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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[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."

[mrwaverly]

He leaned his head to rest against Ganymede's. After a moment he broke into a smile, "You're right, of course," he laughed. "Not that you're biased or anything. "It means so much that you're here with me." The doorbell from their flat rang, followed by some muffled barks. "Our boy is here." Disraeli had to take the long ride in the plane in his crate and go through a medical examination before he was allowed to be brought into Hong Kong. Initially they had been worried about being separated from their pup. "He's going to go nuts in this place."

[the_cupbearer]

"Not biased at all," Ganymede murmured, kissing Alexander's cheek before he let go to answer the door. Disraeli was bouncing in his crate, ready to get out and see his humans; Ganymede knelt by the couch to open the carrier and got a yipping, excitable corgi in his lap for his trouble.

"Hello, boy," he laughed, letting Diz lick his face happily.

[mrwaverly]

Alex followed G into the living room. He laughed, watching the two of them together. Diz's ears pricked up when he heard his other human come in the room. He was off like a shot, showing off his herding dog roots by racing around Alex's ankles, much to his delight. Diz danced on his hind legs until Alex bent down and picked him up. He was treated to the same exuberant face washing G had been.

[the_cupbearer]

"You were right, he's happy," Ganymede murmured, scratching gently between Disraeli's ears.

"Now everything's all right. Now that we're all here."

[mrwaverly]

"Indeed," He laughed. Having their pup there made it feel like home. Diz wriggled out of his arms finally, and Alex let him down to explore their new home. By the time the dog was done, he had looked at every corner and sniffed every inch of the fancy flat.

[the_cupbearer]

"Speaking of, though," he hummed, rising and following Alexander through the flat, "We've yet to do our own more...thorough exploration."

Ganymede wound his arms around Alex, turning to face the man and pushing his hair back from his face, delighting in the way his partner's smile lit his eyes. He kissed Waverly full on the mouth, holding nothing back out of worry or concern over propriety: this was their home, their place to be free from the constraints of the world they lived in.

[mrwaverly]

He was expecting the kiss and didn't mind at all. If this was going to be their new home, they would have to be comfortable in it. He slid his arms around his partner's waist and kissed him back thoroughly. "We haven't even properly christened the bed yet," he joked.

Their flat was high enough up they could make love standing in front of the windows and not be seen unless someone was looking in their direction with a telescope. Which would be highly unlikely.

[the_cupbearer]

"This is true," Ganymede laughed. "Do you want to christen the bed first?" he asked, unafraid to be standing where they could see out, not having to hide away from windows and doors.

[mrwaverly]

"Yes, I think I would like that," Alex said. With the last of the daylight pouring in through the windows, bedroom door open, strange place. It would have made him felt someone exposed, uncomfortable. But if this was going to be their home, he should be comfortable. They were in a place where they would be relatively safe.

[the_cupbearer]

Ganymede smiled, and tugged him backwards towards the bed, falling back in a lazy sprawl with Alex on top of him, not having bothered to close the door or draw the windows. He tousled his lover's hair in pulling him down close.

"Love you, Alex."

[mrwaverly]

Diz was easily distracted with a toy. Alex fell onto the bed in a heap on top of G. Smiling, he kissed him, blissfully uncaring about the windows or the door.

"I love you, G," he kissed him freely, with an ease he hadn't had for a long time. Since India, actually. Alex playfully undressed his lover, pulling off his shirt and dropping it on the floor.

[the_cupbearer]

"So all this time," he murmured, letting himself be undressed and popping loose the button on Alex's trousers with a twist of his hand, "All I needed to do was get you off that island."

Good to know. Ganymede won't forget the information.

[mrwaverly]

"Well... yes, actually," he laughed. Away from the oppressive British propriety, Alex could be himself. "As much as I love my country, I really don't like to live there." He stripped off his own shirt and it joined G's on the floor. "Being here with you, reminds me of India. My love, you make me feel young again."