A Decent Proposal

How a super-genius deals

with marriage.

 

"Okay, we’ve been together for four years now, and we’re the only ones not married, or engaged," Rowen thought to himself. He sat in his desk staring at a picture of himself and Mac. "I wanna marry you, I just don’t know how to ask."

Mac walked into the study, and looked at Rowen. "Hey, you’ve been up here all day. I fixed dinner. Are you hungry?" she asked.

Rowen looked at her, and smiled. "I’ve only been up here for an hour."

As she walked behind the desk, Mac laughed. "Rowen, you came up here at four. It’s now eight. You’ve been up here all day." Mac put her arms around his neck and kissed his cheek. "If only you’d study me like you study that book," she sighed.

Rowen turned, and pulled Mac into his lap. He then kissed her passionately. "Is that what you mean?"

Mac looked into his eyes, and smiled. "I was hoping for a little more hands-on testing."

"Oh really? What about dinner?" he asked playfully.

"That’s why we have a microwave," she whispered as she kissed him.

Rowen smiled and sat Mac on the desk. "You little minx," he smiled.

As Rowen kissed her neck, Mac shoved all of Rowen’s books off of the desk. "But you still love me," she smiled.

"You know it," he smiled.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Nikki, Karyn and Mac all walked into a dress shop. Nikki began to look at the wedding dresses, and Mac looked on uncomfortably. "Mac, you okay?" Nikki asked.

Mac looked at Nikki, and painted a smile on her face. "I’m fine. Why?"

Karyn smirked. "She still feels down because Rowen hasn’t popped the question yet. Right?"

Mac folded her arms and sighed. "No. Rowen and I are happy just living together," she said.

Nikki raised her eyebrow, and shook her head. "Mackenzie Ann, you should be ashamed of yourself."

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sage, Rowen, Cye, Kento, Ryo and Duncan sat around the pool of the Osaka Plaza Hotel. Sage looked at Rowen, and shook his head. "Rowen, what’s been with you lately?" he asked.

Rowen turned the page of his book. "What are you talking about?" he asked.

"Simple, you’ve been preoccupied with something."

"What makes you say that?"

"Simple, you’re not reading as fast as you usually do," Duncan answered. He pulled Rowen’s book out of his hands, and walked over to the pool. "Now, tell us what’s wrong, or kiss this book good bye."

"Duncan, give me my book back," Rowen sighed.

"Tell us," Duncan said.

Rowen was about to get up when Cye, Kento, and Ryo pinned him down. "Guys, get offa me," he said.

"No. Tell us what’s been going on with you," Cye said.

"Nothing. Now let me go," Rowen ordered.

Sage looked at Duncan, and crossed his arms. "Drop it," he said.

Duncan was about to drop the book into the pool, when Rowen teleported to his side, and took the book. "You are all brutes," Rowen said.

Ryo looked at Rowen, and sighed. "We just wanna know what’s going on with you."

As Rowen sat down, he looked at his friends. "Nothing. I’ve just been thinking."

"About Mackenzie Ann?" Sage teased.

Rowen rolled his eyes, and sighed. "Why can’t you guys just leave me alone?"

"He was thinking about Mac," Cye smiled.

"So, are you going to ask her?" Duncan asked.

Rowen looked at all five, then returned to his reading. "I don’t have a clue to what you’re talking about."

"Rowen, we all know that you want to marry Mac. So just ask her. You know you want to do it," Ryo said.

"Mac and I are fine just the way we are."

"And I stopped eating," Kento said.

Sage looked at Rowen, and smiled. "He doesn’t know how to ask her," Sage smiled.

Rowen buried his face into his book deeper.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Why don’t you ask him?" Karyn asked.

Mac looked at a purple gown, and shook her head. "I’m not asking him. That would make me seem like some desperate old maid."

Nikki began to laugh. "Oh please. Mac, do you love him?"

"Yes," Mac sighed.

"And does he love you?"

"Yes."

"Then why not just swallow your pride, and ask him."

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"I would never hide a ring in her food, or drink. There’s too much of a risk that she’ll swallow it."

Kento shrugged. "It was just a suggestion."

Cye smiled at his friends. "You could just tell her how you feel. Then ask her," he suggested.

Rowen shook his head. "Guys, that’s just not me."

Sage threw a piece of ice at him. "Who cares if it’s you or not?"

"Rowen’s right. If he’s going to propose, let it be on his terms," Ryo said.

"Finally. Someone who’s listening to me."

"But since this is Rowen, at the rate he’s going, they’ll have grandkids before they get married."

Jax, Mia and Kayura walked out of the hotel, and saw all of the men laughing at Rowen. "Why is it that every time you guys get together, you all gang up on one person?" Jax asked.

"We’re trying to give Rowen some pointers," Kento answered.

"Really, about what?" Mia asked.

Rowen closed his book and sighed restlessly. "Look. I don’t need your help. We’re fine. And if I do propose, I’ll think of a way to do it." Rowen then stood, and disappeared.

Kayura looked at Duncan, and hit him in the back of his head. "You all should know better than that. He never talks about his feelings," she scolded. "If Nikki or Mac find out they’re going to have fifty two fits."

Sage looked at Kayura, and nodded. "I guess I’ll go and talk to him," he sighed.

"I’ll go," Mia said. She looked at Ryo with the same bitter look Kayura gave Duncan. "You five have done enough to him today."

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Rowen appeared in his study, and sat at his desk. He looked at his picture, and smiled. "I love you so much Mac. How am I ever going to be able to tell you, with you looking like a complete moron?" he thought.

He then opened his book. Rowen put his feet up onto the desk, when he looked at his locket. He opened it, and looked at the picture of Milady Michelle. "How can I ask her to marry me, when I still have no clue to what I am anymore."

Before he could think of an answer, the doorbell rang. He got up, and ran down the stairs, to the door. "Mia, what’s wrong?"

Mia looked at Rowen, and smiled. "I wanted to make sure you were okay. I know the guys can be pretty mean."

"I’m fine," Rowen said as he let Mia into the house.

"Rowen, I know you."

Rowen sighed. "Really, I’m fine. I just can’t think of a way to ask Mac to marry me. I should’ve known better than to let the guys know what I was thinking."

Mia looked at him, and smiled. "And you know you would’ve killed the guys if they dropped your book into the pool."

Rowen looked at her strangely. "How did you know about that?"

Mia looked at him, and laughed. "Lucky guess." She then looked at the picture of Rowen and Mac, four years ago, at the New Year’s Ball. "You want my advice?"

Rowen smiled. "I’d love to hear it."

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Mac, just ask him. We all know that he’s too chicken to ask you," Karyn said.

"And how do you know that?" Mac asked defensively.

Nikki smirked. "Because I changed his diapers, and Karyn grew up with him. Rowen’s not going to know how to ask you."

Mac sat in the food court, and sighed. She knew they were right. But how was she going to ask Rowen to marry her. "I guess I could." She saw the huge smiles on Nikki’s and Karyn’s faces. "But I have to wait. I’ll have something good to say tomorrow."

"Okay," the two Ladies smiled.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Rowen sat in his study, looking at a small, black velvet box. "Okay, tomorrow," he whispered.

"Ro, I’m back," Mac called as she walked into the house.

Rowen grabbed his book, and began reading again. "Okay," he called back.

He didn’t hear anything from Mac for about five minutes. Mac then looked into the study, and smiled. "Ro, can you help me with something?"

Rowen looked at her, and noticed she wasn’t standing in the doorway, but just to the side of it. "What are you up to?" he asked.

Mac smiled at him. "You’re a genius. Guess."

"Mackenzie," he said.

"Are you studying?" she asked.

Rowen looked at his book. "No." He stood and walked over to her. He then saw her standing in a navy blue teddy.

"So, do you like?" she asked.

Rowen stood speechless. He finally got himself together, and looked at her again. "Where’d you get that?" he asked.

Mac smiled. "You never said if you liked it."

He grabbed her, and kissed her deeply. "What does that say?"

"You hate it," she smiled. She then turned to their bedroom. "And you’re going to make me take it off."

Rowen smiled. He then shook his head, and followed her to the bedroom. "I think you’re going to need some help with that."

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The next night, Rowen sat out two full plates of spaghetti, lit two candles, and looked at his watch. "Good, she’ll be home in about two minutes."

Mac walked into the house, and saw Rowen sitting in the livingroom. "Rowen, what are you doing?" she asked.

Rowen looked at her, and smiled. "I just wanted to tell you how much I love you," he said innocently.

Mac looked at Rowen, and smiled. "I love you too."

 

Dinner passed, and Mac and Rowen sat in the living room, in each other’s arms. They looked at each other, and smiled.

"I have to ask you something," they said in unison.

"You first," Rowen smiled.

"No, at the same time," Mac responded.

They looked at each other, and nodded.

"Will you marry me?" they both asked.

"What?"

Rowen and Mac looked at each other, and began to laugh. "You were getting tired of waiting, huh?" he asked.

"And you finally got the nerve to ask?" Mac leaned over, and kisses him deeply.

"Yes, I’ll marry you."

"And I’ll marry you."

 

So, you see, not everyone needs to have a

huge proposal to be happy.

Written by

Yoake.