"Are you up for a coffee?" Reese asked Mark as he picked up his duffle-bag and shut his locker. Mark unglued himself from the lockers and smiled at him. "We haven't talked to each other since before Christmas".

"Yeah, it's been over three weeks since the last time we really talked," Mark replied, and they started to walk out.

"Right, but I have to deal with the press first," Reese said with a yawn, as they reached the door. He sounded tired.

"You make it sound as if you didn't want to win the match," Mark replied and rolled his eyes.

Reese shook his head, laughed at his friend, and opened the door to find a wall of photographers and reporters waiting for him. Mark backed away and let Reese get the heat of it. He didn't really like being hounded by cameras, despite always carrying one. He watched as Reese started answering questions with a hazy smile on his lips and pulled out his phone to text Thomas that he was going out with Reese.

"Isn't that Mark McGregor?" he heard as he was typing away. He barely managed to look up before a dictation machine was pushed right in his face and a camera flash blinded him for a second. At once, he put away his phone.

"Mr. McGregor, would you like to comment on the rumors regarding your relationship with Thomas Heissmann?"

"My what?" he asked back, having to blink in surprise. Before the reporter could say another word, Reese, who had heard the question, pushed them away and started pulling Mark.

They could hear the reporters and photographers behind them as Reese lead him to the parking lot. Despite not running, Mark was out of breath. His relationship with Thomas? What the fuck?

Even more, reporters were outside, waiting for Reese to show up and he was forced to maneuver around as to avoid them too. He found Mark's car easily, he could spot that magnificent beaut from a mile away. Without saying anything, both of them got inside and Reese started driving, seeing as Mark was completely out of it.

His eyes didn't seem to be focused on anything and he could hear a faint ringing in his ears. As the exited the parking lot, Mark felt the first wave of panic wash over him. He cursed under his breath.

"What's wrong?" Reese asked him while stopping at a traffic light.

"I'm having a panic attack," he said.

"Jesus, Mark..." Reese muttered and started driving again.

"Take me to Thomas's. I need to talk to him," Mark said and took a few deep breaths.

"Okay, but I don't know where he lives. You need to give me directions, alright?" Reese replied in a calming manner. "Here," he went on and grabbed Mark's hand and brought it to his own thigh, "squeeze my thigh; feel the fabric; ground yourself, okay?"

"Okay, yeah..." Mark muttered in between breaths. "Take a left turn here".

***

Reese pushed Mark's key and opened the door, seeing as Mark was leaning against the wall, tears streaming down his face. He hated that he had caused the second panic attack, but he knew there was no other way.

"Hey- wow, hey! What happened?" Thomas immediately yelled out as both got inside and he saw Mark's face. He reached out to wipe away Mark's tears, but Mark swatted away his hands.

"Don't," he said weakly.

"Panic attacks," Reese explained as Mark went to the bathroom, Kenzie following him while whining.

"Panic attacks? What happened?" Thomas pressed and followed Mark in the bathroom. Reese stood a little further back and watched ready to push Thomas away and help Mark in a flash.

Mark had his head resting against the marble sink, the coolness of it easing his headache. He splashed water on his face and then looked at Thomas through the mirror.

"Reporters asked me about the rumors about our relationship," he paused and focused his gaze on Reese. "And then Reese put me in a fucking elevator".

"Hey, what did you want me to do? Let you walk up eleven flights of stairs while recovering from a panic attack?" Reese snapped back and immediately mentally yelled at himself for losing his cool.

"You know I fucking hate elevators..." Mark whispered and lowered his head again.

"The rumors about our relationship?!" Thomas yelled out, finally snapping out of his own shock. Mark rubbed his temples and groaned at his volume.

"Yeah, I'm surprised Evangeline hasn't..." Mark's voice faded out as there came a knock from the front door.

They exited the bathroom and Thomas went to answer the door. Evangeline quickly walked in and was about to start rambling when her eyes focused on Mark and Reese. Immediately she straightened up and cleared her throat. There were a few seconds of silence and then Thomas realized he should introduce them to each other.

"Evangeline, this is Reese Mitchell, a friend of Mark's. Reese, this is Evangeline Burner, my agent," he said. her hand shot out and she shook Reese's without taking her gaze away from him.

"It's so nice to meet you, Mr. Mitchell," she said, clearly knowing of him. Her eyes fell on Mark, who went to sit down by the couch and placed his face in his palms, still not over the exhaustion of his panic attacks. "Are you feeling okay?" she asked him, taking a step closer.

"He had a panic attack because a reported asked him about our relationship," Thomas explained to her, knowing that this was the reason she had come over. He didn't have time for her to act nice, he needed answers. "What happened?"

"Lily Weathers happened," Evangeline said with a sharp tone and crossed her arms before her chest.

"She wrote another article about me?" Thomas immediately asked, Mark, looking up quite curious about the answer.

"No. She wrote an article about Mark. And in it she talked about your previous relationship," Evangeline replied.

Mark frowned at that and pulled out his phone, diverting his attention to it. He searched for the article and started reading. It mostly talked about who he was and what his "place" in the LGBTQ community was. Then it started analyzing his field of work and how he had ended up photographing the Portland Scouts for the season. And through that, she started writing about how Mark's first-time photographing sport had been back in High School when he was photographing stuff for the yearbook committee in the second semester of his senior year.

"Are you fucking..." he muttered, interrupting Thomas who was about to talk and drawing everyone's attention to himself.

"What is it?" Reese asked him.

"...and through his time photographing New Raymond's soccer team he got to know Thomas Heissmann. 'Mark McGregor was a very obsessive individual. When he changed schools and met Heissmann I started to notice a shift of his attention toward Heissmann, which is why I decided to end our relationship soon after they got to know each other,' said attorney William Meyer," Mark read from his phone.

At the sound of that name, Reese seemed ready to explode. William Meyer. His eyes fell on Mark, seething with anger and he waited for a reaction from his friend.

"Who is William Meyer?" Evangeline asked.

"He's the guy Mark dated before me," Thomas said in a low tone, expecting Mark's outburst.

He was sitting silently, looking off into the distance, trying to collect his thoughts. All he felt was rage. Rage. Fucking rage. He shot up from the couch and went to the bedroom where a box with some of his things was still sitting, waiting to be unpacked. Faintly he could hear Thomas's voice as he explained to his agent who William really was. He went through some papers and then grabbed the folder he was looking for and returned to the living room.

"Come with me," he snapped at Reese.

"Mark, where are you going?" Thomas managed to ask not daring to stand in his way, but not being able to not worry.

"To end her motherfucking career," Mark growled between gritted teeth and left the apartment with Reese in tow.

***

About fifteen minutes later he stalked all the way to Folkner's office, his secretary barely managing to open her mouth before her eyes fell on Reese and she decided against saying anything. Maybe she could have stopped Mark, but she wasn't about to try her luck against the beast that Reese Mitchell was.

Mark opened the door and walked inside, his boss hiding his surprise behind a smile. But Mark's eyes focused on Lily who was sitting opposite of their boss and was trying to mask the anxiousness in her features. He gave her a dirty look and then dropped the folder he was holding onto Folkner's desk.

"What is this?" his boss asked, not bothering with greeting him. He knew why Mark was there, there wasn't any time for formalities.

"Lists of the homophobic organizations her salary funds. Thought you should know where the money you are paying her goes to," Mark said, looking at Folkner, feeling his respect for the older man diminish.

Folkner rose an eyebrow at that. He opened the folder and his eyes flew over the first page quickly. Lily opened her mouth to say something, but Mark beat her to it.

"You should have thought twice before you wrote an article about my past because your life is far dirtier than mine will ever be," he paused and recollected his composure. "Oh, and as for your source regarding my non-existent relationship with Heissmann, you should know William Meyer almost choked me to death when I ended our relationship".

"Well, then..." Folkner started, folding his hands, and turning his gaze from Mark to Lily.

***

Thomas sat on the carpet next to his coffee table playing tug-of-war with Kenzie while waiting for Mark and perhaps Reese to return. Evangeline had left a few minutes ago after they had talked about what they would be doing in order to control the reaction from Lily's article. There would no doubt be some sort of reaction from it.

He heard keys enter the lock and Kenzie let got an went to greet Mark and Reese as they entered. Thomas stood up and walked slowly closer to Mark. He looked better than he had earlier when he had come home with Reese after his match. Thomas had been so worried when he had seen Mark's broken eyes and weak demeanor.

"What happened?" he asked softly.

"Folkner took her off the Portland Scouts. And I'm fairly sure he's going to fire her for funding conversion therapy camps," Mark replied. Thomas nodded and caressed Mark's cheek with a thumb.

"How are you feeling?"

Mark shrugged, not sure of what to say. He wasn't feeling good. But he wasn't in the state he had been earlier. The cameras and the pressing questions had caught him off guard. Their suddenness and their intensity had been too much. Thomas couldn't blame him. Sometimes they were too much even for him, and he had been dealing with them for at least five years at this point.

"I think my headache is turning into a migraine," Mark said very quietly and gently rubbed his temples. "I'm going to go lie down".

Thomas smiled at him and moved aside so Mark could go to his room and lie down. He and Reese watched as Mark went inside, closed the door behind himself, and then Thomas turned his gaze to Reese.

He was standing close to the front door with his arms crossed before his chest. Thomas noted the worry he carried for Mark and his wellbeing in his features. Reese's gaze fell on Thomas and he took a slow deep breath, but immediately let it out and let his shoulder slump down.

"Look, Thomas, I'm sorry about what I said on Mark's birthday. You didn't deserve it. I know Mark loves you and I can see how much you love him too. I was just angry and protective of him. After everything, I don't think I'll ever stop being protective of him. But... I realize now that I don't need to protect him from you," Reese said, putting his hands in his pockets and squaring his shoulders.

Thomas nodded, unable to find the words to respond to that. Reese must have realized the awkwardness of the moment and cleared his throat.

"I should get going. Um... when he's like that he likes cold things. Like iced water or ice-cream. It helps," he said and turned around. Thomas walked closer.

"Yes, thank you," he hastily replied. "Oh, and Reese? Thank you for taking care of him for so long".

Reese smiled at him and left without another word. Thomas stood by the closed door for a few moments and then went to the kitchen. He filled a glass of water with ice and looked through his refrigerator, only to find an almost full container of walnut ice-cream, Mark's favorite. He grabbed it, a spoon and the glass, and went to the bedroom.

The curtains were drawn, and Mark was hiding his face in the pillow. As quietly as he could, he went and sat down next to Mark, who looked up at him and painfully smiled. His eyes focused on the ice-cream and rose up a little. Without a word, he took the glass of water and took a sip and set it on the table.

"What did Evangeline say about this whole thing?" Mark whispered and leaned closer to Thomas.

"Nothing much," Thomas started and scooted up a generous amount of ice-cream, offering it to Mark. "She said she'll deal with it".

"Will you get a girlfriend?" Mark asked as he let the ice-cream melt in his mouth. Thomas ate some too before answering.

"That's what I asked her too," he muttered with amusement in his voice. "No, I won't." Mark's questioning gaze made him offer him another spoonful and he went on. "She said that it will be suspicious that I haven't had a girlfriend for so long, but as soon as an article calls me gay, I get one".

"She's not wrong," Mark agreed. Then he shook his head. "I never thought she's come for me..."

"And using William was so low," Thomas said under his breath. His eyes were drawn to Mark's phone that lit up. "Sam's calling you," he said, knowing Mark couldn't see the nightstand behind him and his phone was on silent.

"She must have just woken up. It's like seven am in Paris..." Mark said and declined the call. "I'll call her back later," he told Thomas and send a quick text to Sam to let her know.

"Do you wanna sleep?" Thomas gently asked him. Mark nodded and lowered down to the mattress. "Okay, I'll put this away," he said and leaned down to lick away the little ice-cream that was in the corner of Mark's mouth. Then he gave him a chaste kiss.

"Come back... I want to cuddle," Mark muttered and rubbed his forehead.

Thomas smiled at him and quickly went to the kitchen to put the ice-cream back and throw the spoon in the sink. When he returned to the bedroom, Mark was almost asleep, but that didn't stop him from climbing under the covers and pulling him in his arms. He wanted to cuddle.