Tough Ice

Tough Ice: Chapter 41 - Katerina/Valery

Katerina:

It's the second day of Hawaii and Valery and I are walking along the beach, before we go to dinner later.
"Close your eyes and listen to the ocean." I watch as he softly closes his eyes, and sucks in a breath as I touch his chest. "It sounds beautiful, don't you think?"
"Do you mean the ocean or your voice?" I laugh softly. His unbuttoned linen shirt flows softly in the ocean breeze, and a glimpse of a new tattoo appears. I move his shirt softly and brush my finger over it.
"You got another one. 11533, what does that mean?"
"It's my mother's name, in numbers of her name in the alphabet. A is the first letter, N is the fifteenth, and Ya is the thirty-third, 11533."
"That's beautiful." He smiles nervously and shoves his hands into his pockets, his right hand fiddling with something. "Are you okay baby?"
"Yeah, can you close your eyes? I have a surprise."
"Sure." I close my eyes softly. "Lead the way captain." I slap around trying to find his hand, then I hear a low chuckle and feel his rough fingers wrapping around mine.

We've been walking for 10 minutes, and my feet just felt the change of sand to some sort of fabric.
"You can open." I open my eyes and squeal at the picnic in front of me.
"I thought we were going to dinner, but this is much better!" He laughs softly, then it turns nervous. "Why are you so nervous?"
"You just look really pretty, I'm forgetting how to act around you." I blush slightly and laugh.
"Just be yourself, anyway, can you take some photos of me? I haven't posted on Instagram in a while, and a bunch of people are asking me how Hawaii is."

Valery:

She hands me her phone and starts posing and I take photos of her, and as she turns around for a faceless picture, I slowly, nervously, sink to one knee.

Katerina:

I turn back around for another pose and I softly gasp. I meet his hands and his eyes are flitting between mine nervously, and his hands are shaking as he pulls the ring box out of his pocket. My shaking right hand meets my face in a sob, and I stumble a little as he shifts nervously.

"Katerina- you are the most beautiful perfect I've ever locked eyes with, hell ever seen.

I love the way you always roll your eyes at my lame jokes, even though I know you find them funny. I love the way your beautiful smile lights up a room, and the way it makes other people smile. I love the way you talk to people and the compassion you show for anyone, regardless if you know them or not. I love the way you still make time for me even if you're super busy- and despite my protests for you to rest. I love the way your eyes light up when you're talking about something you enjoy, or when you see something cute ie; me." I laugh softly and let out another sob. "I love the way you refuse to let me pay for food- which doesn't work, but are perfectly fine with me buying all of your clothes, not that I have a problem with that. I love the way you get lost in a book you're reading and you won't hear what someone's saying for ages until the give up and touch you, just to get your attention. I love how you're completely yourself when you're with me, and you're not afraid of judgement.

I love you, so fucking much it hurts princess, will you marry me?" His eyes flit faster between mine as I nod softly, and let out a choked,
"Yes." He sighs loudly and start up, and I capture him in an earth-shattering kiss and I wrap my arms around his neck. When I pull away, I rest my forehead against his and he wipes away a few tears. "I love you so much Valery." He smiles so widely and grabs my left hand gently, and slides the most beautiful ring I've ever seen onto my left ring finger. "Oh my god-"
"Do you not like it? I can always get a different one-"
"It's beautiful." I look back up at him and I kiss him again. I run my hands down his chest as he wraps his arms around my waist.
"I'm so glad you said yes, otherwise your dad would've been so angry at me for messing something up."
"You asked for my dad's blessing?"
"Well... yeah." I smile softly and hug him tightly.
"My hearts racing," I laugh-sob into his chest.
"So is mine, I was so nervous."
"Why? You know I would've said yes."
"It's still terrifying." I put my head on his heart and listen to the soft thump of it, even though it is thumping rapidly. He sits down on the picnic blanket and pats the pillow next to him, and I sit down quickly and rest my head on his shoulder.
"You know, the night of our graduation, when you got super drunk, you said, 'I can't wait to propose to you', to which I responded, 'That's a long time away Valery' and then you said, 'That's what you think' When you said that, I didn't think you meant in the next week and a bit, but I'm so happy you did it here; where we're away from all the mafia drama, in paradise."
"Did I really say that? Jesus I must've been drunk."
"So drunk, you went on for about five minutes saying what you love about me, to my face, not realising it was me, and then when you did find out it was me, you got very clingy."
"Was Ares at least drunker than I was? I always feel like I'm the most wasted."
"Nope, Ares was definitely more sober than you were, I mean I had to stop us from having sex you were that drunk."
"Damn, hold on did I hurt you?"
"What? No! Of course not, why would you think that?"
"I don't know, you've just never cock-blocked me, I thought I did something wrong..."
"No, don't worry, I know you care about consent, but so do I, you were drunk, so I would have no way of knowing if it was consensual."
"Princess I will never not consent, you're the reason it's happening in the first place."
"What?"
"You have no idea what you do to me love." I laugh softly and take his right hand in mine, and I shake our hands softly.
"Thank you, I am sad that no one has photos though."
"Look to your right love." I turn my head to the right and scan my eyes over the area, and then I spot a photographer not too far away.
"You got a photographer."
"Of course I did love." He opens the picnic basket and takes out an arrangement of food.
"How'd you set this all up?"
"The photographer's an old friend, he set it up for us." I smile softly and pick up a ντολμαδάκια and bite into it softly.
"Fuck these are good, how did you manage to find someone who can make such good Greek food in Hawaii."
"I... flew your father out here as well."
"My papa's here?"
"And your mama." I wrap my arms around his neck and leave a soft kiss on his neck.
"I don't deserve you."
"No, I don't deserve you, there is no one in the world who deserves a girl as perfect as you are."
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Fictional men are just better