April 1947: Care to go to China? For the Cupbearer

[mrwaverly]

"Bastard!" Alex cried out as his shirt cuff button was neatly sliced off. He and his lover, Ganymede, were in the gym practicing knife fighting with Nepalese style kukri blades. Though the ones Alex was using were standard army issue for the Gurkhas serving in the British army. They had slightly less reach and were just a bit heavier than the ones G was using. "That was a good shirt."

Alexander was wearing a white shirt and gray slacks. He was out of military uniform and working now for the SIS after the victorious end to the war. His lover was currently giving him a refresher course in knife fighting. The sleeve of his shirt was hanging loose now around his wrist. It was the second button to go in this little game they were having. The first was the top collar button of his shirt. "You're determined to get me naked, aren't you?"

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[the_cupbearer]

As quickly as the doubt had come over him, confusion replaces it for Ganymede, and he stares. "You want me to go to China with you?"

It would be a change; he hasn't been that far east in decades, centuries perhaps. "I certainly don't want to stay here alone without you, Alex. Not after losing you during the war."

[mrwaverly]

"Of course I want you to go with me. I don't want to be without you, either," Alex admitted. It would be a huge change. "And half the world away again. Nǐ huì shuō pǔtōnghuà ma?"

[Do you speak Mandarin?]

[the_cupbearer]

Ganymede shook his head. "It... Zhè shì yīduàn shíjiān, dàn wǒ jìdé dà bùfèn shíjiān," he says. "Why, do they speak only that there?"

[mrwaverly]

"They don't only speak that there. Hong Kong is a British Crown Colony so quite a few people speak the King's English there. I imagine I'll have lots of dealings with people from mainland China where the most spoken dialect is Mandarin." Alex explained.

[the_cupbearer]

"You'll likely have to deal with people speaking all kinds of dialects," Ganymede says. "Mandarin, Cantonese, Sichuan...all of them. But you're smart with languages."

He kissed Alex quickly, winding his arms around his partner's waist comfortably. "When do we leave?"

[mrwaverly]

"In a month. Just in time for the blooming of the cherry blossoms, I should think," Alexander said with a grin. It would be nice for a change. He had been getting antsy just hanging around in London since the end of the war.

[the_cupbearer]

"Have you told your parents?" he asked. "We'll have to get Dizzy used to it sometime."

[mrwaverly]

"Not yet. I figured we could have dinner with them Thursday night and give them the news," Alexander said.

[the_cupbearer]

"Oh, you're willing to risk Freddie's wrath again?" Ganymede asked dryly, moving away towards the showers.

Thursday came sooner than later, and Ganymede, masquerading as Gregory again, came with Alexander to the family's home for dinner. Everything went relatively well until the announcement was made, at which point Freddie had to gloat that Alex would have to, quote, grow up and get rid of his boytoy.

To which Ganymede took an exception.

"Excuse you, you sanctimonious prick, I'm no one's toy," he said.

[mrwaverly]

"Fredrick! That was completely uncalled for!" his mother protested.

"I'm sorry, Mother, but someone in this family had to say it!" Freddie was saying. "Oh, right, no one would because Alexander is everyone's favorite little ponce."

"Freddie, you really are an asshole. You're the one who needs to grow up!" Alex stood up. "Really, I'm grateful for the opportunity to go to Hong Kong since it means I won't have to be in the same country with my dick of a brother."

[the_cupbearer]

Ganymede could have chosen to ignore the comment out of Freddie about Alex. And he might have, in another time or place. But now was not that time or that place, and Ganymede was more than tied of Freddie's attitude. Christmas had startled him, but now he was angry.

He was out of his chair and turning, arm cocked back before Alexander had finished getting the words out of his mouth, before he flicked his fist out and connected with Freddie's face. His hand slid to grasp tightly around the man's throat, his back pressed against the doorway. "I have warned you before," he said, voice dangerously low and soft. "All I have to do is squeeze."

[mrwaverly]

"G! Don't!" Alex said. His lover was very skilled and easily could kill Freddie. But that was not what he wanted for either of them. "G, it wouldn't be worth it." He really wanted G to go to Hong Kong with him, which he wouldn't be if he was sitting in jail for assault.

[the_cupbearer]

"I cannot and will not forgive you for this," he hissed, squeezing tightly for a second before he let go, backing up until he touched Alexander's shoulder. Only Alex knew what had set him off about being called a boy-toy, but he'd trusted that he wouldn't have to be reminded if no one knew what he really was.

[mrwaverly]

"I'm sorry, Mother, Father, about this, but I think it's best that G and I go now," Alexander went to his mother and kissed her forehead, and then did the same to his father. "I'll send you something from Hong Kong when we get there. I love you both." He said his good byes then stepped over his brother who was still coughing and gasping in the doorway.

[the_cupbearer]

Ganymede remained silent, still furious at Fredrick for what he'd said about Alexander, but took his lover's hand gently once they'd crossed the doorway threshold.

"I'm sorry," he whispered. "You should talk to your parents, I don't want you to leave on bad terms with them." And he didn't want Alex to feel like it was Ganymede who'd tipped the relationship away from being able to be salvaged, doubt sowing its tiny black seeds already.

[mrwaverly]

"It's alright. I'll call Mum later. You don't have to be sorry. It's Freddie being his usual asinine self." Alexander sighed, "He really pushed me too far this time." He stopped, taking G's face in his hands. "It is not your fault that Freddie is a dick." He kissed G. He wasn't usually one for public displays of affection and he didn't even look around first. "I love you, Ganymede. And I want you with me in Hong Kong."

[the_cupbearer]

"Not my fault he's an ass, but it is my fault for punching him." And he hadn't missed the quick gush of blood that had resulted from Freddie either biting his own tongue or his nose breaking. Ganymede's knuckles were aching, telling him it had been a solid shot.

"If I had my boot knife--" Ganymede had started to explain, only to be cut off by the kiss he wasn't prepared for. Alexander almost never kissed him in public, and in the middle of his parents' kitchen was quite public enough.

He stared for a moment, lost for words. "I love you," he said in a rush of breath. "More than anything."

[mrwaverly]

"I know. But if you'd had your knife, you might be on your way to jail right now and I'd be hiring a lawyer for you," Alex said. "Which I'd rather not have to do. Let's go home and finish packing."

[the_cupbearer]

"This is why you don't let me wear boots to dinner," Ganymede said, muscles quivering at the held tension finally dissipating.

"Alex, I'm sorry." But it was time to go; they'd driven themselves this time, at least, but even when they got home, there was no guarantee Freddie wouldn't try to have him arrested.

He tried his best to relax, to not think of it as they finished packing what they could, and selling whatever they couldn't carry with them: Ganymede breathed freely at last when they set foot on Hong Kong soil. His hair was long and braided back, a comfortable look for him though it belied how tired he felt, how trapped by English society. He took Waverly's hand as he walked, unobtrusive but unwilling to go much longer without contact. Preferably intimate contact.

[mrwaverly]

Alex was nervous and excited himself, he didn't mind that G took his hand in public. If he were to allow himself to admit it aloud, he would have told G that it was a comfort to him too. They exited the airport and for once, were back in a place where G blended in and Alex stood out. It wasn't entirely like India, of course. But in the bustling crowd of mostly Asian people, Alex's white face stood out.

They caught a taxi from the airport to their new flat. Their apartment was not far from Alexander's new office. He was initially surprised that it was in one of the newest buildings in the city. The apartment provided by Her Majesty's government was more luxurious than he had expected. The flat was fully furnished with very modern and elegant furnishings. The view from the parlor's large windows was rather spectacular, "Oh my goodness."

The apartment was on the twenty-third floor. Almost but not quite the building's penthouse. Alex had to stop himself from asking the real estate agent that gave them the key if they'd got the wrong apartment. Once she'd left, he broke out in a slightly embarrassed smile to his partner, "Pinch me, will you? I want to make certain I'm not dreaming."

[the_cupbearer]

Ganymede merely shook his head at the request, and instead of pinching Alex pulled him into a kiss, arms wrapped around his shoulders.

"Did they think you were bringing your whole family with you?" he asked, surprised himself at the expanse of the apartment, giving them almost too much room for comfort with just the two of them occupying the space. "This is amazing, Alexander."

[mrwaverly]

Alex laughed into that kiss. "Good god, I hope not. I'd be too tempted to throw Freddie off the balcony!" He smiled, "It's extraordinary." He still couldn't quite believe it. He wandered through the apartment and into what would be their bedroom. The bed was large enough for five people let alone two. The view from the bedroom windows was just as amazing. The wall of the bedroom was curved and below the port of Hong Kong spread below them. The sun was just starting to set. The colors reflected on the white walls of the room. "Oh wow."

[the_cupbearer]

"You'd be tempted, I'd actually do it," Ganymede murmured, but did his best to keep the black bloom of temper reined in. It did him no good to be wondering about doing the man harm, especially in front of his lover. He followed Alex through the apartment, coming to a sudden halt as he was arrested by the view from their bedroom, staring out at the port skyline below them.

"My god," he whispered, sitting down quickly on the edge of the bed as his sense of balance wobbled from the sudden shift in perspective, showing just how high they were. "This is all for you, Alex. All from the work you've done." He huffed out a little laugh.

[mrwaverly]

Initially, he'd thought that being sent to Hong Kong might be a way to keep him out of sight and out of mind. Somebody high up seemed to think him worth it though. After he was able to get his jaw off the floor he answered, "I never even aspired to anything like this." He'd been building a modest career for years. "It makes me a little nervous."

[the_cupbearer]

"But you're here now," Ganymede murmured, winding his arms around Alex when he'd recovered enough to stand and come up behind his lover, chin resting on Alexander's shoulder. "Don't be nervous, love. Your work has gotten you this far, people must be happy with it."

Ganymede was thrilled for Alex that he'd been promoted to such a high position, and squeezed his arms gently, a reminder of the embrace he held. "The view from here is almost as magnificent as you are."