Chapter Text
Fifteen minutes into their impromptu meetup, Erasmus asks him, “Why did you pick me to help you?”
Laurent considers him. “You’re a good friend of Damen,” he says after a moment. It’s a surprisingly simple thing. “I think you’d know what he’d like. And you’re my friend, too.”
Erasmus flushes. “I know.”
The way he says it, Laurent can tell he’s still confused, so, after a hesitant moment, he offers: “And, Nicaise and Vannes would both just mess with me if I asked them. Jord is about as opinionated as a brick, Auguste is at a conference today, and Nikandros couldn’t keep a secret from Damen if his life depended on it. I suppose I could try Berenger—if I wanted something dreadfully plain. There’s Ancel, too, but then I might as well just buy the most expensive ring in this place and be done with it.”
Erasmus laughs softly at him. It’s already far more than he’d usually share in a normal conversation, but Erasmus is the sort of person who is refreshingly easy to talk to, where there is no judgment or threat of his words being used against him—it’s how they ever became friends in the first place. It’s not like Laurent is the particularly friendly type.
“Also,” Laurent says, nudging Erasmus’ elbow, “I do appreciate your input. You’re my best bet here.”
Smiling brightly, Erasmus twines his arm with Laurent’s and pulls him forwards. “Okay,” he says. “Come on, then.”
The amount of sheer extravagance in the store, Laurent thinks, would probably be enough to feed a very small country. Every surface shines, and through thick glass are rows of necklaces and bracelets and accessories. At Laurent’s request, the storekeeper Guilliame shows them their set of engagement rings.
There is a strange, irrational flutter in Laurent’s stomach, as he peruses Guilliame’s glittering collection; even now, even four years later, whenever Damen is the subject of thought, suddenly Laurent cannot think at all.
The presence of Erasmus at his side makes the entire afternoon considerably less nerve-wracking, and for a while Laurent just allows the mindless chatter, Erasmus pointing out which ones would look nice on Damen and catching up on the most trivial details of Laurent’s life.
“When do you plan to give it to him?”
“I haven’t even bought one yet, Erasmus.”
“Don’t sidestep the question. As if you do anything without thinking twenty steps ahead.”
“I—” Laurent breathes out a laugh. “We’re having dinner out tonight. Just. If the opportunity presents itself.”
Erasmus smiles. “Well, in that case, I sincerely hope it does.”
“Mm. I’ve—well. I’ve asked Nicaise what he thinks, since—if we married—Damen would legally be his guardian as well. And then Theo would be his half-brother, I suppose. I don’t know.”
Erasmus is positively beaming. “Wow.”
“What.”
“Laurent de Vere, you’ve been thinking about this a lot.”
Heat climbs up his neck. “Oh, be quiet.”
“So? What did Nicaise think?”
“I got called a soft, hopeless romantic for my trouble.” Erasmus laughs at him. “But he has no complaints and we both know it.”
After a long deliberation and with Erasmus’ enthusiastic approval, Laurent chooses a thick, gold ring, with an elegant, circular white diamond cut into the top, the design intricate but simple. Laurent cannot help but think of the bright gold on Damen’s dark hands, and the image of it sets his pulse beating faster. Guilliame commends his choice of purchase and wishes him luck.
“I’m so happy for you,” Erasmus says.
“Erasmus, you’re sweet, but he hasn’t even said yes yet.” I don’t even know if I can get up the nerve to ask him, Laurent thinks.
“It’s a little old-fashioned, don’t you think?” Laurent asks later, warming his hands with the cup of hot chocolate. They’re at the nearby coffee shop they used to study in together, back when they were at uni.
“What is?”
“The whole thing,” Laurent says. “Engagement. Marriage.” He’s not entirely sure why he’s voicing these thoughts now—he’s already bought the ring, for fuck’s sake. He’s already made the conscious, deliberate decision that he wants to spend the rest of his life with Damen. He did that years ago, really.
Erasmus looks up from his own cup and stares at him, a little smile lifting his lips. “You really think so? I mean. Same-sex couples couldn’t marry until, well. A few years ago or so. Lots of places they still can’t.”
“I meant—just the idea of it, I suppose. Binding your life to a person. For, supposedly, forever.” It’s almost too much. Almost. Laurent is cold and aloof by a lot of people’s standards, but he is also in love. Cautious as ever, but in love. Trying to explain his point better, he adds, “You and Kallias have been living together for far longer than Damen and I without being married, and you’ve been doing wonderful.”
The tips of Erasmus’ ears turn red. “Yes, but— we weren’t together then, we were just. Looking for a place to stay, and someone to stay with, and we were already close friends, so.” He kicks Laurent under the table. “You and Damen have definitely been in a relationship longer, and you’ve been living together for half that time.”
“More than half,” says Laurent, smiling. He lets the hot chocolate burn his tongue. The little box is a comfortable weight in his jacket pocket, just heavy enough for him to notice and be aware of it. He knows the ring doesn’t necessarily mean marriage, but—it introduces the concept, certainly. They’ve talked about it before, in jokes and sappy conversations, but this—
Erasmus starts laughing.
“What,” Laurent says, flat.
“I’ve never seen you so fidgety.” When Laurent sends him an affronted glare, Erasmus laughs again. Erasmus is one of the few people who laughs at Laurent without a hint of fear of remorse. Laurent is starting to regret it. “I’m sorry, just—you seem to be thinking so hard about it, and—” Erasmus shrugs. “Oh, Laurent, I don’t even know what you have to be worried about.”
“You don’t think so?”
“I’m surprised Damen didn’t beat you to the whole proposing thing.” Erasmus takes his hands. “Laurent, I can’t imagine a world where he’d say no.”