Ode to Remedy

Act XI

Did Ocean actually like Markus in that way, or was she just trying to make Valentine's life a living hell? Did she and Valentine have a past together, or did she simply just create an enemy out of him? He knew for a fact that after that encounter with her she would do everything in her power to make Markus's life hell when they returned back to school, especially after she just humiliated herself in front of him. Whether her confession was real or fake, would anyone believe him if he tried to defend himself? Would they believe him if he told them how she spiked her drink, or would they just pity her after she forced tears and lied about how Markus was the one to violate her? He tightened his grip hostilely on the steering wheel at the thought and how it fueled his anger.

No, he refused to think about it any longer. He had much more important things to attend to. Markus had to explain what happened to Valentine and entreat his forgiveness before false word reached him before he did, especially because Ocean is now seeking every opportunity she can to ruin him. Perhaps she was seeking every opportunity she could take to ruin their relationship so she could take Markus for herself. But would she go to that extend, or was Markus simply fretting too much?

He held his breath when he suddenly approached the parking garage of the complex. He arrived all too soon, the drive from Ocean's couldn't possibly be that short, could it? Was he that distracted? He quickly parked and froze just when he exited his car, staring at Val's car just across from his own. He didn't know whether he should've felt relieved or not. Before he would've sat there and contemplated for minutes on end what his next move should be, just like the excessive over-thinker Markus was, he forced himself to hasten to the front door and through the lobby. He couldn't bring himself to even contemplate calling Valentine on the intercom. Would he even answer? Nevermind that, he couldn't ignore Markus's knocking on the door. Would he?

Markus hurried up the stairs, shooting glances out of every window he passed to confirm the sun having yet to rise fully. He panted slightly once he reached their floor, his weary bones throbbed with the ache of the intoxicant he consumed the night before. He knew this would not be a good look for him, reeking of the scent of alcohol and expensive perfume, matted hair and bleary eyes, but he continued on nevertheless. He squinted through the fog that seemed to cloud his vision at every golden number displayed on every door in an attempt to find his own. The pain that rung in his head seemed to grow as the numbers of the doors grew larger with each nearing step. Markus just wanted to tell Valentine everything, he finally felt the urge to speak with him formally. He just wanted to be held by his lover, he just wanted to be told that everything would conclude happily. He desperately wanted Valentine's forgiveness.

Markus pushed through the apartment door, his mind not even comprehending the concept of knocking before entering. The eagerness that had built up inside him urged him to locate Valentine as soon as he could, for he no longer felt an ounce of dread. He felt so relieved to finally escape Ocean's presence, but in an instant, all of that relief left his body the moment he met his lover's blood-tinged eyes.

The bottle grasped in Val's hand trembled along with the breath escaping his lips. Markus stood in the doorway, horror flooding the vacancy of his exhausted eyes. He only held his hands out, for he couldn't bring himself to take a step. He felt like if he got any closer Val would bring the bottle to his lips and throw his head back. He opened his mouth to speak, but his vocal chords didn't seem to want to function. He could only stare at Val standing in the center of his room, one arm fastened around his waist, the other reaching out to Markus, as if he were offering him some of the poison the bottle contained.
As much as Valentine tried to hold it in, the pain came out like an uproar from his throat in the form of a silent scream. The beads of water started falling down one after another, without a sign of stopping. His slender shoulders rose and fell sharply with the urge to yell at Markus, but his voice was melted. The muffled sobs wracked against his chest, and his heavy gaze fell from Markus. He couldn't bare to look at him anymore. He tore his gaze away and looked to the pills in his fist. He saw Markus's heart lurch through the expression on his pale face out of the corner of his eye. He sensed Markus inhale steadily, ready to attempt to speak again, but Valentine cut him off just before he had the chance to.

"Did you really think I was stupid enough not the notice the missing vodka?" Valentine rebuked, though his voice cracked in the middle of his sentence.

"Valentine, please," Markus began, his voice steady and low, truly hoping he sounded more assuring that he felt. "Please, give me the pills,"

"So you could do what," Val screamed, causing the tears to spill down his face. "Take them to a party and fucking snort them or something?"

His words sent a bullet of guilt straight through Markus's heart, devastating him. He felt raw. Raw as if there was no skin to shield his pain, and something as light as the breeze could cause him blood. He knew this was all his fault.

This was all his fault, and he would be the one to blame for Valentine's death.

"I've made such a horrible, delusional mistake," Markus continued. It became difficult to breath correctly. "Simply because I was too much of a bitch to face you, so I ran away from you, and now you've fallen victim to this state of mind, a-and," His loose shoulders began to shake and his hands hung low by his sides, making no attempt to conceal the tears that had started down his own face. "You have no idea how much you mean to me."

Valentine blinked, as if he were taken aback, only to proceed. "State of mind?" He asked in a hushed tone, almost like he was talking to himself. He then became angry. "How could you know-?"

"Because I've been trapped in that exact 'state of mind' for ten years, Val!" Markus shouted. "Have you been a fool to not notice that I haven't been able to go to bed healthily? Back when you first moved in, you've never found it odd that I could never sleep without some sort of background noise to distract me from the thoughts in my head? Because I was petrified of what kinds of things my own mind would convince me to do!"

Markus paused, lowering his widened eyes to stare at the floor. "Back when you first moved in," He repeated after taking a shaky breath, his face reddening. "I began to gain control of myself. I believed that you were a blessing to me, and I had fallen in love you, long before you loved me. Yesterday, you became so angry with me, I didn't know what to do. Of course I did the worst thing I could have possibly done, and resorted to alcohol, because the thoughts I believed I grew out of returned and I was desperate for them to leave me. I only discovered later that one of my drinks had been spiked, and..." His voice faltered and he brought his quaking hands to his face. "Please, Valentine, I have no idea how I'd pursue in this world if something ever happened to you."

Valentine didn't respond. He only watched Markus with smoky, brown eyes. His facial expression stained with newly dried tears was impossible to read. Markus held his stare, refusing to let go. A storm of thoughts seemed to clash in Val's mind, for he looked slightly distant, as if he wasn't mentally present. He did hear what Markus said, right? Fear began to rise in Markus at his lover's silence. What was he thinking? Was this how he felt about Markus all the time?

"Val, I'm so sorry-"

"Markus, if you truly love me," Valentine spoke, his voice surprisingly sharp, despite how unsteady it had just sounded. "You would take the rest of these pills with me."