Beyond The Limelight ★ Markiplier X Reader

.*★ 3 ★*.

"So. Not to sound big headed but did you know who I was before you took this job?" Mark asked as he picked up his cup and took a sip of his drink through the straw. The diner was pretty busy with it being lunchtime and you tried to ignore your growing headache but you were really enjoying sitting with Mark, talking about whatever and getting to know each other. The pair of you seemed to be really hitting it off and it was growing apparent that you two might actually become friends.

Chewing on your fries, covering your mouth politely with your hand, you nodded. "Yeah I'm familiar," you told him, playing it cool and not making it seem like you were a huge fan as to scare him off. "I've seen a few of your videos. I watched your previous charity streams recently too. You know, for research."

"So it's safe to say you probably know more about me than I know about you." Declared Mark. You gulped.

Don't ask me to talk about myself. Don't ask me to talk about myself-

"So what's your deal? What're you like?" He asked.

Shit.

Honestly since the breakup you'd become a sort of shell of who you were. You not only lost your partner but also your best friend, your confidence, your happiness. You stopped engaging in your hobbies and interests, instead you allowed yourself to be consumed by your work, the more difficult and stressful the better because then you'd have something to focus on other than what they did to you. Despite nothing being your fault, you blamed yourself above all for being this way. You loved hard, hated hard and felt everything so strongly and personally. Some would say you were dramatic, but you couldn't help it, it's just how you were wired.

You shrugged in response and looked away, chewing the inside of your bottom lip nervously. You tried to look for something to say so you didn't look boring but you also didn't particularly like the idea of airing out all your trauma.

"Oh I'm sorry, I didn't mean to overstep." He said quickly, suddenly looking awkward.

You shook your head "No you didn't overstep at all don't worry about it. These fries are really good you were right." You said, swiftly changing the subject and popping another one into your mouth.

He smiled softly, taking the hint. "I know right? They go right to my ass though." Mark joked, leaning to the side and patting his right butt cheek.

"I can tell." You smirked. "Mark Fischbach more like Mark big back."

Mark choked a little on his drink, some of it dribbling down his chin and he quickly grabbed a napkin to clean himself up. "Wow. You're lucky I didn't take offence to that." He laughed. You smirked at him confidently, hiding the fact that you were actually smiling because of how accomplished you felt making him laugh. That's one of the pros of priding yourself on being professional: If you ever let the persona drop to make a joke, it seems 10x funnier coming from you.

"So. Would you like a ride back home? As fun as this is I have some calls to make, an event to plan, business stuff." Mark said before finishing off the last of his drink.

"A ride would be great thanks."

Mark paid for the two meals and drove you home, talking about the project on the way. You discussed ideas for segments, he told you who he was planning on inviting onto the stream (some names of which made you very excited), jokes and skits he could do, you were brainstorming so hard that you had to take your notebook out and start scribbling ideas down. Things were just flowing and the pair of you had this synergy that just flowed and produced some really good ideas. As he pulled up outside your apartment block, he looked a little sad to be leaving you.

"This the right place?" He asked, looking out of his window up at the tall building.

"Yep." You sighed, tapping your pen onto your open notebook in your lap. There was a few seconds of silence and a moment of hesitation  before you both started to speak at the same time.