Chapter Text
Mark hadn’t seen Jack in a while.
It’d been two months, five days and maybe thirteen hours; but who was counting? Certainly not Mark. Finally though, he’d caught a break and the first thing he had done was book a ticket to Ireland to see his friend.
He sat now in Jack’s small living room on the couch waiting for Jack to bring them tea. Jack had been delighted to see Mark. Yet Mark noticed something else in Jack’s demeanour though. Jack looked tired, like he hadn’t slept in days. Not only that but the normally wide and excitable smile Jack always had, was so much less and it concerned Mark greatly.
Finally Jack brought in tea for the two of them. He placed the mugs on the table and took a seat next to Mark. There was only one small couch so Jack was close to Mark. Mark didn’t mind.
A million questions were bubbling to be asked though; and Mark couldn’t wait any longer.
“How have you been man? Like seriously, how have you been? It’s been ages since I’ve seen you.”
Jack gave Mark a half-hearted smile. “Oh yeah, y’know, been alright. Getting stuff done.”
“Yeah, I guess you’ve been busy, huh?”
“What makes you say that?”
Mark laughed lightly, trying to lighten the mood. “Dude you look like you haven’t slept in a month.” He paused and gave Jack a frown. “You sure you’re alright?”
Turning to look at Mark, Jack sighed slightly and ran a hand through his fluro green hair. He couldn’t lie to Mark. Not really. That would hurt him too much inside to lie to his closest friend.
“I mean… It… I…” He sighed again. “It’s going to sound crazy Mark.”
“Come on, I’m sure it’s not that crazy. What? You been getting nightmares from playing too much Resident Evil?” he joked, giving Jack a nudge.
“Hah… I wish.”
Mark frowned. This was so unlike Jack. The laughter and joy was gone from his voice. Those dark rings under his eyes showed how tired he was. He even moved around sluggishly. Mark had every right to be concerned.
“Jack, come on. Tell me what’s wrong. I promise I won’t think it’s crazy.”
Jack sighed and shook his head, looking down at his feet as he mumbled: “It was just meant to be a joke…”
“What? What are you talking about? Jack, seriously, you’ve got me really concerned now.”
“Remember Anti?” said Jack finally.
Mark tried to detect any kind of joking tone in Jack’s voice, but when he realized there was none to be found, he decided he should be taking his friend very seriously on this matter.
“Yeah, I remember Anti. That fan-made ‘evil’ version of you. You did that whole Halloween thing. The editing on that was freaking amazing by the way. Props to Robin,” said Mark.
“Hah… yeah well, what if I told you… Robin didn’t edit that?”
Mark frowned. “So… you edited it?”
Jack shook his head.
“I don’t think I follow you man. If you didn’t edit it, and Robin didn’t edit it, then who did?”
“It… wasn’t edited. It was real. Anti is real.”
Mark let those words sink in and the frown upon his face grew. There was no way Anti could be real. He was just a concept created by Jack’s fans. That was it. Yet the dark rings under Jack’s eyes, his skin paler than normal, the unenergetic man before Mark was not the Jack he knew. So something was wrong, and if Jack said it was Anti… well Mark should believe him. That’s what a friend would do.
“Jack… are you really ok?” asked Mark, the concern heavy in his voice.
Jack looked up at his American friend and forced a smile.
“Ah I’m fine, really,” he stated. It took one look from Mark to know that he wasn’t being believed and Jack sighed. “I mean… apart for the not sleeping, the jumpiness, and the constant, overwhelming, crushing fear that Anti could do something terrible… I’m fine.”
“Jack.”
Jack looked at his friend and felt a pang of guilt stab him in the chest. He didn’t want to make his friend worry like this; and it’s not like telling Mark that Anti was real seemed entirely sane either. But Jack had felt so alone lately. Anti made him feel isolated. Like he couldn’t share anything; not even with his fans.
Even then, he could hear Anti’s taunting laughter in the back of his head. He shut his eyes, hands over his ears and ducked his head. Far out he hated how Anti did that. Only recently had Anti made himself known to Jack again. While playing Detention, Anti had been triggered by something in the game. The fans were going nuts over it, excited by the return of Anti. Jack on the other hand – who hadn’t seen the message from Anti until after editing – was not so delighted by the idea of Anti being back.
“Jack…”
Jack flinched as he felt a hand rest on his shoulder and his eyes snapped open in a panic. Mark instantly took his hand off his friends shoulder and moved back, giving Jack some space.
“Whoa, whoa, hang on there, buddy. It’s just me. It’s Mark.”
Jack groaned at his panic and his shoulders sagged. “Fuck… I’m sorry Mark. I… I don’t know where my head is anymore. Anti’s been messing with me. Ever since I posted that Detention video… He hasn’t popped up in any other video yet but I’m afraid he will. He… he’s making my life a living hell and its getting so hard to act like myself in my videos…”
Mark reached over and put his hand back on Jack’s shoulder, giving it a small squeeze. “Hey, it’s ok. It’s your birthday soon, another reason why I’m here. We’ll party it up and forget about Anti. If you really say he’s real, I believe you.”
“You do…?” Jack sounded surprised and wary at the same time.
“Course I do. You’re my best friend. If there’s some crazy demon thing happening to you and your videos, I believe you.”
Jack looked like he was ready to cry. Mark looked at his friend and patted his back.
“It’ll be ok Jack. Promise.”
Sighing, Jack moved to rest against Mark. His head on Mark’s chest and Mark’s arm moving to rest around the Irishman’s shoulder. At first Mark was a little surprised by the movement but smiled. Jack was tired. He needed a friend. He needed a hug. Mark wrapped his arms around Jack and pulled him closer. Jack didn’t try move away. He relaxed into Mark’s arms and let out another sigh.
“Thank you, Mark.”
Mark smiled and rest his head on Jack’s. “Hey, it’s what I’m here for. Think nothing of it.”
Smiling ever so slightly, Jack closed his eyes. He’d barely slept over the past month. Anti was being a constant pest and preventing Jack from getting any proper rest. He’d tried numerous things to try help him sleep, but nothing had worked. He had just never felt safe enough.
Yet now, curled up in Mark’s arms – their tea forgotten on the table – Jack finally felt safe. He felt content and comfortable. Mark had always given such amazing hugs. It felt like that that was all Jack had been needing. He was so close to falling asleep when he heard that all too familiar and static voice in the back of his mind.
“I’m back for good.”