"Something inside you is crying and driving you on...

Cause if you hadn't found me

I would have found you."

              If Mark was a quiet person before, he became quieter after his father's death. He was kind of an introvert, rarely starting conversations. But with his father gone, he acted like a dumb person. Even when Jackson would try to engage him in talks, he would shut the other down with one word answers. Thus, Jackson backed off. It distressed him. It troubled Jackson to think that Mark was hurting and that hurt was killing him from the inside. But he was so stubborn that he would not let out his tears after that one night and neither talk to Jackson about it. Jackson knew that Mark was the kind to let his sadness drown himself rather than share it with someone else. Jackson earnestly wanted to save Mark. He wanted to hold Mark and save him from falling into the deep void. He wanted to rescue Mark and take him away from the darkness towards the world of blooming daffodils. 

      But he was afraid. He was afraid to take the step in that direction. Why? 

Doubt.

       Jackson, the only one whom Mark showed his softer side, doubted. He  doubted if it would be okay to shower Mark the love he deserved. Jackson wanted to hold him, run his fingers through Mark's hair and tell him that things are going to be okay. He wanted to assure him that he would always be there for him. But Jackson doubted if Mark would want that. So he just kept away, looking at the rueful boy, caring and protecting him from a distance. When they would take the herd out to graze, Mark would sit silently, staring constantly at anything and everything. Jackson did not want to encroach his thoughts, so he stayed away, making himself busy with the sheep. But it did not stop him from checking other boy now and again, with his round, concerned eyes.

         So Mark and Jackson had fallen into a routine. A routine where Mark was lost in his own world while Jackson looked at him from far away. But what are routines that are broken right?

        If Jackson was a great horse rider, he was a climber. And he had not known it. 

One of the lambs was trying to descend a steep cliff and Jackson happened to see it, fortunately. Or unfortunately. If it fell, it would fall into the  river below and drown. So Jackson took upon himself the responsibility to rescue the lamb. Somehow, he did manage to pull the lamb up, but in the process, he himself slipped. He quickly grabbed a horizontal tree, in which blossomed a single yellow flower. "Mark!" Jackson loudly yelped and struggled to bring himself up. But he failed. The barely thick branch of the tree gave up and down went Jackson, his body first and his hat following later. 

          Jackson was falling. And he felt... free. Free of all his confusing feelings. Free of feelings for Mark. Free of all responsibilities. 

       When he finally hit the surface, his reverie got disturbed. Thank  goodness it was not hard ground, but the liquid surface of the water did not good too. His body hit the water with a huge splash and God, it was then when he panicked because Jackson Wang could not swim to  save his life, literally. The birds sitting on the nearby trees flew away, looking at the droplets of water which created little rainbows with the afternoon sun. Jackson's body drowned and he hit the bootom of the river. He had his eyes closed and he knew he was not breathing. But he couldn't help it. He was scared to open his eyes, lest he would see his own death. He knew his body was now starting to give up. 

       Jackson had almost lost consciousness when someone grabbed his hand and pulled him. That's when he opened his eyes and in all the darkness of the water, he saw himself being pulled towards the surface. 

       Mark's hair looked redder when wet and Jackson wanted to tell him that. But he couldn't . He had consumed enough water to choke himself and he couldn't breathe. Mark tried with all his might to squeeze the water out. But regardless of all the coughing and squeezing from Jackson and Mark respectively, Jackson was still having problem to breathe. So Mark bent down, and Jackson knew his heart was racing, not only because it was out of air but also beacause Mark was too close now. Mark's mouth finally touched Jackson's and he gave him his breath to breathe. Yes it felt intimate and although Jackson was in a difficult situation, he did not fail to blush. The two finally managed to get the water out of Jackson and help him breathe. 

       "Damn it Jackson! Don't scare me like that!" Mark grumbled in a rather angry tone. "I..." Jackson trailed. "I..." he repeated again to find a good reply but Mark beat him with, ". I cannot afford to lose you too." It was accompanied by a bone crushing hug. 

      Jackson went wide eyed. It shocked him and he froze. But he was brought back to his senses when he felt warm tears on his shoulders. So he hugged back and he realized that altough it was him who almost drowned to death, it was Mark who was feeling more vulnerable. "I'm sorry for ignoring you all this time. Sorry I was distant. But please don't leave me. I only have you.." Mark's muffled voice was heard and all the complaints Jackson had bottled against Mark's behaviour were thrown in the wide sea.

"It's okay Mark. I'm fine. I am fine." Jackon said in a groggy voice, patting Mark's head. 

     Mark moved to look at Jackson. The boy always gave him peace and his smile made his heart soothe. He slowly stood up and announced, "You know what Jackson?" "What?" Jackson inquired from his spot on the pebbled ground. "It's time to complete what was left unfinished. I'm teaching you how to swim."

       Jackson could only nod.

And yes, Jackson Wang failed to breathe for the second time that day when Mark held his hand to pull him up and gently kissed his forehead taking advantage of their slight height difference.

         Jackson heard the honk of Mark's truck when he was putting his clothes and hat to dry. He went out to find Mark in his truck. "Hop in. We're going for your first lesson" Mark demanded. Jackson was not a bot interested after his eventfull day where he almost died so he stood where he was, at the door. "C'mon pup!" Mark shouted. "Can we not go today? I am tired." Jackson replied. 

        Mark got out of his truck and pulled Jackson towards it. "Please let's go. I promise we'll just say hi and make friends with water today." He opened the door to the passenger seat and waited for Jackson to enter. When Jackson finally did, he gave him his famous horse grin and hurried towards his own seat. 

       Jackson didn't know where Mark was taking them but he liked it. He liked to sit beside Mark and stare at him, eyes concentrated on the road, hands tight around the steering and some retro song playing in the radio. Jackson sometimes complained about Mark not talking, but it was times like this that he totally appreciated the boy's quiet nature. Mark would let him watch him in peace, with no objections and disrurbance. 

        The sun had set and night had engulfed the area. Mark finally stopped beside a lake. The lake where they had first met. The night was bright with full moon and Jackson couldn't but help being awestruck by the beauty of the lake. The reflection of the round and beautiful moon with it's comrade stars made the water look aesthetic and fantastic. A light breeze was blowing and Jackson wished he could stand beside the lake forever with Mark.

       After standing there looking at the scenic beauty, Mark slowly took off his shirt and pant. He entered the lake in his boxers. The sight made Jackson's mouth dry. He didn't know what to do. Mark went a little further, to the point where the water reached his belly button. He turned towards Jackson and held his hand out in the air. "Come here Jackson."

Jackson stood there, frozen, taking in the sight before him. Mark stood in the lake in all his beauty, his fair pale skin glistening in the moonlight, his face ecstatic, his hands out there to reach out for Jackson. Jackson could not decide if it was Mark or the lake which was more beautiful. But he was sure of one thing. 

Both were calling him. 

They were pulling him towards them. They were calling him in their arms and Jackson knew there was no going back once he crossed this threshold. By the looks in his eyes, Jackson knew Mark wanted something. The kiss in the day had made it clear. Jackson knew he was about to enter a new world. A world where there was no confusion. Only  answers. And Jackson knew he was desperate for that. So he slowly proceeded to unclothe himself.

       When his feet finally touched the cool water, his breath hitched. But when he looked at Mark, with his hands still extended, he continued without hesitation. He finally took Mark's hand and was pulled towards him. Jackson felt his body temperature rising when he realised their almost bodies were touching and Mark was close. When he raised his eyes to look at Mark, the latter's eyes were already fixated on him. Jackson felt Mark's hand slowly travelling behind his head and pulling him closer. Jackson felt his heart thump like it wanted to jump out and he took quick short breaths. He felt like the time was moving in slow motion and Mark was taking forever to reach him. But when he finally did, Jackson barely got time to gulp down the spit before Mark savoured his lips like a hungry wolf. 

       After kissing each other like there was no tomorrow, they detached and Jackson felt a chill run down his body. Mark's hands were rested on Jackson's lower back while his own were on Mark's shoulders.

     "Well this was good for a start at least." Mark said smiling, running his hands up and down Jackson's side.

Suddenly the bulb in Jackson's head lighted and he screeched, "You did not simply want to teach me swimming did you? You wanted to kiss me? You planned this!!!" 

And then came Mark's reply which made Jackson want to scream like a maniac, "I did. And I have been planning this for a long time now."

Author's Note:- Hello people!!! Sorry I was absent for long. But now I am back and I will be posting. I had some touble getting in the mood though. I watched so many bl movies for inspiration. You guys should watch too. There is this thai movie Grey Rainbow. One of the best queer movies I have watched. Plus  the guys a cute.

 And yes. Finally Markson. And there  will be more in the coming chapters..