tobias | ✔

epilogue - tobias

Tris closed the last box that sat in the living room of her apartment, grabbing the tape that sat next to her and stretching it over the flaps. Her eyes lifted as the door to her apartment opened and in walked her soulmate.

“Is that the last of it?” Tobias asked, making a way toward Tris and where she sat on the ground. First, he helped her get up, pressing a light kiss to her lips. Then, he bent down again and picked up the box, walking backwards.

“Wait--I can get that.” Tris said, stepping closer to Tobias. “Can you let me get it? If I just grab Beau and his leash, we can finally get out of here.” She looked around, spotting the leash on the counter, where she left it this morning after the walk her and Tobias took Beau on. Instead of going to Tobias, she turned to head toward the counter, picking up the dog leash.

She heard the sound of Tobias setting the box down. Tris quickly glanced to Tobias before clicking her tongue, calling Beau from wherever he had traveled to. “It’s just a box of clothes, Tobias.”

“And this morning you had trouble lifting your arms to get dressed and had trouble in the shower.”

“I always have trouble in the mornings. I sleep without much movement for eight hours straight.” Tris sighed, but didn’t turn back to Tobias. Her eyes stayed on her empty apartment. “Nando said that would happen.”

An empty apartment surrounded her because just last week, her soulmate invited her to live at his house. Tris has been staying with him ever since she was released from the hospital, a month ago, and half of her belongings were already stored at his house. He had asked her one morning when they laid in bed, connected everywhere.

“Do you want to move here?” Tobias had said, trailing a hand down her bare arm. “With me? You practically already do so but like . . . officially?”

Tris didn’t say anything, only nodding her head, smiling, her eyes lit up with happiness.

So here they were. Tris didn’t feel nostalgic, since she’s only been living in the apartment ever since her sophomore year of college a year ago. Now, she would live with the love of her life, her soulmate, her boyfriend.

A snout rubbed at her hand and Tris smiled down at the dog as she hooked the leash into the metal loop on Beau’s collar. When she stood back up, Tris finally dragged her gaze back to Tobias, saying, “You can hold Beau and I can get the--Tobias.”

The sight of Tobias down on one knee with a black, square box in his hand stopped her words. Stopped her heart. Tris’s mouth dropped and she brought a hand to her mouth, used to the ache that came with the movement.

“I don’t have a long speech prepared,” he said. “But I do love you. And just like I’ve done for the past month, I will take care of you for the rest of our lives. I want to. Will you let me?” Tobias searched her reaction, her facial expressions. “Will you marry me?

Hesitancy was written all over his face, as if he was scared she would say no.

Never in a billion years would she say that.

“Yes Tobias,” Tris dropped the leash, moving to where Tobias was. When she nodded her head repeatedly, tears dropped from her eyes. Her soulmate was misty-eyed, also, and it only made her smile more. “I will marry you. Yes. Yes yes yes.”

The ring was simple--just like she liked it. There was one small diamond that sat in the middle of the gold band. Tobias pulled it out of the box and gingerly took Tris’s hand, sliding the ring up her third finger. He pressed a kiss to the spot. Then, he leaned up and kissed Tris on the lips, a short and sweet one.