Work Text:
Carla watched the sky turn a deep blue, darkness surrounding the van. Monty kept his eyes on the laptop, checking the signal every couple of minutes.
“Its bullshit.” Carla shouted, slamming her hand against the outside of the car, the open window bringing a light spring's breeze into the van. The brunette only had on a torn vest with a tattered jacket, her bra straps sticking out at the shoulder, her shorts didn't help much against the cold either, her boots trailing up to her knee, at least keeping her lower leg somewhat warm.
“Its not bullshit, Carla, its how we get paid.” Monty replied, waving a dismissive hand at the girl, turning back to his laptop, body hunched over without wearing a seatbelt. As if being a complete opposite to the girl who sat beside him, Monty was wearing a thick jacket, and a shirt underneath, long cargo trousers picking at his trainers. “Plus, Felix is offering extra this time, its not as if we're doing this shit for free again.”
“Yeah yeah, everything's always about money with you. God, you're starting to sound like Cindy with this money crap.” Carla kept her eyes ahead, not wearing a seatbelt either as she tracked their journey with occasional glances at the GPS system they built into the van. It was a stolen one, can't buy and have an identified car for.. not-so-legal work.
Monty hummed, clicking away on his laptop, rested on his knees. “Turn left here.” He replied, waving a hand at the dirt path that looked more like a walking path rather than a road.
With a swift turn of the wheel, Carla spun the van into the pathway, wet mud trailing up onto the sides. The van sped down the path, quickly out of sight of any cameras or ways of identification. A river ran beside them, swaying with every motion as they kept driving down, occasional bumps in each part of the path. “Monty, you have told me nothing about this fuckin’ assignment from Huxley. Stop being an asshole and tell me what it is! We have no tools packed, no weapons, just our janky van, your stupid laptop and us two. If he's making us pick up a body I'm gonna smack the shit out of that guy, I swear to..” Carla muttered more under her breath, hitting the side of the car rhythmically as she did.
“Calm down. I'll tell you when we're there.” Monty flickered down to his laptop screen, then at Carla, switching the tabs to more of messages. He turned his screen slightly, typing something back as he switched it back to the location. “..Okay, there's some spots here, park into one then follow me.”
Carla did as she was told, turning the van into an informal parking space, letting Monty put his laptop away and get out the van, Carla getting out swiftly behind him with a hop. Her boots landed square on the ground, mud already splashing up as she walked around the car. “Hey, I remember this place. This is where you took me every *year* since kindergarten!” Carla let out a laugh, snorts and genuine recognition in the way she let it out. “What idiot do we need to sort out here?”
Monty looked over the river, staring down at the muddy water splashing up the dirt. He felt a wave of anxiety wash over him as he clutched his pocket, walking down the river to a point a bit more isolated. A bench and a couple logs stayed placed upon the sides. It had grown more moss over the years, but it still held something neither of them could quite place. “Carla-” Monty swallowed, turning to his girlfriend. “Look, Felix didn't assign us a job.”
Carla turned away from the river, looking at Monty with a raise eyebrow. “Then why are we here? Are we not getting paid? Monty, what the fu-”
“No, no. Felix is still paying us for a job we have tomorrow. But,” Monty picked at his left pocket, the one he kept everything important in. The one he picked at while stressed, before Carla could pick up on it, Monty spoke again, voice steady. “Can you close your eyes? Just, for a second.”
Carla blinked, confused, before closing her eyes, the darkness around them changing into complete nothingness besides the static behind her eyes. “Monty, I swear if you do a runner to the van.” Carla chuckled, hand on her hip. She heard a shuffling from in front of her, the river chaotically slamming nearby filling her ears. Before it stopped, the shuffling at least.
“Okay, open your eyes.”
Carla blinked, rubbing her eyes, slightly getting some eyeliner and mascara smudged. Before looking down at Monty, a gasp slipped from her lips.
Noticing him down on one knee.
“Monty-”
“Carla. For 20 years now, somehow, you haven't left. Since the first day I saw you, to our first assignment as partners, to now, you haven't hurt me or left me. And in our world?” A pained, yet adoring chuckle left his throat. “That's a miracle.” His hand shook around what he held. “You had no idea what this assignment was, yet you hopped in the van and came either way. You- You don't even know how much you trust me. I've never seen you trust anyone, not even yourself. God, in every way I can explain, you're the most perfect woman for me. Your laugh, your voice, waking up to you snoring like a maniac. I want to do that everyday. I know this is in a secret place, I wanted some weird symbolism for why that means something, but..”
“I never liked that symbolic bullshit…” Carla blinked, hand to her chest, breathing shallow.
“Exactly. Thats what I love about you. You're genuine, honest, rude if needs be. You're everything I want, and everything I need, and so much more. So..” Monty cleared his throat, opening a small black box, revealing an emerald ring. It wasn't fancy, it was a gold ring with a couple emeralds scattered around, gold always was Carla's colour.
“Will you marry me?”
Carla blinked down at the man she loved most her life, a ridiculous relationship that lasted her entire life, the only secure thing in a world of uncertainty and loathing and misplaced trust. The only thing she could rely on. The only person she knew loved her as much as she loved them.
“Yes, dork. Of course I'll marry you.” Carla answered, laughing through her words as Monty smiled, a bright, genuine, deep smile as he picked up the ring, taking Carla's calloused hand in his own, placing the ring onto her ring finger softly. His hand was visibly shaking, but once the ring was on, Carla took it in her own.
They held each other's hands, Carla pulling Monty in for a kiss as she did, swinging both her arms around his neck, Monty hooking his arms around her waist. They stood there, put together like puzzle pieces, the waves around them shushing as if they knew what the moment was.
“I love you, dork.” Carla whispered, putting her forehead to Monty's.
“I love you too.”