Richard finally had it. He slapped down the newspaper and shot off the couch. He strode to the other man who hunched over a desk, muttering to himself as he scribbled something on paper. Richard paused by the desk with crossed arms and waited. His best friend never glanced up, being far too occupied by his most recent clever idea. Richard vaguely remembered what it was and he didn't care to know either. Abruptly, he smacked a hand on the desk and Adelfonsus snapped his head up, squinting a confused look at Rich.
"Ask her out." Rich stated bluntly.
"What?" Fonsus blinked. His mind was still pulling together a fantastic spell and couldn't yet grasp at the English Richard spoke.
"Ask her out. Tonight."
"uh...who?" Fonsus tried to play innocent. But even he couldn't fool himself. He shuffled his papers nervously while his heart raced and a heavy blush of just thinking about having dinner with that wonderful woman. It was Christmas and the trio were at the Unwen Winery - invited were family and friends so the house was packed. Richard was here, with Cae and his mother. Auntie was here with Felix... and somehow Jonas White and the Dante was invited as well. And....River was here with her close relatives...along with the usual entirety of Fonsus' family. Richard and Fonsus took to their cave under the house where the beginnings of their club had turned into a business. Richard was an Auror now and used this place as well to stay safe when things became dangerous. Fonsus was also an Auror; he passed the examinations right beside Richard but never took up the career. Instead, he went home and was satisfied to aid Richard through the backdoor. And tonight, his mother was going to pass the Unwen Winery onto him to inherit which was why this dinner was more extravagant than all the others - her little boy was taking up the family business. It was big night for the bigger man who now stood close to seven feet (fonsus claimed it was natural; richard thought he drank something from dante and sprouted a good foot).
But most of all, Adelfonsus was, is and had been in love with River close to a decade. Though he had never shared his feelings, everyone but River knew. Which was what irritated Richard the most. Richard took a weather journal and smacked Fonsus over the head with it. "Ouch!"
"You know who." Richard sighed. It was no use yelling at the man - he tried that approach and Fonsus literally holed himself up somewhere...outside... He decided to take a different route. "You can just ask to sit next to her. It would be nice to see you take some action here, Addie." He watched Fonsus sigh, rub at his face and nervously tap his foot on the ground as he thought it over. The man could face the worst nightmares, save lives and battle like a seasoned Auror but he couldn't look at the face of the love of his life without turning into a pile of mush. It was ridiculous.
But something changed in Fonsus that moment. He stood up, looking determined and a bit silly with some ink splatters on his cheek. "You know what, you're right, Rich!"
"I'm always right." Richard grinned and Fonsus waved it off as he pulled on his jacket. It was a formal dinner.
"I mean, it's just a seat, right? It won't be viewed as awkward or weird - it's dinner!" Fonsus adjusted his tie in a mirror and turned to his best friend. He felt like he was off to war with no chance at coming back but DAMN it felt good. Heart pounding and palms sweating, he presented himself to Richard. "How do I look?"
"Like you." Richard chuckled. He didn't bother to say about the ink. It had its own Fonsus-charm.
"Good! That's good, right?"
"Yes, its good."
"Great!" And Fonsus marched off to the steps that led up to the trap door. He set a foot on the first step and gripped the rails then paused. He turned back to Richard who had a sudden doubt the man was going to back out. "Should I bring flowers?" Fonsus asked. His brows knit in genuine worry that almost made Richard laugh. He held it back to not hurt his friend's feelings.
"No. You're just asking to sit next her, right?"
Fonsus took a moment to think then slowly nodded. "Right. Just asking for a seat." He pulled himself up to the first floor of the house. Richard followed shortly.
-
Fonsus stood off behind a planter, staring between some leaves as the people milled about. There his cousins, aunts, uncles, grandmas, grandpas, nephews, nieces, Cae, Dante, Professor White who had strangely come, Richard's mother, River's mother, father, and River herself chatting as the last of the preparations of dinner were being set. Fonsus felt a nudged and he vaguely remember seeing Richard behind him.
Clearing his throat, Fonsus adjusted his jacket and tie once more and took a shaky, nervous step into the light and into the crowd. It was loud and there was an adrenaline hazing the air - or maybe that was the blood rushing in his ears. He found River easily. His eyes never left her form when he first spotted her. She was beautiful as always and elegant. Her hair was bound up in a bun and strands fell around her neck and framed her face. She wore dangled earrings that matched her eyes - he remember giving those to her last year for her birthday. She gave him a peck on the cheek that day that sent him to heaven...
River smiled when she turned to him. Fonsus scuffed his heels as he stopped next to her. "Hi." His voice broke. Fonsus cleared his throat and tried again. "Hi." He mentally slapped himself. HI?! HI?! What about hello?? Am I still a kid??
"Hello." River smiled.
Right. Now or never. Fonsus tried to speak but a sudden clamor rose in the crowd quickly followed by hearty laughs that drowned Fonsus' words.
"I'm sorry? Can you say that again?" River said once the laughter died. She edged closer and Fonsus opened his mouth again. Loud clatters came from the kitchen and people once again shouted over Fonsus. River laughed but frustration kicked Fonsus and the man turned his head away. He saw Rich in the background who urged him on with some encouraging gestures and Fonsus turned back to River but the words died on his tongue before he ever parted his lips. Her eyes sparkled up at him, twinkling with great joy that brightened the dark irises like moonlight in a shadowy pool. Her laughter - whatever it was she was laughing at - cascaded around him and Fonsus found himself hanging in space and time. He could just hold her face and gaze at her forever if he could. He loved the way she giggled and the way her nose wrinkled wen she thought. He loved the way her eyes gave away her emotions. He loved the way her brows knit when she scribbled on that pad she always carried in her family restaurant. He loved every single feature about her but most of all loved HER.
"--fonsus?" River tilted her head as the man blanked out before her. He was usually attentive to everything. Then again, it was a big night. "Are you okay?" She waved her hand across his field of vision. An odd look passed his face then the man suddenly swept into action. Grasping her hand, he spoke the words he dreamt about in a loud and booming voice that shushed the entire house.
"Will you marry me?" Richard slapped a hand to his forehead as the two stood and stared at each other in shock at Fonsus' words. The dinner party also stared on, no one dared to breathe as they awaited an answer.
"Oh." Fonsus' eyes widened when he realized what he said. He immediately dropped down to his knee, for some reason and babbled. "Oh! No - That-that is not what I meant to say. I meant - ahem - I meant to say...will you date me? What? No! That's not what I meant either! I did not mean that! No, no marriage. No dating. I swear. Well, that's not actually true either - but - augh! River!" He tugged a little on her hand, looking up at her in a whirl of confusion as he tried settling his thoughts. He saw Richard in the background again, gesturing to something that looked like... a... chair. "OH!" His eyes snapped back to River. "I meant to ask you originally if," his throat tightened as she looked down on him in a mist of confusion as well. "I meant to ask you if I could sit next to you...at dinner...at the table...next to you. A seat next to you. That's what I meant... May I?"
River laughed. "Of course." She said and Fonsus glowed as if he achieved the greatest thing in life. She helped him up from the floor as the party clapped and chortled before filing away to the table at the command of Fonsus' mother. "I also wouldn't mind a date either." She said softly so no one but him could hear. She smiled and left him with a heart frozen and face beet red.
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