The Taste Of Rebound Love

Part 19

Jack instinctively tried to back up away from Felix's kiss.  Only he was already pressed back against the door, so his heels just banged loudly against the door as he stepped back.  Felix teased his lips with tender kisses, before grazing his teeth against his lower lip.  He wasn't giving him enough time to breathe!  Slowly trying to shrink down the door, Jack started to twist his wrists.  The Felix had his wrists in a single hand... well, one wrist.  The other hand more of the survival bracelet then his wrist.  The moment he realized it, he jerked his wrists loose and quickly ducked under Felix's arm!  Felix almost caught his wrist again, but Jack yanked his hand away, snapping back.  "Felix, Enough"!  Felix turned to face him and his eyes looked dark in the dim light.  He was angry.  Jack could see it in his tense shoulders and clenched fists.  Taking a shaky step back, Jack told him defensively.  "I'm not playing this game anymore! I can't do this. I'm not this person. You knew what this was from the start".  Jack expected Felix to start yelling.  Instead, he turned away and headed toward the small kitchen.  Cautiously, Jack semi-followed him.  He'd have to pass the kitchen to go down the hall to his room at some point. 

In the kitchen, Felix shot back to him over his shoulder dryly.  "You told me... You love him... And he loves everybody. He'll take you in and leave you just as fast. His life his tied in with his fans. When they get tired of seeing you both together... or you pull him too far in one direction... He'll turn his back on you. He'll leave you alone and hurting".  Jack took a calming breath to steady himself as he answered softly.  "I can't help it. I can't really explain what I see in him. He just... He's...".  Felix turned to face him a weird smirk on his face.  He took a sip of something in his glass, then added in smugly.  "He's got you good. Of course, it's not hard to swoon a virgin. A few sweet words. A gentle touch. A kiss. What do you think is going to happen? You'll go to the livestream tomorrow, tell him he's won... and he'll lift you away to his bedroom? Share his channel with you? You two get together and your subscribers will plummet".  Jack shook his head defiantly stating back.  "You're wrong. You don't know that and you don't know Mark as well as you think".  Felix moved closer and Jack could smell what he was drinking.  How much had Felix been drinking tonight?  Felix leaned in to reply with a sneer.  "You're too new to youtube. Fame is fickle. You'll only be on top as long as you play by the rules. Mark knows that. The fans will whisper and cheer for Septiplier now... but nothing lasts. When they tire of it... Mark will tire of you. He'll turn his eyes to the next fan-craze and you'll wish you had this moment back. Your innocence".

Felix shoved the glass of alcohol into his hands, starting down the hall as he told him one last thing.  "Then you'll be just like me. Alone".  Jack stared down into the glass.  He hated having to choose.  He just wanted everything to have an easy answer... but that wasn't living.  Jack downed the last of Felix's drink, shutting off his feelings.  He wanted to go numb.  He had made his choose... but was it the right one?  Was there a right one?  Setting the glass on the counter, he dragged his feet toward his bedroom.  After the livestream, he'd put an end to this. 

The morning seemed to come too quickly.  Jack didn't think he had slept at all.  Felix didn't even greet him.  He just moved about the house like a ghost.  Jack hoped it was just because of a hangover.  Jack packed his things into Felix's car, watching Felix rub his temples in the driver seat while waiting on him.  He looked so tired.  Jack kept telling himself that he just had to hold out for the livestream.  After that, he'd say his peace and hop the first flight home.  Although, Felix was already acting like he knew the answer.  Which didn't mean well for the livestream.  The drive was filled with deafening silence... Felix didn't even turn on the radio.  Jack hugged Edgar closer to his chest, when he meekly broke the silence.  "After the stream, I'll choose".  Felix didn't look at him.  His eyes were locked on the road as he sharply growled back.  "Is that so".  Jack took in how tense Felix looked and tried to say something, but Felix sharply butted in.  "Jack, I really need to concentrate right now".  Edgar looked up at him with big watery eyes, and Jack bit his lip.  This is exactly what he didn't want to happen.  If Felix was acting this way... how was Mark going to act?

Only one word could describe the livestream.  Peacocking.  Everything Felix did, Mark had to do better.  Everything Mark did, Felix had to do better.  Jack had enough of trying to calm the two of them down.  Let the world see what he had to deal with.  He even throw out a few shots at them to get out his own stress.  It was just so hard to keep things civil when you felt as tired and as conflicted as he did.  Somehow he managed to keep himself upbeat enough that the petty bittering didn't ruin too much of the stream.  It was felt though in some donation comments.  The fans appeared to feel the unknown tension between them.  It didn't get any better as the livestream started to wrap up either.  The intense smell of fermented fish had Jack rushing to the bathroom.  Leaving the biggest issue to handle itself outside.

Mark coughed loudly outside from the vile stench.  He hoped Jack was alright, but he had tried to suppress the smell for too long in order to end the stream... he didn't have it in him to run back in just yet.  Felix approached him from the side, hacking as he asked him curiously.  "What a way to end it, huh? That disgusting fish sure can clear a room... Although, I'm sure you're still just sticking around for Jack's news, right"?  Mark cleared his throat softly.  Shrugging neutrally, Mark replied simply.  "I'm not sure what you're getting at. He hasn't been able to even say two words to me since you two got here".  Felix rolled his eyes, smugly telling him.  "Doesn't matter. Whatever you think happened between you to last night wasn't enough. Jack made his choice. Sorry, Mark. It wasn't you".  Mark felt a sting, but he had already prepared himself for this.  He also knew Felix... and he wasn't just going to take his word for it.  Mark eyed Felix closely.  He looked so confident and carefree... but his eyes were void of any emotion.  He was lying.  Turning away to look at the peaceful sky, Mark asked him casually.  "Does he know you're using him yet"?  Felix huffed loudly, snapping back.  "You think you're so much better than me, don't you".  Mark turned soft eyes on Felix, honestly replying as nicely as he could.  "I don't... but you've lost something Felix... and that something was the thing I liked about you. You just stopped caring". 

Felix took a few steps closer then, reaching out to cup Mark's face as he told him sternly.  "You were the reason I cared. You see what my life has been without you. The only thing I have lost is you"!  Mark took Felix's wrists gently in his hands and stepped back out of his hands.  Lowering Felix's wrist, Mark told him sincerely.  "Felix, I'm sorry. You were my first real taste of love... but I just don't love you like that anymore. We're just too different".  The doors to the studio opened and Mark turned to see Jack stagger out.  Jack had the hem his shirt over his nose and his eyes were watering.  Mark smirked, releasing Felix's wrists as Jack nervously glanced between the two of them.  It wasn't until Jack's face changed to surprise, that Mark briefly caught sight of a fist before it collided with his cheek.  To Be Continued...