In the Linen Closet
Vincent was unquestionably not hiding. That he had shut himself in a linen closet and locked the door behind him was nothing out of the ordinary. Well, perhaps it was a trifle out of the ordinary. But he wasn’t hiding, because hiding implied his whereabouts were unknown to his pursuer.Daniel cursed his name again from the other side of the door, sounding only a little less irate than he had five minutes ago. It was bad form, to be so rude to a prince – his mother would box his ears if she found out, never mind that it was Daniel – but Vincent couldn’t really bring himself to care.
“Fine, rot in there,” Daniel yelled, giving the door a solid kick. Vincent didn’t move, because he knew Daniel. There was no way he’d give up that easily. If ever, but Vincent was clinging to the hope that someone would be sent after Daniel eventually and he’d be forced to leave Vincent be.
And then Vincent would spend the rest of his days at the palace hiding in the stables or something, because anything was better than facing Daniel after admitting that perhaps he wasn’t quite as over the prince as he’d tried to play it.
Though why Daniel was so angry over that, Vincent didn’t know. Perhaps it had more to do with Vincent’s attempt at a dalliance with his brother. And hadn’t that been a foolhardy idea – sweet though Taliesin was, he was not Daniel and despite everything, it appeared Vincent was well and truly head over heels for Daniel.
Picking at his fingernails in the dark of the linen closet, Vincent sighed. He was nothing if not an idiot. His mother had said so often enough as he’d grown up – usually with a sigh and a fond smile. Daniel had too, soft and sweet until he’d decided that Vincent was too much of an idiot to deal with.
“Dammit, Vincent,” Daniel cursed from the other side of the door. Vincent smiled sadly, leaning his head back against the door. He probably should’ve just returned to his rooms and hidden there, but Daniel was fast, and he’d panicked.
Perhaps now mother would let him go home. He’d botched things with Daniel yet again, and surely that wasn’t good for the Thedor image. Sighing again, Vincent stared morosely at the dark in front of him. He was a little afraid to move too much. He hadn’t gotten a good look at the inside of the closet before he’d shut the door, and with his luck he’d probably bury himself in a stack of blankets and suffocate himself.
Daniel kicked the door again, and Vincent wondered if perhaps that was the best thing to do. Suffocate himself in a linen closet with his irate, ex-lover doing his best to get inside and do the smothering himself.
“Vin,” Daniel’s voice was quieter now, and Vincent ignored the way Daniel said his name made his heart wrench just a little more to the left. “I just want to talk.”
Vincent shook his head, twisting his hands together. He couldn’t talk to Daniel, he’d do something even stupider.
“Please.”
Vincent sighed, berating himself as he pulled himself to his feet. He was an idiot and Daniel was going to do what the towels should’ve and put him out of his misery. Unlocking the door, Vincent edged the door open a few inches, blinking against the bright light of the hallway.
Daniel stuck his foot in the door immediately, reaching out and fisting his hand in the front of Vincent’s wrinkled jacket. Vincent winced, but didn’t open the door further.
“What are you up to?” Daniel asked. Vincent tensed, because of course Daniel would see it that way.
“I am up to nothing,” Vincent replied coolly, trying to maintain his composure. As if he hadn’t been hiding out in a linen closet for the last twenty minutes, as if nothing Daniel could say would hurt. Even if everything Daniel would say hurt.
“Then why lie? In front of my mother, even?” Daniel demanded, and Vincent winced. He’d forgotten the queen had been there to witness his slip. “There’s no point! I’m not going to try to influence my parent’s decision –”
“I would not ask that of you,” Vincent snapped, because no matter Daniel’s opinion, Vincent had been raised better than that.
“Then why pretend you still care?” Daniel asked, scowling and Vincent was utterly lost because even Daniel’s anger was beautiful.
“I have always cared about you,” Vincent said stiffly, not daring to breathe should it set off the tears that were welling in his eyes. “Unfortunately, it appears nothing I do will shake my affection. My apologies, your highness, if I unduly embarrassed you.”
Daniel’s grip abruptly relaxed. “Don’t lie to me, Thedor.”
Vincent didn’t answer – he didn’t have an answer to that. Not one that Daniel would believe. Blinking, Vincent tried to step back, because hiding in the damn linen closet was far better than letting Daniel see him cry over this.
Daniel’s foot was still in the door, however, and he hadn’t completely relinquished his grip on Vincent’s jacket. Vincent ducked his head, trying to use the dimness of the linen closet to his advantage even as he wished for Daniel to scoff and walk away already.
“The hell?” Daniel muttered, frowning at him. “Vincent –”
“Pick one, please,” Vincent said, not thinking about the words until after they left his mouth. “I’m either Vincent or Lord Thedor, your highness, but I can’t be both for you.”
“Why are you crying?” Daniel asked, his voice quiet. He stepped forward, nudging the door open a bit wider, and Vincent didn’t bother to stop him. He wasn’t hiding in a linen closet.
“It’s a ploy,” Vincent replied as frostily as he could manage. “I am attempting to soften you with an overly distraught display.”
Daniel laughed weakly. “Vin –”
“And it appears to be working,” Vincent muttered, shaking off Daniel’s grip and taking another step back into the linen closet. He wiped discreetly at his damp cheeks, breathing in the smell of dusty fabric that lingered in the air.
“I want Vincent,” Daniel said after a moment. His face was mostly in shadow, turned into the linen closet and away from the light streaming in from the hallway. Vincent didn’t move, hardly dared to breathe. “But I’m afraid of getting Lord Thedor.”
“Lord Thedor does not hide in linen closets,” Vincent said, half to himself. “He doesn’t accidentally admit to still feeling strongly for the prince who scorned him. In front of the queen, no less. He doesn’t want more than anything to find himself returned to the good graces of said prince –”
“Vincent,” Daniel cut him off, and Vincent could see the curve of the soft-sweet smile Daniel rarely loosed upon the world. “Do you?”
“You have my heart, Daniel. I could want nothing less,” Vincent admitted softly, the words right despite the ache they left in his chest.
“I’m sorry.” Daniel shifted restlessly in the doorway and Vincent braced himself. Now would come the cold dismissal, or more accusations of treachery. “I… Lucas keeps hitting me, every time he sees you.”
“Oh,” Vincent said, confused. “Why?”
“He thinks I’m an idiot. I think he might be right,” Daniel replied, shaking his head. “I’m sorry, Vin. I am a paranoid idiot, and you should want nothing to do with me after how I’ve treated you.”
“I would venture that I am at least twice the idiot that you are,” Vincent offered, sighing.
“No,” Daniel denied. “I don’t think you can beat me here. You were the best thing to happen to me and I threw it away because I didn’t think it could be true. That you were so right, without strings attached.”
“Daniel,” Vincent said, not sure what else to say to that. Daniel offered his hand.
“I’m sorry, Vincent,” Daniel said, and Vincent wished there was more light so that he could see Daniel’s expression clearly. “I am nothing but the palace’s greatest idiot, but I’m yours if you would have me.”
“I… yes.” Vincent nodded for emphasis, gingerly taking Daniel’s offered hand. Daniel’s fingers closed in a firm grip around his, and Vincent let himself be led from the depths of the linen closet.
“Daniel.” Vincent stopped walking outside the doorway to the linen closet. Daniel turned back to him and Vincent didn’t bother to say anything more, half-sure this was going to turn out to be some cruel joke – only Daniel hadn’t ever been cruel, just hurt – and he met Vincent halfway, crushing his lips to Vincent’s with a rough noise. Vincent kissed back just as fiercely, moaning softly at the familiar taste of Daniel and the all-knowing hands that slipped easily beneath his rumpled jacket.
“Lucas is going to brag,” Daniel said breathlessly between kisses. “But – oh -” Daniel gasped out as Vincent attacked his mouth again. Vincent let Daniel push him back, not really caring as they entered the damn linen closet again. Daniel pushed the door shut behind him, pulling Vincent close, and Vincent decided that perhaps hiding in linen closets was acceptable, depending on who was hiding with him.
Caspian
Lucas burst into laughter the moment Daniel walked through the door. Daniel glared, brushing ineffectually at his jacket.
“Oh, shut up,” Daniel ordered crossly, but he couldn’t quite keep the smile from his face as he took the seat next to Taliesin. Tal didn’t look up, engrossed in some book – on plants, from the illustrations.
“Did we disturb your afternoon plans, Danny?” Lucas cooed, propping his feet up on the table. “Rolling around in the hay with Vincent, were you?”
“I was not,” Daniel denied primly. They hadn’t actually made it to the stables before Daniel had decided a detour into the nearest garden was necessary.
Lucas just snickered again, tilting his head towards Taliesin. “Better than what I caught baby Tal doing.”
“I wasn’t doing anything,” Taliesin denied absently, but the tips of his ears turned red. “Certainly no worse than what you were doing with Isabelle last week, and she’s a lady.”
Daniel laughed, nudging Taliesin cheerfully. “How is Mikhail?”
“He’s fine?” Taliesin offered, looking confused. “You saw him last night.”
“Well, things might’ve changed since then,” Daniel said, shrugging. “You’d be the one to ask.”
Taliesin’s cheeks flushed a little. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I haven’t seen Mikhail since last night, either.”
Lucas snorted, shaking his head. “You’re either a liar or a bad lover, Tal.”
Taliesin fidgeted a little in his seat and Daniel decided to come to his rescue.
“What did you want us for, Luke?” Daniel asked, and Taliesin sat up straighter, shutting his book.
“Have you noticed Caspian acting oddly?” Lucas asked, obviously trying not to smirk but failing badly. “He was late for the card game last night.”
“I think he’s having problems with Ivan,” Taliesin supplied, setting his book down on the table. “I think Ivan’s trying to push him for more information on Mikhail.” Taliesin looked a little conflicted, biting his lip before settling back into his chair.
“Is that all?” Lucas asked, outright grinning. “I don’t know, he seems… more easily flustered lately.”
“You’re a brat,” Daniel accused, rolling his eyes. “He’s busy dealing with Tal and Mikhail, not off falling in love.”
“So say you,” Lucas replied cheerfully. “But he lost last night. Caspian never loses.”
“I think it’s just Ivan,” Taliesin said thoughtfully. “Whenever he runs into Ivan he comes back all out of sorts. So I think it’s just dealing with Ivan.”
“See?” Daniel scowled. “You made us drop everything for this?”
“Caspian is a dear friend,” Lucas said, attempting to look serious but he was still grinning. “Of course I expect you to drop everything for him.”
“If it were Caspian, I would drop everything,” Daniel said dryly, shaking his head. “However, I doubt very much that Caspian’s losing his cool over anything more than an ambassador who won’t leave his charges alone.”
“He’s just cranky he had to leave Vincent somewhere,” Lucas confided to Taliesin in a loud whisper. Taliesin grinned, his cheeks coloring just a little and Daniel had little doubt he’d had to leave Mikhail somewhere for this meeting, too.
“Why don’t you give him a few days off?” Daniel suggested to Taliesin. “Get one of the spare guards to pick up a few extra shifts.”
“I can do that,” Taliesin agreed. “Caspian works too hard anyway. He won’t like it, but a few days off could settle him down?”
“Give him time to bond with whomever he’s besotted with,” Lucas said gleefully under his breath. Daniel ignored him, standing up.
“We could have had this discussion at dinner,” Daniel griped, and Taliesin snickered, picking up his book again.
“It was important,” Lucas said cheerfully, swinging his legs off the table and standing up. “Besides, it’s hard to find you two without your counterparts anymore. And I know Mikhail would tell Caspian we’re plotting.”
“He’s going to anyway,” Taliesin said, smiling. Lucas stared at him suspiciously and Taliesin laughed, ducking around Daniel as they made their way to the door. “He’s going to ask where I had to go.”
“Secret brotherly meeting!” Lucas declared, and Taliesin laughed again, smiling cheerfully. “You can’t tell him.”
“He’ll ask,” Taliesin repeated. “I’m not going to lie to him.”
“Tell him it was a secret meeting with your brothers. That’s not lying,” Lucas said, grinning. “Daniel, you’re not allowed to tell him either. Or Caspian.”
“Right,” Daniel agreed, shaking his head. “I’m going back to the gardens.”
“Sure, gardens,” Lucas drawled, taking a few quick steps to catch up to Taliesin. “I’ll take this one back to his keeper.”
Taliesin scoffed, catching Lucas with a quick elbow. “I’m my own keeper, thank you very much.”
Daniel snickered, giving them a brief wave before turning and heading back the way he’d come. Vincent would be waiting for him, unless he’d gotten called away too. Smiling in anticipation, Daniel picked up his pace as he headed back to the garden they’d gotten distracted in.
Morning Intrusion
“Daniel! Daniel, you lazy bum,” Lucas’s cheerful voice echoed through the room and Daniel groaned, shifting to pull the pillow over his head.
The door to his bedroom opened – Lucas did not ever knock, the bastard, and it was only when Lucas started cackling that Daniel remembered he wasn’t alone.
Though really, the warm weight tucked against his side should’ve been the first clue. Or the scent of Vincent’s cologne that clung to his pillow still. Sitting upright quickly, Daniel glared at Lucas.
“Out,” he ordered, ignoring that his voice was sleep garbled. Lucas, the bastard, was nearly bent in too, laughing too hard to reply. Vincent stirred next to him, and Daniel glowered more intently.
“For the love of decency, Lucas, get out,” Daniel snapped, and Lucas snickered, wiping tears from his eyes.
“When you make up, you make up,” Lucas crowed, looking far too smug. Daniel picked up the nearest thing – a small book from the bedside table – and pitched it at his brother’s head. It thumped loudly against the wall (Daniel had horrible aim, and it was only worse in the morning).
“Well,” Lucas said, managing to inflect his tone with haughtiness. He was still grinning widely though, and Daniel really wanted to pitch a book at his head and actually have it hit. “Isn’t that just rude.”
Vincent laughed sleepily, and at least he was used to Lucas. Daniel just kept up his glare, hoping that Lucas would take the hint and leave already.
“Good morning, Vincent,” Lucas greeted cheerfully, and Daniel threw his pillow, annoyed but not leaving the bed without pants on. Which Lucas was probably taking full advantage of. The pillow landed woefully short, and Lucas just snickered at him.
Daniel made a note to torment him later about not dancing with Isabelle until the very last dance of the ball.
“Good morning, Prince Lucas,” Vincent greeted sleepily, as though he wasn’t naked in the crown prince’s brother’s bed.
Daniel was going to kill Lucas.
Lucas grinned wider for a split second and Daniel picked up the water glass in anticipation of whatever stupid thing was going to come out of his mouth.
“And how are you this fine morning?” Lucas asked, ducking into the sitting room as Daniel let the glass fly.
“I am going to kill you, Lucas,” Daniel threatened. “Or I’ll get Richard and Nicholas to do it for me.”
Vincent sat up slowly, looking deliciously rumpled, and not at all embarrassed that he was wearing only the bedsheets in front of Lucas. He smiled at Daniel, and that melted away most of the ire that Lucas had evoked. Surely it wasn’t fair that a simple smile could do that – but it was Vincent, and Daniel needed Lucas to leave so he could make certain once more that Vincent knew how much Daniel truly appreciated him.
“My apologies, highness,” Vincent said, and it took Daniel a moment to realize he was talking to Lucas and not to him. Vincent was still looking at him and he’d carefully twined their fingers together. “But could I ask that we continue this conversation later?”
Lucas cracked up again, but from the sitting room this time and Daniel was content to ignore him in favor of the way Vincent was looking at him.
“I’ll be back in a few hours!” Lucas called, and Daniel could hear his footsteps against the sitting room floor. “Put some pants on by then, at least!”
The sitting room door shut, and Daniel huffed, a little annoyed that Vincent could so easily make Lucas leave when Daniel had to resort to throwing things at the nuisance.
“Good morning, Daniel,” Vincent said with a warm smile, and Daniel rolled his eyes, freeing his hand so he could sink both of them into Vincent’s mussed hair. He drew Vincent close and kissed him deeply, hoping no one else came looking for them for the rest of the day.
Vincent & Daniel: Meeting
Daniel ducked into the council room, breathing a sigh of relief when he found it empty. Luke would never think to look for him here; he avoided the council room like the plague when he could. Which wasn’t often, since he was heir.
Glancing around the room, Daniel briefly debating taking up his normal seat… but that was clearly visible from the door. He didn’t want to take any chances. He loved his brother, but Luke was excellent at getting on his nerves. And Daniel couldn’t take him down to the practice yards and beat some manners into him. Though maybe he could convince Richard or Nicholas to do that later.
Daniel crossed the room swiftly, heading to the back of the chamber where a large tapestry neatly hid a small section of seating from the doorway. He could see around it easily, but it would be difficult to tell the room was occupied from a cursory glance.
Settling in, Daniel cracked open his portfolio and began working on marking up his copy of the proposed trade agreement with the island country off their southern shores.
So deep into it did he get, that it took Daniel a few moments to realize the soft voices that had distracted him from his work were coming from within the room. Glancing up, he frowned a little. There were two of them, a lord and a lady, both dressed impeccably and talking together in quiet voices.
They hadn’t noticed him, that much was obvious. He recognized the man – Lord Vincent Thedor, one of the more recent council additions. His father had held the chair, but had been too ill to fill it for the last decade. The woman was a mystery, though by her coloring and the shape of her face, she was possibly a relative of Thedor’s.
Thedor nodded along to whatever she was saying, and Daniel watched, fascinated by the small, growing smile stretching across Thedor’s face.
Thedor was an articulate, well-spoken orator, but his greatest failing was the lack of emotion he put into his arguments. Daniel had spoken with him only on a few occasions outside of the council room, but he seemed much the same at the court dinners or functions.
But perhaps he was just intimidated by a prince, Daniel mused, trying not to stare as a faint blush colored Vincent’s – Lord Thedor’s, Daniel corrected himself sternly – cheeks. He was a handsome man, Daniel noted, wondering why he hadn’t seen that before.
Except there had been no reason to; Thedor didn’t appear to share the same hobbies, he attended the court functions, but he’d faded into the background, unimportant when there were happier, warmer people to pay attention to.
Vincent laughed, bright and happy, at something the woman said, and Daniel dropped his portfolio in surprise, sending his papers scattering.
And drawing the pair’s attention.
“Sorry,” Daniel called, sliding from his seat to collect his papers. Thedor’s face twitched, like he’d love to smooth the smile from his face.
“Oh, I didn’t know there was anyone in here,” the woman fussed, smacking Thedor on the arm. Definitely a relative… and Daniel had no reason to be relieved about that. “Vinni –”
“Don’t worry, you weren’t disturbing me,” Daniel rushed in to say, smiling ruefully as he straightened. “I was just seeking a bit of quiet from my brother.”
The woman laughed cheerfully, giving Thedor an impish look. Thedor was smiling awkwardly, obviously uncertain whether he should pay more attention to Daniel or to his sister. “I’ve done that.”
Daniel laughed, making his way through the rows of seats to the center of the room where the two stood. “My apologies, my lady. I’m afraid I don’t have the pleasure of your acquaintance.”
“Ah,” Vincent said, straightening. “This is my sister, Lady Theresa Thedor, your highness. Theresa, this is his highness, Prince Daniel.”
“A pleasure,” Theresa said, dropping a quick curtsy. She glanced at Vincent as Daniel murmured a polite reply, raising her eyebrow and quirking a faint half-smile.
Vincent straightened, his cheeks turning unaccountably pink. “My apologies, your highness,” he said stiffly, not quite meeting Daniel’s eyes. “We didn’t mean to disturb you –”
“Nonsense,” Daniel dismissed, smiling broadly. “Were you giving your sister a tour of the palace? Is this your first visit, my lady?”
“It is,” Theresa confirmed with a bright smile. “This is the first year I’ve had little enough to do at the estate to come out.”
“Have you been to see the gardens? They’re especially spectacular this time of year,” Daniel recommended idly. “If you like, I can take show you both the royal garden.”
“Really?” Theresa lit up. The royal garden were off-limits to all but the royal family, their guests, and the royal gardeners. And Vincent would come along, if only to chaperone the visit.
He looked rather awkward still; obviously delighted himself at the prospect of seeing the garden, but still worried enough about appearances that his shoulders were stiff and his smile seemed a little tenuous.
Daniel gave them his best, most charming smile. “Would you like to go now, or shall we go this afternoon?”
“Now,” Theresa decided quickly. “If it’s not too much trouble, highness.”
“Not at all,” Daniel said, eyes on Vincent and his soft expression. It was odd, and so different from the man he saw coolly debating policies twice a week. Offering Theresa his arm, he let Vincent precede them from the council room, wondering what the chances were that he’d be able to coax a proper smile out of the man.
Proposal
Vincent scrubbed a hand through his hair, sighing in exasperation when it tumbled right back into his face. Resisting the urge to go track down a sharp knife and hack it to an unfashionably short length, Vincent instead straightened his jacket, brushing a few invisible pieces of lint away as he reached the small dining room to which he’d been summoned.Summoned from a particularly delicate and frustrating set of negations. On one hand, Vincent was pleased for an excuse to get away for a bit… but they had finally been making progress – and with his luck the damn Wellworths would get ornery and change their minds once more about forging a truce with his family.
If they tried again to suggest marriage between him and their youngest daughter – a pleasant young woman with unfortunate teeth – Vincent was going to get ornery himself and be content with the current strife. He’d rather have Daniel.
Smiling briefly, Vincent let himself into the dining room, unsurprised to find Daniel pacing in the center of the room. His face brightened when he saw Vincent, and Vincent couldn’t help but smile again, some of the tension leaking from his back and shoulders.
“I was beginning to think they’d keep you locked away in there forever,” Daniel said, crossing the room quickly. Vincent laughed wearily, relaxing even more as Daniel kissed him in greeting. “How is it going?”
“Slowly,” Vincent replied, leaning into Daniel’s embrace. “They brought up marriage again.”
Daniel scowled, his fingers teasing at Vincent’s hair. “They know you’re mine. Why do they keep pushing it?”
“I don’t know,” Vincent said softly, though he had a hunch. The Wellworths had never been happy with his closeness to the royal family. “I think I have convinced them today that it’s not an option, but I doubt I’ll be fortunate enough for them to remember it tomorrow.”
“I’ll have Lucas talk with them,” Daniel said, giving Vincent a hard, brief kiss before slowly pulling away from him. “Just about the marriage thing, don’t give me that look.”
Shaking his head, Vincent smiled a little and didn’t bother to argue as Daniel led him across the room. Daniel wouldn’t listen in any case.
The dining room was a small, private affair. They’d dined here often, mostly when they’d first started seeing each other; before Lucas had discovered the room and ambushed them here too many times in a row.
There was a large window that showed off the spectacular landscape to the east, with a small table settled beneath it. The table was set for two, the chairs pulled around to the side to sit next to each other rather than across from each other. A small dinner was elegantly laid out, flickering candlelight from the burning tapers in the center casting a warm glow over the dishes and food.
“What’s this?” Vincent asked, keeping his voice steady. Surely Daniel hadn’t remembered – the anniversary didn’t count, not since they’d been apart for those four painful months.
“Dinner,” Daniel said, his lips curving in a mischievous smile that reminded Vincent of Lucas. “Two years ago –”
“It doesn’t count,” Vincent protested, laughing a little despite himself. “Daniel –”
“Vincent,” Daniel cut him off. “Two years ago I brought you here for dinner for the first time. I thought it was fitting to bring you back today.”
Vincent sighed, a reluctant smile tugging at his lips. He was probably blushing – Daniel had the weirdest ability to provoke blushes from him.
“Don’t say you didn’t remember or think about it,” Daniel said, chivalrously pulling out Vincent’s chair for him. “I know you better than that.”
“I did remember,” Vincent admitted softly, thinking about the small box tucked away in the back of his bureau. A bejeweled cravat pin, done in sparkling emerald, a gift he’d bought for the occasion without really thinking he’d give it.
Daniel smiled, sitting down next to him. “I thought you would. You’re good at remembering the important dates.”
“It’s silly,” Vincent protested, allowing Daniel to pour them both wine. A fruity rosé, one of Vincent’s favorites.
“Two years is nothing to dismiss,” Daniel said lightly, his hand straying to the pocket on the front of his jacket. Vincent blinked, wondering what he had in there – the pocket was slightly distended.
“There was the… break,” Vincent pointed out, then wished he hadn’t mentioned it. That was nothing he should bring up when they were celebrating their sort-of two year anniversary.
“It doesn’t count,” Daniel dismissed, giving him a small smile. “Because I say so, and I’m a prince so I can make those sorts of decisions.”
Vincent laughed, shaking his head and trying to ignore the warm, happy feeling spreading from his middle. “Yes, highness.”
Daniel grinned, his hand going for his pocket again. Vincent raised an eyebrow, giving Daniel’s pocket a pointed look. Daniel looked sheepish for a moment.
“I was going to wait until after dinner,” Daniel said, but slipped his fingers into his pocket anyway. “I got you something.” He pulled out a small, velvet-covered box and opened it, staring at whatever was inside – jewelry, likely, from the box. Vincent wished fervently that he’d given in to the urge to carry his gift for Daniel around all day like he’d wanted.
“It’s, um,” Daniel started, a nervous look flittering across his face. Shifting in his chair, he smiled briefly. Vincent stared, unnerved – Daniel was never really nervous. Especially not about gifts –
“I’m going to do this right,” Daniel announced, giving him a smile and sliding out of his chair. He dropped to one knee, and Vincent stopped breathing. “Vincent –”
“This is not fair,” Vincent admonished, ignoring the fact that his eyes were watering. “Daniel, you can’t –”
“I can,” Daniel cut him off, turning the box so that Vincent could see the beautiful silver and gold ring sunk tucked in the center. It was composed of two twisting bands, one silver and one gold, twining around each other endlessly. “Vin, you’re the best thing to ever happen to me. You’re smart and kind, beautiful and selfless, and you can even deal with my brothers without throwing things at them –”
Vincent laughed weakly, blinking rapidly.
“I love you,” Daniel continued, resting a hand on Vincent’s knee. “Will you marry me?”
Vincent just nodded dumbly, not sure he could actually say anything without starting to cry. Daniel carefully fished the ring out of its box and slid it onto Vincent’s hand. Vincent moved then, sliding off his chair to meet Daniel halfway, kissing him fiercely. Daniel kissed back just as fervently, his hands sinking into Vincent’s hair.
Vincent laughed softly as a sudden thought occurred to him. Daniel leaned away – putting a bare inch of space between them – and, smiling happily, asked, “What?”
“My gift isn’t this good,” Vincent admitted, not moving away from Daniel.
“You said yes,” Daniel said, laughing softly against his lips. “That’s the best gift you could’ve given me.”
