A/N: I just wanted to finish this one up, folks. I love finishing stories as much as I do starting them! Enjoy -DL
Epilogue: 1 Year Later
David Anderson pulled up into his driveway. He took a deep breath, closing his eyes as he waited for the nervous trembles in his limbs to subside. He licked at his dry lips, then opened his eyes and reached over to pick up the small, shiny decorative bag sitting on the seat beside him next to a sheaf of gorgeous flowers. He reached into the bag and pulled out a little velvet box from inside, flipping the lid open to reveal the ring nestled against the black velvet. He'd spent hours at the high-end jewelry store, poring over the rings as he searched for just the right one. It was platinum, somewhat plain, with a scattering of diamonds and ebony chips across the width of the band. It reminded him of a night sky. He'd thought it was lovely, and somehow fitting for Mark.
He swallowed heavily, his fingers stroking over the cool metal of the ring. He wasn't sure that he wanted to go inside the house. What if Mark said no?! He was, after all, ten years younger than David. And a lot more lively and interesting than the writer, as well. What if he rejected David because he knew that he could go out and find someone younger, hotter, and all-around better than his current lover? Especially now that he had lots of gay fans from his TV show. They wrote him letters and e-mails, expressing their admiration and the crushes they had on him. Many said that they wanted to marry him and somehow have his babies.
Mark never took any of them seriously, but they secretly made David anxious. And now here he was, about to put Mark's feelings for him to the test, and he felt completely unnerved. But in the long run, he wasn't going to chicken out. He couldn't. He had to ask Mark, because if he didn't he knew that he'd be miserable anyway. So he closed the box, slipped it into his pocket, and picked up the bunch of flowers. "You can do this, David," he told his image in the front mirror sternly.
He got out of his car on shaky legs and walked into his house. At first he thought all of his nerves were a waste of time; they house seemed silent and empty. Then Mark came strolling down the hallway from the back door wearing only his cute Speedos, water beading on the muscles of his chest and abdomen sensually. He smiled like a snake when he saw David standing by the door. "Hey, David," he purred. "You've got good timing. I just finished my swim. Now, I was thinking to myself, what should I do after that? Maybe get some more exercise?" and he deliberately licked at his lips, his eyes gleaming.
David felt a surge of lust go through him. Normally he would have gone up to Mark, drawn him in for a devouring kiss, and then dragged his, mostly naked sexiness off to the bedroom for a long afternoon of sex. But this time, he was determined to go through with the proposal no matter what. So he replied huskily: "I'd love to help you get more exercise, Mark. But there's something that I want to ask you, first."
The actor cocked his head to the side. "What is it?" he asked, hearing how serious David's tone of voice was. He stared at the bouquet of flowers that the author was clutching in one hand. "Are those for me?"
"Yes," David walked forward and thrust them into Mark's hand.
"They're beautiful. What's the occasion?" Mark asked curiously, sniffing at the flowers. "My contract as your dogsbody ran out a couple of months ago..."
"It's the year anniversary of the day that Vlad came over to ask me to put his girlfriend in my book, and the first time I told you that I was falling in love with you," David explained hurriedly.
"Oh, yeah! I love anniversaries like that. Are we going to go out to eat tonight?"
"Of course. But...there's something else," David said, his voice becoming even more hoarse from nervousness.
Mark's eyes studied his face curiously. "What is it? What's wrong?" He asked in concern.
David gulped. "I just..." he thrust his hand into his pocket and closed his fingers tightly over the velvet box. "I really do love you, Mark, so much," he began passionately.
"And I love you, David. You know that," Mark replied steadily, his brows drawing together as he tried to work out what was freaking David out.
He nodded, jerkily. "I know. That's why I was wondering...if you'd..." he pulled the box out, fumbling it so badly he almost dropped it. His fingers felt like lead. Hastily he sank down to one knee, almost falling on his face in the process. Smooth, David! He bawled at himself in his own head. "M-Marry me," he added, thrusting the open box out in front of him desperately.
Mark stood frozen, gaping down at the sight of his lover down on one knee in front of him. "Oh, my God," he breathed.
David winced. "I'm sorry, but I had to ask," he began to babble helplessly.
"David, shut up!" Mark cried, falling to his own knees in front of the writer. He reached out to take the ring from the box with fingers that were visibly shaking. "It's so gorgeous," he breathed, looking it over.
"Do you...like it? Will you...?" David trailed off anxiously, his eyes fastened to Mark's face.
To his disconcertion, Mark's eyes welled with tears. Oh, shit, he'd screwed it up! But then the actor said huskily: "Of course I'll marry you, you idiot," he breathed, pulling the ring out of the box. "I just never thought...I never imagined that someone would want to marry me!" he cried, sliding the ring on his finger. It fit perfectly. It had taken a lot of work for David to secretly get his ring size, but clearly it had been worth it. "Uncle Sid is going to flip!" he added gleefully, looking at the ring sparkling on his finger.
David felt himself relaxing inside. Mark had said yes! And from the grin on his handsome face, he wasn't just saying it to be kind to his lover, either. He bowed his head a little in acute relief.
Hands slid over his shoulders, and he looked up into Mark’s face just before the actor kissed him. "I love the ring, and I love YOU, David," he murmured when they finally broke apart. "I never imagined that I could get any happier than I man now, living with you as your lover. But now, I'm so far beyond happy that there are no words. You're going to be my husband," he went on, his eyes gleaming. "I love that thought."
David felt a surge of happiness well up in him. "I love you, too, Mark, so much," he said as he slid his hands around Mark’s waist. His fingers caressed the still damp bare skin. "You've made me happier than I've ever been, saying yes. I wasn't sure that you would."
"How could I not? You're the nicest, kindest guy that I've ever met. You helped me, and you saved my life, and then you made my life so much better than it was...I couldn’t help falling in love with you, and now I get to spend the rest of my life with you. I couldn't think of anything better, not even becoming a rich, famous actor."
David felt another spurt of joy go through him. Why had he worried? Mark loved him, Mark was going to marry him, everything was right with the world. "I guess we should send Vlad a wedding invitation, then," he murmured, his lips curving up in a smile, "Since he was the one who brought us together. I might never have met you otherwise."
Mark giggled. "Why not? Who wouldn't want a Russian mobster at their wedding?" he said gaily.
David rose to his feet, and pulled Mark to his as well. "Now, about that exercise," he began, his voice full of insinuation. "Our dinner reservations aren't until seven..."
"Hell, yeah. Let's go celebrate our engagement, David," Mark agreed, letting the author begin to lead him off in the direction of the bedroom. "In the best way possible. Then we can call Uncle Sid and tell him. I can't wait to hear how excited he'll be!"
David laughed merrily. "I'd bet even your mom won't be any more excited," he commented as Mark towed him into the bedroom.
"Probably not. Hey, maybe I should have him walk me down the aisle," Mark chuckled.
"Good idea." David started to say. But before he could get another word out, he found himself being pushed onto the bed. Mark pounced on him, straddling his body.
"It's the best thing that ever happened to me, meeting you, David," he said seriously, gazing down into the writer's face.
"Me, too," he said softly, putting his hands up to grip Mark's hips.
A lovely smile spread across Mark's face. "Well, then, let's get to celebrating," he said with a lusty gleam in his eyes. "Shall we?"
"Definitely," agreed David, and then the only sounds in the bedroom after that were mostly moans and cries full of mostly unintelligible words...
The End
Epilogue: 1 Year Later
David Anderson pulled up into his driveway. He took a deep breath, closing his eyes as he waited for the nervous trembles in his limbs to subside. He licked at his dry lips, then opened his eyes and reached over to pick up the small, shiny decorative bag sitting on the seat beside him next to a sheaf of gorgeous flowers. He reached into the bag and pulled out a little velvet box from inside, flipping the lid open to reveal the ring nestled against the black velvet. He'd spent hours at the high-end jewelry store, poring over the rings as he searched for just the right one. It was platinum, somewhat plain, with a scattering of diamonds and ebony chips across the width of the band. It reminded him of a night sky. He'd thought it was lovely, and somehow fitting for Mark.
He swallowed heavily, his fingers stroking over the cool metal of the ring. He wasn't sure that he wanted to go inside the house. What if Mark said no?! He was, after all, ten years younger than David. And a lot more lively and interesting than the writer, as well. What if he rejected David because he knew that he could go out and find someone younger, hotter, and all-around better than his current lover? Especially now that he had lots of gay fans from his TV show. They wrote him letters and e-mails, expressing their admiration and the crushes they had on him. Many said that they wanted to marry him and somehow have his babies.
Mark never took any of them seriously, but they secretly made David anxious. And now here he was, about to put Mark's feelings for him to the test, and he felt completely unnerved. But in the long run, he wasn't going to chicken out. He couldn't. He had to ask Mark, because if he didn't he knew that he'd be miserable anyway. So he closed the box, slipped it into his pocket, and picked up the bunch of flowers. "You can do this, David," he told his image in the front mirror sternly.
He got out of his car on shaky legs and walked into his house. At first he thought all of his nerves were a waste of time; they house seemed silent and empty. Then Mark came strolling down the hallway from the back door wearing only his cute Speedos, water beading on the muscles of his chest and abdomen sensually. He smiled like a snake when he saw David standing by the door. "Hey, David," he purred. "You've got good timing. I just finished my swim. Now, I was thinking to myself, what should I do after that? Maybe get some more exercise?" and he deliberately licked at his lips, his eyes gleaming.
David felt a surge of lust go through him. Normally he would have gone up to Mark, drawn him in for a devouring kiss, and then dragged his, mostly naked sexiness off to the bedroom for a long afternoon of sex. But this time, he was determined to go through with the proposal no matter what. So he replied huskily: "I'd love to help you get more exercise, Mark. But there's something that I want to ask you, first."
The actor cocked his head to the side. "What is it?" he asked, hearing how serious David's tone of voice was. He stared at the bouquet of flowers that the author was clutching in one hand. "Are those for me?"
"Yes," David walked forward and thrust them into Mark's hand.
"They're beautiful. What's the occasion?" Mark asked curiously, sniffing at the flowers. "My contract as your dogsbody ran out a couple of months ago..."
"It's the year anniversary of the day that Vlad came over to ask me to put his girlfriend in my book, and the first time I told you that I was falling in love with you," David explained hurriedly.
"Oh, yeah! I love anniversaries like that. Are we going to go out to eat tonight?"
"Of course. But...there's something else," David said, his voice becoming even more hoarse from nervousness.
Mark's eyes studied his face curiously. "What is it? What's wrong?" He asked in concern.
David gulped. "I just..." he thrust his hand into his pocket and closed his fingers tightly over the velvet box. "I really do love you, Mark, so much," he began passionately.
"And I love you, David. You know that," Mark replied steadily, his brows drawing together as he tried to work out what was freaking David out.
He nodded, jerkily. "I know. That's why I was wondering...if you'd..." he pulled the box out, fumbling it so badly he almost dropped it. His fingers felt like lead. Hastily he sank down to one knee, almost falling on his face in the process. Smooth, David! He bawled at himself in his own head. "M-Marry me," he added, thrusting the open box out in front of him desperately.
Mark stood frozen, gaping down at the sight of his lover down on one knee in front of him. "Oh, my God," he breathed.
David winced. "I'm sorry, but I had to ask," he began to babble helplessly.
"David, shut up!" Mark cried, falling to his own knees in front of the writer. He reached out to take the ring from the box with fingers that were visibly shaking. "It's so gorgeous," he breathed, looking it over.
"Do you...like it? Will you...?" David trailed off anxiously, his eyes fastened to Mark's face.
To his disconcertion, Mark's eyes welled with tears. Oh, shit, he'd screwed it up! But then the actor said huskily: "Of course I'll marry you, you idiot," he breathed, pulling the ring out of the box. "I just never thought...I never imagined that someone would want to marry me!" he cried, sliding the ring on his finger. It fit perfectly. It had taken a lot of work for David to secretly get his ring size, but clearly it had been worth it. "Uncle Sid is going to flip!" he added gleefully, looking at the ring sparkling on his finger.
David felt himself relaxing inside. Mark had said yes! And from the grin on his handsome face, he wasn't just saying it to be kind to his lover, either. He bowed his head a little in acute relief.
Hands slid over his shoulders, and he looked up into Mark’s face just before the actor kissed him. "I love the ring, and I love YOU, David," he murmured when they finally broke apart. "I never imagined that I could get any happier than I man now, living with you as your lover. But now, I'm so far beyond happy that there are no words. You're going to be my husband," he went on, his eyes gleaming. "I love that thought."
David felt a surge of happiness well up in him. "I love you, too, Mark, so much," he said as he slid his hands around Mark’s waist. His fingers caressed the still damp bare skin. "You've made me happier than I've ever been, saying yes. I wasn't sure that you would."
"How could I not? You're the nicest, kindest guy that I've ever met. You helped me, and you saved my life, and then you made my life so much better than it was...I couldn’t help falling in love with you, and now I get to spend the rest of my life with you. I couldn't think of anything better, not even becoming a rich, famous actor."
David felt another spurt of joy go through him. Why had he worried? Mark loved him, Mark was going to marry him, everything was right with the world. "I guess we should send Vlad a wedding invitation, then," he murmured, his lips curving up in a smile, "Since he was the one who brought us together. I might never have met you otherwise."
Mark giggled. "Why not? Who wouldn't want a Russian mobster at their wedding?" he said gaily.
David rose to his feet, and pulled Mark to his as well. "Now, about that exercise," he began, his voice full of insinuation. "Our dinner reservations aren't until seven..."
"Hell, yeah. Let's go celebrate our engagement, David," Mark agreed, letting the author begin to lead him off in the direction of the bedroom. "In the best way possible. Then we can call Uncle Sid and tell him. I can't wait to hear how excited he'll be!"
David laughed merrily. "I'd bet even your mom won't be any more excited," he commented as Mark towed him into the bedroom.
"Probably not. Hey, maybe I should have him walk me down the aisle," Mark chuckled.
"Good idea." David started to say. But before he could get another word out, he found himself being pushed onto the bed. Mark pounced on him, straddling his body.
"It's the best thing that ever happened to me, meeting you, David," he said seriously, gazing down into the writer's face.
"Me, too," he said softly, putting his hands up to grip Mark's hips.
A lovely smile spread across Mark's face. "Well, then, let's get to celebrating," he said with a lusty gleam in his eyes. "Shall we?"
"Definitely," agreed David, and then the only sounds in the bedroom after that were mostly moans and cries full of mostly unintelligible words...
The End
