Let me be...

All you need

The dinner is quieter than usual.

The two men involved know the reason behind this, but they just let it flow as it should.

Luke knows Mark perfectly. He knows that he's been silent because he wants to tell him something really important, but he can't find the correct words to say.

Thus, the bearded man gives him all the time he needs.

Mark finally takes a deep breath after finishing his meal, still unsure to speak when he roughly combs his hair with his fingers.

"Talking about it might make you feel less frustrated, you know?" Luke says and drinks another sip of wine.

"H-Have you heard anything about Leo?" Terell asks nervously, readying himself for a lecture.

However, his friend knows better. "He keeps asking about you, if that's what you want to hear." He clears his throat. "But he isn't what has you on the edge, is he?"

Mark looks up at him, completely defeated.

"Luke, I-" He closes his mouth before finishing the sentence, covering his face with his hands and rubbing his eyes.

His friend sighs. "If you're going to tell me that you're still gaining money from s*x, it's ok, I already know." He informs, cleaning his lips with a napkin once he's finished his meal.

"No, I mean, yes. . . But that's not what I want to tell you."

Mark is ashamed, insecure, worried to death.

This side of him, only Luke knows it. That's because he's already seen him this way; three years ago.

Patterson leans forward over the wooden table just to get a better look of the damaged chocolate eyes at the other side.

Leo was the reason he acted that way at that time. Now what is it? Luke wonders.

Of course, every conclusion always leads him to another man.

"I want to believe he's different." Mark confesses, reading his friend's thoughts.

Luke drinks all the wine left in his glass and rests his chin on his hands over the mantel.

"Has he treated you differently?"

Mark swallows harshly, not wanting to remember his hurtful past.

He shakes his head after seeing a smile he once thought was perfect.

"No." He admits in a mutter. "Not yet."

The guest sighs heavily, scratching the back of his neck. "This is exactly the reason I wanted you to stop. I hate seeing you like this. Mark, you have to listen to me, you now have a job, alright? You don't need to have that life."

Mark closes his eyes.

There's a pain in his chest that causes some tears to run down his cheeks.

He'd been denying it for so long that now it hurts to even think about it.

But he needs to say it out loud. He needs someone to listen. And he doesn't care if that someone will act like his mother afterwards; if he stays quiet, he'll stay in the hell he's created.

"It's too late, Luke. I-I think I've fallen again." He says quickly, still denying the feeling.

Luke rises an eyebrow. "Do I know this person?"

This reaction causes Mark to feel a little less hopeless. It's something he didn't expect at all and hearing it draws a slight smile on his face.

"His name is Corey. We'll meet in two days. He's a teacher."

"Is he?" Luke asks with curiosity, his eyes now looking down at the carpeted floor. "That doesn't sound bad at all." He adds with a reassuring smile. "I won't judge you, Mark, ok? You just have to be careful. If he ever starts treating you like s**t, I'll make him look like shit."

Mark smiles and nods, reminiscing the moment when his friend almost lost his job for the same situation.

"There's no need to, really."

"Don't worry about it then. If he's good and he's finally able to end with your stupid second life, then I won't say a thing. I'm here to support you."

The American's smile widens. "Thank you so much."

"No problem." He chuckles before continuing, "Did you know that Bryce is gay as well? Goddamn! The society better start being nice to them or I'll go on a killing spree."

Luke shakes his head after saying that statement, gaining nothing but a laugh and gratitude from the man in front of him.

Mark is collected that night before leaving his house.

This feeling soon changes, nonetheless, once he walks a few blocks in the dark streets of Ireland.

He keeps walking to any place he's going instead of driving. But now it doesn't give him the usual peace, it only makes him notice the answer to some questions he made to himself a couple of days ago.

Somehow, he feels people looking at him differently. As if they knew the person beneath his skin.

After shaking his head, he tightens the tie around his neck and looks at his watch.

He was a little late and this makes him put the negative thoughts aside and fasten his pace.

The hotel can be seen from afar, its broken signal only showing a few letters of its name, which causes Mark to write a mental note about it as he enters the elevator.

The screen above the metal doors shows the floor he always stops at, the engine screeching all the way to the top.

He steps out with caution, walking directly to their room.

For the first time, he needs to take a deep breath before opening the door, some thoughts still loud in his mind.

His chocolate eyes land immediately on the figure standing just a couple of feet away, an eager pair of arms receiving him with a tight hug.

His angel's fingers soon pull from his red hair a little too hard as their lips meet, only separating for a split second to catch their breath.

"How much do you need me?" Dark whispers in Corey's ear, pressing his body against the white wall next to the door.

The Irish lifts himself up, resting his legs on the other's hips. "I need you really badly." He whispers back, biting his earlobe right after.

Dark smirks and leans down to kiss his lover's sweet spot.

Corey doesn't know if this is the correct decision to make, but he just can't think properly when those chocolate eyes look at him.

His body still trembles under his touch, and his heart may always feel the same warmth when is close to Dark's.