He Makes Me Quiet

Chapter 9

The weekend after they had gone down to Lexington, Gansey's ring was ready to be picked up. Dorian texted Tristan to let him know after he got off the phone with the jeweler and then immediately raced out of the house and jumped in the Pig. Gansey had given him a set of keys to it years ago, and he was careful not to abuse the privilege of Gansey's favourite belonging. Learning to drive stick had been a nightmare, but Ronan and Gansey had been patient teachers.

"Dorian!" Peter greeted when he walked in. "You got here fast!"

He grinned in response, trying not to bounce up and down. "I'm excited to see it! What can I say?"

"Well, let's not keep you waiting then. Have a seat here, and I'll bring it out."

Dorian dropped onto the stool that was offered to him and tucked one leg up under his knee, still feeling so jittery he had the impression of vibrating. Peter brought a small black box out from the back and cracked it open, setting it on the counter. Dorian reached out automatically, then remembered his manners and pulled back.

"May I?"

"It's your ring," Peter smiled, letting out a soft chuckle.

Dorian reached out and plucked the ring from its cushion. The band was wide and smooth, shined to perfection, and in the middle was the emerald he had picked out, tiny and perfect, surrounded by the crisscrossing ley lines.

"It's gorgeous," he whispered as he turned it around in his fingers. It would be perfect for Gansey. "Thank you, Peter."

"Glad you like it."

"I really, really do," he gazed at it a moment longer. "Do you mind if I—" he cut off and gestured to his phone.

"Go right ahead," Peter allowed, stepping back to give him space.

Dorian clicked the FaceTime button on Tristan's contact.

"Did you get it?" Tristan asked immediately as he picked up the call.

"It's perfect," Dorian grinned, then turned the camera around so he could show off the ring, once again snug on its little cushion.

"Dorian, it came out wonderfully," Tristan whistled.

"Think he'll like it?" Dorian asked, suddenly feeling nervous, the camera still pointed at the ring.

Tristan gave him a pointed look through the phone.

"Turn the camera around," he demanded.

Dorian did.

"Dorian Reed, that boy has been head over heels in love with you since you two were seventeen. You know he doesn't care what the ring looks like, he'll just be ecstatic that you're proposing at all."

"I still want him to like it," Dorian mumbled, admonished.

"He will. It's beautiful."

"Good."

After he had paid the remaining due and Peter had packaged up the ring for him to take home, Dorian slid the box into his bag, well hidden from any accidental discovery.

When he got home he transferred it to his own secret hiding place, nestled between fluffy winter sweaters he had no use for most of the year.

•••

The next day, Tristan called.

"Are you alone?"

"Yeah? What's up?"

Dorian tucked his phone between his ear and shoulder so he could continue with cooking dinner.

"Ronan just told me. Gansey picked a location."

"He did?"

"Do you want to know?"

"Of course I want to know, you tease!" Dorian shrieked. "How else am I to usurp the proposal?"

"The church."

"The church? We don't go to church."

"The abandoned church in Lexington. On the ley line."

"Oh. That church. Interesting choice."

"You met him there, first. That churchyard started it all, and he wants it to be the start of this, too."

"Oh, Tristan," Dorian murmured.

"Yeah," Tristan breathed over the line.

"You said Ronan knows, and he told you. Does that mean you'll all be there?"

"Yeah, that's the plan. Ronan finally looped me in."

"That's absolutely beautiful."

"Gansey is trying to figure out when Henry and Alex can be in town next," Tristan continued. "So, no date has been set yet. But it'll be soon as he can get those two on the continent."

"Oh, wow, he's really moving, huh."

"Mhm," he confirmed. "You sure you wanna take over his proposal?"

"What?"

"It's just... it sounds like it's gonna be really beautiful and he's working so hard. Are you sure?"

"I'll let him have his. And then do my own. That boy is not going to rob me of the chance to give him this ring."

"That's fair."

"I'll just happen to have it on me for a 'just in case the moment is right' kinda thing."

"Shrewd."

Dorian laughed. "Wow, this is really happening."

"It really is. You ready to be Mrs. Gansey III?"

"I'm keeping my name, thank you."

"You are?"

"Yes. Taking names is ridiculous. And how weird would Dorian Gansey sound? And also... It's not like I go around calling him Richard. It would be weird to..."

Tristan laughed, obviously catching on to the implication. "I'm so gonna tell Ronan you said that. But— Fair enough. It's your name, after all."

"Would you take Ronan's?"

"I'm not sure. It's not like we've actually planned to get married. Tristan Lynch? Maybe I'd get used to it."

"Well then."

"Yep."

•••

"Cheng," Dorian greeted his friend over Skype.

"Hello! Good to see your face, Reed."

"Yours as well. Did your hair get taller?"

Henry patted his hair protectively, but widened his smile to show that no offence was taken.

"What's up?" Dorian laughed.

"Wanted to see what your plans were for the next month or so. I've been thinking of swinging through your neck of the woods soon and I want to make sure you'll be there."

Dorian picked up his phone and opened the calendar app.

"I'm going back to Lexington to visit my mom two weekends from now— April sixth— but otherwise I'll be in town."

"Perfect," Henry smiled. "Pencil me in for three weekends from now?"

"You got it, babe," he agreed, making a note. "Anything special?"

"I just miss you all," Henry shrugged. "Alex does, too."

Dorian smiled, but mentally noted that Gansey had gone above and beyond in securing Dorian's time for the surprise. If only he'd had a more unique hiding place for the ring box, he might have pulled it off.

Not wanting to let on that he knew, he swung the conversation around to a new restaurant that he wanted to take Henry and Alex to and they talked easily for the next hour.