Flash fiction prompt from https://www.eadeverell.com/flash-fiction-prompts/. 3. “There was a ring in his teacup…” Here is the third story about a teacup and a small surprise. Comment and share if you've enjoyed it!
Marcus Brighton considered himself an insightful person, someone that had a good reading on people. That was how he was able to surround himself with kindred spirits and others of equally open mind. It was especially useful on the dating scene to quickly assess if someone was genuinely interested in getting to know him, or if they were just looking for a one-night adventure.
He was good looking if you considered the average beauty standard. Tall, dark, handsome and athletic were some of the words used to describe Marcus. He didn't like to think about his physical appearance all that much, but it couldn't be helped; the first impression was based off his looks, and he knew it. He did his best to keep an approachable demeanor, smiling at strangers he crossed paths with and offering help whenever he could. Being kind never cost anything, and you never knew how much of a difference it could make for someone having a bad day.
Despite his best efforts, Marcus found that people were intimidated by him. Perhaps it was the fact that he was a lawyer and did also exude an aura of confidence that came with the job. He also liked to be presentable and dressed up even when going out with friends. And so, he often ended up being the one walking up to people and offering to buy them a drink, rarely the other way around.
Perhaps that was one of the main reasons he fell so hard for his current boyfriend. Eren had approached him first and complimented his laugh, not his eyes or another cliched part of his appearance. Marcus had seen immediately that it was a kind man with a big heart, before even knowing he was a doctor, a pediatrician to be exact. That evening, they had talked for hours, and it ended up with a dinner date scheduled a few days later.
It had been three years since they had met, more or less to the day. They both were incredibly busy with their careers and irregular hours, but they still made time for weekly dates. After a stroll in the botanical gardens, they were having lunch at the on-site café. It was one of their favorite spots in the city, mostly because it was a nice change of pace. They appreciated the fresh air and the nature, even if manicured. Midday during the week, it was relatively calm, and they had almost the place to themselves.
Enjoying the sun on the terrace, they were waiting for their after-meal tea while admiring the gardens spread out before them. The low chatter of the few other patrons was accompanied by birdsongs and the clinking of plates. The café had a soft background musique that was easily forgotten.
Finishing his light lunch as the jasmine tea arrived, Eren was gushing about his nephew to his boyfriend, who was listening intently.
"I definitely have to go visit them soon, Ashton is growing so fast!"
Marcus knew how difficult it was for the doctor to be away from his sister, who was living in the country a few hours away from the city along with their parents. They were definitely a closeknit family, something that was a bit foreign to the lawyer.
"Of course," he agreed. "I'm just in the middle of a big case for the firm, but right after that, I'll be free to go for a few days, if you'd like."
It was often like that between them, one or the other, or both, had extremely busy periods and then they had a little downtime where they could get out of the city before things got crazy again. Like tidal waves, it came and went, but it was constant.
Marcus wasn't especially keen on children, but he loved Ashton because he was family. It was a delight to see him grow up and learn different things. He knew Eren wanted something similar for them, but the lawyer just wasn't sure about having kids of his own.
As Eren kept talking about the developmental progress of his nephew, his face lighting up, Marcus proceeded to pour the tea after ensuring the liquid was infused enough. As he took a sip of his hot drink, he felt something hard hit his lip. It wasn't painful, but it was certainly unexpected. Startled, he swiftly put his cup down, looked down, and his eyes grew wide. There was a ring in his teacup…
Eren hadn't seemed to notice Marcus' surprise. The lawyer was still processing, and the obvious reason seemed impossible; they had talked about marriage before, and it wasn't really what he wanted. Marcus quickly regained composure and fished the ring out. Cocking his head to the side, he chose to tease his boyfriend instead of confronting him.
"Finally decided to put a ring on it, Eren?" he asked playfully, holding the silver band in his palm.
"What are you talking about?"
It took Eren a second to understand what the man was referring to, but when he saw the ring in his hand, he laughed and shook his head in disbelief.
"That is not mine, Marcus."
He leaned forward, curious, as the lawyer examined the object a little closer.
"I have to ask," he continued, "why do you think I would propose to you, knowing your stand on marriage?"
It was true that Marcus was never shy when it came to his opinion on marriage. To him, it was just another way society tried to control how people lived. He believed that two people could be committed to each other in a monogamous relationship without having to tie themselves to each other legally, or in front of a god and a crowd. Despite that, he understood why a lot of people wanted to get married as an expression of love, especially in the queer community for which it wasn't always easy. It just wasn't for him.
"I didn't think you did, but what other reason would there be a ring in my drink?" the lawyer asked, a little distracted by the object in question.
During his inspection of the silver band, Marcus found a small inscription inside the ring, a date and initials. This was a significant object to someone, and he hoped the café staff would know who this belonged to.
Eren shuffled nervously in his seat as Marcus flagged down their server. After the new teapot was ordered and the ring entrusted to the waiter, the pediatrician grabbed the attention of his boyfriend, his tone losing all previous playfulness.
"Actually, Marcus, I did have a reason for inviting you here, although it wasn't to ask you to marry me. I think we should talk about our relationship..."
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