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The Swiss mountains stretch like a painting against the clear blue sky as Roy and Jamie arrive at the resort. The air is crisp and cold, the kind that stings your cheeks in the best way. Snow blankets everything in sight, softening the landscape and making it feel like they’ve stepped into a winter postcard. Their villa, perched on the side of a hill, looks like something out of a luxury travel magazine. Wooden beams crisscross the ceiling, and a roaring fireplace in the corner fills the space with a warm, golden glow. Plush rugs are scattered across the polished wooden floors, and large windows reveal a breathtaking view of the mountains. Outside, there’s a private hot tub surrounded by snow-covered trees, steam rising invitingly into the air.
Jamie whistles low, dropping his bags just inside the door. “Holly molly, Roy. Didn’t know you had it in you to pick somewhere so… picturesque. Almost romantic, innit?”
Roy shrugs, his usual scowl in place, though the tips of his ears redden slightly. “It’s a bloody holiday, you twat. What d’you want, a Travelodge by the motorway?”
Jamie grins, zipping his puffer jacket down. “Nah, just didn’t think you’d go for the whole cozy winter wonderland vibe. This is well un-Roy Kent.”
“Shut up,” Roy grumbles, though there’s no bite in his voice.
Jamie kicks off his boots and walks over, standing on his tiptoes to press a quick kiss on Roy’s cheek. “I like it. You did good.”
Roy grunts, pretending to brush him off, but the corners of his mouth twitch upward in the barest hint of a smile.
After a quick tour of the villa, Jamie flops onto the oversized sofa while Roy starts unpacking their bags. He’s methodical, folding clothes into drawers with the kind of focus he usually reserves for the pitch. But then, midway through, he stops, patting down his jacket pockets with a growing frown.
“Where the hell is it?” Roy mutters, more to himself than to Jamie.
“What’s that, love?” Jamie calls, lazily flipping through a brochure about the resort’s activities.
Roy doesn’t answer immediately, instead rummaging through his bag with increasing frustration. “It’s that bloody sleigh ride thing. Had an email confirmation, and I printed it. Can’t find the fucking thing now.”
Jamie raises an eyebrow, amused. Of course, the old man printed an email confirmation. “Want me to help?”
“No.” Roy huffs, pulling out his phone and glaring at it like it personally offended him. After a few failed attempts at navigating his inbox, he groans. “Fine. Maybe.”
Jamie chuckles, sitting up and reaching for the phone. “You’re so bad at this. What’re we looking for?”
“Just search ‘reservation,’” Roy mutters, crossing his arms. “Should come up.”
As Jamie starts typing, Roy looms over his shoulder, watching like a hawk. Jamie elbows him lightly. “Relax, old man. I’ve got it.”
“Don’t call me that.”
“Alright, alright,” Jamie says with a grin, scrolling through Roy’s cluttered inbox. “Honestly, how d’you even find anything in this mess? You’ve got, like, a thousand unread emails. Half of them are spam.”
“Not all of us have bloody assistants to do everything for us,” Roy grumbles.
“Excuses,” Jamie quips, scrolling faster. And then he sees it—a subject line that makes his heart skip a beat.
Reservation for Your Custom Engagement Ring…
Jamie’s thumb freezes over the screen. His thumb hovers over the screen as his brain tries to process what he’s just seen. He doesn’t even realize his breathing has hitched slightly until he hears a low grunt from behind him.
“What?” Roy asks, his voice sharper than usual.
Jamie doesn’t move, but out of the corner of his eye, he catches Roy leaning in, trying to read the screen. And that’s when Roy sees it too.
There’s a long, tense moment where neither of them says a word. Jamie stares at the email, his heart pounding, while Roy glares at the phone like it might explode.
Jamie immediately moves his fingers then scrolls past it, pretending like it never happened.
“Found it!” he says, holding up the sleigh ride confirmation as if nothing’s amiss.
Roy’s eyes narrow. “What?”
“The reservation you were after.” Jamie waves the phone, flashing the screen. His grin is bright—too bright. “We are all set for that fancy sleigh ride, love.”
Roy crosses his arms, his expression darkening. “You saw it.”
“Saw what?” Jamie says innocently, though his lips twitch at the corners.
“You know what.”
“No idea what you’re on about,” Jamie says, still grinning, but his voice wavers just enough to betray him.
Roy takes a step closer, eyes boring into Jamie. “Don’t play dumb, Jamie. I saw you see it.”
“And I saw you see me see it,” Jamie shoots back, laughing now.
For a second, they both just stand there, trying to keep straight faces. But the tension snaps like a twig underfoot, and Jamie bursts out laughing.
Roy groans, dragging a hand down his face. “Fuuuuuuck.”
Jamie doubles over, clutching his stomach. “Oh my God, Roy. You’re terrible at this.”
“I hate you.”
“No, you don’t,” Jamie says, wiping tears of laughter from his eyes. “You love me. So much, apparently, you’re thinkin’ of marrying me.”
Roy mutters something unintelligible under his breath, his brows furrowed in that signature scowl that Jamie knows so well. He’s clearly annoyed that the surprise has been ruined—or at least compromised. But somehow, Roy can’t find it in himself to be truly mad. Deep down, he knew something like this would happen, knowing how bad he was at surprising Jamie over the last four years of their relationship. Roy shakes his head, muttering again as he watches Jamie sitting on the sofa, still grinning like a madman and then pretending to back reading the brochure. The man’s a bloody menace, Roy thinks. He’s a whirlwind of chaos, energy, and joy wrapped up in one ridiculously good-looking package.
And Roy loves this muppet more than anything.
“Relax, babe,” Jamie says, still grinning. “I didn’t see nothin’.”
“You’re full of shit,” Roy growls, snatching his phone back from the table.
Jamie just winks. “Maybe. But it’s fun watchin’ you squirm.”
Roy storms off to the kitchen, grumbling about how much he regrets ever asking for help. Jamie leans back against the sofa, smirking to himself. He knows he should let it go—but where’s the fun in that?
—
Later that evening, the villa is warm and inviting, the fire casting flickering shadows across the room. Jamie is sprawled on the oversized sofa, wrapped in a thick blanket and nursing a glass of mulled wine. Roy sits next to him, reading a book that he recommended a month ago to Roy with the kind of intense concentration that makes Jamie grin. Their legs are tangled underneath the blanket, and Jamie is never been more comfortable.
“So...” Jamie begins, dragging out the word like he’s testing the waters.
Roy doesn’t look up. “So what?”
Jamie tilts his head, feigning innocence. “Just wonderin’. Is it here?”
Roy frowns, still not looking up from his book. “What’s here?”
“Oh, I dunno…” Jamie shrugs, setting his glass down. “Something shiny? Ring a bell?”
Roy freezes, his fingers tightening slightly around the book. His eyes flicker to Jamie, who’s now grinning like the cat that got the cream.
“You’re such a child,” Roy mutters, pretending to return his full attention to the book
Jamie doesn’t let up. “C’mon, babe. Let’s make it fun. Hot or cold. If I get close, you’ve gotta tell me.”
“No.”
Jamie pouts dramatically, resting his chin on his hand. “You’re no fun.”
“This isn’t a bloody game, Jamie,” Roy growls, though the redness creeping up his neck betrays him.
“Fine, fine,” Jamie says, holding up his hands in mock surrender. “But if I happen to stumble across it while unpacking or somethin’, that’s on you.”
Roy narrows his eyes, “You’re not gonna ‘stumble across’ anything.”
Jamie just smirks, already planning his next move.
—
Over the next two days, Jamie takes every opportunity to tease Roy.
While they’re getting ready for a day on the slopes, Jamie pauses dramatically by Roy’s bag, one hand hovering over the zipper. “Hot or cold?”
Roy snatches the bag away with a glare. “Don’t even think about it.”
Later, while they’re making breakfast, Jamie opens the fridge to grab some milk. He lingers for a moment, then calls out, “Hot or cold?”
Roy groans, pinching the bridge of his nose. “I swear to God, Jamie…”
That evening, they’re soaking in the hot tub, the stars glittering above them. Jamie leans back, steam curling around his face, and smirks. “This counts as hot, right?”
Roy splashes water at him, his scowl firmly in place.
But Jamie’s favorite moment comes when they’re out skiing through a quiet trail. He slows his pace, falling behind Roy, and suddenly crouches down to dig through the snow.
“What the hell are you doing?” Roy asks, stopping to glare at him.
Jamie looks up, feigning excitement. “Thought I saw somethin’ shiny down here. You reckon it’s the ring?”
Roy lets out a frustrated groan, turning away and muttering under his breath. Jamie laughs so hard that he nearly falls into the snow.
—
By the third day of their trip, the teasing has only escalated. Jamie’s relentless “hot or cold” jokes have left Roy grumbling at every turn, though deep down, Jamie suspects he doesn’t mind too much. Not really.
That afternoon, the two of them decide to take a walk along one of the quieter trails near the resort. The air is crisp and cold, but the sun casts a golden glow over the snow, making everything look like it’s been dipped in glitter. Jamie insists on taking a dozen photos—of the trees, the mountains, the snow crunching underfoot—but mostly of Roy.
“Smile!” Jamie says, holding his phone up.
Roy scowls at the camera.
Jamie sighs dramatically. “That’s not a smile, babe. That’s just you lookin’ constipated.”
“This is my smile,” Roy grumbles, though the corner of his mouth twitches.
“Yeah, alright,” Jamie mutters, rolling his eyes. He takes the picture anyway.
The trail leads them to a small clearing surrounded by tall, snow-dusted pine trees. There’s a bench near the edge of the path, overlooking a breathtaking view of the valley below. Jamie flops down on the bench, spreading his arms wide like he owns the place.
“This is perfect,” Jamie says, his voice soft as he looks out at the view. “Proper magical, innit?”
Roy doesn’t answer right away. He’s too busy watching Jamie, the way his cheeks are flushed pink from the cold, the way his eyes sparkle like the snow.
Jamie turns to look at him, his brow furrowing. “What? You’ve been actin’ weird all day.”
Roy clears his throat, shoving his hands into his coat pockets. “I’m not acting weird.”
“You’re always weird,” Jamie counters with a grin, leaning back against the bench.
Roy takes a deep breath, his fingers brushing against the small velvet box hidden in his pocket. His heart is pounding so loudly he’s sure Jamie can hear it. He’s been carrying the ring with him all day, waiting for the right moment, and now… now feels like it.
“Jamie.”
Jamie sits up straighter, his grin fading as he notices the change in Roy’s tone.
“What?” Jamie asks, his voice quieter now.
Roy steps closer, his hand slipping into his coat pocket.
“You wanna guess?” Roy asks, his voice gruff but steady. “Hot or cold?”
Jamie freezes, his playful expression replaced by one of disbelief. For a moment, he doesn’t move, doesn’t breathe.
“Wait…” Jamie whispers, his voice trembling slightly. “Seriously?”
Roy doesn’t say anything at first. Instead, he kneels in the snow, opening the box to reveal the ring inside.
It’s a simple but elegant design—a platinum band with a round, brilliant-cut diamond at its center. The diamond catches the sunlight, scattering tiny rainbows across the snow.
Jamie stares at the ring, his mouth falling open.
“I’ve been thinking about this for months, years even. Since we are together, I think I just knew that you are it,” Roy says, his voice rough but steady. “I wanted it to be perfect. The ring, the timing, all of it. But the truth is, nothing’s ever gonna be as perfect as just being with you. You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me, Jamie. You’re a pain in my arse, yeah, but you’re my pain in the arse.”
Jamie lets out a breathless laugh, his eyes shining with unshed tears.
“I’m not good with words,” Roy continues, his gaze locked on Jamie’s. “But I know one thing for sure, I want to spend the rest of my life with you, as your husband. So, Jamie, my love… Will you marry me?”
Jamie doesn’t answer right away. He’s too busy trying to process the overwhelming rush of emotions crashing over him. He looks from Roy to the ring and back again, his chest so tight he can barely breathe.
“Roy…” Jamie whispers, his voice trembling.
Roy’s heart sinks for a split second, but then Jamie practically launches himself off the bench, tackling Roy into the snow.
“Yes!” Jamie shouts, his voice echoing through the trees. “Yes, of course I will!”
They tumble into the snow together, laughing and crying at the same time. Jamie cups Roy’s face with his gloved hands, kissing him deeply, his lips warm despite the cold.
When they finally pull apart, Jamie rests his forehead against Roy’s, his breath mingling with Roy’s in the frosty air.
“You’re such a softie,” Jamie murmurs, his grin so wide it hurts.
“Shut up,” Roy mutters, though there’s no heat behind it. He slips the ring onto Jamie’s finger, his hands shaking slightly. It fits perfectly.
Jamie holds his hand up, admiring the way the diamond catches the light. “Holy shit, Roy. You’ve got good taste.”
“Better than yours,” Roy says with a smirk.
Jamie laughs, tackling him into another kiss. For a while, they just lie there in the snow, tangled together, their laughter and love filling the crisp mountain air.
—
Later that evening, they’re curled up by the fire in their villa. Jamie’s sitting in Roy’s lap, his head resting against Roy’s shoulder as they sip champagne.
Jamie keeps glancing at the ring on his finger, turning it this way and that to watch it sparkle. “I can’t believe you pulled this off,” he says softly.
“I almost didn’t,” Roy admits, pressing a kiss to Jamie’s temple. “You’re bloody impossible to surprise.”
Jamie grins, tilting his head to look up at Roy. “Maybe. But you did it. And it was perfect.”
Roy doesn’t respond, just pulls Jamie closer, his arms wrapping tightly around him. For once, there are no snarky comebacks, no teasing remarks. And for the rest of the night, the world outside disappears, leaving just the two of them, perfectly and incandescently happy.