Take It Off
His hand cups Marcus forcefully. “Hands and knees, on the floor.” Marcus leans in for another kiss, but Esca turns his head and all he gets is air. “You heard what I said.”
Grumbling, Marcus obeys. He's already bruised and sore from the fight, and tired from tonight's shift. The adrenaline is wearing off. Still, he waits, eying Esca over his shoulder as he undoes his trousers.
Esca walks around in front of him, touching his hand to Marcus's head. He presses down on the back of Marcus's neck until he gives and lowers his head to look at the carpet. Only then does Esca stalk around behind him. He pulls Marcus's pants down slowly, over his thighs, then his shorts.
Marcus tenses as Esca lays a cool palm to one of his cheeks, then without warning, brings it down flat and hard against his ass.
“Ow.”
Esca ignores him and does it again. Marcus winces as the barrage of blows continues. He can't think what he's done to deserve this, since Esca obviously enjoys the results of the fight he had. Still, he can't bring himself to ask. Instead he keeps his head down and just takes it silently.
Esca's is warm now against his skin, the heat spreading across Marcus's body until he's aching again, and doesn't care that he's exhausted. He just wants.
“Esca.”
Esca's hand stills, then snakes through his cheeks and touches him, pressing one fingertip against Marcus's hole. He strokes him there until Marcus's knees are trembling, pressed tight against the carpet and all he wants in the entire world is for Esca to just fuck him already.
“Esca, please.”
Apparently that works because Esca's finger stills, and then he shifts position, and Marcus waits, not daring to breathe, until he can feel the head of Esca's dick pushing against him, and he surrenders.
Esca's hands move to his hips, holding him as he enters Marcus. The burn of it makes Marcus yelp and then they're moving together there on the carpet of Esca's office. Esca's hands hold Marcus and Marcus moves under them, thrusting back against Esca until he can't take any more, and spills helplessly. Esca just keeps going. Marcus will have his fingerprints on his skin tomorrow, and he doesn't care.
When Esca finally comes, he grabs Marcus by the hair, pulling him up on his knees as he sinks his teeth into Marcus's neck. Marcus groans as Esca turns his head to kiss him, his mouth, sharp and salty and utterly possessive.
Afterwards they sprawl on the floor, sated.
“Tell me about the Eagle.”
The words are so soft at first Marcus thinks he's imagined them. But when he turns his head, Esca looks at him, and waits.
“I told you before.” Marcus closes his eyes. He had wanted to forget, and now Esca is just bringing it up, casual as can be.
Esca just waits. He lets the silence do his work. Marcus sits up, clasping his hands around over his knees. Esca places an arm behind his head and doesn't move. Marcus could go. The implication is obvious. Instead, he sighs softly and speaks.
“My father was an archeologist. It was the only thing that mattered to him. My mother never understood it. All those relics of the past. She thought he just wanted to bury himself in them and forget about the present. Maybe he did...”
“Anyway...I spent the best few years of my life with him on his digs in Scotland. I was just a kid, but I'd help with whatever he'd let me. He'd tell me stories about the history of the area, what he was hoping to find. But the story I loved the best was the story about the lost Eagle of the Ninth. It was what he was always hoped to find, proving a long-ago legend true...”
Esca's hand is at the small of his back, tracing light circles with his fingertips. It's almost comforting. Marcus takes a deep breath and continues.
“When I was twelve, we were driving back to our house from the dig. It was raining...the road wasn't very good, and he hit a rock, and the car overturned.”
If he closes his eyes he could see it all so clearly. Marcus keeps his eyes open. His throat is dry, but he keeps going grimly.
“By the time they found us, he was dead. My leg was pretty badly damaged. I spent the next year in the recovery unit in the hospital. Supposedly it's a miracle I can even walk, let alone dance.” He huffs a short laugh at the thought of what his mother, fuck, what his uncle would say if they could see him dancing.
“Anyway,” he shifts awkwardly and Esca's fingers fall away. “That's it. When I got out of the hospital we moved to California to live with my uncle. Neither of them think I should pursue this.” He sighs, rubbing his hands over his face tiredly.
“So that's what you've really earning money for, not school?”
“A friend of my father's has kept on with the dig. They finally found some artifacts that prove the legion was in the area they're currently searching. It's the first real sign in years, and here I am...”
Esca's hand returns as he sits up. It travels over his back until it reaches Marcus's neck, caressing him, holding him. He leans back into the touch instinctively. Esca doesn't speak. He just strokes Marcus's neck and lets him sit there, until he finally has the strength to stand.