Darkness Within

Chapter 18-Nothing I Can't Handle

Mark-

When the pancakes were finally done, I put them on plates and brought them into the living room, along with a big bottle of syrup. I went and grabbed our coffee and handed a mug to Sean before sitting down next to him. As we ate, we made plans to go shopping and then record some videos in the park. I finished my food and got dressed and ready to leave.

We didn't talk a whole lot throughout the day, each of us seeming to be in our own worlds. The few serious conversations we had went something like this:

As we walked to the park-

"Hey, Sean?"

"Yea, Mark?"

"I was wondering where Signe is. You haven't mentioned her in a while."

His face closed off, he looked uncomfortable.

"We, er, decided to call it off. It just wasn't working out, it was a mutual decision."

I decided to let the subject drop.

A few hours later, I was looking at Sean when I realized something.

"Sean, are you feeling okay?"

"Yea, why?"

"It's just that you're really pale."

He rolled his eyes. "Really? You think?"

"No, I mean, more than usual. And you have dark circles under your eyes. Are you sleeping okay?"

For a brief moment, I thought I saw fear flash through his eyes.

"Y-yea, I'm fine. Just some bad dreams. Nothing I can't handle. "

"Sean-"

"I said I'm fine."

"Okay."

When I walked in the door that evening, I was mentally and physically exhausted. Obviously Chica was, too, as she was passed out on her bed.

I was about to go upstairs when Sean called me.

"Mark?"

"Yes?"

"Um, I was wondering if you could watch TV with me? Just for a few minutes, it helps me wind down."

I yawned, but Sean was giving me a look I couldn't say no to.

"Fine." I sat down on the couch and kicked off my shoes, Sean sitting next to me a moment later. I turned on the TV, but I had no idea what I was watching. It was just a screen flashing colors, the only light in the dark room, an indistinct mumble of voices. For some reason, in that moment, I felt strongly just how close Sean was to me. His leg was against mine. I stared ahead at the TV, neither of us saying anything, in our own worlds.

I was distracted when I felt something touch my shoulder. I looked over in the dark slightly to see Sean fast asleep, his head on my shoulder. I sighed and gently stood up, laying him down on the couch. I was about to go upstairs when I thought I heard a word-

"Stay."

I paused on the bottom step. "What?"

"Please." he mumbled sleepily. "I can't sleep alone. The nightmares."

I pursed my lips and sighed, walking back to the couch. There wasn't enough room for the two of us, so I sat down at the end of the couch, next to Sean's messy green hair, putting my feet up on the coffee table and relaxing. Sean sat up and scooted himself up the couch, and then placed his head on my lap.

I froze.

What was I doing?

What was going on?

And why did it feel so right?

His warm head on my lap, I soon drifted off to sleep, but not before I heard a whispered "Goodnight, Mark."

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Hello everybody! Do you want another update today, or tomorrow? Let me know how I'm doing, I usually don't write romantic stuff, am I moving too fast?

Also, we hit 1K! That is absolutely mind blowing! I'll give a small speech in the next update or two, as well as the Question of the Day.

Thank you everybody so much for reading, and as always, I will see you.. in the next chapter! Buh-bye!