Work Text:
Batcher followed him, of course she did. Up the hallway, down the hallway. Up again. Down again. The rain was still pattering against the window. It had taken him weeks - weeks - to work up the courage for this, pick the perfect day - summer solstice, the longest day of the year. It promised to be a warm, long day with a beautiful sunset.
And now it had been raining the whole day and it was not looking like it would stop any time soon.
Tech had given him a sympathetic look and offered to decorate the house and get everyone out. Crosshair had only scoffed at him and kept pacing, Batcher still on his heels. He only stopped to check the weather forecast, which still hasn’t changed.
Someone was coming up the stairs and Crosshair turned around.
“What do you want?” he asked Hunter, who leaned against the wall.
“How are you doing?”
Crosshair glared at him and didn’t answer. Hunter sighed.
“You know, Tech is currently researching weather machines.”
That at least got a snort out of Crosshair. “Of course he would.”
“Please stop him, he will be too powerful if he succeeds,” Hunter gave back with a smile.
“Nah, I think I’ll leave him to it.”
“You know Mayday probably misses you.”
Crosshair sighed. It figured, and he probably should do something about this.
“Fine.” He took off into the direction of the living room.
“Oh, there you are.” Mayday looked up from his book with a smile. He was lying in front of the fireplace, enjoying the warmth.
“I was playing with Batcher since she doesn’t want to go outside.” Crosshair sat down beside him, plucking the book out of Mayday’s hands, then giving him back when he found it boring.
“I get it, it’s awful out there.”
“Yeah.” Crosshair sighed and leaned back until he was laying on top of Mayday.
“That’s why you’ve been so antsy all day?”
Crosshair shrugged, trying to fight down the urge to fidget. Mayday had already caught on; it would do no good to make him even more suspicious. “I don’t like the rain much and it was supposed to be warm and sunny. The perfect beach day.” He sighed and Mayday gently nudged him.
“The fire is nice too.”
“It’s not the same,” Crosshair whined playfully and shifted so he was tucked against Mayday’s side. The other man only chuckled and went back to reading. Crosshair stretched and grabbed one of the datapads in reach to keep himself busy. Good thing Tech always left those arounds.
Eventually, Batcher joined them, happily distributing puppy kisses between them. Crosshair didn’t get away unscathed, but that’s what he got for sitting on the floor. With a content huff, she flopped down between Mayday and the fire, stretching out.
“Hey, you’re stealing the warmth,” Mayday scolded, trying to nudge her but Batcher didn’t budge. Crosshair snorted.
“That’s what happens if you spoil her too much.”
“Like you’re the one to talk.” Mayday gave him a slightly exasperated look.
“Mmh, I never spoil her.” He smiled as innocently as possible.
“Yesterday you bullied Wrecker into giving her half the meat that was meant for dinner.”
Crosshair gasped in mock offence.
“I did not bully him! I suggested it! Not my fault he listened to me!”
Mayday snorted and rolled over so he trapped Crosshair. “Sure you did, I was there. But I can’t blame you, she is too cute.” Crosshair tried to wriggle out from Mayday’s grasp without success. Instead, he got covered in a few kisses.
“You are impossible,” he muttered, and gave up, letting Mayday squish him and kissed back.
He was so caught up in this that he almost missed Tech appearing in the door, waving at him. Crosshair blinked irritated until Tech signed ‘Rain stopped, sky cleared.’
Oh.
Okay.
The urge to pace was back.
Mayday, fortunately, hadn’t noticed Crosshair’s change of attitude, or if he did, he didn’t comment on it.
Briefly, Crosshair wondered if Tech had managed to build a weather machine or if the sky had cleared on its own. It helped calm his nerves a little. Not enough, though. It wasn’t the right time anyway, they'd missed the sunset. And maybe it was a bad idea. Maybe he was wrong. Maybe he shouldn’t do it.
Yes, his brothers assured him he wasn’t wrong, but what if they were wrong. What if-
Batcher saved him from spiraling by dragging her tongue across his face. He sputtered, trying to shove her away. At least now Mayday let go of him so he could sit up and wipe his face.
“I can’t believe you don’t appreciate her love,” he chuckled, sitting up too. Crosshair huffed, and lightly shoved Mayday.
“She’s got too much energy.” They both chuckled, and Crosshair managed to find the courage to ask: “Want to go for a walk?”
Mayday hesitated and Crosshair’s heart dropped. He managed to press on despite it. “I think the rain stopped.”
“It’ll be cold.” Mayday looked longingly at the fire still burning, making Crosshair chuckle despite himself.
“I promise you to ask Hunter to keep it burning.”
Now it was Mayday’s turn to chuckle, but he got up and stretched out a hand to help Crosshair up too. Batcher caught on and ran ahead happily, barking at the front door until the two were ready and followed her outside.
Crosshair snuck his hand into Mayday’s and started leading them down to the beach. Tech had been right. The sky was clear, only a few soft clouds left. And a brilliant full moon illuminating all of Pabu. It was beautiful. It was perfect. It was all that Crosshair had hoped for, even if the timing was off. And it made him more nervous than he’d ever been.
Mayday happily followed him, watching the lights of Pabu and the stars. The silence between them was comfortable - well, as comfortable as it could be. Crosshair had his free hand shoved into his pocket, trying to quell his nervousness. He felt like he was failing miserably. And he couldn’t believe Mayday didn’t notice - Mayday always noticed that stuff. But he always confronted Crosshair if he was not feeling well and he hadn’t done that. Confusing.
At least these thoughts distracted Crosshair a little from the inevitable.
Until they neared the end of the beach. A pretty, secluded spot, lit only by the moon and the stars. The water lapped gently at the edge of the beach and the rocks were covered in shrubs that bloomed for weeks, even at night. It was the perfect spot; romantic even.
And Crosshair wanted nothing more to turn around and run. Tech would tell him he was being dramatic, but Crosshair loved being dramatic. And Tech wasn’t the one who had to do this.
Batcher ran ahead, excitedly howling when she found a stick that probably counted as a log already and started dragging it over towards them.
“Girl, I can’t throw that,” Mayday laughed. Crosshair was so caught up in his own thoughts that he didn’t listen. That set Mayday off on his case and he turned to face him.
“Cross, is everything alright? You’ve been so quiet.”
“I’m always quiet,” Crosshair said quickly, looking anywhere but Mayday and he missed the other raise his eyebrow.
“You know what I mean.”
“Uhm, I don’t?” Good save, Crosshair, just incredible. Mayday would never believe him. He shouldn’t have chosen today, shouldn’t have pressed Mayday for a walk. It was all so stupid.
A shooting star racing through the sky gave him a brief respite as they both instinctively looked up, watching it burn across the sky in a brilliant orange. A warm wind ruffled through Crosshair’s hair and he flicked his eyes away from the shooting star towards Mayday. Mayday who stood there with him, still holding his hand, bathed in the soft light. Mayday, who looked so beautiful right now that Crosshair couldn’t believe he was real. Mayday, who he loved so much.
Crosshair’s hand closed around the small box in his pocket and he couldn’t wait anymore. He pushed through the fear and the nervousness and dropped to one knee. Mayday’s attention snapped towards him and confusion and worry crossed his face, before his eyes fell on the small box Crosshair pulled out of his pocket and flipped open, revealing a dark ring made out of wood, its smooth surface shimmering in the light..
“Mayday, I- I love you so much and I, I wanted to, to ask,” he kept stammering all the carefully practiced words slipping his mind. “I- Do you want to marry me?”
Crosshair stayed frozen in the spot, eyes on the ring, waiting for an answer. His mind was racing, jumping to conclusions already. The seconds felt like an eternity, and finally, he looked up to Mayday again.
He had raised one hand to his mouth and his eyes were shimmering with tears. Crosshair made a questioning, desperate sound that seemed to snap the other out of his frozen state.
Before Crosshair knew, he was dragged to his feet and swept up in a hug.
“Crosshair,” Mayday breathed, his voice thick with emotion. “I do. Ni kar'tayli gar darasuum, Crosshair, ni kar'tayli gar darasuum.”
All the worry melted away and Crosshair hugged back tight, not caring for the tears running down his cheeks.
“I love you, too, Mayday.”
Bonus:
“You like him, don’t you?”
“Yeah, but-”
“No buts.” Crosshair glared at Phee, but she only shrugged. “You two are made for each other. And he basically lives here anyway.”
“Yeah, but, idk if everyone is okay with that and-”
Now it was the others’ turn to look at Crosshair like he had just lost it.
“Crosshair,” Tech said. “You cannot be serious.”
“Well-”
“He is on the chore wheel,” Tech said.
“He has a job here,” Hunter added.
“He pays rent,” Echo said.
“He is literally in the family photo,” Wrecker said.
“Well, if you put it that way …”
“You got no excuse, Crosshair!”