This is the re write I'm most proud of. Requests return next week! Also as always, thank you for everything you all do.

Perhaps Mark is more of a night thinker than a day dreamer; Or maybe during the day he has his head in the clouds -- But something he definitely is, is somebody that gets lost in fantasy worlds and distance universes. Movies are great for that sure but they cannot beat the books, movies don't smell good and Mark thinks they do all the work for you, all the characters and arcs just there on a screen whereas in books you have an image of what certain characters look like and step out of your shoes and into theirs. Maybe its a coping mechanism of his but stepping in another's shoes, the heroes shoes, makes him feel better.

Because in his life he doesn't get to play hero; blending in through crowds just another person on a campus or in a class. Mark loses in his daily life yet wins at night when he has a book in his hands or when hes playing games from playing brave knights to some meta human with powers.

Hes a sucker for a good fairy tale too and sure the prince getting the princess is nice but it seems too traditional and repetitive. Maybe because he has an un-traditional love of his own; Which comes in the form of a green haired, blue eyed student. Somebody who doesn't blend into the crowds, somebody.. different. And hell if Mark isn't smitten, he could listen to his fellow college student talk for hours on end with his wonderful Irish drole.

Alas, Mark will never be brave enough to do anything about it and besides, crushes pass. The boy won't ever want anything to do with a struggling engineer student whom has no idea what to do with his life, anyways. Jack, (that's what Mark thinks his name is at least, pretty name for a pretty boy.) looks like somebody who knows what hes doing.

Marks hopeless.

;

They share math class together, which Mark is barely making through - he hasn't had nearly enough sleep to comprehend these numbers, good lord; he thinks.

Nonetheless he sits his book he was reading this morning tiredly on his desk.

"Good book." Is uttered from across a few desks and Mark recognizes that drole. Of course it comes from Jack and Mark just shuts off, his sleepy brain not doing him any favors.

"You too." Is the answer he goes with and Mark mentally face palms and back pedals.

"I mean! Thanks..." He sighs, looking away but turns back when he hears a soft giggle in the same direction. At least he made the boy laugh and now he'll never speak to him again because how can somebody fuck such a simple interaction like that up, this is exactly why Mark prefers fictional people.

;

They see each other around and Mark always wants to just say something, anything but he can't find it in himself to approach Jack or what to say. When he does have the courage too, its when Jack is carrying numerous heavy textbooks and looking like a hurricane racing through the halls. Mark bumps into him an its almost purposeful and the boy nearly loses his footing.

"Here, let me help you." He states, a nervous undertone to his voice.

Jack complies with a sigh, and Mark takes some of the weight of his shoulders.

"Where are you heading too?" He asks, because Jack looks really stressed out.

"Im late to English class and I have so much studying to do and this math exam too." The boy sighs.

"I can be your study partner?" The offer leaves Marks mouth before he gets a chance to stumble over it. The offer lingers there and just when Mark is about to retract the statement, Jack pipes up.

"That'd be really helpful actually. Thank you!" Then, Jack is grabbing the books from Marks hands and running into his class without another word, Mark guesses they'll arrange times and such later.

;

A week or so later and Marks standing outside of dorm eighty-two and greeted by a sleepy eyed Jack. He walks in and is surprised by the unbelievably tidy dorm room, it's squeaky clean much unlike Marks and he wonders how Jack does it.

They sit together and look through the almost mountain of work Jack has and its quiet at first but as time goes on, the more they talk.

Jack likes video games too; his favorite is Shadow of the Colossus and he dyed his hair green as a wave to his Irish routes. Jack favors I.T over most of his other subjects yet is considering going fourth in hotel management.

At least video games is there common ground but apart from that they're different.

Jack is a beautifully organized mess and Mark, well, Marks just a mess but they work good together whilst they're studying together, its nice.

;

They study often and through college become close and Marks buried his crush long ago, deciding that his studies were slipping and he needed to focus and not get caught up on somebody that is way out of his league. He admires Jack and you can see it in his hazel hues; but it doesn't show enough as he can still brush it off as friendly.

Its hard but Mark still doesn't know what he wants to do but hes started filming some of his video game successions and uploading them, Mark doubts hes the best on the platform nor is the best at video games but its a passion and although hes awkward on camera, its nice to escape for a bit.

;

Things go unexpected. Mark loses touch with Jack after the channel he started in his college dorm when his roommate was out and continued in his mother's basement on the holidays blew up and completely out the water, he quits college giving up on his engineering career his heart wasn't fully in to pursue a new dream.

He regrets losing touch with Jack and thinks that wherever the Irish student is, whatever hes doing - he's taken a part of Marks heart with him and he hopes that one day, he'll return it.

One thing, Mark has never lost touch with though - is having his fantasy escapes, his viewers seem to love the way he invests in video games and stories. Which means a lot to him, people are finally accepting him as Mark 'I prefer fantasy worlds than the real one' Fischbach.

Video games seem to be keeping his crave for story and adventures satisfied but he hasn't glanced a books way for a long time, all the one he has spared a glance for don't excite him.

(Maybe its because all those romance novels remind Mark of what he could have had if he wasn't such a coward.)

;

His channel grows beyond comprehension and hes active on the platform, watching other creators do what they do best and create things. He discovers let players alike such as Game grumps and this Irish one who seems pretty familiar and it finally clicks in Marks head where and who, from the Q & A video when Jack answers what he did in college.

Mark direct mails him that night after wrestling with it for a few hours, they end up catching up on the months, years they've missed and how things have changed.

They even agree to collab together.

;

The collab is like old times and Jacks different from the boy Mark knew in college, hes loud and even funnier than he remembers but its still the same Jack even so, the same Jack that makes his heart soar the same Jack he still doesn't have the courage to say anything too.

Jack moved back to Ireland to further his studies but after recording some game play and messing around with impressions, decided to pursue a youtube career. His hair is no longer green but his accent is thicker and nicer.

All the things he could say;

'You have pretty eyes.'

'I like the way you say my name; Maerk.'

'I love you, always have.'

'Its been so long.'

But he doesn't.

The collab lights both of their fanbases on fire and its only the beginning, Marks comment section is booming from peop exclaiming how good they are together, how their history bleeds through even if there isn't much between them.

People be for a part two and Marks hopeless but to oblige.

;

But it only fulls the fire on the fan bases and the one that was once distinguished in his heart ablaze again. The two get on so well, Marks shyness discarded long ago. The comments are full of people shipping them together which Mark is somewhat familiar with. And one night when hes craving a break, some away time for the world; he dives down a rabbit hole.

Fanfiction. Mark hasn't even thought about it since perhaps high school, and its a massive scene now which Mark is glad - People should have the rights to express themselves through others as they wish as long as it isn't hateful in anyway, he thinks.

And the fanfiction written about him and his love that got away helps him escape; To think what it'd be like if he'd just have the fucking courage to do something about it but pride is a funny thing and so is insecurity.

The story writers make Mark out to be so much more than he is; The brave affirmative one yet Mark believes hes nothing of the sort.

Doesn't hurt to pretend.

But it does.

And some things never change, like how Mark won't ask Jack out.

Maybe in a different world; In a different story, written by somebody different (like you.)