Tom Daley: Proposing to Dustin Lance Black Was A Competition

In a charming interview with England's Evening Standard magazine, Tom Daley opened up about his relationship with filmmaker Dustin Lance Black and discussed everything from meeting for the first time, to the proposal, to having kids.

As it turns out, popping the question, like many things in the 21-year-old's life, was a bit of a competition.

"There was a race," Daley tells the Standard's Susannah Butter. "I took the ring with me from London."

"I could never find a place where we were alone. It's scary to ask, and you're psyched up. Eventually I decided I had to do it and it ended up being in the house. Lance was surprised, but then he went and got the ring he'd bought for me. He'd been having a similar problem. We'd both told each other's parents before flying out."

As for his relationship, it started in Los Angeles. They met at a dinner when Daley was in L.A. for the Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards.

"We started talking and that was it. I was nervous at the beginning -- you really review texts: can you do an emoji, how many kisses or none? When I put my number in his phone I put 'Call me' with a wink face and then I was like, 'Oh my God, should I have done that?'"

Black is 20 years older than Daley, who is now 21, so there were naturally some generational differences.

"He wasn't on Instagram; I taught him that," Daley reveals.

For all his assistance with social media, Black repays Daley by applying his fake tan--"I wear it when I'm feeling pasty"--and puts up with Daley's "experimental baking." Like most of Britain, Daley's a fan of The Great British Bake Off.

As for marriage, Daley says he's doing for all the right reasons.

"Marriage is a sign of commitment between two people and something I always thought would happen when I was a kid. I didn't know it would be with a man, but here he is."

It may be a long engagement, as the two haven't even discussed firm wedding plans and, so far, they're waiting until after the 2016 Rio Olympics. "We haven't thought about anything, not even the cake," Daley says.

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While Daley prepares for next year's games, Black is helping in any way he can, including temporarily quitting some of the finer things in life.

"My boyfriend isn't drinking until after Rio, with me," says Daley. "It makes it a lot easier when someone's doing it with you. Having a glass of something will be the first thing I do after the Olympic platform final."

As for kids, Daley says they'd like to raise a family. Daley says he'd have to be the "bad cop" parent. "If the kid were to smile at Lance, he'd break."

He'd also like to get the kid(s) into sports. "It teaches good discipline. I benefited from that--learning about structure, how to set goals and manage my time. It helps with everyday life."