Prize: Shining on Splendour

[draconica-nova.livejournal.com]

Title: Shining on Splendour
Pairing: Greg/Ryan
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 1,973
Summary: A day of rest, relaxation and laughter prompts Greg to make an important proposal.

Author's Notes: The wonderful and talented trulyobsessive  asked for this as a prize from the In the Style Of… contest. So very, very sorry that it took me so long, hope you enjoy it! ^_^




It was a sunny day, which was a good thing. Greg liked it when it was sunny. Although, with every pro, there’s a con – he didn’t much like the heat that came with it.

Although, the complimentary weather did mean that he could go out. And where better to go on a day like this, he thought, than Ryan’s house? His pool sounded like a really nice idea, as did the thought of spending time in his lover’s company. Greg figured that after Pat had left him, Ryan really needed to feel appreciated and cherished again.

Similarly, Ryan loved it when Greg came to his house out of the blue on days like this. Mainly because somehow Greg always knew to visit on days when Ryan was extremely bored and in need of company. They had embraced in greeting at the front door like always and had instinctively gotten settled in the back yard, intent on making the most of the sun.

Ryan stretched lazily on the beach recliner, trying to get comfortable on the damn thing. It was made of the most vulgar of plastics, and he didn’t even remember why he had bought it – no one could possibly tolerate such discomfort. The only thing that made it bearable was the beautiful weather beating down in loving pulses.

“Come into the pool, Ry. I’m getting lonely in here.”

Ryan smirked at the statement, but kept his eyes closed behind his shades. “And that’s an enticement, how?”

“Because if you don’t, you might find yourself sleeping on the couch tonight.” Greg crooned cheerfully.

“I’d like to see you try, Greg. It’s my house.”

There was a pause in conversation in which Ryan heard the sound of splashing water gradually silencing, and he figured that the man in question was exiting the pool. Still, he kept his eyes shut in relaxation.

“If I can’t get you into the pool…” A dripping lump suddenly clung to him and Ryan tensed, failing to suppress an annoyed groan. “…then I’ll bring the pool to you.”

“Greg!” Ryan whined and squirmed helplessly. “Stop getting me wet!”

“Years of practice,” Greg sighed, rubbing his cheek along his lover’s shoulder.

“You speccy bastard.”

There was shared laughter as Greg got up and walked back over to the backyard pool, leaving a trail of wet footprints behind him. Ryan sat up on his recliner and sighed, looking down at his water-spotted shirt and shorts. “Thank you for that.”

“You’re welcome, now shuck those clothes and get in here!”

The tall man lowered his shades and eyed Greg evilly. He may have won this round, but there were plenty of ways to get him back. Very creative, embarrassment-inducing ways, so the rest of the day would be fun.

Still, he did as he was told: stripping down to his boxers and unceremoniously jumping in with a flared splash. Greg pouted at him angrily, since until now his stylish hair had remained completely dry. He tried to look mildly irritated, but without the guard of his spectacles his hazel eyes betrayed everything. Ryan always admired Greg when he went without glasses – their absence left a slight nakedness, almost vulnerability about the man. Though he knew Greg hated being called “adorable,” that’s exactly how he found him.

“What are you staring at?” Greg smiled and Ryan suddenly realised how long he’d been staring at his lover like a predator. With nothing more than a smirk in response, he began a full-blown water war with him, completely soaking Greg and causing his hair to droop down, heavy with the sudden influx of liquid. Once he’d regained his awareness, Greg retaliated just as childishly and splashed Ryan right back. To anyone else, this behaviour might’ve been seen as unheard of for men in their fifties – but only because they’d never known a love like this. Their relationship had all the obvious affection you’d expect but also all the teasing, silly rituals and childish laughter you wouldn’t.

Ryan had Greg tangled with him underwater, but the younger man managed to kick himself away, coming up for air and flicking his now ruined hair out of his face. Ryan followed straight after, coughing and spluttering helplessly.

“I think I swallowed half the pool,” he managed to gasp around his coughs.

“You started it,” replied Greg as he crossed his arms smugly. Though he liked to carry his funny-guy, stoic exterior effectively, seeing Ryan in such discomfort let him drop it in favour of his rarely seen sweet side. “Come here,” he sighed and took Ryan into his arms, patting his back and trying to soothe as the muscles continued to spasm in reflex.

Once he’d settled, Ryan didn’t let go of the warm comforting body – the feel of Greg plus the slowly lapping, calming water around them was enough to let Ryan drift off but before he could manage that, Greg pulled away with a triumphant grin.

“Looks like Doctor Proops’ job here is done,” he grinned triumphantly as if he were posing at the end of a ‘Superheroes’ game. “Tune in next time when Ryan cooks Greg dinner in gratitude for saving his life.”

Ryan shook his head with a deep laugh, sending shivers all up Greg’s spine. “That you did,” he agreed truthfully, “but what makes you think I’m going to make dinner?”

“Because you think I’m fucking adorable.” Greg’s statement was entirely cheerful as he put on a lost face with wide eyes and pouting lips, which wasn’t a natural look for him but just as effective as any other.

Giving in at last, Ryan nodded knowingly and slowly made his way out of the pool like a gangly giraffe. “You really are a speccy bastard, aren’t you?” he teased as he grabbed a towel and padded into the house, hearing Greg call out behind him.

“The one and only.”

~~~

Greg stepped out of the shower a few hours later, smelling the faint waft of steak from downstairs and laughing aloud – so, Ryan actually made him dinner? As much as he tried to feel smug and victorious about the idea, he genuinely felt elated. For a start, Ryan was a good cook, always had been but also because usually when they were together they went out to discreet restaurants or got a takeout for those very lazy days. It wasn’t often that they really got to be together in a homely atmosphere like this, so Greg decided that he would make the most of it because before long, he would probably return to Jennifer – not because he had to, or even because he wanted to, but because it was expected of him. He’d always had this obsession with his reputation, always trying to convince people who held that common belief that he was gay, that he in fact wasn’t.

And then there was Ryan. It confused Greg so much at the time, after years of being adored by women, dating Jen and enjoying every second of it, he suddenly felt his heart lurch for this tall, blonde, strangely handsome and romantically dangerous man - the keyword here being man. He firmly believed that if it weren’t for the British version of Whose Line, he might’ve actually managed to rid himself of such feelings.

It’s why he thanked Whose Line everyday. It’s also why he’d told Jennifer that he had chosen Ryan over her.

As he suddenly realised where he was, he remembered that he was standing naked in Ryan’s bathroom in the middle of deep thought. What he would’ve given to see the look on his own face right now…

He laughed again at that thought then finally set about drying and dressing, shooting glances out of the window as the sun began it’s decent into a warm night time.

~~~

“To us,” Greg smiled as he raised his beer in a toast to Ryan across the table who happily returned the gesture.

After a moment, while Greg had begun on his steak with the flickering glow of the nearby fireplace adorning his face with an orange aura, Ryan made to speak.

“Us?”

Greg had just closed his lips around a forkful of roast vegetables when Ryan asked his question – so he had no choice but to nod and murmur a vague, “Of course. Us.”

Ryan shook his head thoughtfully, pushing a few peppers around on his plate. “I love you, Greg, but so does she.”

“Ryan, she’s accepted it.”

“It doesn’t seem like she has, though,” Ryan retorted. “Pat left me because I told her, but Jen’s still clinging to you like a tongue on an icy flagpole. It just doesn’t seem fair.”

Greg laughed aloud at the odd metaphor, but the jollity faded when he realised that Ryan wasn’t so much as smiling. He genuinely felt hurt that he had to share the man he loved with another person. The younger man took in a long breath and let it out deliberately slowly.

“If it weren’t for how much this bothers you, I’d make a joke about how I can’t blame her wanting to lick me like a flagpole. But right now, Ry, I’m going to get all sentimental with you, so brace yourself.”

Despite his worry, Ryan smiled. This gave Greg a fair bit more assurance that he wasn’t saying anything stupid. There was nothing new in that detail.

Suddenly, a shoe-less foot smoothed it’s way up the inside of Ryan’s long leg, the toes managing to tickle along his inner thigh. Ryan gasped, blushed and shifted toward it unconsciously before it moved away.

Greg grinned. “And that’s about as sentimental as I get.”

“Forget speccy, you’re just a bastard,” moped Ryan playfully, kicking Greg in the shin in return and smiling at the discomfort on the other man’s face.

“But in all seriousness, Ry,” Greg said as he noticed Ryan about to speak again, no doubt asking him to be serious anyway. “Earlier, I was just thinking about when I met you and how we came to be… us. I couldn’t believe what I’d found in you, and I still don’t to this day, but I wouldn’t give it up for anything. Not even for her.”

Greg held up his left hand, the palm facing towards himself and Ryan looked carefully, wondering just what he was meant to be seeing. Then, he caught sight of a small red mark where the wedding ring should be sitting pride of place. Greg continued to smile warmly, enjoying watching realisation cross his lover’s face.

“How long has that been missing?” Ryan asked, his eyebrows drawing together.

“A week or two. I’m surprised you didn’t notice. You do have the nose of an eagle, I just figured you had eyes like one, too.”

“Joking aside,” the tall man said around his smirk, “what does this mean?”

“It means,” Greg sighed, throwing his head back in mirth at Ryan’s bemusement. “It means I’m officially yours now, Ry. And that since you’ve got this big house all to yourself, I’d hoped you wouldn’t mind sharing.”

A slow sincere smile crossed Ryan’s face to match the one that Greg was giving him. The idea that him and Greg were now officially ‘official’ made his heart swell. “You’re not just a speccy bastard, you’re a-“

“Sly bastard. I know.” Greg loved to finish Ryan’s sentences, even if they were entirely predictable. “That’s growing to be a rather over-used pet name. Can’t we think of something a bit more original?”

Ryan couldn’t help but blush, honestly adoring Greg in moments like these. “How about ‘sweetie-pie’?”

“Hmm, pass,” Greg laughed. “When can I move in, beaky?”

Obeying that childish streak that only Greg brought out of him, Ryan gathered some peas onto his fork and flicked them at his lover, managing to hit him square on the nose. “As soon as possible, four-eyes.”

~Fin

Comments

[rycolfan.livejournal.com]

*giggle* I love the humour in this! I agree with gawky...that exchange was classic! XD

Not sure I can really get into Greg/Ryan (I generally prefer Greg/Jeff) but if anyone can change my mind...you can! Great stuff! :o) x

[draconica-nova.livejournal.com]

Greg/Ryan isn't my first pairing, either. I too prefer him with Jeff. But Truly's idea stuck itself in my head and would not budge and I love her for it. 8D