Chapter Text
Marcus can’t wipe the shit eating grin from his face. It’s almost as big as Esca’s.
Last night. Last night had been amazing. Incredible. Perfect.
Marcus is limping worse than usual. Esca is awkwardly hunched over.
They’ll both be sore for days. The good kind of sore.
“ C’mere.” Marcus slides both arms around Esca, nearly lifting him off the floor as he presses a deep kiss on his mouth. He holds Esca against him. Enjoys the strength of those wiry arms wrapped around his middle. Straight edged teeth worrying his lower lip.
Esca breaks away first, grunting at the strain on his lower back, fingers tickling Marcus’ side. “ Go back to bed or you’re not gonna make it through your shift today.” He laughs, hand on the back door, turning the handle. “ Love you. See you la-”
Marcus leans in, quick as a snake, getting in another snog as the door opens. Risky. Very risky. But it’s early morning on Marcus’ quiet street and no one is going to be peeking over into the back garden at this-
A low cough. Someone clearing their throat. Someone standing on Marcus’ stoop. Right outside the back door.
Uncle Max.
Marcus swallows thickly, mouth suddenly dry. He can’t see Esca’s face. But Esca’s ears are flaming a particularly brilliant shade of humiliation. All Marcus hears is the exceedingly polite, “ Good morning, Mr. Aquila,” which his uncle affably returns with a small nod. Esca ducks around the tall man, practically running to his motorcycle. He never looks back as he hurriedly rolls the bike out the back gate. And Marcus doesn’t blame him.
The two men on the porch simply stare at each other as the noise of the engine fades into the distance. Uncle Max smiles pleasantly. Marcus flushes just as brightly as Esca’s ears. He clears his throat, looks up with a certain sense of doom. “ Uncle, uh... good morning?”
“ Good morning to you, as well, Marcus!” Uncle Max’s breath steams in the cold air. A grinning dragon in the morning mists. His face is completely open, pleasant and inviting. Meaning Marcus is unable to read the man’s true opinion of the event he just witnessed. “ I just returned from my morning constitutional and thought you’d might like to join this old man for breakfast. Perhaps catch up a bit; I’ve seen so little of you since the new quarter started.”
Marcus’ mouth opens and closes with no ready reply.
Uncle Max’s smile broadens. “ Oh good! Grab your coat then, my boy!” He is already turning, stepping off the porch.
Marcus mentally flails for a moment. And then gives in. He jogs to the front of his home, grabbing his coat and shoving his socked feet into his unlaced boots. Uncle Max is humming quietly in the garden, frost covered grass crunching underfoot. Just waiting.
Marcus has been expecting this for months, since Esca began sleeping over. Eventually, even his non-meddling uncle would take notice and interest in Marcus’ new relationship. As much as his uncle keeps to himself, the man’s powers of observation make him a formidable neighbor and father-figure.
Stupid to think Uncle would let this continue without giving his thoughts on the matter .
Marcus simply hopes it will be in his favor.
He doesn’t bother with the house keys. Marcus shuffles out the backdoor, making sure it’s not locked so he can get back in when this little meeting ends. He hopes it will be brief and not too unpleasant.
Uncle continues his bland smile as they walk out the garden gate, turn left, and enter Uncle’s garden gate.
Inside, it is only vaguely warmer than outside and filled with the smell of cooking rashers. Marcus keeps his coat on and carefully toes off his boots in the back entry. Uncle Max hangs his coat on the peg and slips into the jumper and slippers waiting for him.
Marcus follows the older man, smiling as he realizes their similar mannerisms; hands in pockets, slouching along at a leisurely pace up the stairs. His uncle opens the door to his study and ushers Marcus inside. Nothing is said as they sit in the worn out easy chairs, small table between them already home to two plated fry-ups and a coffee pot. Marcus pours for them both as his uncle settles in.
Uncle murmurs his thanks and accepts the warmed cup. And stares out the large dormer window in between bites of egg and toast.
Apparently, this is going to take longer than just one cup of coffee.
Marcus says nothing, merely drinks from his own cup and tries to enjoy the strong flavor of black coffee mellowed with the barest hint of milk. He stares out the window, as well. The houses across the street are single story, giving his side of the street a lovely view over the rooftops. Mostly of the nearby park’s wide expanse of trees, the sun rising above them in a slow smudge of yellow and pink. He stifles a yawn. Not much sleep had been had last night.
It slowly dawns on Marcus that perhaps his uncle heard them. Grunts and groans, overused mattress springs, headboard thumping against the wall.
Marcus’ scream of ecstasy that was not muffled quickly enough.
The thought creeps him out in a variety of ways, causing him to squirm. Squirming agitates the ache in his arse and Marcus stills instantly, shoves an entire tomato slice into his mouth. Glances at Uncle Max. The older man doesn’t seem to notice his discomfort. Makes no mention of Marcus’ suddenly red face.
Uncle pours himself another cup. Marcus stares at his plate.
“ So... how are your studies proceeding?”
Marcus starts slightly at the question, fork scraping against the plate. “ Oh, uh, good. Good.” He chews a bite of sausage, struggles to find more to say. “ Busy, of course, with spring so close. Not long before the foaling starts and we’re trying to keep track of the mares.” He moves his foot along the floor, toe following a groove between the planks. “ Lots of freshers to look after this quarter. I think Dr. Stephens’ is trying to load me up in the hope of scaring me off. He thinks he’s going to head the clinic until he’s in the ground.”
“ Most old people think that.” Uncle smiles and nods, holding his cup close. He sips slowly, barely lowering the cup before speaking again. “ Are you still planning on striking out on your own in the near future? Start a private clinic in the country?”
“ Be the next James Herriot?” Marcus smirks, freshens the cooling coffee in his cup. Splash of milk diluting the steam.“ Yes, that’s still my plan. Maybe not as soon as I’d like, but I’ll get there.” He hadn’t expected to be involved with Esca when he’d made those plans. Had to make adjustments to his timeline. “ I think I’ll hang on at the college clinic, save up some more money. Get a bigger place.” Marcus gives a small shrug and finishes off his eggs.
“ Very reasonable. I’m glad you’re thinking about the future. Have goals. “ Uncle agrees in his mild voice. He looks out the window, a bite of rasher on his fork, hovering above his plate for a moment before being lifted to his mouth.
Marcus sips his coffee and watches his uncle chew, waiting. He doesn’t have to wait long.
“ I couldn’t help but notice the MacCunoval boy- oh dear, what’s his name, again?”
“ Esca.” Marcus steels himself. He introduced Esca to his Uncle over a year ago, when they were nothing more than friends. Since then, their interactions have been rare but amiable.
“ Yes, Esca, of course. I couldn’t help but notice he was here this morning. Visiting.” Uncle Max pauses to drink.
Marcus swallows his toast and quickly takes a drink of his own. His mouth feels very dry. “ Yes.” He pokes at the rashers, pushing them around the plate with his fork.
Uncle continues to eat and talk intermittently, with a casual air. “ He visits quite often.”
“ I s’pose so.” Marcus chews on the inside of his lower lip. He can’t tell where his uncle is going with this. “ We work together, as well. I’m helping him with his classes. Projects and things.”
“ Ah, well, then...” Uncle looks up from his plate, expectant expression. “ Are you going to be asking him to move in any time soon? Or are you waiting to get that bigger place you just spoke of?”
Marcus is glad he stopped eating. He would have choked otherwise. Staring hard at his plate, Marcus busies himself with cutting his sausage with the side of his fork. “ What are you talking about?” Ignorance. Always claim ignorance.
“ You know exactly what I’m talking about, Marcus. “ Uncle gently chides him, settling back in his chair with a fresh cup of coffee. Gaze steady on the younger man. “ You can’t possibly think I’m unaware of what’s been going on. Really, my boy, I’m rather offended.”
He drops his fork. It hits the plate with a sharp clink. Marcus opens his mouth, thinks better of it, and shuts it. He chews on his lower lip again. Uncle says nothing, merely gazes placidly over the coffee cup.
Marcus steadies his breathing, clasps his hands in his lap under the table. He’s at a loss as how to proceed.
“ He seems like an exceptional young man, this Esca. “ Uncle picks up the conversation again. “ Polite, obviously. Respectful. Intelligent, I’ve gathered from our conversations.” He chuckles quietly. “ Certainly a bit of temper, as well, but not necessarily a mark against him.” Uncle sighs and lowers the cup to the table. “ Did I misinterpret? Just a fling, perhaps? Experimenting with your options? ”
“ No!” It’s out of his mouth before he can stop it. Marcus takes in a deep breath, attempting to clear away the panic. He needs to be calm. “ No. Esca and I... ” Marcus closes his eyes and slumps back in the chair. He needs to be candid, speak freely. To go for broke. “ Aren’t you upset that I’m seeing” -he can’t say sleeping with -“ Esca? And, you know... not a girl.” He had been expecting something of an uproar over the discovery of his sexual preferences. Marcus certainly couldn’t imagine his father being happy with his choice of bed partner. Uncle Max is his father’s brother, the closest thing to a father that Marcus has had in years.
Uncle chuckles again. He seems even more amused by Marcus than before, his smile broad.“ Marcus, it’s your life; you have the right to choose who you’d like to spend it with. To hell with what anyone else might think. Including myself.” His big hand cradles the cup close to his mouth. “ You’re well aware of the difficulties of such a choice. I won’t lie; it concerns me, of course. I worry about you, both of you, but...” Uncle shrugs. “ I trust you, Marcus. I’m sure you’ve thought it all through.”
“ We are trying to keep it quiet, you know.” Marcus protests. Defensive. Childish to his own ears.
“ Oh yes, very quiet. I rarely ever hear you.Though last night was one of those rare occasions.”
Marcus knows he is now a shade of red that is positively unhealthy.
Uncle apparently finds it most entertaining. “ I haven’t always been old, Marcus. Brigid and I kept our neighbors awake a few nights ourselves. Talented little minx she was. Could do this thing with her thumb-”
“ Oh dear god.” Marcus shudders, covers his face with his hand. Trying to block out the images.
His uncle laughs out loud.
A companionable quiet follows for long moments. Marcus drops his hand and stares out the window, wallowing in the relief of his uncle’s favor. He didn’t realize until now just how much he’d needed Uncle Max’s approval of this relationship. Of his choice. Of Esca.
“ You seem very happy together.” Uncle shifts his cup to his other hand.
Marcus glances at his uncle, then turns back to the window view. Smile curving his mouth. “ We are.”
“ Good, good. That’s as it should be.” Uncle nods over his cup, settles more easily against the chair back. “ Well, I hope you don’t faff about like you did with Cottia.”
Marcus’ turn to chuckle. “ No, Uncle. I won’t.”
end