Jackson sat on the plane in a daze, fingers on his lips.

Mark kissed him. He kissed Mark.

How had he not died from happiness? He wished his tournament was right this second -- he knew he would win gold with the adrenaline running through his veins.

Who knew Mark could be so flirty, too? "We'll pick up where we left off." Hell yeah they would, and more!

His sappy grin got even wider.

Now that he knew Mark felt the same, Jackson was on cloud nine, and he couldn't wait to get his hands and lips back on Mark. To be honest, without his coach, Jackson never would've gotten on the plane.

Jackson pulled out his phone and texted Mark.

To: Dimsum

How could you do that to me just before I was leaving? TT_TT Now I have to wait a week to kiss you again!

Jackson's phone buzzed with a reply.

To: Mandu

I couldn't help it...^^;; I've been wanting to do that for ages.

And then again...

To: Mandu

Miss you already. <3 

Jackson almost squealed.

----------------------------------

Mark really did miss Jackson that quickly. Junior and Jaebum relentlessly on the way back to campus, but Mark didn't care. He was replaying the kiss over and over in his head. He worried, too, that Jackson would change his mind when he got back.

Mark's phone dinged in his pocket.

To: Dimsum

I bet I've been wanting to kiss you longer. Just wait until I get back...! xoxo

Mark chuckled at Jackson's flirting, unable to hide his grin or red cheeks. Then he started imagining their reunion, and his cheeks got even redder, his heartbeat racing.

The next couple days were mostly uneventful. Mark and Jackson texted each other each night before bed, as Jackson was busy practicing during the day and Mark wen to his classes. Junior and Jaebum were annoying brats, making kissy faces at Mark whenever the opportunity arose as they watched Jackson's preliminary matches (winning all of them). The most surprising thing was when Mark saw Yugyeom and BamBam walking together one day, hands entwined and laughing. Mark cornered BamBam not long after.

"What's up with you and Yugyeom?" BamBam squirmed and blushed, unable to hide his smile. "I'll tell you if you promise not to say anything to your roommates!"

"I promise. Spill!"

"After you rejected him, I left him alone. But he was still moping the next day, so I got some alcohol -- yeah, yeah, you can scold me later -- thinking he could drown his sorrows, and I could maybe forget the fact that he doesn't like me, but then Junior texted me about you kissing Jackson and...I accidentally confessed while I was drunk. But then he kissed me!" BamBam couldn't hide his glee. "He likes me back! This whole time, I liked him and he liked me, but both of us were too scared to say anything. Just like you and Jackson!" BamBam looked up at Mark with sudden wide eyes. "Ah, sorry, Mark. He did really like you, but apparently it was a way for him to try to forget about me, thinking I wouldn't like him back." 

Mark laughed. "I don't care about that, BamBam. Really, I'm glad he's not pining after me." Mark hugged his friend. "I'm really happy for you guys, Bam! We've all been such idiots, haven't we?" BamBam nodded in agreement with a grin.

"But why don't you want the others to know? It was kind of obvious when I saw you two walking around where anyone could see you."

"I just want it to be just us for a day or so more. Besides, with JB and Youngjae together, I feel bad for Junior. We're all paired up but him."

Mark smiled fondly at his friend. "That's nice of you to worry about him. I think he's already used to it though. He's probably just happy we've all resolved our '' as he puts it." BamBam laughed at that.

In reality, Mark was right. Junior walked around praising the heavens that everyone "finally had their together" and he no longer had to endure the longing glances, as he liked to tell everyone when he could (which was all the time). JB and Youngjae still hadn't officially said anything about their relationship, and they never showed any sort of affection in public, but they were always together so it didn't take a genius to figure out what was going on.

Mark was so happy, the only thing that would make it better would for Jackson to win his gold and come home quickly. Classes were fine, he was more comfortable modeling in the art classes, and he hadn't truly hurt Yugyeom's feelings by rejecting him. 

The night of Jackson's final match finally arrived, and all the boys sat around the TV at Mark's dorm with food and drinks. Mark believed Jackson would win, but he couldn't help his fingers as they continued to flip his cell phone around and around in nervousness. Jackson had worked so hard for this, and he really wanted Jackson's dreams to come true.

Mark's cell phone stilled in his fingers when JB put his hands over Mark's. "Stop worrying, Mark. He'll be great." Youngjae leaned over JB with a smile, in support of JB's words. Mark smiled back and tried to relax.

All eyes were riveted to the TV when Jackson's name was heard and Mark saw the familiar form of his roommate, confidently striding to his spot opposite his opponent. No one said a word as the match began, both boys moving quickly with their feet to attack and defend. They dueled so fast, Mark wasn't quite sure when Jackson was landing hits or not, but soon the ref called a break. That was when Mark was able to realize that Jackson was in the lead by 3 points, and the boys cheered like crazy. Soon, the minute break was up, and the boys went back at it. Mark couldn't help but marvel at Jackson's speed and strength -- he was in complete awe. Mark could finally tell that Jackson had landed a few more hits, but so had his opponent. It wasn't until the ref buzzed again and Jackson threw his hands up in victory that Mark realized Jackson had won.

He had won!!

Mark screamed in joy with the other boys, all of them hugging and dancing around, Jinyoung and BamBam squishing Mark in their happiness. Mark watched as Jackson took off his mask, breathing hard and sweaty but smiling as wide as possible. He gave a wink and blew a kiss to the camera, and all the boys hooted and hollered at Mark, who had blushed from his ears to his toes.

"We don't know that it was for me!"

"Please, it certainly wasn't for us!" Jinyoung argued with glee.

"Ewwwwwwwwwww!" Came a reply from BamBam, making a grossed out face at Mark.

"You can't ew me when you were face with Yugyeom not twenty minutes ago!" Mark retaliated, sending everyone into laughter once more.

Mark was so thrilled for Jackson, he couldn't wait for him to get back so he could hug him tight and tell him in person what an amazing job he did. They watched as Jackson received his medal, glowing with pride, and Mark had to turn away a bit so the others couldn't see him tearing up. (Little did he know that Jinyoung saw and recorded all.)

When the tournament was finally over, Mark quickly sent a text to Jackson to congratulate him. The boys were starting up a party in celebration, and soon music, dancing and laughter filled the room as drinks were poured. Feeling a buzzing in his pocket, Mark snuck away to his room for a quiet place to answer his phone.

"Mark! I did it, Mark! Did you see? I feel like I'm in ing heaven right now!" Jackson shouted in happiness, and Mark could imagine him bouncing around the room in excitement.

"I saw! We all saw it! We're so proud of you, Jackson! You were absolutely amazing!" Mark tried to make sure Jackson knew how sincere he was with every word.

"Oh, man, Mark, I'm on such an adrenaline rush, I can't believe it, I .... wait, do I hear music?" Jackson's voice became puzzled.

"Yeah, we're throwing a party in honor of your win. Don't worry, we have another one planned for when you get back." Mark smiled, thinking of Jackson coming home soon.

"A party? With alcohol? Who's there?" Jackson voice had turned suspicious.

"Of course with alcohol, idiot. It's all of us -- JB, Junior, Youngjae, BamBam, and Yugyeom." Mark could hear Jackson sputtering on the line, as if his thoughts were in a jumble, until Jackson finally began making sense in a huge torrent of angry words.

"Don't you go to that party, Mark Tuan! You stay in your bedroom and let no one in, especially that kid Yugyeom! Do you hear me? He's going to try to kiss you again and I will KILL him if he tries, I bet he's been planning this all along, a way to get you alone without me there and I'm calling Jinyoung right now to take photographic evidence of him being too close so I can beat his if he even gets within 20 feet of you and..." Mark couldn't help but laugh at Jackson's jealousy.

"This isn't funny, Mark!"

"Jackson..." Mark scrambled for breath between his laughter. "Jackson, I turned Yugyeom down. Besides, he and BamBam are together now." It got quiet on the line, apart from occasional lingering hiccups from Mark's laughter.

"Oh." Mark could tell Jackson was embarrassed now, and he felt bad.

"Yeah, they're pretty inseparable. Like we'll probably be, when you get back."

That seemed to get Jackson's attention. "Probably? You mean most definitely." Jackson sounded smug and confident. Mark stifled another laugh. Jackson was just too cute.

He heard Jackson's muffled voice talking to someone else before he returned to the line. "Sorry, Mark, I have to go. But I'll see you in 24 hours, right?"

"Absolutely."

"Dream of me."

"God, you're so cheesy!"

"Maaarrrk!" Jackson whined.

"Fine, I'll dream of you. You did look really y tonight." Mark heard Jackson in his breath, caught off guard. "See you soon! Bye!" Mark ended the call quickly, blushing at his own words but also pleased with himself.

It wasn't every day you could catch Jackson Wang off guard.

-------------------------------------------------------

Hearing Mark talk like that was sending Jackson's stomach into sumersaults -- in a good way. Mark had been especially flirty in his text messages, too. He couldn't believe quiet, shy Mark had the confidence to say things like that! Jackson had to admit he really liked it. A lot. (And no one had to know how much squealing and rolling around Jackson did whenever Mark flirted.) 

He was on cloud nine after winning, and knowing that Mark was waiting for him (without an interfering kid named Yugyeom) was just sending him even higher. He couldn't wait to rush back, jump into Mark's arms (or have Mark jump into his) and kiss Mark senseless. He had spent all of his time this past week being hyper focused on fencing or hyper focused on what Mark's kisses felt like. Junior had sent him a video of Mark tearing up when Jackson got his medal, looking so proud and happy and fond, and with fencing out of the way, Jackson's mind was wholly focused on kissing Mark now. How could Jackson not kiss Mark when he looked at Jackson like that?

Thankfully, the next few hours flew by -- the celebration party, sleeping, and then getting up to pack and fly back to South Korea -- but Jackson still had a hard time keeping his body still as he sat waiting for the plane to take off. His mouth hurt from smiling too much, a headahce was forming from lack of sleep, his voice was hoarse from responding to all the congratulations he got from different teams and coaches, and he couldn't wait to sleep back in his own bed. Or Mark's. Preferably Mark's.

He had actually lied to his roommates about when he was getting back. He wanted to surprise them. He knew he was getting back to South Korea in the dead of night, and he didn't want them to have to come to the airport so late. So he lied and said he was getting in the next morning. He knew they wouldn't mind.

Finally arriving at the dorm, Jackson relished the quiet that awaited him. He knew there would be time later for partying and having fun -- right now he just wanted to curl up and sleep.

Quietly dropping off his stuff in his room, a quick glance at Jackson's clock told him it was 3 am. Unable to wait to see Mark, Jackson snuck into Mark's room and, seeing the boy slumbering deeply, carefully crawled into the bed, wrapping his arms gently around Mark. Letting out a soft sigh, Mark turned over to face Jackson, snuggling in deeper towards Jackson's body. Jackson held his breath, waiting for Mark to awaken, but he continued to sleep. Jackson smiled, finally able to hold Mark in his arms, and gave him a gentle kiss on the forehead, before pulling Mark in just that much closer. Not realizing the tension he was holding on to, Jackson let out a breath, breathed in the familiar scent of Mark, and relaxed into a deep, dreamless sleep. 

A/N: Sorry this was so blah. Life is kicking my . I won't have such a long time between the next update, I promise.