When we first met

~1~

The snow was falling on a cold winter day, soft white blankets covered everything along the street, covering the cars, the houses, and all the trees. The only touch of a color was the Christmas lights hung along the yards and houses, the snow making their colors glow brighter.

Mark loved the holiday seasons, everything seemed so happy and calm for once. He happily hung another ornament on the large Christmas tree, the rainbow lights hung on it blinking in sync. He stepped back and smiled at the tree.

His eyes traveled up the tree all the way up to the golden star that adorned the top.

He sat back on the couch and smiled as a happy golden retriever trotted into the living room.

Mark put his hands out and pet her soft face as she sat next to him. "What you think chica?" He asked the dog, her tounge out as she panted happily.

She hopped down and sniffed the tree, making Mark laugh as some of the ornaments jingled, getting chica excited

She laid down by the tree and huffed, tired from her jumping around. Mark stood and walked to the window, watching the snow fall. Making him feel a light calmness inside.

Eventually his eyes met his hand on the glass, the bright reflection of the snow shining on his wrist.

He stared at his wrist as his sweater rode up his arm, revealing his scars, long faded but still there.

He wasn't ashamed of them but..that doesn't mean seeing them didn't bring back painful memories.

"FAGGOT!"

Mark shut his eyes tight as that word echoed in his head, feeling the pain all along his body...pain he would never forget..

Mark gasped lightly, pulled away from his dark thoughts by a soft hand grabbing his.

Mark looked back and smiled as his eyes were met with beauiful ocean ones, looking at him with deep affection that calmed his nerves

"Did I scare you?" An Irish accent asked him. Mark chuckled and shook his head. "No..sorry I was just..lost in thought." He said..eyes landing on his wrist yet again

Sean gently brought his hand to marks wrist, gently and lovingly running the faded scars. "I didn't know you were home." Mark said with a smile, Seans soft fingers gliding along his wrist.

"Work let me off early. Boss is going away for Christmas." Sean said as he removed his coat.

"Suprised chica didn't give you away." Mark said, looking over at his tired golden puppy, sleeping peacefully by the tree.

Sean chuckled and wrapped his arms around mark. "The house looks amazing. Wish I could have helped." He said, looking around at all the snowflakes and Santa's.

Mark put his hands on seans warm arms around him. "I wanted to suprise you with a nice festive house when you got back."

Sean gently pulled mark closer and kissed his cheek, whispering in his ear.

"I love it."

Mark turned his face towards Sean and connected their lips in a soft kiss. Mark turned around completely to wrap his arms around Jack, pulling his waist closer to him, savoring their sweet kiss

They both sat on the couch, close to one another

"So.." Jack started "what were you thinking about?" Mark sighed and laid his head on Seans chest.

"Same thing I always think about..high school." He said, his eyes staring towards the window. "When we first met."

Sean lovingly stroked Marks shoulder, listening to him.

"I know its silly..it was so long ago." Sean shook his head. "Its not silly at all. After what you went through its perfectly reasonable to still think about it every now and then."

Marks vision got cloudy and he buried his face in Sean's chest, gripping his shirt as he began to shake.

Sean wrapped his arms around mark and slowly rubbed up and down his back. "Shh its ok. Let it out. I'm here." This is how Sean has calmed down, for as long as he could remember.

After a while Mark stopped shaking and pulled away from Sean, sighing as he wiped some stray tears away. Eyes now slightly red.

"I'm ok." Mark said, giving his husband a weak smile

Sean was about to speak, when he was suddenly interrupted by a giant golden floof jumping on him

Jack fell off the couch and laughed as chica licked his face, her butt and tail wiggling with excitement.

Mark giggled and watched the two on the floor. "I think she missed you!" He said as chica ran around Jack, jumping on him and covering him with kisses

"You think!?" Sean laughed out as he finally stood, chica still trying to jump on him. He pet her head. "Calm down caaalm down." She seemed to calm down and trotted off towards the kitchen.

Sean plopped down the couch. "Geez." He said with a chuckle, still wiping the drool off his face. "You think I'd be used to that by now!"

"You should be! She does it Every time you come home from work! Ever since we got her." Mark said, mood lifted by his silly puppy.

"Remember in college? Even when returning from a small class she'd jump on me! At least she was smaller then!" They both laughed, remembering tiny chica trying to jump on Seans leg, barely reaching his knee.

Mark smiled at the fond memory..college was when school finally took a turn for him. So different from highschool..

His mind began to wonder again.

"Do you remember the day we met?" Mark suddenly asked Sean.

Sean looked at him and chuckled. "That's a little random. But of course I do. Though I seem to remember someone with shorter more..pinker hair!" He said, raffling marks long black locks.

Mark rolled His eyes with a smirk. "Funny hearing that from you! Green bean." Jack blushed and laid back. "Oh my gooood! How do you remember that nickname?" Mark laughed and laid on his chest. "I used to call you that all the time."

"At least I stuck to one color." Jack said, cheeks still a light pink.

Mark smiled and remembered that day. The day he met that bad boy with green hair...who changed his life.

WHOOO!!! First chapter of the new and improved flag boy is out! I'm super proud of his first chapter and I'm just so excited to give this story a new start. It was one of the first I ever wrote and I can't wait to see where I can take it.

Thank you all for joining me on this freshstart and I can't wait to see How it goes!

Love you guys!! <3<3