Ring Around the Moon - LilyK

Deep in the Cascade mountains, it was an unusually warm early-summer evening. The campfire burned brightly, snapping and popping merrily, casting dancing shadows on the two men sitting beside it. The sky was a blue/black blanket and a tiny dot of light appeared to the right of the full moon.

"Star light, star bright. First star I see tonight. I wish I may, I wish I might, have the wish I wish tonight," Blair Sandburg whispered before closing his eyes briefly. When he opened them, he looked into the smiling face of his partner.

"Get your wish, Chief?"

"Hope so," Blair said solemnly.

"Me, too. It's your birthday. I hope all of your wishes come true." After his heart-felt declaration, Jim Ellison was suddenly embarassed. He rose quickly and pushed an errant log back onto the fire.

Blair's eyes followed his partner, drinking in the fine form and handsome face. With a small sigh, he pushed away his feelings of longing and he drank the last of his hot coffee.

Jim reached into his backpack and turned back to his companion. Sitting down on the log, he extended his hand and said, "Happy Birthday, Chief." He slowly moved his hand toward Blair, the small wrapped package clutched tightly in his fingers.

When Blair put out his hand, Jim quickly dropped the box as if it were burning his skin, making Blair very curious. Looking into his partner's face, Blair saw the apprehension there. Wondering why Jim was acting so strangly all of a sudden, he gave Jim a reassuring smile.

"Thanks, man. It's nice of you." Blair's smile widened. "This is all great," he added, waving his hand through the air. "Camping with you is one of my favorite things in the entire world. I'm glad we came. Hell, man. I figured we'd just grab a beer and a burger over at O'Malley's with the gang for my birthday."

Jim was very pleased at Blair's admission, but words failed him so he shrugged, trying to appear nonchalant. He almost reached out and snatched back his present. Maybe it wasn't such a good idea. Maybe he could just change his mind. Maybe he didn't have to tell Blair the real reason he was giving him this particular gift. Maybe he should just pull out his service revolver and put a bullet in his brain to end his misery. Jim snorted, making Blair's forehead furrow.

"What?" Blair asked.

"What?" Jim asked.

"You -- snorted. Something I said?"

Jim tap-danced faster than Fred Astaire with a burning toe. "Ah, right. Beer and a burger? No way, Chief! This is the big three-oh. You deserve something special for a special day, for a special friend."

Blair's eyes twinkled. "Geez, Jim, that's really nice. Thanks. This is very special. We don't get to do this nearly enough. And thanks for cooking dinner. It was fantastic." Just like you, Blair wanted to add, but he just smiled and enjoyed the pleased look on Jim's face. "Should I open this?" he asked, shaking the small box.

Jim's pleasant look faded, replaced once again by one of apprehension. Blair noticed and he frowned. "Hey, man. What's up? One second you're looking happy and now... What's with the puppy-dog eyes?"

Jim's eyes narrowed and his jaw twitched. "Nothing, Sandburg. And I do not have puppy-dog eyes."

Blair's gaze dropped and he sighed softly. "Oh, back to Sandburg," he muttered.

"What?"

Blair shrugged. "What, what? Sentinel hearing on the fritz?"

"No, smart mouth. I heard you. What I didn't catch was the reason for the remark."

"You've called me Chief or Blair all evening," Blair said quietly, blue eyes holding blue. "I liked it. It was almost..."

"Almost...?" Jim asked just as quietly.

Blair blushed lightly. "Almost -- intimate."

Jim's throat dried up and he quickly took a sip of coffee. He fiddled with the cup for several minutes, pouring another half-cup from the tin pot that sat keeping warm on the grate near the fire's edge. He spent an inordinate amount of time pouring the coffee, adding a bit of sugar and a sprinkling of powdered creme. Jim knew he was stalling and was beginning to become angry at himself for his weakness. "Damn it to hell," he muttered, sitting down next to Blair and nervously rubbing a hand over his thigh.

Blair reached over and lightly touched Jim's hand. "Jim, man. The dinner was great. I enjoyed the company, but something's up with you. Tell me, please, before I start running all kinds of scary scenarios through my head. You don't want me to find another place to live, do you? You aren't tired of me tailing you around? You want to go back to working alone? Maybe I should..."

"Blair, please," Jim said, turning his hand over so that Blair's fingers slipped into his palm. He gently closed his fingers over Blair's. "No. Nothing like that. Don't let that too smart brain of yours go into overdrive. Take a deep breath and -- open the damned box."

"You sure?"

"Yeah,"

"Okay." Blair's fingers shook slightly as he slipped the red ribbon and bow from the small box. Jim's attitude made him uneasy. Whether this was good news or bad news, he had no idea. He scraped the edge of the tape from one end and unfolded the paper. Peering into the box, the red edge revealed nothing, so he spread the shiny silver paper and pulled the little container out.

"Blair, I..."

Blair raised his eyes to meet his friend's. "It's okay, Jim. Whatever it is, I know I'll love it."

When Jim nodded, Blair smiled and removed the lid. After pulling a small square of white cottony material from the top, he saw it. Holding his breath and with shaking fingers, he removed the piece of jewelry from its mooring. It was feather-light, a silver barbell with a small half circle, a stirrup, hanging from the barbell. The stirrup itself was a delicately flattened surface with an elegant design etched into the metal. In the center of the stirrup glittered a blue Austrian crystal. The entire piece of jewelry was about the size of a nickel coin.

Blair rose and tipped the tiny piece to catch the fire's light. "Wow. Oh, man. This is beautiful. Thanks so much."

"You're welcome," Jim said huskily, rising also. "The blue matches..." Jim's words trailed off and he shrugged.

Blair looked into Jim's eyes. Resting his hand against Jim's chest, he asked softly, "Matches what? Tell me, please."

"Your eyes. So blue. So beautiful..." Jim licked his lips and blushed.

"This is very beautiful. I'd be happy to wear it for you." Blair's finger touched the silvery item once more before he asked, "Is that what you want, Jim? For me to wear it when -- we're alone together?"

"Yes," Jim replied quietly. "Just for...." He looked away and swallowed.

"Jim? What? Just for you? Tell me what you want. Please...." Blair waited patiently, needing to hear the invitation from Jim's own lips.

"Ah... Well... It's just a gift, Chief. You can do -- whatever with it." Jim blushed three shades of red and shifted minutely, his gaze sliding from Blair's face.

Blair smiled, loving a shy Jim Ellison, something he didn't see very often at all. "I'd love to wear it for you. If that's what you'd like."

"Yeah. Only if you want to," Jim added quickly.

Silence descended. Jim stood very still and Blair watched him carefully. All of the pieces had fallen into place. Jim was sending Blair a message and in typical Jim-speak, Blair was left to figure out most of the contents of the missive by himself. Grinning, Blair took half a step back.

"If it's okay with you, I'd like to try the ring on for you now. I want you to see it on me. Is that all right?" Blair asked solemnly.

Jim reached out and tenderly ran a finger down the side of Blair's face and across his lips. "I'd like that," Jim said huskily.

"Just the ring, Jim. You do understand, don't you? The ring and -- nothing else."

Jim licked his lips and shivered slightly at the look in Blair's smoky blue eyes. "I understand."

"Good." Blair's fingers quickly unbuttoned his flannel shirt and he tossed it aside. Pulling the undershirt from his body, he palmed the new ring and gently removed the old, small silver hoop from his nipple, slipping it into his jeans' pocket. Unscrewing the tiny ball from the end of the barbell, he slipped the new bar through his skin and reattached the ball. Dropping his hands, he stood in front of his lover and whispered, "Is this what you want, Jim?"

Jim sucked in his breath. The fire's light danced off the silver metal. The crystal seemed black in the dark and when Jim looked closely, his Sentinel sight saw the multitude of facets on the tiny gem. He saw the firelight and his own reflection. He almost zoned when his vision tunneled on the crystal, but Blair's warm hand on his face forestalled his daze.

When Jim's eyes met Blair's, Blair asked again, quietly but firmly, "Is this what you want?"

"Oh, God. Yes, it's what I want," Jim whispered, hand reaching out ever so slowly. With his index finger, Jim touched the ring. He was startled when the nipple hardened and a small moan escaped from his almost-lover's mouth. "Blair," he said huskily. "God, Blair!" Leaning down, he licked the nub.

Blair cried out when the heat of Jim's tongue touched his body. "Jim!" he hissed. "Please, Jim...."

Jim flicked the nipple once before moving back to stare at it, wet and glistening from his saliva. Moving in again, Jim's mouth closed completely over the nipple and he sucked lightly. Blair's hands circled the back of his head and he lightly pressed the erotic mouth against his body.

"Jim.... Please...."

Releasing his prize with a wet slurp, Jim dropped to his knees and wrapped his arms around Blair's waist. Looking up from his position, he asked in a voice full of longing, "What do you want, Chief?"

"You. I want you."

"Then you have me." Jim's mouth found the adorned nipple once again and this time, he sucked harder before nipping the peaked bud.

Blair shouted and his knees shook. Jim moved to the ground and lay on his back, tugging Blair with him. Blair supported himself on his hands and knees while Jim's mouth kissed, licked and nipped his chest. First he suckled and nibbled the pierced nipple while rubbing and tweaking its unadorned companion with his fingers. Then he mouthed the plain nub until Blair was trembling and jerking under Jim's hands.

"Jim... Jim... Ahhh!" Blair cried aloud when Jim's teeth found the bejeweled nipple yet again and with his teeth, he tugged hard. "Jimmmm!" Blair shouted. Sharp fingers of desire spiked through his body and slammed into his crotch. His orgasm was unexpectedly wrenched from him. "Oh, God. Oh, God," Blair whimpered, shaking while he spurted hot streams of come into his jeans. He finally collapsed on top of Jim and buried his face in his lover's neck.

Jim's hands soothed the trembling man. "Love you, Blair. Love you so much!"

Blair's lips found Jim's neck and he kissed the warm skin repeatedly between whispers of, "Love you too. Love you. Love you."

"Touch me. Please, Blair."

Raising his head, Blair looked into his lover's face. "Want to kiss you first."

"Yes!" Jim cried, pulling Blair's mouth to his, fusing their lips together.

Not breaking their deep kiss, Blair slid from Jim's body and with one hand popped the button on Jim's jeans. Pulling down the zipper, he slipped his hand into the hot cavern of Jim's pants and wrapped a hand around the throbbing organ he discovered there. Carefully, he worked Jim's erection free of its confines and after rubbing his palm on the leaking head, he fisted the hard column with a firm hand.

As their mouths tasted and tormented each other, and while tongues licked and explored, Blair's hand worked the hot flesh. Soon, Jim shuddered from head to toe while his body released his seed over Blair's hand in hot, sticky spurts.

"Blair!" Jim cried against his mate's lips.

"Love you," Blair whispered before sealing their mouths together yet again in a last deep, wet kiss.

Finally, both men lay on the ground, breathing harshly, hands clasped together.

Blair recovered enough to blurt out, "Oh, man. Oh, man. That was absolutely wonderful."

Jim huffed out a shaky breath before he chuckled. "You're wonderful."

"Hey, you started it."

"And you finished it."

Blair laughed. "Yeah, I did."

"Happy Birthday, Chief."

"Thanks, Jim." Raising himself up, Blair lay along side of his lover, propped his head on his hand and admired his sticky, messy Sentinel with a wide grin on his face. "You look good enough to eat."

Jim rolled his eyes. "Yeah, right."

"Hey, don't get bitchy with me. It's my birthday and it's not over yet. I say you look good enough to eat. Besides, I still haven't had dessert."

"Dessert?"

"Yeah, dessert." Blair walked his fingers down Jim's chest to the waistband of his jeans and tugged. "The end of a fine meal. The sweet that tops off the dinner. You, Jim. I want more of you."

"What do you say we get out of these clothes and have some cake."

"You brought cake?"

"Of course, Chief. It's your birthday. After all, it's like you said. What's a good dinner without dessert? Besides," Jim said, suggestively licking his lips, "I'd like to see what happens when I lick icing off of your body. Especially from that nipple ring."

Blair grinned. "Damn, but I do love dessert."

The end.

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Author's Acknowledgements: Thanks to my great betas, Lyn and Chris. I appreciate your help. Thank you Ankaree, for the artwork.