The Alpha and his Omega

The Question [Marriage 1]

More than once he had second guessed himself on whether it would be better to do it in a restaurant instead of someplace else, but the prospect of doing so just freaked him out. There was always a chance that someone they knew, likely Hange since it was impossible to tell when or where they would pop up, would see and ruin everything. Plus, this was a private thing. If it went well, the rest of the world could hear about it after the fact. Not before or during. They weren't important.

Mentally, Levi went through dozens of plans trying to figure how best to approach the question. He didn't want any of the classic moves such as hiding it in a dessert after a nice meal somewhere upscale. And celebrating with strangers didn't suit his tastes. But the notion of asking too casually did not appeal to him either. Eren appreciated cutesy or romantic gestures, but buying another teddy bear and having it hold the ring was also cliché and too extreme. Plus, the damn bear wasn't the one asking, he was. His plan was a middle ground between all of that: something private, romantic, yet simple.

Levi had asked for a half-day off just to prepare for this occasion.

Making the final touches on the table, he checked, double-checked, then triple-checked to make sure nothing was forgotten. The dessert was ready in the fridge. The main course, which was one of Eren's favorites, rosemary roasted lamb, was in the oven, almost cooked and would be done by the time they got to it. On the table sat the fig and feta salad with balsamic vinaigrette and a bottle of Zinfandel. As much as he didn't really like it due to the tobacco-like finish and high acidity, it was one of the varieties Eren loved and paired well with red meat, so they always tried to keep a bottle on hand. Everything had to be perfect. And it was, thankfully.

The moment the dark-haired male heard keys in the doorway he almost banged his elbow in the table. Shit, he had never been so nervous in his entire life.

"Levi, I'm home!"

The sound of Eren's bright voice in the apartment filled Levi with warmth. He was almost surprised at how much he loved the idea of the life they could build together. But the prospect of what he was going to ask also frightened him. Calming himself down as much as possible, Levi tugged slightly at the edge of his sleeves, making sure he was presentable before carefully schooling his features into his usual bland expression. Grabbing one of the glasses of wine he knew Eren loved, Levi waited for his mate to walk into view.

"Thank you." Levi found his lips curling into a small smile at the image of those aquamarine eyes sparkling with surprise and joy at the sight as Eren accepted the glass. "Wow... what's with the candles and wine?"

"Nothing. I just thought it'd be nice to spend some quality time with my mate." Levi wrapped an arm around Eren, gently guiding his hopefully soon-to-be fiancé to the table.

"Oh. This looks amazing, Levi."

Sitting himself on the other side, he swirled his glass before taking a long sip. Despite just having come from a long day at work, Eren looked incredible. The candlelight flickering across the contours of his face, bringing out the dazzling dimples on the omega's smiling face. The untamable mop of messy brown hair and stunning eyes that made his mate so beautiful and precious. It all reminded Levi how much the brat had grown to become so essential to him. How much he loved Eren, as a person, his mate, and his other half.

"Well there's no need to wait, Eren. Dig in."

The gentle clinking of cutlery filled his ears as Eren cut into the salad with an excited smile. Seeing the smile grow brighter on his mate's lips, Levi indulged in the image before starting on his food himself.

By the end of dinner, Levi had been too focused on and drowning in Eren's presence that it didn't even occur to him that he still hadn't done what he'd initially set out to. All he could focus on was the smiles his lover constantly aimed at him, the enjoyment on his mate's face as Eren indulged and complimented the food and everything. He wanted to take a picture of the omega, but the moment was too valuable and a photo would not be able to capture everything.