Chapter Text
Three days later, Pond finally got the ring back.
He refused to discuss the details.
Phuwin, despite the one giving ‘birth’ to the ring, refused to let him avoid discussing the details.
“You owe me a new ring,” Phuwin said from the couch, wrapped in a blanket like a recovering Victorian widow or a lactating omega. Choose your fighter.
Pond, who had already disinfected the ring twelve times and then taken it to a jeweler for professional cleaning, nodded immediately.
“Yes. Absolutely. Anything that you want, my love.”
Phuwin held up the cleaned ring box.
“This one has trauma.”
“I know.”
“But it has lore.”
“So much lore,” Pond nodded in agreement. At this point, he’d agree with anything Phuwin says.
“It has been to many places.”
Pond covered his face. “Please stop.”
Phuwin grinned, “What? I thought you’d agree with everything I say.” He chuckled.
“Nonetheless, I’m keeping it.”
Pond peeked through his fingers.
“You are?” He looked surprised with Phuwin’s decision of keeping the one-of-a-kind ring.
“Of course.” Phuwin opened the box and looked at the ring. “It’s my engagement ring.”
Pond softened, if we wasn’t already in love with Phuwin, he’d fall in love even more.
Then Phuwin added, “And also my emergency medical evidence.”
Pond groaned.
Their friends found out the following evening after seeing Phuwin’s cryptic post on his Instagram story with just a ring emoji on a black background.
Not because Pond told them, he couldn’t.
Because the chats were blowing up, Phuwin finally decided to end their suffering and sent the group chat a photo of the X-ray with no context.
Dunk replied first.
IS THAT A RING????
Joong replied:
WHO’S THAT????
Gemini replied:
Cool. Can I use this for a presentation for Ana 101?
Phuwin replied:
No.
Dunk:
POND NARAVIT WHAT DID YOU DO
Of course, Dunk knew it was his best friend who’s the culprit. Pond threw his phone onto the couch.
“I’m leaving the country. Or better yet, I’m leaving this world.”
Phuwin laughed.
“You’re engaged. You’re not allowed to go anywhere, and you’re not allowed to go to Mars.”
“I can be engaged from another planet.”
“Coward.”
Pond sat beside him and carefully took his hand.
This time, the ring was exactly where it was supposed to be.
On Phuwin’s finger.
Not in sushi.
Not in his stomach.
Not glowing in an X-ray like a cursed treasure.
Pond kissed his knuckles one by one until he arrived on Phuwin’s ring finger. He kissed the ring too, no matter where it had been.
“I’m sorry,” he said softly.
Phuwin’s teasing faded.
He looked at the ring.
Then at Pond.
“I know. I know you’ll never endanger me on purpose.”
“I just wanted it to be perfect.”
“It was not.”
Pond winced.
Phuwin smiled.
“But it was ours.”
Pond’s face softened.
“That sounds like something people say when something is terrible but meaningful.”
“It was terrible.”
“Right.”
“But meaningful.”
Pond leaned closer.
“Do you regret saying yes?”
Phuwin looked at him like the answer was obvious.
“No.”
Pond smiled.
Phuwin lifted his hand, admiring the ring.
“But for the wedding, I am planning everything. You are not allowed to plan for us anytime soon.”
Pond nodded solemnly.
“Understandable.”
“And you are banned from hiding jewelry in food.”
“Yes.”
“And drinks.”
“Yes.”
“And desserts.”
“Yes.”
“And soup.”
Pond blinked.
“I wasn’t thinking about soup.”
“I’m covering all possibilities. I know you and how wild your imagination can get.”
“Fair enough.”
Phuwin leaned against him.
Pond wrapped an arm around his shoulders.
For a while, they sat quietly, looking at the ring on Phuwin’s hand.
It was beautiful.
A little cursed now, maybe.
But beautiful.
Pond kissed the top of Phuwin’s head.
“I love you.”
Phuwin smiled.
“I love you too.”
A moment passed.
Then Phuwin said, “You know, technically, I said yes before I wore the ring.”
Pond hummed.
“Because the ring was inside you.”
Phuwin nodded.
“So I was the ring bearer.”
Pond stared at him.
Phuwin smiled proudly with his joke.
Pond closed his eyes.
“I’m canceling the wedding.”
“No, you’re not.”
“No,” Pond admitted. “I’m not.”
Phuwin laughed.
And Pond, who had once thought the perfect proposal involved sushi, timing, and a hidden ring, realized that love was not about the plan surviving.
Sometimes love was the disaster.
Sometimes love was the hospital X-ray.
Sometimes love was saying yes while your engagement ring was still somewhere inside your fiancé’s digestive system.
And sometimes, if you were very lucky, the person you loved would laugh, call you stupid, and still give you their hand in marriage.
This time, Pond held it carefully.
No hiding.
No tricks.
No sushi.
Just Phuwin.
Just his sweetest and most precious “yes”.
Just their forever, beginning in the most ridiculous way possible.