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“So what do you think about that?” Miguel asks a bit hesitantly, gesturing to the screen while he turns to stare at his boyfriend with a total lack of comprehension. “Huh?” He asks and Miguel laughs a bit “Sorry that was so vague um it was just- you know what never mind it’s not important.”
And okay he’s a curious person so you can’t blame him for wanting to know and Miguel certainly can’t say he was surprised by the insistence “Tell me,” he begs instantly “I don’t care if it’s silly.”
When he turns around on the soccer players lap he can see Miguel’s golden skin is flushed and his interest is even more peaked “Oh my god Miggy you have to tell me now, please…” he begs again, drawing the last word out as Miguel groans and the blush darkens.
“I just meant uh marriage, what do you think about marriage?” He chokes on nothing and stares at Miguel in disbelief and probably not for the reason most people would.
He’s never bought into the whole ‘young love won’t last’ thing which stresses his dad out but he’s also been told that it’s not appropriate to discuss things like this (he’s not sure why.)
“Marriage like- to me?” He asks breathlessly and Miguel snorts and brings him closer “Yes obviously I mean- not now but maybe someday?”
The clear hesitation makes him want nothing more than to throw himself into his boyfriend's arms and kiss him but he knows the situation carries more weight than that.
“You’re not joking right?” He checks quickly and Miguel who is always infinitely patient with him just shakes his head. He’s so grateful for Miggy because most people would either be annoyed or offended by the question and it means so much to him that he doesn’t have to stress over that for once.
“I actually have a box I started when I was a kid- to give to my future partner” he says softly. It’s so stupid and he’s sure his dad thinks he got rid of it years ago but he’s kept it in the back of his closet and added to it whenever it popped into his head. “Baby what are you talking about?” Miguel asks confused but gentle as always.
“Huh?” He hums nervously as a calloused palm cups his face. “It’s perfectly fine that you haven’t thought of it, I know we’re young and it’s a lot- I didn’t mean to overwhelm you.” That comment is the first time he really manages to string the conversation together properly in his head.
“No, I think about it a lot! I really do have a box I-“ frustrated he lets out a grunt and reaches up to tug at his hair “It’s hard to explain, please let me show you!” Getting a confused look in response he grasps his boyfriend's hand and tugs him away from the movie without another word. “Where are you guys going,” Sam asks quickly “Can I use the TV?”
He’s too focused to respond but Miguel manages to answer her before he’s tugged him out of the room and up the stairs. When his boyfriend is finally sat on the bed he’s about to start digging through the dresser but instead Miguel gasps his elbow and tugs him over to the bed. “I’m sorry to spring this on you, if you want to slow down for a minute and get your thoughts in order we can do that.”
The sweet offer makes the knot of anxiety in his chest he hardly noticed before loosen and he nods and plops down next to Miguel on his bed. “Thank you for being so great and paying attention to me when I forget to,” Miguel giggles and kisses his cheek “No problem princess, you do the same for me.”
Sighing he settles against his boyfriends torso, he’s wearing a high school soccer shirt and his curls are rumpled. “You’re very pretty, I like being with you” Miguel smiles brightly at the words and pulls him closer “Right back at you.” Tugging him down on the bed he lays under Miguel as his boyfriend kisses him hungrily.
“I like being at your house so much better, love being able to close the door” Miggy mumbles and it makes him laugh. It’s true that Carmen is much more reserved than his parents, particularly because he’s a boy but she tries. They don’t spend much time there anyways.
Johnny is more of the ‘if I don’t have to hear it I don’t care what you do’ the lack of pregnancy risk also helps their situation, not to mention he probably has more privacy than most sixteen year olds to start with. Due to his needs the space is kind of a must have and his dads pretty great about all that stuff.
He’s especially appreciative when it allows him the freedom to make out with Miguel, after pulling away he feels a bit more balanced. “You feeling better?” He stretches and lays down on top of Miguel, nodding into his chest. “I do want to live with you and get married and all of that, I do think about it.”
Miguel’s face brightens like sunshine and he looks radiant “I’m so glad, I felt silly bringing it up and I’m sure your box was somehow relevant but it wasn’t necessarily clear how from the outside perspective-“ he sits up quickly at those words “Oh I forgot about the box!” Laughing Miguel taps his ass and he’s tempted to abandon the box in favor of some more interesting activities but he has wanted to show Miguel this for awhile and been too nervous before tonight.
“Just don’t laugh, okay? I know it’s silly but it makes me feel- I don’t know I’ve just always done it and-“ Miguel’s expression softens even if it still has a teasing edge. “Just show me princess!” Miguel insists and he finally places the nice cardboard box into his boyfriend's hands. He can feel how hot his cheeks are as he bounces in place, hands fluttering anxiously as Miguel glances at him curiously.
“It’s nothing really,” he insists as the box is opened but he feels itchy and hot as he shakes his arms out a couple times, the jittery feeling abating slightly “just random stuff.” Miguel seems confused and he wilts, it’s stupid and childish and suddenly he doesn’t know why he even gave Miguel the stupid box. “I’m sorry it’s-“ he’s cut off with a gentle kiss before he even finishes his sentence.
“Hey I know you and I know this is meaningful so stop worrying your pretty little head about it and explain to me” sighing he looks at the miscellaneous collection of items in the box. Pebbles, buttons, leafs, ribbons, tea tags with quotes on them, a scrap of nice feeling fabric, movie ticket stubs, a cheerleading scrunchie, a shoelace, mascara, a starburst wrapper. “They’re just things that made me think of you- so I kept them. I thought maybe you’d like them.”
He’s still looking down at his hands when Miguel grabs him and crushes him to his chest, hands moving from his hips to his jaw as he’s drawn into a passionate kiss. “You are perfect” he whispers and Robby made him cry, something significantly harder to do than the reverse. He gets emotional easily but Miguel doesn’t- he’s incredibly confused.
“You’re saying happy things but you sound sad” he mumbles into the boy's shoulder and Miguel just squeezes him harder. “I am so so happy mi amor, this is the sweetest thing anyone has ever done for me- I just love you so much!” The pure adoration and love in his voice still takes his breath away and he’s tugged toward the bed, thighs spread to make room for Miguel underneath him.
There are hands in his hair and Miguel’s tongue in his mouth before the taller boy pulls away again, flustered and growing hard under him. “Do you want to do something?” He asks but Miguel just shakes his head and adjusts his weight so he’s leaning back against the headboard with Robby on top of him. “No your parents and sister are downstairs and I really just want to be with you anyway” he nods and relaxes because honestly he isn’t in the mood for sex.
“Good I don’t think I’d want to right now anyway,” Miguel laughs at him and he’s not sure what was funny but he smiles anyway as Miguel places the box on his lap between them. “I get most of this but what’s the significance of the starburst wrapper?”
Looking down at their hands both on the box he fiddles with his boyfriend's long fingers “the first time we met, when I bumped into you and you dropped all your stuff you had starbursts.” Miguel nods encouragingly as he swallows “I didn’t know what to say- it’s not exactly the kind of interaction I’ve practiced for and I blurted out something about liking starbursts which I don’t- they have a horrible texture” he mumbles with a shudder at the thought of the sticky overwhelming artificial sweetness.
Miguel laughs and runs a hand through his hair “You were sweet and you offered me one even though I ran into you so I ate it anyway and I kept the wrapper, I don’t know why but I always keep things that make me think of people- just silly stuff and this was my box of stuff for you. You can have it if you’d like but I know they’re pretty useless.”
Miguel cradles his face in his hands like he’s something precious “I’m so grateful you let me into your world like this and I think it’s extraordinary how much beauty you find in these things, thank you for sharing it with me.” He can’t help but smile giddily at the praise and he’s bouncing and flapping his hands as Miguel draws him closer into another sweet kiss.
From that day on the box belongs to Miguel, it lives on his dresser first and eventually their apartment and then their home. Whenever he finds a particularly cool trinket he gifts it to his boyfriend, then fiancé, then husband and Miguel treasures every one of them.