Promises We Keep

22

KEN POV

Marcus is lying next to me on my bed, of course watching Criminal Minds. He showed up at my house earlier and as soon as I opened the door he told me to stop acting like a dick and tell him what's up. Then he proceeded to talk to my mom for an hour and is now taking up my Netflix account. I know he's just giving me a chance to gather my thoughts. I smile at that.

It's only been five months. I've known him for five months and I already know that I can't imagine the rest of my life without him. His intense and beautiful ocean blue eyes. His temper and his threats. His faith and attachment to people. His loyalty. I'm pretty sure the more that I am around him the more trouble I think I'll get in but also the more fun that I'll have. I know that he'll annoy me every chance he gets and act like a dorky twelve year old at the mention of a superhero but that just makes him even more adorable.

I take a deep breath. It's time to tell him.

"Marcus?"

He pauses the TV. "Finally. What's up," he says, turning his full attention to me.

I give a nervous smile. "Ummm....so about Prom. I'm not going."

He frowns. "I know it's stupid, I guess, but it's for Grace."

I sigh. "I know. It's just that I can't."

"Why?"

I take another deep breath. "I got into MIT."

He nods slowly. "Okay...."

"And I was offered a chance to join the Chemical Biology Research Program. It's a really big deal. The research there can earn me an internship and eventually a job at the CDC," I pause, biting my lip. "The thing is, it starts in April. I'm supposed to finish up the year early and then head right to Cambridge. I'll miss Prom and Graduation," I say quietly, not even able to look at him.

"Are you kidding!" he shouts.

Wait. He sounds excited.

I look up at him and surprisingly he's grinning from ear to ear.

"Ken, that's amazing. You're actually going to be closer to living your dream!"

"Wait you're not mad?"

"Why the fuck would I be mad?"

"Because, I'm leaving in a little over two months. We don't have that much time together and we might..well you might-"

"I'll see you in June," Marcus says simply, interrupting me.

I furrow my eyebrows. "You're going to come visit me in Cambridge?" I ask, confused.

"Pfft. No. Don't flatter yourself," he says, with a smug grin.

"Then why....what are....I'm confused."

Marcus laughs. "Grace and I are going to MIT as well. We applied behind your back."

My jaw is practically on the floor. I can't believe it. "You're lying!"

"I'm not lying."

He's coming with me. We'll actually be to- Wait. "What about tuition?"

He gives me a cocky grin that makes him look so sexy but I'm way too interested in the answer to my question to think about it.

"Well Kaitlin is going to help with books and stuff. I'll still get a job. But I got a full tuition scholarship."

"A full tuition scholarship!"

"Yep," he says, popping the p.

"I knew you were a secret genius."

He just laughs.

"Why? I even said it would be better to go to different schools. Why did you even bother?"

He gives me his 'are you kidding me' look. "Like I was going to fucking listen to you. I want to be with you and Grace. The three of us were going to the same college no matter what. You're stuck with me. Get over it," he says, smiling at me.

He never ceases to amaze me.

"I love you, Marcus," I blurt out. 

His eyes widen, his mouth dropping open slightly. I literally stop breathing. Did I just say that? 

Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! What did I just say? 

"I mean..I..um.." I breathe. "No. I actually do mean that," I say, looking into his ocean eyes. "I love you."

Marcus shakes his head as if to knock away the shock that's written all over his face. He smiles at me and I swear I've never seen him smile that big. "I love you too, Ken," he says. "I really really love you."

As soon as I hear those words I feel my heart nearly soar out of my chest. But it also tightens at the same time. "I don't think I'll survive," I say, my voice barely above a whisper. "If I lose you, I don't think I'll survive."

I love him. Just like dad loved mom and mom loves dad. I love him. And there is nothing I can do about it.

Marcus seems to read my thoughts because he pulls me close to him, the palms of his hands resting on both sides of my face. "Hey, it's okay. You won't lose me."

"I'm sure my dad promised my mom the same thing," I say to myself, but he heard it.

"Look at me," he says, tilting my head up to meet his eyes. "We've made a number of promises to each other. And I doubt it will be the last time since you're so fond of them," he says with a smirk. "I don't know what the future holds so I'm not going to give you any bullshit about how everything is going to be sunshine and rainbows. We don't do that fairytale shit."

I sigh looking away, but he pulls me back to his gaze. 

"I'll tell you what I do know. I know that right now, at this moment, I'm in love with you and I promise that I'll stay by your side and continue to love you. And to me, love is keeping the promises anyways, regardless of whatever shit we're going through. So how about this?"

I hold my breath, frozen by his stormy blue eyes that are holding so much tenderness I didn't think it was possible.

"I'll keep my promises to you, if you keep your promises to me. Deal, rich boy?" he asks, flashing his signature grin.

I feel myself breathe and my body go so light that I'm sure it's floating right about now. 

"Deal psycho boy," I whisper.

I kiss him with all the urgency and passion that I can muster. "I love you," I whisper over and over against his lips and he says it back every single time with just as much conviction. He kisses me back with just as much passion. The more I hear him say he loves me back the less afraid I feel. The safer I feel. I won't run away from him. I won't hurt him. I won't leave him. And he won't leave me.

My lips trace every inch of his face. I slide my hands under his shirt, gliding them everywhere across his skin, proving to myself over and over that he is real. That we are real. I move my lips to his neck spending time there and then to his chest taking twice as long, trying to permanently fuse the taste of him to my tongue. I move further down until I'm just above his waistband. I look up at him panting. My eyes must say it all because he just nods at me, his blue eyes looking like they're on fire. 

I want all of him. And I don't hesitate to give him all of me.

A/N

Ooooh child!!! I'm squealing right now. I love them so much!!! Next chapter is the final chapter guys

-Nak