happy birthday, george

[atehimrightup]

Lee has never put much stock into birthdays. His own never really mattered to him, because it never really mattered to anyone else. He would always try to get something for Kayla on her birthday, but that was about the extent of it.

All that is to say that Lee feels woefully prepared to plan a birthday for his-- whatever George is. Boyfriend? That feels so juvenile, like it isn't important enough.

He stresses about it more than he probably needs to, but he's never had the opportunity to celebrate something like this with someone he cares about. Which is already sort of a big deal, but George was the lover of a literal king and was undoubtedly showered with expensive gifts on a regular basis. Lee has no idea how to compete with that, even though he can hear George's voice in his head telling him that it isn't a competition. Which is good, because he'd probably lose.

The actual night isn't much of a problem. He comes up with a plan pretty easily, one that's simple but romantic, he thinks. It's the gift that's the problem. Because nothing in this whole goddamn city is good enough for George. Nothing that he can afford, anyway.

Just days before, he still hasn't found anything and he's getting sort of desperate. He distracts himself by going on a hunt because he really does need to eat, which sort of just makes him feel worse because of the guilt. But the guy is (was) a verified scumbag and women walking alone at night will be safer without him around, so he doesn't feel too bad.

In the guy's pocket is a receipt for a pawn shop that Lee has never heard of, so he goes to check it out the next day. It's in a terrible part of town and there isn't really even a sign. Inside it's dusty and unorganized and Lee just assumes it's some sort of front for something else. Still, he decides to look around while some guy comes out from the back and eyes him with wary suspicion, like he's surprised to see someone in the shop at all.

He finds a dusty jewelry display case and heads toward it hopefully, crouching down in front of it. Inside are mostly gold chains and tennis bracelets, all generic shit that wouldn't suit George at all, and he's about to give up when he spots a blue velvet box tucked back into a corner, half-hidden under a gaudy necklace. It looks like earrings and Lee rises to his feet and coolly asks to take a look at them, not wanting to show any excitement and inadvertently drive the price up. He knows how these places operate.

The guy takes them out of the case and Lee picks them up, doing his best to keep a placid expression even though he's pretty sure he just found what he's looking for. The box looks well-preserved but very old, as do the earrings themselves. He has no idea if the stones are real, but they look like it. There's a small piece of yellowed paper tucked inside, and when Lee discreetly unfolds it he finds elegant cursive scrawl and, most importantly, it's dated 1827. That confirms that they’re old, probably very old, and this guy doesn’t seem to really realize what he has. They're perfect.

Lee is prepared to use every trick in his arsenal to haggle a deal, but it's not even that hard. The guy seems wholly uninterested in this alleged business, and Lee is annoying and persistent, so he ends up getting them for a price that, while painful, won't leave him destitute. When he leaves the shop, earrings tucked carefully into his pocket, he feels lighter than he has in days.

George's birthday comes and they sleep in, then fuck a few times and sleep some more. Lee makes them a late lunch and then tells George that he needs to go run a few errands before they go to dinner, but there's an obvious twinkle in his eye. He leaves George's apartment and goes to his own where he's left all the supplies, and then goes and sets everything up before heading back toward George's building, texting him and telling him to come downstairs, even as he parks and gets out to go meet him by the elevators in the lobby.

He's nervous, but he thinks that this might actually go well. He might actually pull it off.

Comments

[gallowseyes]

"I feel like that's something you'd like," says George, thumb stroking against Lee's skin under the water. "Being taken apart out here. Even better if I can get you to that point we both know I like you at."

[atehimrightup]

“Yeah, I like fucking out here. Makes me feel wild,” Lee tells him, arms going around George’s waist as he kisses him again.

“And what point is that?” He smirks against George’s mouth, nipping softly at his bottom lip and giving it a tug. “Remind me again?”

[gallowseyes]

"The point where you're blushing and babbling and banging your head off the kitchen table," says George. He thinks about that particular time often. Lee had been one of the most beautiful things he'd ever seen. He's gotten Lee there a couple of times, now, but it never feels like enough.

[atehimrightup]

“You’re never going to let me live that down, are you?” Lee rolls his eyes with fond exasperation and fixes his mouth to George’s jaw, sucking hard at the spot he knows gets George all worked up and distracted.

And then he yanks him to the side and launches them into the water, letting go of him once they’ve both sunk under the surface.

He’s laughing as he pops back up, flicking his wet curls out of his face and propelling himself backward, deeper into the water.

[gallowseyes]

He's got his mouth open to answer when Lee drags him under the water. He comes up spluttering and grinning, shoving wet hair back from his face.

"You didn't see yourself," he says. "You were fucking beautiful."

[atehimrightup]

“Oh my god.” George just pops up and keeps on talking, and Lee laughs and blushes at the same time, splashing him with water.

“This is just you being smug again,” Lee says with a grin, taking in a breath and letting himself float to the surface, glancing up at the stars. They’re so much brighter out here.

[gallowseyes]

"It it, a little," he says, standing next to Lee and skimming his fingers along his bare skin. "But I don't recall you complaining at the time."

[atehimrightup]

“I would never complain about you touching me,” Lee assures him with a low chuckle, looking down as George’s fingers glide along his wet stomach. The moon is bright, and the torches on the shore provide a warm glow to see by.

“Firelight suits you,” he says as he reaches out to touch George’s cheek.

[gallowseyes]

"It used to be all I knew," says George, with a faint smile, turning his face to what he knows is his best angle, preening a little. "So I suppose that's just as well."

[atehimrightup]

Lee grins as George poses, hopelessly fond, and then lets his feet sink so he can stand on the bottom again, water lapping at his shoulders and he shifts closer to George.

“I don’t know how anyone got anything done,” he says with a chuckle, curling his hand around the back of George’s neck, thumb stroking behind his ear before he leans in for another kiss, unable to help himself.

[gallowseyes]

He curls his arms around Lee, holding him close, slick and lithe as he is. "Somehow, we managed," he says, skimming both hands down to the curve of Lee's arse and squeezing. "God knows how."

[atehimrightup]

“I don’t manage much when you’re around other than being horny,” Lee teases, letting himself be reeled in and groped. George is broader than him, thicker all around, and it feels so good to be held by him.

“This still isn’t swimming, by the way,” he says with a chuckle, reaching up to sweep George’s wet hair back from his face. “This is just you groping me underwater.”

[gallowseyes]

"That's not entirely true. Sometimes, you cook."

He grins again, rocking his hips forward against Lee's before he takes his hands away, holding them up in mock apology. "Were you hoping for a demonstration of something more athletic?"

[atehimrightup]

“Yeah, but you’re barely ever in the kitchen,” Lee teases. “The one room where I’m safe from you distracting me.”

He grins and kicks back into the water, biting his lip as he looks at George, bouncing on his toes with his chin just above the surface.

“Do you wanna race across?” Lee asks, wiggling his eyebrows.

[gallowseyes]

"That's because I can burn water, and we both know it." He grins at Lee bouncing and kids, stretching both arms over his head and flexing his shoulders.

"Sure. We can raise. Is there a prize for winning?"

[atehimrightup]

“You can’t be good at everything,” Lee replies, grinning as George starts to bounce and stretch. Lee does the same, then swims past him to get to the shore and climb out, gesture for George to join him at the water’s edge.

“Is the glory not enough?” He chuckles and puts his hands on his hips. “What do you think the prize should be? There’s already nothing I would say no to when it comes to you, I’m sure.”

[gallowseyes]

"Can't I?" asks George, climbing up out of the water and slicking his hair back from his face. He'd never been especially learned, but he has always been athletic. He'd tried -- and failed -- to teach John to swim more time sthan he could count. "Oh, I don't know. I'd ask for some acrobatic sex act, but I think I've had you pretty much every way I could think of." He smirks.

[atehimrightup]

“Exactly my point,” he replies with a fond laugh, though his mouth goes a little dry at the sight of George climbing out of the water. He looks like he’s moving in slow motion, but that might just be in Lee’s head.

“You’re ridiculous,” Lee says simply, looking George up and down and shaking his head a little.

[gallowseyes]

"I don't know what you mean," says George, grinning. He stretches again and, yes, it's something of a performance. "Let's do it the other way, then -- what can I give you, if you manage to best me?"

[atehimrightup]

Lee quirks a brow at that, pressing his tongue into the inside of his cheek as he thinks. George is probably expecting something sexual, so Lee decides to take a different route.

“If I win,” he begins, lifting his arm to point at a spot across the pond behind George. “You have to jump off the giant rock with me.”

[gallowseyes]

George turns to look at the giant rock. He's done more foolhardy things in his life.

"Deal done," he says. "On your count?"

[atehimrightup]

“You’re on, princess,” Lee teases, winking as he turns to position himself at the edge of the water. This is so stupid. They’re both half hard, hungry for each other, but instead of giving into desire, they’re going to race like children. It feels like foreplay. He loves every minute of it.

He counts down from three, glancing over at George. “Go!”

They both splash into the water and Lee laughs as he launches himself forward as soon as it’s deep enough, swimming into the deeper, colder water.

[gallowseyes]

George knows what he's strong swimmer, but Lee is just as strong, lithe and fast. They cut through the water, almost neck and neck, and George thinks he actually might win, but then Lee is inching ahead.

"Fuck!" says George, but he's laughing.

[atehimrightup]

Neither of them are going easy on the other, and Lee likes that. Neither of them feel any need to try and dim their light to make the other shine.

As they near the shore on the opposite end, Lee grits his teeth and propels himself forward, shoving his feet into the rocks as soon as he’s close enough, shifting upright as he climbs up onto the loose grass and soft earth. George is right on his heels and Lee laughs as he throws his arms up into the air in victory.

[gallowseyes]

Lee throws his arms up and George tackles him around the waist, carrying them both down to the grass. He plants a kiss to the wet skin of Lee's chest.

"I nearly had you," he protests, laying down more kisses.