UNBLOCKED

epilogue #2 | markson

"thanks for coming with me," said mark, jittery as they waited on the platform.

"coming with you?" jackson laughed. he placed a palm on mark's thigh to settle his nerves. "you're coming with me. i'm taking you on a date, remember?"

mark chuckled a little through an anxious sigh. "some date," he scoffed, "visiting my mom?"

"we can go get coffee or something afterwards," jackson suggested, "just relax, okay?"

eventually, it was time to board the train and the couple found their seats. it was fairly empty for a saturday morning, and the two fell into a comfortable silence amongst the gentle buzz of the wheels on the tracks.

jackson slowly intertwined his fingers with mark's. their shoulders were connected, thighs pressed together, and mark let his head rest on jackson's shoulder. he found comfort in the closeness.

"hey," said jackson softly, "look, markie, your mom is gonna be really pleased to see you, trust me. things are going to be fine."

mark sighed again. "i know..." he trailed off. "things were fine moving back in with dad, but with mom... i don't know. we didn't leave off on a great note."

"come on, markie," said jackson cheerfully, glancing down at his boyfriend and kissing the top of his head, "what's the worst that can happen?"

"uh, she throws me out and says she never wants to see me again?" mark suggested.

"like that would ever happen," jackson said encouragingly.

"seriously, jackson," mark insisted, "i've been a shitty friend these last few months. i don't wanna be a shitty son too."

"listen to me, mark," said jackson, meeting mark's worried gaze, "even if the worst does happen, it doesn't make you a shitty anything. you've had to go through all this stuff with your parents, and it's not your fault if they don't treat you the way you deserve. so stop blaming yourself, because visiting your mom is going to be completely fine."

mark looked at him and slowly smiled. "thanks, jack," he said, nuzzling his face in his boyfriend's shoulder, "i needed that."

it wasn't too long before they arrived in the city and the familiar structure of their neighbourhood had been replaced by glistening skyscrapers rising up to greet them.

mark shivered on the platform, gazing out at the city around him.

"still nervous?" jackson asked.

mark laughed a little. "no," he answered, "just cold."

"why didn't you wear a jacket, you idiot?" jackson muttered. they started walking slowly away from the train. "wear this."

"okay... fine."

mark grudgingly accepted jackson's slouchy hoodie and pulled it on over his head. jackson tugged his own jacket back on top of his shirt so mark didn't feel so bad.

"so, which way to your mom's new place?" jackson quipped, hand in hand with mark, walking along with a spring in their step.

mark took out a map on his phone and furrowed his brows as he checked. "this way?" he tried.

needless to say, the pair of them had explored half the city before they made it to mark's mom's new apartment.

"this is the place," mark breathed, looking up at the apartment block with an unreadable expression.

"looks nice," jackson remarked. "should we go up?"

the apartment was on one of the highest floors so they took the elevator up. the doors closed, and suddenly the tension of mark's nerves was locked inside.

"small spaces," said jackson with a chuckle, trying to ease mark's anxiety, "reminds me of the time we first met properly."

mark's mind flashed back to the first time he and jackson had properly spoken alone. they'd been eying each other up for weeks before, bumping into each other in the corridor and muttering flirtatious apologies. but it wasn't until they got stuck cleaning up the art cupboard together that things really hit off. it also didn't help that the door got jammed and they had a long time to get to know each other.

mark remembered the way they'd kissed that first time, how it had rapidly grown more heated until their first real meeting had turned into a make out session.

mark's breath caught in his throat. "and you mention this now?" he threw a glare at jackson, who continued to laugh.

"well, it also reminds me of all the other times..." he said with a smirk.

and there were other times. whenever they could manage to see each other - in store cupboards and empty toilet cubicles, and the backseats of cars.

and even now, jackson's lips were on mark's neck again, trailing kisses up his jaw until their mouths were connected. mark rolled his eyes and reluctantly pushed jackson away, yet keeping him close.

"later," he promised, "if my mom doesn't kill me before then."

"she won't," jackson said confidently. "did i get rid of your nerves?"

mark sighed but smiled at him. "yeah," he nodded, "you did."

they reached mark's mom's floor and stood outside the apartment door. jackson rang the doorbell. and moments later mark tumbled crying into his mother's arms.

they returned on the train later that evening, after choosing a few date spots that afternoon in the city.

"i like your mom," said jackson as they waited again on the platform.

"she liked you too, i think," mark grinned.

"i especially liked her pokemon plushie collection," jackson added.

"half of it's still in my room," mark laughed, swinging his legs from the metal bench they waited on. "she let me keep the giant pikachu one."

"cute," jackson said, linking hands with mark again and copying him by also swinging his legs in time. "it was also cute how you introduced me as your boyfriend."

"well, what else would you be?" mark said warmly, his face beaming for the first time that day. "you're my boyfriend, jackson wang. unless you'd rather not be..."

"yeah actually, let's get a divorce," said jackson. then his eyes widened as he realised what he said. "ah... too insensitive?"

mark just shook his head. "nah, don't worry. you can't divorce a boyfriend anyway."

"good," said jackson. he lifted his and mark's intertwined hands and kissed the back of mark's fondly, "cause that's not gonna happen, mark tuan."

"and why not?"

"because i love you."

mark leaned his head on jackson's shoulder and jackson rested his head on top. "i love you too, you dumbass," he said contentedly.

and it felt like a long time they sat there, waiting for a faraway train, together under a brightly shining sky.

__________________

a/n:
sorry i haven't been
updating as often :(

i've got 4 more epilogues
to go i think, as well as 3
bonus chapters :) so look
forward to those! ♡♡♡♡

song i've been listening to:
my flower by jbj
(also wolf baby by trcng)