Love Is Ǝvil

37 Unicorn in Human Form

"Really? Ain't this a bit ... public?", he asked and doubtfully glanced out of the car window, trying to suss out how many people were here and how well they knew his face. Some crowds were more prone to recognize him than others.

Ryan smirked amused. "What? Eminem ain't allowed to have some fun?"

Marshall grumbled on that and still skeptically eyed the small, blinking Christmas trees that flanked the entrance as well as the sign hanging above: Merry Christmas! A Christkindlemarket. He shook his head: "Not sure this counts as fun, dude."

"Don't be a grouch", Ryan nudged his ribs. "Your people brought this with them, then it's your duty to enjoy it. Come on." He got out of the car.

With a sigh, Marshall followed. As the car door closed, it pulled away to park somewhere and wait for them. "Highly doubt that's how this works."

"Pretty sure, that's exactly how this works." Briefly Ryan put his arms around Marshall's shoulder, meant as encouragement. "Look, Big Eight's here, what can go wrong?"

He looked to his bodyguard for a moment. "I know like a hundred different ways from the top of my head." There was always something going wrong.

Big Eight just nodded encouragingly. He'd always make sure his boss was safe, but also that his boss could live a little. Everyone needed that.

Ryan pulled him through the gate and into the market. Right there to welcome them stood a tall wooden Christmas pyramid slowly turning on its axis, the figures looking out onto the visitors in solemn greeting. The lights shone brightly and warmly in the dark gray of this winter day.

Internally Marshall shrugged with his shoulders. It was nice to do something else for a change and get out of his daily routine. Especially since his daily routine was rather depressing at the moment. Maybe some Christmassy sweets and hot chocolate would take his mind off of things for a couple of hours. "I was a bit surprised you called, actually", he said as they leisurely strolled along the way. The stalls presented all kinds of sweets and yummy food, but also festive decorations and other knick-knacks for the season one never needed, but which looked nice in the house anyway. The smells of freshly baked waffles and hot spiced wine filled the air. "You know, after the other night." Wasn't Ryan still angry with him? Marshall would understand, you didn't use friends. He had been a bad friend and he should make an effort to mend their friendship, not the other way around.

"Nah, why?", Ryan asked puzzled.

"You was pretty pissed", he explained and browsed the display of a stall with dozens of small animal figurines. The detail was astonishing. A figure of a cat playing with a ball of yarn caught his eyes. What should he get Nicolas for Christmas? Should he even get him anything? They hadn't discussed this yet. Marshall didn't know how to bring this up. It seemed so ... couple-like. Were they at this stage yet? Would the man even care? Fuck, bitch, you're a grown man, act like it. He's probably gonna call you adorable for this one again, we can't have that.

"Not with you, not really", Ryan defended himself and looked over Marshall's shoulder. He picked up a figure of a black puppy wiggling its tail and looked at it intensely for a moment before he put it back. "Was a weird night, you know."

That was certainly true. "Yeah ... Sorry for that."

"Not your fault, not really", Ryan defended him this time. "Nicolas is ...", he was looking for the right word.

"I know", Marshall interrupted before his friend could find an adequate one. He had tried, there wasn't really a word to describe his boyfriend well. Insane and brutal, obvious from that night, but also tender and thoughtful, not to forget demanding and teasing. Truly a person with whom life would never be boring.