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1.
Willie and Alex both knew it was coming. They had had the marriage discussion already.
“Can we have a conversation about our future?” Alex had asked. “Just for my own peace of mind? I just want to make sure we’re on the same page.”
And Willie had kissed Alex on the nose, looked him in the eyes, and said, “I don’t know what page you’re on, but I wanna marry you.”
And Alex, of course, had melted on the spot.
So it wasn’t like they didn’t know. They both knew they were planning on getting married, so they were practically engaged already. Just not technically.
If it were up to Alex, he would’ve proposed months ago. But Willie insisted that he wanted to be the one to propose- so Alex was left anxiously awaiting the day his boyfriend finally asked the question.
And he waited. And waited. And waited. And frankly, he was getting sick of waiting.
Every day, the knowledge that Willie could propose to him at any moment haunted him. The thought of it constantly lingered in the back of his mind, and he was growing tired of never knowing when or where it would happen.
He figured Willie was probably waiting for a time when Alex wouldn’t expect it, but how could he just stop thinking about it? He wanted to marry Willie more than anything else in the world- he couldn’t take his mind off of the impending proposal for even a minute when they were together. After all, the love of his life could ask him to marry him any day; how was he supposed to stop thinking about it?
So, maybe it made him a little jumpy. And maybe it made him misinterpret a few situations- but Alex could hardly be blamed for that.
The first incident was in August, around two months after they talked about getting married someday. Alex and Willie were sitting on a bench in the park talking when Willie suddenly got up and kneeled on the sidewalk in front of Alex.
Alex’s eyes went wide, and his heart sped up at the sight of his boyfriend on one knee holding up a ring- except that when he actually looked at what he thought was a ring, he realized it was just a flower.
“Here,” Willie smiled as he offered Alex the flower he had just picked, not seeming to notice Alex’s brief moment of panic. “A daisy. Your favorite.”
Alex swallowed and took the flower. “Um. Thanks.”
Willie furrowed his brow and sat back down on the bench next to Alex. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” Alex shook his head quickly. “I’m fine.”
Willie rolled his eyes and took Alex’s hand in his. “I know you better than that, Alex. What’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” Alex insisted.
Willie looked at him for a long moment and glanced at the spot where he had just been kneeling before realization washed over his face. “Oh, shit, Babe, did you think I was proposing?”
Alex buried his reddening face in his hands. “That was what it looked like,” he said defensively. “You can’t just get on one knee in front of your boyfriend of four years and not have him think you’re proposing.”
“I’m sorry,” Willie said, pulling Alex into a hug. “I- I didn’t mean to disappoint you. But hey,” he said, moving out of the hug and pulling Alex’s hands away from his flustered face to look him in the eyes. “It’s gonna happen, okay? I have a plan. You just have to wait. Is that okay?”
Alex nodded and smiled softly. “Yeah, that’s okay.”
2.
The second incident was just two weeks after the first. Willie had lightly teased Alex about his mistake after he got over the initial embarrassment, but it was all in good fun. He had assured Alex that a proposal was coming- he just wouldn’t say when.
That evening, they were taking a walk around the city. It was pretty common for them to wander the city together when they were bored; it was a good opportunity to just talk, hold hands, and enjoy one another’s company.
But this time, while they were walking, Willie suddenly stopped.
“Alex, hang on.” he said.
Alex paused and looked at him. “Yeah?”
Willie slowly got down on one knee and looked up at him. Alex inhaled softly, his heart suddenly speeding up. This was the moment. Finally.
“Your shoe’s untied,” Willie finally said, reaching out for his shoelaces.
Alex scoffed and rolled his eyes. “Come on, Willie.”
Willie laughed. This time, he knew exactly what he was doing to Alex. “Sorry. I couldn’t help it.”
Alex pulled his foot away from Willie and started walking away.
“Babe, wait,” Willie called, chasing after him. “I need to tie your shoelaces- you’ll trip!”
Alex bit back a grin and pretended to be mad at him, shaking his head. It wasn’t long, though, before Willie was proven right: Alex tripped over his own shoelace and went tumbling down to the sidewalk.
“See?” Willie said, crouching down next to him as Alex laughed and sat up. “I told you it was important.” He reached out to Alex’s shoelaces again to tie them.
Alex shook his head and giggled. “Whatever.”
3.
The next incident was about a month later, on the fifth anniversary of the day they officially started dating.
Alex was so sure it was going to happen that night. Willie had made reservations at a fancy restaurant for a special anniversary dinner, and Alex was positive a proposal was coming.
While they waited for their food, Alex couldn’t help but feel apprehensive. Willie kept him busy talking and reminiscing over fond memories from their relationship, but Alex couldn’t stop thinking about the possible proposal. When the waiter brought them their food, Alex immediately checked for a ring. He did it as subtly as he could, but either he wasn’t subtle enough or Willie just knew him too well to be fooled by him.
He giggled. “Not tonight, ‘Lex.”
Alex sighed. “Really? I thought this was it.”
“Just wait,” Willie said. “I know you’re tired of waiting- but I have a plan. I promise.”
Alex smiled softly and reached across the table to hold Willie’s hand. “Okay.”
For the rest of their dinner, Alex finally just relaxed and enjoyed himself. Not knowing when the proposal was coming was nerve-wracking, but knowing that it wasn’t going to be tonight did calm him down a little bit.
“Are you sure you’re okay with waiting a little longer?” Willie asked him as they walked hand-in-hand back to the car after leaving the restaurant that evening. “I mean, I know you’re getting kind of antsy about it. And I have a plan, but- I don’t have to do exactly that, if you don’t wanna wait.”
Alex considered it a moment, then smiled and shook his head, gently squeezing Willie’s hand. “I don’t mind waiting. I mean, obviously it’s kind of difficult, but it’s okay. I don’t care when we get married, as long as it happens eventually. All I want is to be with you.”
At that, Willie smiled and pulled Alex in for a kiss.
4.
A week after that, Willie was sitting in the kitchen of the house they shared reading a book while Alex was outside working in his garden. Willie glanced out the window and smiled as he watched his boyfriend tend to the garden he so lovingly cultivated.
A few minutes later, Alex stood up and walked inside with a basket full of freshly harvested crops.
“Wills, do you want a sandwich for lunch?” Alex asked. “With fresh tomatoes? They won’t be in season much longer.”
Willie grinned. “That sounds awesome. Thanks, Babe.” He almost protested that Alex didn’t need to make his lunch and he could do it himself, but he knew Alex would insist on it anyways. He always did.
Alex wrinkled his nose in disgust as he sliced a tomato for Willie’s sandwich. “Ew. I still can’t believe you like these things. They’re so gross.”
Willie laughed. “If you hate them so much, why do you grow them?”
Alex shrugged as he added the tomato slices to the sandwich. “Because you like them.”
Willie smiled softly as he watched Alex, his heart skipping a beat at the words. That was part of why he loved him: Alex was so caring and thoughtful, constantly doing things to make Willie happy- even if it meant growing a food he hated in his garden.
It reminded him of a moment they had shared almost four years ago. Everyone had gone to Julie’s house for her annual New Year’s Eve party- the second one they had attended as a couple- and they had been separated for a few minutes when Alex suddenly showed up at his side.
“Here,” Alex had said, holding out a brownie for Willie.
Willie immediately recognized it as one of Flynn’s famous homemade brownies- his favorite dessert in the world. “Ooh, yum,” he grinned, taking the brownie. “Thanks, Alex. I was gonna go get one later.”
“They were almost gone,” Alex explained. “I know they’re your favorite, so I wanted to make sure you got one.”
Willie smiled fondly at his boyfriend. He was so kind, so thoughtful, that he had seen that the brownies were running out and immediately thought to bring Willie one.
Maybe it wasn’t that big of a deal, but that New Year’s Eve party was a pretty significant memory for Willie. After all, that moment was when he realized he wanted to marry Alex someday. They were just eighteen at the time, but that didn’t matter. He knew he loved him, and he knew he wanted to spend the rest of his life with him.
And now, sitting there in the kitchen four years later, Willie was reminded of that memory.
For a moment, he thought about just getting down on one knee and proposing right then and there. He could do it- he had bought him a ring months ago, even before they had actually had the marriage conversation, and it was hidden away just one room over. Plus, he was sick of waiting. He hated putting it off, and he knew Alex hated the wait, too. Maybe he should just do it now.
He shook his head to himself. No. He had a plan, and he was going to stick to it.
He just needed to wait a little longer.
5.
When Christmas rolled around, Alex was positive that would be the day. After all, Christmas had always been a special day to them: on their first Christmas as a couple, Willie had said “I love you” for the first time. Alex had panicked a little bit at first, since it felt so soon, but he calmed down pretty quickly. After all, he loved him, too, and even though saying it out loud was scary, it just felt right . And sure, they were only seventeen, but that didn’t matter; they knew they were in love. So he said it back, and then they kissed under the mistletoe.
It was a significant event in their relationship, one they often looked back on fondly. So, surely the fifth anniversary of their first “I love you” was the day they would finally get engaged.
On Christmas morning, the two of them were cuddling by the fireplace in their pajamas, mugs of hot chocolate in hand, while they just talked and listened to music. Alex’s face lit up when “Love Story” by Taylor Swift started playing.
“Hey, it’s our song,” Alex smiled, kissing Willie on the top of the head. They had deemed it “their song” when they were seventeen and shared their first kiss while it played on the radio.
“Yeah, it is,” Willie said, turning around to look at Alex with a fond smile.
Alex’s heart jolted. Was this it?
“Alex,” Willie said slowly, smiling at him. “Will you… go get me some more hot chocolate?”
Alex laughed and rolled his eyes, gently shoving Willie’s shoulder. “I hate you.”
“No you don’t,” Willie said.
“No, I don’t,” Alex agreed, then crossed his arms, feigning indignance. “But no, I won’t get you hot chocolate. I don’t reward bad behavior.”
Willie laughed and leaned forward to kiss Alex’s forehead. “Sorry, ‘Lex. I couldn’t resist. How about I get you some more hot chocolate to make up for it?”
Alex nodded and handed him his mug. “I’ll accept that apology.”
+1.
On New Year’s Eve the following week, Willie and Alex went to Julie’s apartment to see all of their friends at her annual party.
“Hey, guys,” Julie welcomed them into the apartment, Flynn grinning brightly beside her. “Willie, I think Luke was looking for you earlier- he’s in the kitchen now.”
“Thanks,” Willie said. He gave Alex a quick kiss on the cheek and fist bumped Flynn and Julie, then walked in the direction of the kitchen.
“So,” Flynn said in a hushed voice as both girls immediately directed their attention toward Alex as soon as Willie was out of earshot. “Still no proposal?”
“No,” Alex said. “He says it’s coming and that he has a plan, but waiting for it is agonizing.”
“What do you think he’s waiting for?” Julie asked.
“I have no idea,” Alex said. “I mean, I thought he was gonna do it on our anniversary, but he didn’t. So then, I thought he would do it on Christmas, which was when we first said ‘I love you,’ but he didn’t. I honestly can’t think of any other special anniversaries that are coming up, so I have no clue what he’s waiting for.”
“Do you think he’s waiting for your birthday?” Flynn asked. “That’s coming up.”
Alex huffed. “I hope not. That’s three months away. I love him, and I know it doesn’t matter when we get married, but I’m still getting a little impatient. I just want him to be my husband already.”
“Awww,” Flynn said, putting her hand over her heart. “You two never stop being cute, huh?”
Julie giggled. “I can’t wait for your wedding. You really are the perfect couple.”
Alex smiled. “Thanks, guys. I just hope it happens within the next decade. Anyways, I’m gonna go find Reggie. He told me to come give him a hug as soon as I get here.”
Flynn laughed. “Have you not seen him recently?”
“It’s been a couple of weeks. He says he’s hug-deprived.” Alex sighed and started walking away. “And I’m proposal-deprived.”
And when he wasn’t looking, Julie and Flynn exchanged a knowing grin behind his back.
After Alex tracked Reggie down and gave him his hug- which the brunet enthusiastically reciprocated- he spent the rest of the evening just talking and laughing with his friends, holding Willie’s hand practically the whole time. Maybe it made them look like one of those high school couples who can’t get enough of each other for the whole two weeks that they’re together, but he didn’t care; he loved Willie more than anything else, and he wanted to be close to him at all times.
The television in the living room was showing the countdown to midnight, and they were all mingling and listening to music while they waited. Then, just minutes before midnight, Alex’s heart fluttered as he once again heard the opening notes to none other than “Love Story” by Taylor Swift.
“Willie,” he smiled, turning to look at his boyfriend. “It’s-”
“Our song,” Willie finished, a soft smile already on his face. “I know.”
Alex swallowed. For a brief moment, he wondered, is this it? But no, he was sure it wasn’t. Willie was just messing with him again.
“Alex,” Willie said slowly, moving toward him and reaching out to hold his hands.
“Oh, fuck off, Willie,” Alex rolled his eyes. “I’m not falling for it again.”
Willie giggled. “Alex.”
“What?”
Willie just smiled at him. Alex looked around at his friends, who were all watching with huge grins on their faces. Flynn had set up her phone on a tripod to record a video.
Oh shit.
“Is this real?” Alex asked, his voice coming out much softer than intended.
Willie just smiled and squeezed his hands. “‘Lex, did I ever tell you about the moment I knew I wanted to marry you?”
Alex shook his head, his heart beating wildly now.
“It was four years ago today,” Willie explained as Taylor continued singing their song on the radio. “At Julie’s New Year’s Eve party when we were eighteen. You saved me a brownie when you saw that they were running out, and even though it might have been a small gesture… that was the moment I knew. You’re so kind, and thoughtful, and caring, and I love you so much. And you were willing to wait for me, even after months of waiting for the right moment. You’re so much more than I could ever ask for.”
Alex sniffed as tears started to well up in his eyes. He couldn’t believe this was actually happening. “You’re more than I could ever ask for, Wills. I love you so much.”
“Yeah, but you’re not the one proposing, so hush,” Willie joked. Alex laughed, a single tear escaping his eye, and smiled fondly at him.
“I’m sorry I made you wait so long,” Willie said. “I just wanted it to be tonight. I wanted to be here, with all our friends, on the anniversary of the day I knew for sure that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you.”
Alex couldn’t hold back the tears now as they spilled down his cheeks.
“Now, I think they have something to give you,” Willie said, looking back at their friends.
Luke walked forward first with a smile on his face, pulling three daisies out from behind his back and holding them out to Alex. “Congratulations, buddy. I’m happy for you.”
“Thanks,” Alex sniffed, taking the flowers.
Reggie came forward next, handing Alex three more daisies. His eyes were brimming with tears as he smiled at Alex. “I’m so proud of you guys.”
Flynn was next, and she sniffled as she handed her three daisies to Alex. “You deserve this so much,” she said.
Julie came up last, her eyes glassy, and smiled at him. “You two are perfect together,” she said as she handed him three more flowers.
Alex sniffed as his friends walked back to their original position to watch. “Thanks, guys.”
“Alex,” Willie said.
“Wait,” Alex interrupted him.
Willie raised his eyebrows. “What, now you want to wait?”
“No,” Alex laughed through the tears racing down his cheeks. “I just… I wanna remember this.”
Willie nodded, his own eyes dangerously close to spilling over with tears.
Alex looked around him. His friends were all holding hands, enjoying this moment with him. Flynn had her head on Julie’s shoulder, and Reggie was properly crying now. The television was still displaying the countdown to midnight, and they had less than a minute left. Taylor Swift was still singing softly in the background.
Alex nodded and smiled at Willie, his heart feeling so full it could burst. “Okay. I’m ready.”
Romeo, save me, I’ve been feeling so alone.
Willie pulled a small box out of his pocket, and Alex’s breath hitched.
I keep waiting for you but you never come.
“I love you so much,” Willie said, leaning forward to give Alex a soft kiss. “And I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”
Is this in my head? I don’t know what to think.
Willie got down on one knee in front of Alex and opened the box with the ring inside.
He knelt to the ground and pulled out a ring and said…
“Alex Mercer,” Willie said slowly. “Will you marry me?”
Alex let out a sob and nodded. “Yes, of course I will.”
Willie took Alex’s hand and slid the ring onto his finger, then immediately stood up and wrapped him up in a tight hug. Both of them were crying as their friends cheered.
“I love you,” Alex said over Willie’s shoulder as they hugged, clinging to the flowers that were still in his hand. “And this was worth the wait.”
Willie giggled and pulled away, gently wiping a tear off of Alex’s cheek. “I love you, too.”
Then, just as the clock struck midnight, Alex pulled Willie in for their first kiss as fiancés. Alex smiled into the kiss as their friends set off party poppers and they heard fireworks going off somewhere in the distance.
When they finally parted, Willie took a moment just to smile at Alex. “Happy New Year, ‘Lex.”
“Happy New Year, Wills,” Alex smiled. “Let’s get married soon, ‘kay?”
Willie giggled. “Okay.”