Bound, (G)

"What is it?" Rodney eyed the package suspiciously.

John held out the small, lumpy package another small fraction. "It’s a gift, for heaven's sake!" John drew it back, closer to himself. "If you don't want it..."

"It's not my birthday," Rodney countered. His eyes widened. "Wait, it's not our anniversary, is it? We weren't going to do that." There was a slight whine to that last declaration.

"No, it's not our anniversary," John replied patiently. "It's just a present."

"What are you buttering me up for?" Rodney was still suspicious.

John rolled his eyes and waited.

Rodney huffed. "Okay, okay," he muttered as he took the package but John caught a slight blush that made Rodney look charming. Even when it was his birthday, Rodney didn't receive presents well.

Rodney gingerly unwrapped the present – wrapping paper was still a valuable commodity – to find a one inch wide strip of soft, dark leather.

Looking at it carefully, Rodney saw it was actually two layers of leather closely stitched together with laces at one end so it could be worn on a wrist. One side was plain and the other side… Rodney ran his fingers reverently over the stitching that formed a word in Ancient lettering.

"John?" he asked softly.

John came close, taking the leather from Rodney's hand. He wrapped the leather around Rodney's right wrist, lettering inside. Rodney could feel his pulse against the word inscribed there. He leaned in to close the distance between them and breathed against John's lips...

"Forever..."