Pairing: Ian Mckellen/Patrick Stewart

Rating: PG

Patrick planted his feet on the floor at the side of the bed, stopping to glance over his shoulder to make certain that he hadn�t woken Ian. The other man�s back was arched slightly and his legs were tangled in a posture which should have looked awkward but didn�t. Knuckles tucked against thin lips � expressive, even in sleep � and nose buried into his pillow, Ian looked to Patrick, in a word, beautiful.

Suddenly, a phrase flitted unbidden through the waking man�s mind and he smiled. /�The fairer sex.�/

�What,� he wondered, still looking at Ian, �could be fairer than that?�