"You're doing great. You can do it!"
Anthony feels cheesy and trite saying it, but he doesn't know what else to say to be encouraging. And he does want to keep encouraging Sören.
They're at Shenandoah National Park in Virginia. They're on the Frazier Discovery Trail, a 1-2 mile circuit hike with several overlooks that has been rated "easiest" on the National Park Service's hiking difficulty scale. For Sören and his long COVID symptoms, it's not necessarily easy - it is steep uphill, with some rock climbing.
But Sören is determined to make it to the top, and they're almost there. They've taken a couple rest stops, and it's clear Sören needs another one but there's nowhere to really sit down and breathe.
"Do you need me to carry you?" Mark asks, concern in his voice.
Sören shakes his head vehemently. He grits his teeth and glares up at the top like the rock formation personally offended him. He takes a few deep breaths and then he keeps going.
"That's it," Anthony says, worried and optimistic all at once. He so very badly wants to see Sören succeed - Anthony and Mark had talked about possibly doing something else in Virginia, less physically challenging, but Sören was insistent on sticking with their original plan. He knows Sören has a lot of pride, stubborn or not. "Almost there. You are doing awesome."
And then, Mark scales the top. He holds out his hands and pulls Sören up. Once Sören is beside him at the peak, Mark hugs him tight and Sören laughs and cries. Anthony's eyes mist too, and when he joins them at the summit a moment later he hugs Sören and fights off the urge to give him a kiss.
"I'm so proud of you," Anthony says, and means it - he is so fiercely proud of Sören he feels like his heart could burst.
Sören bites his lower lip, cheeks pink. He looks like he's about to cry again, and then he husks, "Hi So Proud Of You, I'm -"
Anthony gives him noogies, then Sören sticks a wet finger in Anthony's ear. Mark chuckles, and passes over a bottle of electrolyte water. Anthony takes a big gulp, then Sören drinks most of the bottle while Anthony tries not to stare at him, tries not to think about what those full lips would look like on his cock. Sören looks sheepish at how little is left in the bottle, but Mark waves his hand. "Finish it," he says, and pulls out another bottle of water from his backpack, taking a sip himself.
It's a little too warm and humid today for Anthony's liking, but the breeze at the summit feels nice. And the sweaty hike was worth it for the view. They can see the Shenandoah Valley for miles, the trees seeming to go on forever, looking enchanted in the soft gold light of the golden hour before sunset.
"Everything the light touches," Sören says in a hushed, reverent voice, quoting The Lion King.
Something about that goes straight to Anthony's heart - in his mind's eye he has a vision of the Mingling, under the trees in Valinor. He thinks about how much Fëanor loved the Treelight, and how much Finarfin loved Fëanor's love of the Treelight, the beauty of nature. He finds himself putting an arm around Sören, choked up.
Mark seems to sense Anthony is emotional. He grabs Sören, pulling him away from Anthony, and Anthony watches as Mark picks Sören up and hoists Sören in the air above his shoulders as if Sören weighs nothing. Then Mark sings at the top of his lungs, "NANTS INGONYAMA BAGITHI BABA SITHI UHM INGONYAMA."
Sören shrieks with hysterical laughter and Anthony facepalms, sides heaving. Show-off, he speaks into Mark's mind. And anyway, aren't you trying to be careful about superhuman feats of strength?
Well, yeah, but I had to. Mark puts Sören down on the ground, still laughing. Anthony shakes his head, laughing harder.
"Wow, you're really strong," Sören says.
Mark flexes a bicep and Sören feels it, with a hungry look in his eyes. Anthony is pretty sure Sören has a crush on Mark, and he kind of suspects it's mutual, but he doesn't want to rock the boat by saying anything. He's also amused rather than jealous, even though he wishes Sören liked him that way.
He wonders if they would let him watch. Then Anthony looks away and back out at the trees, face on fire. Stop it. Don't even bring it up.
Anthony takes some pictures of the scenery, some selfies and some group pics to send his daughter later. He feels wistful, missing her, wishing she were here to see this. He briefly entertains the idea of all of them going on a repeat road trip, this time with Rhiannon, in a few years once Rhiannon is old enough to decide to live with him.
If Sören hasn't found someone. Anthony doesn't want to think about that, even though he knows it's selfish of him to hate the idea of Sören with someone else.
He brings himself back to the present, the way the light is changing. After sitting and resting for a little while, they get up and walk around the summit to take in the 360-degree view, the endless green kissed by gold. There are some annoying bugs buzzing at them, but Anthony spots butterflies including dark swallowtails and the red-spotted purple. Once they sit down again, through the brush Anthony gets a glimpse an adult eastern towhee with a brood of young chicks - Sören catches it at the same time and covers his mouth not to squeak. They happy-flap together.
They stay to watch the sunset in vibrant neon colors; the view of the blazing sky over the forest gets Anthony choked up again, hair standing on end, grateful to be alive and to witness something so beautiful in the presence of the people he loves. The fire in the sky reminds him of Sören, boldly himself and defiant in a world that would suppress him, and Anthony wishes once again he could tell Sören how he feels and that possibly, maybe, Sören could join their relationship. But he keeps that longing to himself, and contents himself with the beauty of Mark, hair flowing in the breeze, a serene look on his chiseled face as he watches the sky. Anthony knows Mark has seen millions of sunsets, but Mark is still captivated, never bored, and Anthony loves that about him - so like his father, yet different. Anthony reaches for Mark's hand, and Mark squeezes.
Thank you for being here, Anthony speaks into his mind.
Mark leans in and kisses Anthony's greying temple. Anywhere with you.
Their RV is parked at Loft Mountain Campground, though Mark and Anthony have a tent with a transparent roof so they can sleep out under the night sky. Sören is going to sleep on his jackknife bed on the RV, since he's exhausted from the climb and wants a soft place to lay, but he joins them to sit out under the stars.
It's not Anthony's first time seeing a clear night sky - he and Mark have gone camping together in Acadia National Park - but it's been a rare enough occurrence that Anthony is enthralled by the starry night. He feels true awe - that mixture of wonder and terror. The Milky Way is visible tonight and it's humbling to think about how vast the universe is, and the tiny blue dot of Earth as just one of innumerable stars.
The sea of stars is also magnificent to behold - shiny but not garish, like an expensive glitter fabric.
Once again, it seems that no matter how many times Mark has seen the stars at night, he still regards the sky with delight rather than ennui. And Mark seems to take delight in Anthony's enjoyment of the stars - and Sören's. Sören has also seen plenty of clear nights in Iceland, but "it's different here," Sören says, leaning back and looking up with big eyes. He smiles at Anthony. "It feels more special when I'm sharing it with my two best friends."
Anthony smiles back at him, and wishes he could tell Sören how he feels. He wishes they had found each other sooner - it hurts every time he thinks of Sören growing up bullied like he was, abused like he wasn't, and suffering until his egg cracked.
Mark has his acoustic guitar, and he takes it out now. After doing some scales to warm up, he begins to play "Under the Milky Way" by The Church.
Wish I knew what you were looking for
Might have known what you would find
And it's something quite peculiar
Something that's shimmering and white
It leads you here despite your destination
Under the Milky Way tonight
Those words resonate with Anthony now more than ever. Despite his caution and his plans, his heart still wants Sören, his love hidden in the darkness of secrecy and under the "light pollution" of his fears and trying to be careful with Mark, yet ever burning like starlight.
Of course, he loves Mark too. The moment when he realized he was in love with Mark was when Mark sang and played for him the first time, and every time Mark performs music it makes Anthony fall in love with him all over again.
And Mark's resonant, silken voice and the spangling guitar is perfect for a night like this. The beauty of the stars is all the more wondrous for Mark's gift of music, where it feels like the stars are singing with him.
Mark keeps playing for awhile, a mix of cover songs and original works. Eventually, Mark's voice lulls Sören to sleep, and just as Mark and Anthony are quietly debating which one of them will go over to wake him up so he can sleep in his comfortable bed, Sören wakes himself up snoring, which Anthony tries not to laugh at, finding it adorable.
"Shit, I better go back to the RV," Sören mumbles, his accent stronger.
Mark and Anthony carry their LED lanterns to help Sören there safely, then they return to their campsite. Mark puts his guitar away. But instead of heading into the tent afterwards and calling it a night, Mark wants to sit out on the blanket a little longer and stargaze, and Anthony is OK with that. They lean on each other, looking up at the stars, holding hands. Anthony savors the peaceful, romantic moment, feeling closer to Mark for sharing this night out under the stars, marveling at the wonders of the world together.
Anthony snuggles closer, and Mark starts rubbing and skritching Anthony's head, relaxing and arousing all at once. Mark leans in to kiss Anthony's forehead, and Anthony tilts his face so they can rub noses and kiss. After an affectionate little peck, their lips part and their tongues play together. One kiss becomes another, and another, feeling more emotional in the awe of the stars... feeling more alive in the presence of nature. Passion explodes between them, kissing hungrily, tugging each other's clothes off rather than waiting to walk just a few feet to the tent. They want each other now.
Mark lays back against the blanket, his glorious mane of black hair fanned out. Anthony drinks in the sight of his sculpted muscular body before he leans down to claim Mark's mouth in a deep, lusty kiss, then he kisses and licks Mark's neck and throat, down to Mark's hard nipples, making them even harder as he licks and suckles. He kisses, licks and nibbles down Mark's stomach, down one inner thigh and up the other, and at last, he rubs his nose in Mark's silky bush, breathing in his scent.
Anthony has at it - Mark is already wet for him, and Anthony loves it, lapping at the hard little nub of Mark's cock and the petal-like folds, tasting the salty-sweet cream. His lips latch onto one of Mark's pussy lips, tugging on it, then the other, then both, making Mark shudder and gasp. Then he starts sucking on Mark's cock, making filthy slurping sounds as Mark moans, arched to him.
Anthony bobs his head, sucking harder, and when Mark's cries are more urgent, Anthony mashes his face into Mark and shakes his head violently, sucking as hard as he can. Mark's nails dig into Anthony's shoulders and with the way he's tensing Anthony knows he's right there.
But Anthony can't resist teasing him. He lets Mark's cock slip from his mouth and takes a long, deliberate swipe with his tongue, making streamers with the thick cream flowing. Mark gives a deep grunt of frustration and Anthony laughs. Then he starts lapping at Mark's cock, while he works two fingers inside Mark's tight, dripping cunt, finding Mark's G-spot, rubbing it, loving the wet suctioning sounds.
"Mmmm, your boypussy tastes so good." Anthony licks more slowly, and Mark grunts again. Then Mark gives a helpless whimper as he watches Anthony pull his fingers out, slick and glistening, and Anthony sucks Mark's juices from his own fingers. Anthony resumes licking, slowly, sensually, and the little tormented sob Mark lets out almost makes Anthony come untouched.
Anthony keeps one hand on his own cunt, not able to help pawing himself, lost in lust as he keeps slowly licking at Mark, teasing and teasing, two fingers of his other hand banging away at Mark's G-spot. When he sucks at Mark's folds again, Mark lets out a ragged gasp and then his eyes meet Anthony's, feverish and pleading. Anthony expects Mark to beg to come, but instead Mark says, "I want to taste you too."
Anthony doesn't want to stop eating out Mark, so they get into a sixty-nine, laying at each other's sides. Anthony and Mark lap and suck at each other, slurping, the noises more lewd as they finger each other. Anthony feels himself getting closer - his t-dick swollen, aching, feeling his juices drip into the crack of his ass. But through the haze of passionately devouring Mark and the luscious rhythm of Mark's mouth on him, Anthony gets an idea.
"Let's fuck," Anthony growls.
Mark sits up right away, eager for it, and they kiss, then their tongues play together open-mouthed, making a mess with their cream, enjoying the taste of their essence combined.
"How do you want it, Daddy?" Mark asks.
Anthony licks and nibbles Mark's neck. "Get on all fours for me."
They've fucked like this before with Anthony wearing a strap, but Anthony's strap-on is in the RV. However, Anthony's cock is jutting out after all the licking and sucking - almost as big as a thumb, he's proud of his bottom growth on T - and after the intimacy of stargazing, sharing something sacred and magical, Anthony wants to be inside him, flesh to flesh.
Mark wants it too. Anthony kneels behind him and pushes inside, gasping with pleasure as he feels Mark's tight, wet heat kiss his cock, and Mark moans, "Yes, Daddy, yes..."
Anthony starts to thrust, and groans at the satisfying wet sloppy sounds, the delicious silken rubbing in and out. Mark rocks his hips, matching Anthony's rhythm, panting like he's in heat. Anthony grabs Mark's hair with one hand and slaps his ass with the other. "Yeah, you love being a slut for Daddy's cock, don't you?" Anthony purrs.
"Yes, Daddy. God, yes..."
Anthony almost comes, but makes himself hold back, wanting Mark to come first. He keeps thrusting, stroking inside him, losing himself in the sweet sensation of Mark's inner muscles rippling as he glides in and out. "Daddy's little cockslut."
"Yes, Daddy, yes, oh Daddy, your cock feels so good..."
Anthony makes it feel even better. He slaps Mark's ass again then reaches around and starts playing with Mark, enjoying how wet he is, knowing after these years exactly how Mark wants his cock rubbed. Mark goes wild, their hips slapping together as he fucks himself on Anthony's hand. Anthony lets loose, fucking hard and fast, his hand pawing furiously at Mark's cunt. He grits his teeth, so close, the tension winding to the shatterpoint, needing to come, needing to fuck. Needing to rut with his mate out here in the grass, in the forest, under the stars, primal, wild and feral.
Mark lets out a broken sob as he contracts under Anthony's fingers and around Anthony's cock. Feeling Mark's cunt contracting sets off Anthony's own climax, crying out as he doubles over, heaving and twitching with the throbbing bliss of his release. He keeps pulsing, the contractions exquisite, and he laughs with joy at the feeling of gender euphoria, having penetrated his lover naturally...
...that moment of oneness with nature, the stars pulsing with his body and Mark's in the same orgasmic rhythm.
Anthony's eyes mist, feeling even more connected with Mark. They lay on the blanket for awhile, holding each other under starlight, no need for words. Just being, tangled up together, naked. Skyclad, Anthony thinks, even though he isn't Pagan, but his daughter is.
Anthony rests his head on Mark's chest and listens to his heartbeat. Mark tenderly rubs Anthony's back, and Anthony traces little hearts over the burn scar on Mark's palm.
Eventually they manage to peel themselves off the blanket, roll it up, and head to the tent - walking over naked. Once they're under the sleeping bags, with the stars still shining through the transparent roof, they give each other sleepy goodnight kisses, which once again turn sensual and they end up fingering each other to a second climax, sucking each other's fingers clean and kissing deeply before their limbs entwine once more.
Anthony knows he can't make up for the endless nights where Mark looked up at the sky while he was alone as the tiny blue dot of Earth in the vast universe, but his last thought before drifting off is I hope our love gives you light for a thousand years.
