Into the Honeyverse

Boyfriend x Hardy

I'm tired of talkin' 'bout babies and diamond rings
I'm so sick of drivin' clear across town every night

Jake
It was another night of shenanigans with the crew, everyone enjoying the hospitality provided by Pete and Penny.  It was our monthly gathering, we'd started calling it "Family Dinner" as a joke but it ended up sticking. 

After dinner, I'm sitting on the couch, shooting the shit with Bradley when the subject is brought up again. 

"When are you gonna finally gonna ask Honey to marry you, Seresin?  I can't imagine there being anyone else who would happily put up with your overinflated ego," he chuckles as he finishes the question.

"Man, I'm so tired of talking about all this.  Getting married, buying a house, having babies.  I feel like I've had a million conversations about it lately."  My following sigh is heavy, and I'm completely unaware of another set of ears listening just out of sight.

Honey
I feel like I've been sucker punched when I hear those words spill from Jake's lips.  I thought we were on the same page on it, both ready to settle down and start building our future together.  I stagger back into the kitchen to continue helping Penny clean up after everyone.  She looks up from the sink and smiles at me, the smile quickly morphing into concern at my expression.

She dries off her hands on a dish towel and crosses the kitchen to me.  "Honey?  What's wrong?"

"I, uh, overhead Jake and Bradley talking.  I know I shouldn't have been eavesdropping and I guess I kinda learned my lesson.  I heard him tell Bradley that he was tired of talking about it when he asked if he was gonna propose soon.  I thought we were crossing into forever territory, but maybe he was just telling me what I wanted to hear..." I trail off and Penny wraps her arms around me, pulling me into a tight hug.

"Oh, sweet girl.  I don't think that's true at all.  Maybe he felt backed into a corner by Bradley and was deflecting?" She gently offers.

"I dunno, Pen.  He seemed pretty honest about it."  I take in a shuddering breath and steel myself to tough through the rest of the night.  "It's fine, I'm just gonna leave the subject alone for a while."

Seeing that I didn't want to discuss it further, Penny drops it and gives me one more tight squeeze before we return to doing the dishes.  We eventually make our way to the beach behind their house, joining the rest of the Daggers and their spouses around the giant bonfire the boys have built.  Jake is sitting in a lawn chair and he pats his thigh, motioning for me to sit in his lap as I always do.  The front I'm putting on isn't strong enough to withstand sitting on his stupidly muscular thigh and pretend nothing is wrong, so I bypass him and sit on a blanket with Natasha.  Jake's brows scrunch in confusion, clearly not expecting the subtle rejection.  His genuine displeasure almost has me doing a double take and regretting my actions, but I power through and plop down into my spot on the sand.

An hour or so passes and Jake has been sending me questioning looks the entire time, clearly disappointed that I haven't taken my rightful spot yet.  I've watched him get more antsy with each beer he's downed and I wonder how much longer I have before he says something.  I don't have to wait long for my answer.  Natasha's phone lights up with a notification and I see it's from Jake before she angles the screen away from me to open the message.

Jake
My hands itch to have them on my girl and it's killing me for her to be sitting so far away from me.  She's been giving me the cold shoulder since we came outside and I can't figure out what's wrong if my life depended on it.  I'm wracking my brain for what could have upset her, finally giving in and phoning a friend, literally.  I send Phoenix a text asking her to switch places with me and her eyes land on me as she sends me a slight nod.  Nix stands and walks away in claims of needing another drink, and I quickly slip in behind my girl on the blanket.

"Why have you been avoiding me, pretty girl?" I ask, dropping a kiss to her shoulder. 

"I haven't, just wanted to spend a little extra time with Nat."

Her reply is short and her shoulders stiffen instead of letting her body relax back into mine. The alarm bells are ringing something fierce and I can't find it in myself to believe her.

"Honey, I know you well enough to know when you're lying.  Talk to me," I gently urge.

"Maybe we don't know each other as well as you think." She replies curtly.

I'm about to ask for clarification, but she gets up with the same excuse at Nat and heads to the cooler.  The blanket shifts beside me and I look over to see Penny sitting down next to me.

"Your anxiety is palpable, Jake.  Figured you could use an explanation,' she offers when she settles.  "She overheard you talking to Bradley earlier, care to explain?"

My brain buffers for a second.  "Did she overhear me saying I was ready to propose and hates the plan?'

"Wait, you told him you were ready to propose?!  She said she heard you saying you were tired of talking about it!" Penny gasps.

"What??  No!  I was saying I was tired of talking and planning it, I was ready to actually make it happen.  I have the damn ring in my pocket right now!"  It all clicks into place now, she thinks I've been lying to her when I've said that I want to start a life with her.

Shit!  I jump up and dart towards my girl, ready to put my plan in action.  My palm lands on her lower back and she turns to look at me, tears in her eyes.

"Oh, my sweet girl.  You only heard part of what I said."  I reach out to cup her cheeks before continuing.  "I was telling Chicken that I'm tired of talking about it all instead of doing it."

I leave a kiss on her forehead before I take a step back and drop down on one knee.

Honey
Jake is suddenly on his knee and I'm in shock.  Am I sick and having a fever dream?  That would make more sense than this really happening right now.  He takes a deep breath before locking his eyes with mine once more.

"I've been thinkin' a lot, about goin' all in on what we've got.  I got my eye on a twenty acre spot with a fence in the dirt back home, not far from our families.  You're the first girl to ever have me call up your dad and spend all my coffee can cash.  I don't wanna have to wonder what it's like to hear you introduce yourself with my last name, to see you floatin' down some out of town church all dressed in white.  I wanna get too sunburnt with ya, all inclusive in Hawaii, right after I say my vows in kiss ya like no one else is watchin' in front of God and everybody.  I don't wanna be your boyfriend anymore, I wanna be your husband.  So, what's it gonna be, honey?"  Jake asks, pulling the most gorgeous ring from his pocket.

Tears are steadily flowing down my cheeks and I'm answering before I can even fully process the thought in my head.  "Of course it's a yes, you dumbass!  God, you scared the hell outta me, guess that's what I get for not mindin' my own business huh?"  I answer with a watery laugh.

Cheers and applause reach my ears as Jake stands and slips the ring on my finger, kissing me like it's the last thing he'll ever do.

"Can't wait to make you Mrs. Seresin," he mumbles into my hair as he hugs me tight.

Penny and Mav are the first to congratulate us and Penny can't help but give us a shit  about how hard she worked to keep a secret to almost have it ruined by nosy ears and miscommunication.