Syed started slightly as a pair of warm, muscly arms wound their way round his waist, moving towards the buckle on his belt. He chuckled and twisted in Christian's embrace, shaking his head.

"Not now..."

"Please... I'll make it worth your while," Christian murmured in Syed's ear before plunging his mouth onto Syed's soft, accepting lips. Syed moaned into the kiss, but pulled back suddenly.

"No, Clarkey... do you want me to miss my exam?"

Christian pulled back and sighed. "Spoilsport. I don't see why you need a certificate to prove you can give gratifying massages anyway. I could vouch for you any day; you're a master of rubbing away my aches and pains. Speaking of which, I'm feeling a bit stiff..."

Syed laughed out loud at his unsubtle approach and turned back to the breakfast he'd been trying to prepare. "Well if you're lucky, I'll practice my newfound techniques on you... after I return from my exam. Anyway, you have three training sessions today, the first of which starts in 30 minutes," he said, glancing up and down Christian's half-naked form, "and I don't think your clients will be best impressed if you turn up in nothing but a towel."

Christian raised his eyebrows. "I wouldn't be so sure about that, babe." He winked, placed a chaste kiss on Syed's lips and wandered off to get changed.

-x-x-x-

Christian returned home to find his life partner sitting on the bed, looking very solemn. "Hey, Sy, what's up?"

"Nothing, really..."

Christian sat on the bed next to him and slipped his hand over Syed's. "Come on, I know that look. Are you going to tell me, or," he lowered his voice to a husky whisper, "am I going to have to force it out of you?" He let go of Syed's hand and raised his fingers to his armpit, ready to tickle him into submission.

Syed jumped backwards with a grin. "No, no! I'll tell you. It's just... at the exam... it felt like being back at school. It brought it all back to me, when I was wondering if I would pass my exams, get into sixth form and university, or even manage to do well enough for my parents to be proud of me. I was so unhappy back then, Christian, I had no idea who I was, or who I wanted to be. I spent so much time worrying about my grades that I never took into consideration what I really wanted. I just can't believe how far I've come." He raised his eyes to Christian's loving gaze, eyes brimming with unshed tears. "I can't believe I've finally got everything I ever wanted. I can't believe I've got you."

Joking suddenly pushed aside, Christian felt a lump forming in his throat. Syed rarely spoke out about his feelings, deciding instead to show them in his actions. But when he did speak out, his words were so personal, tender and moving that Christian was always left speechless. He gazed into his boyfriend's beautiful brown eyes and moved in for a kiss. Their mouths fit together so perfectly it was as if they had been made for each other. As Christian's tongue pushed Syed's compliant mouth open, he fell backwards, pulling Syed on top of him. "I love you," Christian whispered against Syed's mouth. Their kiss was slow and passionate, conveying more words than either man could bring themselves to speak.

-x-x-x-

Eventually, Christian leaned up on one elbow and eyed Syed with a look that Syed quickly recognised as his mischievous look. "So... what about that massage I was promised?"

The corner of Syed's mouth twitched. "You're wearing too many clothes for a massage."

"Why didn't you say something? That's easily sorted." Within the blink of an eye, he was off the bed and had stripped down to his boxers. "Oh and before I forget, I bought you a present in anticipation of tonight. Close your eyes."

Syed closed them and felt a cold, smooth bottle being pressed into his hand. "You can open them now." In his hand was a bottle of massage oil.

Syed raised an eyebrow at Christian. "Are you sure this is a present for me, not you?"

"Same thing. You'll reap the benefits as much as I will... Now, do you want me on the bed?" he asked, scooting around Syed and flopping onto the mattress without waiting for an answer.

Syed settled himself with one knee on each side of Christian's legs and began to smooth the oil over his shoulders, applying pressure and working his magic on the spots where he could feel the most tension. Slowly he made his way down Christian's back, as Christian sighed with pleasure. "You're really good at this, baby; you don't need a diploma to prove it."

"Shush you, I'm trying to concentrate. You're really tense in your legs, what have you been doing with those clients of yours?"

"Oh Sy, that feels so good..."

Syed rubbed his hands further up Christian's thighs, well aware of the effect he was having on him, before stopping just short of where Christian wanted him to put his hands and working his way down the other leg.

Christian moaned, half in frustration and half in ecstasy. "I don't know how much more of this I can take; you're killing me, Sy..."

Syed stopped and pulled his hands back. "I'm sorry, I can stop if you li..."

He was cut off by Christian flipping onto his back and pulling Syed's hands towards his stomach. "You could stop... or you could finish what you started."

Syed's eyes glinted as he flashed a wicked grin at Christian, rubbing his hands around the edge of Christian's underwear. This was going to be a very long night...