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It was the spring of 1893 in Naples – a time when locals were motivated to leave their houses to enjoy the cool wind and smell the blooming flowers. Vendors wave cheerfully to promote their eclectic merchandise while some people rush to the nearest pizzeria to get their hands on freshly-made margarita pizza dripping with cheese and marinara sauce.
For many people, spring is more than just a season; it is a symbol of new beginnings. Therefore, couples choose to get married during this time of the year, including two racers who inspired hope and love in everyone, especially for those who intentionally hide their hearts from the world.
***
At a church known for its stunning cliff-side view, Gyro Zeppeli and Johnny Joestar stood together with a handful of friends and family to celebrate their special day of holy matrimony.
“As we all know, Gyro and Johnny have been together for over three years before getting married,” the priest announced. “Before we conclude this ceremony, I would like to invite everyone to witness their exchange of vows.”
Gyro gave Johnny a toothy smile, the blond returning a small yet affectionate smile before he unfolded a small piece of paper from his breast pocket.
“Gyro Zeppeli, or should I say Gyro Joestar now?” Johnny began, earning a few chuckles from the guests. “When I first saw you, I had a feeling that you were someone special. Special in a way that your unique personality and grills make you unforgettable.”
Johnny glanced at Gyro to see his husband gaze at him with those adoring green eyes before slightly lifting his hand to encourage the blond.
“I know our first encounter was not the sweetest, knowing that you threatened Valkyrie to kick me to death after touching your steel balls, but after that interaction, I felt as if I was woken up from a bad dream.”
Johnny swallowed before continuing the rest of his vows.
“From the moment I saw you, you sparked hope in me. Hope to become the person that I stopped chasing because I believed that I was only meant to suffer,” the blond recited.
Among the crowd to witness such a heartfelt moment, a pink-haired woman was too focused on Johnny’s vows, so focused that she did not feel her partner shake her shoulder.
“Hot Pants, did you hear me?”
Hot Pants snapped out of her reverie and turned her attention to the man beside her.
“Sorry, can you repeat that?” Hot Pants replied.
“Don’t you think Joestar’s vows are way too sentimental?
On Hot Pants’ side stood Diego Brando, another racer who not only participated in the race but was also favored to win by the audience; her racing partner, now turned boyfriend, who blurts out his opinions without a second thought.
“Aren’t vows supposed to be sentimental?”
“I mean – yes, but for some reason, it gets way more sentimental when Johnny says it,” Diego said before frowning at the newlywedded couple. “And it sounds ten times more melodramatic than it already is.”
Hot Pants nudged Diego’s arm using her elbow, eliciting a soft grunt from her partner before she heard him mumble.
“... Not only did you give me hope, but you also taught me what true love feels like, and I will always be here by your side. I love you, Gyro. Forever and always,” Johnny croaked.
Gyro brought out a small handkerchief from his pocket to wipe the tears away from his husband’s face before using the same handkerchief to wipe his own tears.
“Quite cliché, but it’s not entirely bad,” Diego shrugged, earning a glare from his girlfriend. “What? I said it wasn’t bad!”
As Johnny and Gyro wiped their tears away, the priest slightly coughed before speaking.
“Thank you for sharing those heartwarming vows, Johnny,” the priest nodded. “Now we invite Gyro to share his vows. You may begin.”
Gyro took a deep breath before holding Johnny’s hands, rubbing circles on his thumb.
“When I first saw you, I thought that you were crazy. Crazy because you launched at me using your wheelchair. I remember the way your eyes lit up with so much determination when you coerced me into telling you the secret of the steel balls…”
Hot Pants observed how Gyro would gaze lovingly at Johnny as he continued to confess his feelings — from the way the Italian cowboy would wipe the tears from his face to the way he laughed softly when he recalled making a toast with Johnny during a snowstorm. It was odd to see Gyro’s warm smile after recalling all his grumpy moments during the race. Maybe true love changes people after all. It made the woman wonder how much she had changed after getting together with Diego.
“I may have been your mentor in the SBR race, but you also gave me the courage to self-reflect and be true to myself. You defied all my expectations and continue to do so. You are the living proof that when you put your heart into something, anything is possible,” Gyro smiled. “As your husband, I promise to always stay by your side, lift you whenever you feel hopeless, remind you of your worth, and be the beacon of light when darkness plagues your thoughts. I will forever choose you, Johnny Joestar. In every timeline and universe, know that you can count on me, so as we begin this new chapter of our lives, I hope that you will always be reminded by how your beautiful soul has mended mine. I love you so much, mio caro.”
Hot Pants watched Gyro pull Johnny in for a passionate kiss — the couple embracing as if they were the last two people on earth. Come to think of it, had Diego ever told such words to her before? Maybe when they cuddled in bed, but it was never that raw with emotion.
The former nun felt a warm hand on her shoulder. She turned her gaze to the source to see Diego giving her a concerned look.
“You okay?”
“Y-yeah, I just tuned out for a bit,” Hot Pants stammered, gazing back at the couple once again.
“Ladies and gentlemen, please allow me to introduce to you, Johnny and Gyro Joestar,” the priest introduced with an outstretched hand, causing the audience to erupt into claps and cheers. “You may now kiss the groom.”
“I have to admit that blockhead’s vows are actually pretty good for an impromptu speech,” Diego admitted, clapping his hands autonomously.
“I’m surprised too,” Hot Pants replied. “I didn't know Gyro had it in him.”
“He’s just madly in love with Joestar — oh wait, I can't say that anymore since they share the same last name now. Damnnit,” Diego grumbled.
“I can’t wait to head to the reception area. I’m starving.”
***
The reception area was held outside the roof deck overlooking the city of Naples. The guests chattered away while enjoying an assortment of dishes. Hot Pants absentmindedly sliced some sea bass before plopping it into her mouth. Despite her hunger, she can’t help but watch the newlywed couple feed each other like nobody was watching. The pink-haired woman sighed before bringing another sea bass into her mouth.
“I swear to god those two are going to make me puke with their cloying affection,” Diego grimaced. “I’ve already lost my appetite just looking at them.
“Cut them some slack, Dio. They just got married.”
Diego scowled before he finished the last piece of fish on his plate, while Hot Pants shook her head over her boyfriend’s melodramatic behaviour.
The sound of a tinkling wine glass caused the guests to turn their heads to the couple’s table. Gyro stood with his wine glass, glancing at Johnny before beginning his speech.
“I hope everyone is enjoying their meal, but before the next course is served, I would like to make a quick toast for everyone who came today to celebrate with us, so please stand up and have a toast with us!”
Everyone stood up from their seats and raised their glasses. Hot Pants shook Diego’s shoulder, causing him to roll his eyes before standing up begrudgingly.
“First of all, I would like to make a toast to Johnny, my beloved husband, who is my entire world,” Gyro said, giving his husband a peck on the cheek. “To my first daughter, Valkyrie, who was my first companion and MVP!”
Gyro pointed to a brown horse wearing a purple dress at the back of the tables; she neighed in response, eliciting a bunch of ‘awws’ from the guests.
“To my madre and famiglia for their big support,” Gyro blew a kiss in his mother’s direction; his mother caught the invisible kiss and placed it where her heart resided. “And lastly, to Lucy and Steven Steel for founding the Steel Ball Race. Without both of you, I would have never met Johnny.”
Lucy gave her sweetest smile while leaning on a smiling Steven, who gave a thumbs-up of approval.
Seeing the girl happy brought a smile to Hot Pants’ face. After going through such hardships, it’s a relief that Lucy got to move on from those traumatic events.
Hot Pants averted her gaze from Lucy to see Diego yawning before glancing down at his watch to see that only five minutes had passed, evoking a sigh from the man.
“Cheers!”
Hot Pants took a sip of her wine while Diego downed his entire glass before wiping the residue from the corners of his mouth, earning a deadpanned stare from Hot Pants.
“What? This event is taking way too long,” Diego whined. “I need a distraction somehow.”
“Do you always have to act childish?” Hot Pants pinched her forehead.
“Childish? I’m just being honest with how I feel. Those two bullocks don’t even want me here,” Diego muttered.
Hot Pants’ frown turned into a concerned look. Diego may look nonchalant on the outside, but deep down, she knew that a part of him wanted to patch things up with the couple, especially Johnny. After all, they did start as friends.
“Don’t say that. I’m sure Johnny and Gyro don’t dislike you as much as before. It’s been three years after all.”
“Whatever, it doesn’t matter anymore.”
Diego gazed into Hot Pants’ eyes and gave her a slight smile.
“What matters is I have you.”
Hot Pants felt her cheeks become warmer. Despite being together for three years, Diego still had a way of making her blush, whether that be his corny pick-up lines or how he lovingly gazed into her eyes.
—
After a couple of dishes, laughter, dances, and speeches, the celebration finally ended. Hot Pants approached Gyro, who had just finished talking to Steven. Steven gave Hot Pants a wave before leaving with Lucy; she waved back.
“Well, if it isn’t the best female racer I know,” Gyro teased.
“Hello to you, too, Gyro,” Hot Pants rolled her eyes with a smile.
Gyro gave a warm laugh before hugging the pink-haired woman.
Gyro and Hot Pants' relationship mellowed over the years after the woman befriended Johnny after the race. The two racers eventually learned to look beyond the hostilities and give friendship a chance, which made Hot Pants realize that Gyro was actually a fun and caring person once you got to know him.
“I’m glad that you made it. I heard from Lucy that you’ve been quite busy helping people at a local clinic,” Gyro said.
“That’s true, but would you want Johnny to kill me for not attending?”
“That makes sense. I still get scared sometimes whenever Johnny gives me the scary look,” Gyro shivered. “I get goosebumps just thinking about it.”
“Mhm, that boy can be quite scary indeed, especially when he doesn’t get his way,” she hummed in agreement.
There was a slight pause between the two racers before Hot Pants broke the silence.
“I just came by to say congratulations. The way you delivered your vows was very heartfelt.”
“I’m glad you think so! Because when I was practicing in the morning, I was stuttering like crazy,” Gyro admitted. “I guess God was watching over me after all.”
“I’m sure he was,” the woman agreed.
Gyro did a quick sign of the cross and looked up at the sky to say a silent ‘thank you’, causing the woman to roll her eyes playfully. The past Hot Pants would have probably scolded the man, but over time, she learned to be less stern about her religion, especially after getting together with Diego.
“So when are you and Brando tying the knot?”
Hot Pants felt her cheeks grow warmer at such a question. Back when she was still residing in the convent, marriage was something the pink-haired woman never thought of – the idea was too far-fetched for someone so chaste; however, meeting Diego made her realize that marriage was now on the table. On their first anniversary, Diego casually asked Hot Pants her thoughts on the topic, causing her to almost choke on her drink. She knew Diego was once married, but she never imagined herself as somebody’s wife. How would her life change? Would she even be a good wife? All she remembered saying was that she needed more time before saying yes to marriage, and Diego held her hand and reassured her to take all the time she needed.
As they approached their third anniversary, Hot Pants felt a surge of anxiety hit her. Is she making Diego wait too long because of the catholic guilt she has been trying to overcome over the years? What if he gets tired of waiting and leaves her?
“I-I don’t know, we haven’t really talked about it much,” Hot Pants stammered.
Having sensed the woman’s uneasiness, Gyro softly patted her shoulder.
“There’s nothing to worry about. Everyone can obviously see that Dio loves you,” Gyro reassured. “After all, he’s an asshole to everyone except you.”
Hot Pants gave a shaky laugh before brushing a hair strand from her face. She turned her gaze to see Diego talking to Johnny by the exit; the two seemed to be having a light conversation. Hot Pants can’t help but linger at Diego’s smile. The way his eyes crinkled whenever he laughed, and how his canines were emphasized through his laughter. If only Hot Pants could keep his smile in a jar, then she would.
Diego may be ready for marriage, but was she ready to commit? Commit to becoming the good wife that Diego deserves. Commit to being a woman who would eventually raise her children into role models. Commit to loving Diego just as much as his mother loves him, or even more.
“I know he’s ready — it won’t be his first wedding after all — but would I become a good wife? I don’t know anything about marriage after all.” Hot Pants bit her nail to distract herself from the bile rising in her throat.
Gyro raised his eyebrow to give Hot Pants a puzzled look before he began laughing, causing the woman to scrunch her forehead.
“Am I hearing this correctly? You, of all people, are doubting your capabilities of becoming a good wife?” Gyro asked with a quizzical expression. The man brought his hands to Hot Pants’ shoulders and intently stared at her with a serious expression.
“Johnny said that you’re one of the most caring people he has ever met — aside from me, of course. You may not be good with words, but with the way you care for people around you, there is no doubt you’d make a good wife.”
“I may be good at taking care of people, but becoming a wife and raising kids is a different story,” Hot Pants pursed her lips, not meeting Gyro’s gaze.
“You know, I also had that fear when I proposed to Johnny — not being a good husband and all that,” the man admitted. “My father’s senseless teachings about being emotional still fucks me over sometimes, and I’m quite scared that I might bring that belief into my marriage.”
Hot Pants looked up to see Gyro with a forlorn expression until he slightly smiled.
“But Johnny made me unlearn that belief and be more expressive with my feelings, and I’m glad that I learned to let that go because I would have become a shell of my father if I hadn’t. I would have lost Johnny, too, and I could never forgive myself if that happened.
“What’s your point?”
“My point is, you will continuously learn new things when you get married. To this day, I still learn new things about Johnny and myself. What matters is that you should embrace change to become a better person for you and your partner, not fear it.”
Hot Pants paused to take in Gyro’s advice. The woman thought about how different it was back when she had participated in the race. She used to be so uptight, aloof, and indifferent about everything because all that mattered was forgiveness from God. She remembered how she lived in solitude against her will, how she would push people away and pretend to be nonchalant about the judgmental whispers she heard from the other nuns. She even treated Diego with hostility before he defrosted her frozen heart. Sometimes those callous words still echoed in her mind, but after spending time with Diego, they became less obtrusive, replaced by words of adoration that would lull her to a good night’s sleep.
Hot Pants caught herself smiling before nodding her head.
“Thank you, Gyro. Your advice is very helpful.”
“Anytime, sister. Or should I say… future Mrs.Brando? Nyo-ho!”
Gyro gave a hearty laugh as Hot Pants punched his shoulder lightly, a smile still glued to her face.
“Well, speaking of the man himself.”
Hot Pants turned her gaze towards the approaching person and saw none other than her boyfriend and Johnny. Hot Pants approached Johnny to hug him while saying her congratulations.
“What did I miss?” Diego asked Gyro, standing by the taller man’s side with a confused expression.
“We were just talking about how much of an asshole you are,” Gyro smirked.
“Look who’s talking,” the Brit rolled his eyes.
“Nothing much. I just wanted to say congratulations to the newlyweds,” Hot Pants added, letting go of Johnny.
“You know, it’s still a mystery how you put up with this lizard man. You really are a miracle worker, HP,” Johnny joked, before returning the middle finger that Diego gave him.
Diego grabbed Hot Pants by the shoulder and slowly led her to the exit.
“We’ll be taking our leave now. You guys enjoy your honeymoon or whatever,” Diego brushed off with a wave of a hand.
“Congratulations again, Johnny and Gyro,” Hot Pants waved goodbye. “I’ll see you soon!”
Hot Pants turned back to see Johnny and Gyro waving back at her before they resumed talking to their other guests.
***
It was a breezy evening as Diego and Hot Pants took a quick stroll before heading back to their shared hotel room. Hot Pants clenched her teeth and rubbed her arms to keep herself from shivering until she felt a heavy weight on her shoulders.
“Aren’t you cold?” she asked, wrapping Diego’s blazer around herself.
Diego shrugged and fixed his blazer on Hot Pants’ shoulder before giving it a light pat.
“Compared to you, I’m wearing two more layers. A little wind won’t hurt me.”
Hot Pants and Diego stopped at a viewpoint to observe the stunning view. Naples was such a lively city at night. Street musicians played romantic Italian music from afar, boats floated around the harbor, and people caught up with their friends. Hot Pants sighed happily as she leaned on her arm to relish the picturesque view.
“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?”
“Yes, it’s a beautiful night indeed,” she smiled, turning back to observe the view.
Hot Pants fiddled with her finger as she replayed Gyro’s vows in her head. The way he adoringly stared into Johnny’s eyes, how he pledged his life to be with him through darkness, and be the guiding light that would take away Johnny’s burdens. Can Hot Pants really do all of those for Diego?
Hot Pants snapped out of her reverie as she felt a cool touch on her hand.
“What are you thinking about, HP?”
Hot Pants paused and interlocked her hand with Diego’s before replying.
“I was just looking back at the way Gyro said his vows to Johnny. It was just so… raw, you know?”
“Mhm, with the way it was improvised. It’s not bad,” Diego hummed. “But I think I can do better.
“How so?” Hot Pants raised an eyebrow.
“It’s not that hard. All you have to do is add some flattery to your words, and there you have it.”
“You make it sound so easy, but it's so hard to piece them together, especially when all attention is on you.”
Before Hot Pants turned back, Diego held both of Hot Pants’ hands and gave her his signature smirk. The woman gave him a quizzical look, bracing herself for whatever shenanigans he was going to propose.
“I’ve got a challenge for you. How about we recite our improvised vows right now?” Diego suggested. “Think of it as some sort of roleplay.”
“Diego, this is such a silly idea. You know I’m not good with words,” she huffed.
“How can you say that if you haven’t even tried it yet? Come on HP, it’s going to be fun! I promise,” Diego whined while shaking her hands lightly.
Hot Pants bit her inner cheek. Fun? More like a trainwreck. The closest time HP was vocal about her emotions was when she confessed to Diego about killing her brother, or when they fucked — which didn’t really count.
As Hot Pants was about to protest, she remembered Gyro’s advice, fueling enough motivation to try Diego’s silly challenge. It wouldn’t hurt to give it a shot, right? At least there wouldn’t be any witnesses if she ever failed because it was just the two of them.
“Fine,” she begrudgingly sighed.
Diego grinned and stared deeply into her eyes — almost as if this was the real thing. Hot Pants averted her gaze to suppress the rising heat from her cheeks.
“Just think about our life together. The things you want to tell me, and let your heart do all the talking.”
Hot Pants closed her eyes and reminisced about their three-year relationship. She began with their first meeting when she choked Diego with Cream Starter through their “kiss.” She recalled their camping nights where they slowly opened up about their past, the butterflies in her stomach when she had her first real kiss with Diego at one of the inns, and all the memories they made in their shared apartment in Manhattan.
She slowly opened her eyes to see Diego smiling back, his blond hair flowing with the wind.
“Our first encounter wasn’t the best. Instead of talking to you like a normal person, I ended up almost choking you to death because I thought you were unreasonable,” Hot Pants muttered, pursing her lips.
“Given how stubborn you are, I didn’t expect you to agree to our partnership, but surprisingly, you chose me even though I almost killed you. I remember how much you annoyed me with your incessant jokes and inappropriate questions. But one day, after I ignored your facetious jokes, you opened up to me about your mother, and it surprised me because I never thought you would be vulnerable to anyone, especially to someone like me. With your story, I found myself telling the truth of my past to someone for the first time. I remember crying so hard to the point that I have difficulty recalling what happened that night, but I vividly remember the way you wrapped your arms around me in the cold, windy night.”
A tear trickled down Hot Pants’ cheek before she quickly wiped it with her thumb.
“For the first time in ages, I felt free. Free from the burden of keeping such a grave secret to myself. From that day on, we both knew that something had changed between us. I tried to suppress my strong feelings for you, but the more I did, the more I suffocated myself. Slowly, I felt myself falling deeper for you, and it scared me.”
“HP, it’s okay. You can stop if you’re uncomfortable,” Diego whispered.
“No, you deserve to know how I feel, too,” Hot Pants croaked, taking a deep breath to regain her composure.
“I was surprised when you confessed to me. Surprise in a way that you would choose me after I told you my sin and treated you with such callousness; I had difficulty comprehending how you could choose a broken person like me, but you showed me the beautiful parts of myself that I never got to acknowledge. You reassured me by saying things you weren’t happy about yourself, and how we could learn to be better for each other, and so I took a leap of faith with you into the unknown.
Hot Pants can hear her heart beating from her chest; she felt her breathing quicken until Diego caressed her cheek with his thumb — suddenly, she felt her breathing stabilize once more to continue her vow.
“Three years of laughter, arguments, dates, kisses, and memories later, I stand before you as your wife. Although I know nothing about marriage, I promise to always be there for you and our future children, not just your lover but also a friend whom you can trust wholeheartedly. As we enter this new chapter of our lives, we will both encounter many changes, but one thing that will never change is my love for you, Diego Brando, and that I promise you.”
At some point, Hot Pants lost her train of thought and let her mouth do the talking. Her heart hammered from her chest once again, and she quickly averted her gaze to the floor, bracing herself for what Diego had to say. She slowly lifted her head to see a shocked expression etched on the blond’s face.
“And you said you weren’t good with words,” he breathless replied. “But here you are knocking me out speechless.”
Hot Pants swallowed and gave a meek smile. She was speechless herself because who knew how long those words lingered within her heart.
Diego slid his hand on her waist to pull her closer, leaning forward to hover his lips over Hot Pants’ own. She could hear his rapid heartbeat, the way his eyes glanced from her lips to her eyes. He gazed at her with such devotion that she might as well have downright said yes if he proposed to her right now.
“I guess it’s my turn to wow you with my improvised vows,” he grinned.
“Take it away, Mr. Sweettalker,” Hot Pants teased, not letting go of Diego’s gaze.
The blond quickly coughed, brushing the wrinkles off his dress shirt before he began his vows.
“HP, from the moment I first saw you at the racing line, you had me fooled into thinking you were a man until your amateur horse-riding skills gave it away,” he smirked, causing his girlfriend to huff with annoyance and roll her eyes.
“Your horse riding skills may not match those of a professional jockey, but for some reason, you were always ahead of the pack. Bloody hell, you even beat me in the third stage of the race. Over time, your mysterious nature captured my interest. I wanted to ask so many questions, but I never got the chance to until you ambushed me.”
Diego’s cocky expression turned into a sad smile before he glanced up at Hot Pants’ magenta eyes.
“Over the course of the race, I liked annoying you because I found your reactions, such as your little pout, cute. That was when I realized that I had a crush on you because, throughout my very celibate lifestyle, I never cared about a woman’s pout; it even annoyed the hell out of me.”
Hot Pants observed the way Diego’s mouth moved as he continued rambling on about his crush on her. The way his eyes would twinkle whenever he described her little quirks, such as the way she munched her sandwich or how he found her logo fascinating. The woman can’t help but softly giggle at his words.
“Sorry, I got way too descriptive about your facial expressions. My first promise is I’ll be more thorough at the actual ceremony — if you have me, of course,” he sheepishly chuckled while scratching the back of his head before continuing with his speech.
“What I thought was a crush was something way deeper than I thought it would be. When you first opened up to me about your brother, I felt a pang of sadness – something that I never felt with anybody. When I saw you in tears, all I wanted was to drop everything and protect you from all the hurt, embrace you until you felt okay, and wipe those tears away from your face. I remembered when you hugged me for the first time, the way your body fitted into mine, the way your warmth radiated through my entire being; it reminded me of my mother’s embrace after so long.”
Diego gently held Hot Pants’ face with both hands as she leaned into the touch with her eyes closed.
“You were the only one who reminded me that I used to be loved by someone as well, and at that point, I knew that you were the one who would change my life forever. You were the one who made me realize that I was still capable of loving someone so deeply that my body physically aches when I’m away from you,” he whispered.
Hot Pants' eyelids fluttered open to see the longing in the blond’s eyes; the way his eyes began to water just thinking about losing her stabbed Hot Pants’ heart.
“I thought that winning a bunch of medals and trophies, getting the validation from people who did not give a single fuck about me, and rising the social ranks were my key to happiness. But when you told me that you loved me back after my confession, I felt so happy that I just wanted to drop out of the race and build a life with you immediately,” Diego confessed.
“Throughout these years, I saw our differences, but these differences made me see what I lacked that I found within you. You motivated me to move past my anger and vengeance and strive to become the person my mother wanted me to be, all to be worthy of loving you.”
Diego held Hot Pants’ hands once more, his hands warm from cradling her face.
“You set me free from the shackles of hatred and lies that I’ve been feeding myself for years. Despite my brokenness, you have pieced me back together through your patience and kind-hearted nature. Therefore, I hope that my love and devotion will always make you see how beautiful your soul is. Standing here as your husband, I promise to strip away all the lies and give you my most authentic self – the person who will love you even beyond death. I promise to always be here for you through thick and thin, to remind you of your worth whenever your inner demons haunt you, to be the best father to our future children, and to always find and choose you in every universe. Words and promises could never encapsulate how much I love you because nothing will ever match the overflowing love I have for you, Henrietta Pucci. If I can give the whole world just to match my devotion for you, then I undoubtedly will, and I hope you will always know that.”
Diego paused and took a deep breath before rocking his heels back and forth.
“So yeah. There’s that,” he chuckled nervously, fiddling with his fingers.
Hot Pants stood there tongue-tied, trying to find the right words to say, only to hear her own pounding heart. She was well aware that Diego was an expert at swooning women with his saccharine words, but this… this was something else.
“T-That’s not bad,” she muttered while trying to suppress the heat rising from her cheeks. “I now understand why so many women were head over heels for you back then.”
Diego moved closer to Hot Pants and wrapped his arms around her waist while she placed her hands on his shoulders. The blond leaned into Hot Pants’ ear and whispered.
“But this time, I meant every single word because I would like to make it into reality.”
Before Hot Pants could respond, Diego pulled something out of his pocket to reveal a velvet box. The blond knelt on the marble pavement as he opened the box to reveal an emerald-cut diamond that glistened in the night. The woman stepped back and brought her hands to cover her mouth. Despite the chilly night, Hot Pants began to sweat.
It’s happening… oh god it’s happening.
“Three years ago, I know you told me that you weren’t ready for marriage, so I didn’t pry on the subject. But one day, while I was taking a stroll in Manhattan, I saw this diamond ring outside the shop, and I automatically imagined how perfect it would be on your finger. As I imagined our life together, I already knew that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you, so I bought the ring and waited until today,” Diego admitted.
Three years… all these years that he waited until she was ready. A mixture of emotions swirled in Hot Pants’ mind. Half of her wanted to tackle Diego to the ground and cover his lovestruck face with kisses, but on one hand, she wanted to run away because her inner voices screamed that she would never be worthy of his love.
“So Henrietta Pucci, would you do me the honor of making me the happiest man alive by marrying me?” Diego proposed, wearing his dashing yet genuine smile, that Hot Pants adored so much.
Hot Pants tried to utter a word, but was met with louder voices swirling in her mind, screeching how she would never be good enough for Diego and that she was just wasting his time. She stood there frozen until one tear turned into many. Diego quickly stood up and closed the box before pulling her into an embrace.
“Darling, I’m so sorry. Maybe I jumped to conclusions so soon,” he stammered, combing her hair. “Just forget I ever asked.”
“No, it’s not that!” Hot Pants wailed, pulling away slightly without breaking the embrace. “I’m scared.”
“Scared about what, love?”
"I'm scared that I'll be a horrible wife and mother, that I'd disappoint you and you'll eventually leave me... I don't know!" she sniffled.
Diego stared at her with a shocked expression before pulling her in an embrace once again. Hot Pants felt so embarrassed that she couldn’t even look Diego straight in the face. All she had to do was say a simple “yes,” but even she couldn’t do that.
“HP, please look at me,” Diego pleaded.
Hot Pants slowly tilted her head towards Diego. There he stood with a pained expression etched on his face, causing more tears to well up in her eyes.
Diego held the woman’s face and slowly kissed every tear cascading down her face, causing Hot Pants to avoid looking at those eyes that might drown her.
“How could I ever leave you? You’ve always been wonderful from the start. You’re patient, caring, kind, courageous. Bloody hell, you’re every positive adjective I could think of!”
“Stop exaggerating. Don’t pretend that you didn’t hate me from the beginning!”
“I’m not!” Diego exclaimed. “HP, I could never hate you. Even though I wanted to hate you at the beginning of our partnership, I just can’t, and I never will.”
“But what if I don’t live up to your expectations? What if I become a bad mother – or I’m not as great as your mother?!” Hot Pants spluttered. “I don't think I can live with myself if that happens.
Diego gripped and slightly shook Hot Pants' shoulder to snap her spiraling thoughts away.
“There’s no doubt that you’ll be a wonderful wife and mother. God, if my mother got the chance to meet you, she’d be thrilled to have you as her daughter-in-law — believe me, her standards are way up there,” Diego pointed upwards.
Running out of words to say, Hot Pants gave a pout, eliciting a slight chuckle from the blond.
“Here you are with puffy eyes and a snotty nose, yet I still find you the most beautiful being on Earth,” Diego sighed, pulling his handkerchief from his breast pocket to gently wipe Hot Pants’ tears before she grabbed it to blow her nose.
Diego knelt and opened the velvet box once again before looking up at his girlfriend’s bloodshot eyes.
“Henrietta Pucci, I ask you once again. Will you marry me and make me the happiest man on earth?”
As Hot Pants gazed into Diego’s eyes once more, she felt the inner voices being washed away by his ocean-blue eyes. Throughout her life, it was difficult to believe that someone could love her so much, but after three years of discovering who she truly is, maybe it was time to take the next step and see the person she could become with Diego.
“Yes, a million times yes, Diego,” Hot Pants whispered.
Diego exhaled a sigh of relief before slipping the diamond ring on her finger. Without a warning, Hot Pants tackled Diego into a hug, eliciting a grunt from the blond. They lay on the marbled pavement for some time, observing the stars mapped out in the sky.
Hot Pants brought her hand up to observe the ring sitting on her finger. Never in her life had she seen such exquisite jewelry before, and now she was about to marry the man she would have never expected to fall for. Diego hovered on top of Hot Pants and gave her a smirk, his blond hair falling freely from his shoulders. Hot Pants got a piece of his hair and twirled it around her finger.
“What?”
“Has anyone ever told you that you’re the most gorgeous person ever?”
Hot Pants scoffed at his silly pick-up line, earning a grin from the blond.
“Admit it, HP. You like my pick-up lines, no matter how cheesy they are.”
Hot Pants pulled Diego’s shirt, their lips hovering just inches apart before she gave him a sultry stare. The blond’s eyes widened as his cheeks began to turn red.
“Why don’t you let your actions do the talking instead of your words?” she salaciously replied.
“Then why don’t we continue this at home, love?” he grinned mischievously. “Y’know, put me in my place.”
Hot Pants licked her lips before bringing her mouth to Diego’s ear.
“I would like that very much.”