Ryan's Room: Seeking Advice

[John Hino]

John knocked on the door of the dorm he used to live in.

[Ryan Gabriel]

Ryan opened the door, looking out and seeing his former roommate. "Oh, hey John. What is it?"

[John Hino]

"You have a minute?" he asked, a little embarrassed which could only mean dreaded dating advice.

[Ryan Gabriel]

"Yeah," he said, frowning a little. "Come on in. What's up?"

[John Hino]

John followed Ryan inside.

"You're good with romantic stuff, so I was... umm... wondering if you could help me with..." he said, clearing his throat and deciding to rephrase, "Yeah... I'm going to propose to Bear."

[Ryan Gabriel]

Ryan gave him a guarded look. "This is going to sound like a stupid question, but why?"

[John Hino]

"Because I can't imagine not spending the rest of my life with her."

[Ryan Gabriel]

"So... are you asking me for validation here? Or for some big sweeping specatacle idea?"

[John Hino]

"If I just wanted validation I'd ask Will," he smirked.

"No, not a spectacle. It needs to be about her, not my ability to pay for things. Just... something better than the usual cliche."

[Ryan Gabriel]

Ryan frowned, sitting down. He rested his chin on his hand, considering John closely.

"Bear's not like most girls. So advice that would work for most girls won't apply to her," he remarked, possibly more thoughtfully to himself than to make some point to John.

[John Hino]

"My problem exactly. Not that I know most girls any better."

[Ryan Gabriel]

"And that's the thing. You need to drop everything you've ever seen about proposing. Shows and facebook stories and whatever, just drop it. All of it. All trash. You want to do this perfect, right?"

[John Hino]

"I do," he nodded, "She deserves nothing less."

[Ryan Gabriel]

"Good."

"You've met her family, right?"

[John Hino]

"I have. We did the meet the parents thing through Skype."

[Ryan Gabriel]

"Would really be better if you actually went there," Ryan said. "You want to figure out what will be perfect for her? You've got to actually dip into the life she came from. It's... kind of indescribable."

[John Hino]

"We would have visited if it wasn't for the MRA."

[Ryan Gabriel]

"Oh come on. You're both registered, right? You can get back in to visit, you just can't go making a scene. And there wouldn't be a reason to make a scene in the commune, it's about as off the grid as you can get."

[John Hino]

"I haven't been stateside since it passed. So I... umm... haven't actually registered."

[Ryan Gabriel]

Ryan nodded, thinking. "All right. I can field ideas for you. I can give advice on them. If an idea comes from me, though? Bear knows me. She'll know it was my idea in a heartbeat."

"So I think the best advice I can give you right now? Take time to think, and don't stress it. You CAN come up with something that is perfect. You just need to watch and wait and find that idea. Trust me, it's better that way. She's not going anywhere."

[John Hino]

John nodded slowly.

"Right... it's worth whatever time it takes."

He smirked a little. "Though I've... never needed anyone to tell me to be patient before."

[Ryan Gabriel]

"Yeah, welcome to the world of 'shit you don't want to wait for,'" Ryan said, smirking. "Just relax. Time won't screw anything up, you have to do that yourself."

[John Hino]

"I'd never forgive myself if I screwed up the best thing that's ever happened to me."

[Ryan Gabriel]

"Well, from experience, you eventually would. Sort of. But better not to test the theory."

[John Hino]

"Yeah... no"

"And thanks. I'll... keep thinking."

[Ryan Gabriel]

"Did you have any ideas yet? Starts of ideas? Vague impressions?"

[John Hino]

"I thought maybe I could fit the workshops in somehow. She spends almost as much time there as I do. But that doesn't feel right somehow, even though that's where our relationship started."

[Ryan Gabriel]

He considered it. "It's... a thought," he said, and he didn't seem to be patronizing him. "It might be something you can work in somehow. Just keep it in the back of your head. I'd vote against doing it in the workshop, though, yeah."

[John Hino]

"Yeah... that's too, I don't know, too much like bringing work home I guess."