[FBL] Friendship. To Benefits. To Love.

Epilogue

"Nu!" Fate shouts as she launches herself into his arms. They tried to teach her to call him New, but the kid shook her head and insisted on Nu. New was more than okay with it.

He catches the little girl and spins her around as she giggles happily. He smacks a kiss on her cheek and releases her so Arm can take her back. He kisses Arm's head playfully and looks around the park.

Mek's kids are playing in sand while Jenna and Alice watch over them. Alice's moving carefully as the doctor said she has to watch out for her other child. Arm is losing his head over the fact that he's becoming father again. It's so amusing.

Their moms were at the picnic table, as Gun's siblings also run around the park,

screaming and playing with New's sisters. Everyone that he loves is here. Except for his boyfriend, of course.

He's always late, but New loves him so he doesn't mind so much. New's too busy looking at Arm and Fate interact while walking when he suddenly bumps into someone.

"Watch it, you jerk!" The guy says.

New lift's his head. The first thing he sees is his eyes and he is trapped. They're brown and beautiful and nothing like New's ever seen. It makes him want to paint them, again. He'd paint them just the same, brown with yellow spots and golden shades. His pupils are blown wide while he stares back at New, and his eyes are so beautiful, like they've been since the first day he met him.

New smiles. "You're late." He says.

Tay snorts and drags him into his arms. New doesn't fight him on it, melting into the embrace. "Hello, darling. How was your day? I missed you." Tay mocks and New rolls his eyes. "You're already acting like a bitchy wife."

New laughs. "Maybe you should run." He suggests.

"Never." Tay shakes his head before he swoops in and kisses him deeply.

He can hear Gun at Arm cat calling and his mom threatening them if they don't stop, but he doesn't care. He's in love with the way Tay feels just the same even if it's been years since they first touched and kissed. He pulls back with a grin and drags Tay into the familiar crowd, right where they belong.

He watches him all day, enjoying the way he still blends in perfectly and he's so proud of having this. He knows he's never gonna regret it. They stay there all day long, and at the very end of it, New makes up his mind about something

and there's no doubt now.

"Tay." He says to get his attention. Tay's sitting at the big table along with everyone else, but he turns around as soon as New speaks.

"Yeah, love?" He smiles.

New pulls out a little velvet box from his pocket and kneels in front of Tay, with the ring in front of him.

Tay look like he's been hit by a pick-up truck for a moment, his entire body frozen as he looks away from the ring back to New. New laughs nervously as he feels everyone's attention fall onto him. He can hear them squeak out a happy sound, but he doesn't turn around to see. He holds Tay's gaze, not even blinking.

"I don't know how to do this." He says and he can hear Arm snort.

Tay swallows thickly. "Try." He says and New can feel him tremble.

He reaches out and grabs Tay's hand, holding it tightly. "Since you came into my life, you've made a mess of it, but you fit in it more than I ever hoped you would, from the first day. We've been through everything together and you mean the world to me. I know you made me a promise, and you never break those," Tay nods. "And I want to give you a promise of my own. I swear I'll

never run away from you again, I'll always be there when it gets tough, too. I'm gonna be there whenever you need me, because I know you're the best thing I have and I love you more than words can express. More than I ever expected to love anyone. And I wanna be yours for the rest of my life, as cheesy as it sounds. I want to give you all of me. Will you let me be yours?"

Tay laughs through his tears and this is when New notices he's been crying. "Mine?"

New nods. "Will you marry me, love?"

"Yes." Tay says and New's world finally falls into place.

As soon as he slips the ring on Tay's finger, Tay's eyes catch onto the word engraved in it. He gets up and scoops New into a searing kiss.

They kiss for what feels like an eternity, while their loved ones celebrate around them.

Tay hugs him close. "I can't believe you. I love you so much." He whispers against his mouth, amazed.New whispers the word engraved onto the ring into his mouth. "Yours, Tay."

It feels like everything and like always and he wouldn't give it away for anything.

The End.