the_cupbearer | OPEN BAR POST

"I'm going to thank you for being here, when you coud be at your house, foolish man," Ganymede chuckled, smiling over the rim of his glass. "Not for being with me in my life." He'd never be sorry for that, or apologize for it, or anything else. He loved Ash and everything that had come with him.

"Now, what was it you wanted, other than a drink?"

"My house is boring without you." He smiled and shrugged. Teasing.

"You." Ashley glanced at the bar. "But I can wait." His eyes drift back to Ganymede. "We'll go for a ride when you're done okay?"

"You should go hang out at mine. The dogs like you, you have ten little furry minions. I can't see any trouble you could get into there," Ganymede chuckles, tucking a loose bit of hair back, just to play with it.

"I'd like that. Let me finish this, and go make sure everyone's alright. I should be able to skip out early, play a little hooky with you," he murmured, tracing his thumb over Ashley's bottom lip, licking off the drop of bourbon mix that clung to the skin. It took perhaps thirty minutes, not long at all, to let everyone know he'd be leaving early, and make his way back to Ash. He had to pause for a minute, just watching him scroll on his phone: Ganymede found it truly remarkable, amazing even, that he'd managed to find Ashley, and that they just...worked so well together. He loved the man, and loved being near him. Ash made him feel like his own skin fit right again, like he didn't have to shift and twist and restrain himself to fit a mold of someone else.

He looked up from his phone to see Ganymede watching him. His heart beat just a little faster when their eyes met. The way he felt was something he still struggled to explain.

"Hey." He muttered softly as he stood and pulled Ganymede closer. "You ready?"

Taking him by the hand he lead him outside to the all black Ducati. He picked up one of the helmets and carefully slipped it on Ganymede's head, then adjusted the buckle. Then he put his own helmet on a threw his leg over the seat.

"Have you been on a bike before?"

Ganymede smiled when he saw he'd been caught, taking the helmet to help slide it on, nodding. "I have, I've ridden them quite often. I like motorcycles, but I've never been on a Ducati before," he said lightly.

"You ready for me to come up?"

"Good thing I have more then one. We'll have to ride upstate in the fall when the leaves change." He shifted on the seat getting comfortable. Turning a bit he showed Ganymede where to sit, most importantly where to put his feet.

"Hop on, baby." When he felt Ganymede's weight on the back of the back he took his hands and pulled him closer, putting his lovers arms around his torso. "Stay close and keep your arms around me. Helps us move together."

Passengers have a tendency to want to correct the driver. You turn and they feel like they might fall, so they lean the wrong way. Staying connected and close like this was better for controlling that, making them move as one, and it kept his love close. Warm summer nights were made for cruising on a bike with arms wrapped around your waist. The bike was turned on and came to life. Ashley shifted to push it off the kickstand and then with both feet on the ground balance it with his body.

Before they could leave he had just one thing to do. His hand slid over one of Ganymede's and he brought it to his chest, giving a firm squeeze. In his other hand he held a ring. Ashley slipped the ring on his left hand ring finger. He held that hand to his chest, a big smile on his face that was covered by the full face mask. The helmets had blue tooth so they could still talk to each other while they drove.

"I didn't have a ring the first time. But, now that I have one maybe you can say yes again."

Edited 2023-07-17 14:02 (UTC)

Ganymede stepped up and swung his leg over, scooting up close until his thighs were all but wrapped around Ash's hips. He'd ridden pillion before on a bike, though not in quite a while, and he did his best to stay in sync with Ashley, tucked in close. The ring slid onto his finger left him a little speechless, curling that hand against Ash's chest to feel the metal band shift over his skin.

"...Yes," he breathed, laughing and punching Ashley's shoulder gently, because of course he'd do this when Ganymede can't see his face. "Yes," he repeated, laughing as he hugged Ashley tight. "You utterly romantic ass. Asking me when I can't kiss you?" he chuckled. He'd most definitely do exactly that the minute they stopped driving.

Ashley's hand stayed curled over Ganymede's on his chest. He laughed when he got a punch to the shoulder. It wasn't a big, grand gesture. There weren't flowers and he wasn't on his knee but it was genuinely Ashley.

"I was going to throw the ring box at you at the bar." He said with a laugh. Then he had asked why he wasn't wearing shorts, which reminded him he was on the bike and he changed tactics. Neither move was terribly romantic for most people. Ashley knew a lot of people would say it was too fast, he didn't give a single fuck about that. He's known this man almost a year now and just because the sex was new, doesn't mean everything is new. More then anything he just wants him to know that he's serious about what he wants. He doesn't want a boyfriend. Or a fling. Friend with benefits. Ashley wants a life to share with the person he loves most, who knows him best.

"You're my forever, Ganymede."

"You're mine," Ganymede laughed, voice thick but happy, and overwhelmed with emotion. He didn't need all the flowers, the people, the fancy clothes just to say something he and Ashley both felt: that they were right for each other. That he didn't even feel like he was falling, but like he'd known Ash for decades, and had just woken up to the realization that he loved him.

"You're my everything, Ashley. I wouldn't--" he didn't bother to finish the sentence, only squeezing his lover tight as they drove. He was going to say he wouldn't keep going if Ashley left him, he wouldn't find another person that made him feel alive and young and worthwhile like this, but he didn't want to tread into that subject so easily. "I love you, Ash. For as long as you'll let me."

"Hope you're good with forever then. Because I'm not a fucking quitter." That's what he wanted and what he would give him. Forever. He wasn't a quitter. Didn't give up when things got hard. And he knew with certainty that everything that had happened before had been just leading him here. That gave him the peace he needed to just let it go. None of it matter if this is where it lead.

Ganymede didn't need to say what he was thinking. Ashley was thinking the same. This one would break him if it ended. Rip him apart in ways that could never be fixed. Instead of that scaring him it inspired him. Do better. Be better. Try harder. Be the man who deserves the love he is being given. The safety and security of a partner who not only understood him but saw his flaws and loves those too. He knows what he has is rare, he never thought he would find it, now that he has it there is no way he'll let it go.

He pulls the bike over to park at Ganymede's place. Tugging the helmet from his head his hair is a mess but he looks incredibly happy. He let's his love get off the bike before his swings his leg over. Standing in front of him he helps fiddle with the strap of the helmet and ease it off his head. Holding his face in his hands Ashley smiles at him. "I love you, Ganymede. Even when we have shitty days. Even when we fight. I'll never give up on you. Marry me. Be mine."

Ganymede laughs, leaning back on the bike and holding Ash close by the waist, bissfully happy. "Yes, Ashley," he chuckles, pulling him in for a long, sweet kiss. "Yes, I will marry you."

He rests his forehead againsst Ashley's, giddy still and unwiling to let go. It was so much that he'd never had, never expected or thought he wanted until Ash. He wanted to stay here in this embrace forever, and know that no matter how long it took him to get his words out, his lover would stay.

"You are ridiculous, and I love you," he chuckled, looking at the ring on his finger and the stone it held. He loved the scrollwork and detail on the sides, and the color-changing stone that he recognized. "You got zultanite," he murmured, obviously touched. "From where I'm from."

Edited 2023-07-17 20:50 (UTC)

Ash never thought he would ever ask the question again. The first person he had asked was an act of desperation to try to fix something that he couldn't fix. Noah had been an alcoholic with a lifetime of trauma that needed a therapist, not a wedding ring. Ashley had done it for all of the wrong reasons. Not once had he thought I love him so much, I want to make a declaration of that love and a commitment. He had thought, maybe he'll believe I love him and stop doing these other things. When Jasper had asked Ashley said okay but as he told Oni, because it didn't matter. It was just paper. That's how it felt when applied to his last relationship. Paper that didn't matter, that would change nothing. It had felt more like being claimed as a prize, not finding where he belonged. It certainly never felt like an act of love.

With Ganymede it had hit him so unexpectedly and felt completely different. Just a rush of thought as they had been sitting in the tub. He just thought this is it, this is my person and I never want to know another day without him in it, he's mine and I'm his, this is the one. It had felt like it should feel, a gesture of love and commitment to the man he is in love with. Ashley had never felt that way before. Nothing about how he feels being with Ganymede feels like anything he has ever experienced before. It is profound. Deep. Ash took the hand with the ring on it and laced their fingers together and held them against his chest.

"It's unique and beautiful and strong. like you, and it's from where you are from." The ring didn't need to be a reflection of Ashley sitting on his lovers hand. He wanted it to be something that fit his partner and who he is, not who Ash is. It had been important to him that it was a masculine ring but not modern or flashy yet still it needed to have style. He thought it would look good with the other rings he liked to wear and the colors would look great against his skin. Ashley had actually put a lot of thought into the purchase, something he rarely did. "Something traditional just felt wrong." A plain band of gold? That didn't feel right either. "I know this is really fast. I know. I just...I don't know why people think the amount of time you have loved someone is relevant to how deeply you love them, or how committed you are to them. I know you're my person, Ganymede. I've never been so certain about anything before in my life."

Edited 2023-07-17 22:16 (UTC)

"It's not too fast, baby," Ganymede chuckled, shaking his head. "I love you, and I will love you in a year, or six more months, and it doesn't matter when this happened." He squeezed Ashley's hand over his heart, stepping forward to bring Ashley into a soft kiss. He could have tried for years to explain how Ash made him feel, and he would have fallen short of it even after a century. He just...felt everything for this man; love, lust, friendship, everything.

"You make me feel secure, and...it's not like falling," he murmured. "I feel like I've always known this, like I picked you before I knew what was happening. And when he left me, you didn't let me get lost. You stayed with me," Ganymede said softly. "And I want you to stay with me forever."

"Because you're mine. You were never his. You have always been mine. I stay and will always stay because...I'm me when I'm with you. And I know you finally get to be who you really are."

His arms went around Ganymede. "So. Does this mean were exclusive and you can delete your Grindr account? Cause I've been working over time sliding into fuckbois DMs to tell them to back off."

Ganymede nuzzled into Ashley and sucked his bottom lip between his teeth in a gentle bite, licking into his lover's mouth gently, slow and sensual until they broke apart and he couldn't avoid a laugh, quick and like a punch of ausement.

"No, I cannot delete my Grindr account!" he laughed, arms still around Ash's neck. "Not unless I can send you all the pictures and messages to your cell. Have you even seen my Grindr?" he chuckled.

"Ganymede! Yeah, I've fucking seen it..." He takes both his hands and starts walking them back toward the building. "Why the hell do you think I want it deleted? I don't want any fucking douches seeing my husband like that, thinking you're available."

"Your husband," Ganymede echoes, ducking his head and smiling at the ring stil on his hand. "I think I like that. And...I think I could see my way to deleting it. Maybe. If you convince me," he chuckles.

"My. Husband." He repeated, loving the way Ganymede looks. As if something very special had just happened hearing those words. Looking at him right then with that smile on his beautiful face he knew there was nothing he wouldn't do for him.

"Convince you? Kinda though the ring on your finger would do that." Ashley scooped him up, supporting him in his arms as they bumped up against the front door of Ganymede's house. "You know I won't deny you what you need."

"I just need you," he murmurs with a little laugh as Ashley scooped him up, winding arms around his neck. "You know...I hated being picked up, for a long, long time. But with you, I don't."

He felt like he should hate it still, that he should still tense up when his feet left the ground, but Ganymede didn't. "Just talk to me, baby boy."

"I would never let you fall. More importantly, I would never let you go."

Ash pressed his lips softly against his neck. "It's okay, baby. I was just fucking around about Grindr. I trust you."

"I don't ever use it anymore," Ganymede chuckled. "I don't need it. And I don't mind getting rid of it, I just like teasing you. I like it when you laugh and tell me about the fuckboys."

"Seriously though, how many unsolicited dick pics do you get in a day? These shitbags just fling them around like they are Pokemon cards." He teased as he took them inside and pushed the door closed with his foot. Ashley let his hands go and let Ganymede put his feet back on the ground.

"It's okay though, I don't care if they look. I know you're mine." He wasn't a jealous man, he was a territorial man, there is a difference. They belonged to each other and Ashley would protect that. He knew Ganymede would do the same. His lips quirked up at the corners in a devious smile as he walked Ganymede backward, and up against a wall. Was he looking at the other man as if he might be something to eat? Absolutely. "Maybe you should just change your profile picture to one of us. Together. Can we talk about that one picture...in those fucking jeans? I've never wanted to be a pair of jeans so bad in my life."

Ganymede chuckled and shook his head. "I put up a profile of the both of us, and you'll get all the fuckboys asking one of us if we want to watch them screw the other one," he finished, and for a split second his face froze, breath halting and unsure.

"...I...I didn't mean that," he breathed.

Ashley didn't even think of that and Ganymede was probably right. He even started to laugh at what he was saying. His face fell though as he watched Ganymede's face freeze and change very suddenly.

Looking down at him Ash's brow pinched together with concern. Did something happen that he's not aware of? "Ganymede...baby, I don't care if you meant it or not, we were just fucking around, right?" He did not like the change he was seeing in the other. "Did I say something wrong? I really don't give a shit about Grindr. I swear."

He tilted Ganymede's chin up. "What's going on? Talk to me."

"Rabbits," he said softly, shoulders dropping though the rest of him was tensing up. "I didn't mean...rabbits," Ganymede managed. "It's not just fucking. I didn't mean it, I do love you. I just..."

The words had come out like nothing, and abruptly it had all come crashing back down that this was exactly what he'd said with his ex and Armarus had gotten angry at him for devaluing what they'd been doing. And he was scare that it woud go the exact same way with Ashley, and he couldn't lose that. Not again, not like this, not with Ashley.

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