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As far as proposals went, David Parrish was at a loss. He and Evan had been dating for a while, though DADT had only been thrown out by General O'Neill after Atlantis had set down on Earth. Not that David and Evan had any issues; Atlantis was tight-knit, but O'Neill had said that now that they were on Earth for a few months, he refused to let anything untoward happen under his command.
David contemplated his future with Evan from the first moment he awoke every morning, limbs tangled with his lover, to the moment he fell asleep, head pillowed on Evan's chest. He knew that they were destined to be together. Still, it was strange to him that the task was far more challenging than he could imagine.
Walking through San Francisco on a random day off, Deb Kiang at his side, he lamented about his situation, smiling at Deb with every suggestion that she made. Latte's in hand, he bobbed his head towards a bookstore. "Let's go in here," he said, figuring he could find some books to lose himself in and forget about his woes.
Wandering through the shelves, David picked up a couple of classics that he'd always meant to read; the journey back to Pegasus would give him some downtime to do just that. Arms loaded, he was ready to head to the register, but the Arts section of the store grabbed his attention. It was filled with many oversized picture books, many of which he knew Evan would love. But one particular title caught his eye, which caused him to abandon his own books on a nearby table. His eyes gazed over the book's title, and as he reached for the book, a plan came to mind.
Back on Atlantis, David put most of the books away in their shared quarters and left just his purchase for Evan laid out on the small table that sometimes served as a desk, other times as a place to share an intimate meal. He paced the floor, turning when the doors snicked open, and Evan walked in after his shift.
"Hey, Boo," Evan said, removing his TAC vest. Holding it in one hand, he gave David a kiss, and then tossed the garment onto the small sofa. "You and Deb have a good day?"
"Yeah," David replied, and can't help when his eyes go from Evan to the table, then back. "We did a little shopping-"
Evan followed David's gaze to the table. Turning, Evan reached down and grabbed the book. "I can see that," he said, running his thumbs over the embossed title, 'The Art Lovers Guide To Florence'. "Is this for me?" he asked.
"Yes," David whispered. "If you..."
"I love it," Evan replied, eyes crinkling up as a smile covers his face. "Thank you, Boo."
David took a deep breath, then blew it out in hopes of loosening some of the nervousness that had gripped him. David ignored his heart as it pounded in his chest and said, "I was thinking... Maybe we could use it? You know, as a guide?" When Evan smiled at him, it gave David the courage to finish his thought. "When we go there on our honeymoon?"
Evan almost dropped the book, a stunned, but smiling, look covering his face. "David Allen Parrish. Are you asking me to marry you?"
It seemed an eternity had passed since David breathed last, and he finally nodded his head. But suddenly his heart dropped into his stomach when Evan turned away and quickly walked towards the door. "Ev?" he whispered.
He watched as Evan reached into the cabinet next to the door, his hand going inside before he turned back towards David. Suddenly David was confused; was Evan leaving? Why had he walked away without answering? And what was the little black box that Evan...
"Yes, David," Evan replied as nimble fingers opened the small box to reveal two matching gold bands. "I'll marry you."