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[ He slides the ring onto Nicky's finger then scoops him up into his arms and kisses him deeply.

If it's a show Nicky wants to give the people then he will give them a show. The staff and a few diners give them a round of applause.

He sets Nicky back on his feet after a moment and rests his forehead against his. ]

You have made me the happiest man in existence. [ Just like he did every time Nicky says yes to another proposal. ]

[ Nicky goes completely slack so when Joe pulls him up, he's tugged right into his arms with ease. He's grinning and laughing, his reserve melting away as he kisses Joe and holds tight to him, his hands at Joe's hips. ]

You are still an incurable romantic.

[ And he loves him every second and every breath and every moment of his life. Nicky laughs as he feels his heels his the ground again, smoothing out his tie.

He wiggles his fingers in front of him to look at the ring, delighted at how it shines ]. I will wear this long past death.

The amber is from Madagascar. [ He takes Nicky by the hand as he guides him back to sit. They still need to have dinner, after all. ]I thought a stone of ancient times was very fitting for us.

[ The waitress finally approaches their table full of congratulations and excitement. She is very sweet and young in a way that reminds him of Nile. ]

Thank you, miss. You're very kind. [ But Joe's attention returns to Nicky, smile warm and bright. ] Order whatever you'd like, my love. We should treat ourselves tonight.

[ He brought Nicky's hand up to his mouth and kisses the inside of his wrist, lips lingering. ]

[ Nicky knows there is a restaurant, a menu, a view, a waitress, but he has stopped looking at anything beyond Joe. He is the only thing that he wants to see, and his eyes fixate on him as he turns the ring with his thumb in a practiced way that hints that he's had one of these before. ]

Even if what I want most is not on the menu?

[ He knows they will behave, because he does want dinner, but Joe proposing always puts him in a very romantic mood, and those kisses make his breath stutter. ] The duck and polenta for me. Champagne, too.

[ They might as well keep it up with the bubbles. ]

Behave yourself. [ Though Joe made things worse by nipping at Nicky's wrist. The look in his eyes promised so much passion once they were alone. ]

Yes, champagne. And swordfish for me. Hummus for an appetizer. [ Finally, he rests Nicky's hand on the table. He'll just undress him with his eyes. ]

[ Nicky raises both his brows, because Joe is the one who just proposed to him and actually swept him off his feet and now he's asking Nicky to behave? He must be mad.

And yet, he will, because he wanted a fine dinner as opposed to that awful bar he'd slunk off to the other night.

Nicky turns his palm up so he can stroke at Joe's hand, enjoying the tap of the ring against the table. ] If I did not know any better, I'd think you were eating lightly to prepare for something.

I have to watch my figure. I wouldn't want you to leave me. [ The very idea makes Joe laugh a little. Nicky would never. ]

I do have some plans since you gave me all that time to think. [ He brushes his thumb across Nicky's ring. ] Did you bring a ring for me?

[ He's rather curious if Nicky brought the ring with him or left it behind to put on his finger later. He could never predict which way Nicky would go for these proposals. ]

[ Nicky does, in fact, have a very special ring in his inside jacket pocket. It is a silver ring with beautiful sapphires and a single diamond, but, he also has patience. ]

Some people don't propose before the appetizer.

[ Meaning that he'd been intending to wait until dessert, and maybe there will be new diners. If nothing else, they will delight the staff when Nicky ends up proposing as well. ]

And I would never leave you if you round out. I would leave if you let someone else do it. Only my cooking and baking should be responsible.

When you looked out to the water you looked so beautiful the moment took me and I had to.

[ He will remember that relaxed little sigh and the way Nicky's shoulders lifted for a long time. The man he loved was finally coming back to him. ]

I've done crazier things impulsively before. [ It's definitely not the first time he's done something like this at the spur of the moment. ] Remember Berlin in '43? That was definitely wild.

[ Nicky is still feeling this relaxed. The breeze is perfect, the smell of the sea has calmed him, and Joe is the most beautiful man in the world and he belongs to Nicky. What more could he want? ]

I am not complaining, only saying that you will need to be patient yourself.

[ He grins at him, and reaches for Joe's red button-down to fiddle with the lapel of it. ] I remember how you looked like a madman, and that it was not the time.

You want to tease me tonight.

[ Not that he's complaining. Joe leans forward so it's easier for Nicky to tease him. ]

Again, I was overcome. I couldn't help myself. You were so fierce cutting down those SIS soldiers. I had to. [ And he doesn't regret it. Joe took great joy in killing Nazis and proposing in front of them. ]

[ Nicky leans forward, batting his lashes as he keeps his eyes on Joe, not looking away for a moment. ] I have been teasing you all day. I had thought you had already noticed when you called me a brat.

[ He is remarkably fond as he thinks about cutting down Nazis, a past-time he truly did enjoy, and he's glad that he had been so attractive to Joe while doing it. ]

As I remember it, one of them needed to be shot again in the middle of your proposal so he would stop making so much noise.

You are a brat. [ He tenderly runs his fingers through Nicky's hair as he leans in. ] My favorite one.

[ Anyone still listening must think they're mad but he hopes that without the flashy proposal going on they aren't paying too close attention. ]

He was being very rude interrupting like that.

It is because you are three years older than me. I am still so very young. [ He says this all incredibly deadpanned, because Nicky is practically the definition of a crotchety old man, at times.

Nicky sits back to thank their waitress when she returns with the champagne and glasses, along with Joe's appetizer. ]

I do not think we will have to worry about the same here tonight, unless Malta has changed greatly.

You were born a grumpy old man. [ He laughs brightly as he finally leans back from his love to try the hummus. Malta is one of the few places they make it right. ]

No, tonight is about you and me celebrating. [ He scoops a bit of hummus on a torn piece of pita and holds it out to Nicky to try.

He thinks it's as good as he can get outside of the Middle East. ] I would hate for you to get blood on that suit.

I was. You were the one who fell in love with me anyway.

[ He leans over the table to eat the pita and hummus without using his hands at all, only his mouth around the offering, his tongue sliding over Joe's fingers, not flinching away as he looks at him. ]

Lucky for me, that is not the stain I intended to get on this suit tonight.

I find your grumpiness adorable.

[ The whole point was to eat from his fingers. That's what Joe wanted. He enjoys the sensation and show. ]

Mmm, so you've made some plans for us? [ He raises an eyebrow interested if Nicky would share any of his ideas or keep teasing.

Probably keep teasing, the lovable bastard. ]

[ Nicky glances over his shoulder towards the inside, then back at Joe. It's not intentionally teasing, but he is missing some information. ] I will have to see how big their bathrooms are before I find out if I get to be - [ and this, in Italian ] - on my knees out here only, or on my knees in there too after.

[ He lifts a brow easily, switching to his wine to sip at it before he scoops up a little hummus with his pinky to suck it off. ]

[ Joe laughs and claps his hands. He always has such fun these nights when they're so wrapped up in each other. They make such a scene but it feels good. He feels free. ]

Thank you, that answers so many questions. [ He drags his finger through the hummus and offers it to Nicky. Screw the pita. ]

And I am happy to help with this plan in any way I can.

[ Nicky is practically beaming and for him, this is a lot. It's all because of Joe, and the way that the stress has melted off his shoulders and made him so very giddy. He has been proposed to, and he has his own proposal once dessert makes their way to the table, and he is utterly incandescent for it.

He drags his teeth down Joe's finger as he swallows the hummus, stretching out his neck as he tips his head upwards to gaze at the stars, then back to Joe. ]

Even if I get stains all over your nice suit you picked for me?

The hotel offers a dry cleaning service.

[ It's torture to feed Nicky this way. Every little touch of tongue, lips, and teeth goes straight to his dick.

Ah, the passion that never dulls. Joe can revel in it tonight. ]

The hummus is good, yes? [ He has some for himself licking his lips after. ] I can imagine their polenta will meet your standards.

[ Nicky gives a pleased, throaty little hum while he's still sucking hummus off Joe's fingers, at the thought of getting to clean this very nice suit. Joe really did think of everything, didn't he? ]

I don't know if it's good, or if you're the one who tastes so good.

[ Either way, it is absolutely delicious.

He reaches for the wine again to lean back in his chair and sip at it, keeping his foot gently against Joe's, actually behaving for once. You picked a beautiful restaurant. ] Everything has been perfect so far, including the proposal.

I will take both as an answer.

[ They both settle in for some flirting at a distance. Joe will keep snacking and sipping at his glass of wine while his foot rubs gently against Nicky's. ]

I wanted to make this trip special, every part of it. Not just tonight. [ He gets out his phone and hands it over to Nicky so he can see the vacation home Copley got them. It has everything they asked for. ] And I've arraigned for us to rent a sail boat for a day on the water.

[ Nicky only has eyes for Joe and he smiles just for him, fiddling with his cufflinks as he adjusts his cutlery, sipping the wine and thinking about later.

At least, until he leans forward to see the home. His eyes widen with pleasure and he expands the picture so he can get a better look at the beautiful sea-side house. And to think, a boat on top of that? ]

Is this because you want to give my present to me of you in the small swimsuit?

The boat would give us some more privacy than our backyard pool.

[ Mostly, Joe wants to spoil him. He wants to give Nicky some special memories after the hell of the lab. ]

But I feel you'll get plenty of that swimsuit this trip.