It was a few weeks later and nothing had changed for the boys. Shane still slept at Ryland's house and Ryland still slept at Shane's house. They spent a few nights in their own houses when Shane's flu finally kicked in after weeks of an annoying cold and an irritating headache that he tried so desperately to ignore. Ryland wanted to come over and comfort him but it was best to keep away from each other to stop the spreading; otherwise they would have had to spend even more time apart and no one wanted that.
They were on a roof of a building they were unfamiliar with, drinking a bottle of vodka, grey goose to be exact, that Ryland had snuck out from his house. It was dangerous and illegal but neither Shane nor Ryland really cared. "There's a barrier anyway so it's not like we're gonna fall to our deaths." Shane had said when Ryland brought up the idea of mixing alcohol and high buildings, with a busy road underneath it. And with that, Ryland shrugged his shoulders and the bottle was opened.
Drinking straight vodka was probably not the best idea, but they were nineteen and inexperienced so how were they to know? A little under a quarter of the bottle was gone and they were starting to feel it. They weren't drunk yet, but they were definitely a little buzzed. Shane's tummy felt tingly and Ryland's mind was a little fuzzy- but that wasn't unusual for them to feel when they were around each other.
They were lying down next to each other, but with a little distance between them, looking up at the sky. It had just gone seven pm so the sun had gone down but there was still light in the sky. "Shane?" Ryland mumbled. "Mhm?" Shane hummed, turning his head to look at Ryland. "How do you feel about marriage?" Shane was sure the pain in his head wasn't caused by the alcohol in his blood but from his eyes popping so far out of his head by Ryland's question. Where was he going with this? Did he want to marry Shane? Was he going to propose? There was no way they were ready for this. Not yet anyway.
"E-erm, I, er, I think it's good?" Shane stuttered out. Ryland noticed his change in tone and looked over at him. "I'm not asking you to marry me, by the way. I just want to know your thoughts on the concept, that's all." He smiled before turning his gaze back up to the sky. Shane sighed in relief, feeling his heart rate drop back to normal. Though he thought he would have felt more relief than this, so why did he feel so sad that Ryland didn't ask to marry him?
"I mean, I think it's nice, you know?" Shane continued "You're saying to everyone, but mainly to your partner, that you want to spend the rest of your life with them. That no matter what you will always love them. You'll cherish them with everything you have. They'll have your every inch of support. You trust them more than anyone else. You have a bond with them than no one and nothing can break, as long as you fight for it. Fight for their love and for them, even when you feel like giving up. But" he added, "In my opinion, I think you can promise to do that without marriage. If a ring on your finger is the only thing that makes you do that, then I don't think you really want it. If you love them, you should feel that way towards your partner no matter what. A ring is only a ring."
Ryland's eyes filled with a thin layer of tears. Everything Shane said was always worded so beautifully. He didn't know if he was getting emotional over what Shane said because of the vodka or if it was just because Shane and words fit together so perfectly. He looked over at Shane, who was still staring at him and gave him a soft smile.
"I want to marry you one day. Even if a ring is just a ring, I want to be the one to give you it." Ryland whispered. Shane smiled gently. "I would like that. I would really like that."
After a few more deep conversations that their drunken minds came up with, they were ready to leave. The walk home was unsteady but they made it back to Shane's home safely. It was around quarter to midnight by the time they got back, so Shane's parents were already tucked up in bed. His mother usually waited up for them to come home, just to make sure they were safe, but she must have been too tired today. Which was lucky on the boys' behalf as they would have never heard the end of it if Shane's mom had found out they were drinking. Especially if she found out where they were drinking and how they got the alcohol in the first place.
Now they were lying in bed fully clothed and above the cover. Ryland tried to start another conversation but was abruptly interrupted by a quiet snore coming from beside him. He smiled to himself and pecked Shane on the cheek before joining him in what would be one of the most uncomfortable and disturbed nights of sleep they had ever had.
