in which college roommates hop in a car and yell into nothingness.

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"i want to wander."

"the cars outside. why don't you?"

"because i want to wander with you."

---

marks old pick up truck holds promise as he clambers inside, jack hot on his tail and clutching keys.

and okay, maybe jack isn't one for wandering.

but he's one for making mark happy.

and if driving out into the middle of no where with nothing but a pen, notepad and marks pick up truck was going to do just that, then so be it.

because jack rarely sees mark as happy as he was when they went wandering.

and as much as he denies it, he really will do anything for the boy.

"east, or west?"

"west."

the irishman nods, and starts the engine.

marks looking off into the distance, and jack's barely able to read the look on his face. but he manages, and all that springs to mind is 'hope'.

mark always looks hopeful.

jack just doesn't know what he's hoping for.

"towards your spot?"

"our spot."

"right, our spot."
jack's forgotten that they're in this together, and that marks waiting on him to start driving.

so he does, and it's slow at first because jack's barely driven marks car and he's just getting used to the placement of everything and-

"stop it."

"stop what?"

"stop thinking."

and jack's taken aback by marks statement.

"what?"

"you have that look on your face, like you're thinking too much and it doesn't suit you."

it's what mark says next that brings the redness back to jack's cheeks.

"you look tense and stressed and angry and pretty people like you shouldn't be allowed to look tense and stressed and angry because those things aren't pretty."

pretty people like you.

jack's only a little flustered when he pushes his foot down, and the car rolls along their avenue at comfortable speeds. one of marks hands taps against his knee, whilst the other fidgets with the dial of the radio.

he settles on a jazz station, that's hums an unfamiliar song.

"i didn't know you liked jazz?"

myself doesn't answer, and instead responds with a soft smile and mumbled words.

"you don't know a lot about me, greenie."

jack thinks it through.

and part of him wants to protest, and tell mark that he's being silly because they've been friends for eight months, roommates for even longer but jack can't even tell the boy his own birthday.

jack thinks it through, and every inch deeper into thought, marks right.

"then tell me."

"it doesn't work that way."

"how doesn't it?"

"it just doesn't. now drive, we've got places to go, sights to see."

--

jack's been driving for a while now.
and there's nothing but grass and greenery to stare at.

grass, greenery, and the boy who's eyes seem to glow more with every passing road sign that tells him they're far from campus.

but not far enough.

they're not at their spot yet, and marks growing impatient.

"drive faster."

"but we're going at thirty-"

"drive faster."

and so jack obeys, and slams his foot down on the accelerator.

adrenaline.
that's what jack feels.

it's rushing, coursing harshly through blood and over bones and everything is hazy and he's thinking we're going too fast, and there's a speed limit, and i don't want to die.

the radio is blaring rock songs from the 80s that jack doesn't know, but he can still hear marks voice over the heavy drums and bass.

"you're thinking!"

"so?"

"stop thinking. start yelling your problems!"
marks voice overpowers every other noise that surrounds jack.

and the world seems to stop spinning for a moment.

"what? are you crazy?"

"of course i am! now cmon, follow my lead!"

marks rolling down the window before jack can protest, and the radio dies down to nothing but small talk between the hosts and the birds seemed to have ceased their once endless songs and jack can only listen as his elder begins to lean closer to the gap.

"i have a hard time coming to terms with the fact that i'm failing english lit!"

before he knows it, jack's giggling uncontrollably at mark, because hes basically hanging out of the window yelling his thoughts at nothing in particular. the sight humours the irishman.

but jack won't follow, so mark decides he needs some more encouragement.

"i'm scared of the ocean!"

"i'm nervous because we're breaking the law but i'm caring less with every second!"

marks smiling proudly as he pulls his head back inside the vehicle, and from the corner of his eye, he swears he can see jack smiling too.

"i'm an introvert but i'm scared of being alone."

"i fear what people think of me."

"i've been questioning a lot recently, but that's all part of finding yourself."

they're yelling less at nothing, and more at each other as the pick up speeds down the straight path to their spot.

"i think you deserve more than you have."

"you are the only positive constant in my life."

"this is exhilarating."

"you make me feel alive."

"i can't help but to want to make you happy."

"i wander with you because you feel like home."

the car slows.

they're nearing their spot now, and mark can see their parking place.

that's when jack's smile falters.

not only because he's learned more about mark in the last ten minutes than he has in the time they've known each other, but because he's learned more about himself too.

and maybe he cares about mark more than he let's on.

so he's talking, not yelling this time.

and it's all the truth.

"you deserve the world, and i want to be the one to give it to you."

"then please, try."

jack puts the vehicle into park.

and it's the first time they've locked eyes in the whole hour car journey.

there's a sort of fear that resides in the dark of marks eyes as jack leans closer. because it's risky, and he doesn't know what's coming to him.

the irishmans hand moves to cup his elders chin, stroking a single line over his jaw with his index finger.

jack doesn't know what he's doing.
but he knows that he wants it.

"i want you to be sure about this before you do it."

marks voice is closer to a whisper now, eyelids fluttering shut, but not before he takes in the sight infront of him.

kind eyes, parted lips, a scattering of blush that covered the few freckles jack's been left with since childhood. he can feel jack's hand on his cheek, marks own placed on the soft material of jack's shirt.

and it happens.

jack's lips are soft against his own.
it's a moment of serenity.

his hand on jack's chest, jack's thing stroking at the rough skin of marks cherk. their noses bumping only slightly as they shere a caution filled kiss in the front seats of marks hand-me-down pick up truck, with the radio
playing soft melodies written decades ago.

it's all so peaceful, and the boys miss it when they pull apart.

"i'm so sure about you."
the irishman whispers, and it's enough to cause mark to pull him back for another kiss.

"i'm sure about you too."

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ew, what a gross unedited and unplanned oneshot! i hope you lot have enjoyed it, and i apologise for the lack of uploads, i have final exams soon and i can't fail. thank you for reading.
-a