A/N I was helped with this piece by Random Phantom , and I am very appreciative of that. But I hope you enjoy this.
The late summer sun was sinking into the horizon as the day drew to a close. Not far from Oxford, in a small cottage, a young man stood with an older man, gazing out of the window at the sunset. The cottage was one of many such holiday cottages in Oxford, unremarkable save for the views over the canal and the countryside, here used for a well-deserved long weekend by two tired colleagues looking to escape the trials of the last few weeks. The sun was painting the water with oranges, reds, pinks and many other different colours. It reflected back with crystal clarity the shadows of the trees and the bright contrasting colours of the sun, illuminating the landscape with the last hues of the dying day.
"It's beautiful," the younger man whispered to his companion.
"That it is," came the softly spoken reply. Robbie turned to glance at James, "like you." He muttered, under his breath, in almost a reverential whisper, thinking he wouldn't be heard. James looked over at him, with a small smile on his face, before he turned away.
Louder, Robbie asked, "Beer James?"
"Sure, I'll get them" he said as he turned to the kitchen to get them. Robbie turned and sat in a chair, staring pensively out over the water as James brought the beers out. Opening one, Robbie raised it in a toast, and they drank together in silence as they watched the sun sink lower and lower behind the trees.
Several beers later, and long after the half-moon had arisen in place of the sun, shining like silver upon the still waters of the canal, James plucked up the courage to ask,
"Did you mean it earlier? When you said I was beautiful?"
Robbie blushed, and looked slightly awkward; James had to strain his ears to hear the reply of "Yes, yes I did."
"That's good then. Because that means that I can do this." He leaned in very slowly, across the arms of their chairs, and, very gently, he kissed him.