No copyright infringement intended—characters belong to EastEnders and the BBC.
.
.
Legacy
.
"And He will add Unto you riches and children…" Qur'an, Sura 71, Nooh, Verse 12
.
A lithe, athletic young man with black hair, brown eyes and a cheerful air pushed a wheelchair down Bridge Street. In it sat his grandfather—a broad-shouldered older gentleman with sea green eyes, close-cropped brown hair (with blond highlights), and a slightly grumpy expression.
"You all right in the chair Grandpa?"
"Yes, Aziz, just peachy!" growled Christian, holding a cane across his lap.
Aziz grinned, made a Christian-face, and mouthed Just peachy!
"I heard that young man."
"Sorry Grandpa Christian."
Christian whistled quietly. "Bitchy old Quentin today, aren't I?"
"No worries Grandpa. Imagine I'd be out of sorts if I were a newborn cyborg." The young man smiled down at his grandfather.
Christian chuckled. "Just a hip replacement Zee. Not doing any bit parts on Dr. Who."
"What's Dr. Who?"
Aziz's grandfather rolled his eyes. "Old sci-fi. Before your time love."
"Here we are Grandpa," Aziz said, parking the chair and setting the brake.
"Cheers," Christian said, waving off his grandson's offered hand. He took a breath, and, with a determined look, stood up from the chair. The pain was bearable, but he leaned on the damned cane for a moment. Aziz stood nearby looking concerned. Christian smiled and patted him on the shoulder reassuringly.
"Now you and me, Zee, are gonna cruise Albert Square per the instructions of my hunky physical terrorist. Blokes under 25 are yours. I get the rest."
"What about birds?" Aziz teased.
"All yours Zee," Christian chuckled, glancing at his grandson. "Greedy little bisexual bastard."
Aziz laughed and gave a theatrical shrug.
Christian looked at the cane with distaste and dropped it onto the chair. He squared his shoulders, ran a hand through his hair, and took a step. Bloody hell that hurts! Schooling his face to show nothing he took another. And another. Blimey! Then he was walking sedately down the square beside Aziz. Not limping, mind you. No sir! You may be seventy-odd, Christian Clarke, with brown hair out of a bottle, but you could still have any bloke in Soho tonight. Well, any bloke from the piano bar. Or the Daddy fanciers... Christian smirked.
He maintained the pace with a self-satisfied expression. Aziz walked next to him, checking out the other park-goers on the sunny June morning.
He kept a covert watch on his grandfather. Grandpa Christian looked to be doing all right, but there was a tension in him that worried Aziz. He stayed close enough to catch him if he stumbled. His grandfather was a big man, but Aziz was stronger than he looked. The weight training had been Grandpa Christian's idea. Mum pretended not to approve just to wind Grandpa up. They did that to each other a lot. Aziz grinned.
He'd liked it just fine. Besides, it got him a lot of notice from "hot young thangs" as Grandpa Christian called them. That had got him in a fix with Mum and Dad a time or three. His grin widened. Thank God for Grandpa Syed. They'd get into it good and proper with Christian, but when Grandpa Syed spoke up for him his parents tended to listen. So did Aziz. He loved both his grandfathers. He'd always felt a special connection with soft-spoken Grandpa Sy though. When he'd turned eighteen Grandpa Sy had given him a very old Qur'an. From Pakistan. The family had passed it from father to son for generations.
He remembered the feeling of Grandpa Sy's hand on his shoulder the night of his birthday. "This Qur'an is very special to our family," he'd said. "I had it from my father, and he from his, back to our old home in Pakistan. Now it's yours, Aziz, to read and cherish and, one day, to pass on to your own son." Grandpa Sy had placed his hands on either side of Aziz's head and they'd shared a short prayer. Then his grandfather kissed him gently on the forehead and hugged him. "All my love, my grandson, and may Allah bless you." After that Grandpa Syed and Mum had shared one of those long looks they had with each other. Like they could read each other's minds. Then they cried and laughed and hugged each other and him. That had been the best birthday ever.
"Bollocks!"
Aziz snapped out of his reverie and looked at Grandpa Christian. They'd made it around the square twice, he thought. His grandfather was bracing himself with an arm on the iron fence. His face looked a bit pale and he was sweating.
"You okay Grandpa?" Aziz moved to support him.
Grandpa Christian waved him off curtly. "Oi! I'm fine!" he snapped.
Wow, grouchy! He must be hurting. Aziz hovered nervously, unsure what to do.
"Christian!" Aziz heard from down the square. Thank God. Grandpa Syed.
Aziz looked up and saw his other grandfather jogging down the square toward them with a cane in his hand.
He ran up to Grandpa Christian and hugged him. Christian let go of the fence and put his arms around Grandpa Sy. Aziz saw that Syed was quietly supporting Grandpa Christian.
"Hi handsome," Grandpa Sy said, smiling.
"Don't make a scene Sy," Grandpa Christian growled.
"Scene?" Syed's face was all innocence. "No scene. I'm just glad to see my husband." He gave Grandpa Christian an affectionate kiss. "Everybody in Walford knows we never could keep our hands off each other." Then he shot Aziz a quick wink and mouthed Thank you.
"Sy, why do you have that bloody cane?" Christian asked.
"Cane? Oh that. No reason," Grandpa Syed said breezily. "Say Christian, I wonder—would you mind if we sat and talked for a bit?"
Aziz rubbed a hand over his mouth to hide his grin. Grandpa Sy was good!
Grandpa Christian looked at his husband then at Aziz. He sighed. "All right you two... conspirators. The Grumpy Queen will be seated now." He beckoned Aziz.
With his husband on one side and his grandson on the other Grandpa Christian walked to the nearby bench and let the two men who loved him best help him to sit.
"So Aziz," Grandpa Sy asked, "how long will we enjoy your company? My memory isn't what it once was." He smiled apologetically.
"Mum, Dad, and Kadirah get back in a week Grandpa. I'm all yours 'til then."
"Wonderful!"
"He's eighteen Sy. He'll eat us out of house and home!" Grandpa Christian teased.
Looks to have caught his breath. Good! Aziz was relieved.
"You're both better cooks than Mum, so that sounds good!"
"Aziz!" Grandpa Sy shot him a reproving look.
Aziz blushed.
Grandpa Christian chortled. "Leave off Sy. He's right. Our little girl takes after her mum in the kitchen." Christian wagged his finger at Aziz. "And mum's the word about that Zee!"
Aziz smiled and nodded enthusiastically. No way I'd repeat that to Mum. I'd be ground up between the two of them!
"So Zee," Grandpa Christian said with a puckish grin, "when do we get to meet this beau of yours?"
"He's joining us for lunch at the Vic Grandpa."
"So spill! Tell your grannies all about him," Christian trilled. Grandpa Sy grinned and raised an eyebrow at his husband.
Aziz ducked his head and laughed. "Well..."
Grandpa Christian waved some fingers at him. Go on then, that was.
"His name is Ritchie. Ritchie Hall." Aziz's face brightened. "Met him at school last term. He's seventeen, about six foot, blond, clever, funny, knows all about plants, he's on the swim squad, and..." Aziz grinned.
"And?" Christian prompted.
"And he's hot!"
His grandfather smirked, eyes alight. "How hot?"
"He'd melt chocolate at five paces." Aziz beamed, chuckling.
"Hmmmm... So not quite as good looking as our Zee then, eh?" Aziz blushed while his grandparents exchanged a look.
"And how do you like this Mr Chocolatey Melty Fellow?" asked Grandpa Syed, combing a lock of greying hair out of his face.
Aziz cocked his head to the side a bit. "A lot Grandpa Sy. I like him a lot," he husked, eyes twinkling.
Sy and Christian shared another glance. Uh oh...
"How does he feel about you Aziz?" Grandpa Syed asked.
"Oh, he likes me a lot too," Aziz proclaimed, still bright-eyed.
"Has he met your parents yet?" asked Grandpa Sy.
Aziz dimmed a little. "Yeah."
Grandpa Sy's eyes asked the question.
"Mum likes him. A lot better than Nilaya anyway. Dad-" Aziz sighed. "Dad gets odd when I bring Ritchie 'round. I dunno."
Grandpa Christian glanced at his husband. "Which one was Nilaya? Think I need a scorecard."
Aziz rolled his eyes.
"She was the Hindu girlfriend," Sy deadpanned.
"Right!" Christian winced. The one on the down low. Yas had kittens!
Christian looked at his grandson. "Zee, what did you mean by 'Dad gets odd?'"
"Well, it's nothing he said. He was polite. He just got all stiff and formal-like." Aziz looked at the ground.
Christian put his hand on Aziz's shoulder. "Hey, not to worry Zee. If I know your Dad he's probably just trying to make up his mind. He and Grandpa Sy are like that. Give him some time." Christian pulled Aziz into a sideways hug as Sy stuck his tongue out at his husband.
"Thanks Grandpa," Aziz said, sounding somewhat reassured.
His grandfathers made quiet eye contact as Christian released Aziz.
Yep, it's our slightly homophobic son-in-law. The boy doesn't want to see it. One of us needs to have A Talk with Khalil, especially if we approve of this Ritchie fellow.
"Wait, that's one of your looks," Aziz said, frowning slightly.
"Looks?" his grandfathers said in unison.
Aziz cracked up laughing. Grandpa Sy and Grandpa Christian grinned.
"Yeah. One of the telepathic ones," he replied.
Grandpa Sy shrugged. "It's one of the few benefits of being old," he said coyly.
"So Zee," Grandpa Christian cleared his throat. "Have you and Mr Melty Chocolate-"
"Christian!" Grandpa Syed interrupted. Christian gave him an innocent look. What?
Aziz blushed and ducked his head, laughing. He looked up, grinning slyly at Grandpa Christian, and wiggled his eyebrows.
"Oh really?" Grandpa Christian asked in his campy stage voice. He threw Aziz a wide-eyed, queeny look. "And?"
"Christian!" Grandpa Syed was scandalised.
Aziz couldn't stop laughing. He almost fell off the bench. Grandpa Sy gave his husband a forbidding look.
Aziz caught his breath, still giggling. He looked at Christian, shaking his head. "I love you Grandpa."
Grandpa Sy shook his head and sighed, looking heavenward.
Aziz gave Grandpa Christian a wink and a thumbs up where Syed couldn't see it. Christian grinned and winked back.
"Make our way to the Vic, shall we?" Grandpa Christian inquired.
"Aziz, would you please fetch the chair?" Grandpa Syed asked.
...
"Okay fellas. Let's park my throne outside," Grandpa Christian said as they approached the pub.
"Christian," his husband cautioned.
Grandpa Christian sighed. "All right Sy, I'll use the bloody cane," he said mildly.
Syed leaned down to kiss Christian's forehead. "Thank you," he said, his brown eyes meeting Christian's green ones. "You're welcome babe. It's just you know I hate this."
"Yeah, I know. It's just temporary love." Grandpa Sy leaned in close to his partner. "You're still my superman Clarkey." They exchanged a gentle, lingering kiss. Grandpa Christian smiled and his eyes shone.
Their grandson, watching them together, quietly wiped a tear from the corner of his eye. God grant that someday I'm lucky enough to have what they have.
Syed stood up and nodded to Aziz. Both of them helped Christian to step out of the chair, and Grandpa Sy handed Christian his cane. The three of them walked into the Queen Vic together.
...
"Rox!" Grandpa Christian called to his old friend behind the bar as they entered.
"Christian! Com'ere you old gym queen!"
Roxy rushed from behind the bar to embrace Christian. "Mwah! Mwah!" they both said, exchanging pecks on the cheek.
"Sy!" She cried, embracing Grandpa Syed. "Good to see you."
"You too Rox," his grandfather said, smiling and returning the hug.
Roxy held Syed back at arms length and studied his face. "Sy. You're sure I can't talk you into colouring your hair? I promise I can match your natural shade! You're about three quarters grey now love."
"Thanks Rox. It's kind of you to offer, but I'm good with letting nature take its course. Not enough vanity I suppose," Sy said.
Grandpa Christian developed a sudden coughing fit. Aziz thought it sounded a lot like laughter.
"Hush you," said Grandpa Sy to his husband. Christian laughed quietly then just smiled.
Rox chuckled as well. "And this handsome bloke must be Aziz." Roxy extended a hand. Aziz took it and brought to his lips.
"A pleasure madame," Aziz said.
Behind Aziz Syed stared, brows raised. He looked at Christian, mouthing Did you teach him that?
Christian winked. Yes.
Roxy's eyes widened. "Well, a gentleman!" She winked saucily. "You should watch that young man. Some hungry bird might just snap you up!"
Aziz chuckled and his cheeks flushed.
"Oooh! He blushes. Very nice." She cast a questioning glance at Christian.
"He bats for both teams babe. Your gaydar's good. But," here Christian leaned in and spoke slowly, "he's...my...grandson. And...he's...too...young. Sorry babe."
"Both true—pity," Rox said, sighing. "Well, what can I get for you gents?"
"Two orange juices and a beer please. Oh, and four menus," Grandpa Sy said, leading Aziz and Christian to a table.
After they were seated and had their drinks, Aziz took a deep breath and looked at his grandparents.
"Grandpa Sy, Grandpa Christian, I have a favour to ask."
"Go on," Syed said.
"Would it be possible for Ritchie to stay with us while I'm here?"
His grandparents exchanged another look.
"We only have one guest room Aziz, but I suppose we could give him the couch," said Grandpa Sy.
Grandpa Christian rolled his eyes. "Oh come on Sy, Zee's an adult."
"True, though I'm not sure his Mum would see it that way. And his boyfriend isn't."
"Ritchie's parents know, and they agreed as long as it was all right with you," Aziz offered.
Grandpa Sy looked Aziz in the eye. "Is your boyfriend coming here today expecting that we've already agreed?"
Aziz blinked. "No Grandpa. I wouldn't do that to you or him. I told him that I would ask, but he knows that it might just be for the afternoon."
Grandpa Sy relaxed. Grandpa Christian reached out and put his hand atop his husband's. "Please Sy."
Syed's forehead creased in thought for a moment. "All right, but only on two conditions. First, safer sex only young man. Do you have condoms?" Aziz nodded. "And second," Grandpa Sy grinned broadly, "you're not to wake us up!" Aziz blushed again but nodded, breaking into an enormous grin. "Yes! Thank you!" Aziz cried, jumping up and hopping around the table to hug them both. "I love you. I'll never forget this!"
Both men smiled and laughed; Aziz's happiness was so apparent. "You're welcome Aziz," Grandpa Sy said. He intertwined his fingers with Christian's on the table and smiled at his partner.
They talked and joked happily for a few minutes. Aziz was practically vibrating with excitement.
Grandpa Christian looked toward the door. "Is that him?"
A tall, fit young man wearing jeans and a short-sleeve plaid shirt had walked in and was looking about. He had short, curly blond hair and clear, light blue eyes. There was a heavy backpack slung over his shoulder.
Aziz was out of his chair and in the young man's arms before you could say "Bob's-your-uncle." "Aziz!" he said in a deep tenor just before they exchanged a kiss. Their grandson began babbling happily at Ritchie, who grinned.
Syed realised that both he and Christian were perving. He squeezed his husband's hand. Christian started. "Blimey," he said. "Five paces, eh?"
"I'd say ten," Syed replied. Christian chuckled and looked at Sy. "Yeah."
"You knew about this." Sy said quietly. It wasn't a question.
"Sy, don't be like that. Yes, he asked, and I said it was fine with me." Christian replied. "I told him that he'd have to get your permission too." The larger man paused. "How'd you know?"
Syed turned to Christian with a you-must-be-joking expression in his eyes. "Forty years. I know you Clarkey." Sy's expression softened to a smile. "Besides, you were much too quiet after he asked. Didn't hassle me half as much as normal." Syed leaned forward to kiss his man. "And I appreciate how you handled it. You're less of a bull in a china shop than you used to be."
"I try babe. For you I try." He squeezed Sy's fingers. "And I'll take the heat from Yasmin," Christian said.
Syed looked alarmed. "No you won't! I refuse to listen to weeks of phone arguments and carping emails. Let me handle it."
Christian opened his mouth and his husband's deep brown eyes met his sea green ones. A moment passed. The mouth closed. Christian sighed then chuckled. "I'm not the only one who's changed a bit." He squeezed Sy's fingers again.
They looked toward the door. Ritchie and Aziz stood with their arms around each other, brown eyes staring up into blue, talking happily in their own little bubble.
"Remind you of anyone?" Christian asked.
"God, we were never that young," Syed replied.
"No, we were older and had better sense."
Sy, wide-eyed, looked at Christian. Christian's shoulders shook with quiet mirth. Yep, Mischievous Grin #2, Syed thought.
Christian raised his beer and clinked it against Syed's glass. "May they have more sense and an easier road than we did," he pronounced then drank.
"Please God," said Sy, raising his glass and drinking some orange juice.
They watched their grandson and his boyfriend quietly for a few moments.
Christian glanced at Syed. "Uksa?" Sy looked confused then snickered.
"What? What did I say?" Christian asked, embarrassed.
"Something like 'provocative' I think. Perhaps you meant ishq—'romantic love'?"
"Yeah that's the one. Always was rubbish with languages."
"Ishq. Yeah, you're spot on there," Syed said, his eyes twinkling.
"Sy, if those two exude much more testosterone I'm gonna have to take you right here on the table."
"Oh really?" Sy teased. "And what happened to your back the last time we did that, eh?"
"Party pooper," Christian groused. "Getting old is hell."
"Here they come," Sy said. "Ready to stand up?"
"Yes nursey," Christian replied.
They slowly stood up together. Syed lent Christian his arm so that he could avoid the hated cane.
Aziz and Ritchie walked up to the table hand in hand. Aziz made introductions. "Ritchie these are my grandparents, Syed Masood and Christian Clarke. Grandpas this is my boyfriend, Ritchie Hall."
"Very pleased to meet you," Ritchie said, smiling and offering his hand. Syed and Christian both shook hands and averred that they were pleased to meet him as well.
"Aziz has told me a lot about you both," Ritchie added. Sy and Christian glanced at one another.
"Uh oh," Christian said. Syed grinned.
Aziz snorted and rolled his eyes. "No! I didn't tell him any of those bits. At least I don't think I did."
Ritchie said nothing, but his eyes were laughing.
"Well. Zee, Ritchie, please have a seat," Christian said. They all sat down. Syed quietly helped Christian.
"'Zee'?" Ritchie asked, looking at Aziz.
"Yeah, that's what Grandpa Christian has always called me."
"Zee," Ritchie said experimentally. "I like it. Could I call you that Zee?"
Aziz chuckled. "Sure." The two young men exchanged a quick kiss.
Syed realised that the boys were holding hands under the table. He smiled but said nothing.
They talked and looked at their menus for a few minutes. Ritchie thanked Syed and Christian for letting him stay with them for the week. Roxy stopped at the table to take their orders. Shortly thereafter a waitress delivered their lunch.
Syed, Aziz, and Christian all closed their eyes briefly before picking up their forks. Ritchie glanced curiously at Christian.
"Mr Clarke-"
"Call me Christian," Aziz's grandfather interjected. Ritchie nodded.
"Christian, are you a Muslim as well?" he asked.
Grandpa Christian looked perplexed. "No I'm not. For some reason Sy agreed to marry a heathen. Why do you ask?" Grandpa Syed smirked and gave his husband a good-natured shove.
"Oh, sorry. It was just that all three of you prayed before the meal. I'd only ever seen Aziz do that."
Grandpa Sy gave Aziz an approving glance.
"Oh, that! Old habit," said Christian. "We raised our little girl, Zee's Mum, as a Muslim of course. And when she was very young she wouldn't say the du'a unless both of her dads did it. So I would just close my eyes when Sy did. Worked like a charm." Syed looked fondly at him.
"Oh, I see. Makes sense," said Ritchie.
"You never told me about that," Aziz complained.
"Zee, there are lots of things I've never told you." Grandpa Christian winked.
Aziz's expression said We'll talk later Grandpa.
"Ritchie, Aziz mentioned that you have a particular interest in plants?" Grandpa Sy asked.
"Yes sir. I'm quite keen on botany and biology." Ritchie went on to recount a few interesting facts about the vegetation that grew wild in the London cityscape and around the Thames.
All four of them enjoyed the lunch and conversation. Both Syed and Christian warmed to their grandson's boyfriend. By the end of the meal Aziz was feeling warmth of a different sort. Ritchie's thumb had been caressing his boyfriend's palm for a while, and Aziz's body had responded with a throbbing erection. The conversation was winding down. But he couldn't possibly stand up now! He'd have a tent pole in his jeans!
He thought fast.
"Grandpa Christian, could you tell Ritchie the story about our beach trip when 'Dirah and I were little?" Aziz casually let go of Ritchie's hand.
"Sure Zee."
Thank God! That should buy me ten minutes at least. Think of something totally nonsexual. Ritchie naked in his bed. Bloody hell, not that! Snow. Ice. Cooked okra (he hated okra). Great Auntie Bushra. *shudder* Ritchie giving me a blow job. No! Not helping! Let's see… Great Uncle Tamwar's mangy cat. More snow. Searing cold air atop Ben Nevis in winter. The hiking trip in Wales when Ritchie and I… Stop!
By the time Grandpa Christian's tale had taken their little family to West Sussex and returned them to Walford Aziz had gotten his physiology under control. They left the Vic and parted ways, agreeing to meet at 43A for dinner later.
His grandparents returned to their flat. Grandpa Christian insisted on walking with the cane rather than having Grandpa Sy push him in the wheelchair. Ritchie and Aziz went to Soho for the day, and returned to Walford in time for dinner.
Grandpa Christian made one of his brilliant Italian meals for the four of them. Grandpa Sy fussed over him just before dinner, though, and made his husband sit at the table with a glass of wine to rest his hip. Grandpa Sy, Ritchie, and Aziz set the table and brought in the food.
They shared a lovely meal together. Grandpa Syed and Grandpa Christian both told embarrassing stories about Aziz, of course. Ritchie learned more than Aziz would have liked, but they all laughed. Aziz Masood-Rau had always loved his grandfathers' flat. Not that #41 wasn't home, but Grandpa Christian and Grandpa Sy's place always felt easier and warmer somehow. And with less shouting!
When he was little and Mum or Dad and daadi Zainab had a bad row he'd always run over here. Grandpa Syed would make him hot chocolate and Grandpa Christian would hug him and kiss his tears away. He'd never forget the winter night when he'd sat in Grandpa Sy's lap on the couch. His grandfather sang him a funny little song in Urdu and gently rubbed his thumb across Aziz's forehead 'til he fell asleep. He woke the next morning still in Grandpa Sy's lap. "I didn't want to wake you little one, so we both slept here," he'd said. Aziz had felt so warm and loved. He and 'Dirah used to spend a lot of time here before Mum and Dad moved them to Newham. There'd been less shouting there too…
Aziz snapped out of his woolgathering when he felt the toe of Ritchie's trainer rub itself against his calf. He looked at his boyfriend and saw the lust banked behind his clear blue eyes. Damn, his eyes are beautiful! And the rest of him too…
He made himself look at Grandpa Christian. His grandfathers were doing the bloody telepathy thing again. And smiling. Oh shit! They're smiling about us… Aziz blushed.
"Say Sy?"
"Hmmm?"
"My hip's a bit sore. Think I need my rest. Go to bed shall we?"
"Of course love. I'll just fetch your cane." Grandpa Sy started to get up.
"Sy I'd rather lean on you. You're much sexier than the cane." Grandpa Christian had a wicked grin on his face.
Ritchie shot an amused look at Aziz, and visibly suppressed a snicker.
"If you like," his husband said, smiling back and coming around the table.
As Syed helped Christian to stand, the latter turned to their guests. "If you boys wouldn't mind clearing the table and putting away the leftovers that would be a great help. Oh and Zee? Com'ere!"
Aziz grinned and stood up to receive hugs from both his grandfathers.
"You too handsome!" Grandpa Christian beckoned.
Ritchie's cheeks warmed a bit, but he accepted the hug. "You're a lucky young man," Christian whispered in his ear when they embraced. "I know," he whispered back, grinning.
"Good night boys. Sleep well," Grandpa Sy said as he and his husband made their way down the hall to their bedroom.
When they were out of earshot Christian whispered "So Sy, how long do you think it'll take them to shuck their clothes off once they make it to the guest room?" He chuckled.
"They'll make it to the guest room?" Sy asked, his eyes alight.
Christian suppressed a laugh as they entered their room.
...
They closed the guest room door. "Finally!" Ritchie cried. He grabbed Aziz (who was in the process of grabbing him) and lifted him off the floor into a deep kiss.
They came up for air. "So what do you think of my grandpas?" Aziz husked.
Ritchie laughed, still holding Aziz against him and off the floor. "They're brilliant. And they're going to let us have sex for a week! Zee I love them!"
Aziz tapped Ritchie's shoulder and pointed at the floor. "Sorry Zee," his boyfriend said, letting him down while kissing him desperately.
Aziz broke the kiss and pushed Ritchie away slightly so that he could look up at his face. "Rich, we're going to have to be quiet. Grandpa Sy said not to wake them."
Ritchie grinned. "Well you'd better not fuck me then!"
"Oi!" Aziz said, pulling Ritchie's face down 'til their foreheads touched. "There is no way," kiss, "that I," kiss, "am sharing a bed," kiss, "with you," kiss, "for a week," kiss, "without fucking you," kiss, "'til you beg me to stop." Long deep kiss.
"Besides," Aziz said, panting, "I thought of that." He broke away from Ritchie long enough to fish an odd object out of his backpack. It was a medium-sized red rubber ball with a pair of dangling straps.
"What is that?" Ritchie asked a bit doubtfully.
"It's a ball gag!" Aziz said, smiling. He demonstrated by putting the rubber ball in his mouth and fastening the straps around his head. He tried to scream. It didn't make much noise. Then he took it off and grinned. "Rich I love it when you yell! Now you can scream all you like."
He'd barely gotten the last syllable out of his mouth when the larger boy tackled him. They landed on the bed in another desperate, hormone-crazed kiss and started tearing each other's clothes off.
...
THUMP!
Syed and Christian, side by side in their bed, looked at each other.
"What was that do you think?" Sy asked Christian, grinning.
Christian's face twisted into an exaggerated analytical look. "Hmmm… Them landing on the bed I imagine."
Syed started to giggle. "Think it will hold up?"
"Well, it is a bit elderly, and they're both young and quite athletic…" Christian mused. Sy nodded agreement, giggling harder. "So, no, the bed's a goner I should think!" Christian snorted and started to giggle himself.
Suddenly the thought was just too funny, and they collapsed on each other in a delirium of giggling, shushing, and knuckles pressed against lips. Then searing lightning shot up Christian's spine. He fell back on the bed, his face a mask of pain.
Syed sobered instantly. "Christian!" He kissed his husband's forehead and held his shoulders gently.
Christian caught his breath as the pain abated. He blew out a large sigh and opened his eyes. "M'okay Sy. Just moved too fast. Wrong angle." He inhaled a large breath and let it out. "I'll be all right. Doc warned me about that in the first week. Forgot."
Syed slid in close, put his arms around his partner, and laid his head on his muscular chest. He could hear Christian's heart beating. "I'm here love. I've got you. If you need anything just ask." He lifted his head and kissed Christian tenderly on the lips.
"S'okay Sy. I'm okay." He put an arm around Syed's shoulders. "I don't think we'll hear much more out of those two anyway."
Syed raised his head again and looked at Christian oddly. His husband was grinning. Sy raised his eyebrows in inquiry.
"Ball gag," Christian said.
Sy blinked. "What?"
His husband's grin broadened to Cheshire Cat proportions. "Zee said the boy's a screamer, so—in self defence and in the interest of a good night's sleep—I suggested a ball gag. Told him where in Soho to find one. Simple."
The expression on Sy's face was… complicated. And precious! Love it! Christian thought.
Syed began gently banging his forehead against Christian's chest again and again in mock frustration. He kept repeating "Why me God? Why me?" Finally he stopped and chuckled, his forehead resting against Christian's hard pectoral muscle.
Christian snickered and carded his fingers gently through Sy's soft, greying hair. "You're a martyr for your faith babe. Married to a heathen."
Sy turned his head to look at his husband. "True. And how, Clarkey, am I supposed to face my grandson and his beau over breakfast with images of ball gags dancing in my head? Oh, I need the brain bleach."
"We'll manage babe. Least I think we will." Christian grinned again.
"Wicked man." Sy smiled at him.
.
.
Feedback and reviews are most welcome.