-- Mark --
It was two in the morning as Jack just slain one of the many colossi on Shadow of The Colossus. After hours of long, hard, excruciating work, he just beat the one hardest levels. My jaw dropped in surprise as he brought the giant down with what little life his character had left. With a whoop, he fist pumped the air and sat down his controller. He turned back and looked at me with triumph in his eyes as I sat back and watched him from the leather couch, my eyes bright with wonder. The TV illuminated his features, causing a silhouette-like look to him. He leaned toward the light switch and flipped it on. The smile on his face was contagious and I couldn't help but return it. He jumped up and grabbed a coke and a bag of chips for us, celebration in the air as he plopped beside me on the couch. He opened the chip bag with a slight pop and cracked a Dr. Pepper. All the glory in the world became evident on his features as he chugged the drink down. He crushed the can against his forehead (typical of him), his smile never wavering from his face.
"That was one of the hardest colossi I've ever had to tangle with. It took longer than expected, but I beat it!" He yelled happily. He grabbed another Dr. Pepper (I swear that boy drinks them like they're water) and cracked the tab once more. After downing some of the drink he passed the Dr. Pepper to me. I grasped it quickly and chugged some of the carbonated drink, eager to join the celebration with Jack. Once having enough of the dark liquid, I passed it back to Jack and began to ramble immediately.
"The way you were on the edge of death and then suddenly killed the colossi with one final blow, that was amazing!" I rambled out to Jack. I had respect for anyone who could play like that. Not to mention, Jack didn't take my bragging in a boastful manner; he just grinned happily like any other decent person would have done. He smiled happily and then seemed to settle as his grin became more thoughtful.
"You should try to beat one of the colossi, you know?" He told me.
I nearly choked as I looked over at him and my eyes grew the size of saucers. Me, the boy who had never even seen a gaming system in the flesh until now, trying to beat one of the colossi? No way. It would be catastrophic. I would bottom out and only make a fool of myself. Jack is a gaming god compared to me. I was the one who would probably just jab at random buttons and die within seconds. It would drive me absolutely insane trying to beat the levels he has already gone through and mastered. I have to give him so much respect for this win. I also have to shrink from my own inability to be just as agile and strategic with a controller in my hand.
"Did you hear me," he asked as he gently snapped in front of my face and pulled me away from the blank open space I stared into as he repeated, "you should try to beat one of the colossi. I'll teach you the moves and you'll do just fine."
"Jack, I've never had a gaming system before. I've never even seen one in the flesh until we stepped foot in here. I'll die within the first five seconds!" I told him. He smirked and before I could ask why he was smirking, a low chuckle escaped the back of his throat.
The chuckle turned into a laugh which was followed by, "It wouldn't surprise me if you died in the first few seconds. If you don't, I'd consider it a miracle." My heart almost dropped until he added, "Don't worry about it, even I died in the first few seconds on my first time playing a video game." This kind of made me feel better. This means that failing almost immediately was natural. Even a game god failed almost immediately on their first try. If anyone could see Jack with a controller, they would find the statement hard to believe. I hardly believed it, but Jack admitted to it. Now I had a little more confidence in myself. However, even with all the confidence in the world, I would never pick up that controller tonight.
"Well. Do you want me to teach you?" He asked.
I was stuck between embarrassment and the thought of us being closer. I bit my lip, looking down at the game station. I swear that this would be the hardest decision is ever have to make. I didn't want to make a fool of myself. I didn't want Jack to laugh at me. I didn't want to feel the embarrassment for this would defiantly lead to me making an absolute idiot of myself and crying in frustration; as much as I love Jack, I didn't want him to have to calm me down because I was on the verge of banging my head against a wall. My thoughts were jumbled as Jack looked at me expectantly. A few more moments of silence and Jack grew impatient.
"Just answer the damn question, Mark! Do ya want me to teach you or not?" Jack demanded after sitting there for a few minutes. I once again, thought about it. Embarrassment, humiliation, and a case of blackout rage was all this led to.
A deep breath and another bite of my bottom lip before I answered.
"Yes."
•••
"I did it!" I screamed happily as I beat my fifth colossi for the morning. Jack beamed with pride and wrapped his arm around me, making me grin as he pulled me closer to him and patted me on the back. A blush rose over my cheeks and I was happy that the dark blanketed and hid the color in my face. When he looked back at the screen, my blush slowly faded and I had to keep from fanboying. My smile never wavered as he gleamed with a sense of confidence.
"Attaboy, Mark! I told ya that you'd do good!" He said, ruffling my hair. A grin and a pat on the back. Then, I saw a mischievous spark in his eyes and grew scared. He leaned toward my ear and whispered deeply, "I say this causes for a deeper celebration than coke and chips." These words winded me and I turned to face him. His eyes became bright and there was a smirk on his face now.
"What?" I asked, scared. I knew what that expression meant. I knew exactly what he was going to do.
"Wait right here." He muttered. He stood and went upstairs, taking mile wide strides out of excitement. I just sat patiently and held the controller in my hands, staring at my scores on the screen.
Moments later, Jack returned with a bottle and some shot glasses. As he came down the stairs, I got a good look at the bottle. Fireball Cinnamon Whiskey.
"Umm, Jack?" I question. He places the glasses and bottle on the table, not looking back at me. "Jack." I say louder.
He finally turns and pressed a finger to my lips. He grabs me by the shoulders, (complicating my breathing as he does it) and he stoops down. His voice drops down a thousand octaves as he talks, as if someone is going to hear us. Not even the walls of the soundproof basement were allowed the privilege of knowing our (his) activities.
"If you don't want to, you don't have to. I'm going to, though." He looked at the glasses and bottle for a moment before turning back to me. "You have to promise me that you won't tell anyone." He states, putting his hands in a nearly pleading position as he closes his eyes and chuckles, "you could get me into so much trouble." He grabs my shoulders once more, "Not another living soul can know. Do you, Mark, promise not to tell anyone what we do in this room and keep everything we do in this room a secret?" He asks me, as if putting me on oath.
"I promise." And with those words from my lips, this room becomes our safe place away from the rest of the world. We can be ourselves here. We can hide away from anyone and everyone who threaten to tear us apart. We can hold each other's worries and kiss them away. We can love each other here without judgemen-
What on earth am I talking about? We're not even together and I had these deep thoughts as I stared into his eyes. He probably just kissed me out of whim and the spur of the moment. Or he really could be in love with me. I need to get my gay-dar (another way of saying gay radar) fixed. He could be in love with me and here I am, with my head stuck in the ground like a damn ostrich; I could be oblivious to what signals he's sending. I'm confusing myself at this point and by the time I snap out of my trance, Jack is already downing his first shot of Fireball. He whistled as he sat the glass down and looked at me.
"That's some strong shit." He mutters. "I'm going to ask you, and you can decline, but do you want some?" He asks me cautiously, thoughtfully asking my consent and keeping his tone light as to keep from sounding as if he were demanding me.
I look between him and the whiskey, unsure of my next course of action. But before my brain can make a decision, my lips move and I find myself saying one thing I never thought I'd say:
"Yeah. I'd love some."
Jack's jaw falls open the same time mine does. I hadn't even expected myself to sound so eager, so willing to rebel against the laws and rules that were bestowed upon me at birth. His surprise fades and his lips turn up in an evil smirk. He's rubbing off on me, and judging by the look on his face, he now knows it. He motions me with a single finger and I stand up, leaving the comfort of the leather couch. Jack eagerly greeted me with a warm hug, as though I were a long lost friend from the past.
"I'm proud of ya, lad. Congrats on beating the colossi." He told me. Tears sprung up in my eyes as the words passed his lips. No one has ever told me that they're proud of me before. The feeling of someone actually having pride in something I've done is a rare feeling to me, one I wished I could feel more often. I blinked back my tears of self pride.
Jack pulled away from the hug and smiled at me.
"I'm just going to throw you into the hard shit, okay? Your stomach will be stronger to alcohol if we do." He said, pouring a shot of the Fireball Cinnamon Whiskey into my shot glass. He poured one for himself before we raised our glasses in a toast, clinking them together in celebration.
"Bottoms up!" He cries happily and we down the shots. The drink burned all the way down and caused a light stinging sensation once it reached my stomach. The feeling was almost nauseating at first. I shook my head roughly for a moment to get used to the dizziness and flavor, also feeling the impact of being punched in the stomach.
"Holy shit," I breathed out, "I know what you mean by strong."
Jack laughed and patted me on the back.
"Don't worry. The more you drink it, the more you'll get used to it. Want another?" He asked.
"I'm gonna wait a minute and let that settle. I'm not like you, I'm American and my stomach is weak." I chuckle playfully.
"That's alright. Whenever you want another, just tell me and I'll pour it. Okay?" He said. I nodded in response. This was gonna be a long night.
----
Okay, that concludes another chapter. Let me know what you think in the comments below. Anything you didn't expect? Anything you did expect? Goodnight my friends.
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-Samuel