Afton Random Books

Main AU: Replacement

[Mark H. x Daniel M. [?]]

-MD-

Daniel stared nervously at the screen of his phone, then brought the phone to his ear. He took a few deep breaths, then tried to calm himself down. A black-haired man who was standing not far from him glared at him with a sharp gaze, Mark looked cranky. Those tens of seconds felt like years of waiting for him, waiting for the person he called to answer the phone.

But there was no sign that his calls were answered.

"He's not picking up your calls, is he?" Mark opened his voice, he sounded triumphant because he felt right, making him grind his teeth in exasperation. "Of course not."

"Oh, shut up. Maybe Michael's busy," Daniel replied quickly, rolling his eyes lazily.

"Busy with an old friend."

"Shut your mouth."

He could hear Mark's low laughter, who after that drew closer to him. Daniel pursed his lip line, his green eyes moved the other sode before he turned away so as not to stare at each other with Mark, who was now right in front of him. "He must care more about Dawson than you now."

Daniel's forehead creased, he didn't want to imagine that anymore, he didn't want to be frightened anymore by the assumptions his brain made. "I know them," he said quietly. "I knew they wouldn't—"

"No, you don't know, McGarden," Mark interrupted, squinting at Daniel. "I know them longer, I know what they're like. I know someone like Michael very well." He took a step forward, causing Daniel to gulp and step back. "Michael is friends with you, always there for you to the point that you two know each other very well inside and out. Then he'll leave, he'll fucking ditch you for someone new," Mark aggressively pinned Daniel against the wall, not caring how agitated Daniel was starting to be, "or maybe an old acquaintance like Dawson."

"He's just—just meeting up with an old friend ... it's not something to—"

"Worry about? You're stupid." Mark snorted in amusement and rolled his eyes in boredom, while Daniel knit his brows together deeply. "He replaced you with Dawson. You know it, you realize it."

Daniel bit the inside of his cheek and shook his head. "No, you just want to scare me ..."

"I didn't mean to sound like that." Mark knit his brows in sympathy, before they dived downwards and he gritted his teeth. "This isn't the first time he's done this. Michael left the three of us without hesitation, he could left you without a second thought as well. You can't lie to yourself, McGarden. Dawson is taking your place again as his close friend, Dawson is their first priority, Dawson is not a replacement but you are the temporary replacement for Dawson. He's waiting for the right time to throw you out like trash."

"No! Shut up!" Daniel pushed Mark away. His chest was pounding in fear, his head seemed to be spilling and making his thoughts collide with scenarios he didn't want. Panic-stricken at the prospect that he might be replaced, Daniel squeezed his eyes shut and covered his ears, the voices growing louder. "No ... they won't ..."

"That's what happened to you now." Mark patted his shoulder, he could hear the man exhale heavily. "In the end they will replace you with Dawson and you are nothing to either of them."

His vision started to blur, Mark's figure was not clear when he raised his head, his green eyes filled with tears. "You are a liar, Halberg. I don't trust you ...."

"You can call me anything, label me with whatever you want, but I speak the truth." He watched as Daniel slumped to the floor limply and began to sob. However, he didn't budge at all and remained in his place. "You knew from the start you were nothing to them, McGarden."