??????? ?? ??? ????? | Marcus White

New Year's Eve {sub part}

"It's hard, there's no denying that. But your strong Ames, the strongest person I know. I'll be here, Emma will be here. You're not alone going through this."

"Thank you, y/n." Amy squeezed you tightly against her, then pulled away, her hands holding you by your shoulders an arms length apart. "Now, let's agree to never bring this up again."

Letting out a loud laugh, you pulled her back against you, the two of you giggling like children as you laughed into each other, tension dissolving as quickly as it had come. As the laughter died down, Amy cried out to Emma, bringing her from your bedroom into the living room. Emma crashed onto the end of the couch, squeezing tightly in the gap next to you and slouching into her hand that rested against the arm of the couch.

The ball was soon to drop, only three minutes until the clock struck midnight and a new year would begin. But, oh, was it so much more then that: the new year would bring in new chances, the ability to change, to heal. And you hoped it would bring so much more, especially for Amy.

A knock at the door startled the low chatter that had filled your apartment, you jumping from your seat and heading to the door with haste. "It's probably the pizza, I'll grab it."

"Be quick!" Emma shouted to you over the back of the couch, quickly turning back to the conversation she was sharing with her mom.

Pulling open the door, you looked into your purse, pulling out a twenty dollar bill, and a handful of change. "How much was it again?"

"Y/n."

Marcus stood before you, the jumper you'd bought him for Christmas covering his chest, and the scarf - that secretly matched your own - wrapped loosely around his neck, the long fabric hung over his shoulders and cascading down his chest. His face was red, and he seemed slightly out of breath, the cold air having nipped at his exposed skin.

"Marcus? What are you doing here?" You asked, one hand holding the door open as the other still held your purse, cash lazily stuffed back into it. The dimly lit hallway shadowed his face, his arm coming to rest against the doorway, his form towering above you. "Wait, how did you know where I lived?"

"I stopped by Amy's, and Adam answered the door. Gave me your address."

"Oh." It's not that you weren't happy to see Marcus, you always were, you were just surprised as to why he had ended up on your doorstep on the edge of midnight. "Well, what's up?"

"10!" Amy and Emma chanted from a few feet behind you, the half-closed door the only thing shielding Marcus their view.

Marcus pushed more of his weight into the doorframe, leaning over you. His free hand came and took the purse from your grasp, placing it on the side table you had beside the doorway, purse disregarded alongside the keys you'd made home there. "9!"

"8!" Marcus grabbed your now free hand and placed it on his chest, his hand dropping from yours and gently grabbing your waist.

"7!" Taking a step closer to the brunette, he guided you, squeezing the flesh of your hip as his hand pulled you closer to him.

"6!" Now chest to chest, Marcus began to dip his head closer to yours, his arm never leaving the door frame though yours now did, slipping over his shoulder and around his neck.

"5!" Tugging at the tousled hair that your fingers met at the nape of his neck, you took another step impossibly closer to Marcus, breathing in the earthy warmth he always carried.

"4!"

"Why are you really here? Huh, handsome?" You asked in a hushed whisper, face inches apart from Marcus's, his breath fanning across your cheeks.

"3!"

"I think you know." Marcus whispered back, a wide smile curling across his face, eyes crinkling and teeth showing - a full, genuine, elated smile.

"2!"

"Oh, do I now?" You teased, other hand moving to meet your other that rested behind his neck, this one shifting to the full fluff of his hair.

"Yeah. I think you do."

"1!"

You pulled Marcus down by the back of his head to meet your lips, standing on the tips of your toes to make it easier for him. His hand that gently cradled your waist pulled you as close as possible to him, pressing your chests together. Hands tangled into his hair, running them through his tousled, brown locks and lightly pulling, eliciting a short groan from Marcus. His other large hand cupped your cheek, pressing his lips firmly to your own as a smile began to form, pulling the two of you apart from each other.

"Happy New Year, y/n." Marcus whispered as to not disturb the peace of the moment, his thumb stroking across your cheek, underneath your eye.

"Happy New Year, Marcus." Biting back a smile, you looked up at him, eyes filled with a warmth he hadn't seen much before - only ever from you. "That was very sweet of you."

"What can I say? They call me Mr. Sweetness."

"Who? Who calls you that?"

"Happy New Year, Mi Chiquita!" Amy screeched down your ear, a loud, chaste kiss pressed to your cheek as she wrapped her arms loosely around your waist, squeezing tightly. "Oh, Marcus, hello."

Marcus shyly waved a hello, his hand coming to scratch against the back of his neck as his face flushed red, as though he'd been caught doing something g he shouldn't.

"Who's at the door?" Emma asked, pushing her head through the two of you to get a glimpse of the talk man outside the apartment door. "Y/n? Is that your boyfriend?"

Three scrambled attempts at an explanation failed to keep Emma quiet, her pushing her body fully through the gap between the two of you to stand in front of a very red-faced Marcus. "All they do is talk about you, y'know."

"Emma!" You all but screeched, clapping a hand over the younger girls mouth and pulling her backwards, into your chest and what could be disguised as a hug. "She didn't mean that. She's a liar."

Despite having her mouth covered, Emma vehemently shook her head in denial, Marcus and Amy letting out a chorus of laughter at the bickering between the two of you.

"Why don't you come inside?" Amy offered, pulling Emma away from your clutches and creating a gap into the apartment, giving Marcus the opportunity to enter if he wished to do so. "We've got snacks, drinks - and a pizza on the way."

Marcus hesitated, looking over at you who simply smiled fondly at him, a look of adoration and hope. "Yeah, I'd love to."

Emma rushed back to the couch at that, claiming a spot before the couch got full up from your new addition to the guests, Amy quickly following after her and squeezing in next to her, leaving one spot free on the small couch.

Marcus lingered in the door way, only beginning to move as you reached your hand out to him, intertwining your fingers and pulling him into the apartment he was more then welcome in.

"Make yourself at home." You mused, tugging on his hand and pulling his towards the couch, where Amy and Emma waited with an arms full of snack and embarrassing stories to share.

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Hey guys!! This is the first of the two uploads for tonight.

This is definitely the better of the two uploads - as who doesn't love Marcus/reader content?????

As always, have a lovely week <3333