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[gallowseyes]

He wakes up slowly, in the comfortable bed and, for a moment, he doesn't know where he is. It isn't his childhood bed, for certain. It's too soft, the covers too comfortable and, more than that, someone's in it with him. At first, he thinks it must be John or Kit but, when he lifts his head, he sees tumbled dark curls and pale skin, the face turned away from him. He sits up suddenly, his hair slipping into his eyes, heart thumping in his chest.

"What the fuck is happening?" he asks, his voice trembling.
It is the strangest, most real dream.

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[gallowseyes]

The brush of Lee's fingers against his cheek sends a shock straight through him, right to his cock. His face feels like it's on fire. He frowns.

"In love?" He's known, for a while, that he likes boys as well as girls. In the same way as he likes girls. He's just never been sure that that was a thing that was allowed. "I don't...Now I really don't understand."

[atehimrightup]

The look on George’s face is a little lost, perhaps a little hopeful, and Lee can’t help but to cup his cheek fully, thumbing at the mole next to his mouth while he tries to decide just what to say.

“Things are different here in Darrow. Where you’re from, and where I’m from, it wasn’t… well, it wasn’t safe, really.” As he understands it, plenty of people around George knew that he was into men, but since one of those men was a king, it seemed to be forgiven. “But here, it’s not a big deal. Men and women can marry other men and women. It’s fine.”

He smiles a little sadly and takes his hand away from George’s face, shifting upright. George isn’t in love with him, not right now, and Lee should probably keep reminding himself of that.

“I’m not— I don’t expect anything of you, obviously. I know you aren’t quite yourself and I would never— I don’t want to make you uncomfortable.” Phones might be a little much to spring on George right now, but there’s a photo of them stuck to the fridge with a magnet, a Polaroid taken at some party. Lee is kissing George’s cheek while he grins that beautiful, gummy smile of his. Lee walks around the counter and plucks it off the fridge, then returns to his seat and sets it down in front of George.

“This was us a few weeks ago,” he says quietly. “I just— I wanted you to know. You’re very loved, George. Just as you are.”

[gallowseyes]

George's eyes widen when Lee touches his face like that, when he almost but not quite touches the corner of his mouth.

He looks at it for a long time. If it's a painting, and he's not sure that it is, it's the most realistic that he's ever seen. He recognises Lee in profile, and the other man in the photo is as familiar as his own face. It is own face, only slightly older and happier than he thinks he's ever been in his entire life.

His eyes sting with tears and he blinks furiously. He doesn't even know why he's crying other than the fact that he absurdly, desperately wants Lee to touch him again.

[atehimrightup]

"It's called a photograph," Lee explains as George studies the picture. Explaining things to George isn't new to Lee, and he approaches this with the same gentle, non-judgmental approach that he's always used. "A little machine can capture any moment in time, and you can keep it forever. Pretty neat invention."

Lee stares at the photo for another few moments, looking down at his George, and then looks up to see the George in front of him. His big, beautiful eyes are filled with tears and Lee feels a brief moment of internal panic, wondering if he's miscalculated, but then he seems to understand. Sometimes feelings are so big that all you can do is cry. Lee knows that very well, thanks to George.

"Hey, hey, it's okay," Lee assures him, hesitating only a moment before leaning in and wrapping his arms around George in a tight hug, one arm around his back while the other hand cradles the back of his neck. "You're okay."

[gallowseyes]

Lee wraps both arms around him and George only hesitates for a beat before his arms go around Lee's waist, holding him close. He's comforted by the soft words, the first pressure of arms around him. He's safe here. He believes it when Lee says he's loved.

He sniffles.

"I'm alright," he says.

[atehimrightup]

“I know you are,” Lee says in a helplessly fond voice, ruffling his hand through George’s hair. “You’re probably the strongest person I’ve ever known.”

He pulls back just enough to cradle George’s cheek in his hand again. It was easy enough for him to tell how much George had enjoyed that touch, even without the enticing scent of him.

“But it’d be okay if you weren’t,” Lee tells him, licking his lips and hesitating for only a moment before leaning in to press a sweet kiss to George’s forehead, letting the touch of his lips linger before he pulls back and lets him go.

“Now eat before it gets cold,” Lee tells him, slipping back into that tone that’s bossy and fond all at once as he lets go of him entirely and picks up his own fork. “While I try to decide how to entertain you today.”

Neither of them had anything to do today and the plan was to, well, not leave bed unless absolutely necessary. He’ll have to amend that.

[gallowseyes]

He's been called many things in a relatively short life, but he's not sure that any of them have amounted to "strong". He shifts and nods, picking up his fork and taking a bite of the eggs.

"I don't need much entertaining," he says. "As long as..." He flushes. "As long as I may stay with you."

[atehimrightup]

George’s scent is different like this. It’s fresher, and ripe teenage hormones. Lee can smell the curious lust on him, so thick in the air that it practically coats his tongue as he swallows. It’s not exactly surprising. George is a sexual creature by nature, even as young and inexperienced as he is.

Oh, that isn’t something that he needs to be thinking about. This is George before France, so he hasn’t been touched by a man yet. The thought makes Lee’s knuckles tighten around his fork and his next bite of eggs feels particularly hard to swallow.

“Of course,” Lee in a low rumble of a voice, nearly cursing himself when he looks over to see George flushed and staring right back at him. Lee’s gaze dips briefly to his obscene mouth and then back to his eyes. It’s not subtle.

“God, sorry,” Lee admits with a blush of his own. “This is strange for me. I’m not sure how to act around you.”

[gallowseyes]

"How would you act normally?" he asks, genuinely curious about this life he has apparently been living, completely beyond his understanding. Lee is beautiful, more beautiful than anyone he's ever seen in his life, and he also does feel safe here. comfortable. "What would we do?"

[atehimrightup]

The question makes Lee laugh, but not unkindly. He’s just so overwhelmed, and this whole thing is crazy, and George is so, so beautiful.

“Well—“ He chuckles again and takes a big gulp of coffee, cheeks flushed. It feels like he’s being punished and rewarded all at the same time.

“We’re a very affectionate couple,” he says with an amused smile, setting his mug down and twisting to look at George again, unevenly to keep his gaze from sweeping slowly over him. “It’s strange for me to be around you this long without kissing you, honestly. We, uh—“

He blushes again and ducks his head, looking very much like a man in love. “We kiss a lot.”

[gallowseyes]

George makes a soft, involuntary sound at that. He puts down his fork and reaches for his tea and takes a sip, setting the delicate cup down delicately.

"I think I must like that," he says. "Being kissed, I mean."
He's been kissed, but he thinks it must feel very different with someone as beautiful as Lee.

[atehimrightup]

Lee doesn’t believe in God, not really. But if he did, he’d be praying for strength.

“You do. Very much,” Lee admits, and then, because he can’t help himself: “Especially how I do it.”

He chuckles warmly and props his chin on his hand, looking at George curiously. “You haven’t kissed a boy yet, have you? Are you messing around with that servant girl yet?”

His smile grows wider, amused and warmed by the thought of this George and his innocent teenage fumbling. But then he thinks of what’s to come, this George being sent off to France, and his stomach hurts a little.

[gallowseyes]

"Jenny?" says George, and he immediately flushes darkly. He nods. "Sometimes. Mother doesn't like it." He brushes his hair back from his face and takes another little sip of his tea. "How...How do you do it?"

[atehimrightup]

"Compared to me, your mother would think Jenny was a dream," Lee drawls out, eyes darkening as George's cheeks get so pink. He can practically hear the blood rushing through George's veins, and he licks his lips at the question.

Honestly, it's getting harder and harder to remember why he was so convinced that he can't touch George like that. What's the alternative? They just deny themselves for a week and then George goes back and gets shipped off to France to be taught about sex as if it's nothing more than a weapon? It can be, and Lee has wielded it as such many times himself, but it was never like that with them.

Shouldn't he show George how good it can be first? There's no telling if George will remember any of this once things go back to normal, but Lee would want him to have something better.

"Like there is nowhere else in the world I'd rather be," Lee says in a low rumble, feeling himself drawn in closer to George, like he's slowly being reeled in.

[gallowseyes]

That voice, and the way Lee seems to lean in, makes him feel flustered and hot and like he can't quite breathe deep enough. He's kissed Jenny a lot, and he likes it a lot, but he suspects that kissing Lee would be a completely different world.

He leans in slightly.

"I don't know if I can imagine what that's like," he says.

[atehimrightup]

Yeah, Lee isn't strong enough for this.

He swallows hard and slips off of the stool so he can take a step closer, utterly captivated. George looks ethereal, and there's still such a softness to him. He hasn't learned just how terrible the world truly can be yet, hasn't been carved into something sharp. Lee loves George, his George, but he wants to protect this one so badly from what's to come.

"Do you want me to show you?" Lee asks quietly, stepping forward until his thighs are bracketed by George's knees. They're still staring at each other, nearly eye to eye, and Lee reaches up to put a hand on George's face. "I'd be lying if I said I didn't want your first real kiss to be with me."

[gallowseyes]

Lee touches his face again and George's breath hitches. Unconsciously, he licks his lips and then he nods.

"Show me," he says. "Please."

[atehimrightup]

Lee is only a man, and not even a very good one. How could he possibly be expected to resist this?

His hand slides down to cup George's chin between his thumb and forefinger and he nods, feeling almost drunk as he leans in closer. It's just a kiss. It's just going to be a kiss, he thinks. But he isn't sure he even believes it.

Lee takes a breath and nods, sliding his hand to the back of George's neck and gripping the nape to draw him in. Their mouths meet and Lee makes a quiet sound deep in his throat, immediately deepening the kiss and putting his other hand on George's waist, pressing in closer and spreading George's knees wider, twisting him until his lower back is pressed against the counter.

[gallowseyes]

George has never been kissed so thoroughly in his entire life. It's not just Lee's mouth on his...it's his hands and the way he moves him. It's the way that he feels almost like Lee would swallow him whole, if he could.

He makes a soft, involuntary sound against Lee's mouth.

[atehimrightup]

It would be so easy to get carried away. George would let him, too. Lee can tell.

His tongue sweeps into George's mouth and he tastes familiar, like tea and cinnamon, and Lee groans as his hands tighten on George's body. The kiss goes on and on until Lee has to pull back just to breathe, and he plants a few more sucking kisses along George's jaw and neck before pulling away. Or, at least he tries.

His hands stay right where they are, clutching at George as they stare at each other, chests heaving.

"That's how I do it," he says breathlessly, smiling and laughing a little as he tips their foreheads together. This George kisses more clumsily, all eagerness and so skill, and it's fucking endearing and sad all at the same time. "Better than Jenny?"

[gallowseyes]

For a moment, he can't say anything at all. He's too aware of Lee's hands on him. He's too aware of the taste of Lee's mouth. He just stares and then, finally, he swallows, and then he nods.

"Definitely better," he says.
His cock definitely thinks so.

[atehimrightup]

George looks so stunned, all big eyes and puffy lips, and Lee feels this ache in his chest. God, his heart belongs to this boy. Every single version of him.

"Good," he says quietly, shifting his hand from the back of George's neck to his jaw, thumbing at his soft skin before leaning in press their mouths together again, gentler this time.

"You don't have to feel bad about anything you want, George. Not with me," Lee promises, kissing his cheek and then the corner of his eye. "You're perfect." He grins, laughing a little as his lips skim George's forehead. "Every single little depraved thought in this beautiful head. They're all perfect to me."

[gallowseyes]

"Me?" George shakes his head. If anyone here is perfect, it's Lee. He swallows, leaning his cheek into Lee's hand.

"I want..." He swallows. "I want all of it. Can you show me?"

[atehimrightup]

Lee can't help but to laugh at that, low and soft, staring at George's mouth while thumbing at his full bottom lip. He hasn't completely grown into his mouth yet, and feels a fierce possessiveness overtake him. So many people got to have their hands on George before he did. There are so many firsts that Lee never got to see.

He could change that. It's a filthy, selfish thought. But is it? He could do it right. He could do everything right.

"Eager little thing," Lee says with a happy laugh, grinning as he sweeps George's hair back from his face, hand sliding down to palm the side of his head as they stare at each other. "There's a whole new world outside and you're only interested in sex. Somehow I'm not surprised."

[gallowseyes]

He all but glows when Lee says that, smiling broadly. He likes the way Lee touches him. It makes him want more of it.

"We'll have time for the world," he says. "I want to be here now."