The first time Mark met Jackson left him a bit out-weirded but it wasn't a bad first impression either. If you could call it meeting him. They had bumped into each other in the hall way and the papers Mark had been carrying had scattered all over the floor. While Mark had dropped to pick them up, Jackson had just looked at him with an astonished expression. He had then proceeded to apologize and started helping him.

When they had picked up all the papers, they had stood up and Jackson had handed him the papers. If you could call it handing him the papers, when the other wouldn't let go for a while. He had simply stared at Mark with this weird expression. It was getting pretty embarrassing, when Jackson had finally let go. One last apology and they had each went their way.

The thing was, Mark was new and didn't know Jackson like most people at school. So later when he made a friend and told him of his weird encounter with the dude in the middle of crowd, said friend had stared at him.

Now it wasn't because Jackson couldn't be nice. He was nice. A social butterfly. He just always had endless things to say, no matter if he just met you. And true enough, Jackson was chatting away faster than a horse could run in the midst of all the people.

Mark shrugged it off however and didn't think much of it. So what if Jackson didn't say anything? It wasn't that big of a deal.

Three months later, his life was a simple one and he liked it that way. He went to school, did his homework, treated his friend lunch every once in a while, read books and listened to music. Oh and then there was the dancing in his bedroom while no one was watching and the martial arts tricking in the park, also when no one was watching.

So when Jackson (now he knew his name) sat himself down in front of him in one free period in the library, he had a bad feeling. Mostly because the book he was reading at the time had come to the point where something bad was about to happen.

At first Mark had tried to ignore the other, but he kept staring. It was highly unnerving and very uncomfortable. So finally he looked up at the other and opened his mouth to speak, but was beat to it.

“Hi,” Jackson greeted him and Mark closed his mouth again. An awkward silence fell upon them. But it might just have been Mark feeling it, because the other looked completely at ease.

“Hi,” he finally greeted back, feeling the awkwardness on every level of the word. Jackson however, had smiled widely, as if by saying that one word, the world had become a better place. If anything, it had taken Mark a bit back, because who smiled like that?

“What are you doing?” the other had asked, as if it wasn't obvious when there was a book in Mark's hands.

“Reading,” Mark had answered slowly, catching himself in thinking the other might be slightly daft. He quickly brushed the assumption aside as it wasn't nice to judge people that quickly.

“Which book?”Jackson had continued, his smile still really really wide. Mark looked down at the book in reflex, to look at the cover. It was a beautiful book.

“The Left Hand of God,” he answered still looking at the book. He could feel himself smiling a fond smile. It was a good book, though disgusting at times.

Jackson had let out a curious noise. “I didn't think you would like those types of books.”

“Huh?” Mark had asked unintelligibly.

“I read it. And it's pretty disgusting at times, not to mention the main character is a bit dumb at times,” Jackson had told him and he had widened his eyes. “Well maybe not dumb in the sense of being stupid, but dumb in the sense that he doesn't know better on how to act. For example around that girl that they convince the higher-ups needs protecting,” the other had continued. And Mark had found himself nodding in agreement.

“You read?” he had asked dumbly, because Jackson didn't look like the person to read with his baggy clothes and snapbacks.

“Yes,” the other had smiled even wider and frankly he looked pretty attractive at that moment. “What's your favorite book or series?”

“Uhm...” Mark had said slowly, still feeling awkward and a bit taken back by his own thoughts about the other. Jackson had waited patiently as he thought about his answer, taking a bit slower than usual. “Harry Potter I think,” he had finally answered.

“Interesting choice, why?”

“Harry Potter was the first book I read, like really read,” Mark had tried to explain. Sure he had read other books before Harry Potter, but after reading the first HP book, his world had changed. Harry Potter had introduced him to the world of books, in the greatest sense.

“It was the first book I read too,” Jackson had smiled thoughtfully while nodding his head. And Mark had found himself smiling back.

The other had frozen in his smile and stared at Mark almost as if he was the answer to all questions. It had been very uncomfortable. So Mark had looked down at his book again, hiding himself as much as he could underneath his way-too-short-for-these-situations fringe.

After that, Jackson had joined Mark in the library every week when they both had free periods. It was nice and though Mark had never been a big talker, Jackson had somehow included him in the conversations. And he was patient when Mark took a longer time to say something, never hurrying him along. He did however sometimes about not being a good talker, but it was all in a joking manner. Mark would laugh along and throw back 'better than never shutting up'. Jackson would grin and for a moment that smile would be back, that he had begun to think was extremely attractive.

Two months later, Jackson suddenly joined Mark and his only other friend Yugyeom at their lunch table.

“Hello Markie-Pooh,” he had greeted Mark as he usually did and sat down. “Yugyeom, how are you?” he had continued looking over at his friend. Yugyeom had opened and closed his mouth like a fish, to which Jackson had chuckled. The canteen had been quiet, everyone looking at them. It was very cliche and if it wasn't because he was dying of embarrassment, Mark would have facepalmed.

“What are you doing here?” he had asked quietly instead, sounding more surprised than anything.

“I wanted to see my MarkieMark,” Jackson had smiled. “Am I not allowed to do that?” he had continued with a pout that seemed wrong for his face.

“Of course you are,” Mark had said hurriedly, wanting the pout gone. Jackson had then proceeded to smile that big bright smile and he had wanted to hide it away from the world. He wanted the smile to be his and his only. Surprised by his own thoughts, he had looked confused down at his food. Where did that come from?

Around them, people had started whispering to each other, creating a hum in the canteen. It was all really very uncomfortable. Mark could feel the eyes on him and he contemplated fleeing the canteen for a little while. A hand touched the back of his neck and started massaging him gently, as if saying it was ok, someone was there. It was Jackson's hand.

It wasn't the first time the other had done it, so Mark knew the touch. The first time had been just before mid-terms and he had been freaking out a little. Jackson had then pulled him into a short but intense hug before massaging the back of his neck gently. It was oddly grounding. And it worked this time too.

So he looked up at Jackson, who smiled a comforting smile at him, before looking over at Yugyeom. Yugyeom who still gaped like a fish.

“What did I miss here?” he had asked, not knowing of him and Jackson talking often in the library as Mark had never found it needed to talk about it.

“Markie-Pooh, haven't you told him about us?” Jackson had frowned while shaking his head in disappointment. “And here I thought you weren't ashamed about us.” Mark had let out a laugh at that.

“Of course I'd be ashamed, it's you,” he had replied smiling, not meaning a word he said.

Once again Jackson pouted, before retracting the hand from his neck. Mark missed it instantly and it had nothing to with why he reached out and grabbed to other's hand. And then Jackson smiled that smile at him again when they intertwined their fingers. For a second it felt like they were in the library, just the two of them, closing out the world.

It was ruined by a blonde kid, who was really skinny, slamming his hands into the table, creating a momentary silence in the canteen once more.

“Is this they guy you've been disappearing off with? Gods, I never thought I'd meet him!” the kid had said loudly and sat down. Reaching out a hand, the kid smiled. “I'm Kunpimook, but everyone calls me BamBam, You must be the guy who's got Jackson reconsidering his life.” the kid, BamBam apparently, went on and Mark hesitantly took his hand with the one Jackson wasn't holding. The kid, had a firm grip despite looking so skinny and... not muscled. It really looked like he was made of nothing other than skin and bones basically.

After that, it was like the atmosphere in the canteen broke and people started chatting normally. That he was probably the subject on everybody's lips, he decided to ignore. Three other guys decided to join them (introducing themselves as JB, Jr (what was up with these names?) and Youngjae (someone with a normal name, finally)).

From that day on, the seven of them ate together, more people stopping by to chat with them quickly every day. And every time there were too many people for Mark, Jackson's hand would find its way to the back of his neck, massaging him gently.

Mark also soon found himself spending time with Jackson in the weekend more and more. It led to jokes from his new friends about the two of them being joined at the hip. More than once had they been told to either 'just kiss already' or 'get a room'. And every time, Mark would blush while Jackson fended them off, while their hands joined underneath the table.

It all led up to this moment, where Jackson was drunk off his and Mark wasn't any better off. They had just gotten home to Mark's place, stumbled through the house and into Mark's room. Collapsing with drunken chuckles on the bed, they looked at the ceiling.

Mark turned his head towards Jackson and found the other already looking at him. The second their eyes met, they began laughing again. Trying to tell his friend to be quiet he held a finger to his lips, but it was basically fruitless. They tried and failed again and again, until Mark felt the drowsiness tug at his mind.

“Am tired,” he said in his slurred voice.

“Me too,” Jackson replied and threw a leg and an arm over Mark's body, pulling him closer. It was really warm.

“You're hot,” Mark complained.

“Why thank you, I know,” his friend replied with a smirk and something else in his eyes.

“No, you're warm. You're not hot. You wouldn't know hot if it hit you in the face,” he complained again and tried to get out of the grasp. It wasn't a wholehearted try, as he quite liked it in Jackson's arms, but it really was hot.

“I think you're hot,” Jackson mumbled, hugging Mark closer.

“Yeah right,” Mark huffed. Jackson was very close now, his mouth breathing hot air onto his ear. It sent shivers down his spine.

“I mean it. You're hot, y and cute,” his friend almost whispered, sending puffs of warm air onto his skin. It really was too much.

“How can someone be all those at once?” Mark asked and renewed his tries at getting away from the furnace that was Jackson.

“I don't know, I don't get it either, but you are,” Jackson basically whined. There was no other word for it and it sounded weird coming from the other's mouth.

“You're weird,” he told the other

“And you have very edible looking ears,” his friend countered. Mark stopped his struggling and turned his head to look at the other. He was staring back with a hazy look of something. Deciding he couldn't keep staring at his friend, because his lips suddenly looked inviting, he looked back at the ceiling.

Jackson the shell of his ear. Mark shivered and turned his head so the other couldn't him again.

“What was that for?” he asked. Jackson seemed to collect the rest of his wits, looking almost sober.

“I told you your ears look edible. I just had to try them,” he answered seriously before breaking into a happy grin.

“You're gross.”

“Only for you,” Jackson smiled and lunged at him somehow and started and nibbling his ear.

“Eeeeeeew,” Mark laughed and tossed and turned his head to avoid the others mouth. Jackson didn't give up however and for several minutes they fought their little battle, until Mark grew tired and gave up his right ear.

“My ear,” Jackson claimed with his teeth biting gently down onto it.

“As long as you don't remove it from my body,” Mark agreed.

“Silly, if I did that it would lose its purpose,” his friend replied and started playing with 'his' ear.

“You're weird,” Mark stated.

“You like it.”

Mark didn't answer. He didn't know how to. He was warm, tired, drunk and generally just ready to go to bed and sleep for the next five days. And if Jackson kept playing with his ear for those next five days, he wouldn't mind because it was sending delicious signals to the rest of his body. It was all around comfortable.

“I'm tired,” he managed to say as he was falling asleep. It was a bad decision to say that because Jackson stopped playing with his ear.

“Do you want to sleep in your clothes?” Jackson's voice asked him close to his ear. It felt really nice. It was all types of comfortable and deep. Like a bass. He had always liked the bass.

“No, it's warm,” he answered and then the warmth on top of him disappeared. Mark was about tell him he changed his mind, because it was suddenly cold, when he was pulled up on his feet.

“Do you trust me?” his friend's voice asked, and it sounded so sober and serious, not at all what Mark was feeling.

“Of course. You're my friend,” Mark answered swaying a little. Jackson's warm hands held him steady and then the other started unbuckling his belt. Mark stood still as his friend helped him out of his pants and then his t-shirt. For a moment he was left alone and he felt cold. He wanted Jackson's warmth again.

And then those warm hands were back, leading him back to the bed and laying him down. His friend's warmth was then all over his back as the other spooned him. Mark liked this was his only coherent thought as the covers were pulled over them and a kiss was placed on his ear.

So it was only natural that he turned around, tangled their legs together and snuggled into the warmth for more. Burning lips kissed his forehead and then he was gone to the world, feeling the delicious warmth of Jackson in his dreams.

Warm. Warm and comfortable. That was what he was. And to be totally honest it was quite wonderful. He could stay here forever. So he decided that's what he would do. Snuggling closer to the body that emitted the heat, he sighed in contentment.

“You awake?” a hoarse voice asked and it rumbled slightly underneath Mark's head. He hummed in response, the words barely registering in his mind. All he could think of in his sleepy haze was the warmth. The delicious warmth that he wanted all to himself.

“I need to pee,” the voice announced of course, ruining everything.

“No,” Mark denied the other and latched himself more tightly onto the source of the heat.

“Hey there baby octopus, I'll be back in a minute,” the hoarse voice laughed and hands pried him off the other. It wasn't fair. Mark was weak with sleep, so the other escaped. Left behind in the cold, he curled into himself and tried to keep the heat beneath the covers. But it just wasn't the same without a living furnace next to you.

The cold brought consciousness with it. Mark began to remember that the living furnace was his friend. That that friend had slept next to him, while Mark was wearing almost nothing. What that friend had been doing to his ear last night and how lame the whole situation with the ear owning was. And for some reason, his heart still fluttered and longed for Jackson to come back to bed so he could be warm again.

It really didn't make sense. He was supposed to be freaking out or something (that's what they did in those cheesy movies, that he didn't watch at own will by the way), yet he was just longing for the other to come back. He wanted to feel the warm skin against his own again. He wanted the other to play with his ear again.

And then the door opened and closed and the covers were opened before his living furnace was back. Before he even registered what he was doing, he was wrapped around Jackson.

“I see someone's missed me,” his friend laughed softly and pulled him closer in a hug. For a while they just lay there. Mark basked in the warmth. He felt such at ease, like never before.

“Do you remember last night?” Jackson asked, breaking the silence.

“Yeah, why?” Mark mumbled. He really hoped Jackson wasn't about to say that he didn't.

Instead his friend laughed. “Just making sure you remembered my claim on your ear,” he said.

“You're weird,” he told the other. But he smiled nonetheless, because despite how weird and cheesy this was, he liked it.

After that Mark was sure he had turned into a monster. He really wanted, craved, Jackson's attention. And he got it. Jackson would hug him, hold hands with him, everything. They would sit in each other's laps, hugging as often as possible. They used every excuse they could to sleep over at each others places so that they could cuddle all night.

Jackson had named Mark his baby octopus, because when he slept he clung on to Jackson like these was no tomorrow. And Jackson would touch his ear often, or it, reminding Mark that that was his ear and no one elses. (The effect of those and all the skin when cuddling was beginning to manifest itself as permanent wanking material. Mark was not proud. This was his friend, despite their close relationship.)

They were often sent looks that Mark would squirm under, not liking the attention. But then Jackson would be right there, making him comfortable again by massaging the back of his neck or hugging him closer or intertwining their fingers.

And then BamBam slammed his hands down into the table as he had a habit of doing, interrupting all conversation.

“If you two don't each others brains out, or just kiss soon I'm going to die!” he exclaimed, standing up in the process. “I swear, all the touching is killing me!” And then the skinny boy had marched off to class in protest. Yugyeom had given them a quick look before following, because despite not liking each other at first, the two had grown close.

“Amen to that,” JB agreed and stood up as well.

“You guys are seriously oblivious,” Jr had followed and Youngjae mouthed 'kiss' before the three of them were gone.

Mark looked at Jackson for an explanation, because he hadn't quite gotten what went on. His friend was blushing however and the arm around Mark moved away. Luckily the other grabbed his hands before he started missing the contact too much.

That night when they went to bed, Jackson turned oddly quiet. Not that there weren't moments where he didn't babble away faster than the wind could blow. Just that it seemed like he wanted to say something but didn't dare. And that was odd. Jackson always said what was on his mind.

“What's wrong?” Mark asked as they lay entwined with one another yet again.

“Just thinking,” Jackson answered.

“You usually think out loud,” he pushed the other a bit, inviting him to share.

“About what BamBam said today,” his friend elaborated. Mark hummed in response. Yeah he had been thinking about that too. It wasn't that he wouldn't like to kiss and as BamBam had put it ' Jackson's brains out'. In fact he would like it very much as he'd come to realize the past couple of weeks. But even though him and Jackson had come to be extremely close, he was still unsure as to whether it was more than that.

He had his moments where he thought it might be more. For example when Jackson would kiss his ear or hug him tightly or when he announced that it was Markson forever. But then there were the moments where it just couldn't be more. For example when he moved away from Mark and refused to look him in the eye.

“Do you believe in love at first sight?” Jackson asked, interrupting his thoughts.

“What kind of a question is that?” Mark replied, pulling back his head so he could look at the other. He had a weird look on his face.

“Just answer.”

“No, not really.”

“Me neither.”

“Then why do you ask?”

Jackson sighed. “I don't believe in love at first sight, but I do believe we can look at someone for the first time and be like 'this person will mean something to me',” Jackson told him.

“Ok?” Mark said slowly. “What does this have to with anything?”

“That's how I felt when I first saw you,” his friend went on.

“Oh. That's cheesy,” he stated feeling odd and suddenly nervous. “I just thought you were weird.”

His friend smiled at that and tightened his grip around him for a moment. “Way to ruin the moment.”

“Sorry? I just-... you know-” Mark started mumbling, feeling the heat in his cheeks. Jackson chuckled.

“Shush dear, you're being too cute,” his friend said and the slight heat turned into a full blush. So he hid his face and felt his heart gallop away with him. These were the moments where he felt like Jackson might just like him.

“And now you're killing me,” Jackson commented with a chuckle.

“Shut up,” Mark grumbled and looked up to find his friend smiling that smile again. Silence fell over them for a minute. Mark could feel his heart beat hard against his ribcage.

“You know,” Jackson started slowly, smile disappearing and a sudden nervousness changed his features. He had never seen that look before. “I really like you.”

The words had Mark's heart skip a beat, before he reminded himself it was probably meant in a friendly way. “I like you too,” he heard himself say, sounding almost nonchalant.

“No, I don't mean it like that,” Jackson shook his head and swallowed. “I mean I really like you. Like like you.”

“Oh,” Mark said to himself as his mind went blank. The words went on repeat in his head. He hadn't been expecting that.

“And I was kind of hoping you liked me back, because you don't mind all the skinship,” his friend continued.

“Oh,” he said again, not knowing what to do. What did people do in these situations? Say 'yes' or kiss or say 'me too' or maybe 'I like you too'? Seriously, what did one do?

“This is where you say something,” Jackson broke his train of thought, sounding nervous.

“Oh, I just-... I don't know... I mean yes, but me too-... I don't know what to say, it's just-” Mark stumbled over his own words, before stopping himself and taking a deep breath. “I like you too,” he breathed out. Jackson's face which had been a look of slight confusion through out Mark's ramble, broke into a smile at the last words. He tightened his hug around Mark, rocking back and forth a couple of times, before his rolled over, landing on top of him.

“I'm going to kiss you now,” the other said softly, silently asking for permission.

“Ok,” Mark nodded breathlessly and then Jackson leaned down, claiming his lips. It was soft and gentle as they moved their lips against each other. There was no tongue, just a bitter-sweet taste that left him wanting more and more. The heavy weight of Jackson on top of him sent warmth everywhere and he never wanted to leave.

Jackson pulled back, Mark following a little as he didn't want to stop yet. They were both breathing heavily. He looked at the other, finding a soft look that made his stomach do somersaults.

“I hope you don't mind me kissing you a lot from now on,” Jackson smiled.

Mark hurriedly shook his head. He wouldn't mind at all. And then Jackson leaned back down and they were kissing again. Nope, he definitely wouldn't mind.

So that's the crappy oneshot.

I'm sorry for not updating yesterday, but there was a Queen marathon on the radio. And I was too busy singing (if you can call it that) along to be able to write. I even started crying a couple of times because I haven't listened to the songs in a while, so they left moved beyond what's healthy. Queen. Seriously, they're my favorite band. John Deacon was great on the the bass, Freddie Mercury was a world class entertainer, Brian May a genius and Roger Taylor brilliant. All talented as ! So sad that Freddie died and that John doesn't want to play any with Brian and Roger anymore.

Anywhoodledoodle, I will stop ranting before I actually start properly.

I hope you liked the story, despite it being crappy.

Peace out (^_^)v