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soupgoose · 2 years ago

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Late Nights and Early Mornings

Requested: No one other than myself :D

Genre: Slight Hurt/Comfort (very brief, like so little that its barely enough for a tag), So much Fluff, teeth rotting even, One-shot

Word Count: 3714

Paring: HeadEngineer!Mark x Captain!Reader [Gender Neutral], Still written (slightly) platonically, still up for interpretation (but let's just say that maybe Mr. Head engineer is crushing a little but >:) )

Warnings: None :D

Summary: When the Captain doesn't feel like going back to bed, someone else decides to take the initiative.

A/N: Definitely another one of those self-indulgent ideas I came up with when I couldn’t sleep and decided “Hey this would be adorable”. And thus, this was born! MAyBe, just MaYBe I stayed up a little late to finish this, but hey! Can’t stop that sweet sweet writing grind! Did my computer try to crash multiple times as I was writing this? Yes, but that’s a future me issue.

As always, if you have any ideas or critiques for how I can improve in the future, please let me know!

Happy reading!

-Soup :D

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“You don’t get to choose if I exist!”

“I don’t know if your evil, or just stupid!”

“I’m going to fix the damage you caused.”

“What did you do?!”

“Captain no! Think about the colonist!”’

“Captain! Something is very wrong!”

“It all comes down to bad leadership.”

“Captain! NO-”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A sharp inhale breaks the calm silence that filled your chamber, as your body jolts forward. Your hand clenched the fabric of your night shirt. Heavy and panicked breaths rock your chest, and you feel your lungs desperately searching for oxygen.

The voices and screams of various friends and acquaintances begin to fade from your ears, leaving behind a painful quiet. You glance across your sleeping chamber, studying the assets that surround your bunk.

“Just a nightmare… It was just a nightmare.” You mumble under your breath.

Moving to sit against the headboard, your hand presses against the skin on your face. You try to rub the tired from your eyes, sighing to yourself in the process.

They hadn’t been as frequent recently, a stark contrast from when you had first landed on the colony's new home. Nightly terrors and haunting memories kept you in a perpetual state of exhaustion.

After an exhausting day with the colony, and the promise of yet another busy day quickly approaching, the one thing you were excited for, was a night of good sleep.

But of course.

Another nightmare.

You began to move from your spot on the bed, shifting quietly so as to not wake up the others in the rooms around your own.

To your credit, you had hid it fairly well. That was until you abruptly crashed mid meeting. What made it worse, was the fact that you did it in front of your crew leads and a select group of high ranking crew. And thus, your nights of sleeping in a 1 person suite stopped promptly.

Instead it was traded for a shared living quarters, fit with one large living room and kitchen, and separate rooms and offices for your “roommates”.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The first person to volunteer was, of course, Mark. No one was shocked by his eagerness to tend to and to room with his The Captain.

Apparently, his reasoning was that he wasn’t a fan of having a large suite all to himself. After having long gotten used to sharing a small living space with others, he felt uncomfortable with the lack of company and chaos which he had grown so fond of. He said that there was too much space and not enough noise to fill it, whatever that meant.

Moving to your closet, you figured that it wouldn’t hurt to put on something else. Hoping that the slight change in your environment would distract you from your less-than-pleasant waking. Smoothing down your hair, you began to look for something more comfortable to wear than the itchy wool nightshirt you and the crew had been given.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The next person, surprisingly, was Gunther. Somewhat agreeing with Mark, he too wasn’t overly happy with the general lack of trouble that he wasn’t causing. He was much more excited for the “shenanigans” that the three of you could pull off with the combined free time. A cheer and a fist bump between Mark and himself was interrupted by Celci.

While she wasn’t completely thrilled at having to spend any extra time around the two, she wanted to make sure that someone was keeping the Captain relaxed and focused in this arrangement. And so, she was the last to volunteer.

“The whole point of us moving in is to keep them healthy and on track. If you two are always keeping them up zt night by messing around, and blowing up who knows what! Then that’ll defeat the whole purpose.”

There was an exchange of groans and eyerolls. But ultimately the three of them did come to an understanding. The point of this was to keep you from staying up alone, and this would hopefully add in a sense of comfort to lessen the frequency of your nightmares.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

What you decided on wearing wasn’t exactly your normal uniform, but it could pull off as a convincing underlayer if you needed to explain to a bystander. Wearing a pair of comfortable pants and a slightly loose white shirt, you begin your trek to the kitchen.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Burt, while he offered his full support, did not want to participate. After all, he was comfortable with his living space, as it had enough room for his projects and was isolated away from distractions. A plus was that it was connected to the Main Engineering Plant, which held a large portion of the crucial mechanics and the main power station, through a short maintenance tunnel. He did say that he would swing by often to catch up and spend time with the group when he could.

After no one else volunteered the arrangement was sealed.

Did you try to resist, saying that it would be too much effort and that they (your nightmares) would eventually pass? Yes.

Did they listen to your complaints? Technically? They did in fact hear what you had said. They just didn’t follow.

While at first glance at the situation it would seem that mixing Mark’s and Gunther’s personality with Celci’s would be a homicide in the making. In reality, as long as they didn’t mess with each other too much, everybody got along. At least enough to keep your sanity intact.

Ever since then, there hasn’t been a dull moment. Two explosive-happy maniacs make for quite the party. Various near disasters and encounters with death later, and the four of you had settled in a sort of manageable, but also chaotic schedule.

Their endearing smiles at your laughter went unnoticed.

Over multiple weeks, most, if not all, of your night terrors had taken their place on a storage shelf at the back of your mind. Very few people knew of the arrangement, and even fewer knew the reasoning behind it.

And you came to learn that your crew truly did care about your well being, and were relieved to watch you improve. Family style meals and weekly “game-nights” quickly became a tradition. And even though you never quite caught on, your crew was completely taken aback as they watched more and more of your true self break out of the façade that being a Captain had created.

Celci’s captivated gaze when you would ramble and rant was unseen.

You never did catch Gunther’s pride swell when he got you to laugh and play around with the group.

And not once did you realize how infatuated Mark was towards you when you would smile.

Things up until this point had become, you hate to say it but, almost perfect.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The subtle clicks of your shoes echoed quietly down the hall. Many of the lights were off, other than a few nightlights that created a soft glow at the base of the walls.

Walking past Celci's room you could hear a faint white noise machine from behind her door. And a soft blue emitted from the crack underneath the door frame. You stopped in front of it, pausing to make sure that she hadn’t woken up from your movements. She was fairly easy to wake up if someone needed her assistance. Years of having to watch over the well-being of thousands of colonists prevented her from ever reaching a deep sleep.

After a second of listening you moved on.

You then passed Gunther's room on the other side of the hall. The man’s snoring and muffled music made you chuckle under your breath. You knew that you didn’t have to wait around, as you had learned quickly that he could sleep through almost everything, be it a blaring alarm or explosions right outside his door. He really only woke up on his own terms, and somehow always when someone needed him for something. How he managed to get up on time everyday still baffled you.

You continued on your journey, listening to your soft footsteps and the hum of the world around you.

The living room had a sizable nook for desks and cabinets, which is where some of the larger projects and work documents were kept. It was also where you found Mark.

Turning the corner you noticed two things.

One, the door to Mark’s room was wide open, revealing an empty room. And two, there was a light on in the kitchen.

“I’m surprised to see you up.” You announced from the archway between the hallway and the living room. You leaned most of your weight against the wall behind you, crossing your arms in front of you like a disappointed parent who just caught their kid up late on a school night.

Your voice was just loud enough to be heard by the engineer, as he jumped at the unexpected company.

“Captain! Shoot- wait. Um, captain? You’re awake?” He asked, quickly lowering his voice, so he wouldn’t wake the other two. He was embarrassed, obviously. Even though you both knew that he wasn’t doing anything bad, he still looked as if he had been caught red-handed at the scene of a crime. Face completely red and shoulders scrunched up to his ears.

You kept your volume soft as you let out a laugh, finally crossing the room and reaching the kitchen. “Well, you are talking to me, so I would assume so.” You replied sarcastically.

“Sorry, I’m just surprised to see that you're awake at this time. Typically your mornings don’t start this early. What’s gotten you up and moving?” He spun his chair around to face you. His eyes follow your deliberate, and somehow still exhausted, movements as you decide to make yourself a cup of coffee.

You began to speak while looking away from him, focused on the task at hand. “You’re definitely right about that sir. However I really have to ask, what in the world are you doing up? I thought that you had something due in a few hours?”

You could feel his face heat up even more from across the room, “I mean- Yeah… but I just had to get this finished before I could sleep.”

The coffee had finished brewing and a small hiss creeped from the machine.

“Is it the one for today?”

His lack of a response gave everything you needed to know.

“I see.” You poured the brew into two small mugs, stirring in any extra add-ins that you felt were needed.

“I know… I just-” he sighed in defeat, looking back at the desk. Strewn with papers and a small laptop, he looked over the mess he had created in his hurry to finish his project.

“I knew that I had to get it finished, but I was having so much fun that I just kept…”

“I get it, Mark. You don't have to explain it to me. You’re not in trouble, I just find it amusing.”

You smirk, placing the cups on the desk as you take a seat next to him.

“I know you have been, that’s why I’m not upset with you. I know that you have your “methods”, and really who am I to question them. You’ve gotten all of your projects completed by the deadline, and I’m not the first to say that they’ve all been good quality too. I just wish that they wouldn’t make you stay up as late as they do.” You playfully smack his shoulder with the back of your hand. He winced dramatically, causing you both to snicker.

“It’s not like me to procrastinate this bad. I mean, sure I’ve got my moments, but seriously I’ve been really productive this whole mission! Oh, is that for me? Thank you.”

He took a long sip from the mug, basking in its warmth. You watched as his body relaxed, his shoulders and back slightly slouched against the back of the spinney chair.

“That’s pretty bold coming from you, Captain. I should be the one asking you why you're still up, y’know. After all, you never did answer my question.”

You set your mug down against the desk wordlessly. He already knew why, he just wanted you to admit it.

He shifts in his chair, sitting a little straighter and with his full body facing you. He looked so worried, but also so…

You stared into the contents of the mug in front of you.

“Captain?”

Sighing, you look up at him.

“You already know why Mark. This one, I just couldn’t bring myself to go back to sleep.”

His eyes reflect your own exhaustion, but also radiate a look of genuine concern.

“Cap…”

You turn away, “I mean it really wasn’t that bad. Definitely not one of the worst ones. It’s just…frustrating. After not having one for a while, it bugs me that they come back when I need to sleep the most.”

Comfortable.

He reached out with an arm, placing his hand over yours. While surprised by his forwardness, you didn’t move your hand away. “Cap, you know you can talk to me about these things. That’s part of the reason I’m here after all.” His thumb began to gently caress the back of your knuckles.

You huff jokingly at him, looking at your hands. You take a second to consider his offer. “I know, I know.”

You feel the bags under your eyes grow heavier, despite having the caffeine from the coffee running through you.

“Of course.”

“I think-” you feel his hand tighten a little around your own, “It is was it is, y'know? But, thank you, Mark. You've helped me a lot.”

You know that's not what he wanted to hear, but he doesn't continue to pry. “Alright Cap, you know I’m here when you feel up to it.”

You couldn’t help from teasing him from time to time. At the beginning of the arrangement, you figured out that you could easily make him flustered, and you’ve been using it against him ever since. Never enough to make him upset with you, not seriously at least, but just enough that it still had a similar effect every time, and always caught him off guard.

“Well?” You spoke suddenly, and a mischievous grin formed.

“Well what, Captain?”

“You said that was only part of the reason”

“Yes? What are you-”

“Mind telling me what that other reason might be?”

He caught on to what you might have been suggesting, stuttering and blabbering as he desperately tried to find the right words.

You wouldn’t call yourself a natural flirt, not even a good one, but over the years it was just one of those random things that you had picked up.

You enjoyed the close, comfortable, moments that the two of you shared. Sure you had spent time chilling out with the others. But something about these moments with Mark just felt different.

You were still laughing to yourself as he looked away, the other hand subconsciously moving to the back of his neck. His offense wasn’t true, as if you could ever really hurt his feelings, but it was still amusing to watch.

Your smile falters for a moment as the warmth from his hand leaves your own. A blush began to collect at the top of your ears shortly after.

A good kind of difference.

You suddenly yawn, feeling the tiredness pulling effortlessly at your eyelids.

“Damn…” you chuckle.

“Well Cap, I think that’s a clear enough sign that you should go back to sleep.” He spoke, his confidence coming back to him.

“Never.”

“Wha? Captain, what?” He asked breathlessly, taken aback by your sudden stubbornness.

“Nope. I’ll sleep when I’m dead.” You add a dramatic flare to your statement.

You were half joking, you knew that you really should go back to sleep, but you weren't ready to, not yet at least.

“Come on Cap’n, you really need to get some rest-”

“So should you. Did you think that you were going to get off the hook that easily?”

“...Seriously?”

The cocky expression you wore said it all.

“So, you’re not going back to sleep until I finish this?”

“Yup.”

It takes you both a second before you make it over to the couch, and only then do you realize a crucial flaw in your plan.

Mark grew a smirk of his own, “Oh really?”

“Yup.”

“I bet you, 10 bucks, that you won’t be able to stay awake for more than 20 minutes.”

“Alright. You’re on. I bet you 15 that I can.”

“Oh I see how it is. I’ll raise you 15, if you can stay awake, while sitting on a couch, you win.”

You felt your confidence fall for a moment, “...Ok, fine, but only if you're sitting with me. It wouldn’t be fair having me sit behind you, just listening to you work.”

He thinks for a second, “Alright then, okay. Game on, Captain.” He sticks out his hand towards you.

“Game on, Engineer.” And with a firm handshake, the game began.

The couch is really only wide enough for two people sitting practically on top of one another.

“Oh crap…” you think to yourself.

“Well then, I guess this is a little trickier than you thought, huh Captain~”

He was way too comfortable with this. Being the fact that you and him were squeezed in right up against each other.

“Of course not!” you bluffed looking away from him, “I just forgot how tiny this seat is. I guess it’s really more of a loveseat, than a full couch.” You tried to force out a relaxed chuckle, but it came out sounding strained and nervous than you would have liked. You could feel his eyes burning holes into the side of your head.

“If you're uncomfortable with being this close to me I can move. I guess it would mean that you’d lose, but your comfort is a higher priority to me.” He spoke softly, leaning in a little closer. He lingered there for a moment, before chuckling to himself and retreating to his half of the seat.

It's a good difference, even though it's unfamiliar.

It's not exactly you being uncomfortable that was the problem.

No. It’s the fact that you are extremely comfy. Like the comfort from just him having his hand on top of yours. Just, multiplied by 1000, and over a larger surface area.

You wait for the red that covers your cheeks to dissipate slightly before you cough up a response. “I’m not going to lose to your cheating games, Mark. You can try all you like, but I am in no way-”

When you do look back at him, you find that he’s practically glowing as he’s looking at you. Eyes half lidded, and his cheeks are only a little more red than your own.

“Going…to-”

The way that he smiles at you makes your heart stutter. He looks at you like you're the only thing that matters.

“Lose.” Him throwing back the same style of teasing back at you was one thing. But how he was looking at you, was something completely unexpected.

“I’m intrigued”

He’s thinking about something. The way his eyes flicker over your features

“I’ll bring it back down to 10 if you let me try something.” Smile still mischievous, but with a layer of something else. Something gentler.

“Can you stand up for a sec? It involves a little bit of moving…”

You nod, standing up. This wasn’t exactly what you were expecting, but you're curious to see what his plan is.

Both of your cheeks are glowing brighter than before. However, he still looks so content and focused in the moment.

He sets his laptop down on the side table next to him. He moves over so that he's leaning more into the corner of the couch. One of his legs is placed across the back, while the other is draped over the edge and his foot is resting on the floor.

Once he finds a seemingly comfortable position, he pats at the little bit of couch in front of him.

Once you sit down, he beams, “come’er you!”, pulling you flush to him.

“It was a trap!” you yelp, trying to squirm against his hold on you. The two of you tried to suppress a laughing fit, but eventually it couldn’t be helped. You eventually relaxed against him, still snickering as you caught your breath.

His arms are wrapped tightly around you, and your chest is pressed against his own.

You can feel his heartbeat, and his body relaxing around you.

You thought about trying to resist, but his voice interrupts that train of thought.

You begin to feel your own heart calming down, your breathing returns to its natural cadence.

Your eyes droop slightly, and there's now a significant amount of effort in staying awake.

“Comfy?” He asks, still wearing a smirk, but more endearing than before.

“Mhm..” You mumble against him, burying your face into the top of his chest, your crown resting just above his collarbone.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“I’ll drop it down to 5 if you let yourself relax…”

He could feel you trying to fight sleep. And in reality, he knew from the start that it wouldn’t take much effort to get you to sleep, but he didn’t expect to fall for his own trap.

You look up at him, “As long as the next time this happens I don’t find you awake like this again..”

He chuckled, “You drive a hard bargain.”

“Counter offer, how about I’ll just ask you for this the next time, so you don't have to deal with my stubbornness?”

“But I like dealing with you.”

You smile, letting your mind slip into the warmth that surrounds you.

You felt his laugh reverberate through his chest, and the hum of his voice hit your ears. “I’d like that.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The next morning, Gunther and Celci stumbled in on an adorable scene. Mark and the Captain were cuddled together.

Mark had his face buried into the top of their head, meanwhile the Captain had their ear pressed firmly against his chest.

“Would ya look at that”

Gunther whispered, moving across the living room, finding the almost empty mugs on the desk. Looking back at Celci, he smirks.

“Seems like someone owes me 20 bucks.”

“fine…”

#in space with markiplier #iswm x reader #after the events of iswm 2 #iswm mark x reader #hurt/comfort #one-shot #couch cuddles #fluff #and I mean SO much fluff #gender neutral #somebody's crushing~#markiplier egos x reader #head engineer mark #head engineer mark x reader #captaineer #iswm

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