#🚀—; RECEIVING. lvckyflannel

[jumpinagain-a]

"... I want to know more about you, if that's okay?"

MARK HOPPED UP ONTO THE TERMINAL, swinging his legs. The bridge terminal was pretty steady — not the kind of place where he'd fall off. He hoped so anyway. He had this weird urge to impress this other him. Falling off the terminal because he gestured too widely wouldn't do that for him. "Of course that's okay! I love talking about myself," Mark assured the other with perfect earnesty.

"I'm the head engineer, but you already knew that. My dog's named Chica — she's a working dog, you see," he said seriously. "I, uh, like —" He paused for a second to think. "— Calculus?" That didn't seem like much of a fun fact. "But what I really like is ... um ...." He racked his brain for a second, before waving it off. "Eh. I like probably the same things you do. Probably have the same basic lifestory, now that I think about it." He paused. "Well, aside from the obvious. The whole, thing you do." He spun a finger — or was it done to the other? The guy seemed more along for the ride than actively driving, so Mark guessed that was the case.

"I've been the head engineer of the Invincible II since its inception," he bragged, popping his collar with a smirk. "I built her myself. Isn't she a beauty?" He added quickly, "You don't have to touch a thing. I know you're technically supposed to have my job but — I kind of like my job honestly, and I'd rather you didn't touch anything. Actually." Pinched expression at the idea of the other Mark messing something up — followed by a hasty, "No offense!"

[jumpinagain-a]

“Stop, I’m not ill. Stop now, enough. Uhhhg… you aren’t going to stop are you?”

“YOU HUSH,” MARK HUFFED, CAREFULLY GUIDING his double down the hall. “Clearly you’re suffering from some kind of malady if you think telling me to stop is going to help anything. You are too sick! You’re feverish and your eyes are all glassy. You need sleep. And soup. Soup fixes everything.” He elbowed the button on Mark’s quarter’s and pushed him gently towards his bed. “Undress, would you? You’re burning up and I’m not tucking you under the covers in full uniform.” He was tucking Mark in. That was a non-negotiable.

[jumpinagain-a]

He's going to just... open his arms to the other, "C'mere, I think you need this more than me."

IF MARK’S LOWER LIP WAS TREMBLING, no one had to know. He couldn’t remember the last time someone touched him, or at least, touched him gently. He’d been shoved and grabbed and tossed in and out of danger, his body taken nothing short of a beating. If he wasn’t constantly being reset after death he’d be littered with bruises gone black and blue. Even so, his mind remembered, or maybe his soul if he had one. It was a constant dull ache, unending and without reprieve.

Slowly Mark came closer to the other. He knew, conceptually, they must look like a real pair, having the same face and uniform and all. But no one was around to see them — so did it even matter in the first place? Who was better to understand any of this than someone else who was experiencing it too?

Strong arms enfolded easily around him, and Mark just crumbled. He buried his face into his comforter’s shoulder and sobbed. There was no shame in it here. And he knew he’d do the same for the other Mark at the first opportunity. He grasped almost desperately at the fabric of his uniform, afraid that he might disappear. Afraid that this would be ripped away too soon. He could stay here forever and it still wouldn’t be long enough.

[jumpinagain-a]

@lvckyflannel liked for a random shippy starter! ♥️

THE WARP CORE WAS THE DUMBEST PLACE to do this. Like, legitimately, Mark was turning around and getting the fuck out of there before he embarrassed himself! He turned to leave — only to bump headlong into the exact person he’d been waiting for — the other Mark. In a panic, Mark thrust a bouquet of half wilted sunflowers into his chest. (Where did he get them in the middle of a deep space journey? Probably better not to know.) “I, um. I brought you flowers! To brighten your day,” he stammered, a flush creeping up his neck.