Ready ||| Mark x Reader
Summary: First time hand-holding with a shy slightly awkward bean Genre: Fluff, just pure fluff, please watch your teeth Warning(s): None Word Count: 1049 Theme Song: Who Is In Your Heart Now? - Studio Killers AN: happy birthday to our lil baby lion mark! look hes my babie idc what you say
~~~
While the fire-bright sun dappled through the canopy of skyscrapers and dipped behind the towering monuments, you and your date wove through the people painting the street. Despite the crowds your heart felt so light you could have feared it would float into the sky and join the clouds in late afternoon sky.
Your third date with Mark—the boy you had crushed on for way longer than you’d ever admit—had been a success. With the nerves of the first subsiding and leaving stammers only in its wake, you’d been able to visit your favourite cafe and laugh together, elated as the time swept by. Before you knew it, it was probably best to start heading home. Mark had insisted on walking you back like he had done the past two times (even though the route to his home was in the complete opposite direction) and who were you to stop him? Who would want to hear less of his little giggles and strange anecdotes? You wanted to spend as much time with him as possible and he now had to believe that you were just as into him as he was to you.
Still, just because there was a lot of feelings flying around, that didn’t stop the fact that the precious bean was still awkward and that you were his first in a few departments.
It had surprised you when he’d told you he’d never been on a date with anyone before, his voice tapering away much like his eyes did as you walked away from your front door on your first date. On the second date he had admitted to never having such strong feelings for anyone else before you and your heart had swelled through the laughter.
“I think the camping trip we went on as a whole... group, you know? That was the moment I think I realised but I think it had gone on for longer... like quite a lot longer than that—man, I can’t even remember...”
“Mark that was literally like nearly two years ago!”
His shrug and flushed cheeks had been so endearing you could have swept him off his feet right there and then. But you didn’t, much for the same reason as now.
You didn’t want to make out that you had expectations for him to fill, or for him to regret a single moment, and so you held back on the physical affection until he gave the all clear. Hence, even as the crowd dispersed and Mark remained close at your side where he’d been squished by the oncoming traffic, you didn’t even glance at him, just in case he would interpret it as a signal for him to move away. Even with how close his hand was to yours—so close that they very nearly brushed so many times—you didn’t move yours an inch towards his. Yes, his hands were so sweet and deserved to be cradled and kissed just as much as his cheeks and lips and the rest of him did, but it had to be just right.
Bringing you out of your thoughts, Mark piped up, “Yo, the sun is so nice today.”
“I know right, it’s so lovely. Kind of wish I hadn’t brought an extra layer with me,” you answered, eyes flickering to the hoodie in your hands as your thoughts echoed with ‘but not as nice as you.’
He must have followed your lien of sight as within moments he extended a hand towards you, “Hey I’ll carry it, if you want.”
“Oh, it’s ok! It’s not heavy or anything.”
“Yeah but it’s warm out and you’ve carried it round all this whole time,” he countered, “besides, what sort of boyf—date would I be by making... making you carry...” His words trailed off as the reality of what he’d tried and failed to correct sank in.
While he reeled off apologies, eyes never meeting your gaze and blinking desperately, you smiled softly and offered him reassurance. “Mark, it’s ok! Genuinely, I don’t mind. I like the thought of you being my boyfriend. A lot. So, really, if you want to carry my hoodie you can.”
Relief slowed trickled into his features, puppy eyes brightening as he accepted your jacket and carefully slung it over one arm. “Is it cooler for you now?”
“So much better!” You grinned, exaggerating only a tiny bit.
His gaze finally met yours as he shifted even closer to you to accommodate for a jogger coming the other way. His knuckle met yours, a subtle clash that offered no pain. His skin was startlingly warm, a little rough, but instantly caused you to imagine how it would feel to have your hand in his.
“Y/N, can I hold your hand?” His words pierced the sunny daze you were in. “Only if you want, though, I don’t—”
You moved your hand towards his without hesitation, smile deepening. “Of course, I’m so glad you—ow!”
The two of you yelped and yanked your hands away from one another. After a moment’s pause where you glanced down at your hand and shook it to check it was ok, you couldn’t help but let the bubbles of laughter erupt. “Oh my god, I shocked you I’m so sorry!” You looked back up to Mark whose down-turned face made him resemble a kicked puppy. Before he could utter a single apology and accuse himself of being the perpetrator you stepped back towards him. “It’s alright, come here.”
You slipped your fingers down his palm and laced them with his, this time without the spark, and very nearly cooed out loud at how perfectly they fit together. Feeling him eventually squeeze your palm happily, you began to playfully swinging your coupled hands at your side.
Your easy joy cheered him up no end, and soon you were blessed with his tiny laugh. “We got shocked because of all our attraction to each other... you know, we got that electricity, that spark, together.”
Giggling at him, you quickly realised you should’ve looked away sooner, as when he scrunched his nose it took an immense effort to not kiss him right on the spot.
‘Keep it cool,’ you had to remind yourself in your head, ‘you have all the time in the world. When he’s ready.’
~~~
AN: i feel this weakens by the end but i hope you enjoyed.
i have many markie feels ngl
EDIT: i can’t believe i didn’t notice like several mistakes like... damn i can’t read
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