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Stuart Bloom stared with shock at his boyfriend Harry Potter, the other man was holding out a little box containing a ring. A ring designed for men that had a diamond embedded right in the middle, Stuart liked it…it was beautiful. They were on a romantic dinner date at Harry’s home, Harry had cooked a delicious meal and the table was decorated with a tablecloth and candles. Harry had dressed up in a suit and a tie for this date and throughout the date had looked quite nervous.
Harry was staring at him, hope, love in his green eyes as he had just asked Stuart to marry him.
Stuart was happy, the man he was in love with wanted to marry him, of course he was happy but at the same time he felt conflicted, he felt like Harry could do a lot better than him.
Harry was an attractive thirty-five-year-old man, only three years younger than Stuart currently was, he was of average height, and had a slender but slightly muscled build. He had beautiful green eyes, black messy hair, wore a pair of black, round glasses and had several scars, one upon his forehead that was shaped like a lightning bolt and one on the right hand in the form of words that read ‘I Must Not Tell Lies’.
Harry could definitely do a lot better than him, he deserved someone better than him. He deserved to have someone better looking than Stuart was, he deserved to have someone cooler than Stuart was, someone who didn’t have as many problems as Stuart did.
Stuart thought himself to be quite average, he was terrible at cooking, he was not a cool or confident man and didn’t even think he was an attractive man. He was a man who was incredibly unlucky at almost everything, he was terrible at talking to people, didn’t consider himself to be good in bed , had health problems that he was certain that the longer he dated Harry would cause him to become a burden to the man he was in love with.
Stuart’s happy smile that had appeared on his face when he had realized what Harry was asking him seemed to fade as he thought all of this, as his insides quickly filled up with sadness and tears were quickly welling up in his eyes.
“What’s wrong? Do you…Do you not want to Stuart?” asked Harry, the nervous, happy, and hopeful smile soon changing to a worried expression.
Stuart felt guilty for making Harry look that way, he never wanted Harry to be sad and yet here he was causing Harry to be exactly that.
“I do…I do, of course I do, I…I…I love you , but I don’t think we should” said Stuart quietly and sadly.
Harry was frowning, “Why?” Harry asked.
“You deserve better than me,” said Stuart.
“What?”
“You…You don’t want me, I’m broken,” said Stuart.
Anger, and concern appeared in Harry’s green eyes, “No, you’re not! I want you, you’re the only man who I want to be with, the only man who I ever want to be with. You’re not broken and if you really think that then I will ….I will just have to spend the rest of my life putting you back together”
Harry was silent for a short while, they both were. The ring, for now was placed in the middle of the table.
Stuart felt terrible, he hated that he was making Harry look so sad.
“Stuart, do you love me?” asked Harry after a while.
Stuart nodded, “Yes, yes I love you” he said.
“Do you want to spend the rest of your life with me?”
Stuart nodded, “Yes, more than anything. I…I…I just don’t think that…”
“Don’t worry about what I deserve, okay? I can decide that for myself.”
“I’m not that attractive Harry,” said Stuart.
“You are to me” Harry said.
“I’m not cool or confident and I’m terrible in bed”
“I think you’re cool Stuart and you don’t need to be a confident person. And…and I don’t think you’re bad in bed. I always enjoy it when you make love to me,” said Harry.
Stuart’s tears were now falling down his face as he thought about his health problems, about his depression and social anxiety, he was sure that he would only become a burden on Harry. Harry deserved so much better than him.
Harry was silent again for a few moments before he reached across the table to grab at Stuart’s hands, “Look, I know you have problems Stuart but it’s okay. We’ll figure it all out together and I’ll do whatever I can to help and support you”
“I don’t want to be a burden on you…” said Stuart.
“You won’t be, you won’t ever be. I love you”
“I love you too,” said Stuart. “I love you so much, the thought of you not wanting me anymore scares me.”
“That’ll never happen” Harry said.
Harry leant across the table and kissed Stuart upon the forehead, “I want you now and I always will. Nothing will change that. I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”
"Are...Are you really sure about that?" said Stuart as more tears fell down his face.
Harry nodded , a kind and loving smile on his face. "Yes Stuart , I love you and want to marry you"
Stuart was silent again before a smile appeared on his face and he kissed Harry upon the lips, they kissed for several moments before ending the kiss.
“Okay…I will…I will marry you Harry” Stuart said.
Harry smiled happily, grabbed the small ring box and put the engagement ring onto his boyfriend’s finger.
Stuart pulled Harry into another loving kiss that was returned.
Soon after that they went to their bedroom where they celebrated their engagement together and a few days later they shared with their friends the happy news.