Surprise!!!

[Maira]

While Romi had been away on his cruise, Lucas had spent the week with Archer and Chester. They hadn't done anything terribly special, just traveled around the state doing the touristy stuff that Archer insisted that Lucas see. Even though the road-trip kept him busy, the times he wasn't driving or actively interacting with Archer and Chester, all he did was think about Romi.

The pair had been living together for a few months, Romi had told him on more than one occasion that he wanted to Turn him, and with some time away from the older man to think things through Lucas was pretty sure he wanted to accept. Archer would likely spaz when she found out. She had been hurt when he'd panicked when he'd thought he could be Turned cougar with just a kiss, and she knew how he felt about being human. But as much as he had loved her then, as much as he still cared for her, there was something different about Romi. Even with Archer, Lucas had never felt so strongly about wanting to be with somebody for the long haul and if he was going to make an honest go of a relationship with Romi, and not just some college fling, he wanted them to be on equal terms in all ways, including life-span and species.

When Romi finally returned from his cruise, and found Lucas sprawled on the couch going over his lines for the play, Lucas just smiled at him over the top of his script. The script shortly went flying and then Romi was telling him how he never wanted to be without him again. Before Lucas could say anything, Romi was kissing him and Lucas's arms automatically went around the older man's waist as he returned the kiss enthusiastically.

At some point, that single steamy welcome home kiss had turned into more, and then they'd wound up losing all their clothes in a mad dash to Romi's bedroom. As they lay in each others' arms, totally sated, Lucas told Romi, "You won't have to be without me if you just Turn me." And then he waited, curious what the vampire would have to say.

[Demeter]

Romi would have been content to while away the hours in bed with Lucas. To lock the doors, shut the blinds and pretended that they didn't have to return to classes on Monday. There was something different about his human lover that was so unlike anyone he'd ever been with before.

Sure, Lucas drooled over his movie and prop collection but so did Archer. Archer was firmly claimed by her cougar though and she got on his nerves at times so he was glad that she wasn't his. Lucas didn't seem to care about the money he had or the film connections he'd made over the years. Lucas wasn't using him the way his wife had once done.

So when Lucas suddenly commented that Romi should just turn him already, Romi stopped breathing. He turned so that h could face Lucas. "Are you sure?"

When Lucas nodded and smiled at him, Romi reached across and hauled the man closer. He held him tight. "It could take a while, you know. As much as I'd like to turn you here and now, the council would take you away from me as soon as they knew about it. I have to go through the proper channels."

Romi continued to hold Lucas, softly kissing him at random intervals. It warmed his heart to know that this man wanted to make such a commitment to him. He remembered Archer's tirade at him the morning after the shower incident. She'd lectured him on how he was to be careful with her friend who'd once feared that simply kissing someone would get him turned.

And that very man had just asked to become one of the Mutari. That fact made him reach a decision about something that had been floating in his mind for a while now.

"Come with me," he said while pulling Lucas from their cozy nest of blankets on the bed. Not caring about their state of undress, Romi pulled Lucas down the hall and into the room he used as an office. After pushing Lucas down on the black leather sofa and telling him to stay put, Romi moved to the opposite wall and lifted away a framed print He kept a safe hidden away behind the reproduction of Van Gogh's Starry Night and now he twisted the dial. "I keep some of my most valuable items in here, he said while reaching in. He pulled out a polished wooden chest and went to his desk. After finding the key to the chest, he opened it and pulled something out.

He turned and knelt before Lucas. "This is just as out of the blue as your earlier question. This ring belonged to my maternal grandmother. I want you to wear it on your right hand and, on the day I turn you, my Love, I want to be able to take this ring from your right hand and place it on your left hand. I want the day I turn you to also serve as our wedding day, if you would have me in such a fashion."

The ring Romi held out was by no means a delicate thing. It was large and made of Italian gold with a ruby shining in the center setting.

***
On Monday, in the minutes before the start of their set design class, Romi sat with Lucas and Archer on the stage. Romi, unaware of Archer's questioning looks over his recent goofy behavior (he hadn't even had any coffee that morning but he was in a awfully pleasant mood), just stared at Lucas and grinned.

He was also waiting for Archer's freakout and meltdown when she finally noticed the ring on Lucas's right hand. He thought cats were suppose to be attracted to shiny things and he wasn't sure how she'd not seem that flashing ring yet.

[Maira]

Romi's proposal had certainly been unexpected, but Lucas had absolutely no reservations about answering with an excited, and slightly teary, "yes!". After that, the men spent the rest of the night tangled up in each other and Romi's blankets to celebrate.

*****

Come Monday morning, Lucas was practically bursting at the seems waiting for Archer to notice his ring. He had somehow resisted the urge to call her only because he had wanted to see the look on her face when she figured it out. But now, here she was oggling Romi instead of talking with him and he just wanted to wave his ring-clad hand in her face.

Romi staring at him and grinning at him like a fool was likely why Archer was looking at the mutari oddly, but it only served to distract the girl from what sparkled quite nicely in the stage lights. Finally he just couldn't stand it anymore and Lucas muttered under his breath, "Archer, dammit, I need to tell you something would you pay attention?!"

*****

Romi was being weird. He was being pleasant and cheerful and that was just plain weird. She knew Lucas was trying to talk to her but she was only half listening until he grumbled at her to pay attention. Finally she tore her eyes from the dreamy-eyed looking man to look at her friend and she was shocked to see he had a similar look on his face but his was mixed with impatience. Suddenly suspicious, Archer sniffed the air and and caught herself before she sighed with relief.

Lucas, clearly having caught her actions, laughed and told her quietly, "Not yet, but when we get married I will be."

What did he mean married? And not yet?! Was Lucas saying he was marrying Romi and then getting Turned?! In a panick, Archer looked quickly down to Lucas's hands and gasped in shock, a hand flying to cover her mouth. She looked from the ruby ring to Lucas and back to the ring before she raised her gaze and it settled on the oblivious Romi. Without warning she launched herself at the mutari, grabbed him by the ear, and dragged him off the stage and back to the prop closet. As soon as they were inside she locked the door and turned her now cougar eyes on Romi. Her voice a little raspy with the unexpected partial change, Archer growled out, "You can't fucking Turn him Romi! You can't! I told you this! Fucking go ahead and marry him, congratulations on that, but he will eventually hate you if you take away his humanity!"

Before Romi could get defensive or mad, Archer collapsed against the door into a little puddle and started to sob. She adored Romi, and loved Lucas, and she was deliriously happy that they were a couple, but she did not see this ending well. If Lucas changed his mind too late and flipped and went feral, how was she going to explain to Lucas's parents just why there son was likely never coming home again? She just wanted Lucas to be safe and happy and according to him that meant staying human.

[Demeter]

When he was yanked in the supply closet, Romi somehow managed not scream like a girl. He and Lucas had talked about how Archer wasn't going to take this well. He could only stare at the sobbing girl and wondered if Lucas had known that this would be the reaction.

Romi knelt down next to her and gave her a little shake. "Archer, I may have asked Lucas to marry me but he's the one who asked to be turned."

When she just stared at him, Romi nodded. "He said that if we were going to be serious about this, and I think marriage is pretty damn serious, then we needed to do it on equal footing. He's the one who suggested turning, not me. This is his choice. If you have concerns, you need to talk about them with him."

[Maira]

How could Romi be so calm about all this, Archer wondered as he knelt down next to her. When he explained to her why Lucas had asked to be turned, she stared at him. She had no idea what to say. Her wave of emotions had crashed over her so fast that now that they were getting under control again she was at a loss for words. Finally she just mumbled, "I just want him to be safe and happy Romi. I know you make him happy, that isn't in question at all. I just worry about him because he's my best friend. I've known him and his family for what seems like forever and if anything happens to him that has the potential to put him in danger or hurt him, all because he followed me out here, I will never be able to forgive myself or face his family again. Can you understand that?" While she waited for Romi's answer, Archer wiped her face and shot a text to Lucas informing him that she hadn't killed his fiance.

[Demeter]

Romi finally managed to escape the supply closet and the slightly crazy Archer. Had he known that her reaction to his and Lucas’ future plans would have been that intense, he’d have suggested that they break the news in a slightly less public place. He skittered over to Lucas, pleased to see the flash of the ruby on his finger, and wrapped around him. “I think you need to talk to her. She’s concerned about the whole turning thing?” he said with a wiggle of his fingers. Giving him a quick kiss on the cheek, Romi shoved Lucas towards the supply closet. “Beware, she’s weepy.”

While Lucas was in the closet, comforting his friend, Romi settled into one of the theater seats. It was true that he’d have to inform the council of this turn of events and then there would be questions. Hell, they might even insist that someone else do the turning for fear of the big, bad scary Neri family. Romi snorted; nothing he could do would ever free him from that legacy.

Romi jumped when someone flopped in the chair next to him. He scowled at Gwen. “Just give your father a heart attack, why don’t you?”

Gwen rolled her eyes. “Like you could have a heart attack. So, who is this guy that’s wandering around with Great-Grandma’s ring?”

“Your new step-father. His name is Lucas. Be nice to him.”

Gwen rolled her eyes again. “Are you ever gonna introduce me to my new daddy?”

“Promise not to scare him? It’s not every day that a man gains a step-daughter that is more than twice his age.”

Once Lucas had left the closet, Romi waved him over. “Lucas, this is Gwendolyn, my daughter. Ignore what she says; she’s weird.”