Remark: I didn't know the names of John's parents, so I just invented them

When the two arrived back in London, it was already late afternoon. Mark stopped in front of his apartment block and turned off the engine. The two went up the stairs to Mark's apartment on the third floor. The singer took off his jacket and threw it, as well as his shoes and car keys, in the corner on the floor. John watched him worriedly. Mark walked through his apartment and purposefully into his bedroom.

The bassist took off his shoes and put them next to Mark's. Then he hung the car key on the key rack and hung Mark's jacket on the coat rack along with his own. John sighed softly as he opened the door to the bedroom. Mark was lying on his large double bed. He was curled up in a ball and John could see his shoulders shaking. The bassist climbed onto the bed and pulled the guitarist into his arms. Mark sobbed weakly as John pulled him close. Mark's back was on John's chest. The bassist pulled a blanket over them both and gently kissed the back of Mark's head.

"I love you." He whispered, stroking Mark's wrist. The smaller man sniffled and was still shaking with sobs. "You're a wonderful man and..."

"Why are you lying to me?" Mark whispered so quietly that John could barely hear him.

"I'm not lying to you, honey."

"Why...why are you staying with me? Why do you say you love me? You just think it's your duty to love me because my stupid name is on your wrist and..."

"Stop it." John said sternly. "Stop it. That's not true at all. I've loved you since we were 20 years old. And I didn't know then that you were my soul mate. I loved you because you're an extraordinary person. I told Keller I loved him because I thought it was my duty. But not with you. With you, it's not a lie. I know your childhood sucked and that, although you always tried not to show it, you have self-confidence issues. But I love you anyway." He kissed Mark's ear and pulled him back to his chest. "Every one of us has our problems, and I'm not perfect either. But we can work on those problems together." Mark closed his eyes and wrapped his fingers around John's wrist. The bassist smiled a little and stuck his nose in Mark's neck.

*

The next morning, when the guitarist woke up, he was alone in his bed. He yawned loudly before slowly getting up and making his way to the bathroom. When he opened the bedroom door, the sweet smell of pancakes hit him and he couldn't help but smile slightly. He hurried into the bathroom and then went into the kitchen. John was standing at the stove, frying pancakes. There were two plates with cutlery on the table, as well as two cups of steaming tea. In the middle was a small vase of flowers. Mark couldn't help but smile a little. John was a precious treasure.

"Good morning ... honey." Mark bit his lip and tried to say the word. John turned around in shock and looked at him with wide eyes. His shock disappeared as quickly as it had come and he smiled.

"Morning, darling." He kissed Mark gently on the lips. "Sit down. Breakfast is almost ready." Mark sat down on a chair and smiled a little. He had called John honey. It hadn't been that bad. And the smile on John's face had definitely been worth it. They ate in silence. Mark tidied up the dishes and cleaned them. John read the newspaper while he did so. "Mark?"

"Mh?"

"I want to take you to my parents' house today." Mark looked at him with wide eyes. He had never met John's parents. They had been friends for 15 years, but he had never seen them.

"To... your parents?"

"Yes." John smiled. "I already told them about the incident with Keller on the phone. My mother would like to meet you. And my father too." The blond man bit his lip.

"I don't know..."

"Oh, come on. They'll love you."

*

An hour later, the two were sitting in the car, on their way to John's parents' house. Mark was driving, John was sitting in the passenger seat and looking out the window while a Pink Floyd song played on the radio. John's fingers drummed against his knee in time. Mark looked tensely out of the windshield. God, he was really afraid of what John's parents would say if they saw him. It took about an hour before they drove into a small town. John navigated Mark through the narrow side streets until they stopped in front of a house. The guitarist turned off the engine and looked at the house. It was very pretty.

"You grew up here?"

"Mh." John hummed and got out of the car. Mark did the same and locked it. John held out his hand and they walked hand in hand to the front door. "Nervous?"

"A bit." Mumbled Mark.

"Don't worry. The great Mark Knopfler can speak in front of thousands of people without getting nervous. There are only two waiting for you in the house." Mark giggled a little as John rang the bell. It wasn't long before the door opened. The blonde's heart was pounding in his throat. In front of them stood a woman who was about Mark's height. Mark's eyes widened, damn for a woman she was tall. No wonder John was so tall. She wore a red blouse and wide-cut blue flannel pants. She had brown eyes and the same curls as John. She smiled at the two men.

"Hello John, honey." She hugged him. "Hello Mark." She hugged him too. Mark was a little overwhelmed. He hadn't introduced himself, she knew his name. They didn't know each other, she had hugged him. John giggled as he watched his boyfriend. The woman led the two of them inside. Mark immediately took off his shoes and left them behind the front door. John's mother led them into the living room. An older man was sitting on the sofa drinking tea while reading the newspaper. He raised his head when he saw the new arrivals.

"John! Mark! It's so nice to see you boys here!" He jumped up and hugged them both. Mark trembled a little as he was hugged. John smiled at the guitarist and sat down on the sofa with him. John's mother Sarah brought biscuits and tea and offered them to the two boys before sitting down next to Mark.

"It's so nice to finally meet you, Mark." She smiled. "John told me a lot about you. I still think it's so crazy that you never noticed that you belong together." Mark giggled a little.

"Yes. But now we've noticed."

"Luckily." She beamed. "I'm so happy for you." John smiled and took a biscuit from the plate that was on the living room table.

"Don't overwhelm Mark like that, Mom. You're pushing him too hard."

"Oh, I'm sorry." She said immediately.

"No, it's okay." Mark giggled.

"You play guitar in John's band, right?" Asked Phillip, John's father. Mark nodded. "I wanted to learn to play guitar when I was young. But I always found it so difficult."

"What!? You didn't want to be a bass player?" John exclaimed, hurt. The family laughed.

"No, son. I wanted to play guitar." Phillip giggled. "Tell me, what's the difference between fingerpicking and plectrum? Which is harder?" He looked at Mark with interest. He was really fascinated by the way the young man in front of him could handle the guitar. He had seen John's performances on TV often enough and observed the guitarist.

"Well..." Mark scratched the back of his head. "For me, Fingerpicking always was the only way to play the guitar."

"I once had a friend who..."

"Ah, Dad! Not today!" John laughed.

"What!?" His father complained.

"Every time you start telling those stories, you never stop." Mark giggled and smiled. So this is what it was like to be in a loving family? "Don't do that to Mark on his first visit."

"You heard him." Phillip grinned and shrugged. "I guess I'll have to tell you the story another time, Mark." Mark smiled.

"I'm looking forward to it."

"Have you eaten yet, boys?" Sarah asked.

"No. We had breakfast and then left straight away." John said, looking over at Mark before taking his hand firmly in his. Mark bit his lip and blushed a little when the bassist did that in front of his parents.

"Well then, come here!" They all went into the kitchen and sat down at the large dining table. "I hope you like Shepherd's pie, Mark." Sarah said as she took the food out of the oven and put it on the stove.

"Oh, I'm easy to care for, ma'm. I eat pretty much anything." Mark smiled as she placed a plate of food in front of him.

"Just call me Sarah, honey." She giggled and gently stroked his shoulder. John watched, smiling. Mark beamed like a little kid on Christmas morning. It looked like he liked his parents.

"Mmm. Honey. You did a particularly good job this time." Phillip hummed after eating a forkful of it. Sarah smiled at the praise and sat down next to her son with her own plate. John started eating as well. "So you're soul mates?" Phillip then asked, looking at John. John nodded quickly and swallowed the food that was in his mouth.

"Yes. We just somehow didn't realize it for the last 15 years."

"It's almost like me and your mother." Phillip laughed. "We lived next door to each other, took the same bus to school every day and didn't even notice until years later." John laughed.

"I'm happy for you, John." Sarah said and kissed him on the cheek. "Most of all, I'm glad that Keller is gone. God, I didn't like him, now I can say it." The family laughed. "And... your Mark looks much more attractive anyway, darling." Mark's cheeks turned red and he almost choked on his food. Phillip patted him on the back, laughing.

"You'll have to get used to it now, mate. In our family, compliments often come out of the blue." The older man laughed. John grinned.

"Can I see your soul sign, Mark?" Sarah asked, smiling. "I've always wanted to see what John's name would look like." Mark bit his lower lip worriedly and put his cutlery aside before looking at John.

"Mom, he... he had a very difficult childhood." John sighed and drank a little lemonade from the glass his mother had placed in front of him. John began to tell the story slowly. Mark looked down at his food and wished he could sink into the ground, he was so ashamed. When John finished the story, there were two reactions. Phillip was angry and Sarah was crying.

"How can you do that to your son?" Phillip growled angrily. "I swear, if I ever meet that bastard..."

"There's no need for that, Mr. Illsley." Mark said quickly. "I'm not that important and...

"You're not that important? Mark, you're part of my family now. You're my son-in-law." Phillip said firmly. "If that's not important, then I don't know what should be." Mark smiled weakly when the other man called him that.

"I'm so sorry, honey." Sarah said quietly, reaching across the table to take Mark's hand. "I wouldn't have asked if I'd known." Mark smiled at her.

"It's okay. I'm not mad." He showed her his scarred wrist. She gently ran her fingertips over it.

"I'm so sorry." She repeated. Phillip looked at the scars too.

"Don't worry about it anymore, Mark. Those days are over. Fate brought you and John together." He put an arm around the younger man. "We don't have to care about that bastard anymore." Mark grinned. John stood up and pulled Mark into a firm kiss. "Welcome to the family, boy." Phillip laughed.