A Sleepover to Remember (Boy x boy)

Your Eyes

Um, so maybe it was a bad idea to listen to "Your Eyes" while I wrote this. It's a song from my favorite musical RENT, and it makes me tear up when I listen to it. I dunno, I get emotional over stupid stuff. Anyways, on with the story! *hides underneath a rock*

Jack was silent during the ride to the hospital, his mind numb. Mark had been in an accident. He might not make it. He had been hit by a drunk driver. He might not make it. He was in the ICU. He might not make it. Jack's last words had been, "Last night was just a mistake Mark, and you know it!" He might not make it...

Jack was pulled from his thoughts when they arrived at the hospital, and he followed his parents wordlessly. He hated hospitals, something about them made his skin crawl. For once though, he had a legitimate reason to hate being here. After talking to a receptionist and searching for his room, they finally found Mark in the ICU. Jack braced himself before he walked into the room, but he wasn't prepared. The sight of Mark hooked up to all the machines, his skin pale, covered in bruises and cuts, it hit him like a freight train. He saw Mark's parents hovering nearby, their faces pale and drained. Jack felt a wave of guilt as they turned to him, looking at him with sympathetic eyes. Mr. and Mrs. Fischbach looked over at the McLoughins, and as though they had some unspoken agreement they all left. They left Jack alone with Mark, left him alone to deal with the whirlwind of thoughts that left him scared and guilty.

He walked over to the side of the room, grabbed a chair, and pulled it over to Mark's side. He sat down, his lip quivering as tears welled up in his eyes. Jack didn't even recognize the voice he used when he pleaded, "Please M-Mark, yo-you have t-to make it. Y-you gotta m-make it, f-for your f-family, for y-your friends, for m-me." He watched Mark's face, looking for a twitch of the lips, a flicker of the eyelids that would indicate that he heard him. "I-I promise Mark, I-if you make i-it, I swear I-I'll tell you t-the truth. I w-won't lie to you, p-promise.", he continued shakily, tears rolling down his face. He finally stood up, not bothering to wipe away his tears as he pressed a soft kiss to Mark's cheek. With one final look behind him at the unconscious teen, Jack left the room. He shut the door behind him quietly, before leaning against it heavily. Why did this have to happen to Mark? Why couldn't it have been him?

Mark was so much more important than he could ever be, he had more family and friends that relied on him. Mark was like a candle in the dark, comforting and warm. It seemed as though the bitter winds of fate wanted to extinguish the flame, to rid the world of something so pure. It wasn't fair! It wasn't fair to Mark, to his family, his friends! They needed Mark! Mark was the glue that brought the group together! If it hadn't been for him then Yami would still be eating lunch by himself! He'd still be bullied for his accent and his fear of spiders! Bob and Wade would be harassed about their friendship with each other! Jack himself would be bullied for his parents financial status! It was well known that the McLoughins didn't have much, and Mark had been the first person to look past his shabby clothes to see the lonely boy who just wanted a friend. He'd been the first to talk to him, to bring him out of his shell. His first friend, his first crush, his first everything...

Even though it had only been a couple of days ago when they last spoke, it felt like years. There were so many things he had left to say, so many things he wanted to apologize for. If Mark woke up, the first thing he'd say was sorry! He'd tell him he never thought what they did was a mistake, that he had been scared of rejection! Then he'd say he loved him, always had, always would. And then maybe, just maybe Mark would feel the same. Maybe he'd say he loved him too, that he forgave him for walking away, for pushing him away just to avoid the painful sting of rejection. Jack wasn't an idiot though, he knew this wasn't a fairy tale. If Mark woke up, he'd probably hate him. He'd never wanna speak to him again, and he supposed he deserved that. He had been the one to walk away, not Mark. If Mark didn't wanna speak to him, then he wouldn't blame him. He wouldn't talk to him again, he'd even find somewhere else to sit at lunch. Even if it meant he was alone, he'd do anything to make the raven haired teen happy.

Jack spent two weeks in the hospital, only leaving Mark's side when his parents forced him to go home and shower. He grew thin, he ate less and less as time went on. Mark wasted away, the once buff junior almost a skeleton on the bed. His skin was pale, and it felt like old paper, ready to tear at a touch. His hair lost its luster, becoming tangled and greasy. The doctor told the small group of people who huddled in the room that Mark didn't have much time left, and that they needed to say their goodbyes. They went in one at a time to bid their friend, their son, their secret love goodbye. Jack went last, closing the door behind him like the other had done before him. He just stared at Mark, tears he didn't know he still had welling up in his eyes. He sat down next to him, letting the tears fall down his face. He didn't care how he looked right now, his eyes red and puffy from the constant crying, his face pale and drawn, his pale blue eyes dull and lifeless.

"I'm so sorry M-Mark.", he whispered, sniffling softly. "I-I wish I c-could look into your e-eyes one last t-time. T-they were s-so beautiful. I-I can't g-get them out o-of my mind. I c-could never hide f-from them. N-now I'd d-die for one m-more day b-because there's s-something I should've t-told you. I-I always loved y-you Mark, and I a-always will. You m-mean the world to m-me, and y-you can see it i-in my eyes.", Jack continued softly, stumbling through the broken confession. "G-goodbye Mark, u-until we see e-each other a-again.", Jack finished. He held Mark's hand in his own, the cool skin causing goosebumps to raise on his skin. He kissed it shakily, wishing that he could bring him back somehow. A life without Mark was a life without sunshine, warmth, comfort, or joy. It wasn't a life that Jack wanted to live, and in that moment he made up his mind.

He left the room, leaving the door open as everyone crowded in around Mark. They didn't notice him leave, which was perfect. Jack made it to an elevator, and he quickly took it up to the rooftop. It dinged quietly, opening up to reveal the empty rooftop. He walked out to the railing, the failing that kept you from accidentally falling off and plummeting to your death six floors down. However, if you put your mind to you could climb the railing. You could climb up on it and jump, or you could fall forward, like a fucked up trust fall where you hoped to not be caught. This is what Jack was going to do, he was going to jump. He couldn't help the humorless chuckle that left his lips as he climbed up on the metal railing. He had always been terrified of heights, but he was even more terrified of a life without Mark. He shut his eyes, letting the wind pull at his clothes, almost as though it wanted him to get down.

With one final whispered, "I love you.", Jack fell forward, the wind stealing the words away as he fell. He smiled one last time as he plummeted towards the cold, hard pavement of the parking lot. The last thoughts he had were of Mark, and he was happy that he was going to be reunited with him. As Jack hit the ground, he felt one final flash of pain before sinking into darkness. A few moments later, dark chocolate eyes opened one last time. They searched the room as they clouded over, and tears spilled from them as the owner realized Jack wasn't there to say goodbye. "I love you.", a raspy voice croaked out, the last words Mark Edward Fischbach would say in this world. Two families mourned that night, crying together for the loss of their sons. Three friends held each other as they tried to hold themselves together. A school took a week off to mourn for the loss of the two boys. The world might've went on its merry way, but time seemed to stop in the town of Cincinnati for dozens of people. A young U.S. History teacher placed a single crimson rose on the headstone of each boy after the funeral, tears streaming down her face.

With that, she turned and left. The story of Mark Edward Fischbach and Sean William McLoughin was over.