Mark woke up the next morning to find Kevin wrapped around him, legs entangled and Kev’s head resting on his chest, a large, slimy pile of drool gathering where he lay. Perils of being in love and letting your boyfriend cuddle you all night.
Realising that he wasn’t moving anywhere until Kevin woke up, Mark dropped his head back onto the pillow, closing his eyes, but he couldn’t fall back asleep. He was too wired about seeing his extended ‘family’ again for the first time in over 5 months. He knew he had disappointed both Mae and Patricia, and had felt guilty about it.
Sighing heavily, he shook Kev lightly, wanting him to wake up so he could move.
That and the drool on his chest had started to cool – and it felt gross
Realising gently shaking wasn’t going to work, Mark decided to go for something a little more aggressive. Managing to free one arm, Mark reached up and flicked Kevin in the middle of his forehead – hard.
Kev’s eyes shot open, looking around wildly.
“What the!”
“Sorry babes, but I’m rapidly loosing feeling all over my body and I really want to mop up the lake that you’ve so kindly left on my chest.”
Grimacing Kevin lifted his head and surveyed the what he’d done.
“Eww, that’s feral. I never knew I did that!”
He ran a finger through it and then shuddered, causing Mark to laugh.
“Exactly, and now please move, I need a shower!”
Kevin reluctantly shifted over, rubbing the side of his face to remove the dried dribble. Mark saw this and laughed,
“I’m telling ya Kev, looks like I need to start keeping a bucket by the bed!”
Kev mock glared at him, and pretend to sulk, and just when he thought Mark had left to shower without him, he felt a pair of arms slide around his waist, and forgetting himself for a split second, he leant back against Mark.
Right into the drool on Mark’s chest.
“EWW! MARCUS!”
Mark fell back onto the bed, laughing uncontrollably.
Just as Kevin was about to seek his revenge, a knock on the door made them both jump.
“Now don’t you two go and pretend you’re not awake! We can hear Kevin squealing in the kitchen, very unmanly.” It was Marie, making sure the two boys were actually getting out of bed, and not, well, doing things that they shouldn’t be doing, not that she actually wanted to think about them doing that.
Inside the room, she could here Kevin loudly protesting to being told he was unmanly, and Mark laughing at him. Rolling her eyes, she banged on the door, “Hurry up you two, don’t make me come in there!”
Mark and Kevin exchanged looks, and then looked down at themselves, the evidence of last night’s love making session still evident.
That and they was also still naked.
Quickly recovering himself, Mark called out to his Mum, “It’s okay, we’re up – be down soon.”
Marie smiled, satisfied and headed back downstairs to cook breakfast. Five males in the house, and not one of them could cook!
Under the hot spray, and finally clean of all bodily substances, Mark pulled Kevin closed, cuddling him tightly. Sighing happily, Kevin rested his head on Mark’s shoulder. This is where he belonged, right here in the arms of a man who loved him.
Mark dropped a kiss onto his wet head, “Penny for your thoughts.”
Kevin smiled up at him, “Was just thinking how much I love you, and how lucky I am.”
Dipping his head slightly, Mark kissed him gently, holding him close. When they finally broke apart for breath, Kevin reached down and turned Mark’s wrist over, running his fingers gently across the stark white scar. To his horror, he felt his eye fill with tears, and he tried to gulp them back, but a few escaped.
“Hey,”
Mark made him look up at him, running his thumbs down his cheeks. “No tears Kev. It was a stupid mistake, one I wish I never had done”
Kevin bit into his lip, closing his eyes. “I know, but I was so scared…scared that I was gonna loose you before I’d even got you.”
Feeling his own eyes fill with tears, Mark tugged him close, “You’re never going to loose me, never, you hear me? You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me, and I want you around, forever.”
Grappling to control his feelings and feeling overwhelmed from the love that Mark had expressed, Kevin did the one thing he could do in the situation – pulled him close and kissed him hard, sealing their love as the water poured down on them.
Later on, Mark sat on the bed, finally showered, shaved and dressed, waiting for Kevin to finish in the bathroom. Even though he would never admit it, Kevin was incredibly vain, refusing to the leave the bathroom until everything was just perfect. It had been over an hour since his Mam had banged on the door, and she had been back again, Mark finally managing to pacify her by saying that they would make their own breakfast and find their own way to the Filan’s house, in time for lunch. Satisfied with this answer, Marie had rounded up her husband, and other two wayward sons and herded them out the car, telling them they were all going to help set up the spit roast, wether they wanted to or not.
Kevin clearing his throat in the doorway made Mark jump, and he smiled when he saw his boyfriend, in new jeans and a tight muscle t-shirt, obviously trying to make an effort.
“Wow, Kev, you look…amazing” Mark rose up from the bed, meeting him in the middle of the room and cuddling him.
“Now Mam said she left some stuff out for our breakfast, so how bout we…”
The rest of his sentence was cut off by Kevin kissing him.
“Shh, just for a little while Mark. It’s just you and me, no-one else around,” he walked over to the stereo and fiddled with it, before walking back over to him, holding out a hand.
“Dance with me Mark?”
Mark felt a soft blush enter his cheeks, “I can’t dance.”
Kevin chuckled, “Then let me teach you.”
Clearing his throat, Kevin started to sing softly, the music starting in the background,
“Let me teach you how to dance
Let me lead you to the floor
Simply place your hand in mine
And then think of nothing more
Let the music cast its spell
Give the atmosphere a chance
Simply follow where I lead
Let me teach you how to dance…”
Wordlessly Mark placed one hand in Kevin’s, the other going around his waist, Kevin whispering softly in his ear, “Just follow my lead.”
The music changed slightly, and the CD took over Kevin’s singing, and the two boys danced, arm in arm around the bedroom.
“When you taught me how to dance
Years ago with misty eyes
Every step and silent glance
Every move a sweet surprise
Someone must have taught you well
To beguile and to entrance
For that night you cast your spell
And you taught me how to dance
Light reflections in a lake
I recall what went before
As I give, I'll learn to take
And to be alone no more
Other lights may light my way
I may even find romance
But I won't forget that night
When you taught me how to dance
Cold winds blow
But on those hills you’ll find me
And I know
You’re walking right behind me
When you taught me how to dance
Years ago with misty eyes
Every step and silent glance
Every move a sweet surprise
Someone must have taught you well
o beguile and to entrance
For that night you cast your spell
And you taught me how to dance
And you taught me how to dance"
When the song finished, Mark stood, still holding Kevin to him, staring deep into Kevin’s eyes, seeing the loved reflected in them.
“Mark,” Kevin’s voice broke, and he tried again.
“Mark, I’ve got something for you, just a small present. I was going to save it for tomorrow, for your birthday, but I want to give it too you now.”
Mark went to protest, but Kevin gently placed a finger on his lips, “No let me continue, please.”
He paused for a minute, and rummaged around in his pocket, producing a small box.
Mark’s eyes went wide.
“I know we’ve only known each other for five months, but they’ve been the best five months of my life, especially the last three. You’re the missing piece in my life, something I’ve been looking for, for a long time, and I want you to know that. This might seem a little crazy and happening so fast, but I’ve never felt this way about anyone before. To be honest, it’s scares the daylights out of me, to feel this strongly about one person, but I can’t imagine life without you. You make me and my life complete.”
Nervously, he flipped the lid open on the box, revealing a white gold ring, engraved with a Gaelic Irish inscription. He tugged it out of the box, and turned it over in his hand, then looked back up at Mark, who was looking at him in amazement,
“It’s not an engagement ring, as such. It’s more a commitment ring, to show you how much I love you, and care for you. And so that when you’re away with the band, then I’ll always be there with you, if not in person, then in spirit.”
Unable to think of anything to say Mark kissed him deeply, before whispering softly in his ear, “Yes, I accept your unofficial proposal. I love you.”
He took the ring, running his fingers over the engraving, grá go deo.
Kevin smiled proudly, “It means love forever, in Irish.”
Mark chuckled softly, “I know, it’s beautiful. You’re beautiful. Now are you going to put it on or do I have to do it myself?”
Shyly, Kevin took Mark’s hand and slid in ring onto his middle finger, smiling when he saw it fit perfectly.
Feeling himself getting choked up, Mark pulled Kevin close, hugging him tightly, wondering just how he had got so lucky.
“Kev?”
“Yeah?”
“I love you – forever.”