[Prequel] Beloved Archons' Family

Engagement

Baal was practically pulling his hair out as he paced around in his room, his chair thrown back and the area surrounding and on top of his desk an absolute mess of papers and ink. At least a dozen brushes were broken in half from the frustration of the god who had wielded them against the onslaught of paper.

"Oh, this is hopeless!" The thunder god shouted as he threw his hands into the air and fell back onto his bed. Nearly 500,000 years of being together with Amara in a relationship and he couldn't muster up the balls to come up with some kind of proposal.

Yes, pun fully intended.

She deserved a good proposal. He already had the ring sorted out, having taken her measurement under the guise of a hand massage and the ring was already sitting on the pillow next to his arm in a nice little cherry wood box lined with black satin. Amara liked black, she always wore...

Baal reached over and grabbed the box and opens it up to look at the ring again, hoping it will give him some idea of what to do.

Baal know how much she loved his hair and eyes, she always complimented them when they were together, alone or in public. Especially how his hair looked like at night - with strands of his hair looking like electricity was flowing through them, making them glimmer and glow. The way his eye would brighten or darken depending on his mood. So he wanted a ring that reminded her of these whenever she looked at the ring.

He hoped she accepted his proposal. He loved her so much...

----

The god of thunder didn't want it to be overly dramatic, she hated that. Baal didn't want it overly romantic either because then she'd know something was up. Maybe a trip to the beach? Nah that was too cheesy.

What about a trip back to the lavender field? Hm...no, but what about at the next lantern festival? That was only a couple days away. he could propose to her under the floating lanterns on a small boat that was just the two of them.

Yeah that would work, since he has told her before how he wanted to spend a lantern festival out on a boat with her. So it wouldn't be suspicious if he took her out this festival after they had a night of fun going to the booths, eating the different foods and such.

Here's to hoping. Baal thought with another silent prayer hoping she will say yes.

----

It was that time, they were out on the boat, waiting for the lanterns. They both each had one this time as he wanted to make this night more memorable. Amara was sitting across from him, staring out towards the harbor and he took this moment to take out the small ring box and fiddle with it slightly, trying to calm his nerves. By Morax he's never been so nervous before!

"Baal? Are you alright?" Amara's voice suddenly broke the quiet, comfortable silence and the thunder god jolted, nearly throwing the small cherry wood ring box up into the air but barely manages not to do that as he clutched it close, his heart racing before he blinked at her. She looked at him worriedly and he gives her his signature big grin. "I'm alright liyue. Just deep in thought."

The abyss goddess gives him a look but doesn't say much else because that's when the lanterns are released. A silent sigh of relief calms his heart as he watches the way their soft orange glows illuminate the calm waters and soon come to light up their little section as well. They both light their lanterns and say soft prayers - though completely unneeded seeing as they're gods - before releasing them into the air to join the others.

Now was the time and now he was getting nervous again.

"Amara, liyue..." His voice was soft as he gazed at her beautiful features. Baal would never grow tired of seeing her, of thinking how beautiful she looked.

Amara turns her brown eyes to him and he tries his best not to dig his nails into the delicate box he was holding. 

"Because of you, I laugh a little harder, cry less, and smile a lot more..." He began and she was now looking at him curiously. "Baal?" Amara asked softly, clearly confused.

Looking at her, seeing the love in her eyes for him, hearing her calm breaths...it gave Baal the courage to continue, just speaking without much thought like he's always done - yet always speaking from the heart when it came to her. His source of strength.

"If I had to choose between breathing and loving you, I would use my last breath to tell you I love you. And I have waited for you all my life, I don't need a map to know where I want to be – by your side forever..." His words were sure, yet so full of the love he has always held for her. The yearning to be by her side so clear in his eyes it caught Amara's breath.

"I don't care if I have to wait forever; I will marry you one day."

And he showed her the box, opening it slowly to show off the ring - and he could see her eyes widening, her breath stopping as she realized he was proposing and not just spouting words of love once again to her. Something he has always done but not to this extent. 

"Oh, Baal...."

"Will you marry me, liyue?"

"Yes." Her reply was quiet but so happy and so he felt warmth spread throughout him as he took the ring out of the box and slipped it onto her finger. A perfect fit, a perfect match and the way her eyes glistened with happy tears made him lurch forward and hug her tightly, her lips meeting his in a passionate kiss - a promise.

This night was perfect for the both of them. And now there was all the more reason to celebrate the lantern festival...