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David flourished in college.
Sadly, as all things must, high school had come to an end. And that came with two things: leaving the creek and starting college.
Mark wasn't sure which he had dreaded most.
It was devastating, the day they had to pack up Elders Rock. They had taken down all their posters, gathered all their funko pops and collectibles and DVDs. And now Elders Rock, if you could even still call it that, sat barren in the woods; another reminder to Mark that his childhood was approaching an all too soon end.
Mark tried to focus on the one good aspect of all this mess he could manage: the Elders had managed to patch things up between them before it was too late.
It took a very vulnerable and tear filled conversation that lasted long into the early hours of morning, but everyone was on good terms. It was almost like everything was back to how it used to be, and for that, Mark was grateful.
Mark didn't know what he would do if he wasn't heading into college with his two best buddies. Without David and Barry, there simply was no Mark.
And now, here Mark sat, in his shared dorm at Herkleton Community College; two semesters into a Creative Writing degree, feeling useless.
College hadn't gone how he had expected. Or rather, it went exactly how he feared.
He was still the nerdy loner, with the same two friends, who didn't get invited to any parties. Exactly like highschool.
And on the other hand, his best friend was flourishing.
Mark didn't know what it was. Maybe it was the new look, or maybe it was the new found confidence he'd gained while being friends with Tabitha and Courtney, but David was absolutely thriving.
It seemed that everyone knew who he was and everyone wanted to be his friend. People Mark had never even seen before were coming up to David and starting conversations — inviting him to parties and hang outs.
And the worst part of it all, is that David rarely goes.
Instead, he says back in their shared dorm, watching movies or playing games with Mark.
Mark asked him about it once; why he never goes to the hangouts or parties.
"I'd rather stay here with you," he simply shrugs, his brown eyes shining with what Mark could literally only perceive as love.
This is precisely the problem. David is dripping, overflowing even, with love, and Mark is scared that he's cornered him into giving it to him. That he doesn't really deserve it, that he's a conman, and David is going to eventually figure that out.
And even then, he'd stick around. Sunk costs, and all that. Because David's character traits contain a touch of naivete, a streak of self-sabotage and unfound, unlimited devotion.
Mark has always known this, always seen it even, in their campaigns.
David is always the one to check objects for curses and danger, always checking the potentially booby trapped doors, always the first to enter the spooky caves filled with monsters. David has always been too selfless.
And Mark knows he's holding him back. He wants to cut him free, tell David to not worry about him anymore, tell him to go live his life, but Mark knows he won't. Because if David leaves then Barry will follow soon after, and then who would Mark have? Too damn selfless.
Mark decides to talk to David about it later. He's far too tired to have that kind of conversation now. And besides, he has no idea where David even is at the moment. Probably out with other people, making friends that are far better for him than Mark.
Good for him.
~~~
They're on the couch playing Rocket League when Mark decides to bring it up.
“David?”
“Hmm?” he replies through a stuck out tongue. David always sticks out his tongue when he's focusing hard on something. An adorable trait Mark hopes he never loses.
“Do you sometimes wish we'd never met?”
“What? No?!” David blurts, seeming shocked. He sets his controller down on the coffee table — the game doesn't really matter now, they were down by 6 points anyway. “D-Do you?” he asks, and Mark doesn't miss the fear in his voice.
“No, of course not,” Mark replies instantly. “J–Just don't you think that you'd be— nevermind…”
“That I'd be what?”
“Nevermind. Forget I said anything.”
“That I'd be better off without you?” David asks.
Mark's silence answers for him, and David knows he's hit the nail on the head. He shakes his head and turns to face his friend.
“No, I don't think that, Mark! I can't believe you'd even consider that!”
“And why the hell not? It's obvious to everyone all I've done is just drag you down!” Mark’s volume is very close to a yell. “You don't need that kind of burden in your life.”
“You're not a burden, Mark! Don't ever say that about yourself!” David shouts, stunning Mark into silence.
The pair sit with the silence a minute, David wiping tears from his eyes. He can never raise his voice without crying.
“I know I wouldn't be better off without you, Mark,” David says gently. “You wanna know how?”
Mark shrugs, not trusting his voice at the moment. He hates crying in front of others, and he's very damn close to doing it now.
“Those three months we weren't friends were the worst months of my life,” David says, frowning at the memory.
“I'm sure I drove Tabitha and Courtney crazy talking about you. You were all I could think about. Everywhere I went, I could only think about how I'd rather have been with you.”
Wants be damned, his tears were flowing now.
“So, no Mark, I wouldn't be better off without you. You're my favorite person.”
Mark had never heard someone talk about him with such love and conviction before. He didn't know what to say.
He reached across the couch and grabbed David's hand, giving it a little squeeze. David intertwined their fingers and squeezed back.
“You're my favorite too, Davey.”