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Mark is playing video games with Kit settled between his legs. He’s fairly proud of himself for wheedling Kit into this arrangement; Kit insisted he had reading to catch up on and Mark insisted that he could do that and spend much-needed cuddle time with his boyfriend. So now they’re sitting on the floor in front of the tv, Kit leaning back against Mark’s chest as he flips through medical journals while Mark watches his in-game character die repeatedly because he can’t stop himself from squeezing Kit and pressing little kisses to the side of his neck every few minutes.
“You’re not very good at this, are you?” Kit remarks absently after the twentieth or so time Mark resets his game.
Mark scoffs. “I’m great at this,” he says. “But something keeps distracting me.” He sets the controller aside and wraps his arms around Kit. “I’d much rather pay attention to you anyway,” he says, nuzzling into Kit’s neck with a happy sigh.
“Hey, you promised you’d let me finish my reading if I sat here.” Kit taps on Mark’s arms with his highlighter, and Mark reluctantly loosens his hold. Kit hands the controller back to him. “Here — see if you can set a new record, Mr. I’m-Great-at-This-Game.”
“Okay, okay.” Mark rearranges himself a bit, pulling Kit firmly back into his chest before he fires up his next attempt. Kit shakes his head but obediently relaxes against Mark before flipping a page in his journal.
For awhile, they both get lost in their respective activities. Mark manages to relegate his delight with having Kit practically in his lap behind his desire to prove that he can set a new record in this game just because he was challenged. He passes level after level while Kit remains silent in his arms, every so often turning another page in his journal or highlighting a pertinent line.
Suddenly there’s a buzzing noise and a vibration against Mark’s thigh. He scrambles with the controller for a moment, managing not to die at the last second. He re-focuses, but nudges Kit with his elbow.
“Your phone,” he says. “Mine’s in the bedroom.”
“Hmm? Oh.” Kit yawns and sets his journal down before fishing his phone out of his pocket. His shifting is ten times more distracting than his phone buzzing, and Mark has to pull off some fairly insane maneuvers on-screen in order not to die again.
“What is it?” he asks a moment later when he feels the way Kit tenses after looking at his messages. He tries to get a glimpse out of the corner of his eye, but Kit is holding the phone at an angle. Mark dares to pull his gaze away from the tv for a second to get a better look and is immediately rewarded by the You Died sound from his game. Deflating, he tosses the controller aside again and rests his chin on Kit’s shoulder.
“No record for me, but it’s your fault,” he pouts. Then he grins. “How are you going to make it up to me?”
Kit curses in a resigned sort of way. At first Mark thinks it’s directed at him, but then Kit starts tapping furiously away at his phone, paying no attention whatsoever to Mark as he tries to get another look. Kit has a text open to his brother, but all Mark manages to see is Kit typing, “I’ll be there soon” before he turns the screen off and twists around in his arms.
“Let me up,” he says shortly, his expression tight. “I have to go get Phai.”
Bewildered, Mark releases him. Kit immediately gets to his feet and starts gathering up his study material.
“Where is he?” Mark asks, getting up as well. “Did something happen?” He glances at his watch; it’s mid-afternoon on a Saturday. Mark can’t imagine what kind of trouble Kit’s equally studious little brother might need to be rescued from at such a time. But he’s used to Kit being fairly protective over Phai, and Mark is willing to go along for the ride no matter what’s going on.
“He’s at his apartment,” Kit says. “I’ll meet him there. It’s easier.” He sounds distracted and Mark wonders if he even heard his second question. Mark follows him into the bedroom, even more confused than before.
“What do you mean?” he persists. “Why do you have to go meet him at all?”
Kit is pulling clothes out of the closet and laying them on the bed. He grabs a duffel bag and tosses it next to the clothes.
“Can you help me by folding those?” he asks, not waiting for an answer before he pushes past him to go into the bathroom.
“Kit…” Mark glances at the pile of things on the bed before rushing after his boyfriend. Kit is throwing his toothbrush and razor into a toiletry bag when Mark catches up to him. “What’s going on? Where are you going in such a rush?”
Kit stops suddenly, blinking at Mark like he just noticed him. He clutches the toiletry bag to his chest with an aggrieved look.
“Sorry, Mark. My parents texted and said they want to see me and Phai right away so I have to go home.”
Mark tilts his head, feeling like he’s still missing something. “Is it that much of an emergency? I thought you said they were traveling.”
“They were,” Kit says, fidgeting. “They usually are.” He huffs out an impatient breath. “It’s too difficult to explain. They’re not in town much anymore, but I guess they’re back now. Here, see?”
He unlocks his phone and flips it around to show Mark the text he was trying to read before. The contact information says it came from Kit’s mom.
We have something for you and your brother to sign. The lawyer will be here for breakfast. Be home tonight.
Mark looks back at Kit with concern. “That sounds really serious. Do you know what it’s about?”
Kit shrugs. “They didn’t say. I’ll find out when I get there.” He pockets his phone. “It will probably only be for the weekend.”
Mark trails Kit back to the bedroom. He grabs Kit’s wrist when he starts putting things into his duffel bag. “I’ll go with you. Then I can meet your parents — and I can help out if something is wrong.”
Kit carefully removes Mark’s hand from his wrist without meeting his eyes. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
Mark picks up one of Kit’s shirts to fold it. “Why not? You’ve met my parents. They loved you. Don’t you think it’s time I met yours too?” He stuffs the folded shirt into Kit’s bag, biting back more words, trying not to assume.
“Of course I want you to meet them,” Kit says, but Mark can hear how he’s hedging his tone. “But this isn’t a good time to do it. They won’t be happy if I spring you on them without warning. And I don’t even know what’s going on. If they have a lawyer involved, it probably is serious. I’m not going to put you in the middle of my family’s drama.” He gently takes the next shirt away from Mark and folds it himself.
“Okay,” Mark says even though his heart has plummeted into his stomach. He pulls the duffel bag open wider so Kit can pile the rest of his clothes into it. “If you’re sure you don’t want me there,” he adds, unable to help himself.
“Mark…” Kit zips the bag shut and faces him solemnly. “I promise that I’ll make sure you can meet them soon. That’s important to me too.”
Mark nods, not trusting his voice. Impulsively, he grabs Kit in a hug, squeezing him tight. After a moment, Kit winds his arms around his waist and hugs him back, his head on Mark’s shoulder.
“I’ll call you later, okay?” Kit says in a muffled voice.
Mark holds onto him even tighter. “Okay. But text me when you pick up Phai. And when you get to your house.” He pulls back, holding Kit at arm’s length so he can look him in the eye. Kit looks a little wobbly; it helps Mark feel better about his own internal aches. “Promise me you’ll tell me if you need me,” he demands, narrowing his eyes. “I can be there in a flash, no questions asked.”
“I know,” Kit says, blinking hard. He grips Mark’s arm for a second, so hard it almost hurts. “I promise.”
Mark nods. “Good. Okay.” He grabs Kit’s duffel bag and slings it over his shoulder. “Come on then. I’ll walk you to your car.”
~
Twenty minutes after Kit leaves, Mark gets his first requested text. He sends back as many heart emojis as he thinks Kit can handle and tells him to drive safely before putting his phone down and forcing himself to pick up the video game controller again. His instinct is to hover and wait for Kit’s next text telling him he’s home, but he knows it will be awhile with Bangkok’s traffic and he doesn’t want to seem too anxious by sending more texts Kit can’t reply to in the meantime.
He isn’t entirely sure why his insides are churning so much over Kit’s rapid departure. He’s survived not seeing Kit for several days before — though that was before they were living together. But there’s something about the way Kit reacted to his mom’s text that’s gnawing at Mark. He’s never seen Kit so suddenly on edge like that. He can’t help feeling that Kit might actually need him to help cope with whatever is going on, but for some reason he doesn’t want to introduce Mark to his parents in the process. It galls a little, considering Kit met Mark’s parents not that long ago. And it stings not to be allowed to take care of Kit in the meantime.
Mark starts another game, but his focus is shot and he gives it up as a lost cause after dying on the easiest level five times in a row. He glances at his phone, but of course there’s nothing from Kit yet. Sighing, he shoots a text to Wayu to see if he’s free for dinner. Being alone tonight feels like a bad idea.
~
“Yu, pause the movie! P’Kit is calling.”
“Okay, okay! You’d think the whole world needed to pause for you... Hey, that hurt! There! It’s paused.”
“Hello? P’Kit?”
“Hey, Mark.” Kit’s voice is soft on the other end of the call. Mark waves a hand at Wayu and quickly goes to close himself in the bedroom.
“How are you? Is everything okay at home?” He wants to ask a million more questions, but he manages to stop himself because he wants a reply even more.
“I’m fine,” Kit says though he’s still so quiet that Mark is jabbing at the volume control on his phone to make sure he doesn’t miss anything. “Everything is fine here too. My parents…” He trails off with a huffing noise that might be a laugh, but it might be something else.
Mark waits for a moment, but Kit doesn’t continue. “What about them?” he presses. “What do they want you to sign?” He won’t tell Kit, but he talked it over with Wayu earlier and neither of them could come up with any scenarios that seemed to reasonably fit the text message Kit showed Mark earlier. They did however come up with some fairly outlandish ideas that Mark is still trying to put out of his head as too improbable to worry about.
“It’s just power of attorney stuff,” Kit says. “Not that important honestly.”
Mark’s heart rate picks up as he paces the bedroom. Because that sounds like something to dismiss out of hand the way Kit seems to be doing.
“But it was important enough for you and Phai to have to come home?” he asks.
Kit hums. “You don’t know my parents. They’re like this about everything.” There’s the sound of a door closing, and then Kit adds, finally using a normal tone of voice, “Don’t worry about it, Mark. It’s really not a big deal. They just blow things out of proportions sometimes.”
Mark stops his pacing on Kit’s side of the bed. He sits down slowly.
“Are you sure? Do you want to talk about it?”
“Not really,” Kit replies. He clicks his tongue. “That is, there’s not really anything to talk about. We’re going to meet with the family lawyer tomorrow to sign some stuff and then my parents are heading out of town again. I should be home by tomorrow night.”
Mark fiddles with the edge of the duvet cover. He’s relieved by Kit’s reassurances and he’s happy to hear he’ll be back so soon, but he can’t help feeling like there are things Kit deliberately isn’t telling him.
“Okay,” he says, trying to inject a little cheerfulness into his tone. “Then I hope you have a nice visit. Say hello to my in-laws for me.”
“Mark. You can’t call them that!”
Mark smiles genuinely. “Yet,” he stresses. “Soon enough though. Better to get used to it now.”
He can almost hear Kit shaking his head. “You haven’t even met them yet.” There’s something wary in his voice that Mark isn’t sure he would’ve heard if they weren’t on the phone.
“I know,” he replies, still smarting a bit over that fact. “But you said soon on that front too, right?”
“Right,” Kit says after a moment’s hesitation. Mark closes his eyes, trying not to read too much into it.
“Are you going to bed soon?” he asks. He opens his eyes, gaze lingering on Kit’s pillow. “I don’t want to keep you.”
“Soon,” Kit says softly. “Did you eat already?”
Mark perks up a little over Kit’s worrying. “Mm. I got chicken with Yu. We’re watching a movie. You’ll like this one; there’s a mummy that comes back to life and almost ends the world, but a librarian stops him.”
Kit laughs a little. “Spoilers,” he chides. “Go watch your movie then. Tell Wayu I said hi. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Okay,” Mark agrees. “Sweet dreams, Kit.”
“Sweet dreams, Mark.”
~
[2:45pm] Kit: won’t be home tonight
[2.45pm] Kit: parents are staying longer and they want us to have dinner with family friends
[2:46pm] Mark: (Crying Face )(Crying Face )(Crying Face ) will you be home tomorrow?
[2:52pm] Mark: or…?
[3:17pm] Mark: Kiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit
[3:53pm] Mark: is everything ok?
[4:59pm] Mark: I’m worried about you
[7:02pm] Mark: I guess you’re really busy (Crying Face )
[10:38pm] Mark: I have to go to sleep soon because I have class tomorrow… but please call me? (Two Hearts )
~
Mark almost doesn’t go to class in the morning because he still hasn’t heard from Kit. But he figures if Kit finds out he skipped classes just because it’s been awhile since his boyfriend texted him, he might be in for a lecture he’ll never recover from. Reluctantly, moping the entire time, he drives to campus.
Most of the day passes in a blur. Mark tries to pay attention to his professors in between staring at his phone and willing Kit to call him, but he comes out of his classes with notes he can’t interpret and questions from his classmates about their group project he can’t answer.
Mid-afternoon, his phone finally buzzes. Heart leaping, Mark looks at it — only to see that it’s Wayu letting him know he can’t meet Mark for dinner again. Mark slips his phone back in his pocket with a sigh. He didn’t tell Wayu about Kit’s continued absence, and he doesn’t want to make his best friend feel guilty for being unable to humor Mark’s dejected mood.
He heads home by himself, wondering how he’s going to get through another night of worrying about why Kit hasn’t contacted him. The apartment feels cold and empty, so he goes around turning on all the lights and leaving the tv on a football game just so he’ll have some kind of noise in the background. He knows he should review the subjects covered in class that day to try and catch up on whatever he zoned out, but he also knows he won’t be able to make himself focus.
He wanders into the kitchen to make something to eat, but the fridge is all but barren. He and Kit usually go grocery shopping together on Sundays, but with Kit not around and Mark too preoccupied with why Kit isn’t around… he didn’t go himself. And now there’s almost nothing to eat in the apartment.
Feeling particularly bereft, Mark takes a picture of his pouting face in front of the empty refrigerator shelves and sends it to Kit.
[7:57pm] Mark: [photo attached] there’s nothing in the fridge… you have to come home before I starve… (Skull )
He looks at his previous texts. They’re all marked as seen so Mark knows Kit’s phone isn’t dead or broken. It’s not entirely unusual for Kit to go hours without responding to Mark’s texts, but for him to go a whole day…? Frowning, feeling worse than before, he puts his phone face down on the counter and opens the cabinets. After all, his stomach is growling at him and he’s pretty sure there’s still a stash of ramen somewhere.
His phone buzzes abruptly. Mark slams the cabinet door shut and goes to grab it — then hesitates. What if it’s just Wayu again? Or one of his classmates asking for clarification he can’t give them? Or his seniors inviting him to the bar? Mark doesn’t think he can take the disappointment. He turns back to the cabinet, resolving to at least get his dinner started before checking his notifications. Maybe a little distance first will soften the inevitable blow.
He’s filling a pot with water when his phone buzzes again — and then again and again in a pulsing rhythm. Someone is calling him. Hope sparking against the pull of dread still in his chest, he drops the pot in the sink and grabs his phone.
It’s Kit. And he’s not just calling, he’s sending a video chat request. Mark scrambles to accept it.
“Hi!” he babbles as soon as Kit’s face appears. “Sorry I didn’t answer right away, I was making dinner.”
“Oh?” Kit tips his head to the side. He’s got his back to some kind of wall and there are dim shadows flickering over him as though he’s bathed in candlelight. It’s making it hard for Mark to figure out the details of his expression. Is he tired? His eyes seem pinched. “I thought you were going to starve,” Kit says with a smile, and now Mark can see, yes, he’s tired. The smile is genuine, but it’s obviously taking effort. Mark’s heart lurches; he suddenly regrets sending that text.
“I was only kidding,” he says lightly. “Don’t worry about me.” He moves over to the couch and sits down, never taking his eyes off Kit’s face. “How is it going? You never answered my texts.”
Kit’s mouth twists. “I know. I’m sorry. I was going to last night and then I just… fell asleep.” He slouches against the wall behind him, the shifting light making him look vaguely like he’s underwater. “I’m pretty tired now actually,” he admits, though the yawn that immediately follows his words seems to take him by surprise. “Sorry,” he repeats, blinking.
“It’s okay,” Mark says even though he’s feeling like it’s decidedly not. “Why are you so tired? It’s still early.”
Kit fiddles with the chain of his gear necklace. The gear itself is hidden under the neckline of his t-shirt, but Mark is suddenly glad to see any evidence of it at all.
“I didn’t get a lot of sleep last night,” Kit says. “And we took a trip out to the country today so we left early. We’re staying with some friends for the night.”
“Oh.” Mark tries to ignore the yawning pit in his stomach. “Does that mean you won’t be home tomorrow either?”
Kit shakes his head. “My parents pushed back their departure date so they could take care of some other things while they’re with us. I probably won’t be back until Friday.”
Mark wilts. “Oh,” he says again.
“I’m sorry.” Kit brings his phone a little closer to his face. He lowers his voice. “I wish I could leave sooner, but…” He glances out of the camera frame before refocusing on Mark. “It’s not really an option,” he says with a baleful look.
Mark tries to rally. Maybe there’s an upshot to this.
“If your parents are staying longer,” he says, “then maybe they’ll have time to meet me after all? I know you’re not that far from the city, right? I can drive there.”
Kit’s face falls. “Mark, as much as I want—”
“P’Kit!” Mark hears a breathless voice and Kit looks to his left. The view lowers suddenly, leaving Mark looking at Kit’s shoulder. “The director is going soon and Mae and Pa want to know where you are… What are you doing? Is that P’Mark?”
The phone jiggles and Mark sees Kit’s fingers for a second before his view goes entirely dark. But he can still hear Kit’s voice, though muffled, say, “I’ll be there in a second, Phai.”
“Did you tell him about—”
“Phai.” Kit cuts his brother off with a sharp note. “Go.”
Mark hears Phai muttering to himself as he departs. A second later the camera swings up to show Kit again, his expression closed in a way that makes Mark nervous.
“Do you have to go?” he asks quickly. “We barely got to talk.”
Kit takes a deep breath. “I’ll try to call again before I go to sleep,” he says, though he’s clipping his words the way he does when he’s trying to manage unmanageable emotions.
Mark bites his lip and shakes his head. “It’s okay if you’re too tired. Just text me. We can talk again tomorrow.”
Kit nods. “I have to go now.”
Mark nods back sadly. “Bye,” he says, waving his fingers.
Kit lingers for just a moment, his eyes on Mark, that unreadable expression on his face. And then he ends the call and Mark’s phone goes dark.
~
Kit doesn’t call, but he does text Mark around eleven o’clock to say good night.
[11:06pm] Kit: don’t forget to feed my betta fish
[11:07pm] Mark: of course! that’s my son by marriage (Smiling Face With Open Mouth And Smiling Eyes ) I’ll take care of him like he was my own
[11:07pm] Kit: uh huh… good night (Two Hearts ) I’ll call tomorrow night when you get back from class
And Mark goes to sleep feeling a little easier.
~
“Kit!”
“Jeez, Mark, you don’t have to shout. Wouldn’t a simple ‘hello’ do the trick?”
Mark grins and flops down on the couch, beyond elated that Kit kept his promise to call. And he did it within minutes of Mark walking through their apartment door. He suspects that means Kit keeps special note of his schedule and knows when he’s likely to be home — so his heart is thrumming with happiness.
“Hello,” he says, wishing he could reach through the phone and drown his boyfriend in bear hugs. “How are you? When are you coming home? I miss you. And the fridge is still empty. I don’t know what I’m eating tonight.”
Kit laughs, a low sound that ripples through Mark like a sudden fever. He misses Kit more than he can ever say in mere words.
“If I know you, you’re going to order pizza and eat until you’re sick.” Mark can practically hear him shaking his head, although he thinks he’s probably smiling too. Mark loves that helpless smile of Kit’s, like he’s so charmed by Mark that he can’t hide it from the rest of the world even when he tries. He wishes he could see it.
“Can we video chat?” he presses. “It’s been too long since I’ve seen your face.”
“You saw me last night,” Kit says. “You’re so dramatic.” But Mark can hear the edge of laughter still hovering behind his words. He’s glad; Kit looked and sounded so tired before that it’s a relief to hear him sounding a little more at ease.
“How are you?” Mark murmurs, turning on his side and cradling the phone to his ear. “Honestly.”
There are a few moments of silence, and Mark can imagine Kit working his mouth, trying to figure out what to say.
“I’m okay,” he replies finally. “Honestly.”
Mark hums, hoping Kit will hear it as acceptance. But he knows that with Kit offering him little to no details about what’s been going on with his family, it’s not likely that he’s actually okay. If he needs to pretend for now, Mark will help him keep up the pretense. And he’ll be here to catch him if he falls afterward.
“Are you still in the country?” he asks, hoping that’s not pushing too much.
“Actually, yeah,” Kit says. He sounds a little distant suddenly, and Mark winces. But Kit keeps talking. “We’re at my grandparents’ house now though. My dad’s parents.”
“Do you like them?” Mark realizes Kit has told him very little in general about his family. He didn’t know Kit had grandparents living outside of Bangkok.
Kit murmurs something noncommittal before saying, “My grandfather can be very strict. He yelled at Pa for bringing Phai and me along when we should be attending classes. But I told him P’Thanu was taking notes for me and I know Phai has friends who will catch him up too. We’ve never let stuff like this derail us in the past.”
Mark blinks. He shuffles around on the couch, trying to absorb this new information about his boyfriend. Meanwhile, Kit has gone silent as though he suspects he said too much.
“Kit…” Mark ventures. “You don’t have to tell me everything you’re doing, but you know I’m worried about you, right? I don’t like being this far away from you.”
Mark can hear something on the other end of the line rustling and he wonders what Kit is doing. He thinks briefly about asking for a video chat again, but since Kit basically ignored his question the first time, it’s probably better if he doesn’t insist.
“I’m just tired,” Kit says with a sigh.
Mark curls his arm around a pillow and presses it tight to his chest. “I wish I could help,” he murmurs.
For awhile, they’re both quiet, the only noise the soft sound of each other breathing. Mark pictures Kit curled up in the corner of an armchair in some sprawling country house. If Mark was there, he’d wedge in beside him with a blanket and enforce some serious nap time. It sounds like Kit is in dire need of real rest.
“I miss you,” Kit says softly.
Mark’s heart leaps into his throat. “I miss you too,” he replies fervently. “Are you still going to be home on Friday?”
“I think so.” Another rustling sound accompanies Kit’s words and Mark wonders again what he’s doing. “That’s the plan right now anyway,” he adds.
Mark doesn’t want to dwell on the uncertainty there. He clutches the pillow tighter. “Do you want to—”
He’s interrupted by the sound of raised voices on Kit’s end of the line.
“I know, Mae,” Kit is saying in reply to whatever interrupted Mark’s question. “This will just take another minute.”
“You need to spend time with your family while you’re here, Kit. No more excuses.” The woman, presumably Kit’s mom, has a tone of impatience that Mark thinks he recognizes from his boyfriend. “Who is so important for you to talk to right now anyway?”
“Someone from school,” Kit says quickly. “Just another minute, Mae, I promise.”
“Hurry up. Your grandparents won’t be here forever.”
Mark slowly sits upright on the couch. There’s a strange tingle in his fingertips. He hears the sound of a distant door closing and then Kit comes back on the line.
“I’m sorry, Mark. I have to say good night now.” He sounds harried, and Mark thinks he understands why.
“Okay,” Mark says although his heart aches to respond with But I don’t want you to go. He doesn’t want to be too needy though. Kit obviously needs someone on his side right now. “I hope you sleep well tonight. And dream of me,” he throws in at the last second, winking even though he knows Kit can’t see him.
“I’ll text you before then,” Kit says quietly.
The strained sound of his voice makes Mark’s heart hurt worse than before. “Okay,” he says again. “I’ll wait for that.” He makes himself smile, knowing Kit will be able to hear it in his voice. “I love you.”
“I love you too,” Kit says in the barest of whispers.
The call ends. Mark listens to the silence following the disconnection for a long minute. And then he carefully puts his phone down on the coffee table, face up. He stares at it, heart thumping in his chest like a physical reminder of the anxieties this sudden trip of Kit’s has caused. He wants to trust that Kit has his reasons for not telling his mom he was talking to his boyfriend, but he can’t stop replaying that part of the conversation in his head over and over again. “Someone from school,” was how Kit described him. Does that mean he hasn’t told his parents about moving in with his boyfriend? Do they even know he’s dating someone? Is this why Kit seems so reluctant to introduce Mark to them?
Mark puts his head in his hands. He needs reassurances from Kit that he apparently can’t give him right now. Mostly he needs to see him again, to be able to hold him, to check and make sure Kit is still his. He heard Kit return his I love you but that doesn’t feel like enough right now. Kit has always been good with saying what needs to be said regardless of his own feelings. What he’s not good at is hiding how he truly feels from Mark. If Mark could just see him right now, he knows he’d feel better.
But that’s not going to happen until Friday.
Mark groans, flopping back down on the couch. He needs a distraction. Video games by himself aren’t going to cut it tonight.
~
[10:30pm] Kit: are you going to sleep soon? I just brushed my teeth
[10:32pm] Mark: plurfiewfho wdnklsnc nalf wifhopmlllllll
[10:32pm] Kit: …what?
[10:33pm] Mark: i noss youuuu (Loudly Crying Face )(Loudly Crying Face )(Crying Face )(Loudly Crying Face )(Loudly Crying Face )(Loudly Crying Face )(Loudly Crying Face )
[10:33pm] Kit: Mark, are you drunk?
[10:36pm] Mark: This is Wayu. I stole Mark’s phone. He’s crying on P’Jill’s shoulder right now. Oooh and now he’s seen what I typed and he’s trying aoghediwslkhmgsbklhlk
[10:37pm] Kit: Wayu, if you see this, please take Mark home.
~
[11:05am] Mark: sorry about last night (Crying Face )
[11:10am] Mark: don’t be mad at me (Crying Face )(Crying Face )
[12:57pm] Mark: …are you really mad? I won’t do it again, I swear
[4:06pm] Mark: i miss you so much… (Two Hearts )
~
Mark is sitting on the couch playing video games again. He’s not really sure what else to do with his time. His friends are all busy, and he can’t concentrate on schoolwork. He’s done all the chores he can possibly do aside from the grocery shopping — which is starting to feel like some kind of petulant stand he’s taking in view of Kit’s continued absence. All he wants to do is stare at his phone and worry over his boyfriend, but he’s trying very hard not to send any more whiny text messages. This is exactly why Mark cajoled Jack into lending him a plot-heavy RPG that he can hopefully get lost in while he waits for Kit to get back to him.
It takes a few attempts but eventually the game does the trick and Mark slips into another world. He’s therefore not sure how much time has actually passed when he hears a key turning in the front door. It takes him a moment to process what the sound means, and by the time he figures it out, Kit is already walking through the door, his duffel bag slung over one shoulder, his arms full of grocery bags.
“Kit!” Mark cries, scrambling to figure out how to save his game. “How did you… Damn, how do I get back to the main menu?”
“Stay right there,” Kit says. “Don’t get up.”
Mark is so startled by this command that he obeys without thinking. He sinks back onto the couch and twists around to watch Kit dump the grocery bags on the kitchen counter and drop his duffel bag right there on the floor.
“You don’t need to stop,” Kit says, waving his hand at the tv screen as he comes over to the couch.
“I don’t — oh… okay then.” Mark cuts himself off as Kit lays down beside him on the couch with his head in Mark’s lap. He holds the controller up as Kit rubs a cheek against his thigh and lets out a long breath.
“You can keep playing your game,” Kit says softly. “I don’t want to talk yet.”
Mark might be mistaken, but he thinks Kit put an emphasis on the yet part of that last statement. Smiling a little, he strokes Kit’s hair.
“I’m glad you’re home,” he says. “Rest now. We can always talk later.”
“Mm,” Kit replies. He snuggles further into Mark’s lap, curling himself up like a cat.
Mark can’t resist stroking his hair a little longer. “I guess you’re not mad at me then,” he murmurs.
Kit turns his face up to Mark’s. His gaze is very serious, but something about his expression is soft, and Mark feels like falling in love all over again. He can see Kit again, can see how much he loves Mark, can see how glad he is to be home too.
“I’m not mad,” Kit whispers. “I thought maybe you’d be mad at me though.”
Mark touches Kit’s cheek. “Never,” he says. “I missed you, but I’m not mad. I know staying so long wasn’t your choice.”
Kit nods minutely, but he looks troubled. “I thought you were mad about our last conversation,” he clarifies. “Since you went out and got drunk afterwards.”
Mark moves his hand down to Kit’s chest. He fingers the chain of Kit’s necklace, then lifts the gear pendant, studying it absently. He wears its twin around his own neck, the metal a warm constant near his heart.
“You’ll tell me when you think I need to know,” he says, tucking Kit’s necklace back inside the collar of his shirt.
Kit reaches up to grab Mark’s hand in his. “I promise that I really do want you to meet my parents soon. They’re just hard to pin down. But the next time they’re home, I’ll make sure to invite them over.”
Mark fights the telltale prick of tears in his eyes. He raises Kit’s hand so he can press a kiss to the back of it. “Thank you,” he says, not sure he can manage anything else.
Kit’s mouth quirks. He squeezes Mark’s hand in his. Then he reaches over to poke him in the stomach.
“What’s this? I thought I was going to find you wasting away here, but you seem as solid as ever.”
“That’s muscle,” Mark protests. He clenches his abs against Kit’s probing finger.
“Uh huh. Sure.” Kit breaks into a grin, eyes twinkling.
Mark tries and fails not to grin back. “You’re pretending to be mean to me,” he says. “But I saw the groceries. You were really afraid I was going to starve without you.”
“Pssh.” Kit scoffs. “Those are for me. I can’t do takeaway or instant noodles for every meal like some people.”
Mark pouts. “I didn’t do it for every meal,” he protests.
Kit grins harder. “You’re such a kid,” he says, pinching Mark’s cheek. “So cute.”
Before Mark can reply, Kit turns on his side, snuggling back into Mark’s lap and tucking his hands together under Mark’s thigh.
“Play your game,” Kit repeats with a yawn. “I’m going to sleep for awhile.”
Mark checks, but Kit really has closed his eyes. And a minute later his breathing slows and deepens. Shaking his head, Mark carefully holds the controller so he doesn’t interfere with Kit’s nap. But he doubts he’ll get much farther in his game — there’s something else he’d much rather pay attention to now.