Work Text:
Mark could still hear the angry shouting from the fight that had broken out at the demonstration he had just walked away from. His left cheek and jaw were throbbing from where some idiot had landed a punch and there were angry red scratch marks running down his neck. He heard church bells ring and he counted wincing with every stroke indicating that he was three hours too late. Mike was going to be so angry, or even worse he wouldn’t say anything and just sigh and eat his cold food. He wanted to kick himself, it wasn’t that he had forgotten. He’d just been so caught up in the moment and suddenly it was after ten and now he was tired, sore and angry.
The cold December air was biting his exposed skin and it was only when he felt the first raindrops splash on his head that he noticed his missing hat. Suddenly, instead of anger he felt like crying. That had been Mike’s hat, before Mike had given it to Mark because it “looks better on you, love.” Mark gulped in deep breaths of air to fight back the tears threatening to fall, get a grip, he ordered sternly as he looked into one of the shop displays trying to get his emotions under control. It’s just a hat, he tried to console himself. He shook his head and then continued to trudge along the dark London streets getting ever closer to Mike’s apartment, which had become more like home than his own little flat. Mark felt pure relief when he turned into the familiar street, the steady rain had permeated through every layer of clothing right through to his skin. He shivered and fished around his pockets looking for his keys. He bowed his head and rested it against the grimy door as the realisation set in. The keys were gone, it had probably happened sometime between the bald guy had kicking him and him tripping over and that vicious woman clawing her sharp, bright red nails across his throat. When he looked up he could see the light spilling out from the windows of Mike’s apartment, warmth and comfort were so near but their doorbell was broken. He was startled from his thoughts when the door suddenly gave way and he toppled forward into a warm solid weight.
“Thought that was you,” Mike said, a certain amount of satisfaction in his voice for having guessed correctly, “I’ve been keeping an eye out, you left your keys behind.”
“Oh for fuck’s sake,” Mark sighed at his own stupidity and let Mike catch the rest of his weight.
“Jesus, are you alright love?” Mike asked after several moments of silence and Mark just clinging on.
“M’Fine now.” Mark’s voice was muffled, he was feeling an overwhelming urge of happiness and security as he smelt the familiar scent of Mike. “Sorry that I’m late.”
“It’s alright, I knew what I was getting into,” Mike said and Mark felt all the tension leave his body at the fondness in his tone.
Finally he looked up and watched the smile disappear abruptly off Mike’s face.
“What the…?”
“Those bastards started throwing stones and then a fight broke out.”
“Come on, let’s get you inside and then you can have a nice hot bath. You’ll catch your death.”
Mike ushered him upstairs and into the apartment, “take off your clothes.” Mike disappeared in the bathroom and Mark heard the water starting to run.
“Aye, aye sir,” he called and heard Mike snort.
It was a relief to peel himself out of his wet clothes and he joined Mike in the bathroom once he was fully nude.
“I prefer it when you take them off for me,” he pouted playfully and Mike looked up from where he was checking the water temperature. Mark felt his skin tingle from the appreciative glance Mike threw him. It was strange, that even after all these months Mike could still make him feel this way from just one look, in fact it had only ever been Mike with that ability.
“Here, sit down for a second so I can clean up those scratches.”
Mike gently nudged him to sit and Mark let him clean them, hissing briefly at the sting. The room was filling with steam from the bath and the soothing smell of lavender permeated through all of Mark’s senses.
He lowered himself into the tub and moaned in pleasure as the hot water eased his aching muscles.
“I’ll be right back,” murmured Mike and Mark could only hum his agreement not able to form any coherent sentences right now. How did Mike always know exactly what he needed, he wondered muzzily.
An indeterminate amount of time had passed when Mark heard the door open and he blinked one of his eyes open to see Mike come towards him with a steaming mug in his hand.
“Here, thought this might help,” he said smiling at his heavy-eyed boyfriend.
The second Mark took the mug he knew what it was and he gave a high-pitched giggle.
“How….how did you know?” he asked incredulously and Mike simply smiled.
“God, I love you.”
The silence was suddenly deafening. They hadn’t actually exchanged these words yet, even though they both knew it.
“Do you really mean it?” Mike asked his face displaying a mixture of hope and uncertainty.
“I do,” Mark said solemnly, “I have for a long time now.”
Mark’s insides did something funny when an incandescent smile lighted up Mike’s face.
“I love you too, you know, you idiot,” Mike said impossibly fond, “now how about I make us some supper.”
“That would be amazing,” Mark said.
He watched Mike stride to the door and then just before he shut it behind him he stuck his head back in the door, “You know, if hot cocoa was all it took, I would have made it much sooner.”
“Don’t you dare tell anyone about this,” Mark shouted and heard Mike cackling behind the shut door then he smiled softly and took a sip from his hot cocoa.