99 Steps

Step 43: Laugh

Jack smiled, looking at his boyfriend as the calming breeze blew his dark hair across his forehead. They were at a park near the house they shared, having a picnic to celebrate Mark finishing his first weeks-worth of anger management classes. They had their first session of couples therapy too, which was mainly introducing themselves and Jack talking about how he ended up here in the first place. Over all, the world was seeming to be a lot brighter to him, and spending the day in the sunshine helped with that - both literally and metaphorically.

"You look really cute." Mark said, looking at Jack stare at him as he started eating his sandwich.

Jack could feel his cheeks heat up at the simple compliment. "So do you."

Sure, he felt like a school girl, fawning over a dark haired boy, but he loved the way the butterflies tumbled around in his stomach. There was a point in his relationship with Mark that he thought that feeling woul never come back, sometimes he even felt he regretted ever feeling that way towards him.

"I was thinking that we should have lunch with Ash and Alice tomorrow." Mark took another bite of his sandwich.

"Is that a suggestion or a statement?"

"Uh, a suggestion? I mean if you don't want to we don't have to." Mark shifted, seeming uncomfortable. Ususally - like before Jack went back to Ireland - whenever Mark said something about what they could do, it would actually be what he had already planned, and Jack had no say in the matter.

"Sure, I mean I haven't see them in a while." Jack picked up his sandwich, and started eating. He suddenly thought about Hopper. He didn't know why, and it wasn't like he missed her - it had only been about two weeks since they saw eachother. "Do you think it was wrong of me to move in with Hopper and then just leave the way I did?"

The look on Mark's face had confimed that Jack was thinking out loud. "You mean the same way you just left in the middle of the night on a plane to Ireland? Which I apparently payed for?"

Jack flinched at his tone, leaning away from him slightly, "Mark-"

"You know, I don't really want to hear it." Mark cut him off, standing up. He threw the rest of his lunch in a near by trash can, walking away.

Jack sat, goosebumps rising on his arms, alone now. He didn't mean to make Mark mad, or to ruin their lunch date, he didn't even mean to ask the question out loud. He looked up from where Mark was sitting, to where he was now; getting in the drivers seat of the car and slamming the door shut. Tears started froming in his eyes as he watched Mark pull away, leaving him at the park with everything they had set up. The picnic basket sat on the corner of the basic red and white checkered blanket they were sitting in. They brought cookies and milk in mason jars for dessert, which didn't even get taken out yet, and Jack was only a few bites into his sandwich.

The greenhaired man looked to his lap, tears rolling down his cheeks, pooling in the palms of his hands since he was holding his face. This wasn't how it was supposed to go, he was supposed to be happy with Mark now, they were supposed to talk things out, they weren't supposted to fight any more.

Mark must have realized what he did, because before he even pulled out of the small parking lot, he turned around and pulled the car back into the parking space it was in. He rushed over to Jack, his heart crushing with each step that he took closer to his boyfriend. He saw Jack, hunched into a little ball, crying into his hands. Mark crouched down next to him, wrapping an arm around the others' shoulders.

"I'm sorry, Jack, I didn't mean to lash out like that." Mark could hardly finish his apology before Jack had his arms wrapped around him, crying into his shoulder.

"I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have brought it up. I'm sorry, Mark, I didn't," His voiced cracked and he gasped for air, "I didn't mean to say anything or make you mad, I didn't mean to ruin lunch, I'm sorry." Jack sobbed, squeezing his arms around Mark.

"Hey, hey, it's okay, baby. It's not your fault. I shouldn't have lashed out. What happened, happened, and yelling at you for it now isn't going to change anything." He rubbed his hand up and down Jacks back, pulling him into his lap. "You can't blame yourself, it's my fault."

"But I brought it up," Jack took a deep breath, starting to calm down a little. "I brought it up and it made you mad, and,"

"Stop, okay. It doesn't matter. Take a few deep breaths and let's pack up and finish lunch at home, okay?" Jack nodded, sitting up to wipe his face off. Mark smiled at him, and they stood up. Jack threw away the rest of his food, and then helped Mark fold up the blanket. He put it in the basket, and carried it in one hand, Jack's in the other as they walked to the car.

Nothing happened but it's been a while? Also the steps are what's supposed to be happening and then the chapter is what's actually happening, if you haven't figured that out

idk yay?? They're talking ?? But it's still a bit wonky?? Sorry ?