I can love a block of wood (septiplier nutcracker AU)

Chapter 21

Their faces were centimeters apart when they heard someone coming up the stairs. They quickly parted and watched as Ethan came up into view.

"Prince Mark, Jack. I'm glad i found you. I had started to worry you had went missing like the other two."

"No, we're not missing. Just talking." Jack looked away from Ethan and looked at Mark. "Making sure we're ok."

"And are you?"

"Yes, we're fine." Ethan nodded and lingered there. "Is there anything else, Ethan?"

"I thought there was, but i forgot what it was." He once again hesitated. "I'll let you be?" He said, getting a nod from the prince, so he went down.

"I should go down too and make sure Rose is alright." Jack was looking out at the city as he spoke, crossing his arms. Mark knew that Jack already had checked in with rose before he came up.

"Alright..." They looked at each other for a moment. "Well, my buddy chum pal-"

"No, don't do it again!" They both laughed for a moment. "Good night Mark." He started to leave.

"You know something..."

"What?" Jack paused at the top of the stairs.

"Your the only one that still calls me mark without negativity."

"Does it bother you?" Mark looked at him for a moment, almost like he was trying to keep him in his memories.

"No. No it doesn't. Good night Jack."

"Good night Mark." They smiled and the Prince watched that Irishman walk down the stairs. Mark sighed quietly and leaned against the railing, looking out at the land that was once his home, but he wasn't sad like he usually was when he watched the kingdom. He had a smile as he thought about him.

Ethan was at the bottom of the stairs, waiting for Jack to arrive. He was smiling as well before he looked at Ethan, the smile faltering a bit.

"Ethan, Hi." He greeted. "Is everything ok?"

"He doesn't want you here."

"What do you mean?" His smile fell more as he asked and swallowed down his nervousness.

"He is acting nice to you because he doesn't want to tell you he doesn't want you here. He wants you to leave." Ethan had a factual tone with his words, and it bothered the brown haired man.

"How do you know?"

"Because we talk. Now trust me, you shouldn't come back next time. Just pretend to sleep."

"I... ok." Jack was slow to walk away, running his neck in thought. He left the tree and went to the room Rose was spending the night in. She wasn't there, and Jack figured she was with her friends. He went into his room and sat on the edge of his bed. He felt tired but not the sleepy kind of tired. He just felt a bit drained, probably the tension finally wearing off. Then he thought to what happened on the tree top. "I almost kissed him..." He said quietly. "I don't understand..." He whispered, running his face. "There are secrets and things I don't understand... maybe I really shouldn't go back..." He stood up and sat down on the overstuffed armchair. He must have dozed off during that time before he was woken up with gentle shoulder shaking.

"Jackaboy, it's time to wake up." Jack didn't open his eyes. "Come on, wake up, I know for a fact you didn't go to bed for good." Jack finally gave in and opened his eyes, looking up at mark, who was smiling.

"What's going on?"

"We are about to group up and search for William and Tim." Jack nodded a bit.

"I'll be down in a minute." He muttered as he rubbed his eyes.

"Don't be too long, ok?" He nodded and Mark smiled, his hand lingering on his shoulder for a moment before he pulled away.

"Ok." The Prince left so Jack could wake up from his sleep. After a few moments he stood up and stretched. He walked to his closet and opened it.

Mark was finalizing the groups, having spent a good ten minutes on them. He then realized that Jack still wasn't back. "Tyler, can you go check on Jack?" He asked his friend, who nodded and left. He looked over the plan a few times before he returned, alone.

"Something happened."

"What do you mean?"

"Come look." They both walked back to Jack's room. They tried to speed walk and keep their steps and voices quiet.

"Why won't you just say it?"

"Still no name for it."

"You mean to tell me he did that weird pass out thing while I was gone?" Tyler nodded before opening the door. Jack was on the ground in front of his closet, eyes closed and peaceful. He looked like a sleeping doll, even his chest didn't move. Mark went over and, to be sure, placed his hand under the man's nose. He was still alive and it was a relief. "Go back downstairs. I'm going to put him in bed." Tyler nodded and left without hesitation. When the door closed was when Mark picked up the man and moved him to his bed, covering him with the throw blanket that was at the end. After covering the sleepy man he sat down on the edge of the bed. He didn't entirely know how this worked with Jack, but he knew enough that he could figure out that Jack had been attacked. Jack has only gotten like this when he was going to get really hurt. He got like this when the sleigh hit the ground, but Tyler had taken him up that time. He wanted to stay until he needed to move to the chair, but he knew he had to go back downstairs. "See you in the morning Jack..." He said quietly before he stood up and walked out. He was slow going down the stairs and paused in the doorway. He looked at the room in silence before stepping in. "Let's do this."