David's heart is like a sledgehammer against his ribs, going so fast, so hard, that he can barely breathe. He takes a shaky step forward, anyway, away from the mic, then another. I know we weren't ready the last time we talked about this, he signs, clumsily. But it's been a while now, and I know more about you than I thought I'd ever know about anyone. Cook, Archie signs back, and then stops, covers his mouth with his hand instead. I know what you look like when you wake up in the morning, David continues, stronger now, and his next step forward is more confident. I know you love watching musicals. I know you'd make an amazing pianist. I know you think Bubbles should be your favorite Powerpuff Girl, but you like Buttercup more. I know that you have six different smiles. I know how terrible you are at crossword puzzles. I know I'll never be half the cook that you are, despite my namesake. Archie laughs a little, at that, the light catching in his hair, his smile, and David feels his eyes start to burn. I know how it feels when you listen to me sing, right here, David adds, pressing his palm to his chest, over his heart, And I know nothing else will ever feel the same way. David pauses, then, drops his head and tries to catch his breath, and, when that doesn't work, shoves the heels of his palms against his eyes, and struggles to ride it out. He feels Archie's hand on his shoulder, after a second, and when he lifts his head, Archie's looking up at him, eyes wet, and David thinks, I love you, and gets down on one knee. Andy starts to wolf-whistle. Oh my-- Archie begins. "Archie," David interrupts, and he's fucking terrified, cheeks damp, heart going so fast he's pretty sure it's about to stop, beating so loud everyone in the crowd must be able to hear it, but he's saying it anyway, one of Archie's hands curled in his own, "David." Archie goes completely still. He's looking at David, carefully, like the night of their first date, except David recognizes the emotion now, this jumble of affection and yearning and fear. And then Neal comes up to him, holding the mic, and David takes a deep breath, doesn't even wave Neal away, and says, "Will you spend the rest of your life raising Dublin with me?" There's a sudden roar from the crowd, but David barely even notices. Archie's just watching him, silently, and David feels his stomach clench-- Yes, Archie signs. David breaks into a small, relieved laugh, and then Archie flies at him, wraps his arms around David's neck, nodding the rest of his answer into David's shoulder, yes, yes, yes. "Kiss already!" Joey yells, and David looks over, shakily, and says, "Wouldn't want to disappoint the band," and then his hands are in Archie's hair, and his shirt, and Archie's mouth opens easily under his own, and the applause and the jeering fades into this blend of noise in the background as David thinks this is the rest of my life. "We might need to take a raincheck on the kids and the white picket fence, though," he murmurs, when they pull away. Archie buries his face in David's shoulder, again, laughing, and David counts the vibrations, grinning himself. It's the best thing he's heard all night. UM I HAD TO QUOTE THIS WHOLE THING, BECAUSE A;LSDKFJSALDK MY HEART IS BEATING SO FAST AND AND TEARS IN MY EYES AND THIS IS THE MOST BEAUTIFUL THING IDEK IDEK NAT NAAAAAAAT. THE END ALSDJFLKDFJSDLFJ HOLY SHIT.
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David's heart is like a sledgehammer against his ribs, going so fast, so hard, that he can barely breathe. He takes a shaky step forward, anyway, away from the mic, then another. I know we weren't ready the last time we talked about this, he signs, clumsily. But it's been a while now, and I know more about you than I thought I'd ever know about anyone.
Cook, Archie signs back, and then stops, covers his mouth with his hand instead.
I know what you look like when you wake up in the morning, David continues, stronger now, and his next step forward is more confident. I know you love watching musicals. I know you'd make an amazing pianist. I know you think Bubbles should be your favorite Powerpuff Girl, but you like Buttercup more. I know that you have six different smiles. I know how terrible you are at crossword puzzles. I know I'll never be half the cook that you are, despite my namesake.
Archie laughs a little, at that, the light catching in his hair, his smile, and David feels his eyes start to burn.
I know how it feels when you listen to me sing, right here, David adds, pressing his palm to his chest, over his heart, And I know nothing else will ever feel the same way.
David pauses, then, drops his head and tries to catch his breath, and, when that doesn't work, shoves the heels of his palms against his eyes, and struggles to ride it out.
He feels Archie's hand on his shoulder, after a second, and when he lifts his head, Archie's looking up at him, eyes wet, and David thinks, I love you, and gets down on one knee.
Andy starts to wolf-whistle.
Oh my-- Archie begins.
"Archie," David interrupts, and he's fucking terrified, cheeks damp, heart going so fast he's pretty sure it's about to stop, beating so loud everyone in the crowd must be able to hear it, but he's saying it anyway, one of Archie's hands curled in his own, "David."
Archie goes completely still. He's looking at David, carefully, like the night of their first date, except David recognizes the emotion now, this jumble of affection and yearning and fear.
And then Neal comes up to him, holding the mic, and David takes a deep breath, doesn't even wave Neal away, and says, "Will you spend the rest of your life raising Dublin with me?"
There's a sudden roar from the crowd, but David barely even notices. Archie's just watching him, silently, and David feels his stomach clench--
Yes, Archie signs.
David breaks into a small, relieved laugh, and then Archie flies at him, wraps his arms around David's neck, nodding the rest of his answer into David's shoulder, yes, yes, yes.
"Kiss already!" Joey yells, and David looks over, shakily, and says, "Wouldn't want to disappoint the band," and then his hands are in Archie's hair, and his shirt, and Archie's mouth opens easily under his own, and the applause and the jeering fades into this blend of noise in the background as David thinks this is the rest of my life.
"We might need to take a raincheck on the kids and the white picket fence, though," he murmurs, when they pull away.
Archie buries his face in David's shoulder, again, laughing, and David counts the vibrations, grinning himself.
It's the best thing he's heard all night.
UM I HAD TO QUOTE THIS WHOLE THING, BECAUSE A;LSDKFJSALDK MY HEART IS BEATING SO FAST AND AND TEARS IN MY EYES AND THIS IS THE MOST BEAUTIFUL THING IDEK IDEK NAT NAAAAAAAT. THE END ALSDJFLKDFJSDLFJ HOLY SHIT.
LOVE.
(Comment too long, oops)