Work Text:
He hums softly a song that he heard on the radio that morning on his way to work, head bobbing slightly. School hasn’t started yet, and he was in the middle of writing lesson plans for his classes that day, but he had stopped when he remembered the song, and now it’s stuck in his head.
A knock on his door snaps him out of his thoughts, and he lifts his head to see his coworker and friend, Felix. The blond smiles at him and he immediately smiles back.
“Hey, Fischbach, what’s up?” Mark rolls his eyes at the usage of his last name, but replies anyway.
“Hey, Kjellberg , nothing much, and you?” Felix lets out a laugh and shrugs.
“Just waiting for school to start.”
Mark hums. “Yeah. I was writing lesson plans, but this song’s stuck in my head.”
“What song?” He steps in further, no longer in the doorway.
Mark shrugs. “I don’t even know. Some song I heard on the radio on my way to work. Hey, where’s Jack?”
At the mention of the Irish teacher, Felix shrugs.
“I think he has morning duty, why?”
Mark avoids his gaze. “No reason.”
Felix smirks, drops the subject. “Okay, sure.”
Mark flushes and opens his mouth to speak, but the bell ringing cuts him off.
“Well, that’s the cue. See you at lunch, Fischbach!”
And without giving him a chance to reply, Felix leaves, and Mark is left with a heated face.
Seán’s been avoiding him, and Mark’s not stupid, he knows why.
He hates it, he hates that he’s been in love with the man so long, ever since he had first started working here, hates that he asked him out for drinks -
He should have known they were going to get drunk. Drunk off their ass, all self control thrown out the window. He knew exactly what they did when they woke up the next morning in Seán’s bed, heads pounding so bad, and thin sheets covering unclothed bodies.
He had felt sticky, and he was sure Seán had felt the same, so he quickly and quietly grabbed his clothes, pulled them on and made his way home, but making sure to leave Seán a glass of water and two painkillers on his kitchen counter.
It had happened over two weeks ago, but Seán’s been avoiding him ever since, and he hates it. He just wishes he had gone about that night differently. Wishes that he hadn’t have gotten so drunk that he could have controlled himself.
And maybe, just maybe things would have gone different.
“Mark.”
He’s staring numbly at the tan wall, the call of his name not registering in his head.
“Mark!” He stares for a moment longer, before he turns his head to look at Felix.
He hums before turning back to look at the wall once more.
“Fischbach, what’s up with you?”
“What do you mean?” His tone’s flat, but he’s not exactly mad, he just feels numb.
“You know exactly what I mean, you’ve been practically in zombie mode for the past two weeks. I’m not sure if you’ve noticed, but Halloween was last month.”
That would have made him laugh, that’s the reason Felix said it, hoping it would at least get the science teacher to crack a smile, but he didn’t, he didn’t feel the familiar sensation that comes when someone says something funny and he wants to laugh.
Felix frowns. “Mark, seriously. What’s wrong?”
He doesn’t move for a minute, before he shrugs.
“Ma-”
“Felix! I was looking for you- am I..interrupting something?” Seán walks in, trailing off slightly when he notices Mark and then the look on Felix’s face.
The Algebra teacher turns to Sean.
“Sorta. Jack, do you know what’s wrong with Ma-”
“Nothing’s wrong with me!” Mark is suddenly standing, chair knocked back and shoulders heaving as he breathes roughly. His brown eyes flash dangerously before he looks away.
Seán’s gaze isn’t on him, it’s on the floor, but Felix is staring at him in shock, trying to remember the last time the Korean had an outburst like this.
Mark sighs. “Sorry. Everything’s okay, Felix. You should probably see what Jack wanted.”
The English teacher swallows and bites his lip, tugging at Felix’s sleeve.
“C-can we go..? Please?”
Felix turns to him.
“Jack? What’s wron-”
“Please, let’s just go.” Felix nods and walks out with him, but not before throwing one last glance at Mark, whose head is kept down, whatever emotion displayed on his face hidden from him.
Felix knows better than to ask Seán what’s going on between him and Mark.
Especially when he notices the way the Irishman is messing with his hands, wringing them nervously.
But he won’t stand by and watch when two of his best friends are avoiding each other. So he opens his mouth to speak, but he’s cut off by Seán’s bright blue eyes watering and spilling over, tears splashing down his cheeks and off his chin, bottom lip quivering.
So, instead, he stops him with a hand, and gets in front of him. Seán’s face is flushed pink, watery blue eyes red and he sniffles.
“Jack..hey. What’s wrong?” Seán coughs, arm coming up to wipe at his eyes, but the tears keep coming and he lets out a sob.
“Jack, buddy. Seriously, please tell me.” Felix is patient, hands on his shoulder as thumbs rub circles in soothingly.
“I-I fucked up, Fe.” The blond’s eyebrows furrow in confusion.
“What do you mean?”
Seán falls silent for a minute, before he speaks up, voice small and breaking in places.
“Fe, I-I’m..I’m pregnant..”
If he said he wasn’t shocked, he’d be lying. And as he stares at the crying man in front of him, one thought comes to mind.
“Is it..is it Mark’s?”
Seán’s breath hitches, but he nods slightly.
Felix takes a breath.
“Are you going to tell him?”
Seán shakes his head almost immediately, and Felix thinks that was just a little too fast.
“Why not?”
“I..I don’t know..”
“Jack, you don’t want to be a single parent, I promise. Just tell him.”
Seán’s gaze had fallen to the ground in front of him, but when the words leave Felix’s mouth, his head snaps up and he glares at him.
“Don’t tell me what to do, Felix!” His blue eyes flash before he turns and leaves the Swede standing there confused, wondering if he should just tell Mark.
Seán knows he can’t hide his bump forever. He’s coming up around six months now, and Mark is already starting to question him.
Not up front, though. He knows Mark has figured out that Seán’s been avoiding him, he’s not stupid, but he could tell he’s itching to ask Seán if the baby’s his. He won’t tell him though. If he asks, he’ll lie. Say it’s some drunken one night stand a month before his own with Mark.
His mind wanders back to what Felix said. Can he really handle a baby all on his own?
He’s scared- no, terrified . He just wants to tell Mark. Maybe Mark will be excited. Tell him he loves him and that he’ll be there for him and the baby.
Seán’s shoulders sag, and he closes his eyes, hands gently placed on his belly, smiling softly when the baby kicks against one of them.
Mark would be an excellent father. He loves kids.
..but does he love Seán?
A knock sounds at the door to his classroom, and he opens his eyes to see Mark standing in the doorway nervously.
“Mark. Come in.” He walks in and closes the door behind him before leaning against it, hands behind his back.
“Is it mine?”
“What?” Seán blinks, blue eyes watching Mark carefully.
“The baby. Is it mine?”
Seán swallows. This is it. He could either lie and say no, or tell the truth. And maybe, just maybe, everything will be okay-
He shakes his head and immediately Mark’s face falls and he swallows, nodding.
“Oh..okay..well, who’s the lucky guy? Anyone I know?”
Seán looks down, arm protectively held over his bump.
“U-uhm..no, no one you know. And they won’t be in this little one’s life..”
Mark tilts his head and frowns.
“Why not?”
“Because it was just a one night thing..we were drunk..he’s off God knows where..”
Seán cringes internally, that’s exactly what it was with Mark except-
Except he’s standing right in front of him.
Mark goes to respond but the bell rings, cutting him off, and Seán’s turning away to face his desk.
“You should get to your class.”
And he doesn’t look up, doesn’t notice the sad pained look on Mark’s face, doesn’t notice the slight water in them.
Mark leaves, and Seán’s heart singes with pain.
The birth was..eventful.
Seán had never felt so much pain in his life.
It felt like burning and tearing and just searing pain.
The funny thing is, he had probably broken Mark’s heart with that story about some drunken night stand with some guy, even though none of it was true, the only guy Seán had slept with lately was Mark. The last guy before Mark that he slept with was over a year ago-
He had broken Mark’s heart, he was sure, and yet, Mark was the one there during the delivery.
He had cut the baby’s umbilical cord, something a father does-
But Mark is the father, and he noticed, through the still uncomfortable pain, the way Mark’s face lit up when he did.
The crying infant was handed to Seán, placed in his arms gently, and immediately he noticed the dark head of hair.
Black, just like Mark’s.
And underneath the pink of the baby’s skin, was a slight tan complexion.
If the still crying child opened its eyes and they were brown, Seán might have just died right then and there.
But when Mark ran a hand through that dark hair, the baby quieted down, and blinked blurry eyes open, to reveal pools of blue, and Seán almost sighs in relief.
He looks up at Mark, but he’s looking at his baby, a look of wonder and awe on his face.
He had vaguely heard the doctor telling him it was a boy.
A boy.
He has a son.
And Mark was still looking down at his son-
But he didn’t know it was his.
Didn’t know that he was currently looking down at his child, and so when the nurse came in with the birth certificate and asked what the child’s name was, he knew immediately.
“Samuel Edward.”
Mark’s head snaps over at him, a look of surprise on his face, but Seán was running his hand through Sam’s dark hair, causing the baby to squirm and Seán smiles.
“Sorry, baby..Papa’s sorry..” He leans forward and presses a kiss to the infant’s head, and in that moment, he’s glad Mark’s here.
“Jack! You’re back?- Oh my god, is that..?” Seán laughs and nods at Felix, who’s currently in awe looking at the baby in Mark’s arms. Felix looks up at Seán and tilts his head in Mark’s direction, asking silently if the Korean knew, to which Seán shakes his head and puts a finger to his lips and Felix sighs but nods anyway.
Luckily, Mark was looking down at the baby and didn’t notice, a soft smile on his face as he bounces him gently.
“What’s his name?”
“Samuel Edward. Sam for short.” At the mention of his middle name, Felix raises a brow at Seán, but he shakes his head again.
“Aww, congratulations, bro.”
“Thanks, Fe. Although I think Mark’s in love with him.” Mark’s head snaps up and he protests weakly.
“S-shut up..” He mumbles, cheeks red, and Seán laughs, patting him on the arm.
“Just reminds me of some my nieces and nephews.”
Warmth fills Seán’s body at the sight of Mark with his son, shushing him gently when the baby squirms.
He just wants to tell him.
He knows by now Mark would be so happy to know that baby’s his.
So why’s he so scared?
They’re at Seán’s place, with Chica on the couch with him.
Mark’s standing, Sam in his arms as he bounces the sleeping infant gently.
They’re watching some tv show, he forgot what it was called, but it was on tv and they had nothing else to do, so here they are.
But he does remember that it was some reality show.
“Why are we watching this?” Mark asks, and Seán shrugs.
“I have no idea. It was on and we were bored.”
Mark shrugs and rubs small circles into the baby’s back, and for a split second, Seán wishes that was him he was doing it to.
The show cuts to a commercial. He’s not sure what it’s for - he thinks it’s a diaper commercial, Pampers or something, because there’s a mother and father with their newborn on it, and they all look so happy. Seán’s heart singes with pain and he looks over at Mark who’s watching it with an unreadable look, and suddenly Seán can’t take it anymore. Tears well up in blue eyes, and spill over, splashing down his cheeks and off his chin as he lets out a sob.
Chica wakes and noses at him with a whine and Mark looks over at him, immediately walking over.
“Jack..? Hey, what’s wrong?” Carefully, he squats down and Seán’s still sobbing into his arms, and Mark is growing more concerned by the minute.
Carefully shifting the small baby in his arms, he reaches an arm out, hand resting on Seán’s arm, and he tugs it away from his face.
Watery blue eyes look up at him, and Mark has the sudden urge to kiss him.
“What’s wrong, Seán?”
“I-it’s yours! It’s yours..” Seán blurts out, hands covering his face immediately after.
Mark tilts his head. “What’s mine?”
“Sam..” he mumbles behind pale hands. “Sam’s yours..” He watches through the gaps between his fingers as Mark’s eyes widen, before they well up with tears, and spill over.
Seán uncovers his face and reaches a hand out to Mark.
“Mark..?”
Mark lets out a sob and covers his face with a hand and Seán’s standing, pulling him up as well, and suddenly Mark is pulling him into a tear filled kiss, and Seán can taste salt, but he’s so happy, so happy that Mark took this well, and when they part, Mark rests his forehead against Seán’s.
“You just made me the happiest guy alive.”
Seán lets out a small laugh and he smiles, eyes closing for a moment, before they’re opening and settling on Sam.
“Now I know why you chose Edward.”
Seán nods, unable to speak.
“I love you, Seán.”
And suddenly Seán finds his voice again.
“I love you, too, Mark.”
A kiss is pressed to his hair, and Mark is whispering against it.
“Thank you."