Chapter Text
"I'M DOOMED!!" Ness cried, collapsing on the couch. He, Poo, Paula, Jeff, and Claus were sitting in a circle of furniture, discussing their next move.
"So you chickened out on your first attempt." Poo shrugged. "Lucas didn't catch on. That's what's important."
"This time will be different, I'm sure." Paula assured Ness.
Ness didn't respond. All he could hear was his thoughts; all circulating around his mind, drowning out his compatriots. He could still see his crushing defeat from only a few hours prior.
"This has to be absolutely perfect." Claus said. "You're proposing to my little brother, and you have to do it right. It can't be too cheesy, or direct, or sudden. You have to carefully lead up to this, then get on one knee, pull out the ring, and propose. But you have to say something romantic. And honestly, not too cheesy, PAULA."
"Hey! My ideas are perfect!" Paula protested.
"Whatever." Claus rolled his eyes. "Jeff, what do you think." pause. "Jeff?"
"Well..." Jeff thought for a moment. "I guess... he should say something like, 'you are my sun, moon, stars, and sky. You have been since the moment I met you.'" he noticed everyone staring at him. "..." Jeff looked away. "O-or something."
"DOES NO ONE HERE KNOW WHAT CHEESY MEANS!?" Claus shouted.
"Cheesy is an adjective meaning cheap, unpleasant, or blatantly inauthentic." Jeff informed them. Everyone stared at him again. "W-what?"
"Thank you, Jeff, for being the only one who understands what cheesy means, and still, after I said it shouldn't be cheesy, you made Ness's line as cheesy as cheesy gets. Congratulations." Claus clapped, slightly glaring at Jeff.
"Come on, Claus." Poo sighed. "Don't pick on Jeff. He's just trying to help."
"I know. You're right. I'm sorry." Claus took a deep breath. "It's just so overwhelming. This is little brother we're talking about. This has to be perfect."
"Ness, you leave the thinking to us. We'll talk to you tomorrow. You should go home and get some rest." Paula suggested.
"Yeah. Thanks guys." Ness rose to his feet, and walked out the door, leaving the four to argue.
"Okay, so how about something like, 'we've been together for a long time, and I was thinking that perhaps it was time to take the next step.'" Poo suggested.
The other three stared at Poo. "Have you, like, proposed to someone before?" Paula asked, leaning forward.
"Nope, just witnessed several done in public." Poo shrugged.
"I think that's perfect." Claus nodded thoughtfully.
"But this should be something special between them." Paula whined. "Like, 'Lucas, we've been together for a long time. But I feel that something is wrong.' And then he takes one knee and says 'Your last name.'"
"This is what I'm talking about!" Claus sighed, rubbing the arch of his nose. "That is really cheesy. I say we go with Poo's idea."
"How about this? 'Lucas, from the moment I met you, you always stood out to me. Even if we were separated, I could find you in a crowd of thousands in a matter of seconds. I have will forever love you.' and then he takes a knee and the ring out. 'I know I'm not perfect; I never will be. But will you stay by my side even after the bitter end?'" Jeff suggested quietly. Everyone stared at him again. "WHAT!? Why do you keep STARING at me like that!?"
"That's absolutely perfect, write that down." Claus smiled. "I know Lucas is going to cry really hard of pride and joy."
"I agree." Poo nodded.
"But-"
"Paula, it's way better than anything you've come up with." Claus interrupted her. "It's three against one, deal with it."
Paula glared at him, but gave in. "All right."
"Finished." Jeff said proudly, holding up the piece of paper.
"Great. We'll talk to Ness in the morning." Poo picked up the pencil. "Pray that this works."
~Time Skip~
The sun was setting over the mountains in the horizon. The day with Lucas had gone exactly as planned. Now they were alone on the rooftop.
"Well, today was a lot of fun." Lucas sighed dreamily.
"Yeah." While Lucas was watching the sunset, Ness turned on the earpiece he had in his ear. "Alright, operation Lucas is a go." he whispered.
"Roger." the staticy voice of Jeff replied. "Now we went over this. Are you ready?"
Ness took a deep breath. "Yes."
"Then here's what you do. First, walk up to him." Jeff ordered. Ness walked forward. "Now say the line we rehearsed several dozen times."
"I'm so nervous. Help me." Ness said shakily.
"That's what I'm here for." Jeff pointed out. "Okay, repeat after me. Lucas,"
"Lucas." Ness repeated.
"Yes?" Lucas turned his head to face his lover.
"From the moment I met you, you stood out to me." Jeff whispered.
"From the moment I met you, you stood out to me." Ness repeated, then whispered, "I remember now."
"Good." Jeff sighed.
"Even if we were separated, I could find you in a crowd of thousands in seconds."
Lucas looked softly at him.
"I have, and will, forever love you." Ness shakily took a knee, and pulled out the ring box from his back pocket.
Lucas covered his mouth in astonishment. Already tears were forming in the corners of his eyes.
"I know I'm not perfect; I never will be. But will you stay by my side until the bitter end?" Ness looked up from the ground at the crying blonde.
"I-I..." Lucas had tears streaming down his cheeks. "E-even after. Yes."
Ness took Lucas's hand, and slid the ring onto his finger. A matching ring was already on Ness's hand. Ness stood, and met his betrothed's eyes.
"Then-" Before Ness could finish his sentence, Lucas had embraced him, pressing his lips against Ness's. They stood there like that as the sun sank below the horizon.
In the bushes, Jeff had begun crying silently, watching his two friends.