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Bruce had hesitant to go fully public, given how he knew the tabloids would descend on Lois. And things have been crazy, absolutely. But it's worth it, to be able to hold her hand in public. To be able to take her to the ballet and the opera and all the dates he's wanted to take her on since they started sneaking around together.
Which is why, tonight, they're at her favourite restaurant in Gotham and there's a ring box burning a hole in his pocket.
He reaches across the table after dinner plates are cleared, while they wait for dessert, to take Lois's hand with a faintly nervous smile. "Are you enjoying yourself?"
Which is why, tonight, they're at her favourite restaurant in Gotham and there's a ring box burning a hole in his pocket.
He reaches across the table after dinner plates are cleared, while they wait for dessert, to take Lois's hand with a faintly nervous smile. "Are you enjoying yourself?"
And descend, they had. She'd been bracing herself for it, but nothing could have prepared her for the insanity that had followed their first public appearance together. The phone rang off the hook, the Planet had been an absolute circus, and her texts and emails had been flooded with anyone in existence who had her contact info asking for their own personal exclusive.
But it was worth it. He was worth it. She could see how happy he was, being able to do something as simple as take her hand, sneak a kiss that wasn't behind closed doors.
So even if she cringes at every tabloid, every news article about herself she's fed on any site she dares to visit, she's happy. She takes his hand, giving it a squeeze.
"Well, people keep taking not-so-secret pictures of us and the hostess asked me for a selfie before we sat down, but... I'm with you," she smiles, threading her fingers through his. "You okay? You seem... I dunno, stressed."
But it was worth it. He was worth it. She could see how happy he was, being able to do something as simple as take her hand, sneak a kiss that wasn't behind closed doors.
So even if she cringes at every tabloid, every news article about herself she's fed on any site she dares to visit, she's happy. She takes his hand, giving it a squeeze.
"Well, people keep taking not-so-secret pictures of us and the hostess asked me for a selfie before we sat down, but... I'm with you," she smiles, threading her fingers through his. "You okay? You seem... I dunno, stressed."
"But are you happy? That's the important part," he says, rubbing his thumb over her knuckles. Trying to avoid lingering at her ring finger too much. "Are you happy? Even with the pictures, and the stories, and all the attention. Because it is -- crazy. I know it is. And you haven't been dealing with it all your life like I have.
I mean," he laughs a little, shaking his head. "There's a reason I disappeared, after college."
I mean," he laughs a little, shaking his head. "There's a reason I disappeared, after college."
She smiles at his touch, watching the calloused pad of his fingertips graze over her skin.
"Bruce," she chuckles, gaze flitting up to catch his. "Since when have you or I ever shied away from a little crazy?" She smiles, reaching her foot out to nudge gently at his foot. "I knew what I was getting into when I agreed to go public. I knew it'd be a shit show. But it's you. You make me happy. You're all I need."
"Bruce," she chuckles, gaze flitting up to catch his. "Since when have you or I ever shied away from a little crazy?" She smiles, reaching her foot out to nudge gently at his foot. "I knew what I was getting into when I agreed to go public. I knew it'd be a shit show. But it's you. You make me happy. You're all I need."
Dessert comes out and Bruce looks up at the waitress, smiling and thanking her. His heart is beating a million miles a minute and he has butterflies in his stomach. But he loves the woman sitting across from more than anything. And even though the last few months have been a bit of a whirlwind, he knows he wants to do this.
"Because it's going to get crazier. Just to warn you. It's about to get -- a lot crazier."
"Because it's going to get crazier. Just to warn you. It's about to get -- a lot crazier."
It's not often she sees Bruce shaken, especially out in public like this. Always so calm and collected, the picture of poise. But she can feel the tension in his hand, feels it skitter up her own arm, her heart starting to flutter in her chest.
"Bruce...?"
"Bruce...?"
Forget dessert. If he doesn't do this now, he's going to vibrate out of his chair.
He gets down to his knee with only the slightest of winces (he's not letting his bad knees ruin this moment) and takes out the box. "Miss Lane," he says, unable to keep from smiling as he slips the ring onto her finger. "Would you do me the absolute honour of being my wife?"
He gets down to his knee with only the slightest of winces (he's not letting his bad knees ruin this moment) and takes out the box. "Miss Lane," he says, unable to keep from smiling as he slips the ring onto her finger. "Would you do me the absolute honour of being my wife?"
Oh, shit. She's not sure if she thinks it or she actually says it out loud, but in the blink of an eye he's on one knee in front of her and it's like her whole body's frozen in place. Distantly, she hears someone scream. There are flashes of light - people getting out of their seats, someone crying. Is she crying?
"I- Br-" Congratulations, Bruce. You've finally managed to render her speechless. She's shaking, finally managing to get a grip on herself before she blubbers out a response. "Yes- God, yes! Oh my God, Bruce- yes-"
"I- Br-" Congratulations, Bruce. You've finally managed to render her speechless. She's shaking, finally managing to get a grip on herself before she blubbers out a response. "Yes- God, yes! Oh my God, Bruce- yes-"
It's fine, because Bruce is crying, too. Crying and laughing and smiling all at once. He stands, pulling Lois up with him and pulling her into a kiss, his arm around her waist, his hand still holding the hand with the ring.
"You're gonna be my wife," he laughs and kisses the back of her hand. "I can't believe it. I mean, I can. Of course I can. But it's all -- " He smiles and waves for the flashing cameras, pulling her close and kissing her cheek. "I told you. Even crazier. But it's worth it."
"You're gonna be my wife," he laughs and kisses the back of her hand. "I can't believe it. I mean, I can. Of course I can. But it's all -- " He smiles and waves for the flashing cameras, pulling her close and kissing her cheek. "I told you. Even crazier. But it's worth it."
She's never seen him cry. It strikes her in that moment, how intimate it is, how happy he is. She's grinning, laughing, bawling her eyes out as she stands to wrap her arms around him, pours everything she has into that kiss.
"I'm all yours, Mr. Wayne," she murmurs against his lips, forehead pressing into his. She ignores the cameras, ignores everyone else except for him, the man she's going to spend the rest of her life with. "You're worth it," she murmurs, tucking her face into his neck.
"I'm all yours, Mr. Wayne," she murmurs against his lips, forehead pressing into his. She ignores the cameras, ignores everyone else except for him, the man she's going to spend the rest of her life with. "You're worth it," she murmurs, tucking her face into his neck.
"You're worth everything. Can -- " He presses a kiss to Lois's hair and gestures at the desserts. "Can we get these to go? Thanks," he says, setting a few hundred dollar bills on the table, more than enough to cover dinner and a substantial tip.
"Let's go home. And we'll talk about how I'm going to buy you the most expensive wedding dress we can find."
"Let's go home. And we'll talk about how I'm going to buy you the most expensive wedding dress we can find."
She's half forgotten where they are, that there's dessert on the way and a restaurant full of people gawking at them both. Hurriedly, she wipes at her cheeks, bubbling out a laugh and offering a shy smile for the cameras.
"Pretty sure you already got me the biggest rock that exists on this earth," she laughs, tugging him in for another kiss. "I love you," she says, her voice lower this time. Just for him.
"Pretty sure you already got me the biggest rock that exists on this earth," she laughs, tugging him in for another kiss. "I love you," she says, her voice lower this time. Just for him.
"I wanted it to be special," he says, slightly sheepish but not entirely. He loves the ring he got for Lois. He loves the way it looks on her finger. It's perfect. Everything is perfect.
"I love you, too," he murmurs against the kiss, tucking her hair behind her ear and kissing her cheek. "I'll have Alfred bring the car around. Prepare to be teased about making an honest man out of me."
"I love you, too," he murmurs against the kiss, tucking her hair behind her ear and kissing her cheek. "I'll have Alfred bring the car around. Prepare to be teased about making an honest man out of me."
"It's very special. And very heavy." She grins, leaning in for another kiss, and then another. He could've picked a candy ring out of a gumball machine and she'd love it. Because it's him. It's them, and it's perfect.
She nuzzles into his cheek, slipping her hand into his as the crowd starts to jostle, starts to ask for selfies and autographs and crowding in around them. "Yeah, I think... I think we should get going," she murmurs, taking the to go back from the waiter with a murmured thanks and tugging Bruce towards the door.
She nuzzles into his cheek, slipping her hand into his as the crowd starts to jostle, starts to ask for selfies and autographs and crowding in around them. "Yeah, I think... I think we should get going," she murmurs, taking the to go back from the waiter with a murmured thanks and tugging Bruce towards the door.
Once they're in the car and have accepted the congratulations from Alfred, Bruce wraps both arms around Lois and pulls her close, kissing her jaw lightly.
"So I'm going to ask you again. Are you happy?"
"So I'm going to ask you again. Are you happy?"
Lois hasn't unraveled herself from Bruce since she's said yes, her arms locking tight around him as she curls up against him contently.
"I'm happy," she insists, beaming up at him. She brushes a strand of hair from his forehead, searching his features a moment. "Are you happy?"
"I'm happy," she insists, beaming up at him. She brushes a strand of hair from his forehead, searching his features a moment. "Are you happy?"
"I cannot imagine being happier than I am in this moment. Though I'm pretty sure our wedding day will have it beat.
I'm so excited to marry you, Lois," he sighs, smiling and turning his head to kiss her palm. "Excited to be your husband. To be able to call you my wife."
I'm so excited to marry you, Lois," he sighs, smiling and turning his head to kiss her palm. "Excited to be your husband. To be able to call you my wife."
"I'm excited to marry you, too," she hums, stroking her thumb over his cheek. The ring gleams on her finger, dwarfing her hand with the sheer size of it, and she lets out a giddy laugh before leaning in to kiss him again.
"Mrs. Lois Wayne," she grins. "Sounds pretty damn good to me."
"Mrs. Lois Wayne," she grins. "Sounds pretty damn good to me."
"It's gorgeous, isn't it?" he asks, nodding to the ring. "You know I had to get you a uh, what do they call it. A statement piece?" He holds Lois's hand up to study the way the ring looks on her hand. "I like that it looks almost like a rose, the way the diamonds are arranged."
Mrs. Lois Wayne. That has Bruce grinning. "I think it sounds perfect."
Mrs. Lois Wayne. That has Bruce grinning. "I think it sounds perfect."
"Is that statement I-can-afford-the-biggest-diamond-they-sell?" she teases, following his gaze and admiring the ring alongside him. She strokes her thumb over the curve of his hand, grinning. "It's perfect. Really, Bruce, it's like... It's like a dream."
She takes his head in both her hands, pressing a slow, passionate kiss to his lips. "Champagne and dessert on the terrace? I think we need to celebrate. Just the two of us."
She takes his head in both her hands, pressing a slow, passionate kiss to his lips. "Champagne and dessert on the terrace? I think we need to celebrate. Just the two of us."
"Not the biggest diamond, nor the most expensive. But -- yes, maybe I wanted people to be blinded by it. Just a little."
Bruce hums into the kiss and slides a hand over her waist. "That sounds like the most amazing idea."
Once they're back at Wayne Manor, Bruce sets up a bottle of champagne in a bucket of ice and offers up a forkful of his dessert for Lois to try.
Bruce hums into the kiss and slides a hand over her waist. "That sounds like the most amazing idea."
Once they're back at Wayne Manor, Bruce sets up a bottle of champagne in a bucket of ice and offers up a forkful of his dessert for Lois to try.
The summer breeze sets the perfect temperature late into the evening, and she curls up with her champagne glass next to him, the diamond on her finger gleaming even in the dim light.
Leaning over to take a bite, she hums a smile, licking her lips at him.
"Tastes good."
Leaning over to take a bite, she hums a smile, licking her lips at him.
"Tastes good."
"Now you know why I was tense all night. I was practically vibrating out of my chair. You mean the world to me, Lois. And now I get to spend the rest of my life with you."
He toys with his fork, taking a bite of his dessert that he barely tastes. Lois is the only thing on his mind, and how amazing it will be to finally marry her.
He toys with his fork, taking a bite of his dessert that he barely tastes. Lois is the only thing on his mind, and how amazing it will be to finally marry her.
"I think that was the most stressed out I've ever seen you," she chuckles. She leans in against him, stroking her fingertips through his hair.
"You know I would've said yes no matter what, right?"
"You know I would've said yes no matter what, right?"
Bruce hums at the fingers in his hair and scoops up a bit of chocolate frosting with his thumb, smearing it against Lois's jaw and kissing it off.
"I had a sneaking suspicion. But I still had the jitters. I've never felt like this about anyone, before. I never thought I'd find someone like you."
"I had a sneaking suspicion. But I still had the jitters. I've never felt like this about anyone, before. I never thought I'd find someone like you."
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