Highschool is Hell

A/N Well, here I am, writing a highschool fic. Weird. This is the second of 10 M/M oneshots promised from y-gal, and I was asked to do: a highschool fic. So, here it is in its fluffity goodness. Not too graphic, really. And I put a time limit on my writing for the oneshots, so it's a bit rushed. But...here it is anyway. Feel free to enjoy.

Highschool is Hell

Nick locked the door to his aunt’s beige stucco house and trudged down the driveway. He kept his eyes on his feet and tried to ignore the landscaping. Compared to the neatly mowed lawns and flowers beds of her neighbors, Aunt Kate’s front yard seemed like a wasteland of earth and rock.

It suited his mood. Monday, on his way to the bus stop, in the middle of the school year. Two months since he’d started at this new school. Four months since his parents’ deaths. An eternity since he’d felt normal, or loved, or accepted, or anything that didn’t have fear mixed in with it somewhere.

It had been bad enough before he turned 18. But as of 2 days ago, he was a legal adult, and Aunt Kate had made it clear that her responsibility to him was over, as far as she was concerned. He’d managed to get her to agree to let him stay until he was done with high school, but he wasn’t sure she’d keep her promise. Ever since he’d told her he was gay, she’d been cold and distant. He’d thought it would be safe to tell her; she drank, she smoke, she considered herself a ‘liberal,’ and she didn’t go to the local Homophobic Church of Bullshit. Turns out, that’s because she had plenty enough homophobia to last a lifetime without having it re-supplied every Sunday. He supposed she thought she was being a good Samaritan or something when she warned all the neighborhood families with teenage boys that her nephew was a ‘homo.’

Yeah, because the short, weakling, geek gay boy was going to overpower all the local jocks and have his wicked way with them. God, he couldn’t wait until he could get out of here. Except he didn’t have anywhere to go. His parents hadn’t had much in the way of money; just enough to keep him going for a few months, maybe. He wasn’t sure what he would do after that. He’d never held a job in his life.

He was just…really, really scared. Scared of the bullies at school, of getting grades so poor he’d never get into college, of never being able to afford college now anyway, of…everything. Just getting up in the morning felt like he was trying to move a boulder up the Andes Mountains. He could hardly bear it anymore.

“Hey, look, it’s Nick! Sucked any good cock today yet, Dick? Oops, sorry, Nick.”

Nick hunched his shoulders as he walked the last few feet to his spot and tried to ignore the three neighbor assholes as they called out to him from the stop.

“Hey, carrot top, I’m talking to you!” Matt and Kevin jeered at him while Kyle continued to yell his usual filth. “You need to meet your cock quota, why don’t you come over here and blow me? I haven’t had a good blow job in ages. Might as well find out how well a little faggot does it.” The three of them laughed hysterically and Nick kept his pale blue eyes staring down at the ground, praying the bus would come before they got bored and started pounding on him. He shivered inside his denim jacket, the autumn breeze blowing his cheap slacks against his thin legs and ruffling his hair until it completely ruined any chance of making it to school without looking like he had a red, curly fire on his head.

“Cause he needed more things about him that people could make fun of. He glanced over at the boys with just his eyes, trying to make sure they weren’t coming over. These were the three jerks who’d spread it around that he was gay, after his aunt’s ‘warnings,’ and the information had blown through the conservative high school like a typhoon. He shuddered from the cold again.

“You shiver like that when some old bastard shoves his dick up your ass?” Matt yelled, cracking himself up again, and Nick struggled not to cry. He could hardly bear it anymore. Every stupid day they did this. If he was any good at fighting, he’d turn and tell them to go fuck themselves and beat the shit out of them or something, but he wasn’t. He was one of the shortest boys in school right now, just like his father had been before he’d hit his growth spurt. He hadn’t filled out at all, and to make it utterly ridiculous, he had freckles and a stupid little pug nose that had earned him the nickname of ‘piggy’ at first.

The bus pulled up before anything else could be said and Nick was eternally grateful for an open seat behind the bus driver that had nothing free around it. The jerks couldn’t sit behind him and shoot spitballs into his hair when he was this close to the driver. Their aim wasn’t that good, and they got chewed out so badly the one time they’d tried and hit the windshield that they left him alone when he was up front. He stared out the window, flushing as they continued to pick at him with words instead.

“I just don’t get gay people. What kind of freak likes to suck cock?”

Probably not your girlfriend, that’s for sure, Nick thought to himself.

“Yeah, people like that should just take a hint and leave. No one wants perverts like that around town.”

“Homos are all pedophiles, too, did you know that? My dad told me all about it…”

The bus driver glanced up in the mirror and ignored everything they said, as usual, and Nick slumped down further in the seat. He turned his face completely towards the window. He wiped at his eyes, hoping no one noticed. The bus took a sharp right turn and the highschool loomed in front of them like some prison created by a mad scientist on cocaine. The grass and trees had been razed to the ground at some point and covered with cement, and then the builders planted a few new trees in random cement planters throughout the campus. They seemed gray and sickly. Everything did. The buildings were unpainted cement, the odd geometric benches against walls were cement, the floors. Even the insides were terrible: the classrooms were done in drab olives and grays and something yellowish that made him think of jaundice.

The buildings design was like the add against using crack: this is your architect on drugs. There were almost no right corners; everything was at odd angles that hid huge sections of the campu from sight There were strange bridges connecting some floors while others would be completely isolated. It looked like it should be in a videogame as a maze, and yet still managed to be so completely bland and depressing that he thought it was the perfect highschool. This was something that made no effort to deny that it was sucking the soul and joy out of everyone.

As soon as the bus stopped, he was down the aisle and out the door, heading to class. He was always the first one in; it kept any potential bullies away, and besides, it wasn’t as though he had any friends to talk to. He’d tried to meet people, a little, the first few days after he’d arrived, but he didn’t have a lot to recommend him as someone worth spending a few minutes on, he supposed. He wasn’t athletic enough for the jocks, or smart enough for the geeks. If he saw someone he’d thought was cool or gorgeous, he lost the ability to speak at all. The girls didn’t find him all that sexy – he was about the same height as most of them – and while that didn’t get him teased, it didn’t win him any friends there either.

And he’d still been missing his parents so damn much, he hadn’t really felt like making much of an effort.

So, he just showed up in class, did his work with as little interaction with the teachers as possible, and tried to make it home before he lost it and yelled back at every single snide comment and malicious little prank that followed him all day long. He’d only done that once, and the beating that followed had cured him of the idea that there was any justice in highschool.

He was sitting in the front of the class, bent down over his books and pretending to study when a group of jocks rolled in. He tried not to stare. They had such fine bodies. Firm muscles, good hair, tall and tanned and gorgeous. Everything he wasn’t, and the few times he’d been caught staring had resulted in a physically unpleasant discussion after school. He was sliding his eyes back to his desk when someone new walked in, and he froze.

The smile was what got to him. Open and happy, laughing without mocking, dusky lips wide over perfect white teeth, with a dimple in one tanned cheek. He swallowed, his eyes moving up higher than the smile before he could stop himself. Deep blue eyes with dark lashes twinkled merrily under black eyebrows as he laughed again in a rich, deep, voice that made Nick shiver. His hair was blue black and a lot longer than the popular buzz cut that most of the jocks favored. It hung down to his shoulders with a soft wave in it that Nick noted with a little ency.

Nick stared at him. He couldn’t have said what he wore, he was so captivated by that face. The boy was utterly, completely, totally beautiful. Nick flushed as he realized the boy was staring back curiously, and he looked down at his desk as quickly as he could. Oh God, he’d caught him staring. He cringed as he waited for the inevitable backlash.

He heard him murmur something to the other jocks as they headed to the back of the room, and heavy footsteps swooshed across the ratty carpet towards his desk. He pretended to write something, trying act like it had just been a moment, that he was really just thinking of what he’d been about to write and just happened to be staring off into space in the same direction as the fantastic, perfect face.

“Hey.” The friendly, conversational tone made Nick glance up to make sure Mr. Beautiful wasn’t talking to someone else. He looked up into another blinding smile, and almost didn’t notice the focused staring. Those eyes… It felt like they could see everything inside. Petty thoughts, private jokes, silent despair…every erotic dream he’d ever had.

He felt a little flushed.

“H-hi,” Nick finally choked out.

“I’m Marcus. You’re new since I was here last, aren’t you?”

Nick nodded slowly, trying to remember how to move his head without breaking eye contact. When the brilliant azure started to shimmer and glow, he blinked and heat rushed into his cheeks. He was really obsessing now if he thought the guy’s eyes were so bright they glowed. He dropped his eyes, caught sight of the boy’s body, and he stopped thinking of him as a boy immediately. Blue eyes was developed. Broad shoulders, slim waist, loooong legs. Ripped. Boy seemed like a pathetic word for a human being with such a beautifully made adult body. He wished this man had been in the school before. Nick would have braved another beating just to watch him.

A warm, broad hand patted his shoulder and he was horrified to feel himself get an erection from the contact. Oh god, not now! Please. let no one notice. It was so humiliating; he would just rather die.

“Hey, you don’t need to be so worried about talking to me. I won’t bite.” Nick looked up and swallowed as the smile hit him in the gut again.

“I –“ He couldn’t force out another word.

“Kind of hard being a freshman in a senior class, isn’t it? You must be pretty darn smart to be in this class.”

Nick closed his eyes and wished he could just disappear. Marcus was gorgeous AND kind, and he was making the same mistake everyone made at first.

“I’m a senior,” he whispered, not opening his eyes.

“Really? Wow, you’re just a little squirt, aren’t you?”

Nick opened his eyes to glare and stopped in mid-angst at the look on Marcus’ face. There just wasn’t any malice in it, only something lighthearted and pleasant that had him smiling back at him before he realized it. A braying laugh interrupted the moment and Nick turned back to his desk as the football captain, Joel, came up behind Marcus and wacked him on the shoulder.

“I think the little faggot has a crush on you, Mark.”

Nick waited for it. The withdrawal and disdain, the cutting remarks that he thought would be so much worse this time. He couldn’t stand it, he couldn’t –

“You got something against this kid?”

Nick looked up in surprise. He thought his face must mimic the shock showing on Joel’s.

“Huh? I- Well, I mean, he’s gay, Mark. You know, a homo?”

“Yeah, so? What the fuck has that got to do with anything? At least he’s not the one acting like an ass and interrupting other people’s conversations.”

Joel reared back as though he’d been slapped.

“What are you, s-some sort of homo-lover?”

Marcus rolled his eyes and turned his back on the jock. “Better than a gay basher. At least I get to look at something cute instead of taking potshots at him like a moronic bully.”

Nick stared at him, speechless even after the jock left in a huff to go whisper and stare with the others in the back of the class.

“Thanks,” he finally managed.

“Anytime, cutie.”

Nick flushed again and started in surprise as Marcus tapped the tip of his nose.

“See you later.” He turned and went to the back of the class, his voice irritated and curt when the others tried to speak to him.

That period was the first one in months without snide comments over his sexuality.

By the end of the week, the bus stop was the only place where he worried about being harassed. He couldn’t prove it, but he couldn’t think of any reason for the change except for Marcus. His beautiful man-boy came by his desk every day. Sometimes he just said hello, sometimes he chatted for a minute or two. He always ended with a quick, soft tap on the nose and a ‘see you later.’

Nick was in love.

He sat on his bed at home, looking out the window, and realized how stupid that sounded. He’d only known Marcus for a week. He’d only talked to him for a few minutes total. And he couldn’t get him out of his head. Every time he closed his eyes, he say Marcus laughing and smiling, his face openly joyous. He could hear his voice in his ears whenever things were silent. He’d dreamed about him every night since he met him, and every single one had him waking in a sweat with an erection so hard that he had to finish himself off before he could fall back asleep.

He thought about asking Marcus out on a date, but the thought of what he might say was enough to make him freeze. He’d rather say nothing than have Marcus stop talking to him.

That next Monday, he stood at the bus stop day dreaming about seeing Marcus at school, and thinking of something witty to say this time instead of his usual mono-syllabic replies. The three neighborhood bullies decided he looked a little too happy, or uppity, or something; they never made it clear. What they did make clear was that if he didn’t stay in a crowd after he got off the bus, they had the opportunity to kick him around, and he showed up for class with a huge shiner and a bloody nose. He was dabbing the blood from his face with a kleenex, sitting at his desk, when Marcus came in. Kneeling by the desk, Marcus scowled at him furiously and he cringed. He knew he was a puny little weakling, but seeing the disgust on Marcus’ face was just awful.

“Who did this to you?” he asked. His voice was almost an octave deeper, gravelly.

“I – no one.”

“Bull shit. Some asshole obviously beat you up.” Marcus put his hand on Nick’s chin and tipped his face up. He looked so furious it was a little frightening. As he examined Nick’s face, Nick would swear, he would honestly swear, that he heard him growling. “Who did it?”

“It’s not important.” Nick whispered. Kyle and the others would kill him if he told on them. Marcus glared at him, his body tense, and leaned over to kiss him abruptly on his freckled nose. Nick touched it in shock.

“Do you need to see the nurse?” His voice was a little smoother.

“N-no.” Nick’s finger couldn’t stop rubbing the tingling spot on his nose. Marcus’ lips had touched his face! Nick’s dick came to attention and he just hoped that Marcus’ sudden half smile wasn’t an indication that he’d noticed.

“Right then. We’ll talk later.” He walked back and started talking in an angry, controlled voice to the other jocks.

Kyle, Matt, and Kevin weren’t on the bus home that night. He got a little thrill, imagining that maybe Marcus had beat them up for him. They’d deserve it! That didn’t seem so appealing when he had to go to the bus alone the next morning, and he timed things just right so that he walked up as the bus slowed to a stop. They weren’t there.

Marcus acted like the day before had never happened, except this time, he kissed Nick on the nose before he said ‘see you later.’ His eyes watched Nick the entire time, twinkling as Nick blushed furiously.

That evening, his aunt asked him if he’d seen Kyle and his two friends recently. They’d never come home the day before and their parents were frantic. He shook his head silently, but the next morning, he watched Marcus and couldn’t help wonder, just for a moment, if he knew anything about it. Had he beat them up, like Nick had thought? Or maybe something worse??

What a ridiculous thought. They were highschool students, not serial killers. The thought made him a little queasy. He couldn’t figure out why he was worried. Marcus was the happiest person he’d ever met. He was almost always smiling. Except for some reason, Nick really thought Marcus would be really, really scary when he was angry. Something in his eyes when he’d been angry gave him the shivers.

Marcus smiled as he came over and he flicked Nick’s earlobe. “What in the world is going on in that brain of yours? You look like the world is ending.”

Nick laughed uneasily. “Just…” he cleared his throat and looked around. Everyone was pretty much used to their little ritual by now, so no one seemed to be paying them any particular attention. He lowered his voice. “Um, did you …say anything to Kyle yesterday?” He couldn’t quite bring himself to ask him if he’d ‘done’ anything. It was too far fetched to say out loud.

“Kyle?” Marcus’ smile was twice as wide as normal. Nick looked at it, blinking a few times. Marcus’ incisors were so long that for a moment there, they’d almost looked like fangs. It gave Nick an odd chill. “That’s the bastard who smacked you around, isn’t it?”

“How did you…”

“It’s not hard to find out, “ Marcus said quietly. Nick looked at him. Marcus looked so sweet.

“You didn’t…” He couldn’t say it. It sounded crazy.

Marcus started laughing. “What are you afraid of, that I ate them?” Nick smiled a little. It was pretty ridiculous when he put it like that. This was Marcus. He was sweet and funny and verbally kind, and he kissed people on their noses. That wasn’t the kind of person who’d do something that would make three bullies disappear.

He smiled at him sheepishly. “Sorry. I don’t know what I was even thinking.”

“It’s okay, cutie.”

That lunchtime, when Nick found his usual blind corner to tuck himself away in as he ate, Marcus turned up. Isolated from the rest of the school in his dank cement hide-away, the meeting seemed much more intimate than seeing Marcus in the school. The sounds echoing from the other halls were dull, and Nick felt like he was in a private little bubble. Marcus sat on the other side of the cement bench, and as he leaned against the gray walls, Nick thought he looked like some painting come to life. He was dressed simply in a red t-shirt over blue jeans, his hair held back in a small tail at the nape, but everything about him glowed.

Seeing his own reflection in the trapezoid window across from him, Nick couldn’t understand why Marcus would choose to spend time with him. He was so boring. His hair was curled around his face in a little kid cap of big fluffy curls around his head. Any shorter and it stuck out at odd angles, and when he tried to grow it long it merely puffed out further until he looked like a giant red Q-tip. His freckles were almost as red as his hair, and his nose was tiny and lame. He looked like the drab, dull, depressed loser that he was.

Although since Marcus had come to school, he didn’t feel quite so depressed any more. Sighing, he started to slump when something cold and wet suddenly slid down his back and he jumped up with a squeal. Marcus began to laugh. While Nick jumped around until the ice cube fell out of his shirt, Marcus watched him with that happy join-me twinkle. Nick sat down with a fake glare, secretly ecstatic that Marcus was actually teasing him, and Marcus hugged him around the shoulder with one arm for a moment, giving his head a little noogie at the same time.

“You are just too funny.”

Nick tried to pretend that being pulled against the muscular chest of the person he most admired in the whole school was no big deal and took a quick, nervous bite out of his sandwich as soon as he was released. He poked Marcus in the shoulder, because he figured a normal person would have some kind of retaliation rather than sitting there in a happy daze.

“So, you always eat here at lunch?”

Nick shook his head. “I, uh, just find a good corner somewhere. There’s a lot of ‘em around here…”

“I’ve noticed that. Fucked up place, isn’t it?” Marcus smiled broadly. “I swear, Uncle Tacitus was out of his freaking mind when he designed it.”

Nick laughed as though he’d told a joke until he realized that Marcus was serious. “Your uncle designed the school? Seriously?” Oh God, he was so glad he hadn’t said just how much he hated the place!

“Oh yeah, he likes to make crazy, messed up buildings in his spare time, but dad keeps him from getting too bad. You should have seen how wacked out he was going to make it at first! This is nothing compared to that. Glad we didn’t have anything weirder pinned on the family, though. The Perfu’s have enough crazy shit going on without that added on.”

Nick gaped at him.

“You’re a Perfu’? But, I thought your family went to school in the alps…or something. I mean…” Nick flushed miserably. Marcus was from the wealthiest family in the whole state! He felt suddenly even more inadequate. His little daydreams that Marcus might somehow like him seemed so juvenile that he wanted to just go find somewhere to hide for the rest of the day.

“Hey, what’s with the look?” Marcus took his chin and pinched it gently between his thumb and forefinger. “You don’t like my family or something, little guy?”

“I- no, it’s nothing like that,” Nick mumbled.

“Then what? You look like old yeller just died.”

“It’s nothing,” Nick whispered. He couldn’t stand it suddenly. He was so stupid. Marcus was cool, and beautiful, and now he was rich too! “Uh, thank you for the company during lunch. I’m sure your friends are waiting for you…” Please let him leave. Please let him just go before he started doing something really pathetic like crying again.

Marcus’ eyes stopped twinkling. “You don’t want me around anymore?” Nick shook his head, staring down at his half eaten sandwich and trying to swallow the lump in his throat.

“It’s not that. I just don’t want to keep you from, you know, whatever you were going to do today. With your friends, and stuff.”

“I’m already doing what I was going to do today. With my friend.” Nick looked up at him and Marcus frowned. “Hey, what’s wrong? Are you about to cry??”

“No. Don’t be stupid.” Nick’s voice was hoarse and he started to turn his face away again when Marcus caught him by the chin again and kept him there.

“I don’t mind,” Marcus said quietly, smiling again. “It’ll just give me the chance to kiss away the tears, you know?” He leaned forward and kissed Nick softly on each eyelid as he closed his eyes. He opened them to stare as he felt something soft and warm against his lips, and caught Marcus’ brilliant blue eyes looking into his as Marcus licked him again across his lower lip.

“I…there weren’t any t-tears there,” he managed to stutter.

Twinkle. “No? Are you sure? I dunno. I think I should check again to make sure.” Nick couldn’t have moved if his life were about to end as Marcus lowered his head again. The hand around his chin moved to cup the side of his head and Marcus’ lips pressed against his own.

Marcus was kissing him! Marcus was deliberately, on –purpose, for real kissing him! He shivered, worrying what to do with his hands, if he should keep his eyes open or close them, if he should touch Marcus back. Marcus brought his other hand up until he was cradling Nick’s entire head in his hands. He deepened the kiss and Nick stopped worrying.

He stopped thinking.

He opened his mouth and let Marcus’ tongue push in to taste any part of him that he wanted. There was suction as Marcus pulled at his tongue, heat against his lips and the inside of his mouth, the flavor of coffee and chocolate filling his senses. He moaned quietly, his skin tingling, his groin tight and ready and constrained inside his pants. When Marcus pulled back, bright and smiling, Nick let himself focus on his eyes. They were so blue, almost purple, and they were so nice. That had been so, so nice. So…perfect.

“Y-you’re not…” Nick cleared his throat, pausing with an aroused shiver as Marcus pulled his hands back, running a thumb across Nick’s bottom lip as he took them away. “You’re not just…messing with me, are you?” he whispered.

Marcus looked genuinely surprised for a moment before he leaned forward until his forehead touched Nick’s. He brought a hand up to tuck a curl behind Marcus’ ear and smiled at him.

“I would never be that much of a dick,” he said quietly, and then he moved and kissed the tip of Nick’s nose suddenly and pulled away with his usual bright smile. “Cutie.”

Flushing, he stared at him with what he was sure was a big dopey smile on his face.

Marcus had kissed him! On the lips! A big, huge, fantastically wonderful amazing kiss, on the lips! From Marcus! He tried to figure out how to take another bite of his sandwich when he couldn’t stop smiling, and the bell rang before he worked it out.

He gathered up his stuff and turned to see Marcus standing and waiting for him. “How about I walk you to class?”

Nick kept blushing and smiling the entire way to Calculus. When Marcus left him at the door with a brief tap on the nose and ‘I’ll see you at lunch again tomorrow’ he thought he might just die happy, right then. He had a smile on his face for the rest of class. He wanted to get up and yell it at everyone.

Marcus kissed me!!


Nick thought the next few weeks were some of the happiest he’d ever had in his life. Marcus never met him at his locker, but no matter what corner Nick found to eat in, Marcus sniffed him out. They’d kissed a few more times. Not every day, but sometimes Marcus would hold his hand while they ate, while neither of them mentioned it, as though it was so normal there was no need to even comment. Once, Marcus had pulled Nick onto his lap to kiss him until he was so hard he thought he was going to come in his pants.

And yesterday, for the first time, Nick had felt brave enough with what they had to lean over while Marcus still sat and kiss HIM, instead of the other way around. Marcus had been so surprised he’d frozen, and Nick had wondered if he’d done something wrong until Marcus’ broad hands went around his waist and they shoved their tongues into each other’s mouths until the bell rang. They were both a little late for class, and Nick was thankful that his run to calculus was a good enough reason for panting hard.

He thought that life really couldn’t get any better. They weren’t dating, not really. They didn’t see each other aside from first period and lunch, but Nick felt close to Marcus in a way that felt so right, it was hard to remember what he did before he knew him. How had he spent his time when he wasn’t thinking of Marcus and his body and his smile and his kindness?

Or other parts of him that were a lot less sweet and a lot more arousing. He knew there was more things the two of them could be doing. He’d heard plenty of stories. Sucking on each other’s…penis. Or the butt. He even knew it involved sticking someone’s dick in the ass, but…the actual logistics? He really didn’t have a clue, and it didn’t exactly seem like something to ask. It was way too overwhelming, especially with Marcus. What if he didn’t want to do that sort of thing? What if he just liked kissing?

What if he thought it was gross, and that was the reason they’d never gone any further? Nick didn’t want to screw up the closest friend he had just because he was really horny and thought Marcus was completely and totally hot. He was so happy with the kissing and the little touching of chests and shoulders and arms, he could keep doing this for a long, long time.

That’s what he thought, and then the world decided to take a quick right turn when he wasn’t looking.

The blond started it all. Just as gorgeous as Marcus: golden hair, sable eyes, rosy lips – he was obviously the reason cliché had been invented. And he was a new student in their first period class. He’d walked in early, like Marcus usually did, and Nick’s head had popped up in expectation. He’d been so surprised at the boy’s looks that he’d s just stared until Marcus shoved his way into the class and planted himself in front of Nick until it was time for everyone to sit down. Nick felt like he was being watched all period, and every time he looked back, Marcus and the other boy had their eyes on him, or were glaring at each other.

He had that same weird trick of the light that made Marcus’ eyes glow a little, and it seemed to affect the blond’s eyes as well. Very strange and extremely unsettling.

It was a little weird to have two beautiful men focusing on him, although a little flattering too. He thought the blond might be trying to talk to him after class, except for the first time ever, Marcus walked him to his next class. He did the same with second period. And third. When Nick saw him waiting for him to walk together to lunch, he wanted to giggle

He bit his lip as Marcus kept looking up and down the hallway while they ate.

“What’s got you so wound up?” he asked, smiling to himself. He was jealous!

“Just keeping an eye out for trouble.” Nick thought it was pretty funny for a few minutes more, but when Marcus was so focused on looking up and down that he didn’t even try to touch him while he ate, Nick started to get frustrated.

“Marcus. It’s lunchtime.”

“I know, cutie.” Eyes scanned from entrance to entrance.

“There’s nobody around.”

“I know, I- Ah. I see.” Marcus finally paused in his visual pacing and leaned in close. “Lonely?”

Nick flushed, smiling a little. “Maybe.”

“Can’t have that.”

Nick sighed happily as Marcus began to kiss him, and he was proud of himself for sneaking his hands underneath Marcus’ shirt to touch his solid stomach and up to his nipples. They were soft, with a few little hairs, and started to firm into little round nubs as he rubbed them. He sighed against Marcus’ mouth. He loved touching Marcus so much!

“We need to stop, cutie.” Marcus panted, pulling his mouth away and moving back. Nick wilted. Had he moved too fast?

“I’m sorry, I didn’t-”

“Nothing you did will ever make me pull back from you, Nick. Nothing.” His eyes paced up and down the hallway again and he looked back at Nick and seemed….nervous?

“I – dammit.” He took a deep breath and grabbed Nick’s shoulders. They sat staring at each other. “Nick, do you like me? I mean, more than just a friend or a- a casual kissing buddy?”

“Yes,” Nick whispered. Was he going to ask him to go out?

“I’m not going to be around for much longer, Nick. I’ll be leaving school. My family will be…going out of town. I have to be with them.”

Nick’s stomach dropped and his world focused to the small blue spots of Marcus’ eyes. He was leaving? Marcus was leaving? The food inside his stomach felt like a molten lump. “But – but you never said you were leaving! Where are you going? I- we won’t s-see each other anymore?” He couldn’t leave! Nick couldn’t live without him anymore. Nick didn’t HAVE anything without him.

“That’s what I have to talk to you about. I know you’re 18. You can leave you aunt if you need to, right? Legally, I mean?”

“Y-yeah.” Nick answered automatically, trying to breath, trying not to cry. He didn’t want to lose him!

“Would you come with me?”

Nick’s eyes opened so wide they felt stuck there. “What?“

“I want you to come with me. Come live with me. My family would be completely ecstatic to have you there, trust me.

“Live with you?” Nick couldn’t think of his own words. He thought his voice might be a high-pitched, ugly squawk .

“Live with me,” Marcus said softly, smiling as he saw how shocked Nick was. He moved his hands up to Nick’s cheeks and rubbed his thumbs over the soft skin there. “I need you, Nick. I don’t think I could bear leaving you behind. I want you with me.”

Nick stared at him. He couldn’t speak. He couldn’t blink. He thought it was just him. Marcus was so sweet, but he’d never said anything. He’d never… Tears gathered in his eyes and all he could do was stare as they leaked out and flowed down his cheeks. It had to be a dream. Things like this didn’t happen except in stupid, cheesy stories, and some one like Marcus would just…never want him as much as he wanted Marcus. “Marcus…”

“Will you come with me?” He stared at Nick so hard Nick could hardly think.

“Y-yes.” Nick finally managed, smiling shyly as Marcus moved towards him.

“Will you give yourself to me?”

Nick’s entire body flushed. What a question! Asking…about sex, at a time like this! But it was…oh god, sex with Marcus! Nick nodded so quickly he thought he got whiplash. Marcus wanted him, and he wanted sex!! Nick shivered, and Marcus started kissing along his neck, growling a little. Nick felt sharp little nibbles along his neck and he arched back. It made his dick push against his pants, and he almost died when Marcus reached down and started to undo his fly.

Nick could hear the shhh of Marcus’ fingers against the denim, feel the pressure easing around his dick as his jeans were slowly opened. He moaned softly and Marcus nibbled down his neck some more, pulling at the round collar and nuzzling underneath hit. His stomach quivered when Marcus placed his fingers there. They slipped under the waistband of his boxers, hot against his skin. His breath came out in a hiccupping gasping when they actually curled around him.

“Marcus. I- ohhhh, yes. Please. That’s…” His hips moved as he was gripped hard. It was so hot and different and fantastic and just amazing! Marcus started to move his hand, still kissing along Nick’s neck while Nick grabbed at his hair and started to pump his hips up into his hand. He was so hot and hard he felt the full body flush of energy rise almost immediately.

“God, I’m gonna come!”

“Yes.” Marcus smooth voice against his neck was followed by a sharp pain there and Nick’s vision exploded into white and black and he came into Marcus’ hand. Nick couldn’t breath as his hips humped against the hand there, Marcus licking against his neck, and Nick spent so quickly it was wildly embarrassing. Marcus slowly drew back his hand and began licking at it instead.

“I- Oh God, that was so good!” He leaned against Marcus’ head, his neck throbbing oddly and his heart thumping madly. He felt almost morbidly shy all of a sudden. It had been so quick and sudden, he hadn’t had time to even think. Jeez, they hadn’t even taken off their clothes! And Marcus had touched him and he hadn’t done anything for him. And the idea of maybe…finding out what Marcus’ dick tasted like made him drool and blush at the same time. “D-do you want me to...do you too? Maybe I could do it, with my mouth? I mean –“

Marcus groaned loudly, licking at his slick fingers a few more times before he kissed Nick once, bitterness and an odd salty tang on his lips. “Oh I would love that, cutie. But later. We should go now.”

“Oh. Yeah, I didn’t think. Lunch is almost over, huh?” Nick fumbled with his pants until Marcus shoved his hands away and did him up in seconds.

“Not lunch. We should leave for home now. Right now. Just leave now.”

“Really?” He was going with Marcus right now??

“Really.” Marcus kissed him on the lips again and he noted that strange taste was still there. Was that what semen tasted like? It gave him a little shiver.

“I – okay. Okay, yeah. Just leave right now. Yeah.” He felt giddy and free, suddenly. He didn’t know how to transfer his records to wherever they were going. He didn’t even KNOW where they were going, and he didn’t care. He was going to be with Marcus! He could hardly believe it.

“Come on, then. I already phoned my family. Someone should be waiting for me already. They know you might be coming with me.” Marcus grabbed his hand and started moving down the hallway at a trot, looking back over his shoulder in quick jerks as they moved.

“Uh…can’t we just walk?” Nick’s legs felt a little wobbly from the orgasm and he stumbled as he tried to keep up. Marcus was awfully eager to leave!

“We need to hurry.” Marcus said quickly. He stopped and turned, scooping Nick into his arms and walking again.

“Hey!” Nick laughed, punching him in the shoulder. “What are you doing? You’re crazy!” He laughed again as Marcus rushed around the corner and out into an open part of the campus. With a curse as he glanced behind them again, Marcus started to jog.

“M-m-marc-c-cus! I’m gonna be sick if you d-d-don’t let me d-d-down!” Nick’s body bounced as Marcus began to sprint, clutching Nick to his chest, and Nick put his hands up to his mouth. He was sure he was going to barf. It was worse than motion sickness!

He almost lost it as Marcus slammed to a stop just before the parking lot. Nick took some deep breaths to control his stomach and looked ahead of them. The blond from that morning was standing there, smiling.

It was a little creepy.

“Impatient to come, impatient to leave. How rude.” The boy tsked, and Nick’s stomach rolled again.

“Fuck off, Aurelius, and get out of my way.”

“I feel like playing today, though. Why don’t you leave him here? Such a bright, sweet little soul, isn’t he?” Nick stared at him as he realized the blonde was talking about HIM. Being called sweet by this boy didn’t give him nearly the happy feeling being called a little squirt had from Marcus. His voice was just too happy. Weirdly happy. Like someone laughing at someone else’s expense.

“You don’t want him, and you know it. Just step back and we’ll be getting out of your territory.” Marcus growled low and Nick stared at him. He looked really, really, really pissed off.

“You shouldn’t have entered it.”

“I was within my rights once I sensed him and you know it.” Sensed him? What the heck did that mean? Nick looked up at Marcus, completely shocked by the savage look on his face, and he stared back and forth between the two of them. The blond, Aurelius, was smooth and charming and…chilling. Marcus just looked dark and vicious.

“What are you guys talking about?” he couldn’t believe how small his voice sounded, like an echo rather than actual sound, but both faces turned his way.

“We’re discussing you, sweet.” Aurelius said softly. “I’m betting Marcus here didn’t even tell you what you were getting into, did he?”

“Shut up, Aurelius.”

“Have you felt your neck since you orgasmed so enthusiastically back there?”

Nick flushed. Had he been…spying on them? His hand drifted up to his neck against his will and his fingers felt two large wounds on the side. “What…what’s this? Marcus, you bit me?” He glared at the other boy. “S-so? So he likes it a l-little rough. You shouldn’t have watched, you pervert!”

Marcus laughed and pulled him tight, kissing his forehead once. “He’s got your number, Aurelius.”

“It’s not just a bite, you bubble-headed idiot,” The blond hissed. “He’s a demon! He’s trying to make you his so he can take you back with him to his little corner of hell…”

“Hawaii is expensive, but I’d hardly call it hell,” Marcus jibed back.

Nick waited for him to poke fun of the demon comment as well, and Marcus just watched Aurelius and didn’t speak. It was so ridiculous, it didn’t need a comment, obviously. Just…so bizarrely crazy that no one would even bother to respond to it. Nick bit his lip, staring as Marcus growled again at Aurelius and his lips raised in a small snarl.

He had fangs!

Nick stared. It wasn’t a trick of the light. He blinked a few times and rubbed his eyes to be sure. They were really, really fangs.

“Teeth,” he managed to squeak. God, Marcus had freaking fangs!! And he’d bitten him! He was…like a vampire or something! Or…

He looked to Aurelius, staring. Or a demon? Was Marcus really a demon??? Oh god! Kyle and his missing friends popped into his head suddenly, and he couldn’t stop himself from asking.

“Where’s Kyle and the others?” he whispered.

“Trying to explain to the French authorities how they got into the country with no passports, beaten, naked, and in the middle of a winery,” Marcus said quietly.

Nick’s mouth gaped. Marcus sounded so rational. Not insulting him or trying to scare him like the blond boy next to them. Was that the truth? “Really? They’re not…dead?”

“Of course they’re dead, you imbecile.” Aurelius sneered from the sidewalk up ahead. “He’d a demon. They aren’t fucking merciful.”

Nick sucked in his breath as the pupils within Marcus’ blue eyes flickered to pale blue for just a moment. He couldn’t miss it this time either. Just like the fangs, his eyes were actually glowing. They were beautiful. Nick reached up and touched one of his teeth, wondering. This was so crazy, he just had to have something to make it real.

“Are you a complete moron? What the hell is wrong with you?! You’re being held by a demon!” Aurelius snarled at him.

“Not a demon.” Marcus said quietly, looking back up to Aurelius again. “It’s more like a fallen angel. Spawn of a fallen angel, if we’re getting technical.” His smile quirked and Nick felt the answering smile that he always did when he looked Marcus in the face.

“Which Aurelius knows very well. He’s descended from angels himself, after all.” Nick stared across at Aurelius and swallowed as the boy’s eyes started to glow darkly. The boy’s mouth snarled and Nick saw fangs there as well.

“Which should make it clear who Nick should come with. Who would you rather be with, an angel, or a fallen one?” Aurelius looked at Marcus triumphantly and Nick could feel Marcus’ body tense. He looked up at him. He could feel his arms holding him up like he hardly weighed anything. He looked over at the stranger who frankly still seemed pretty darn creepy, and he shook his head. Believing either of them was too much, but not believing what he was seeing wasn’t something he could do either.

Marcus was still Marcus. If Marcus hadn’t known Nick was gay when they’d met, would he have dumped him as soon as he found out? A.demon, or angel or whatever was a hell of a lot scarier.

But he was still Marcus.

Nick smiled. “I told Marcus I was going with him,” he said quietly.

“Then go with him to hell, you little twit.” Aurelius growled, and he leapt at them. Nick yelled as he saw him leap like some kind of panther, into the air and forward incredibly fast. Marcus tossed him to the ground and leapt to meet him. Aurelius was slammed to the ground, his head hitting with a sickening crack, and Nick saw blood streak into the air as Marcus jerked his hand across Aurelius’ stomach. Marcus’ hand was coming down towards Aurelius’ stomach that Nick thought he was going to kill him.

“Marcus!”

Marcus froze, looking back at Nick instead of gouging his hand into Aurelius’ body. He glanced down at him once and spat on him before running back to Nick. A car was just pulling into the lot. Marcus pulled up Nick by the hand and yanked him along until they reached the car as it screeched to a halt. He shoved him in back, jumping in beside him.

“It’s Aurelius. I don’t know who he’s called. We’ve got to get back to our own territory.”

“Of course.”

Nick looked up to the front and saw a man with black hair and blue eyes that looked back in through the rear view mirror at him. They twinkled like Marcus’.

“I’m Tacitus. Nice to meet you, Nick.”

The name sounded familiar. Nick gaped. “The uncle? You designed the school??”

“Yup. Love that sucker. From above, it’s supposed to look like…”

“Uncle, later, all right? Nick and I need to talk.”

With a gulp, Nick turned to look at him. Both of Marcus’ pupils glowed bright blue, and when he smiled, Nick saw the fangs again. It was really real. This was…weird.

“You weren’t…lying. Making fun of me, or him, or something?”

“No. I’m really descended from a fallen angel…a few generations removed, but that sort of blood doesn’t really ever dilute.”

“Not a vampire?”

Marcus started laughing. “No, not a vampire. Ugh, all that blood sucking? Gross.”

Nick smiled a little, still sure he was on the verge of freaking out but trying to keep it down. “A-and the blond guy?”

“Same thing, but from angels.”

“Yeah. Nasty fuckers, aren’t they? It’s amazing how corrupt those little blondies get after a few years.” Tacitus interjected.

“Uncle, kindly shut up.”

“Will do!” Tacitus said cheerfully.

“I’m sorry this is so fast,” Marcus said. “You have a very lovely soul, Nick. It’s very bright. Anyone with angel’s blood, fallen or not, can sense it for miles. I was just going to get you away from the angels, but...”

“He got sucked in by your blue eyes and cute little butt.” Tacitus commented.

Marcus ignored him and smiled ruefully. “A little more than that, but pretty close. Aurelius and his brothers aren’t very angelic anymore, to tell you the truth. Too much time spent fascinated with dark souls and not enough attention to the lighter side. They’re not…safe. I would have gone more slowly if he hadn’t shown up. I’m sorry.” Marcus’ hands were clenched on his knees as though he was waiting for Nick to say something. He was smiling, but the dimple was missing. He was really, actually nervous, Nick realized.

“Were you going to tell me?” he whispered.

“When I thought you might believe me, yeah.”

“And… you bit me?”

“Yeah. It’s uh.” Marcus flushed. Nick hadn’t ever seen him looking so uncomfortable. “A kind of claim. When it’s binding, other angels and fallen can’t touch you, but that’s not until we’ve, uh…”

“…screwed like the cute little bunny rabbit you are.” Tacitus said in the same cheery tone, and Marcus growled at him.

“Uncle…”

“Yes, yes, shutting up. Kids today, no sense of humor.”

Nick bit his lip thinking. Okay, Marcus was a…fallen angel. He was going to have to process that, and what it meant about his own personal theology, later. There was something else more important to him right now. “You still want to be with me?” he knew it was selfish, but he didn’t care. He just…he didn’t want to lose Marcus! The thought made him shake.

“More than anything, for as long as I live.”

“Oooh, nice. I’m writing that one down,” Tacitus said, and ducked his head as Marcus gestured at him with a fist.

Nick bit back a slightly hysterical giggle. “You really didn’t kill Kyle or anything?”

Marcus’ eyes glowed brightly and he snarled. “I would have. He and those other two deserve it. But,” he reached out and tapped Nick’s nose. ”I didn’t think you’d like it if I did.”

“That why we always love to find the nice, sweet little souls like you to marry into the family. Keeps us from turning into immoral, self-righteous dicks like those stupid angel fuckers.” Tacitus interjected.

Marcus turned and growled at the front seat. “Can you butt out, Uncle??”

“Oh certainly. Just say the word.”

“I am! Butt out!”

“Will do!”

Nick stared at him as Marcus ran his hands through his hair and blew out his breath. He looked so worried. Upset. Did he really care what Nick thought? He had him in the car. Nick couldn’t exactly jump out or anything; they were already on the freeway. But he just looked like…Marcus. With fangs. But still just Marcus.

“Nick? I- what are you thinking? I know this has got to be bizarre and crazy and all, but I swear to you, I’d never hurt you.”

Just Marcus. “I know.” Nick smiled and leaned against his shoulder, snuggling close as Marcus put an arm around him and hugged him so tightly he grunted and poked at him until he let go. He smiled and closed his eyes. The weirdest and best moment of his life, right then, in a car with his…boyfriend. Partner. Lover, soon, he realized, his skin tingling.

“Um, you really don’t have to drink blood to live or something?”

Marcus made a brief gagging noise. “No. I need coffee to live.”

“I need sex to live,” Tacitus offered.

“You need to shut up to live,” Marcus added, and Tacitus chuckled.

“So, no hunting around in the dark for cute virgins or something?”

“No.” Marcus smiled and kissed the top of his head. “anyway, all the cute virgins come out in the daytime. And I already found mine.”

Nick flushed and smiled and let himself be cuddled as they continued to drive. Marcus leaned over and whispered to him.

“I really do love you, Nick.”

He fell asleep with a smile.