Walking into class the day after was one of the weirdest things that Mark had ever had to deal with. Instead of the waves and high fives that he was used to, he was nearly ignored. Both he and Jackson had no attention thrown their way, and Mark didn’t know how to react. For a moment he stared down the long hall, eventually following Jackson to his locker and keeping an eye on the people nearby.

“Was this what last week felt like for you?” he asked softly, and Jackson just nodded. Mark sighed. “I’m sorry.”

The two got their books from their locker, neither paying attention until the door of Mark’s locker was slammed closed onto the back of his head. Mark couldn’t help the yelp in pain that he let out, immediately bracing himself against the metal. Jackson glanced around for who had done it, but so many people had passed by at that point that he just sighed and gave up, looking over the back of Mark’s head. He moved some of his hair.

“You’re not bleeding,” he mumbled softly, Mark nodding. The crowd of people around them was slowly thinning and Jackson turned Mark’s chin so that they were facing, eyes tracing the other’s expression before he cupped his cheek gently. “We’ll be fine, let’s just get through today. Then we’ll see where we stand.”

That was easier said than done.

If someone had looked in on Mark and Jackson’s day, they would never have guessed that they used to be two of the more popular people in the school. Never in his life had he felt so ignored and alone at school. They both ate lunch by themselves, walked to class by themselves, and both were by themselves at their lockers during every break. It was an odd feeling, and it wasn’t until class ended that anyone even spoke to them.

When Mark heard his name he turned, catching sight of Victoria jogging after them. She stopped when she caught them, breath a little heavy as she brushed her hair over her shoulder.

“Do you two have time to talk?” she asked, and Mark looked at her in confusion. Jackson raised a brow, eyes narrowing a moment later. He was about to ask what she was up to but she cut him off before he could get a word out, shaking her head. “I’m not trying to make fun of you, I just want to talk. That’s all.”

Mark looked at Jackson almost expectantly, waiting for the other to say no, but was surprised when he shrugged and nodded. Blinking, Mark looked back at Victoria.

“We can just talk at my house. You know how to get there,” he said, and she nodded, running off to her car with a gentle wave. Mark watched her go.

“What do you think she wants to talk about?” Mark asked, and Jackson turned to look at him.

“Probably you leaving her for a man,” he answered bluntly, and Mark ignored the deep blush that took over his cheeks, hand gripping Jackson’s wrist and nearly pulling him to his car.

When they got to Mark’s house Victoria was already there, leaning on her car and playing with her phone. She smiled when she saw them, following behind as they went inside. Mark didn’t know what he was doing, but Victoria saw them link their fingers absently, though they dropped them as they walked through the door and into the living room. Both Mark and Jackson flopped onto the couch, Victoria sitting in the chair nearby.

She didn’t know that she was supposed to start talking until they both stared at her expectantly. Clearing , she looked at them.

“This doesn’t have to be a long conversation,” she started, making sure that no one else was in the room. When she was sure they were alone, she leaned forward and narrowed her eyes. “So… You left me for him, right?” she asked, gesturing to Jackson. Looking away, Jackson pursed his lips. He wasn’t a fan of being referred to like he wasn’t there, and he made that known in a loud sigh. Mark bit his lip, looking down and nodding a moment later.

“Yeah…” he admitted softly. Victoria nodded.

“So… you’re gay now?” she asked, and Mark shook his head, though he wasn’t sure what he was going to say. It all just came out in a long speech, words forming together.

“No, I’m not… Jackson and I have known each other since we were kids. So this kinda…” Mark looked at Jackson, trying to figure out what to say and instead catching the smile that came from meeting Jackson’s gaze. “We’re just kind of together. And I like it.”

Jackson grinned, mussing Mark’s hair before he took his time fixing it. Victoria just watched in a happy silence, the two interacting making her smile as well. Finally Mark looked back, letting out a deep breath.

“I guess I just like who I like. Everyone does. Man or woman, it doesn’t really matter in the long run. As long as everyone’s happy.” Victoria nodded in agreement, eyes falling on Jackson, whose features looked so relieved and happy at Mark’s words that Victoria lost track of what she was planning on saying. Jackson absently pushed some of Mark’s hair behind his ear, gaze never once leaving Mark. Victoria sighed softly.

“I just want to see you happy. I’m one of those ones that’s supporting you two, not running around trying to tear you down.” She smiled. “Just so you know.” The thought made both Jackson and Mark smile in gratitude, and Victoria nodded to herself as well.

The fact that they had someone on their side was nice.

“So you two have… you know…” she said, and Mark cocked his head in confusion before finally grasping what she was asking and shaking his head. His cheeks went bright red and Jackson laughed loudly, patting Mark’s thigh.

“What? What made you think that?” Mark asked, and Victoria grinned.

“Because it looks like he wants to,” she replied, gesturing to Jackson. Now it was Jackson’s turn to blush and he immediately stopped laughing, Mark turning to him with an embarrassed expression. Victoria looked between the two of them a few times before standing, laughing awkwardly as she walked toward the door. “It… I guess I kind of overstayed my welcome. I’ll talk to you both tomorrow,” she said, looking between Mark and Jackson once more before slipping out the door and closing it behind her.

That left Mark and Jackson in silence and they looked at each other, Mark biting his lip anxiously and Jackson simply not sure what to say. He ended up being the first to break the tension between the two.

“How’s your head?” Jackson asked quietly. He let his hand slide up into Mark’s hair, fingers resting on the spot that had been hit by the locker earlier. He cringed when he felt the bump there, as did Mark.

“It hurts, but it’s not too bad,” he answered, eyes closed as he rested his forehead on Jackson’s shoulder. Jackson looked at him for just a moment before letting both hands move to massage Mark’s shoulders absently, Mark scooting closer on impulse as he continued. There was a silence, Jackson just massaging Mark’s shoulders as Mark sat there. Eventually he let one hand rest on Jackson’s thigh, giving it a little squeeze.

“I’m sorry I was kind of an ,” he murmured, turning his head so he was speaking toward Jackson’s neck. Jackson laughed under his breath.

“Kind of? You ignored me for a week,” Jackson answered through his laughter, but Mark sat up, eyes narrowed.

“Yeah, but I also broke a guy’s nose for you, so…” Mark let his voice trail off, brows raised to accentuate his point as Jackson laughed even more, nodding in understanding. It took a second for Mark to look down at his hand, which was still resting calmly on Jackson’s thigh, and when he noticed it his cheeks darkened slightly, pulling his hand away.

It was such a simple thing, something that they’d done so many times before, but now that this had all happened it held a different meaning. It was normally such a casual motion, but not anymore. Mark furrowed his brows.

“I never thought about… If this is gonna be awkward or not,” he admitted softly, looking up at Jackson after he’d finished the sentence. Jackson just pursed his lips.

“The kiss at the party wasn’t awkward,” he replied, shrugging casually.

“Being drunk helps,” Mark answered with a hint of a chuckle, and Jackson nodded. Glancing around, he made a show of trying to see if they were alone, then turned back to Mark, keeping close and speaking in an almost hushed tone.

“Are your parents home?” he asked, and Mark just shook his head, a very soft smile appearing on his lips. He leaned against the back of the couch, still looking at Jackson with a hint of a smirk before Jackson leaned forward and pressed their lips together softly.

Mark breathed in, eyes closing and nuzzling against Jackson’s hand on impulse when it was placed against his cheek. It was a short kiss but it left Mark with his eyes closed, his forehead resting against Jackson’s and hand once again resting on the other’s thigh.

“Was that awkward?” Jackson asked, and Mark once again just shook his head in response, Jackson smiling. “Good.”

With that he leaned forward again, catching Mark in a kiss and letting their lips work together for a few moments. Slowly Mark’s smile fell, brows knit together as he sighed into the kiss and even deepened it, his tongue sliding over Jackson’s lower lip gently. Jackson’s hand moved from Mark’s cheek to rest against the back of his neck, holding him close and keeping the connection for as long as he could.

The kiss might have started out gentle, but the moment it deepened the force behind it grew and Mark turned so that he was facing Jackson completely, the other man doing the same. Mark didn’t even notice his hand gripping Jackson’s thigh tightly, and he didn’t notice when Jackson’s free hand moved. He ended up resting it on Mark’s chest, fingers playing with the fabric of Mark’s shirt before his thumb brushed over his and Mark groaned softly into the kiss. The sound made Jackson pause for a moment before he let his fingers circle the same spot, toying with it and grinning into the kiss as Mark’s gasps got a bit louder.

Mark might have thought bridging the gap between best friends and significant others would be difficult, but he had been wrong.

He heard Jackson’s little gasps and sighs into the kiss, but it wasn’t until Mark bit down on Jackson’s lower lip that he groaned. Mark kept it between his teeth, slightly and noticing Jackson’s hips rock forward. He didn’t pull away, but he did glance down.

“You’re hard,” he mumbled, eyes meeting Jackson’s. Jackson’s eyes were barely open but he nodded, absently glancing down at Mark as well. He pulled his lip from between Mark’s teeth, leaning into his ear and cupping him through his jeans. Mark closed his eyes and let his head loll back, breathily.

“You are, too,” he said, and Mark could practically see the smirk on his lips before he nipped at the lobe of his ear. That simple motion made Mark moan, his body arching off the couch and hips rocking into Jackson’s hand. Jackson blinked, pulling away from Mark’s ear and looking down at him with wide eyes.

“… Damn,” he mumbled, about to lean down and toy with his ear again.

Both stopped in their tracks when they heard the door being opened. Mark all but pushed Jackson off of him, grabbing the remote and turning the television on to make it seem like nothing was happening. Jackson was still regaining his balance from being pushed back, but he grabbed the blanket off the back of the couch and threw it over the both of them as the door opened. When Mark shot him a questioning look he just raised a brow, patting the obvious bulge in his pants under the sheet. Mark tried not to groan but failed, passing it off like he was sighing shakily as his parents walked into the room.

“Oh. Jackson, I haven’t seen you in a while.” Mark’s father waved at the two of them, and Jackson waved back, his other hand still resting in the same spot under the blanket. Mark bit his lip.

“Hey dad.” He grinned, playing it off like nothing had changed, like they hadn’t just been kissing on the couch, and like he wasn’t still palming Mark through his jeans under the bit of fabric he’d tossed over the both of them. “I’ve been busy lately, sorry I haven’t come by. But I’m sure I’ll be here a lot more often now.” He shot Mark a smile, one that Mark hesitantly returned as he tried to ignore his muscles twitching as a shot of pleasure coursed up his spine. Mark’s father just nodded, taking his wife’s hand and offering them both a polite wave before heading down the hallway. “Dad, can I stay over in Mark’s room?” he called after them, and he heard a laugh from down the hall.

“The answer is the same as it always is. But nice try,” he called back, and Mark heard the door to their bedroom close before he pulled Jackson’s hand away from his lap.

“You’re such a jerk!” he exclaimed, and Jackson just laughed, pushing his hair from his face.

“Maybe. But this jerk has to run, I said I’d help my mom with some stuff,” he said with a smile, standing up and stretching. Mark couldn’t help but look over his figure in silence, his lips on impulse as Jackson leaned down. “Don’t check me out too much, I’ll start getting cocky,” he said, hands gripping the couch on either side of Mark’s head. Mark raised a brow.

“You already are cocky. Go home, jerk,” he said, words coming out much sweeter than they seemed. Grinning, Jackson leaned down to press a kiss to Mark’s lips, one that lingered for only a moment before he walked toward the door.

“We’ll continue this tomorrow. Promise.”

Jackson winked at Mark and Mark’s only response was to toss a pillow toward him, Jackson laughing loudly and running from the room just in time. Mark heard him drive off from his comfortable spot on the couch and he leaned back, looking up at the ceiling and letting out a soft sigh of relief.