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"there!" ten smiled brightly, patting mark's shoulders from behind him, "you look cute!"
"uh.." mark looked at himself in the mirror, from the cap, to the unbuttoned chino shirt, to the baggy trousers. "i'm not sure that's the purpose of the uniform.."
"of course it is." ten dismissed, turning him around to face him. "looking cute is always the purpose."
"right, right.." mark closed his eyes as ten brushed his blonde curls from under the cap out of his eyes. "see, i get that. but-" he paused as ten pulled the cap down and flattened his palms down the green short sleeved shirt, and in true ten fashion slipping his hands under to palm over the white vest he had on underneath, stopping at mark's exposed shoulders with a cheeky grin. and mark, in true mark fashion, ignored that to carry on, "-but that's maybe not so much the case right now."
"why'd you say that?"
"ten." he pointed at the logo front and centre on his cap, then the same one on his breast pocket, "this is a mechanic's uniform."
"that's right."
"your boyfriend's garage's uniform."
"that's also correct." ten nodded along, "and you look cute as fuck in it, too."
"i am not a mechanic. your boyfriend is scary." mark tried, eyes slightly wide in panic, "and i don't know shit about cars!"
"also true." ten agreed again, "my baby is so smart!" ten cooed, reaching forward to cup mark's cheeks much to the younger's obvious dismay, he laughed at mark's loud whine. "baby, look, i know you're worried, but there's seriously nothing to worry about!" he patted mark's cheeks softly, "johnny fucking loves you, he's just horrible at showing it but trust me, he thinks you're the cutest little thing ever. and, you know i love johnny to death but he gets like three cars roll in there a week, four if he's lucky. you're just gonna be sitting there looking pretty! i promise!"
"ugh." mark still groaned, "what if someone needs help? and why's it only going to be me there?"
"he usually only keeps one staff there due to the.. low traffic-" he wiggled his eyebrows at that, but mark was a little too stressed to appreciate the pun, "and he's not there for once because he's on his forced day off, and the other staff are busy! he asked for me but no way i'm greasing up old cars or whatever and he's at home all sexy and -"
"okay." mark knew where that was going, "i get it- fine! but if someone comes in that needs actual help i'll tell them to come in when johnny's back, okay?"
ten shrugged, "done deal." he stroked over the top of the blue cap affectionately, "thank for doing this, baby."
"yeah." mark huffed, "you owe me big time, though."
"of course." ten stepped back happily, "it'll be easy peasy, trust me!"
see, after all the years mark has known ten, he really should've known better.
what was it he said? sitting there looking pretty? right. mark looked at the beat up truck someone had just pushed in, and had then proceeded to say about ten things that mark simply did not understand, lifting the hood up and pointing at various parts that mark, yet again, did not know. he had no idea what he was looking at.
"right." he said, nodding along to whatever the dude was saying.
ten was such a fucking liar.
"oh, also!" the guy said, pausing to look up at mark and - huh. he was kind of cute. speaking what seemed like an alien language to mark as he pointed at his truck, sure, but cute. "i was here the other day and this guy said to book an appointment today and someone would help, i guess that's you!"
mark blinked. "excuse me?"
"he was kinda short, um. what was his name.. t-..troy?"
"ten." mark knew 1000% it was ten. mark was going to kill him.
"yeah! ten!" he smiled and mark was momentarily less pissed off because he looked like a puppy. still pissed off though, so he sighed loudly and leant back against one of the tool racks, "um." the boy paused, "was that.. not right?"
"no." mark scowled, "no, it was not right." he fished his phone from his pocket and tapped ten's contact, "give me a second, yeah?"
"um.. yeah. yeah, sure." the boy nodded, stepping away as mark wondered into the garage and lifted the phone to his ear. ten picked up on the first ring like he knew it was coming.
"hi markie!" ten giggled on the other line, "you like my surprise?"
"what surprise?" mark scowled, keeping his voice hushed as he glanced over his shoulder to make sure the guy couldn't hear him. "ten, i literally told you i don't know shit about cars and this dude brings a mammoth of one in!"
"yeah, his truck was a mess." ten whistled, "that wasn't the present though."
"what the hell are you talking about?" mark groaned as he rubbed a hand down his face, "johnny's gonna be pissed he's got a extra car when he gets back, you ass-"
"oh my god." ten groaned, cutting mark off with a loud huff, "not the car, you dumbass! forget the car! i was talking about the boy!"
mark blinked, "huh?"
"the guy! he came in the other day and i was like, 'oh shit, he's totally mark's type' and i was right wasn't i? bet you think he's cute." mark did, in fact, think he was cute.
"are you serious." he said instead, "this has gotta be, like, the worst possible way to set people up."
"i think it's cute." ten hummed, "and do you think he's cute, yes or no." mark groaned, "yes or no!"
"ugh, fine. yeah." ten laughed victoriously on the other line, "but what the hell am i gonna do now? i don't think he can even drive back out, he pushed that shit in here!"
"eh, he can leave it in there overnight, just lock up properly."
"are you saying we just leave, right now?" and ten's affirmative hum all mark could picture was johnny going all hulk on him, "are you crazy?"
"a little." after hearing johnny's voice in the background, ten said, "ah, i have to go. have fun with that cutie though!"
"what the-" the line was cute before mark could even finish. he closed his eyes as the long beeeeep filled his ears. "great." he sighed.
"um-" mark spun around at the sudden voice, "sorry to interrupt but is everything okay?" the boy had a sheepish smile on, "you were gone a while so.."
"oh. uh." mark cleared his throat, "yeah." he took his cap off, dropping it onto one of the tables with a soft thud as he ran his hand through his locks. god, did ten stress him out sometimes. "yeah, we're all good. but uh.. i can't get your car done today."
"oh." the boy deflated, "why is that..?"
"um.." mark wasn't sure how to begin - just, oh i actually don't know shit about cars but i swear i'm not a poser or something my friend just trapped me haha don't be mad lol, or if he should pretend to know his shit long enough to get the dude out and this whole thing to be over with. mark never was a good liar though, so he went with a third - "i'm mark, by the way." random and spontaneous.
"uh.. i'm jeno." he smiled unsurely, "nice to meet you..?"
"you too, man." mark nodded and guided him back to his truck, closer to the exit. "i'm sorry about your truck, and i'm assuming you can't drive back, yeah? since you pushed it in." jeno nodded. "ten said you can leave it here overnight and johnny will look at it tomorrow. is that okay?"
"oh, johnny..? suh?"
"um.." mark literally had johnny's name plastered over his cap and breast pocket, so he wasn't sure why jeno sounded so surprised. "yeah? you know him?"
"yeah, friend of a friend." jeno seemed more relaxed at the idea of leaving his truck here though, so mark didn't dwell on it. "this his place?"
"uh... yep!" mark pointed at the cursive 'john suh's' on the logo with a small laugh, "it's his."
"oh.." jeno flushed a little red, averting his eyes as he cleared his throat. "i didn't see that.."
"really?" mark shrugged, jeno's truck did seem like it was in a pretty bad shape, so he guessed it was understandable. when he voiced that though, jeno laughed awkwardly and brought a hand up to scratch at the back of his nape-
"no, uh. it wasn't that.."
mark looked at him in silent confusion, "right.. uh.. well you can leave now, if you want. just write down your contact info here and johnny'll get back to you." he reached for one of the forms lying around, "sorry again about this." ten did say he could leave to, but mark didn't want to risk johnny's fury. he was already worried enough about the truck, but he just hopes ten will sort that out for him.
jeno opened his mouth like he wanted to say something, but then shook his head and reached for the form. "..thanks."
"no worries."
there was an odd sort of silence blanketing them as jeno filled out the form and mark didn't know what else to say, so opted for fidgeting with curls around his nape and looking around the garage as he waited. jeno glanced up at the motions, "i like your hair." he slid the form back to mark.
"oh.. thanks." mark smiled, "yours is nice too."
"thanks." jeno smiled, eyes turning into pretty crescents before turning back to his truck and lifting his coat from the backseat. "i'll come back tomorrow?"
"yeah, johnny will be here for you." mark nodded, "come by whenever."
jeno hummed, shrugging the coat on. "will you be here, too?"
"probably not." mark laughed, "i wouldn't be of much help, anyway."
"i see." jeno frowned slightly, "keep that form safe."
startled at the sudden request, mark looked down at the paper in front of him. "um. yep! will do."
"bye mark." jeno lifted a hand to wave, mark mirrored the motion. "see you around?"
"sure." mark smiled back, "see you." mark's eyes trailed him until he was out of the garage and out of sight, before landing back on the truck parked in front of him. he picked up his phone again and messaged ten once more,
me: if johnny gets mad abt the truck im telling him abt what u told me at halloween 😊
ten messaged back a few seconds later,
😾: u wouldn't
me: u think so?
😾: ugh
😾: yeah wtvr i got it 😒
😾: u get the cuties number or what?
mark had typed out a 'no, wtf 😐' when he noticed ink bleeding into jeno's form from the other side. he frowned slightly, flipping it over to see more of jeno's writing scribbled at the back.
t his is kinda awkward but i didn't see johnnys name bc i was looking at u ur so pretty i got distracted
i know my numbers already on the other side but call me if u want!! i'd really like it if u did.. i'd like u to :)
no pressure though! haha i'd just like to see you again hope to see u soon! - 0XX-XXX-XXXX
love, from jeno. ☺️
mark snickered at the very obvious writing under the scribbles, grinning at the cute little smiley faces jeno had dotted in. he was too busy looking at the note he hadn't realised his phone had kept buzzing incessantly, ten's contact popping up on the screen again and again.
😾: hello??
😾: where'd u go
😾: MARK!!
😾:hellloooooo
😾: mark
😾:☹️
mark blinked at the spam, opening up his messages and answering back before his screen could get more flooded.
me: yeah im here
😾: where'd u go
😾: also did u get his # or not??
me: ur so nosy did u know that
😾: ANSWER ME!!!!
me: yeah i got it
😾: omfg
mark grinned but left their chat, leaving ten to spam more questions as he picked up the form and looked at jeno's note again.
the first scribble made his ears a little warm, but he laughed softly as he read it again, putting the number into his contacts. he hesitated in sending a message, would he look desperate if he sent one now and jeno had just left? he typed, then erased a few times, then looked at the note again.
i'd really like it if u did..
he bit back his smile and typed, pressing send without a second thought.
me: hey jeno, it's mark :)
me: and i'd like to see u again too
jeno: typing..