A Passion Crime to Take What's Mine

Ashley’s P.O.V:
It was hard not replying to Andy’s message, but I knew if I did that I would have given it all away there and then. And that’s something I was trying desperately to avoid. It has been nearly a year since we were last in Kentucky, and it is just so lucky and amazing to be here for our 5th anniversary; I mean, where else could have been better to spend it than in Andy’s birth town, in what is now our park. I couldn’t wait for him to arrive. It won’t be too long now.
The sun would begin to dip below the horizon in about an hour, and Andy will be here by then so it would be a perfect date with the man I love on a very special day. Lost in thought, I glance over to my side, making sure everything is in place, a smile plucked at my lips as I mapped tonight out in my head again. I hope it will go right; I can’t imagine how awkward it would be else. Maybe Andy would hate me… surely he couldn’t, though? We’ve been together for five years, and I know it’s a big question, but surely he wouldn’t hate me. My heart raced heavily in my chest, threatening to burst through my ribcage and into the world outside, as I thought about everything that could go wrong. Calm down, Ash, you are only winding yourself up; it will be fine. Andy is a lovely guy and he could never hate anyone, but he wouldn’t hate you for this, just look at the amount of effort you have put into it… he will be grateful. Swallowing back my worries, absent in mind, I clicked my knuckles as I awaited the arrival of my gorgeous Andy. I still can’t believe how lucky I am.
I stood with my back to the entrance, watching the sunlight bask its golden rays on the trees around the park, creating beautifully elongated shadows. A loving pair of arms wrap around my waist from behind me as a soft pair of lips linger tenderly on my neck.
“Baby, I’ve missed you so much, what’s happening?” sounded a very familiar, low and sexy voice and every reason I ever had to fall in love with Andy came flooding back to me in that instant, causing my heart to melt all over again.
“Hmm, well it’s a surprise, babe, I’m not telling you anything,” I whisper, turning in his arms to see him, and kiss him on the lips, “Man, I’ve been waiting to do that all day,”
“me too. It’s been torture not holding you close to me,”
“Aw, well you don’t have to worry about that anymore, Batman,” I chirped, and a giggle escaped his throat; it’s surprising how deep his laugh can be sometimes. Smiling to myself, I reached up and pecked him on his nose, before taking his hand and walking him over to our picnic. Yeah, we go on picnics for dates… so what?
Warmth from the early autumn breeze flows over us, as we sit, watching the sun set. Now Andy is here I can’t help but feel more relaxed, but I am still rather nervous about not messing anything up. I always have to have everything down to perfection and I hate doing anything less.
“Ashy…” a blush crept over my face like it always does with Andy,
“Yes, batman?”
“You know you are beautiful, right?” my blush only grew more violent, and he started to sit up from where we were lying on the grass, snuggling, “You look as if something is on your mind, a penny for your thoughts?”
“I was just thinking about how perfect you are and how lucky I am to have you. I am sorry for all of the times I’ve messed up, but I promise you I will do my very best to be here for you, forever and always.” A cheeky smile made its way on to his face, as he leaned over, kissing me on the lips. His hand resting on my chest, I kissed him back, wishing for this moment to never end. Maybe it doesn’t have to.
I pull him in close to me, and he rests his head on my chest, wrapping his arms around my waist. His brilliant blue eyes gazing into my chocolate brown ones; we lie together in silence for a while, just watching the sun go down. But it wasn’t an awkward or uncomfortable silence; it was one of love and happiness, when you know that you don’t need to speak to explain what on your mind. Somehow we just seem to know. Sure, sometimes we ask what’s going on, but we still know how the other is feeling by body language. Tilting my head down, I could see Andy hugging me, a slight childish smile pricking his lips; he looks so cute when he’s thinking! Childish innocence lingers in his expressions when he concentrates or is happy and hyper. I often find myself looking at him and wandering how someone who has gone through so much, has seen so much, taught himself so much, how he could possibly still hold an innocent quality in the air about him. Surely it would be impossible. I’ve witnessed how each story he hears of self-mutilation and destruction affects him; he doesn’t become depressed but it does push him to be even better as a person. With each story told he strives to be better, and yet some nights I will wake up to sight tears spilling down his cheeks because he had spent a while fretting about a particular story. He says he tries not to think about it too much; just sometimes it reminds him of how he felt. I know he didn’t have a great childhood – hell, none of us did, but I know he is much stronger than the rest of us. I think that is what gets him down, to know so many people struggle to find their strength when he was always so sure as to what and how he going to do what he wanted. He doesn’t cry about it a lot, he takes everything under his chin, and more often than not you can see those big, excited eyes, dancing around the room to instantly get a pen and notebook to start writing a new song; merely because the BVB Army inspire him. It’s times like that when he looks like an excited kid, a very tall kid with a deep voice, granted, but an innocent kid nonetheless. I can’t help but let a gleeful smile take hold of my face when I look down at him; I couldn’t wish for anyone better to love me.
Deep red and purple lines are drawn out across the sky as I remember what I had planned. My heart beats ever faster, my stomach tenses up, as if I am about to be sick with worry. I struggle to remember every word, so I can recall them to Andy. Sitting up gently, I flash a smile to Andy assuring him it is okay, he returns the gesture and sits up as well. Swallowing, I reach into my pocket, clasping my hand around its contents; a little box. I couldn’t get down on one knee, because Andy was sat on the ground, and that would make me taller than him, so instead, I sat patiently on my knees, in front of him, gathering my confidence – that’s a tricky think for a shy guy.
“Andy, Batman, baby, honey, I love you so much and you mean the world to me, thank you for being here for me for all these years; life honestly wouldn’t be the same without you. It just wouldn’t be right,” I stumbled slightly, but since I started I may as well finish. I have to. I pulled out the box from my pocket, opening it to reveal a ring with a chunk of black diamond in the middle, surrounded by two smaller cuts of topaz, set on white gold. I fell in love with this ring for him when I first saw it because it reminded me of batman and his love for it. “So please, honey, will you be mine so this never has to end and I never have to feel as though there is something massive missing from my life?” in the second it took for Andy to reply I swear my heart stopped.
“Yes, Ashley, Kitty, I would love to! I have loved you for so long and so much that I can’t think of anything better than calling you mine forever. I will love you forever and always!” he all but squealed with excitement. Allowing a grin to gain its rightful place on my face, I slid the ring onto Andy’s finger before he jumped up, picking me up for the ground and spinning me around in a tight embrace.
He said yes! Andy said yes to me! I honestly couldn’t be any happier right now.