As pretty as a picture with pearls in his hair.  Chaz touched the comb where it pinned up those strands of hair.  He grinned, pleased with  himself that his gift was so well received.  "It was my grandmother's," he confessed, ducking his  head because he was overcome with emotion.  "She used to wear it all the time and before she died she gave it to me for my future bride."

He grinned and turned sparkling eyes on his lover.  "By the time I met Malcolm, I figured I'd never have an occasion to give it to anyone.  But it suits you and I knew I wanted you to have it."  It was a rather large admission on his part, which made him marginally uncomfortable but in the end it was the truth and Chaz wasn't given to avoiding truths.  He honestly cared for Gale and it was unlikely he'd meet another person who would suit the old fashioned hair comb quite as well. 

Already overwhelmed by exchange of gifts so far, Chaz opened the last one slowly and with minor trepidation.  Once he pulled back the wrapping and lifted the lid of the box, he caught sight of the piece of paper inside.  He was confused, at first, and intrigued by what the piece of paper might be.  When he realized what it was, however, he grew very still.  the hand that had been idly stroking Gale's shoulder went still and he stiffened.  Pulling away, he gave his lover a serious look.  "What is this?" he asked, waving it lightly.

"Oh Chester..." He breathed to set up again and look at himself in the reflection on the window closest to them, "It's beautiful. And," He turned to squeeze his lover's hand, "She must have meant a great deal to you, and loved you very much." It was his turn to lift Chaz's chin, but he wouldn't kiss him--not yet. Instead, he ran his thumb over the soft full bottom lip of his lover's smile, "Malcolm wasn't deserving of it. He didn't love you like I do." He had to wonder how Chester's parents would feel with their son giving it away to another man, but they didn't talk a lot about their parents; and it dawned on Gale that Chaz truly never did.

"Like she did, your grandmother, only..." He smiled ruefully and looked up at his lover through his lashes, "A little different." He took that kiss, stole it like the wanton he was, and half moved to the other man's lap before Chaz opened his next gift. However, the instant he felt Chaz stiffen at the realization of what it was Gale moved to sit on the edge of the couch to fix his hair.

"What does it look like?" He answered rather dryly, and pulled the comb out to adjust it. "It's your next six months in rent, food for your table, clothes for your new job." Gale twisted the ponytail he was working with his fingers up so that the comb would hold it off his neck, and waited for Chaz to reply.

"I don't understand," Chaz protested quietly.  Gale seemed awfully cavalier about the whole thing.  He acted as though he hadn't just gifted Chaz with a large sum of money.  Chaz frowned and stared down at the paper, at the numbers that seemed to mock his inability to provide for himself.  It called his very manhood into question, or so it seemed, because he needed someone else to take care of him.

Only he didn't need someone else to take care of him.  Chaz didn't lead a very rich life, he'd even go so far as to say that he lived in extreme poverty, but he was happy.  He had the things that mattered to him.  His work, his friends, his cat.  Now he even had a boyfriend, one that made him want more.  But being handed this kind of thing without warning, indeed, without wanting, was frankly irritating.  Chaz scowled and put the bank note back into the box and set it aside.  "Why?" he asked tightly.  "I don't need this, you know. I didn't expect you to-"  He couldn't finish, only look down at his lap in shame that he had inadvertently made Gale think he was this desperate.

Heartbroken, Gale could hardly feel his chest as he watched Chaz fold into himself, and he quickly moved to right the wrong. "Don't think about it like that, listen. It's not just a hand out," He touched his lover's hand, and turned it over to kiss the inside of his palm. His thumb brushed over the heart line on his hand, and smiled.

"You wear your heart on your sleeve, Rook. And I can read it like a map here," He traced his fingertip over the other man's palm, "I just want you to be less stressed about these things. Its not what it looks like. I just want to hire you...to find me that home you promised when we first met. Being here, in this place. I realize that I've never--ever had a home of my own. All my life I've been on caravans, schools, stuffy old attics in too big estates, shared places with other staff of the Ministry. Chaz, I've never had roots. I've saved and saved and saved and saved, Arthur left me a large sum as well, and I want a home." Gale stuck out his bottom lip, "A real home. That home, that you said you could build me."

Gale tucked his feet beneath him, curling up to Chaz's chest, and running a hand over the smooth surface before nestling his chin against his shoulder. The wine made him tired, but being this close to the man who made him feel as though he truly was surrounded by a castle. Chaz smelled so sweet and felt so warm, but was still so stiff from the gift.

"I knew I should have waited until after taking you to bed." His voice was muffled in the fabric of Chaz's sweater, but his little laugh could easily be heard. "Goodness," He finally lifted his head again to blink sleepily to his partner, "You are very stressed tonight. Perhaps we should back up a little, rewind if you will." He moved to wrap his arms around Chaz's neck and settled on the other man's lap, "Why don't you let me show you the rest of the apartment?"

Chaz placed the check to one side and rubbed the back of his neck.  He really wasn't sure about this.  It didn't feel right, accepting money from Gale.  The amount only made things worse.  His parents would definitely have a heart attack if they found out that a school teacher had baled their only son out of financial crisis.  It would be quite embarrassing for them and their aristocratic airs. Not that Chaz cared in the least what they found offensive to upper class sensibilities. 

Then again, Gale seemed to be insisting that the money wasn't a handout, but a job offer.  If he thought about like a commission to design a house, Chaz wouldn't necessarily have to feel bad about accepting it because he could provide something valuable in return.  Yeah, that wasn't as abhorrent an idea as being taken care of like that, being thought a failure.

"Alright," he conceded with a firm tone of voice.  "I'll accept the money.  But starting next week I'm going to start work on designing a house for you and if you decide you don't want it or that you're not as ready as you thought you were, then of course I'll return the money."  Somehow, he thought to himself, considering he'd have to spend some of it right away to purchase supplies and such.

He accepted his boyfriend into his arms without any reluctance whatsoever.  Despite the sudden uncertainty caused by the shower of gifts, he still craved this contact and closeness with the most beautiful man he'd ever laid eyes on.  "We don't have to rewind anything; I'll be fine."  He murmured this against Gale's hair but a moment later he was staring up into his face instead as Gale settled across his thighs.  He swallowed heavily.  "To be honest," he croaked, "There's only one part of the apartment I'd like to see right now."

The wine certainly did its number on him, but he was getting better at handling it. The warm feeling in his cheeks made his smile almost ache as he wiggled his way further on the other man's lap to straddle him completely.

"I'll accept the money.  But starting next week I'm going to start work on designing a house for you and if you decide you don't want it or that you're not as ready as you thought you were, then of course I'll return the money."

"Good," He agreed while wrapping his arms around Chester's neck, "Because I'm going to make you work hard for it." His thighs tightened around the man's hips, and he tipped his lover's face back with a kiss to his jaw, "It's going to be a hot messy job, with lots of your fancy lines, and long..." A kiss warm and needy paused over the other man's throat as he made his way down his pulse, "Long, hours. Well into the night." He sat up to smile at him, "Might even be some overtime required."

Gale put aside his other suggestion he had for Chaz, making up his mind that maybe Chester had enough for the night, and was clearly very much on edge. Between their fight and this, he had a lot of making up to do.

"To be honest," ... "There's only one part of the apartment I'd like to see right now."

Gale's head fell back with laughter, the very happy kind that wrinkled the corners of his eyes and made the only visible one sparkle from the water that pooled.

"Oh yeah? What part is that? The kitchen?" Oh he was in a playful mood tonight! Rather rare, but often invoked with even the slightest bit of alcohol.

Gale had a way with words that managed to work him up pretty quickly.  He was already breathing heavily with desire and couldn't stop wandering over his hips and up his spine.  Down again, to the front, under the shirt and back again.  He relished the feel of skin, fabric, and muscle under his hands, moving with grace and passion.  He'd be willing to put in whatever kind of overtime Gale needed him to.  So he might be a little far gone, but he was pretty sure it'd still be true in the morning.

"Oh yeah? What part is that? The kitchen?" Oh he was in a playful mood tonight!

Chaz's eyes widened in mock surprise.  "How did you know?" he exclaimed.  He pushed Gale off his lap and sailed towards the kitchen.  He glanced over his shoulder.  "This is absolutely amazing, by the way.  I  don't think I've ever seen anything as marvelous as this kitchen."  He swept his arms out and indicated the shiny surfaces and sleek lines.  It really was nice and everything, pleasurably more modern than his parent's kitchen.  But most of all, he just wanted to toy with his boyfriend in celebration of his rare playful mood.

He opened the refrigerator door and bent over to peer inside the clean interior.  The posture had the added benefit of showing off his assets.  "Wow, you have so much space in here!  What other gadgets do you have lying about?"

His heart warmed a thousand times, fluttering as he watched his lover open up. He missed this man. Missed his open smiles and the heart he wore on his sleeve. He was happy to see the anger melt away, the hurt and heartache they went through this week, but most of all he was happy to see those 'assets' again.

"I really like this kitchen Chaz," Gale ran his hands over the marble countertop, "It has two ovens. And look at this." He pulled out a drawer to show the spice rack tucked away beside the stove, "I really like that. And in the bathroom there is this tub, that I fill up almost nightly and just soak. It's built for two you know. Oh, and the bed, Chaz. The bed is amazing. And the master closet? Mmmm. The view. I can see all of London."

Gale sat up on the countertop, and used his feet to capture his boyfriend to cage him with his legs. Captive, Chester wouldn't be able to go anywhere without a little force, and Gale used the moment to tip his boy's chin up so that way he could see his face.

"I love you, you know that right?" From this vantage point he was looking down on Chester for once, admiring the difference in angles and how much it made him happy to see. He ran his thumb over the corner of the other man's mouth, and didn't wait for any sort of reply as he sank his lips into a kiss.

His hands moving down to clasp the sleeves of Chaz's sweater, and threatened to rip it by the seams until he was sated.