Let me be...

The reason you smile

"Let me take care of you, then. You must be feeling like shit." Mark says with a worried look on his face.

Corey looks behind him for a split second, his sight being dragged back towards the man outside the door unintentionally.

"You're si-"

"Please." The American says with pleading eyes, finally smiling when he's invited to come in.

The couple sit in the living room to watch whatever show is on TV.

Corey is leaning now on his companion's shoulder, paying more attention to the beating of his heart than to the drama on the screen.

It is uncomfortable for Mark, though, when the Irish rests one of his light hands on his warm chest. However, this awkwardness disappears when his chocolate eyes look down at the smile on his angel's innocent face.

He closes his eyes and takes a deep breath, thinking if this is the correct thing to do.

And both men create their own illusions with the questions and explanations they keep for themselves.

The sun rises soon, lightening their tired bodies through the grey clouds.

Corey's phone wakes him up as he carefully gets up as to not interrupt Mark's dream.

He dims the light that filters through the window with white curtains and walks to the kitchen.

Before leaving for work, he cooks a simple breakfast with whatever ingredient he could find in his fridge.

Throughout the day, he tries his best to keep his mind off his personal life and focus on his students.

However, his past is always beside him, haunting him.

Fortunately, there are some things trapped in his memory that are worth remembering.

"Hey! Mr. Wallcox!" A couple of excited children yell from the hall.

Corey looks up at them from his desk, motioning them to come in shortly after.

"Is there any way I can help you?" He asks with a fake smile on his face.

The taller of the kids shakes his head before answering, "You've done enough, sir. Our play was accepted to perform on the talent show!" He announces proudly.

Suddenly, all the sadness that reigned in the teacher's head is replaced with a tiny sparkle of happiness.

"Really?"

"Yes! Evan was very negative about it because we had already asked Mrs. Park and she said no, but we tried anyways and we know you helped us, that's why we're here."

"There's no need to thank me. Just go practice and make sure the play is perfect, ok?" The man suggests, his eyes filled with real joy.

"Of course!" The tallest of the children says. "Let's go, Ev."

The two get lost in the crowd of students that keep walking on the halls. However, the quietest of them comes back in a rush, surprising the blond with a small side hug.

"Thank you."

"No problem, Evan."

The kid steps back, wiping the tears from his pink cheeks with both of his hands before smiling at the older.

"The play will be perfect, sir. I promise." He says, leaving promptly the classroom again.

Corey's smile widens as his attention returns to the pile of exams in front of him.

To be honest, he had forgotten about the results. And he could have never expected that visit he had.

Nonetheless, he feels glad it happened; because it has reassured him that the risk was worth taken.

An idea pops up in his head, making him clumsily take his phone from the wooden surface he's sitting by.

It's a shame though, that the device has ran out of battery, showing only a black screen.

The owner purses his lips together, making a mental note to call the person he has in mind as soon as he plugs the charger in once he gets home.

With disappointment, he puts his phone aside, still wondering about whatever that special person might be doing at the moment, completely failing after every attempt. Because Mark isn't recovering from his sickness at his house anymore.

Instead, he's looking up at a blond male, trying to make his skin looks less pale and his voice less husky.

"I'm ok, Bryce." He says rather aggressively.

The blond sighs heavily before nodding his head.

It's evident that the red-haired man is still ill, yet he won't admit it, ever. He's stayed home alone for too long and he can't bear to sink in his own thoughts for another day.

The glass doors of the store open slowly as a pair of teenagers walk in.

Bryce approaches them immediately with the usual grin on his face.

Mark sighs, fixing his glasses afterwards.

His phone goes off and he answers almost immediately.

"Hey, Luke, how are you?"

"Oh, I'm fine. Are you still sick?" The bearded man asks, knowing perfectly that his friend will lie.

"Not really, I'm good." Mark says, just as expected. "Why are you calling for?"

"Uh. . . I have to stay at work until very late tonight, could you please take care of my son?"

The American frowns, not knowing if he's in the right mood to deal with Sarah today. "I-I don't know, man."

"My wife has stuff to do at work too and our babysitter is busy as well."

After another sigh, Mark accepts doing the favor. "You owe me one!"

"Hey! I cover your ass from Leo every day. . . Quite literally." Luke says with a chuckle. "But yeah, we can go drink a coffee next weekend."

"Sure."

"Alright, man. I have to go, take care."

"Thanks, have fun!"

Luke snorts at that last sentence before ending the call.

Mark's smile that had formed during the conversation is gone in the moment he notices that he hasn't received any messages recently.

Usually, his angel would send a couple of texts every once in a while, but now there was nothing.

The dark thoughts that this trigger follow him like a shadow until he enters Luke's house with the key he once was given so many years ago.

"Finally!" A high-pitched voice yells from the living room as a brunette, tall woman takes her purse and walks towards the front door. "Thank you, Mark." She flirts with a smile before walking out the big house and entering her luxurious car.

The man sighs without saying a single word.

He closes the door and steps forward, looking around until his eyes lock with blue ones.

"Uncle Markimoo!" The small child says excitedly, running towards the adult with his teddy bear between his arms.

"My little boy." He whispers, hugging Johnathan tightly. He doesn't really like children in general, but that kid is a unique case. "What are you doing, huh?"

"I was trying to tell mommy about something that happened at school, but she was too busy talking on her phone." The kid pouts.

Mark chuckles sincerely, not noticing that he has gotten lost in thought until he hears the boy's giggles.

"What are you laughing at, huh?"

"You." Johnathan accepts with a huge smile on his face.

"Why me?"

"Because you seem to be in love. That's the way my dad looks at my mom."

"What do you know about love?" Mark is tempted to ask, knowing that there might not be a coherent answer. But he asks it out loud anyways due to curiosity.

"I know that you can love anyone. My father taught me that!" The kid says proudly. "I know that love makes you do crazy things for someone too. And it's something you can't escape from; you have to accept it and fight for it."

Mark ruffles his nephew's hair with a smile, feeling like he's talking with a younger version of Luke Patterson.

His phone goes off in his pocket and he takes it out, his smile widening after reading the message on the screen.

"Is that the girl you're in love with??!" The blue-eyed kid asks with excitement.

The warmness Mark once felt in his chest turns suddenly into pain, not knowing if he should openly accept his sexuality to a little boy.

"T-They're actually a guy." He whispers with fear, his cheeks turning pink by the moment the last word escapes his lips.

John's mouth opens wide in surprise. "Are you gay?" He asks, making Mark wonder how is that he knows so much about life.

"Y-Yes."

The kid smiles. "I knew homosexual people weren't evil!" He says, ignorant of the poison his words hold.

"Of course not, don't ever let anyone tell you that, John." Mark says, his voice showing concern now.

"Oh, no. They've never said that to me, but my best friend has told me about it. He's going to be so happy when I tell him about you."

The worry and fear in Mark's features fade away, sudden happiness flowing through his body as he says one last sentence before they put the subject aside and start playing video games.

"I'd love to meet him."