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“Okay, Operation One Year Aniversary is a go. I’m thinking maybe fireworks, outdoor projector with various gay media playing, ooh! Maybe we call Simon, HE shows up-”
“Great ideas, Felix, but I was thinking maybe I could talk first.” Benji cuts him off gently.
Felix slumps a little in his chair, but Lake gives him a look, and he raises two fingers to Benji in a mock salute.
“Okay, Captain Benji, lay it on us.”
“Thank you.” He grins. “Okay, so I was thinking of a few things. The obvious thing would be to recreate our first date, but I’ve done that before, and it didn’t exactly… work? Anyway, Victor already knows about that. I wanna try out something else.”
Mia ponders that for a moment before talking. “Remember that time at the carnival? When fake hetero Victor took me on the ferris wheel?”
They all take a moment to laugh at that before she keeps talking.
“Well, he really wanted to ask you. Maybe you could take him on it. Bring something to surprise him?”
“That’s really Instagram-worthy. They’re like gay Brangelina!” Lake squeals, talking again before anyone can react. “And you should get him a ring!”
They all turn to look at her and she looks back exasperatedly.
“Not an engagement ring. Just something sweet that means something to both of you.”
Benji thinks it over for a second. “I like the idea of that. Do you think I could get one made in time? And how would I know if I got the size right?”
“My estranged cousin is a jeweler. He just friended me on facebook.” Felix pipes up. “And he’s trying to get back on my good side, so I bet I could get a favor out of him.”
“And I can ask Pilar to get the size from Victor’s class ring.” Mia adds.
“I have excellent taste. I wouldn’t want you picking something ugly. I’ll go with you to pick it out.” Lake interjects, admiring her own birthstone ring.
“She does have good taste. She picked our couples’ costume last year.” Felix says, leaning in to grab his girlfriend’s hand.
Benji scrunches his face. “Hopefully your taste extends beyond ketchup and mustard, Lake.”
They all laugh as Lake pouts, soon getting back to work on planning the perfect anniversary present for Victor.
“Benji’s such a romantic, I want to make it special. He deserves a good surprise.” Victor says, leaning forward to take a sip of his coffee.
Mia, Lake and Felix exchange a glance.
“So, ideas. Let’s brainstorm something good.” Victor continues, oblivious to the sudden understanding between the three others.
“Definitely something in the morning.” Mia starts talking right away.
“You could surprise him with breakfast at work!” Lake jumps in.
“The morning is the most romantic time of the day.” Felix says sagely.
Victor looks surprised. “Okay, morning it is, then. Hold on, Benji’s calling me.” He walks away quickly, picking up the phone. “Hey, love…”
As soon as the door clicks shut, they start frantically whispering.
“Felix! The morning is the most romantic time of the day? What the hell?”
“They start work at like six am, Lake, that’s way too early.”
Mia rubs her temples. “They’d better thank us at their wedding.”
“I swear, the next time I have to hear about a turtleneck sale at five in the morning, I’m going to gut Sar- oh?” Benji stops in his tracks, seeing a fancy picnic basket next to Victor, who’s smiling a stupidly huge smile.
Victor takes a step towards him. “Happy… anniversary.” He says, grinning. Benji smiles up at him, kissing him firmly on the mouth.
“Baby, what’s all this?” He asks, still beaming.
“We are going to have a picnic next to the sunrise.” Victor says, taking Benji’s hand and leading him outside.
“There was no early shift, was there?” Benji asks.
“Nope.” Victor responds with a smile. “Just a ruse to get you here, in time for… this.” He says, placing a thick quilt down on the grass and pointing their gazes to the rising sun.
“Wow.” Benji breathes, leaning back against Victor’s chest. “It’s beautiful.”
“That’s you.” Victor says, poking Benji’s arm.
“Cheesy.” Benji teases back.
Victor moves to pull over a box. “And I got you something.”
Benji smiles softly. “You didn’t have to.”
“Mm, but what if I really wanted to?” Victor says, pushing back a lock of Benji’s hair.
“Then get to it, weirdo.”
Victor holds the box out so they can both see, and he starts to open it.
“I thought I was supposed to do that.” Benji jests.
“Shut up and let me give you your present, you beast.” They both chuckle and look back at the box.
Victor pulls out a polaroid, a small picture of Benji laughing over an espresso with latte art that looks like a dick.
“WHAT is this?” Benji squawks, much to Victor’s humor.
“The first of many memories.” Victor says, moving to pull out another polaroid.
This one is of Benji holding a huge cotton candy, trying to fit his mouth around it.
The next one shows them, smiling in the parking lot after one of Benji’s shows.
Picture after picture after picture, showing them grow as a couple.
“And now we take one more.” Victor says, setting up the timer on the polaroid camera. “Okay, really cute and coupley.”
Benji’s eyes are shining, and as he lifts his chin up to kiss Victor, he can’t imagine life any other way.
“What are you two doing? No canoodling on my building’s lawn!” They hear Sarah screech, just in time for the camera flash.
“Keep it professional!” She barks, huffing back through the door.
They look at each other and laugh at the pure absurdity of it all.
“Let’s look at this… oh my god.” Benji says, holding the picture out for them both to see.
They laugh all over again at their shocked, mid-kiss faces, at Sarah screaming in the background, and just smile at each other.
“Okay, as sexy as this is, I’d rather have my eyesight back sooner rather than later?” Victor says, poking at his blindfold.
“We’re almost there, impatient. I’m gonna park, and then I’ll lead you to where we’re ending up.”
“Okaaaay, how long is this gonna take, because I actually have a date with my other boyfriend, so…” Victor teases.
“Make sure to warn your other boyfriend how impatient you are. Okay, c’mon.”
Benji leads Victor through the carnival, ignoring looks from confused passersby.
He positions Victor by his shoulders so they’re facing the ferris wheel. He gives the attendant two tickets and walks behind Victor, putting his arms around him from behind.
“Okay, go ahead.”
Victor hesitantly pulls the blindfold off, blinking under the sudden lights. A smile grows on his face as he realizes where he is, what he’s looking at.
“After you.” Benji says, a smile painting his face as he gestures to the open seat.
Victor slides in the seat, grabbing Benji’s hand and pulling him close.
“This is so sweet. I love it.” Victor says softly, ignoring the buzz of the carnival and only focusing on how Benji’s face looks under the lights.
"I love you, though." Benji replies, placing a soft kiss on Victor's cheek.
"I love you too. Even if I could only manage a box of pictures for you."
“Well, I have a present for you too.” Benji says, pulling the ring box out of his pocket. “I know what this looks like, but trust me, it’s just a pretty thing. At least for now.”
Victor gasps softly when he sees the silver band, engraved with their anniversary date. “It’s beautiful.”
“Why do we keep saying that today?” Benji asks, laughing.
“Guess today is just beautiful.” Victor says back, smiling up at his boyfriend.
“Maybe you should look right… there.” Benji says. Victor follows his fingers with his eyes, and it’s there that he sees Simon and Bram, smiling and waving.
“Oh my god! What?” Victor laughs, waving at them. He turns to Benji, a bright smile on his face.
“They’re here over spring break… wait. Hold on. Look.” Benji says, pointing at the side of the seat. “Read that.”
Victor’s eyes scan the words on the metal, and he turns to Benji with a sense of wonder in his eyes.
“Bram plus Simon were here?”
“Aww, look at them. We did that. We’re like gay Jesus.” Bram says, staring up at the ferris wheel.
“We’re… collectively gay Jesus? Both of us? Also, Jesus is already gay. Clearly.” Simon scoffs.
“But look at him! He’s like our little gay baby!” Bram pulls out his phone, taking a picture of Victor and Benji locked in an embrace on the ferris wheel.
Simon smiles. “Sending that one to the group chat?”
Bram grabs his hand. “Justin already replied ‘yassss’ and Ivy wants to know when they’re coming to visit us in New York.”
“Of course. They really are so cute, huh?”
“When are those two gonna get married?” A new voice says. They turn to see a tall, high school-aged boy in a basketball jersey smiling dumbly next to them.
“Uh, sorry? Who are you?” Simon says.
“...Teddy.” The guy says, giving them finger guns.
“Um, okay.” Bram laughs awkwardly, turning back to look at Victor and Benji, sharing a kiss in the moonlight.
“We are SUCH good gay mentors.” Simon brags, squeezing Bram’s hand.
“Definitely.” Teddy agrees.
“Seriously dude, who are you?”
-fin-