[Please do tell me if there are any mistakes or grammatical errors, I wrote this in between my assignments and half the time my English felt on the verge of extinction.]

Mark could swear that Jackson wasn't human. Mark himself only lasted as long as he did because of the ten years of intense training he'd been put through, but Jackson? There was no way a man could run up and down seven floors of stairs three times, and still look like he was flying up the fourth. That's not normal.

The burn in Mark's lungs would tell you that. Why he had chosen not to take the elevator again didn't baffle him as much this time, because for some reason chasing after Jackson was more reinvigorating that it was debilitating. Hearing Jackson laugh and tease him, which he did all without slowing down- another point in addition as to why Jackson couldn't possibly be normal, made Mark feel young again. Not to say he wasn't, but this was different...

The sudden though had Mark slowing down. Why was it different?

Why was he laughing too?

Why was he acting like a child?

This wasn't him, he never indulged irrationality. And fuck, he's running in a mall- with hundreds of people! What the hell is wrong with him?

Mark's sudden awareness of his surroundings brought him to a skidding halt. A little less graceful that his mind would have liked it, but he couldn't help it. How did he not notice the looks people were giving him? How did he just forget his entire impenetrable disposition in a matter of mere seconds to chase after Jackson? And how could he make all those mistakes and act like such a blundering fool?

---

Jackson seemed to stop when he couldn't hear Mark running after him anymore. The younger looked around to find Mark nowhere in sight. He cautiously took a couple steps backwards, expecting the elder to jump out from the corner and tackle him, but nothing of the sort happened. He waited a couple seconds more, then a whole minute or two, but Mark was nowhere around.

Frowning he took a couple steps towards the direction he'd come from, still expecting Mark to jump out- or at least grab him from somewhere- but still no Mark.

Now Jackson was confused.

He jogged back, all the way to the stairwell, keeping an eye out for the elder. Ten minutes in and he was absolutely clueless as to where the elder had gone. He then decided that maybe Mark had gone to another floor, so he spent another fifteen-to-twenty minutes looking through each floor.

How in the hell did he manage to lose a fully grown human being? He literally finds people for a living (and then does a lot of other unmentionable/questionable things to said people), how was this so hard?

When he rounded the corner and still couldn't find him, he pulled out his phone and dialled Irene. She had his number, right?

"Hey, how are things going with Mark? Having fun?" Irene's sweet voice could only draw out an awkward pause from the man.

Yeah, plenty. Super fun, and I also think I lost Mark. Yay, me!

Was what he'd like to say, but that would only mean dangerous consequences. Dangerous as in death by strangulation. Not the kinky kind, the kind that Irene practiced in her Judo dojo when she wanted to let off some steam. His future didn't look so bright when he imagined what she would do to him for losing her new best friend's brother. (and he'd totally let her, not cause he's kinky or anything, but cause he's a gentleman who would never raise his hand against his future wife- not that she'd let him either)

But hey, Mark is an adult and can take care of himself, he's probably getting something to drink or something. Yeah, that's definitely it. He didn't have anyway to contact Jackson so he probably decided to go himself.

"Babe? You still there?" Irene asked, after what sounded like taking a sip of something.

"Uh, yeah. Yeah, I am. Can you send me Mark's number?" Jackson asked taking another look around, hoping Mark would pop out like Mario or something. (What, don't judge him, he's allowed to be as weird as he wants.)

"Why don't you just ask him, he's with you right?" there was the soft clatter of a utensil. Oh no, Irene put her fork down! (How he knew it was a fork, you ask? She's his fiancé, he knows she always orders desserts- especially when she visits cafés- Chocolate ganache cake or anything strawberry pervaded were her top picks)

Quick, lie.

"Uh, yes. He's with me- well, was. He, uh- went to get something- to drink. Yeah." Jackson frantically tried to lie. But Irene could obviously call his bluff, because she's not as stupid as him (120 IQ, baby).

"Jackson." There was the calm-before-the-storm pause. "What did you do?"

Code Red, Do Not Lie.

"Nothing. I didn't do anything, I swear! We- We were having fun and then- and then I turned and no Mark." The words came tumbling out Jackson's mouth. Why was he even feeling so guilty about this? Probably cause a. He took Mark's laptop when he knew Mark had work to do, b. He made the elder chase after him for a whole forty-five minutes, c. did all this because he was selfish and didn't like feeling bored. Yeah, he deserves to feel guilty.

"What? What did- you know what? Never mind. Just come to the fourth floor, the place Jin told us about." Irene said, and Jackson could just picture how displeased she looked right now. The line was cut and Jackson pouted. He didn't mean for this to happen.

"I'd appreciate it if can I could my Laptop back, now?"

Wow. Jackson's really got to learn how to get frightened in a more manlier way, because the strangled kitten noise he just made was bad for his reputation. When did Mark even get behind him? He could swear he didn't see the elder around the last time he scanned his surroundings.

Jackson's nervous laughter was cut short as he turned around. A chill ran down his spine when he noticed how tense Mark was, but what really caught his attention was numbness in Mark's eyes.

"Now, please."