Chapter 117: Holding it down.

Warning: sexual content ahead, viewer discretion is advised.

— — —

Marcus worked the punching bag with speed and power. Sweat beads dripped down his forehead as the sound of his fists hitting the bag echoed throughout the mostly empty gym.

Marcus didn't know what to think as he lost himself in a rhythm. He wasn't afraid, he would never be afraid of anything again. But that didn't stop him from being worried, for the future and himself.

He thought back to Luna's advice, the idea of pretending that there wasn't some higher power in the cosmos, that everything was normal. 

However, that did bring up the question. 

Was it ever normal?

Even before he learned the origin of ether and anomalies, he still dealt with them. In the end, whether the chicken or the egg came first, an omelet still had to be made.

Marcus found himself calming down as he thought about it that way. He would take things as they came, and continue to move forward, one day at a time. 

With a final punch to the punching bag, Marcus breathed a deep sigh of relief. "Ughh, huh, fuck." Marcus took a moment to catch his breath as he placed his hands on his hips. 

After a moment of catching his breath, Marcus collected his thoughts and made his way back outside. The chilly air gently passed Marcus' race, providing a nice contrast to the sweat he worked up.

As he walked back to Kinsley's dorm, Marcus thought about how he'd face Kinsley. He knew he couldn't tell her the truth, learning that your boyfriend fucked your best friend right after he said he loved you…

Marcus couldn't imagine the rage.

She'd probably kill him.

"I guess I'll just swallow it down, the less she knows the better," Marcus muttered to himself. The gym had helped clear his mind, but that only allowed the reality of his situation to settle in.

As he reached Kinsley's dorm, he took a deep breath as he straightened himself out. He had to play it cool, keep calm, and move forward.

He knocked on the door.

A moment later Kinsley replied. "Who is it?" 

"It's me, Marcus," Marcus replied, running a finger across his nose as he adjusted his shorts.

Marcus her the sounds of rushed footsteps approaching the door, before it was hastily opened.

Standing at the door was Kinsley, her eyes red, and dried tears streaked down her cheeks. 

"Marcus." She said softly, "Are you okay?" She asked, "Do you want to talk?"

Marcus looked Kinsley in the eye as he scratched the back of his head. "I'm fine." He answered, "I was just a little overwhelmed, but uhm, what about you?"

Kinsley breathed an uneasy sigh as she looked down. "I don't know, I just… I want you to talk to me, please?"

Marcus hesitantly nodded. Kinsley then grabbed his hand and pulled him into the room. As he entered, he noticed Luna and Kinsley were gone, and the room itself was a mess.

Kinsley guided Marcus towards the bed, sitting him down as she stood before him.

Marcus quietly looked up at Kinsley, his expression filled with curiosity and guilt. He wondered what would she do, or say.

Kinsley then wiped her face as she took a heavy breath. "Is there anything bothering you?" She asked, "anything at all?"

Marcus hesitantly nodded, "Yeah, they're a few things."

Kinsley waited patiently with an expected look on her face.

"But I won't tell you." Marcus replied, "Not because I don't trust you, but because what I know, what I did, it's a lot, it's a lot to take in and process."

Kinsley frowned, "but Marcus, I'm your-"

Marcus silently pulled Kinsley into his lap. She looked startled for a brief moment, she hesitantly accepted and leaned her head against his shoulder.

"I'm your girlfriend, Marcus," Kinsley said softly, her voice muffled as she buried her face in his neck. "You can tell me anything."

Marcus forced a chuckle as rubbed Kinsley's back, her presence was comforting yet simultaneously suffocating. His guilt and remorse for cheating on her ate at him, ripping at his conscience.

"Kinsley," Marcus said softly.

"Hmm?" She replied, tightly holding him. 

"Do you… do you want to have sex?" He asked, "To help with the stress of everything, you know?"

Kinsley raised up from Marcus' shoulder, her eyes wide as she studied Marcus closely. "L-like real sex?" She stammered, "or like what we usually do?"

"The real thing," Marcus answered, given that he lost his virginity to Kira, Marcus felt that he had enough of an understanding of how to enter himself in Kinsley. "I want to give that to you if you want it."

"Yes!" Kinsley said almost immediately. A soft smile crossed her lips as she laughed softly, "But, do you want to?" She asked.

Marcus didn't mind, but he did know that after he had sex with Kira, he felt somewhat better and even had a peaceful sleep after the fact. "I do." 

Kinsley's eyes twinkled with excitement as she kissed Marcus. "Then let's do it." She said softly, "Let's exchange our virginity." She whispered to Marcus' lips. 

Marcus quietly nodded, reaching his hands under Kinsley's shirt and in her pants. He slowly began to undress her as she continued to kiss him. As he removed her clothes, Marcus' mind went blank and he quickly lost himself in the moment.

As they kissed, Marcus pushed Kinsley further onto the bed as he topped her. "Marcus," Kinsley whispered as he finished removing her bra. "I…"

Marcus didn't let her finish speaking, instead, he placed a finger over her soft lips and smiled. For a moment, for just a brief moment, he felt the complexities of life melting away.

And he didn't want to ruin that with talking. Marcus then slowly pushed his finger into Kinsley's mouth as he pulled down her panties. "Just relax Kinsley, and enjoy yourself," Marcus said with a soft smile.

Kinsley nodded as she began sucking Marcus's finger, twisting and twirling her tongue in ways that drew a moan from Marcus.  

As he finally uncovered Kinsley's pussy, Marcus looked down and grabbed the base of his dick. He then thought back to when he had sex with Kira, he remembered how slow she started, and decided to replicate that. 

Noticing Marcus preparing to enter her, Kinsley watched intently her eyes wide with curiosity and excitement. "Are you putting it in?" She asked, her voice muffled as Marcus's finger was still on her mouth.

Marcus nodded slowly as he brought his tip to Kinsley's pussy lips. Kinsley moaned as she gently bit down on Marcus's finger. Marcus smiled softly as he gently pushed himself into her, slowly moving forward.

Kinsley began moaning loudly as she watched, grabbing onto Marcus's arm tightly as he pushed deeper inside. Marcus looked up to Kinsley as he pushed the last of his dick inside of her. He noticed tears welling in her eyes as she stared at him tenderly. "It hurts." She said softly.

Marcus nodded understandingly. Pausing for a moment as he allowed Kinsley to breathe. As Kinsley adjusted to the sensation, Marcus gently leaned forward, placing a hand on the other side of Kinsley's head as he lowered himself down. 

"You can hold me." He said softly, "as hard as you want." Kinsley nodded as she wrapped her hands around his back, bringing him closer. 

"You can start." She said softly, raising a hand to the back of Marcus's head, "Just, don't be rough, okay?"

"I won't," Marcus replied. He began moving slowly, finding a gentle rhythm similar to that of the one Kira used on him. He listened to Kinsley's moans, slowing when she gripped him tightly. As the two lost themselves in the intimate moment, the outside world began to fade.

As they continued to move in unison, Kinsley's moans of discomfort, slowly filtered out into moans of pleasure which quickly filled the room. Marcus found himself smiling as he kissed Kinsley's ear. "Does it feel better?" He asked softly.

Kinsley nodded. "Mhmm, I-I like it Marcus, I like having you inside of me, it makes it feel like you're mine, and I'm… yours." She said between moans. She then kissed Marcus once more, "I love you." She said softly.

Marcus came almost instantly.

— — —

In the morning, Marcus awoke on a bare mattress while dressed in shorts that were backward and the shower running. 

Confused, he grabbed his temples and gently grabbed them to massage them. He thought back to what happened last night before his eyes widened.

"K-Kinsley!" Marcus called out as he rose out of bed. Looking around the room to spot the sheet and blankets in the corner of the room. "Are you ok?" He asked.

There was a tense moment of silence as Marcus waited for a response. "Y-yes." She finally answered, "But you, Marcus, can you go to the Pharmacy?" She asked.

Marcus raised an eyebrow, curious as to why he'd go to such a place. "Why?" Marcus asked curiously, looking down at his backward shorts. He didn't even remember putting his clothes back on.

"Uhm, you know, we didn't use protection last night," Kinsley replied.

"Okay…?" Marcus responded, still confused as to what Kinsley was suggesting. If she wanted him to buy a condom it was a little too late for that.

"Marcus." Kinsley softly from within the shower, "I need a Morning-after pill."

"…" Marcus' mind slowly put the pieces together, it then clicked. "O-OH!" He shouted in realization.

Marcus walked over to his duffel bag and quickly grabbed a shirt and his phone. "I'll get it, do I need an I.D. or anything?" Marcus asked as he slipped on his shirt, followed by his pink flip-flops.

"No, I don't think so." Kinsley replied, "But can you hurry?" She called out, a hint of nervousness in her tone. 

"Already heading out!" Marcus called out, heading out of the door. He took a deep breath as he walked down the corridor. The memories of their intimate encounter replayed in his mind on a loop. 

Marcus couldn't help but feel better about everything now that he had sex with Kinsley. 

Even if their relationship was strained from all angles, Marcus believed that if he just weathered the storm, the sun would soon shine behind a rainbow.

Stepping outside and continuing his journey to the closest pharmacy on the map, Marcus got a text from Dr. Fletcher.

He knew it was about the end of his vacation, but he decided to check the message later. "Welp, guess my vacation has to end at some point." He grumbled.

It wasn't long before Marcus was walking through the automated doors of the pharmacy. The smell of over-the-counter medicine and mint filled the air. Stationed behind the counter was a young guy watching a video on his phone. 

Marcus sighed as he stepped up to the counter. "You guys got morning-after pills?" Marcus asked as he crossed his arms. 

The guy manning the counter slowly put down his phone. "Fam, this is pharmacy Yeah, we obviously got pills, bro, The question is, what kind are you looking for?"

Marcus raised an eyebrow. "There's more than one?" He asked in bewilderment.

The guy manning the counter chuckled. "Ahh shit man, this was your first time huh?" He asked with an impressed nod, "Congratulations fam, you're a real man now." The man reached out for a fist bump.

Marcus hesitantly bumped his fist, "Thanks, I guess."

The man smirked. "So tell me," he said as he leaned away from the counter, "how long ago?"

"Last night." 

"Good, you still got plenty of time." The man answered as he scrolled through a tablet full of medicines. "Do you know what kind of pill your lady likes most?"

"The one that works?" Marcus replied with a scratch behind his ear.

The man at the counter smirked. "Fair enough fam, I'll just get the most popular one." He said, finalizing the order. He then placed the tablet down before retrieving the pill and rang up the purchase. 

Marcus paid for the pill and accepted the small box, tucking it securely in his shorts pocket. "Uhm, thanks man," Marcus said with a small smile before turning to leave.

"No problem fam." The man called out with a chuckle, "Just wrap it up next time, don't want any Mini-yous running around yeah?" He said with a laugh.

Marcus chuckled as he walked out of the pharmacy.