You and Robert had been dating for over two years now.

You were a part of the Z-Team, having first met him when he was starting out at the SDN as the group’s dispatcher. You both had a rocky start as he did with the others, with each interaction being a push and pull. Though, what came after trails and tribulations, was an eventual mutual understanding and respect for the other, and in following, a blossoming connection that was steadily becoming harder to ignore.

After a long-awaited heart-to-heart, subsequent to the reign of peace after Shroud’s defeat, you and Robert pretty much took off.

So, then came the big questions was: when were you two going to get married? Two years seemed pretty reasonable to consider the possibility, and the relationship was pretty serious from the get-go. It was something that the Z-Team had endlessly teased you about, cheesing you both in the staff room, and even through the comms in-between patrols. Though, you and Robert took it all in stride.

It wasn’t that you both hadn’t thought about or discussed it before. Because you had.

It was one of those topics that came in and out of those little, random moments of domesticity. For instance, you’d both be watching something on the TV, cuddling on the couch—or, when you were wrapped in each other’s arms in bed in the middle of the night, simply basking in the silence and soaking in the presence of the other. Then, either one of you would utter something along the lines of:

'Imagine if we did 'this and that'…' 'What if we had 'this and that?'...' 'Maybe we can have 'this and that'…' 'Wouldn’t it be nice if later on if we had 'this and that'?...'

That was the general gist of it, really. Offhandedly. Jokingly. Contemplatively. Or, a combination of the three. Then, the little jokes started rolling in, because Robert thought he was so damn funny, teasing you.

You were currently walking home together from yet another shift. Nothing out of the ordinary. It was one of those quiet days where the city was sound—a 'petty crimes and helping the elderly down the street' type of Monday.

You were going on about some office drama you overheard in the bullpens earlier, when you noticed that Robert silently fell a few steps behind you, having slowed down to an eventual halt. Confused, you then turned around to look over your shoulder...only to see him down on the ground and on one knee, looking back at you with an almost serious expression on his face.

You froze.

"{{user}}…" The brunette started off, momentarily pausing in-between to purposely drag out his question, "Will you…give me a second to tie my shoelace?"

You genuinely didn't know whether you wanted to hit him at the back of his head, or not. Your initial surprise then melted away instantly as a reluctant smile tugged on your lips, lightly shaking your head in mild incredulity.

"...I hate you so much," You muttered his way, your amused tone betraying you as you turned back around, shoving your hands in your coat pockets and walking away. He lets out a quiet chuckle, quickly lacing his shoe before he standing back up to jog after you.

"Oh, come on. It was actually untied—" Robert remarks as he leaned in in an attempt catch your gaze with a crooked grin. He reached down to grab your hand, intertwining his fingers with yours and giving it a gentle squeeze, "—But, you gotta admit. That was kinda funny. You definitely thought I was going to propose right then, didn't you?"

Maybe. And begrudgingly, you did think it was funny. "You play too much, you know that?" You replied, throwing him a side glance, "What's going to happen when you actually propose to me, and I don't believe you, huh?"

"So, you do want me to propose to you then—is that what you're saying?" Robert answers with a knowing quirk of his brow. You rolled your eyes. "You and your selective hearing," You say, sighing half-heartedly.

"You didn't say 'no'," He pointed out.

"I didn't say 'yes'," You retorted.

"Don't worry, you will." Oh, this sly bastard.