He Makes Me Quiet

Chapter 7

The next weekend, Gansey convinced Dorian to go down to Lexington with him. He fed Dorian some story about Ronan needing his help with something out at the Barns and that Tristan had agreed to keep him occupied for the day. He felt a little bad about the white lie, but the only alternative was telling Dorian about the ring and ruining the surprise.

Dorian gave him a grin and a kiss— the combination of which meant he knew that Gansey was up to something, but would let him have his secrets. So they had driven the hour or so to Dorian's hometown— and the closest thing Gansey had to a hometown— and met up with some of their oldest friends.

•••

Ronan had met them at the inn in the pickup truck he had traded the BMW in for when his urge to become a farmer had required some actual hauling capabilities. As they rumbled along the country roads, Gansey draped his arm out the window and breathed in the scent of Lexington.

"Where do you wanna start?"

Gansey sighed. "I don't know."

"It doesn't have to be an important place, you know. It can just be a romantic one."

"You're right, Ronan. This whole town is important."

They drove around through the city park— pretty, but not perfect. Past the small diner, Nino's— Gansey was not going to propose to Dorian where he'd worked in high school, he didn't care if they'd met there. And through the neighborhood surrounding 300 Fox Way— It would work, but it seemed weird to propose to him in his mother's house.

"What about the church?" Ronan asked as they sat idling somewhere along the length of Fox Way.

"Saint Agnes?"

"No," Ronan said like it was obvious. And, perhaps it was. "The church on the Ley Line. In the cemetery."

"Oh," Gansey whispered. "That's something, isn't it."

"I know it's a bit morbid, but—" Ronan began.

"No, it's perfect," Gansey cut him off. "Really! Technically, it is where we first met. And... This isn't about just me and Dorian. I mean, it is. But it's about all of us, too. It would mean a lot to me if all of us were there."

Ronan stared at him for a long moment.

"You want us all at your proposal?"

"I really do," Gansey grinned at him, despite feeling a little dorky for it.

"Okay, then we'll make it happen."

Ronan put the truck back into gear and drove out of Lexington and down to the old church. Or, more specifically, the walls of what had once been a church.

Gansey climbed out of the pickup and stood like a king surveying his kingdom.

"Well?" Ronan joined him on the passenger side of the truck.

"It's perfect. I think some fairy lights up on the old stone walls. Or some candles? I'll walk him along the path and then all of you will come out of hiding and we'll all be together and I'll ask."

"Think we can get Henry and Alex to come back stateside for it?"

"They'd better come," Gansey laughed. "I'll get him to come. If I have to schedule it around when they're able to, I will."

"Well, then I think we're set. Time to head back to get Dorian and Thorne?"

"Yes, you are released from my proposal schemes. Let's go eat."

•••

When they got back to the inn, Dorian and Tristan weren't there, but when Gansey checked his phone he had a text that they had gone out and would meet them at Nino's "for old time's sake" at 6:00. Gansey and Ronan had barely made it back in time.

"Guess I should have checked that first," Gansey chuckled as he slipped his shoes back on and led the way out again.

Nino's hadn't changed, for better or for worse.

Gansey slid into a booth after Dorian and Tristan and Ronan slid in across from them. Ronan narrowly missed whacking his head on the low-hanging lamp, pulling a soft chuckle out of Dorian and a wicked cackle out of Tristan.

"Forgot about that fucker," he mumbled as he sat down.

"You live here, Ronan, surely you still come to Nino's," Dorian teased.

Ronan shrugged.

"We don't come into town much," Tristan filled in. "And Nino's is..."

"It's for all of us together again," Dorian agreed with his unspoken statement.

"Yeah."

They all looked at each other for a moment before Dorian turned to Gansey.

"Give me your phone."

"What? Why?" he asked as he handed it over.

Dorian didn't answer but opened up his contacts and clicked on Henry's name to FaceTime.

It rang for a while before Henry answered, clearly having been quite soundly asleep in bed.

"Dick Three? It's six in the morning. Is everything alright?"

"We missed you," Dorian answered. He propped the phone up against the salt shaker, showing Henry who was at the table.

"Hello all," he smiled sleepily. "I miss you, too."

Then he turned and gently shook Alex awake, coaxing a proper greeting out of him, as well.

"Hey," was all Alex managed before sleepily slumping over and resting his head on Henry's shoulder.

"There, now we can have our pizza," Dorian declared.

Henry chuckled and sat up a little straighter to support Alex, clearly agreeing to the strange conversation.

They chattered comfortably through a pitcher of iced tea and several pizzas, Dorian tucked into Gansey's side and Tristan and Ronan pressed close together in the booth across from them, Henry chattering about all the people he was meeting in his travels from the screen. Alex made sleepy comments every now and then, but was mostly content to watch the rest of them talk.

It felt like coming home, and Gansey was sure he had made the right location choice.