SoA: The proposal

SoA: The proposal

A/ N: oh, what am I going to do with these two? Of course, this one goes a lot deeper than it seems. The background music is « All of me » by John Legend. I always cry when I listen to this. This is over the top cheesy but sue me!

xxxxxxx

«Guys! Guys! Attention, please ! »

Asma's voice was drowned in the humdrum of the bar. There was a lap dance contest and it was Lyla's turn to dance on Opie. The temperature of the bar at risen since the girls decided to have their fun. Delaney, Bonnie and Mercy were throwing money at Lyla for each sway of her hips and skillfully bounce on Opie's bulge. He was told not to touch Lyla or he lost the bet so Juice, Chibs and Bobby were encouraging him NOT to so they wouldn't have to lose the bet money they put on him. The air was electric, Jessica was sitting on Jax' lap, chugging down her beer while watching the family have fun. It had to look like a normal day, one of those short-lived peaceful days when nothing dreadful happened. At least, that was what it looked like. Brad glanced at Jessica who had been nervous ever since they arrived at the bar. Her eyes shifted from the lap dance contest to Asma who was sitting on Tig's lap, her hands holding the bottle of beer the waiter gave her. She was waiting for the signal, as they had rehearsed over and over again for a couple of weeks but it wasn't coming. Was Asma freaking out? It was hard to tell with so much noise and so many people around. Tig didn't seem alarmed, and therefore, Asma couldn't possibly be freaking out at the moment. It still got Jessica to think, and review all the contingency plans she kept in mind in case the night turned into a fiasco.

«Guys! » -Asma yelled, forcing people to stop what they were doing-

Right on cue, they focused their attention on the tattoo artist. Jax and Jessica told the others that Asma was trying to surprise Tig that night, and therefore she would request their complete attention at some point. It was already unusual for Asma to be under the spotlight, but it was even more of a surprise for them to know she wanted to surprise Tig. Alex « Tig » Trager couldn't be surprised. He was known as a crazy man who did it all, both inside and outside a bed, both with the outsides and the insides of a body. He was known for his violent crazy nature and fast-paced drug and sex-filled life. Many didn't bet on Asma and him. They didn't think the couple stood a chance. How could a law-abiding, alcoholic messy woman tame an unhinge, out-of-control man? They had everything against them, from the very fact she had a history with violent and abusive men and he had a history of having the people he loved killed, this including members of the sons. But it worked. It lasted 22 months to be very exact and here they were. Two broken souls who somehow found a way to support and help the others. Two pieces of a patchwork that somehow worked well together.

Jessica's features relaxed as the family finally stopped their shenanigans to listen to the young woman. Lyla simply sat on Opie who shifted the chair so he could have a better look at Asma. The bartender lowered the sound of music so Asma's voice wouldn't drown in the noise. Tig curbed his brows, his cerulean eyes were giving Asma a questioning look. What had gotten to her? She wasn't the kind to make a public speech, let alone grab everyone's attention. She had been acting strangely that night, tugging at that oversized orange top of hers while glancing at everyone. She tried to catch Jessica's attention all night but there were always people stealing her attention away. From Brad who was joking with Tig and called him a «soft dick » now that he was besotted with Asma. When Brad and Tig shared a beer and Asma wanted to leave so she could talk to Jessica, she realized her sister was talking and sucking faces with Jax. Then music happened, lap dance contest happened, waves of laughter, conversations ended up draining her will to stand up and begin her speech. Until now, that was.

« Guys... I.. You know how much tattoos mean to me, right? »

«Right! » They answered back, encouraging her to keep talking. Asma looked at them and sheepishly smiled at all. Jessica smiled to herself, thinking that despite her fears, she didn't have to worry this much. They knew her sister, they took her in. Eventually, Asma grew closer to all of them when Jessica was missing, or maybe some other event had it happen but it felt like a huge relief for the red queen. Jax felt her shiver a little and gently entwined his fingers with his wife's, giving her silent support.

« Well, then... I have a new one I want to show you. » Asma tucked some hair behind her ear and removed her top, exposing her midriff and a black sports bra. They could see her chest heave up and down as she was nervous. Tig was staring at her, almost transfixed as he had never seen his Bella like this, bold, loud... it felt like a speech was coming. Asma dropped her top and slowly turned around, so the whole crew could have a good look at it. « The water lilies right there, they're me. They're... all up their feelings like I am. Soft, sweet, almost hard to notice for those who don't venture near swamps and lakes. I was drifting apart when I met you. I was... I am...a mess. I'm a mess! » She looked up at the ceiling before pointing up to the skull and the pistols. « The skull and pistols? They're you. That's you right there on my skin. You know damn well that... » She choked up. « Damn well that you're my family. I know... I know in my heart what's going on and it doesn't matter if you say shit about it because I love you. As you are. Outlawed or not, fucked up or not... I just. » She patted the tattoo and stopped turning around so she could stare at Jessica.

Suddenly the room became heavy. Tig eyes were intensely staring at Asma's back. He didn't quite know what to make of it and so did the others. They weren't expecting Asma to say something to them and were looking at her and each other with incredulous gazes on.

« You're my family... » Asma repeated, patting her tattoo again. « You're my family, right? » That was a bold statement. Asma could feel her heartbeats become faster and clenched and unclenched her fists in anticipation of rejection. It wouldn't happen, come on, they couldn't possibly reject you, now could they? She looked at them, lifting her brows as she started to worry but Opie raised his beer, quickly followed by others who now had something they could do with themselves. « Right ?... »

«RIGHT! »

They cheered on her, that seemed to be the right thing to do. It wasn't every day that something this cheesy happened, let alone that someone so genuinely professed their love to the whole group. They were a band of misfits, of badass motherfuckers who had seen evil, done evil and would fucking do it again. But they were human too and with it, came a softer side. Asma's antics were odd but welcomed. She was genuine in her way to express her feelings, unconventional to say the very least, fitting right here with the criminals.

Asma took a deep breath before moving her fingers up to the ribbon and the names on it. « And here...There are three names. Jax, Opie and finally Jess. Jessica. » She cleared her throat and looked straight into her sister's eyes. Jessica felt her throat tighten but she kept a smile on her face. Discreetly, her hand was holding onto Jax tighter, mostly because she knew a big speech was coming and could feel her heart soar into her chest. Tig put his elbows on his thighs and leaned his chin against the back of his hands as he watched his Bella give a speech he wasn't prepared for. She was taking confidence as she felt accepted and the smiles she was giving now warmed his unholy heart. Opie straightened up on his chair, his arms holding onto his wife tighter. She had his name on her skin? Alongside with Jax and Jessica's? Lyla glanced at him and wrapped her arm around his neck. She lovingly stared at him and glanced at Asma again.

« I came to Charming to die. That was the version of me you met. An alcoholic who lost everything and everyone and was ready to just choke on my own vomit. I came here to die. » She trailed off and closed her eyes, allowing a couple of tears to roll. « And one day, I met you, Jax and Piepie...Jax and he came earlier to my parlour for a tattoo. He wanted your name on his skin so I obliged. Seeing the brotherhood between him and Piepie, seeing them get close to each other and listen to him talk about you made me reconsider my opinion on you. You saved my life. Jax and you. Your love did. Piepie's friendship did...somehow when I inked your skin, I was...shown another way. » She kept her eyes closed. « You helped me stay clean. Jax helped me when I failed to stay clean. Opie helped me on days I was missing booze and I wanted to get wasted. Opie welcomed me in the family, he was my first friend among you guys. He made it easier for the others to notice me. But Jessica, you... with you... » She took a deep breath and opened her eyes so she could see her chocolate haired sister who was having troubles holding back her tears. « … I was reborn. That's just it. I cannot do you justice with words but I was reborn because of you and I love you. So fucking much. »

« I love you too. » Jessica managed to say, wiping tears off of her eyes before she gently waved at her and moved her finger around to remind her to turn around. Asma wiped her eyes and chuckled.

« I speak so much I almost forgot someone. » Tig watched his girlfriend, crying her eyes out after she was pouring her heart out like that. He cleared his throat and scratched the back of his neck.

« Bella... » She put her fingers on her lips and gently invited him to come closer.

« You've never seen this tattoo before, please come closer. »

Now was the moment. The music had stopped and nobody realized it. All eyes were on the couple staring at each other at this moment. Alex stood up and quickly got on his knees so he could have closer look at her tattoo. His eyes read his name and read her name. It took a minute before he realized she had written on her Asma Trager. He put his hands on her hips and looked up at her, his eyes almost filled with unshed tears but his heart racing like it was Grand Turismo or something. « What is... » She cupped his cheeks and gently stroked his face.

« Please, don't say a word, let me speak. » He nodded, his mouth slightly gaped as he couldn't believe his eyes. « I thought I was unloveable. It had to be true since the people I fell in love with tried to break me. They broke me... ah damn. » She shook her head. « But suddenly, I discovered I could be loved. I still, I still remember the very lame joke you said when you talked to me the first time. I still remember the way you smelled when you first kissed me. I still remember the day you asked me out and said you wanted to date-date me. And your first Bella I learned to love, even when I'm mad at you. » She moistened her lips and wiped some of her tears. « There are nights when I am afraid, Alex. Afraid for you. I can't imagine you not coming back to me...ever. But I know it could happen and I signed for it too, when I agreed to be your girlfriend. There are nights I am afraid of you...of what you could do. Of what you could say but always, and I mean it! Always, you do your best to make me feel safe again, even if that means you have to leave the room. » She took a deep breath. « We're not perfect, Tig, we're far from perfect. But...I don't want you to perfect. I want to be imperfect with you. Always... and forever so. So Alex Trager, would you....marry me? » She broke the question, her hands still stroking his cheeks. He was staring at her with eyes wide open.

It had never happened before, that a woman so freely claimed her love for him and proposed to him. It wasn't how things were supposed to be. He had entertained the idea of making her his old lady already and truly wanted to but he didn't think she would be ready for this. And here she was, breaking all of his expectations, asking for him to become her husband, surrounded with friends and family. He was left speechless, his heart was beating up his ribcage. If he wasn't already kneeling before her, he would have fallen on his knees. She was looking at him, her fingers still stroking his cheeks. The whole room was silent now, they all were waiting for a response, a « yes » or a « no » but something, anything. The silence was torturing the most impatient of them all but for once, Asma was patient. She was waiting for him to adjust to what had just happened.

« Married ?... you want us... you... »

« Yes... yes I do. I want to marry you. » She quickly replied.

«Me? » She nodded, her fingers slowly massaged his scalp as his eyes were shifting from left to right for a while. « Me?... » She made an approval sound, still stroking his shoulders and his scalp.

« Do you want it too? » She whispered, slowly kneeling in front of him so he would focus on her and her only. She looked beautiful this night, her eyes were still red from all those tears, but she was beautiful. He cupped her cheeks with his large calloused fingers and had her lean into his touch.

« Yes !!! YES! » He said, kissing her lips. The fucking sigh of relief that was released by the whole family felt like thunder and they broke into applause and whistles. They exploded with joy, literally making noise, screaming and hugging each other as they were happy. Tig lifted Asma and carried her around like a bride, screaming like a lion as he was drunk with happiness.

« Things went just as planned then. » -Jax voice reached out Jessica's ears-

She turned to him and pressed her lips to his. The blonde MC smiled at her, knowing full well how relieved she felt that Tig accepted to marry Asma. She had been talking non-stop about this event all week long, so to see her happy made him happy too.

« She deserves to be happy. She's always been so supportive of us. » She said, leaning against him and enjoying his protective arms around her frame.

« She does... She is happy, look at her. » Jax whispered, his lips gently kissing the top of his wife's head. « Can you believe it? Tig's getting married? I was hoping it would be Nero or Chibs. It gotta be the crazy guy. »

« Chicks dig crazy. I dig your crazy. »

« I dig yours too. » He said, kissing her lips again.

-TBC-