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Chapter Text

Alex groaned and scrubbed a hand over his face, letting the phone slip from his fingers. His brother had sent him yet another text gushing over his boyfriend and how much fun they were having on their holiday. He’d also mentioned how excited he was for Alex to fly out and spend some time with them. For the fifteenth time in a week.
Normally, Alex would have just been happy for Marc, thrilled to see his brother enjoying life. And… a little bit happy about having him out of their shared apartment so Alex could actually partake in some of the quieter hobbies he couldn’t do when Marc was around.
Recently, though, Marc had been so ‘fulfilled and filled’, as he’d blushingly put it, that he’d decided that Alex also needed a relationship of his own. His pestering and blind date surprises had finally gotten so out of hand that Alex had just invented a fake partner, desperate for a little peace from Marc’s well-intentioned interfering.
Everything had been going fine until two weeks ago when Marc’s boyfriend, Jorge, had whisked him away to some tropical island. Marc had been describing the beaches, and Alex could hear the waves in the background. For one brief moment, Alex had imagined sitting on a perfect, sandy beach while sipping a fruity cocktail and finally getting to read the new book still sitting on his kitchen table. His brain had been distracted, and he’d uttered the damning phrase, “Wish I was there!” With Marc, that was all it took.
Three days later, a pair of tickets had arrived in his inbox, along with a welcome email from the Bimini Cove Resort in the Bahamas. Alex had felt his excitement growing as he scanned through photos, mesmerized by the blue waters and white sand beaches. He was grateful that Jorge was generous enough to invite him out.
After a few minutes, it finally sunk in. Two airline tickets. One for Alex and one for… his imaginary boyfriend. Now, he was faced with a dilemma. Did he go on the trip and endure Marc’s lectures over lying to him, or did he confess the truth and stay home? Neither option sounded fun.
“Why the long face, pretty boy?”
Alex looked up as Marco walked into the common room. They had been sharing a dorm for nearly a year, but they hadn’t spent much time alone together. At least not since Alex had nearly kissed Marco after one too many beers shared while celebrating the end of their first term.
“Uh, just family stuff,” Alex replied, his cheeks dusted pink. Marco had been calling him ‘pretty boy’ since he did some photos for the local book shop. There were only a couple of posters placed around campus featuring Alex reading some of the new releases or wearing the new school merchandise, but Marco had teased him like he’d become some sort of professional model.
“So no adoring fans desperate for your attention?” Marco joked, grinning despite there being something else behind his expression. Something Alex couldn’t quite place.
“Definitely not,” Alex mumbled, popping up from his seat when he noticed the bags in Marco’s hands. “Can I help put stuff away?”
“You can help me experiment with how strong to make these strawberry daiquiris," Marco suggested, passing one of the canvas bags to Alex.
Alex paused for an extra beat as their hands touched, clearing his throat nervously when he realised Marco had been watching him. “Why are you making those?”
“Why did you look so annoyed when I got home?” Marco countered, unloading multiple bags of frozen strawberries onto the counter. When Alex stayed silent, Marco sighed. “I’m just going to have to make these stronger and stronger until you tell me, but I have plenty of time tonight.”

Two hours and almost four daiquiris later, Alex was curled up on the couch, his legs draped over Marco’s lap as they talked about his summer holiday woes.
“So, now I have to either listen to Marc lecture me on a beach or listen to the very long voicemails he’s going to leave me over this. Either way, I have to tell Marc that I lied,” Alex confessed, resting his forehead on Marco’s shoulder with a groan. “My brother is wonderful, but he can be very persistent. And loud. Extremely loud.”
“There is another option.”
Alex’s head popped up, the room spinning slightly with his quick movement. “I change my identity?”
“Something less dramatic,” Marco chuckled, his thumb absently running over Alex’s knee. “I’ll go with you.” Alex blinked at him for so long that Marco started to wonder if he hadn’t heard him or misunderstood. “I don’t have any plans, and there are definitely worse ways to spend summer break,” he shrugged, wondering why Alex was still just staring at him.
“That’s a ridiculous idea,” Alex finally spluttered, nearly jumping up from his seat. “No one will believe we’re a couple,” he continued, starting to pace. “It’s just… it’s absurd.”
Marco rolled his eyes. “Pretty boy, I promise you, it’s not ridiculous,” he replied calmly, tilting his head as an idea crossed his mind. “Well, unless Marc expects a girlfriend. Have you at least told him that bit?” he teased.
Alex just leveled him with a glare. “He’ll see right through us,” he said, still not believing there was any way to pull this off. He took a small step back as Marco rose from the couch, walking toward him. It was a very determined stride, and Alex found himself moving away until his back was pressed against a wall.
Marco rested his palms flat against Alex’s chest, running his right hand up the taller boy’s frame until his hand rested at the nape of his neck. He rose onto his toes slightly, lessening their height difference. On instinct, Alex leaned down, his nose nearly brushing against Marco’s.
The front door banged open, the rest of their roommates returning from a night out on the town. Alex practically skidded along the wall, pinging away from Marco as though they were now two opposing magnets.
Marco just grinned, holding Alex’s eyes for a few final moments before the other boys poured into the common room. “I told you it wasn’t ridiculous.”

Chapter Text

Hungover, dehydrated, and more than slightly panicked, Alex shifted from foot to foot. He checked his phone for the fifth time, wondering why he hadn’t seen Marc waiting for him at arrivals yet. His older brother had been very specific that a ride would be provided, and Alex was caught between bolting and following through with his plan. 

“Your panic level is so high that it’s actually making me nauseous,” Marco chided, slipping his hand into Alex’. “It’s going to be fine as long as you start breathing again.” 

“This just feels like such a bad idea,” Alex groaned, forcing himself to take a deep breath.

“Eh, it’s mostly a really stupid idea,” the Italian supplied, grinning up at Alex as he snorted. “It’s going to be easy, though. We just have to sit around and drink cocktails. What could go wrong?” 

Alex opened his mouth to complain that Marco had used such a cursed phrase, but he was interrupted by a loud shout from across the arrivals area. A few more raised voices arose, following a small thud. 

Marco felt Alex’s hand tense, his fingers gripping tightly now. A man emerged from the crowd, tugging a harried looking guy behind him, ignoring the annoyed grumbles as he pushed through the throng of people searching for their loved ones. 

He darted forward, grabbing Alex into a sudden hug. Alex’s hand pulled free and Marco stepped back, giving them a moment. They jabbered away in a half-language, making Marco feel certain that this was Alex’ brother. 

“I thought you hated the beach,” a familiar voice said, making Marco’s stomach drop. He turned to face Jorge, his mind screaming at him to come up with something, anything, to say. 

Luckily, his panic was interrupted as Marc threw his arms around Jorge. 

“I’m Marc,” he announced, letting go of his boyfriend just long enough to shake Marco’s hand. “Alex hasn’t told me a lot about you, but I can tell you’re special from his tone. The way he talks about your cooking, it’s obvious,” he said, winking like he was in on some secret. “He doesn’t say much, but we’ll get the truth out of him.” 

Alex was bright red, looking like he was regretting this already. Marco wondered just how much more stress he could take, and he hated that he was about to add to it. Beneath that, though, he felt a surge of something warm that Alex had talked about his cooking. He’d only made food a few times so he was pleased that it was even note-worthy. 

“This is Jorge,” Marc grinned, pressing a quick kiss to the older man’s cheek. “I can’t believe you’re only meeting now,” he continued, barely pausing to take a breath as he kept talking. “I can’t wait for all of us to spend this week together. I have so many plans already.” 

Jorge gently steered Marc and the rest of them towards the exit, letting Alex’s brother carry on as they walked. It was clearly not new for him. As Marc rambled on about their itinerary, Marco caught Alex’s hand once more, pulling him a little closer. 

“I think we might have a small problem,” he whispered, getting close enough that it might just look like a quick kiss to the pair in front of them. Alex went white as a sheet. 

Chapter Text

Alex felt his stomach roiling as he sat in the back of Marc’s hire car. He was trying his best to hide it, but he knew the others would notice how quiet he was. Luckily, Marco had already stepped up, his fingers still locked with Alex’s as he peppered Marc with questions about the resort. Any time Marc’s answers started to get a little short, Marco would slip in a question about Jorge, sensing just how long Marc could gush over the other man. 

Once they arrived at the resort, Marc tossed the keys to a valet. He was still giving a very animated run down of how Jorge had selected this particular beach. Along the way, Jorge also chimed in with little details about their stay or other amenities to enjoy at the hotel. 

All in all, things felt calm, and Alex hoped that they’d reach the room soon. He desperately needed to talk to Marco alone. He wished he was enjoying the view. It really did look perfect, but his brain was too caught on Marco’s ominous words to notice much. 

“Ok, this is the temporary end of our tour,” Marc giggled, handing over a pair of magnetic keys. “Your room is just down that hall,” he said, pointing them in the correct direction. “I thought adjoining rooms would be fun, but-”

“I knew better,” Jorge interrupted, smiling knowingly at Marc. Alex had never been more grateful for his brother’s new boyfriend. “Take some time to unpack and relax for a little while. We’ll be down at the beach if you want to join us, but you can also wait and meet up with us for dinner. I booked a reservation at the beachside seafood place at 8pm,” he explained, gently covering Marc’s mouth with his hand as the other clearly was about to speak. “Give them some privacy,” he playfully growled, pulling Marc in to nip at his earlobe. 

Marc sighed but didn’t argue when Jorge dropped his hand. He pulled Alex into a quick hug. “I’m so glad you guys are here.” 

“Me too,” Alex lied, patting his brother’s back. “We’ll probably just see you at dinner. I’m kind of tired after the flight.” Alex stepped away from Marc and Jorge, trying not to jump when Marco took his hand. He still wasn’t used to it. 

“Hopefully not too tired,” Marco grinned, giving the others a quick wave as he pulled Alex down the hall. “See you tonight!” he called, forcing himself not to start panicking. Alex had the monopoly on that today, and Marco needed to keep it together and think of a logical solution. 

“Out with it, right now,” Alex practically demanded. They had barely even set foot in their room, his eyes wide as he thought through all of the possible issues Marco might have just encountered. 

“Alex, you need to take a deep breath,” Marco said softly, trying to keep his tone soothing. “At least take a second to appreciate this place,” he continued, gesturing to the beautiful hotel room they were in. 

The walls were a soft blue, accented by white trim and the expected black and white photos of seashells or other beach items. The bed was giant, and for a moment, Marco considered pushing Alex onto the fluffy beige duvet. He would look beautiful first thing in the morning, his hair slightly tousled, his eyes a bit dazed with sleep, and the sunlight filtering through the gauzy white curtains that hung from the canopy around the bed. Would he taste-

Marco shook his head, forcing himself to focus. Alex had never made any real indication that he was interested, and he was here as a fake boyfriend, nothing more. He had to just play his part and help Alex escape his brother’s pestering. 

“I can’t. I can’t focus on anything else,” Alex whined, pacing the floor. “We’ve barely landed and this plan is already going off. How can it possibly-” He stopped abruptly, turning to face Marco. “Oh no, Jorge is your ex, isn’t he? You said you broke up three months ago because he’d met someone else. Marc said he met Jorge three months ago, and he instantly knew they were going to get married.”

“No, no, no,” Marco said quickly, grabbing for Alex as he started to pace again. “It’s not like that at all. Alex listen,” he urged, placing his hands on Alex’s cheeks until the taller boy finally looked at him. Really looked at him. “My ex used to train with Jorge. He was his football coach. I went to a bunch of games so I knew him casually. He knew my ex really well, though, so he definitely knows when we broke up.”

Alex looked a little bit surprised. “That’s not a big deal? I told Marc we started dating… oh. I said six months. Oh, that’s not good,” he said, finally realising their dilemma. 

“Yeah, it’s not ideal,” Marco agreed, realising he was still cupping Alex’s face. The Spaniard seemed to notice it, too, his cheeks flushing red as he looked anywhere except at Marco. 

Marco cleared his throat, awkwardly stepping away. He pushed his hands into his pockets to prevent himself from reaching for Alex again. 

“So we need to find a way around that, or have Jorge think you were cheating on Celestino for months.” Alex flopped down on the bed, seeming to finally notice his surroundings. “Wow,” he breathed, rolling to look out the glass doors to their balcony. “This place is really stunning,” he commented, his eyes scanning over the idyllic white beach and rolling blue waves. 

He let himself wish he was really here on holiday with his boyfriend. Alex had almost gasped in relief when Marco had told him he’d ended things with Cele before realising that wasn’t an appropriate reaction. It had been torture trying to hide his staring when Marco paraded around their common room in just a pair of soft grey shorts, but Alex knew this wasn’t the right moment to admit just how much ached to touch his suitemate. 

As the weeks had passed, Alex had nearly worked up the courage to ask Marco out, but then he’d seen Marco pushing one of the other boys towards his room after a party one night, their hands already under each other’s shirts and they stumbled down the hallway. After that, Alex had distanced himself from the group, and Marco had also put space between them. It had only been recently that they’d started to be friends again. 

“Maybe I just need to tell Jorge what’s going on. He seems to know your brother really well. He could understand?” Marco suggested with a shrug. 

Alex hesitated. “It’s so risky. What if he tells Marc anyway? He might not feel comfortable keeping our secret.” 

“No, but I don’t think we have much of a choice. It’s at least worth a try before we have to admit it all,” Marco replied, giving Alex a soft smile. “I don’t want to ruin this for you. I’ll head down early for dinner and see if I can catch him on his own.” 

You couldn’t ruin anything. Alex managed to keep the words inside, instead he offered Marco a nod. “I know. And, I really appreciate that you’re trying to find a way at all.” 

Marco just smiled, walking over to open the door onto the balcony. “Oh, even more wow,” he murmured, echoing Alex’s earlier statement. “We have a private hot tub out here. Fancy some skinny dipping, pretty boy?” he teased, trying to lighten the mood now that they at least had a plan. 

Alex gulped, knowing he’d never be able to resist Marco like that. This was going to be a very long, possibly very not relaxing, holiday.

Chapter Text

Marco wandered down the steps towards the beach. He wasn’t exactly sure where he was going, but there had been a sign for the restaurant pointing this way. He breathed a sign of relief as he saw not only the entrance up ahead, but also Jorge standing just outside, all alone. 

“Marco,” he said, a note of surprise in his voice as he saw the Italian approaching. “Marc’s just going to fetch you and Alex. The path down here can be a little hidden on your first time. I should know, it took me ten minutes to convince Marc that we weren’t actually lost on our first night,” he continued, chuckling at the memory. He was clearly tense, but Jorge was trying to play it off just like Marco was. 

“I was actually hoping to talk to you for a minute anyway. I think I need to explain something,” Marco said, deciding that charging in was really the only way.

Jorge held up a hand. “I don’t really need the details, Marco. You met someone and let it go too far. It’s irresponsible and selfish, but people make mistakes, especially when they're young,” he told him, looking very disappointed in Marco. “I won’t tell Marc as long as Alex already knows.”

For a moment Marco really considered not correcting him. He could let Jorge continue believing that he’d secretly been seeing Alex behind Celestino’s back and not risk Alex at all. Protecting him nearly felt worth it, until he realised that Jorge would always doubt him. He would always think Marco wasn’t good enough for Alex, and if there was a chance that he and Alex were actually more than an act, Marco couldn’t bear the idea of anyone questioning the type of person he really was. 

“You have the wrong idea,” Marco replied, shaking his head. “Alex and I,” he hesitated, knowing how silly it was going to sound. “We’re not actually together.” Marco saw the expected confusion in Jorge’s expression. “Marc has really been hounding Alex to find someone, and Alex felt overwhelmed. He knows Marc just wants him to be happy, but the extra stress was really starting to get to him. I knew how badly he wanted to come on this trip, so I offered to pretend to be his boyfriend.” 

Jorge snorted a laugh. “I can’t believe you would try and tell me a bunch of lies like that just to cover your ass.” 

“I’m not lying,” Marco snapped, frustrated at how much easier it was for Jorge to believe the worst. “I would never cheat on Cele. But honestly? I really thought about just letting you keep thinking that. I’d be the bastard, but then Alex’s secret would be safe,” he continued, his voice getting a little louder as he got angrier. “He deserves a holiday, and I just wanted to let him enjoy this in peace instead of fending off blind dates or constant suggestions of how to meet someone. Marc means well, but I’ve seen how much more relaxed Alex is now that his brother thinks he’s met someone.” 

“You’re really just here to cover for Alex?” Jorge asked, looking sceptical. 

“Of course. A beach vacation doesn’t exactly prove it, but I’d do anything for Alex,” he insisted. Marco started to say more, but he realised that he was close to giving too much away. 

Jorge appraised him for a long moment, clearly thinking over what he’d heard. He took a deep breath and crossed his arms, like he was considering how to handle this. 

“I won’t tell Marc, but I think you need to be careful, Marco,” he finally said. 

“Careful?” 

“Don’t start lying now,” Jorge chided. “Love is very dangerous when you treat it like a game. You need to tell Alex before you really hurt each other,” he said bluntly. His tone made it clear that there wasn’t any point in trying to argue. 

“I know. I just need to find the right moment,” he admitted with a sigh, feeling like a weight had simultaneously lifted and pressed further down on his chest. Jorge leveled him with another serious stare. “I will! But, it’s not the sort of thing you just blurt. It has to be-” 

Marco trailed off as he caught sight of Alex walking toward him. The sun was highlighting the planes of his face perfectly, and the linen shirt he’d no doubt casually chosen was absolutely working to show off his slim waist and tanned forearms. 

In fact, Marco was so distracted by how beautiful Alex was that he completely missed Jorge speaking to the host and being led off to a table near the coastline. He couldn’t help but stay rooted to the spot, mouth lightly parted as he stared at the taller boy as he approached. 

“Hey,” Alex said quietly, his cheeks dusted pink. He didn’t know the internal struggle Marco was facing and was worried about why he’d been watching him so closely. When the Italian still didn’t say anything, Alex glanced down at his clothes. “Did I pick the wrong thing? I thought this looked ok,” he puzzled, nervously adjusting his collar. 

“No, it’s p-perfect,” Marco replied quickly, stumbling over the last word. He’d never meant to say it out loud, but it was too late to try and hide it. “It’s perfect,” he repeated with more confidence, reaching out to straighten the placket that Alex had pulled askew with his fidgeting. 

Alex sucked in a breath as Marco’s pointer finger brushed against the exposed skin at his neck. His cheeks burned hotter as he remembered this was all for show. There was no way Marco didn’t hear it or see the goosebumps now rising on his skin, and he was embarrassed for Marco to know the effect he had on him.

“Alex-”

“We should probably head inside,” Alex interrupted, clearing his throat. 

“Wait, I want to talk about something,” Marco tried again, grabbing for the Spaniard's hand as he turned away. Alex paused, surprised to see a spark he didn’t recognise in Marco’s eyes. 

“I’ve been looking all over for you two!” Marc shouted, running across the sand as quickly as he could manage. “I went to your room to be sure you didn’t get lost,” he explained, dusting the hem of his pants as he came to a stop. “Where’s Jorge?” 

“Uh, he’s already inside,” Marco replied, his curls bouncing as he shook his head. He needed to clear his mind if he was going to survive a family dinner. 

Marc looked confused. “Then why are you still outside? I’m starving,” he said, trying to usher them both towards the restaurant. 

“Pardon us for waiting for you,” Alex snorted, deliberately avoiding Marco’s eyes. “Let’s go. I don’t want another episode of Hungry Marc, Angry Marc.” Alex stepped carefully past Marco, making sure their hands didn’t touch again. 

Marco waited for an extra moment, wondering just what had happened. He thought he’d picked up on signals, but now, he wasn’t sure if he’d been misinterpreting things the whole time. 

Chapter Text

After their dinner on the beach, Jorge had pressured Marc to give his brother plenty of space. It hadn’t been a bad time, but everyone had clearly felt the tension between Alex and Marco. 

For his part, Marco was still feeling confused. He wasn’t sure what had changed, but the easy banter he’d always had with Alex was definitely lost. Each conversation now felt stilted, nervous. He hated it, but he didn’t know how to fix it. 

“Who the hell is bangning on the door?” Marco whined from his spot on the couch. Alex merely answered with a groan, throwing an arm over his eyes.

“You guys are wasting the sun!” Marc’s voice rang out. Next door, someone else shouted back about his volume this early in the morning. “The sooner you come out here, the less your neighbours will hate you!” he continued. 

“He’s a bastard,” Alex muttered, throwing himself out of bed. He was nearly to the door before he remembered Marco on the couch. He barely turned back before Marco was scrambling across to the bed. 

“Got it,” he assured, not needing Alex to put it into words. 

Alex gave him a quick smile before throwing the door open. “Why are you here… so early,” he asked, pausing as Marc practically pushed past him into the room. 

“We rented a little boat for the day, and you two are coming with us,” his older brother said, not offering Alex any real way to decline. “We’re going snorkeling to see the Bimini Road. It’s supposed to be the road to Atlantis.” 

“I’ve actually heard of that,” Marco said, sitting up higher on the bed. “That sounds really cool. We would love to.” 

Alex knew Marco was still talking, but his brain tuned out as he finally let himself look at him. Marco looked perfect shirtless and tousled in his bed. It was a sight Alex wished he could appreciate properly. His fingers itched to rake through Marco’s wild curls or tweak the silver bar through his…

 “Right?” 

From his tone, Alex knew it wasn’t the first time Marco had tried to get his agreement on something. Even his brother was staring at him with a stupid smirk on his face. 

“Sure. Yes. Yep,” he babbled, hoping he was agreeing to the right thing. 

“Ok,” Marc nodded, clearly holding back the teasing he wanted to do. “You guys get ready and meet us at the hotel entrance in,” he glanced at his phone, “thirty minutes?” 

“Can we say forty-five instead? I want to at least grab some fruit before we leave,” Marco requested, watching Alex carefully. 

Marc nodded again. “Sounds good. We’ll see you there,” he confirmed, finally turning to leave. 

Alex had barely closed the door behind him before his eyes were raking over Marco again. He had to get control of himself, but he just couldn’t resist staring at all that tanned skin. Marco looked even more sun-kissed against the white hotel sheets. 

To his surprise, Marco was watching him just as closely. The Italian’s eyes holding his as Alex finally braved eye contact. He took a deep breath, trying to keep his confidence as he slowly walked toward the bed. 

Alex rested one knee at the foot, waiting to see if Marco would move. When he didn’t, Alex climbed further up the mattress. He watched the Italian for any sign of hesitance, but Marco was still holding his gaze. 

The corners of Marco’s lips tipped up as Alex continued getting closer. He wondered what was going through the other boy’s head, holding his breath as Alex reached for him, resting his palm flat against Marco’s chest. 

“Your heart is pounding,” Alex said softly. 

Marco didn’t reply. He was worried about breaking the moment, but he couldn’t just keep still while Alex’s thumb was starting to trace over his skin. Slowly, he reached for the Spaniard’s hand, gently sliding it up his body. To his shock, Alex tossed his leg over Marco’s waist, settling in his lap. 

Alex threaded his fingers through the hair at the nape of Marco’s neck. He started to lean in when he realised what he was doing. As he hesitated, Marco’s arms wound around him, pulling Alex against his chest as Marco sat up. 

He knew he was done for the second he felt Marco’s calloused hands spreading across his back, taking up purchase as he tried to bring Alex even closer. They stayed like that for several long moments, too caught up in each other’s eyes to notice just how long they’d been sitting like that. 

A soft moan slipped past Marco’s lips as Alex shifted in his lap. He froze, scared that he’d ruined their moment as Alex’s hand started to pull back. 

To his utter relief, though, Alex just let his fingers move to trace over Marco’s jaw. He shifted again, but Marco managed to keep quiet this time. A flicker of disappointment crossed Alex’s face, the expression disappearing so quickly that Marco wasn’t sure he’d really seen it. 

Alex moved again, this time his movement was more deliberate. In that second, Marco realised that Alex was doing it on purpose, trying to tease another noise out of him. 

Marco moved his hands to Alex’s shoulders, managing to flip them over before Alex could even react. 

“I knew you were checking me out,” Marco grinned. 

“You were checking me out,” Alex corrected, trying to sit up. He didn’t make it very far before Marco pinned him down, this time holding one hand flat against his chest to keep him there. 

“Pretty boy, I have been checking you out for months,” he replied, his tone much more serious. “I thought I could keep it simple, just be here to help you with Marc, but I want this too much. I want you too much.” 

Alex was shocked that he managed to keep the desperate whimper from escaping at Marco’s confession. “Kiss me,” he whispered. 

Marco didn’t hesitate this time, crashing his lips against Alex’s. He tried to memorise every detail as their mouths moved together, fitting like they were meant to. The little noises he now dragged out of Alex were intoxicating. 

“Why do we have to meet your brother so soon?” Marco murmured, barely biting back his groan as Alex’s hands slid down his back. 

“He can wait,” Alex replied, pulling Marco’s hips closer. For a moment, he really thought about it. He’d been dying to taste Alex for months now, and a selfish part of him wanted to strip Alex out of his shorts and drag him into the shower. 

“I’ve been thinking about this for months,” Marco admitted, letting himself press open mouthed kisses against Alex’s neck. “And I’m going to savour every. Single. Moment,” he continued, punctuating each word with a kiss. Alex whined and dug his fingertips into Marco’s lower back as the Italian scraped his teeth against his throat. That noise alone let Marco know he was making the right choice. 

“I’m going to need a suspiciously long shower,” Alex sighed, letting Marco roll off of him. 

“Or you could just wait until tonight,” Marco suggested, giving him a sinful smile.