Septiplier One-Shots

Money Talks

"Please sto-" was all Jack managed to say before he was slapped across the face, this slap harder than the previous four.

"I'm sorry..." He whispered, hanging his head and holding his right cheek.

"Oh, sweetie... I know you are. But I don't care. If you ever go out without telling me again, I'll stop paying your mother's rent," his boyfriend, Daniel, replied coldly. He walked into his office, slamming the door behind him and leaving Jack a sobbing mess.

The butler walked in, carrying a large silver platter that Jack assumed held dinner. He glanced at Jack, his expression changing immediately from discontent to concern. He carefully sat the platter on the table, running over to embrace Jack the instant he was relieved of it.

"He... H-he..."

"Shh... I know." The butler interrupted, gently stroking Jack's hair whilst hugging him.

Jack's eyes widened when he noticed the taller man's hair. "Mark! Is that hair dye? You know he hates hair dye! That's why I have this!" Jack said, pointing at a large bruise on his shoulder.

Mark grimaced. "You shouldn't have anything like that on you... But that's beside the current point. What'll he do to me? Fire me? I'm one hell of a butler; the best in the business. Let him fire me, I'll have no trouble finding a job."

"But what'll I do without you here?!"

Both men blushed at Jack's words. Neither one of them expected it, but they both decided to put it aside for the time being.

"My point is, I don't give a damn what he thinks or says or does. Except, of course, when he strikes you and I resist the urge to choke him."

A long pause came after that. Then, Mark asked a question that confused him constantly.

"If you hate him, and I know you do, why do you stay with him? I-" Mark cut himself off, "someone else would treat you much better."

"Mark, you know my mother's situation..."

Mark sighed. "Yes, I do, but there are other solutions that don't involve you being treated like a slave."

"Are there? Are there really?" Jack questioned sarcastically.

"Yes. But you refuse. Why?"

Daniel Keem walked out of his office, took one look at the two men, and spoke harshly.

"Jack, go wait for me in the bedroom upstairs. Put on that new outfit I got you; the one with the cat ears."

"Ok..."

After Jack was out of hearing range, he addressed the butler.

"Fischbach... You have three days to have every drop of dye out of your hair or you're fired."

Mark normally wouldn't have cared, but Jack's words replayed in his mind, so he simply nodded.

"As you wish, Mr. Keem."

***

Jack walked down the stairs just in time to see Mark putting cookies into the oven. Mark looked up, worried beyond belief as soon as he noticed the smaller man.

"Where've you been?"

"Upstairs..."

"The whole time?"

"Daniel gets a bit too... Excited..."

"Ah... I thought you were watching horror movies or something..."

"Nope..."

All was silent until Mark walked over to the Irishman, pulling him into a tight embrace.

"I have a proposal for you, Jack..." Mark whispered.

Jack's eyes widened. "Y-you do? What sort of proposal?"

"Not the marriage kind, you goofball." Mark laughed as he released Jack.

"O-oh... Well them I'm intrigued. Please, continue."

"Well... Let's say, hypothetically, I have a couple spare bedrooms at my house, a new job waiting for me, and an uncle, who's deputy sheriff, on speed dial."

"Mark... Are you...?"

"Yes, I'm asking you to leave Daniel and live with me. There's room for your mother and I make enough to support all three of us by myself until you find a job."

"Mark... Thank you, but... I can't..."

"Jack.. I-"

Mark cut himself off and thought carefully before continuing.

"I-I'm sure your mother would be absolutely devastated to know that you're in an abusive relationship. I'm trying to save you and your mother some heartache, now please let me."

"I can't! I want to, but I just... I just can't."

"But you don't love him. Right...?"

"Of course no-"

Now that Jack had confirmed his emotional detachment from Daniel, Mark couldn't contain himself anymore. It was beyond time, and he'd known that for a while. He put a gloved finger to Jack's lips, moving it slowly and gently to his chin, pushing it up ever so slightly. He slowly moved towards Jack, their lips only an inch away.

And that's when he saw the blood.