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[gallowseyes]

His day, not to put too fine a point on it, has gone to shit. He'd slipped out of the apartment nearly to go and ride and had been thrown. Thankfully, he'd been on sand, so the bruising is minimal, but the stiffness in his shoulder has lingered all day. He'd gone to do some session work -- cello, not viola de Gamba, which means the instrument, whole familiar, feels less like a part of him. The fingering of the part has been complicated, and he'd managed to break his bow and had to use a spare.

At least he'd been paid.

By the time he lets himself into his apartment, he's in a foul mood but, when he opens the door, he instantly knows that someone else is home.

"Lee?"

Comments

[gallowseyes]

"Do I?" He asks, amused because nobody's ever told him that before. He's tried to be careful about what he does and doesn't say. Or, at least, he was, before.

"Nobody's ever told me that before."

[atehimrightup]

“Mm.” Lee nods and smiles, pressing kisses to George’s face. “Maybe I just watch you like no one else has.”

As much as Lee enjoys George’s beauty, his face and his body and the way he moves, it isn’t what draws Lee to him. It’s his soulful eyes and the way he laughs, and the pout he gets when he’s frustrated. He’s so much more than his good looks, and it’s a shame more people didn’t tell him that.

[gallowseyes]

People have been watching George for years but Lee's right -- nobody ever did it like he does. It was always about his clothes -- or the lack of them -- or the way he danced. Sometimes, he catches Lee watching him when he's not doing anything at all.

"Mmm...maybe you're right."

[atehimrightup]

Lee kisses him again, and this time he doesn’t stop until the timer goes off on the stove. He groans and tears himself away, squeezing the top of George’s thigh before lifting the lid off of the pot.

“Hey, that looks like butter chicken,” Lee says, sounding a little proud of himself. “Smells like butter chicken.”

He turns off the heat and stirs it up, then takes a clean fork and spears a piece of chicken, blowing on it to cool it and then turning to hold the fork out to George’s mouth, cupping his other hand to catch any sauce. “Tell me if it tastes like butter chicken.”

As he waits, he feels a little nervous. It’s not like George would be a dick about it if it tasted bad. Lee just really wants it to be good.

[gallowseyes]

It is, he thinks, one of the softest, most domestic things that's ever happened to him. It makes him think about when he was a little boy and the cook would sneak him bites of things when he snuck away from his nurse and into the warm corner of the kitchen. He leans in, taking the bite and chewing thoughtfully. Dark eyes widen.

"Definitely tastes like butter chicken," he says. "It's really fucking good, love."

[atehimrightup]

Lee watches as George takes the bite, expression brightening at the look on his face. He grins widely at the compliment, eyes crinkling at the corners when George adds that pet name.

It feels a little like he might just explode.

“Yeah?” He spears another piece for himself, blowing on it before popping it into his mouth. He pauses and then looks at George, brows lifting as he chews and swallows.

“Hey, that’s not bad!” He feels so pleased, lighter than air, and his cheeks are faintly pink as he pulls away to get some plates from the cupboard. “Want to pick out a wine? I’ll make us some plates.”

It does feel very domestic. Lee feels like this is his home. Like this is his family. It’s thrilling and terrifying all at once.

[gallowseyes]

"Beer would definitely be better with that," says George, heading to the fridge and grabbing two fresh bottles and opening them. "Do you want to eat at the table or on the couch?" He's still in the clothes he's been in all day, but they're not too uncomfortable to sit in and he doesn't want his food to get cold.

[atehimrightup]

“Even better,” Lee replies. He doesn’t dislike wine. He thought he did, but George has shown him that he really just dislike cheap garbage wine. Still, he thinks he’ll always prefer a cold beer. “Couch is fine. No need to be fancy.”

Lee makes two big plates of rice, chicken, and naan, then carries them out to the coffee table along with some napkins and cutlery. He drops down onto the sofa and grabs his vape, taking a long drag from it before offering it to George as he approaches.

“Want some? Might help your shoulder,” he says, tilting his head as his gaze travels the full length of him, wondrously content.

[gallowseyes]

George sets down the beers and takes the vape, taking a drag and holding it in his lungs for a moment before he exhales. James had loathed the smoking of tobacco and, as a result, George never developed a taste for it, but he does enjoy weed.

"You can distract me from my shoulder after dinner," he says, grinning.

[atehimrightup]

“Mm, I dunno,” Lee says coyly, curling up in the corner of the sofa with his plate. “It’d probably be best if you just rested.”

He smirks and mixes his rice and sauce, shoving a big bite into his mouth. It really is good, and Lee is already thinking about what other dishes he might like to try. He might actually develop a hobby.

“I’ll tuck you in,” Lee continues, as if they could spend the night in the same room and not touch each other. He could be bleeding out and still probably get up for George. “Kiss your forehead and everything.”

[gallowseyes]

George doesn't answer for a moment because he's too busy eating his food. It tastes incredible and some of the noises that come out of George as he chews and swallows are, frankly, obscene.

"Oh, yes," he says. "I'm sure you'll manage absolute chastity."

[atehimrightup]

Lee savors a bite of his own food while watching George devour his, smiling to himself and feeling warm all over. He’s realizing, now more than ever, that all he’s ever wanted to be is a safe space for someone. He wanted a home of his own, and someone to take care of. Someone he—

He blinks and stops himself before he can even think the word. This whole relationship has a big fat asterisk on it, and Lee takes a deep breath as he tries to remember that. He’s not someone that anyone should feel safe around, no matter how good a cook he is.

But still, it’s a very nice moment, and he’s really happy that he gets to experience it. He’s always really happy around George, at least until he starts to think too hard.

“I’m really glad you like it,” Lee admits, sounding vulnerable and soft even to his own ears, so obviously pleased by George’s approval. “I made a lot so you could have leftovers.”

[gallowseyes]

"I do," he says, pausing to take a long swallow of his beer. "And I will absolutely eat those leftovers, too." He goes back to eating for a moment. "You picked this because you knew I liked it. Did you know how to make it before?"

[atehimrightup]

The question makes Lee blush for some reason, and he takes another bite of his food before answering.

“No, I looked up a recipe,” Lee admits, smiling softly as he looks over at George. He picks up a piece of bread and drags it through the sauce, shrugging a bit. “I like cooking and I wanted to do something nice for you.”

He doesn’t mention that he’s been working on making posset. The first time was kind of a failure because it didn’t set right, so he’ll need to try again some other time.

[gallowseyes]

"Well, you've single handedly rescued a shitty, shitty day, so thank you for that," he says, picking up his own bread and starting to mop some of the sauce, folding it before he pops it into his mouth. "I'm not sure that I deserve you."

[atehimrightup]

Lee snorts a laugh at that and shakes his head a little, smiling wryly and reaching out with his bare foot to nudge George's thigh. He's not sure that George deserves him either, but he means it in a very different context. It's unfair what Lee is doing to him without him even knowing it. George doesn't deserve that, but he makes Lee too happy for him to be able to let him go. He's selfish and he's weak and he wants to be around George so, so much that it makes it hard for him to think.

"You don't need to worry about that," Lee assures him dryly, leaning forward to set his empty plate on the table and take a long swig of beer. George's plate looks practically licked clean, and it makes Lee feel like he's standing in a ray of sunlight. "Do you want some more?"

[gallowseyes]

He wraps his hand around Lee's bare foot, squeezing firmly while he considers the empty plate in front of him.

"I would," he concedes after a moment. "Like more. Thank you."

[atehimrightup]

“See, you’re gonna be too full to fuck,” Lee teases, getting to his feet and grabbing their plates. He gives George a quick kiss on the forehead and goes back into the kitchen, dishing them up another portion before quickly putting the rest into containers and sliding them into the fridge.

“Here you go,” he says as he returns, handing George his plate before sitting down next to him, licking sauce from his thumb. “I bet it’ll be even better tomorrow.”

[gallowseyes]

"I'll manage, I promise you," says George, tugging his phone out of his pocket and connecting it to the speaker in the corner, starting some music playing. When Lee comes back with more food, he takse the plate, utterly distracted by the way Lee licks at his thumb. "I think you're probably right."

[atehimrightup]

"I'm sure you will," Lee says with a soft laugh, nodding in approval as George puts on music. It really does feel domestic, calm and safe and peaceful, and Lee wants to hold onto it so badly, wants to dig his claws and teeth in and never let go.

He puts away the rest of his food, finishing it all off with another piece of bread before setting the plate down. He knocks back the rest of the beer, tipping his head back as he lifts the bottle to drain the rest of it. George is still eating, so Lee slumps back against the sofa, stretching out and reaching out to trace random patterns on George's broad back, feeling a little high and a little buzzed, full and warm and happy.

[gallowseyes]

Eventually, George finishes his second helping and puts the plate down on the coffee table, shifting so that he can sprawl out on the sofa, his head in Lee's lap so that he can look up at him. "Do you have plans for the rest of the evening?" he asks, reaching up brush Lee's hair back from his face.

[atehimrightup]

Lee smiles as George stretches out, lifting his arm to make room for him to settle. He puts one hand in George's hair, carding it back from his face, and puts his other hand in the center of George's chest, thumbing idly at his sternum.

"You're lookin' at 'em, babe," he says with a soft chuckle, sliding his hand down to let it drift under George's shirt to rest on his stomach, thumb drifting back and forth under his navel. "Did you think I was going to come make you a nice meal and then leave? Nah, you're struck with me tonight."

[gallowseyes]

George's eyes drift close almost immediately, he's so content. He makes a soft sound as Lee's hand slips under his shirt, enjoying the stroke of Lee's thumb against skin and fine hair.

"I assumed you'd be staying," he says. Lee has clothes in the bedroom, now. It feels like a more permanent thing."

[atehimrightup]

George's eyes fall shut and he looks so peaceful that it makes Lee feel almost deliriously happy. Even if George were to fall asleep like this and they didn't fool around at all, Lee would still think this was a wildly successful night.

"Of course I'm staying," Lee assures him, sweeping his hand over George's forehead, fingertips tracing his brow bone and the bridge of his nose, his jaw and chin and the plush curve of his mouth. Eventually he starts unbuttoning George's shirt, what few buttons of it are fastened, so can sweep his other hand over more of his skin. There's nothing inherently sexual about it. It's more reverent than anything, bordering on worshipful. "Nowhere else I'd rather be."

[gallowseyes]

"Good," says George, eyes still closed, smiling as Lee's fingers trace over him, as he unbuttons his shirt. He'd contentedly let Lee touch him anywhere he wants to, and they both know it. "I'd be very upset if you decided to go anywhere right now."