Work Text:
Joe trotted with his hands in his pockets after Nicky, who somehow found it easy to navigate through the crowd of people out doing their Christmas shopping. Before crossing the street, Nicky looked over his shoulder at Joe, who was twenty steps behind Nicky. It took only Joe less than five seconds to catch up with Nicky.
Nicky: "Can you keep up, or do I need to slow down?"
Joe: "No need. I like to walk behind you. It gives me a chance to admire your divine ass."
Nicky smiled before kissing Joe. When Nicky started to walk again, Joe once again trotted after Nicky, still with his hands in his pockets. Finally, they made it to the supermarket, where Nicky found the grocery list.
Nicky: "I'm glad you could borrow your Mother's car because of the size of the grocery list."
Nicky folded out the grocery list, which was four pages long.
Joe: "Do we really need that much food?"
Nicky: "We invited thirty-six adults, nine children and three dogs for Christmas dinner on Boxing Day, so yes."
Joe took Nicky's hand in his hand to stop Nicky from walking away.
Joe: "Listen, I love your cooking, you know that."
Nicky nodded. If you asked Joe, it was thanks to Nicky's cooking that he enjoyed eating food for the first time in his entire life.
Joe: "So please don't be mad at me when I say this, but could we not hire someone to do all the cooking for the Christmas dinner? Or else I could fear you won't have the chance to sit down during Christmas."
Nicky kissed Joe.
Nicky: "I'm not mad at you, Joe, for suggesting someone else to do the cooking because I thought the same thing when everyone said yes to our invitation, so I hired our favourite catering company a month ago. They'll do all the cooking and dishwashing for us."
Nicky held up the grocery list.
Nicky: "This is what I need for the cakes and cookies because there is no way I'm letting anyone else do the baking."
Joe: "I'm glad to hear that you hired someone to help you, especially since I can't cook."
Nicky: "That isn't true. Your omelettes are the best in the world, and no one else but you can make jam sandwiches shaped like animals as you do."
Joe smiled just as someone bumped into him. Quickly, Joe checked his pockets.
Joe: "Thanks, so what do we need for the baked goods?"
Nicky left Joe in charge of the shopping cart. When they reached the dairy section, Joe groaned, which made Nicky laugh because he knew why Joe was groaning.
Joe: "I'll never be a fan of that Christmas song."
The supermarket was playing Wham's "Last Christmas".
Joe: "Can we agree not to play that song at our Christmas dinner?"
Nicky: "You have to take it up with your nephew since it was your idea to leave him in charge of the music. And it's a brilliant idea with the year he has had."
Joe: "I can only agree."
Nicky placed ten egg cartons in the shopping cart before reading his grocery list.
Nicky: "Do you want to tell me why you decided to go grocery shopping with me instead of working on your sculpture?"
Joe checked his pockets again to make sure he hadn't lost the ring he planned to use for the proposal. For weeks, Joe had tried to gather the courage to ask Nicky if they should get married, and every time, Joe thought this was the moment he lost his nerves. And right now, Joe once again lost his nerves because he refused to propose with his least favourite Christmas song in the background. It had to be the right romantic moment, but when was that?
Joe: "I wanted to help you with the grocery shopping. You know one more good deed before Sinterklaas brings the Christmas gifts."
Nicky laughed before kissing Joe.
Nicky: "I'll put in a good word for you."
Joe: "Thanks."
After a kiss, they returned to do the rest of the grocery shopping. While Nicky made sure they had everything they needed, Joe thought about how and when to propose to Nicky. Maybe Joe could use Fernando because he had a cute face no one could say no to. That was how Fernando always got treats from everyone.
Nicky: "You look like you got an idea. Wanna share?"
Joe: "You have to wait and see, but it's a good one."
When they got home, Joe found Fernando before they disappeared into the room Joe used when he worked. Nicky didn't see either Joe or Fernando before dinner. When Nicky asked what they had been doing the entire afternoon, Joe replied they had been working on a special Christmas gift for Nicky.