Stepping cautiously under the large umbrella with him, Jack started walking with him. For a time, they walked in silence with all the sounds of the rainy city around them. Occasional cars honked, and people could be heard chatting at a distance. In some areas you could even hear music from clubs or bars playing. He wanted to break the awkward silence and say something, but he was too afraid to say anything. He just didn't Mark well enough to know what was ok to ask him. He felt doomed to endure the silent treatment. Until Mark finally asked him first. "Did you enjoy the show? Or did you have your eyes closed for the whole thing?" When Jack didn't answer right away, Mark added lightly. "Or are you still sticking to the story about simply getting lost?" Sighing heavily, Jack rubbed his arms and reluctantly admitted without meeting his eyes. "I saw it. It was...different." There was another brief silence, before Mark asked curiously. "How did you find out about it? It's not I place I imagine you venturing into on purpose."

Huffing, Jack blushed as he coyly answered. "It's not. I... What you said to me this morning bothered me. So, I decided to go to the library." Mark chuckled to himself, stating playfully. "So instead of studying at home. You went to study somewhere else? Must have been a big step for you." Rolling his eyes, Jack shot back defensively. "Ya. Well... I didn't grow up with many friends and we couldn't hang out all the time. I had to do something to fill the void. Not much else I can do since being transferred here. My funds are tied up with this college and I can't get the job I want until I get a marriage license." Exhaling heavily, Jack mumbled grimly. "I used to go to bars with my friends on the weekend. I didn't feel comfortable to drink alone, but I overheard some girls talking about this place and... decided to be spontaneous. Go ahead and laugh." Beside him, Mark's voice was rather soothing when he replied. "I get that, but did you enjoy yourself? Once you realized what it was. Why didn't you leave?"

Biting his lower lip, Jack shrugged. He didn't know how to answer that. He was still trying to sort out how he felt about it. Taking a shaky breath, Jack honestly told him. "There were parts of it that I enjoyed. The story mostly. I liked watching all the dancers at the end doing a big number to save the club. The sex scenes were... surprising... but it wasn't bad." Unable to stop himself, Jack blurted out curiously. "Speaking of... Did that guy really... I mean you two looked... I mean, you made it seem..." When he couldn't bring himself to finish, Mark blurted out for him shamelessly. "You're asking if I fucked him on stage? Yes. It's real. None of that is fake." Jack's jaw dropped as that sank in. As Mark stopped on the corner of the street, gesturing to the little red brink corner restaurant. Jack briefly red the sign above that read; 'Wizard's Corner Pizzeria and Café.' Giving Mark a nod, they ventured inside, and Jack shivered. Stepping inside felt amazing to his senses.

The place smelled heavily of fresh cooked wood fire pizza with distinct hints of light freshly ground coffee. The place was warm and inviting, when compared to how cold and dark it was outside. Slipping into one of the purple leather booths lined along the walls, Jack took in the gorgeous images of wizards crafting spells and potions to make the ingredients that made Wizard's Corner pizza so special. The place was quiet with just a few customers scattered about enjoying the late evening. A waitress trotted over shortly after they sat to take their order, and they breezed over the laminated menu to order. After their order was placed, Jack waited until she was out of earshot before asking Mark with curious anxiousness. "How long have you been doing that? How can you do it?" Playing with one of the flat BB ball maze games, Mark casually informed him. "It's easy. I enjoy it. I make good money that I use to help my mom back home. As for how long... about... the last year or two I've been doing it."

Jack blinked, resting his arms on the table, when he whispered softly. "But that guy is... older. He's old enough to be your father. Doesn't that bother you?" Mark's eyes darting up from the game, before he answered coolly. "No. Taran is a nice guy. He's got his life together. Which is more than I can say for the guys I've dated over the years." Tapping his fingers nervously on the counter, Jack asked gently. "But at his age... He should be married. Which means you are..." Setting the game down, Mark smirked at him as he said. "It's touching that you care, but you don't have to worry about me. Taran was married. She died a few years ago. At his age, he can opt out of getting a renewed married license. He's got two kids that are about my age. He's a great dad. The only time he interacts with me is during show hours. We keep our lives separate when we are out of the theater. Feel better?" Still frowning, Jack honestly told him. "Sort of. He just... seems so rough with you."

Letting out a chuckle, Mark informed him casually with a smile. "He's not actually being that rough or ignoring my safety. He's good at making it look that way. We have two safe words. One is fake and I use that in the show for the dramatics of the scene. The other is the real thing. In all my time working with him. I've never had to use it. Taran is a trained Dom. He knows what he's doing." Narrowing his eyes on him, Jack asked shyly. "What does that mean?" Mark raised an eyebrow, snorting out. "You really are a vanilla virgin. A Dom is... It's a leader. A protector. An enforcer. They give orders and instructions when engaging in sexual activities, or in daily life situations. It's a person you trust to handle everything in your life. Including your needs and desires. A person who knows you more deeply than anyone else and just wants to make you happy in whatever form of affection that takes." Leaning back in his seat with a heavy sigh, Mark's voice dropped into a subtle deeper tone when he added without meeting his eyes. "I enjoy being his bratty Submissive on stage. It's... therapeutic to just... let everything go. Let someone else take the weight of everything. To worry about everything for you."

Looking him over carefully, Jack sensed something but couldn't figure out what emotion he was picking up from Mark's distant eyes. Then with a shrug, the emotion was gone as Mark told him in a more present and carefree tone of voice. "Besides, that's not all I do. I review sex toys too. Now doing that I make quite a bit of money from married people that just like to watch or learn how to use products correctly. That is almost harder to do than the stuff on stage." Jack's eyes widened enough that Mark laughed. The words stammering from Jack's mouth in shock. "So... This morning... when you... When you told me you had... stuff in your room. You... You really meant that?" Mark's beautiful laugh made Jack blush so hard that he had to turn away when the waitress came over to drop off their drinks and food. Mark thanked her, then began to pull cheesy slice of pizza off a cooling pan when he answered nonchalantly. "Yes. Companies send me sex toys and I get paid to test them out on camera for an online audience. So... in a way... I get paid to fuck myself, Virgin." Jack blushed so badly that it spread to the tips of his ears.

They fell into silence as they began to eat. Jack hadn't realized how hungry he was until after the first bite. Mark appeared to be the same way. Causing them to finish off the twelve breadsticks, two large pizzas. Mark and him even decided to split a basket of hot wings. While enjoying their fourth cups of ice cream coffee. They managed to chat about how hungry they'd been, and about random events they'd experienced in their life that involved food incidents. It was nothing deep or meaningful, but it warranted a few hearty laughs. It made the evening surprisingly enjoyable. As it started to get late, they both tried to finish up their food and drinks. Resulting in them both reaching for the last hot wing. When their fingers bumped into each other, Jack's blushed and jerked his hand back. He was so embarrassed that he wanted to curl up and hide. Only for Mark to pull him out of it, by pushing the basket closer to him, informing him in a charming voice. "Take it. I'm glad you like them. Means I can bring them home on my way back from work."

Jack nodded, taking the hot wing to finish it off. He rarely got to eat spicy foods because his family didn't like it. It had been a long time since the last time that he'd eaten anything like this. When the waitress came back with the bill, Jack paled a bit. They'd eaten a lot. A lot more than he this tight budget was going to like, but he reached for it. He had told Mark that he'd buy dinner. Only to have Mark take the bill and fish out his wallet. Jack protested, but Mark refused to give him the bill. Handing her his bank card, Mark told Jack so beautifully. "I got this one. I was really hungry. I'm not going to take advantage of you like that." Jack's heart flipped in his chest. It shouldn't have meant so much to him, but it did. Getting to his feet, Mark followed the waitress up to the counter, leaving Jack to take in this moment. Today had started rough... but he liked how it was ending. Finishing off his drink, Jack got to his feet as Mark returned to ask if he was ready to go home.

Catching the box in Mark's hand, he asked curiously. "What is that? Aren't you full?" for the first time, Jack watched Mark blush and shyly answer. "You get a free cake when you go over a certain amount on your bill." The statement made Jack laugh out loud. The thought of eating so much and getting rewarded with more food just struck him in his loopy state as hilarious. Slipping back under the umbrella, they stepped back out into the heavy rain to head home. It felt colder now, causing Jack to shiver and his nose to run. His suit wasn't designed for much warmth. He tried to push it from his mind since he was so close to home. When Mark handed him the cake and draped his arm over his shoulders. He was going to step away from him, but Mark's arms was so warm that his body stomped out his pride to enjoy it. Riding the elevator up to their hallway, Mark only dropped his arm to open the door for him. Handing the cake back off to Mark, Jack slipped inside and chattered aloud. "Oh, I can't wait to get into my pajamas."

Mark slipped the cake into the fridge, chuckling back. "You should take a warm shower and then slip into them. It will feel even better." Glancing over his shoulder, Jack admitted truthfully. "It would, but don't you wanna shower?" Kicking off his shoes, Mark flashed him a smug grin as he replied. "I will. You go first. I'm gonna wind down a bit first." Jack watched him walk into the living room, before he laid himself back across the floor with a groan. At first, Jack was concerned. Until he saw that Mark was using the floor to straighten out his back and stretch out his limbs. Leaving him to it, Jack collected his bathroom stuff and pajamas from his room before heading into the bathroom slash laundry room. Stepping into the half shower and half tub, Jack let the hot water loosen up his tight cold muscles. He took his time scrubbing every part of himself and rinsing off. When he got out, he dried himself and dressed. He even brushed his teeth at the dual sinks and set up his stuff around his sink the way he liked it.

Slipping into his pajamas, he let out a content moan. The loose grey plaid pants and grey T-shirt felt warm and great after hours of being in his suit. By the time that he stepped out of the bathroom, Mark wasn't there. At first, he thought he was in his room, until he saw him. He was outside the sliding glass door on the covered balcony. Stepping outside with him, he watched Mark staring up at the sky as the rain fell. The sounds of the rain pattering against the roof was peaceful. Joining Mark to lean on the cement wall, he told him with a small smile. "Nice, isn't it? I loved listening to the rain in Ireland. It always made me feel... calm." Beside him, Mark smiled and told him in a deep content tone of voice. "Ya. Jack...?" Staring out at the rain, Jack hummed as his response. Allowing Mark to tell him. "I'm sorry that I made you feel bad. There is nothing wrong with you staying in to study. I was just... teasing you." The way Mark said it was so genuine that Jack smiled to himself and answered a little bashfully. "Thanks. And... thank you. For dinner. It was... It was really fun."

Mark began to turn to head back inside but whispered close to his ear. "You're welcome. I'll see you in the morning, Jack." Without another word Mark went back inside. Standing alone on the balcony, Jack tried to force himself to breathe. Mark had said his name not once but twice! It left him strangely breathless with some tiny fluttering butterflies in his stomach. Carefully making his way back inside, Jack listened to the showering running before slipping into his own room for the night. Just before going to sleep though, he pulled the little poster from his suit jacket and taped it up on the wall over his bed. His wall had been plain white and barren, but now... it had a good memory that he wanted to remember. Nestling under his covers, he turned off his lamp and abruptly sneezed. His nose was still running, but he felt warm now. His eyes slowly closing as he told the poster groggily. "Good night, Mark."  To Be Continued...