Genderswitch AU

[ay_my_lord]

*by this point, Horatio, Reina, and Anticleia have a house--a nice, one-and-a-half-story place with a bit of a yard and a trellis with roses just beginning to climb it. things have begun to settle; there are still awkward moments at times, still little jealousies and conflicts over space, but even those are only small and quickly resolved.

it's nearly evening. Horatio is sitting on the couch in their front room, fingering the hem of his sweater, waiting for Reina to come home*

Comments

[carpoftruth.livejournal.com]

*smiling* Then I'll have to kiss you. Lean forward.

[ay-my-lord.livejournal.com]

*he does, then, beaming still--closing his eyes to be kissed*

[carpoftruth.livejournal.com]

*kisses his lips, gentle and loving and soverygrateful*

[ay-my-lord.livejournal.com]

Oh-- *when they break* I almost forgot. *slight pocket-shufflage* I'd gotten this, in case you said yes ... *and he hands her a little black velvet box, so very traditional*

[carpoftruth.livejournal.com]

*wordless as she opens it, as though there were something sacred in it, in the accepting*

[ay-my-lord.livejournal.com]

*perhaps there is--but honestly, it's only a plain little ring, so unassuming that it's practically ashamed to be so reverenced*

[carpoftruth.livejournal.com]

*but it's beautiful, beautiful -- and Reina's laughing so softly it's almost crying, trying to blink back the tears in her eyes* -- Oh --

[ay-my-lord.livejournal.com]

*and at this point, the waitress will come over and pour them some wine*

[carpoftruth.livejournal.com]

*smiles and thanks her, but can't take her eyes off the ring* Should I ... should I put it on, or ...

[ay-my-lord.livejournal.com]

If you want. *scoots his chair around the table a little, so that he can take her hand* If you think it would be nice ...

[carpoftruth.livejournal.com]

I think I'd like it if you ... *hesitates, blushing*

[ay-my-lord.livejournal.com]

*he hopes that he interprets her correctly--he takes the ring from its box and gently, gently slides it onto her finger*

[carpoftruth.livejournal.com]

*exactly right -- she can feel her breath catch, at how right it is, at how well it fits her (at how much she loves him)* It's perfect.

[ay-my-lord.livejournal.com]

*then he'll kiss her again, so very grateful for her love, for her acceptance--when the waitress comes back to take their orders, he'll just tell her softly that they'd like another minute*

[carpoftruth.livejournal.com]

*laughs* You might've ordered champagne, and had her put the ring in the glass to surprise me ... but that wouldn't have been so perfect. You're so perfect. *smilingcrying, holding her hand and the ring to her mouth* I love you so much.

[ay-my-lord.livejournal.com]

But then you might have swallowed it by mistake, and that would have been awful ... *brushing back her tears with his thumb* I love you, too. I want to stay with you, even if it will be complicated ...

[carpoftruth.livejournal.com]

*quiet, quiet* Don't know what I did to deserve you.

[ay-my-lord.livejournal.com]

Loved me, and made me happy--

[carpoftruth.livejournal.com]

*cheek kiss* The things you already do for me?

[ay-my-lord.livejournal.com]

*silly* You think that's enough for me to deserve you--

[carpoftruth.livejournal.com]

That's true -- because it is --

[ay-my-lord.livejournal.com]

So it's the same for you, right? *beams--then looks sheepishly at their hands* Um, maybe we should decide what to eat ...

[carpoftruth.livejournal.com]

Oh -- right. *laughs* I'd forgotten.

[ay-my-lord.livejournal.com]

*kisses her cheek* It's okay. Me, too.

[carpoftruth.livejournal.com]

I'm engaged -- *just pleased to say it* I'm engaged, and I have to decide what to eat now.