"So, Tris' isn't back yet?"

"No, he said he'd be late tonight. Something about the bar wanting him to work a couple of hours later then drop off some paper work on the way home."

"At one in the morning?"

"Its probably a company like KaibaCorp. Open twenty-four seven."

"Seto and his stupid company."

Duke laughed as his blond friend grumbled through the phone. It was always funny to hear Joey muttering about his lover, and that was quite often. Duke couldn't quite fathom how exactly the two managed to uphold a relationship when most of it consisted of constant fighting over everything. That and sex. It had to be good sex.

"Hey, gotta run. Seto's home."

"Oooh say hey to the Moneybags for me!"

"Like you can talk, you have almost as much."

"I can assure you Joey, I really don't. Black Crown isn't as famous as KaibaCorp."

"There has to be a reason Tris' likes you."

"Maybe its the hot bod? And the fact I let him screw me into the mattress every-"

"Goodbye Duke."

The black haired male laughed as the phoneline went dead, knowing Joey would just send him a text in a few minutes to say a proper goodnight, from both him and Seto which would be a mre toned down and politer version of what the brunet would've really said. Such good friends.

He smiled at the thought. Joey and Seto were the closest people he had to being a family. Along with Tristan, who was a lot more than just his family, but was the key to what made it complete.

With that in mind, he cheerfully tossed his phone on the beside table, glanced at the clock that read 12:38pm before turning back to the book placed in his lap. If he really wanted to, he could easily wriggle down into the blankets swamping him, but he wanted to wait up for his lover. Wanted to wait for him to come home and snuggle up next to him.

And no, it wasn't because he wanted to fall asleep in Tristan's arms or any of that corny romance stuff. Of course not.

The thought of that happening made a small blush and large smile appear on his face, and he did in fact wriggle down a little bit more into the overly fluffy pillows in an attempt to get more comfortable. Then without further ado, he raised the cheesy love story and proceeded to lose himself in the written work.

It wasn't until another hour had passed that Duke considered actually sleeping, no longer able to force his eyes to stay open. The book wavered, dropping lightly against his chest before he'd correct it, trying to read despite the lines all blurring together and bloody hell it just wasn't worth it.

Just as he was about to put the book down and resign himself to a sleep without Tristan curled up around him, the door to the bedroom creaked open ever further and Duke was looking up into the tired, yet happy cocoa eyes.

"Hey."

"Hey yourself."

Their voices were barely above whispers, and as soon as Duke breathed his simple reply Tristan was toppling down onto the other side of the bed and worming his way towards Duke, making his body press flush up against his lovers.

"Whatcha reading?" his voice was slightly muffled by the pillows and Duke smiled as he stroked a hand through the chestnut locks splaying out across the white material. He always loved it when Tristan's hair fell out of the normal set way.

"Nothing important," he murmured, finishing his task of putting the book on the nightstand before sitting up. Tristan raised his head for a moment, blinking away the blurriness that Duke knew was all he could see, before a look of confusion danced over his face. Without speaking, Duke reached down and tugged off Tristan's shoes, throwing them across the other side of the room before removing himself out of the blankets and straddling the just rolled over Tristan.

He gave the other a sly smile as his hands trailed down to Tristan's belt, tugging on it before pulling down and off his pants, chucking them in the general direction of the other apparel. Tristan gave him a small smile back, sitting up to pull the ebony haired male into a tight hug, pressing gentle kisses to Duke's cheeks and forehead while the other worked on removing Tristan's shirt.

"Why do all my clothes get taken off, but none of yours?" Tristan mumbled, and Duke laughed in reply as he pulled off Tristan shirt completely and ran a hand down his chest.

"Because having you half naked under me is amazing?"

"I prefer a half naked you on a half naked me. Or completely naked. I don't mind."

"Please tell me you did not just try to shove lots of pick-up lines into a really bad one."

"… I didn't?"

Duke laughed again, making Tristan smile brightly as he reached up to stroke long black locks falling over Duke's face. He really did love this man, and that continued to ring in his head as he helped undress Duke of his shirt so they were both only clad in simple boxers and were wrapped up in a gentle embrace.

"Tris?" Duke spoke up and Tristan shuddered as his lips brushed against his collarbone, followed by the feeling of them stretching into a smile. "Do you wanna…"

And there was something he didn't really feel like answering, knowing that Duke would just sigh at his answer. But his silence was enough, and the brunet slowly sat up from where he'd been sprawled over Tristan's chest, a small look of disappointment on his face.

"Duke-"

"No Tristan, it's okay." The smile sent his way made Tristan almost believe that was the truth, but he pushed the thought aside as he sat up to hug his lover tightly.

"It's not. And I'm sorry."

"Really Tris?" Duke pulled away and placed a playful kiss on Tristan's nose, "I'd rather have you rested and ready rather than exhausted and forced. Honestly, if we're going to have sex it had better be good."

"You're an idiot."

"But I'm your idiot."

Tristan sent an irk smile his way before toppling back on the mattress and rolling on his side, Duke still attached to him as he rolled to face Tristan. They stayed quiet, both just absorbing up the others presences as Duke's hands gently traced over every line and contour on his lovers face. He'd missed doing things like this lately, what with Tristan always out working until the wee hours of the morning, still passed out when Duke left for work just before noon, and was gone when he returned later that afternoon. It'd been too long since anything, at least three weeks and Duke knew that they were both craving the other.

"I'm sorry."

Duke just smiled, knowing what he was apologizing for.

"It's odd isn't it?" Tristan commented, wrapping his arms around Duke's waist and pulling him close. "To think that you and me are just like Joey and Seto. Both you and Seto are CEO's, and me and Joey just work the mundane jobs. But you're in Joey's position and Seto's in mine, you would think it'd be the other way around."

"Comparing us to others isn't healthy Tris, you know that."

"But it's true. And it feels worse knowing that Seto chooses to be late all the time… because he stays around on weekends to spend time with Joey. I don't even do that. I work right through them, I haven't even been around for three weeks to speak to you for longer than a minute."

"It's okay Tristan, really," Duke assured, knowing that sometimes the other just needed reassurance. He was like this sometimes, beating himself up over not being their for Duke. But he didn't mind, as long as he knew Tristan loved him and would always come back.

"It's not."

"I can deal with it."

"But you shouldn't have to."

"Theres no way out of this Tristan. Really. If you quit your job and relied on me, you'd feel useless. But when you do take up a job you do it too well, almost to the overbearing extremes. But its what you love, and I accepted that going into this relationship with you." Duke cut off Tristan's as he was about to speak with a quick kiss. "I love you Tristan, no matter you do. And I swear, I really do, that I'm okay with this."

Tristan stared at him, long and hard with those cocoa eyes showing some sort of strong emotion that Duke couldn't quite place. He gave Tristan a small smile, small but filled with the love he felt, before he began to place a kiss on those lips he loved.

"Marry me."

Duke froze.

"W-What?"

"Marry me, Duke."

Green eyes were wide in complete shock as he pulled back, restricted by the arms wrapped around his waist, to get a good look at Tristan's face. Surely he was joking right? Right?

"Tris-"

"I know it's sudden," Tristan mumbled, and he awkwardly propped himself up on an elbow. "Hell, I haven't even got a ring, or thought about what to say. But marry me Duke."

"Tristan… w-why-"

"I love you."

There was a dead silence, and suddenly Duke was grinning madly as he threw himself at Tristan, sending them both crashing down amongst the suddenly flying pillows. Thousand's of 'yes's spilled from his mouth and soon he as planting his lips everywhere they could reach, nose, cheek, lips, eyes, forehead, everywhere, and Tristan was laughing as he returned the affection. He kissed away the small tears gliding down Duke's cheeks, holding him tighter to him as well, and he ran a hand through Duke's hair, tugging out the rough ponytail it'd been up it.

"Yes Tris, god yes."

There was no reply to that, only lips crushing lips as Tristan changed his mind about the earlier decision, pressing his lover… fiancé into the mattress as he rained kisses down on him, hands touching everything they could, and Duke's happy giggles filled the room.


Everyone loves chaseshipping! And random acts of proposals!

Just a random oneshot I thought to write :D Hope you enjoyed!