Hello Gay Man, I'm Gay Too (MarcoxAce)

I can feel your touch from over here

Notes: I'm being lazy and putting almost nothing right here. Now that I think about it, maybe I should write something for Halloween too? That could be fun! If I don't die from doing school work, maybe expect something for Halloween in a couple of days <3

This one's apparently been in my drafts for a while, oops lol. Long story short, Marco's a phoenix and Ace is a fire elemental. Marco can only speak bird, and Ace has to stay near his fireplace, otherwise he'd pretty much be dead.

_____

 "That would be two dollars, please," the clerk smiles, exchanging a single rose for Marco's meager change. Marco returns the smile with a polite nod of the head, anticipating his escape as he turns to leave with long strides towards the door.

"If you don't mind me asking," they say, stopping him dead in his tracks, "who's the lucky lady?"

Instantly, images of dancing marigold and scarlet red are flickering across the recesses of his mind.

Cyan blue flames flare across the surface of the man's skin in embarrassment, the tips of his fingers burning the rose up into a blazing beacon of hope before it crumbles apart. Marco stares down at the palm of his hand in shock. There's nothing left but a pile of ash and soot.

The clerk blinks at Marco, bewildered. They stand there in awkward silence, the clerk—typically not one to find himself in these types of situations—stares down at Marco's hand, and Marco unintentionally lets out a sad coo. 

Taking pity on the man, the clerk gives Marco another rose that's free of charge. 

_____

From his seat by the window, Marco has an open view of the sun setting over the sea. It's a beautiful sunset, but Marco looks longingly towards the fireplace on the other half of the room. 

He hasn't noticed Marco yet (hasn't for the past couple of months), after all, Ace has little reason to gravitate towards the one part of the building that has a draft. That's why Marco chooses to sit here every Tuesday and Thursday evening. What Ace doesn't know can't hurt him.

Besides, Ace is out of his league. Ace is bright and warm, and Marco? Marco's losing his spark. 

Another soft coo leaves his throat, and Marco finds himself sinking further into his seat. He sullenly gazes down at the lone rose he'd gently set down on the table. Its petals are a bright orange, sort of like Ace who's dancing around by the fire place, sparks and embers flying from his skin and burning holes in people's clothes.

Marco thumbs the soft petals with his fingers, closing his eyes to imagine that the rose is Ace. Ace would hold him close, so close that Marco would feel his flames flicker across his skin, and then Marco's flames would intertwine with his. 

Lost in his fantasy, a low trill begins to rumble in Marco's throat, catching the attention of everyone within the vicinity. 

Unknown to Marco, blue flames begin to roll across his skin, the same as what happened earlier in the flower shop. People begin to murmur, watching the spectacle in the previously unnoticed corner of the tavern. Warm eyes glance towards him Marco with curiosity before they widen with something akin to wonder. 

In reality, despite only a few seconds having passed by since Marco closed his eyes, the rose is quickly eaten away until it's nothing but a pile of ashes. For the second time, Marco opens his eyes to see his rose had practically crumbled into nothing. 

Marco looks down in shock. Losing control like he had earlier was practically unheard of, but twice in the same day? Marco hears a soft sniffle, and it takes him a minute to realize that he's begun to cry. A hysterical warble begins to build in his throat, and Marco's embarrassed. It was just a silly little rose! Who cries over a flower?

A warm, almost burning hand, lands on his shoulder, and Marco jerks in his seat. He slowly raises his head until he's facing Ace.

The fire elemental smiles at him. "Hey, pretty bird."

Marco coos.