Work Text:
It had been a busy enough day in Mark’s opinion. He’d managed to get a few scenes of a skit done with Matt and Ryan, who had gone home around an hour ago. It was about half seven now. Chica had eaten and had been let outside for a while to do her business and run around. Mark stayed inside, watching her through the sliding glass door as he was tired after today and didn’t have the energy to join her.
His mind wandered to his phone and he decided to open up the app Pokemon GO to see if there were any in range that he wouldn’t have to walk for. A Polywag and a Gengar popped up and he quickly caught them both before closing the app in favor of checking his Twitter, which held his rapt attention until Chica started up frantic barking.
Mark looked up just in time to see a lanky man fall from the top of the fence, rolling off clumsily and landing harshly on his rear. It would have been funny if not for a fact that the strange man was trespassing. Mark moved quickly as Chica cornered the man. She wasn’t an aggressive dog, but she knew how to be intimidating. Still, Mark didn’t want his baby girl getting hurt. He had no way of knowing if the stranger was dangerous.
“Chica!” He called, waving his hand to the now-open door. “In the house. Go lay down.”
The retriever obeyed instantly, tongue lolling out and flopping as she ran into the house. The stranger was visibly shaken and scared speechless, forearms hiding his face defensively and knees pulled up to his chest as he was unaware that the dog wouldn’t have hurt him. Mark stood over him now, brows knitted together and arms crossed over his chest and looking every bit a stern parent about to scold a child. After what felt like years of staring eachother down, he finally spoke up.
“Well if you had a weapon you’d have used it by now. No offense but hand-to-hand I’d kick your ass. Next time you rob someone-” Mark began, but a lighter, accented voice cut him off.
“Oh God, I’m not a burglar! I’m just tryin’ te get to this damn Gengar!” And with that, the Irishman picked his phone off the ground to show Mark, as well as revealing his face. “Outside th’ fence was too far.”
Mark sadly understood the struggle. There were times he’d thought about going as close as possible to a stranger’s house as socially acceptable after a particular Pokemon, but he’d never actually crossed that line. He glanced from the phone to the smaller man, first noticing the thick eyebrows and early greying hair before noticing the intense blue eyes looking at him, pupils pinpricks that still displayed fear. Despite the grey he looked no older than Mark, possibly a bit younger.
Mark wasn’t mad now that he knew he wasn’t being robbed, but an idea popped into his head. He unfolded his arms to settle his hands on his hips, taking on as much of a domineering posture as he could without overdoing it and looking ridiculous.
“Well… You barged into my yard, scared my dog. I don’t feel safe in my home anymore. I think I should be compensated.”
“Oh Jaesus please don’t call the police. Fock, I’m sorry.”
“No, no. I’m not pressing charges. I figure you can buy me dinner and we’ll be even. Sound like a deal?” He extending his hand, both to shake and to help the smaller man to his feet. “I’m Mark, by the way.”
“...Jack.” Was the Irishman’s response, obviously a little shocked at the strange turn of events as he took the hand offered.
Mark pulled Jack to his feet with a grin, holding back a laugh at the irishman’s bewhildered expression. “Let me change into real pants and we can go, since you’re already dressed.” He said upon noticing that he was only in his grey sweatpants.
“We’re goin’ now?” Jack called after him, watching the half- asian re-enter his home.
“Why not now? Unless you already had dinner.”
Jack had not eaten since that morning. Leftover pizza, the breakfast of bossness. “Seems a bit sudden’s all.” He muttered under his breath, then scolded himself for questioning the situation.
Sure, going to dinner with a stranger without any prior warning to get ready was strange. At least he wasn’t getting arrested. He noticed after a minute that Mark had left the door open while he went to get dressed. Jack wandered in, against his better judgement.
The dog, Chica, trotted up to him with a wag in her tail. She didn’t seem nearly as threatening as she had before, and Jack decided the dog obviously didn’t have a mean hair on her body. He settled a hand on her head to scratch between her ears, careful at first but eventually relaxing and crouching to pet her properly. He’d thought about getting a dog once or twice but there was always something preventing it. Landlord, apartment too small, just the simple fact he was almost always too busy.
“Aw, yer not so scary, are ye girl?” Jack voiced as Chica shoved her weight at him like she thought she was a lapdog.
“Be careful, she’s ferocious.” A deep voice answered a bit too close to Jack’s ear and he jumped, causing Mark to let out a low bubbly laugh.
Jack had to laugh too, despite his initial panic, “Ye ready to go, then?” He asked, though he could tell when he turned that Mark was properly dressed now.
“Yeah. Do you want to go through the front door to the car or climb the fence and meet me there?” Mark teased, causing the blood to rush into Jack’s face.
He’d probably never live that down if he stayed in this man’s company. He just chuckled, watching Mark move Chica to her puppy pen and lock the back door before moving to the front, opening it and ushering Jack through it first, then opening the passenger side door for the irishman as well.
“Such a gentleman.” Jack pointed out with a snort.
Mark just shrugged, getting into the driver’s seat and cranking the engine. He tossed his own phone into Jack’s lap after pulling up an app. Jack recognized it as Pokemon GO.
“I don’t pokemon and drive but I’ve got eggs to hatch. Do me a favor and catch whatever pops up?” He requests and Jack agrees wordlessly, opening the app on his own phone so he could monitor both during the ride.
It didn’t take long for Jack to notice Mark was Team Instinct and he had to speak out about that. “No one picks Instinct. That’s a baby team fer babies!”
Mark glared at the road for a second before shrugging it off. “Am I not the world’s biggest baby?” He countered, happy his answer got a laugh out of his companion.
“Got me there! Carry on baby man!” Jack was maybe a bit loud now, but it was just evidence he was comfortable.
Mark, for some strange reason, figured it was a completely appropriate response to make kissy noises before turning to words. “So what team are you?”
“Mystic. The only team that matters!”
“Do you like mexican food?” Mark asked suddenly and the absurdity of that drastic subject change had them both laughing, though Mark had to contain himself to drive. “I just figured I should ask before we get too far.”
“I like fake mexican food.” Jack shrugged once he could breath.
“Taco bell it is!”
With that settled, Jack returned his attention to the phones on his lap, catching a few pokemon before a thought struck him. He glances at Mark, who was focused on the road and mouthing along to some overplayed song on the radio. Quickly, he exitted the app on Mark’s phone, pulling up contacts and entering his own number under the name ‘Jackaboy’. He then reopened the app and resumed what he was supposed to be doing.
Mark seemed like a cool guy. Jack would like to keep contact after this little adventure, but wanted the choice to be up to the other man. He’d have the option to text Jack if he wated, or he could delete the contact and forget him. Jack hoped for the former. The first time he’d bothered to leave his house in four months was over a silly game. He had to admit he was a bit lonely. He had friends, sure, but none were in the same country. It would be nice to have a friend in walking distance.
Or more than a friend. Isn’t this kind of like a date? His brain supplied without his consent.
He shook the thought away. Mark was insanely attractive but this was not a date. This was… something else. It was weird and exciting and also a bit annoying with Mark playing a pop station when Jack much prefered metal. Or hard rock at least. Still, Mark had transitioned from lipsyncing to singing quietly like he forgot Jack could hear him. The half asian had a wonderful voice, Jack noticed.
They made it to taco bell after a few more minutes, Mark taking his phone back from Jack’s lap instead of asking the smaller man to hand it to him. They ordered, waited, and took the food to one of the outside tables. They talked a while, finding common ground in a love of video games. They kept talking for about an hour even after finishing their food, which Jack paid for since that was sort of the point to going out in the first place.
After dinner they drove back in comfortable silence, Jack nearly falling asleep since motion fatigue always got to him. Mark asked his address and dropped him off so he wouldn’t have to walk so far, pleased to find that Jack’s apartment complex wasn’t very far from his house in the first place.
“G’night Mark.” The irishman called as he went to his door.
“Goodnight Jack.” Mark returned from inside the car, and waited until Jack had gone inside to drive away.
Jack had showered and just gotten into bed when his phone lit up. He picked it up to check.
New Message From: Unknown
Wanna break in again next friday? ;P
Jack smiled, typing in a quick affirmative before getting into bed.