Stay Down [A Crankiplier fanfic]

two

About one week later

Mark rolled around in his sleep, but there was something in his bed with him. He sat up and looked at the thing. It was a person. It was Ethan. Mark felt his face heat up, and his stomach fill with guilt. What had he done? He couldn't remember, but judging by how Ethan was dressed, he was naked, Mark could make a pretty good prediction of what happened, and he hated himself for it, because he must have been drunk, otherwise he would have remembered, right?

Ethan's eyes opened and he looked up at Mark. He sat up, moving closer, placing a hand on Mark's bare chest.

"Babe, what's wrong?" Ethan said. Mark watched him.

"Babe? Why did you call me babe? Why are we sleeping together?" Mark said, confused. Ethan tilted his head.

"Because you're my baby, and I love you?" Ethan laughed, confused. Mark looked at him shocked.

"You love me?" Mark questioned. Ethan nodded.

"Yeah, and you love me, too. Right?" he looked at him concerned. Mark was quiet for a moment. He slowly nodded.

"Yes, but I never told you," Mark said. Ethan bit his lip.

"Maybe you need to get more sleep. You've been working really hard recently," Ethan smiled, sadly.

"No, no, this isn't right. I never told you I loved you," Mark said.

"Mark, we've been together for 2 years, you've told me you love me a million times. Are you feeling okay?" Ethan asked, really concerned now. Mark got out of the bed, realizing he was also in the nude. He quickly covered himself with his robe.

"Ethan, I think you've been drinking, or I've been drinking? I think we're just drunk. You need to go back to your room!" Mark yelled. Ethan stood up, not bothering to cover up.

"Mark, I don't understand what I did! Did you have a bad dream? Maybe you're just not awake," Ethan yelled back.

"I'm wide awake! I would know if I was sleeping!" Mark was so confused. Had he been in a coma? Was he drinking? Why couldn't he remember?

"Mark, I think you need to wake up," Ethan said, stepping closer. Mark backed away, but Ethan kept advancing. He backed Mark into a corner. Ethan slowly, and gently grabbed Mark's cheeks, pulling him closer, and connecting their lips.

Mark jolted up, and looked around. Ethan was no longer next to him. He sighed. It was just a dream. He felt better but not completely. He quickly got out of bed and threw his robe on. He practically ran to Ethan's room. The door to Ethan's room was open slightly. Mark peaked in. Ethan was sleeping, but he was tossing and turning, and whimpering slightly. Ethan grew more and more restless, and his cries grew louder and louder. Mark realized Ethan was crying out his name. He felt he had no choice but to intervene. He stepped up to the side of Ethan's bed. He shook the smaller male until he woke up. Ethan's eyes shot open. He was breathing heavily.

"Mark! Mark! Mar-" Ethan screamed.

"Hey, hey, hey! I'm right here!" Mark yelled over him, placing a hand on his shoulder, so Ethan could feel out where Mark was in the dark room, had his eyes not adjusted yet. Ethan leaned into Mark's chest and cried.

"Oh, thank God, you're okay! I had the most horrible dream I have ever had!" he cried. Mark hugged him, and held him close.

"Shh, It's okay, I'm fine. Why don't you try to get back to sleep?" Mark said softly. Ethan shook his head.

"I can't. Not right now," Ethan said, looking up at Mark. Mark sighed.

"Okay, let's go make some hot chocolate, and you can talk to me about it if you want. Ethan simply nodded, and got out of bed, wrapping himself in a blanket. The two walked downstairs, and to the kitchen.

"So, you want to tell me about your dream?" Mark asked, taking a sip of his hot chocolate. Ethan nodded.

"I was sleeping, and when I woke up there was a man in the house, and I told him to leave or else I would call the police, but he-" Ethan started to cry again. Mark gently rubbed his shoulders.

"It's okay, you don't have to tell me," Mark assured him. He hated seeing Ethan so upset. It made his chest physically hurt to watch him hurt like this.

"No, no, I want to tell you..." Ethan said before choking out another sob.

"It's okay, take your time. I'll be here to listen when you're ready," Mark smiled. Ethan nodded and smiled.

"The guy attacked me, and you tried to intervene, so he turned his attention to you, and he hit you over the head, knocking you out, and then he came back to attacking me, and he did some things that I don't want to relive, and then he left, and I crawled over to you, and you weren't responding, I-I thought I lost you-" he choked out another sob. This time, Mark stood, and wrapped his arms around the younger male's body.

"I'm completely fine. You're fine. If anyone broke in, I would destroy them before they even made it through the door," Mark said, almost as a joke, but mostly serious. Ethan laughed a bit.

"Good," he finally smiled for the first time that night, and that immediately lightened Mark's mood. The two of them put on some random show, and watched until Mark noticed Ethan was asleep. Mark shut off the TV, and scooped up the smaller male, carrying him to his room. Mark laid Ethan on his bed, and covered him up. Ethan curled into a ball, and smiled in his sleep. Mark couldn't help it. He kissed Ethan's forehead, and quickly left the room, returning to his bed, and falling asleep quickly. The dream Mark had was no longer on his mind. He was just happy that Ethan was back to bed.