Eli & Ivy:

As she hears the shower turn on, Ivy tiptoes her way towards the chest of drawers all the while keeping an eye on the slightly ajar bathroom door. Carefully, she eases out the 2nd drawer, the one where Eli keeps his socks and underwear just wide enough to slip her hand in. Rustling through the disarrayed items of clothing, her fingers searching for the turquoise cardboard box with silver Tiffany and Co. engraving on. For weeks now, she's known something's been off about it and it was only last week she discovered exactly what. It had been a complete shock; she'd only been trying to put away his laundry when her hand had landed on it. While she couldn't resist touching it at every instance she could get, she'd resisted the urge to open it up and judge his choice of rings.

"Looking for something?"

Ivy jumps in shock at his voice.

She quickly withdraws her hand, shutting the drawer and closing her hands over her chest defensively fighting the blush that threatens to explode over her cheeks.

"What? No. Why? Hiding something from me?" she quickly snaps back with raised eyebrows.

He simply shrugs knowing full well, what she's been up to. 2 days ago, he'd sworn there'd been something off about the box, around the time Ivy had been acting suspiciously-she never could keep a secret. So of course, he'd put the two together.

But he'll play along as she is.

"Um...nope. What on Earth would I hide within my socks and underwear?"

"I don't know...." She awkwardly states causing his to grin as she barges past him into the bathroom. Pushing him out and slamming the door shut.

"Eli? Hello Eli?" she heaves a sigh of relief.

Finally! She's only been trying to reach him for the past half hour. With her latest waitress bailing on her, Ivy had to cover her shift which meant, that she had to stay late after to finish inventory. Now after such a long day, she's absolutely exhausted and hungry as hell. And it's at times like these when she'd hoped having a boyfriend with a car would come in real handy. It would save her having to walk or take the bus.

"Hey babe, what's up?"

"Listen, can you come pick me up? I'm exhausted and-"

"Uhhh....sorry babe, no can do."

Ivy can only frown at the answer, "what? Why? You're at home right?"

"..Yeah," he drawls.

"And you're not going into the club are you?"

"...No..."

"So, what's the big deal?" she asks with frustration. What the hell is wrong with him?!

"Er...sorry babe, I'm kinda busy right now. Hey, isn't the bus due in bit anyway?"

Ivy's dumbstruck. Is he for real?! Her patience snaps.

"Fine," she barks hanging up immediately.

Exhausted, angry and hungry, Ivy makes her way to the bus stop, mumbling curses under her breath at her so called boyfriend. She swears to God, if she comes home and just catches him lounging on the couch, she's going to kill him.

Thankfully, one thing goes right in her day, in that the bus is actually on time for once.

As soon as Eli hears those keys jangle in the lock-the one he should probably mend soon-he dims the lights in the kitchen, creating a more ambient atmosphere before patiently awaiting.

"Eli?!" she calls out with frustration.

She goes to cry his name again when she suddenly realizes her hallway is littered with rose petals. Red rose petals to be exact and not assorted randomly either.

Hanging up her coat, she follows the messy trail into the kitchen where the lights are dimmed and a single red rose sits in a narrow vase in the middle of the beautifully set table.

For a minute all her emotions are dismissed leaving her feeling only surprise.

Oh dear God...

What has he done and what is the occasion? Fear and panic grip her as she rakes through her mind, trying to remember what that significant event is today.

Unlike most couples, Ivy and Eli could never agree on when they had first 'officially' started dating, so they never bothered to celebrate many anniversaries and such. She knows though, a few weeks ago must have been around the time of their three-year but they'd already celebrated. So what on earth is today?! Not his birthday-she remembers that. And it's not anything to do with her.

So what's with this all about?

"Surprise!"

Ivy yelps in (sure enough) surprise to meet the gleeful face of her boyfriend.

Her frown dimmers slightly at his brimming smile. He's dressed up in a nice shirt she once got him and smart black trousers. His hair is tousled in it's usual 'don't-care' way and he still has those charm necklaces he likes around his neck.

" 'Surprise'? Wh-what is all this Eli?" asks Ivy finally finding her voice.

"Dinner. I thought it'd be romantic," he explains moving around her towards the chair she usually sits at.

He pulls it out for her like a perfect gentleman, and that has Ivy's eyes narrowing in suspicion.

Just what game is he playing?

That's when it suddenly clicks.

The missing box this morning, refusing to pick her up so he can set up the beautiful dinner: It all makes sense now.

Tonight's the night.

He's going to propose.

She stifles her gasp of realization, her mood infinitely elated. Smiling, she takes the seat he offers and waits as he plates up dinner.

All throughout the delicious curry meal, all Ivy can think about is when he's actually going to propose. She'd tried to drop subtle hints but they weren't going so well. In the end, she decides she'll have to step it up a notch.

"So...what do I owe this surprise to Eli?" she coyly asks.

He simply shrugs, "nothing, babe. I just thought things have been a little hectic recently and we could do with a nice night."

She eye twitches slightly in frustration as she tries to keep her expression in place.

"Oh? Is that all? Wasn't there...I don't know, something you wanted to maybe ask me?"

Wow, okay, he better be getting it now because she's not sure how much more obvious she can be.

"Uh..." his eyebrows furrow, "how was your...day?"

Ivy sighs in defeat as she metaphorically throws in the towel.

"I saw the ring Eli," she flatly states.

Eli's confusion remains for a split second before he bursts out laughing.

"Wait-wait! Are you talking about the ring in my drawer?" he asks trying to smother his chuckles.

"Well-I-I-No! Yes! I-what the hell was an engagement ring doing in there anyway?!" she hastily splutters.

"Aw Tinks, I was just holding it for a friend. He was sure his future wife would find it, so he asked me to keep it safe for him," clarifies Eli causing Ivy's cheeks to blush bright red in embarrassment.

"O-Oh...Right. Of course. Okay," mumbles Ivy swirling the spoon around the empty dessert bowel.

"Hold on a sec....Tinks...Ivy, did you think...that-"

"No, no, I just...I mean," she sighs, braving herself to glance up at him, "yes."

Silence hangs in the air as Eli's smile softens.

"Ivy, are you saying...you actually want to get married?"

"...Yes! At...some point in my life, I want to get married," she indignantly says, "don't you?"

"Since meeting you, it's definitely opened me up to the idea."

She stiffly nods, keeping his gaze, "alright then."

"So...if I did propose to you, you'd say yes?" he asks bringing up the highly uncomfortable topic again.

"Of course!" rolling her eyes she adds, "I love you, Eli."

"You do realize that I wouldn't miraculously change after marriage, right?"

Ivy rolls her eyes and gives a small growl of annoyance, "I know that Eli, and I don't want or expect you to."

"You know I probably won't ever do laundry..."

"Yes," she sighs.

"And I'd still talk through a lot of movies..."

Ivy rolls her eyes at that. That has to be one of his worst habits. It's like he just can't sit still or shut up for prolonged periods of time. Whenever they watch movies longer than an hour, he's there grumbling little comments under his breath, and granted most of the time they can be funny, after a certain point it just becomes annoying. Safe to say, they don't watch many movies anymore.

"Oh and I'd probably still be addicted to video games."

"Eli, I know! I know all this. Just like I know that you hate the taste of white fish and you can't stand the scent of lavender.-"

"Right, and you know some of those things, probably all, won't change."

Ivy's gaze softens, "as strange as it is Eli, I love this goofy, annoying, charming man and I don't want him to ever change."

Eli's smile broadens as he takes her hand and encompasses in his.

"And that is why I want to spend the rest of my life with you."

Ivy's befuddled by that very odd sentence and in her moment of confusion; Eli takes the opportunity to slip on his promise.

Only feeling the dainty weight on her ring finger, Ivy gasps pulling it out of his hand to admire the simple diamond design. The band has three crossing segments separated with three small, yet stunning, shinning gems. It's simple, beautiful and exactly Ivy.

"Eli," she exhales, tears brimming in her eyes.

"You like it? I wasn't sure if it was...bright enough."

"It's perfect," she sighs before trying to force on a stern expression. Only her wide happy grin ruins it.

"You lied to me," she points out.

"Yeah well...I wanted to make sure you'd say yes first...and have no illusion on what that means," he explains.

He knows that although Ivy is usually a levelheaded woman, her stash of rom-coms and chick-flicks exposes her romantic ideals. Although he shares some of those, like for a lot of women, marriage for her is one of those 'squeal-up-and-down' events.

"Eli we've lived together for a while now, you know me and I know you. A wedding is going to change that," she softly tells him, soothing his underlying concern about marriage changing their equilibrium-changing them.

He's still not convinced though.

"Eli...trust me. We're not going to change-you definitely not," she snorts with laughter, "and I promise I won't. But if you want to wait, then...I don't mind."

Him waiting? The one who plunges into things head first with little regard to much else hesitating at the mention of marriage? No...That's....ridiculous. Hell if Adrian can do it-then he sure as hell can.

"What? No! I don't need to wait. I can do this," he shrugs.

And that's when Ivy grows concerned.

"Eli this isn't some sort of challenge. It's something you want now or you don't. And just because I want this doesn't mean you have to feel the same way."

Eli glances away, reflecting on her words before exhaling slowly and cocking his finger.

"Come here," he gently directs, providing Ivy a far better alternative seat on his lap.

She swings her legs, over straddling him as one of his hands, cups her cheek while the other skims the waistband of her shorts.

"Everything I've done in my life-even the stupid, reckless, idiotic things-I've never regretted them. I believe the only things we should regret are the missed opportunities not the ceased ones and Ivy...not marrying you, now, when we both have our shit together would be the biggest regret of my life."

"Yeah?" she smiles.

Hell, she can deal with all his irritating habits if every once in a while, he says romantic, cheesy, sweet stuff like that. Well...romantic for him.

"Hell yeah!" he cries, "besides, sex with you Tinks? Damn! There is no way I'm letting someone else hit that!"

Ivy snorts in laughter. Well, that didn't last long. She was wondering when horny Eli was going to make an appearance. Frankly she's surprised he's lasted all throughout dinner because despite approaching his 30s the man has the sex thirst of 20 year old.

But she wouldn't change him for the world. 

A/n I know you're all wondering about Mason and Katy but as you may have figured, I'm trying to keep it in order so I don't do too much of one couple and none of another. Next up is Ade and Sam which suffice to say will be an interesting one ;) haha, hope you all enjoyed this one! :) x