You Want Me Now

"Well, I'm better then I was a few years ago. At least now I don't try and hurt myself every chance I get," he said lifting up his sleeve, showing Christian burns marks, cuts and scratches.
 
Remaining calm, Christian gripped Marcus' wrist and brought his skin to his lips without thinking. He lightly kissed the scars and marks. "Sorry, I just...I'm glad you don't do this to yourself anymore. If you ever want to hurt yourself again, call me, okay?"
 
Marcus looked surprised as Christian kissed his wrist. He was blushing but he nodded his head. He when his arm was let go he covered his arm once again. He looked down at his hand and sighed. "I would say yes..." he said softly. "If you asked me out..." he said softly.
 
Christian straightened up and offered a soft smile. "That's very good to hear. So how's tomorrow after school sound? We can go wherever you like." He tilted his head to the side, hoping Marcus caught his unconventional way of asking him on a date.
 
Marcus shrugged. "I don't have any plans...." he said softly after thinking about it for a moment. "Umm... I don't really go out anymore... you'd have to choose," he said softly, looking up at Christian once again. He looked back down at his hands after a little while, resting his head on his knee that he pulled up to his chest. He felt awkward here. He didn't know what to say or do. The person here with him was his friend but at the same, wasn't his friend at all. He looked at the floor and after a little while he began thinking. "I still have the blanket we used to use to sleep when you would come over to my house at night," he said softly. "I brought it with me..." he said softly. He would always use that blanket since it was big enough for the both of them to sleep under. He remembers those nights clearly, hearing the knocks at the window and seeing Christian there with cuts and bruises. He remembers cleaning up the cuts and getting him cleaned up and dressed and then just crawling into bed with each other and hold Christian's hand as he slept.
 
Christian's face morphed into one of shock, immediately taken aback as memories flooded over him. "Really...?" He remembered those nights clear as day even after suppressing them for so long; always coming to Marcus after getting into it with his dad. He always nursed him and took care of him, despite being younger.

Christian stood, running a hand through his hair. "Let's talk more tomorrow, okay? If you need anything at all, my room is right across from yours. Don't hesitate to come get me."
 
Marcus nodded his head. "I would never get rid of something that means so much to me," he said softly to Christian. He had kept a lot of things from the past. He even had some spare clothes for Christian in the trunk at the foot of his bed. He kept them just in case Christian ever came back. He had waited for so long before he finally gave up. At that moment he had felt his heart shatter and his happiness dissipate. Just thinking about it, brought tears to his eyes. And even after s long, just thinking about it slightly, he began to cry. He made no sound as he did so and the tears just slid down his cheeks as he sat there. He had truely missed Christian more then anyone would have thought.
 
Christian took notice of his silent tears and disappeared down the hall. He went into Marcus' room and found the blanket in his bag, then returned to the living room with it in hand. "Please don't cry," he whispered to Marcus, sitting next to him on the couch and laying the blanket over the two of them. "Look, still covers us both." He smiled sadly, then intertwined their fingers together. Just like old times, save for a battered and broken Christian. "Even if it doesn't feel like it, you'll always be my best friend."
 
Marcus looked at Christian and when his hand was taken, he leaned in and hugged Christian close under the blankets once more. He could still feel the sorrow in his heart. He thought to himself, now it him who is battered and broken. He rested his head against his shoulder and felt his eyes droop close. He actually wanted to sleep, as long as Christian was there with him. He still kept a good grip on Christian's hand, not wanting to let go. "Me too...." he whispered so softly that he wasn't sure if Christian would hear him or not but before Christian could ask him what he had said, Marcus was already asleep.
 
Christian sighed before gently removing his hand from Marcus' grip. He swiftly picked him up, carrying him bridal style to Christian's room after making sure the blanket stayed on him. He laid him down on his bed before settling next to Marcus and spreading the blanket over the both of them. He leaned over to gently kiss his forehead and tightly held Marcus' hand, then drifted off into oblivion minutes later.
 
Marcus was so thin that carrying him was no problem. He stayed completely asleep even when Christian lifted him up and carried him to his bedroom. He didn't remember the last time he slept so it was what his body needed. He curled up into the bed, murmuring softly in his sleep. He moved around a bit, trying to find Christian's hand but once Christian was next to him, he calmed down. He relaxed even more so as his forehead was kissed and he curled up into Christian, holding Christina's hand in his own as he slept.
 
Christian later awoke to the beeping of his alarm clock and quickly hit the snooze button with his free hand to silence it. He glanced over to Marcus, who was cuddled against him and still had his hand interlocked with his own. "Marcus," Christine whispered softly in his ear, brushing some strands of hair out of his face. He looked peaceful when he slept, or at least for the moment he did. "It's time to get up. You have school, remember?"
 
Marcus just whimpered softly and curled up more. He was still tired and he wanted to sleep. He had never missed a day of school according to his records except when he had to be sent home because he threw up in the nurses office. It had been a friday and he felt better by sunday so he came into school on monday. He murmured Christian's name in his sleep and held Christian's hand closer to him, against his chest, where his heart was.
 
Christian sighed, noticing Marcus wasn't planning on getting up. He laid back on his side, wrapping his free arm around Marcus to hold him closer, able to feel his heart beat where his hand was placed against Marcus' chest. Missing one day of school was really no big deal, Marcus was a senior anyway. "Fine," he mumbled to the sleeping figure, "You can stay home with me today." Christian closed his eyes, not actually going back to sleep, but waiting for Marcus to finally awaken when he was ready.
 
Marcus woke only a few minutes after school had started, his eyes slowly opened and his grip on Christian's hand lessened. He looked at Christian and smiled, but he realized that he was late for school. He usually would be panicking but he honestly didn't care at the moment. He watched Christian, not knowing he was awake. He remembered doing this when they were younger. He would watch Christian as he slept, always holding his hand in his.
 
Christian's eyes fluttered open when he felt the grip on his hand lessen. He smiled crookedly at Marcus and gave his hand a squeeze, "Morning, sunshine." Why didn't Marcus wake him up when he woke up? He knew he appeared to be sleeping, was he just watching him? "If there are no objections, I'll be calling you off from school today. I tried getting you up earlier, and you didn't even open your eyes."
 
Marcus blushed and nodded his head. "I hadn't slept so well in a long time..." he murmured softly to Christian. When Christian said he would call him out from school he nodded his head to him. He didn't remember hearing anything as he slept but he'd take Christian's word. "Sorry... I guess I was too tired," he said softly to Christian. He could still feel Christian's hand in his own and he didn't want to let go of it either. He yawned softly and sat up. He stretched his arms and sighed softly. He felt hungry which he usually never was and his stomach growled suddenly, telling him to eat. He blushed though, not having heard his stomach growl so loud.
 
When Marcus stretched, Christian crawled off of the bed and picked up his cell phone. He nodded to Marcus, dialing the school's number and quickly calling him off for the day. Of course he had the number, he owned the school. When he was finished, he ended the call and raised an eyebrow at Marcus, having heard his stomach growl rather loudly. "Shall I make something for breakfast?" He hoped Marcus would have appetite enough to eat.
 
Marcus blushed and nodded his head. "I can help you make breakfast," he said softly. He got out of bed and yawned again and looked over at Christian. His hair is a bit tangled, but he ran his hand through it, and then tied it with the ribbon in his pocket.
 
"Alright, if you really want to." Christian flashed a smirk at him before walking around the bed and taking his hand. "What would you like to eat? I'm fine with anything." Taking Marcus by the hand, he headed out to the kitchen.