Mark offered a weak smile before climbing into bed. He could still taste Maddox on his mouth only now that taste was tainted with Noah. Mark Jameson and Noah Langley had been friends since sandbox days. Elementary school gave the boys friendship, middle school brought on their curiosity for more, but it was during high school that their secret relationship flourished. The Jamesons and the Langlys felt the same way about homosexuality and it was quite a scandal when the incident had happened. The incident was what happened to be on Mark's mind now...
~*~*~*~
It was February 14th, the cliché holiday that meant every normal couple at St. Andrews Catholic School were exchanging small tokens of affection. Noah and Mark were not allowed to behave like all the heterosexual couples at school. Not only because they were in a strict Catholic school, but also because their parents were very strict about the perverse disease of homosexuality.
The young couple boarded the bus together. Being next door neighbors meant the boys were almost always together. They walked past all the rows of familiar young teen faces. No one even thought twice. Mark and Noah were simply best friends. They sat in the back of the bus as always. The familiar fake brown leather sank beneath their combined weight. Mark draped his nearly empty school bag between them. He waited for Noah's hand to slide into his where it belonged. Just like it had been doing for the past three years.
Noah was a small boy with angelic blonde hair and teddy bear brown eyes. He looked like a fragile doll and everything about him screamed of his innocence. Noah was tiny Tim who always saw the good in people. He was the reason Mark wanted to be a doctor and help people. Mark honestly wouldn't have thought twice about mankind if it hadn't been for his Noah.
Noah's tiny soft hand slid into Marks. Mark felt the invading warmth and went through with the first part of his romantic plan. Mark slid the tiny white gold hoop onto Noah's right hand. Noah's plump rosy lips pulled back in a smile as blood warmed his face.
"Happy Valentines Day Noah" Mark whispered, a happy light in his eyes. Mark had planned out this holiday for month. He had saved up and found the perfect simple ring. "It's a promise ring" he informed his boyfriend. Noah's eyes started to tear up. He felt his long term best friend, and only lover, give his ring adorned hand a squeeze. The small boy quickly wiped his eyes to avoid the questioning stares of his school mates. They always had to be careful no one was looking. Noah nodded his head in a shy yes.
Mark chuckled and lowered his voice barely above a whisper "I love you Noah Langley. You need to let me give you the romantic speech I had planned before you can say yes." He chided the smaller boy.
If as all possible Noah blushed even darker. His heart jumped a little at having his Mark do something so romantic. He finally managed to locate his voice somewhere deep in his throat. "You already know my answer." he defended. Noah hated how his voice sounded so shaky and high pitched compared to the manly timbre of Mark's voice.
Mark felt warmth radiate through his core as he gave his lover's hand a reassuring squeeze. Their hands shielded by the protective blanket of Mark's school bag. "Fine, I guess I will just make you wait until lunch then." The bus stopped and the two lovers gave each other the knowing stare. They parted ways and went to separate classes, not knowing that today was the day the world would stand still.
~*~*~*~
Mark bolted upright in his bed, Noah's name still heavy on his lips. He knew he had screamed and was now panting and shivering. Why now? Why of all times was he being reminded of Noah now? Mark knew he was whimpering and he couldn't seem to silence himself.
"You alright, honey?" Justin's voice cut through the darkness and reached Mark's panicked ears, sleep still heavily entrenched in the blonde's voice. "What's wrong?" He questioned, nervous that Mark had had a nightmare about the mystery bar man.
Mark inhaled as he watched the familiar frame come closer and sit at the foot of his bed. "Yeah, just a nightmare." Mark closed his eyes and shook off the last remnants of Noah.
Justin reached out and touched Mark's face. He wrinkled his nose at the moisture his fingers encountered. Mark was terror stricken and sweaty. "I'm here for you, Mark." Justin whispered. His face lit up. "Hang on, handsome. I know what will make you feel better."
Mark watched his small roommate turn on his desk lamp and he was almost unable to suppress a laugh. Justin had on girl pajama shorts instead of boxers. Not only were they supposed to be worn by a female, but the shorts were lime green and had Tinkerbell's smiling face on them. "Tinkerbell? Really, Just?" Mark snorted feeling, his heart rate return to normal. The familiarity of Justin's antics was soothing.
Justin nodded as if his shorts foreshadowed his brilliant remedy for nightmares. "Disney fixes everything." He strutted to his TV and positioned the set so it was facing Mark's bed. His slender, newly polished finger pushed the power button on the DVD player and the set. Both flickered to life and Disney commercials intended for youngsters started to flash against the screen. Justin padded back to Mark's bed and got back on top. "Mind if I watch, too?"
Mark shook his head "No, we need to set the room up better though so we can both see." Mark felt Justin's cool smooth skin slid in next to him under the blankets. "What are we watching?"
Justin's lips were over taken by an impish smirk "Peter Pan. I figured it was the best choice considering your fondness of my shorts."
Mark relaxed, too tired to really keep his eyes open. The sounds of a familiar childhood memory lulling him to sleep. He scooted back down under the blanket "Hey, Just?" Mark whispered, feeling his teddy bear of a roommate finally stop wiggling and settle into the bed.
"Yeah?" Justin responded, the concern quickly returning to lace in his words.
"Thanks." Mark replied before drifting off to sleep.
"Night, Mark." Justin replied, not taking his eyes off of the screen. He was too wrapped up in watching his favorite pixie throw a fit in a drawer with sewing needles and a thimble. Justin didn't think he deserved to be thanked, he was just doing what any good friend or roommate would do. Mark certainly deserved that. He had been miserable looking and serious the first night at school so Justin had suggested they go out. Then he had managed to snag a hottie at the bar and hooked up with him in the bathroom. Poor Mark had then been dumped by the stranger and had scared the living daylights out of Justin when he appeared to be in legitimate shock over a phone call.
It was easy to see why Justin was less than thrilled when Mr. Hot Stranger Asshole decided to give his roommate a chance after all. After how much the guy had hurt Mark he really had a lot of nerve. It made Justin question who was really the bottom in that relationship. The first night it had clearly been the large male to follow, but now Justin wasn't so sure. Justin knew this was going to end badly.
As if to prove his point Mark had woken up screaming about this Noah. Well now at least the stranger from the bar had a name, and Justin hated him. There was no way Noah could be any good for Mark. ~*~*~*~
Mark woke up the next morning as he felt his cell phone vibrating beneath him. He hated alarm clocks and was proud that he had learned how to wake up by just the vibrations. Justin had already gone to class since he was clearly more of a morning person. He looked over and noticed Justin's bed was made and a stuffed fox was sitting on top of his pillow. Mark held his head, trying to remember if his roommate had stayed in his bed all night. He hoped he hadn't caused Justin to lose any sleep.
Mark rolled out of his bed, jerking his feet up the moment they hit the cold floor. He groaned before stepping out of the warm, safe wrap of his covers. He walked over to his closet to get his shower tote and prepare for the day. He was going to have to have a talk with his new boyfriend about going to the doctor so that they would be able to do more than just touch each other.
~*~*~*~
Maddox received a text message from Mark asking him to wait, so that they could talk. He waited in his office after his day was finished. Maddox kept trying to focus on his lesson plan, but every few minutes his eyes dutifully drifted to the clock hanging above his door. It was as though his nervous heartbeat was competing with the ticking of the industrial clock's second hand, trying to be louder.
Maddox looked at the door expectantly when, after what seemed like decades, the door knob was finally being turned. He couldn't help his face lighting up when he watched Mark walk in. It was as if he hadn't seen Mark in years and Maddox was starved for his company.
"Hey, Dr. Cotedivoux." Mark smiled nervously, raking a hand through his dark hair. Despite his usually confident and stoic nature Maddox had him acting like a love sick teenager again.
"Hello, Mr. Langley." Maddox mocked the formality. Secretly it was hot to think of the rules they were breaking to be together. He had never done anything risky in his entire adult life. "I was starting to worry you might not show up." he confessed. His muscles relaxed and he felt at ease. He hadn't noticed how wound up he was getting waiting for Mark.
Mark chewed on his bottom lip worried Maddox might think his idea for a date was stupid. He slid a small slip of paper across his teacher's desk. "I uh... well I am a broke college student so as much as I think you deserve to be wined and dined this is about all I can afford. I mean I know you could do better than me financially. We don't have to go if you think it's stupid. It's just..." Mark sighed, looking down at the ticket, trying to find the nerve to say what he was trying to get across. It was better if they knew where they stood now "See I am usually a top, but my financial standing doesn't really allow me a lot of money to take you out like I should. I'm sorry. I promise to take good care of you, it's just we might be having less flashy dates than you are used to." Mark blushed in shame. He felt Maddox's cool soothing hands cover his.
"Relax, Mark. I am new to this whole thing." Maddox lifted the ticket to another college's foot ball game. The school was a large university about an hours drive from campus. He smiled. Despite what Todd thought Maddox enjoyed football for more than just the guys running around in tight outfits. "This sounds perfect. As for tops and, um, bottoms... Mark, I am uh, getting a divorce."
