What the fuck.
[break][break]
Mars has been doing his best to enjoy this weekend despite it not being what he expected to be. He has really tried. He has met strangers, called friends, and spent nice moments with all of them. It has been fun, even if there’s still that constant thought of how much he wishes CIAN MAHER were here with him just like they had planned.
[break][break]
It’s hard not to think of that, and it’s even harder not to let the concern and heartache that come with it overtake, especially when finding himself all alone and with nothing and no one to distract him from those feelings…
[break][break]
There’s just him and the warmth of the hot spring.
[break][break]
Until Uriah shows up, that is. About an hour too late.
[break][break]
Mars looks at his friend from within the pool, and an eyebrow is raised.
[break][break]
”You got stuck? What the fuck, dude? I’ve been waiting for you all this time.”
[break][break]
He has, and he texted him too, because he was worried and because it’s not like he had anything better to do.
[break][break]
”Whatever. Wanna get some drinks for us before you get in? Then you can tell me about what the fuck you were doing.” With this, he smirks, trying to ignore how annoyed he is.

[BREAK][BREAK]

+ URIAH BLACK
[break][break]

MbZ7Ct2N
[break][break]
934/1000

”Her room...” He repeats.
[break][break]
Had Uriah really just spent an hour in a room with a random woman? Knowing how awkward his friend can be, Mars would call that a recipe for disaster.
[break][break]
Which this in mind, while he’s still upset, he reminds himself that all of this was out of Uriah’s control and that he also would have had no way of contacting him if he was stuck in a room.
[break][break]
Mars can be understanding when he wants to be, so he smiles faintly and takes the sake when it’s offered to him, taking a sip.
[break][break]
’...My captain's here as well. That's who I was with.’
[break][break]
Ah.
[break][break]
So, not a random woman.
[break][break]
That changes things. Quite a lot, actually.
[break][break]
”Ah… The hot one?” He gives Uriah a smirk, even if there’s still annoyance within. ”Weird coincidence... Did you go in on purpose? Bet she wasn’t too happy you were there, huh?”

[BREAK][BREAK]

+ URIAH BLACK
[break][break]

_BXP3JOx
[break][break]
927/1000

”Hmmm… Are you sure you didn’t?”
[break][break]
Uriah going into a different room on purpose if he saw his hot captain who he totally has a thing for was there? Mars could see it happening.
[break][break]
Not because he does that sort of thing often, quite the contrary, but because sometimes Uri can be like a cute but attention-starved little dog (ironic, considering how much he loves cat pokémon).
[break][break]
‘We even uh...held hands at the end.’
[break][break]
Case in point.
[break][break]
”Oh?” Looking at him, Mars grins. ”I can’t believe you would ditch me to hold hands with a cute girl. What’s that, like… halfway to first base? You could've at least put all that time to better use.”
[break][break]
Mars sure would have done as much, this they both know.

[BREAK][BREAK]

+ URIAH BLACK
[break][break]

FZ7JPA0c
[break][break]
841/1000

’Not everyone can be like you.’
[break][break]
That is true, no one is like him. Mars is perfect being exactly the way he is. He’s handsome, he’s charming, he’s confident, he’s smart. He’s successful, he’s rich, and he’s always fun to be with.
[break][break]
And yet, even when he is all these things, he still can’t get the time and attention of the one person he wanted to spend this weekend with...
[break][break]
But, here is Uri, talking about how his life is oh-so-terrible because he slept with a hot girl and now things are awkward, even if they just spent God-knows-how-long holding hands in a pool.
[break][break]
Cry me a river, Uri.
[break][break]
Yes, Mars is being petty and he knows it, so he downs his sake before responding:
[break][break]
”What do you mean things haven’t been the same? You just said you guys were holding hands...”
[break][break]
For Uri, he’ll try to set his own problems aside and help, but if he’s going to do that, he really needs another drink first.
[break][break]
”Refill, please?” Offering the glass back, he smirks.


[BREAK][BREAK]

+ URIAH BLACK
[break][break]

pLCFMnPU
[break][break]
755/1000

”Are you sure she isn’t just a busy person in general? She is a Captain, Uri.”
[break][break]
Out of all people, Mars would expect Uri to understand that not everyone lives a carefree life. Some place a lot of importance in their work, sometimes way too much, and Uri should sure know this when having a father like GABRIEL BLACK. Hell, even Mars himself has been this way, especially after losing Cosima. He still is this way at times.
[break][break]
Is it bad that, instead of at the hot springs, he almost wishes he were working right now?
[break][break]
At least at work he would be doing something productive and have something to distract him from these stupid thoughts that fill his mind…
[break][break]
‘Fuck, Mars. I...I really like her.’
[break][break]
Of course he does.
[break][break]
Mars sighs, and watching Uri from the pool, he takes a sip from his sake when the glass is offered back.
[break][break]
”I know. What are you gonna do?”


[BREAK][BREAK]

+ URIAH BLACK
[break][break]

VjkHzF6d
[break][break]
715/1000

There are many things Mars isn’t good at, but he does a great job at hiding his weaknesses.
[break][break]
It’s probably the unwavering confidence with which he does things.
[break][break]
This though? This he’s great at, and perhaps because he has always been a ‘people person’ or perhaps because he has known Uri since they were children, it’s not difficult at all to guess what his friend is thinking when it comes to his dear captain.
[break][break]
Uri doesn’t have a plan.
[break][break]
Of course he doesn’t have a plan.
[break][break]
”Uri… Okay. What do you plan to say at that dinner? Walk me through it.”
[break][break]
Mars takes another sip from his glass, but at Uri’s question, he can’t help but pause. He didn’t expect it, and it makes him wonder how unhappy he must look for it to be so easily noticeable…
[break][break]
For a second, he considers smiling and pretending it’s fine, as Mars often does because showing his weaknesses is not something he does. Unhappiness is a weakness, obviously.
[break][break]
”Mm… I’ve been better, honestly. It’ll be okay though.” He shrugs, and he smiles. Because it will be, right? It has to be.



[BREAK][BREAK]

+ URIAH BLACK
[break][break]

56ZzO5z2
[break][break]
705/1000

Mars is an extremely confident person, that much no one would deny.
[break][break]
And yet, here, today, at this hot spring, as Uriah doesn’t even bother with acknowledging his answer to the question he himself asked, a thought that hasn’t sank it’s venom into Mars’ mind in a very long time appears with its sharp fangs:
[break][break]
Do his friends actually care about him at all?
[break][break]
It’s silly, and he knows it. He knows it’s just the effect the events of this weekend are having on him and how his poor mood easily makes everything seem worse than what it is.
[break][break]
Downing the rest of his sake, he tries to push away these feelings.
[break][break]
Mars may be a selfish person, but when it comes to those he truly cares about, he will rarely not put them first. Because, after all, there aren’t many of them.
[break][break]
”If you do that she’ll probably slap you and have you transferred from her unit, Uri.” He laughs lightly, no signs being shown of the awful feelings that plague his heart. Looking at the surface of the pool, there is a faint smile. ”If you really do like this girl, take it slow… If she wasn’t into you she wouldn’t have let you hold her hand when you locked yourself in her room uninvited, right? Maybe she has her reasons not to want to jump into anything, or her reasons to have her reservations about things. Hell, she could even just be putting your professional relationship first. People have baggage, Uri. You gotta try to understand her... understand each other, even.”
[break][break]
Understand each other.
[break][break]
Mars knows all too well that there's nothing easy about this.
[break][break]
People sure do have baggage, don't they?
[BREAK][BREAK]

+ URIAH BLACK
[break][break]

Out3CA6W
[break][break]
625/1000