Chapter Text
"Hey, can I talk to you about something?", Keith asked Sam, who just helped him bringing the dirty dishes into the kitchen.
Mick and him had invited some of their friends over to their new flat for dinner that night. Keith had cooked Shepherd's pie, which he knew best because it was his favorite and his mum had taught him the recipe long ago. Mick had prepared some Banoffee pie for dessert and they were pretty glad that everybody had greatly enjoyed their meal.
"Sure, yeah", Sam simply replied, as they were stacking the dishes into the sink while the others were in the living room, happily chatting, drinking wine and beer.
"Can we go outside on the balcony for a moment?", he suggested and Sam just shrugged, following him through the floor to the bedroom and then outside onto the balcony.
"Fancy a smoke?", Keith offered once they were there, pulling out his pack of cigarettes, but Sam only shook her head and wrapped her woolen jacket around her a little closer. It was January and obviously quite fresh outside, especially now at night.
"What is this about?", she questioned, a brow raised somewhat suspiciously. Keith couldn't even resent her for it because usually he didn't consult her like this. She might be Mick's best friend, but if it wasn't for that, then probably Keith and her wouldn't really be hanging out much. It didn't mean that they didn't get along well, or didn't like each other, they just didn't really have too much common ground and not a lot to talk about. At least that's how Keith perceived it, but maybe there was also some slight jealousy over Mick there on both ends.
"I need your help", he meant, getting right to the point, taking a drag from his cigarette almost nervously. He wasn't sure whether Sam realised, but what he was about to tell her was a huge deal for him and he hadn't even mentioned it to Johnny or Ronnie yet, because usually they couldn't keep their mouths shut and it needed to stay a secret for now.
"What with?", Sam asked, curiously mustering him, as he leaned his back against the balustrade.
"It's about Mick", he only mentioned, without getting too precise yet, because he didn't quite know where else to start. He also wasn't quite good at talking about his feelings, but what he was up to do would definitely require talking about what he felt for Mick.
"Is he alright?", Sam wanted to know, actually sounding concerned now.
"He's perfectly fine, it's just…", Keith calmed her down before she disrupted him.
"I swear to god, Keith, can you just tell me?"
"Well, if you'd just let me?!", he gave back in mock annoyance.
"Okay, fine, so what is it?"
"I wanna marry him", he all but blurted without any further ado.
"What?", Sam was staring at him almost in disbelief at these news.
"I know it's not legal and it wouldn't be an official thing, but for us, it will be real. You know Mick. He really wants to get married, he wants to be a husband to someone. I want to give him that…I want to spend the rest of my life with him", Keith explained to her.
"You mean this for real?", she inquired, still staring at him out of big eyes.
"I wouldn't be joking about that. I love Mick...I've never loved anybody the way I love him. It sounds sappy, I know, but...he's the love of my life and I don't ever want to be without him", he admitted, clearly feeling his cheeks flush in embarrassment about telling Sam all of this. But it was the truth. He'd never felt about anyone the way he felt about Mick and he wanted to grow old with him, he was totally sure of that.
"God, you're actually so cheesy. But I am so, so happy for you guys. You really want to do this?", she asked once more as if she still couldn't believe it.
"Mick told me how much he wished we could actually get married. He was quite disappointed about it, because it's not legal...he really, really wants this, though. And I want him to be happy. It's just a stupid slip of paper, we don't actually need that, but...you know, the whole meaning behind it. That's what counts. I really love him so much...I'd do anything for him", Keith admitted, his cheeks still feeling quite hot even though it was cool outside.
"So...what do you need my help for then?", Sam wanted to know, looking at him expectantly.
"Well...I want to do it properly, you know. Get him an engagement ring. He'll love that", Keith meant, flipping his cigarette away and stuffed his hands into his jeans pockets.
"Oh, bloody sure he will. He's a sappy one too", she agreed, laughing.
"I cannot walk into a jewelery shop and tell them I'm looking for a ring for my boyfriend...", Keith explained the situation and Sam nodded in understanding.
"So you want me to get him a ring?", she guessed, but Keith shook his head in denial.
"No, I want us to get me a ring", he started, but Sam disrupted him.
"I don't understand?", she meant, but before Keith could reply to her, Mick poked his head out the balcony door.
"Oh, there you are! What are you guys doing?", he asked, coming outside as well to stand next to Keith, wrapping an arm around his waist.
"Just asked Keith for a fag", Sam replied and Keith pulled his cigarettes out to offer her one.
"Why, did you miss me?", Keith then wanted to know from Mick, teasing him, as he slung an arm around his shoulders, but Mick actually blushed a tad.
"Sappy", Sam stage whispered, with a wink at Keith, while Mick just looked at her in confusion.
"Did you bring the ring?", Keith asked Sam, as they met at the tube station like they'd agreed to. The fact that Mick didn't know what they were doing actually made Keith feel like he was on a super secret mission and he quite liked that thought.
"I'm wearing it", Sam returned, wiggling her fingers in front of Keith's face.
"Alright...it's nice. But you gotta take it off, it's supposed to be your wedding ring, remember?", he told her and she nodded in agreement.
"So, we'll just play pretend now?", Sam wanted to know as she took the ring off her finger and wrapped it into a small blue handkerchief.
"That's the plan", he agreed as they went on their way over to the jewelery shop. "Unless you came up with a different one?"
"No, it's good", she just meant.
"Okay, then let's do this!", Keith agreed, not able to keep the excitement out of his voice, as he pulled open the door to the jewelery shop.
"Good morning, how may I help you?", a middle-aged woman greeted them almost as soon as they'd stepped foot inside the shop.
"Uh...my fiancée and I are looking for a wedding ring", Keith said. It was a little odd playing pretend with Sam but it definitely would be worth it.
"Wedding rings?", the woman asked.
"No, just for him. I've got mine, it's his late grandma's", Sam explained, Keith really liked that touch to the story they came up with. The ring actually belonged to Sam's grandma who was very much alive but who'd given it to her because she wanted her to have it.
"Did you bring it?", the jeweler wanted to know.
"Of course, here", Sam pulled the handkerchief with the ring out of her purse and handed it to the older woman.
"Oh, it's quite beautiful", she commented on the delicate silver band holding three tiny light rose jewels.
"Thanks", Sam replied, taking her ring back.
"I could show you some of these over here. They'd go nicely with it", the jeweler suggested, leading them over to a display cabinet. "Do you know your ring size?", she wanted to know from Keith.
"Yeah, I guess these should fit", he meant, pointing to some rings in front of them.
He knew that Mick's fingers weren't much thinner or broader than his own, so whichever ring he'd choose probably would fit quite well. Actually the night before, while cuddling on the couch, after putting Davie down to sleep, he'd been playing around with Mick's fingers. Like this, he'd been trying to figure out, once again, whether they might be the same ring size and had come to the conclusion that it was very likely. They also wore more or less the same size clothes and Mick loved nicking some of Keith's t-shirts, but he didn't mind in the slightest.
"Let's just try. How about this one here?", the jeweler said, opening the display cabinet to point out one of the rings to Keith.
"No, I don't like it, do you, babe?", he meant, because he disliked the straight edges.
"No, it's not for you, honey", Sam agreed and Keith was actually glad to have her with him, because she'd been friends with Mick for years and knew his tastes quite well. Even if he had to call her pet names in public for their masquerade to come across as more persuading.
"Okay, that's not a problem, just take your time. I could also recommend this one over there", the woman returned, referring to another ring.
"What do you think?", Keith nudged Sam, because he wasn't sure about it. It looked too shiny.
"Hmm, maybe? Do you like it?", she gave back, but didn't sound too sure either.
"I don't know. What about that one? I think that's a nice one", Keith then pointed to a rather plain silver band. It was nothing fancy but he was fairly certain that Mick didn't expect a ten carat diamond or anything like that. It was nicely formed, wasn't too broad or slim for Keith's likes and also not made of a too polished silver that made it look too shiny.
"Yeah it's lovely. You should try it on!", Sam encouraged him, nodding eagerly.
"Of course, let me just get it for you...here", the jeweler said, holding the ring out for Keith, who took it and put it on his ring finger. It fit pretty neatly and didn't look bad at all, he could quite well imagine Mick wearing it.
"It's nice, don't you think, babe?", he mused, holding his hand out for Sam to inspect the ring.
"I love it. It also goes together quite well with mine", she mentioned, putting her own ring on and holding her hand next to Keith's just for show.
"Yeah, it's perfect", he agreed, not able to contain his giddy smile at the thought of proposing with it to Mick.
"You two are adorable. When's the wedding?"
"In about three months", Sam answered with a grin. Keith could clearly see how amused she was about their whole game of playing pretend. It was hilarious. But they got what they wanted.
"Congratulations", the woman replied and Keith blushed, busying himself with taking the ring off again.
"Thanks", Sam replied, a broad smile on her lips.
"So, this one?", the jeweler meant as she took the ring from Keith.
"That's the one", he nodded.
"Do you need it engraved as well?", she asked as they were walking over to the check-out counter.
"Oh no, it's fine. I got a mate who can do it for us", Keith mentioned, even though he fully planned to engrave it himself with some of the tools he used at his shop for the instruments. He already knew exactly which inscription he'd put on the inside.
"Alright, just the ring then."
"Yeah, that's fine", Keith agreed and then paid the sum the jeweler named him.
"You ever thought about becoming an actress?", he wanted to know from Sam once they'd stepped out into the streets again, walking over to the next tube station.
"I was at the theatre club in university", she informed him with a mischievous grin.
"She totally bought it", he chuckled and Sam started laughing as well.
"It was quite ridiculous", she agreed as they kept walking down the street.
"But it was all worth it...I'm sure Mick will love it", Keith mentioned and Sam nodded in agreement.
"He will, it's a nice one!"
"Thanks for doing this with me", he said stuffing his hands into his jeans pockets. In the right one he'd put the small box with Mick's ring in it and he wrapped his hand around it almost protectively.
"Mick truly loves you, you know? I mean...he's actually in love with you, a hell of a lot. I've never seen him like that. He looks at you as if you were the most precious thing in the world. And I actually think to him you are", Sam told him and Keith could feel his cheeks flush.
"You think?", he dared to ask, sounding pretty flustered by her words. She might be the only person who probably knew Mick better than him and hearing her say that about her best friend meant a lot to Keith. Especially since he was only too well aware of the fact that there was a time a few years back where Sam had been in love with Mick herself.
"I've seen him with quite some people, girls and guys. But with you? He absolutely adores you, he's happier than I've ever seen him before and I've been knowing him for six years by now. He cannot keep his hands and eyes off you...usually he quickly tends to lose interest as soon as anyone better shows up, but not with you. I think you're truly the one for him", Sam explained and Keith only felt himself blushing some more about what Sam was saying.
"He's the one for me, too. I'm so much in love with him, I don't want to ever lose him…", he babbled, quite flattered and sheepishly smiling. On one hand it was odd talking about this to Sam of all people, considering her history with Mick. On the other hand, because of this, she probably was the very person he could be talking to about all of this.
"Good. Cause if you ever hurt him I'll have to strangle you", Sam replied and even though her tone was joking, Keith absolutely believed her.
"I'd never...I want to make him happy...I just want him to be happy", he let her know.
"He truly is", Sam assured him. "How are you planning on proposing to him?", she added then and Keith started smiling widely, before telling her about his plan.