"Call me if you need backup alright?" Vex said, taking a sip, his words laden with concern.
Mark smirked. He knew how get Vex flustered. "I'll call you if I get bored," He teased, glancing back at Vex from the door, grinning flirtatiously.
Vex got lost in Mark's eyes for a second; his stomach churning with mixed emotions of excitement, fear and… affection? …adoration? … love even?
Oh mother of sweet lord Jesus, don't let Mark get hurt. Vex sighed heavily and banged his forehead on the bar, trying to numb the thought.
Mark had met with Iris and accompanied her to the house of her (deceased) human form. Iris, losing control of the power of Nyx, began vaporizing everything she touched. Afraid, she warned Mark to run. However, Iris' mother entered, and horrified by witnessing her dead daughter alive and walking, and her husband lying dead on the ground, reacted viscerally with a forceful stab to Mark's chest.
Hobbling out to the park, Mark considered being 'loyal' to his father and calling on Dyson for help. But although wounded, Mark was still a rebellious joker and he couldn't get enough of Vex's company. He pulled out his phone and attempted to position his body on the angle that hurt the least.
Vex fluttered with excitement when he saw the caller ID, "Oh well hello you cheeky thing, are you really that bored already? Couldn't get enough of me ey?"
Mark half chuckled, but the motion irritated his ribcage and he winced in pain.
"Mark… Mark? You there mate. Where are ya? I'm comin' right for ya k?"
"Vex, I knew I could trust you". He gave Vex brief yet accurate directions and dropped the phone, collapsing momentarily out of pain and blood-loss.
When he opened his eyes again, his first vision was of Vex's face over his. Vex was lying on his side facing Mark, leaning on his right hand and caressing Mark's chest with his left, His eyes appeared red and watery, and his makeup was smudged.
"In case you don't make it, love, I need to get something off my chest. I could never live with meself knowin' I never told you about the oracles. Lord only knows it shocked the heck outta me too."
He paused for a moment of reflection and continued, shaking his head, frustrated with his inappropriate and poorly timed burning desire. "It had to be you, you sneaky bastard, the son of a darned light fae, not to mention one of the biggest nemeses I ever 'ad. I can't take my bloody eyes off of ya though, and that's sayin' somethin' for someone who's lived as long as I 'ave and seen what I 'ave…"
He paused and swallowed hard, "It was you Mark, I had a vision of you… and me… in the cellar. And it was fuckin' hot and after being confused, even ashamed maybe, I've never been more certain about anythin' in me deep, dark, twisted, miserable life".
Mark, pretending he'd been unconscious for the majority of the speech, opened his eyes and gleamed with a wide seductive grin at Vex.
He patted Vex on the thigh and boasted, "Didn't you see notice how much I was flirting with you? I knew you had the hots for me Vex, everyone does. Didn't you see how Dyson demanded you stay away from me? I doubt he'd do that if he thought we were only friends".
Vex was caught off guard. He blinked and looked away uncomfortably. Maybe he wouldn't have opened up so much had he knew Mark was actually conscious and comprehending every word.
"Thought... we? Are we…. Only… friends?" Vex asked with a nervously upward inflection.
"We're whatever you want us to be," teased Mark, biting his lip and drawing Vex's gaze towards his mouth "I just…"
Vex's heart sank. Here comes the 'but'. How could a ruthless dark fae who committed thousands of atrocities on behalf of the Morrigan ever deserve true love or happiness.
"I just… need to be absolutely certain y'know. I've always felt that I was different to everyone else. Even before I knew I was fae; a shifter."
Vex tuned in with deep interest
"I always knew that my heart was strong. Intense feelings of passion y'know, but, I couldn't commit, y'know, because deep down it was like all that fire could only belong to one person. Too loyal if you get what I mean. And if I made a mistake it would be gone forever and I'd never love again. It's like… having so much fuel but one match to light it with and one chance to light it, forever. Now that I know what I am I know why. But, I need to be able to trust you with my whole world before we could ever get serious, alright?"
Vex smiled knowingly but deep down he worried that old baggage between the light and the dark would get between them. When Mark finally shifts he'll have to choose a side. It would be understandable if he chose the light. He was born of the light anyway. And what would the dark have to offer him but greed and hatred.
"Vex…" Mark laughed softly, "don't look so worried. Just, help me up and get me to safety so we at least have a chance. I know you're dark but surely not necrophilia dark".
Vex giggled "well, love, now that you mention it… there was that one time... back in the old days…with the…" He drew a breath, "… nah just kiddin' ya." He ruffled Mark's hair and admired him for a moment. "Let's go find Bo's lady-doctor so we can get you all stitched up".
Right at that moment, Mark's shifter senses kicked in and he smelled the scent of a wolf coming closer. "That way" he directed Vex.
They emerged through the bushes and found Bo, Dyson and Lauren.
"Vex, what are you doing here?" Growled Dyson defensively.
"He called" replied Vex objectively. No details, no inflections. He didn't want to stir Dyson now that he knew how Mark felt. He'd have to be a good boy if he wanted Mark's heart.