This is the last chapter of my first story and the longest too...I have loved writing it and I hope you've enjoyed reading. Please review to encourage me to write more in the future. Thank you to the loyal reviewers.I would love to hear from even more of you.
Just curious - have any of the other Darco writers besides the ones who've reviewedbeen reading (whose names I only know from their stories - KaitlinBell, 4thmonththankyou, anjel919etc...). Would be interested in your thoughts.
Thanks again for making this so much fun!
Chapter 10: The Power of Truth
Marco was helping his mom chop vegetables for the salad, when the doorbell rang. "I'll get it." Marco ran quickly to the door, excited but nervous.
"Dylan's here. It's about time. I am getting very hungry," Marco's dad huffed from the living room.
"Dad, he's five minutes early," Marco rolled his eyes as he past him, "relax, okay?"
Marco opened the door to the familiar blue eyes, again holding flowers. "Hey Marco," Dylan kissed him quickly on the lips, "this time these aren't for you." Marco smiled as he brought Dylan into the kitchen.
"Hi Mrs. Del Rossi-"
"Dylan – so nice to see you. I am so very happy that you could come. For me? Oh so thoughtful…Marco, look at these flowers that Dylan brought. Beautiful!" Marco's mom beamed.
"Yeah,…he is," Marco said quietly, smiling at Dylan.
"Why don't you two boys go get me some fresh basil from the garden?" Mrs. Del Rossi motioned for the back door.
"You grow your own herbs?" Dylan looked around the beautiful vegetable and herb garden in Marco's back yard.
"My mom does…And I hope to one day." They began picking the basil.
"Dylan, …um, thanks for coming…it really means a lot to me…And, well, …I'm sorry in advance for anything my dad might say-"
"Marco, don't worry…it means a lot to me to be here…And remember, we both know that questions about being gay are always better than being afraid to talk about it," Dylan reassured.
As the smell of the roasting chicken, garlicky bruschetta, and thick red wine filled the dining room, the family sat down and started to relax.
"You routing for the Oilers this year in the Stanley Cup?" Marco's dad started his favourite topic. Marco breathed easier, sports was always safe. Good topic, next we can move on to soccer…
"Of course. The only Canadian team left. The key to winning, I think will be..."
Marco tuned out, enjoying his red wine, smiling at his mom and at the four of them sitting together.
"So let me ask you something Dylan," Marco's dad continued, "You like sports, you are a great hockey player, you not, you know, that funny way, at all, but you don't like girls?"
"Pa!" Marco cut him off, "Please, we've been through this."
"It's okay, Marco," Dylan gently took his hand under the table, "No, Mr. Del Rossi. You're right, I don't. I like Marco…And well, I know this is still new to you. So I just wanted to thank you and Mrs. Del Rossi for having me for dinner. It means a lot to Marco, and well, to me too."
Marco's dad nodded begrudgingly, knowing the situation wasn't going to change, but also impressed with Dylan's politeness.
"It's our pleasure, Dylan," Marco's mom chimed in, "It was very hard for me last time you were dating to not know you at all…I don't want that to be the case this time. We know Marco cares about you, and we want you to feel like you can come over here and feel comfortable."
Marco smiled warmly at his mom. "Thanks ma. We will, …I mean …I hope Dylan and I will be together for a while, and…well, we'll spend time here as long as it's okay with you."
"More than okay," Marco's mom smiled.
The rest of the dinner went smoothly, as the red wine relaxed everyone, and the conversation flowed over coffee and tiramisu. They went through World Cup predictions, how to grow a vegetable garden, Dylan's university courses, and every now and then Marco or Dylan was brave enough to discreetly place a hand on the other's thigh, or on the back of the other's chair. Everything was totally and utterly normal. 'This is what it must be like to be straight, and to bring your significant other to dinner for the first time….But I'm not straight! Look at my traditional Italian parents hanging out with my boyfriend…' Marco's heart felt open and full of love for his family.
"Thank you both so much for having me," Dylan said as he and Marco got ready to leave for his house, "Everything was so delicious, Mrs. Del Rossi…I hope you'll have me for chicken cacciatore again."
"Oh no, Dylan – next time we'll have to have you for my mushroom lasagna, maybe next week?" Mrs. Del Rossi smiled hopefully.
"Okay, Ma,…we'll see," Marco laughed as he thought to himself, 'now let's not go overboard.'
As Dylan parked in his driveway and got out of the car, Marco skipped around to his side and wrapped him in a bear hug. "I can't believe we did that! Dylan…I mean…I've always felt like that at your house, but with my Italian parents…I swear, I was thinking to myself that this is how straight people must feel….And you were so great with my dad…How could he resist your gentlemanly politeness, …and of course, your undeniable butch masculinity."
"You think I'm butch?" Dylan laughed.
"Oh please Dylan, you are the definition – built, boyish, athletic…only the finest tuned gaydar would know-"
"Yeah, by the way I only gaze at the shirtless men at the beach…really, doesn't take much to figure me out."
"You better only be gazing at one shirtless guy at the beach…" Marco flirted.
When they went inside, they saw Paige, Alex, Ellie, and Craig seated on the floor in the living room, beer and chips being passed around. "Craig!" Marco exclaimed.
"Hey man,…I'm back for the summer," Craig stood up, hugging Marco while reaching over to shake Dylan's hand.
"This is such a great surprise!" Marco smiled and glanced at Ellie.
"And I see I'm not the only one with surprises," Craig insinuated, eyeing Dylan's arm around Marco.
Marco blushed as a force of habit. "Yeah," he chuckled, "Dylan and I are back together, it appears." He smiled up at Dylan.
"It appears?" Dylan mocked, "Yeah Craig, just to clarify, it's not just appearances. We are, in fact, back together," Dylan added protectively.
"Well then I'm sure you two would love to join us in our childish game of truth or dare?" Craig invited.
Marco and Dylan looked at each other. "What the hell, why not? We've had enough red wine and our secrets are out," Marco answered.
"But one condition - all dares of a sexual nature are same sex only…or…ummm…well, opposite sex in the case of Craig and Ellie.," Dylan warned.
"Don't worry, dude. I won't try to kiss Marco again," Craig laughed, "Ellie's really much prettier." Craig smiled at Ellie.
Ellie turned bright red and quickly replied, "prettier than Marco, Craig. Wow! You must really think I'm HOT."
The sarcasm flowed from her words, but Marco smiled widely at her anyways. 'You know he just gave you a compliment Ellie. Stop with that self deprecation," Marco's look pointed at her.
"Okay, truth!" Paige started enthusiastically. Marco was the first to ask a question.
"When's the first time you realized that you were attracted to girls?"
"When Alex kissed me, of course…Well, actually, that's not totally true. When we were dancing together at the movie release party, it was totally sexy, but I didn't really let myself think anything about it, I just let myself enjoy it. But then, when Alex kissed me – well, I freaked out. I couldn't stop thinking about it –" she smiled at Alex, "and well, it took me some time to give into it, and well, …here we are," she grabbed Alex's hand.
The room was filled with characteristically sarcastic yet sincere "awws" and "how cutes".
"Okay, Ellie – truth or dare?"
"You know I'm going to say dare…so what do I do?" Ellie was never much one for disclosing secrets.
"Kiss the person that you most want to kiss in this room…in exactly the way you want to," Paige dared.
"Well, Paige – I've got two guys who don't like girls, and two girls…but wait, I'm straight…so that leaves me with one person. I wonder who that is? – obvious who you had in mind" Ellie rolled her eyes, smiling internally at the situation set up by Paige. As for how she would kiss him, "Well, Craig, I've had enough wine tonight….so what the hell," she leaned in and kissed him softly on the lips. When she felt that he wasn't resisting at all, she gently slid her tongue in his mouth, briefly touching his before breaking apart, "everyone happy now?" Ellie challenged her friends.
"Ellie – I didn't know you had such guts!" Marco exclaimed.
"Of course you did, Marco. Now it's your turn."
"Okay, dare," Marco chose easily, knowing Dylan would be the object of the dare.
"Kiss the part of Dylan you most like to kiss," Ellie varied the dare given to her.
Marco laughed as he leaned over to Dylan, "lucky for the audience that it's in plain view," Marco pressed his lips against the spot on Dylan's neck that had rarely gotten lighter than a pale pink in the last month. Marco playfully sucked the spot for a couple of seconds before they both laughed. "Okay enough gay erotica…Alex your turn."
"Well if you've had enough gay erotica, I better choose truth."
"How did you figure out that you were lesbian? I mean,…not that you liked girls, but that you only like girls? Was it gradual or was there a moment?" Marco was always fascinated with coming out stories.
Paige and Alex looked at each other, blushing. "Well, Paige knows this already, but well, this is tell it like it is, right?...So, well, I've had sex with three guys and with Paige. Okay, no need to gasp, Dylan. Yes, your sister has sex. But well, I never, you know….I never really got into it so much let's say, until well, until I was with Paige. Okay?" Alex disclosed as openly as she could. "Your turn, Dylan."
"Okay, truth."
"How many guys have you had sex with?" Alex asked bluntly.
Dylan blushed, knowing this had been area of conflict for him and Marco. "Well, what kind of sex do you mean? I mean, there are lots of kinds of sex for me, not just one."
Dylan could see Marco turning red with a hint of sadness behind his eyes.
"Okay, I'll clarify. I mean intercourse. How many guys have you had intercourse with, Dylan?"
"Well,…I can answer that question," Dylan looked right at Marco who was bracing for the answer, "One."
The room was silent with impressed looks. Marco was stunned and looked up at Dylan smiling with just a hint of tears in his eyes. 'Only me?' Marco's look made every time Dylan had turned one of his escapades down from this intimate yet fun activity absolutely worth it.
By the time the group had gone their separate ways, Craig had been given the same dare as Ellie, and had equally playfully kissed her back, only intensifying the depth of the kiss in a mock competition with her. Ellie was glowing.
"Did you see the look on Ellie's face after Craig kissed her?" Marco asked Dylan as they entered his room. Marco told his parents that the group was crashing at Dylan's which was only somewhat untrue.
"Lots of chemistry happening there…And here," Dylan wrapped his arms around Marco as Marco closed the door to the room.
"Dylan – " Marco began, "You were neverwith anyone else since we were together?...I am blown away once again…Why didn't you tell me?"
"I didn't want you to think that I was making it up to get you back, or to use it to prove to you how I feel about you. Because even if I had been with other people, it still wouldn't change how I feel about you. But it's a choice I made – and of all my choices, that one was the right one…And now you know."
Marco reached up and kissed Dylan on the mouth, softly at first, then deeply as Dylan took off his shirt, followed by his own. "I love you Dylan," Marco moaned as he pulled off Dylan's boxers and ran his hands along the length of Dylan's body. They lay naked, kissing deeply, slowly exploring the groove between Dylan's pecs, the birthmark on Marco's right side, the soft spot on Dylan's back, the tuft of hair under Marco's lip.
"Dylan – tonight's answer not being the reason but an added bonus, I want to make love to you tonight,... if you're ready…" Marco asked desire filling his eyes and body.
"I love you Marco," Dylan sighed as he reached for the condoms in his night table drawer. "I really have been waiting to be with you, and now, well, you know for just how long…"
Marco slipped on a condom and slowly entered Dylan, holding him tightly, kissing his neck, turning him on with his touch. Moans, bites, sighs, groans, and ultimately release left Marco and Dylan lying in each other arms.
They were wrapped around each other, and there was almost no space left between.
