Break Me

Tonight Is The Start

Jack was already in a conversation with two guests when Mark finally reached him but he ended it abruptly by turning to face Mark when the red haired man was close enough. "It's been a while." He said as a greeting and Mark nodded.

"It has." Mark agreed and the couple who had been taking to Jack quickly dismissed themselved. They hurried off and disappeared into the crowd as a waiter appeared, carrying a tray with only two drinks on it.

"You kept the hair style." Jack commented as he grabbed the two drinks being offered to him and Mark nodded as the waiter hurried off with a bow. Jack ignored him entirely, but Mark was hardly surprised. If it didn't matter Jack simply didn't care about it.

"How's your eye?" Mark asked as he took the drink when Jack held it it to him. His appeared to be red wine, which Mark confirmed when he took a sip, while Jack's was clearly beer.

"Healed, has been for a while. I only wear the eye patch since it startles people sometimes to see it gone and I didn't really feel the need to scare people tonight." Jack replied dismissively. "Did you keep it?" He asked after a moment of silence.

"Yes." Mark answered honestly, without hesitating, and Jack just nodded before taking a swing of his drink. Taking Mark by the arm he started walking, leading them to a more secluded area away from the crowds. It was nearly impossible not to notice when Daihi and Robin followed after, but Mark noticed Felix was following along as well, though he kept his distance, with Cry at his side.

"I figured as much. Listen, Mark, unless something happens I plan to remain in town for the foreseeable future. I know your... companions..." At this Jack glanced at Bob and Wade, who despite Mark's order had progressively been getting closer to the pair, especially since they had started moving. "Have wanted you to take over the Septic Empire and that might cause us... problems... in the future."

Mark was silent for a moment before he softly replied. "I would never betray you. You know that." Mark said and Jack smiled. He paused in his steps and lightly reached up to touch Mark's cheek, to which Mark leaned into his hand almost subconsciously.

"I know you wouldn't. But they might and they may not give you much of a choice." Jack let his hand drop and Mark frowned, more annoyed than he should have been about Jack taking his hand away and also at what Jack was implying.

"What are you asking me to do?" Mark questioned. He didn't really want to kill Bob or Wade, they had been incredibly useful to him over the last two years since Jack had abandoned him, but if Jack requested it he would do it without hesitation.

Jack laughed, knowing what Mark was thinking. "Eager and willing as always, I see. I'm glad to see that hasn't changed. But what I want is to combine our... groups, so to speak. The Septic Empire will continue to operate in the open, as we are now, while the Pink Mustache will essentially operate from of the shadows." Jack explained and Mark paused, thinking.

"So, in the eyes of the public the Septic Empire will be in charge, clean, while the Pink Mustache will become the enemy? The dangerous ones?" Mark questioned and Jack smiled, a different smile than before.

It was the kind of smile that showed Jack's true nature. It put his twisted mind on display, and was the kind of smile Mark was used to seeing. Especially when Jack was feeling dangerous or was in a killing mood. And Mark couldn't help the dark smile that formed on his own face in response. Just being around Jack again had made him start to feel more dangerous.

"Exactly." Jack replied smoothly as he stopped walking finally. The two were quite seperated from the crowd, almost hidden in a corner, and Mark caught sight of Daihi and Robin subtly keeping people away.

"Sounds like fun." Mark replied before he roughly shoved Jack up against the wall. He felt a shift behind him as Daihi, Robin, Bob, and Wade all moved at the same time; Bob and Wade to defend Mark, Daihi and Robin to defend Jack. They all had hidden weapons drawn and ready to use on their opponents. The Irishman himself hadn't even flinched and was still calmly standing there, waiting on Mark to finish his point. "What's the catch?" Mark hissed at him.

"No catch. You and I will rule this city, side by side as equals. That's what you wanted from the beginning wasn't it? To be my equal, my partner." Jack replied and Mark frowned, then finally nodded.

"But you left." Mark growled at him but froze when Jack gently set a hand on his head, running his fingers through the red hair on the top of Mark's head.

"I had to, Mark. Otherwise you never would have developed into... well, this. For someone who didn't become a blank canvas you were far too attached to me. If I ever wanted to see you become something more, something better, you had to be out from under my influence. And the results, well, they're better than expected." Jack's eye trailed up Mark's body from his feet all the way to his face in a way that made him feel like Jack was mentally dissecting him, in a way only the Irishman could.

"Is that so?" Mark shifted so he was leaning over the Irishman, his arm resting on the wall, and Jack smiled slyly at the subtle shift in the mood.

"Oh yes. And I will say I really have missed getting to play with you." Jack replied softly as the two were almost nose to nose.

"I can handle a lot more now." Mark replied and Jack laughed.

"I'll have to test that for myself. Tonight, perhaps. But before we get to far off topic, is that a yes, Mark Iplier? Will you join me in running this city?" Jack asked the red haired man who smirked.

"Hell yes." Mark replied, as Jack knew he eventually would.

Jack lightly ran the backs of his fingers down Mark's cheek. "Unfortunately we can't have any more fun than that for now. But tonight I'll make up for lost time." Jack promised as he stepped away.

Mark suddenly grabbed him by the shirt and yanked him back, kissing him until the Irishman could barely stand, before he let him go. "You'd better." Mark warned and Jack smile widened.

"You've gotten a little more dominant. I like it. I'll have to make use of it." He replied.

"Alright, any more of this and people are going to start spreading rumors. Could you two stop flirting long enough to keep your guards from killing each other?" Felix muttered as he move past the four bodyguards, who slowly lowered their weapons and moved away from each other as they realized the danger was past.

"Good to see you again, Felix." Mark replied as he held out a hand.

"Likewise, Mark." Felix replied as he took Mark's hand. The two had barely touched each other before Cry pushed Mark away, tightly holding onto Felix's hand and even though Mark couldn't see his eyes he could feel the death glare through Cry's mask.

"Same as always I see, Cry." Mark commented.

"Stay away from Felix, Mark." Cry spat back and Mark's eyes widened.

"Well, well, Felix's companion can speak after all." Mark said and though he felt the glare intensify and saw Cry's grip on Felix's hand tighten he said nothing.

"Robin, Daihi, we'll be joining forces with Mark's Pink Mustache from now on. Try not to fight with them. Also, I don't want to be cleaning up a body or bodies at this particular party." Jack scolded as he walked past the two guards.

"Sorry, Jack." They both muttered almost simultaneously as he walked past.

Everyone waited in silence when Jack paused in his steps and without turning around he lifted his arms. The curtains that had been lining the walls of the room suddenly lifted, revealing walls of almost certainly one-way glass that displayed a stunning view of the city around them. The crowds "oohed" and "ahhed" but the seven individuals within earshot waited silently for Jack to speak.

"Tonight is the start of something amazing." Jack announced to the men behind him and Mark couldn't stop the excitement that was building in his chest.

(Hey, thanks for reading. This isn't the kind of story I usually write but let me know what you thought and if you want more of either this story or of a new one.)