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Tonight was a big night. A secret big night. A big night that was going to be a big night after he revealed why it was a big night, but a normal night right up until then.
Lassie was his adorable, doofus, snarky, rigid boyfriend, but suddenly, weeks ago, that didn’t seem like enough. They were living together, crime fighting together, doing everything shy of a married couple without the married part together.
When Shawn thought about where life could take him, Lassie was always there beside him, or behind him, or beneath him. So he got a ring, with the help of an adorable, and patient, saleswoman named Debra, bought it, and promptly hid it where Lassie would never find it.
It had been there for months, waiting for him to wrap his head around it and grow the balls to actually ask him, and now he was ready. Shawn couldn’t wait another day without seeing that ring on Lassie’s finger.
Lassie wasn’t one for big declarations or PDA and if he took him out to a fancy restaurant or something, he was bound to know what’s up.
Simple, nonchalant first. Just another normal night in, with a little twist, then when he was stuck with him, he was gonna pull out all the stops when they told the precinct! He was already in talk with a group that did flash mobs!
He heard lock clicked, the door swung open, and Lassie strode in with a takeout bag in one hand and the keys in the other, sourpuss on his face.
“You wouldn’t believe the traffic getting here. You’d think that a mattress on the side of the road was the next going attraction the way everyone was stopping to watch!”
“Swannecking is the bane of the commuter.”
“It’s rubbernecking.”
“I’ve heard it both ways.” Shawn said, wrapping his arms around Lassie’s waist. Lassie put the bag of takeout on the counter and turned to wrap his arms around Shawn's neck.
“You’re not leaving much room for Jesus,” Lassie smirked, scratching the back of Shawn’s neck, the place that always had him shivering.
“Jesus can get his own room. Welcome home.”
“Why, thank you.” Lassie leaned down for a peck. “Anything exciting happen today?”
“Well, Gus got a new client which is exciting for him, I guess. I discovered that Matt across the street is cheating on his girlfriend which should be interesting when she gets an anonymous tip tomorrow. Oh, Ellen played another game of you bet your wife and I think we could really nail that game if we gave it a try.”
“Sounds like an eventful day. And no.”
“I’ll convince you one of these days. What’d you get?”
They dished out their food, stealing a bit of each other’s, and sat at the counter, chatting about this and that until Lassie got up to do the dishes.
“How about a movie night?” Shawn suggested, keeping his tone bored and even.
“Only if I get to choose.”
“I guess I could be persuaded.”
As he put the last dish on the rack, Shawn pulled him into a kiss. When Lassie spoke after they broke apart, he could feel him shape the words against his lips. “How could I say no?”
“You can’t.” Shawn said, giving up another peck, before pulling back. If they didn’t stop, this evening would head in a totally different direction. “Go get cozy and I’ll get us started.”
As Lassie turned to go, Shawn couldn’t help but give his ass a little slap, which earned him a half hearted glare.
“Hurry up, or I’ll make you sit through Trolls, or something equally cheery.”
Lassie muttered half heartedly as he walked down the hallway, to change into his version of relaxed clothes, old pair of jeans and a loose polo, which was adorably anally retentive of him.
Time to put his plan into action. While Netflix booted up, he tiptoed to the kitchen, moving like his dad taught him way back when and grabbed the box he’d stashed in the Trix cereal box. He put it behind the microwave, so he’d be able to grab it without suspicion.
Shawn knew how to keep his body language under control, and he wasn’t going to ruin his brilliant little plan because his head detective boyfriend realized what he was up to because of a little foot tapping or sweaty palms.
Halfway through some western that he was only paying half attention, he looked up from where he was laying in Lassie’s lap and asked, “You want popcorn?”
“We just had dinner!”
“Well, I’m still peckish! And you can’t have a movie night without popcorn!”
“I mean, I’ll eat a little but I’m still full.”
“Cool. BRB.”
He put the popcorn in, and waited until it was popping to flip open the box and grab the ring, keeping one eye on Lassie to make sure he didn’t turn around. When it was done, he got out their popcorn bowl and about halfway through the batch he put in the ring.
Shawn sat next to him instead when he came back, putting the popcorn on his lap. After a moment of munching, Lassie yawned the fakest yawn ever and stretched to put his arm around him. He could help but chuckle as he elbowed up lightly.
It only took a few minutes before he was reaching for a handful. He was always a slut for popcorn.
He kept his eyes on the screen, even if his mind was watching, waiting, gauging if he’d found it yet.
The movie was almost over when his hand hesitated a moment too long.
“Did you lose this?” Lassie asks breathlessly, the ring resting in his palm.
“I think it’s yours.”
“No, it's… it’s not.”
“Well, it could be, if you say yes.” Shawn shifted so he was facing Lassie, swallowing his nerves. “I thought it was time that I popped the question.”
Lassie huffed a laugh, looking down at the ring. “This is kinda corny, pun intended.”
“Wait, I have another one! Do you know what you’re gay name is?”
“What?” He said with nothing but love.
“It’s your first name, and my last name.”
“Stop,” Lassie rested his forehead against Shawn’s shoulder.
“So what do you say?”
“You really want to do this?”
“Why not?”
“That’s not what a guy wants to hear,” Lassie said, pinching his thigh.
“Ow, jeez. Yeah, I want to do this. I mean, we’ve been together for a while and I love what we have. It’s not, like, something I always thought I wanted but I just kept overthinking it. It’s gonna be the same as always but with, like, an official piece of paper. I love you and I want to be with you for as long as you’ll have me and I want to be able to see you when you’re in the hospital without sneaking in dressed like a nurse. You know?”
“Mmhmm,”
“But maybe, cut down on some of those ER trips.”
“I’ll try.” Lassie rolled his eyes. “You want this?”
“It’s not like I got a ring and everything! Why do you keep asking me? Yes, I want this. I want you. I want us.”
Lassie sighed with a dopey smile. “Corny.”
“Shut up.”
“Make me.” Wrapping his free hand around the back of his neck and pulling him in, he kissed him with a smile on his lips.
Shawn slipped the ring onto Lassie’s finger. “No take backs.”
“It’s greasy.” He huffed.
“Too bad.” Shawn whispered, kissing him again. “Do you want to finish this or do you want to go celebrate?”
“I can finish this another time.” Lassie leaned forward, putting the forgotten popcorn on the coffee table and stood, pulling them both up and walking them back to their bedroom.
“Or never.”
“I thought you liked Clint Eastwood.”
“I like you, so I like what you like.”
“Whatever, you liar. You do.”
“I think it’s ‘I do’.” Shawn smirked up at him
“I think you’re right.” Lassie rumbled, pulling him into a deep, smitten kiss.