There isn't much going on, Marco thinks as he walks around the temple. He checks the floor for dirt and sighs when he sees it is spotless. Of course it is, he thinks, the workers here are proud of their work. They wouldn't allow a speck of dirt to sully years of tradition and honour. Still, Marco could have appreciated something to do, for the alternative is heading home.
It's now late summer, and Marco thinks Ace has been here for three, perhaps four months. He's not entirely sure, but it's a long time. Everything was fine, until the previous week where Ace had given him a beautiful tantō, and they'd kissed. Marco knows it had been a spur of the moment gesture, but he wishes he'd pulled Ace closer, showed him how much the gift meant – how much Ace meant to him. Regardless of what he should have done, they both seem to be suffering for it now.
Marco sighs, making his way outside. There's nothing for him to do at the temple, and Whitebeard keeps looking at Marco with a slight downturn of his lips, as if he's disappointed with Marco's actions. Marco never told him about the kiss, but he has a feeling Whitebeard knows anyway. He wouldn't be surprised.
It leaves Marco little choice. If there's no work to do at the temple, then he has to go home. Or-
"It's been a while," Shanks says when Marco climbs off of his moped. He bobs his head, smiling easily at Shanks.
He'd brought Ace and his familiars here a month or two ago. Luffy had taken to Shanks right away, and they'd had a nice day. It seems so far away to Marco now, and he sits down on the shrine steps with a sigh, lying back despite the stone digging into his back.
"What do I do?" he asks Shanks, and Shanks lets out a murmur.
"Get drunk," is Shanks' first piece of advice. Marco rolls his eyes and turns to look at Shanks as he sits down. "It's a valid solution," he protests, and Marco smiles.
"What do you think about Ace?" he asks instead, and Shanks tilts his head slightly. They watch a rainbow coloured cloud float by, twisting into wispy patterns, and it's only when it's high in the sky that Shanks answers.
"I think he's good for you," Shanks says easily, and Marco jolts. That isn't the answer he's expecting, and he frowns. He's about to protest and deny all he can, but the pensive look in Shanks' eyes makes him pause.
"He is good for you," Shanks says firmly, and there's nothing Marco can do to counteract that tone. He shakes his head, more out of stubbornness than truth, because Ace probably is good for him. They all are. All of them get Marco out of his head, and he's hardly thought of that man in the past few months. So yes, Shanks is right.
"I've messed things up," Marco admits, sitting up. He shifts, setting his elbows on his knees and then his head in his hands. Ace has been off with him since that kiss. Marco should have known it would mess everything up between them. If anything could have happened, it never will now, he's sure of it.
"Really?" Shanks says, and there's humour in his gaze. "Unless you killed Sabo or Luffy, I doubt you've messed things up with Ace." Marco shakes his head. How can Shanks know that?
"I've seen the way he looks at you," Shanks continues, smirking. "He looks four parts ready to jump you there and then and six parts ready to commit his entire life to you if you simply ask him to."
Marco wants to shake his head, but he also wants it to be true. He likes Ace, really likes Ace, and not just as a superficial attraction. He's spent more nights sitting up talking about nothing in particular with Ace than anyone else in his entire life. He feels happy with Ace. He even feels like he could live in this world forever, forget about that man and his old life, as long as he has Ace.
Marco doesn't even know if that's healthy. He doesn't want to depend on Ace too much, but they seem to click so well. When Ace does leave, and Marco knows the day will come, he'll miss him terribly.
"And you're just as taken with him as he is with you, don't you even think about denying it," Shanks finishes, and Marco rolls his eyes.
"I wasn't going to," he says simply, and a lecherous smile spreads across Shanks' face. Marco doesn't want to know what's going through his mind, and he decides he has to be honest with Shanks to understand what's going on.
"He replaced my old tantō," Marco says, reaching under the folds of his clothing to pull out the exquisite blade. It really is a master's work. Even his old tantō, one that had been an heirloom to his family, hadn't been as nice as this one. Ace really went all out, and the blade feels warm, loved, in Marco's hands.
"It's beautiful," Shanks says, fingers smoothing over wood and metal. "A declaration of love!" he calls, though he is only half-serious. Marco rolls his eyes and tucks his tantō away carefully, thinking back to the wary look on Ace's face as he'd handed over his gift.
"I care too much," Marco admits, running his hands over his eyes. He buries his fingers into his hair and tugs lightly, trying to ground himself.
"No such thing," Shanks mutters, resting a head on the palm of one hand as he looks at Marco. The gesture, for some reason, calms Marco, and he summons courage he wasn't aware of before.
"I'm going to do something for him," Marco decides. He knows what he needs to do. He knows how he can fix the tense bond between them. "I'm going to make things okay."
Shanks waves goodbye, cheerfully calling out obscenities that make people turn around sharply. Marco rolls his eyes and sets a course for home. Ace should be in today: in fact all of them should. They are supposed to be looking at some information Sabo has found about dimension travel, but Marco is sure he can steal Ace for a few hours.
See, when Ace gave him the tantō, he exposed himself fully. Marco has yet to make any move to even hint how he feels. He thinks he understands why Ace has been so snappish lately. It's not about the kiss, but what's behind the kiss – or rather what Marco failed to show.
He can fix this, he thinks. He must fix it. Marco doesn't think he can say goodbye to Ace just yet.
Thatch greets him merrily as Marco enters the house. Luffy comes running to his side too, a brightly coloured (terrible) drawing of what Marco thinks might be Thatch shoved under his nose.
"I got bored," Luffy says flatly, snatching his drawing back and wandering off. It's how Luffy greets people, and it's how he judges them. Marco trusts his judgement a lot and likes Luffy. In fact, he likes all three of them. If they ended up stuck in this world then perhaps…
Marco shakes his head, clearing the thoughts. He has somewhere he needs to get back to. Someone he has to meet. He has no time to be entertaining notions he'll stay here for his entire life. How long would that be anyway? Decades? Centuries? Marco shuddered at the thought.
He waits a little before he goes to Ace. He packs up some sandwiches and drinks, setting his bag by the front door. After that, there is no more excuse for Marco to not talk to Ace, so he moves to their room, knocking quietly.
Sabo slides the door open, raising an eyebrow at Marco's uneasy smile. Sabo's always been a hard one for Marco to read, but he smiles, nods, and steps out of the way.
"Marco's here for you," he calls to Ace. Ace looks over, frowning, and stands up with a sigh. He stands before Marco with a blank face, and Marco smiles tightly.
"I was thinking we should go somewhere," he says, before adding, "just you and me."
Marco thinks he can see a scowl form on Luffy's face, but he ignores it, focusing on Ace. Ace shrugs, turning around and, for a moment, Marco thinks he's about to sit back down and ignore Marco. Instead, much to Marco's relief, he grabs a jacket and nods tightly. He's not happy, but Marco thinks that they both want the air cleared between them. They can only do that by talking.
They set out on the moped, Ace cradling their tiny picnic between them. Marco doesn't have a set destination in mind, but as they drive further away from the towns, he thinks of a place that will be suitable. It's secluded and beautiful, and he thinks Ace will like it.
They leave Marco's moped at the edge of the corn field. No one will take it, even if there were other people around here. The sun is still high in the sky, and Marco nods to himself, leaving his helmet by the moped.
"It's down here," he says, and he leads Ace through the cornfield. The corn scratches his skin, though it's only around elbow-height, and he can hear Ace's annoyance. They continue on, though, and Marco takes them to the edge of the field. There's space between the adjacent field of flowers and the cornfield, and this is where Marco sits down, placing the picnic bag before him.
Ace is a little more hesitant to sit, but he sighs eventually and complies, reaching instantly for some food.
"Things have been a bit tense between us," Marco says, and Ace looks at him sharply, as if he hadn't been expecting Marco to address the issue at all. Marco shrugs, reaching for his own sandwich. "You've done a lot for me, given a lot to me, and I've taken it for granted."
Marco bites into his sandwich, but it tastes like cardboard to him. He's too nervous to enjoy it and chews mechanically, the words he wants – needs – to say catching in his throat.
"I want to tell you everything," he manages out, and it's not what Ace has been thinking he'd hear, judging by the way he coughs around a mouthful of bread. "You deserve to know everything."
Ace really does, Marco thinks. Ace is the only one who will understand, he's come to realise. No one else truly understands other worlds like Marco does, perhaps aside from Whitebeard. Marco can never be so open with Whitebeard though. Whitebeard already knows everything anyway, it was never Marco's secret to divulge. Now he can tell his story on his own terms, and he's chosen to share it with Ace.
"Why me?" Ace asks, and he looks shaken by the prospect of the truth.
"Because you will understand," Marco replies simply, knowing that to be true with every inch of his mind. Ace will understand what he has to say. There is a bond between them, and if Marco wants to grow closer, act upon his emotions, then he needs Ace to know everything.
"Before you say anything," Ace says, swallowing the last remains of his sandwich. "I need to tell you more. If you're going to tell me everything, then I need to do the same."
He leans forward slightly, and Marco gets lost in the line of his jaw, the curve of his neck and the silent strength he possesses. Ace brings a hand up to run through his hair, and Marco is fixated by the way he moves. Marco doesn't quite believe in love, but he thinks that with time, Ace is a man he could love.
He blinks, looks away and swallows his sandwich. Marco tucks the remainder away and leans back, looking up at the sky. He'll hear what Ace has to say then, and then he'll share the parts of himself he's kept hidden.
"I've lived at an organisation called the Shrine my entire life," Ace begins, fondness for the Shrine evident in his smile. There is a little sadness there, but it seems Ace genuinely loves the place he grew up. Marco can't help but think that they are two very different people.
"It's the training facility for dimensional travel. The priests at the Shrine move between the twelve worlds to maintain balance," Ace clarifies, and Marco nods. He's heard of the Shrine before, but not in too much detail.
"My teacher was the best," Ace says, and Marco can hear the pride in his voice. He smiles, wind picking up around them. It's gentle, comforting, and Marco watches Ace as he talks.
"Inari came from another world I think," Ace says, frowning slightly. "I know he's my biological father, but even if he wasn't, that wouldn't matter. I'd think of him as a father anyway."
Marco nods slowly. He wonders what it must be like to have such faith in one person that your ties to them hardly matter. He wonders if he'll think of Ace with so much love one day and hopes.
"I learnt everything I could from him, but he vanished when I was younger. The head of the Shrine changed and, well," Ace shrugs. "He left."
There's sadness there, but Marco can tell it's without bitterness. He thinks Ace is an enigma. Marco still can't cope with being abandoned, but Ace has simply taken it in stride and moved beyond it.
"I've been looking for him ever since. I've heard whispers here and there, about a man with amazing powers, but I've never been able to find him." Ace sighs, and a sinking feeling creeps into Marco's stomach. Fate couldn't be so cruel, could it?
"There's someone else too, though I don't know if I'll ever see them at all." Ace smiles, lost to a memory only he knows, and Marco's fingers tighten around the grass they lay on. He's ripping them slowly from the ground, hoping his sickening feeling will be washed away with Ace's next words.
"I'm looking for a black rabbit," he says, and Marco has to turn away. He can't look at Ace right now, not when he can feel bile in the back of his throat. Of all the people to be looking for, Ace has to be looking for them. He wants to laugh, wants to cry, but he can do neither.
Instead, he feels an opportunity. Marco has a good idea where the rabbit may be, and if he finds the rabbit then he can find the man. He's never been able to put his theory to the test, but Ace might have the means to find her.
"I know them," Marco announces, and he tries not to look at Ace. He can feel excitement radiating from Ace, though, and thinks that his simple sentence is enough to clear the air. He won't come up short though, he made a promise to himself to tell Ace the truth and while it'll be the hardest path he's walked, Marco will uphold his vow.
"I can help you find them," he says, and this time he does look at Ace. Ace's eyes are wide and he looks shocked, but he leans closer, nodding at Marco's words. "On one condition."
Ace's lips part, and Marco tries not to think of their kiss and how he would very much like to kiss Ace again.
"Anything," Ace rushes out, and Marco wonders how he's inspired so much trust, even with their strained bond of late. But Ace really does trust him, Marco knows, but he's not sure why. He's not done anything to inspire Ace or win him over. The thought confuses Marco, but it settles proudly on his shoulders. Perhaps he is worth a lot more than he thinks.
"You have to kill me," he says, and remains steady as Ace shakes his head, laughing. He thinks it's a joke, but Ace hasn't heard what Marco has to say yet. He hasn't heard Marco's story and he has no idea what Marco feels.
"Marco," Ace begins, laughter fading from his face as he realises that Marco is serious. "What do you mean?"
Marco shakes his head to clear his thoughts, wondering how he should start. He pauses, reaches for his drink, then begins.
"I wasn't born in this world," he says, and Ace nods. Ace already knows that of course. "I was brought here by a man and a woman, two gods, who took me in when my clan was slaughtered."
Ace shows sympathy in the way his lips downturn, but there is no pity. Marco is thankful. He takes a sip of his drink and returns to his story.
"I don't know who attacked my clan. All I remember is seeing them around me and knowing that I was going to die too." Marco looks down. All he can remember is the earth, churned up from the rain and people trying to flee death. He remembers the way a blade had sliced into him, tearing through him as if he was nothing. Marco remembers feeling his life slip away, and remembers feeling at peace.
"The next thing I know, I was in a woman's arms. She was nothing like my mother, but she seemed nice. I was still dying, but I thought it would be okay to die in her arms." Marco smiles sadly. "I think I would have done anything for her, she looked so sad."
Marco remembers her like that the most. He remembers tears streaming down her face as she tries to will him to survive, and Marco remembers smiling return. He would have done anything to wipe the sadness from her, he knows, and he had.
"She offered me something and I ate it." Marco presses his lips together, remembering the pulpy flesh of the pomegranate. It had tasted like ambrosia, something only a god could conjure up. Never has Marco tasted anything as sweet or filling, and he hopes he never will.
"I didn't realise at first," Marco says, staring at the grass in front of him. He thinks he can see an ant meandering through grass stalks and he tries to follow it. He doesn't want to look at Ace as he discusses this part. This is the darkest part of his soul, after all.
"I woke up. I remember waking up and realising that I had survived. I remember thinking that I was okay, that I was lucky, and that I should be thankful." Marco closes his eyes, remembering how he'd felt when he woke up. No matter how much time passes, he'll always remember the feeling.
"And then I realised my family were dead. I saw my parents, siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins – everyone – dead. I should have died," Marco says, bitterness creeping into his voice. "I should have died, and there was no miracle that saved me."
Marco takes a deep, shaky breath, looking up at the sky.
"I'd just been given a tantō for my birthday. It was a family heirloom, a blade that the bravest warriors of my clan had used." Marco scrunches his eyes up, remembering the weight of the blade in a child's hand and how he'd turned that hand on himself. "I tried to kill myself," he says softly, and he hears Ace inhale sharply.
In fact, Marco thinks, he has a scar to prove it. It's a thin line across his stomach now, only noticeable in the right light, but he knows it's there. It's a constant reminder of who he was and who he is now.
"I can't die," Marco says, smiling tightly. "I remember lying on the floor, bleeding out, and then my wound patched itself back up."
He remembers their look of horror when they'd found him. She had rushed over instantly, snatching the blade from Marco's hand. She'd cut herself, of course, but she'd pulled Marco to herself anyway, holding him close and telling him it would be okay, ignoring the cut on her palm. He had just watched from the background, as if he'd known what would happen all along.
"I can't die," Marco says, and his body shudders with the admission. He barely thinks about it, let alone articulates it, and he hates himself. His skin crawls, and he reaches for his drink just to have something to distract himself.
"I'm only alive because they made me immortal. I'm a human who's tasted the fruit of the gods, and yet I stand unpunished." Marco shakes his head as Ace opens his mouth. He's not ready to hear it. If Ace speaks, Marco will stop.
"They created this world and brought me here," Marco says. He doesn't need to get into details. He remembers hating his life for a long time, though he accepted the kindness and love shown towards him. He remembers her more fondly than he does him, but that's because the god was a man who didn't like to interfere. Or so he said.
"They left though," Marco says. He doesn't care if he skips out the details, he needs to say what he has to say. He's not there to tell an entire story, and Ace can ask questions later, if Marco feels he can answer them. A lot of this story isn't for Marco to tell anyway. He doesn't know a lot of it either, such is a child's memory.
"I was made the head of this world, given power that would help me govern. Whitebeard joined me and raised me to be who I am today. He is my real family," Marco says, and he'll always stand by that. Whitebeard is the one who's been there for him, the one who's supported Marco his entire life. He's the one who raised Marco.
Marco understands why he was left alone, but that doesn't make it right. They could have taken him with them. His stomach twists, and Marco looks at Ace, wanting something here and now, something that he needs to work on. Something he can save.
"Whitebeard is the only person I've been able to love," Marco explains, and Ace nods. He might not understand fully – Marco's story is patchy after all – but he seems to understand the important parts. He hasn't gone running either, and Marco appreciates that.
He has to be brave one more time.
"Until now," he adds, and Marco is brave enough only to speak the words. He can't look Ace in the eye, and he focuses on a patch of daisies just by Ace's knee. It's silent around them, and Marco thinks he might have done something terrible.
"What do you mean?" Ace says. The words are rushed, as if he needs to know right now, and Marco has to look at him. What he sees takes him back a little, and he pauses. Ace looks on the verge of something, thought Marco isn't sure if it's something slightly mad or amazing.
Whatever it is, it gives Marco courage.
"I don't know if I understand love," he begins, and he can see Ace hanging on every word. His fingers uncurl from the grass he pulled up earlier and he lets the grass fall to the floor, forgotten as his attention is for Ace only.
"I'm not sure I'll ever understand it," Marco continues. "But I know that if there's anyone I can truly love, that person will be you."
His words seem to knock everything out of Ace, and Marco wonders if perhaps he was too forward. He opens his mouth, closes it, then settles for taking some of his drink.
"That is why I want you to be the one to kill me," Marco finishes. He can see the refusal in Ace's eyes and realises that their concepts of death are not the same.
"I want you to help me shed my immortality," Marco clarifies, and while Ace still looks wary, he seems more open to listening now. He narrows his eyes and looks down.
"I'm not going to kill you," he mutters, and Marco smiles. That's what he's expected, and he hums softly.
"I will only help you under those terms," he says, and Ace shakes his head. It is a harsh bargain, but Marco needs to become normal. If he wants to leave this world he needs to lose his immortality. He needs to be a regular human, not a man who has stolen powers from the gods.
"I refuse," Ace says, but he is grinning. This is nothing that Marco thought it could be, and he looks on in confusion. What is Ace thinking now?
"We'll find them together," he says, and Marco wonders if his words have power. He can feel himself believing in Ace, whether he wants to or now. "We'll find them and sit down. We'll sort this out, both of us together, and you won't have to be alone anymore."
Ace's hand finds Marco's. Marco isn't sure when he moved forwards or quite how his hand pressed in the gap between them, but he is glad for it as Ace's fingers smooth over his knuckles.
"If you want to cure yourself of immortality, then I'll help you," Ace vows, and he moves closer and closer to Marco with every word. Their hands are resting on Ace's thigh now, as he kneels before Marco.
"I refuse to kill any part of you, however," he finishes, and Marco lets out a breath. He feels as though a great wave has washed over him, and he feels pure. He believes in Ace, and Marco wonders if he really doesn't need to kill part of himself.
It's not so much the immortality that Marco wants rid of. It's the only way he can explain it to Ace, though, which is why he referred to it as such. What he really wants rid of is the uncertainty within himself. Ever since he learnt he is immortal, there's been an uneasiness in his stomach, as if he'll fall apart without warning. Marco doesn't feel like a proper person, doesn't feel complete, and he wants Ace to help him be free of that. He doesn't know if he can do that, but Ace has defied the impossible before, so Marco thinks it's worth a try.
He opens his mouth to say something, but his words are lost when he looks into Ace's dark eyes. For some inexplicable reason, Marco feels as if Ace knows everything about him in that instant, and he knows he can't let this moment slip. Marco has to do something, so he does, closing the space between them and kissing Ace softly. His hands wander from Ace's thigh to grip his hips, pulling him closer. Ace shuffles even more, until he's on Marco's lap, and he has no qualms about kissing Marco exactly as Marco's imagined.
Of course Marco has thought about this moment. He's thought about everything from stroking Ace's hair out of his face to fucking him over the kitchen counter, but he'd never thought he'd get the opportunity to actually do the former, let alone any fucking. They part, and he takes a shaky breath, opening eyes he hadn't realised he'd closed.
"Ace," he says, voice low. Marco can see that Ace's eyes are dark and knows that there's only one way they can keep going. "Are you sure?"
Ace nods, and he seems nervous suddenly, as if he doubts he's done the right thing. Marco wants to kick himself, how can he have put doubts in Ace's head? He wants this as much as Ace. He smiles, hoping to ease some of Ace's worries, before he moves a hand upwards, smoothing over Ace's ribs and shoulder, until he's cupping Ace's cheek.
"I want this more than anything," Marco says, and he can see any lingering doubt Ace has vanish. He feels Ace move his hands down, slipping behind Marco's back, and then Ace is kissing him again, and Marco thinks it's unfair that Ace has kissed him more than the other way around. He'll just have to spend a lot of time trying to outnumber him.
Marco is hardly experienced, but he can feel that what he has with Ace is different to a quick fumble. Ace pulls back, but Marco doesn't let him go for too long, kissing him slowly, running his tongue across Ace's lip before grazing it gently with his teeth. He hears Ace let out a sharp breath and smiles, kissing the side of Ace's mouth, down to his jaw and then his neck.
Ace's skin is soft, and he feels Ace shudder as he trails his was down his jugular, planting wet, possessive kisses. He has Ace all to himself, and he plans to make the most of it from now on, and he senses that Ace is just as agreeable as his fantasies have suggested.
"Stop," Ace says, tilting his hips, and Marco can feel his hardness, "teasing!" Marco grins, letting his teeth trace Ace's pulse for a moment, before he pulls away, looking into Ace's eyes. He feels his stomach twinge as Ace shifts in his lap, brushing his hard cock, and Marco swallows slowly.
"I want you," Marco whispers, and Ace lets out a shaky breath, wobbly smile on his face as his teeth catch his lower lip. He nods eagerly as Marco runs the tip of his finger over his crotch, glad that Ace is wearing loose trousers. They're easily pulled down, and Ace looks vulnerable as he sits back down, trousers down just enough to let his cock out.
"You're gorgeous," Marco says, and he smiles at the flush that covers Ace's cheeks with his words. Part of him wants to ruin Ace in the best way possible, have him unable to form any words but Marco's name, but that is for another time (and place). Ace has already given him so much, and Marco wants to give Ace something now.
The first touch he makes sends Ace sighing, moving a hand back to steady himself on the ground while allowing his hips to move. Marco can tell he already wants to thrust, but Marco isn't ready for Ace to take control. He wants to teach him first, make him feel as amazing as Marco sees him.
He runs his thumb over the tip of Ace's cock, smearing pre-come down the length. Ace jerks as Marco moves his hand, and his eyes lock on Marco's. He groans, smiling, and throws his head back. It's an invitation, and Marco kisses his neck as he moves his hand around Ace's cock, jerking him off slowly.
Ace leans into him, hips jolting in time to press into Marco's hand. His head rests against Marco's shoulder, and Marco can hear the change in his breathing as he moves his hand. He learns what Ace likes, a slight turn of his wrist here and there, his other hand massaging Ace's balls, thumb circling the head, and Ace is completely under his ministrations, hands gripping Marco's arms.
Marco doesn't slow, even when Ace says his name in a rush, a clear warning he is about to come. His head moves back, and there's a wild look in his eyes as he kisses Marco, panting when he does come, breathing heavily and sighing as Marco slows his hand, unconcerned his clothes are covered in come.
"Sorry," Ace says when he's recovered enough. He shifts, pulling his trousers back up, and Marco can tell he's not sorry at all by the grin on his face. "It's getting late," he says, and Marco raises an eyebrow. It's not really – and then he realises why Ace is suggesting they get back.
Marco doesn't think he's ever pushed his moped as hard as he does then to get back home. Ace is pressed against his back, and yes Ace, he can feel his cock there, and no Ace, he can't return the favour when they're driving for fuck's sake (though Marco's close to throwing his hands up and letting Ace do it anyway – he can't exactly die so what can the harm be?), and then they're close to home enough that they'd just be wasting time if they did fool around right now and then. Marco is impressed at his self-control, really, and they enter the house quietly. No one's around, not even Thatch, and Marco leads Ace to his room, barely just closed the door when Ace is there, pushing him up against the wall and kissing him.
"There should be a rule," Ace says as Marco pushes him back to the bed. "A rule that states we have to kiss every few minutes, or I might seriously die."
Marco laughs, letting Ace kick his trousers off and remove his shirt. Ace then glares at him, and Marco gets the message, shedding his own clothes in a heap, before they're pressed together again, and maybe Ace does have a point about this new rule. It will be a terrible thing if they can't kiss every few minutes.
"I want to try something," Ace says, and Marco isn't sure what he's expecting, but it certainly isn't Ace switching their positions, moving between Marco's legs and then taking his cock in his mouth. His hips jerk in surprise, and Ace pulls back with a cough, frown on his face.
"Sorry," Marco says quickly, and Ace nods, lowering his mouth again. Marco groans as Ace tries a different approach, kissing the base of Marco's cock gently, tongue darting out as he moves his way upwards. His head falls back as Ace takes all of him again, this time slower. He's a little unsure but seems to be spurred on whenever Marco's breath hitches.
It's clear this is Ace's first time giving head, and while he's a little clumsy, teeth catching every now and then, and pulling back before he goes down too far, it's more than Marco could ever have dreamt of. He sighs, warmth spiking in his lower abdomen, and resists the urge to thread his fingers in Ace's hair. Ace moves his tongue, swirling the head of Marco's cock, and Marco tilts his hips slightly, pushing his cock further down. Ace's mouth feels amazing, and Marco wonders how much more they'll get to do before the morning, and then Ace moans.
Marco looks down in surprise, eyebrows shooting up as he sees Ace touching himself, eyes closed. He lets Marco's cock fall from his mouth with a wet pop, and Marco can see his cock resting against Ace's cheek, bobbing in time with Ace's hand against his own dick.
"Marco," Ace groans, pressing against Marco's cock, tongue darting out as if he's trying to suck Marco off again, but it's too late for that. Seeing Ace in such a state after having his cock in his mouth is all Marco needs, and he comes before he realises what's happening, closing his eyes tightly and letting his head fall back on the bed.
When he feels strength to look up, Marco's disappointed to see that Ace managed to finish himself off. He's wiping Marco's come from his cheek though, a look half-curious and half-disgusted on his face. Marco laughs, pulls Ace closer, and uses the corner of the covers to wipe his face, kissing him as soon as he's done.
"I have more things I want to try," Ace says, devious look on his face. Marco raises an eyebrow, pulling Ace against his side as he hums in agreement.
"There's a lot of time before the sun rises," he says, and Ace shifts, moving on top of Marco to kiss him slowly, tongue smoothing over Marco's mouth.
Marco wonders why they waited this long.
