He moved his fingers across the keyboard, not wanting to lose sight of his objective, or defeating him would take a long time and his teammates would label him a bad player, that was definitely not in his plans.
They weren't bad people, certainly not, but they were a bit intense when it came to that online game they all got together to enjoy every Friday. He didn't know anyone there, but that was the interesting part; he could socialize in a relaxed way without worrying about appearances or trying to please anyone. And thanks to that, he met a guy he teamed up with, who gradually became closer to him. He helped him not only win games but also enjoyed the funny stories that came up and the adventures he had to share, even telling him some things about his own life.
Everything was going perfectly; Mark had a new friend. A friend that Jackson, his boyfriend, didn't accept because he took away all the attention from his Markie, the nickname he used to give him, and that was deplorable for the brown-haired boy.
—Maaaaaaark! —he shouted from behind like a little five-year-old demanding the attention that had been stolen from him. —Let's do something fun, it's Friday, I'm already bored.
He approached where the boy was, passing his arms in front of him, encircling the older boy's neck, while kissing his cheek and caressing him with the tip of his nose until he could smell every part of that exposed white skin that the American offered him.
"Jack, you're distracting me, baby," Mark replied, clicking his computer mouse. "Please stop."
Wang smiled and shook his head at the same time as he caught the other man's ear between his teeth and slid a hand down his boyfriend's collarbones, reaching a little further up to his not-so-defined pectorals, those that his partner loved to caress with the tips of his fingers, just as he was doing now, running his tongue along Mark's exposed neck, unconsciously.
"You should stop that." He kissed her neck while giving her little bites. "I can help you have more fun than that silly tournament."
Mark seemed to fall for his partner's charms, throwing his head back and gripping his PC mouse while trying to stifle his moans of pleasure as he felt his boyfriend's hand rest on his crotch and lightly caress his most sensitive area.
"Damn it! Mark! Move it!" yelled the boy behind the screen. "The blue zone is about to catch us!"
That was enough to make the boy walk away from his boyfriend, leaving him bewildered. Mark looked at him with an apology etched on his face.
"I told you not for now," he explained. "Please, it's an important tournament. Could you help me with that?" He touched her cheek affectionately. "I promise we'll do whatever you want later, love." He brought his face close to hers to steal a quick kiss. "I love you."
Jackson snorted; he was angry but didn't object and simply replied, "Me too, and that's why I have no choice but to wait for you."
The idea of living together was supposed to be spending much more time as a couple, doing things like watching TV, eating popcorn, going for walks, or exercising—anything that involved being with each other. But ever since the dark-haired man discovered that silly game, every Friday—or any day he had a game—he forgot it existed, or at least that's how he saw it.
He wanted to wipe every game console and electronic device off the face of the earth. The brunette flopped down on the nearest sofa, a cushion between his legs concealing the telltale sign that threatened to reveal just how much he needed his boyfriend. He tried to think of something nice that would help ease his troubles, and it didn't take him long to find it. Seeing how Mark seemed more entertained by strangers and hanging out on that platform was definitely putting him in a bad mood.
"Are they really more fun than me?" he wondered, looking downcast.
"Oh my god, Mango!" she heard Mark say, that irritating nickname again, the one she'd been hearing for a month. She didn't even know him personally and she was already being so familiar with him. "Stop it! You're making me blush!"
Jackson could only wonder, "What was she saying to her little chick to make him blush like that?" He felt incredibly jealous, he admitted it, but they couldn't blame him because Mark was everything to him.
"Mango! Of course I'm not cute," he said, his cheeks flushed. "If you keep saying that, I'm going to believe it. I feel like you're just saying that to make fun of me."
An unfamiliar laugh reached the Chinese man's ears; Mark had undoubtedly activated the voice chat and could swear that detestable sound was that man's. He bit his tongue to keep from unleashing a tirade against him for the audacity of flirting with someone who was in a relationship.
—So, who do you choose, Pizza or me?— the third party asked playfully.
"Pizza, obviously. Mark loves pizza and would never trade it for you, you idiot."
"You're making it difficult for me," she heard Mark hesitate. "Look, I really love pizza." Jackson smiled; he obviously knew his guy. "But..." Wang didn't understand why he was so hesitant. "Mango is my friend, and that's worth more to me than any food in the world."
Jackson was astonished by Mark's response. Whenever Jinyoung and JaeBeom, his closest friends, asked him things like that, the answer was always pizza. He insisted it was always better to have something in his stomach to give him the energy he needed to do what needed to be done to help them or spend more time with them. But now, this stranger showed up out of the blue, and Mark didn't even hesitate.
"Good, I like that," he heard back from the computer. "I'm honored that it's important to Mark hyung."
Jackson rolled his eyes at how ridiculous the guy seemed. He didn't know when the guy had intruded into their lives; he only knew that even though he didn't know him, he loathed him. Especially since Mark seemed to enjoy his flattery and company more than actually being with him.
The chestnut-haired man sat on the sofa, arms crossed and a slight pout on his face, listening to the back-and-forth of compliments between his boyfriend and that guy. Maybe he was exaggerating, but good heavens! How dare he take him to an abandoned house and dance for him like that!
"You're exaggerating."
His mind was practically screaming at him with laughter at how ridiculous he was being; the boy in question was practically far from where they both lived, but a part of him felt a twinge of pride, making him jealous of a simple dance in a cabin... Even though it was practically inside the video game and the action had been done by a 3D avatar, but no one could blame him, because since they met and after becoming friends (later boyfriends), he was more than used to receiving attention from his Markie.
Although everything got worse when he heard something that instantly annoyed him, feeling it almost like a nuclear bomb or a betrayal, it wasn't that he minded Mark doing it, since the young man was free to have friends, but he disliked that guy more than getting up early in the morning.
"I really mean it, I'd like you to come," the dark-haired boy continued. "I'm sure we can have a great time..."
Tuan stopped talking when she saw her boyfriend go to their shared room and slam the door rather loudly. She wanted to follow him, but she didn't want to be rude to the boy who had promised to do everything possible to reunite. She stopped paying attention to the conversation, wondering about Jack's reaction, but she put that thought aside when a new game started.
Some players left, but others had joined, among them: J852W, who really seemed like a noob, someone who really didn't know what he was getting into, because from the moment the game started he kept making mistake after mistake; standing still in the middle of the battlefield, shooting left and right wasting supplies, not contributing anything to the team, not assisting in battles and hindering every time Mark tried to save another teammate or falling behind when everyone had to move towards the same point.
The black-haired man slammed his fist on the desk in frustration. He was very competitive, even with himself, so much so that he hated losing, especially when it came to his favorite video game where they were clearly going to lose.
"Who is that?" Mark asked, battling internally not to swear.
"I have no idea, but he plays really badly," the boy's friend replied. "He's awful at this."
Tuan was about to answer, but a cry of frustration echoed through every corner of the apartment, just as a: appeared on the screen
Style1313 has removed your partner J852W.
The neurons in his brain synapsed as he connected the whole scene; he frowned as he became more aware of the username, the screams, and the inexperienced partner they had annihilated.
Jackson was in serious trouble.
"Wang Jiāêr!" he shouted loudly, having muted the game microphone and walking down the hall toward the bedroom. Opening the door, he found his boyfriend sitting on the bed, headphones on, laptop on his lap. A simple sight, but incredibly irresistible to him, so much so that he almost forgot his annoyance. "What are you doing?"
Jackson jumped slightly when he felt discovered, trying to hide it by sitting up straight and lowering the laptop screen.
"Nothing, I was just..." She looked at him and then glanced around, searching for any excuse. "So... I was just working."
Mark looked at him, narrowing his eyes, obviously not believing anything his partner was explaining. He entered the room calmly and sat down next to her, taking the laptop in his hands.
"And your job involves sabotaging my video game sessions?" he asked, opening the screen and seeing the image of that world-famous video game. "Uhm?"
She turned her face to look at him with her eyebrows raised, a clear sign that she was waiting for a response.
-Sorry.
Mark let his guard down; he couldn't be angry with his boy. He loved him too much and knew he just wanted a little attention. He would never do anything to hurt him; he knew that perfectly well because Jackson was the definition of tenderness and kindness. He cupped his cheeks, smiling, and pulled him closer, placing a tender kiss on his lips.
“No, you forgive me.” He caressed Wang’s face. “The idea of us living together was mine. It’s not fair that I spend all my time playing video games and forget that I have a wonderful boyfriend like you at home.” He kissed the tip of his nose.
Wang smiled and took her hands.
“I know you have the right to have fun, to enjoy yourself with other people, but…” He lowered his head, ashamed of what he was about to say. “That ‘Mango’ guy makes me jealous. I feel like he makes you laugh more than I do, that you want to be with him more than anything else, and…”
Mark stole a fleeting kiss from his lips and ruffled the chestnut-haired man's hair.
"Come on, don't be crazy." Rio. "Mango is thousands and thousands of kilometers away from us." He made a thoughtful gesture, wanting to play a joke on Jackson. "Or did he live a few houses away from here?"
-That?
Mark started laughing loudly at the look on her face, a mixture of anger and confusion. Without a doubt, his boyfriend was an adorable jealous type, but that's exactly what he loved.
"I'm just kidding," she clarified with a bright smile. "But…" She pulled away from his hands and squeezed his cheeks. "Even if that were true, I wouldn't have eyes for him or anyone else. You know why? Because I adore you, I love you, you're the best and most real thing in my life. You fill my days with light, you make me feel loved, complete, happy, and you give me the support and love I've never received before. And I wouldn't trade that for anything."
Jackson said nothing, he simply kissed his partner tenderly and devotedly, savoring every inch of that precious mouth he adored. Making it clear how much love he held for him, he trailed his lips down the boy's neck and pulled him by the waist until Tuan was sitting on top of him.
"I love you," said the brunette, leaving small bites on the milky skin in front of her.
"Me too, too much." He stroked her silky hair, feeling those kisses that drove him crazy.
Soon, the large hands of the man who would be her husband in a few months were exploring her skin beneath the loose t-shirt she was wearing. Mark smiled, and although the idea of an intense night sounded very appealing, his plans were different. He removed Jackson's hands to stand up; the brunette stared at him, confused.
"You wanted to go out, didn't you?" he said with a playful tone. "Then—" "Move that ass of yours." He kissed her forehead. "And let's go get something to eat."
"Or what do you think…" Jackson took him by the waist and turned him around to hug him, pressing their bodies together. "We stay here, put on Netflix and…" he whispered in his ear. "We don't watch the movie."
Mark bit his lower lip, almost succumbing to his boyfriend's charms, but immediately denied it.
"Mmm no…" she replied, pulling away from his grip. "I want to go out, I want you to kidnap me for today, besides…" she drew out the last syllable. "You're grounded for a while for ruining my game and for making me leave my battle partner hanging with the tournament. You can't touch me for the rest of the weekend."
-That?
It seemed like a nightmare; not a single day had passed without him holding that delicate and beautiful body in his hands, even if it was just small caresses or kisses here and there.
"Oh well." He shrugged, then turned around, grabbing the keys from the nightstand, and quickened his pace without looking back at Wang. "Hurry up! Last one in the car is rotten kimchi!" he teased.
The other boy remained in the room, pouting, lamenting his punishment. After a few minutes, Mark peeked his head in with a flirtatious smile.
"If I were you, I'd hurry," he warned. "Who knows, maybe he'll decide to lift your punishment."
After winking at him, he took firm steps that echoed throughout the house until he crossed the threshold. Jackson smiled at this; his boyfriend was cruel but fair, and he couldn't have loved that more.
She loved every detail, she loved every quip, she loved everything about him. Without thinking twice, she followed Mark, eager to have a beautiful afternoon where they could have an amazing time, and perhaps she could get something more.
It didn't matter; what mattered was spending time with her special someone, treasuring memories she would carry in her heart for all eternity.
I hope you enjoy this short story.