You Don't Know Me

“I got it!” Michelle told Marcus excitedly on the phone. He had just gotten back from work, and he was exhausted as he sat down on his bed.

“Your first period?” Marcus asked. “Or something that requires penicillin?”

“You’re a jackass,” Michelle laughed. “No, the job at the retirement home.”

Slapping his forehead, Marcus apologized. “I’m so sorry. I forgot your interview was today,” his voice was sincere. “I’m so proud of you. I really know you wanted this.”

Biting her lip, Michelle sat down on the sofa in her parents’ living room. “I really did,” she admitted happily. “And it’s not a desk job. I’m going to be planning outings for the residents, meeting with the families, constantly interacting with people. I think it’s going to be really good for me.”

“I think it will, too,” Marcus replied. “How many hours a week is it?”

“Five hours a day, six days a week,” she said. “Three mornings, three afternoons. So I’ll still be able to take a couple elective classes, like I wanted to.”

“That’s terrific,” his voice had obviously lost some of its spark. “But with me being made assistant manager of the shop, it seems like we won’t be seeing as much of each other.” Marcus sounded unhappy, and Michelle smiled at how much he cared about her.

“We will make time,” Michelle promised. “Besides, I don’t start for a week, and then classes don’t start for two weeks after that. We have plenty of time to enjoy the rest of the summer.”

“We do,” Marcus agreed, although inside he still felt a little sad. He had really enjoyed this summer - the fun times with all his friends, the increasing closeness with Peter, the deepening relationship with Michelle. “Let’s put forward an effort to really make the most out of the next couple weeks. I mean, Troy and Brigitte will both be heading back to their schools in less than fourteen days.”

“Absolutely,” Michelle promised. “But you sound tired. Do you want to hang up so you can get some sleep?”

“I don’t suppose I could convince you to come over here tonight, could I?” Marcus asked as he leaned back into the pillows. “I don’t work until two tomorrow, so I could definitely withhold sleep, for say, another couple hours?”

The hopeful sound of Marcus’s voice made Michelle giggle. “I can be there in fifteen minutes,” she told him.

“I’ll be naked in fourteen minutes, then,” he chuckled.

“Sounds good. I love you.”

“I love you, too. See you soon.”

-----

Troy, Brigitte, Sean, Tony, Marcus and Michelle all met up for dinner the evening after Michelle’s first day at work. Everyone was chatting eagerly, trying to push back the knowledge that they wouldn’t all be able to hang out together like this soon. The group had gotten very close over the summer, and no one wanted to see that end.

“Well, there are a lot of residents,” Michelle was telling Brigitte. “It’s going to take some time to get to know them all properly. But there’s this one old Irish woman, Patty, who’s a riot. She was telling me stories about some Irish singer she had an affair with through her twenties, before she met her husband.”

“If you’re thinking of applying to BU,” Troy enthused to Tony. “You should come up and visit. You both should. We could make a weekend out of it.”

“I spoke to Janette the other day,” Sean explained to Marcus. “She just wanted me to know that the DA contacted her for a statement. She said he told her that he didn’t think Luke had any chance, and that he’ll probably end up trying to make a deal.”

They all talked for hours, and after that the party moved over to Sean’s apartment. Everyone but Marcus and Michelle were drinking, and the more inebriated they became, the more they fell over each other’s words in a vain attempt to say everything they wanted to each other.

“Come here,” Marcus whispered to Michelle and led her into Sean’s room, closing the door quietly behind them. “Hey,” he pulled her into his arms. “I haven’t gotten to talk to you much tonight. I just wanted to see how today went.”

Wrapping her arms around Marcus’s neck, Michelle smiled up at him. “Today went great,” she told him. “And tonight’s been wonderful. It’s just been such a terrific summer… such an amazing year.” She leaned up to kiss his lips softly. “And you know what I realized today?”

“What’s that?” Desire was making Marcus’s eyes hazy, but he tried to push those thoughts aside for now. It’s not like he and Michelle could do anything in Sean’s place.

“I realized that I met you one year ago this week,” Michelle grinned. “I was a complete bitch to you, but I did meet you then.”

Raising his eyebrows in surprise, Marcus thought about this. “You’re right,” he said. “We should celebrate when we get back to my place.”

Leaning over, Michelle hit the lock button on Sean’s door and smiled mischievously. “Actually,” she said in a husky voice, releasing her hands from his neck and quickly dropping to her knees. “I thought we could celebrate a little now…”

“Now?” Marcus began to object, but immediately he stopped. Michelle was running her hand over the front of his jeans, teasing him. He looked down at her bright eyes and could just nod encouragingly. Watching her undo his button and fly, he hissed through his teeth as Michelle’s mouth pressed against his hardening erection through the thin fabric of his boxers. She slid them down over his hips just enough to let his cock spring out, and his eyelids grew heavy as she began to stroke him.

Having never gone down on Marcus before, Michelle was feeling a little nervous. But she was too excited about taking Marcus by surprise to even consider stopping. She gently pulled at him with her hands, causing him to let out sighs and small whimpers. This was the perfect way to celebrate their first time meeting, since Marcus was the one that had taught her to be confident and comfortable with herself. Carefully, Michelle ran her tongue around the ridge of Marcus’s cock and heard him let out a soft moan, encouraging her. Her lips wrapped around him, her hand steadying him at his base, and she slowly began moving down the length of his shaft and back up.

The heat and moisture of Michelle’s mouth were exquisitely torturous, and the nervousness of being discovered at any moment was sending thrilling chills through Marcus’s body. He let one hand wander down and wind into Michelle’s hair; at this moment he was incredibly glad he had gotten her to start wearing her hair down more often. He didn’t push or press, but gently he led Michelle to a somewhat faster pace. Her eyes kept glancing up at him, excited and questioning. His quiet moans and grunts quickly assured her of how well she was doing.

The excitement of the moment brought Marcus close much quicker than usual. Michelle’s mouth grew more eager as Marcus’s body responded more. She sucked at him, running her tongue over his length, applying pressure with her lips. She felt him push her back a bit, whispering jaggedly that he was about to come. To his surprise, this only made Michelle pull him deeper into her mouth. He groaned, louder than he intended, as heat spread over his body and his muscles tightened. With a quiver, he felt his body release his liquid into her mouth.

Never pausing, Michelle swallowed as Marcus came in her mouth. It was slightly bitter and a little salty, but she didn’t care about the taste. All she cared about was how she felt as Marcus reached a state of complete ecstasy thanks entirely to her. Licking him clean, she slowly slid back up to a standing position and looked into his eyes. “Was that okay?” she asked, unable to hide her smile.

“I… you… um, one sec,” Marcus was still catching his breath. He reached down to pull his boxers up over his softening erection, and then did up his jeans. Wrapping his arms around Michelle’s shoulders, he looked into her face. Finally, he caught his breath. “I can’t believe how good that felt.”

“I never would have been able to do that before I met you,” Michelle admitted happily.

“I would hope not,” Marcus chuckled. “You never spoke to a guy besides Sean before me-”

“Shut up,” Michelle said more seriously, and Marcus immediately did. Running her hands up Marcus’s chest and to his shoulders, Michelle looked him in the eyes again. “You have given me so much since I’ve met you,” she told him, her eyes moistening. “I feel like a completely different person than the one you met a year ago, and I mean that in a good way.” Sliding her hands into Marcus’s hair, Michelle’s bottom lip was trembling. “Loving me the way you have has made me a much stronger, less afraid, infinitely better person than I ever was before. I just want to say thank you.”

Pulling her to his chest, Marcus didn’t know what to say. So many thoughts were racing through his mind, but he decided to just start speaking, unsure of what was going to come out of his mouth. “You don’t have to thank me, Michelle. You have changed who I am, too. You made me stop hating myself for my past, and start believing I have a real future. Because you are my future.”

Tears leaked from Michelle’s eyes. “I-” but her words were cut off quickly by a knock at the door.

“Please tell me you guys aren’t defiling my bed,” Sean’s voice rang out.

Laughing, Michelle looked up at Marcus. He wiped the teardrops from her cheeks and kissed her lips softly before reaching for the door handle. “Don’t worry, Sean,” he said, glancing over at Michelle with conspiratorial amusement. “We didn’t touch your bed. We were just… talking.”

Looking warily from Marcus to Michelle, Sean felt like he wasn’t getting the whole truth. Still, when he looked beyond them, his bed was still perfectly made from that morning. “Okay…” he finally submitted. “Well, either way, come out here. Everyone misses you guys! I mean, you are the link of this group.”

Sliding his arm around Michelle’s shoulder, Marcus grinned as they followed Sean back into the living room. As unlikely an alliance as they were, it was true. Marcus and Michelle’s relationship had somehow managed to bring this group of misfits together.

-----

“I want to have sex with Maura,” Peter told Marcus at work the next week. He had waited until there were no customers or other employees around, but his direct admission still made Marcus chuckle.

“Don’t laugh,” Peter said, his voice betraying some hurt. “I told her I loved her a couple weeks ago, and it took her a few days to say it back, but she did. I’m only telling you because I promised…”

Looking at Peter, Marcus immediately regretted laughing. Despite his young appearance, made more so by the thick black liner around his eyes, Peter was sixteen. The feelings he was experiencing were real, and Marcus could see that in his younger friend’s eyes. “Have you guys talked about it?” Marcus asked, no trace of teasing in his voice.

Nodding, Peter started blushing. “It almost happened last night, in her parents’ basement,” he admitted. “You won’t believe how much she made fun of me for refusing to do it before talking to you. You owe me so big for keeping my promise…”

His eyes wandering over the store once more to make sure no one else was around, Marcus put a friendly hand on Peter’s shoulder. “I do – I owe you. I’m really impressed that you held out,” Marcus told him admiringly. “And if you guys know you love each other, and if you are smart and use condoms… well, I can’t encourage it, but I won’t say that it’s a bad thing.”

“I’m taking it your apartment is off limits,” Peter smirked.

“I would kill you. Kill you dead,” Marcus chuckled back.

“Okay, I get that,” Peter glanced down nervously. “But if I need to talk to someone… if it actually happens I mean… if I want to talk about it with someone afterwards…?”

“I’m here,” Marcus told Peter clearly. “I’m always here. Never forget that.”

“I won’t,” Peter blushed deeply, not meeting Marcus’s eyes.

“Now, you little delinquent,” Marcus tried to break the tension. “Go and do some actual work, okay? I am your boss.”

”Okay, Marcus,” Peter grinned. “And… thanks.”

Not responding, Marcus watched as Peter began gathering empty boxes together to put into the storeroom. He couldn’t help but smile to himself a little. Somewhere, deep inside, he felt like Peter might be just a little better off for knowing him, and that was an incredibly good feeling.

-----

“Michelle, you get off in a few minutes, don’t you? Will you come have lunch with us?”

Looking up, Michelle smiled at Michael. He was the head therapist at the retirement home, and he was very nice, if a little odd. He was in his mid-forties, and seemed to be going through some sort of existential crisis or another every day. “Come on,” he encouraged. “You’ve been here two weeks. Your hours don’t let you spend much time getting to know the staff…”

Smiling, Michelle nodded. “I just have to check on Patty, and then I’d love to come with you guys.” Walking down the hall, Michelle poked her head into the room of her favorite patient. “Hey, Patty, I just wanted to say goodbye before I left… Oh, hi.”.

“Hello,” a thick Irish brogue greeted her. “My Gram will be right back. I think she wandered off to flirt with one of the male staff members.”

Light green eyes staring intently at her took Michelle aback. “Oh, Patty’s your grandmother?” she asked the person standing before her.

“Yep. Lucky for me,” the man chuckled, the deep sound resonating through the room. “That wildcard is all mine.” He stood tall, probably taller than Tony. He had wavy sand-colored hair and a welcoming smile. “I’m sorry, I’m Seamus. And you are…?”

Catching her breath, Michelle felt her cheeks heat. “Sorry, I’m Michelle. I’m the social director around here. Your grandmother’s one of my favorite people living here, and I usually check in on her before I go.”

Smiling widely, Seamus looked over the blushing face of the girl standing before him. “Well, I’m glad to see that my Gram has been in such good hands,” he told her. “After my Da died, no one was in America to keep her company. It’s part of the reason I came over. But it’s still good to know that she had such lovely people around to pass the time.”

“So you just moved here?” Michelle forced herself to ask. “From Ireland?”

“Yes, ma’am,” Seamus grinned, his eyes sparkling. “Four years in the Irish Defense Forces, and now I’m on my way to becoming an American citizen.”

“Oh, Michelle,” Patty’s voice caught Michelle off guard, and she jumped slightly. “I see you’ve met my grandson, Seamus. Hands off, boy. This one’s already got a fella.”

Laughing, Seamus looked over Michelle once more. “I had already assumed as much, Gram,” he said, reaching for his grandmother’s arm and leading her to a nearby chair. “They don’t come this beautiful without a man already claiming them in this country. I’ve learned that soon enough.”

Blushing more deeply, Michelle turned her attention to Patty. “So, I’m going to go now,” she said, trying to ignore Seamus’s stare. “But I’ll be back tomorrow, okay?”

“You will tape that show for me, won’t you, Michelle?” Patty asked, seeming desperate.

“Absolutely,” Michelle promised. “We will watch ‘Veronica Mars’ together as soon as I get in.” Looking over at Seamus, Michelle nodded her head politely. “Well, it was nice to meet you…”

“The pleasure was all mine,” Seamus grinned back widely. “And I’m sure we’ll be seeing more of each other a lot in the future. I just got into New York two days ago, but now that I’m here, I plan on seeing Gram frequently.”

“Yes, well…” Michelle faltered. “Anyway, nice to meet you. And see you tomorrow, Patty.” Hurriedly, she turned from the room and headed to meet her co-workers.

“None of that from you,” Patty said disapprovingly to her grandson. “She’s a good girl, and I already told you – she’s got a fella.”

Raising his eyebrows, Seamus glanced towards the doorway where Michelle had been standing moments before. “But you like her greatly, don’t you, Gram? And that says a lot about a girl… Particularly a beautiful girl without a ring around her finger…”

-----

“I’d like you to come to the retirement home sometime,” Michelle told Marcus that night, as soon as she arrived at his apartment. “I want you to see where I work, and the people I work with, and the people that live there…”

There was a note of desperation to Michelle’s voice that caught Marcus off guard. “Is everything okay, babe?” he asked softly, walking towards her. “You seem… I don’t know, high strung tonight.”

“Oh, just a rough day,” Michelle waved her hand dismissively. “But I missed you,” she said, her voice growing deeper as she reached for Marcus. Before he could respond, he felt her wrap her arms around his neck and pull him down to her mouth. Her hot breath moistened his lips before he knew what was happening, and he immediately got lost in her passion. Her tongue raked over his bottom lip, and her teeth quickly followed, scraping eagerly. Marcus pulled Michelle closer to him just in time to feel her tongue press into his mouth, overtaking his easily.

Not knowing why, Michelle knew she had to be with Marcus right now. One hand buried in his hair, and the other traipsed down over his chest. Before he knew what was happening, Michelle was quickly pulling at his shirt, silently demanding its removal. Putting his arms up, Marcus gave her no resistance as she pulled it off him, and as he reached down to do the same to her, Michelle just as eagerly shed her top. Pushing her up against the wall, Marcus was taken by her sudden passion as he slid his hand over her bra-covered breast, teasing her nipple through the fabric.

Michelle’s breaths became shorter as she felt Marcus slide the strap of her bra down and graze his hand over her bare breast, his fingertips teasing her aching nipple. When Marcus whispered into her ear, “Bed?” Michelle pulled her mouth from its present location on his neck to look him in the eyes. “You’ve never fucked me standing up,” she said softly.

Taken aback by the boldness and intensity of Michelle’s words, Marcus immediately let his mouth swoop down to her breast. Reaching behind her, he quickly undid Michelle’s bra, and she discarded it to the floor with even more hurry. Taking her nipple in his mouth, Marcus ran his tongue in circles, bringing the flesh to a painful peak. His hands slid down as his mouth moved across her chest to assault her other nipple as he undid her pants.

Without letting him lift his mouth from her breast, Michelle stepped out of her pants and underwear. She quickly reached for the button and zipper of Marcus’s jeans, the baggy nature of them making it easier for Marcus to discard them. As he felt Michelle pushing down his boxers, Marcus forced himself to step back for a second. “I have to get a condom,” he explained.

Pulling him to her, Michelle smiled desirously into his eyes. “No, you don’t,” her voice was teasing. “I went on the pill exactly twenty-nine days ago. Kind of a surprise for you. I didn’t want to tell you until I was sure I wasn’t going to experience any of the crappy side-effects…”

“And you haven’t?” Marcus asked hopefully.

Shaking her head, Michelle smiled up at him as she reached for his boxers again. “I want to feel you tonight, Marcus,” she said seductively. “I want to feel all of you.”

Before he could even think about it, Marcus had shed his boxers. Grabbing her leg, Marcus lifted Michelle’s thigh to his hip. “Are you sure?” he asked nervously.

Taking his stiff erection in her hand, Michelle led Marcus to her without speaking. As she felt him enter her, uncovered and completely natural, she let out a moan.

Michelle had never been this passionate with Marcus before. He felt her teeth biting gently at his neck as her hand buried itself in his hair. Her hips rose eagerly to meet his, and Marcus groaned, dropping his head to her shoulder, as he finally let his body experience what was happening. Michelle was dripping with moisture, her heat almost too much as it surrounded him. Almost.

With her hands wrapped around Marcus’s neck, Michelle balanced herself. His thrusts felt so primal – so natural – inside her body. As she sucked at his neck, she felt him hold her up with one hand under her ass. His other hand reached up between them, touching her clit with feather-light caresses. “More,” Michelle instinctively begged, and moaned appreciation as Marcus began both pressing harder into her and pulling at her clit more.

Feeling Michelle against him, pressing back hard; hearing her desperate requests whispered against his ear; experiencing her trembling body in his hands – Marcus couldn’t hold back much longer. He quickly began thrusting into Michelle, deep and hard. Her hips pressed back against his eagerly, and before he knew it, he felt her body begin to tighten around him. Her muscles contracted, her heat increased, and he heard her begin moaning loudly as she bit into the soft flesh of his shoulder. It was more than Marcus could handle; he let her body’s rhythm pull his orgasm from him. He called out Michelle’s name as her contracting muscles milked him for his fluid, for several moments, until his body was finally spent.

Feeling Marcus begrudgingly pull himself from her body, Michelle quickly led him to the bed. Collapsing on the soft mattress, she curled herself around Marcus’s body, unable to form words quite yet. She had never felt such intense passion like that – and then to be rewarded with the feeling of Marcus’s cock throbbing and his hot cum pouring inside her… It had almost been too much.

“That was incredible,” Marcus was the first to speak, although his words were faltering. “I… I’ve never…”

Burying her head into the crook of his shoulder, Michelle ignored the fact that she could feel his liquid slowly seeping back out of her and onto her thigh. “I’m so glad I went on the pill,” she giggled.

Marcus laughed in support of the comment. He wanted to feel complete right now; he wanted to feel whole. He knew he should. But as Michelle’s breathing quickly evened off, telling him she had fallen asleep in his arms, Marcus couldn’t help but feel a knot in his stomach. Yes, he believed Michelle had become more passionate and spontaneous since they had met. But, for some reason, tonight felt like it had almost been forced.

Brushing away sweat-laden hairs from her forehead, Marcus kissed Michelle softly. She didn’t know what he was doing; she was fast asleep. Despite this, he still needed to feel the familiarity of her soft skin under his lips once more.

But still, it took Marcus quite some time to fall asleep. He couldn’t understand it entirely, but still…