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There are few things in this world that are incredibly rare - an astounding, awe-inspiring, once-in-a-lifetime event that can completely alter our perception of events and grip on reality.
A highly intoxicated Riley Matthews is one of these aforementioned sights.
It had started out as innocently as any other college night could. Riley and Maya had been enjoying the bliss of break, having just finished up with their exams, and had planned to celebrate justly so by having a night of fun, away from the stress of college life, away from the harsh reality of exams and piles upon piles of work that never seemed to end and further, away from their boyfriends.
It wasn't that the girls didn't love them, and vice versa, it was simply that every once in a while, the girls needed each others singular company - college life was brutal, but Riley was determined that not even that could tear the very fundamental fabric that made up the extraordinary relationship of Riley Matthews and Maya Hart.
So they went out, and somewhere along the night they picked up Smackle too, who, in a flurry of raven hair and bright feather earrings, had joined their efforts in seeing just how much alcohol a group of five foot nothing girls could obliterate in one night.
The answer? Um, well they're still testing it. I'll get back you on that one.
The result of this endeavour, however, found the three girls alike in their level of hilarity. Smackle, being the most sober of the three (and that really wasn't saying much) sat alone at a rickety bar table, attempting to press her face into her cocktail glass while occasionally emitting high pitched groans between random interjections of facts about the second world war. Maya, who was a little more on her way to forever damaging her internal organs, was attempting to hit a bulls eye on a dartboard with a shaky hand, literately attempting to bite the hand off of anyone who tried to coax the dart away from her unsteady hand. And finally Riley, who was undoubtedly the most wasted one in the room, had somehow managed to place a bar stool a top a table and climb on top of it, and was belting out the greatest hits of the 90's, while further attempting to perfect her original yoga pose which she had dubbed 'the yawning lion.'
As the only remaining bartender of the hour, Josh watched the night's proceedings with a worried eye. Up until a certain point he had been enjoying watching the girls trip over themselves in their drunken stupor, but catching sight of the dart in Maya's wobbling hand and the unsteady stacking of Riley's makeshift tower, he figured it was finally time to call it a night.
"Alright kiddies!" He shouts into the mostly empty bar, though catching the attention of the girls. "Last call!"
Maya boo's loudly and drops her dart in favour of sauntering over to him. She attempts to sway her hips seductively, but ends up tripping over herself in the process.
Josh laughs quietly, though Maya glares him into submission. Well, I mean, she tries.
"You can't call me kiddie if I'm your girlfriend." She mumbles, slamming down on the bar stool. Fondly he smiles, and strokes her hair.
"You're still three years younger than me."
"You're still... stuupid." She retorts, sticking out her tongue at him. Again, he laughs, and picks up his phone.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Rubbing his eyes tiredly, Lucas pushes open the bar's rickety door, taking a moment to absorb the sight in front of him.
Riley is standing on top of the bar and shouting nonsense at Josh as he attempts to pull her down. He probably could be doing a better job, had Maya not climbed onto his back and clamped her hands over his eyes.
"I WILL PROTECT THE MAYOR OF RILEY TOWN! RILEY TOWN SHALL NOT FALL." She screams, rendering her boyfriend incapable as she tightens her legs around his hips.
Suppressing a laugh, Lucas walks over to the trio. As Riley catches sight of him, she gasps audibly.
"Honey, sweetie, baby!" She cries and jumps straight off the bar and into his arms. Slightly winded by surprise, Lucas staggers back as Riley wraps her legs around his torso and buries her head in his neck. Content, she sighs happily.
Lucas smiles down at her and brings his arms up to support her body. Looking over at Josh, he grins at the picture facing him - Maya has seemingly fallen asleep on his back and her boyfriend looks just as exhausted.
"Fun night?" Lucas asks.
"Oh, the greatest." Josh responds, only half sarcastic.
Riley, who he assumed had fallen asleep in her position, slowly begins to pepper kisses along Lucas' neck and jawline, becoming as daring to bite the bottom of his earlobe. Lucas jerks noticeably at her actions and suddenly distributed, Josh immediately turns to face the other way.
"No, nope I never saw that. Nope. No thank you, no sir."
Lucas laughs and heads for the door, shouting out a thanks to Josh for the call and a quick apology for the front row seats to the very affectionate display.
As he begins the short walk back to Riley's dorm, she looks up, suddenly alert.
"Where are we going?"
"Your dorm room?" He replies, unsure.
"I don't wanna." She whines, tightening her hold on him. She looks up at him suddenly, big doe eyes wide and loving. Even now, after all their years together, she renders him incapable with a single glance.
"Can I stay with you?" She pleads, lips turned in a hopeful smile. "Please?"
As if he could refuse those eyes. "Of course, Riles." He replies easily, bending to kiss her head and changing his course.
As he walks, she sighs, looking up at him expectantly.
"Baby."
He grins at the pet name - she usually only calls him that when she's tipsy and now that she's absolutely wasted, she seems to have forgotten his actual name.
"Hmm, Riles?"
"I love you. So Much."
"Well, I love you too Riley. So Much."
"Lucas I want to marry you."
He stops dead, almost drops her. She grunts, but drops her legs so that she can stand in front of him, bright eyes staring determinedly into his, even if they are washed over with a drunken haze.
"Riley, you're drunk."
"Doesn-doesn't matter." She hiccups, wrapping her small arms around his waist.
"You don't know what you're saying, Riles."
"Yes I do."
Still in shock, he shakes his head, his mouth still slightly agape at her confession.
"Riley-"
"I can prove it!" She shouts suddenly and tugs her bag off his shoulder. Rummaging through the contents for a second, she pulls out a red ring box and smiles proudly. Flipping it open, she reveals a minimal gold band and shoves it into his palm.
"See?"
Lucas doesn't move. He stares at the gold band as though it holds all the answers to the questions he'd never known, as though it is the singular thing in the world that is clear to him, as though it is his primary hope in a sad, forgotten world.
Simply put, he stares at the gold ring like it is everything, because to him, it is.
"W-where did you get this?" He stutters, finally glancing up at her. While still shaking unsteadily on her feet, her drunken eyes seem awash with some fresh clarity.
"A biiiig fancy schmancy ring shop." She announces proudly.
"Riley I..."
"Oh no wait!" She shouts suddenly and snatches the box back, dropping to the ground unceremoniously.
"Gotta do it proper." She says through a toothy grin. With shaking arms, she holds up the open box to him from her kneeling position, proud.
"Would you marry me honey, sweetie baby?" She asks, and it is at once the most innocent and meaningful sentence in the entirety of Lucas Friar's singular existence. He loves her then and knows, without the slightest shadow of a doubt, that he will never not love her as he does now. Through a shaky laugh, he pulls her to her feet and presses his forehead gently against hers.
"Ask me in the morning and I'll give you my answer." He whispers and she nods, leaning up to kiss him. She twines her arm around his neck and he wraps his arms around her waist and in that one, perfect moment they are absolute.
(She asks him in the morning.)
(He says yes.)