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“Do you have it? The ring?”
Ash looks up from the book in his hands and nods. “I do.”
“When are you going to-”
“Soon.” Ash cuts him off. Shorter sits back on the chair, folds his arms across his chest and shakes his head.
“I need to say something to the guys. Can’t you be a bit more specific?” He says, and Ash’s lips twitch as he fights back a smile.
“Stop acting like children. When I propose, you’ll know.”
“I still don’t understand why you’re taking so long. He loves you, you know.”
“I know.” Ash closes the book and rubs his eyes. “I just want to be sure.”
“What? That he’s the right guy and shit?”
Ash chuckles. “No, I already know that.”
“Then why?”
“I just want to be sure that he-” Ash pauses and heaves a sigh. “That he’s okay with it, you know?”
“Okay with marrying you?”
“Okay with putting up with me this long.”
“It’s Eiji we’re talking about man.” Shorter smiles. There’s this fondness in his voice - it grows quieter, softer - whenever he talks about Eiji; like the thought of him alone is enough to calm him down, and Ash thinks he understands. “If you tell him to stay, he will.”
“I know.”
“Then why do you keep chickening out?!”
A couple of heads turn their way, and some people even hold a finger to their lips as they shush him. Shorter scrunches his nose and mutters something about hating libraries, and Ash can’t help the shit-eating grin that touches his lips.
“I don’t chicken out, idiot. I’m just waiting for the right moment.”
“And when exactly is that right moment?”
“Wouldn’t you want to know.” Ash picks up his book and leaves the table. Shorter stands up and follows him.
“He’s my friend too, you know. He’s been waiting for you to ask him to marry you for so long it’s ridiculous.”
“Don’t you think I know that?” Ash grunts, smile turning into a frown. He places the book on a pile of others, before he puts his hands in his pockets and makes his way to the exit. Can’t Shorter just take a fucking hint and drop the subject already?
“Look. I’m just saying that you better hurry before he wakes up one morning, says fuck it and asks you to marry him himself.”
Ash throws his head back and laughs, all the tension leaving his shoulders. God, that would be quite a sight.
“Okay, okay. I’ll do it soon.” He says, means it too.
“Good. You have the ring now, so the only thing holding you back is yourself.”
“I know.” Ash says for what seems like the hundredth time that morning.
“You’re back early.”
That’s the first thing Eiji says when Ash walks into the room. His smile widens when he stands up from the couch and walks over to him. Ash takes in his appearance and gulps in an attempt to get rid of the newly formed lump in his throat.
Eiji is wearing one of his shirts. Again.
He wants to complain, he really is just about to, but Eiji wraps his arms around his neck and presses his lips on his, and Ash forgets whatever it was that he was going to say. His shoulders relax as he brings his own arms around Eiji’s waist to press their bodies together.
Eiji hums. Ash presses his tongue on Eiji’s lower lip to deepen the kiss, but Eiji doesn’t open his mouth and pulls away instead.
“Why’d you stop?” He mumbles, placing a kiss on Eiji’s lips again.
“Because the food-” Eiji stops talking when Ash leans in for yet another kiss. He hums but places his hands on Ash’s chest and pushes him back a little. “The food will get cold.”
“Do I look like I care?” Ash kisses him again; this time he cups Eiji’s cheek and caresses it with his thumb. This time he takes Eiji’s lower lip between his teeth, and this time it isn’t Eiji who breaks the kiss. It’s Ash, but he breaks it only so he can kiss Eiji’s neck instead.
Eiji makes a noise and slips out of his arms. Ash follows him with his eyes as he disappears into the kitchen. “It took me a while to make this; I’m not going to let it get cold just because you can’t be a little bit patient!”
Ash chuckles and shakes his head, but he doesn’t complain and goes after him nonetheless.
“It smells good.” He says, opening one of the cupboards and taking two plates out. He gives them to Eiji, approaches one of the drawers and takes two forks.
“Of course it does. I’m the one who made it.”
“Yeah, yeah.” Ash rolls his eyes and plants a kiss on the back of Eiji’s neck, chuckling to himself when Eiji jumps a little. “But does it taste good?”
“Why don’t you take a bite and find that out yourself?”
They’re close to finishing their meal when Ash takes a deep breath and says. “Are you free this evening?”
“I think so.” Eiji looks up at him. “Why?”
“It’s a date, then.” Ash folds his hands and rests his head on them. “Meet me in the living room, at seven. I want to show you something.”
Eiji hums and goes back to eating. He talks about the cat that keeps scratching their door every morning only a few seconds later. Ash tries to calm his racing heart; it’s ringing in his ears, and for some reason, he’s scared Eiji may be able to hear it too.
“Did you have fun?” He squeezes Eiji’s hand. Eiji unlocks the door and opens it. The tension leaves Ash’s shoulders as they get inside. It feels good to be home.
“I did.” Eiji says, before he flashes Ash a smile. “The restaurant was a little too fancy to my liking, but I liked it.”
Ash returns the smile and pecks him on the lips.
“That’s good.”
He wraps his arms around Eiji’s waist and buries his face on his shoulder, sighing at the warmth that spreads through his body.
“I love you.” Eiji says, and something inside Ash clicks.
“Eiji, I-” His mouth goes dry and his throat tightens, but he bites the inside of his cheek and continues. “I wanted to ask you something. At the restaurant. But I- there were all those people and it really wasn’t such a great idea.”
Eiji pulls away just enough to look at Ash’s face. “What is it?”
“I- I wanted to ask if you… if you want- I mean, if- if-”
“It’s okay, take it easy.” Eiji’s chuckle is warm and his eyes are kind, and Ash reminds himself that it’s Eiji he’s talking to, the person he trusts most. “Don’t push yourself.”
“Will you marry me?”
Eiji’s smile fades and his mouth opens. He looks at Ash like he’s grown a second head, and for a moment Ash wishes he could take his words back.
“Ash, I-”
“I- I’m sorry Eiji, this isn’t how it’s supposed to-” He takes his hands off of him and takes a step back, but Eiji gets a hold of his wrists and holds him in place, and he kisses him.
It’s Ash’s turn to be surprised now. His mouth opens and closes like that of a fish when Eiji pulls away, but no words come out.
“You have no idea how long I’ve been waiting for you to say that.” Eiji says.
He’s wearing one of those heartwarming grins of his, and the sight creates a tingling sensation in the pit of Ash’s stomach. He smiles back and places his forehead on Eiji’s.
He doesn’t realize he’s crying until Eiji reaches up and wipes his tears. He gulps back a sob.
“So it’s a yes?”
“Of course it’s a yes, you idiot!” Eiji’s eyes are shining with unshed tears, and it comforts Ash in a way, the thought that Eiji is just as happy as he is.
“Wait, the ring! It’s-” Ash scolds himself inside his head for not having taken it out earlier. He almost drops the small, black box as he takes it out of his pocket, but when he curses under his breath Eiji throws his head back and laughs, and he doesn’t feel so bad about it anymore. He gets down on one knee and slides the ring on Eiji’s finger.
“I love you.” He could say it a million times and it still wouldn’t be enough. “I love you, I love you, I love-”
“I love you too.” Eiji leans in for another kiss when Ash stands up, and warmth fills Ash’s chest.
He kisses Eiji’s nose, his cheeks, his forehead, his jaw. They’re clumsy kisses, a bit too forceful because of how shaken up he is, but Eiji doesn’t seem to mind. He wraps his arms around Ash’s neck and buries his face in his chest, his tears soaking Ash’s shirt.
Relief. That’s all Ash feels. He holds Eiji in his arms and swears to never let go.