Jack came home from his "date" with Brian way after Mark had already gotten home. Jamie and Cooper were in the living room too: everyone was curious about Jack's night out. "HEY GUYS. Was there something good on TV? " he smiled as he walked in and took off his baseball jacket. He sat down next to Mark, and pulled his arm around him, draping it on his left nip. "Know what this reminded me of? He looked at Mark and smiled "A first date I had, long ago, with a cocky grad student." Mark laughed. "Oh GOD. That little dinky coffee shop near the theater." He pulled Jack closer. "Who knew what that would lead to?" He flicked Jack's nipple. "Oh yeah. More." Jack whispered. "We went to this place called Phebe's." Mark laughed. "HE TOOK YOU TO PHEBE'S? That's a fucking theater queen bar. Did you find anything you would drink?"
"Well, they didn't have any beers I like, so Brian insisted I have what he was drinking - this pink thing called a Cosmo." Mark moved his arm from Jack and put his head in both hands, shaking it no, and laughing. "I DO NOT want the image of you drinking a Cosmo in my head. Tell me you didn't like it?"
"Dude, it was ok, but geez. If I want fruit juice I'll get some pineapple juice. One was MORE than enough for me, although I think Brian had four."
Mark threw back his head laughing. "I JUST CANNOT IMAGINE YOU IN A PLACE LIKE THAT."
"Well, I won't be going back. I told Brian that I get to pick the next place. It'll be where we met up again. How's that?" Mark grabbed him again and squeezed his nip. "It's ok, if you remember: Brian's ok as a friend, but I'm your man."
Jack looked at Mark. "All night long I kept on thinking of how I wanted to be with you, and how if you had been fucking Brian, none of this shit would've happened." Mark looked up at the other guys. "Ok, that's it. We're going to bed. This boy is making me crazy.
"NIght night fellas. Don't make too much noise."
"Stand still, Jack" Mark said after they'd closed the door. Lift up your arms. I wanna be the one undressing you tonight. " Jack did what Mark said, and as soon as his shirt was off, Mark had his teeth on the nip ring, and his fingers on Jack's left nip. "OH SHIT. That feels so good Mark. SO DAMN GOOD."
"SHHH." He opened Jack's belt, and began sliding down his pants. "Know what? I want this. I want this tonight a LOT." Mark covered Jack's cock with his mouth.
"DUDE. That feels good, but I'm the bottom. Remember?" Mark looked up. "I remember. I ain't done with you yet." He began sucking Jack, slow and carefully. "GEEZ Mark. I don't think I wanna know, but how did you learn to do that?"
"Another time Jack, another time... Now, lean back on the bed. I told you, I wasn't done with you." He wasn't. He smiled. "I didn't need reminding that you're the bottom, sweet boi.." He began to push his cock into Jack, who moaned in contentment. "OH YEAH. I was thinking about this all day. All night. All during my date."
Mark pushed harder. "You better be thinking about it all the time. ALL the time."
"Yes sir. I will. ALL the time. OH, GOD. Especially if I remember what you're doing now. FUCK." Mark had bought a new kind of condom. They usually used the plain ones. These were ridged. It was a good choice. "Mark, I'm gonna wake the house. HOLY SHIT. You're putting me on fire. "
The reaction just stimulated Mark to fuck harder, and he pummeled Jack's ass that night before he finally shot, and grabbed his fiance in a tight grip. "I just love you so much. "
They managed to get into bed, with Mark spooning Jack. In the middle of the night, Mark woke up. He thought he heard Jack crying. He was right. Jack was crying in his sleep. "NO. PLEASE. I don't want to die. I can contribute. PLEASE. NO." and he sobbed, until Mark woke him. "Hey. Hey babe. What's happening."
"Oh, sorry Mark. Just a bad dream. Was I crying? " "Yeah, you were. Really big time. What's wrong?" "Oh, I don't know. Maybe I'm still processing what happened today. I'm not scared a lot, but when Jon tightened that rope, I got really, REALLY scared. " "Jack o - we were ALL scared. You were the bravest one. come here, face me, so I can kiss that brave boy face of yours." Mark kissed him long, and hard. "Hey, Mark, this is the wrong time to ask, but... you know, Jon made one point that was a good one. He made fun of how you shaved my chest and pubes - I guess he could see them through the tights - but you didn't shave my pits. " "MMM. You're right Jack. Do you want them shaved?" Jack smiled. "Do I really have a choice?" "Well yeah, you do. The hair will grow back and annoy you like crazy, but you'll be smooth all over. I have to say, the possibility of tying you up and tickling you a little bit is making me try to persuade you to do it, but it really is your choice." "I think I might like to try it." "Ok, I'll speak to Jamie tomorrow and" "No. You. Only you. " Mark stroked Jack's hair. "Can I ask why?" "You can, but I don't know if I can answer . Even if you tried to tickle it out of me. It's just, well.. the thought of you doing it is making me so HARD. I love Jamie, but... well, it's just not the same."
"I understand love. Now, let's get some sleep."
They did sleep, but over the next few nights, Mark did NOT sleep well, because each night, Jack seemed to be having the same dream. He'd cry out the same words, and start sobbing. He was ok when he got up, but at night... Something was coming out. One day, he came back from the theater, and he found Jack sitting in the living room, just sobbing.
"BABE. What the fuck is going on? You're not yourself. WHAT HAPPENED? Did Brian say something to you? This started after your date?"
"No, no. I think it would've been worse if I didn't have that date, Mark. What's happening? Well... you know, it's been rough. It's really been rough. I really, REALLY thought I was going to die when Jon tightened those ropes. I'm surprised I didn't shit myself. And now, you know, if Felix passes his exam, which he will, they'll reassign him to another building where they need a head super. My little brother Jamie is a rich man, and he's got a fella. Your show is a hit. You're gonna be a star. And.... " He began to sob harder. "I just feel like there's nothing left. No one needs me. " Mark was about to say "I need you, " and he realized that was the wrong thing to say. "OH JACK." he hugged him tight. "I think I know what you need. You need someone to take care of."
"YES. That's right Mark. I don't know how to function unless I'm taking care of SOMEONE. And I have been . For so long. And now I'm not. Everyone is taken care of. Where do I belong now? WHERE???"
"Hang on baby. I wanna give you something. Just for tonight. Just one. Really, I know you hate these, but one tranquilizer one night, is not going to make you an addict. I'm gonna think about this, and I'm gonna talk to some people. But you know what I want you to do tomorrow?" Jack shook his head. "I want you to go to the park and feed your ducks. I don't care when you do it, but DO IT. They need you." Jack smiled. "Yeah, I haven't seen them in a while. They probably had their babies. That's a great idea Mark. THANK YOU."
Mark brought Jack the pill and some water. Jack looked at it suspiciously. "Are you sure?" "I'm sure. And I'm turning off the alarm. You can call in sick one day in your life. " "I love you Mark." "And I love you. Now, let's get to sleep." Mark had another idea, but he needed to run it past Jamie in the morning.
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"Hey Feelie, I hope you studied hard, because tomorrow's the final. You gonna ace it? " Jack was riding Felix at work. "Hey, I'm here chief. I didn't take no time off. " Jack did NOT call in sick. He was a couple hours late, but he had earned that time. "And know what? I'm gonna prove if you wanna learn to do this, there ain't no better man than chief Jack." Felix had given Jack a cap that said "I'm the Boss," and he wore it occasionally, when he was washing the "Mark's boy" cap. He had it on today.
"Hey Feelie, I gotta take a little time off. You mind? "GO CHIEF. Go take care of business." Jack gave him the high five, and grabbed the bag of bread he had in the corner. He headed to the park and soon, he was at the brook, with his ducks.
"HEY GUYS. REMEMBER YOUR BUDDY JACK?" Many of them did. They came flocking around him. Even the babies: he counted 8 of them. "I missed you. " He began spreading the bread around for them, and recognized some of the older ones. "Hey buddy. Where's Martha? OH, there she is. HI Momma Martha. CAROL! You're getting fat girl. Where's - oh there's COWBOY." Cowboy was the bravest one of the bunch. He would go up to Jack and nuzzle his jeans. "Guys, I got no more bread, but I'll be back tomorrow. I promise."
Mark was right. Seeing his duck friends did him good. He got back to the building and Ramon was on the door. "Hey, boss, Felix said to tell you you have the rest of the day off. Go upstairs. The guys have a surprise for you."
"A surprise? For ME? It's not my birthday"
He got to the apartment and he thought he heard barking, but that couldn't be.
Except it was. When he walked in, this young, golden lab mix came running toward him. "HEY PUP. Nice to meet you?" He bent down and began petting the dog, and getting the kisses all over his face.
"She's gorgeous. Who's is she?" Jamie and Mark smiled. "She's yours Jack."
"HUH???? You got me a dog? WHAT? OH, and she's so pretty. WAIT. I'm confused. A dog? Why?
All the while, the pup didn't leave his side, and Jack didn't stop massaging her ears. Mark laughed. If I took a picture, and showed you, you'd know. " Jamie added. "Jack, Mark told me about how you said you had no one to take care of anymore. Well, that's not true, but... now you have someone to take care of. We got her from the pound today. She seemed, well, the right dog for you?"
He looked at the pup and made a raspberry on her nose. "Is you the right dog for me? Is you?" the dog's tail was wagging at the speed of light, and she came back for two more raspberries, before Jamie tossed Jack a chew toy. "OH.. Who's gonna get this boney?" Mark was hysterical when Jack put one end of it in HIS mouth, and he and the dog started a tug of war.
"JACK. Dental work is expensive. Use a hand." "You're right. My bad..." He and the dog tussled for a bit, before Jack gave her the toy. Then she came over, just to get petted.
"Hey, you guys, you're right. This dog IS right for me. She loves having her belly stroked, just like me, and if you twist her nipples, she quiets down."
"Uh, I don't think those were considerations when we picked her up Jack, but sure. Sure. Whatever you say. "
"SO . What are you gonna name her?"
"She doesn't have a name? OH, cool. Her name is Magnolia." Jamie leaned over to Mark and whispered "that was his mom's favorite flower."
"Magnolia. Not Maggie. Magnolia. Like those big pink and white flowers. You and Jack are gonna see them in the spring, because pretty girl, you are NOT leaving Jack." He hugged the dog, who went nuts, covering him with kisses.
"Guys, can we have a group hug? I know I smell of dog spit, but get used to it." He hugged them and began to cry, but a good cry, not like the night before.
It took Mark a while to convince Jack that he didn't need to sleep next to Magnolia on the living room floor, but he eventually did.