Chapter Text
When Joe returned home with Mags, Booker had cleaned up the mess and was watching football.
Booker: "I'm sorry to tell you, but Germany is losing."
Joe: "That isn't my biggest worry at the moment."
Joe placed Mags on the sofa, who ran up to Booker and licked his face.
Booker: "You are still being dramatic, Joe."
Joe: "You would also be dramatic if you knew your Mother would kill you soon. Hope you will attend the funeral."
Joe dropped to his knees and started to search the floor for the missing ring.
Booker: "I know that isn't the case because your Mother loves you."
Joe: "I will make sure to remind her about that when I tell her I lost my Grandfather's ring."
Because Joe was so busy searching, he didn't notice Nicky coming home.
Nicky: "Hi, guys. What is Joe doing?"
Booker: "Trying to prevent himself from being killed by his Mother."
Nicky: "What do you mean?"
Booker: "He lost a ring."
Nicky walked a bit closer to Joe.
Nicky: "What ring is Booker talking about, Yusuf?"
Joe: "The ring I'm going to use when I ask Nicky to marry me next weekend. And since when have you started to call me Yusuf, Sebastien?"
Joe looked up at Booker.
Booker: "Wrong person."
Booker pointed behind Joe, which made Joe turn around. When Joe saw Nicky, he could feel the panic return.
Joe: "Hi, Babe. You're home earlier than I thought."
Nicky: "You want to marry me?"
Joe: "More than anything, but I can't..."
Booker: "Without this."
Booker placed the ring Joe had been searching for in his hand. Joe looked confused at Booker before Joe looked at Nicky.
Booker: "You know what to do. Come, Mags. Let's leave them alone."
Booker took Mags under his arm and left them alone. Joe stared at Nicky. This wasn't how Joe had planned, asking Nicky to marry him. Joe had planned to take Nicky away on a totally romantic weekend in the mountains, and during a walk in the snow, Joe would drop to his knees and ask the big question. But sometimes, you had to forget the most well-planned plans and just roll with the situation you are in, which was something Joe decided to do.
Joe: "My beautiful Nicolò, my guiding moon, my eternal flame that keeps me warm, my everything. Will you marry me and make me the luckiest man alive in the entire world? I promise to keep you safe and love you forever. Where you go, I will go because you are my guiding star. Did I ask if you want to marry me?"
Nicky: "You did, and yes. I would love to marry you."
It was with a shaky hand that Joe put the ring on Nicky's finger. Nicky let out a squeal of joy when he saw the ring before he tackled Joe with pure happiness, so Joe ended up on his back with Nicky on top. The tackling might have knocked the air out of Joe, but Joe didn't care because he had the man he loved with his entire heart in his arms, and they were kissing.
Booker: "Looks like you got two Dads now, Mags. You can always call me if it gets too much with them."
Joe: "Booker still thinks he is funny."
Nicky got up before he pulled Joe up.
Booker: "I know I'm funny. And congratulations."
Nicky: "Thanks, Book. I hope you will come to the wedding."
Booker: "I promise, and I promise you that Joe will be on time on your wedding day."
Nicky: "Glad to hear it. I'm going to call my Mother. Be back in a moment."
Nicky took Mags before he went into the bedroom to talk in private. When Joe and Booker were alone, Joe punched Booker on the shoulder.
Booker: "Avv, what was that for?"
Joe: "For not telling me you had found the ring."
Booker: "Yeah, about that. Your Mother told me she had given you the ring, and she might have asked me to look after it because we both know your habit of constantly losing stuff. So, when I saw the ring last week, I took it. After being ordered by your Mother, remember that. My plan was to sneak the ring into your jacket before leaving today."
Joe: "And you couldn't have told me before I took Mags to the vet?"
Booker: "It was you who were being dramatic. And Joe?"
Joe: "What?"
Booker pointed behind Joe. When Joe turned around, Nicky was standing there with Mags at his feet.
Nicky: "Why did you take Mags to the vet?"
Booker laughed as he pattered Joe on the shoulder.
Booker: "Good luck, my friend. You're going to need it."
Booker picked up Mags.
Booker: "We will be in the living room if needed because there is no need for Mags to see her parents argue."
Booker left the kitchen with Mags.
Nicky: "Yusuf, answer my question: why did you take Mags to the vet?"
Joe rubbed his neck sheepishly. While telling Nicky, Joe hoped this wouldn't be history's shortest engagement. It only took Nicky two minutes to forgive Joe, saying he made the right decision.
A week later, when they attended a Christmas party, Booker couldn't resist telling his version of how Joe proposed to Nicky. Let's just say it is a very interesting story.