Beneath the Surface

Chapter 51

The drive back to the twins' house was peaceful, the quiet hum of the engine giving Y/N a moment to reflect on the day. Picking out the engagement ring had been a surreal experience—one she never thought she'd be nervous about. But now, as she pulled into the driveway of Mary-Kate and Ashley's place, that familiar twinge of excitement and nerves crept back in. The ring was hidden securely in her jacket pocket, a constant reminder of what was coming.

Next to her, the twins exchanged a knowing glance, both smirking like they were in on a secret. Which, of course, they were.

"You did good today," Ashley teased, stepping out of the car.

Mary-Kate, getting out from the back seat, added, "Just try not to give it away at dinner."

Y/N shot them a mock glare but couldn't help the smile tugging at her lips. "Thanks for the confidence boost."

"Come on, you've got this," Ashley said, playfully nudging her as they made their way to the front door. "Lizzie's been focused on that Marvel meeting all day. She's not going to notice anything."

Just as they reached the door, Y/N's phone buzzed in her pocket. A message from Lizzie lit up the screen.

Meeting done! Went really well. Headed your way?

Y/N quickly typed back

Great. Finishing up here with the twins. Join us for dinner?

Moments later, Lizzie replied,

Sounds good. See you soon :)

Y/N slid the phone back into her pocket, her pulse quickening at the thought of spending dinner with Lizzie and the twins, knowing the engagement ring was waiting to be revealed—but not tonight. Tonight was just about enjoying their time together, keeping everything normal and under the radar.

———

The warm aroma of roasted vegetables and pasta filled the kitchen as Y/N and the twins set the table, each of them chatting lightly as they worked. It was the kind of low-key evening Y/N appreciated—no big gestures, no public events, just a simple dinner with close family. Even though the anticipation of the proposal was still looming in the back of her mind, Y/N found comfort in the routine of it all.

Just as they finished setting the last dish, the door opened, and Lizzie walked in, her face bright with excitement. She greeted Y/N with a quick kiss on the cheek before sitting down at the kitchen island.

"Hey, the meeting went really well," Lizzie announced, her eyes sparkling with enthusiasm. "Kevin's moving forward with Wandavision. It's going to be huge, but it's going to be a lot of work."

"That's amazing," Ashley said, handing Lizzie a glass of wine. "You're going to nail it, as always."

Mary-Kate nodded, sliding a dish of pasta onto the table. "Sounds like you'll be busy for a while."

Lizzie took a sip of her wine, smiling at Y/N. "Yeah, it's going to be intense. They're planning back-to-back shoots, lots of travel. It'll be a pretty full schedule."

Y/N squeezed Lizzie's hand under the table, offering a smile. "We'll figure it out. We've handled busy schedules before."

Lizzie smiled gratefully, leaning into Y/N's touch. "Yeah, we will."

"So, what about you two?" Lizzie asked, glancing between Mary-Kate and Ashley as she scooped some pasta onto her plate. "What did you get up to today?"

Mary-Kate and Ashley exchanged a quick glance before Ashley shrugged casually. "Oh, you know. Just the usual. A bit of work, a bit of shopping."

Y/N tensed slightly, trying to keep her expression neutral. She knew the twins wouldn't let anything slip, but she couldn't help the brief spike of anxiety.

Lizzie raised an eyebrow, clearly picking up on something. "Shopping, huh?"

"Yeah," Mary-Kate chimed in, her voice smooth and casual. "We dragged Y/N along. Figured she could use a bit of retail therapy."

Lizzie's eyes shifted to Y/N, narrowing slightly. "Retail therapy? You? Since when do you like shopping?"

Y/N cleared her throat, trying to play it cool. "I mean, it wasn't so bad."

Ashley grinned, jumping in to cover the moment. "We might have made her carry all the bags."

Lizzie laughed, her suspicion melting away as she leaned back in her chair. "That sounds more like it."

The conversation shifted back to Lizzie's meeting, and Y/N breathed a silent sigh of relief. Crisis averted. But as the evening went on, Y/N couldn't shake the feeling that Lizzie had noticed her nerves. She wasn't usually the one to fidget or feel tense, and Lizzie knew her too well not to pick up on it.

———

Later that night, Y/N and Lizzie drove back home in a comfortable silence, the weight of the day's events settling in. Y/N kept one hand on the wheel and the other loosely holding Lizzie's hand, feeling a sense of calm wash over her. Despite the secrecy and the nerves, she was happy.

When they arrived home, Y/N kicked off her shoes and settled onto the couch, feeling the familiar exhaustion from the long day of ring shopping. Lizzie joined her, pulling a blanket over their legs as she snuggled in beside Y/N.

"You seemed a little... distracted tonight," Lizzie said softly, glancing up at Y/N.

Y/N's heart skipped a beat, and she offered a small smile. "Just thinking about everything that's coming up."

Lizzie raised an eyebrow, curiosity clear in her expression. "What do you mean?"

Y/N shifted slightly, turning to face her. "I mean, you've got Wandavision coming up, which is huge. But we've also been talking about other things... like the wedding. Kids. It's a lot."

Lizzie sat up a little, her brow furrowing. "Yeah, it is a lot. But we can figure it out."

There was a moment of silence, and Y/N could tell Lizzie was considering something.

"What kind of wedding do you want?" Lizzie asked softly.

Y/N exhaled, thinking it through. "I've always imagined something small. Close friends and family, nothing too big. Just... us."

Lizzie nodded thoughtfully. "I like that idea. But with my career, my team will probably want to make it a bigger deal. You know, the whole public image thing."

Y/N frowned slightly. "I get that, but... I don't want our wedding to be about your team or your public image. It's about us."

Lizzie smiled, resting her hand on Y/N's knee. "I agree. We'll make sure it's what we want."

There was a pause before Lizzie shifted closer, her voice dropping to a quieter tone. "And what about kids? Have you thought about that?"

Y/N's heart swelled at the thought. "Yeah, I have. I think two sounds perfect. But there's a lot to figure out."

Lizzie nodded. "IVF? Surrogacy? There are options."

Y/N felt a sense of relief wash over her. "I know. It's just... it's a big decision."

Lizzie smiled softly, her hand gently cupping Y/N's cheek. "We'll figure it out, Y/N. Together."

Y/N leaned in, pressing a soft kiss to Lizzie's lips. "I love you."

"I love you too," Lizzie whispered back.

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