A/N : This is in Nate's POV for anyone confused

"Cry we can't just let him get off this easily!" Cry nodded. "I know, I know. But he did act like a Chief. Using his position as ex-leader of the ACH really is a good strategy." I groaned.

Was he being serious? "But Cry..." Cry pointedly looked at me and I rolled my eyes. "Nate. Mark was right, you can't let this grudge affect your point of view."

"It's not just a 'grudge' Cry! And you know it! Mark is nothing but an asshole and I'm apparently the only to notice it!" Cry ran a hand through his hair.

We were both fed up with him, why couldn't Cry just agree with me? We both knew everything would be better with either Cry or I as Chief.

"You know that's not the whole truth. And you can't deny that Mark was good to Ethan in the end. He loved them."

"I loved them too! And I was there for them way more than Mark." Cry continued without acknowledging what I'd just said.

"And he's good on the field. You can't deny that. He saved us today by stopping the conflict in seconds."

"Only because he knew the guy! That's cheating." Cry smiled at me and I realized how childish I sounded.

"You know what Ethan would've wanted you to do." Cry had that wise look in his eyes. It didn't suit him.

"Well maybe Ethan didn't always make the best of decisions." I crossed my arms and glared at Cry.

Cry sighed. "You're starting to sound like Mark." How dare he!

"But I'm right! If Ethan had had an ounce of logic in them, then they never would've come back with Mark." Even saying his name made me want to barf.

"You know how they were in the beginning. And you know I helped them get through it. We were close... I... I almost thought that they felt the same..." I didn't want to but tears were starting to form in my eyes.

I hated crying. I wasn't weak.

"Nate..."

"And then? Then they have the guts to not only go back with him but to also make him Chief? Instead of one of us? Or Felix? Or anyone for that matters!" Cry was looking at me in pity and I hated it. I hated everything.

"Mark bragged to me. About... About him and Ethan. And how... How they..." A sob cut me off and I realized that I had been crying. I furiously wiped the tears away. I wasn't weak.

"He doesn't know what I've been through. He doesn't deserve Ethan. He doesn't deserve anything!" Cry smiled at me. "You're right. He doesn't. You should talk to him. Tell him all of this." I bit my lip and shrugged. "I... He does know. I told him when we were arguing the other day." Cry perked up, nodding slowly.

"Well. That's good... Did he stop arguing with you after that?" I shrugged.

"I haven't really talked to him since." Cry smiled at me and I glared at him.

"No."

"Oh yes." I shook my head.

"No way."

"I think that today Mark proved he was willing to try. You need to do that too."

"I am not forgiving him." Cry chuckled. "Didn't ask you to. I just want you to talk to him, that's all."

I really didn't want to. But with Cry looking at me like this, I knew that I had no choice. I guess once couldn't hurt that much, right?

And if Mark acted like a jerk, it would just prove my point.

I sighed. "Fine. But just once." Cry smiled.

"Hi." I stood in front of where Mark was with my arms crossed. He was currently talking with that old soldier that had attacked us.

What was his name again... Eh, not important anyway.

Mark looked up and raised a brow at me. "Hi...?" God he looked so damn dumb.

"Can I talk to you for a sec." It wasn't a question, really.

"Sure...?" Well, at least I learned something today : Mark looks even dumber when confused.

He excused himself from the soldier and God could he take even more time? "So... Uh..."

"Not here, follow me." I hadn't thought this through. I didn't want him coming to my tent. It was my space.

"We could go to my tent if you want?" I raised a brow at him. Well, maybe Cry was right. Maybe he really was trying.

I nodded and Mark took us there.

The first thing that I noticed about Mark's tent was that it was really messy at some places and completely immaculate at other ones. The whole thing really was unbalanced and the perfectionist in me was having war flashbacks.

"So..." I crossed my arms again. I really hadn't thought this through. "Tell me what you think about Ethan." I had blurted out the first thing that had popped into my head, but it was worth it if only for the expression on Mark's face.

He had completely lost his cool and now looked shocked, horrified and confused all at once. It was priceless.

"Huh?" His voice had gone a few octaves higher and I was savoring this moment like some fine wine.

"Tell me how you saw them. Why you... loved them. Everything." Change my mind about you.

I didn't know if Mark had caught onto what I was really asking of him. After all, he was pretty dumb.

"Are you joking? I honestly can't tell." I rolled my eyes and groaned.

Guess I had to straight up hand it to him. "Change my mind about you."

Mark's mouth took the shape of an 'o' as he finally understood what I was asking.

Mark looked away from me. I followed his gaze and noticed a small blue box. I wondered what could've been inside. It was also in one of the cleaner areas of the tent, so it was obviously meant to be on display.

I was soon forced to look away from it because Mark had started talking. "Ethan was... Everyone liked Ethan. They were just so understanding. Anyone could tell you that." I rolled my eyes.

Yeah. Anyone could.

But I had asked him, not anyone.

"But Ethan was also so much more. Ethan was scared. But also too proud to admit it." Well, that was half-true. Proud... wasn't the word.

As if reading my thoughts, Mark continued. "No, not proud. They wanted to protect everyone. Even if it meant glossing over their own feelings." Yup, that sounded like Ethan all right.

"Ethan was selfless, trusting. They had no secrets." Mark chuckled at that and I raised a brow.

"Well, they had one secret." I looked at Mark in shock but he shook his head. "I'm sorry, but I don't know if Ethan told you, so I won't."

What secret could they have that Mark knew but not me? I knew everything about Ethan. Maybe Mark was talking about something sexual. If that was the case, I did not want to know. I sighed.

I was thinking too much into this. If Ethan didn't want me to know, then that was fine.

Mark looked conflicted. "Do... Do you want me to tell you?" It looked like the words had burned Mark's throat judging by the face he was making.

Did I?

"Do you think Ethan would've been okay with me knowing?" Mark shrugged.

"Probably considering... Yeah..." I raised a brow at that but Mark didn't elaborate.

"Ethan was born with brown hair as you know. But they... I guess there's no other way to say this, they didn't have a dick."

"Oh." Well. Wasn't expecting that.

I nodded slowly.

Made sense now that I thought about it. I mean, I knew that they were taking testosterone, but I had just assumed that it was because they had low levels.

I looked back at Mark and he seemed lost in thought.

God. I couldn't believe I was about to do this.

"Thank you. For telling me." Mark looked shocked for a split-second, but he quickly covered it up.

"Oh- uh. You're welcome?" We both nodded and, oh no, it was getting awkward.

I couldn't deal with awkward. Especially not with Mark.

"I really loved them you know." I don't know if that had made the situation better or worse. "And I know I didn't deserve them. I still think so. But they never cared. They... They always believed in me. And it just made me love them even more." Mark was on the verge of tears.

Wow. He really was pouring his heart out to me.

"Yeah. I know the feeling." I hadn't meant to say that, but now it was out there I guess.

It's not like Mark didn't know that I loved Ethan anyways. It wasn't like it was one of the main reasons of why we hated each other or anything.

"They liked you, you know? That's why I couldn't stand you." I felt my blood run cold.

How fucking dare he drop a bomb like that? I bet it was just to spite me.

But, as I looked up at Mark's face, there was no hint of malice on it. He just looked... sad.

Maybe he hadn't done it to anger me. What a weird thought.

"That doesn't help. At all." I didn't even want to think about the possibilities of what could've been but never was between Ethan and I. That would be too much.

Especially now that I knew that it hadn't been one-sided.

Mark looked up at that and must've seen something on my face because he immediately looked guilty.

"Sorry. I really thought it would." The words had been spoken with such sincerity that I couldn't even doubt them for one second.

Mark was telling the truth. And fuck, I was admitting it. This really was weird.

"Thank you." It had felt needed. And now Mark was smiling at me. And, weirdly enough, his face didn't look as dumb anymore.

"Truce?" Mark had extended his hand at me for me to shake. And even though the thought crossed my head, I never could've turned him down.

I took his hand in mine and shook it.

"Truce."

A/N :

Bit of a smaller chapter than usual, but I had to cut it there. Should update soon whenever I get around to editing. Thanks for reading and have a great day!