Last Chance High - 18. Epilogue

It didn’t take very long at all for the boys to fall back into their easy routine. Every morning Marc would pick Toni up with a cup of coffee and a pastry treat. The older boy walking his dearest to each class and making sure he ate well every lunch. After school they would meet at Marc’s car. The younger boy would roll his eyes when his boyfriend opened his door for him. Toni stopped worrying about what others thought about their relationship. Stopped caring if it made him look weak. And he found once he relaxed into it he actually enjoyed when Marc would take care of him. It made him feel special, loved. Even Erik left them alone, for the most part. He still greeted Toni in Italian terms of endearment, but he learned to keep his distance.

Toni couldn’t remember a time when he had been so happy.

“Earth to Toni?” The young Italian blinked up at his boyfriend above him. His soft hand tracing patterns on the younger boys smooth hips. Toni blushed.

“Sorry, my mind wandered.”

Marc laughed. “If your mind is wandering then I’m not doing something right.” The older boy replied smoothing his hands over the smaller boy’s bare chest.

Toni smiled up at him with a gleam in his eyes. They were lying on Marc’s bed, the movie they had started forgotten in the background. Their shirts discarded on the floor long ago. “I was just thinking about how happy I am.”

Marc leaned down and brushed their lips together, just a ghost of a touch. Toni shivered. “I’m glad you’re happy.” He leaned back on his legs, eyes raking over the smooth skin of his boyfriend. His face broke into a mischievous grin. “But that’s not when I want you thinking about right now.”

His hand roamed the lean muscles beneath him till they gripped lean hips. The older boy rotated his hips, highlighting exactly where he wanted his boyfriend’s attention. A small moan slipped out of the younger boy’s lips, earning him a smirk. The older boy chuckled as he leaned down towards his lover. His hands ghosting along his sides and into the dark curly hair. Gripping gently Marc tilted the younger boy’s head to the side as he attached his lips to the base of his throat. The heat from Marc’s body pressed against him filled Toni’s senses, all thoughts forgotten. He snaked his arms around his boyfriend’s neck and pulled him closer. Marc rolled his hips again earning himself another gentle moan. Slipping his hand between their bodies Marc rubbed Toni’s erection with the palm of his hand as he sucked a nibbled the skin along his throat. Toni gasped in surprise and pushed his hips up to meet the friction of the warm hand. Marc took hold of the little golden button of Toni’s jeans and tugged it open. One hand gripping the younger boy’s hip, the other teasing the skin just under the waistband of his boxers. His lips tracing wet open-mouthed kisses along his neck and shoulder.

“Mmmmm Marc...” The young Italian threaded his fingers into his lover’s soft, dark hair. He felt his lover smirk against his skin.

Shifting his weight to the side Marc slipped his hand slowly, but steadily, past the waistband of his lover’s boxers. Through the soft curls until he gripped the waiting treasure. His lover gasped and bucked his hips up into the firm grip.

“God you look beautiful like this.” Toni blushed and tried to bury his face in the pillow next to him. “Don’t hide from me, baby.” Marc’s voice was gentle yet firm and Toni found he couldn’t refuse. He turned his head again to meet his lover’s eyes. He felt his face burn but fought the urge to look away. Soon enough the steady rhythm of Marc’s hand drowned out all thoughts of embarrassment. His focus was on the gentle pooling of heat in his lower stomach and the unintentional tension in his lower abdomen. It wasn’t long until the young Italian came apart lying beneath his lover.

Marc rolled off and gathered Toni into his arms.

“What about you?” Toni mumbled against his neck.

“Don’t you worry about me love.”

Toni yawned. “Not fair.” He heard his boyfriend chuckle and the vibration in his chest rocked him a bit.

“It’s all good sweetie, you’re tired, just rest. We’ll play a little more later, we have lots of time.” His voice was soft yet full of mischief. Toni couldn’t help but smile as he snuggled into the warm hard chest beneath him. Lot’s of time was right; Toni had no intention of letting go of his lover any time soon. “Besides, it’s almost summer vacation and then we can spend even more time together.” Toni nodded in agreement, than froze. Summer, the year was almost over and Marc was a senior. That means at the end of the summer Marc would be going off to college.

“Toni? You okay” Marc pulled back a little trying to catch his boyfriend’s eyes.

“And what happens after that?” Toni’s voice was soft and sad.

“After what?”

“After summer.”

“We go back to school.”

“But...you’ll be in college. And I...won’t be.”

“I’m staying in town for college, it’s not like I’ll be far. Nothing is going to change Tonio, I promise.”

“But you can’t be sure...”

“Yes I can.”

“How?”

“Because...” Marc took a deep breath and brushed a curl out of his boyfriend’s face. He’d been feeling it for a long time now but he didn’t want to rush into saying it. It seemed like the perfect time. Toni needed reassurance and Marc could feel it slipping out anyways. His voice was soft and sweet, but firm and sure. “Because I love you.”

Toni felt his heart skip and his breath hitch. “Ww..at? You... you lo... you...Really?”

Marc smiled wide. “Really. I am deeply in love with you Toni Mancini. And I’m not going to let something as small as going to different schools take you away from me.”

Toni’s jaw went slack and his chest was tight. He couldn’t breathe or move, only one thought in his head; Marc Townsend loves me.

“Hey, calm down. You don’t have to say anything, you know... especially if you... don’t. I just... you know... I wanted you to know.” Marc’s voice started off full and confident but by the end had tapered off with a slight warble.

That snapped Toni out of it. He surged forward and wrapped his arms tightly around his boyfriend’s neck crushing their lips together. It was deep and slow and full of everything Toni was trying to articulate. When they finally pulled apart they were both breathing hard. Toni rested his forehead against Marc’s, “I love you too, Marc.”