Dream Daddy

Part 21

As Tim closed the door a bit roughly behind him, Sean told Mark with a smile.  "After we finish, I can take a look at his computer if you want"?  Mark nodded, leaning back to gut out his pumpkin as he answered with a chuckle.  "Sure. Just don't judge me for what he watches".  Sean gave a small shrug, feeling guilty as he told Mark a little embarrassed.  "Can't be much worse than me. At least, he's just watching it and not doing it".  Mark removed his arm from the large pumpkin to drop a handful of seeds into a trash bag, when he said casually.  "Same. I'd rather not help him pay child support".  Sean finished carving out the top of the pumpkin, asking curiously.  "Do you pay for the boys"?  Sean winced a bit at his own words.  They had come out a bit sharper than he had intended. 

However, Mark didn't seem bothered by it.  Mark just simply told him with a shrug.  "Just Tim. I only have to pay until they turn eighteen. Barry hit that milestone years ago and Tim will be eighteen in November".  Sean nodded, pulling the top off the pumpkin.  Sean peeked inside to see the slimy seeds and swallowed.  He hated this part of carving.  It was a mess and looked gross.  Sean looked over at Mark and found himself staring at Mark's arm.  He couldn't get over how strong Mark's arm looked.  The way the muscle flexed beneath his skin as he scraped out his pumpkin with his bare hand.  He was getting a strong urge to touch his arm to see if he was even real.  Mark's arm stopped moving and Sean's eyes rose up to see why.  His eyes locking with Mark's shadowy dark brown eyes.  Sean was used to seeing Mark's softer teddy bear brown eyes... but this lighting was making them look so dark they looked almost black. 

Mark shot him a smirk, asking a little curious.  "Something wrong"?  Sean quickly shook his head, before leaning over the pumpkin in front of him.  He brushed off the awkwardness, by picking up a scooping spoon and digging in.  He hadn't meant to stare that long.  His cheeks started to burn as he wondered if the Dark Mark in his dream had been as muscular.  He couldn't recall.  The Dark Mark had been wearing a suit.  Mark nudged his arm playfully, before asking suspiciously.  "Are you ok? You've been acting a little weird around me. Did I do something"?  Sean stopped scooping to open his mouth, but nothing was coming out.  He couldn't catch his breath.  Forcing himself to inhale, he shook his head, mumbling back.  "It's complicated. Just got a lot on my mind".  Sean pretended to focus really hard on scooping, when Mark asked wickedly.  "This have anything to do with that dream you won't tell me about"? 

Sean lost his grip on the scooping spoon and it fell from the pumpkin to clatter loudly on the coffee table.  Sean cleared his throat, reaching for the spoon with a stiff but steady hand.  He couldn't look at Mark, despite wanting too.  It didn't matter though, because Mark asked even more curious now.  "I take that as a yes. Was I in it"?  Sean bit his lips, dropping the pumpkin guts into the trash bag as he mumbled out.  "Can we not talk about it. It's... embarrassing".  Mark took hold of his wrist and Sean gasped in shock as his mind flickered from reality to his dream.  For a split second, Mark's tan hand had become a faded grey color... but the touch was the same.  Mark released him, asking a little worried.  "Sean...? Did I hurt you"?  Sean let out a nervous chuckle, answering a bit shaky.  "No. Not at all. I just... It was just a very personal dream". 

Mark grabbed a towel to wipe off his slimy hand, while he told Sean a bit sheepishly.  "Oh, I see. What? Were you having sex with Natemare and I stormed in and killed him"?  Sean blushed, standing up as he clamored out.  "You know what? I could use a drink. You want one? It's in the fridge, right"?  Sean didn't wait for an answer, he just started to head for the kitchen.  Pulling out a soda bottle from the fridge, Sean closed the fridge door and jumped back.  Mark was standing with his arms crossed and a smug grin on his face.  Sean made to move past him and back to the living room, when Mark's hand touched his chest so tenderly.  Sean knew he could push through, but his body refused to move.  It was like Mark's fingers commanded him to stay.  In a sweet voice, Mark asked him softly.  "Or did I join him"? 

A shiver ran down Sean's back, but he finally turned his head to look Mark in the eyes.  Mark's grin faded away, replaced by a strange confident look.  Mark dropped his hand from Sean's chest, asking casually cool.  "That's interesting. Did it scare you"?  Sean kept his eyes on Mark's, answering calm and collected.  "Surprisingly... No. What scared me was how different I felt. I felt... stronger. More driven. Fearless".  Mark took a step back to lean back against the wall, saying just as calmly.  "Darker".  Sean nodded, then asked curiously.  "Did you have a dream like that"?  Mark shrugged nonchalantly, answering a bit more uplifting.  "Once or twice. I don't think anything of them. They're just dreams".  Sean smirked as Mark gestured to his costume, asking curiously.  "So, Anti was inspired from that? I must be talking too much about Natemare". 

Sean opened his soda bottle, heading toward the living room.  Over his shoulder, Sean chuckled back to Mark casually.  "Maybe. Although, I will say that the version of you that I saw was pretty...intimidating. He just had this... way about him".  Behind him, Mark asked him simply.  "Is that so? In what way"?  A cold chill ran down Sean's back.  Turning slightly, Sean watched Mark slowly move into the room with a strange look on his face.  Emotionless and fearless.  Sean pointed at Mark, playfully stating.  "That! That look right there! Now stop it. You're freaking me out".  Mark's expression broke into a chuckle, when he replied.  "But I'm not doing anything".  Sean took a sip from his drink, before replying.  "You don't have to. You've got the look of a muscular sophisticated crime boss already".  Mark smirked, crossing his arms over his chest. 

After a moment, Mark shuffled his feet.  He looked deep in his own thoughts, when he finally told Sean with a broad smile.  "Alright. Tell you what... I'll play along with you. This whole 'Dark' version of me thing. But you promise to help me scare Nate with it. Deal"?  Sean started to shake his head.  He felt really uneasy about scaring Nate at all.  Mark raised a hand to stop him, saying quickly.  "Before you say no. Know this. We all play harmless pranks on each other in this neighborhood and Nate got me good last year. I plan to get him back for it".  Sean raised an eyebrow, asking him a bit sarcastically.  "How did he prank you"?  Mark cringed a bit, mumbling out.  "He made me believe that this creepy doll was following me around all day and then when I went to Wade's party... He dropped it on me from the roof".  Sean couldn't stop himself from laughing, while Mark chuckled out.  "It's not funny. I ran four blocks before I found out Nate did it".  To Be Continued...