Electron + Proton = Attraction

Author: degrassi

Type: Slash. M/M.

Pairing: Marco Del Rossi/Craig Manning.

Rating: PG-13.

Genre: Angst/Romance/Drama.
Characters: Are in tenth grade. Emma & Co. a year behind.

Chapter: Hush, hush. Nobody to get you here. This is a real family. (More about MY take on Marco's family. ENJOY!) More things to make you smile, and giggle at in this chapter.

V. Home is where the heart is.

Even his room made Craig feel like he was in a classroom. Books, and notebooks, posters, and everything digital. Every novel. Magazine & book on his bookshelf was stacked in alphabetical order, by author's last name. Not one piece of paper littered his desk. Only a small laptop, which was covered, well protected from any discarded dust. A pencil case, and two notebooks. The carpet, blue in hue, vacuumed, and reminding the boy of something he'd see in a display window. Peering over to the single bed which was pushed up against the wall, parallel from his desk, he shuddered at seeing a bed spread tucked so sleek, and neat. He could never do that. He shrugged, and tossed his small backpack onto the bed, throwing himself on top of it, musing the bedspread and sheets. It was enough to make Marco's left eye twitch.

"I like the room. I didn't picture me half choking to death on such cleanliness." Craig said with a chuckle.

Marco gave a snort, saying nothing about the damage he had done to his made bed. "Thanks, I think. Now I have a pull out mattress. That'll be yours for the night." He said hastily, a bit irritated by the previous comment. He sauntered over, and pulled up the bottom of the bedspread. Deciding to make up for his comment, he held up the blanket, while Marco worked the small mattress out of its hiding place. Even if it hadn't been used since he had roomed with his cousin, it looked as clean and neat as his bed did. Giving the mattress a firm pat with his hand, Marco stood upright, waving a hand at the teenager still propped on his bed.

"Off, off. I should kick your behind for wearing your shoes on my bed."

A rare, true smirk across his lips, Craig slid off his bed, onto the spare pull out mattress with his palms pressed to either side of him. There was nothing to change into, since he had escaped his household in what he usually slept in. A white t-shirt, and a pair of night plaid pants. Instead, he leaned over to untie and remove his black boots. Despite him being a friend, Marco was somebody Craig enjoyed teasing, or annoying.

The other was off the bed again, plopping his bag on the floor, and climbing over the sitting Craig to stumble over to his closet. The grogginess beginning to come into play again, due to the growing lateness of the hour. Disappearing for a moment, he returned with two pillows tucked under one arm, and another, azure blanket. All three items were thrown in his direction. He lazily caught the pillows, but let the blanket cover his head. Hearing the closet door close, he finally pulled it off his bed, turning slightly to prop up the pillows. Lap covered in blue, he raised a brow as Marco climbed back onto his bed.

"Thanks." He said coolly, laying down and proceeding to sprawl out beneath the inviting bedspread.

"No problem. If you need another blanket, you'll have to ask." To that, Craig shook his head.

"Too hot."

He rolled over onto his side, listening to the other boy lean over, and turn off the light switch, leaving them both cloaked in shadows. Except for the light coming from his double windows. Listening to him blindly getting settled back into bed, Craig stared at the outline of the bookshelf, with wide eyes. It was so quiet. So peaceful, something that he could get used to, fairly quickly.

"Sleep well, Craig." Marco said with a yawn in his voice.

"Night."

A few minutes later, he managed to fall into a dreamless, restless slumber.

----

Morning came all too routine at the Del Rossi house. They all seemed to rise the moment the sun rose. At least, Carlotta Del Rossi, the first lady of the house, who insisted on bathing the home with the smell of home cooked breakfast. The dribbling of an early morning basketball in the backyard, made by the second child, and youngest son, Carlos Del Rossi. Man of the house, off to work some time early before. Marco had escaped his room just after seven o'clock in the morning, (while Craig insisted on sleeping away the morning like a log) to break the news to his mother, who was wiping her hands on her apron.

"Non un problema!" She said cheerfully, after the explanation, removing another plate from the opened cabinet, dark olive-green eyes glittering with contentment. His mom was always a morning person. "He's a very nice boy. I'll set an extra plate."

Concetta Del Rossi, the smallest, and youngest child of three, was already in the kitchen, the six year old swinging her feet lazily, her mother's eyes staring with wide-eyed awe at her older brother. "Craig is here?"

They had met him just once, but were charmed at the young teenager, who appeared as level-headed, and proper. Respectful, and polite. Which were key characteristics to earn brownie points with the members of the Del Rossi's.

Marco turned to eye his little sister. "Yes, he's up in my room. Still asleep."

The girl brushed the dark hair from her face, sliding out of her chair. She quickly adjusted her overalls, looking from her mother to her brother. "I like him. I think he's cute." She said, with a faint, childish flush brushing over the bridge of her nose, into her cheeks. That made the older boy look down at his feet.

"I'm going to go wake him up!" Concetta announced happily.

She turned, and went scampering out of the kitchen, towards the stairwell. The form of her brother, closely in step behind her.

" 'Cetta! Nonlo svegli in su!"

Her response was a giggle fit, heading up to the second landing of the house. Bursting through the closed door of her brother's room, she dove right for the form of the slumbering boy, who jolted awake with a faint gasp of surprise. Hazel-green eyes meeting a pair of excited, olive-green ones.


"Oh, hello Concetta." Craig announced sleepily, spying Marco standing in the doorway, looking slightly embarrassed, with a hand pressed against his forehead.

"Craaaaaaaaig. Can you play with me before breakfast?" She pleaded, with her hands pressed against his front. Looking amused, the still sleepy boy sat up, hoisting the small girl up into his arms as he rose up on the bed, and jumped right off it. Earning a squeal of delight from the youthful child, and a groan from Marco. ("You're going to break the mattress!", "Silence, Knight of Cleanliness!")

"Alright, kiddo. Just allow me to change, and I'll be downstairs." He said calmly, putting her back down on her feet. Rubbing his eyes, and stretching his arms above his head, he watched the girl nod -- and race back out of the room.

The eldest Del Rossi child looked sheepish. "Sorry about that."

"No big deal, I enjoy children. She reminds me of Angie." He retorted, bending over to retrieve his bag.

Marco smiled. "Breakfast should be ready in a half hour. Don't worry about my mom. She seemed thrilled at the idea, regardless of the hour."

He smiled. "Good. I was worried about that."

Heading in the direction of the bathroom, Craig smiled.

It was nice to be in a house so comforting.