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Mark Fischbach is a special person. He plays video games, does okay in university, and doesn't mind being himself. From the outsider's perspective, these actions could be seen as normal, not-too-special things, but Mark's a standout. Being himself, which most argue is being a complete dork, is what made him so popular at university since the day he took his first step onto the campus.
"Walkin' around aimlessly like a looooser." He voices, watching from his dorm window as a green haired boy shuffles around in the courtyard with a somber look on his face. "Looking at your piece of paper like a looooser."
"You're so mean."
"Shut up, Wade." Mark pulls on a blue flannel over his white tank top.
"Where're you going?"
Mark leaves silently, ignoring Wade's calls of concern.
"Hey, Mark."
"Hey, Mary."
Two steps later.
"Aye, yo, Mark."
"What's up, D-Trix?"
After a couple more stops from other students, he finally gets out of the dorm hall and Mark spots the bright haired young man again. He jogs over, waving to get his attention.
"Hey, my name's Mark." He holds out his hand. "I saw you from my dorm room and-- Damn, that sounded so creepy."
The other boy, not fazed by Mark's peculiar introduction, takes Mark's hand in his own with a questioning look. "I'm Sean, but call me Jack."
"Irish." Mark comments matter-of-factly. "Haven't seen one of you before."
"One of me?" Jack takes his hand back.
Mark almost face palms. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean that in that way. I'm making myself look like a sack of crap, right now."
"Yeah, ye are." Jack replies, a smug look on his face. "Ya goof."
"I just-- You looked lost and I saw you-- Thought you could use some help."
The icy blue eyes of Jack pierce Mark's browns, sizing him up. "Are ye fuckin' with me?"
"Why would I?"
"Ye look frat-ish."
"I'm sorry. I can get rid of the flannel?" Mark quickly takes it off.
Jack, taken aback, just mutters, "No, no. Put yer shirt on."
Mark seems oblivious of Jack's eyes wondering up and down his naked arms, and continues, "Do I look less frat-ish now?"
"Can ye just help me find the administration buildin'?" Jack replies, exasperated.
Mark frowns. "Oh, yeah. Um, if you follow this you'll get to this giant green building. That's the administration building."
"Cool." Jack turns his back on Mark, but then looks over his shoulder. "See ya around, Markimoo."
Markimoo.
"Bye." Mark waves lamely.
His roommate makes a point to let Mark know how stupid he just looked when he gets back to their room. And their other friend makes an effort to put Wade in his place.
"You just started stripping, man." Wade starts laughing. "Who even was that? He looks weird."
"Says that one who's losing more and more hair by the second." The youngest of the three sasses monotonously.
"Yeah, you tell him, Bob." Mark falls onto his bed.
Wade rolls his eyes. "You had him tripping over his feet."
"What?" Mark sits up on his elbows.
"He's gay, dude. He's totally gay."
"That's really rude to assume, Wade." Mark replies defensively.
Wade just slumps back into their bean bag. Bob gives Wade a pointed look, but Mark doesn't even register what it could mean.
In the dinner hall that night, the three sit amongst their other friends and a newcomer known to Mark.
"This is Jack. He's from Leprechaun Land." The Swedish man teases.
"You ass." Jack laughs, bumping his shoulder against the student body president's.
Mark smiles, watching the Irishman with curiosity.
"You're the one Mark was talking to today." Bob says knowingly, reaching out his hand. "I'm Bob."
Bob makes the introductions for everyone and they all wave and smile at Jack. Ken, with his bear hat on, fist bumps the newcomer. His girlfriend from Mark's dorm hall, Mary, smiles warmly. Felix, the president, and his girlfriend, Marzia, have already been introduced, but Bob says their names anyway.
"I don't know where Cry is, but no one ever sees him, anyway. But he's a good guy. So, if you ever get to meet him, consider yourself lucky." Bob finishes. "Actually, you should be hearing from him soon cause--"
"Good evening, my name is Cry and here are the nightly announcements. We have a new student joining us, Jack McLoughlin. He's fresh from Ireland and our fearless leader," The faceless announcer laughs. "Sorry, that gets me every time. Anyway, Felix, our SB President, will be showing him around and you should show him some good ole hospitality."
And then Cry's voice is gone and all that's left in the rumble of all the students talking to each other whilst they eat and Jack's embarrassed flush against his cheeks.
Jack's embarrassment doesn't end there, though, because soon he's being assaulted by shaving cream. And immediately there's an uproar from everyone sitting with Jack.
"What the fuck?!" Felix gets onto his feet, pushing against the assaulter.
Jack's a mess, covered in white and sniffling to get the cream out of his nose. The Irishman gets up and runs, almost slipping in the shaving cream that falls to the smooth floor. He disappears from the dining hall, leaving his new friends to deal with the pest that started this.
"What the fuck's wrong with you, Sam?" Ken's next to Felix, being held back by both him and Mary.
"Woah, chillax. It was just a prank." He shrugs, the 'innocence' etching into his face.
Mark looks out at the retreating figure of Jack, deciding to run after the Irishman.
"You're a piece of work." He hears Bob say as he runs after Jack.
"Jack!" Mark's shoes pound against the ground, picking up the pace to catch up to Jack. "Hey! Jack, wait up!"
"Go away." Jack mumbles, wiping the cream off his body and letting it fall onto the concrete and land with a 'squish'. "I knew ye were too good to be true. And you with yer muscles and smiles. Just fuck off."
Mark frowns. "Sam's a sack of crap. We didn't know he was gonna do that."
"Still. Fuck off."
"Lemme help you clean off. C'mon." Mark grabs his bicep.
"Just-- Mark," Jack looks at Mark, their eyes meeting. Mark has no trouble ignoring the shaving cream surrounding Jack's face and stares deeply into his blue eyes. The Irishman gives in. "Okay."
"There's a bathroom over here," Mark points to the lecture hall. "We can clean you up there."
Mark cleans the big chunks of shaving cream off of Jack while Jack gets the bits from his face and eyes.
"Me eyes burn like a motherfucker." Jack gripes.
Mark grunts. "I'm sure Sam's getting his ass beat over yonder way. Ken looked like he wanted to have a field day."
"Fuckin' first day on this fuckin' campus, for fuck's sake."
"I'm really sorry about this."
"Fuck it."
"So, where's your dorm hall?" Mark says, changing the subject very obviously.
"Has anyone told ya yer an idiot?" Jack says, irritated.
Mark takes no offense, laughing instead. "Yeah. That's my life."
Jack's expression softens. "Oh, well."
"There," Mark smiles, throwing away the dirtied napkins. "You look good as new."
Jack stares at himself in the mirror, Mark watching him. His small hands smooth over his bright green hair.
"You look fine," Mark comments. "If you're wondering."
"I--" Jack closes his mouth, his lips pulling into a straight line.
Mark walks Jack to his dorm hall. He gets approached by a lot of people wanting to say 'hi' and he feels bad for making Jack have to wait.
"Yer like a celebrity, for fuck's sake." Jack grumbles in awe.
"Not really. Just know a lot of people." Mark laughs.
Jack stops Mark from walking past his room, grabbing his hand. Mark pauses, but only to look down at their hands.
The Irishman snatches his hand away after Mark stops. "Here's my room."
"Oh, okay." Mark nods.
Jack opens his door with his room key, Mark taking notice to the Irishman's room. He has the dorm room all to himself, Mark guesses.
"Well, thanks."
Mark shrugs. "It's nothing."
Jack quickly pulls Mark in for a hug. "Seriously."
"I--" Mark settles for saying nothing at all, just wrapping his arms around the young man.
He feels a sudden warmth on his cheek and he realizes, Jack's kissing his cheek. It ends just as slow as it happened, with Jack pulling away and nuzzling his forehead against Mark's neck.
"You were my first friend." Jack scratches the back of his neck after he partially hides himself behind his door. "Goodnight, Markimoo."
"Goodnight, Jackaboy."
Mark hears Jack giggle from the other side of the dorm room door and that leaves him smiling all the way back to his and Wade's dorm room.
"Mark! Where were you?" Wade exclaims, eyes excitable.
"I was helping Jack get cleaned up." Mark explains with a shrugs, his smile never leaving his face.
"You missed Sam getting beat up!"
Mark slumps into one of their bean bags. "I know. You guys looked ready to kill him."
"Well, Ken almost did." Wade tells, laying on his stomach. "We all think he broke Sam's jaw with his right hook."
"Holy crap."
"Ken's definitely gonna get some backlash for that, but he said it was totally worth it."
Mark huffs unhappily. "Way to welcome Jack to school."
"Yeah, was he okay?"
"Yeah, he was totally fine. Got him clean, walked him back to his room."
Wade wiggles his eyebrows. "Showed him a good time?"
"What?" Mark questions, baffled. "No, Wade, you moron."
"But you want to. I see it..."
"Between my thighs." "In your eyes."
"Mark," Wade laughs. "Thighs? I see it between your thighs?"
Mark smirks dramatically. "They call it the Impaler. Mhm."
"You want to impale Jack." Wade continues, knowingly. "You like him."
"Yeah, so what?"
Wade grins. "You like a boy."
"I thought we established the whole 'I'm bisexual' thing."
"I think you're gonna establish more than that with Jack."
"Shut up."