Oh, look, an update :DDD I'm earlier than I expected, really, because I already knew I wouldn't update this story during the summer (yes, I know, my schedule here is horrible, but whatever).

As always, beta-read by Aerle, who had to deal with my abysmal 3am writing ^^U

Chapter 8

They have been kissing for a while now, laying on the ground neither of them trying to go further, when Ace's stomach claims their attention noisily. They stop, and Marco starts to chuckle. Ace would be offended, but he is too used to his stomach's sudden growls and the reactions it elicits. Instead, he punches Marco on the arm playfully and sits up. Marco sits, too, but when he makes to stand Ace holds him back.

Marco looks at him questioningly, and Ace shakes his head.

"No hunting today," he says, because he knows that is what Marco was going to do. He then realizes that he hasn't explained the meaning of 'today', nor the verb 'hunt' —which is curious, given how much presence it has in their lives— so he reaches for the food bag and drags it closer. "I brought a lot of food." He opens the bag and shows Marco, hoping the visual will help get across the message that words can't.

The interest in Marco's expression tells him that he understands, at least to an extent.

They move to light the fire and Ace begins to pull out the food he has brought. He watches as Marco takes the cans and packages and examines them, and lets him choose the ones he wants to eat based on which interest him most.

As they eat, Ace springs a surprise test on Marco, pointing at things he has taught him the names of, telling him numbers, and is pleased to see Marco has obviously spent a good part of his time alone revising what he has learned so far.

Once they have eaten, Ace puts the dishes aside —they will wash them later— and takes Marco's bag. It is time to explain some things.

"This," he starts, lifting the bag to emphasize that it is what he means, "is yours."

Marco blinks and tilts his head in confusion. It's not the confused look he gets when he doesn't understand what Ace is saying, because those are words he already knows, but a confused look that tells Ace Marco doesn't understand why the bag would be his.

"Mine?"

"Yes," Ace confirms, nodding. "Everything inside that backpack is yours."

"Backpack?"

Oh, right, Ace should explain that one.

"This is a backpack," he says, touching its fabric. "And that is a backpack," he adds, pointing to the food bag that is still next to him.

Marco looks from one to another and nods.

"Everything?" is his next question, because he already knows what 'inside' means.

This one is more complicated, and he decides that the best way of explaining what 'everything' means is to take out all of the contents of the bag and point to each of them saying they are Marco's. It goes well, Marco seems to understand that they will go back to each item once this concept is explained, until they reach the bag with the condoms and lube. As stupid as it is, Ace blushes and takes the bag, placing it next to himself instead of with Marco's things.

Marco looks at him curiously, and Ace clears his throat.

"This is yours, but it's mine too," he says, and is too distracted at the moment to realize right then that Marco figures out the meaning of the word 'too' because he knows what everything else in the sentence means. "I'll explain later." But, of course, though Marco has an idea of what the word 'explain' means because of the amount of times Ace has wondered out loud how to explain something and it was followed by the actual explanation, the word 'later' is another story.

It takes a lot of hand-waving and repeating, but finally Marco nods, and they go back to his things.

Ace wants to have this conversation —or, more accurately, he wants to get past this conversation— but he also dreads it. He isn't any closer to figuring out how to have it than he was when he originally bought the condoms.

The first items they go for, once Marco has confirmed he understands the meaning of 'everything', are the clothes. Accepting that they are his —and the ones he currently wears are Ace's— is an easy enough fact to accomplish, but Marco spends a good five minutes carefully examining all the garments as if they are something special and not just the few things Ace managed to pick up. Ace prompts Marco to change, and is amused when, after some deliberation, Marco puts on the grey-greenish-blue pants and the purple shirt. Ace finds it okay, and in fact thinks they look great on Marco, but he knows a lot of people would think the combination of colors to be bad. It amuses him to realize he isn't the only one with strange tastes in this regard.

The shoes are a different story. After almost a minute of Marco turning the right sandal around in his hands, Ace realizes that he isn't sure what he is supposed to do with it. Ace could have slapped himself when he realizes that it, of course, makes perfect sense. The sandals are different enough from Ace's boots that it is no wonder Marco hasn't related them.

Ace takes the sandal from Marco's hands and places it next to the left one.

"These," he says, pointing at them, "are sandals. For your feet." Marco knows what feet are, and so Ace isn't surprised when he gives a very pointed look and a raised eyebrow at Ace's booted feet. "Right. Mine are boots," Ace explains, pointing at them. "They're both shoes," here, he points first at the boots and then at the sandals, and repeats, "shoes. For the feet. Both of them." Then Ace realizes that Marco not only doesn't know what 'both' means, but they are in no condition to explain the differences between 'two' and 'both'. "Eh… The two, the two are shoes. Different, but shoes."

When Marco, after alternatively looking at Ace's feet and the sandals, finally nods, Ace isn't sure how much he has understood, but when he takes the sandals again Ace thinks he might have reached the same conclusion he did at the store, that sandals will be a much easier first step into wearing shoes than boots would be. By the expression on Marco's face, Ace is reasonably sure he doesn't see the point of the sandals, but he tends to follow Ace's instructions and imitates him to some extent, so it is no surprise that Marco agrees to try them.

A couple of misses, he manages to put the sandals on with minimal help, and Ace suppresses his amusement when he sees him wiggling his toes experimentally. Marco stands up and walks around their clearing, looking down at his feet as he does it. After the second lap, he shrugs and returns to the spread of things Ace bought, sitting back on his place and obviously accepting the sandals as passable at the very least.

They have the camera and the books left now. Marco goes for the camera first, probably because there is only one of those while there are more books, and turns it in his hands curiously a couple of times before looking at Ace for answers.

Ace shrugs.

"It's for lessons," he tells him, aware that Marco has already figured out what that word means. "But later, okay?"

After another look at the camera, Marco nods and hands it to him. Ace takes it and leaves it carefully next to the bag of food.

That leaves the books.

First of all, Ace teaches Marco the word 'book'. He can't explain the concept, they don't have the vocabulary for it and Ace is relatively convinced that Marco doesn't have the background knowledge to manage it yet, but he can get him to recognize them. Once that is done, he takes the books about colors.

First of all, Ace will teach Marco the colors themselves and, once that is taken care of, they will move on to the objects of those colors shown in the books.

Ace feels like a coward. It is something that he will never admit out loud, something he has denied and still denies all his life. He has gotten into really dangerous and really ridiculous situations to prove that he is, in fact, not a coward. Far more situations than he can count now. The fact remains, however, that he feels like an absolute coward right now.

He has called home after they ate dinner, while Marco went to do the dishes. Ace had planned to tell Sabo about Marco during the call, because he has reached the conclusion that if he tells him soon, it means Sabo will have more time to get used to the idea, as well as to learn things about Marco —even if it's just through the phone and from Ace— and so realize he isn't some sort of psychopath.

As soon as Sabo has answered the call, Ace has managed to talk himself out of telling them before he could even say he had something to tell Sabo.

And now, once the call is over —Sabo has laughed his ass off at the knowledge that Ace has had to go buy supplies already, and Ace has let slip that golden opportunity to bring up Marco in the conversation— Ace is berating and insulting himself for chickening out of something he will have to do either way before the month is over.

A hand on his shoulder makes him look up, and there is Marco, kneeling in front of him.

"Are… you okay?" the question is slow, but the fact that Marco has been capable of using it —and in the right context, no less— is enough to make Ace grin. He also realizes that he must have been making a funny face if Marco is worried.

"Yeah, I'm fine," he assures, because this sort of internal conflict is not something that could be classified as not being fine. And he wouldn't be able to explain the problem, even if said problem was something really worth worrying about.

Marco nods, and then he is kissing Ace. It is something he has been doing throughout the day, interrupt a lesson or any other activity for a kiss. Ace gladly complies, well aware that Marco is still fighting the residual worry about Ace not returning from his trip. This time, however, it's night, they have eaten dinner and have nothing else to do but sleep. It soon becomes obvious that neither of them plans on sleeping, and so Ace moves down to the ground for a slightly more comfortable position. Marco follows him.

It's when Marco's erection presses to Ace's through their clothing that he remembers they aren't limited to making out and blowjobs anymore.

Marco looks confused, and perhaps a little hurt, when Ace pushes him away, and his confusion only grows when Ace, after rummaging through the plastic bag from the store, returns with a box of condoms, a bottle of lube and a huge grin.

"This," he announces, "is for sex." But, of course, Marco has no idea what that word means, and the first part of the awkward conversation begins.

Before explaining, Ace kicks his pants off and, being his movements much freer now, sits next to Marco. Luckily, the finger gestures generally used to explain sex are easily understood, as Ace realizes when Marco's lips form a tiny smirk after only his second repeat of them.

Aware that it will be easier to explain on himself, and thinking that they have a lot of condoms to spare anyway even if they were to have sex twice every day —Ace did go a little overboard when buying them— Ace decides they can spare one for demonstration purposes and takes one out after opening the box.

"So, with a condom," he waves the wrapped item to signal that is its name, "we have sex. Not using one, we don't have sex." Despite the fact that Marco doesn't know even that basic use of the verb 'to have', he nods his understanding. Such level of interest works wonders for one's comprehension, it seems.

"Watch," Ace instructs.

He breaks the wrapper —and absently thinks that, having in account Marco's strength, it's very likely a few condoms will be sacrificed before he gets the hang of the motion— and proceeds to put the condom on himself. He feels like he's doing a demonstration for a Sex Ed class, and almost chuckles at the thought of those classes using real people for them. The students would pay more attention for sure.

"Now you try it," Ace says, and reaches out to get another condom.

Marco stops his hand and, when Ace looks at him questioningly, shakes his head. Ace's eyes open wide, and he really hopes Marco has understood his lame explanation correctly and means what Ace thinks he means.

Marco stands up to remove his pants, and that gives Ace a perfect front view of his hard cock. Ace would like to suck him off, their current position only makes him want it more, but that is a barrier he isn't going to cross, not while they are out here. When Marco removes his shirt Ace realizes he should probably do the same and soon they are both naked, kneeling on the ground and kissing again.

Ace searches blindly for the bottle of lube and ponders for a moment whether it would be best if he prepared Marco or let him do it himself. By the time he has the bottle, he has decided it will be best if Marco does it himself to avoid possible incidents —who knows how long it has been for him. The fact that the thought of watching him do it is hot is just a bonus for him.

This time, when Ace breaks the kiss, Marco looks just curious, and his eyes move to the bottle when Ace raises it.

"This is lube," he explains, waving the bottle a little before opening it. "Here, touch." He dips his own finger inside to show what he means, and Marco does.

Marco takes out a little, probably more than will be necessary, and examines the viscous substance, spreading it over his fingers. He looks at Ace, asking for an explanation with his eyes.

"It goes in your ass," Ace says. It's a very crude explanation, but it's the only way he can do it with Marco's limited vocabulary. The fact that the word 'ass' is part of said vocabulary is a proof of how their lesson in body parts went. Marco nods, and when he moves his hand back, any lingering doubt Ace may have had about whether or not Marco has bottomed before disappears. Though the sure way in which he told Ace not to remove the condom was a very good indication.

Marco gasps and bites his lower lip, and Ace can't help himself when he looks around his body. He gasps, too, when he sees that Marco has pushed two fingers inside of himself. His reaction tells Ace it has been a while for him —and this situation is not one in which Ace wants to think about caves and birds, so he shoves the thought away.

Ace takes Marco by the hips, in part to steady him and in part to steady himself, and begins to kiss and suck on his neck. He doesn't kiss him on the mouth again because he wants to watch, and this way he has a perfect view of Marco's ass over his shoulder. It's not long before Marco moans into Ace's shoulder, indicating that he has found his prostate, and Ace moves his hands around him to grasp his ass cheeks. Marco pulls his fingers out —and damn, but Ace needs to be in there— and reaches for more lube. This time, three fingers go in, and they both groan. Ace squeezes his cheeks and Marco's hips buckle forward, even though their position prevents them from touching more than they already are. He is bracing himself on the ground with his other arm, and Ace can feel how tense he is.

Not long after, Marco pulls his fingers out again and moves to lie back on the grass. Ace moves too, settling between his parted legs. He reaches for the lube to coat himself with it and after that puts his hands on the back of Marco's knees to easily maneuver them over his arms —he had known Marco is pretty flexible, but here is some more proof of it.

He goes in slow, he doesn't want to risk hurting Marco when he is so convinced it has been long for him, and they both moan when he breaches him. It has been long for Ace, too, he won't lie, much longer since he topped than since he bottomed, and it seems they both are relishing the experience as he slowly pushes in.

Marco takes him by the shoulders and brings him down for a kiss. Once completely inside of Marco, Ace stops to give him time to get used to the intrusion. That is, until Marco breaks the kiss, glares at him with a slightly annoyed expression and moves his hips in an attempt to thrust upwards that doesn't go too well given their position. Ace smirks, but moves his arms to let Marco wrap his legs around his hips and then begins to move.

Ideally, Ace would like to start with a slow rhythm and slowly build up speed, but it seems neither of them is up for it and soon they are both moving fast, Ace pulling almost entirely out and thrusting in while Marco meets him at every move. It's an exhausting rhythm, one he doubts he will be able to keep for long. It doesn't matter, however, because he is getting there fast, and by the way Marco moans with him he has also found his prostate already, so he won't last long either. Still, he has to keep in mind Marco's almost monstrous stamina. There is no way Ace is going to come first if he can avoid it, so he reaches down for Marco's erection and starts to pump him in something that resembles sync with his thrusts.

He doesn't even have time to grin in triumph when Marco comes, because he is dragged right along with him, and by the time he has the presence of mind to care about the fact that he managed it, he has collapsed on top of Marco, and one of Marco's arms is around him, his lips pressing lazy kisses to Ace's temples.

After a while, he convinces himself that they should probably go to bed, and reluctantly rolls off of Marco's chest. He takes the condom off, ties it and throws it to the side, thinking he'll dump it in the trash once they go into the cave.

"We should go clean up," he says, and congratulates himself on the fact that four of the five words he has used are ones Marco already knows.

The trip to the stream seems even shorter than usual, something Ace attributes to the very nice afterglow he is experiencing. They fool around a little as they wash up, but they are both sated, and it doesn't develop into anything else.

Once they return, Marco goes to pick up his things and the open box of condoms and lube. Some part of Ace's brain that tends to follow weird thought paths notices that at some point Marco has grown so used to bottles that he doesn't even look at the lube as he caps it, when three weeks ago he spent long periods of time staring at his canteen. Ace goes for the food and the bag of still unopened condoms and lube. Marco has already put out the fire, and is already inside by the time Ace drops the used condom into their trash bag.

Ace is amused to notice, even in the dark, the open box and lube next to their sleeping bag. Then again, it's probably very good thinking on Marco's part. Neither of them is dressed, and noticing this is what reminds Ace that the clothes they were wearing are still outside. He walks out to bring them in, but drops them next to their bags. There is no point in dressing, really. It's a warm night, and if they are cold they will just snuggle —something they do anyway— and cover themselves with the blankets.

It is strange, Ace thinks, how used they have grown to pick everything up at night, to the point that it has developed into a routine. A routine, he thinks as he crawls into bed next to Marco, that he likes.

To be continued