Bittersweet Serenade (A Markiplier Love Story)

Chapter 4: Preparation

     I awoke to the sun shining through the curtains. Sitting up slowly, I was sore but it was bearable, probably due to the fact that I hadn't slept that well since I started dating Austin... ugh, Austin. Today was going to suck but at least I'd have Mark with me. To be fair, I didn't really understand why he even cared this much about someone like me. I didn't stay with one guy for more than a couple of months, I could drink anyone under the table, and I cussed like a sailor. I was nowhere near the perfect girl and I was never going to be.

     My train of thought was interrupted by Mark peeking his head through the door. "Oh, you're already up. How're you feeling?"

     "Everything's sore but I'm okay." I motioned for him to come in as I rose to my feet. "I'm not looking forward to today, though."

     He smirked, ruffling my hair gently as he walked past to his closet. "I know, but the quicker it's over with the quicker you'll be able to live your life again." 

     "That's true. Either way Arin is probably going to try to ground me so he can go on a murderous rampage." I reached past Mark and snagged his "Home Is Where The Pants Aren't" shirt. "Don't mind me, I'm just going to steal this." 

     "Oh. Okay. I see how it is." He laughed, handing me a pair of light blue jeans. "I think these might sort of fit you. Maybe." 

     "Well, I mean, if you want me to get into your pants that badly..." I booped his nose before grabbing my bra and belt from my mangled pile of clothes in the corner and heading into the bathroom. Luckily, the jeans weren't too terribly big on me so I could keep them up with the belt. I really needed to get my things from Austin's place. Granted, I didn't even know where I was going. I guessed I'd figure that out later today.

     After eating a bowl of cereal alongside Mark, I did my best to make my face look at least somewhat presentable. I wasn't camera ready, but at least it looked like I could have won the boxing match. Mark re-bandaged my cheek but I wasn't able to apply enough lipstick to make my bottom lip look like it hadn't been busted open. I sighed as we were walking outside. "I look terrible." 

     Mark shook his head, opening my door for me. "You look like a beautiful woman who got dealt a shitty hand. That's going to change soon enough."

     "I... I just hope you're right." His compliments always caught me off guard. I leaned back in the seat and tried to relax as we drove off but jumped as Mark's phone rang. He looked at it but set it down without answering. Once it chimed with the arrival of a voicemail he picked it back up. 

     "Suzy and Arin have been calling for the last half and hour. I just don't want any drama to happen until we get there." He dialed into his voicemail and put the message on speakerphone. 

     'Mark? It's Suzy. I know you're probably in the middle of recording but if you get this soon we've got a situation over here and could really use your help. That creep Karine is seeing is here freaking out saying that she got into a bar fight or something and ran off last night. None of us believe him but we can't get a hold of her. Just... let me know if you know anything.'

     I cringed. "Fucking fuck. Why can't he just take the blatancy of the situation?" 

     I watched as Mark's fists clenched around the steering wheel. He used Siri to call Suzy back. 

     "Hey. It's Mark... Yeah, she's with me. Look, make sure that fucker doesn't leave... I know. There's good reason for that... Suzy, trust me. I don't care if Arin and Danny have to tie him down. I'm on my way up there right now... No, you're right, she didn't get into a bar fight... Yes and he's a fucking dick... We'll be there soon." As he hung up I saw that same darkness in his eyes from last night. Anyone would have been scared by it, but for some reason it was comforting to me. 

     "If I told you to wait in my office, you wouldn't listen, would you?" He sighed, pulling into the parking lot. 

     "You know the answer to that." 

     "Then just know that I won't let him lay a finger on you." He wrapped his arm around me and I nestled against him as we made our way inside.