It was late when Zac laid down on the picnic blanket next to Kate. The brillance of the stars that lit up the night sky were unclouded and the air was crisp and clean.
Zac turned his head to look at Kate. They hadn't really done a whole lot today, and they weren't really chatting now either, but it was a comfortable kind of silence. Zac felt like he had known Kate for years and it seemed incomprehensible that he could have only known her for less than one.
He reached out and took her hand, then kissed her gently.
"Kate," he said softly, "will you marry me?"
Kate
Kate glanced over at him, her eyes widening slightly. She stared for a long moment, before breaking out into a laugh.
"Of course."
Zac
Zac paused. The moment the words came out of his mouth he felt like he should regret them. But he didn't. In fact it felt like if he had only ever done one right thing in his life, that was it.
"I... I'm serious," he said quietly.
Kate
Kate reached out and touched the side of Zac's face lightly. She smiled and leaned in to kiss him.
"So am I, you moron."
Zac
"Oh good," Zac replied. "I couldn't tell from the laughter."
His lips met hers.
Kate
"Of course, explaining it to people might be a different story."
Kate shrugged.
Zac
"Ahh... yes..." Zac paused. "This is true."
He shrugged.
"They'll get over it."
Kate
"Yeah... wonder what my parents will think."
Kate thought about that for a moment.
Zac
"Someone's going to make a comment about rushing into it," Zac said thoughtfully. "Hey I wonder if Nat'll freak out?"
Kate
"Someone's going to think it's a joke," Kate nodded. "Or maybe everyone."
She grinned.
"We should tell everyone tomorrow."
Zac
Zac laughed.
"Yes! That's brilliant! I love it."
Kate
"And then we'll have to re-tell them on the 2nd."
Kate nodded.
Zac
Zac grinned eagerly.
"And then we can get you a ring, and start making plans and see how long it goes before they go 'oh crap they're serious'. It will be hilarious."
Kate
"Wow," Kate said dryly. "A hilarious engagement. That's what I had always dreamed of."
Zac
Zac took her hand and kissed it gently.
"Sorry," he said. "Getting a little carried away there. Hopefully everyone'll believe us and be happy for us, but I think the only one I can be confident of is Mom, being empathic and everything."
He considered.
"Although she'll probably be concerned that we're going too fast or something, but she'll at least know we're in love with each other."
He nodded seriously, glad that Diana didn't have that power-crippling disease like she did when he and Faith were together.
Kate
Kate shrugged.
"Yeah, guess we'll have to wait and see."
Zac
"Guess so," Zac nodded.
He kissed Kate up her arm.
"I love you," he said softly.
Kate
"I love you too, stinkface."
Kate settled against him comfortably.