Work Text:
Tristan yawned as they relaxed in bed and then sighed a bit while waiting for their boyfriend. He had been planning visiting and they had set up a date for him to visit Ivy's place. Which Benji would soon come and Tristan knew but they still felt impatient. Ivy suddenly texted Tristan as her and Zaid got ready for their date. It was her telling them Benji had just arrived and that her and Zaid would be leaving now for their date.
"If you keep staring at the door, you might actually burn a hole through it," Benji teased, his voice cutting through the quiet of the hallway. He was leaning against the doorframe of the bedroom, his glasses sliding slightly down the bridge of his nose. He looked exactly as Tristan remembered seeing him last, slightly rumpled from travel, carrying a bag of snacks that smelled faintly of chocolate, and wearing a smile that reached his eyes. He was clearly very ecstatic about that day since he'd finally be able to stay. At least for the time being.
Tristan rolled out of bed with a dramatic groan, their oversized black t-shirt swallowing their frame. They stood up. Tristan’s dark purple hair was a chaotic nest around their face, catching the dim light in a way that made it look almost midnight-black. They then basically tackled Benji in a tight hug and giggled slightly. It slipped out naturally whenever they were with Benji, he always brought joy into their life. That's why they usually video chatted on each other's off days. It always made them feel better.
"You're late," Tristan murmured into Benji's shoulder, they were grinning though and looked like they didn't mind at all. They squeezed him tighter, being able to smell the familiar scent of old book pages and laundry detergent that always seemed to cling to him. Along with a few other smells of course, mostly things Tristan always loved. Benji laughed at their words, knowing he wasn't actually late but knew Tristan liked teasing him. He nuzzled their hair and hugged them back. They stayed like that for a moment or two before Benji finally spoke up again to say something.
"Sorry about that, got caught up." He said and kissed their cheeks. "The car didn't want to start and my mother kind of was getting irritated." He chuckled sheepishly as he admitted that. Tristan smiled softly. "Hey, at least you have enough money now to stay with me and Ivy until we can find a good apartment." Benji remembered their agreement now and immediately felt even happier.
Benji grinned and nodded, shifting the bag of snacks to one hand so he could pull Tristan back closer against his side. "The plan is still in motion, then? The great apartment hunt begins on Monday? Or was it sooner?" He stepped further into the room, his eyes scanning the space with a fond, knowing look. The room was a sanctuary of fabrics and goth posters, mostly band or cartoon stuff, a slight contrast to how Benji's room was. His was filled with anime and comic books mostly. Plus a few other things scattered around. He did get better at cleaning up his rooms though luckily. But he loved this room just as much, given he stayed in it so many times before when visiting. But now he could stay finally.
Tristan stepped back, almost knocking over their boots, the heavy, platform kind that added a solid few inches to their height, sitting by the door like two sleeping beasts as they got Benji to their bed to sit. "Ivy’s already gone out with Zaid, so the house is officially ours for the next few hours," Tristan explained, gesturing toward the door. They had a bright smile on their face. "She left some takeout in the fridge, but I’m pretty sure the snacks you brought is the only thing that matters right now." Benji laughed again and stared lovingly at Tristan, he wanted to let them know there was another thing that mattered at that moment. More than the snacks ever could matter.
"Actually," Benji said, reaching into the crinkling bag and producing a small, velvet-lined box that had been tucked beneath the chocolate, "there is one more thing that matters." He didn't say or do much of anything, not even a small speech that he didn't really plan. He simply held it out, his fingers brushing against Tristan’s palm. He was blushing a bit as he gave them it. The little box was a purplish tone in its covering.
Tristan paused, their expression shifting from playful to curious as they pried the box open. Which didn't take much effort at all. Inside sat a delicate gold ring, the band was shiny and almost looked like it had a twisting pattern like a vine. It wasn't an engagement ring, they weren't there yet, but it was a promise, an engagement before an actual engagement. Tristan felt a sudden, sharp warmth in their chest that had nothing to do with the room's temperature. They slid the ring onto their finger, the metal cool against their skin, the gold mismatched against the other silver rings, and looked up at Benji. He was watching them with the softest and most loving look.
"Oh Benji.... I love you." They said quietly as Benji beamed. He adored hearing those words, no matter how many times they got uttered. Their voice made the words sound so much sweeter than anyone else's could ever. Tristan knew this and always cherished the look on Benji's face when they said it.
"I love you too Tris." Benji said softly as they sat on the bed together, the ring catching the light of a nearby lava lamp. He didn't let go of their hand, his thumb tracing the ring. For a few minutes, they just stayed like that, the silence of the house wrapping around them like a heavy blanket. They cuddled close as they just chatted. The apartment hunt could come later, for now the only thing that mattered was each other.