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“Oh, so you like my nose?” Minho asks and Chan feels a little bit confused because why is Minho asking that when he’s spent the last few minutes praising every single one of Minho’s features - yes, including his very sharp, very likable nose - followed by adoring little kisses while they lay in bed after they’ve had some quite enjoyable sex.
Maybe he should’ve sussed something was afoot, because Minho has endured the praising with a small little tug on his lips that makes him look like an evil bunny, instead of his usual strategy in which he wears a stoic demeanor and they both pretend that his ears aren’t turning as red as ripe strawberries.
Regardless of whatever evil plan Minho is already delighting in, Chan decides to play along, so he nods and says, “I do.”
“Those words do sound really nice when they come from you,” Minho says, his smile finally taking over his face. Chan doesn’t understand and blinks at Minho, who is in turn studying his face in search of a reaction.
“Oh, my god, Minho! You can’t just say that!” Chan groans as soon as his brain puts the pieces together. It’s his own ears turn to go red and he leans on his back, hiding his face behind his hands. “You did not just say that!” Minho did not just say that he likes it when Chan says the very same words every groom and bride say on their wedding day.
Chan can hear Minho’s evil laugh.
“Why not?” He asks, feigning innocence.
Chan peeks through his fingers at his boyfriend, who looks like he’s having the time of his life.
“Because!” Chan says, hiding again.
It’s a very valid reason, he reckons.
He feels Minho’s fingers wrapping around his forearm, gently tugging at it so Minho can see his face. Chan doesn’t fight it, but he keeps his eyes closed.
Chan’s not used to Minho being straightforward when it comes to standard romantic gestures. That’s Chan’s department, he’s the one who brings flowers to their dates, the one who plans a date at the aquarium, the one who writes songs about Minho’s starry eyes, the one who is annoyingly romantic - these last words are Minho’s, not Chan’s, mind you, so they actually mean adoringly romantic.
That doesn’t mean Minho doesn’t show his sentiments towards Chan. He does, mostly in the form of taking care of daily tasks and demanding Chan’s attention in annoying but insanely cute ways. The key of both activities is that they don’t involve direct words, hence why Minho’s latest move takes Chan by surprise.
“C’mon, baby…” Minho says. “You look too cute when you’re flustered, let me see!” he jokes and Chan lets his other hand down but still refuses to open his eyes.
Minho kisses him on the cheek, coaxing Chan to look at him. Minho is still smiling, but there’s a tinge of insecurity that tugs at Chan’s heart.
“Did you mean it?” Chan asks and Minho looks away, blushing slightly. “You mean it?” Chan says, a hopeful note in his voice.
It’s not like he hasn’t entertained the idea of someday being engaged to Minho and, eventually, getting married. Actually, he’s been fantasizing an embarrassing amount about it, making plans about how to propose and toying with the idea of doing a double wedding, one in Korea and one in Sydney, because, quite frankly, he’ll take the chance to marry Minho twice if he can.
But this is the first time they’re even mentioning the topic and it makes Chan’s pulse quicken with excitement.
“Yeah…” Minho shrugs, still looking away from Chan.
Chan starts giggling uncontrollably, his heart completely taken over by a wave of cuteness aggression and love, so much love.
“Oh my god, Minho, did you just propose to me?” Chan asks full of glee.
That makes Minho’s eyes fly and focus on Chan.
“No!”
“...Oh.” Chan immediately deflates.
Did he misinterpret the whole conversation? It could’ve been just a silly joke, but he’s checked, he’s checked and Minho’s confirmed his suspicions, hasn’t he? He replays the entire conversation in his head while trying to read Minho’s thoughts. What a mistake to make, way to go.
“I- Channie, wait, wait,” Minho says. “I meant it. I mean it. But-” Minho bites his lower lip, looking for words. Chan’s heart is thumping in his chest and in his ears, too much blood circulating his body to be able to think and predict what Minho’s about to say. He can only wait, hear his words and then piece it all together. “I mean it, I promise, just not like this,” Minho finally says and his words do not help Chan understand.
“What do you mean?” There’s not much else to say, but he needs to know for sure if Minho would actually want to marry him. It would be nice to know, to be honest. He does want to marry him someday, hopefully sooner rather than later now that the topic has been put on the table, but if Minho’s not up for it then he’d rather know now, even if it tears him apart.
“I mean… not here, not with a stupid joke,” he says. “You’re a romantic, Channie, I- You deserve a beautiful proposal story, one that you could tell ou- your children someday, just not… Not like this.”
“Oh, Minho…” Chan’s heart swells with love when he finally understands. “I don’t care what story we’ll have to tell our children in the future, as long as it’s our story, hm?” Minho dares looking back at Chan, who can’t help the fondest smile take over his face. He leans in and kisses Minho softly and tenderly on the lips, a testament to how true it is what he’s saying. “Who knows? Maybe we’ll get to tell a couple of them instead of just the one, how’s that sound?” He feels giddy and he’s already planning how he’ll propose to Minho.
Joke’s on Chan, though, because the first proposal that involves an actual ring comes first from Minho after a candle-light dinner at the restaurant they first met each other, while a string quartet plays a rendition of one of the songs Chan has composed for Minho. That, however, doesn’t mean that Chan cancels his plans of a cozy day in that involves champagne, an assortment of imported puddings to sample, cats in little tuxedos and another ring.
Years down the line, each of their three kids will have their own favorite proposal story.