And Maybe That's Alright

Tell

"George."

"Yes?"

"George."

"Yes?"

"George."

"What is it, Nick?" George huffed but the corner's of his lips quivered with a poorly held-back giddiness. He stared at Nick's deadpan face displayed on his laptop.

"Show me your hand." George registered Vincent lingering just out of frame. His smile was becoming harder and harder to hide and a giggle was bubbling in his chest.

"Why?"

"George."

George crumbled into elated giggling, fighting the urge to cover his mouth with his hands as he slumped back in his chair. He had half the mind to continue being coy, pretending he didn't know exactly why Nick was asking to see his hands, content in the knowledge that Nick was all the way in France with Vincent and his family and therefor couldn't injure George in any physical way. He decided against it, however, knowing that Nick would hold a grudge.

Instead, he lifted his right hand to the camera with an impossibly large grin. Nick groaned and George felt a flare of smugness at the shadow of Vincent's laugh. It was silenced by a searing glare from Nick that Vincent knew was empty but he wouldn't let Nick know that.

"Other hand." Nick growled and George figured he best comply, for the sake of his life the next time he saw Nick - he attempted to assure himself that the next time they saw each other would be in public at the first venue of their band's tour but he knew too well that that wouldn't stop Nick. George lifted his left hand and splayed his fingers.

Nick's face dropped from anger to wonder, getting much too close to the screen in order to inspect the new ring nestled comfortably on George's third finger. George moved his hand closer regardless, wiggling his fingers and fighting through short bursts of laughter.

"WHAT THE FUCK?" Nick shrieked and George laughed - half at that and half at Vincent's arm that shot through the frame in order to cover his own ears.

"I've been telling you to propose since your first year anniversary and you waited almost two years so I wasn't there?" Nick whined, still close as ever to the camera. His following smile, wide and bright and proud, wiped any worry that he may actually be upset. "Tell me everything, Gogy, I want to feel like I was there."

"It was after we got back from dinner with his family," George answered, more than just eager to comply "he was acting really weird ever since he came back with the groceries. Apparently two fans saw him picking up the ring - his mum said there was a big cue and then that he got stuck in traffic - and just ran away laughing and shouting."

"Wait, he proposed?" Vincent popped into frame, not bothering to pretend he hadn't been there the whole time. George nodded, spinning the ring around his finger carefully. He took a moment to admire the harmony formed between his engagement ring, his promise ring and his bracelet. "Huh, I owe him an apology then, I thought he'd be too coward." George and Nick laughed at that.

"He was really nervous when we got home and then gave me a flash-drive and told me to listen to it." Nick shuffled along and adjusted the camera to capture both himself and Vincent, nodding. "It was my song, the one I told you he wrote for me."