NEAL CAFFREY + LISSA DRAGOMIR
SMUSHY | COMPLETE
Note: Please assume close friends were told later in the day.
They’d started out with a nice breakfast. Neal prepared the omelets while Lissa made sure the drinks, fruit, and a handful of other side items were in order. They had an easy rhythm to their partnership in the kitchen now, and it was one that felt comfortable and natural. They were headed over to Peter and El’s later for dinner with a stop by Rose and Dimitri’s beforehand, but they had the morning to themselves for a big breakfast that they thoroughly enjoyed. Christmas morning wasn’t always something Neal had looked forward to over the years, but Atlantis had softened him to the holiday that had a lot to do with the person that was sitting across the table from him.
Once breakfast was over, they left the dishes and went into the living room to exchange the handful of gifts they’d gotten one another. Most were simple and thoughtful, and he ignored the nervousness in his stomach while watching her eyes light up each time she unwrapped a gift. He did his best to act perfectly calm on the outside, but his mind had already run five laps around the entire city of Atlantis before breakfast.
“It looks beautiful,” he said, watching her wrap a scarf around her neck - emerald green to match her eyes. “But I think you have one more.” It was hidden, of course as Neal walked over to the tree and plucked a small box that he’d hidden in the branches of the tree before breakfast. It was about the size of a small mug box, wrapped in gold paper with a simple dark green ribbon around it. There was no name on the package, but he handed it to her anyway and sat down on the couch next to her. Inside, she’d find another small, jewelry box with a ring inside the second box. He was suddenly rethinking the order of events that morning; perhaps breakfast should have come after gifts because his stomach was starting to do flips while watching her carefully loosen the ribbon.
He’d thought about this moment for months, questioning whether or not it was the right decision given the unpredictability of Atlantis along with his own relationship baggage, but ultimately, all that mattered to him was how much he loved Lissa and that he wanted to spend his life with her.
Christmas was a time of year with mixed feelings for Lissa, on one hand, she loved it, on the other, it reminded her that her family wasn’t with her anymore. It’d been years and while she still had the memory of it she was able to remember the good over the bad.
Christmas with Neal was peaceful, easy in the way that made her feel like she was home. A curious expression crossed her features when he mentioned one more. She took the box, her heart starting to flutter and as he sat she leaned over gave him a small kiss on the cheek. She had a feeling she knew what it was, but she could be wrong.
“Neal?” She whispered as she looked down at the simple yet complex ring. “If you’re asking what I think you’re asking,” she looked away from the ring and up at him. “Yes.”
Neal watched with anticipation as she opened the gift. His eyes went back and forth from the box to the expressions that passed over her face the closer she got to the smaller box inside the wrapped one. He was so damn nervous regardless if he had a small inkling what her answer might be.
He was smiling wide when she looked at him and even gave her answer before he had officially asked her the question that had been gnawing at him for a while now. He lifted the ring from its place and moved off the couch so that he could kneel down next to her; yes, he was one one knee because Neal Caffrey was a traditionalist at heart. He held the ring between his fingers, but looked up into her eyes as he spoke.
“When I first arrived here, it was barely a week before someone realized that wouldn’t do and put us together. Looking back, I can remember how easy it was getting to know you, being your friend, and eventually realizing that I cared for you more than a roommate or a friend. With a little help, of course,” he said with a small smile and a shrug, referring to El and Rose’s elusive plans that has spurred things along.
“Since then, life here hasn’t always been easy; occasionally it’s been downright frightening, but the one constant I’ve had here throughout all of it is you. You’re one of the most compassionate and generous people I’ve ever met in this world or any other, and you amaze me every single day. I can’t imagine being here without you or not telling you how much I love you every day.”
He’d already been given an answer, so he didn’t hesitate in slipping the ring on her left hand. He met her eyes again once the ring was in place. “So, officially,” he said, grinning. “Lissa Dragomir, will you marry me?”
Tears started to run down her face as her face lit up in a smile. Every single word Neal said made her feel like she was going to burst. She was struggling to keep herself calm, she wanted to leap into his arms but she knew getting everything he wanted to say out was important and she wanted to hear it.
She looked down with a small blush when he mentioned the help Elizabeth and Rose gave them. She believed they would have figured it out but she felt like they did owe them a little bit.
"And I love you every day," Lissa said before actually answering. "And you amaze me, you're generous, a little dangerous sometimes," she teased glancing down at the ring, her ring on her finger. "And you've made me feel complete, and together I know we can take on anything that comes our way. Yes, I will marry you, a million times yes." She grinned leaning forward to kiss him. This was a Christmas she wasn't going to forget.
The more she spoke, the more Neal was likely smiling like an idiot in love. He held her face between his hands as they kissed and moved back to sit next to her on the couch. When he pulled away, he still stayed close and tucked a few strands of her blonde hair behind an ear. It was kind of ridiculous how smitten he was, but he didn’t even care. He also knew how well out of his league she was for him, and that was coming from someone who generally maintained a good deal of confidence with the women he dated.
He released a breath that was somewhere between a sigh and a laugh. There had been a few nerves, but he hadn’t realized how much he’d been mentally holding his breath until after he saw the ring on her finger. He smiled and looked down, holding her hands in his.
“I think I can safely say this will go down as one of the best Christmases ever.”
Yes, this was a Christmas that was going to be remembered forever and Lissa knew that no matter what happened she knew she’d keep this treasured forever.
Lissa leaned forward kissing him softly for a second. She was pretty sure she would prefer if they didn’t have other things to do today but she knew telling their friends and family would also be part of the highlight of the day.
“Who knew you were asking?” Lissa asked with a grin, she wondered who would be waiting to hear the answer and who would be a little surprised by it all.
Neal settled back into the couch with one leg tucked under the other and leaned back with one arm resting on the back cushion, his body half turned towards Lissa. “Peter, probably, but he didn’t know exactly when. I spoke with him several weeks ago about it.” In a way but not specifically. “My guess is that Elizabeth likely knows too.” Most things that Peter knew, El would eventually.
“Otherwise, I mostly kept my plans close to the chest even if there may be suspicions” He smiled and took her left hand in his, running the pad of his thumb over her knuckles. “To be honest, I had a little trouble deciding when to ask. Last night, today, or around New Year’s.“
It didn’t surprise her that Peter and Elizabeth were likely to know, if Lissa were honest she often thought watching them, knowing them, helped in a strange way to really understand what a good relationship was. She did like them a lot. “I suppose they’ll be pleased tonight.” Lissa had casually mentioned to Rose a while back that she could see forever with Neal.
Laughing softly she leaned into him a little bit. “I would have said yes no matter what the day, or time, but this was, and is perfect.” She meant it too. “And I’m really glad it doesn’t have a lobster on it.” She teased thinking back to when she’d been Ariel but somehow it was also around that time that forever seemed the logical path.
Oh yeah, he could see the looks on all of their faces once he and Lissa told them the news. Not just Peter and El but probably Rose and Dimitri too. They’d be happy but maybe the tiniest bit smug too. That was alright; Neal could take it considering he was stupidly happy right now too.
He’d wondered and worried if pulling out a ring on Christmas morning was too cheesy or cliche, so it was nice hearing she was as happy with it as he’d hoped she’d be. He wrapped an arm around her and laughed at the memory of her having been so horrified and attached to the shellfish he’d brought home that night. Acting like Disney characters had been a new one for him even for Atlantis. “I mean, we can always try exchanging it if you ever change your mind…” He said and grinned at her.
Happy and content just as they were, Neal really didn’t want to get up from the couch for a while and until they absolutely had to get going. For the first time in a long while, he felt at home. New York had started to feel like that too, but there had been strings attached in the form of an anklet. He kissed her temple and smiled. “You don’t think they’ll be too upset if we’re a little late, do you?”
“Don’t even think about it!” She teased pulling her hand away only so she could playfully protect the ring. She loved it and she wasn’t going to let it go anywhere, in fact, she might talk to someone about a spell to make sure she never lost it. That was something she'd think about later though.
With a thoughtful expression, she tilted her head. “I think a little late would be acceptable.” After all she figured Rose and Dimitri were busy with their kids, especially with Ivan and all the gifts she already knew about and she was sure many she didn’t know about already too.
“What do you have in mind?”
Neal lightly brushed the side of her face with his fingers and laced the fingers of his free hand with hers. “Oh, I don’t know,” he said slyly. “I’m betting that we can think of something.” He leaned in and kissed her again, this time a little stronger than earlier.
If anyone would have told him shortly after arriving in Atlantis almost two years ago that he would have been engaged to a beautiful woman like Lissa, someone who was definitely far too good for him, he probably would have laughed and told them to check his track record. But being with her now and feeling the way he did about her, he knew that life in this crazy city had worked out as it was supposed to.