As soon as they got back to their dorm, Mark headed straight for his bed.
Jackson followed in, frowning as he watched the elder walk across the room.
"Where are you going?"
Mark spun around, jutting his thumb toward his bed. "T-To lay down?"
"Not over there you're not." Jackson scooted over and patted the empty space beside him as an invitation for Mark to occupy it.
The elder was caught off guard by the offer, especially since they had just settled things between them only minutes ago. He thought it would take a bit longer for them to get in a comfortable place with one another. "Oh, um... I just thought, maybe you were still a bit upset with me so-"
"Oh I am. Very upset with you."
Mark's brows furrowed in confusion. "Then...?"
"Doesn't mean I don't wanna cuddle you. I know you're still upset too." He gestured for Mark to approach, waiting for the elder to join him. "C'mere."
Mark was only slightly hesitant to accept the invitation, but once he was climbing onto Jackson's bed and into his arms, he wanted to be nowhere else but right there.
Jackson hummed in satisfaction as he felt Mark's weight press down onto him, his arms securely sliding around the elder's waist. "I hear simply hugging can take so much weight off a person's shoulders."
"This isn't a hug, more so you suffocating me." Mark mumbled against Jackson's shoulder, though he was quite content with the comfortable position they had shifted into.
"Well, same effect, right?"
"I guess."
Mark let out a heavy sigh as he relaxed against the younger, though Jackson could tell that there was more behind it than just an average sigh.
"Mark. What's on your mind?" He asked.
"How can you tell I'm thinking?"
"After nearly 2 years of staring at your cute ass, I can tell a lot of things."
Mark chuckled, then sighed again. "Just... Jinyoung. I've been shitty to him all this time. And he's not you, so I don't know how easily he'll forgive me."
Jackson hummed, his hand gently stroking Mark's back. Jinyoung was just as upset over the situation as he was, especially since he was harmed unnecessarily in the process. "Do you really hate him?"
Mark shrugged. "I... want to hate him..."
"But do you?"
The elder paused for a few moments. He shifted his head slightly before finally answering.
"No..." Mark had no reason to hate him. Jinyoung literally had done nothing to wrong him; he just wanted to get rid of him to keep Jackson to himself. "He's nice, and sweet, and way too kind for his own good-- he's helped you a ton with your classes, and I'm sure he'd help me too if I ever needed it. But... I just thought maybe you were attracted to a nicer person than I was, so I couldn't like him for stealing you from me..."
"My feelings for you won't suddenly change so fast, Mark." Jackson replied as he squeezed his arms tighter around the elder. "I can't say what would've happened if you kept your emotions under wraps and I never found out that you liked me back. It's a possibility that I would've went for Jinyoung."
Mark lifted his head, his brows rising in shock. "Seriously? He had a chance?"
"No... I just meant if you kept pushing me away, I would've thought continuing to chase you was pointless. So who knows what could've happened, y'know?"
"Oh..." Mark shook his head. He should've put that together himself, even Jaebum had told him something similar; but he was too desperate to hog Jackson to realize that at the same time, he might've been pushing him away. "I'm so fucking stupid..."
Jackson patted his head reassuringly. "Yeah we know, but it's okay; just apologize sincerely. I'm sure Jinyoung will forgive you."
"Do you forgive me?"
Jackson took a moment to weigh the question in his head. "Well... it's gonna take some persuading...."
"P-Persuading?"
"Like, a lot of endless affection. And more honesty. After that, I'll think about forgiving you."
Mark cocked his head, brows knitted together. "So, you're gonna date me but still be mad at me?"
"Makes sense to me."
Mark chuckled, shaking his head at Jackson's amusing logic. He felt his heart pounding against his chest, the urge to shower the man under him with the affection that he asked for hitting him hard.
Maybe it was a bit too soon, but Mark followed what his heart wanted as he cradled Jackson's face in his hands and dipped in to kiss him. It was hesitant and gentle, as he didn't want to startle the younger, but he poured all the feelings that he couldn't explain over the past weeks into it.
"I'm sorry, please forgive me." He mumbled just after parting.
Jackson's lids fluttered as he looked up at Mark; his jaw hung open in both shock and awe. "W-Wow..."
"Did that persuade you at all?" He asked, a small grin climbing to his lips as he watched Jackson's face glow pink.
"Y-Yeah um... i-it did, a lot..." The younger replied, still trying to wrap his head around the softness of Mark's lips that he already craved to feel again. "I-I'm still kinda sorta mad at you, don't let my reaction fool you."
"Yeah, I get it." Mark nodded as his thumb brushed over Jackson's cheek while gazing down at him and taking in every pretty feature his face offered. "You look cute like that."
"C-Cute..." Jackson repeated the word, as if it were one he wasn't familiar with. "You've never called me cute before..."
"Do you like it?"
The younger nodded vigorously. "Compliments from you mean a lot."
Mark hummed, his grin growing wider. "Then, you're the cutest, Jackson."
Jackson's eyes lit up as if his entire day had been made; he was squeezing Mark so tight since he had no idea what else to do with himself. He hid his face in the crook of Mark's neck in an effort to contain his glee. "Y-You're usually the flustered one... the whole sporadic flirting thing is my shtick..."
Mark giggled as Jackson's breath tickled his neck; he was happy too to be able to share a moment like this with him. He's been wanting it for what felt like forever, and he finally got it. "I missed you, Jackson."
"I was always here. You just finally came to me." The elder replied, sighing contently in his roommate's arms.
(*throwing up in corny mushy uwu*)
