Jack was in shock. He hadn't planned to say that, and he certainly didn't think Mark would take it so... casually. So, all he could do was jam his hands into his pockets and shrug nervously. Mark's grin only made Jack blush and look away from him. Shifting anxiously in his seat, he locked his eyes on his plate and began poking his fork at his food. With a bit of amusement in his voice, Mark asked him. "Why the sudden interest? Did they pressure you into this? Make you sign some date requirement thing?" Without hesitation, he met his eyes and said with surprising seriousness. "No. Nothing like that. I just... I..." His throat tightened up on him as he tried to finish. Which caused Mark to sip his coffee before asking very gently. "Take a breath and tell me what's going on. Nothing you could say would result in me judging you. I've been there remember?" Swallowing, Jack leaned back in his seat and tried to find the right words to say.

After a short time, Jack finally answered. "I was talking to the therapist and she... she brought up some things about myself that... I'm not sure I believe. But she said that the best way to find out is to... experiment." The second the words left him, he nervously rambled out. "I don't want to hurt you or feel like I'm using you. But you're the only one that I know that is... that I'd even consider trying this stuff with. And since we're technically engaged for this... it just seemed... normal? But if you don't want to do this-" Raising a hand to stop him, Mark chuckled as he finished his food. Then after putting his fork down, he told him so sweetly. "Jack. I understand. Breathe. I'm not offended." Jack cut his eggs benedict into little pieces absently, while mumbling out. "I'm sorry. I don't know what I'm doing..." Getting to his feet to put his plate in the sink with the other pans he'd used, Mark informed him coolly. "It's fine. Really. Where would you like to go on a date? The movies? A restaurant? We could rent a movie and sit on the couch with some snacks? Play a board game or a video game together?"

Jack could only shrug, mumbling out nervously. "I don't know. What would you like?" Leaning on the wall, Mark folded his arms, warmly stating. "Jack. What would make you comfortable? Do you wanna be seen with me or not? Do you think we'd have a good time together eating or playing games? Maybe you want to just go on a long walk? I know this nice garden park. Or like I said. We could just stay here and... hang out. You're the one I'm worried about. I'm comfortable with just about anything." Licking his lips, he shrugged. He didn't know what they'd talk about or what he should do. The pressure was making his heart race, and his brain was overloading with questions that he couldn't answer. Bowing his head, he shrugged again and started to feel dread over whether he could do this or not. He didn't even notice that Mark had moved until his hand dropped on his shoulder. Jerking from his touch, he looked up as Mark told him beautifully. "Take a hot shower. Put on some casual clothes. Then we'll sit on the couch and play a game. Do you like racing games?"

Jack could only shrug again. Most of his time had been spent studying. Not playing. Rolling his eyes, Mark patted his shoulder, telling him. "Go clean yourself up. You look like hell." Stiffly getting to his feet, he made his way into the bathroom and stripped himself down. His pale skin was showing brutal looking bruises, but he tried not to look at them. Slipping into the shower, he took his time under the hot water. It felt amazing after all his stress and aches he had from fighting. When he finally got out, he dressed in a suit. It was as casual as he got. Since he'd packed nothing else for college. The second he stepped out of the bathroom, Mark glanced back at him from his spot on the couch. His smile was priceless, and his words were brimmed with charm when he said. "Jack... I said casual. What's with the suit? Don't you own anything else?" Jack hugged himself and looked away with embarrassment. Pausing his game, Mark got up and strolled up to him. Backing Jack up against the wall.

Reaching out, Mark unbuttoned the jacket of the suit, telling him with a charming smile and a deep voice. "Strip this off. I might have something you can borrow." Jack hesitated to move as Mark walked away to his room. He heard the dresser drawers bang for a bit, then straightened up as Mark walked out with clothes in his hand. Handing them to him, Mark ruffled his hair and told him. "They'll be baggy on you but that's a good thing." Backing into his room, Jack closed the door and nervously began to strip. Picking up the loose frayed blue jeans, Jack slipped into them and had to use his belt to keep them up over his slender hips. They weren't too long or baggy, just loose and shredded in the knees. His mother would have thrown these out. Although, he kind of like the feeling of them. They didn't tighten up on him when he moved, and the fabric felt sturdier than his suit. Certainly warmer. Picking up the red flannel shirt, Jack found himself closing his eyes as he brought it to his nose.

The smell of it was soothing. He didn't know what laundry soap Mark used, but it smelled so good. Carefully pulling the shirt on, he moaned a little from the warmth and softness of it. He liked it. Even if it made his chest and shoulders feel tiny in it. Inching out of the room, he headed for the couch. This time Mark didn't look. He was racing his car around the turns in the game with an intense focus. Sipping his coffee as he watched Mark play, he suddenly watched Mark's car spin out off control on the turn and crash into the guard rail. Chuckling over his cup, he told Mark playfully. "I hope you don't drive like that in real life. Did you forget to drift that turn? You did it with the other..." Jack stopped talking as he caught movement beside him. Meekly looking at him, he saw Mark looking him over with a blushing smirk. Shifting uncomfortably, Jack mumbled out. "Come on. Don't laugh. I know they are... big on me."

Setting the controller down, Mark brushed his fingers across Jack's cheek, telling him with gleaming brown eyes. "My clothes look good on you. I almost didn't recognize you in normal clothes." Shaking his head, he knocked Mark's hand away and grumbled out. "I don't look any different." Mark drew closer to him, whispering over his shoulder in a strange deep voice that made the hairs on his arms stand up. "Oh, but you do. The suit made you seem... out of my league. But like this... I could get used to you like this." Jack scooted away from him, mumbling out shyly. "Are we gonna race or not?" Picking up the spare controller, Mark eased it over Jack's lap, telling him a little lusty now. "Here. Do you want me to show you how to play with the joysticks?" Blushing a deep red, Jack sat forward over his legs, mumbling out. "Just play the game. Jesus, Mark..." Chuckling, Mark set up the game and they started. At the first, Jack was horrible. He could barely figure out how to use the controls.

However, the more he played, the more he started to get the hang of it. Before too long, he was chasing Mark's car around the turns and trying to nudge him into a spin. Seconds from the finish line, managed to pull ahead to take the win. He was about to call Mark out for taking a shortcut somewhere, until Mark's lips brushed over his cheek. It was so light that he barely felt his lips. He mostly felt his warm breath. Slowly turning his head to look at him, he expected Mark to kiss him, but instead he pulled back and told him softly. "You're doing better. Shall we go again or are you getting hungry for some dinner?" Jack checked the clock to say that it wasn't even noon yet... but it was almost dinner time. Time had flown! Touching his stomach, it growled the second he realized he'd missed lunch. Beside him, Mark laughed and told him excitedly. "Want some pizza and wings? Wizard's even has this new dueling station we can try. Maybe that is more your speed." Swatting Mark's side, he got up.

While walking to Wizard's Corner Pizzeria & Café, Jack asked a bit reluctantly. "Mark? Why were you at the festival? I thought you said that you had to work?" Sighing to himself, Mark answered coolly. "I did have to work. Just... after the festival. But I didn't want to ruin your plans. So... In a moment of weakness... I sought out Chad." Keeping pace with him, Jack asked gently. "I don't want to sound like a broken record, but... you know what he is... don't you?" Mark's expression turned grim, but he said honestly. "Ya. I know. I just wish that I could convince my heart of that. It's hard to explain but he just... he has his moments when I think that we were just not given a chance." Walking out in front of him to stop him, Jack met his eyes and told him wholeheartedly. "Look. I know I don't know him like you do. But someone who loves you never would have made that video and sent it to her. They wouldn't... They wouldn't have just forgotten about you. I've seen him with Stacie, Mark. He's playing with you and... you don't deserve that."

Mark's hand reached for him and Jack boldly stood his ground. Allowing Mark to tilt his head up a little to whisper over his lips lovingly. "I don't want to talk about him tonight. I wanna talk about you." Blushing, Jack mumbled out shyly. "You would already know if you'd been listening to my rant when we studied together." Smiling, Mark brushed his lips over Jack's, practically stealing his breath away when he said. "You've got my attention now. Start talking." Lowering his hand, Mark eased away from his lips, leaving Jack breathless. It took him a few seconds to get his thoughts back as he followed him into the building. Ordering their food, Jack sat down and talked about himself feeling silly. He kept glancing at Mark to see if he was even listening. Only to discover that he was. By the time he finished with the general things he'd done growing up, Mark playfully told him. "And you never once thought that you might be...?" Shaking his head, he softly told him. "No. Never. Which is why I'm not so sure that I am."

Mark nodded but said nothing further. They ate and chatted about the game and occasionally talked about Mark's sexual encounters with other men. Hearing how it wasn't much different from dating woman made Jack feel a little better. He didn't know what he was so afraid of. After eating, they slipped into the back of the building where wizard dueling stations had been set up. Two podiums faced each other with flat screens behind them. Taking the position, he removed the wired wand, and the podiums began to play a video of Merlin who said. "Welcome, Apprentice. Have you dueled before?" They both pressed no on their screens and Merlin went about explaining the game. Runes would appear on the screen to indicate what magic spell you wanted to do. Once you pressed a rune, you would have to aim the wand at the opponent and follow the wand prompts on the screen above them in the time given. If you succeeded, the spell would take life from your opponent, heal yourself, shield yourself, and more.

As the merlin was finishing up, he told them excitedly. "If you wish to level up and earn more spells to cast. You must go on magic quests. Solve the riddles with your own wand and use them here at the dueling safe station. When you are high enough, you can team up with follow wizards to defeat beasts for prizes and special rewards here at Wizard's Corner Pizzeria & Café! As your first prize, register yourself and we'll give you a celebratory pie slice on us. No worries. All members of the family can play for individual rewards. Train hard and have fun!" Smiling, Jack told Mark excitedly. "I like this already." They both registered and then began their duel. He was a little surprised that he was a bit faster at tapping, swirling, and flicking his wand than Mark was. Mark was barely getting the spells done in time. While he was able to complete them and get a few bonus movements in for extra damage before his time went out. It wasn't turned based and relied heavily on your how well you knew your opponent's fighting style. It was a blast!

By the time they stopped to collect their reward of pie at the counter, their arms were tired, but they wandered over to the 'Wands & Rune' shop. Picking out a wand they liked and customizing it colors and fancy end pieces. The woman dressed as a witch even told them where to go to go on the fifty riddle quests to earn runes for their wands to use in duels. With each quest they got a rune charm, a got a fancy button for their lanyard to show off what level of wizard they were. It felt silly to be doing this as grown men, but it was the most fun that Jack had ever had since getting here. Heading into a back room, they followed the prompts for their first quest. Using their wands to activate animatronics and magical effects. They even helped a few younger kids who were lost in their riddles. While leaning on the rail in a fake fairy forest, Jack listened to the animatronic tell him a riddle on what he needed to find. When he gasped softly. The room was very dark and most of the kids were still in other realm rooms on lower quests. Yet, he still looked around as Mark's hand rubbed his ass while he waited for his turn to activate the animatronic with his wand.

Reaching back, Jack grabbed his wrist to stop him, but it only made Mark step closer to him. Standing up against him, Mark kissed his neck affectionately. Jack shifted uneasily when Mark whispered to him. "As much as I'm enjoying this with you... it is getting late. We'll have to head back soon." Slowly turning to face him, he asked him with wide eyes. "What would we do then?" Leaning in to very lightly kiss him, Mark stepped back and told him honestly. "That's up to you." To Be Continued...