The Little Things [Book 1]

Chapter Thirty-Six: Fan's Favorite

"So, you want to talk about what just happened?" Mark asked him after he had finished admiring Thomas's soccer-shrine of a room. Thomas sat back on his bed, resting his back against the wall and squeezing his plush soccer ball.

"What's there to talk about?" he asked Mark, not looking up at him. Mark was standing before Thomas and before he replied he crouched down to be on the same eye level as Thomas.

"What she said..." Mark started softly.

"What she said is not the worst thing she had said to me," Thomas cut him off. "We're siblings, and to be honest, I'm just as surprised as she is about my parents' stance. I get it, but... they like you. They actually like you," Thomas went on and looked up at Mark. He sat up, leaning forward, and placed a hand on Mark's cheek. "They accept me, and they like you".

Mark smiled at Thomas, easing into his touch, and moved forward to press his lips softly against Thomas's. Fluttering his eyes close Thomas enjoyed a couple of moments of soft kissing and then he moved his other hand to Mark's hair –setting aside his plush ball- and pulled Mark harder against himself. Mark sat up, not breaking the kiss, and went to sit on Thomas's lap, his knees digging into the mattress on either side of Thomas's hips. His one arm lazily hung over one of Thomas's shoulders, while the other one was grabbing him by the ribs, pulling his body closer. Mark broke the kiss, taking in a deep breath and then moving down to press his swollen lips against Thomas's neck. He nibbled on the soft skin, savoring the hushed and sharp moan that Thomas let out.

Mark was careful not to leave any marks this time, as Thomas's parents were downstairs, but in no way did that stop him from enjoying it. Thomas's shirt didn't leave him much skin to play with, but he managed to reach all the way down to Thomas's collar bone. Thomas pulled Mark back by his hair and stared into his eyes for a couple of moments while taking deep breaths and trying to calm his mind. He rested forehead against Mark's cheek, his warm breath hitting Mark's jaw and neck, and slowly embraced him.

"Thank you," Thomas said, barely above a whisper.

"For what?" Mark whispered back. Thomas shrugged, also unsure.

"Being here? Being with me? Liking me?" Thomas muttered and pulled back a little. "Just, thank you," he said, looking deep into Mark's eyes. Mark let out a sweet laugh and pulled Thomas in for another hug.

"You don't need to thank me for anything."

***

"What a fucking bitch!" Dean yelled out, slamming his locker close and looking at Thomas angrily.

"Dean..." Thomas drawled not disagreeing though. "It doesn't really matter," he dismissed.

"The fuck it doesn't. Had I been there-"

"You wouldn't have done anything, because she's pregnant and as I already said, it doesn't matter," Thomas noted and started walking, as Mark joined the two friends.

"What're you talking about?" he asked, walking next to them, his shoulder brushing against Thomas's.

"Abi," Thomas said.

"Yes, Miss Attention Whore," Dean muttered.

"Dean!" Thomas yelled out, noting that Mark had to stifle a laugh at Dean's comment.

"What?! What she said was way out of line. I don't give a fuck if she's pregnant or your sister or if it didn't bother you, she was -as usual- trying to get the attention of your parents. I mean, fuck, they haven't come to the past few matches all because of her and she still is unsatisfied!" Dean snapped at him.

"Wait, what? What does Abi have to do with your parents missing your games?" Mark asked, looking at Thomas.

"Back when she in her first months, our parents were still struggling with the idea and one night they had a fight and she said that clearly they cared more about me since they come to every single one of my matches, which is stupid cause I always score, but they are not in the slightest proud of her," Thomas explained. "We talked it out –well, I talked it out- and seeing as I don't really care about them coming, I told them, they could just not come".

"And honestly, how fucking stupid is she to think they are not proud of her? Come on, your parents must be among the most loving and supporting parents out there!" Dean added. Thomas looked at him sideways, but he didn't comment on it. They were pretty loving.

"I'm used to her bullshit," Thomas just said and shrugged. "What she thinks doesn't change the fact that my parents accept me so whatever..."

Mark frowned and then he gave Thomas a sweet smile. Noticing that, Dean squinted and rubbed his face with his hand to hide the smile that split his own lips. Oh, he needed to talk to Mark.

***

Dean got his chance during Spanish. Their teacher, Mrs. Teagan, was a thirty-year-old woman, who was rather lenient. She was quick to calm the class and seeing as she could always finish with the lesson a couple of minutes before the bell rang, she let them rest in the class until it did. Dean gave Julie a quick kiss and left her to go and sit in the empty seat in front of Mark but facing him.

"Yes?" Mark questioned, noticing Dean.

"So, you're dating now, right?" Dean asked him, cutting to the chase.

"Excuse me?" Mark asked, raising one eyebrow.

"He told me you are his boyfriend now. So, I'm asking you: you're dating now, right?" Dean explained.

"It's not really any of your business..." Mark countered and turned back to his phone. Dean rolled his eyes and blocked the screen of his phone with his hand.

"Considering he is my best friend and you are his first relationship; I'd say it is sort of my business," Dean replied. Mark sighed and looked up at Dean.

"It's not," he pressed with a dangerous glint in his eyes. "But yeah, I guess we are dating".

"You guess?" Dean asked. Mark nodded and lowered his eyes again, figuring that was all that Dean wanted to know. "So, you like him?" Mark laughed sarcastically.

"If I'm dating him, what do you think genius?" Mark asked him back.

"I think you might be in love with him..." Dean replied, not batting an eye at Mark's words. Now Mark's smile vanished.

"Fuck off," he said under his breath, leaning away from Dean.

"Why? Because I'm right?"

"You don't know shit about me, so don't you fucking dare make assumptions about me. Are we clear?" Mark snapped at him. Dean kept on looking at him unfazed.

"I've seen the way you look at him... the way you smile at him," Dean told him just as the bell rang. Gritting his teeth, Mark sat up angrily.

"Fuck off," he repeated and left without leaving room for Dean to say anything else. Dean sighed with a shake of his head and sat back until his back hit the desk.

"Hey..." Julie said, touching his shoulder and giving him a soft kiss on the cheek. "What was that about?"

"Nothing... don't worry about it," he told her and kissed her on the lips before sitting up. "Let's go have lunch".

Mark didn't show up for lunch that day.