Chapter Text
(This chapter and the next is just to build a little backstory. It won’t be perfect and might seem rushed. But hey, we all just wanna get to the interesting part right?)
The gang were at marks for games night. Ethan showed up first. Dude lived practically next door so that wasn’t a shock. Wade came next. He came bearing gifts of cheap wine and some chips. Mark greeted him with a bro hug when he entered.
Ethan watched from the sofa. Ethan wanted to leave already. He loved his friends and was really excited for tonight but he didn’t feel good. He’d been wearing headspace suppressant patches now for weeks. Not really healthy and he knew that. But what other choice did he have. He had to hide this he couldn’t just…
“Eth?” Marks voice pulled him from his thoughts. He looked at mark with his mouth agape and his eyes wide. “Earth to Ethan” mark joked
“Huh. Oh yeah what’s up?” Ethan asked trying to regain his composure.
“Come help us set up for tonight” mark asked whilst walking off.
And so Ethan did.
Jack arrived midway through their first round of Uno. Ethan was winning, he loved Uno. It didn’t require much thought and the rules were pretty simple.
Mark stood and greeted Jack from the living room. “Heyyy! Mr I’m never late is here!” Mark jokingly laughed.
“Yeah yeah shut up” Jack laughed back
“Why don’t we restart for Jack?” Wade said
“No!” Ethan stood up and yelled.
They all looked at him, confused and quizzical. Mark seemed to look at him deeper than the rest. Ethan panicked. His patches were wearing off. He wouldn’t be acting like this if they weren’t.
Ethan sat back down and tried to regain his composure.
“We are barely half way through the game anyways” Wade reasoned carefully not wanting to upset his friend more than he seemed to be already.
“Uh yeah I just meant that I was winning! We can’t start again!” Ethan said jokingly. Trying to add as much fun sarcasm to his tone as he could. Wade and Jack accepted this. They laughed with Ethan. Mark didn’t. Mark seemed to see straight through him. He knew something was wrong but not what it was exactly of course.
Mark sat quietly during their first game. Eyes on Ethan a lot. Thinking about his outburst earlier. Ethan’s tone when he said it and how Ethan’s face contorted into what one could only call a pout.
Strike 1
Later on they decided to watch a movie. A dumb parody of a horror film. They gathered on marks couch. Wade and Mark sat at either end. Ethan and Jack sat together in the middle. There was a lot of chat at the start but eventually everyone was hooked.
All but Ethan. He couldn’t stop itching. His patches had all but worn off and they were irritating his skin. He kept picking at them hoping no one would notice. Thankfully, no one did. Not even mark.
The more they sat still on the couch the more Ethan grew agitated. He longed for some kind of comfort. Without even realising his hands made the way to his mouth. He clumsily started to put his fingers in his mouth. Like his tongue was suddenly the most fascinating texture.
Mark caught it. Out of the corner of his eye he swore he saw Ethan chewing or sucking? on his fingers. He couldn’t really tell but his focus completely shifted from the movie to Ethan in his peripheral.
As he watched covertly. Ethan seemed to catch mark watching him. Mark caught Ethan’s eyes and turned to look at him. Ethan quickly put his hand by his side like nothing happened.
Maybe mark just saw him biting his nails. People do that sometimes. He wasn’t sure. Something told him that wasn’t the case though.
Strike 2
Towards the end of the movie. Ethan grew more agitated. He started to fidget in his seat. He felt hot and clammy. These damn patches were really starting to affect him. He could have excused himself to the bathroom but he didn’t dare to. Mark had his eyes on him all damn night just waiting to catch him out in something.
Lost in his thoughts Ethan didn’t notice that mark had paused the movie.
“Ethan?” Jack said
They were all looking at him. His throat went dry and his head ached terribly.
“Ethan are you alright?” Jack spoke again.
“You’re dripping with sweat man” Wade added.
Mark didn’t say anything. He sat there studying Ethan, his brows furrowed in concern.
Ethan tried to speak “yeah I uh I just feel a little..” suddenly his legs felt like jelly. His vision went blotchy and then just darkness.
Ethan had fainted.