“It wasn’t...I mean, it’s not...too much?” Gabriel pulled his shoulders in slightly, stilling Joel's hands.
“Oh, it’s far too much,” Joel breathed out with a chuckle, reaching up to kiss Gabriel's swollen mouth. “But I deserve it, don't I?”
Gabriel licked Joel's mouth open with his tongue and wrapped his arms tight around the man he loved beyond reason or sanity.
EPILOGUE
Joel has a Question
One year later
Athena bumped Joel's shoulder as they leaned over the glass case. She tapped her fingernail against the glass repeatedly and started to jump up and down. “This one, Baby J! This is the one!” With her free hand, she motioned for the sales girl to come over and help them. “This is the one! Can we see this one?”
Joel reached his hand over, stilling Athena’s tapping fingernail. “Throttle down, Theenie. Let’s take a look first, okay?” He held out his hand and the sales girl dropped the ring into his palm. He held the weight of it, and for the first time thought he might be jumping the gun. He picked up the ring in his fingers, looking at it in the light, furrowing his brows.
“Do you not like it?” the sales girl spoke up, her cheerful voice now reflecting that tone which only ever came with a potentially lost commission.
“No, I do like it.” He set the ring down on the gray felt pad the sales girl had slid onto the glass case in front of them. “Is this too much, Theenie?” He picked up the ring again, holding it between his thumb and finger.
Athena tilted her head at him. “Why would it be too much? Don’t you think you’ve waited long enough for handsome boyfriend to pop the question on his own?” She plucked the ring from his grasp, turning it in her palm and smiling at Joel.
“But, it’s Gabriel. Everything with him is always so...planned and orchestrated. Shouldn't I wait? He obviously doesn’t want to marry me or he would have by now. I’ve been living with him for a year and he hasn’t even fucking hinted at it.” Joel began to hyperventilate as his anxiety over Gabriel's seeming lack of commitment overtook him. He snatched the ring from Athena and put it back down on the felt pad.
Athena picked up the ring once more and held it in front of Joel's face. His eyes zeroed in on the sturdy black tungsten circle and two rubies inlaid in the band. He held his hand out and Athena dropped the ring into it.
“Baby J. Gabriel is going to be yours for the rest of your life, ring or otherwise, you know that. You two have a special bond.” Athena chuckled, and Joel barked out a nervous-sounding laugh, continuing his assessment of the ring. “Gabriel would bend heaven and earth if it was what you wanted, and if this is what you want, then he’ll give it to you gladly.”
“I know he will, but I want him to want it, too.” Joel slid the ring down onto his finger and found it far too large for his delicate hands.
“He wants what you want. He loves what you love. You know this, Baby J. If you want to wait around for him to do it, then wait for him. If not, buy the fucking ring.” Athena shouldered her purse, effectively telling Joel to make a decision. She tilted her eyes down to the ring on his finger and smiled, looking back up at his face. Joel was staring at the ring himself, smiling, and thenhe gave a slow nod as he reached with his right hand into his pocket for his wallet.
“Alright, yeah. Let’s get it.”
The sales girl perked up, gladly taking Joel's credit card and running off to charge him for the purchase. He started to shake and slid the ring off, dropping it with a clatter onto the glass case.
“Holy shit, Athena.” His voice shook like his hands.
“Holy shit, Joel.” Her eyes widened and she smiled at him.
The sales girl returned with his card and receipt, reaching for the ring. “I’ll box this up for you.” But Joel reached out and stopped her, slamming his hand with a little more force than necessary over the ring.
“No, that’s fine. I’ll take it.” He picked up the ring and slipped it into his front pocket before returning his card to his wallet. “Thank you,” he muttered, chewing at his lip before following Athena out of the store.
“This is the best decision you’ve made all year, Baby J.” Athena pushed into him with her hip as they walked back to the parking lot.
Climbing into his car, he offered her a worried smile. The look she gave him in return was wide and bright. “Stop it. You got this. Call me when it’s over. I can’t wait to start planning. Mr. and Mr. Handsome Boyfriend! It’s going to be epic, Baby J!” Athena was still chattering on as Joel closed his door and backed out of the parking spot, heading home.
After Joel had returned to him, Gabriel had refused to let him leave. Joel had moved in the same day, his belongings from his apartment magically showing up in boxes the following morning. They hadn’t stayed in the condo for long, though. Gabriel had decided to sell it and buy them a beautifully renovated craftsman bungalow in Silverlake. Joel loved it there, with its small back yard where Gabriel had planted him a patch of zinnia and jonquils,because I’ll always desire your affections,he told him.
Joel pulled into the driveway, parking and giving the ring in his pocket one last reassuring squeeze before unlocking the door and going inside. As soon as he closed the front door, he was immediately lifted and slammed into the wall by Gabriel's body.
“I didn’t know you were home,” Joel sputtered. He had planned to find somewhere to hide the damn ring before Gabriel got home from work, but now wouldn't have the chance.
“Is it a problem for me to be here? In my home? With the man I love?” Gabriel pressed his face into Joel's neck, biting at his pulse point.
“Fuck no,” Joel moaned, reaching up to pull Gabriel's dress shirt loose from his pants. Gabriel grabbed Joel's hands, pinning them to the wall over his head, finishing untucking his shirt by himself.
“Did you have a nice lunch with Athena?” Gabriel sucked Joel's earlobe into his mouth. Joel shuddered and bucked his hips against Gabriel, trying to find any friction for his quickly growing erection.
