Creating the Magic of Us

Chapter 4

His eyes were blankly fixed on the ceiling, heart slowing as Mark's fingers traced invisible patterns on his smooth chest. His mind was captivated by another, and the soft touch of his lover left such a bitter sense of dissatisfaction in his heart. Marvin dispised how fickle he was when it came to what he wanted, but he's been longing for something more than this for quite a while. He loved Mark, but his sinful flesh is craving the wild touch of someone else. Someone he's noticed in the shadows but never had the courage to approach.

On the nights that Mark decided to try and bring him pleasure, Marvin was often fantasizing about the man in black. He doesn't know much about him, not even his name, but he likes what he sees. The man in black is covered in snakeskin tattoos, giving him a primal appearance that drew Marvin in almost immediately. He's noticed his forked tongue and the way it slides down the blade of the sword in his throat, and it excites him in ways he never knew were possible.

But this man is a freak, and even though Marvin longs for a taste of something wild, Mark is safe and comfortable, and he couldn't just leave without at least trying to mend what was wrong between them. It didn't have to be this way, and Marvin knew that he shouldn't run off to chase a desire that might leave him burned in the end. He should play it safe and stay with Mark.

"You're awfully quiet tonight, babydoll." Mark murmured, snapping Marvin back to reality. "Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, just a little tired, that's all." He lied, because he was too much of a coward to say what was really on his mind. Mark lifted his head up from its place on Marvin's chest, not buying that excuse for a second despite how much Marvin wanted him to. This was the fourth time this month he'd failed to finish his lover off, and he was starting to worry that Marvin wasn't as into their little sessions as he once was. Of course, he had no clue that it was so much deeper than that. Marvin was slowly wandering away from Mark, heading down a dangerous path of infidelity that could easily get him hurt.

"You know I can tell when you're blatantly lying about something. Is it about earlier? You seemed very distant when we were together, baby."

Magicians were easily able to lie. You had to in order to thrive in your career, but Marvin hated lying to Mark more than anything in the world. He sighed as he placed his hands on Mark's tense shoulders and slowly rubbed them in soothing circles.

"My mind is in a thousand different places," Marvin admitted. "Lost in magical spells and doubts of my own abilities. You are doing nothing to cause or aid my distractions, mo grá."

Mark peered into those blue eyes as if he were trying to find another reason to question Marvin's excuse, but instead, he slid up his lover's body to press a soft kiss against his lips. The kiss was sweet and tender, and Marvin was relieved that he could feel the tension that built up in Mark's muscles loosen at his words. Marvin hadn't lied to Mark, but it also wasn't the truth, and he hated himself for that. The ringmaster deserved so much better than this.

The somber mood that accompanied the sweet gesture of love soon melted into passion as Mark's roaming hands grabbed at every inch of the magician's body, and soon, the swelling in his loins was back in full force. It was so unbelievably frustrating how Mark was able to touch him just enough to vaguely scratch that itch, but not enough to bring him the satisfaction he desperately craved. And Marvin was far too exhausted to try and fake his way through another lackluster performance for tonight.

"I'm going to step into the shower, mo grá," Marvin whispered, pulling away from the heated kiss, his heart twisting at the disappointment in the other man's eyes. He very well couldn't leave things the way they were right now. Mark was a hell of a lot more sensitive than anyone ever knew, and tended to take things to heart, whether they were good or bad. Marvin would have to find a way to quickly fix this, or Mark would begin to suspect something he shouldn't.

"Would you like to come with me?"

Mark's smile returned at once, and their fingers interlaced together. Then with soft bathrobes on and clothing draped over shoulders, the two men walk hand in hand towards the collection of stalls at the edge of their temporary home. The water was warm and they kissed a little more, but he knew that Mark wouldn't try anything bolder than this if they were in a public area.

"Have you thought about what I asked you last week?" Mark asked, lifting up the magician's hand and kissing his left ring finger. "It would only take a few days to get everything arranged."

Marvin's lips twitched into what he hoped would be a soft smile, but at this point, he wasn't sure if he was capable of smiling anymore. Mark had asked him about marriage a few times now, but Marvin was always just able to keep his answers vague enough to keep Mark around.

The desire to be with Mark was there. It always was, but he knew in his heart that he couldn't be happy with him for a lifetime. He needed more, and holding Mark like this was wrong.

"I'm just not the marrying type," Marvin said, finally. "My devotion is to my craft, Mark. I'm sorry that I can't give you more than that."

It seemed as if the other man had been expecting a much harsher response, and it broke Marvin to see an almost relieved look in his brown eyes.

"Then I guess I'll just have to wait for you a little longer, my sweet spellcaster," Mark chuckled "But I would wait a thousand years just to have the chance to make you happy."