in which it's a regular ol' car journey.

—————

the whole night has been spent, and suddenly the group of six waste hours of the early morning in a borrowed jeep, going fifty down roads they can never navigate, even in the day time.

"felix your elbow is right in my side."

"well maybe if you moved a little we wouldn't be so crammed, pj!"

"will you two please stop bickering? robin, tell them to shut up!"

"i'm not the dad around here, brad!"

the boys crammed into the back seat only grow louder, and whinier, and more impatient. but the driver blocks them out, focused solely on the roads and the astoundingly beautiful sight to his right.

"you think they'll ever stop squabbling?"

jack laughs airily at mark's question, eyes lit with every passing street lamp as he glances to his left momentarily.

"it's like this all the time in the house. if they aren't arguing, then they aren't home or they're asleep."

"must drive you crazy, huh?"

jack nods, smiling.

"yeah, it gets a tad annoying, but i don't know where i'd be if i didn't have my boys."

mark reaches over, picking up jack's hand that lays in his lap and dragging his thumb over sharp knuckles. the irishman flames red at the gesture.

"is it the same at your place? with your roommates?"

jack watches lovingly as mark holds back a laugh, and nods.

"maybe not as frequent, but i do come home to them sitting on opposite sides of the sofa, which is a clear sign that something is up. they're usually all over each other."

the smile falls from jack's face when he realises they're turning into his street, and that he and the rest of the boys will have to bid farewell to mark.

he's hoping this night won't end.

and mark silently hopes that too.

"right boys, that's it, the day is over. get out!"

laughing, marks throws his arm over the back of jack's seat and calls to the group in the back, who scramble out of the uncomfortably cramped space as quickly as possible.

however, jack stays put.

"i had a really great time tonight."

bitten lips spill kind words, and jack is blushing scarlet as he watched mark speak.

"i did too. thank you, for driving us, and for keeping me company all night."

"anytime, lovely. i'm sorry it ended so soon, but i promised tyler i'd have his car back by two and i'm approximately-"

mark looks at his watch with a sigh.

"-twenty six minutes past curfew."

"it's alright. i'll see you later mark."

"yeah, see ya jack."

their hands slip away from one another, as jack jogs quietly up his path towards the boys who congregate wound the doorstep.

but suddenly, his name is being called.

"jack?"

the irishman turns, and blushes at the sight of mark, head poking out of his car window with a goofy grin.

"you forgot something!"

jack comes running down the path, onto the pavement where he stands with his hands against the window frame, marks body now fully inside of his car.

"i did?"

jack pokes his head inside the car a little, frowning because he doesn't remember carrying anything that was his phone and wallet.

"yeah, this-"

and mark is kissing him.

and it's slow, and open-mouthed and loving. filled with unsaid words and shared glances and it's leaving jack with red cheeks and a sweet taste in his mouth.

when they pull away, jack is scarlet and giggling and grinning coyly as mark gives a lopsided smile.

"i-uh-"

"cmon, it's near curfew and you need some sleep. i'll call you later yeah?"

"yeah. that'd...that'd be nice."

jack's head still pokes slightly into the car, and mark takes this moment to press his lips hurriedly to jack's once more and give him a lasting kiss.

"sorry, can't help that you're so damn beautiful."

"mark, it's late you gotta go."

"i know, i know."

jack steps back, and mark starts his engine.

he goes to drive away, foot on the pedal as he rolls forward slightly, but jack is shouting out for him before he gets too far away.

"mark?"

"yeah?"

"you promise you'll call?"

the elder chuckles.

"you promise you'll pick up?"

"yeah."

jack nods simply, with a grin.

"then it's settled."

"yeah, um, ill see you soon then."

"bye jack."

"bye mark."

and he's gone, driving down the narrow street with one hand on the wheel and the other hoping to be holding jack's hand once more.

the irishman turns, and walks back to his friends who all mumble and joke amongst themselves with jack's name on their lips.

because jack's just had his first kiss, right in front of them.

felix opens his mouth to make a remark, but jack is holding uo his finger and fishing his keys from the pockets of his "mom" jeans.

"i-"

"don't you dare, kjellberg."

"was just gonna ask why you look like a tomato."

"i swear to god you have five seconds to run before i beat your ass."

"oooh, catfight."

"you too liguori."

"shit."

—————

woah look i posted something!
-a