Chapter Text
There was the faint sound of giggling that Mark could hear even outside his apartment -- Definitely Jeremy, but was the other laugh Moss? It had to be, unless Jeremy had made another friend, like he's so good at doing. Why can’t I be like that? It was difficult for me to even keep a friend I already roped into my life. He opened the door quietly, and left it open to sneak closer to hear what they were talking about. It’s okay, it’s just if you get caught you’ll seem like a major creep to Moss. Jez knows me by now, he’ll just make some comment and forget about it in an hour.
“Oh! I meant to ask you, is Mark always so… umm.. Tense ?” Moss asked, swiveling from side to side on the chair.
“Yeah, sorry about him, he’s just like that,” stupid Mark, you probably made him feel awkward, and now I have to make it right… like usual, what would he do without me? “I hope he didn’t make you uncomfortable.”
“What?” the swiveling stopped for a moment, “No! No… Not at all. I guess I was just worried that he was like that because I was around, I’d hate to make him feel weird in his own home.”
“Nah, Mark’s cool once you give him a moment.” Cool’s a little too strong of a word… No matter how long you know Mark, he’s always lame, but like… a comforting lame, like a plaid slipper.
He’s worried about how I feel? That’s kind of sweet, that's a good sign, mean’s he’s thinking about me, right? Mark backed up quietly and pushed the door shut, so it made an audible noise. Right, that seemed natural… hopefully.
“Hi Honey, have a good day at work?” Jeremy called.
Mark stopped in the doorway to his room and looked in at the two, “Same as usual, and can you stop doing that when we have people over?” Especially people I care about impressing.
“You don’t have to hide your relationship from me,” Moss said with a small laugh.
“Yeah Baby, ” Jeremy smirked back at his flatmate, who looked more flustered now. He secretly likes this, Mark’s almost begging for any kind of attention, “he’s a queer, so we can be ourselves.”
Before Mark had the chance to retort, Moss threw his slipper at him, the other giggling as it hit him. Raising his arms, protecting himself from other things, the boy threw at him.
“If you keep saying it like that, people are going to think you’re an asshole.”
“Stop, stop! ”
Mark decided to back out of that conversation and figure out what to have for dinner. Jez helped a bit… now I know he’s gay. Not that it matters, you don’t care about that Mark, why would you care about that? There's nothing wrong with it, but it doesn’t make any difference what his sexuality is to me… Maybe I could impress him with a nice dinner. I suppose I should ask him if he has any dinner plans before putting in too much effort. From the bedroom, a bump could be heard, accompanied by a small yelp from Jeremy. Oh dear, I hope they're not seriously fighting now, I don’t think I’d be much use in stopping that. He walked back to Jeremy’s room, loosening his tie from around his neck.
“Hey Moss,” he stopped at the doorway again to see Moss on top of Jeremy, pinning him to the bed. Should I even fucking bother trying to impress him when it’s clear Jeremy probably has him without trying? Hell, I’d pick Jeremy… oh… best not think into that too much “If I’m not interrupting, I was wondering if you had any plans for dinner?”
“Yes, we’re ordering a pizza and watching a movie!” Jeremy spoke for him, craning his neck, so he could see Mark, still struggling against the smaller, who surprisingly kept his arms pinned.
“Did you want to join us?” Inviting Mark to join was a smart idea, maybe then I could get to know him… guess I could do that without sharing pizza.
“Oh… I don’t know.” Jesus Christ, Mark, it’s just pizza. Say yes! “ Uh… No, I’ll just make something myself.” I’m hopeless, this is why I’m going to die alone. “But I’ll see what you're watching and maybe join in.” Not that Moss is even considered in the pool of people I want to date.
Moss nodded and loosened his grip on Jeremy’s wrists just enough for the other to break free and quickly tackle him down, so he was on top. Mark made his way back to the kitchen to figure out what to make for dinner, and to leave the two to wrestle… Or whatever they were doing.
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Jeremy paid for the pizza. I can’t really pay him for the damages the water did, so paying for his food occasionally and being extra nice might get me some brownie points. He walked back into the living room, where Moss was messing with the DVD player.
“What’s up with this thing?” The disk holder ejected for the tenth time since Moss had started messing with it. I'm going to break it, either by accident or by throwing it at a wall.
“Oh, you have to lift it a bit and push it in, might take a few tries,” he said, sitting down.
Moss looked back at him with a small glare, “You couldn’t of told me that from the beginning?”
“You didn’t ask.”
He sounds too innocent to be annoyed at, he’s too good at that…. There's not one brain cell left in that man, is there? Moss turned back to the DVD player and messed with it some more.
Mark walked in with the sandwich he made himself, he set the plate on the coffee table and walked over to help, “ Oh, Moss, let me. We really should have replaced this thing ages”—his hand brushed against the other's, and he quickly jerked it back—“Sorry.” Yes Mark… Retracting your hand like he has the plague is exactly how to go about this.
“I give up, here you do it.” Moss moved out of the way and went back to the couch.
Mark got the DVD player to shut and moved to his armchair. I could sit on the couch next to Moss, put him in between Jeremy and me… Jeremy would find that odd, though. Hell, Moss would probably find it weird as well. The movie already seemed stupid to Mark, but since the other two seemed to enjoy it, he could always pretend like he understood the idiotic jokes and pointless plot the movie brought. Gotta act normal. Half of getting to know people is faking your personality anyway, right? He relaxed into his chair. I can survive an hour or so… if not I’ll just retreat to my room. That would look so lame though, possibly even be seen as rude.
Moss had picked the movie, Jeremy trusted his taste, and it seemed he was always pretty on the nose; simple comedies were what hooked Jeremy, possibly action movies. Manly movie’s! Nothing like girly romcoms or cheesy romance movies… I wouldn’t mind watching a romance movie, though, I kind of like them… No one must know that, though.
Jeremy grabbed another slice and glanced over at Moss. Moss probably wouldn’t mind, maybe I can get him to watch Titanic or Pretty woman, maybe The Wedding Planner, the movies I really want to watch, but none of my girlfriends ever put on.
“Is there a reason he’s so dumb?” Mark spoke up, despite thinking it might not be the best option.
“It’s easier to make jokes with dumb characters,” Moss shrugged.
He didn’t give me a weird look or even mind that I asked! It was like it was a totally normal question… Perhaps it was. Mark smiled a bit, his eyes moving to Jeremy and quickly snapping to the TV when he saw the look he was being given.
Jeremy rolled his eyes. Oh god, he’s not going to have another gay panic, is he? About Moss as well? Maybe I’ll tell Super Hans, he’d probably kill Mark if he knew… Eh, No, don’t want Mark dead. God, I hope he doesn’t try to rent gay porn again, I’d rather not have Moss know that Mark’s all weird about him.
The movie seemed to go by slowly, at least to Mark, but it got a few laughs out of the two on the couch, so maybe it was worth it. Moss got up and stretched as the credits played, looking at his watch.
“That felt like more than an hour,” he pointed out.
“Tired already? You’re losing your edge, Hans will be so disappointed.”
“Called having a job, Jeremy, ever try?”
“Hey! Music is my job! I’m just… in a small area of not making money”
Moss cocked an eyebrow at him. Not one brain cell.
“I can get some blankets if you want to sleep out here tonight, it's a pull-out,” Mark said getting up from his chair, it was a little past his normal sleeping time as well, so he was more than happy that Moss also wanted to get to bed.
“Your back will be stiff for a week, just sleep with me again.” Back off Mark, he’s nice to sleep with, just because you’re alone doesn’t mean I have to be.
“Jez, don’t you think that possibly he would like his own space?”
“Well, then you sleep with me and give Moss your room.” Ha! Stupid Mark, You’ll never do that
“Moss can come sleep with me if he wants,” Mark shut up, “at least I don’t hog bed covers.”
“ Hey! I don’t—”
“Umm…” Moss gave a sheepish smile as he managed to stop the men bickering with the small noise, “I’ll just… sleep on the couch.”
Great Mark, you made him uncomfortable, our sleeping arrangement was fine, why did you have to open your stupid mouth? I hate you. Jeremy nodded a bit with a small pout, trying to get his way, adding puppy eyes for extra effectiveness.
Yeah, right… Moss won’t fall for that act, Jeremy. I’ve won this one and—
“Fine, Jez, stop looking at me like that!” Damn it, one day I’ll be able to say no to his big dumb eyes.
What?! Oh, of course, of-fucking-course that would work. That's not fair! I can’t do that. I didn’t really want to share my bed anyway… but I almost won, with the couch, and he pulled that shit?! Mark glared at him as Jeremy stuck his tongue out when Moss’ back was turned. ‘Grow up’ he mouthed at him before retreating to his own room to sulk.
Jeremy happily walked to his room, where Moss was looking through the drawer he put his clothes in for something. He watched him for a moment. If he wasn’t Super Hans’ brother… What am I saying? Since when has that rule ever mattered to me? I’m only attracted to him because I know Mark wants him now… and he makes it so obvious, too. Doesn’t matter, Moss would never go for him… Would he? Nah… Though, you can never be too sure. I could totally have him if I wanted, I’m a catch.
“Jez?” Moss waved a hand in front of him, making him flinch a bit.
“Huh? Sorry… spaced out,” he gave a nervous chuckle, quickly slipping his jeans off, so he could crawl into bed.
“What were you thinking about?”
It’s like he can read my mind… I hope he can’t. “Nothing just…” quick say something stupid, something Mark would ignore, “What I’m going to do tomorrow… thinking I might make some music.”
Moss stared at him for a moment before giving a small smile, “Right… Well, don’t hurt yourself.”
Jeremy gave a small laugh, getting into the bed, “Right.” Stupid Mark… this is all his fault.