Mark ventured closer to the RV, flipping the kickstand down. Sean was helping Zero tie the horses to a set of low hanging branches on a nearby tree. It upset Mark to see that Sean didn't notice the way Zero was smiling at him. Mark clenched his jaw, listening closely to their soft-spoken conversation. Sean finished tying up Barney, asking Zero without looking at him. "How long have you been out here then?" Zero absently pet Agro, his eyes looking over Sean's back when he answered nicely. "Since it started. I was working at my mother's new husband's mechanic shop. We didn't get along... When all hell broke loose, he drove off to find my mother." Sean turned to face him, causing Zero's eyes to casually return to an appropriate eye level. Mark pulled Chica closer to him, hating the sympathy Sean's voice held for him when he said. "That's awful. I can't imagine being on your own like that." Zero shrugged nonchalantly, mumbling out softly. "I don't think about it. There's no point living in the past. I'm looking out for my future. I'm gonna survive."

Sean lowered his eyes to the dirt, shuffling his feet as he said just as softly. "I can't help thinking about it. About everyone that I might have... Don't you ever worry about your ma? Or your real dad?" Zero tied Finbar to Agro's saddle, openly answering with a heavy sigh. "Not so much my mother. This trip was nothing more than her attempt to guilt trip me away from my father. I think she only cares about me to hurt him. Now my father... Ya. I miss him. And I hope he's ok. But he'd clap me across the ears if I spent my time worrying about him. He'd want me to be strong. So, that's what I'm doing." Sean nodded with a small smirk, then asked him. "And Mari?" Zero chuckled turning around to face Sean, when he playfully teased out. "We just travel together. She's a weird one, but she can handle herself. Between us... I think she's afraid to be alone." Everyone jumped, when Mari snuck up beside Mark to ask everyone with narrowed eyes. "What are you all talking about over here?"

Zero composed himself the fastest, when he stated out with a smirk. "You. I'm trying to see if he will sign something for you." Mari's eyes practically sparkled as she shyly squealed out embarrassed. "Really? Would you do that?" Mark narrowed his eyes back on Zero with a dark suspicion. Zero removed a black marker from his pocket, twirling it between his fingers before handing it to Sean. Sean took the marker, chuckling out. "It's been a while since I've been asked to do something so... normal?" Zero extended his hand out to expose his bare arm, leaning in to purr to him smoothly. "Here. You can practice on me first." Mark inhaled sharply, clenching his fists around Chica's leash. The bastard had planned this! Sean popped the cap off, grinning as he took ahold of Zero's wrist and anxiously replied. "Ok. I'm sorry if it ends up looking bad..." Zero leaned a little too close to peek over Sean's shoulder, telling him sweetly. "I don't mind." Mari side-stepped closer to Mark, whispering in a playful tone. "You know... I think Zero likes him."

Mark didn't mean to turn a stony look in her direction, but his mind was distracted. Mari quickly raised her hands in surrender, uttering out still in a pleasant voice. "Hey, don't look at me like that. Until Sean showed up, I thought Zero was straight. I mean, have you seen his arms?" Zero looked back at them, asking aloud. "Did you say something?" Mari's face flared red and she quickly dropped to a knee to love on Chica as she rephrased loudly. "I said, have you seen her cute paws!" Zero smirked, his eyes drifting to lock with Mark's. Mark's stony expression didn't change but he couldn't stop himself from pretending to itch his arm. Moving his arm casually over his chest, he pushed his sleeve up and flexed his arm as he rubbed his fingers over the back of his shoulder. Mark couldn't deny Zero had decent lean muscle, but he was bigger. Zero looked over Mark completely unfazed, turning his attention quickly back to Sean. Sean finished up, popping the cap back on as he asked Zero nervously. "Well? What do you think?" Zero looked over his arm, sweetly telling Sean with a brilliant smile. "It's great. Thank you."

Mark cleared his throat loudly to get Sean's attention, then gestured with his hand for him to come closer. Sean gave Zero his marker back, forcing Mark to witness how Zero's hand lingered on Sean's. By the time Sean reached him, Mark leaned over his shoulder to almost sternly growl into his ear. "What are you doing?!" Sean shrugged, defensively asking. "What the hell is your problem? I'm just being nice." Mark glared at him, growling out through his teeth discreetly. "You're flirting with him!" Sean rolled his eyes, stating out bluntly. "I am not. Mark-" Mark cut him off by pointing a stern finger at him, grumbling out. "Don't give me that. You've been blushing since you heard his accent!" Sean put his hands on his hips, giving him a stern look. Their conversation was cut off as Zero blurted out at them coolly. "I can hear ya, you know." Mark looked away from Sean to yell at Zero for butting in, but Zero calmly interjected. "Before you scream at me, Lad. How about just fucking telling me you're together? If he's yours I'll leave him alone, but he didn't say-" Mark's eyes caught Mari staring at him with shock in her eyes and he buckled.

Cutting Zero off, Mark sternly shouted back at him without thinking. "We're not together! Just back off!" Zero raised his hands in surrender, taking a few steps back toward the RV. Mari flinched from Mark's aggressive tone, moving a step or two away from him as well. A feeling of embarrassment and regret flooded him internally. He hadn't meant for those words to come out. It was a habit. Something that he was just so used to saying around people he didn't know. The pressure of being accused had broken him. Sean took a step back from him with a face contorted in anguish as he uttered out in soft disbelief. "What...? I thought..." Mark reached out for him, starting to say discreetly. "Sean, we will talk about it later. Right now-" Sean swatted Mark's hand away and he stormed off through the campsite. Mark turned to watch him, calling out in a pained voice. "Sean? Where are you going? It's late." Sean just flicked him off as a response and slipped around an RV. Mari looked to Zero with a worried expression, stating out cautiously. "He shouldn't wander alone out there..."

Zero withdrew his bow, jogging after him as he told her seriously. "Stay here with him. I'll go get him." Mark grabbed Zero's arm, sternly growling out. "You stay here! I'll go get him!" Zero blinked blankly, bluntly retorting in a sharp tone. "I know this campsite and I can see in the dark. Can you?" Mark narrowed his eyes on him. Zero lowered his googles from his hair and waited for Mark to release him. The second he did, Zero raced after Sean. Mark waited until Zero was out of sight before falling to his knees in defeat. He felt like such an ass. By the RV, Mari nicely questioned him. "Why did you say that if you don't mean it?" Mark licked his dry lips, replying softly under his breathe. "I... You wouldn't understand." Mari huffed, sitting herself down on the steps of the RV, before she told him casually. "I understand you hated Septiplier enough to distance yourself from Sean. You hurt him... Those of us who had watched him for a long time... We saw it. He tried to hide his depression, but we all saw he was hiding pain behind his videos. I knew that look... he was lonely."

Mark lifted his head to look at the stars, softly retorting. "I know. But it's more complicated than that. We're aren't always the people you see behind that screen..." Mari huffed with a chuckle this time, leaning her head back on the RV door as she told him seriously. "You think I didn't know that? You think we all don't wear a mask to hide the parts of ourselves that we don't want others to see? What I don't get is why you refuse to love him... When it's clear that he loves you. He was always so happy around you." Mark stiffly climbed to his feet, grumbling out a little shortly. "Maybe because I'm sick of everyone telling me how to live my life? Maybe it's because I'm afraid that other people will hurt him if that shit comes to light? Maybe because..." Mark trailed off as he noticed how mean he was being and how much his own words held weight with him. Mari looked at him with soft pained eyes, upon stating out. "I get it now. It's not about you... It's about protecting him. That makes sense."

Mari leaned forward, eyeing Mark as she told him gently. "I never wanted to push you into anything. I just wanted to see you both happy. The fans that looked up to you... They asked because they cared about you. Both of you." Mari climbed off the step to open the RV door, gesturing him inside. Mark sighed feeling guilty, when he apologetically admitted to her. "Mari? I'm sorry. It's been a long day and I'm... barely keeping myself together with everything that's happened." Mari sniffled, leaning half on the door with a small smile. Mark approached the door, then opened his arms out a bit stiffly to her. Mari giggled to herself, sniffling just before she moved into his arms. Mark hugged her tightly, hoping to make up for his rude behavior. The outbreak had made him feel like a different person. His old life felt almost like a dream now. Hugging people used to be so natural to him and now... he was rusty. Mari didn't seem to care though, she held him for as long as he allowed. The only thing that broke them up was the haunting call of an animal.

Mari broke from his hug, her hand instinctively reaching up to grip her sword handle. Her eyes scanned the dark campsite, before she ushered him into the RV, whispering. "Coyote. Come on. Let's get inside." Mark pulled Chica into the large luxury RV. The interior was stunning. Someone had money to burn once. The RV had plenty of space to throw a small party in. The floor was done in beautiful polished tan colored wood with matching cabinets and couches. It even had a bar and a kitchen. Mark let Chica go, watching her jump up onto the plushy couch. Behind him, Mari excitedly piped out. "Like it? It's got a second floor that is made up of cushions that can be slept on like a guest bed. It's amazing up there and the master bedroom at the end is so fancy." Mark chuckled, slumping down onto the couch by Chica to say impressed. "It's really something. I'd hate to see its price tag..." Mari rolled her eyes, moving to the kitchen as she chuckled out. "Well, it's ours now. Zero thinks that it has solar power... but we haven't been able to get it to work yet... He thinks a panel on the roof is broken."

Mark pet Chica and anxiously eyed the door. After a moment, Mark uttered under his breath. "They've been gone awhile..." Mari stopped messing with the stove to look at him. Grinning, she calmly told him. "Don't worry. Zero would give me a sign if he was in trouble. He's probably just... Getting to know Sean." Mark stiffened, causing Mari to shrug as she added out grimly. "Well, what did you expect? You hurt him... and Zero... Well, he can be charming. When he wants to be. He's probably just avoiding me though, until I make dinner... It's his normal routine." Mari grabbed a pan by the handle to point it at Mark, upon defensively stating out. "Honestly, he's such a chicken! I 'ALMOST' dumped grease on him by accident. I tripped! It wasn't like I was trying to kill him on purpose. But no... now he goes on 'patrol' until dinner is finished. Damn, coward." Mark watched her slap the pot down on the stove and flinched when she slammed her hand down close to a kitchen knife. He was going to ask if he could make dinner himself, before she hurt herself.

However, just as he raised his hand to do so. The door to the RV opened. Zero and Sean started to walk in, chatting quietly amongst themselves. Mark didn't get to hear what they were saying, because Mari leapt with excitement and then squealed in fright. In her excitement she brought her hand down on the knife handle and sent it flying. Mark held his breath as the large knife spun wildly toward the door and impaled itself into the wall inches from Zero's face. Zero yelped, falling backwards down the steps into Sean. Which knocked them both into the dirt outside. Mari peeked between her fingers, asking Mark timidly. "That sounded bad... was it bad?" Mark cautiously climbed off the couch to yank the knife from the wall, answering more than a little uneasy. "Depends on how you look at it really..." Mark looked out the door to see Zero almost having a panic attack as he muttered out. "I swear, she's trying to kill me... She says she's not, but I seriously have my doubts." Sean chuckled nervously, patting Zero on the shoulder.

Zero rolled onto all fours, staring directly at Sean as he shakily asked. "Are ya alright? I'm sorry, I didn't mean to land on ya." Sean sat up, chuckling out. "I don't blame ya. You weren't kidding about her unlucky luck. The zombies should be terrified of her." They shared a hearty laugh and Mark rolled his eyes. Taking a single step down the steps though, he froze in place. Shortly after their laugh, Zero reached out to turn Sean's chin and kissed him. What made it worse was that Sean didn't push him away. Sean let himself be kissed by this... stranger! Mark felt something snap inside himself and he dropped the knife. Stabbing Zero would just be too quick. Jumping out of the RV, Mark grabbed Zero by the collar of his shirt and vest. Dragging him away from Sean, Mark dropped down over him. Behind him, Sean yelled out for him to stop. Mark couldn't. He was lost to his own rage. Beneath him, Zero grabbed at his arms to keep him from punching him and for a scrawny guy... he was pretty strong. The more Zero fought him though, the angrier Mark got. Fueling him with enough adrenaline, he overpowered Zero and got in a good solid punch to his face. To Be Continued...