Game On

Chapter Fifteen: "Let's Start Over"

Staying off the main roads, they made their way to the next town. Timberland was beautiful. Set along a flat forested coastline with distant mountain views that were breathtaking. The town was small, but Sean liked the look of it. Hiding in the woods at a distance, Mark added Lulu to their party and allowed her access to their funds. The action would be temporary but without knowing how much she needed, they had to trust her. They couldn't have her running back and forth from town to inform them. Lulu took notes as Mark told her who to look for and what they were looking for. She repeated back the important bits, then dashed off toward town. Mark stayed kneeling on the ground, watching her go when he told Sean softly. "I feel like a parent watching his kid go to school for the first time... She sounded... confident, right?" Smirking to himself, Sean answered sweetly. "She'll be fine. It's us I'm worried about." Shuffling his feet, Sean hugged his ribs and nervously said. "Mark... We can't advance in this game if people are going to be hunting us."

Getting to his feet, Mark exhaled out. "I know. We'll find a way. It's not the first time we've had fans hunt us in a game." Slumming back against a tree, Sean mumbled out. "I think you forget that we always died in those games... and if we die in this one..." Mark slowly turned to face him, his voice calm and lightly deep when he told him. "Jack... We'll be ok. We're always... relatively careful." Sean snickered, a tiny smile pulling at his lips. Mark looked him over with strange distant eyes now, prompting Sean to ask anxiously. "What?" Turning away, Mark asked a little grimly. "So... Your new girlfriend. What is she like?" Sean's heart sank, before he mumbled out uncomfortably. "Why are you bringing this up now?" Mark placed a hand on a tree, avoiding his eyes as he stared at the town and said with a shrug. "Thinking about the real world. Our old times together. This is the first time I've played with you since you broke up with her and got with someone else... so quickly. I don't want to ask... but the questions keep nagging me."

Shrugging innocently, Sean mumbled under his breath. "What kind of questions?" Mark's eyes eased a look over his shoulder, before saying emotionlessly. "Whenever I'm with you. It feels like old times. But I don't want a repeat of last time. I don't think my heart could take that again." Sean tensed, trying to quickly defuse the tension by saying. "She is... different. I took the break up hard... She was there." Mark kicked some dirt, stating flatly. "Ya... I know. I kept waiting for you to call. You didn't." Sean dropped his eyes to the ground, admitting opening. "I didn't think you'd answer. After everything I did. Flaunting other guys at you... I didn't want to be the guy that came crawling back." Mark turned around to face him now, he asked him curtly. "I did find it interesting that she hated Septiplier so much, that she demanded that you stay away from me. But allowed you to kiss and drape yourself over other men. Or did she delight in watching my friends take a side against me?"

Sean's mouth went dry. Tears starting to well up in his eyes when he asked reluctantly. "Mark...? I thought you said it didn't matter. That you forgave-" Mark's tone turned sharp as he blurted out suddenly. "Ya. I forgive you for it. I do. And that scares me because I don't know if you are leading me on now because you're afraid of this game. Or because you genuinely love me." Sean opened his mouth, but Mark held up a hand and added coldly. "Cause what's bothering me. If she hurt you so fucking bad... why did you get together with your new girl only a month or two later? Why does the story of how you two met keeping changing? Why if you missed me so damn badly... did you end up with HER?" Sean was speechless. Mark stomped toward him, stopping close enough to cup Sean's cheek as he asked gruffly. "I warned you she only wanted your fame and money. I warned you that she was getting jealous of what we had. She poisoned you against me... and you believed her so easily."

Sean stared into Mark's eyes, feeling a little scared. Something felt wrong. His body was tensing to his touch like he should be afraid of him. Parting his lips, he breathed out gently. "Mark...? Are you ok?" Mark cupped his neck with both hands, shoving him back against the tree carefully, before telling him in a hurt tone of voice. "Don't change the subject. Answer me. Why did you believe her? Why did you let her push me away? All I've ever done since the moment I met you was protect and love you... Now you stand here, wanting me to do all that again. But how long will that last before your new girl asks the same? How much pain do you want me to endure for you?" Sean placed his hands on Mark's wrists, praying that he didn't tighten his grip around his throat. He didn't believe he could fight him off. Keeping his voice calm, Sean told him honestly. "Mark, she broke up with me because I cheated on her... you lost all but Bob and Wade... because I slept with the others. I used them to replace you. She caught me in bed... She kicked me out. I was staying with the Grumps until she moved out. I'm with her... because I wrecked her marriage... and I couldn't stand to be on my own."