Warble On

I WAS WAITING FOR THIS TO COME BACK ON THE RADAR.

Jeff smiled, looking into Dave’s face, “Nothing can ever ruin this. Not a thing.” He promised seriously, because there wasn’t anything on Earth that could break his attention away from Dave at the moment, and he held his hand out to watch Dave put the ring on, deciding that telling everyone was probably going to be the single-most exciting thing he’d ever done in his life. He twined his fingers through Dave’s hand, reaching up with the other one to brush softly over Dave’s cheek, “Engagement honeymoon. I can’t wait. It’s going to be so good. And hot tubs and snow and… It’ll be romantic. Dave, just… Thank you.” He murmured, stepping forward to wrap his arms around him.

“Ooh… hot tub,” Dave repeated, sure he’d heard something about that before, but having had missed it in his panic. “I feel like… this was meant to happen. For us now,” he decided, realizing he was feeling mostly calm and comfortable now that the speech giving was over. He wrapped both arms around Jeff’s waist and held him tight, looking into his face and feeling pathetically sappy as he realized he’d be able to watch his first wrinkles form. “Sooo… we can tell Nick and Finn tonight?  ’Cause… well actually… I think almost everyone but Nick knew this was happening…” he admitted, sticking out his tongue. 

Jeff hummed, leaning into his chest and wrapping his arms around him tightly, "I feel like... So happy that my heart doesn't know how to stop dancing." He admitted quietly, clinging to Dave again as he smiled into his face, "I wanna tell Nick, yeah! I dunno how he got left out, but I hope he's excited for us." He murmured, hoping Nick would take this news better than he had taken Finn's engagement or pregnancy, mostly hoping he didn't accidentally hurt his friend with his excitement, "And he's gonna be MY best man!" He demanded with a grin.

“God!” Dave huffed in disappointment, genuinely upset that cake had ruined his moment. “Oh, baby…” he smiled, tossing his oven mitts down and grabbing for the ring box. “I’m so… nothing could ruin this, not even burned cake,” he decided, heart thrumming to some inaudible tune. He pulled the ring from the box and looked up at Jeff’s face, eyes locking as he smiled and grabbed for the boy’s hand, stroking it with his thumb as he held it still. “Our getaway will be like… honeymoon of the engagement, you know?” He pointed out as he slid the ring onto Jeff’s finger, flushing as he realized his hand was trembling visibly. 

Jeff smiled, looking into Dave's face, "Nothing can ever ruin this. Not a thing." He promised seriously, because there wasn't anything on Earth that could break his attention away from Dave at the moment, and he held his hand out to watch Dave put the ring on, deciding that telling everyone was probably going to be the single-most exciting thing he'd ever done in his life. He twined his fingers through Dave's hand, reaching up with the other one to brush softly over Dave's cheek, "Engagement honeymoon. I can't wait. It's going to be so good. And hot tubs and snow and... It'll be romantic. Dave, just... Thank you." He murmured, stepping forward to wrap his arms around him.

Dave let the boy cry against him and knew what he was feeling. Maybe not in mirrored emotions, but the understanding was there. “This is your life, Jeff. Well actually… our life,” he promised, running his hands up and down the boy’s back. “I don’t… I mean… maybe we don’t need to be looking at weddings right now. Because… school. And I want a job. And… Finn and Jesse are really… this is their time. But… but we’re engaged. And that means this is happening. That I mean it when I say I want us to be forever. And, just… this… yes,” he finished simply, losing all words and just basking in the love his fiance was showering him with. “Basking… ba… baking. Shit… aw, shit!” He cried out, jostling Jeff and trying to drag him with him as he slid into the kitchen, opening the oven and promptly slamming it shut as the kitchen filled with thick smoke. “Aaah, fuuu… this… yep. This is your life, and I’m so sorry!” Dave laughed with wide eyes, wincing as he shut off the oven. 

Jeff followed Dave to the kitchen, wincing at the smell of burnt cake and infinitely glad for the interruption that let him pull himself together as he scrubbed his face on his sweatshirt and let himself laugh, "Oh my god... I'm telling Finn about this, Dave. He'll be glad to know you burnt it this time." He smiled as he leaned against the wall, watching smoke filter out the window and snickering, "And uhm... Weddings... Definitely... later. After Finn and Jesse and the baby and... That's too much, all our heads'll explode, but... Engaged. Engaged is good. AND OH!" He cried as he threw himself back into the living room to retrieve the ring where it sat and flying back to the kitchen, "You gotta put it on me! Your charcoal cake isn't going anywhere." He teased, sliding up to Dave to press against him, grimacing at the oven.

“Oh,” Dave cried as he lost balance, falling backwards on the floor and pulling Jeff down on top of him in the process. “Oh god… Jeff… thank god. I love you… I…” He trailed off, finding it almost harder to speak now than he had a minute ago. “I want to be with you forever… and I need you to know that I mean it,” he explained, squeezing his arms around the boy and kissing him everywhere he could reach. He could feel his heart beat hard through his shirt and maybe even through Jeff’s hoodie, hammering against the boy’s chest where they aligned. “I love you, Jeff… Merry Christmas,” he whispered, finding the boy’s lips and kissing them gently. 

Jeff squirmed on top of Dave, sure that he was feeling emotion through his entire body, making it hard to do anything but sob softly into Dave's neck, telling himself to settle down, but for once in his life he was so happy that he couldn't stop himself from crying, "Forever and ever and ever. Promise." He whispered against his skin, pressing repeated kisses to the area, "That makes you my fiance'. The best fiance'. I love you so much. I don't know... I don't know how you're real, or this is real, or how this is my life, and I just..." He whimpered as he took a deep breath and held it, willing himself to feel things just a little quieter, a little softer, because he was sure he couldn't feel at such a heightened way forever. He straddled Dave's hips to hug him with his legs, pulling back to look at him and hoping he wasn't a complete mess, "Mine. Merry Christmas, Dave."

Dave let them sit in a burning silence for a few moments, just feeling Jeff’s body, the weight of him and his warmth, before nudging the boy to move off his lap. “I gotta… this one’s in my pocket, and… not one that I’m wearing,” he explained a little nervously, trying to tell himself this was nothing to feel so sickly about, but finding that it failed to make it at all easier. He moved to his letterman draped over the armchair beside the couch and reached for it before turning to sit perched on the arm of the chair. “Um…” He started, coughing a couple times to clear his throat. “So… when I first met you… you know that I wasn’t… really a very good person. I mean… maybe that’s not true. I don’t think I was ever really… BAD. It’s not like I ever took pleasure in people’s pain, or kicked puppies or stole from families… but… mean. I was mean… a little,” he admitted, a fact that he still had trouble dealing with, even now that that part of his life was long over. “And that was… almost one hundred percent because I was afraid to let most people know me. Even Finn didn’t know me completely…. So I just… blocked. But, uh… that’s not really part of the story. The point is that I never do that with you. Not in the least. I like sharing with you, I love it. I’m never afraid. And… I think that means something big,” he pointed out, running his palms over his thighs as he looked down at Jeff on the couch. “I’ve never loved anyone the way that I love you. And never will I ever love another this way in the future. And I know this, because… maybe… I can’t be sure that I won’t meet some incredibly sexy or funny guy in ten years. Or four years. Even one. But I can be absolutely positive that I won’t give a damn about him when he shows up. Because I’ve already got a man who covers all the bases. I just… can’t explain how much I… I bet Jesse was way better at this than me,” he lamented, deciding that maybe it was best if he just jumped right in. He finally dug into the pocket of his jacket and pulled out a ring box, keeping it in his palm as he squeezed it tightly, nervously. “The thing I’d like to know… this Christmas….” He started, feeling his heart leap into his throat as he floundered on the arm of the chair for a second before slowly and sort of awkwardly moving to one knee in front of the boy, not having planned on it, but feeling in the moment that it was absolutely necessary. “Jeff Sterling…” He addressed shakily, opening the ring box carefully and keeping his eyes glued to Jeff’s face. “Will you marry me?”

Jeff curled himself into the couch as Dave moved away, eyes on him unwaveringly as he moved back towards him, and the more Dave talked, the more Jeff's heart started beating uncontrollably. This sounded an awful lot like... His eyes were wide as he listened to him, feeling his face flush as he watched his boyfriend talk, watched his lips and his eyes and the way he was suddenly moving forward, and his words about Jesse cemented the realization of what was happening, and Jeff could feel his hands tremble. When Dave had mentioned awhile back about proposals and marriage and Jeff confirmed taking his name, he never thought it'd be this soon. This wasn't his life. Or... It hadn't been his life until he'd met Dave. He hadn't known he possessed the capacity to be so unendingly happy. He shivered in place for a moment, torn between being stuck in place by his emotions and tossing himself at Dave. The latter won out, and he flung himself off the couch with a whimper to thrown his arms around Dave's neck, eyes stinging as he clung, "Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes." He repeated as he pressed wet kisses to Dave's throw and up his cheek to his lips, trying hard not to sniffle as he clung, "You... I... Yes." He nodded, overwhelmed completely speechless as he looked at him intently, "I love you. Dave."

“January… you and me,” Dave smiled, running his hands over Jeff’s body and up the back of his hoodie, hoping his skin was warm enough not to shock him. “Jeff… it’s the best gift I have ever gotten, I promise you,” he swore, wishing he had more words to express the fact, but a little overwhelmed by emotion that was making words hard to come out at all. “I hope… my last gift to you is good, too,” he prayed, because even more than the loss of all the money if the ring was rejected… Dave wasn’t sure if he’d be able to deal with knowing that Jeff never wanted to be husbands.  

Jeff smiled softly, genuinely relieved and pleased, "I'm glad. I'm happy, really happy!" He promised almost excitedly, something that seemed overwhelming every time he remembered it, "And... I don't think you could give me anything that isn't good, cause I love everything from you." He admitted, knowing that Dave could hand him literally anything and he would be more than happy with it, knowing that aside from Nick, before Dave... he hadn't gotten gifts at all, he hadn't had holidays, and the event itself was enough in his mind, "I'll love it." He repeated, pressing his lips to Dave's cheek.

Dave felt his heart skip as he realized what Jeff was saying, and it was partially the excitement of the trip, but mostly, he thought, the confirmation that Jeff wanted to be with him like that. “My god… Jeff,” He whispered, clearing his throat to find his voice. “No! I… Nick can come if you want… but I’d like it to just be you and me. I’d… thank you. This is… wow,” he said breathlessly, lacking the words to let the boy know how much it meant to him that he felt safe with Dave, and thought he was worth this. That their relationship was worth it. “Come here, baby,” he insisted, wrapping both arms around the boy and squeezing him tight before tugging the collar of his hoodie away from his neck to press kisses along his collar bone.  

Jeff hummed happily, relaxing into Dave and holding onto him tightly, tilting his neck to let Dave press kisses to his neck, basking in them, "If you're sure it's okay... I'll finalize all the stuff. Maybe for January, and... And, I'd like it to be me and you, too. Cause it's our turn. I wanna be alone with you in the mountains. It'll be the most romantic thing." He promised quietly, pressing his nose to Dave's neck and leaving it there as he breathed him in. He wasn't quite sure what else to say, having already covered all his bases, and hoping Dave could find as much love for a place that was joyful for him as a kid as he did, "I'm glad you like it, cause I love you. Couldn't think of anything that was good enough for you."

“Oh. My. God. You’re the cutest thing ever, TOO.” He clutched at Dave’s neck, nuzzling into him hard and snuggling against his chest, “I won’t be sad if you got Nick one! He can match me. We’ll be pink and green! That’s so cute. Oh my god.” He grinned with a laugh, “You can dress us up if you want, I’ll let you. It’s only fair since I steal yours clothes ALL the time.” He admitted, picking at the fabric spread across his thighs, “Thank you very much for loving him, too. It makes me happy.” He admitted, “Okay, so… I only have one present for you, and it’s in my pocket, kinda but not really. But you thought this gift was sillier than your other one, which means you have another one, which means, who goes next now?!”

“It’s in your pocket… kinda but not really…” Dave tried, squinting at the boy curiously. “Well… it’s gonna haaaave to be you, because I’m way too terrified now to wait any longer,” he teased, swallowing as he realizing it was coming down to the wire, and their lives were about to change very soon. He knew it’d be for the best, though, and nothing drastic would come of it other than good feelings and a solidified promise of love. They were already serious and living together, already sharing a dog and their friends. An engagement was just a promise that things would stay the same. 

"Okay, so... I'm gonna go really, really quick." He promised, grabbing his phone out of the pocket of his sweats and flipping to the pictures menu, "Alright, so... There's this really incredible skii resort in Pennsylvania. And my grandma used to live right by it, so my parents would drop us off with her every once in a blue moon, and we'd spend a weekend in the lodge, and we'd go skiing and snowboarding, and there's this awesome arcade, and there's hot tubs outside the rooms, you can see all the trees, and this time of year there's tons and tons of snow. The rooms have huge beds and jacuzzi tubs, and it's basically... heaven on earth. It's one of those things I remember about being a kid and loving it, uhm..." He handed over the phone to show Dave pictures, "So... I haven't confirmed the flight dates yet, because I wanted to wait to make sure that you'd like it, but the reservations for everything are there, my card is on file, it's basically just... Only if you WANT to. I thought... You know, me and Nick went on a weekend away, and Finn and Jesse went on a summer getaway, and... You and I have never gotten a chance to do that, you know?" He rambled, feeling suddenly self concious and wondering if maybe he shouldn't have just bought Dave some new clothes or something, "And well... I wanna do something for you, cause you've... given me everything. And there's so much to do there, but I'd even pay for Nick to come, or Jesse and Finn if you think it'd be better with more people." He offered seriously, snuggling deep into Dave's lap, "I love that place, and I think you'll love it, too. And I get to take care of you for once! I can buy you things! And hold your hand on the airplane!"

Dave laughed heartily as he hugged Jeff back, rubbing at his head through the hat. “You look so hot,” he teased, despite genuinely meaning it, as always. “I’d totally wanna hit on you if I saw you struttin’ down the street in this,” he admitted, because the damn thing was adorable on that blonde hair. “And it has ears!” He echoed, laughing hard enough to have to tilt his head back to lean on the couch. “Oooh, I love you, Baby.”

Jeff snorted, “Hot like a gummi bear.” He teased with a laughed, leaning back to smile widely at Dave, eyes drawn upwards by the brim of the hat and he wished he could hug it while it was on his head, “It’s the cutest thing I’ve ever SEEN! Nick’s gonna be jealous. I’m gonna wear it everywhere. When I go grocery shopping tomorrow, even.” He informed him, leaning forward to press his lips to Dave’s, kissing him slowly for a moment, “I love you.”

“Awww… Jeesus, you are killing me with cute,” Dave admitted, before pulling back to look at the boy. “Wooould you be sad if I said I got Nick one, too? If not, then I got him a green one. If so… then I totally didn’t,” he winced, hoping it wasn’t tacky to get them both the same thing. “I just think it’s so cute when you boys maaatch! You’re like my babies! I’m like a proud mommy with twiiiins, I wanna dress you guys all matchy and adorable!” He whined with a snicker.

"Oh. My. God. You're the cutest thing ever, TOO." He clutched at Dave's neck, nuzzling into him hard and snuggling against his chest, "I won't be sad if you got Nick one! He can match me. We'll be pink and green! That's so cute. Oh my god." He grinned with a laugh, "You can dress us up if you want, I'll let you. It's only fair since I steal yours clothes ALL the time." He admitted, picking at the fabric spread across his thighs, "Thank you very much for loving him, too. It makes me happy." He admitted, "Okay, so... I only have one present for you, and it's in my pocket, kinda but not really. But you thought this gift was sillier than your other one, which means you have another one, which means, who goes next now?!"