All The Ways We Touch [BxB]

forty-nine - dessert pt. three

It was just after dusk when they arrived back at the treehouse, nearly exactly to the minute as he'd intended, and Jamison started up the stairs first, Elliot following closely behind him—he wanted to be there when Jamison saw it.

At the top of the stairs, Jamison noticed something strange: LED candles were lining the path leading over to the patio area. Following along, Jamison stopped when he rounded the corner, his eyes wide at the sight of the picnic table having transformed into an elegant dinner. A tablecloth had been placed over the picnic table and more LED candles were set around domed plates. On the end was another bottle of champagne and two flutes. The heaters had been lit and the area was comfortable for how cold it had become.

"Elliot..." he turned around, grabbing his face and kissing him. "How...?"

"Magic," he purred, unable to hold back a beaming smile from Jamison's awe.

The real answer was much less whimsical. Elliot had planned out their day ahead of time, coordinating with a representative of the company to set-up their romantic dinner while they were on the walk.

The thing about the treehouse was that it was designed to be a couple's hideaway. Advertised as a romantic weekend away from technology and the stress of everyday life, the treehouse was more than just a spot to stay for the weekend—it was a place to go to connect and indulge in intimacy with your partner. The remoteness, lack of internet connection, nature, and other offered services had made it into a popular destination for engagements and honeymoons.

"Why?" It was hard to wrap his head around such a romantic gesture and his heart fluttered as he looked up at him, taking in how handsome he was, even as some of his features became shadowed in the low light. No matter the circumstance, Elliot was always gorgeous.

Tearing himself away from Jamison, he stepped over to the table and poured them each a glass of champagne. Handing him his flute, Elliot held his up as he locked eyes with him. While he knew that Jamison would never look upon him poorly for the way he spent money, he did worry that Jamison may feel his gestures were too much sometimes, though the anxiety was based in his own self-consciousness rather than anything that he'd had ever said or done.

"Happy belated birthday, Jamison," he said softly. "When I found out that we met on your birthday because you'd spent it working, I knew that I wanted to make it up to you. I didn't plan on making you wait a month but, well, the past month's been a lot less straight-forward than I expected at the time. So I apologize for it taking so long but hope that it was worth the wait."

Tears immediately flooded Jamison's eyes as he stared up at him, the shadowy outlines of trees standing tall behind Elliot. For a moment he was speechless, completely taken aback by such an overwhelmingly loving, caring, and romantic gesture but that was Elliot, wasn't it? Always looking for new ways to care for him and make him feel cherished, celebrated, and special.

Clinking his glass against Elliot's, he drank it all, savoring the taste of the champagne. This was even better than what had been served on the plane, or his luxury tastebuds were coming through and he simply appreciated it more now. "Thank you, Elliot," he whispered, swallowing hard, trying to keep from letting his tears fall as his heart raced.

Once Elliot had drained his glass, he gently cupped Jamison's cheek, the remaining light catching on the tears still in his eyes, and leaned in to kiss him again. The urge to check and make sure the tears were from happiness pulled at him but in his heart, he knew they were and ignored his need for reassurance.

Champagne flute still in hand, Jamison wrapped his arm around Elliot's back and pressed himself against his chest, deepening the kiss. When he needed a breath, he pulled away and sighed lightly, a content happiness filling his entire body and making him feel light and airy. "We should eat before it gets cold." After kissing him once more, Jamison let him go and sat down at the picnic table.