Chapter Text
“So I was talking to my mom yesterday,” Ethan started after swallowing a mouthful of cereal, peering across the kitchen table at Mark. “N’ she asked me if I was planning on going up to Maine for Christmas.”
Mark glanced up from his laptop and reached for his half empty mug of now lukewarm tea. “Yeah?” A soft, almost sleepy smile tugged at the corners of his lips; he’d been tirelessly editing videos for the last three days straight.
Ethan nodded as he scooped up another spoonful of the semi-soggy morsels and shoveled them into his mouth. “Mmhm.”
“Well, are you?” Mark asked before taking a short sip of his herbal tea; the amount of talking (and sometimes screaming) he had done over the last several days did a number on his vocal cords.
As far as his recording schedule went, the weeks leading up to Christmas tended to be rather hectic. He needed to film and edit enough content to sustain his channel for at least a week while he took some much needed time off.
Ethan half shrugged. “I dunno.”
In truth, he wasn’t really planning on it. He’d mentally compiled a list of pros and cons since the previous afternoon, and unfortunately for him, it was 50/50. This would be his first Christmas with Mark (not technically, but in a romantic capacity) - and that alone was more than enough to keep him in LA.
“You didn’t go last year.” Mark pointed out. Ethan hadn’t been back to Maine since last Fall; a visit to the Pine Tree state was long overdue.
The younger man sighed heavily. His mom had expressed how much his family missed him and he almost couldn’t stomach the thought of disappointing her a second time. “Yeah, I know.” Ethan mumbled. Mark, in turn, would spend Christmas alone, as he did not intend to join his own mother in Korea. “What if...you came with me?”
Mark raised his eyebrows, smile widening ever so slightly. “As your good friend Mark or your boyfriend Mark?”
Ethan chewed thoughtfully on a mouthful of cereal as he carefully considered his partner’s question. Was Christmas the right time to make such an announcement (was there ever really a right time?). He didn’t doubt that his parents would react positively, because they genuinely loved Mark (who didn’t, though?). Hell, he was convinced that they loved Mark more than they loved him! “My boyfriend.” Ethan said confidently after a moment of silence.
Mark, admittedly, was a little surprised by Ethan’s response. “Really? Are you sure about that?”
Ethan nodded as he set his spoon down in the mostly empty bowl. “I think so, yeah. I mean, you are my boyfriend and I love you, so...y’know, I don’t wanna hide that from them.” He didn't want to hide it from anybody and greatly looked forward to the day when he could share his feelings for Mark Fischbach with the world.
“Alright then.” Mark smiled sheepishly and leaned back in his chair. “Well, in that case, I’d be more than happy to accompany you.”
Ethan grinned and stood up, cradling the cereal bowl in his right hand. “Good.” He circled around to the opposite side of the table and bent down to plant a quick kiss on his lover's stubbled cheek.
Guess he had a phone call to make.