Sean laid in bed huddled up against Mark's chest. They were watching movies and had eaten pizza that had been delivered to the room. Right now, Sean was having trouble enjoying himself. Time just kept ticking on and soon Mark would have to leave back to the barracks. He'd only get one more day with him... and then he'd be gone. The weight of feeling like he was losing Mark was crushing him with every passing minute. There just wasn't enough time. Mark stroked his back and side, asking him softly. "How did you know?" Sean scoffed, kissing Mark's neck before telling him honestly. "There was a guy that came through. He was telling everyone not to panic. That it was just a drill... but I saw the news. I decided to prepare just in case. Then you confirmed it by avoiding it... You are terrible at hiding shit from me." Mark kissed his temple, hugging him closer as he purred out. "I just didn't know how to tell you..." Sean wrapped his arm around Mark, muffling against his chest. "I know. But don't worry about me. I can handle it." Sean hid his face in Mark's chest to hide his lie.

He wanted to keep Mark strong. He needed to think clearly. He couldn't let him see how badly this hurt. Otherwise, Mark would never go. Mark ran his hand through Sean's hair, whispering into his ear. "I don't deserve you, Sean. I'm so sorry... I feel like I'm sinking and dragging you with me..." Sean inhaled deeply to loosen the knot in his throat, fighting back tears to tell him confidently. "No. You're not dragging me anywhere. I agreed to this. I've always stood by your side, Mark. And I will continue to be there when you need me." Mark kissed his cheek, hugging him back down against the bed. Sean held him tightly, struggling to hide his pain. He just kept taking deep breaths to get himself through it. When Mark's watch started to go off, Mark pulled away reluctantly. Sean pet Mark's back as he got up to get dressed. Sean stayed snuggled under the blankets, noticing the torn expression on Mark's face. He didn't want to go, and Sean blamed himself. His resolve was breaking. Propping himself up on an arm, Sean forced himself to playfully state out. "Next time when you show up at my door so early, you better have a basket of that Astronaut Ice Cream. Or I just won't forgive you..."

Mark chuckled, then smiled warmly as he asked. "You liked it that much?" Sean nodded, purring out as sweetly as he could. "You know I did. So, you better bring me back some more tomorrow." Mark finished dressing himself, leaning back over the bed to kiss him. Sean stroked Mark's cheek, listening to Mark whisper over his lips after the kiss. "I'll do that. Good night, Sean. I love you." Sean pressed his forehead to his, barely able to reply. "Good night, Mark. I love you too. See you in the morning." Mark pulled away and Sean watched him head for the door. The second the door closed after he left... Sean broke and began to cry into the pillows. He had to get it all out. He couldn't hold it back anymore. Shrinking back behind the covers, he clawed the sheets and let himself fall apart. If he was going to be strong tomorrow... He had to be weak tonight. Sean cried well into the night and even when he stopped, he forced himself to cry more. By the next morning, Sean got up at five and cleaned himself up. His eyes were still red, but he hoped to blame that on being tired. Taking a shower, he got himself dressed and waited to hear him knock.

He paced the room and tried to watch TV, but his mind and heart were just too eager to get this day started. He didn't want to waste a single second... but already he was on the clock. The minutes passed like hours. Every step outside the door had his heart leaping in the hope that it was him. People were clearly filing in. He could hear the families in the hall chatting and asking what they'd do today. Families that would be able to see their loved ones in another month... While his time was so short. Moving to the window, Sean shoved the curtains aside. He hated feeling like he had nothing else to do. Leaning against the window frame, he watched families walk in and out of the hotel. He scanned every face hoping to see Mark. He felt like a damn dog waiting for his owner to come home. He didn't want to be like this, but his body wouldn't let him do anything else. Now that he knew Mark would be leaving... He just couldn't wait to see him. His heart needed to see him. The second he saw him walking toward the hotel, Sean burst out laughing.

Mark was carrying a fucking basket. Leaning his head on the window frame, he muttered happily to himself. "Oh, Mark. You big dummy... God, I love him." Sean waited by the window, until he heard the knock. Dashing over, he slowly opened the door and chuckled warmly. Mark lifted the basket of Astronaut Ice Cream, saying sweetly. "I got you every flavor and kind they had. Figured you'd want to have it after today." Sean leaned on the door frame, grinning brighter than he had in hours. Mark blinked, looking him over as he said a little shocked. "Sean? Are you dressed? What happened? Did hell freeze over?" Sean rolled his eyes, pulling Mark inside. Mark chuckled, setting the basket on the desk before saying more seriously. "Actually, I'm glad that you are. There is a reason that I was a little late today. I wanna take you somewhere." Sean moved in to hug Mark for a minute, warmly purring into his ear. "Mark, nothing will mean more to me than you. You can stop trying to make me fall in love with you." Mark kissed his neck, playfully saying. "Just one more time. Please?"

Sean sighed, nodding with a smile that he couldn't control. Mark took his hand and raced him from the room. Together they speed walked across the base to a large military hangar. Mark refused to answer his questions as they made their way through the families. Sean had never been to this part of the base, but families were here and had clearly visited here before. There were BBQ's being run by soldiers and tables set out for families to sit and eat. Some soldiers were even encouraging families into the hangar. Mark tugged him into the hangar and Sean gawked at how massive it was. This place could hold at least two planes inside it. However, what was in here was a bouncy house in the shape of a space shuttle for little kids and what appeared to be a long space shuttle part. Mark pulled him toward the space shuttle and a few soldiers patted his shoulders as he pulled Sean inside. Sean was so confused. The soldiers closed the rounded door, locking the hatch down. Sean huddled up to Mark's side as other soldiers told the families inside the safety instructions. The inside of the shuttle was big enough to hold at least four cars in a line and after a minute... Sean realized why he was brought here.

The soldiers gave the thumbs up to the men at the hatch and gravity started to get really weird. The soldiers stood perfectly still as they rose off the floor and watched the families. Even Mark wasn't affected by the zero gravity of the room. Sean yelped, covering his head as he rose a bit too fast and hit the padded ceiling with the flat of his back. Mark chuckled, pulling him down as he told him how to center himself. A few solider family members showed off with backflips and pretending to swim for their kids. Sean held onto Mark's shoulders, chuckling out. "This is awesome, Mark. I'm already so jealous of you." Mark kissed him, ignoring the looks he got from the other soldiers. After the kiss, Mark sweetly told him as he looked deep into his eyes. "I didn't want you to miss this... and I kind of... set you up." Sean raised an eyebrow, when one of the instructing soldiers announced aloud to the others. "If I could have everyone's attention really quick. We'd all appreciate it if you could bare witness to something. Our Senior Spaceman Fischbach is about to go on his first mission to space. But before he goes tomorrow morning, he would like to get married."

From somewhere in the back, a man joked out. "Not it!" The families laughed as the instructor joked back innocently. "No one asked you, Richard." Sean blushed a deep red, laughing with the others. Mark offered his hand to him, asking hopefully. "I don't wanna leave without making us official... I can't take you to space. So, this is as close as I could get." Sean took Mark's hand, letting him pull him toward the military minister. The minister asked for their rings and Sean reluctantly removed his ring to give the man. The minister then told everyone with a smile. "Sean Mcloughlin, you are the Earth of this man's life. Your love shall be with him... even though you will be sometimes hidden from each other's sight. Your love will play a part in being the guiding force that charts the course of your future together. Your love is what will hold your worlds together in difficult times. Your life and warmth will shine brighter and bolder than the stars in the universe, like a beacon to guide his way home. Will you be his until the seas run dry and the mountains blow to dust in the wind like leaves?" Sean squeezed Mark's hands, staring only at Mark as he answered honestly. "Yes. I will."

Mark inhaled lightly with relief, his eyes watering a bit. Sean smirked, telling him quickly. "Don't you start crying..." Mark chuckled, clearing his throat before taking the moon ring from the man to slide onto Sean's ring finger. Taking his hands again, the minister turned to Mark to say with a smile. "Mark Fischbach, you are the Moon to this man's life. Your love shall be with him... even though you will be sometimes hidden from each other's sight. Your love will play a part in being the guiding force that charts the course of your future together. Your love is what will hold your worlds together in difficult times. Your love will be the light that shines down on his world to give him hope even in darkness and warmth every dawn on cold days. Will you be his until the sun and the moon no longer rise in the east and set in the west?" Mark leaned forward to put his forehead to his, upon saying in a deep buttery voice. "I will. Forever." Sean sniffled, taking the Earth ring from the minister to slide onto Mark's ring finger. When they took each other's hands again, the minister stated aloud. "Then until your worlds stop turning, I wish you a safe journey in your new life together. Remember. Love is only eternal if you stay strong for each other." Sean tilted his head up to let Mark kiss him and everyone broke out into loud cheers.

The instructor let them play around in the zero gravity for a bit longer, showing them floating water tricks and more. Sean loved standing on the ceiling with Mark hugging him from behind. When the instructor gave the warning for the gravity to come back, Mark helped correct them and they slowly drifted back down. However, before they touched the ground, Mark took Sean in his arms to hold him as gravity came back. Sean giggled as the doors opened and Mark carried him out. The moment he put him down, Sean tugged Mark back out to look over the clothing and stuff with Space Force themes. Sean bought a few things that stood out to him. Some bracelets and gauges with space designs. They ate some hamburgers, then Mark took him to dance for a bit. They just couldn't stop smiling and laughing. One of Mark's new friends brought out a cake for them that had a cake topper with two little astronauts holding hands in front of a space shuttle. Mark stood behind him to cut the cake with him. Taking a small piece of the first piece, Sean turned to feed it to Mark. Mark ate it, then smeared he lips with frosting before kissing him. The families around them laughed and congratulated them.

Taking the cake topper back to the hotel, Sean couldn't stop himself from talking about how much fun he had. He had gone on tours of the demo space shuttles and had learned so much about the training that Mark had gone through. He even got to hear some of Mark's funny training stories. His favorite was when he had to be submerged in a pool in his space suit and his squad broke out into dance underwater. Which terrified the instructors as their heartrates rose rapidly. It was a far better day than he ever expected. Mark picked him up again at his door, carrying him into the room to lay him down over the bed. Quickly Mark began to strip, telling him excitedly. "Take off everything but that necklace." Sean blushed, stripping himself down. Adjusting the diamond star around his neck, he got comfortable. Kicking off his pants, Mark crawled onto the bed and over him to kiss him. It didn't matter how many times they had done it. He wanted Mark now more than ever. As Mark lubed himself up, Sean bit his lower lip as a sad thought crept in. This would be their last time together for a while.

The fear of losing time started to sink in, causing him to glance toward the clock. Before he could see what time it was, Mark lowered a hand to block his view of the digital clock. Sean's eyes were a bit fragile as he looked up into Mark's teddy bear brown eyes. Mark simply smiled though, telling him lovingly. "Don't look at the clock. Look at me." Sean nodded, noticing Mark turning the clock away in his peripheral vison. When he could no longer see the numbers on the clock, Mark cupped his face and kissed him. To Be Continued...