The Devil Within | Markiplier/Darkiplier x Reader

5: Learning

(I know Mark's never really said anything about being bullied, but I needed to add a backstory so...yeah. :D Enjoy!)

You sat on the couch, waiting for Mark to finish. You didn't know what emotions you were feeling. You didn't know what you were thinking. Everything was all such overwhelming information. You felt numb, not knowing what to do. You had questions that you were scared to get answers to.

Eventually, Mark made his way over and plopped down next to you. He didn't even look at you. He was acting like nothing had happened.

'How could someone act like admitting to their best friend that they have a second personality that's a murderer is no big deal?' you thought.

While you had been waiting for Mark, you'd done some googling on dissociative identy disorder, which had filled your head with even more questions. Firstly, you wanted a better explaination.

"Mark?"you timidly begin to approach the subject.

"Hmm?" he turns his attention away from the tv.

"H-How did it happen? What caused it?"

Mark sighed and began biting his lip, as his hands started toying with the hem of his shirt.

"I started having problems when I was a kid." he started. "I got builled in elementary school. It didn't really become a big problem until my dad...you know." he shrugged it off. "I've never been good at dealing with really strong emotions and I just tried to ignore them...so all those bad emotions and thoughts manifested themselves into..." Mark trailed off, having given an adequate explaination.

You nodded and ran your tongue over your lips, wetting them.

"I'm sorry," Mark blurted.

"Huh?"

"I'm sorry. I dropped all this on you. I don't know what I was thinking."

"Mark, it's alright. Am I the only person that knows?", Mark nodded.

"My family knows I have a problem with it, but they don't know how bad it is." Mark rubbed the back of his neck.

"Well now someone knows. Maybe I can help?"

Mark looked at you with an unreadable look. "You can't help. Nothing can help." he said darkly.

"Maybe we can figure something out wh-"

"No!" Mark shouted. You flinched.

"I-I'm sorry for yelling, Y/N. I just..." he rubbed a hand over his face. "I was optimistic about it at first, but there's nothing for it. Don't get your hopes up that there's a fix." his tone was gloomy.

You didn't nessicarily label yourself as optimistic or a pessimist, but you refused to give up on helping Mark that easily. You just simply rubbed his back and sat by him on the couch for hours, both of you enjoying each other's company in a comfortable silence.

After a while, you pulled out your phone to look at the time, and yawned as you saw that it was after one a.m. You turned to face Mark.

"Do you want me to stay?" you asked.

You two had stayed over at each others' places countless times before, after a long night of drinking, or sometimes due to pure exhaution. (One of you always crashed on the couch of course.) Tonight however, you knew the circumstances were different since Mark had opened up to you like he did.

He seemed to think about it for a few seconds. "Yes, but I don't think it's a good idea. I'm scared something would happen." his gaze stayed on his feet. "It's been getting so bad recently...I just don't trust myself."

"Okay then" you replied. The two of you hugged goodbye for a little longer than normal tonight.

"Promise me you'll call me if something does happen, okay?" you asked with your head still against his chest. You could feel his heartbeat; a bit fast but still so soothing.

"I promise." he replied. The hug ended, and you walked towards the door, turing back to flash Mark a smile and a wave before leaving.

__________________________________________________________________________

You couldn't sleep. Big surprise. It was impossible to shut your mind off. A million thoughts were running through your head, but one of them rang out louder than the rest: 'I've got to help him.'

You knew what he said about nothing helping, you knew what all the articles said, but you were determined. You were going to find a way to help Mark, no matter what.

This chapter is a little shorter than the rest. Sorry about that. :/