United [A Superhero AU] - Book Two

Chapter Fifty-Two - Thinking Out Loud

"We should do what every good couple does when faced with the prospect of torture," Mark says, shifting Jack off his lap so he can stand.

    The villain reluctantly moves away from Mark and watches the hero get up.  He didn't mind sitting with Mark on the floor of a cell and talking quietly, but if the hero has something else in mind, Jack won't object.  He tilts his head to the side slightly, remembering the last time Mark said those same words (with some exceptions).  "Watch Disney movies and cuddle?"

    Mark grins.  "Silly Jack, that's what we do when we're faced with the prospect of death!  No, when faced with imminent brutalization, you dance."  He whips his phone out of his pocket and his grin grows impossibly wider.  "There's no cell reception in here, so I can't call for help, but I can still play music."

    Jack covers his face with his hands, stifling his giggles.  "You're so goofy."

    "You love it," Mark replies.  He reaches down and grasps Jack's hands, helping him up off the ground.  "Come on, I'll lead."

    "What song are you going to pick?" Jack asks, trying to peek over the hero's shoulder as he opens his phone and starts scrolling through his music library. 

    "It's a surprise!  Don't look," Mark replies, hiding the device screen.

    He hums for a moment, his eyes scanning the screen, before he finally settles on a song.  Music streams from his phone and Jack immediately meets Mark's eyes.

    "'Thinking Out Loud by Ed Sheeran'?"

    "Yup.  This can be our song," Mark replies.  He takes Jack's hand in one of his and places his other hand on the small of the villain's back, and when Jack's free hand moves into place on the hero's shoulder, Mark starts moving through the motions of a slow dance.

    Their movements are clumsy at the start, sometimes stepping on each other's toes and sometimes stumbling.  Every time they do they break into giggles, but Jack finds that he doesn't mind at all.  Mark's hand is warm and his chocolate-coloured eyes shine, and when he accidentally trips on Jack's foot he starts laughing, squeezing his eyes shut and smiling like nothing is wrong.  When their steps finally fall into a comfortable rhythm, Mark pulls him closer and Jack melts.  The cell around them disappears completely, and for a couple blissful moments they can both forget about where they are and what's going to happen to them.

    When the song ends, the two simply stand there in each other's embrace.  Another slow song starts playing and Jack presses his cheek to Mark's shoulder, laughing breathlessly.

    "You're a big sap, Mark."

    "Hey, don't make fun of my music!  I specifically picked a playlist with none of my mood-killing songs."

    Jack chuckles again and kisses his jaw.  "I would never make fun of your music."

    "Good, cause I would have had to bring out the puppy dog eyes and made you feel bad if you did."

    "Not the puppy dog eyes!"

    "Oh yes, Jack, your greatest weakness.  The puppy dog eyes!"

    Jack gasps dramatically and Mark grins, pecking his lips.  The villain wraps his arms around his waist and lets himself melt into his chest, his heart bursting at the seams.   

    "I would say 'let's go get frisky', but that might get really awkward for whoever comes to get us," Jack whispers, his sentence fading into uncontainable snickers.

    Mark snorts, burying his nose in the villain's hair.  His entire chest heaves with the effort of not bursting into laughter.  "Maybe they'd be so startled that we could make a run for it."

    "Oh totally.  Because that wouldn't be humiliating at all for us."

    "Definitely not."

    Unable to hold it back anymore, Jack starts laughing so hard his knees go weak.  Mark starts laughing as well, tears welling in his eyes that he has to wipe away.

    "I can't tell... if this is actually funny... or whether we've just gone hysterical," Jack chokes.

    "I can't either," Mark replies, wiping his eyes.

    "My God, what are we..."    

    "I don't know, but I love it."

    "Me too."

    Mark runs his fingers down Jack's jaw and kisses him, humming happily when the villain wraps his arms around his neck and deepens it.  The hero squeezes his hips, relishing in the satisfied sigh he earns from Jack.

    "Never change," Jack murmurs.

    "You got it," Mark replies.

—

    An hour later, Mark and Jack are dressed and curled up on one of the cell beds, pressing soft kisses to each other's skin and speaking in hushed tones.  Mark keeps one hand up the back of Jack's shirt, rubbing his thumb back and forth over his spine, and Jack can't help but lean into his touch.

    "When they come to get us, don't cry.  They love it when we cry because it just gives them another piece of weakness to mock.  Get cold, get sassy, but don't get teary," Jack says, running his hand over Mark's waist under his shirt.

    "But I'm a big baby and I cry over everything," Mark replies, a touch of humour to lessen the severity of the conversation a little.  Jack pinches his side before smoothing over the tiny injury and Mark sighs.  "I know what you mean and I'll try.  It'll be hard though.  If Vincent hurts you, am I allowed to hulk out?"

    "If you're feeling strong enough to do so, go ahead," Jack says.  "Nobody will stop you except the cronies, and if they aren't in the room you're home free."

    "Okay.  I'm just... scared.  More scared than I think I've ever been."

    Jack kisses the hero's shoulder.  "I know.  We're gonna get through this, though, and it will all be okay.  Maybe we'll have a few more scars, but that's nothing we can't deal with."

    "You know it's gotten dire if you're being more positive than I am."

    Jack huffs out a chuckle.  "Maybe I just have to be the positive one for once."

    "Have fun with that," Mark replies with a small smile.  He pulls him close and tucks Jack's head under his chin.  "I love you."

    "I love you too."