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Nico was of the opinion that his hand would look amazing with a diamond ring on it. And that his hair would look amazing with a veil in it. Or maybe a tiara. And also, that he’d look incredible in a wedding dress, of course one that he had designed himself, because it would have to be as unique as he was. Of course.
Lewis, in theory, agreed.
Whenever they stopped by the window of a jewelry shop and Nico pointed out all the engagement and wedding rings he liked, and, more often, the ones he did not like, Lewis listened, nodded along, gave his opinion.
“This one’s too big,” Nico said, pointing at one of the rings in the window, “And that one looks cheap.” The price tag said 11.000, but it looked cheap. Who even wanted colorful stones.
Lewis hummed in reply, eyes on Roscoe who was sniffing the corner of the building, probably contemplating if he should lift his leg there.
Nico huffed, annoyed by the lack of interest his mate was showing. “Do you think something like this would suit me?” he tried again, pointed at a tasteful rose gold model.
Finally, Lewis looked up, giving the ring a glance. “I think you’re more the silver type. Cool tones.”
“Cool tones?!” Nico ran a hand through his hair, “Absolutely not.”
Lewis gave him a little smile; they had fundamentally different tastes in fashion and jewelry, after all. Famously so, even. “No, it’d look good, in silver. You’d look elegant.”
Nico felt a trace of satisfaction sparking inside him. Now they were talking.
-
“Reservation for the Hamilton family?” the beta waitress asked, raising her perfect eyebrows at Lewis and Nico.
“Yes,” Lewis told her, “We’re a little early.”
“That is no problem at all,” the waitress smiled, and then proceeded to lead them to their table. As she pulled out Nico’s chair for him, he noticed her glancing at his neck in the most subtle way, looking for the mating mark. As always, Nico displayed it proudly- it was his greatest treasure of course.
“May I take your coat, Mr. Hamilton?” she then asked; it was clearly directed at Nico, who immediately bristled with pride and excitement at being called by Lewis’ last name.
“Yes, thank you.” He handed her his coat (it was golden, thank you very much). She took both it and Lewis’ with a polite smile, carrying them away.
Nico couldn’t keep the smug grin off his face.
Lewis raised one brow with him, an amused smirk lifting the corner of his mouth. “...you enjoyed that.”
“No,” Nico smirked, lying in the most obvious way, “...I just thought it was nice that she assumed we’re a family.”
Lewis’ brows rose higher. “But we are. We’re a mated couple.” His eyes wandered down to the mating mark on Nico’s neck, and it made Nico’s back tingle pleasantly.
“Yes but…,” Nico paused, nudging his cutlery that was already perfectly straight, “...she assumed we were married. She assumed I had your last name.”
“I like your last name,” Lewis said with a half-shrug, “It’s nice. I’d take your name!”
“No!” Nico said way too quickly, and then again, “...no. No, I mean. Hamilton, it’s a nice name, isn’t it.”
“...sure,” Lewis said slowly, giving him a weird smile.
Before either of them could say anything else, the waitress came back. “Would you like some water? Still, sparkling?”
Nico leaned back in his chair, and took a deep breath.
-
“We could have a baby,” Nico said one day. It was a test, really, to see how Lewis would react. For science. Nico was convinced that Lewis would say yes, and then he could ask wouldn’t it be nice if we all had the same last name, then? If we could be married before we have a baby? and then Lewis would say yes, love of my life, you are correct of course, will you marry me?
Lewis looked up, a surprised smile spreading on his face. “Yeah? Would you like to have one?”
“I don’t know,” Nico said honestly, caught off-guard by the question, “Would you?”
“Yes, at some point.” Lewis inclined his head, tapping his apple pen against the rim of his iPad. “...but I don’t want you to have to put your career on hold for it or anything. And I would like to be there for you and the pup, so you don’t have to do all the care work. It should be divided somewhat equally. I would like to be an involved father.”
Shit, this was giving Nico more to think about than he had anticipated. Why did his mate have to be this good ?!
-
They went to Paris, and maybe Nico’s mistake was convincing himself that he’d return as an engaged omega.
But day after day went by without a proposal, and with every day that passed, Nico became more and more grumpy. He didn’t mean to, but it just happened. It was hard not to feel grumpy when the love of his life was so oblivious.
Lewis was picking up on the fact that he was in a bad mood, and kept trying to cheer him up.
It was on day five of their vacation, when Nico cried over ripping a hole into favorite tights by accident (“It says rip-proof on the package! I paid eighty bucks for these!”) when Lewis wrapped his arms around him, and, beautiful brown eyes full of concern, asked, “What’s really wrong, my love?”
“Don’t you want to marry me?!” Nico wailed, feeling dramatic. He was ruining his make-up by crying right now.
Lewis paused, pulling back, giving him a bewildered look. “What?!”
“I thought you’re taking me here to propose to me! It would be perfect! We’re in Paris, after all! But five days, and nothing!” Nico tossed back his hair, working himself into a frenzy. He could feel Lewis’ confusion through their bond, but whatever .
“Angel, I… what?” Lewis looked completely lost.
“We’ve talked about having a child together, Lewis!” Nico threw at him. “Why is marriage so off the charts for you? Is it me? Don’t you want me to be your wife?”
Lewis’ bewilderment only seemed to grow. “...I didn’t know that was something you wanted!” He paused, running his palm over his stubbly chin, “...you never told me.”
Nico couldn’t help the hysterical laugh that broke out of him. “I hinted at it so many times! I have been showing you engagement rings for months!”
Lewis was quiet for a moment. “...you have,” he said eventually, as if a lot of things were clicking into place.
“I have,” Nico confirmed with a huff.
“...I truly didn’t realize that was what you wanted, Nico,” Lewis pleaded, reaching out, carefully dabbing at Nico’s cheek so as not to ruin his make-up. “...it’s such an archaic tradition. It’s so outdated, and a little sexist.”
“It’s romantic !” Nico threw up his hands. “I want to… I want to wear your ring and your last name, too! I want to promise to love you forever! And I want you to promise me that you will love me forever!”
Lewis’ confused expression softened into fondness, his hand falling to Nico’s neck. “...but you already have my mark, isn’t that enough?”
“No!” Nico exclaimed, crossing his arms. How could Lewis not understand!
Lewis’ fond smile turned into a little grin. “...okay, okay. Understood.”
“Good.” Nico rolled his eyes at Lewis, and turned around to check his make-up in the mirror.
“You know,” Lewis said after a moment, letting his hand slide down Nico’s back until it settled on his hip, “...I like it when you get this… spirited.”
“I’ll get even more spirited if you don’t propose to me in the next six to eight weeks, Lewis,” Nico threatened, trying to wipe away specs of mascara on his cheek.
“Yeah?” Lewis smirked, stepping in closer, wrapping his arm around him from behind. “...would I help if I showed you just how much I love you?”
“...maybe.”
They didn’t make it out of the hotel in time for their dinner reservation.
-
The engagement ring was gold, in the end, because Lewis couldn’t ever not give Nico what he wanted.