maskormenacelogs | once I had the rarest rose that ever deigned to bloom

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once I had the rarest rose that ever deigned to bloom

WHO: what a fucking shock, it's Dorian & Toby
WHERE: their apartment
WHEN: we're playing fast and loose here. During organgate but pre fledgeling murders.
WHAT: Toby liked it so he put a ring on it. Dorian shall do the same.
WARNINGS: they're so in love it's disgusting.

Perhaps the first thing that Toby notices when he wakes up is that the apartment is clean. Everything's clean, the bathroom's scrubbed, the sink's washed down, the table and countertops are clean, Dorian's gotten up a few hours before Toby woke up just to make certain everything's tip-top shape. Granted, there are still a few things that he's forgotten about (the microwave's a little dirty and the carpets need to be vacuumed) but dammit, he put in effort!

So, when Toby gets up, Dorian's putting the cloths he used for cleaning in the washing machine (and he's used like five too many towels, somebody still needs a bit more cleaning experience). He's about to wash his hands when he spots Toby in the other room.

"You're supposed to still be asleep!" Dorian teased, turning on the faucet, washing his hands as he does so. Over the din of the faucet, he calls out, "Everything's almost done—it's nothing that fancy, but you'll still appreciate it."

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Indeed, Toby's expression lights up in wonder when he first creeps out of his room. Normally it's his responsibility to keep the apartment spick and span, but it's more or less sparkling without his having lifted a finger. How unusual! That said, he almost furtively makes his way through their home, studying everything along the way.

Of course, that's when he spots Dorian washing his hands in the other room.

"Did you... did you do all this?" Toby continues to look about in surprise, wondering what brought this bizarre cleaning frenzy on. "You had better not be on probation again, I recall you going on a haphazard cleaning frenzy the last time. No, but this is different; what's the occasion?"

"The occasion's you. What's different this time is that I have a few presents for you: one planned, one unplanned." After all, he had no idea that when he hopped over to Billy Kaplan's rare book shop, Billy would show him a Wordsworth—and a good old-fashioned one at that, an 1869 copy. Of course Dorian bought it and of course he's going to give it to Toby.

The matching ring, though...that was entirely planned.

He dries off his hands before walking over to Toby. "The presents, at the moment, are in my room. So don't move a muscle!"

"Oh!"

Toby seems pleasantly surprised and is inwardly giddy with excitement. The gift that Dorian had planned out... surely that's his ring, isn't it? And yet, Toby fears getting his hopes up too high. Because Dorian marches to his own beat and does things in his own time, and Toby knows he'll be sorely disappointed if it's not what he's expecting.

But another present? What could it possibly be?

"Can't help that I'm already moving, albeit slowly, but all right! I'll wait for you on the sofa, love."

Dorian scurries off to the bedroom. Hidden in the closet, behind a worrying amount of clothes, is the book and the ring. He wrapped the book in simple brown paper, the ring still in the jeweler's box. He's only in his room for a moment or so before he walks calmly out, giving Toby a small smile, as he offers him the two packages.

"Here you go! One of these I'm fairly certain you know what it is, but the other? Hopefully that's a surprise enough."

After all, it's pretty hard to hide a bonafide ring.

Having just got situated on the sofa when Dorian emerges with a small box, Toby feels his unease and doubt subside, giving way to elation. Still, he does gasp at the sight before Dorian delivers his presents. Resting the gift in brown paper on his lap, he decides first and foremost to handle the small box.

"Yes, I do know what this one is," he answers whilst opening it, and then marveling at the ring set carefully inside of it. "Oh, it's beautiful... Dorian, I can hardly believe it..."

He's never looked more in love with Dorian than he does now, carefully plucking the ring out of its box.

The ring matches Dorian's, almost a perfect fit. It's obvious that he's spent some time picking it out and it's not entirely Dorian being a bit slow and lazy. Dorian can't help but grin as Toby takes the ring out of the box. He's just so happy and so in love and so ecstatic that Toby's happy. Just maybe things will actually work out this time.

"I can honestly say, I never thought this would happen," he can't help but remark, with a small little laugh. "I love it, though."

Once Toby is wearing the ring, he holds up his hand to examine it. Yeah, Dorian may have taken his time, but the ring is a gorgeous match, so it was well worth the wait. As he marvels at the sight, "I love you, Dorian Gray. You're really the most amazing person in the world."

After putting the box aside, Toby turns his attention to the gift wrapped in brown paper.

"Wonder what this is... Perhaps something to elevate how amazing you already are." With that, he carefully unwraps his present and discovers the book.

"Wordsworth..." He regards the book in awe, turning it in his hands before carefully opening it for study. A slow smile spreads across his lips and his whole face lights up. "It's a nineteen-sixty-nine copy! How did you—I mean, where did you get this?"

Dorian's just grinning like a madman as he sits down on the sofa next to Toby, all smiles and elation. Because hell yeah, he is the best fiancee and the most amazing person in the world.

"You know Billy Kaplan? That idiot sorcerer who made all the toilets come to life a while back." Sorry Billy, but it's true. "Well, he's decided to open up a rare book shop, I paid him a visit mostly to see how he was doing, and found that for you."

He's lapping up Toby's excitement, feeding off of it, Dorian's smile growing wider and wider as he looks over at Toby. "I love you so much, Toby. This is the least I can do to help show it."

Always had a soft spot for Wordsworth... Of course, Dorian would remember that and the way Toby spoke about meeting with the poet over a lifetime ago. Wordsworth's works have a special place as timeless classics and comforting consolation in Toby's heart. But for Dorian to obtain an original such as this...

The sofa cushions dip as Dorian seats himself beside Toby, who glances back at his lover with unbridled glee.

"Wow, this is... You were only seven when this copy was published." Laughing, he leans forward on the sofa and returns to perusing the book. "If this is the least you could do, I can barely fathom what the most might look like."

Then he leans back, turning to Dorian as he settles into the sofa.

"Shall I read to you, dear?"

Dorian snuggles up against Toby, leaning against the vampire, resting his head on his shoulder as best he can. Of course he'd remember Wordsworth. Toby loved the poet, something that Dorian remembered even past Toby's death. During those years of depression, even the slightest quote of Wordsworth was prone to set him in a fit of melancholy, just like the image of a sunrise, a certain song, a specific smell. There were things that Dorian intrinsically associated with Toby and one of them, thankfully, was Wordsworth.

"Oooh, if you're offering, I shan't say no. You know I love to hear the sound of your voice."

He loves everything about Toby, let's be real.

After quickly flipping through the table of contents, Toby settles first on a short one—Poems Founded on the Affections, page seventy-five, to a butterfly. Once he turns to the correct page, he holds the book in one hand while the other takes Dorian's hand and caresses it.

"I've watched you now a full half-hour;
Self-poised upon that yellow flower
And, little Butterfly! indeed
I know not if you sleep or feed.
How motionless!--not frozen seas
More motionless! and then
What joy awaits you, when the breeze
Hath found you out among the trees,
And calls you forth again!

This plot of orchard-ground is ours;
My trees they are, my Sister's flowers;
Here rest your wings when they are weary;
Here lodge as in a sanctuary!
Come often to us, fear no wrong;
Sit near us on the bough!
We'll talk of sunshine and of song,
And summer days, when we were young;
Sweet childish days, that were as long
As twenty days are now."

Having completed his recitation, Toby gives Dorian's hand a small squeeze. Then he concludes with, "Written in eighteen-hundred-one."

Dorian just listens. Granted, he does snuggle in towards Toby a bit more, resting his head against the man as Toby takes his hand. Just the feel of Toby's touch in his is enough to make him just light up inside, giving Toby a gentle smile as he lays against him and listens.

"Talking of summer days..." Dorian can't help but muse. He gives Toby a little laugh. "Of course, in this place, it's more of we'll forcibly relive those days when we were young." He takes Toby's hand in his own, wrapping his fingers in between Toby's. "I was infatuated with you, you know. That young little boy I became a month or so ago."

Inwardly, Toby wonders why they can't stay just like this all the time. Curled up against one another, sunken into their sofa, hand in hand, fingers intertwined, reading or telling stories, simply enjoying each other's presence...

A soft and slow smile spreads across Toby's lips at Dorian's admission. His hand in Dorian's, he lightly brushes his thumb back and forth across Dorian's knuckles. His other hand snaps the book shut before lowering it to his side.

"I remember. Though, it's all very strange and dreamlike. Sometimes, I can't believe it happened." Slowly, he leans his head against Dorian's and lets out a small, pleased sigh. "But I'm glad it did. And I'd love to hear more of your thoughts on it?"

Leaving the book at his side, Toby lifts his hand to tap Dorian on the nose before letting out a little laugh.

"On what, how I adored you?" Dorian can't help but respond, with a small little laugh, curling in towards Toby, letting the vampire tap him on the nose. He's perfectly fine flattering Toby, telling Toby just how much he adores the man and how much he means to him. So, he continues.

"I thought you were the most beautiful man I had ever seen before. You drew me in, you entranced me, and when we finally made love, I thought that I must be the luckiest person ever to have someone so attractive, so astonishing, so enthralling even pay me the slightest bit of attention."

Dorian has a way of adoring himself first and foremost, which makes it all the more wonderful when he's spouting adulation about Toby instead. He cosies up to Dorian, lowering the hand with which he'd tapped Dorian's nose.

"Mmmmmmm, I'm delighted to hear it." He sighs softly. "Well, I'll play it tit for tat, now."

So he turns to face his lover, pressing their foreheads together.

"The moment I set eyes on you, I was interested even though I didn't know you. But of course, it wouldn't have been fun if I caved to you so easily." He lets out an amused chuckle. "Ah, and then you introduced yourself as Dorian Gray. Honestly, I couldn't believe you were real, but there you were. So young and beautiful and charming. Most of all, so very sweet and innocent. Yet that hardly made sense at all—in fact, very little about the situation did. So naturally, I sought to know you... which wasn't especially difficult since you were so impressionable. Still, beyond that? I hoped that no matter what you experienced, you would always want to return to me."

The truth is that Toby still feels that way now, but he can't say so because that's too much commitment to confess to. It might even put Dorian off, much like how he hadn't even wanted to get married in the first place. Rather than mention it at all, Toby condenses his feelings into a soft, sweet peck on Dorian's cheek.

Dorian gives Toby a small little smile, looking up at Toby. No matter what, he'd always return to him. Well, congratulations Toby, as long as he can, as long as he knows he has the ability to return to Toby, he will always return to him. After all, it's not like he can do so back home.

He receives that kiss, still looking entirely rapt and in love with Toby. "You don't have to worry about that," Dorian teases, small little smile. "No matter when and no matter the circumstances, I'll always come back to you. After all, you're my heart's desire."

Those words, that response. Everything is so reassuring that Toby falls even more in love with Dorian. If that's possible.

"I couldn't ask for any greater gift." Indeed, he's hard-pressed to think of anything he'd want more. After caressing Dorian's face, Toby's hand reaches for the book once more.

"Shall I choose another, or is that enough for the evening?"

Besides, he could always try to convince Dorian to play some video games with him again.

"It's your evening," Dorian gently responded, still not really moving from where he lay against Toby. "If you want to choose another or not, I leave it entirely in your hands."

Because really? As long as he's with Toby, Dorian doesn't care what the other man chooses. He's content as long as they're here and they're together.

His free hand plucks the book from the sofa and gives it to Dorian. "How about you choose something for me to read?"

"Alright," Dorian says, as he takes the book. He flips through it idly, just looking at the poems, before landing on 'She dwelt among the untrodden ways.' A good choice. After all, he wasn't going to make Toby read something ridiculously long—it would be cruel and unusual punishment to read Tintern Abbey aloud.

"Here you go," said as he hands Toby the book. "There's my choice."

Toby takes the book in his free hand and glances over the page. 'She dwelt among the untrodden ways' starts at the bottom of page seventy-seven, just below 'Strange fits of passion I have known', the poem that Toby thinks Dorian has selected.

"Strange fits of passion I have known," he begins.

Wait a minute, that's not the one he was thinking of. Dorian interrupts Toby, with a teasing little tone in his voice. "While I do admire your choice, I was actually thinking of 'She dwelt among the untrodden ways.'"

Let's not read poems about people dying. That's still a little bit of a sore spot in Dorian's mind, with regards to Toby's everything.

"Whoops! Sorry... Here we go:

She dwelt among the untrodden ways
Beside the springs of Dove,
A Maid whom there were none to praise
And very few to love:

A violet by a mossy stone
Half hidden from the eye!
--Fair as a star, when only one
Is shining in the sky.

She lived unknown, and few could know
When Lucy ceased to be;
But she is in her grave, and, oh,
The difference to me!"

Placing the book down by his side, Toby slips his arm around Dorian and lies him down, placing Dorian's head in his lap. There, he plays with Dorian's dark curls.

Giving Toby a small smile, Dorian looks up at the man with pure adulation. He loves this moment. Here, Dorian and Toby, together, just calm like this...he can't think of anything better.

"I love you so much," he murmurs, looking up at Toby with a small little smile.

"I love you, too," Toby says, smiling as he gazes right back at Dorian and continues to play with his hair. After quietly staring at him for some measure of time, he asks, "Think it'd be too soon to marry on my anniversary?"

If Dorian recalls correctly, that's in June... which means there's precious little time to get ready! Although Toby's been planning things out and doing some window shopping, he can't help wondering if it's enough. He wants to do something big...

That is precious little time. But Dorian has no qualms in bothering people for help in any way, shape, and form (especially if some people have magic he can use or abuse).

"They say a June bride finds true happiness—hopefully June husbands work the same." This is Dorian saying yes. June is close, he knows there's not much time but what the hell! They can make it work!

Pleasant surprise flashes across Toby's face, and his smile only broadens.

"I—oh, Dorian! You really mean it?"

He scoops Dorian's head up in one hand, leaning over as he lifts Dorian so their lips could touch. After that small kiss, he lays Dorian's head back down and resumes petting his beautiful curls.

"Why, that leaves barely a month, doesn't it? How ever are we going to get it all set up?"

Then again, Dorian seems to get on well with Mister James Patrick March, so perhaps they've already secured a venue for wedding and reception and a honeymoon. They need a colour scheme, one that includes gold because Toby has the perfect suit picked out by Yuri Petrov. God, they have to get invitations out and things like that...

It's going to take so much planning and have so many problems. Most people plan weddings in two or three months, and these two people with absolutely no experience are going to do it in one month? And yet, Toby's so happy about the idea of a June wedding so a June wedding it is.

"I'll take care of the venue. I can cut a deal with James Patrick March—you know, the man that owns that hotel. If you don't mind, we'll host it there! As for the reception, I'm sure we could go light on the food. Considering your dietary restrictions, others will understand."

After all, it's a bit rude for everyone to be tucking in and eating their fill if one of the grooms can't do the same...and Dorian's not entirely sure how Toby'd feel about him opening up a vein right there in the middle of the reception (well Dorian would be fine with it, but others? Not so much.)

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once I had the rarest rose that ever deigned to bloom

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pretend the word nineteen is eighteen in the other tag WHOOPS

shaaaaall do!

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