Completely at a loss over his conversation with Kyuhyun, but too terrified to tell Henry anything that was said, Mark instead threw himself into his studies. He wrote his literature paper, studied diligently for his upcoming math examination, and spent most of his time sequestered away in his dorm or the library, most definitely avoiding Jackson.

Well, avoiding everyone, not just Jackson, but Jackson especially. Because Mark was absolutely certain that the next time he saw the teen, he was either going to burst into tears over the injustice of life, or angrily accuse him of not waiting to choose a dance date. Neither was illogical, so he avoided Jackson.

Avoiding the other boys who were starting to become his friends, turned out to be even more difficult however. Jackson was mostly likely to hang around and bother Mark, but the others usually wanted to study with him, or do productive things. And there was absolutely no getting around the study session he’d promised JB. They had a chemistry test in only a couple of days, and no matter reluctant he was about it, Mark still met him in his dorm for the cram session.

“Are you sure you wouldn’t rather go to the library?” Mark asked, almost relieved to find that JB’s dorm room was almost identical to his own, with a small kitchen, bathroom, living space and bedroom. With only one notable exception. JB clearly had a roommate. “In case we’re interrupted?”

“Nah,” JB said, bringing Mark over to the small table he had his books sprawled out on. “I share this room with Youngjae, and he’s always out on dates. Tonight is no exception. I think he’s got two or three lined up. With that many girls to juggle at once, he’ll be out the whole night.”

Eyes bulging, Mark demanded, “At the same time?”

JB shrugged. “He’s a charming pureblood, Mark. He’s good looking, and comes from a pretty decent family. He’s been juggling multiple girls for ages now. I guess some girls don’t mind sharing. It’s not like Youngjae lies to them.”

It still sounded deceitful and uncouth to Mark, but he let his judgment slide to the side, considering he was lusting after someone who was apparently taken. The best thing to do seemed to be to focus on what a diverse group of friends Jackson seemed to have. Jr. and Youngjae were purebloods. Mark had seen BamBam’s green tie, which meant he had extremely diluted vampire blood. And everyone else was half and half. Yet they all got along, were quick to defend and protect each other, and seemed to think the quality of vampire blood within each of them meant very little.

It was actually a lot humbling to think about, and Mark was awed in the best way.

“Can we get started now?” JB asked, a nervous edge to this voice. “I really don’t understand any of this, and if I fail this test, I’ll never hear the end of it. You think it’s scary when your uncle comes down here? You haven’t seen anything if my mom decides to pay me a visit.”

Mark gave an easy chuckle and nodded. “Let’s get started.”

It took Mark half an hour just to figure out how much help JB needed, particularly with the more mathematically side of chemistry. And it took forty-five Minutes further to get him started on balancing some simple chemical equations. It was slow going for sure, but Mark was patient and JB was focused, so there wasn’t much to do but work.

His pencil scribbling across the paper, JB remarked, “Jr. always makes this look so much easier than it really is.”

“Then why aren’t you studying with him?” Mark asked, flipping through the rest of the current chapter in their chemistry book.

JB had the decency to look a little bashful. “Because when he comes over to help me study, we always end up making out. Sometimes on Youngjae’s bed. One time it went a little further than kissing, Youngjae came back early, and there was a fight of epic proportion. Very traumatic for all parties involved. A new bed needed to be purchased. The headmaster was not pleased.”

Mark shook his head slowly. “Incredible.” He tried to hide a smile.

“No,” JB pondered out loud, still focused on the equation in front of him, “what’s incredible is you managing to avoid Jackson so spectacularly. Look, Mark, I know he does a lot of stuff that’s annoying, but you’re kind of hurting his feelings. It’d be different if he knew what pissed you off, but he’s just wandering around like a lost little puppy at the moment, convinced we know and just aren’t telling him.”

“Huh?” Mark’s eyes cut frantically over to JB’s. “He’s sad?”

“Says you won’t talk to him,” JB continued, “won’t spend time with him, and you even seem to be going out of your way to avoid running into him. Jackson knows he did something, he just doesn’t know what. And I’m tired of hearing him whine about it. So clue me in, so I can tell him what to grovel about.”

“No, no,” Mark said, pushing the chemistry book away. “It’s not something he did. It’s not his fault at all.”

“He sure thinks so.”

Mark sighed, feeling like he’d made a complete mess of everything. “It’s my fault, JB. Not Jackson’s.”

“Did you miss the part of this conversation when I said Jackson does things all the time that are annoying?” JB questioned. “He has absolutely no self control, has to be the center of attention, and is pretty much more infatuated with you than I can hardly believe is possible. You’re cute, Mark, so I got why he was attracted to you from the start, but you’ve held his attention, which is something completely unheard of, so if this isn’t about Jackson coming on in an overbearing way, what is it?”

Mark was … pretty sure his brain was about to leak out from between his ears.

“Jackson … likes me?”

JB gave him a narrowed gaze like he was seriously considering that Mark might not be as smart as first assumed. “He follows you around. He always wants to sit next to you and talk to you. Mark, he went to the library for you. He’d been at Hawthorne Academy for six semesters now, and the only other time he ended up in the library is because he was lost and wandered in there accidentally. Jr. and I are convinced he’s allergic to the place. But he went in after you without a care in the world. Yes. He likes you. How could you not tell?”

“But … he …” Mark wasn’t sure he was breathing.

“Mark?”

“He likes me?” Mark had to ask again. “Likes … as in …”

“Wants to kiss your face?”

Mark dragged in a rough breath. “Are you sure?”

Slowly JB put his pencil down and said, “Are you being serious? Mark, he looks at you in a decidedly less than chaste way. He never shuts up about you. He gets jealous every time you pay attention to someone else. Are you seriously sitting here telling me that you are not aware how he wants to jump your bones?”

Mark felt like he’d swallowed his tongue, or his mouth was full of cotton as he tried to say, “I wanted to ask him to the dance. I wanted him to be my date. But he said he already had one. He said …”

“He’s going with Yugyeom.”

Yugyeom. The fifteen year old kid who was constantly looking for support and praise, and who didn’t look like he was ready to be anything but his mommy’s baby, and certainly not someone’s dance date.

“Yugyeom?”

“Yes,” JB sighed out. “Yugyeom, who, by the way, only asked Jackson to be his date because he was absolutely terrified of being the only one on campus without someone to go with. Yugyeom and Jackson knew each other before the academy, and they’re really good friends. But just friends, okay? And they’re just going to the dance, not getting married or matched or whatever. So stop freaking out. I can see it on your face. This is what you’ve been freaked out about. Probably what you’ve been avoiding Jackson over.”

“Oh. Yeah.” Mark scrubbed is fingers over his eyes. “I feel like an idiot.”

Then, in a curious voice, JB asked, “You like Jackson back?”

Mark only gave a soundless nod.

“Why?”

“Hey,” Mark chided quietly.

“No, really,” JB insisted. “Because he’s loud and annoying, and before you came along we were all betting on him being a bachelor for the rest of his life. A lonely bachelor at that. Who in their right mind would want to date Jackson? It’d be like dating Willy Wonka.”

His spirits lifted, Mark found himself grinning wide and replying, “He makes me laugh, JB. I’m not saying he isn’t annoying, but he’s funny, too. And why does anyone like anyone? Because they find a person who makes them happy. I didn’t think I could be happy again after my family died. But Jackson, he makes me forget about them. Or maybe just the pain I have when I think about them.”

“That’s enough? He makes you smile and laugh?”

“To me that’s enough. For right now, at least.”

The truth was, he could see something a lot deeper lurking below the surface with Jackson. It was an obvious ruse, the way he used his humor and sharp wit to deflect things that made him uncomfortable or sad, and something about that intrigued Mark. He wanted to know why. And more than that, he wanted to know what was worth hiding.

Of course they were also teenagers, which meant that three months from now they could be mortal enemies or interested in other people.

But for now …

“Wait,” JB said, reaching across the table to nudge Mark with his pencil. “Part of the reason Jackson didn’t make a move on you before this is because of that scary pureblood who’s always following you around. The black on black?”

Mark knew he was talking about right away. “You mean Zhou Mi.”

“I don’t know what his name is,” JB returned haughtily. “I just know when he glares at people, sometimes they spontaneously combust. Or something equally as excruciating. He’s scary as hell, Mark. To anyone but you, that is.”

“He’s …” Mark tried to find the right words. “A friend of the fanily. Henry says so. Henry says our two families have been twined together for a while, and we’re completely loyal to each other. So I believe Henry when he says Zhou Mi is a family friend. And Zhou Mi has never been anything but nice to me. In fact, he’s done more for me than I could have ever imagined. I really value his friendship.”

“But you’re not …”

“He’s a friend,” Mark repeated. “I want Jackson to be more than a friend.”

For the first time, JB looked away, and back to his paper. He made a few scribbles, erased something, then rewrote and said, “Then you should think about getting the pureblood to back off. He crowds you and follows you and he gives off the impression to everyone else that you’re clearly off the market. It’s enough to confuse someone like Jackson.”

The suggestion made Mark think of how Jackson had called him prime real estate.

And in a way, one he’d never considered before, he guessed he was. There weren’t many left in his bloodline now. His family hadn’t been expanding rapidly the way other bloodlines had, and it was wearing thin. There were a lot of first, second and third cousins, great aunts, uncles twice removed, and even more distant relatives. But immediate family? Mark and the fourth family didn’t have much in the way of that. It all meant Mark’s blood was even more desirable than ever before. It was simple supply and demand rooted in his rarity.

He was also about to become the new head of his family once he was introduced in a few months. That made him … available and desirable.

Not that Mark wanted to think about having a match or getting married or having kids or anything just yet. Not for a while. A long while. It was risky to leave his bloodline without a direct heir. And he probably should have been rushing towards marriage and fatherhood. But neither were anything he wanted right away, and he could still be selfish about some things.

“The dance is how many days away now?” Mark asked, trying to think. It was Wednesday and the dance was Saturday. “Three?”

“Yep. Is this right?” JB turned his paper towards Mark. “Please tell me it’s right.”

Mark picked up his pen and scanned the paper, making only one slight correction. “Close enough. And your final answer was still correct. Now, what do you think I should do?”

“About Jackson?” JB asked, clearly proud he’d balanced the equation all by himself. “Please don’t be asking me to help you get the hookup with Jackson. I want to have dinner later on.”

“I meant about Zhou Mi, and people thinking there’s something between us.”

“Give me the next equation,” JB requested with grabby hands.

“Focus,” Mark requested, copying the next one down for him.

“Make a statement,” JB said, pencil already flying across the paper. “Show people that you’re not with Zhou Mi, and make sure Jackson gets the memo. He’s kind of slow, so you’ll have to be obvious.”

“Make a statement,” Mark mused “A statement.”

It wasn’t a bad idea, and Mark, feeling all kinds of confident, had just the plan.

Twenty-four hours later he was quickly realizing that his confidence had faded and Amber wasn’t helping things. He really wished she’d stop laughing.

“Two days before?” she demanded between giggles. “You wane me to find you an acceptable date two days before the welcome back dance?”

Arms crossed over his chest, Mark said, “I didn’t say acceptable. I said nice. Someone nice.” God knew he’d have to talk to his date for at least half the night. He couldn’t possibly bring someone who was decidedly lacking in personality or kindness.

“I said acceptable because that’s what you should have told me,” Amber corrected.

“Why?”

It was after classes had finished for the night that he was making this request of her, and she’d already changed out of her school uniform’s mandatory skirt to a pair of shorts that still flattered her legs. Her blouse was gone as well, and an ordinary tee shirt was in its place. Her clothing didn’t exactly fit the school’s dress code, but Mark had long since noticed that the girls got away with far more than the boys did.

Amber gave him a pointed stare. “Because you’re crazy if you think Henry will let you go to a social event with someone not of your caliber. And you’d better believe he’ll put his foot down on this issue and won’t budge it for a second. Don’t fight him on this, Mark. You won’t win.”

Her words made Mark think of what kind of reaction Henry would have had if he’d gone with Jackson.

“Fine,” Mark ground out. “But that doesn’t change the fact that I still need a date. And you know everyone here, Amber. I need you to help me.”

She steered him towards the art department’s building and asked, “Why don’t you just go with Zhou Mi? Henry told me he wants to ask you.”

Mark choked. “Excuse me?”

Amber continued, “Who doesn’t want to ask you, Mark? Stop living like a fish in a bowl. My point is, you and Zhou Mi are friends, and you get along great. He wants to ask you. But he also wants to give you a choice. I think he’s picked up on the fact that you don’t get to choose a lot in your life right now, which is something that a lot of people don’t consider. But you’re cutting it down to the line, and he’s the obvious choice here. He’s a gentleman, a pureblood, and your families are very close. Henry would approve.”

“Henry would start dancing,” Mark snorted. “Zhou Mi probably just wants to ask me out of duty or loyalty or whatever.”

Amber burst out laughing. “I very much doubt that’s the reason he wants to ask you.”

“Amber.” Mark gathered up his patience. “Can you help me or not? Are you or are you not the woman to see about getting a date?”

Amber hooked an arm around Mark casually and said, “For anyone else, this would be an impossible request two days before the dance. But for you, Mark Tuan, it’s doable. And I have just the girl in mind.”

“Girl? Who?”

“You wanted a boy?” Amber snapped.

“It’s fine!” Mark tried to relish in his relief. “I’m just surprised you know a girl who’s still available. Who is she?”

“She’s a student here,” Amber explained. “She’s just been traveling late into the year with her parents. She’ll start attending classes on Monday, but she’s still a student, and there’s no reason why she can’t come to the dance. She’s just hanging around town right now, trying to avoid the academy as much as possible. I’ll give her a call.”

“She’ll want to go with me?” Mark asked, waving at a group of nearby students who called his name.

“Trust me,” Amber said, “Min’s up for anything.”

Min turned out to be a perfectly acceptable date in Henry’s eyes. In fact, they’d met briefly years ago and Henry was over the moon that she was accompanying Mark to the dance. And Mark was happy as well, because Min was short but quirky, beautiful but humble, and absolutely energetic enough to ensure that they’d both have a good time. Maybe she was even out of Mark’s league a little, but she seemed more than happy enough just to have an excuse to get dressed up.

It was Zhou Mi who looked unhappy. He barely let it show, and if Mark hadn’t spent so much time around him, he probably wouldn’t have been able to pick up on it, but he was certain of it each time he looked at Zhou Mi. Zhou Mi was not happy. He actually looked irritated.

Mark didn’t know if that was hurting his cause or helping it.

“Sooo,” Min said, sliding her arm through Mark’s as they walked to the main building where the dance was being held. “What’s the real reason you wanted to take me to the dance?”

“Real reason?”

Min danced ahead, spinning a bit, making her white and red laced dress puff up like a cupcake. “Yes. Real. I’m flattered that a prince wants to take me to the dance, but the fact that you needed me to go with you proves I wasn’t who you originally wanted to take.”

Henry and Amber were ahead of them by some distance, and Mark hadn’t seen Zhou Mi since they left the dorms, so he told Min, “There was someone I wanted to take. But there was a misunderstanding. I’m hoping to straighten it all out with that person tonight. Maybe dance with them.”

Mark got a sort of thrill, thinking of the aneurism Henry might have if he danced with Jackson publicly, or even tried to hold his hand. That would certainly be making a statement to everyone.

Min asked him very seriously, “I’m playing a supportive role this romantic comedy?”

“Ummm,” Mark eased out.

“With no other leading ladies to compete with other than Amber?”

Mark gave a tentative nod, no sure what else to do.

“Yeah!” Min jumped off her feet, punching the air. “Awesome. Tell me everything.”

Mark gave a nervous chuckle. “I’m not quite sure I have the time for that.”

“Fine. Fine.” She waved her hands dismissively. “Just point him out to me. I’ll help you do the rest.”

Mark gave her a look. “I didn’t say it was a boy.”

Flashing a sign of victory in the most endearing way ever, Min looped their arms once more and pulled Mark ahead. “Please, I am fully aware of how short this dress is. You haven’t looked at my legs once. Either you’re a saint, or you’re not interested. Now, let’s go get this boy of yours. Please say we get to irritate a bunch of stuck up purebloods in the process.”

She was quickly becoming his next best friend.

The dance, held in the school’s largest auditorium, and was nothing like the high school dances Mark and his friends had gone stag to their freshmen and sophomore years. Those dances had been full of paper streamers, plastic balloons, cheap punch and music that had to be preapproved by the faculty. This dance was all class and sophistication, and looked to be more about people mulling around talking to each other and socializing, than dancing.

Was it something worth notable that he saw Jackson and the others the second he was in the door? They didn’t appear to see him, so Mark let Min tug him along.

More than a few people waved to him, including those clustered around Amber and Henry, so Mark returned the greeting. In a sea of white and red he was already trying to judge who he’d have to dance with, and who he could shrug off. Henry and Zhou Mi had already warned there’d be required dancing, but Henry had sworn he’d vet the candidates thoroughly, and Mark didn’t expect anything less from Zhou Mi.

Speaking of, Mark would probably have to dance with Zhou Mi too, which mean they’d probably have to talk about the awkwardness floating around them. Mark didn’t know what he was going to say, but he knew it wouldn’t be fun.

Once more Mark looked to Jackson. He’d broken the dress code just a little with his black slacks, but the deep red shirt he wore complimented him so well that Mark could help thinking it was the most handsome he’d ever looked. The formal wear made Jackson look less goofy, more mature, and absolutely desirable.

“Is that the one?” Min asked him, not having to drop her voice in the least bit over the music around them. “The one with the arms that I’d like to drizzle chocolate on and then off?”

Mark gave her a scandalized look. “Min!”

Min gave a half shrug and said, “Tell me you weren’t thinking the same thing. That shirt does nothing to hide the guns he’s packing.”

Mark blushed and couldn’t help sneaking back a glance to Jackson. There were muscles clearly hidden under the shirt, but Mark had already seen them enough to know what she was talking about. Jackson had quite a bit of tone and definition from the sports he played, and if there was anything Mark was attracted to physically, it was a pair of arms like Jackson had.

Then Jackson turned, eyes sweeping the room, and they settled on Mark.

It was like some cheesy 80’s movie in Mark’s mind, time slowing down, the music fading away, and the crowd parting at just the right moment. He started at Jackson, Jackson started at him, and nothing else mattered.

Then the moment passed and Amber was by his side, dressed in a long, beautiful white dress that made her look drop dead gorgeous, and she was tugging away.

As they wove their way through the crowd Mark was able to pick out all of Henry’s friends, the few genuine ones that Mark had made over the past few weeks in his classes, and even Kyuhyun who looked terribly out of place. Poor Kyuhyun, Mark thought, watching him be crowded in by Changmin and Minho, the two of them acting like a buffer against the world maybe, and not letting up for a second.

Mark tried to imagine Grace and Kyuhyun coming to a dance like this together. She’d probably have made him dance, even if he was reluctant to do so, and Mark got the feeling that he’d have given into her. She was probably the only person he gave into on any regular basis. Because Grace was like that, with an infectious personality, and the inexplicable urge to get people to do things they normally wouldn’t.

“Mark!” Henry called, waving him over. There were half a dozen people clustered around Henry, including Zhou Mi, and Mark pointedly did not meet his gaze. Instead he settled into place and forced a smile to his face. It was already looking like getting away to even say a single word to Jackson was going to be difficult..

He danced with Henry, Amber, and Min for the better part of an hour. They took turns handing him off to purebloods who either held Mark too firmly, or at such a distance that he wondered if they were scared to touch him. And then just as it looked like Zhou Mi was preparing to step in for his turn, Mark was moved awkwardly from Henry’s grip to Kyuhyun’s.

“You … um …” Mark tried to keep his composure as he and Kyuhyun swayed to a slow song. His hand was sweaty in Kyuhyun’s grip and he was beyond uncomfortable. “You know I’m not Grace, right?” He and his sister had looked somewhat alike, but he wondered if Kyuhyun could see the difference in them now.

“You think I’m so bereft in my grief that I can’t tell the different between my match and her younger brother?”

“Ah …”

“Don’t worry,” Kyuhyun said, his head bending low to Mark’s ear. “I simply wanted to invite you to tea with me again.”

Confused, Mark asked back, “Why did you have to ask me to dance in order to invite me?”

“Because,” Kyuhyun said, eyes searching the crowd relentlessly. “We’re being watched. I’m just not sure by who yet.”

“What--”

“Later,” Kyuhyun said, hushing him. Then he moved to hold Mark more securely and Mark couldn’t help feeling a bit protected. Kyuhyun’s hand was curling into a more secure position around Mark’s back and Mark found himself tipping towards him almost instinctively. For just a second it felt like he could let some of the weight fall from his shoulders, and if the way Kyuhyun was humming lightly meant anything, they were both finding peace of a sorts.

Before Mark could fully settle into a feeling of being comfortable, the dance was taking an intermission and people were breaking for refreshments. From across the floor Mark could see Zhou Mi heading straight towards him, and he figured this was the moment they had to put the line in the sand for their relationship. There was no way Zhou Mi was coming just to ask him if he was enjoying the dance. Zhou Mi was a confrontation headed straight for Mark, and Mark wanted to avoid it more than anything else. It must have showed on his face with the way Zhou Mi’s eyes widened.

Zhou Mi looked bewildered, maybe even unsure, and it wasn’t something Mark had seen on his face before.

The reason for it was made clear a second later when strong fingers closed around Mark’s wrist. Before Mark could register the motion, with Zhou Mi still some distance away, he felt himself being whisked off the floor.

“Jackson?” Mark asked as they ducked out the back door of the auditorium,

They broke into the cold night air and Mark was just only beginning to realize how suffocating the room had been.

“We need to talk,” Jackson said, sounding the most serious Mark had ever heard him.

“JB talked to you?”

Mark hadn’t really thought so, because the day after they’d had their conversation, Mark had gone to class with Jackson and nothing had changed. Jackson was still pawing at him like a neglected puppy, and Mark was still trying to keep his distance. It didn’t seem at all that JB had dropped any sort of information in Jackson’s lap about Mark liking him back.

“He …” Jackson, not letting go of Mark’s hand, said, “he told me to stop being such an idiot. And that there’s been a misunderstanding.”

Nervously, Mark broached, “I’ve been avoiding you. Because …. because I ….”

Jackson, before Mark could make an even bigger fool of himself, burst out with, “Yugyeom is my cousin!”

Mark’s head tilted. “He’s your cousin?”

“Well, not blood cousin.” Jackson ran his fingers through his hair. “But I’ve known him since I was a kid. We grew up together because his parents moved around a lot for their job and my parents were their friends. He stayed with us for months at a time, and the whole school year once. And I only took him to the dance as my date because it’s his first semester here and he was scared the other kids would about not having a date.”

Feeling a little lightheaded, Mark said, “I only came with Min because the person I wanted to go with already had a date.”

Jackson gave him an unsure look.

This was it. Mark steadied himself. This was the moment he’d been working up to for weeks. This was his time.

“Jackson … I …” Do it, his brain screamed at him. Just do it. “I was angry these past couple days because I was jealous. I wanted to go to the dance with you. I like you.”

There. And now he could melt into the ground and go quietly into the night.

Eyes wide, Jackson pointed at his own chest. “You like me?”

“Yes.”

A giddy expression crossed Jackson’s face. “You like me.”

Mark sighed again, “Yes. For some strange, unknown reason. Others find you annoying, but I like you.”

Jackson seemed to gather himself up before Mark’s eyes, chest puffing out, chin held high. “I would have dumped Yugyeom on his the second I knew you wanted to go to the dance with me.”

“That’s your cousin, Jackson.”

“And you’re Mark,” Jackson cut back. “You’re … you.”

“JB said you like me.”

“JB?” Jackson shook his head and took a deliberate step towards Mark. “I like you. You don’t need JB to tell you that.”

Trying not to get frustrated, Mark said, “Well apparently I do.”

This wasn’t going at all like Mark had hoped.

“Mark,” Jackson said, squeezing his fingers. “I like you. Let me show you how much I do.”

Mark in a breath sharply as Jackson moved even closer. His heart, the beat that wouldn’t slow significantly to a nearly untraceable speed until he reached full maturity, was slamming away in his chest, anticipating what was going to happen in mere seconds.

“You could have just told me from the start,” Mark said, so thankful he’d decided to brush his teeth before the dance. “And avoided all this from the start.”

Quietly, Jackson replied, “I thought you’d pick up on the signals I was sending you.” His hand cupped the side of Mark’s face, his thumb over the soft skin experimentally. His other rested carefully on Mark’s hip, as if asking for permission to be there.

“You’re a flirt and a lush,” Mark told him, holding his breath. “How was I supposed to think I was special in the way you were acting?”

Jackson’s eyes, dark and full of purpose, locked to Mark’s as his thumb stopped. “Because you are special.” Then Jackson leaned forward, Mark leaned down in the slightest, and their lips brushed.

Mark had had exactly two real kisses before in his life, both from girls at middle school parties. But kissing Jackson? Getting what felt like his first adult kiss?

Mind blowing.

Mark kissed back immediately, head tilting, his own hands coming up to grab at the material on Jackson’s shirt. He was determined not to simply stand there like an idiot getting kissed for the first time. He wanted to be a willing participant, and as the kiss deepened, their mouths working together, Mark felt like they were on even ground.

Jackson’s hand at his jaw slid down to his neck, and then along to the back of his skull where his fingers pushed up into the hair that Henry had carefully styled for him hours earlier.

Jackson gave Mark one last, long kiss, then drew back, promising, “I like you a lot. But I didn’t want to hurt you. I can be an inconsiderate a lot, and I know you have a lot of patience, but I’m bound to make mistakes. You’re the best friend I’ve ever had, Mark. Part of me didn’t want to risk losing that, just in case I did something to ruin these others feelings I have for you.”

With a gentle tone, Mark said, “That’s terribly considerate of you, Jackson.” He shouldered him playfully, then boldly kissed the edge of his mouth. “But for as delicate as my cousin seems to think I am, I’m actually pretty durable. And some things are worth risking, especially for something better.”

Jackson cracked a smile. “I already know you’re strong, Mark. You’re the strongest person I know.” The smile faltered. “But even the strongest person can be weighed down by the kind of stuff you’ve had to go through. I didn’t push this, what we have, because I didn’t want to add to that. I don’t ever want to be someone who hurts you, Mark. I can’t be that person.”

Mark told him seriously, “The best thing I like about you is that you make me forget they’re dead--my family. For just a few minutes, maybe hours if I’m lucky, when I’m with you, it’s like they’re still alive and I’ll get to see them again. Do you know how precious a feeling like that is?”

“And you know,” Jackson eased out, “there’s the whole halfblood and pureblood thing going on between us. You’re not a douche so I know you don’t care, but other people will. All I could think before was that if I made a play for you, I could get you hurt by the people you consider friends right now.”

“Are you kidding?” Mark could still feel his lips, a little swollen from how fierce their kisses had turned at the end, and it was the most pleasant ache in the world. “Those people I hang out with at meal time are not my friends. Those are Henry’s friends. You and JB and Youngjae and the others are my friends. And anyway, I feel stupid having to constantly say this, but I choose my own friends. I choose the people I want to be around and spend time with, and if others can’t accept that, then I don’t need them.”

Jackson caught Mark’s face in his hands again, bringing their lips together for a frustratingly passionate kiss.

“You’re ing amazing,” Jackson said, dragging his forehead against Mark’s. “But what about the scary guy always with you? You’re not into him?”

“Obviously I’m into you.”

“But that guy?”

“Zhou Mi,” Mark supplied. “And he’s a family friend, like I told JB. He’s not my match. He’s not a previous, present or future boyfriend. He’s just someone looking out for me with boundary issues.”

“I’m looking out for you now,” Jackson said, reeking of the kind of jealousy that Mark should not have found as attractive as he did.

Having Jackson wrap an arm around him was much different from when Henry did it loosely. Jackson was all muscle, something Mark could feel through his clothing never so strongly than before, and he reeked of strength. When he wrapped an arm around Mark, pulling them against each other, Mark felt like nothing could ever touch him again. Invincible. He felt invincible.

“You want to go back to the dance?” Mark asked. “I’ll dance with you. Piss off a whole lot of purebloods who’ll still have to act like they love me to save face. It’ll be awesome. I think Min will be our cheerleader. She seemed into the idea of irritating those prudish purebloods.”

“Nah. We both know that dance is nothing but a farce for the purebloods, and maybe an excuse for everyone else to try and feel accepted for once. It’s pointless, really.”

“You want to go for a walk instead then?”

Jackson took the lead right away, declaring, “Stop stealing all my awesome ideas. We’re going for a walk now. Try to keep up.”

They walked the property twice, fingers interlocked, talking about everything they could think of. Jackson insisted Mark already had a spot on the basketball team waiting for him, and Mark told him how much he’d rather concentrate on his studies and just play in his free time.

Jackson told Mark all about his family, about his father who was a prominent businessman and forever on the move, buying and selling properties all over the world, never making it home for holidays, and his mother who was a freelance photographer and sent pictures in lieu of birthday cards. There was a distance between Jackson and his parents, Mark could hear it in the way he spoke about them, but also love.

“We don’t see each other a lot,” Jackson said, almost as if her were ashamed of it. “They don’t come home more than once or twice a year. Hawthorne was their solution to wanting a child, but also wanting careers. But if I call either of them, they pick up. We can talk about anything, and I appreciate that. Not a lot of kids get that with their parents.”

Mark laughed, agreeing, “Grace got along with our parents out of necessity, but Tammy didn’t even try. She was their wild child. She did what she wanted, when she wanted to. My mom said once trying to get her to talk about her day was like pulling teeth without a local.”

“She sounds awesome.”

“She was.” Mark paused, jerking Jackson to a stop with their locked hands. “Wow.”

“What?” Jackson asked worriedly.

“It’s nothing bad,” Mark said, feeling so happy he could cry. “It’s just, this is the first time I’ve been able to think about my sisters, or anyone in my family, and not be sad. I thought of Tammy just now and was happy. The happiness was more than the sadness.”

Seriously, Jackson asked, “Were you not under the impression that I’m awesome?”

Mark rolled his eyes. “It’s getting late. Are you going to act like a proper boyfriend and walk me back to my dorm or not?”

“You do realize we live in the same building?” Jackson gave him almost gleeful look. “Boyfriend?”

Of course they did. All the boys slept in the same building. But it was a huge and expansive building that was clearly segregated by bloodline, and the only time Mark had seen any other part of the building was when he’d gone to study with JB in his room, and the other instance when he’d visited Kyuhyun.

“And that’s what we are,” Mark said pointedly, giving no room for disagreement. “I’m your boyfriend now. You like me, I like you, and our misunderstanding is cleared up. You’re my boyfriend, so don’t go flirting with anyone else.” He’d be damned if he lost Jackson now, after just getting him.

“You’re super hot when you’re all possessive like that.”

Mark simply pulled him along.

“I guess everyone’s still at the dance,” Jackson said as they swiped their student badges to get in the building. “You’re at the east end, second floor?”

Mark nodded, heading directly for the stairs.

It took mere seconds for Mark to reach his room, trying to determine how much time he’d have to make out with Jackson before Henry returned from the dance and sought him out. Maybe twenty minutes? An hour? How long did dances last in general?

“Mark.” Jackson put out a sudden, strong arm, stopping him from advancing any more. “Stop. Look.”

Up ahead Mark could see the door to his room cracked. It was not supposed to be open.

Inching forward, Mark gave the door the tiniest of pushes, revealing to him a pitch black room that had him feeling for the light switch. The sun warding blinds were down, which meant even with his heightened sight, he couldn’t see anything. If there was someone in his room, he wanted to know.

Mark’s fingers caught the switch and he jerked up right away, illuminating the room.

“Holy ,” Jackson said from behind him, a steady hand on Mark’s shoulder. “Who did you piss off?”

“No one,” Mark eased out , taking in the sight of his completely destroyed room. “At least I don’t think so.”

Everything was overturned, from the small table he did his homework at and ate on, to the sofa in the living space. His bedroom showed that his bed was flipped, cabinets upturned, and even some of the things that had been hanging on the wall were now on the ground. Whoever had broken into his room and destroy it had been especially forceful. More than necessary. The room had all the indications of the destruction being personal.

“Mark!”

Mark stumbled his way back to the main room where he’d left Jackson.

“Mark,” Jackson said, this time a lot more softly. “Please tell me this isn’t what I think it is.”

Mark crashed to the floor, his knees taking the blunt impact harshly. But the pain was inconsequential to Mark. All he could focus on, the only thing that mattered, was the overturned, cracked and broken urn that had held the remains of his parents, Grace, and what had been salvage of Tammy and Joey from the fire.

His family’s ashes, his last remaining tie to them, were scattered around the room, carelessly dumped or thrown, but deliberately done so.

And on the wall was a message, carved into the wallpaper, slashed by a knife, that Mark was next.

“Mark?”

Mark’s shoulders shook first, his breath hitching, and then as he reached for the ashes of his family, his fingers sifting through their grainy remains, the tears came.

“Oh, god, Mark.” Jackson sank down next to him, nearly pressing along his back. “I’m so sorry.”

“My family,” Mark gasped out s the tears picked up, blurring his vision and dropping down to clump together the ashes. “Their remains …”

Jackson’s head dipped to rest against Mark’s head for a half second of support, then he was climbing up to his feet, instructing, “You stay here. I’m going to run and get help.” He sounded distant to Mark, like he was far away or underwater. “Don’t move, Mark. Don’t move an inch.”

Jackson’s footsteps faded and Mark was left alone with his tears.

The ashes caked under his fingernails, and creased into his skin as he balled his hands into fists. The fear and the sorrow was passing quickly, with every second that ticked by, and in such a way that Mark was beginning to feel numb. And then there was nothing left of him, nothing left to give, and nothing left to cling to. Nothing but the rage inside, ripping his heart to shreds in desperation for justice.