Work Text:
The sound of smooth jazz and the smell of smoke filled the atmosphere at the restaurant. It was quite fancy, at least for Buck. It was the first time in at least 10 years he’d booked a reservation to eat. But it was for a good reason.
“You know, I never knew you had this side to you. You really turned yourself around.”
Chanice was wearing something other than practicalwork clothing, which seemed to be in forever. She’d gone to a dress shop during a sale and found a red little number that matched her hair. It looked quite alike to the one she wore when the two met all those years ago at the bar that Friday night.
“I guess being around the pitter-patter of little feet made me understand the hype around settling down.”
Buck chuckled as they waited for the waiter to take their order. It was different from where they’d usually have date night, as it seemed to be wait-listed here. The menu was certainly more expensive, but since taking up that job selling tires, both of their incomes had given them disposable income for the first time in their lives. Buck was quite tired, both from working an honest day for the first time and from moving all of his things into Chanice’s place. After getting home from playing dad those weeks, he felt lonelier than he’d ever been before when he fell asleep all alone. The warmth of the little ones cuddling him during the night, like he was a mama mastiff and they were his puppies, made him realize bachelor life wasn’t for him anymore. The last 5 months had made him do everything to make his ol lady understand he didn’t want to do all of this without her.
“You know, I’m beyond thankful you’ve taken me here, but I didn’t realize spaghetti and meatballs could take so long to make. Do they make it out of pure gold or something?”
Chanice, clearly tired and a bit irritated from all the moving recently, looked around. Her rough, working-class edge made a few people from the other tables stare as if she were yelling slurs. But it made Buck smile like a schoolboy in love since that was what made him fall for her in the first place. He felt butterflies in his stomach, both from seeing the woman he loved in a short, tight little thing and from what he was planning to do tonight.
“Hey, honey?”
Buck was stuttering a bit, clearly a bit nervous. It made Chanice’s heart jump a bit, hoping he wasn’t going to skip work for the track or casino now that he finally taken their relationship seriously.
“Yeah, buckie?”
“I’ve been wantin’ to ask you something for a long time now.. I-uh..”
“What is it? Has something happened? Has Tia gotten knocked up? Miles gotten run over?!”
Chanice had gotten involved with the children, as well, and hoped it didn’t involve any of the precious cargo either. She was clearly getting riled up, sounding too loud for the fancy establishment they were in.
Struggling due to being a big boy, Buck decided to go for it and went down on one knee. Chanice thought that she might be dreaming. Was it finally happening? The thing that she’d been dreaming about even since she was a little girl? She pinched herself, letting out a noise. It was clearly real life, since she didn’t wake up.
“Chanice Katarzyna Kobolowski, would you like to make me the happiest man in the world?”
The entire restaurant was now dead silent, watching the romantic scene play out. They were waiting for the lady to respond.
Chanice was in shock, with a hand covering her mouth. She had a few happy tears forming in her eyes. Taking all the energy she could, Chanice nodded.
“Yes, yes. Yes, a thousand times!”
The entire restaurant broke into applause and cheers, and Chanice began crying as she hugged the gentle giant. HER gentle giant. Her until they were in the grave.
Buck used all the strength he had to scoop her up and give her a big kiss. The restaurant owner came out, a tiny Italian man, with a big smile for the newly engaged.
“The lovers get free food on the house!”
“Hey, that makes it worth goin’ here!”
Chanice, now a bit more composed in her intense love emotions, made the rest of the goers laugh, including Giuseppe.
You could teach an old dog new tricks.