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“So you’re telling me that you would propose to the first person who genuinely compliments you?”
Unfazed by Dennis’ burning stare, Charlie nodded as if that was a perfectly sane course of action. How they got to that line of conversation, he hadn’t the faintest idea.
“I mean think about, like no one ever compliments me unless they want something right? So yeah, I would totally propose if it ever happened. I’d probably fall in love on the spot.”
Dennis attempted to process that, “There’s so much to unpack there but I’ll move on for my own sanity. What if it was a guy or something.”
“I’d still propose, wouldn’t be the first time.”
“An old guy?”
“Again, wouldn’t be the first time.”
That was fair. He thought for a second, “What if it was Dee?”
That gave Charlie pause before he shook it off, “She’d only compliment me if she wanted something.”
After conceding, they sat for a while and nursed their respective beers. The logic was flawed of course, but Dennis could semi-understand his train of thought. Compliments, as nice as they were to receive, were often given with some kind of ulterior motive (at least in Charlie’s case, any compliment given to him was because he was truly amazing and deserved them all). As pathetic as it sounded, proposing to the first person to give him a compliment would at least be entertaining.
Dennis took a swig and laughed, “I hope I’m there to see how that goes down.”
If he had known that the conversation he had all those weeks ago would still hold relevance, he wouldn’t have forgotten it.
It was a pretty normal day from the start, suspiciously normal (which should have been a tell that something would happen). Everyone, sans the self proclaimed Rat King, was relaxed around the bar. Speak of the devil, he had just walked in.
“Hey, you smell nice today.”
Charlie froze mid step and backtracked back to Mac.
Something about that made warning bells go off in Dennis’ mind but he couldn’t figure out why.
“What did you just say?”
Confused, Mac hesitantly repeated what he had said.
Charlie looked down and sighed, “Shit, I should have known it’d be you,” before looking him directly in the eyes.
“Marry me Mac.”
Ah, that’s why.
Even Dee and Frank turned over at those words, likely more out of bored curiosity than anything else.
Mac laughed nervously, “What?”
Charlie didn’t waver, “Will you marry me?”
Ears reddening, Mac turned to Dennis and rolled his eyes, “Charlie were you huffing glue again?”
Charlie reached up to gently turn his face so he couldn’t avoid eye contact, “I’m dead sober right now.”
He then squinted to the basement door and mused, “I’ll be fixing that soon but for now,” he faced Mac again, “dead sober.”
Mac blinked.
The gang stared.
Charlie began furiously patting down his jacket before seemingly finding what he was looking for. He lowered down to one knee and held up his hand.
“I mean, I don’t have a ring but I still have to ask, will you Ronald McDonald do me the honor of becoming my husband?”
Mac looked like he was experiencing every possible emotion to feel at once. It seems one of them won because a stupidly sappy grin spread over his face, “You really aren’t fucking with me, are you.”
Charlie shook his head.
He slowly held out his hand and gently took whatever Charlie’s dirt covered hands offered.
“Sure dude, I’ll marry you,” his words were colored in giddy excitement.
“Idiot.”
“Dumbass.”
Dennis was going to be sick, this was fucking disgustingly tender.
“Ew, get a room.” It’s times like these he is grateful for his sister.
Frank sniffed, “Not my room, you two share Mac’s at his and Dennis’ place.”
Why me.