12 Days Til Christmas

Chapter 6: Day 5

Jack POV

He woke groggily in the morning, stretching languidly before curling into the warmth at his side. Turning his face into the softest pillow he'd ever laid his head on, he sighed, content. He felt his pillow shift beneath him, and the ripple of lean muscle, and that's when he realized what, or more precisely who, he was laying on. Moving slowly, he lifted his head, peeking up at the angel who lay before him.

Asleep, Mark's face seemed much younger. His hair was pushed up on one side, a pillow propped beneath his cheek. He was shirtless, the skin of his chest smooth and warm beneath Jack's fingers as he gently dragged them from shoulder to shoulder without thinking. He himself was only dressed in his boxers, so the feeling of his chest pressed against Mark's side was heavenly. However, being this close had affected him quite a bit, more so when he tried to shift, he brushed himself along Mark's leg. Swallowing thickly, he bit his lip, starting when he felt Mark's arm tighten around his waist.

"Morning," the older man murmured in a sleep-husky voice, peeling one eye open to peer down at him. Unsure how to react, he froze, blinking like a deer caught in the headlights. Mark smiled at him, stretching both arms above his head before tucking one under his head and wrapping the other back around Jack's waist.

"M-morning," Jack stuttered, placing his hand on Mark's side as leverage to shit himself away. Or he at least tried too. Mark tightened his grip, pulling enough that he fell into the dip of his shoulder. Scared, Jack took a deep, shaky breath.

"I don't feel like getting up yet and you're warm. I hope you don't mind," Mark murmured, turning his head to rest his cheek against the top of Jack's head. In an instant, the Korean man was asleep again. What the hell was going on? What had happened last night? Jack asked himself, taking another deep breath and telling himself to enjoy the moment. He knew nothing had happened between them, at least not on his end; he wouldn't have been able to move if it had. And Mark was still dressed.

Biting his lip, Jack slowly relaxed into the crook of Mark's arm, gently setting his hand over his heart. It beat hard and steadily beneath his hand, and he focused solely on that as he thought hard. The realization hit him like a ton of bricks; the fear of his nightmare washed over him, fresh and sharp. He shivered violently, slipping his hand around Mark's waist and holding onto him tightly.

"Hey, it's alright Jackaboy," Mark murmured quietly, his eyes still shut. Jack peeked up at him, nervous. "I'm still here, I'm not going anywhere, go back to sleep. It's only 6 in the morning." Chocolaty eyes stared down at him when he looked back up, his lips curved into a gentle smile. It only took a moment for Jack to realize how close their faces were. Heat flared in his cheeks, but he didn't look away. Mark blinked at him, concern flashing across his face.

"I'm not making you uncomfortable, am I?" Jack shook his head, though he was touched that his friend even cared enough to ask.

"A-About last night-" Jack began, leaning away a bit to clear his head. Mark began shaking his head before he even said anything else, reaching over to cover Jack's mouth with his hand.

"You don't have to say anything. You needed someone and I was here." He said, smiling and pulling back his hand. He shifted, laying back and shutting his eyes. "Now if you don't mind, I'm gonna sleep for a few more hours." Jack blinked at him for a few moments, utterly shocked. The words, I needed you, not just anyone, rested on the tip of his tongue. Instead, he forced himself to take a deep breath and settled down. Resting his cheek on Mark's chest, he let his eyes drift shut, telling himself that he was allowed to enjoy this, at least for a little longer.

*Time Skip*

Mark POV

When he woke again, Jack had rolled away from him, his back pressed against his chest. His had his face tucked into the crook of Mark's elbow, his breath hot as he shifted. Instead of his heart kicking up a pace, a smile bloomed across his face. This was what he wanted for the rest of life, and he was bound and determined to get it. Though he didn't know if Jack felt the same, he had a sneaking suspicion that something was there. It just had to be brought to the surface, one way or another.