The Little Things [Book 1]

Chapter Thirty-Eight: Added Time

Mark rested against the driver's door of his car, looking through his camera roll, with a cigarette between his lips. When Thomas and his friend came out of the changing room, with Rachel by their side, they walked to Dean's car, but Thomas stopped before climbing inside. Dean looked at him in question.

"Just wait a minute," he told them and walked fast towards Mark, who was still unaware of Thomas. "Hey," he said to get Mark's attention when he reached him.

Mark smiled at him, looked through the viewfinder, and snapped a picture, causing Thomas to look away with a blush and a smile. Looking at the picture he just took, Mark turned off the camera and took out the cigarette.

"Hey..." he drawled with a sly grin and unglued himself off the car. He leaned in, going for a kiss, but Thomas jumped back softly.

"My friends are watching," Thomas said, keeping up his friendly smile. Mark hummed in understanding, ran a hand through his hair, and fell back against the car.

"What's up?" he asked Thomas, shedding a quick glance at Dean's car. Dean had gotten out of the vehicle, standing by his open door, looking that them. Thomas's other three friends were in the car and seemed to be having a very loud conversation. 

"We're going to go to the diner to celebrate the win. Want to join us?" Thomas asked him. Mark seemed skeptical for a few moments before he finally nodded and took the last drag of his cigarette. Thomas smiled and started to head back to Dean's car, when Mark reached out and stopped him by grabbing him by the sleeve of his shirt.

"You're coming with me," Mark told him in a hoarse tone. A chill went down Thomas's spine and he turned to look at Dean.

"I'll drive with Mark. We'll meet you there!" he yelled at his friend. Dean nodded after rolling his eyes and got inside. Blake got out after Dean told him something and got in the passenger's seat.

Only when they drove off did Thomas get into Mark's car and ease into the leather seat. Mark looked at him with a raised eyebrow. He opened his mouth to say something, but Thomas's lips stopped him by crashing against his. Mark gave into the kiss, his train of thought melting away completely.

"I've been thinking of doing that ever since you showed up at the match," Thomas muttered against his lips and sat back against the seat. Mark smiled as he turned on his car and started driving.

"Really? How often do you think about it?" Mark said under his breath, keeping his attention to the road, but being aware that Thomas's eyes were on him.

"All the time," Thomas replied, and Mark gasped as Thomas's fingers curled on his thigh. "You know, I was talking to Dean earlier..."

At once, Mark's blood went cold. His grip on the steering wheel tightened and his jaw clenched. "What about?" he asked, trying to sound as nonchalant as he could.

"About us. And he got me thinking..." Thomas paused to squeeze Mark's thigh. "Maybe we could try more".

"More?" Mark questioned, still not at ease.

"I want you to tie me up". Not expecting the words that left Thomas's lips, Mark couldn't help but turn his head violently toward Thomas.

"I'm sorry, what?!" he yelled out, focusing his eyes on the road before him again. "Fucking Christ, Heissmann, I'm driving!" he added, running a hand through his hair. Thomas immediately started laughing. "Shut up!"

"I should have given you a heads up, huh?" he managed to utter between breaths.

"You think? God..."

"Yeah... well," Thomas replied, clearing his throat, "Will you?"

"Tie you up?" Mark snapped back, not fully grasping the fact that Thomas had asked him that. With the corner of his eye, he saw Thomas nod with a sly grin. "Are you sure?"

"Yes. Nothing too extreme though..." he replied with an awkward giggle. Mark brought his eyebrows together and reached out to rest his hand on the nape of Thomas's head.

"We will go as far as you are comfortable with," he assured him.

***

The diner wasn't as crowded as the last Mark had been there. Well, the only other time he had been there. That had been on a night where he and his friends had gone exploring this new town he had moved into –the diner being one of the most notable places to go to-. To be honest, it hadn't exactly charmed any of them. The food was okay and the service was a freaking cliché.

They ended up sitting next to each other by Dean, with Mark slightly resting against the wall and Thomas in the middle. As soon as Mark noticed Penny approaching them, he shifted in his seat uncomfortably.

"Oh, hey, it's you! Haven't seen you around lately..." she said with a warm smile, looking directly at Mark. Mark smiled as coldly as he could and leaned back.

"Yes, my friends and I don't really hang around in places like this," he said. Penny pouted and folded her arms under her chest. Dean had to force down laughter. Oh, was she barking at the wrong tree!

"Well, perhaps now that you're also hanging out with these guys, you'll come around more often," Penny replied, not backing down. Mark squinted at her.

"I wouldn't count on it if I were you," he told her, and she finally seemed to take the hint.

After he and Thomas ordered -and Penny left- Blake raised his glass of cola and tipped it toward Mark. The whole table, but for Mark started laughing, causing Mark to knit his eyebrows together.

"You are now an honorable member of the group!" Blake said once they started calming down. Mark got even more confused at that.

"She hits on everyone," Dean explained.

"Yeah, you should have seen how hard she had tried to get it on with Thomas," Bryan added, roaring with laughter. Seeing the opening, Mark thought through his next words. Bryan and Blake didn't know, but still.

"Too bad she didn't know he was only interested in balls," he muttered. At once, color rose to Thomas's cheeks and Dean's uncontrollable laughter didn't help at all. Mark was relieved that the joke didn't out Thomas, while at the same entertained his friends. Looking to the side, he smiled down at Thomas, and with a roll of his eyes, Thomas elbowed him.