His Bright Eyes (Septiplier)

The Raging Volcano

-Mark's POV-

"Hey, anyone home?" I called out loudly as both Jack and I entered the house. I heard some footsteps echo from the kitchen, and saw Tyler's shaggy mane of brown hair poke around the corner.

"Hey," he said simply. "You got back early."

"Yeah," I said, dropping our suitcases near the front door. "Plane landed early, and I think our Uber driver used to drive for the NASCAR, but we made it back alive."

Tyler chuckled and walked over to give both Jack and I big hugs.

"Thanks for housesitting while I was gone," I said, giving him a big smile. "Everything all right with Chica?"

"Yeah," he said. "No prob at all. I ate all of your frozen pizzas."

"Well," I said, "That's to be expected."

"Your orange juice, apple juice and sodas are gone too."

"Um, ok." I said, my eyes widening a bit.

"Also your cereal, bread and -"

"Maybe," said Jack, his laughter barely contained, "it would be a better question to ask Tyler what food, if any, that you have left, Mark,"

I looked at Tyler, my eyebrows raised.

"You're out of food," he said, shrugging his shoulders.

I sighed heavily, and pulled out my phone to call out for a food delivery. "You staying for dinner," I asked, looking up at Tyler.

"No," he said shortly, "I've done enough damage to your food budget. I'm heading out. Chica's out in the backyard."

With another hug Tyler headed out, and I had ordered Chinese food for the two of us. Jack had already taken off his shoes and headed over to the backyard door.

"Wait Jack," I said, but not quickly enough, and in a flash I saw a golden yellow blur fly past him and paws barely hitting the floor Chica running at full force towards me. Her wet brown eyes and nose focused on making sure that "Daddy" knew how happy I was to see her.

I had just enough time to bend my knees a bit to brace for the furry impact, but you never could fully be ready for one of Chica's welcome home leaps. I felt her large front paws hit my stomach first, and the weight of her full pounce was too much for me and I fell over like a sack of potatoes. Her tongue licked every part of my face that I couldn't block, her skills for sloppy kisses, legendary.

I could hear a half muffled apology coming from somewhere, and I assumed it was Jack, who hadn't realized the snuggle assault that my pup was capable of after a long time away.

"Chica bica," I said, trying to at least sit up off of the floor, "Daddy missed you too, but I can't breathe!"

This seemed not to phase her at all, as if me breathing was only a passing concern. The list of activities was kiss Daddy's face off, then leap on Jack, and then find a chew toy. My laying on the ground unconscious I doubt would even make the top five.

I felt her being pulled off of me from behind, and squinting in the light and adjusting the glasses back in my face I saw Jack, straining against pure puppy power to rescue me.

"My hero," I said breathlessly.

***

"I need you to meet me at my office tomorrow to go over ideas as to how to get Small Talk to stay in the Charity Livestream." said Mike, talking fast, "I also need that new outline sent over by today with Small Talk out of the stream, just in case Monday is a bust."

I was writing notes as quickly as I could, my once clean and ordered desk at this point a complete disaster. "I already have talked to a couple of the other sponsors to ask if they would be willing to do donation matching." I pushed some hair out of my sweaty face. "So far no luck, but I'll keep trying."

"Good idea," Mike said, sounding impressed, "I'll keep you updated as to any new information I get on this end. Thanks again for getting back so quick to California."

I said a fast goodbye and turned back my full attention to the computer screen in front of me. I had been steady working since I got back, not counting the work I did while on the flight back. My head was pounding and the word on the computer screen were blurry. I needed to stop soon to get some rest, but still was not at a good stopping point.

"Mark?"

I glanced over my shoulder to see Jack, his sleep coated blue eyes scanning me with concern, enter the room. His bare chest hitting the soft lighting of my office so he almost glowed.

"Hey," I said quickly, turning my head back to the computer. "I'll be in the bed for our night snuggles in just a bit, ok?"

He sighed heavily, and walked over to me at the desk. "It is past 3 in the morning," he said, his voice sounding worried. "You need to get some sleep,"

"I slept on the plane," I said, trying to keep my tone even. I didn't need this right now from him, when there was so much to do. The meeting was in less than two days now, and I had to do as much work as I could.

"That was a long time ago," he said softly, and I could feel his eyes on my back as I worked. "Please come to bed. I'm really worried about you overworking your-"

Before I fully realized what I was doing, I already had swiveled around in my chair, and screaming at him. Every bit of stress and anger I had been keeping barely contained erupting like a raging volcano.

"Sean, please leave me alone!" I shouted, feeling my voice bellow, "I don't have time to just be there for you right now! This is really really important and I need to focus all of my attention on this. Aren't you supposed to be the 'sleep is for the weak' guy anyway? Or...or is that just for you to believe when it's fucking convenient for you!?"

My heart was pounding in my chest, telling me to stop screaming. I felt my soul burn at the stunned look of disbelief on his face. Then his wide eyed shock turn into anger, and then almost fear at the way I was yelling at him.

"- and need support right now, not you trying to make me feel guilty for not spending every moment of the day with you!"

My brain finally was able to catch up with my mouth, and the feeling of ice cold regret and remorse flooded over me.

The silence in the room pressed against me on all of my sides, and the look on his face, like I might as well have just hit him, broke my heart in two.

"Sean," I said, finally, looking at his teary eyes and reaching out to touch his hand. "I'm so sor -"

He backed away from me like my hand was fire, his face twisted in a way that I had never seen before. As if I was the last person on Earth that he wanted to touch him.

"Just don't," he spat, his voice full of anger, "don't even think to insult me with an apology for..for that."

He turned around and walked out of the room. Before I even could think what to do next I heard his feet walk into the guest bedroom, and with another break of my heart, I heard the guest bedroom door loudly close.

Part of me wanted to run to the door and sit there until he forgave my outburst, but knew that I needed to keep working tonight, if I was ever going to me ready for that meeting on Monday.

He would talk to me later on, I kept telling myself. He'll accept my apology, because he loves me.

It was the only thing that would help the tears not to stain my notes, or for me to end up falling on the floor, broken completely.