#dorianbutt

Marco Bodt has always been my buddy ol’ pal (totally someoneI can live without), the rock I can depend on (not that I do, or anything), atrue personification of the song “Lean on Me” (which he may or may not singwhen I’m down in the dumps). Just an acquaintance, maybe a friend. You know, thosewho you, I don’t know, occasionally hangout with. Even if we hang out almost every day. And text all the time. And…basically live at each other’s houses…

…Okay, maybe, just maybe, Marco is someone I can’t existwithout. I don’t know what I’d do without the guy. He’s strong, much stronger thanI am; despite this fact, he insists thatI’m a born leader because I understand how the weak feel. Like, what?? Who saysthat? You know what else that abominable and completely fucking perfect human being told me? That Iexcel at sizing up any situation, which is why I immediately know what shouldbe done. It’s like he’s hyperaware of what I’m insecure about and he abolishesit.

The thing about Marco is that he’s always there for me. Unconditionally. Nomatter what. Sometimes I think he chooses dealing with my problems over his ownand I can’t help but feel selfish for it. Which is why today, when he offeredto help me move into my new apartment close to The University of Trost for myfreshman year of college, I indubitably denied it.

“No, you are not wrecking your backover carrying my shit,” I firmly stated, shoving a box haphazardly into myshitty, white-mom Volvo before turning to him and crossing my arms.

“What?!” Marco’s face lookedbaffled, to say the least. “Why not?” Now it was his turn to sternly glare atme with arms folded across his taut chest. God fucking damn it, don’t look athis pecs, Jean. You don’t want to weird the boy out. You do that enough.

“Because you have your own stuff topack, dude. Don’t even pretend I don’t know about how much Star Trek décor youplan on piling in your shelves.” A smirk promptly sat its way on my face asMarco turned a light pink.

“H-Hey! Shade is for lounging, n-notthrowing!” His tough guy façade quickly fell along with his arms, whose handswere now busy fiddling with the hem of his shirt as his eyes looked anywherebut my way. “Besides, I was wondering…” You see, I’d tell you the rest of that sentenceif he didn’t trail it off in a low voice.

“You had me scared there, coffeebean! For a second, I thought my hearing went faulty. Rest assured, I realizedhalfway through my paranoia that you were mumbling. C’mon, a little louder forthose of us in the back.” Marco glanced up at me for a fleeting moment when Ipunched his shoulder playfully and bit his lip. Ugh don’t do that, I wanted towhine.

“I know this is suddenly but…” Hefinally settled his warm, dark brown eyes on me. In that moment, it was as ifthe entire world focused in on him and making him seem even more flawless thanusual. Rays of light illuminated his dark hair, revealing copper lowlights. Hisdark skin looked more radiant than usual, as if he was retaining the sun’s warmth.Honey-colored flakes were revealed in his irises when the light hit them theright way. And oh god, the freckles.I could moan about how each dark, almost black freckle was askew but fit in itsown niche somewhere on the grooves and rises of his face; across the bridge ofhis nose, above his high cheekbones, under his soft bottom lip. Coupled withthe scenery of mountains painted with forests and the brilliant sky, I couldcapture this moment and cherish it for the rest of my life because all of it wasMarco, Marco, Marco…

A snap of fingers in front of myface frazzled me out of my inner monologue. Oh shit. Hi, Marco.

“Did you hear what I said?” Marcogrumpily asked, only inches away from my face. I could only shake my headbecause oh my god Marco is so close to myface and he smells vaguely of vanilla bean frappuccino and I hate myself forknowing what his favorite Starbucks flavor is I’m such a sap help me. Heonly dejectedly sighed. “I was wondering if you wanted to be roommates.”

What.

Oh my god.

Marco? Marco wants to be roommateswith me? This boy clearly hasn’tlearned what a god damn handful I am, oh no.

“Marco, are you sure you want to bemy roommate?”

“I’m always sure.”

“Well, yes, you are, but I’m not!”

At this, Marco furrowed hiseyebrows and backed away a little. “What does that mean?”

OH FUCK THAT’S NOT WHAT I MEANTMARCO BABY NO. “No!” I shouted perhaps a little too loudly and pulled himcloser again. “I meant, I’m not sure you could deal with me.”

Marco pulled a face and examinedme. “I know I can deal with you. I wantto deal with you.”

“No, no, but like-“

“DAMN IT, JEAN, I’M FLIRTING WITHYOU.” We both stared agape at each other. Marco was flirting with me. Marco…Marco! I could have squealed in that moment. I totally didn’t though.

(I did, but I’ll deny it if you sayanything.)

I pulled him into an embarrassinglytight embrace as Mindy Gledhill’s “I Do Adore” played from the car radio. I letgo of him only to grab his hands and dance around in my driveway to the song.

“We’re as different as can be!” Isang as I twirled him around. “I’ve noticed you’re remarkably relaxed.” Boyhowdy, thank you musical theater for teaching me what I know about singing anddancing, separate and together, I thought as I stepped in time to the musicwith Marco. “And I’m overly uptight…”

“We balance out each other nicely!”Marco sang back as we began to swing dance. Holy fuck. THANK YOU MUSICAL THEATER FOR CREATING SINGING AND DANCING MARCOBODT. “You wear sandals in the snow.” He grinned as he picked me up by the hipsand drew an arc in the air with my body before setting me down again. “Inmid-July, I still feel cold.”

“We’re opposites in every way, butI can’t resist it when you saaaay!” I chimed in.

“Hello!” A beat. “How are you,”Step step. “my darling,” Arms around neck. “today?” His smile.

“I fall into a pile on the floor!”

“Puppy love is hard to ignore,” hebreathed cheekily as he poked my cheek.

“When every little thing you do…” Ipaused and so did he, both of us frozen in time together. “…I do adore!” Westared at each other, our lips, our bodies pressed against each other, oureyes. With a smug grin on both of our faces, we leaned in and kissed innocentlyand sweetly.

“You should have let me help yousooner,” Marco scolded me as we put the last of our boxes into our new apartmenta few hours later. “Then we could have kissed more.”

“While that is a valid point, ourkiss couldn’t have been more perfect in that moment. Like, fucking Disney magicin that moment.” I moved towards him and gave him a loose hug around hisshoulders. Damn it, did he get taller? I’m slightly on my tiptoes right now.

“I can’t argue with that,” Marcoagreed, pressing his forehead to mine. We stayed like that for a few moreseconds.

“…Wanna go cuddle in our boxers andwatch Star Trek?”