"Oh, it was hardly your fault you simply hadn't met a man who lived up to your standards until me," Marcus says with a teasing grin, reaching over to curl his hand over Dan's knees and squeezing lightly.

He's beautiful in this light, in the golden hour. He's always beautiful and Marcus knows he'd had every intention of waiting longer, but suddenly he can't. There's no point in waiting any further, in denying himself or Dan something they want. It had taken him time to get here, time and a few sessions with his therapist to at least begin to address some of his internalized self-hate, but he's glad he'd done the work. He wants this moment to be right.

"I have something for you," he admits, reaching into his pocket for the ring box.