Swimming

Mark lay next to Roger with his head on the rocker's bare chest. Roger was absentmindedly stroking Mark's hair and arm. Mark's fingers were splayed across Roger's bare chest.

"Hey Marky?" Roger asked.

"Hmm??"

"Say we go check out that new indoor swimming pool down at the community center? It'll be fun." Mark shook his head. "Come on baby, please?"

"I don't like swimming pools." With that, Mark sat up and climbed out of bed. Roger sat up. Mark started to pull on his clothes. Roger leaned over and wrapped his arms around Mark's thin waist.

"Why? Are you afraid that people will laugh at your pathetic albino skin?" Rolling his eyes, Mark broke free of Roger's grip. He took the rocker's face in his hands and kissed him tenderly.

"I'm going to go out filming. I'll be back later." Mark let go of Roger and left.

After Mark left, Roger went back to bed for a little while. He couldn't figure out what was wrong with Mark. He was acting so weird! Normally Mark was the one that wanted to go out, and Roger wanted to stay at the loft, not the other way around.

When Mark got back from filming, he found Roger sitting on the window seat playing his guitar. Mark put down his stuff and sat down across from the rocker. Roger simply ignored him. Mark sighed.

"You can't be mad at me because I won't go to the pool with you," he said. Roger didn't stop playing his guitar. Mark leaned over and put his hands over the rocker's. "I'm sorry baby…really I am."

"Then why won't you tell me why you don't want to go to the pool? Come on, you know everything about me."

"No, I don't, and I don't make a big deal about what I don't know." Rolling his eyes, Roger got up. "Roger! What the hell is your problem!?"

"You, you and your damn secrets!" with that, Roger stormed up to the roof, leaving Mark alone to his thoughts.

After giving Roger a chance to cool down, Mark went up on the roof to talk to him. roger was sitting with his back to the door, playing a tune that Mark had never heard before.

"Roger," said Mark. Roger's head whipped around. "Are you okay?" roger shrugged.

"I guess," he replied. "I just wish that you'd tell me what's wrong with going to the pool." Mark went over and sat down next to Roger.

"I was five and Cindy was eight," he started. "We were at the pool, and Cindy pushed me in the deep end. I nearly drowned." Right away, Roger pulled Mark onto his lap and held him close.

"Oh Marky, I'm sorry." Mark shook his head.

"It's okay, you didn't know. I should have told you sooner." Roger kissed Mark softly on the lips.

"I'm just glad that you're here now." Mark rested his head on Roger's shoulder and allowed himself to be held like a small child in the strong arms of his boyfriend.

The End