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Will watches Nico hover by the closet. This was always one of his favorite parts of his morning. His boyfriend of five years was currently shirtless, hair wavy and damp, smelling like Will’s shampoo since he’d run out of his own two days ago and refused to go to the store for just one thing. Will only has a few more minutes to admire Nico in just his underpants before he pulls on his usual work pants.
“Should I go with the blue shirt or this one?” Nico asks without even turning around.
“Blue.”
“Do you think the ring Rachel gave me would match that, though? I’m meeting her for lunch today.”
“Baby, you know you make anything work.”
“Flattering but not helpful,” Nico huffs.
Will rolls his eyes. “I trust your judgment.”
“Again: not helpful.”
“Fine, wear the other one.”
Nico shrugs it on, buttoning up the shirt. It fits perfectly over his shoulders, framing the man Nico had grown into. Will loves this man. Though he’d also loved the younger, less confident (and shorter) Nico. Will think he’d probably love every version of Nico. If that were possible.
Nico moves toward the dresser to pick out his rings for the day. Each of his rings was lovingly displayed on Nico’s side of the dresser. Will thinks it looks a bit like those museum displays of fancy jewelry, but he’d much rather see this display any day. He knows the story behind every ring and could probably guess when Nico was going to wear them.
“Can I see?” Will asks. He should be getting ready, too, but he loves these moments. He loves the way Nico’s expression morphs whenever someone asks about his rings, especially when they seem genuinely interested.
Nico holds out his hands so Will can see the rings he’s chosen this morning. Rachel’s ring wraps around his index finger, a beautiful silver band with a complicated pattern engraved in the metal. It resembled stained glass, complete with tiny drops of color interspersed throughout. The other rings weren’t as flashy today, but they complimented each other well.
Will tugs Nico down gently so he can kiss his lips.
“You’re going to be late,” Nico says.
“I’m never late.”
“Coffee isn’t breakfast, sunshine.” Will pouts. Nico did have him there. He was always hungry when he got to work. “C’mon, if you hurry, I can make you some eggs before you go.”
Will pecks Nico’s lips once more before getting out of bed.
-
Will had the perfect plan. He knows most people usually had elaborate plans for proposing, but he didn’t think Nico would like any of that. So he’d planned a nice night at home: dinner, movie, lots of cuddling, proposal. Simple. What could go wrong?
He’d been working on his cooking skills since moving in with Nico, and now Will could safely make an assortment of dishes without burning anything. He’d carefully chosen one of those items for tonight’s meal, and he was heating up garlic bread in the oven.
“Smells good,” Nico says. Will knows it sounds cliché, but he’s always loved it when Nico fell into a scene straight out of a movie. Plus, it fit with tonight’s theme.
Nico sheds his jacket and shoes before coming over to kiss Will. He wraps his arms around Will’s shoulders, and Will shivers when the warm metal of Nico’s rings touches his neck. It’d been something to get used to when he and Nico started dating, but now he loves it. None of his previous partners ever liked to wear rings, but Nico hardly left the house without them. He sometimes even picked out a few just to wear around the house.
“How was work?”
“The usual. But there’s talk of us getting a new exhibit. No idea what of yet, though.”
Will smiles. The pasta was almost ready, and the apartment smelled like garlic.
“Dinner’s almost ready if you want to change quickly,” Will says.
Nico nods, disappearing into their bedroom for a few minutes. When he comes back, he’s in sweatpants, and Will notices he’s switched out a few of his rings. Nico always wore his family ring, but he would usually have anywhere from two to five other rings on his fingers at any time. (He always took them off to sleep and shower and wash dishes, though.) Will plates the pasta and sets the table.
Dinner continues like any other night, both of them chatting about work and then sitting in comfortable silence as they finish their meals. Will can’t help himself from continually glancing at Nico’s hands. He wore his family ring on his right hand, ring finger. But the finger for a wedding ring was always empty. Will can’t help but wonder if that’s a sign. Or if Nico even realized he was doing it.
After dinner, they load the dishwasher and migrate to the couch. Will lets Nico pick the movie while he tries to figure out the right way to segue into it. He doesn’t want Nico thinking he’s just being cheesy or just trying to butter Nico up. But he wanted to do it now, before the movie, or else Nico might feel the ring box in his pocket and ask about it.
“Hey, Nico?” Will asks. He’s suddenly hit with nerves.
“Uh-huh?” Nico doesn’t look away from the screen.
“We’ve been dating for five years now, you know,” Will says. Gods. He’d had a speech memorized. Where was it now?
“Shoot, did I miss our anniversary?” Nico asks, looking at Will now.
“No, I was just— you know, um. Here.” He fumbles for his pocket, thinking that Nico might get an idea of where this was going if he saw the box. He pulls it out, feeling a little better when Nico’s face breaks into a grin. “I really love you, Nico, and I want us to be together forever. I got the pattern because it means—“
“You got me a ring?” Nico asks. Will’s given him at least half a dozen rings over the years, but it never fails to excite Nico. “Oh my gods, it’s beautiful! Put it on! Put it on!”
Will’s a little caught off-guard, but he quickly opens the box and puts it over Nico’s ring finger. Nico beams at him, holding it out so he can see it.
“Nico, will you—“
“Hold on, I need better light.”
Will sighs. Was this a yes? Nico’s turned on the living room lights now, holding up his hand. It wasn’t a flashy ring. While Nico did like jewels, he didn’t like how they got caught on his hair or on some of his looser clothing, so Will had made sure to get it inlaid. The band was twisted like a braided vine with little diamonds embedded. He’d liked the idea that the vine could symbolize growth and prosperity, two things he wanted with Nico.
“I love it, Will. Thank you!” Nico pulls him into a hug, grinning. “Oh, and I think I found the perfect movie for tonight.”
Will hesitates. Should he clarify that this was a yes? Or was this a no and Nico was just trying to be nice about it? Should Will feel disappointed or should he try again? He’s glad Nico likes the ring, but would it be awkward to bring it up now?
“Will, cuddle me,” Nico whines, and Will feels such a surge of love for this man. Maybe he can pop the question tomorrow.
-
“People are so weird lately,” Nico says, wrinkling his nose as Will sits down.
“Elaborate please.” It’s been a week since the failed proposal and it’d never felt like the right time to bring it up. Nico had been wearing the ring since then, even on his ring finger, but he hadn’t said anything to Will. So were they engaged?
“They keep staring at me and smiling. Or saying congrats. Like I know we have a new exhibit coming in, but it’s not like I had a part in that. Or, I mean, I did. But it’s not like I personally organized it or am going to be taking care of it.”
“Maybe it’s something else?” Will asks.
Nico frowns, thinking. Will waits. He opens up his lunch for today. He’d brought his usual, a sandwich and some chips. He’d also brought another ring, one he’d been saving for their actual anniversary, in a couple of months. But maybe this one was more suited for an engagement ring than the other one.
Will had gotten this one engraved with their initials, a little heart between them. The band was made from tungsten, the outside smooth and polished. He’d gotten it sized for Nico’s thumb, but Nico had clearly not recognized the symbolism of the ring finger. Maybe he’d recognize the heart.
“Hey, baby,” Will says. He’s a little nervous to do this again. This would be more public, though there wasn’t anyone in the secluded courtyard right now. They were in a part that was for employees only, and most of the other employees went out or preferred to eat in the cafeteria or gardens.
Nico looks up, and Will glances down at his fingers. His left thumb was available, and the black would at least match his outfit today.
“I, uh, got you something.”
Nico lights up, instantly excited. “Food?” he guesses. “I kept eyeing the vending machine today, even though I know it’s a scam. They don’t even have the good gummy worms! Or ring pops!”
Will laughs. “Maybe you should send them another email.”
“I just might do that. So what did you get me?”
Nico was like a bird with gifts. He loved every little thing. Before they’d moved in together, Will had stumbled across the box Nico kept all of the knickknacks in that didn’t have an official home yet. Some of the things he didn’t even remember giving Nico, but it was really sweet that Nico knew exactly what they were.
“I know it’s a little cheesy, but I couldn’t resist,” Will says. “Since you mean so much to me, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you.” He fumbles with the ring box. He’s so glad Nico doesn’t keep all of the boxes anymore. They wouldn’t have any room for much else.
“Another ring? Will, you didn’t have to.” Will smiles. Even though Nico’s trying to be humble, it was clear he wanted to see the ring immediately. “Are you really sure you didn’t do something? Two rings in one month?”
“I promise I didn’t do anything. I just want you to know how much I love you. And that I want to grow old with you.”
“I wanna grow old with you, too.” He holds out his hand, looking at his rings. “I’ll probably have to get them all resized. Or figure out how to keep my hands from getting all bony.”
Will laughs, opening the box. Nico takes it out of the box carefully, rolling it between his fingers before catching sight of the engraving. He leans over to peck Will’s cheek before sliding the ring over his thumb. It fits perfectly, though Will knew it would. He had all of Nico’s sizes down.
“I like the weight,” he says. “It feels like this one.” He points to his family ring. The large crest made the ring heavier, and Nico liked to joke that it made his ring finger buffer than the other ones.
“So yes?” Will asks.
Nico looks confused for a moment. “Yes, it’s perfect.”
Will has to stop himself from deflating. He doesn’t want their engagement to start out on a sour note. But didn’t Nico get it? And why couldn’t Will just say the words? Gods, why was this so hard? How did other people do this?
He’s about to clarify when Nico’s alarm goes off, signaling the end of his lunch break. Will wasn’t about to make Nico late for work, even to get engaged. So he kisses his boyfriend, admiring the ring on his finger. One of these days, he was going to be engaged to this man. He just hopes it’s before they actually grow old together.
-
It’s Hazel’s birthday, and they’re spending it at the beach. It’d been hard to coordinate with everyone’s work schedules, so it was only Hazel, Leo, Nico, and Will. They were having a party with everyone later, but it was still nice to spend this time together.
“I got the snacks!” Leo says. “Let’s get this party started!”
“And I brought the sunscreen,” Will says. “Make sure everyone gets some.”
“Yes, mom,” Nico mumbles, but he grabs the tube from Will.
Leo winks at them. “I call shotgun.”
“You’d better give me the correct directions this time,” Hazel says.
“I’ve never not gotten us there,” Leo says. “I just like the scenic route.”
“Well, the scene I’d like to see today is the beach I planned to visit.”
Leo grins. “You got it! Only an hour away.”
Hazel eyes the directions for a minute before letting Leo take his phone back. Will’s just glad that they’d gotten the snacks before getting there this time. The second and third time they’d let Leo give directions, they’d had to stop at some sketchy gas stations a few times because they were all so hungry or had to pee.
Nico fiddles with his rings while looking out the window. He’s only wearing two today since rings could be easily lost at the beach. He usually took them off if he was going in the water. It seemed a little strange to see Nico’s hands so bare, though Will had seen them plenty of times completely bare. It felt intimate in a way no rated R movie would ever be.
“Don’t be creepy,” Nico says.
“I’m not creepy.”
“You’re staring. Look out your own window.”
“Maybe I like the view better.”
Nico grins, his cheeks a light pink. “Take a picture. It’ll last longer.”
“You two are weird,” Leo calls. “Also, turn right. Now.”
“Which way?”
“Right!”
They all brace themselves as Hazel makes a sharper than necessary right turn. “A little heads up.”
“I said to turn right.”
“You said—“
Will tunes them out. “So, can I take a picture?”
Nico rolls his eyes, but he looks back out the window when Will gets his phone out. He did make a nice photo like this, his head resting on his hand, his hair pulled back in a bun, sunglasses resting on his head. He had a profile so uniquely Nico that Will thinks he could pick it out of any lineup.
Will leans across the seat, tugging on Nico’s arm. “Take a selfie with me.”
“You get ten selfies today,” Nico says.
“Fifteen.”
“Nine.”
“Okay, fine! Ten. So yes?”
Nico leans into Will’s side, his head resting casually against WIll’s shoulder. Will snaps a photo.
“You’re a dork. Don’t share that one. My hair is a mess.”
“It looks cute.”
“That means messy,” Nico says.
“It means cute.” Nico shakes his head, but he’s smiling.
By the time they get to the beach, they’ve made three detours, and Will’s taken five more pictures. He makes sure everyone’s put in sunscreen, and then they’re dividing up everything to carry. He gets stuck with the stack of towels. Nico gets the snacks. Hazel has the cooler of drinks and actual food. Leo brought a boogie board and some little robot that looks like it’s supposed to dig up sand.
“It’s going to help me make the best sandcastle ever,” he explains.
“As long as it’s not throwing sand all over me,” Nico says.
“No promises.”
It doesn’t take them too long to find the perfect spot. The beach isn’t too crowded as it’s a Wednesday, but there were enough people to remind them that it was a tourist spot.
“Lunch first,” Hazel says. “I’m starving.”
“All the sightseeing,” Nico grumbles.
“Hey, you loved those cows.”
“I’ve seen many cows before. They all look the same.”
“Spoken like someone who needs to see more cows,” Will says.
Nico points his sandwich at Will. “Don’t you get started. Or I’ll eat your sandwich, too.”
“You wouldn’t dare.”
Nico digs in the cooler for Will’s sandwich. “Don’t tempt me.”
“Okay, fine. Cows are whatever.”
Nico snorts. Hazel just rolls her eyes. Nico hands over Will’s sandwich, distributing the rest to their respective owners. They’ve also brought veggies and dip and fruit.
“Guess what I found at the store, Nico,” Leo says. He’s holding the bag of snacks. “Ring pops!”
Nico’s eyes widen, and he makes grabby hands.
“Nope. Not until you’ve eaten your lunch,” Leo says. “Doctor’s orders, right?”
Will holds up his hands. “I’m not choosing sides.”
“Wise choice,” Nico says, nodding. He eats his sandwich while looking over the flavor options. Will’s not really sure if Nico loved ring pops because of the ring component or because there was just a lot of sugar in them. Maybe it was both.
“Oh, also congrats, you guys,” Leo says.
“On what?” Even Will’s confused now.
“I saw the ring you posted. Your new one.”
“Wait,” Hazel says.
“Oh, thanks, I guess,” Nico says. “Will got it for me.”
Now it’s Leo’s turn to look confused. “Yeah, I know. Wait, it’s just a ring?”
Nico shrugs, glancing at Will. “I mean, it’s a gift from Will, so not just a ring. But what did you think it was?”
Leo opens his mouth a few times, glancing between Will and Hazel now like they would have the answer. Hazel looks like she’s trying to figure it out, too. Will’s just waiting for Nico to say something so he doesn’t have to embarrass himself in front of everyone. Or embarrass Nico. He knows Nico would feel guilty. “Um, nothing. It was just really nice.”
“I know. My boyfriend has good taste in rings.” Nico kisses Will’s cheek.
Boyfriend. So they weren’t engaged.
“Right, well, who’s drinking what?” Hazel asks. She glances at Will while Nico and Leo fight over which brand is best: Pepsi or Coke. Though Will isn’t sure they like either of them that much. Will just shrugs. Hazel gives him a look. Will doesn’t want to dwell too much on the interpretation.
It’s not until after a grueling sandcastle competition, a dip in the ocean, and an unsuccessful siege by a gull that it happens.
“Gods, I can’t believe he tried to steal my ring pops,” Nico says. He’s currently hoarding all of them in his lap, going through them. “I can’t decide.”
“Why not have both?”
“Then the flavors will mix.”
“How about I have one and you have the other?”
“Then I’m still only having one.”
“But the other one won’t be an option because I’ve eaten it,” Will says. He reaches into the bag and grabs one at random. He’s already unwrapped it when Nico protests.
“You have to eat it properly,” he says. “You’re such a heathen. It’s not just a lollipop.”
Will grins, still holding the ring pop as he sticks out his tongue to lick it.
“No, it’s no fun like that! You have to wear it.”
Nico snatches the ring from him, nearly dropping it in the sand, before trying to slide it over Will’s finger. The candy was obviously made for kids, and Will had slightly larger fingers than he did at eleven years old.
“I think it’s a bit too small,” Will says.
“Nope.” He slides it onto the end of Will’s pinky finger. “There. Good enough.”
Will laughs. It would be comical to eat it like this. He holds up his pinky.
“I think it’d fit your finger better.” He takes the ring pop off of his pinky, trying to slide it over Nico’s middle finger before moving to the ring finger. He doesn’t think much of it until it actually fits.
Leo starts humming a giddy tune that takes a few bars to become “Here Comes the Bride.”
“Marry me?” Will asks before he loses his courage. Now it’s Nico’s turn to look caught off-guard.
“Wait, for real?” he asks.
“Yeah?” Will can’t tell if he’s amused, confused, or mad.
“Ask me for real,” Nico says, his voice wobbly now.
“Nico di Angelo, love of my life, will you marry me? So we can grow old together and I can put rings over your bony fingers?”
Nico rolls his eyes, sniffling. It looks a bit ridiculous with Leo’s lips colored green, the ring pop so outrageously big on Nico’s finger, and Hazel’s completely surprised face. But Will finally feels that sense of relief. Even though Nico hasn’t actually responded yet.
“Yes, oh my gods, yes! You jerk. I’m crying over a ring pop.”
Will laughs, pulling Nico in for a kiss. They’re all sandy and sticky from sunscreen, and Will’s pretty sure he’s going to have to get Nico a new ring pop he’ll actually want to eat.
“Pose for your photo!” Leo says. He’s got his phone camera open, already snapping photos.
“No! You can’t post these either!” Nico’s laughing and crying at the same time. “I can’t say I got engaged with a ring pop.”
Will smiles, wiping his own eyes. “I tried with an actual ring, baby. But you didn’t quite let me finish asking the question.”
Nico pauses, eyebrows scrunching up as he tries to remember what Will’s talking about. It takes a few minutes.
“Wait, a month ago. When you gave me the vine ring,” Nico says slowly. “You cooked us dinner and lit a candle. And you were being weird right before you gave me the ring. Was that—?”
Will nods. “Yeah, and the one after that, too. But it’s okay,” he adds, quickly. “This one will be memorable.”
“No! Can we tell everyone we got engaged with the first ring? It’s such a perfect engagement ring.”
“Not perfect enough if you didn’t realize,” Hazel says, snorting. “No offense to Will.”
“None taken,” Will laughs. “I’m just glad I finally got an answer.”
Nico looks like he’s still trying to process this new information. “I can’t believe— I can’t—I just left you hanging? And you didn’t say anything?”
“I wasn’t sure how to bring it up. I got nervous. You never said no, so I thought maybe you were just, I don’t know, avoiding it or something?”
“Never mind how oblivious he is.”
“Will’s just as oblivious,” Nico says. “He didn’t even realize I was asking him out the first four times!”
“Aww, what a perfect couple,” Leo says.
“I think we have enough pictures!”
“No, some are blurry!”
Will tunes them out, turning to Nico.
“We can say that the first ring is the real one. But I like this story. I’m totally telling my mom.”
Nico hides his face in Will’s chest. “I can’t believe I was just wearing an engagement ring everywhere and didn’t even know it. Gods, no wonder everyone was congratulating me.”
“Congratulations, baby. We’re engaged.”
“We’re engaged.” Nico lets out a little laugh. “You’re bringing me along to pick out wedding rings. I’m not letting this happen again.”
Will laughs. “It’s a deal.”