////////

ringo gasped. "george, y-you came!"

george gave him a quick smile, right hand going up to loosen the tie that was choking the hell out of him.

"i promised, didn't i?" he grinned, showing off his unusually sharp teeth.

that made him even more fascinating.

it was sharp, like a smaller version of shark teeth. in fact, it didn't even lessen george's attractiveness. it made him even more appealing to ringo.

"what are you even wearing?" ringo giggled, chin rested on the stone. "it's like a snake!"

george laughed. "it's a tie." he said, handing him the fabric. "we wear it whenever we have parties and other important shit."

his lips parted slightly, a curious expression forming in his face. george gave him the tie.

then ringo's finger touched the palm of his hand and he jolted back.

"ow!" he cried out in alarm, clutching his hand.

george widened his eyes in alarm.

"i'm sorry---"

"i-it's fine, really!" ringo gave him a reassuring smile. it didn't really work when george saw that the edge of his pointer finger was charred black.

"fuck." george uttered, horrified. "fuck, i burnt you---"

"george." ringo sighed. "i-it's fine! i'll cool it off in the water later!"

george frowned, giving him a truly concerned look.

"hey," ringo pouted. "i'm okay! i promise!"

"if you insist," george mumbled, the frown still on his face. then ringo frowned.

"have you ever seen a nautilus?"

george blinked. "excuse me?"

"a nautilus." ringo repeated.

"nuh-tee-lus?" george enunciated, eyebrows furrowed. "what's a nautilus?" he trailed off, practicing the foreign word. "nautilus, nautilus, nautilus..."

ringo giggled. "it's a shell. if you want, i'll bring one tomorrow?"

george looked at him. "you'll do that?" he asked, brown eyes wide with wonder.

he nodded, nibbling on his lip again. george made him feel funny. a weird kind of funny.

"of course. you showed me yours i'll show you mine!"

george blushed red at that. innocently, ringo cocked his head.

"i-i... erm, y-yeah." george stumbled out, cheeks red.

//////////

of course ringo didn't know what that meant.

"same time tomorrow?" george asked, fixing his tie back in place.

"yes!" ringo beamed, hands below his cheeks. george's eyes went to his charred finger. ringo gave him one last (beautiful) smile before slowly sinking down the water. george watched as he swam down with grace, pale feet and pale hands poking out of the surface. he saw a glimpse of his burnt finger.

george hoped his finger was okay.

/////////