Double Trouble Brew

Part 16

Mark had to brace his hand on the other side of the tub to keep himself from falling in. Jack's kiss was pulling him in. He never wanted to stop kissing him. He enjoyed the sensation of his soft lips and the smell of his skin. Jack's hand slid off his cheek to his neck, pulling him deeper into the kiss and Mark was powerless to resist. Jack smiled against his lips, playfully nipping at Mark's lower lip. Mark smiled himself, until he felt Jack's hands wrap around his chest to pull him in. Jack giggled, causing the sound of it to softly echo off the tiles. Mark shifted up in the tub to sit up a bit. Giving Jack a playful scowl, Mark grumbled out. "Now what did you do that for"? Jack patted one of Mark's legs that were hanging off the edge of the tub, answering. "Are you saying you weren't going to join me"? 

Mark rolled his eyes, looking down at his soaked clothes, mumbling out. "I would have stripped first". Jack ran his fingers through Mark's hair, innocently mumbling out. "It's your lucky flannel. You'll be fine. It will all be fine". Mark shifted a bit in the tub, pulling out his phone from his back pocket, saying grimly. "My phone won't be... Jack... This is my third phone this year". Jack took the phone from Mark's hand, his eyes never leaving Mark's as he dropped it on the soft mat outside the tub. After releasing the phone, Jack cupped Mark's face in his tender hands, whispering lustfully shy. "Drop it in some rice and it'll be grand". Mark couldn't take his eyes off Jack's bright blue eyes. Just listening to him talk in that thick accent of his was gaving him goosebumps.

Mark couldn't believe how much power was in Jack's eyes and voice. He was hypnotized by them. He'd believe anything he said with an accent like that.  He was love-struck by him in so many ways. Reaching out to touch Jack's jaw, Mark leaned in to kiss him. Jack giggled, leaning back a little at a time, until Mark was practically laying over him in the tub. Jack's tender short kisses teased him. He was seriously starting to consider pulling Jack from this tub and taking him across the bathroom floor. It had felt like ages since he had made love to Jack. Mark trailed his fingers down from Jack's jawbone, along his neck and chest. The lower his fingers moved, the more Jack's breathing increased. When he let his palm run over Jack's stomach, Jack broke their kiss and tried to shift away to the side looking uncomfortable. With Mark sitting on his legs though... Jack could only manage to look away and push Mark's hand off his stomach.

Mark raised his hand off Jack's stomach, asking really worried. "Jack? Did I hurt you"? Jack refused to look at him now, simply shaking his head. Mark looked over Jack closely, watching Jack's hand curl around his stomach protectively. Was he worried about putting too much pressure on his stomach? He could understand that, but Jack looked... depressed? Ashamed, maybe? Mark brushed his knuckles lovingly down Jack's cheek, asking curiously. "Jack, what's wrong? Talk to me". Jack's legs tried to pull out from under him, but they couldn't. Mark refused to move and give Jack an excuse to run. He was going to wait. When Jack still didn't move or answer, Mark put his hand carefully back on Jack's stomach. Jack flinched, trying to yank his legs up again.

Mark very gently ran his fingers over Jack's stomach trying to find out what he was hiding. After running his hand all over Jack's stomach, despite Jack's hand trying to push his wrist away, he discovered it. The reason for Jack's discomfort... He had put on weight. Not a lot, but enough that there was a slight rise from his chest to his stomach. The large sweaters Jack had been wearing lately had disguised it well. Mark glanced up to see Jack try to bury his face into the corner of the tub. Mark rubbed his hand up Jack's arm, telling him sweetly. "So, you put on a little weight. Jack... That's not going to change who you are to me". Jack still kept his face hidden in the corner of the tub, mumbling out. "This is the heaviest I've been in a long time! It's all your fault... You did this to me, Mark...". Mark sighed, reaching out to rub Jack's back as he told him comfortingly. "I never would have noticed. Jack, I didn't fall in love with your body". Jack sarcastically huffed loudly and muttered something gruffly in Gaelic.

Mark didn't know what he said, but it sounded mean. So, he swatted Jack's shoulder, snapping back lightly. "Hey! What have I said about insulting me in other languages? You look fine. And that is me being honest". Mark checked his watch and reluctantly started to climb out of the tub. He had to check on the dumplings now. His soaked clothes made it hard to climb out, but he managed to do it. Stripping off his soaked and soapy flannel, he started to reach for his belt and stopped. Jack was crying. He was trying hard to keep it quiet, but in a bathroom with tiles that was impossible. Dropping to his knees beside the tub, Mark reached in to stroke Jack's hair, asking sweetly. "Why are you crying? Jack, I told you that you look fine". Mark couldn't see Jack's face, but could see Jack's shoulders shaking.

Rubbing Jack's shoulder, he heard him mumble out. "I didn't mean to make you angry... I'm sorry, Mark. I can't control it...". Mark smirked, rolling his eyes, resting his chin on his arm on the edge of the tub, playfully stating out. "Jackaboy, look at me". Jack lifted his head just slightly to look, before Mark continued on with a smile. "I'm not mad. But I do have dumplings to check on. Ok? So, finish up and come eat". Mark kissed Jack's head, giving him one last pat on the shoulder as he got up to remove his wet jeans. On his way out of the bathroom, he heard Jack grumble out softly to himself. "Just what I need... to eat more". Mark took a deep breath, but didn't let it out until he was out in the hallway. Jack's mood swings were the worst part of this whole thing.

Jack's emotions were giving him whiplash. He could be so happy one second and a raging beast the next. Then when he said anything to snap back at him... Jack would burst into tears. It was safer not to say or do anything... but even that got Jack mad and THEN he'd burst into tears thinking he didn't care. There was just no winning. No safe zones. Mark slipped into a pair of sweatpants from his bedroom and then rushed to the pot in the kitchen. Gently stirring the water, Mark checked the food. They were done and looked just fine. He turned off the stove and started filling their bowls. Letting them cool, he refilled Chica's bowls and turned on a movie on Netflix. He had been waiting to see this one. He was leaning on the back of the couch, watching the beginning just start up, when Jack trudged into the room.

Jack glanced at the TV for a brief second, grumbling out. "You're not going to watch that are you? It's just a lot of gore and screaming... It's going to make me sick and make my ears bleed". Mark immediately turned off the movie to pick something else, telling Jack a little disappointed. "Nope. I was just reading the description of it. Anything you want to watch"? Jack tucked his hands into his long sleeves as he picked up his warm bowl of food, answering carelessly. "I don't care. Whatever you want to watch". Mark rolled his eyes and bit his tongue hard. He had fallen into this trap twice in the last few weeks. He'd say that he was watching what he wanted... and then Jack would tell him that he'd watch anything BUT that. The only thing he found safe that Jack didn't complain about was Disney movies.

So, clicking on a random Disney movie, Mark headed to the counter to get his bowl. Jack's eyes were locked on the TV screen as he ate. Mark watched him with a warm smile. It was moments like this that made Jack look much younger than he was. Mark carried his bowl over to the table, discreetly tilting his own bowl to dump his dumplings in Jack's bowl. Jack was going through his bowl so fast that he was like a baby T-rex. Jack pried his eyes away from the TV for a moment to glance at what he was doing so close to him, before looking up with narrowed eyes. No doubt Jack was still boiling over his weight gain and feeding him more wasn't helping his mindset... but Mark wanted him to eat. He wanted him to be healthy and with a baby on the way, like it or not... He was eating for two now.

Jack finished chewing, about to say something to him. When Mark distracted him by whipping a drop of dumpling sauce away from his lower lip. Mark licked it off his thumb, giving Jack a warm smile after. Jack's eyes quickly looked over Mark's bare chest, before he blushed and turned his attention back to the movie. Mark set his empty bowl down, leaning in closer to nibble on the point of Jack's reddening ear. Jack flinched shyly, trying to lean away in his seat, when Mark purred out against his ear. "I love you". Jack raised his head to meet his eyes. Jack's cheeks were red, when he whispered back. "I love you too". Mark pressed his forehead against Jack's, letting their colored bangs merge as he told him in a deep loving voice. "You're everything to me, Jack. Please don't forget that". Jack tilted his head back, causing their lips to brush over each others, before answering him breathlessly. "I won't". Without another word, they kissed. To Be Continued...