Love Matters in the Dark (Septiplier/Jack x Dark AU)

Step 11: Your skills shouldn't be what just got you the job, but what keeps it.

The world is still spinning as I groan and open my eyes. The first thing I see is a dark blue ceiling covered in a painted star filled sky. I blink, and then feel the warmth of a thick blanket. I'm in a bed in one of the bedrooms in Mark's house.

At least I think that I am.

Lifting myself up is incredibly hard. My bones and muscles feel like cement, and I now fully start to replay the last images in my mind. I drank something in the fridge that I thought was water. Then Mark rushing over to me as I blacked out.

This is bad. This is really bad.

Mark had lied to me about drugging people he slept with. That drink in the refrigerator was proof of this. I turn my head towards the slightly opened door. How to get the fuck out of here is my only goal at the moment. Get out of here and call the cops.

The part of the house that I was in was incredibly quiet. There's a chance that Mark isn't here at all? It's only when I crawl out of the bed that I realize that I'm not in my clothes. Dark blue pajamas, most likely silk, are on me.

Did he fucking undress me too?

Looking around the room I find my pants and shirt folded neatly on a large chair across from the bed, and on the floor are my socks and shoes. My bare feet hit the ground as softly as I can and I slowly move towards the opened door. I can hear the sound of nothing. First I need to get dressed, and then get my things and get moving.

The headache that I woke up with goes away fairly quickly, though that might be from the adrenaline rushing through me. Apparently my cell phone was still in the living room, so if possible I would definitely grab that on my way out.

"Jack?"

I turn my head to see Mark in the doorway, his brown eyes narrowed at seeing me shuffling through my clothing. In his hands he's holding a bowl of what looks like water and a wash cloth. My heart is racing as I start to back up, with no way to get out of the room unless I barreled him over.

"Get away from me," I shout, raising my hand towards him. "What the hell did you think would happen? That I wouldn't find out about you lying about drugging people?"

My accusations seem to cut him deeply, but he doesn't move at all.

"What you drank from the fridge wasn't for you, Jack," he says, his voice still calm despite the pained look in his eyes. "The drink in there...it's for me. For after my dates."

"Wait...what?"

"It's completely natural, and very safe for me to drink, but the last time someone else accidentally drank it they were knocked out for almost an entire day."

He moves slowly into the bedroom and places the bowl and wash rag on the end table, his hands where he could make sure that I could see them closely. His eyes shift to the doorway, which now I would be able to run through if I decided.

"Just hear me out, Jack, before you leave and...you have every right to call the police or more than that. I probably would do the same if I were you. However, if you can just hear me out, I'll tell you everything."

I take a couple of steps towards the door, but Mark doesn't seem to be trying to stop me. The same feeling of an x ray passes over me, and I flinch at the feeling. I'm tired of the sense of being watched, and though I want to trust him, the idea of him having such a dangerous drink in a place where apparently someone else was able to make the same mistake as I in drinking it was reckless, if not completely criminal.

"How long was I out? Is this Tuesday now?"

He shakes his head slowly, his eyes still looking at me as if he's only now seeing my properly for the first time.

"You were only out an hour at most. I'm sorry that I put you in pajamas. You...well when you passed out you relaxed all of your muscles and you...uh...I needed to wash your clothing."

I feel my face turn instantly red.

I fucking shit my pants?

"It wasn't a big deal, Jack," Mark continues obviously understanding my embarrassment. "It was completely my fault that it happened in the first place. I promise you that I didn't do anything to you other then place you in clean clothes and carry you into here. You were sweating like crazy and talking in your sleep. I brought the wash cloth to help to cool you down."

I turn to the door again, torn as to what I should do. Part of me wants to know more about what Mark is all about, but then again, regardless of whether he meant to or not, he had drugged me with something that could have knocked me out for at least a day.

"Hang on," I ask, my mind reflecting on that timeline. "How the hell was I only out for an hour of the other person was out so much longer? Did I not drink as much?"

"Actually, you drank at least five times more."

"Then how the in the hell am I already awake?"

Mark sighs as he places his hand in his pocket and slowly pulls out something resembling a gold pocket watch.

"That's the same question I was asking myself, Jack. You already were coming around way faster than the other person who drank my relaxation tonic. This device may shed some light on what might be going on, but I need you to be willing to trust me."

I laugh bitterly at this, and he sighs.

"I know that's a lot to ask of you with what has just happened, but if you give me a chance to run a few tests, I meant what I said before. I'll tell you everything about me, and Love Matters and about why I'm doing what I'm doing with so many lovers."

The air in the room turns suddenly warmer as he stares into my eyes. There is a sudden need to agree with him in my heart, but something stronger and louder is pulling me out of the hazy fog I begin to step into. I blink my eyes and shake me head, and just as quickly as it started, the warmth in the air disappears. Mark look slightly stunned as he sits down, as if splashed by an invisible wave of cold water.

"What the fuck are you?" he mumbles, his brown eyes looking at me, suddenly terrified.