Fic: Silence Falling Into Silence (Brotherhood II, Harlan/Marcus, PG)
Have submitted my paper. Feel slightly ill*. So, to distract myself, fic. It's kind of short and very transitional, but this is truly the only fandom I write purely to amuse myself, which is just as well considering the readership of this series. My poor, unloved boys.
Title: Silence Falling Into Silence
Fandom: Brotherhood II
Pairing: Harlan/Marcus
Rating: PG13
Summary: The future has a funny way of happening even when you don't want it to.
Author's note: Part 21 of the Aftermath series. There are still 13 parts left after this. I am insane.
He's never been in love before. He's pretty sure that's what this is, anyway, because he thinks about it all the time. When he's eating, during classes and when he's supposed to be studying, even before he falls asleep at night. Especially then, and on the nights he's alone in his bed it's all he can do not to jerk off to the memory of Harlan touching him.
Maybe it's not normal to be this obsessed with another person. He worries about it sometimes, but then he sees Harlan again and he's right back to obsessing. And the weird thing is that Harlan seems to spend just as much time thinking about him, at least if the amount of time he spends hanging around means anything. He comes looking for Marcus as soon as he gets to campus every morning, and Marcus can count on one hand the number of weekends he's spent in his dorm room since they started sleeping together.
He can't really call it dating, not when they've only been out in public once. But in a way it's even better this way, because when they're alone they can do whatever they want and he doesn't have to worry about a bunch of people staring at them. Not that he cares what anyone thinks - he doesn't - but he knows nobody at school gets what Harlan's doing with him. Not even Matt understands, but he tries not to think about Matt's reaction because every time he does it leaves a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach.
Right on cue his stomach does a weird little flip-flop, and he stops running and doubles over to catch his breath. It takes Harlan a few seconds to realize Marcus isn't right behind him anymore, but when he does he turns around and jogs back down the trail. "What's the problem?"
"Nothing. Just a cramp," Marcus lies, letting go of his stomach and straightening up to lean against the tree behind him.
Harlan stops a foot in front of him, gaze wandering down Marcus' chest and then back up again. "You're breathing a lot better than you used to. By the end of the summer you'll be able to run a marathon, I bet."
Marcus grins at that, because a marathon's about the last thing he ever planned on doing. The only reason he took up jogging in the first place was to get Harlan's attention, and yeah, it worked, but he still feels kind of stupid about it. "I think I'll pass on that one."
"Whatever," Harlan answers, leaning in to rest a hand on the tree just above Marcus' shoulder, and now he's only six inches away. "Looks good on you, anyway."
Marcus' stomach flutters again, but this time it's a warmth curling deep inside of him and he finds himself leaning in, catching the corner of Harlan's mouth against his. And it's still weird that he can just kiss Harlan whenever he feels like it, hand on his chest to slide along sweat-slick skin that he can touch any time he wants. Harlan's hand rests on his hip, fingers flexing over Marcus' sweatshirt as he turns into the kiss. And they're right on the path where anyone can see them, but Harlan doesn't care, and for once Marcus doesn't either.
Not when Harlan's fingers are pushing under the hem of his sweatshirt, skimming along his skin and sending tiny shivers up and down his spine. His other hand's still braced against the tree, and Marcus reaches up to curve the fingers of one hand around Harlan's bicep. The flex of hard muscle under his fingers makes his stomach tighten, fingers digging into Harlan's skin hard enough to leave five bright red marks.
Harlan's kissing him slow, hand under Marcus' sweatshirt now to press against the small of his back until Marcus is flush against him and thrusting lazily. Like they've got all the time in the world, like it doesn't matter if someone happens along the trail and finds them grinding against each other right out in the open. And maybe it doesn't, because in six weeks they'll be done with Chandler forever, and then it will be just them.
Until Marcus leaves for college, anyway, but he tries not to think about that because it's a long time from now, and anything could happen in the next few months. Harlan could decide he's tired of Marcus after a few weeks of being around him constantly, or he could decide that the east coast sounds pretty nice. But Marcus tries not to think about that, either, because he doesn't want to start wishing for things he can't have.
Only he never thought he'd have Harlan, so maybe some wishes do come true.
As soon as he thinks it Harlan pulls back just far enough to look at Marcus, fingers still hot on his skin and chest rising and falling heavily with each breath. "You make me crazy," he murmurs, breathless and hot against Marcus' mouth and this time Marcus feels the shiver all the way to his knees.
"You mean you weren't already?" Marcus jokes, stomach fluttering nervously at Harlan's expression. Because he's not grinning, not laughing it off or telling Marcus he must be crazy for being here. He's not doing anything, just…looking, like he's trying to work out some puzzle Marcus can't see.
"I don't know. Maybe I was," he finally answers, his hand finally leaving the tree to push through Marcus' hair. He tilts Marcus' head up just a little, still studying him like he's expecting Marcus to disappear any second.
This is the part where Marcus is pretty sure he should say something. Only he's not sure what, because he's never felt like this before and he doesn't know what Harlan wants to hear. He's pretty sure I love you would just get him laughed at, but every time he thinks he's got Harlan figured out he finds out just how wrong he is. All he really knows is that he's starting to feel just as crazy as Harlan; this thing between them wasn't supposed to be serious, but somehow it got way too big while he wasn't looking and now he's not sure what happens next.
He's never been in love before, so he isn't ready for this. He didn't know it was going to be so scary, more terrifying than giving up control to Luc and even more exhilarating than those few seconds right before he killed Alex. It's more addictive than the power Luc gave him, and he has no idea how he's supposed to give it up.
And that much he's sure of, because Harlan is staying in California for college and as soon as Marcus leaves that's it. He knows better than to think they'll stay in touch, doesn't even bother bringing it up because he knows how this stuff works. Jon hasn't called once since he left, so Marcus knows how much promises to keep in touch mean. And he can't really blame Jon for wanting to forget, but he doesn't want to think about Harlan forgetting him.
So he keeps his mouth shut and surges forward again, pressing one last hard kiss to Harlan's lips. "Let's go back to your place," he whispers, and when Harlan nods and pulls away he tells himself that whatever time they've got left will be enough.
~
Ficlet requests later, possibly. First I have to read some articles for my next paper. Yay.
*I promise not to be this freaked out about school for the next two years. It's just more of a culture shock than I expected, going back after nearly ten years. And this whole having to learn the Chicago Manual? So not cool. But I'll adjust. I hope.
Title: Silence Falling Into Silence
Fandom: Brotherhood II
Pairing: Harlan/Marcus
Rating: PG13
Summary: The future has a funny way of happening even when you don't want it to.
Author's note: Part 21 of the Aftermath series. There are still 13 parts left after this. I am insane.
He's never been in love before. He's pretty sure that's what this is, anyway, because he thinks about it all the time. When he's eating, during classes and when he's supposed to be studying, even before he falls asleep at night. Especially then, and on the nights he's alone in his bed it's all he can do not to jerk off to the memory of Harlan touching him.
Maybe it's not normal to be this obsessed with another person. He worries about it sometimes, but then he sees Harlan again and he's right back to obsessing. And the weird thing is that Harlan seems to spend just as much time thinking about him, at least if the amount of time he spends hanging around means anything. He comes looking for Marcus as soon as he gets to campus every morning, and Marcus can count on one hand the number of weekends he's spent in his dorm room since they started sleeping together.
He can't really call it dating, not when they've only been out in public once. But in a way it's even better this way, because when they're alone they can do whatever they want and he doesn't have to worry about a bunch of people staring at them. Not that he cares what anyone thinks - he doesn't - but he knows nobody at school gets what Harlan's doing with him. Not even Matt understands, but he tries not to think about Matt's reaction because every time he does it leaves a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach.
Right on cue his stomach does a weird little flip-flop, and he stops running and doubles over to catch his breath. It takes Harlan a few seconds to realize Marcus isn't right behind him anymore, but when he does he turns around and jogs back down the trail. "What's the problem?"
"Nothing. Just a cramp," Marcus lies, letting go of his stomach and straightening up to lean against the tree behind him.
Harlan stops a foot in front of him, gaze wandering down Marcus' chest and then back up again. "You're breathing a lot better than you used to. By the end of the summer you'll be able to run a marathon, I bet."
Marcus grins at that, because a marathon's about the last thing he ever planned on doing. The only reason he took up jogging in the first place was to get Harlan's attention, and yeah, it worked, but he still feels kind of stupid about it. "I think I'll pass on that one."
"Whatever," Harlan answers, leaning in to rest a hand on the tree just above Marcus' shoulder, and now he's only six inches away. "Looks good on you, anyway."
Marcus' stomach flutters again, but this time it's a warmth curling deep inside of him and he finds himself leaning in, catching the corner of Harlan's mouth against his. And it's still weird that he can just kiss Harlan whenever he feels like it, hand on his chest to slide along sweat-slick skin that he can touch any time he wants. Harlan's hand rests on his hip, fingers flexing over Marcus' sweatshirt as he turns into the kiss. And they're right on the path where anyone can see them, but Harlan doesn't care, and for once Marcus doesn't either.
Not when Harlan's fingers are pushing under the hem of his sweatshirt, skimming along his skin and sending tiny shivers up and down his spine. His other hand's still braced against the tree, and Marcus reaches up to curve the fingers of one hand around Harlan's bicep. The flex of hard muscle under his fingers makes his stomach tighten, fingers digging into Harlan's skin hard enough to leave five bright red marks.
Harlan's kissing him slow, hand under Marcus' sweatshirt now to press against the small of his back until Marcus is flush against him and thrusting lazily. Like they've got all the time in the world, like it doesn't matter if someone happens along the trail and finds them grinding against each other right out in the open. And maybe it doesn't, because in six weeks they'll be done with Chandler forever, and then it will be just them.
Until Marcus leaves for college, anyway, but he tries not to think about that because it's a long time from now, and anything could happen in the next few months. Harlan could decide he's tired of Marcus after a few weeks of being around him constantly, or he could decide that the east coast sounds pretty nice. But Marcus tries not to think about that, either, because he doesn't want to start wishing for things he can't have.
Only he never thought he'd have Harlan, so maybe some wishes do come true.
As soon as he thinks it Harlan pulls back just far enough to look at Marcus, fingers still hot on his skin and chest rising and falling heavily with each breath. "You make me crazy," he murmurs, breathless and hot against Marcus' mouth and this time Marcus feels the shiver all the way to his knees.
"You mean you weren't already?" Marcus jokes, stomach fluttering nervously at Harlan's expression. Because he's not grinning, not laughing it off or telling Marcus he must be crazy for being here. He's not doing anything, just…looking, like he's trying to work out some puzzle Marcus can't see.
"I don't know. Maybe I was," he finally answers, his hand finally leaving the tree to push through Marcus' hair. He tilts Marcus' head up just a little, still studying him like he's expecting Marcus to disappear any second.
This is the part where Marcus is pretty sure he should say something. Only he's not sure what, because he's never felt like this before and he doesn't know what Harlan wants to hear. He's pretty sure I love you would just get him laughed at, but every time he thinks he's got Harlan figured out he finds out just how wrong he is. All he really knows is that he's starting to feel just as crazy as Harlan; this thing between them wasn't supposed to be serious, but somehow it got way too big while he wasn't looking and now he's not sure what happens next.
He's never been in love before, so he isn't ready for this. He didn't know it was going to be so scary, more terrifying than giving up control to Luc and even more exhilarating than those few seconds right before he killed Alex. It's more addictive than the power Luc gave him, and he has no idea how he's supposed to give it up.
And that much he's sure of, because Harlan is staying in California for college and as soon as Marcus leaves that's it. He knows better than to think they'll stay in touch, doesn't even bother bringing it up because he knows how this stuff works. Jon hasn't called once since he left, so Marcus knows how much promises to keep in touch mean. And he can't really blame Jon for wanting to forget, but he doesn't want to think about Harlan forgetting him.
So he keeps his mouth shut and surges forward again, pressing one last hard kiss to Harlan's lips. "Let's go back to your place," he whispers, and when Harlan nods and pulls away he tells himself that whatever time they've got left will be enough.
~
Ficlet requests later, possibly. First I have to read some articles for my next paper. Yay.
*I promise not to be this freaked out about school for the next two years. It's just more of a culture shock than I expected, going back after nearly ten years. And this whole having to learn the Chicago Manual? So not cool. But I'll adjust. I hope.