Jack was sitting down on the cracked stone looking around the town. It was a small quaint place with many people in a rush. He noticed a man sitting across from him about thirty feet. The man had red hair and a strange leather necklace. He had a large cut going down his face and a cute face at that..A small crowd gathered around him as he sat on a box moving his hands around speaking. Jack found himself scooting toward the man and listening along.
" ...So there I was, face to face with a huge troll. He screamed at me in a language I haven't heard in decades. Now, as I was a warlock he must have thought I meant harm, but I didn't. So here I was trying to cross the mountain and he told me this... He said Warlock you have no reason to be here... And you know what he did next? He slapped me across the face and I went flying into a large tree. I hurt my face pretty bad as you can see but the worse part was... The fool had my wand right next to him... So I pushed myself up and ran for my wand. I almost got it but he stepped on my hand in the process. I had kicked at him with my good leg and reached for my wand..." He said smiling. Jack leaned forward wanting to know what happened next.
"-I did a counter curse on the troll and froze him in place.. I didn't realize his foot was on my hand still so I pulled it out from under him, hence the mangled hand. I grabbed my bag and walked right to the mountain.. But it wasn't that easy. You see next I saw the most beautiful young elf in the crystal of my necklace that I found.. His eyes like oceans, his hair green as the trees, his skin as pale as snow. His kind smile, delicate face, perfect features, pointed chin and nose, full lips.. Such beauty was rare and I'd never seen it... I made it my duty to meet him and give him something to remind me of him, and him of me. So I ran up the mountain with a new sense of determination from that young man and grabbed the plant I needed for the spell to wake up Thomas and my Mother and grabbed a few wild flowers on my way.. Now in the beginning of my story I had told you that I was working on a everlasting plant spell... I cast it on the flowers for my new love and made sure it worked. I ran home which took two days time... I saved my parent and brother and came right on to my journey to find the man of my dreams..." The cute stranger said. Jack found himself lost in his mans deep voice.
The man got up and unzipped his jacket. Jack watched as he pulled out a bundle of gorgeous wild flowers and saw the sparkles around them. Mark walked forward and Jack blinked to make sure he was seeing correctly. Mark held the flowers out to Jack smiling sweetly. Jack took them blushing and Mark helped him up.
" I'm Mark Fischbach and you are?" He said.
" Sean McLoughlin but everyone calls meh Jack." He stuttered gripping the flowers.
" Pleasure to finally meet you Jack, would you like to have lunch someday... I know a great bakery near the edge of town that makes amazing muffins..." Mark said looking into Jack's eyes.
" Of course.. How about tomorrow? I'll be right here as always." Jack replied smelling the flowers in the process. Mark smiled and nodded. He walked away without looking back and the entire crowd cheered and applauded. One young lad touched the box where Mark had sat and it sparked out a little dancing light. It whisked around the head of the lad and bounced over to Jack. It nuzzled against Jack's cheek and Jack felt a little spark of happiness at the touch. Mark turned a corner and Jack saw him smiling muttering. The little spark followed Jack all the way home and vanished Into thin air.
{Time skip}
Jack walked into the square and sat at the pavement. He saw Mark holding a carved wooden stick with a leather holder and muttering something. He pointed it to the box and it came alive. The small wooden box began flipping on its side until it was Rolling next to Mark as he walked up to jack. He smiled and bowed. " Jack, are you ready?" He asked.
" Of course." Jack said taking the extended hand Mark held out to him.
" You look beautiful today Jack. I hope you like walking, because it's quite a ways." Mark said beginning to walk. Jack fell into step and they began talking about themselves. Mark was a young warlock who told his stories to towns all around. Jack was a young elf who was training to grow plants by music. Mark had lost his family in a large troll takeover. Jack had a large family and was the youngest of seven.
" Here we are, after you." Mark said walking up to a small building. He held the door open for Jack and they went inside. Mark had ordered them both a muffin and some coffee and they sat at a booth. They talked all morning and afternoon until the sun was almost down.
" Jack, I really like you. We should do this more often. What do you say?" Mark asked walking Jack to his house. Jack's house was small but cute. It was a wooden cabin with many small rooms and flowers growing in between the logs.
" Of course! I would love that Mark really. What would we do?" Jack replied.
" How about dinner at my house tomorrow?" Mark said bending down to grab his wand out of his pocket. His pants had a magic pocket which only Mark could open for his wand. He enchanted it himself. He mumbled quietly and quickly flicked his wand up. Jack watched in awe as tons of lighting bugs flew to Mark from around the house. Jack's family must have seen from the Windows sense he was joined by them outside where about 200 lightning bugs flickered their lights at them right above their heads.
" They will always be with you, you just won't always see them and might not think they're their. Like love they never go away. Until tomorrow Jack." Mark said kissing Jack's hand. He walked away followed by his box and left Jack's family to question Jack.
" He is a man I met yesterday and we went out to lunch. You have to meet him one day, he's so charming." Jack said smiling.
" Did he give you those flowers? They're beautiful Jack!" His older sister Anna said leading the family back Into the house. Jack looked out the window all night watching the lightning bugs flicker just outside. Mark was right, there were their Every time Jack opened his eyes that night. And he knew that they watched him all day too. As soon as he woke up his mother made him shower and look presentable for dinner. Jack wore his nicest shirt and trousers, along with a flat grey cap and trimmed his stubble on his face. He stayed in all day thinking about Mark until their was a knock on the door about three hours before sundown. Jack jumped up and raced to the door but his older sister beat him there.
" Hi Mark, I'm Jack's older sister Anna." She said showing him inside. " Charmed to meet you miss." He replied making her blush. He was invited into the living room and saw Jack. Mark smiled as wide as can be at the sight of his love.
" You look ravishing tonight... Are you ready?" He asked. " I hope you like chicken and dumplings because that's about the only thing I can cook that's pretty good." He said cracking a dazzling grin. Jack nodded blushing and took Mark's hand.
" He will be back by sundown I swear to it." He said to Jack's mother.
She shrugged. " It's no big deal, I can trust you... Not many warlocks can't be trusted." His mother said winking at Jack. He smiled and led Jack outside waving goodbye. He and Jack began walking to the outskirts of town. They went a little ways into the woods until a cart was shown.
It was a old railcar and Jack smiled at the sight of it. It was a dark red and had jars dangling down in many places filled with lightning bugs and strange plants Jack had never seen. A small wooden platform showed a porch like area with even more plants and books with a blanket. It had a small window on each wall and looked very fairy like. Jack giggled and Mark smirked. " Do you like it?"
" It's... Amazing!" Jack said running up to it. He walked right in and smiled. It was all one room but had a loft for his room. Plants hung... Well floated around and lightning bugs where held in a large glass dome for light. The kitchen was small and had a smaller table to eat at. He had books stacked up in each corner and a big desk crowded with cauldrons and bottles full of different colored liquids. In separate jars he had plants, fingers, eyes, straw, whiskers, you name it he had it. Jack noticed a old broom hanging on the wall with swirls of sparkles surrounding it. Jack gasped and ran over to a ladder leading up to the loft. He climbed up and saw something amazing. It was a clay pipe like thing with various holes and buttons. He grasped it in his hands and climbed back down to Mark.
" What is this?" He asked.
" A instrument I enchanted to play itself. Want to hear?" Mark asked.
Jack nodded vigorously and Mark muttered something and waved his hand over the pipe. A soft beautiful sound emerged from the holes and Jack gasped. He held it like it was fragile as a glass ball but Mark just smiled. " Would you like one? I have several I made myself." He said moving to a small cupboard in his loft. He grabbed three of them but with different holes and enchanted them. Each one was different and Jack was amazed. He fell in love with a tune that a light peach colored one played and pointed to it. Mark nodded and picked it up. He moved to his desk and flipped through a book. He muttered something holding his wand above the pipe and smiled when he stopped.
" It plays when you wish. When you think about its tune and want it it turns on. It won't stop until you stop it and can't break. It's made of troll bones, very tough." Mark said putting it in Jack's satchel.
" Thank you!" Jack said looking around some more. A beep echoed in the railcar and Mark went over to a cauldron over a small flame in the kitchen area. Jack noticed a spoon mixing the pot itself and watched amazed once again. Mark snapped his fingers and the spoon flew out with a large amount of soup and chicken. It poured itself into a wooden bowl, the bowl then lifted up off the counter. Mark pointed to the cauldron and five dumplings plopped in the bowl. A smaller wooden spoon fell into the bowl Andre entire process happened again in another bowl.
He grabbed Jack's hand and began leading him outside and beckoned the bowls toward the two. Mark sat down on the blanket from the porch and a jar lit up. Jack sat down and a bowl of chicken and dumplings flew to the blanket in front of him. Then, Mark murmured something and two cups rushed out of the house.
" What would you like to drink?" Mark asked.
" Milk please!" Jack said looking at the door waiting for something to fly out. Seconds later a carton of milk flew out rather wobbly and landed in front of Mark. He nodded and poured them both a glass. He said thanks to the air and the milk flew away. Jack swore he heard a moan form the railcar and began digging into the meal.
" Oh man this is amazing..." Jack said with a mouth full of dumplings. Mark winked at Jack and put a dumpling in his mouth.
" So how did you learn all of this with the enchanting stuff?" Jack asked.
" My mother taught me everything I needed to know and I taught myself the rest... Did you expect a story Jack?"
" Kinda but that's a good answer." Jack said drinking the soup at the bottom of the bowl. Mark barked out a laugh and answered in a joking manner. " Well just because I am a storyteller doesn't mean that I tell stories all the time. Would you like some more?"
Jack laughed and shook his head. " No, it's the most I've eaten in a while actually. Can I have some of that for my family?"
Mark nodded. " Of course." And they talked for quite a while. Jack looked at the sunset and Mark got up. " Jack it's late, we should head back to your home. I swore I'd get you back by dark."
Jack nodded and allowed Mark to help him up. They walked back, Mark made the large bowl of chicken and dumplings float while Jack held the instrument he had been given with one hand while the other was laced in Mark's. They walked up to Jack's house and Mark opened the door for Jack. Jack walked in and noticed the kitchen was clean.
" Did you guys eat dinner?" He asked.
" Ran out of food.. We sent Seth out to get some..." Anna said sitting on her chair.
" No need we brought some back! Mark is there a way to heat this up?" Jack asked.
Mark nodded and grabbed his wand. He thought for a second before he began muttering words in another language bowing his head down. In a minute the bowl was full of hot chicken and dumplings. Jack wooed and everyone clapped. Jack kissed Mark's cheek and saw the warlock blush a deep red. He smiled and pushed Mark's lips to his. Mark kissed back instantly and Jack felt the word disappear underneath his feet. They broke apart after what felt like a seconds and Mark lowered the bowl on the counter smiling ear to ear. Everyone ate and Jack and Mark went up to the roof watching the stars.
" So... How did you like the kiss?" Jack asked looking at a shockingly bright star right above his house.
" Not going to lie Jack you shocked me... I thought I was the romantic one..." Mark said laughing.
All of a sudden Jack began thinking about the music he heard earlier. He heard the instrument began playing and smiled. " What do you call it?" He asked looking into Mark's chocolate brown eyes. He never realized how Mark's eyes had darker brown specks in the milky brown.
" My mom called it a Cokee (Co-key) growing up so I'd say Cokee..." Mark said smiling. " Ya know what Jack... I love the stars... They are so simple yet mysterious, they are beautiful and every one is unique.. Like that one above you right now, it's your star Jack."
" H-How is it mine?" Jack asked.
" I made it and it's now yours for eternity... It shows my love for you will never die." Mark explained. Jack yawned and cuddles in close to Mark. He noticed the lightning bugs dancing across the night sky and fell asleep then and there.
He didn't know how but he woke up in his bed with his Cokee playing sweet music. He yawned and noticed a small note on the Cokee and grabbed it. " Jack, you fell asleep so I carried you back to your room. Tonight your mother has asked if I could have dinner with you so I agreed, of course it's your choice. Have a nice day, I'll be where I always am." He read out loud.
He smiled as last nights memories flooded over him. He had kissed Mark, the adorable warlock he had met a few days before. He felt a strong love for Mark already and knew it was growing. He honestly couldn't wait to see what the future had held.
{Time skip}
Jack walked out to the square and looked around. Mark and his box where no where to be found. Jack asked people around if they saw him but he wasn't seen anywhere. He took off running to the woods and looked around. His railcar was no where to be seen. Jack grew panicked and took beep breaths. He ran back home tears staining his cheeks and face planted into bed.
" Jack?" He heard his mother call. Jack thought about the music... It played. He couldn't believe Mark was gone... He just left without Jack... Not telling him what he was doing...Without his boyfriend who had been with him for two months...
He looked over to the window and didn't see the lightning bugs that where always there. A tear escaped his eyes and he ran out of the house and searched the town all night until his feet bled. He walked back inside sobbing and ran to lay down. He hadn't eaten anything all day but felt nothing.
In the morning he searched more and more but no trace of Mark was anywhere. Come around sunset Jack was walking down the road and was stopped by a large elf running up to him. He pushed Jack to the ground roughly and punched him. Jack felt his nose break and he cried out. The man punched him again and kicked him in the side roughly about 4 times. Jack sobbed pleading him to stop but he didn't. After Jack's eyesight was blurry and he couldn't move the man began unzipping his pants. Jack's sobs grew louder and he pleaded him to stop. Jack wiggled but couldn't get the strength to move away. The man's pants fell down and he started on Jack's. Jack cried and yelled loudly. The man kicked him harder and harder until he felt his shirt fill with blood and his ribs break.
" HEY!" A strong voice yelled. Jack's conscience faded as he saw the elf tackled by another guy. The elf was thrown to the side and erupted in flames, then shot with a powerful source of water. The elf was punched by the dark colored figure until it's fists where bloody and the elf was bloodier then a new born baby. Jack's eyesight went black and he slowly faded from reality.
" Sean? Sean!" Jack heard. He groaned and opened his eyes slowly, squinting at the sudden light. He knew where he was... He was in a railcar with floating jars and in a small loft bed. He was in Mark's railcar! He looked around and saw Mark grabbing a cold cloth and putting it over his head.
" What happened?" Jack asked.
" Oh god Sean your okay! Oh my god I thought you wouldn't make it you've been out all night! Are you okay?" Mark asked nervously.
" Why did you leave me Mark?" Jack asked angry,
" Jack... My mother was in trouble and I needed to save her.. I meant to leave a note but I was in a large rush and she couldn't wait long enough... I'm sorry."
" B-But... The Lightning bugs where gone." Jack said to weak to say anything else.
" Remember what I told you the first night we met? They might not always show up but they are always there like love." Mark replied.
" Oh... Sorry... Uh where are my family? M-Mark do they know what happened?" Jack asked.
" Oh shit no! I'll take you home right now!" Mark said picking him up softly. Jack buried his sad into Mark's chest and shut his eyes. Mark ran into town as fast as he could go and kicked the door open running inside. It had been about a day sense Jack had disappeared.
" OH GOD JACK!" Jack's mother yelled running to Mark.
" What did you do?!" Jack's oldest brother Seth yelled rushing to Mark. Mark set Jack down softly on the couch and faced his brother.
Seth was about to punch Mark but Mark pinned him down and froze him there with magic. " Seth I know that you must be worried but I didn't do anything to him but nurse him. He was attacked by another elf that I quickly took over and I took him back home. He had two broken ribs but I healed them with magic, he is just very sore." Mark said glaring at Seth. He unfroze Seth and everyone made sure Jack was okay.
{time skip}
" So... This is the interesting part of the story. I used all my best magic to forge a fine piece of jewelry for my love out of fire from a dragons flame and obsidian from the bottom of the earth I had gotten before. And this happened next." Mark said sitting on his box, Jack in the crowd listening along. They had been dating for about 2 years and Jack still didn't know every story that Mark had told.
Mark walked over to Jack and Jack stood confused. Mark got on one knee and Jack gasped covering his mouth. Mark held two elegant rings that shimmered with magic.
" Sean, I love you more than life. Everyday I wake up to you next to me and I feel even more love for you everyday that we spend together. We are like lightning bugs, we may not always be together, but we will always be there for each other no matter what comes up. I hope it's like that for decades to come. Sean William Mcloughlin will you marry me?"
" Oh my god Mark yes! Yes of course I will marry you!" Jack said jumping into Mark's arms. Mark kissed him and he kissed back. Mark slid the ring on his finger and they kissed again.
