don’t be rude, I thought she looked adorable in that outfit.”  He retorted, sticking his tongue out at Noel.

“Oui, it means kitty.” Noel smiled up to his love and gave a laugh. It was better than cat though. 

Rafael exhaled roughly, going quiet when Noel said his voice.  It took him a second to work up the nerve to speak again, once more fiddling with the ring box in his hand and trying to ignore the nerves that made him feel like he was going to be sick.  “I, uh.”  The guard cleared his throat roughly, watching Noel closely for a moment.  “Noel Gaudet…will you marry me?”

“I have the feeling you’d kill me if I ever showed up naked to a date.”  Rafe started with a laugh, shaking his head.  Then again, they could always have their next date at the house or something.  He snorted softly, shaking his head at the other man.  “Excuse you.  I’m not that old.”  The guard stuck his tongue out at Noel, trying very hard not to laugh.

Of course, any desire to laugh left as soon as he was down on one knee in front of Noel and feeling like he was going to be sick.  The guard cleared his throat again, fiddling with the ring box.  “Will you marry me, Noel?”  A moment later, and his nerves started to hit Rafe even before Noel could say anything.  “Obviously you don’t need to say yes, I can understand if you say no.  There’s better options for you here, I’m not exactly a catch, but all I know is I really really love you and I wanted to – this seemed like a good idea and…”

This was the moment so many lived for. To find someone they loved and have the questioned asked. To know that you both feel the same way and wish to spend the rest of your lives together. To know someone loved and wanted you. To be with you for as long as they could. This wasn’t one Noel had ever dreamed about. He wanted his own company. He wanted no love seeing it as nothing more than a distraction of what was important. Here there was no business other than to plan escape, but even that seemed more and more pointless because Noel was happy. It wasn’t the island that made him happy. It was Rafael. Rafael who was knelt before him and stammering now as his confidence wavered with Noel’s continued silence. 

“Yeah, he can.  I’ll tell him that too.”  Rafe replied, not really all that serious.  He knew when to not say things to Jackson, thankfully, even if a part of the guard very much enjoyed trying to push his boss’ buttons.  “Mm.  Whatever time I get there is fine, in my opinion.  It is your birthday, after all.”  Opening the door, Rafe let Noel into the room before him and couldn’t help but grin as he watched the man’s reaction to the kitten.

Leaning his shoulder against the doorway, Rafe tilted his head and grinned a bit wider at the question.  “It’s a girl and, no, she doesn’t have a name yet.  I thought you’d like it if you could name her yourself.  And of course she’s yours forever, she’s your Christmas present.”

“Mine to name? Such a responsibility. What do you name such creatures? It is Christmas. Do I name her Christmas? I would name her Noel, but that is my name and Rafael is my second favorite name.” The Frenchman gave a smile to his love enjoying the relaxed way he leaned against the door frame. Something so perfect about the moment and Rafael there with him. 

“Cat? Do I name you cat?” He returned his attention to the kitten as it looked up at him. “No you do not like cat? Hnn....Minou? Do you like Minou?” Noel asked the kitten that meowed up on him. “Oh you do? Minou?” The kitten meowed at him again. “Mon bébé douce, Minou . Mon amour. Mon amour. Mon amour. Tu es tellement adorable!” 

“Oh?  I’ll keep that in mind and show up naked to our next date, then.”  Rafe smirked, nudging Noel’s foot as well.  He rolled his eyes playfully at the other man’s words, the smirk widening.  “You might be all tree of those things, but you’re also a romantic.  I thought the French were known for the whole romantic…thing.”

At the question, some of the tension left Rafe as he chuckled softly.  “No, no, it’s not another dog.  I don’t think we need four of them, tempting as it is.”  He cleared his throat again, nervously standing and making his way toward Noel before getting down on one knee and slowly taking the small black box out of his pocket.

“I’ll hold you to that.” Noel joked sure to murder Rafe if he dared show up naked on a date, well once he stopped being embarrassed and laughing. Rafe was breathtaking when naked, though Noel also had a very hard time keeping his hands off said man when he was naked as well. “We are known for overly sexual, but perhaps you missed that being such a horny old man yourself.”

Noel chuckled as well. “We don’t need four of them, but we could have four of them.” He offered resting his head on his hand until he noticed Rafe stand. His head tilted to the side about to ask where he was going shifting back in his seat when the guard dropped to a knee. The Frenchman was completely baffled and wondered if Rafe had finally lost his mind until he saw the box and things started to click into place. The suit, the dinner, the wine...oh god.

“Are you saying that I should have shown up without anything on, Noel?”  Rafe teased him with a smirk, teasing more than anything.  He just made a little noise when Noel told him to not apologize for doing his job, huffing softly.  That didn’t stop him from feeling bad about working so often, even if it technically wasn’t his fault that Jackson scheduled him as often as he did.

At the words, Rafe chuckled and smirked a bit, dropping his hand down to take Noel’s and brushing his thumb gently along the top.  “You’re such a romantic, it’s adorable.”  He paused for a moment, nodding at the question and obviously distracted by something.  Rafe cleared his throat, worrying at his bottom lip for a second.  “I, uhm.  I actually have something I wanna ask you.”

“I wouldn’t have objected. I’m sure all the other’s would be jealous of what I have.” Noel nudged Rafe with his foot this time giving a laugh at the grossly inappropriate conversation for the restaurant they were in. Before coming to this island and meeting Rafe he’d have never thought of even broaching such a subject with anyone. Sex wasn’t to be discussed anywhere save for behind closed doors. 

“I am no such thing. I am French. Sophisticated and arrogant.” He said with a purse of his lips that quickly twisted into a smile. “Who is hopelessly in love with a stupid American.” 

“Which is exactly why you shouldn’t try and teach it to me.  You’d just be horrified.”  Rafe smiled against Noel’s lips, kissing him back for a second before he began to laugh, deciding to play along as if he’d actually bought Noel an outfit to roleplay in.  “Well, yeah.  But I can be an hour late, Jackson can just suck it up.”  Really, he didn’t actually think his boss had been serious about the threat to work 24 if he was late, but who knew.  Rafe reached out to take Noel’s hand, getting up and leading him toward the stairs.  “Hope you’ll like it.”

“Oh can he?” Noel laughed back wondering if Rafe would really take such a tone with his boss. The Frenchman didn’t care for Jackson much, but that was because the man acted like an arrogant jerk the few times Noel had laid eyes on him and he seemed to enjoy tormenting Rafe which just made Noel hate him he never liking anyone who upset his guard. “We’ll see if it’s just an hour.” Noel smiled back having no idea what was in the room as Rafe opened the door and a pair of impossible small blue eyes peered up at him, the creature giving a soft meow. If it wasn’t adorable enough the little black munchkin kitten was dressed in a green sweater and little white bow tie. it’s shortened little legs trying to move it over the large bed and fluffy comforter until it fell over. 

“Don’t act like you don’t know what I’m talking about.”  Rafe laughed, leaning over to press a quick kiss to Noel’s lips.  He made a face at him when the other man spoke French to him, very nearly pouting before Rafe’s expression softened.  “I love you too.  And you really don’t want to teach me French, babe, I’d slaughter your language.”  He grinned a little.  “Thank you for the gift, I love it.  Yours is upstairs on the bed, by the way.”

“I might make it look good, but I still prefer my pants and t-shirt compared to this.”  Rafe gently squeezed Noel’s hand, smiling a little as he watched his boyfriend.  He chuckled softly, shaking his head a bit at the other man’s words.  “Well, at least you have some faith in me.  I still think I’m awful at romance, but it’s easier with you sometimes.”

Which was funny, considering how things had been between them the first time they’d met.  He was about to say something about the beard when Noel told him that he liked it and Rafe relaxed a bit with a chuckle.  “I’d actually planned on shaving it before I put the suit on, but I’m glad I left it alone if you like it.”  He waited for Noel to order what he wanted before ordering his own food and asking for another bottle of wine just in case.

His attention returned to Noel when he reached out to take his hand, smiling a bit and brushing his thumb along his boyfriend’s cheek.  “I’ve missed you too.  I’m sorry about working so much.  I’m gonna be asking for some time off soon enough.”  Even though there was really no guarantee that Jackson would give it to him.

“Lucky for you, you wear most things well. Even nothing at all.” The last just above a whisper as he gave his love a wink. Noel felt that way too though, that things were easier with Rafael. He didn’t have to act any certain way. He could lounge around the house and Rafe would still compliment him despite his horrible appearance. The man seeming to prefer him in lax clothing at times and his hair a mess. 

The longer they were together the more Noel fell into a comfortable rhythm with Rafe. Even so far as drooling on him when he fell asleep on the couch. He’d been completely mortified when he realized what he’d done, but Rafe only laughed and kissed him on the cheek making some ridiculous joke that had the Frenchman laughing and easing back into the idiots arms. A place he enjoyed being. 

Rafe grinned when he opened the present from Noel and saw the watch inside, even though he regarded the letter with a confused look.  “Uhm, Noel.”  He started, glancing over at the other man.  “What does this say, exactly?”

@noelgaudet