Work Text:
‘Where the treetops glisten, and children listen, to hear sleigh bells in the snow…’
Ricky woke up to a woman on the radio crooning a Christmas song over speakers in the kitchen, accompanied by a much more familiar voice singing a long in a low volume, and sunlight peeking in through the edges of the curtains.
He stretched slowly, basking in the peace and stillness of the morning, before hauling himself out of bed.
It was Christmas Eve: and Ricky had nowhere to be and nothing to do. Even better, Joy, his girlfriend, was in the exact same position. It was the first time in a while that neither of them had had no work, no errands to run, and no plans with people…the only plan Ricky had focused on the little black velvet box currently in the drawer of his nightstand. But that could wait until after he’d found out what Joy was up to.
“Morning, babe!” Joy crowed when she saw Ricky in the doorway of the kitchen: “Did you sleep well?”
As quiet in the mornings as Joy was cheerful, Ricky merely grunted his ‘yes’, before crossing to stand behind Joy where she was at the oven.
He happily wrapped his arms around her waist, burying his face in her hair the same way he always did before he had his coffee. Joy managed to live up to her namesake all the time; she was naturally a constant bundle of positive energy and exuberance, but Ricky needed a little bit of help to even manage ‘civil’, let alone exuberant.
How Joy put up with him, Ricky would never know. But he appreciated that she did.
“Did until you got up.” he muttered: “Bed’s cold without you.”
Joy laughed: “You big bullshiter. When I went back in there to grab my hoodie you were out like a light.”
Ricky smiled: “You never let me have any fun.”
“Oh, is lying to me your idea of fun now?”
“See, this is exactly what I’m talking about,” Ricky spun Joy in his arms, side-stepping them box so he could box her in between himself and the counter before leaning down to kiss her: “You’re so mean to me.”
Joy leant up to kiss Ricky again, smiling into it so he could feel it against his lips: “Only because you like it.”
“I really do.”
Joy laughed, but still pushed Ricky away to go back to cooking bacon. Ricky watched her fondly as he started the coffee machine.
Joy was dancing on the spot as she cooked, singing along to the Christmas songs playing on the radio.
She was so different from him – Ricky had never really believed in the whole ‘opposites’ attract thing, but with Joy, the old adage couldn’t be more true. She was literally the sunshine in his life, and even though they hadn’t been together as long as some of the other relationships Ricky had had, he couldn’t imagine life without her now. The concept seemed mushy, and like the kind of thing Ricky would’ve rolled his eyes at once upon a time…
But since meeting Joy, Ricky had become the exact kind of sap he’d once relentlessly mocked. And he wouldn’t change it for the world.
He also couldn’t wait to finally pop the question to her.
Fuck the coffee he was brewing.
This was way more pressing right now.
Marriage meant a lot to Joy. She’d been dreaming of her wedding since she was a little girl – not in a ‘weird way’, as she’d assured him just after she’d drunkenly told him all about her dream wedding, right down to the shoes she was going to wear (so it absolutely was in a weird way), but by then Ricky hadn’t cared about whether it was in a weird way or not (even though it definitely was). Who was he to judge if someone was weird or not? He used to look like a goddamn racoon ghost - for a living. And he hadn't even been the least weird member of Motionless. Joy's weirdness didn't even come close - and honestly, it was just more things for Ricky to love about her.
He loved Joy, she loved him too: that was all he’d cared about.
And now he cared about making Joy as happy as she had made him. So, instead of waiting until this evening like he initially planned to, he went and grabbed the ring box from his bedside table.
When he came back, Joy was plating up the breakfast she’d made: still dancing, twirling around to some cover version of Walking in a Winter Wonderland, and singing along under her breath, the cutest sight Ricky had ever seen. Including the time he’d seen her playing with a litter of kittens.
It was hard to get much cuter than that. But Joy managed it.
Regularly.
How she managed it, Ricky didn’t know. It might as well be witchcraft…but, like, the nice kind of witchcraft. The sparkly kind. The best kind.
The kind that he couldn’t be wait to spend the rest of his life wrapped up in.
So he waited for her to put the plate of bacon and eggs on the table, before clearing his throat to get her attention. She turned to give him a brilliant smile…and Ricky confirmed it for the millionth time that he’d made the right decision.
“Joy, I know it’s a corny thing you say, but I need you to know that as far as the impact you’ve had on my life…your name could not be more literal. You make even a miserable bastard like me happy, and now we’ve been together I cannot imagine my life without you.”
Ricky got down on one knee.
He pulled the ring box and flipped it open to show Joy the ring inside of it: “Joy, will you marry me?”
Joy’s hands were clamped over her mouth, tears making her eyes shine…but she was nodding: “Of course I will Ricky!”
It was the best Christmas present Ricky had ever received.