Knowing that Bek wanted something from his homeland made him so happy that he ended up looking at the older man with a beautiful, soft, and sweet smile. Deep down, he only wanted to please him, but they were in Germany. He doubted there was a place that sold traditional food from his beloved Kazakhstan, so he remained thoughtful until they were interrupted by their coach.
"Are you finished? Or do you still have to play around?" These were uncomfortable words for the Kazakh, who turned red with embarrassment. Even so, he didn't hesitate to look at him softly until he felt a twinge of fear and dressed in a hurry, pulling on his clean sports gear to be safe from the vulnerability of his own skin.
"Don't be mean to Bek, it's not his fault... It's mine for making him late for his shower," the Canadian apologized to his beloved's coach. He dressed as if nothing had happened, leaving Taishi somewhat annoyed, though calmer knowing they hadn't done anything wrong.
"Jake, don't say that... It would be better if we went to get something delicious to eat... After all, we have the short program competition later today..." Knowing that they would have to compete against each other later made them both sigh with a certain annoyance; he didn't want to compete against Jake.
They both shared the same feeling; Jake wasn't ruthless enough to stab Bek in the back after winning the gold medal, but what he could do was something far more interesting.
"Well, let's go get breakfast. I want to talk to you, Bek," Jake said with a gentle smile. Aibek was a little lost, but he didn't hesitate to smile faintly at being next to the older man; he felt more than relaxed now that they were going to have breakfast.
Upon leaving the facility, they walked calmly toward a restaurant that looked pleasant to the eye. The classic facade with flowers surrounding it gave it an air of calm; the lights were not cold, but warm, and the tables looked so comfortable that enjoying breakfast there without any problems was the most pleasant thing they could imagine.
"This is a great place to eat! Don't you think, Bek?" the Canadian commented while taking his hand calmly. They seemed to enjoy the closeness like never before, so he guided him toward the restaurant, which greeted them with delicious aromas that awakened their appetite.
"Yes, it's a beautiful restaurant, you chose well, Jake! Everything smells wonderful!" Bek's happiness was constant, leaving behind that serious face that characterized him, because, of course, with Zinov, he could never enjoy something so delicious and pleasant in every sense.
"Well… we said earlier that eating would be our consolation prize, right?" Jake asked, remembering the other competition where they ate dessert before the event.
"That's true..." Aibek let out a beautiful laugh. The Kazakh remembered that occasion and felt that it was better to retire from skating and open an academy, but Jake was still there, competing, being one of the best, and having already won several gold medals.
"Well, how about if we propose something this time? I'll start..." There was a small moment of silence where the expectant Kazakh awaited the older man's words before him. Seeing him so attentive, Jake couldn't help but smile with tenderness; Bek would always be a delight in his eyes.
"Well, what I propose is that, if I win the gold medal, it will be... that you marry me, Bek..." Jake took a breath. "I want to marry you, even if you think we don't know each other. I know you don't remember much of what we've been through, but... I promise you that I will make you happy, I will make you fall in love with me, and I will take care of you as I should. I'm not going to hurt you, and I'm not going to leave you, Bek. I love you... There is no doubt about that. I lay my heart out here, in front of you..." Nerves were eating away at the Canadian, who feared any rejection from the Kazakh more and more, and Aibek couldn't do much while his hands were hidden under the table.
"I'm sorry... I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable, I won't do it again... Forgive me," he apologized again, but this time he wouldn't run away like a coward. He had already lost him once, and he wouldn't let him go again.
"Jake..." That soft voice gave the Canadian a glimmer of hope. "I… I love you too, but…. I'm afraid that you'll leave me for being disgusting, a nuisance, or, as they usually say in your comments, that I'm too little for you or that I don't deserve to be with you. I'm afraid, yes, I am, and I'm telling you here. I'm afraid of tarnishing your reputation, I'm afraid that in the end, you'll hate me for who I am..." Small tears sprang from the Kazakh's eyes, who couldn't continue, as his voice broke with every word. "I'm afraid, so afraid that you'll come to hate me, that because of me, your entire reputation will be lost. If I accept, I feel like I would be tying you to me, and that wouldn't be good... I don't want to lose you, Jake."
Slowly, that heart opened up to a Canadian who was left speechless and, at the same time, deeply moved. He rose from his chair, catching the attention of the few patrons at the distant tables; everyone was astonished to see the boy go down on his knees next to him and take his hands with visible delicacy.
"I know that I proposed something very intense just now, but Bek... look me in the eyes, please." With unique sweetness, he took the Kazakh's face so that he could see him. That was how black and purple joined; one could see how both made eye contact.
"We didn't go through being boyfriend and girlfriend first, I know, that was my mistake, but I tell you from the bottom of my heart: it doesn't matter what others say, my eyes are only set on you. You are the love of my life, the childhood love I always wanted. You are truly my everything, Bek. Keep in mind that only you can make me feel this way, filled with love. I'm telling you from the heart, Bek: I love you, I have loved you since I was a child, I adored you, I adore you, I love you, and I am sure that I want to spend the rest of my life by your side. Surely all this sounds cheesy, but it's a fact that I love you, I love you too much..."
Such beautiful words reached the ears of the Kazakh, who still had tears running down his cheeks, which were carefully dried by Jake, who didn't stop looking at him with sweetness and love. It was a beautiful image of the young couple; many discreetly took photos and uploaded them to social networks. That was how that great moment of the famous skaters circulated, who didn't notice anything at all; after all, they were fixing something very intimate, resolving problems and healing wounds to be able to unite in a small "yes." Aibek needed to make the decision that could change his life, his romantic situation, and make him grow as a person. It was a fact that Bek needed to mature, and he would do so with the help of Jake, who was willing to help the younger man every step of the way.