New Year's Resolution
My apologizes for not putting this behind a cut. I am sorry. I am a novice LJ user and I didn't know how to do this before a friend showed me
Again Happy New Year, and again I am sorry
DMO
As they pointed the Jag towards the West the sky was dark and foreboding as the two began their travels to the City of Brotherly Love, it was a complete blanket of gray wool with an orange spill near the center. It was a kind of sky that can warn of rocky travels or of the true beauty of nature. The two settled in to normal travel banter, how was your day, how was work, families etc. Neither of them cared about the answers but enjoyed the relief from the silence. Daniel gently reached over to rub Marcus' neck. That place where the hairline meets the soft skin, a place rarely touched. Uncomfortable, Marcus' pulled a bit forward and changed the station on the radio. Daniel was not able to quite interpret if this was a "don't touch me," shrug or Marcus not being used to his touch.
The drive was pleasant, both decided upon dinner, before merging with the Pa Turnpike. They stopped and ate a modest meal of the fast food variety, sharing french fries, and Marcus telling stories of times spent during his time at seminary. All of the seminaries would go to this particular restaurant for dinner on "nites off ." Marcus told a story about 2 of the seminarians who would constantly quote cardinal law, and how Marcus would put them in their place by saying "They're french fries, not doctrine." Daniel reminded Marcus about the lack of tonic water for G&T's so they headed over to the grocery to pick some up. Well the two could not resist the freshly made humus, the Brie, or the delightful multi grain crackers; their knees grew week after encountering the Double Chocolate Mini Milanos. Fifty dollars latter they climbed back in the Jag and headed south.
They discussed their plans for New Year's, how each had missed the others company. They arrived in Philly as the moon was cresting over the star filled sky. After a difficult check in, lost reservations prices misquoted, they packed a luggage cart and headed to their modest room. Of course the first order of business was cocktails. Marcus mixed two raspberry Martinis and lit two Marb Lights. Daniel toasted to " A New Year with New Beginnings." Marcus' eyes caught Daniel's, as if to say ''I am ready for a new beginning, I am ready to start again." The old friends, and occasionally lovers sipped Martinis and inspected the room. There was a hole in the ceiling, a patch of carpet gone and grimy concrete in it's place, half of the television stations were missing (including Lifetime: Television for Women and Gay Men who Love the Golden Girls), and they were both appalled by the used condom found behind the mattress. Daniel shrieked one of his high prissy screams, and Marcus' just laughed. Was it that Marcus' was laughing at Daniel's reaction or was he laughing at Daniel? Marcus' had often called Daniel, Mary or the Queen Mary, out of playful affection. Daniel never knew if he was being cruel or was just poking fun, he always hoped it was the latter. They both sprawled out on the King Sized bed, and flipped on the TV. Daniel of course had the controller. Daniel was the type of man that if he wasn't in control of every situation then he felt inadequate and sheepish. Hence, why his relationship with Marcus was so difficult. Daniel had no control. They both agreed upon watching Jack Nicklson be a complete ass hole in As Good As it Gets. They settled in both curled up on the large bed, with a healthy margin of air between them. They both turned their heads when the gay man gets robbed and beaten nearly to death. Commenting on how cold and unforgiving the world could be. They continued to watch the story unfold. Marcus told Daniel how if he ever had to sleep with a woman it would be Helen Hunt. Daniel valiantly tried to think of an actress that he would invite in to his bed, but of course couldn't Daniel had known for 10 years that he was gay and couldn't possibly think of a woman that he could actually enjoy intercourse with. Daniel eyed the Christmas Presents across the room. His thoughtfully wrapped in a large Silver Metallic Green gift bag with coordinating tissue paper in shades of olive, mint, hunter, and forest. Daniel was more interested in the small bag with the insane Santa in it. This was what Marcus' had bought Daniel for Christmas, this would be the present he wanted most to open since the Twenty-Fifth. The fiends didn't share Christmas, both being with their own families. Daniel spent a few moments during the day thinking of Marcus, wondering what he was doing, if he was enjoying his day, and wondering if Marcus was thinking of him. They sat on the bed cross legged and began to rip through their packages.
"Marcus what in the Gay Hell is this God Awful Japanese looking Santa Claus?"
"I had to find you the most ugly, tacky, hideous Christmas novelty I could find."
"Where did you find it?"
"Neiman Marcus, no you ass I got it at the Dollar Store."
Daniel laughed his deep soulful laugh. Marcus just smiled. Marcus started in on many of the heavy items in his bag. Daniel had found him old antique books on religion, politics, and a very old edition of The Divine Comedy. Marcus was thrilled and generally touched by the deep thought of each book. Daniel was tearing through the small festive wrapped boxes. Daniel of course asked if Marcus had wrapped them, to which he gave him his best stare of "duh." Daniel opened the first to find it a small flask, they both loved to drink together and apart. The flask was inscribed with one simple word: "Gin." In Daniel's bag there were another 5 flasks, rum, vodka, bourbon, scotch, and whisky. He was thrilled. His eyes lit up while opening each one. Yeah they were cheap flasks made in some sweat shop in Thailand or India, but he didn't care. It was something that Daniel could physically hold in his hand, and each time he used it he would think of Marcus. Not that Daniel needed an excuse to think of Marcus, he entered his thoughts and often haunted his dreams many times a week.
"Now before you open the velvet bag with the poinsettias in it Marc I want you to realize that I trucked my ass all over the Village to find that for you, so you BETTER enjoy it."
"Wow a controling threat over a Christmas Gift, only you Daniel, only you."
Marcus pulled the silk poinsettias from the bag and gingerly tossed them at Daniel. Daniel placed them between his teeth playfully. Marcus unsheathed the long slender package. His eyes popped as he realized what it was. About a year ago Marcus had mentioned his love for an imported Italian Liquor, Lemonciello. Daniel of course remembers everything and had spent a very cold and lonely day in the East Village of NYC finding it. Marcus hugged Daniel tightly and for the first time on the weekend their lips met. It wasn't a kiss with great furry behind it but gentle and familiar. Normally when Daniel kissed Marcus, for it was rarely the other way around, Marcus turned his head away and Daniel always got the stubbly cheek of the man he loved so.
Marcus sprung off of the bed to go get ice to chill down his favorite drink. Daniel sat at the bed quite contented with the fact that he pleased Marcus so much with his gift. He knew that Marcus even long after the bottle had emptied, the memories would remain.
Marcus came bouncing in the room, in his Puss & Boots, boots. Daniel called them his Puss & Boots boots because Marcus had small elf like feet and kind of strutted a little too proudly, it was cute and made Daniel laugh, a little too hard. Marcus chilled the Lemoncello and they settled back in to the movie.
They had both decided that comfy clothes were a far better idea then the tight Euro jeans they were both wearing. Daniel slipped in to his old faded Cat in the Hat lounge pants, and Marcus slipped on his Navy Blue Liz Claibornes, that Daniel adored since the Claiborne tag was stitched just above the cutest ass Daniel had the pleasure of staring at and occasionally resting his hand upon when the time was right, which it rarely was. The two settled under the covers in their respective positions, Marcus curled up on the left side of the bed and Daniel's long legs reaching the end of the bed. They both have had their share of Godiva chocolates, little crackers with Humus and Brie and far too many Martinis. As Marcus started to watch the movies with his eyes clothes. Daniel commented how his favorite line in the movie was: "You make me want to be a better man." Before he dozed off to sleep Daniel wondered if Marcus caught the hidden meaning.
***More to Come***