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"Not as hot as they'll be in August." Des was impressed by Marcus's balance and confidence, the way he didn't overbalance or seem nervous, like so many people did when they first walked a roofline. He settled down next to Des, shoulder to shoulder.
"Nice view up here."
"How'd you learn to walk a roof?"
"I engineered some creative escape routes in my youth."
Des sighed. "It's not that I'm not appreciative. I know I'm coming off like a shit--"
Marcus waved a hand, stopping him. "I get it. Really, I do. But see, people like Thomas and Julie, they don't. They've always had people telling them what to do because those people love them. Not because they're trying to assert power over them, control their lives or make them helpless. Though with a strong personality, it can seem that way sometimes. You need to meet my mother-in-law," he added with a twist of his lips.
Despite the humor, when Marcus met his gaze, Des saw a dark history behind the green eyes, much darker than he would have assigned to the well-dressed, wealthy and confident male. He detected something feral and predatory there, a creature who would kill to survive. Then Marcus blinked and his expression was casual once more, though Des was sure the reveal had been intentional.
"I lived on the streets in my teens. I should have been dead a hundred times over. I lost people out there I loved and, until I met Thomas, I genuinely thought my heart had died with them. But it didn't. And I almost didn't realize that until it was too late."
Marcus shifted to lie back on his elbows, tipping his head to look at the clouds as Des had done. "This is where people like you and me end up being the village idiots," Marcus mused. "We're so focused on no one controlling our destiny, no one telling us what to do. That's because we've been helpless, we've been controlled by fate. But as a result, we miss that the person who loves us is trying to give us a gift of themselves. She or he is trying to say, 'you matter so much, there's nothing I won't do to keep you safe, well and happy.' Yeah, we can differ on methods, but letting someone help you keep on living, that one's clear cut. Right?"
Des swallowed. Marcus gave him a piercing look. "Let me put it another way. Are you her Master or not?"
Des stiffened. "That's private."
"Doesn't look all that private. To another Dom, it's as obvious as your ridiculously low body fat ratio. So if the answer to the question is yes, then you do what you have to do to be around to take care of her. Right?"
Marcus straightened, getting to his feet so he could begin working his way down the roof. "You don't owe me any answers, Des. I'm giving you information. What you do with it is up to you. But I'm hoping you're as smart as she thinks you are."
He'd reached the ladder again, and started down it, holding his shoes and socks, but stopped when his upper body was still visible. "Well, let me correct that. Most of us aren't as smart as the people who love us think we are. But if we love them back, we do our best to try and fake it."
"Yeah." Des couldn't argue that. His brow creased. "Julie's family...they didn't sound like they were really there for her much. Emotionally, I mean."
"Yes and no. They're like a bunch of toddlers, everything periphery to their perpetual self-absorption. Yet, her mom still flew home from Europe when Julie had to have an emergency appendectomy. And her dad insists on paying for her upkeep, though there are homeless people with more fixed costs than that girl." Marcus shrugged. "Families all care, in their own warped way."
"Yeah." Desmond looked back up at the drifting clouds. "You never answered my first question. What happens if Thomas's other kidney goes bad?"
Marcus stared at him between the rungs of the ladder. "If you hurt Julie, if you don't appreciate the gift that life has given you, I'll personally cut it out of your body so Thomas can have it back. Otherwise, there are plenty of people in the world who don't deserve to live that can give up a kidney. I'll find them."
Des blinked as Marcus's head disappeared beneath the edge of the roof. "He meant that shit," he muttered.
"Of course I did," drifted up from below the roofline. "Asshole. Go talk to Julie. Do the right thing. Stop being a prick."
Des shook his head. He paused, pride warring with a whole lot of other emotions, so that when he spoke, it came out a harsh bark. "Marcus."
Marcus reappeared. Des wished a million things could be different, but Marcus's words had reminded him there were a few key things that he didn't want to change. He swallowed pride, a jagged lump the size of Texas.
"I'm feeling a little out of it. Can you and Thomas help get me to the ground so I don't break my neck?"
Marcus's expression switched to instant concern and Des shook his head. "I'll be fine once I get down there and rest and eat something. Just overdid it on this job."
"Well, then, we'll take you out for some dinner. And we can go to Elaine's--"
"No." Des shook his head. "Not right now. I can't... You're making me rethink something I've always been sure I'd never do. Thinking about a family I didn't know I had on top of that, dealing with it today..."
"Yeah. I get it. No worries, man." Marcus's empathy was clear, helping Des relax, but he wasn't done yet.
"I want to talk to Thomas about this, one on one, no interference. All right?"
Marcus's green eyes reminded him of Betty's no-nonsense sharpness. "You got it, but it was Thomas who insisted on this, Des. Believe me, my influence was more on the 'are you fucking mental' side. Initially."
"And now?"
