The Broken Places (Septiplier)

14) After

But anyway~ here you guys go!

Also, this video is not mine, it's a Page250 Jane video.

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In every scenario, there is a before and an after. Before Jack had come, Mark didn't think he'd ever feel worse. He'd assumed this was the worst he would ever feel and he'd reveled in it, just a little, because he knew nothing would ever hurt him this badly. 

That was, until Jack left. After Jack left Mark felt like as though he'd never been emptier. His nights were sleepless and his days were restless. He ate only when forced and he hadn't recorded in over a month. He knew his channel was failing and there was nothing to be done about it. He could barely get out of bed in the morning, let alone record anything without it being forced and awkward.

It was dawn again, and he was settled against his bedframe, clutching his phone too tightly in his shaking hand. Jack was supposed to call any second and Mark was trying to force himself to smile. He was trying to force himself to attempt to be normal. Jack was already having a rough time being so far away and Mark knew he was working as hard as he could to get everything ready as soon as possible. Sure, he'd been expecting it to hurt, but he didn't expect it to be like this. 

-incoming call: booper dooper!-

"Hello?" Mark's voice was rough and he cleared his throat, trying to smile.

"Hi Mark." Jack's voice was hollow and his smile didn't touch his eyes. "How are things?"

"Okay. They're okay." Mark mumbled, without looking up.

"I'll be there soon. I promise. The apartment is being watched, I bulk recorded so I'll be set for a while and I have everything else dealt with. Just a little longer, alright?" He paused. "I love you Mark. So much."

"I love you too." Mark replied, tears spilling down his cheeks. "Please come back soon. Please." 

"I will come back okay? As soon as I possibly can."

There was a long, awkward pause while Mark tried to catch his breath and Jack tried to find the words to say to make everything better. 

"Your pillow still smells like you." Mark said, suddenly. "I curl up with it at night and I don't feel so bad. It helps me sleep."

"I sleep with a t-shirt of yours I stole." Jack laughed, though the sound was faintly hollow. 

"You'll really be back soon?" Mark asked, eyes filled with so much longing and hurt that Jack felt himself breaking. 

"Of course I will. Of course. Why wouldn't I come back to you, Markimoo?" He smiled, hand reaching out and meeting the screen instead of Mark's cheek. He wanted to scream in frustration.

"Because I'm broken. I'm broken and I'm scarred and it feels like nothing is ever going to be okay again and you, you're like the sunshine and every star in the sky. You have so much hope and so much energy and it amazes me the kind of person you are. And so much of me is dark and broken and I don't want to taint you anymore than I have. You deserve so much better. You just, you don't need someone like me." Mark's voice was barely more than a whisper and his shoulders trembled as he spoke.

"Mark," Jack sighed, rubbing a hand over his face. "Don't you understand? Everything I have, I have because of you. My channel, my friends, all of the experiences I've had and the life I've made, it's because of you. You inspired me in every way and without you, nothing would be the same." He smiled, his expression fierce and loving. "It's because of you that I am who I am. Of course I need you! You silly. You don't understand, you don't see yourself properly. Don't worry, I'll be back and, when I am, I'll show you how the rest of the world sees you. Now, try to get some sleep, okay?" His voice grew very tender and soft. "It's late and you need to rest, Mark. I love you."

"I love you too," Mark replied, settling deeper into the blankets. "I'll see you soon."

"See you soon, love."

The call ended and Mark dropped into sleep and was, mercifully, peaceful.

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A/N Sorry this update is so small. For the life of me I've been having so much trouble writing lately. But thank you so much for reading! We've hit 1.4k views and it amazes me that so many of you like this little fan-girl septiplier trash of a story.

To be honest, I'm a little ashamed I wrote it and I think I'd die of mortification if they ever found out I did. But, it seems to make you guys happy :) So I'm gonna see it through to the end.