fluffy - axel x mark

74- it's my party and i'll cry if i want to

Mark felt terrible going out to celebrate their win without Axel, and worried about him the whole time. He didn't enjoy himself at all, as much as he tried.

The rest of the team didn't either, because usually Mark was the one that made these team outings fun. And it was hard to enjoy themselves when the happiest member of the team was miserable.

Even Nathan couldn't enjoy the fact that he got Mark to himself because he was just so miserable.

Nobody was really talking to each other, everybody was either on their phones or silently eating. Until Nelly broke the silence by gasping really loudly.

"What is it?"Mark asked irritably.

"Axel just sent me a text!"Nelly gasped. "All it says is 'make sure that Mark checks his mailbox when he gets home x'!"

"Why would he not just text me that?"Mark said. Instinctively he tried to call him, but he couldn't get through.

"I know he's on his phone. He just texted you...."Mark said quietly. "I'm worried. I need to get home and check what he left in my mailbox!"

"Yeah, nobody was enjoying themselves anyways,"Kevin yelled. "Into the team bus!"

There were a few giggles from other members of the team at that. Coach Hillman didn't even question why the team wanted to leave hours earlier than expected, he just grabbed the keys off the table and did a head count of the team.

Mark couldn't stop fidgeting the entire journey. It was suspenseful. Why wouldn't Axel answer his calls? Mark wasn't usually this obsessive, but he had to have called Axel at least 30 times in the past 20 minutes but it always went straight to the answering machine.

Normally the bus would drop them at the school and they would find their own ways home, but Coach Hillman took a detour and dropped Mark home first.

"If it's anything bad, tell us,"said Nelly as Mark left the bus.

Mark just glared at her.

"What? I'm his friend too!"

Mark didn't have the strength to argue. He waved goodbye to the bus, not wanting them to see what was in the mailbox.

As soon as he saw the bus disappear around the corner, Mark shakily opened the mailbox to see a singular white envelope inside, with a simple 'Mark' written on it in Axel's neat handwriting.

Mark's heart was beating insanely fast. This must be something bad. If it was anything normal, he would have just texted him.

Mark just ran inside, ignoring his parents asking how the winners celebration went, and went to his room. He shakily opened the envelope, to see a short letter inside. That was even unlike Axel. Their literature teacher constantly praised Axel's long essays.

"Dear Mark,

I'm sorry. I couldn't take what those Kirkwood boys were saying to you and I. You don't deserve to be drawn into that. I think you deserve somebody better than me. I'm going away for a while. By the time you get this, I should be gone. Please don't look for me. I'm fine. I'm just staying with family. I love you, but please move on. Don't wait for me.

It's not you, Mark. You're perfect, and probably one of my favourite people I've ever met. But I'm not the right person for you.

Axel x"

Mark swallowed. How could he? Just weeks before the final. They were supposed to kick Zeus High's ass together. Fuck that. They were supposed to just be together in general.

He pushed the letter away, and wiped his eyes when he heard a knock on the door.

"Can I come in?"his mother's voice said.

"Yeah,"Mark said, hiding the letter under his mattress.

"What's wrong?"

"Our best striker left the team, I think,"Mark said sadly.

"What do you mean, you think? He either left or he didn't."

"I'm pretty sure that he left then!"Mark was overcome by emotion and couldn't help but cry. His mother was extremely confused, but hugged him anyways.

"You can find another striker,"she said softly.

"It wasn't about him being a striker! I think I loved him!"Mark cried.

"What?"his mother looked at him. "I don't think developing crushes on your team members is healthy. You probably won't be able to work together as well."

"He wasn't just a team member! He was my boyfriend! And I think he left me!"Mark sobbed.

"You had a boyfriend? And I didn't know?"Mark's mother sighed. "I hope you used protection. STDs are very prevalent, you know."

"Mom we never had sex!"Mark yelled indignantly.

Mark's father came rushing into Mark's room. "What's all this talk about sex?!"he yelled with a confused tone in his voice.

His expression immediately softened when he saw Mark crying into his mother's chest.

"But you won the game today?"he said quietly.

"I did,"Mark sniffed. "But it doesn't even matter because my boyfriend left me!"

Mark's father's face seemed to cycle through the five stages of grief. "You had a boyfriend? Now the sex conversation makes sense-"

"I didn't have sex! That's not what this is about!"

Mark was too distraught to explain further, so his mother tried to explain for him.

"Where does someone your age even leave to?"

"Apparently he's with family. But I don't know where. He has me and all the rest of the people on our team blocked. Probably Nelly and the girls too."

"You can't have liked him that much if that's the first we're hearing of him,"Mark's mother said.

"It's not because I haven't wanted to! It's just that I'm barely ever at home, between training and all that. I'm not even in the mood to explain now,"Mark sighed. "Please just leave me alone."

"We're worried about you-"Mark's father started.

"I don't care! I'll look for him!"Mark got up off his bed and wiped his eyes.

"You're tired, Mark. And upset. Maybe wait until tomorrow when you're head is in a better place,"his mother said.

"It'll probably be too late then!"

It was then that Mark did something that shocked his parents. He jumped out his window and abseiled down the gutters.

Both of his parents were in too much shock to do anything.

"What the actual fuck?!"his dad said, his eyes widened in disbelief.

"Teenagers, am I right?"his mother shrugged.