Chapter Text
A person steps out of the sarcophagus.
He holds a striking similarity to Steven. Big, soft eyes that share a common shade of brown. The prominent vein on his forehead curving the trail of a drop of sweat. Such a stupid detail that convinces Marc he’s found the other. Out of body or not.
“ Steven?” Marc reaches out.” Are you ok?”
Steven’s eyes narrow. Their softness replaced by fear disguised as curiosity. Pale hands-abused by unnecessary gloves use- turn into fists.
Marc’s arms fall and he takes a step back.
“ Steven?”
Not Steven cocks their head. Their eyebrows dip up and down, bouncing above the judgmental eyes Marc was less familiar with.
“ ¿Dónde está el otro?”
Marc’s eye twitches, the unexpected appearance of a language he disowned long ago striking him. He pulls the same confused expression as the other man. Their down turned lips and quirked brows mirroring each other to a ‘T’.
“ Who” Marc looks behind him at the closed door. He points to it and then turns until he is pointing right at the strange man’s chest.” Who are you?”
Not Steven’s frown edges deep. An almost hurt expression taking place in the depths of their brown eyes before it’s locked away. Anger hastily replacing it.
“No me gustas. Quiero al gracioso.” They snarl, a set of blunt teeth grinding together.”¿Dónde están?”
The question remains unanswered. Marc’s fuzzy brain going at two miles per hour trying to piece the nostalgic language together. A pace too slow for Not Steven, apparently, that drives them to shoulder past Marc. Their sight set on the empty hallway outside.
“ Out of my way.”
That won’t do. “ Wait, wait!” Marc stumbles against the wall at the other man’s jab. A funny feeling growing in his stomach because of short lived contact. His body tingling the way alcohol settles in your stomach, heat hugging his insides.
Marc smacks his lips and the taste of ash coats his tongue. A slimy, mucus texture building in his mouth like algae on top of a lake.
“ What the fuck. . .”
Marc grunts and spits the stuff out. The heat disappearing in a concerning quickness he can’t quite focus on. He follows the other into the hallway, going into a crouch that mirrors Not Steven’s defensive stance.
“ Hey! Who the fuck are you?” Marc follows in the others slow footsteps, staying tactical by looking over his shoulder with raised fists.” Why were you in there?” There is a bit of hysteria in Marc’s voice that he refuses to acknowledge. The past ten minutes not yet settling in but slowly dripping down his body. Causing his hands to shake and- in return- twisting a mess in his belly. The emotions pushing a ball of gunk up and up his throat. Teasing him with a future taste of day old breakfast splattered across his shoes.
Marc swallows the mess down. Gagging at the flavor. “ I’m fucking talking to you, asshole. We’re stuck in here. You know that?” Marc follows the strange man, not trying once to stop them unless they do first. He’s not looking for a battle yet- unfortunately- Marc knows one will find him. Sooner or later.
He pads a ways behind Not Steven. Keeping distance with narrowed eyes and the front of his feet showing. Biting his lip.
They take another corner.” Don’t know where you’re going, do you?” Marc’s comment does minimal damage, but enough for him to see the other man glance back at him. Acknowledging him. “ It’s a joke I found you in the first place, with all these doors. What pre-“
Not Steven unexpectedly stops. They whirl around with a threat of annoyance, fists clenched tightly until they physically start to shake. Marc would have found it odd, had he not been too busy dodging Not Steven.
“ Damn.” Marc dig’s his heels in to stop from running into the man. A disgruntled growl airing between his lips that brings an embarrassing heat to his cheeks. Only growing more deep at the end of a smirk he catches vanishing off Not Steven’s face.
“ Hey.”
Marc levels a narrow look. Normally flat eyebrows striking down over his eyes, hardening his glare.
“ Who are you?” Marc prods again.” You’re not Steven, I know that.”
Not Steven snorts. The short spurt of air contradicting their quizzical expression. They squint at Marc, turning to survey the room with their mouth squirming. The lips rapidly changing from nervous to angry with the slightest shift.
Marc could chalk it up to the insanity of the situation. Their ‘supposed afterlife’ being nothing but a chaos of white walls, filled to the brim with haunting memories they have yet to face was not on the list of ‘paradise’. Fire and brimstone- yes, while it would be terrifying- was expected. But nothing like this.
Nothing this . . . Strange.
Not Steven takes a long step forward, a hand finding itself nestled in the unruly hair on their head. Another feature of Steven’s that Marc realized set them apart. He combs through his slicked back hair in thought. Missing the sudden grimace appearing on the other man’s face.
“ ¿Qué demonios habéis hecho vosotros, idiotas?” They grunt, the sharp words whistling through the gap in their teeth. Marc stops playing with his hair, fingers rubbing together to get rid of the dried gel left behind. He jumps back when the others head snaps to him. A trigger that kicks his instincts into high gear, hands raising in front of him.
Marc let’s himself snarl in the face of Not Steven’s furious expression. “ Fucking touch me and I’ll send you through the wall.” Marc cocks an eyebrow when the other simply looks down at his fists and then back to him.” Got it? ¿Entiendes, Scruffy?”
Not Steven halts any future grumbling. His face twisting in a way that Marc’s thinks he should be offended by. Though it- whatever he did- helps ease the tension, both men’s shoulders slumping forwards to show they aren’t ready to pounce.
“ ¿Acabas de llamarme desaliñado?” Not Steven asked, a bit taken aback.” ¿Qué? ¿Te crees que eres Spiderman o algo así? Por favor.”
Marc was at a loss. He avoided the other man’s stare, absently searching the empty air in an attempt to understand. His eyebrows furrowing with a squint.
“ Uh, ok?” Marc started, regaining his voice.” Mind telling me your name then?”
Not Steven rolls his eyes.
“ Or I could keep calling you scruffy. . .” Marc trails off, watching the other man’s face closely. A small smirk teasing his lips at the glare he gets in return.” Or maybe asshat? That sound good to you?”
The other man grumbles. He gives Marc a hard look. His brown eyes staring, studying, a part of Marc he can’t see himself. A hidden spot hidden behind his eyes. The vulnerable emotion of anxiety used to help paint himself with confidence.
Marc shivers and breaks the eye contact. His shoulders jerking when the other man sighs.
“ Eres muy extraño.” Marc frowns and crosses his arms, the other man mirroring him unintentionally. The awkward twin stares make Marc squirm but he levels his emotions. Willing them away with the grounding feeling of his fingernails digging into his arm.
The stranger notices but says nothing about it.
“ Lockley.” Their thick Spanish accent slips the name out without hesitating. As if the information was a well kept secret that he was finally able to reveal, no hammer of the law to keep him silent anymore.
“ My name is Jake Lockley.” They sigh, body curling in on itself in a way Marc is familiar with. A heavy weight leaving Jake’s shoulders to bring the walls down, freeing him of an unsaid trauma that bites at Marc’s tongue.
He bites back.” Jake Lockley?” Marc repeats. The questioning tone reciprocated with a sharp nod from Jake.
“ Sí, Soy Jake. Y tú...”
“ Marc Spector.” Marc finishes.” Do you speak English?” He cuts to the chase, a sudden interest in this man prompting him to ask.” At least a little, Right?”
Jake flips his hand over his shoulder.
“ Tengo la sensación de que esa pregunta es menos importante que la mía...” He crosses his arms, mumbling to himself.” No es que estemos probablemente muertos o algo así.”
Marc raises a brow and Jake sighs. He, begrudgingly, nods.” Yes, I speak English.” Jake chuckles.” With you two idiots screaming all the time, it’s hard not to.”
“ You know Steven?” Marc looks over his shoulder. A tic he uses when the moment starts to weigh on him. The action unknowingly striking a round of anxiety in Jake’s stomach.”How? We’ve, I’ve never met you before, we’ve never felt you…” They level each other with equal distrusting glares.
“ How do you know anything about me and Steven?”
Jake smiles.” Steven? ¿Nuestro hermano menor honorario? What don’t I know.” He shakes his head fondly.” Watching him bicker with that Cabrón at work is a must. Seeing him giving it right back to her made many nights easier to sleep.” Marc frowns at the lost look in Jake’s eyes, an uncomfortable knot growing in his stomach the longer Jake remains quiet. His unknown thoughts revolving around memories of Steven that they share. Memories they might not share.
Marc doesn’t know why that bothers him.
“ Why have I never seen you before?”
Jake genuinely shrugs, quirked lips portraying his own confusion.” You tell me. I was always there. Yet. . .” Marc let’s a little bit of shame bite him at the way Jake’s face falls. A sad, sad look sizzling out the anger in Jake’s eyes.
Marc prods for the other to finish. Raising his brows in interest, but they fall along with Jake’s wave of a hand.
“ Never mind that, it is unimportant.”
Marc starts.” But-“
“ Very unimportant.” Jake levels Marc with a hard glare, warning him to drop it.” There are more, better, questions to ask. Aren’t there?”
There is a clock on the wall. It’s hand ticking to fill the silence.
Marc’s throat burns. A clawed hand acting as acid reflux to climb up his throat. He is certain it is not vomit this time, but believes it is a secret wanting to talk more with Jake about the upsetting subject. his slight understanding of the hurt Jake might be going through- having already gone over it a bit with Steven- pushing him. But he lets it die. The fight breaking into pieces until it settles at the bottom of his stomach. Bubbling.
He change the subject. “ What do you remember?” Marc exhales lightly.” About our lives? About. . .”
Jake looks at Marc as if he just asked him what the first letter of the alphabet was. A breathy chuckle popping his closed lips.
“Debes pensar que soy uno de esos idiotas, pero no.”
“ Just answer the damn question.”
“ Jeez, who was the unlucky fella that stuck a stick up your ass?” Jake grows under Marc’s agitation. Embracing the suffocating blanket of emotions- rather than letting it choke him. “ I remember everything. I am you.” Jake taps his chest, emphasizing his words.” London, the museum, the alps. . . I was there for all of it.”
Marc nods.” And Cairo? Were you there as well?” He doesn’t have to say what the there is refereeing to, the answer on Jake’s dimpled cheeks already enough of a confirmation.
“ Oh yes.” A mischievous smile full of teeth breaks the flatness of Jake’s lips.” Of course I was. You didn’t think Stevie would be able to do all that, huh?”
For a split second, Marc did think that. But he would never admit it.
“ Why didn’t you say anything then? Why didn’t you help us?”
“ I didn’t know it was my responsibility to fix your problems, Marc.” Jake snapped, uncharacteristically becoming angry at the question.” Mierda, I helped out at least? Didn’t I? That should count.”
“ I’m not talking about then. . .” Marc pauses and they share an awkward look. The walls of the hallway pressing in on them the longer they sit in silence. “ You, you killed those people.” Marc takes a step back. The sight of Jake’s eyes widening pushing him to square his shoulders.” We didn’t need to kill them, that wasn’t the plan.”
Jake groans and throws his hands up.” Oh, and getting your ass handed to you was? Jesucristo, I saved us! I killed them to save us! Is it that hard to understand?”
Marc could try to understand. He could sympathize with the stranger that had been hiding inside him all this time, express to Jake about the effects a kill leaves behind. Share stories of sleepless nights and guilty sunny mornings.
But he wouldn’t. The subject- Marc promised himself- would be kept under lock and key. Never spoken of, and hardly acknowledged.
So, he keeps being an asshole.” You scared Steven, he wouldn’t give me the body.” Marc wants to punch the wall watching Jake’s face wrinkle in thought. The other stunned to silence for the time being and allowing Marc to continue.
“ And it was so.fucking.frustrating. He nearly got us killed, many times, because of you. Because he thought that I- but it was you- killed those people.” Marc exhales heavily, flaring his nostril.” For no reason.”
“ For no reason?” Jake asks incredulously.” They were trying to kill us!”
“ Not after Steven let them go!” Marc countered back, assuming the claim would silence Jake.
It embarrassingly didn’t.
Jake ruffles his hair. His whole body shaking as if the conversation was the equivalent of sticking a thousand needles into his skin. “ Look, I don’t know who took the body after Steven had his fun playing taxi, but I sure as hell know that it wasn’t me who went after them. Again.”
Marc bows his head and hides his lips from view. The top lip childishly being toyed with by Marc’s bottom teeth.
“ But you’re still not getting my point,” Marc accentuates every word. Pounding the sentence into Jake’s head with scary concealed mania.” You left us alone. You didn’t help us in the pyramid, and you didn’t help us with Harrow.”
“ Because I-“
“ There shouldn’t be an excuse, Jake.” The other flinches back at the sour taste Marc’s tone leaves in his mouth.” You should of been there for us, for him.”
“ Now, now wait a damn minute!”
Jake swallows thickly, his eyes breaking contact for the first time they met. He puts a hand splayed across his stomach. “ You’re pinning this all on me? Don’t you see how ironic this-“
“ I could see it in his eyes, Jake.” Marc quickly interrupts, trying and failing to meet the others eyes in a prolonged stare.” I could feel him breathing, Steven’s stupid big heart bouncing around up here,” Marc knocks against his temple.” I could tell he was afraid. Goddamn it, he was afraid of me!” Marc seethes forward, invading Jake’s personal space to shake the other man’s shoulders.
“ He was afraid of me! I fucking let him down, Jake.” Marc relocates his fists to the collar of Jake’s grey tshirt. Jerking it with enough force to pop a thread.
“ You made me let him down. . . Your stupid solo act costed us, do you know that?” Marc grits his teeth and shoves Jake away. A bitter understanding tickling his throat at the lost look in Jake’s eye.” If you- goddamn it,” Marc pulls at his hair. Looking away from Jake as if the sight of the other man physically pained him.
“ If you had said something! Or, better yet, never never showed up, none of this would have happened. We would still be alive and Steven-“
“ Would you shut the fuck up?!” Jake screams like a wounded animal. Baring his teeth to keep Marc at bay, ripping the others fists off of him. Jake’s hands clench -ready for a fight- contradicting the way his body folds in on itself.” How is any of this my fault?” His voice pitches into raw pain, vocal chords straining against the anger that rises too quickly for them to handle.
“ What the hell did I do except save your life?” Jake’s chest rises and falls quickly.” You and that other fucking idiot!”
Marc tries to step in to defend Steven, a sharp wrinkle forming between his brows, but Jake jumps forwards. His body instantly snapping into an offense stance. Shoulders pushed forwards and head cocked back, just out of Marc’s reach if he decided to take a swing.
Marc stands his ground. Staring the other dead on until his body involuntarily twitches. Crumbling his facade with a flash of sadness teasing the edge of his lip.
Marc bows his head once it’s clear Jake won’t back down, his hands up in surrender.
“ Sorry, oh great dickhead.” The sly drama drips between Marc’s teeth.” I didn’t mean to light the flames.”
Jake relaxes. Only a bit. A long inhale follows a stuttering exhale of breath, jerking and hitching Jake’s chest with sobs concealed behind a fleshy wall.
I didn’t help you because I was afraid it would be like this.” The other finally admits.” I tried to believe that you wouldn’t blame me, to convince myself I would be accepted. . . That you were nothing like her.” Marc stiffens under Jake’s watery, disappointed stare.” But I guess I was right from the start.”
Marc’s nose twitches.” Jake-“
“ Don’t. Just shut the fuck up.” Jake covers his face for a moment. Taking a step back from Marc to recollect himself with another round of deep breaths and worrying huffs of air. His voice now eerily stable. “The sooner we find your boy the sooner you two can play house together.” Jake looks over his shoulder and nearly cries at the way Marc shrinks under him.
“ The sooner you can forget about me. . .let’s go.”
Jake sets off down another random hall. The overly exaggerated steps clear in his unsaid intent to get as far away from Marc as possible. Not even a glance back to make sure the other was following before turning another corner. His footsteps awkwardly echoing off the walls.
Marc watches him go. Sees Jake disappear around the corner and shakes his head.
He can do nothing now but follow him.