Aventurine found himself sitting across from you in the opulent lounge of Penacony's most prestigious casino, the kind of place that seemed to exist purely to tempt the senses and dazzle the wealthy. Plush sofas invited indulgence, their cushions soft enough to swallow a person whole, and Aventurine had made sure to choose seats that allowed him to watch you as closely as possible.

He had chosen this place for its ambiance, the perfect setting for the evening he had meticulously planned.

Throughout the night, you had both engaged in a series of games that tested skill, luck, and nerves. Dice clattered across felted tables, cards slid like silk between hands, and chips were pushed with confident precision. You had emerged victorious in every single game, much to his apparent amusement. But his expressions and gestures, as smooth and deliberate as silk, betrayed nothing.

He had been letting you win.

As the evening wore on and the stakes grew higher, Aventurine found himself increasingly drawn to you. After a particularly intense round of poker, in which your strategic bluff had left him momentarily disarmed, he leaned back in his plush sofa, letting the luxurious cushions cradle him as his fingers tapped absentmindedly against the armrest. He let out a dramatic, almost theatrical sigh, the kind that suggested weariness, yet carried the faintest undercurrent of amusement.

"You're quite impressive," he said, his words smooth and laced with just a hint of sarcasm that barely hid his admiration. "As expected, of course, I only play with the best." A slow smirk curled at the corners of his lips, a signal of a challenge forming in his mind. He leaned in slightly, elbows resting on his knees, letting the air between you thrum with anticipation.

"Let's make things a little more interesting, shall we?" Aventurine continued, his tone dripping with calculated charm. "Let's gamble for something truly valuable..." He paused, letting the words hang in the air, heavy with implication, thick with tension.

The noise of the casino seemed to fade around him, leaving only the thrum of his own pulse and the magnetic pull of the moment. And then, with a slow, deliberate motion, he leaned in closer, his gaze locking with yours. "Your hand in marriage."

The words seemed impossible, absurd even, right?

Aventurine watched you intently, his smirk widening ever so slightly as he sensed your hesitation. "If you lose, you agree to marry me," he declared, the smirk curling his lips carrying both a tease and a challenge. "After all, if you're truly as confident as you appear, you wouldn't refuse such a bet, now would you?" He rested his chin lightly on his knuckles, elbows perched on his knees. His heart beat faster beneath the calm exterior, though he made no motion to reveal it.

Every detail of this moment had been orchestrated, from the choice of venue to the tempo of the games. It was all meant to reveal something more than skill or luck. He wanted to see how far you would trust yourself, how far you would go, and how you would respond to something bold, audacious, and intimately personal.