Chapter 37

Nani shifted beside him, then suddenly reached into his pocket, pulling out a small piece of candy. He unwrapped it and held it up to Sky's lips.

Sky blinked. "What's this?"

"A reward for crying your eyes out all day." Nani teased, but his voice was filled with nothing but warmth.

Sky pouted but let Nani place the candy on his tongue. The sweetness melted in his mouth, and somehow, it made his heart ache in the best way.

"You always do this" Sky mumbled.

"Do what?"

"Take care of me. Even when I'm being an idiot."

Nani turned slightly, tilting Sky's chin up with his fingers. And Sky just laught at what Nani did. Nani gently laced his fingers through Sky's, pulling him inside the restaurant

Sky sat stiffly, still trying to recover from the emotional rollercoaster of the day. Across from him, Chimon looked just as uncomfortable, shifting in his seat before finally letting out a deep sigh. And Sky's family already left the table since they all finished the meal.

"I should've cleared things up earlier" Chimon admitted, rubbing the back of his neck. "I thought you knew who I was. I didn't realize they kept it from you." Dew sipped his drink, looking away. Sky blinked and his face burned with embarrassment.

Win arrived after Dew, sitting silently but couldn't help himself anymore, burst out laughing, finally unable to hold it in. "You thought Nani was cheating on you with his own cousin and ran away dramatically!"

Dew shook his head, chuckling. "That's a next-level imagination, Sky."

Sky groaned, covering his face with his hands. "I want to disappear."

Nani smirked "Too late for that."

Just then, the door to the private dining area opened, and Sky's parents walked in. His mother glanced at the table, her gaze settling on Nani, who was still sitting beside Sky.

"You're still here?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

Nani cleared his throat, sitting up straighter. "Yes, mom."

Sky's father chuckled, shaking his head. "Let me guess. Sky misunderstood something and ran off, and you've been here all day trying to fix it?"

Sky's mom sighed dramatically, shaking her head with an amused smile. "Oh, our son. How could you not know that Nani would never cheat on you?"

Sky's jaw dropped. "Mom! You're supposed to be on my side!"

"But your mom is right." his dad added with a teasing grin. "Even if I didn't know Nani well, it's obvious. He looks at you like you're the only person in the world."

Sky's ears turned bright red. He turned to Nani, who just smirked.

"See? Even your family trusts me" Nani said"When will you start doing the same?"

Sky groaned again, but this time, instead of hiding, he turned toward Nani, his expression softening. "I do trust you" he admitted quietly. "I just let my fears get in the way."

Nani's smirk faded into something gentler. He reached for Sky's hand, giving it a light squeeze. "Then next time, let's talk about it before you run off, okay?"

Sky nodded, leaning against Nani's shoulder as he pouted a little. "Okay."

Win clapped his hands together. "Alright, now that the drama is over, can we start drinking?"

As if on cue, Sky's brother walked over, setting bottles of alcohol on the table with a grin. Dew shook his head, already predicting where this was going.

Win, on the other hand, looked way too excited. He had a habit of drinking with Sky's father and brother so much so that he probably visited Sky's family restaurant more often than Nani did, just for the drinking sessions.

As the night stretched on, Win was completely drunk, laughing at his own jokes while leaning heavily against Chimon. Dew sighed, already used to dealing with him like this.

"I think it's best if I take him home now" Dew said, glancing at Chimon, who nodded in agreement.

Chimon smirked. "Actually, it might be better if I stay at Win's place instead. No offense, but I don't trust him not to wander off somewhere stupid in this state."

Even in his drunken haze, Win perked up at that, grinning like an idiot. "You're staying over? Hell yeah! Best idea ever!" He leaned in, puckering his lips dramatically. "C'mere, give me a goodnight kiss"

Chimon scoffed and lightly slapped Win's cheek, making everyone laugh. "Go to sleep" Chimon muttered, shaking his head as he helped Dew drag him toward the car.

Meanwhile, Nani turned to Sky, who had been watching the chaos with an amused expression. "So... do you want to sleep over at my place tonight?"

Sky blinked, caught off guard by the sudden question. "Huh?"

Nani tilted his head, a teasing smile playing on his lips. "I mean, after everything today, I figured you wouldn't want to be alone." He reached out, tucking a stray strand of hair behind Sky's ear. "So, will you?"

Sky hesitated for a moment before finally nodding. "...Okay."

Nani's smile softened. "Good. Let's go home."

Sky's brother watched as everyone left, Win being dragged away by Dew and Chimon, Nani and Sky heading off together, leaving him sitting there, completely forgotten.

With a sigh, he crossed his arms. "So, you're all just gonna leave me here? Just like that?"

Sky's father glanced at him, smirking. "You're a grown man, aren't you? Find your own way to your room."

Sky's brother scoffed. "Wow. My own flesh and blood. Betrayed like this." He turned to his mother. "Mom, you're seriously okay with this?"

She just laughed. "You'll be fine, sweetie."

"Unbelievable. I can't believe that I'm abandoned in my own house."

--

Sky stepped out of the bathroom, hair still damp, wearing his clothes that he left here before went to Italy.

His tired eyes landed on Nani, who was lying on the bed, reading a book like some elegant prince waiting for his lover.

Sky huffed. "You look like you're in a drama."

Nani smirked, flipping a page. "And you look like a sleepy puppy."

Instead of arguing, Sky let out a dramatic sigh and threw himself onto the bed, way harder than necessary. The mattress dipped violently, and for a moment, Nani's book nearly flew out of his hands as the whole bed shook like there was an earthquake.

"Sky!" Nani gasped, steadying himself. "Are you trying to kill me?" Sky buried his face into the pillows, muffling his laughter. "I just wanted to be close to you."

Nani shook his head, amused, and reached out to play with Sky's hair. Sky hummed sleepily, already sinking into the warmth of the bed and Nani's presence. His body relaxed, and his breathing evened out as he drifted closer to sleep.

Nani watched him for a moment, a soft smile tugging at his lips. Carefully, he reached into the drawer and pulled out a small box. Without a word, he gently took Sky's hand, his fingers brushing lightly against his skin.

As Nani carefully slipped the rings onto Sky's fingers, his heart felt lighter yet heavier at the same time.

The first ring,their old promise ring, settled on Sky's middle finger, a symbol of everything they had been through together. The other ring on Sky's fourth finger, the one Nani had specially ordered, was simple yet elegant, carrying their names engraved on the inside. A secret just for the two of them.

Nani knew it might be too soon to ask Sky to marry him now, but after today, after seeing Sky break down over the mere thought of losing him, how could he delay it any longer?

He wanted Sky to grow, to become more independent, to stand on his own feet more. before they start their new chapter together but the thought of Sky hurting was not making it easy for Nani to wait anymore.

But what Nani didn't realize was that the reason Sky acted like a spoiled, dramatic child was because of him.

Sky had always been independent until Nani came along. Until he found someone who would catch him every time he fell, someone who would hold him no matter how unreasonable he was being. With Nani, Sky didn't have to be strong all the time. He could be soft, silly, and free.

Nani sighed, brushing his fingers over Sky's knuckles. "What am I going to do with you, hmm?" he murmured.

Sky, already deep in sleep, just made a small grumbling noise and nuzzled closer to him, his fingers unconsciously curling around Nani's wrist, holding on even in his dreams.

Nani chuckled softly. "Guess I'll just have to marry you one day, huh?"

And with that, he pulled Sky closer, letting their hands rest together as he, too, drifted into sleep.

The morning sun spilled softly through the large windows of Nani's condo, casting a golden glow across the sleek, modern space. Nani was already up, dressed sharply in a tailored black suit that fit him perfectly. With his tie neatly in place and his hair styled, he looked every bit like the powerful man the world knew him to be.

But right now, instead of sitting in his office, he stood in his kitchen, sleeves rolled up as he carefully prepared breakfast. The smell of coffee and freshly made eggs filled the air as he moved effortlessly around the kitchen, a rare softness in his usual composed demeanor.

The quiet hum of the morning was broken by the soft sound of footsteps padding across the floor. Sky, still half-asleep, wandered toward him, eyes barely open. Without a word, he wrapped his arms around Nani from behind, resting his chin on Nani's shoulder.

"Mmm... why are you so loud this early?" Sky mumbled, his voice husky from sleep as he nuzzled closer, clinging to Nani like a sleepy koala.

Nani chuckled, the sound warm and low. "It's called making breakfast."

Sky groaned, tightening his hold as if that would keep Nani from moving. "Too early..."

With a smile tugging at his lips, Nani tilted his head slightly to press a kiss against Sky's temple. "Wash up and eat with me. Then, you're coming to the company, I've got something important to show you."

Sky hummed lazily but nodded against his shoulder before peeling himself away and dragging his feet toward the bathroom.

Nani shook his head fondly as he plated the food. "This kid" he murmured, amused by Sky's clinginess.

But his thoughts were interrupted by a sudden, loud shout from the bathroom.

"NANI!!!"

Before Nani could even react, Sky came running out of the bathroom, his eyes wide as saucers, his damp hair still a mess from his quick wash. He skidded to a stop in front of Nani, waving his left hand wildly in the air.

"What is this?!" Sky demanded, his voice high-pitched with shock. His fingers trembled slightly as he stared at the two rings, one familiar and one new, glinting softly under the morning light.

Nani bit back a smile, clearly entertained by the dramatic reaction. "What does it look like?" he said calmly, placing the last piece of toast on the plate.

Sky's mouth opened, then closed again, speechless for a moment. "Why why didn't you tell me? When did you, what is this?!"

"The first one's our promise ring" Nani said, wiping his hands on a towel before stepping closer to Sky. "The other one? Well... it's a new promise. A stronger one."

Sky's heart pounded in his chest as he tried to make sense of the words. His fingers brushed over the new ring, simple, elegant, and perfect. But when he twisted it slightly, his breath caught in his throat.

Inside the band, engraved in delicate script, were their names intertwined.

"You engraved our names..." Sky whispered, his voice barely above a breath.

Nani reached out, taking Sky's hand gently in his own. "I wasn't planning to give it to you so soon."

Sky's vision blurred with tears he hadn't even realized were forming. He couldn't speak, couldn't think, he could only stare at Nani with his heart completely full.

"But after yesterday... I couldn't wait anymore. I don't want you to ever doubt how much I love you."

Sky let out a shaky breath, tears clinging to his lashes as he clutched Nani's hand tighter. "You're insane" he whispered, a soft laugh bubbling through his tears.

"Only about you" Nani replied smoothly, pulling Sky closer until there was no space left between them. "And I'm not sorry about that."

Sky tilted his head back, his lips trembling as he looked into Nani's eyes, eyes that held nothing but love and certainty. "I love you" Sky whispered. "So much."

Nani's lips curled into the softest smile, one reserved only for Sky. "I love you too" Nani murmured, his voice steady, unwavering.

Sky swallowed hard, his chest tightening at the weight of Nani's words. He had always known—felt it in the way Nani looked at him, in the way he held him, in the way he always came back no matter how much they fought or how stubborn they both were. But hearing it like this, so raw and unguarded, made his heart ache in the best way.

Nani exhaled, as if releasing something he had been holding in for far too long. "You drive me crazy, you know that?" he teased, his voice thick with emotion. "You make me want things I never even thought about before. A future. A home. You."

Sky let out a shaky laugh, his cheeks burning. "You already have me"

Nani smirked, tilting his head as if considering. "Still, I should probably make it more official." He tapped the ring on Sky's finger, his gaze darkening with something deeper, something that made Sky's stomach flip.

Sky sniffed, trying to blink away the remaining tears as he tightened his hold on Nani's hand. "Then don't take too long."

Nani's smirk softened into something impossibly tender. "I won't."

Then, with a small sigh, Nani pulled Sky to sit at the table "You know, I made you breakfast, but if you keep crying, your food's gonna get cold."

Sky huffed, wiping his eyes against Nani's shirt before pulling back just enough to pout up at him. "Who told you to make me emotional first thing in the morning?"

And even as they ate breakfast, bickering lightly over who got the last piece of toast, Sky couldn't stop smiling. Because now, there was no doubt.

Nani was his.

And he was Nani's.