Chapter Text
Pond had a plan.
This, historically, was already a bad sign.
Not because Pond was incapable of planning. He was actually very good at planning when he wanted to be. He could organize schedules, surprise trips, birthday events, fan projects, and entire romantic dates with alarming intensity.
The problem was that Pond’s romantic plans always had one fatal flaw.
They were too Pond.
Too grand.
Too specific.
Too emotionally sincere and logistically cursed.
Tonight, however, he was confident.
Tonight would be perfect.
Tonight, he would propose to Phuwin. The love of his life. The light that guided him towards the end of a very dark tunnel. The MJ to his Peter Parker. The kitty to his puppy. And all that shebang.
He had chosen a quiet sushi restaurant because Phuwin loved sushi and they both loved Japanese food and because Pond thought there was something poetic about proposing in a place where they had shared so many late-night dinners after long schedules. It was also where they had their first fancy date after they received their first paycheck as working adults.
He had reserved a private table.
He had coordinated with the chef.
He had given very clear instructions.
The engagement ring would be placed inside a special sushi piece.
Not hidden dangerously, Pond had clarified multiple times.
Just tucked neatly inside an edible gold-leaf garnish and soft rice, visible enough that Phuwin would notice when it was served.
The chef had looked concerned.
Pond just shrugged and tried to reassure the chef, “Phuwin’s very smart. He’ll definitely notice.”
The chef still looked worried, “Sir, people eat sushi very quickly. Most of them just swallow the whole piece.”
Pond sighed as if burdened by this chef’s unnecessary worry, “Not Phuwin. He judges food first.” Of course, Pond knew his boyfriend best.
The chef had stared at him for five long seconds. Pond knew the fight was over. Reluctantly, the chef said, “Okay.”
Now, sitting across from Phuwin on a Friday night during their anniversary, Pond felt the ring burning in his memory even though it was currently in the kitchen.
Phuwin looked beautiful. He looked ethereal like a fairy and Pond was the luckiest bastard to ever walk the path that Phuwin walked on.
That was not anything new.
Phuwin always looked beautiful. And Pond had always been downbad for him.
But tonight, under the warm restaurant lighting, wearing a simple cream sweater and looking over the menu with serious concentration, he looked so painfully loved and cared for that Pond almost skipped the whole plan and proposed with his bare hands.
No ring.
No speech.
Just vibes and desperation.
Phuwin noticed Pond’s silence and glanced up from the menu. “Why are you staring?”
Pond smiled, “Because you’re pretty.”
Phuwin narrowed his eyes suspiciously.
“That answer was too quick.”
“What?”
“That answer. Too quick. Suspicious. Your tone is also higher of one decibel.”
“Am I,” Pond cleared his throat, “Am I-- am I no longer allowed to compliment my boyfriend?”
Phuwin paused and tried looking at Pond without judgement. He failed ceremoniously as the tips of his ears turned pink out of his embarrassment from Pond’s compliments. “You can. But usually when you compliment me like that, you want something.”
Pond feigned shock and placed a hand dramatically over his heart.
“I am wounded.”
“You are hiding something,” Phuwin rebutted.
Pond laughed too loudly.
Phuwin slowly lowered the menu on the table to focus on his silly and suspicious boyfriend.
“Pond.”
“Yes, my love?” Pond asked weakly.
“That made it worse.”
Pond panicked internally.
Externally, he smiled.
“I’m just happy to have dinner with you.” Pond replied as he tried to wave off Phuwin’s worries.
Phuwin studied him for another second before returning to the menu.
“Fine. But I’m watching you.”
Pond swallowed.
Please don’t, he thought. Or please do. Actually, please watch the sushi. Specifically the sushi. The important sushi.
The first few dishes finally arrived.
Phuwin ate happily.
Pond ate nothing.
He was too busy vibrating in his seat like an anxious golden retriever.
“You’re not eating,” Phuwin said as he pointed his fork on Pond’s empty plate.
“I’m savoring.”
“You haven’t put anything in your mouth.”
“I’m savoring visually.”
Phuwin stared. His boyfriend was growing weirder by the day, he didn’t know if he should worry or just laugh it off.
“You’re being weird.”
“I’m always weird.”
“Hmm. That’s true.”
Pond smiled weakly.
Then his stomach twisted.
Not from nerves.
From nature.
He froze.
No. No.
Not now.
Absolutely not now.
Phuwin looked up as he noticed Pond continuously squirming in his seat. “What?”
“Nothing.”
Phuwin looked at him suspiciously. “You look pale.”
“I’m fine.”
“Pond, please, you said that like you’re a man who’s about to die.”
Pond stood abruptly.
“I need to go to the toilet.”
Phuwin blinked and nodded once. This topped all the weird Pond instances prior to the dinner date.
“O-- okay?”
Pond looked at Phuwin’s worried face. He felt his heart ache for causing his beloved to worry. He leaned down, serious, and kissed Phuwin’s forehead, willing to cast his worries away.
“Don’t eat anything suspicious.” Pond begged.
Phuwin’s face went blank.
“What? What do you mean by suspicious?”
“Nothing. I mean, enjoy the food slowly. Very slowly. Please make sure to chew all the food that will be served in case I’m not back yet.”
“Pond, where are you going? You’re creeping me out.”
“I’ll be right back.” Pond promised, and Phuwin knew Pond always keeps his promises. And yet, he couldn’t help but worry.
Pond practically ran to the toilet.
Behind him back at the table, Phuwin watched him run for his life with narrowed eyes.
“That man is going to kill me one day,” Phuwin muttered and shook his head. He couldn’t believe he’s been with his silly boyfriend for years now.
The waiter arrived thirty seconds later with a single plate on his hand.
Perfectly timed, which made it more suspicious.
“Special sushi has arrived,” the waiter announced. “Please accept these complements from the chef,” the waiter said, placing the plate in front of Phuwin.
Phuwin looked at it.
It was beautiful.
A small, elegant piece of sushi topped with edible gold leaf, neatly plated with a tiny flower on the side.
Phuwin smiled despite himself.
“Oh, cute. But where’s--”
The waiter bowed slightly and quickly left.
Phuwin looked confused. “Why is everybody acting weird today? Is the world going to end today?” He muttered to himself. He found it weird how there was only one sushi served when there were two of them waiting for their meals.
Phuwin looked toward the bathroom.
Pond was still gone.
He looked back at the sushi.
He was hungry and it was sushi. Sushi. Phuwin’s forever favorite food. Pond will surely understand if I eat ahead of him, right? He thought to himself.
He picked it up with his chopsticks. For one second, something firm pressed oddly against the rice and stopped him from fully swallowing the food.
“Hm.”
Then he shrugged and put the whole piece in his mouth.
It was large.
Very large.
But Phuwin was not a quitter. His mother may have born a procrastinator but never a quitter.
He slowly chewed. Just like what Pond told him.
Once.
Twice.
Something hard knocked lightly against his teeth.
Phuwin frowned, a bit apprehensive as to what was the semi hard thing inside his mouth. But he’s very hungry, his last meal was during lunch, and it was already 8 in the evening. He doubted it’s anything dangerous so what’s going to stop him from swallowing the food?
Nothing.
Maybe a crunchy garnish?
Fancy restaurants did strange things. He thought.
And then he swallowed.
It went down with a bit of an effort.
Phuwin made a face as he felt something went down his esophagus until the sensation disappeared.
“That was weird.”
Then he reached for his tea.
By the time Pond returned, slightly sweaty but emotionally ready to become someone’s fiancé, the plate was empty.
Pond stopped walking.
His eyes dropped to the plate.
Then to Phuwin.
Then back to the plate.
He felt his soul quietly exit his body.
Phuwin looked up and saw Pond sweating despite being inside an airconditioned restaurant.
“What?”
Pond sat down very slowly.
“Did…”
He cleared his throat.
“Did a special sushi come?”
Phuwin nodded. “Yeah.”
Pond’s fingers dug into his pants.
“And?”
“And what?”
Pond tried to smile but it just came out weird-- weirder than he already was.
“Did-- did you like it?”
Phuwin shrugged.
“It was okay. Kind of strange texture. I had a hard time swallowing it but it’s all good.”
Pond’s heartbeat stopped.
“Strange? What do you mean strange?”
“Yeah. It’s a bit hard, it kind of hit one of my teeth when I tried to chew it.”
Pond went very still.
Phuwin sipped his tea.
“Maybe the gold leaf thing was crunchy.”
Pond stared at him.
The ring.
The ring.
Where was the ring?
Had the chef forgotten?
Had the chef lost it?
Had the waiter dropped it?
Was it under the plate?
Pond looked under the plate.
Phuwin stared.
“Are you looking for something?”
“No.”
“Pond, I love you very much, but you’ve been acting weird since we arrived in this restaurant.”
Pond barely heard Phuwin as he panicked and checked every item on the table.
He checked the bottle of soy sauce, and then under the chopstick holder.
Then, with increasing panic, inside the tiny decorative flower.
Phuwin played with the condensation settling on his glass of iced tea.
“Pond.” Pond heard that tone from Phuwin, he rarely did but when he does, he knew he’s in trouble.
“Y-- yes?”
“Why are you searching the flower?”
Pond grabbed the menu.
“No reason.” He answered too quickly which just heightened Phuwin’s curiosity.
Phuwin’s eyes narrowed.
Pond’s mind raced.
The chef must have lost it.
That was the only explanation.
The chef lost the engagement ring.
The expensive, perfect, emotionally significant ring that Pond had spent months choosing.
The ring that had Phuwin’s size memorized.
The ring that was supposed to make Phuwin cry.
The ring that was now apparently missing somewhere between the kitchen and this table.
A thousand thoughts were running inside Pond’s mind. Pond excused himself again.
This time, not to the toilet.
But to go to the chef.