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When David and Matteo get home, they can’t contain their laughter anymore.
David barely manages to shut the door behind them as they giggle like little boys. Matteo slides down against the door until he hits the floor, trying to catch his breath while still laughing. David sits next to him and Matteo leans his head on David’s shoulder.
“They’re- They can’t be that unobservant?” Matteo finally manages to say.
David snorts. His hand finds Matteo’s, thumb coming to rest over the brand-new engagement ring David slid into Matteo’s finger just yesterday. “I think we’re underestimating them,” David snickers.
“No one noticed? Not even Carlos?” Matteo groans, hitting his head against the door.
Absently, David kisses Matteo’s fingers. A smile blooms on his face again, as he slowly suggests, “We could make the most of it? It’ll be fun. Let’s not tell them. Let them notice.”
“Really?” Matteo says, raising his brows. “It’s Jonas, Carlos and Abdi. They’re going to notice, I don’t know, when we send them the wedding invites?”
David just smiles at Matteo. His fiancé.
There had been a time when David had thought he’d never get married. Then, Matteo had come. After years of being together, David had started to think about marriage more and more. He knew matrimony wasn’t the ultimate profession of love these days. When Matteo had started to mention it casually from time to time, David had thought, why not? He took it as a sign, but at first, as always, he went and freaked out about it to Laura. A week later, he went ring shopping, dragging Laura with him, Laura ending up being more excited about it than David.
The ring had stayed hidden for months until yesterday evening.
It hadn’t been the most romantic of proposals. Not that either of them really wanted it to be a grand gesture. They’d been finishing up eating take-away. David had looked at Matteo and thought, yes, I want to marry him.
“Stay there,” had David said to confused Matteo, running to the bedroom to find the box hidden amongst his clothes. He’d returned to the kitchen, got on one knee…
Before David had gotten a word out of his mouth, Matteo had squeaked out a yes.
Now, they are engaged.
In fact, they are getting married. And they are only in their twenties, none of their friends being married, although Carlos and Kiki have a child. Which is, truth be told, more commitment than marriage.
Matteo sighs, playing with David’s fingers with a content smile on his face. There’s nothing David loves more than Matteo’s smile. “Fine,” Matteo says, “But it’s your fault if we can’t get married in years because of their thick skulls.”
“Give it a couple of days,” David shrugs, “You never wear any jewelry so it should be easy to notice.”
They severely underestimate how dense their friends can be.
--
The ring is glinting right there, in Matteo’s finger. A thin silver band, subtle, yet not unperceivable.
Except David is starting to suspect it. Maybe the boys just need glasses. Maybe David should had gone for a flashier ring, even though that is not exactly Matteo’s style.
Matteo isn’t even trying to hide it. Matteo is resting his chin in his left hand. And Jonas – Jonas is talking to Matteo, looking at Matteo’s face. The ring is right there. The most obvious thing ever. David can’t stop looking at it, though he has a good reason. He loves to see that ring on Matteo’s finger.
Jonas takes a break from talking to Matteo because Carlos wants to show him new pictures of his daughter, pictures that Carlos had been showing off to David a minute earlier. The girl has Kiki’s eyes and Carlos’s smile. Her name is Ada. She’s cute.
Matteo looks at David, eyes incredulous. David grins at him and shakes his head in disbelief.
“Why are you two making faces at each other?” Jonas asks.
“It’s nothing,” David and Matteo say in unison.
“They’re so in love,” Carlos points out.
Yeah. If Carlos only knew.
--
They run into Mia at the grocery store. Mia takes one look at Matteo, and says, “Oh, congrats on the engagement!” She embraces Matteo and turns to David.
“Thanks,” David says, returning Mia’s enthusiastic hug. “Please don’t tell anyone.”
She frowns. “Why not?”
David shares a look with Matteo. They both start laughing, making Mia look at them quizzically. “Well, the thing is,” says David, “We’re kind of hoping that the boys notice it themselves.”
“Good look with that,” Mia snorts.
--
Abdi is tucking on David’s sleeve. “Dude,” he whispers.
He knows, David thinks, seeing Abdi’s face and the grin he’s trying to hide.
David waits.
Then, Abdi is shoving his phone at David. “Sam sent me this. Do you think she’s still into me?”
Internally, David sighs.
--
“I want to take your last name,” Matteo says. He’s twirling a noodle around his fork they’re watching TV together. A barely noticeable smile tugs on Matteo’s lips.
“Really?” David says. He doesn’t know what to think about it.
“Yes,” Matteo says, looking almost shy.
“Why? Why would you erase your Italian heritage?” David jokes, but inside, his heart is hammering.
“My name would still be Matteo,” Matteo says, half snorting. “And Florenzi is my dad’s name. You know how I feel about my dad.”
David just hums thoughtfully.
“I’d rather be Mr. Schreibner than Mr. Florenzi,” Matteo adds.
“Okay,” says David.
“Unless… You want to take my name?” Matteo says hesitantly.
Honestly, David hadn’t really thought about it. He’d just assumed both of them would keep their names. “Babe,” he says, “Of course you can take my name if you want to.”
“Thanks,” Matteo says, looking at his noodles. He’s blushing. It’s been a long time since David has made Matteo blush like that. They’re so used to each other – it’s a good thing. A comforting thing. In Matteo, David will always have someone to rely on, and vice versa. “I just want a new name. A new identity,” Matteo continues quietly.
Smiling softly and taking Matteo hand, David says, “I can relate.”
--
Matteo posts a picture on Instagram. The ring can be seen clearly in it. David’s theory is that Matteo took the picture on purpose like that. The eye draws naturally at the ring, or maybe it’s just only David again.
But then Hans comments, MY BUTTERFLY IS ENGAGED CONGRATS!!!!!
Jonas, Carlos and Abdi still don’t notice. Not even Carlos, who likes the picture.
--
David is leaning against a shopping cart at the end of an aisle. Matteo is looking through birthday cards further down. They’re going to Carlos and Kiki’s tomorrow, since their daughter is turning three. The shopping cart is already containing a stuffed toy bunny for Ada and Matteo is holding the tulips that are for Kiki.
David doesn’t really understand why it is taking so long for Matteo pick a card for a three-year-old. Ada may be a demanding a child, but do toddlers even care about birthday cards?
He drums his fingers against the handle to the beat of the song that’s playing.
David snaps out of his thoughts when he hears an old woman talking to Matteo.
“Oh, you’re bringing flowers to your wife? How lovely!”
“Huh?” says Matteo, turning to the woman. “I’m- They’re for my friend’s girlfriend, actually. I’m not married.”
I’m not married.
David looks at his feet.
“What do you mean? You’re wearing a ring,” the woman laughs.
Rolling his eyes, David approaches them. “He’s engaged to me,” he says, taking Matteo by the arm. The woman’s mouth turns to a thin line, her eyes harsh and cold. The disapproval comes off of her in waves. David grabs the first card with a number three he sees and drags Matteo away.
“That card is ugly,” Matteo points out as they reach the check-out.
“I don’t care. Ada won’t care, either,” David mumbles.
He’s so tired of facing blatant hostility all his life. He just wants to be able to call Matteo his husband and have no one be fazed by it.
--
“When’s the wedding?” Kiki asks.
David almost walks into a doorframe. “Um. I- Er,” he elegantly says.
Kiki rolls her eyes, but then smiles. She’s giving the final touch to Ada’s cake and David, who had been bored, has come to the kitchen to see if she needs any help.
“So, you noticed?” David says.
“Please,” Kiki chuckles, “I notice already weeks ago. It’s like Matteo is unconsciously showing it off. Why haven’t you told anyone?”
“It’s stupid,” David snickers, sitting at the table.
“Being engaged is stupid?” Kiki asks, raising her brows.
“No, I didn’t mean it like that,” David explains. He glances towards the living room. Matteo, Jonas and Carlos are in the middle of an animated conversation. Abdi is playing with Ada, flinging her up and down. They seem to be occupied enough, so David continues, “I meant that Matteo and I are doing this stupid thing where we’re purposely not telling Jonas, Carlos and Abdi that we’re engaged. We’re waiting till they notice it themselves.”
Kiki just stares, shaking her head. Then, she sighs, “Men... Whatever. It’s your wedding that’ll be postponed.”
“Don’t tell them,” David says sternly.
Smirking, Kiki says. “I won’t.” Then, she yells, “Okay, who wants cake?”
--
Hanna appears at their doorstep with a bottle of champagne.
“Who told you?” Matteo says to her, sounding tired because he just woke up from a nap, accepting the bottle.
“Alright, it was Mia, don’t be mad at her,” Hanna admits, “But I think it’s hilarious what you’re doing with the boys. Although it may turn out that you’ll never be able to get married. I don’t have high hopes for Jonas.”
Matteo groans and David smiles to himself.
--
“Matteo, you need to go to work,” David says.
Matteo buries himself further into the bed. “I want to get married,” he complains, “Why are they so stupid?”
David throws himself next to Matteo. Matteo’s hair is peeking out from underneath the covers and David can’t stop himself from touching it, twirling the strands with his fingers. He crawls closer to Matteo and whispers to him, “You know, I saw Carlos looking at us for a very long time the other day. His braincells were working really hard, I bet.”
“Are you implying he has multiple?” Matteo replies.
David kisses the back of Matteo’s head. “Go to work, love.”
“I’m so going to marry you…” Matteo mumbles.
Matteo is late to work.
--
It’s a comical moment when Carlos realizes.
It happens in the most casual setting. Carlos and Ada happened to be in the neighborhood, so Carlos ended up in David and Matteo’s kitchen with a cup of coffee, Ada is sitting on the floor, looking at Matteo’s old Pokémon cards.
A comfortable silence lulls around them. Matteo is yawning, nothing new. David is typing down on his computer some concepts for his new short film. The only sound in the apartment is Ada’s little voice as she’s speaking to herself, making up stories about the Pokémon.
“Holy crap!” Carlos suddenly exclaims.
“Carlos!” Matteo says, gesturing towards Ada. “Don’t make me tell Kiki you said that in front of her.”
“You have a ring!” Carlos splutters, waving his arms. “In that finger! How long has it been there?”
“Like, a month and a half?” David replies, his eyes still on the screen.
“How?” Carlos hisses, standing up, pulling at his hair. “How did I miss this? Why didn’t you tell me? Who knows?”
A lot of people know. People that shouldn’t have known before Carlos – like Matteo’s cousins from Italy, two of Laura’s exes, Leonie, Alexander Hardenberg, Abdi’s mom…
Carlos blinks at Matteo. Matteo shrugs. “David and I thought it would be funny.”
“Funny? Not to tell me?” Carlos almost shrieks, forcing himself to calm down a little for the sake of his daughter.
“Yeah, but Jonas and Abdi don’t know either,” Matteo is quick to say.
“Jonas doesn’t know? You tell him everything!” Carlos marvels.
Shrugging, Matteo repeats, “We thought it would be funny. Took you long enough. I mean- The signs were there. This ring was there.”
“Let me see that!” Carlos requests, taking Matteo’s hand. “Wow. Just… wow. It’s so pretty. David, did you pick this?”
“Half the credit goes to Laura,” David admits, “She’s got an impeccable taste.”
“How did it happen?”
So, Carlos wants to know everything.
“Um. Here? I think Matteo was sitting right where he is now,” David says.
“Wow. So, have you set the date?” Carlos asks, eyes sparkling with wonder as he keeps looking at the ring.
“No,” Matteo says, “We’ll go back to it when Jonas and Abdi know.”
“So, everyone knows except them?” Carlos asks.
“Pretty much,” replies Matteo.
“Can I tell them?” Carlos pleads.
David and Matteo look at each other, grinning. “No,” they decide.
--
Sometimes David pictures the wedding. He knows Matteo does that too. He wonders if he thinks about the same things: the colors of the flowers, Ada as the flower girl, Hans definitely crying…
And the two of them dancing, just swaying against each other to the music.
--
“My mom thinks you guys are engaged,” Abdi says with a grin. “Fucking hilarious, like I wouldn’t be one of the first ones you’d tell.”
Matteo shoots David a tired look.
“Abdi,” David sighs.
Matteo lifts his hand and points at the ring.
Abdi’s jaw drops.
--
The guys have invited themselves over at David and Matteo’s place, as it usually goes. When Jonas goes to the bathroom, Carlos and Abdi round up on David and Matteo.
“Can we talk about the elephant in the room?” Abdi asks.
“Elephant?” says Matteo.
“The Jonas-shaped elephant,” Carlos specifies.
“How does he still not know?” Abdi continues, “It’s been two months with that ring on Matteo’s finger.”
“Even Ada knows now,” Carlos points out, shaking his head. “I mean, he drew a picture of you two getting married and showed it Jonas, asking him if he was coming to the wedding. Jonas still didn’t get it.”
“Wow,” David says. Maybe they’re taking this a little too far.
“Would you like to have the drawing?” Carlos asks.
“I’d like that,” says Matteo.
“Carlos!” Abdi says, snapping his fingers to get back Carlos’s attention.
“Just give him more time,” Matteo says, eyeing the bathroom door.
“Or just show him the ring?” Abdi suggests.
“I think he’s already seen the ring… He just doesn’t… See the ring,” David says.
“What ring?” comes Jonas’s voice. The four of them turn to look at him. “What are you conspiring?”
They continue to stare at Jonas. Matteo is deliberately brushing his hair back with his left hand.
The ring is right there.
Abdi groans. “Whatever.”
--
David and Matteo are having a nice time kissing on the couch, complete absorbed in each other, when Jonas barges in with his spare key, and yells, “YOU’RE GETTING MARRIED AND I’M THE LAST ONE TO KNOW?”
“Shit,” Matteo whispers against David’s lips. David winces. Matteo’s hands are still under David’s shirt.
Jonas appears next to them, face surprisingly blank. Matteo and David are frozen, limbs tangled. Neither of them knows what to say. Jonas grabs Matteo’s wrist and pulls the hand from under David’s shirt to himself, lifting it up. He looks at David and points at Matteo’s ring.
“Yes?” David says, trying to sound as neutral as possible. It’s hard to keep his face straight. Jonas’s eyes are so wild, and his mouth is twitching.
Jonas drops Matteo’s hand dramatically, still staring at David.
“Listen, Jonas, it’s kind of your own fault. I have worn this ring for two months,” Matteo says, flopping down and laying his head in David’s lap. Automatically, David’s fingers start to weave through Matteo’s hair.
“Like I’m always looking at your fingers,” Jonas scoffs.
“It was fun… At first,” David says, “We didn’t actually believe it would take literally two months like Mia noticed the first time we saw her.”
“Yeah? She’s Mia,” Jonas sighs, “Honestly, you could’ve just told me. You’d be married already. Think about it!”
David glances down at Matteo, who has a dreamy glint in his blue eyes. “Maybe,” David admits softly. Now that Jonas knows he feels like he can’t wait even a second. Matteo, who’s staring back at him seems to feel the same, smiling a secret smile only David knows. “How did you find out, by the way?” David asks Jonas.
“Carlos and Abdi,” Jonas says with a shrug.
“I knew we should’ve threatened them more,” Matteo mutters, making David hit his shoulder gently. He turns on top of David so that he’s looking properly at Jonas. “Well, Jonas?”
“Well, what?” Jonas says, frowning.
“So, the telepathy isn’t working,” Matteo says.
Rubbing his temples, Jonas says, “I guess not.”
“You guys are weird,” David comments.
“Jonas, will you be my best man?” Matteo asks.
“OH MY GOD, YES!” Jonas shouts, maybe a little too loud, throwing himself at Matteo, making David almost fall off the couch. Jonas is squeezing Matteo’s cheeks, saying, “Yes, you idiot, yes!”
“And we’ll leave Carlos and Abdi to fight over which of them gets to be David’s best man,” Matteo snickers. David can’t even see him, since he’s covered by Jonas draped over him.
“What if I don’t want either of them?” David jokingly points out.
“You can’t do that to them,” Jonas replies, “And who else would you pick? Alexander Hardenberg?”
“Not him, he sucks,” comes Matteo’s voice.
“They’ll have to toss a coin,” David suggests.
“Or you can pick both of them,” says Jonas.
“Or I’ll just pick Matteo up and we’ll elope into Berlin’s night,” David adds.
“I wouldn’t object,” says Matteo.
--
A month later, David comes home from a meeting and stops at their door.
Someone has come and removed the name Florenzi from the door. It just says Schreibner, now.
David smiles and touches the wedding band on his finger.