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Markus didn't want to leave Simon behind. How could he? Simon was the first person to welcome him to Jericho and had been nothing but cordial since they've met. But as much as he wished for the other android to leave Stratford Tower with him, there just wasn't any possibility to do so.
When the authorities forced their way into the broadcast room, all armed with no remorse for killing off the small team of revolutionists, Markus did all he could manage for Simon. Every golden opportunity he could find was spent aiding the other android but to no avail. Fate just couldn't bear to let all of them to escape unscathed.
Simon was now leaning pathetically against a metal crate, the color blue seeping out of his wounds and through his clothes, fear running rampant in his eyes. North kept demanding for Markus to shoot him so that Jericho wouldn’t be put in jeopardy while Josh demanded the opposite, that they couldn't kill one of their own.
Markus just looked at his friend sorrowfully; Josh and North’s bickering was practically fading into background noise at this point. He knew what he had to do. He just wished that it didn't have to be this way.
Markus knelt down and handed Simon his gun. They locked eyes one last time before Markus had to leave with the others. He refused to look back at Simon, or he would've dropped everything to stay behind with him. Although Markus would've done so in a heartbeat, he knew that he had a revolution to lead and that Simon knew that too. It would only be selfish to do such a thing. To think, Markus pondered the thought of risking it all for just one person.
As he descended from the rooftop with North and Josh, Markus's thoughts were wracked with guilt and grief over the loss of his companion. Before the initial free fall, the android could hear the harrowing pounding thuds of the rooftop door swinging open and the resonating sound of gunshots ringing in his ears.
Now, he couldn't hear anything but the biting winter wind that eventually faded into white noise. Markus stared, glassy-eyed, into the opaque abyss of snowfall as he opened his parachute.
Now that the remaining three had made it back to Jericho, Markus had isolated himself from the others for a while. He managed to slip away from the main group to wander the labyrinth of corridors that ran throughout the ship.
His mind was clouded, hazy. He just wished things had turned out differently. That everyone could've made it home. That Simon could've made it home.
Markus quietly paced around into the next decrepit hallway, steps languid and slow. As the android entered the corridor, mismatched irises widened in surprise at the sight of . . .
Simon.
Standing there.
Alive.
Markus stood there, speechless. A myriad of emotions flooded his circuitry. Joy. Relief. Confusion. The android felt it all simultaneously.
His gaze focused intensely on Simon as if making sure he wasn’t just a cruel figment of his imagination or a mere hallucination born from excessive grief.
Markus noticed a glimmer of joy hiding behind tired, deep blue eyes. Simon’s lips parted slightly, seemingly about to say something, but the words didn’t come out.
The android stepped forward. He still couldn’t believe his eyes. Simon was alive. And he’s found his way back home. He’s found his way back into Markus’s life.
The android pulled Simon close into a tight embrace full of a certain kind of warmth, the kind that promised to never let him go again. Markus felt Simon’s arms wrap around his frame, reciprocating that unspoken promise.
They merely stood there, holding onto each other tightly. Markus found himself stroking the other android’s soft, blond hair comfortingly as Simon buried his head into the side of his neck.
“Markus?” His voice was hoarse and no louder than a whisper.
“Yes, Simon?” Markus replied in a low voice.
“Please don’t leave me again,” he pleaded softly. His tiny voice broke slightly.
Markus gently pulled back to look at Simon, full of an everlasting resolve and tender assurance. “I promise.”
A small, bittersweet smile tugged at the other android’s lips. Simon fondly touched a hand to Markus’s cheek, lovingly stroking it with his thumb. He leaned closer, his long eyelashes fluttering closed, as the android softly pressed his lips against Markus’s.
Simon pulled away hesitantly, flustered at his previous action. He merely averted his gaze towards the rusty metal floor, refusing to look Markus in the eye.
“Sorry. That was sudden. I don’t know what came over me.” Simon quietly separated himself from Markus’s grasp ashamedly. “I should go.”
Just as he began to step past the other android, Simon felt a hand longingly tug on his sleeve. He glanced back at Markus wide-eyed.
“I love you, Simon.” His mismatched eyes were full of sincere conviction.
The other android was silent, staring at him like a deer in headlights, completely bewildered at the words that came out of his mouth. “You do?”
Markus gently pulled Simon back towards him once more, cupping his soft features with both hands, tenderly brushing over them with his fingers.
“You mean the world to me, Simon. I was so scared of losing you. When I thought you weren’t ever going to come back, I felt like a part of me would be missing for the rest of my life. Now that you’re home, I won’t ever lose you again.”
Markus lifted the other android’s chin and closed the gap between them once more, their kisses much deeper and more passionate.
When the two androids finally separated from their memorable exchange, they didn’t let go immediately. Their arms were still wrapped lovingly around each other’s frames, foreheads touching. Beatific grins were plastered on their faces as deep blue eyes gazed up at green and blue irises, full of joyous affection.
“I feel like I could declare my love for you to the entire world, Simon.”
The other android chuckled softly. “You know that’s impossible, Markus.”
“I’ll prove it. Right here, right now.”
“By all means,” Simon replied teasingly.
“I love you." Markus's voice was no louder than a pin dropping.
"Why were you so quiet?" the other android whispered back.
"Because you're my entire world."
Markus smirked mischievously as Simon's cheeks had flushed bright red, looking as though he would short circuit right then and there. He tried to gather whatever shred of composure he had left but laughed softly at Markus's cheesy attempt at being suave.
"I love you too, Markus."