cian's excitement shows in the way he's gazing around at the sights, even if they aren't really sights to begin with. that street sign? wonderful. that lamp post? splendid. he's just in awe, really, as they drive down to the city.

his attention falls to the canal, nodding as he peers in. mars' words hold true: he sees tourists filling up the canal, making it look busier than it needs to be. later at night...that sounds wonderful.

he turns back to mars, asking with wide eyes and an innocence once thought to have been lost.

"can we go later?"

Martín del Mar // [x]

☉

As many good things as there have been lately, there have also been things that concern him; things that he has spent too long pondering on, things that have taken his time and energy. It’s perhaps part of why this trip was suggested: because it’s Cian’s birthday, because he wants to have fun with him today, because he doesn’t want to think about anything else, because he needs a break…
[break][break]
When he’s with him, it’s easy to forget about everything else – to set all of his worries aside and just enjoy the moment.
[break][break]
Enjoy his company.
[break][break]
Enjoy even the smallest things.
[break][break]
Like the way Cian looks at him now; with an innocence and excitement Mars never imagined he’d see from him.
[break][break]
It’s a sight that makes Mars happy, one that makes warm and wonderful feelings rise within, and one that makes him realize that no matter how much he may try to deny it, he truly is deeply in love with him…
[break][break]
”Of course we can. We can do anything you want, Cian.”
[break][break]
And so, he smiles, because he truly means those words.



[break][break]

+ CIAN MAHER

anything he wants, huh? this trip's certainly different from any of the ones he went on with his family. on those, it's often their dad that plans out everything, that decides what they'd do. so to finally have a say, to finally have control, it means a lot.

"alright then we'll come back later when it's less crowded."

for now, his mind is set on one thing. he pokes mars' shoulder and asks:

"are we there yet?"

Martín del Mar // [x]

☉

For the most part, his words are true: they can do anything Cian wants to do. Unless it’s something Mars really is against, but on this day, that is very unlikely...
[break][break]
This day is about Cian and no one else.
[break][break]
He gets to make all the choices, and Mars gets to do everything in his power to make them possible for him. In a way, that’s the best gift he can give him today, and yet it definitely isn’t the only one he’ll give him, is it?
[break][break]
His shoulder is poked, and the question comes as if asked by a child who’s bored after a long car ride:
[break][break]
’Are we there yet?’
[break][break]
Mars can’t help but chuckle at that.
[break][break]
”Yeah, five minutes or so, we just gotta do a bit of walking after we find somewhere to park.”


[break][break]

+ CIAN MAHER

cian isn't bored. he's just rather excited to eat authentic pizza, and knowing mars, the place they're going to must be really good, for the man has high standards.

"how much exactly is 'a bit of walking'?"

those words have been said to him before and most commonly, they have not been 'a bit'.

but then again, even if it's an hour's walk, he'll still happily do it as long as mars is there with him. being in alto mare helps as well, of course.

"hurryyyy."

Martín del Mar // [x]

☉

”Babe, a bit. Trust me.”
[break][break]
Mars knows Cian probably wouldn’t mind it if it was a long walk, but while there are definitely some good and even better restaurants farther away, he wouldn’t make them walk that long just for pizza – no matter how authentic. It would be a waste of their time together, after all, and there’s also the undeniable fact that he’s hungry too.
[break][break]
Just like promised, it doesn’t take long.
[break][break]
Once the car is parked, it’s only a few minutes walking until they reach streets that are no longer as busy, easily finding themselves in one of the quieter sides of the city. The restaurant is by no means big, nor is it fancy, but the exquisite aroma of freshly made food lingers invitingly even outside of it.
[break][break]
”See? What did I tell you? Five minutes.”
[break][break]
He smirks, and it probably was more like fifteen, but who’s keeping count here?

[break][break]

+ CIAN MAHER

this time, cian kept count, because that certainly wasn't a five minute walk. but again, it's not like he minds it.

"it was fifteen, but you're lucky you're cute."

after a quick kiss on mars' cheek, he settles into the seat inside the restaurant, all but ready to eat as soon as the pizza arrives.

for now, it hasn't, so he impatiently bounces his leg.

"how many times have you been here? to alto mare."

Martín del Mar // [x]

☉

Five minutes, fifteen…
[break][break]
It could be argued that Mars just loses track of time when he’s with him, couldn’t it?
[break][break]
”I can’t believe you would call out your handsome boyfriend like that. Actually… I wouldn’t expect any less.”
[break][break][break]
A chuckle, and then the cheek kiss is returned with one on Cian’s own cheek, Mars then sitting in front of him at the other side of the small table they pick.
[break][break]
Their pizza is soon ordered in Alto Marean that is far from perfect and that could definitely use some more practice, but that is more than enough to earn smiling praise from locals who aren’t used to having tourists at their establishment – especially those who actually bother with learning the language.
[break][break]
At the question, he smiles faintly; both the influence of the word and that of the memories that come attached to thinking about his past visits to the city.
[break][break]
”A few times over the years, I stayed here almost a whole summer once. I wouldn’t know places like this one otherwise.”
[break][break]
For now, he skips on explaining the reasons behind this.

[break][break]

+ CIAN MAHER

of course mars is able to speak alto marean, or at least is able to order food in it. it's impressive, to say the least, and briefly, he wonders just how many languages mars actually speaks.

wait, he'll just ask.

"that was cute. how many languages can you speak?"

he reaches for his drink, sipping to placate his hunger until the pizza arrives.

"a whole summer sounds really nice. how old were you then?"

Martín del Mar // [x]

☉

His Alto Marean is far from what Mars wishes it would be, but he doesn’t have the time or the energy to continue learning and polishing it. He’ll just have to settle for what he has, although it definitely helps that he speaks it with the confidence of someone who knows exactly what he’s doing.
[break][break]
When Cian calls it cute, he can’t help but smile.
[break][break]
”Ha. Was it? Let’s see… Five if you count my terrible Alto Marean, six if you count dead languages like Latin. I’m definitely better at some than others.”
[break][break]
Most of them had been learned unwillingly thanks to his family’s strict practices and a privileged private school education, but they do come in handy. On the other hand, Alto Marean had been learned by choice, and that’s probably part of why it’s the one he’s least proficient at – because it had been learned much later than the others.
[break][break]
”Eighteen. I was kind of being a rebellious brat. It was a fun summer, though.”
[break][break]
He smirks, but the truth is that his family simply let it happen, for they knew well that he’d come right back to them the moment he realized he’d never find what he had been looking for in Alto Mare. Mars knows this, but he chooses to ignore it. It’s better to pretend as if, if only for at least one summer, he got to do whatever he wanted without them controlling him.


[break][break]

+ CIAN MAHER

"six? holy shit."

is mars some sort of language prodigy? he must be, right? to even ask if they'd count a dead language like latin. he wonders what other languages mars is able to speak, but perhaps he'd find out on his own someday.

"aw, babe, you still are a brat."

he smirks, clearly teasing.

"what did you do all summer?"

Martín del Mar // [x]

☉

Is Mars a prodigy? As narcissistic as he may be, he would never call himself that, even if the truth is that things like languages have always come easily to him. They’re one of the only things he actually enjoyed learning as a kid, although perhaps that may have just been because there was a time when he dreamt of using all that knowledge to move as far from Canalave as he possibly could. That dream is now gone, but at least the languages are still incredibly useful.
[break][break]
”I can teach you if you want. Just say the word and I’ll start seductively whispering things you can’t understand.”
[break][break]
There’s a wink, and of course Mars has no shame in saying things like those while being in public. Perhaps that’s why he laughs when Cian calls him a brat, then grinning at him:
[break][break]
”Okay, true, but only to you.”
[break][break]
Not really, but as if Mars would ever admit to it when it comes to any other situation.
[break][break]
At the question, he shrugs.
[break][break]
”Hmm… I just explored the city and enjoyed the beach and stuff. I had come to look for something but I quickly realized I wouldn’t find it, so I decided to still stay just to annoy my family – like the brat I am.”
[break][break]
It’s strange to think that he has never really told all that to anyone else, but it comes so very easily when talking to Cian.
[break][break]
Everyone else always got lies about that summer at Alto Mare. Even her.
[break][break]

+ CIAN MAHER

"true. it better be only to me."

at this, he pouts, though it doesn't last very long.

like the brat i am.

this is also true. but cian loves him for it.

after their order of pizza comes, he ignores it for a moment to ask:

"would you ever move here?"

Martín del Mar // [x]

☉