This is the last chapter of this story…BUT I have a sequel in mind… if you're interested. It will be Marco in first year university (3 years later), a confident role model for others…maybe even for the first year student trying to come out in his residence…
This chapter is particularly fluffy…but that's what everyone wants in a final chapter, right? Please R&R. So much appreciated.
Chapter 10: Seasons of Love
"That was such a great game…it was a beautiful shot, Marco," Craig patted Marco on the shoulder as they walked out of the showers in the boys changeroom.
"Definitely," John Delaine intercepted Marco as Craig walked to his locker, "great spin on the ball, fierce kick," he complimented.
"Thanks," Marco blushed, never knowing quite what to do with compliments.
"Definitely. Great work, Marco," he heard Dylan call out from the back row of lockers.
Marco smiled and walked over to say 'hi' to his boyfriend who he hadn't yet talked to since his winning goal. He peered into the row of lockers. Yikes! 'Naked Dylan with his back to me. Woh – he is so hot. Such a cute butt,' Marco's head was spinning as he turned beet red, 'this is why I never talk to him in the changeroom, just in case.'
As Dylan slid on his boxers, he turned around to face a hot pink Marco staring at him with a guilty smile, "umm….I was just coming to say hi?" Marco questioned his own lame sounding statement.
Dylan looked thoroughly amused, raising his eyebrows at his painfully guilty looking boyfriend. He walked over to him, laughing, "you sure you just didn't want a sneak preview?" he flirted quietly.
"I swear, Dylan…this is the guy's changeroom…I would never-"
Dylan just laughed and put his index finger gently over Marco's mouth to shush him, "it's okay, Marco…these things happen…I do hope you like what you saw, though," Dylan teased.
'He is so confident,' Marco mused to himself, 'well, duh. Look at him.' He smiled up at Dylan, still completely red, "I'd be lying if I said I didn't."
Dylan just winked sheepishly and turned back to his locker as Marco moved quickly to change at the other side of the changeroom.
The crew arrived at Marco's house in Dylan's parents' van on Friday afternoon to begin their camping adventure. Mrs. Del Rossi came outside bringing some fresh baked cookies for everyone to share. "Hello Spinner, Ellie, Craig, Paige…Hello, Dylan," Mrs. Del Rossi saved a special acknowledging smile for her son's boyfriend.
"Hi Mrs. Del Rossi," Dylan walked up to her smiling, and taking Marco's tent from her hand, "let me help you with that." Marco melted from the side, seeing his mom trying to be so supportive…this was not the place to get weepy.
Marco climbed into the front seat, giddy with excitement. "How cool is it that we're going away all of us together this weekend?" Marco's enthusiasm was infectious as always, as Dylan blasted the Rent CD, and the cookie and chip crumbs crumbled on the car seats.
Once the tents were set up, Ellie was huffing about being left to a tent with just Craig, "come on, Ell," Marco looked at her, "I know this isn't really bothering you."
"It's like there's some conspiracy to pair me with Craig wherever we go…"
Craig, overhearing, interjected, "or one could say that the stars are aligned in our favour."
"Whatever, Craig," Ellie blushed, shaking her head in mock frustration.
Dylan, Ellie, and Craig were building a campfire, while the others prepared their hot dog, marshmallow, and chips dinner fiesta.
"So, Marco…excited? Alone,in a tent, with my brother?" Paige prodded Marco.
"Uh, Paige. If you haven't noticed, I've been going out with Dylanthrough several seasonsnow…and we spend lots of time together…and anything else is none of your business," Marco defended himself.
Paige opened her mouth feigning shock, "Marco – I would never pry…"
"Yeah, right," Spinner laughed to himself as Marco chuckled.
"Spinner! Listen…I don't care what goes on between you and my brother-"
"Paige – please! I don't need a play by play, okay?" Spinner's boundaries were clear.
"No. What I was saying, is that I don't care whatever goes on between you and him…but I do know that I've never seen Dylan quite so enamoured with someone as he is with you, Marco. And it's my sisterly duty to make sure you're not going to hurt him."
"Me?" Marco choked, "hurt Dylan?...Paige, give me a break.…I love him…and he knows that. Yeah," Marco looked shyly down at the hot dog on his plate.
Paige seemed satisfied. "Good. That's all I wanted to hear."
As the sun set, the friends roasted marshmallows, burned hot dogs, sang off tune as Craig played guitar, and once the temperature fell, huddled together in front of the smoky fire pit. As one of the group's unusual moments of silence fell, Marco looked up at his friends and said quietly, "you know, guys…well, I just wanted to say thanks…I mean thanks for everything." His friends looked curiously at him, "I mean, when I first started realizing I was gay," he looked at Ellie, "I never imagined that it could be this okay…I mean this good."
"Yeah, at one point Marco felt so bad that he told me that he wasn't going to be anything – gay or straight," Ellie remembered. Dylan's heart skipped a beat, as he put his arm protectively around Marco. It hurt him even to imagine Marco not accepting himself, not being with him. Marco leaned back into him.
"I probably had something to do with that, dude…and I'm sorry. I mean really sorry," Spinner shook his head to himself.
'Thanks, Spin. It's something we all needed to get used to, even me. And it's no problem, anymore…it's water over the bridge." Everyone laughed except Spinner who looked confused, but happy, as Paige took his hand.
Dylan raised his can of coke, "Here's to being who we are,"
"And loving who we're meant to," Craig added in, looking directly at Ellie.
"To love," Paige smiled.
"To love," Marco agreed.
"Yeah, whatever." Spinner agreed too.
The stars were shining bright by the time Marco and Dylan got back to their tent. Marco was surprisingly calm as he laid down beside Dylan on their now combined sleeping bag for two. "That was a great night," Marco commented as he turned towards Dylan, running his fingers up and down his arm.
"Yeah, it's a great group of friends…you're lucky."
"Yeah, I am," Marco answered, staring into Dylan's eyes before he leaned over to kiss him. They kissed gently at first, with warmth and intimacy, until Marco started biting Dylan's lips, making Dylan moan. Even though kissing Dylan felt as natural as breathing, Marco's body's reactions still amazed him - that he could still feel so much kissing the same person again and again. Marco deepened the kiss, as Dylan peeled off Marco's shirt and his own – "you smell like campfire," Marco breathed him in.
"So do you…hot as always," Dylan flirted, running his tongue along Marco's neck. Their bodies were pressed together, as Marco reached down for the cute butt he had only caught a glimpse of a few days ago.
"Marco," Dylan stopped him.
"Something wrong?" Marco looked confused.
"No…I just want you to know that we don't have to…I mean I know we said we would last week, but I just want you to know that I'm okay with whatever you want," Dylan was already breathing heavy.
"So you don't want to?" Marco's eyes shone flirtatiously as he climbed on top of Dylan, sitting up and straddling him.
"You've got to be kidding me." Dylan closed his eyes.
"Just checking," Marco laughed as he pressed his body against Dylan's again, and flirtatiously began moving his hand along the front of Dylan's boxers.
"Feels so good, Marco," Dylan sighed, as Marco continued, kissing his neck.
Dylan gently moved his hand to Marco's front, mirroring Marco's movements. He noticed the kissing on his neck stop as Marco sighed.
"You okay, Marco?"
"Yeah…well, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't nervous…I am…but don't think that means I don't want to…'cause I really do. I just don't know what I'm doing…and you do…and you're so hot," Marco sighed as his heart raced.
Dylan looked down into Marco's eyes with intensity, "I love you, Marco…and I want you," Dylan paused, "…and you are so totally hot too. And I'm going to show you what to do."
Marco nodded up at Dylan, "Okay."
"Now close your eyes," Dylan whispered. His lips began to massage Marco's neck, while his strong hands resumed their teasing touch on Marco's boxers, as Marco relaxed slightly, letting himself get lost in the sensations. Once he had Marco sighing and relaxed, gently kissing his own neck, and running his hands along his chest, he gently moved his hands to Marco's back, underneath Marco's boxers, massaging and then pushing his boxers down, followed quickly by his own. He could feel Marco briefly tense up, and he quickly pulled their bodies against each other in their warmest, sexiest, skin-on-skin hug yet. Marco was on top of Dylan, and he opened his eyes to stare down into Dylan's eyes filled with love and what was also, undeniably, lust. "Woh." Marco said out loud, blushing at the feel of their bodies together.
Dylan laughed warmly, kissing Marco as he gently placed him back on his back, "I love you, sexy," Dylan said as Marco closed his eyes again, getting lost in Dylan's skilled touch.
Dylan watched Marco's body as he touched him, gently at first, then more quickly, turning him on as he got harder and bigger in Dylan's hands. Dylan was getting hot just watching him, amazed at Marco's responses to his touch, eyes closed, sighs, body twitching, little gasps. Finally, he moved Marco's hands to his own body, craving his touch, "just follow my lead, sexy…I know you've done this before…just not to someone else."
Marco was already lost in the intense chemistry, nervousness gone, and he moved his hands on instinct in rhythm with Dylan's, who began to call out his name. Marco was too far gone to feel self conscious, and he moaned as hereached his first boyfriend-induced orgasm, just before Dylan did, sighing with his eyes sparkling.
"Wow," Dylan was the first to speak, "that was amazing," Dylan leaned up on his elbow, running his fingers through Marco's hair, and along his face.
Marco just smiled from ear to ear, cheeks red, as he looked into Dylan's eyes.
"Hey Marco…are you okay?"
"Yeah," Marco continued smiling up at him,…"I'm perfect." He snuggled into Dylan, as they fell asleep, intertwined in each other's arms.