slipped along the way

[unmarred]

(from here)

So... up the stairs they go, mostly side by side. Mark lags by a step or two.

There is a persistent silence.



"I... didn't think you'd react the way you did," he says finally. "I mean, I thought you might—that there might be something there, but not that you'd actually."

Comments

[unmarred]

"Yeah," Mark says softly. "I know what you mean. I don't have a home the same way, but I know what it means to you."

[thisvorlunatic]

Stalas hugs him tighter.

"It's comforting. To have someone who understands. Miles keeps saying you're not allowed in his club, but... I think you're allowed in mine."

[unmarred]

Well, now Mark is going to be crying into Stalas's chest some more.

[thisvorlunatic]

That's okay. That was pretty predictable.

[unmarred]

Yes, a bit.



"Thank you," he mumbles, eventually, when he can talk again. "Thank you, thank you... you're so good... shut the fuck up about my standards, I don't care, you're perfect, you're amazing, you're the best thing that's happened to me, I love you."

[thisvorlunatic]

"I... Ancestors, Mark, I don't know what to say. You're welcome? I like you, I care about you, I still think your standards are for shit but I understand them much better now..."

[unmarred]

Mark starts giggling helplessly. And sort of tearfully. Giggle-crying.

[thisvorlunatic]

Well. Okay. Good. Stalas will take that.

Snuggle.

[unmarred]

After a minute, the weepy giggles trail off. Mark hiccups.

[thisvorlunatic]

Stalas cracks up.

"That was just needlessly adorable."

[unmarred]

"It's not like I did it on purpose!"

[thisvorlunatic]

"Uh-huh."

The way they're curled up together, Stalas happens to be very well-placed to kiss Mark's forehead just now. It occurs to him to do, and he doesn't see any reason not to, so he does it.

[unmarred]

Mark closes his eyes and vents a sigh of deep contentment.

[thisvorlunatic]

A cozy silence ensues.

[unmarred]

Eventually, Mark murmurs, "I wanna kiss you again."

[thisvorlunatic]

"That sounds like a fine idea," says Stalas, and proceeds immediately to implementing it.

[unmarred]

Perfect. Warm cozy snuggly kisses. Not that Mark has many points of comparison here, but those are rapidly becoming one of his favourite kinds.

He sneaks a hand under the hem of Stalas's shirt.

[thisvorlunatic]

Stalas produces no objections. In fact he produces a grin.

[unmarred]

Mark grins back, heartened.

"Can I see?"

[thisvorlunatic]

"What, me with my shirt off? Why not," he says, shrugging with only the slightest hesitation. Off comes the shirt.

Underneath it, bruises in every colour show through his pale skin - deep purple-black shading into red and from there to a fainter yellow-green. It's pretty ghastly.

[unmarred]

He runs his hands up Stalas's chest as it is revealed, bruises and all. Then he gives Stalas another kiss.

"You're beautiful," he murmurs. "You're fucking glorious. The things I want to do to you..."

[thisvorlunatic]

"...You could... tell me about them," Stalas suggests. "I wouldn't mind hearing what put that amazing look on your face."

[unmarred]

"Amazing? What happened to creepy?"

[thisvorlunatic]

"Creepy was when I felt like you were looking for things I didn't want you to see, and finding them," says Stalas. "Now I don't mind you looking, and the way you look... it's like... I can't even describe it."

[unmarred]

"Like I want to find out everything you've ever wanted, and give you all of it," says Mark. "Like you're the most gorgeous thing I've ever seen. Like I can't believe I'm allowed to touch you and I want to do as much of it as possible."