Ex's to Lovers

Chapter 67

In Which Natalya "Helps" Alfred Shop For a Ring

Contrary to his expectations, Alfred was almost enjoying shopping and looking at rings, at least until Natalya arrived. Ring shopping was more fun when you had money you can spend on them, and even more so when most of it was a gift, and not something you had to work your butt off to earn. Just before he had left the house, Arthur had pulled Alfred aside and told him that as an engagement gift, he'd help by covering half the cost. If Alfred was the contentious type like Mathew, he would have protested he couldn't give a gift boughten with someone else's money, and insisted on either buying it himself, or paying Arthur back.

Alfred wasn't that type though, so he happily accepted the extra cash. Even paying half for a basic ring would still take a huge chunk out of the money he'd saved by doing part time jobs during the summer and winter break, which Alfred still felt somewhat sulky about, but he figured he could just wheedle more allowance from Arthur or something to get the gaming system that he wanted later. Once he started looking, Alfred found it was fun.

Neither he nor Ivan were into jewelry much, and Alfred didn't feel like giving Ivan a ring with a stone would be a good idea, since he'd pretty much be arming Ivan with a single-finger brass knuckle, which Ivan was sure to use on him since Alfred's favorite hobby was annoying him. That made the shopping even better, because the rings with no stones were definitely cheaper.

That was, until he felt a chill on his back that announced Natalya's presence. Since no one told Natalya "no" she immediately took over. Somehow (Alfred was scared to ask) Natalya had gotten Ivan's finger size without him knowing, which she gave to Alfred to help him order the right size. The issue began right after. Alfred would look at one ring to admire the shine, or compare it to another, and Natalya would appear and drag Alfred off to another ring, saying "My brother does not like that type. He likes this one." while Toris followed her like a happy dog, noting down all the rings she suggested.

The problem was that Natalya had terrible taste.

"See!" Natalya said proudly, presenting Alfred with the ugliest ring he had ever seen, including the fake-vomit ring he won at an arcade once when he was young, "I think my brother will like this."

It was true that the gaudy skull shape and black ring colour definitely excluded the same death vibes that Ivan often gave off when he was mad, but Alfred refused to buy that ring on a matter of principle alone. The principle being that he refused to buy anything that horrendous unless he was sending it to someone far away and never had to see it again. Which quickly turned into an argument.

"I don't think he will."

Alfred, trying to not offend Natalya.

"He will! I know my brother better than you imbecile!"

Natalya, intending to offend.

"I'm saying that we should try looking at others too!"

Alfred, half pleading, half exasperated.

"I'm saying you don't need to look any further, because this is the one!"

Natalya, Upset and growing ever more frustrated. 

Feliks did nothing to help, leaning back and and watching the scene like it was a movie, and Alfred could have sworn he hallucinated 3D glazes and popcorn on Feliks as he watched. Finally, Toris took pity and stepped in. Perhaps because Toris had lived next to Ivan pretty much his whole life since Ivan moved here, even before Alfred met Ivan, Toris was immune to Natalya's death glare. Sadly, this seemed to be replaced with a strange sort of infatuation that Alfred couldn't fathom, but was grateful for all the same.

Toris, disregarding all threats to break his fingers, arms, wrists, and every bone in his body, caught Natalya under the arms from behind, and hauled her off, saying "Alfred's the one proposing, let him choose the ring. In the meantime, we could go on a date?" which Natalya responded to with even more vicious threats, and a few creative suggestions on where Toris should stick his date request.

Which left an exhausted and frustrated Alfred, and an amused and laid-back Feliks, to ring shop alone.