of Kiosks and Proposals
By Spinestalker

It started with an argument about cat stamps.

That wasn't to say the stamps weren't cute, they were, and even Riku would be hard pressed not agree, but he was tired and Sora had already frayed the last of his nerves.

It was his mother's fault. Or maybe his Grandmothers. Even if he very specify remembered it being Sora's mom that brought up the idea that they should send out Christmas cards since they had to already get everyone's address for the wedding. But it was dangerous to pick a fight, even mentally, with his to be-in law because while Sora had turned out sweet his mother was frightening. So for all intents and purposes (and his personal safety) it was Riku's mother's fault.

Regardless, this lead Sora to thinking that real grown up couples sent out Christmas cards. He expressed this concern while in an over sized Hulk t-shirt between bites of Lucky Charms as his Saturday morning cartoons took an advertisement break. Riku was quick to point out that if they had been in a real grown up relationship since the day he came to his dorm room to find Sora in a skirt and lacy panties asking if this was enough to get some attention. Sora retorted that it was important to send out Christmas cards so people would remember they still had to buy them a wedding present.

So here they were, picking out cards and wrapping paper and trying to figure out what it was about fathers that made them so hard to shop for when Sora had spotted a Post Office kiosk.

Up until this point Riku had been pretty relaxed about all the choices despite how much he hated them. The Christmas Town card was far too glittery for Riku's taste (it was going to be everywhere), the wrapping paper too expensive (seriously, the 4 for 4 pack had 200 feet more than the 1 for 6, he didn't care that it didn't have the patterns Sora liked), and Riku was sure his father didn't care if they got him the clearance watch much more in their budget vs. the full priced one that, okay, looked cooler but was still 5 times more (they had a budget, Sora, and no spending more on a gift just because you didn't think hard enough on it doesn't make it mean more to the receiver who doesn't know how much you spent anyways because you politely remove the sale price.)

Up until this point Sora had totally ignored his opinions and done what he wanted anyways, so when he'd asked Riku's opinion Riku had just pointed at the one with Santa sitting at a desk looking at a list of names.

"Norman Rockwell?" Sora asked as if the choice had been a direct insult on himself. "You can't be serious."

"What's wrong with Rockwell, he's classic."

"Your grandmother has a collection of Norman Rockwell plates in on the wall in her dining room."

"So? They're highly valuable."

"No, what I mean is it's the taste of grandparents. It's lame, pick again."

Feeling somewhat insulted, but eager to go home, he pointed at one with a simple ornament set.

"Oh you would."

"I would what?"

"Minimalist? Really? Riku, have some imagination. What about the one with the kittens?"

It was as if Riku hit a brick wall with the force of which his tolerance suddenly stopped. Anger bubbled all at once and had to take a deep breath to finally force out the single word he'd not really used on Sora all day.

"No."

Sora paused in the order to look at Riku in that kind of confusion you give someone who's speaking another language.

"Not the cats," Riku stated, "I don't care what else, just not the cats."

"What's wrong with the cats."

"My mom's allergic."

"That doesn't stop them from being cute," Sora said, blinking with his wide eyes. That normally won him the argument but very suddenly and very childishly Riku simply didn't want Sora to get his way.

"It's insensitive," Riku elaborated, "how would you feel about having ice cream shoved in your face if you were diabetic?"

For a second Sora looked to be considering his words before his face fell hard.

"You guys had a cat when you were little. I've seen the pictures."

"She suffered for that, too."

"It was an old cat that died of old age."

"She suffered for a very long time."

"Why are you being so stubborn about this?" Sora crossed his arms, eyes narrowing as he leaned into Riku. "It's just a stamp."

"The card was just a card, the wrapping paper was just shiny paper, and the watch was just a very expensive watch, but this is something I actually have an opinion on and I don't like the cats."

"So in the last three months we have had to decide wedding invitations, colors, cakes, and who we can afford to invite, but this," Sora jabbed his finger at the screen that still showed the happy kitten bundled up in Christmas colors, "is the thing you have an opinion on?"

"No, actually I had an opinion on all of those things, but you had a stronger opinion and I let you have what you want."

"You have a stronger opinion about postage stamps then our wedding day?" Sora's expression looked looked hurt, and it deflated Riku's will to argue as fast as it had started.

"No, I... sorry. I just don't like the cats, but if you do, than get that. It doesn't matter."

"It does matter," Sora said as he turned back, hitting the button that canceled his selection.

"No it doesn't. They are just stamps, like you said. I just want you to be happy."

"And you think just giving me everything I want is all it takes to make me happy?"

"5 years, now, Sora, and you've never complained."

"So you've just always gone along with whatever I wanted?" Sora asked, his tone calm but low, making Riku fumble with his reply as the conversation took a sharp turn that had nothing to do with postage.

"I didn't mean that. It's just you're very decisive about what you want and I'm usually happy to give you just that."

"Usually?"

"You do have a tendency to barrel ahead with plans regardless of what I want."

Sora, who had been keeping his eyes on the screen suddenly faced him, his expression blank.

"Do you even want to get married?" The question was so ridiculous Riku laughed, turning Sora's schooled expression into one with rage.

"What's so funny?"

"Nothing! That's just it! Sora, of course I want to marry you. What the hell?"

"It's just..." Sora fumbled, "neither of us ever asked the other I just kinda started planning a wedding."

"We said a long time ago when we were both out of college we'd get married, you asked me in June if March sounded like a good month. I agreed to both."

"Because you think that was what I wanted?"

"Well yes," Riku started, but instantly regretted it when Sora turned to storm away. He grabbed his fiancee, quick to amend. "It was something we both wanted."

Sora's shoulders deflated and his eyes fixed on the floor to Riku's right but he didn't pull away. And there it was. The real problem. Born months ago with a fear that they weren't in a real consenting adult relationship, fueled by Riku's passivity and Sora's insecurities.

"I don't know how you get these ideas in your head," Riku said as Sora continued to look away. It wasn't what he wanted, he wanted to see those beautiful bright eyes he loved and that honest and open smile Sora offered so eagerly.

"Sora," he said, his voice hard enough to get Sora to look up. When their eyes met he continued. "I want to give you everything. March weddings, sparkly wrapping paper, even over priced presents that make you feel more confident my father likes you. But because I want too."

"But Riku," Sora started, letting Riku take his hands, "I want all that for you too, you know. It's a two way street."

"Yes, and you do. We never eat Mexican because I hate it, and last night is an amazing example of ways you spoil me."

Sora had the decency to blush, to which Riku found too tempting not to kiss. Sora's eyes were lowered and watery but he was smiling. It swelled Riku's heart and he pressed a kiss to Sora's knuckles.

"You are the most amazing person I know and if I let you take the lead it's because I trust you and I don't want to waste a single moment arguing over things that really don't matter. So yes, you can have the sparkly wrapping paper and the glitter cards and the kitten stamps as long as I can have you by my side for the rest of my life. I'm sorry I still don't have a ring to give you yet but... I love you with everything I am so...," Riku lowered himself down to one knee, hand still holding Sora's.

"Sora Kai, will you marry me?"

Sora's eyes wide, his mouth open in surprise but a second letter he smiled. "Of course I'll marry you, Riku."

There was a sudden burst of applause from around them, but all Riku could see was the look of joy on Sora's face and his eyes shining with emotion. He stood up, pulling Sora into a tight embrace, regardless of their audience.

"I love you," Sora murmured into his neck.

"I love you, too."

Though Sora's smile had hardly diminished enough for a proper kiss he peppered Riku's face with pecks, even as they were approached by several people who wished them luck and congratulations. Sora accepted them happily but Riku couldn't shake the guilt that they had technically been engaged for months now. When they finally left Sora turned back to kiosk, wiping his face of residual tears.

"So, stamps."

"I think I'd like to stay away from animals, as cute as they might be."

"And I don't like the Rockwell and the minimalist is too plain."

Feeling lighter and happier than he had all day, Riku leaned against the side of the kiosk, looking at the screen only briefly enough to point one out.

"Then what do you like? The one with the cross is colorful."

"But it's religious," Sora said, "Christmas isn't really about religion."

Riku lifted a brow before pointing at the store front decorated with a nativity scene.

"Okay," Sora conceded, "but your family isn't religious."

"But your's is."

"That's why It took me so long to pick out cards and paper. To keep it religious but only vaguely so. Santa's OK but Angels not so much. Blessed is okay, but in a vague could be Jesus or could be luck way."

"Is this what you've been struggling with all day?"

"Yeah..."

"My family isn't offended by religious symbols," Riku assured, "A crucifix stamp on a Christmas card isn't going to make them hate you."

Sora blinked at him as he worked things out. One of the thing's he loved most about Sora was how considerate he was about other people but so often he'd watch Sora bend over backwards to include people and make them happy. This was one of those times where it was simply unnecessary.

"In that case," Sora drawled, turning to select one with the Three Wise Men and the Star of Bethlehem. "Maybe something Christian-y. Then maybe mom won't worry so hard about what you're atheist-ness is doing to my soul."

"It's agnosticism."

"Same difference to her, really. It all comes down to being baptized in the blood of Christ or not."

"And that's why I've let you do all the wedding planning. I trust you to find a happy medium between our families."

Riku dipped his head down, pressing a kiss to Sora's temple and Sora bumped against him playfully. He was glad he'd picked this fight.

Not beta'd so sorry for errors. Thanks for reading 3