You Are My Brother

Separate Wishes

Mark got better after a few days bedrest, much to Damien's relief. But he did take on much more work, and hid it well from his brother so that Mark did not get sick and tired again.
Damien simply could not let his poor brother become ill, it happened much more often than he would have liked.

One day while he was working in his office, a small knock sounded on his door. Knowing that knock, Damien set his paperwork aside immediately. "Come in Mark." He called, watching the door open and his brother enter with a quiet demeanor about him. Damien frowned. "What is the matter Mark? What's troubling you?"

Mark took a seat by the desk, a thoughtful look on his face as he finally, finally gave Damien eye contact. Mark had an interesting color to his irises, Damien found himself noticing. A sort of hazel most of the time, but at the moment they were a very dark blue. That was one thing unique about Mark's physical appearance. All else was rather common, yet he made up for it in spirit and personality. Now if only he was more cheerful like in the old days.

Mark shook his head, stopping Damien's subtly observations as his brother opened his mouth to speak. "I'm not happy here anymore." Mark admitted, puzzling Damien immediately though he did not interrupt.
"I just, everything is not what I had hoped for in life. I want a change, a big one." Mark continued before sighing softly, shaking his head at himself as if he were the silliest, stupidest person ever.

However Damien did not share those thoughts however.
"Tell me about this change you want." Damien said firmly. If a change is what Mark wanted, Damien would make it happen.

It was several seconds before Mark spoke up.
"You remember that day in the forest?"

Damien nodded. "Yes, the day you accepted me."

Mark nodded back. "I accepted you because that was the right thing to do. I felt that that is what God would want. Surely he would not damn you if you had someone to help you resist."

Damien frowned deeply at that. He felt hurt, did Mark only join him out of a sense of Godliness then? And not because they were brothers?

"I accepted who you are because you're my brother." Mark continued, almost as if he had read Damien's silent accusations. "But also because I could not allow you to roam this world alone. Now, now you are strong Damien, you're content. And I feel like I need something more than this job."

Damien inhaled slowly, and exhaled just so. "You want to leave the company?"

Again Mark nodded. "Yes."

"Where will you find work?" Damien inquired curiously.

Mark looked downwards, suddenly looking awashed with fear and guilt. Something that did not sit well with Damien ever.

Standing up, Damien rounded the desk to sit in the chair next to Mark. "I will not be mad at you Mark. I promise." He said gently, reaching out to touch Mark's hand, feeling it quiver under his own ever so slightly.

Taking a breath, calming himself, Damien was glad to see Mark regain his composed aura of quiet, smart confidence.

"I want to become a reverend, devote my career to the Bible and God." Mark explained, words coming fast like ripping a bandaid off.

Damien was taken aback. "A reverand?"

"Yes." Came the soft confirmation.

Damien stood, walking to the window in deep thought. Of all the things Mark was capable of and could do, he wanted a church life.

Damien spun around. "Are you trying to get rid of me?" He accused lowly.

"No!" Mark objected, standing up from his seated position. "Never Damien, never! I thought it would be wise though. If I serve God he may allow you into Heaven, you've been a good man for so long Damien, I just want to be sure. And I want this change, I want to live quietly." He explained, dousing the hellish fires stirring deeply within Damien's soul.

Taking a breath, Damien reconsidered. He knew Mark would never betray him, never. But still, doubt lingered. A doubt he had to banish. Doubting Mark would only lead to disaster, as Mark rejecting him when they were children would have led to worse things.

"Very well, Mark. But it has to be close by. Even as adults we need to be close together." Damien warned, fixing Mark with a stern glare. "They know who I am, and I have no reason to believe they would not hurt even you to destroy me. Be careful."

Mark nodded, relief washing over him to the point it looked like he might fall to the ground. Damien was there then and gently embraced his brother til Mark could stand again. Brothers interlocked together, in body, mind and spirit.