The Unlikeliest of Mates

Chapter 13

A/N: got some ice cream today, so I'm feeling sweet :) enjoy the fluff and sorry for the delay, I  had back to back health appointments this week so it took longer than I hoped to finish

Achilles POV:

Sitting in the house with the dogs was a new experience for Achilles. Having never really interacted with them before he feels as nervous as he did seeing Basilio back in December. The two pittbulls look up at him with expressively joyful eyes, tails waging, mouths open in a smile of sorts.

He tentatively pets them, barely brushing against their heads as the front door opens, cool air coming in behind Basilio as he closes the door behind him.

"My father gave us a gift."

"Oh, what is it?"

Basilio walks over, taking a seat next to Achilles on the love seat close to the fireplace. "Our rings," he says, opening the box.

Achilles sharply inhales, reaching out for the gold and black bands, "They're gorgeous. Which one is yours?"

"I actually don't know. We can both try them own and see which one fits us."

"Okay," Achilles says, putting his left ring finger out.

"Oh you want me to," Basilio asks gesturing with his eyes to Achilles' hand, eyebrow raised.

"Well you are supposed to be my husband, may as well start acting like it now." He glances up into Basilio's eyes, a shy smile playing on his lips. He wasn't quiet sure why he decided to be so playful all of a sudden but he knows its paying off as a light flush begins to makes it way across Basilio's face. The poor man was gaping like a fish, looking at Achilles, then the rings, then back at Achilles.

"I- um, alright yeah. Let me just," he grabs the top ring from the box and slips it onto Achilles' ring finger.

"Hmm, perfect fit," he says, lifting up his ring finger, inspecting it. "Tell your parents they have good taste."

"Uh huh," Basilio responds, eyes focused on Achilles' hand, making the man giggle. What has gotten into Basilio, he wonders.

"Well while you do whatever that is you're doing, I'm gonna go read a book in bed, I'm tired." He gets up, the weight of the ring now resting comfortably on his left ring finger, and makes his way up those rickety stairs. The dogs follow behind him, bumping into each other as they try to keep up with his strides.

They make their way into the room and he falls onto the bed, pulling himself up somewhat dramatically before settling amongst the pillow pile on the wall closets to the window.

Getting himself settled, he grabs a worn copy of Anne of Green Gables, which a part of him feels a bit embarrassed about owning, and opens back up to where his bookmark sits and begins to read. The dogs hop onto the bed as he settles, laying at the foot of the bed, facing up the bed, heads laying on their paws. They make no attempts to get closer to him, which Achilles is secretly grateful for. He likes them, but they still are making him weary.

It was late mid-day and the sun was still in the sky, though winding down and those familiar pink and orange hues were making their way into the sky. The sunlight hits his new ring just right, making the gold sparkle against his finger, and the black more visible, revealing the thousands of tiny groves and dips in the rock from where it was cut and molded to fit into the ring.

A smile graces his lips as he flips his hand over, continuously admiring the way it sits on his hand. He isn't quite sure how to feel, but the image of the ring on his finger sends something warm throughout his very core and joy quietly burrows its way into his heart. It isn't quite love, but something beyond simple appreciation. Knowing Basilio's parents took the time to pick out rings that would look good on them and not just any old cheap, random rings felt so personal and so considerate, which is everything and more Achilles was not expecting for their marriage.

Basilio's parents were people that he only knew in passing hellos and thank you for the rides, but to know that people who were practically strangers cared for the relationship between him and their son feels warm, and different. Its conflicting. But not unwelcomed.

He touches the ring some more, lost in thought as the door to the bedroom opens.

"Hey, thought I'd come join you seeing as the dog are in here."

Achilles almost breaks his neck to turn from the ring to look at Basilio. A blush creeps up on his cheeks as the embarrassment of being caught starts to sink in,

"You like it? It brings out your eyes y'know." Basilio mutters, a stupidly shy smile making its way across his face.

"Huh?" Achilles can feel his eyes widening and his face getting flush.

"Huh?" Basilio almost looks almost shocked at what he just said.

"What did you say?"

"Absolutely nothing. I'm, I don't know. I'm gonna go pee."

Basilio stops off into the bathroom, shutting the door behind them, eyes downcast with embarrassments. Achilles sits absolutely stunned, his face most definitely red with blush and his hands grasp tightly around the two ends of the front and back cover of the book, covering his face as he almost screams in pure agony.

What is Basilio even talking about? Why is is talking about me being cute? I swear we were just at odds like an hour ago. Am I that hot or something?

Achilles can barely grasp his thoughts together. The switch between now and earlier is practically giving him heart eyes and heated looks. It makes him squirm. That familiar warm feeling erupts in his stomach, heating down to the v of his stomach.

Huffing, he glances at the bathroom door. He doesn't even want to guess what Basilio is doing in there but hopes it's not what he's thinking.

Some sort of weird teletherapy must have been initiated because after having that thought, Basilio comes out of the bathroom. He looks rumpled but clearly not in a way that would imply anything inappropriate. The neck of his shirt and chin appears wet, and listening to his heartbeat, it was a bit erratic but not in a way that was alarming. He's pressed against the back of the bathroom door, now facing him, bracing himself, eyes to the floor.

"You doing good over there?"

"Huh? Yeah, I'm good, all good. Just, I'm sorry for that. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable or overstep a boundary there. I think I got caught up in the magic of the rings, if you will."

Achilles nods, "Nah, it's all good, was just, confused and worried. You were acting suspicious so I was concerned."

"Yeah, no that's fair. You and the ring and just, everything felt real in a different way you and looked different and I guess my brain just," he makes an explosion motion with his hands, "you know?"

No, Achilles does not know, and part of him doubts he ever will, but he understands what sentiments Basilio is trying to convey, to an extent.

"I guess so. Just don't go all mushy on me cause I'm wearing your ring. We aren't actually a loving married couple. Don't get confused okay? We can put that on for others but I don't want to act like you hung the moon 24/7. This is all too new for me okay? I need some time to get used to all of this and springing all of that one me was a lot."

Basilio doesn't look up, but he nods and pushes off the bathroom door and leaves the room, shutting the door behind him.

Huffing and rolling his eyes, Achilles looks at the dogs, "What go into your owner huh? What's going on up in that noggin of his." The dogs make snuffing noises, wiggling closer to Achilles but being no help to his answering his questions.

Shaking his head, Achilles tries to refocus on his book, trying his best to not read into Basilio's behavior. It's for the best.