✶ silver and nerds ✶ | MARK LEE
pairings ༄ nerd/loser!mark x stoner! fem! reader
genre ༄ college au, romance, SLOWW BURNNN, kinda angsty but hurt/comfort 😗
synopsis ༄ entering college, mark had two goals: get good grades and get bad bitches. unfortunately for him, the grades were easy but the girls? not so much. being stuck with the ‘nerd persona’, mark was practically invisible - until he met you.
w.c ༄ 7.6k
c.w ༄ reader has a boyfriend AT FIRST, mentions of smoking and taking weed (its nct), cheating (not the reader tho), mention of needles (NOT THE DRUG KIND, the piercings kind) mark has never been in a r/s, swearing.
author’s note: i just wrote this for the vibez so ignore any weird pacing shit ik its off 😭. also not my best work BUT IM DONEE make sure to like and repost!!!
not proofread!
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mark tapped his pen against his notebook, waiting for the minutes the pass by. he could hear dozens of conversations happening around him, but none of them were directed at him. it never was.
maybe it was because of the constant note taking or the stack of files he always carried, but most just assumed that he was stuck up. too smart to hang out with anyone, too focused on his grades to waste time socialising.
but in reality - he just didn’t know how to talk to people.
mark sighed, slouching further into his chair. he flipped through his notes, trying to focus but his mind kept getting distracted. he was supposed to tutor some girl after school - he didn’t even know who it was.
all the tutoring office said was that she would be meeting him at the library after his classes. he hoped that this session would be easier than his last, especially after that student ignored him and stuck to their phone the whole time.
mark glanced at his watch - ten minutes until the tutor session started. he gathered his things, stuffing his notebooks and textbooks into his bag before heading over to the library.
“just get this over with,” he muttered to himself.
he approached the row of tables reserved for tutoring, laying out the different notes and materials he had. the chances of him actually using them were low - after all, a lot of students booked tutoring sessions just to get their teachers off of their back, but it didn’t hurt to look like he was teaching something.
the squeak of a chair being pulled across him snapped him out of his thoughts. he looked up and froze.
it was you.
of course he recognised you, who wouldn’t? you were one of the prettiest girls on campus, scratch that, you were one of the prettiest girls mark has ever seen.
within the first month of school, you already landed a boyfriend - one of the popular senior football players. you were pretty and friendly, it was only natural that you were going to find someone that fast.
not only that, you didn’t get yourself into any drama. no flirting with other guys or bitching about other people behind their back, you were one of the unproblematic ones, rarely involved in rumours.
but the rumours about you smoking? yeah, those was definitely true. you were known for showing up to class buzzed but still managing to maintain relatively decent grades.
“you’re mark, right?” you smiled as you sat down. “thanks for doing this, i really need help.”
mark blinked, pushing his glasses up nervously. “y- yeah.. no problem.”
you reached into your bag, pulling out a few sheets of crumpled paper and pens.
“chemistry’s been fucking me over,” you said, brushing your hair out of your face. “i’m more of a ‘study last minute’ kind of person, but that’s hasn’t been working out recently.”
mark cleared his throat, trying to avoid your gaze. “well, that’s what i’m here for. let’s start with the basics.”
“thanks,” you leaned back into your chair, twirling a pen between your fingers. “i know you probably don’t tutor people like me much.”
mark frowned, raising an eyebrow. “people like you?”
you shrugged, crossing your legs. “you know.. people who barely show up to class.”
“i don’t care about that,” he shook his head, rearranging the table.
“good to know,” you yawned, rubbing your eyes. “sorry if i’m a little out of it, i smoked before coming here.”
“that’s… fine,” he nodded, unsure of how to respond and opened the textbook in front of him. “you know the basics about atoms, right? let’s focus on the details.”
mark walked you through the lesson, trying not to stumble over his words as you watched him intently. to his surprise, you didn’t just sit back and zone out like many did, you actually asked questions. and for someone who didn’t turn up much for class, you weren’t as lost as you made it sound.
the session went smoother than he thought, with him covering a few key concepts and giving you some notes to bring back and revise. you packed up your things at the end, flashing him a smile. “thanks mark, same time next week?”
he nodded slowly. “works for me.”
and you showed up - again and again.
at first, mark thought it was some weird obligation that you had towards either him or the tutoring system. but days turned into weeks, and it was clear: you weren’t just attending. you were learning.
he couldn’t believe it - someone like you, popular, the complete opposite of him, was actually listening to him.
you were taking his advice, asking questions, doing practices that he suggested and you even asked to see him everyday because you wanted to learn more. it was.. strange, but mark wasn’t complaining.
you set your pen down as you finished up with one of the problems. you looked up at him with a grin. “i think i finally did it.”
mark’s eyes widened, looking down at the worksheet. it was right, perfect even. “you- you actually got it. that’s.. good.”
you laughed, your voice light. “why do you sound so surprised? you’re a tutor.”
he rubbed the back of his neck. “i’m just.. not used to people listening to me.”
“why wouldn’t i?” you asked, tilting your head. “you’re good at teaching- you explain shit better than my professor.”
mark stared at you, wondering why his heart was beating a little faster than usual. you gathered your things, swinging your bag over your shoulder. “see you tomorrow, mark.”
“yeah,” mark said quietly, still stunned. “see you tomorrow.”
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“i got a seventy on my test!” you exclaimed, glowing with excitement as you waved your worksheet in front of him.
it had been about two months since you’ve started your sessions with mark, and your grades improved. you went from barely knowing anything about the subject to being able to solve complex problems - and it’s all thanks to mark.
you’ve grown to really appreciate the guy, and not just for his tutoring skills, but for his patience that he had when teaching you, especially when you asked a ton of questions.
“that’s great! i’m really proud of you,” mark said, a wide smile on his face. “you’re improving a lot.”
“well, it’s because of you. you’re super smart,” you said as you leaned back into the chair. “i’m surprised you don’t have a line of girls waiting for your attention.”
mark ran his fingers through his hair, giving a small, awkward chuckle. to be completely honest, mark did not have luck in the dating scene. even though he entered college, thinking that it was a place to meet new people - potentially a partner, his reputation of being ‘stuck up’ clung to him faster than he could blink.
but after a while, he got tired of being viewed that way, and he got tired of being single. right now, he needed to make changes, something that would make him more likeable or ‘relatable’ to others. but there was one problem: he didn’t know where to start.
“hey uh-“ mark said as he placed his notes on the table. “can i ask you something?”
“sure,” you nodded.
mark fidgeted with the edge of his textbook. “what do girls find cool.. or attractive in a guy.”
you paused, tilting your head. “that’s random. why do you ask?”
“i want to change things..” mark looked away, shifting in his seat uncomfortably. “you know, things about me. i just wanted to know what girls liked nowadays.”
“you don’t need to change anything,” you frowned, leaning towards him. “you’re perfect just the way you are.”
“thank you-” mark felt a slight blush rising in his cheeks, but he ignored it, focusing on his question. “-but i really want girls to notice me, i don’t know what i’m doing wrong.”
you scoffed. “you’re not doing anything wrong. it’s their fault if they can’t see what an amazing guy you are…”
“…but you really want to know, huh?” you mumbled, crossing your arms.
mark finally looked back at you, nodding eagerly. you sighed, thinking about his question before continuing. “i don’t know what girls find ‘cool’ nowadays, but i think piercings are hot.”
“really?” mark’s eyes widened in surprise, not expecting that as your answer. “your boyfriend doesn’t have piercings.”
“he doesn’t like them, said that they weren’t his style,” you shrugged. “but i don’t care, everyone has their own thing.”
mark bit the inside of his cheek, tapping his foot against the floor out of habit. “where would someone go if they wanted piercings? you know- if i wanted one?”
“i actually did my own,” you said, tucking your hair behind as you showed him the variety of piercings on your ear. “it’s not too bad as long as you know what you’re doing.”
“you did them yourself?” mark’s eyes widened in surprise. “would you uh- could you do it for me..?”
you chuckled, nodding. “sure, if you really want to.”
“just let me know when you’re up for it and come over to my place,” you said with a wink. “and don’t worry, i’ll make sure it’s safe.”
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the smell of weed and smoke hit mark as soon as he entered your dorm. the windows were cracked open, but it didn’t do much to clear the air. a bag of green leaves sat on your coffee table next to a small glass pipe.
“sorry about the mess,” you said, waving your hand lazily to try and remove the smoke. “you kinda texted me in the middle of something.”
“sorry, i can leave if you-“
“nonono you can stay,” you grabbed his arm, bringing him over to the couch. “make yourself comfortable. it’s totally fine.”
mark sat down, trying not to focus on the haze in the air while you disappeared into another room. you came back a few moments later, holding a small case of needles, disinfecting wipes and jewelry.
“so, you’re very sure about this?” you asked as you sat beside him, spreading your supplies on the coffee table.
“yeah, i’m sure..” mark swallowed the lump in his throat. “i just don’t know what to get pierced.”
you looked at him for a second, then nodded. “alright, let me help you decide.” you scooted closer, grabbing his face, turning it from side to side as you inspected it.
your fingers on his skin made him more flustered than he’d like to admit, and he was sure that the heat rising to his face was noticeable. he couldn’t help but stare at you while you were so close, watching your wide eyes scan him.
“hmm,” you mumbled, slowly letting go of his face. “nose piercing.”
mark blinked, his mind taking a moment to catch up. “a nose piercing..?”
“mhm, it suits you,” you nodded as you grabbed your case of needles. “but if you don’t want a hole on your face, that’s fine. we can do your ears-“
“-no a nose piercing sounds good,” mark sat up straighter, nodding. he didn’t want to seem indecisive in front of you - not when you were giving him this much attention.
you smiled at his sudden enthusiasm, and picked up a fake nose ring and a mirror. “try this on first, see if you like how it looks.”
mark took the ring and mirror, ignoring how shaky his hands felt. he awkwardly held the ring up to his nose as he looked into the mirror. he thought he looked.. alright. there wasn’t as much as a difference as much as he’d like - but if you thought that it suited him, maybe he could trust that.
“well?” you asked, tilting your head.
he looked back at you, handing over your things. “i think it’s fine.”
“fine?” you grinned. “you look cool, trust me.”
mark chuckled nervously, fidgeting with his sleeves. “okay, let’s do it.”
you cleaned the area with a disinfectant wipe before pulling out a fresh needle and small nose ring from your kit, turning back to mark. “alright, this won’t hurt much. just a pinch.”
mark nodded, shifting nervously on the couch, trying to prepare himself as you moved closer to him.
“here,” you said, gently placing two fingers on his chin, guiding his face towards you. “stay still for me, okay?”
your closeness made it difficult for mark to focus. he could feel your breath, warm against his skin. and the smell of weed and vanilla scented perfume that always stuck to your clothes took over his senses.
his first instinct was to look directly at you - your eyes, your lips - but he quickly moved his gaze down to your hand instead, trying to keep his mind from wandering.
“don’t worry, i’ve done this a lot,” you reassured him, brushing a stray hair off of his face before your fingers returned to his chin.
mark felt a blush creeping up his neck. he glanced down at the coffee table, your bag, at the posters on your walls - anywhere but at your face or the way your body was leaning in. he gulped, feeling how you were aligning the needle.
“ready?” you asked, your voice soft.
he nodded, squeezing his eyes shut for a brief second before opening them quickly again when he realised how silly that looked. you pressed the needle through his nose, making mark wince slightly out of shock - but before he could fully register the pain, it was over.
“there, all done,” you said, your fingers lingering on his face as you fixed the small hoop in place. “that wasn’t too bad, right?”
mark exhaled, finally looking at you in the eyes as you leaned back. “yeah.. it wasn’t too bad.”
he reached up to touch the new piercing, still avoiding to look at you for too long. his face was warm, and he could still feel the ghost on your fingers on his cheek. his heart was pounding in his ear, but he kept his cool - after all, you had a boyfriend.
you smiled at him, clearly pleased. “told you it’d suit you. you look good, mark.”
good? mark pushed down the fluttering feeling he had in his chest, clearing his throat. “thanks..”
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during your next tutoring session, mark fidgeted with his new piercing, still getting used to how it felt. his eyes kept going back to you as you sat across him, completely focused on the problem he gave you.
“what else can i do?” he asked, breaking the silence. you glanced up, raising an eyebrow. mark cleared his throat, quickly blurting out, “to.. you know, change.”
you frowned, shaking your head. “mark, you really don’t need to do anything. you’re fine just the way you are.”
mark sighed, a little frustrated. “i know- you keep saying that.. but i want to do more.”
“well, it’s really not about how you look.” you paused, scanning him up and down. “but you need to start putting yourself out there. like, talk to people.”
mark blinked as he repeated your words. “talk to people?” he could barely talk to you without stuttering every few sentences, what made you think that he would be good enough to talk to other people? “how do i do that?”
you laughed softly, like it was the easiest thing in the world. “well, you’re already talking to me. all you need is a group of people to hang out with.”
mark looked up, meeting your eyes. “can i- can i hang out with you..?”
the words fell out of his mouth before he could even catch it. as soon as it did, he could feel his heart sinking. you could easily reject this idea - after all, you didn’t know each other that long.
he started to regret asking this question, feeling a bead of sweat run down his cheek. stupid. why did he ask that?
but then, to his surprise, he saw a smile form on your face. “sure,” you said casually, completely unaware of how he was spiralling. “i mean- the only person i really hang out with is my boyfriend, but i’m sure he’s fine with it. you can come with us, no big deal.”
mark nodded, trying to hide his relief. of course it was a big deal.
he was one step closer to actually having friends in college. even though mark had been meeting you for about three months, you only ever saw each other for tutoring sessions - which became less frequent recently.
sure, being a third wheel in your hangouts with your boyfriend might suck for a while, but if it meant having a friend? anything was better than drowning in textbooks as everyone else seemed to have their own lives.
this was his chance to get out of that - and he was going to take it.
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mark found himself hanging out with you and your boyfriend, tagging along in outings or ‘study sessions’ - which always started focused but would eventually lead to the both of you high, leaving mark awkwardly sitting in the middle of laughter and clouds of smoke. but he didn’t mind.
you lit a joint, inhaling deeply before passing it over to your boyfriend, who took it without a word. “want one?” you offered mark, turning to him.
“uh, no thanks,” he replied.
“suit yourself,” you said as you leaned back, smoke falling lazily from your lips.
your boyfriend was nice enough, trying his best to get along with mark, but there was always a distance there. mark could sense the slight discomfort whenever you invited him along. still, your boyfriend tried to hide it, clearly making an effort to be respectful and not push your new friend away.
still, it wasn’t all bad. in fact, there was a moment that felt.. a little different from the rest. like when you and mark were in the middle of your usual tutor sessions.
he was explaining a new concept to you, one that you managed to understand and focus on for a while - until mark’s phone lit up with a notification, revealing his wallpaper which had a character from your favourite series.
“wait, you watch the show?” you asked, your eyes lighting up as you pointed to his phone.
mark blinked, cutting his explanation short. “yeah.. you know it?”
“know it? dude- that’s like my favourite thing to see when i’m high,” you said with a grin, leaning closer. “i watch it all the time.”
mark chuckled. “seriously? i didn’t know you liked stuff like this.”
“it has a good plot, what can i say?” you said as you tucked your legs onto the chair. “plus, that show is hilarious when you’re baked.”
he couldn’t help but smile - it was rare to find someone who was interested in the same, niche things he did. and now, here you were, talking about it like it was the most normal thing in the world.
the two of you spent the next hour geeking over the show - talking about your favourite episodes, characters and moments that had you both on the floor.
at some point, you pulled out your phone and scrolled through screenshots of your favourite scenes, laughing as you shared them with him.
and that’s when it hit mark.
he was starting to like you. not just because you enjoyed the same things as him or actually took the time to get to know him - but you never made him feel like he had to be someone else around you.
you made him feel like a person, someone that didn’t need to change.
mark felt his heart clench. he pushed his feelings down, reminding himself that you had a boyfriend. but as he spent more time with you, it became harder to ignore. he was falling for you - slowly, without meaning to.
he glanced at you, still laughing at a clip on your phone, and mark could feel his heart racing. while he could pass off his feelings for you as a ‘simple crush’, the truth was far from that.
he wanted to be around you more, he wanted to make you smile, he wanted to make you laugh, he wanted to be the one that would hear you talk about random things that happened in your day, he wanted to be by your side, helping you with whatever you need.
but you’re taken, he reminded himself. no matter how much he tried to shove his feelings down, they kept bubbling up. and the more he denied them, the stronger they grew.
still, he kept quiet. for now, he was your friend, and he was happy with that - or at least that’s what he told himself.
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a few months passed, and in that time, mark gained more confidence - both in his appearance and in himself.
he started working out more, hoping that it would distract him from the feelings he had for you. while he did get healthier, one thing never changed: his massive crush on you.
he would always feel guilty when his heart raced whenever you spent time together, after all, you were in a relationship. but it was especially hard to suppress his feelings when you were sitting next to him, looking at him with twinkling eyes.
“do you understand?” mark looked up from his notebook.
you nodded, your attention moving back to your paper when suddenly - your phone buzzed.
you glanced at it, your expression changing as you read the notification. mark noticed the change immediately - you sat up straighter, your fingers gripping your phone more tighter than before.
“what’s wrong?” mark asked, frowning.
you took in a deep breath, turning your phone to show him a message you got on instagram.
“my friend just sent me this,” you clicked on the photo, and mark’s heart sank as he saw your boyfriend, sitting in the cafeteria with another girl - kissing her.
you stood up abruptly, pushing your chair back with a scrape. “i need to go,” you muttered, already halfway out the door.
“wait- where are you going?” mark called out, grabbing his jacket as he followed you out of the building.
“to the cafeteria,” you choked out, wiping tears with the back of your hand.
by the time you arrived, your hands were trembling. sure enough, there he was - your boyfriend, his arms around a girl in the middle of the busy cafeteria, completely oblivious to the world around him. rage and heartbreak hit you at once, and before you could stop yourself, you were shouting across the room.
“are you kidding me?”
heads turned, but at this point, you didn’t care. your boyfriend looked up, his face shocked before it turned into something.. detached. “oh come on, like you’re not cheating on me with mark?” he shot back, a shit-eating grin plastered on his face.
your eyes widened. “what the hell are you talking about? i’ve never cheated on you.”
“right,” he snorted, leaning into the girl next to him. “you’re always hanging out with him and talking to him like he’s the only one in the room. i’m not stupid.”
you were seething, tears brimming in your eyes. “i’ve been loyal to you- every single second of this relationship. i would never do that to you. but clearly, you don’t think the same.”
his smirk faded, but you didn’t wait for him to respond. you left, leaving him and his excuses behind.
mark followed you, but he didn’t say anything. you turned to him, your face stained with tears. “i can’t be in public right now,” you mumbled, your voice breaking.
he nodded, allowing you to lead him back to your dorm. soon enough, you slammed the door open, frantically searching your drawers for something. mark watched, his chest tightening when he realised what you were looking for - your stash of weed.
he stepped forward, placing his hand over yours. “that’s not a good idea.”
you sniffed, curling up into a ball. “but i don’t know what to do, it hurts.”
mark froze. he’s never been in a position where he had to comfort someone. but he knew one thing - the sight of you, broken and vulnerable, made his heart ache.
he sat beside you on the floor, his arms hesitating for a moment before wrapping around your shoulders. you leaned into him, letting out a shaky breath as you sobbed quietly into his chest.
“i don’t get it,” you whispered, clutching his shirt. “i thought he loved me.”
mark closed his eyes, his mind racing - but now wasn’t the time for his own feelings. right now, you needed comfort.
he rested his chin on top of your head, holding you tighter. “i’m so sorry,” he muttered. “you deserve much more than him.”
“i feel so stupid,” you said, your voice muffled by his shoulder. you stayed like that for what felt like an eternity, the sounds of your sobs filling the room.
eventually, you pulled back slightly, wiping the trails of tears on your face. “sorry about that. i probably look horrible right now,” you mumbled, letting out a sad laugh. “i’m not a pretty crier.”
mark frowned, his thumb gently brushing the tears that were on your cheek. “that’s not true,” he said softly. “you’re always beautiful.”
you blinked, your tear-filled eyes widening just a bit. “you don’t have to say that-“
“-i mean it,” mark interrupted. his eyes softened, his hand still resting on your cheek. “and you don’t have to apologise for feeling hurt. none of this is your fault.”
for a second, you just stared at him, his words sinking in. you wiped your face again, giving a weak smile. “thank you, mark. i’m so lucky to have you.”
mark’s hand finally dropped from your cheek, his eyes never leaving yours. “yeah,” he said quietly. “lucky.”
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weeks passed since that night and you had officially dumped your trash of a boyfriend. even though the wound was still fresh, mark noticed something.. different about you.
you were smiling more, laughing more.
you were always fun to be around, but now.. you were glowing - in a way that made it impossible for mark to ignore his feelings.
he knew it was wrong - he was supposed to be your friend, not falling for you. but as much as he tried to keep it together, jealousy would creep up from time to time
whenever you two hung out, guys would approach you - asking for your number, trying to get your attention or just flirting boldly.
you always declined, never showing much interest, but mark couldn’t help but feel jealous flare up within him. it was irrational, he knew that. he was just your friend, not your boyfriend. yet, the idea of you being with someone else ate him alive.
it didn’t help that the two of you had a weekly routine - after every tutoring session, you’d curl up together to watch your favourite comfort show. it became your thing, something that mark cherished more than he’d like to admit.
during one of your usual nights, he glanced over at you, sitting comfortably beside him. “why do you always turn them down?” he blurted out, trying to sound casual but failing miserably.
“huh?” you looked at him, confused. “turn who down?”
mark cleared his throat, suddenly feeling embarrassed. “the guys.. i mean- every time we hang out, someone would hit on you, and you always reject them..” he hesitated, unsure of how to continue. “..i just wondered why.”
you chuckled softly, leaning back into the couch. “they’re not my type,” you said, shrugging.
“w- what is your type then?” he blinked, his curiosity got to the better of him.
you raised an eyebrow, smirking slightly as you leaned closer. “you.”
mark froze, his brain short-circuiting for a second. you? did you just..? his face flushed instantly and he opened his mouth to respond, but nothing came out. his mind scrambled to come up with something coherent, but all he could think about was the way your words made his heart skip several beats.
you laughed, clearly amused. “relax, mark,” you said with a grin, moving away and focusing on the TV. “i’m just messing with you.”
he chuckled awkwardly, running his fingers through his hair. “right.”
but after you returned back to the show, there was only one question that stuck to the back of his mind:
what if you weren’t just joking?
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rumours began to flood in not long after you broke up with your ex. you and mark had always spent time together, but now that you were single, people seemed to notice more - and they definitely had opinions.
“she broke up with the hottie just to hang out with him?”
“guess she was cheating with that loser the whole time.”
it didn’t take long for the whispers to reach the both of you, and you could see how much it was affecting mark. he was used to insults being thrown his way, but now that they were dragging you into it? it felt worse.
as you and mark were grabbing coffee after a tutoring session, a couple of girls at the next table were whispering loud enough for you to hear.
“she just dumped her boyfriend and now she’s with him? what a slut.”
you saw mark’s face tighten as he overheard, his fists clenching. the rumours didn’t bother you as much as him, but it pained you to see how upset he was.
“let’s go,” you muttered, grabbing your coffee as you motioned him to follow you.
as you walked outside, mark seemed quieter than usual, his shoulders slumped. he glanced at you, looking away quickly, his jaw clenched. “i’m sorry.”
you frowned, tilting your head. “for what?”
“people keep saying stuff about you because of me,” mark kept his eyes fixed on the ground. “you don’t deserve to have people spreading rumours like that.”
you stopped walking, grabbing his arm. “mark, stop. this has nothing to do with you, okay? people just talk for the sake of talking.”
mark’s eyes softened. as much as he wanted to believe that you didn’t care what people thought, but he couldn’t shake off the guilt. it wasn’t fair to you. you deserved more than what he could offer, and as much as he hated your ex, at least people respected you when you were with him.
in the days after that, mark tried his best to act normal. but he thought about the whispers every time you were together. whenever someone glanced your way or made an offhand comment, it felt like a punch to the gut.
you on the other hand, brushed off all the remarks, giving him a smile when he started to look too worried. but even then, he felt guilty.
without realising it at first, mark started to.. distance himself from you. it wasn’t that he didn’t want to be around you - it was far from that. he just didn’t know how to deal with the guilt gnawing at him.
he’d watch you from across the lecture hall, a strange feeling twisting in his stomach. you would wave at him, but instead of feeling happy, it only made him feel worse. the thought of being the reason of why people started rumours about you haunted him.
sometimes, you would text him, asking if he wanted to hang out like dozens of times before. mark stared at the screen, his thumb hovering over the send button.
he wanted to say yes. he always wanted to say yes.
but instead, he typed out: sorry, not today. got a lot of work to do.
it was a lie, but he convinced himself that distancing himself from you was the best move - it would save you from gossip, from judgement.
but you noticed his weird behaviour.
at your next tutoring session, he barely looked at you. instead of cracking your inside jokes or teaching you topics with excitement, mark kept his head down, focusing too much on the textbook in front of him.
“did i do something wrong?” you asked, frowning.
hearing the hurt in your voice made his chest tighten. the last thing he wanted was for you to think that this was your fault. “no,” he said quickly, too quickly.
“then what is it?” you leaned forward, your eyes narrowing. “you’ve been avoiding me. we don’t hang out anymore, and even if we do, you’re quiet.”
mark hesitated, trying to find the right words. how could he explain that every time you defended him or stood by his side, it made him feel worse? how could he tell you that you being around him was hurting your social life and he couldn’t stand to see people talking about you that way?
“i don’t think you should hang out with me anymore,” mark sighed, his face in his hands. “i’m only ruining your reputation.”
“ruining my reputation?” you paused, looking at him with genuine confusion. “mark, i don’t care about stupid shit like that. i hang out with you because i want to.”
mark gulped, his throat tight as he processed your words. “..i just don’t get why you still want to be friends with me.”
“i’m not going to stop being friends with you because people are talking,” you shook your head. “you’re important to me. i don’t care about them- i care about you.”
the way you said it so casually, like it was obvious, made mark feel a lot better than he thought it would. it wasn’t something that he was used to, and he didn’t know how to respond.
over the next few weeks, the two of you began to hang out again, returning back to your lame jokes, late-night movie marathons and study sessions. it was like nothing had changed, but at the same time, everything felt different. mark was relaxed around you again, but there was still an underlying tension that neither of you acknowledged.
sometimes, you would catch yourself looking at him longer than usual, noticing things you didn’t before - the way his eyes crinkled when he laughed, how his hair fell messily over his forehead whenever he explained something to you or how he always shifted his posture when he got nervous.
maybe it was because mark had been there during your breakup, but you knew there was something more than that.
you found yourself thinking about him at random moments, wondering what he was doing or feeling. every time he laughed, warmth would spread through your chest - and you liked the sound a lot more than you’d like to admit, but you weren’t sure why you were feeling this way.
until one night.
it was a particularly long tutoring session and the both of you had been stressed over an exam. once mark finished explaining a difficult question, you leaned back with a sigh of relief.
“i don’t know what i’d do without you,” you grinned.
mark glanced at you before quickly looking away. “you’d do just fine,” he mumbled, clearly flustered by the compliment.
you didn’t know why, but in that moment, it suddenly clicked. the way his face flushed whenever you praised him, how kind he had always been to you, how he was always there when you were down, and how safe you felt around him.
for the first time since your break up, you started to wonder if the person meant for you was in front of your face all along. sure, you didn’t know if the way he acted was because he liked you or it was his social awkwardness shining, but you knew one thing.
you were starting to fall for mark lee.
⋆。𖦹°‧★.☘︎ ݁⋆。𖦹°‧★.☘︎ ݁
you groaned, walking beside mark as you left the exam hall. “i’m definitely failing that.”
mark chuckled, glancing at you with a soft smile. “come on, it wasn’t that bad. we went through some questions like that, right?”
“yeah, but the questions we did were for college students, not astronauts,” you muttered.
mark laughed. “guess we’re intergalactic geniuses.”
“you’re so lame,” you rolled your eyes but you couldn’t help the smile forming on your face. as stressful as the exam was, mark would always try to make things better. he just had that kind of presence, the kind that made everything a little easier to handle.
he looked around for a second, trying to gauge your mood before turning back to you. “so.. movie night?”
“you don’t even need to ask,” you smirked, dragging him over to your dorm before he could say anything.
you kicked off your shoes and immediately threw yourself onto the comfort of your own couch, mark following close behind. he set up the movie without asking what to watch, already knowing your favourite shows by heart.
the weeks after your exams passed in a blur. unsurprisingly, the both of you did well - what else could you expect from someone as smart and focused as mark? his tutoring really paid off, even if it felt like you barely survived the questions.
with the stress of exams gone, you and mark had more free time to try new things. movie nights turned into cafe hopping, and tutoring sessions turned into karaoke. you even had time to get new piercings - on your ears and tongue.
mark was still awkward at times, still shy when you complimented him. but the both of you had gotten really comfortable around each other, talking about random things that happened throughout your day.
it felt like you were seeing him for who he was. it wasn’t just that he was smart or kind, there was something deeper than that - and maybe that was what pulled you to him.
after a long day, the both of you entered your dorm, carrying bags filled with different snacks. you needed more food and mark brought you to a really nice convenient store with chips and sweets you’ve never seen before.
your favourite show played in the background as you sprawled out on the couch, resting your head against the armrest as mark sat at the opposite end, quietly scrolling through his phone.
you looked at him, noticing how he was awkwardly fidgeting, his eyes glanced at you every few seconds before shifting away again. it was almost.. cute how nervous he was.
you moved closer to him, close enough to where your arms brushed against each other, sending a small jolt of electricity up your arms. you could hear the way his breath hitched in his throat as you turned to him.
“mark,” you spoke, your voice soft in the quiet room. “why do you always look away when i get close to you?”
mark’s face turned red, and for a second, he seemed too flustered to speak. “i.. i don’t,” he stammered, his eyes darting to your lips before looking down at his lap. “i don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“you just did it,” you chuckled. “am i that ugly to look at?”
“no-“ mark shook his head vigorously, his heart pounding in his ear. “it’s just hard to focus when your so close,” he gulped.
you raised an eyebrow, a smirk forming on your face as you shifted closer, your knees touching his. “why’s that?”
mark fidgeted nervously, still not looking at you. “it’s.. i’m not used to being this close with someone,” he muttered, his voice barely above a whisper.
you bit your lip, trying to stop the laugh threatening to escape your lips. “well, you should get used to it, mark. i’m not going anywhere.”
his face grew impossibly red, and when he finally looked at you, his gaze flickered between your eyes and your lips, before he quickly looked away again.
“i don’t think i’ll ever get used to it,” he said, his voice strained. “not when it’s with you.”
you leaned back slightly, your eyes widening in surprise. “what do you mean?”
mark hesitated for a moment, swallowing hard before forcing himself to speak. “i mean- you’re not just anyone to me,” he muttered, playing with the edge of shirt.
your heart skipped a beat as his words sank in. while you weren’t sure if he actually liked you, hearing it from him made your chest have a fluttering feeling.
“you’ve been more than just a friend to me for a while now..” he turned to you as he ran his fingers through his hair. “but i never said anything because.. well- you had a boyfriend and i didn’t want to ruin things between us.”
“i..” you whispered. “i thought you were just-“
“-awkward?” mark finished for you, laughing nervously. “yeah, that too.”
you looked at him, a little shocked. the man, who always supported you, taught you, was patient with you, actually liked you? everything was falling into place a lot better that you’d thought.
however, mark took your silence as a sign of rejection, stumbling over his words. “it’s fine if you don’t like me, i just-“
“-mark,” you interrupted, putting your hand on his shoulder. “it’s okay.”
he froze, his eyes meeting yours. for a moment, the two of you stared at each other, the silence growing heavier with each second. the only thing you could hear was the noise from the tv, and even then, it started to fade away.
“have you-“ you took in a deep breath, hesitating before you spoke. “have you ever.. kissed someone before?”
he blinked, his entire body tensing at the question. “i uh- i’ve never..”
“do you want to?”
mark’s breath caught in his throat, and you could see the nervous excitement flash in his eyes. yet, his face flushed with embarrassment as he spoke. “..but i don’t have a lot of experience.”
you giggled softly. “that’s okay,” you whispered, leaning in a little closer, your lips barely inches away from his. “we don’t have to if you don’t want to.”
mark’s heart pounded in his chest, and for a while, he didn’t move. he wanted to - desperately, but what if he messed it up? what if he wasn’t as good as you expected?
but then, in that moment, he realised that this is what he wanted. he wanted you. even if he didn’t know exactly what he was doing, he wanted to try.
“i.. i do,” he whispered.
you smiled, your hands cupping his cheek, your thumb brushing softly against his skin. “then let me show you,” you said.
you leaned in, slowly, giving mark all the time in the world to pull away if he wanted. but he didn’t. instead, he closed the distance, his lips meeting yours.
it was slow and careful, almost hesitant - but you didn’t rush him. you let him find his rhythm, your lips moving gently against his, guiding him.
the kiss deepened slightly, and mark’s breath hitched as your tongue brushed against his, the cool metal of your piercing surprising him. he let out a small gasp as he pulled back. “you have a-“
“a piercing?” you said, showing your tongue just a bit. “sorry, i forgot to tell you.”
mark blinked, looking at your tongue then back at your eyes. “i- it’s fine.. i just didn’t expect it.”
you smiled, finding his reaction adorable. “want to try again?”
he nodded, this time more eagerly. the second kiss felt different - still gentle, but now he was more curious. his hands moved to your waist, pulling you closer.
the coolness of your piercing made him shiver, but he didn’t move away. instead, he leaned into the kiss, like he wanted to explore more.
there was something sweet and innocent about the way he kissed you, like he was trying to memorise every second, every sensation.
you let out a small hum of approval, running your fingers through his hair, encouraging to relax a little more. you could feel him melting beneath your touch, his shoulders relaxing as your bodies pressed against each other.
you tilted your head slightly, guiding him without pushing. the way his lips moved became more confident as his fingers brushed against your skin, sending a shiver down your spine.
when the both of you pulled back, breathless, mark’s brown eyes were wide - his lips parted as he looked at you like he was still processing everything that just happened, like he couldn’t believe it was real.
“was that better?” you whispered.
mark’s cheeks turned into a bright red, his face warm as he gave a small nod. “y-yeah i think i’m starting to get used to it,” he muttered, glancing at your lips again.
“i’m glad,” you grinned, tracing your thumb against his cheek as your heart fluttered. “cause there’s gonna be a lot more coming.”
his eyes softened, his nervousness fading a little more. “i can’t focus when i’m with you,” he said with a shy laugh.
you tilted your head, brushing a strand of hair out of his face. “maybe i’m trying to distract you.”
“well, you’re doing a good job,” he admitted, his words spreading warmth through you. he was still trying to wrap his head around the fact that this was real - that you were here, with him, and not some dream he was about to wake up from.
“…i didn’t know you had a tongue piercing,” he said, his lips still tingling from the kiss.
you laughed softly. “yeah, i got it recently. what do you think?”
“i like it,” mark smiled, resting his hand on top of yours. “a lot,” he whispered, leaning in for another kiss.
any and all feedback appreciated <3
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I am on my knees begging for Tim Drake content PLEASE-
maybe like funny flirty friends to lovers (where all his family know your destined to get together except you guys are oblivious) and a hint of stoner!tim vibes?
thank you love you xx
Mmmm yes yes yes I love this it’s scrumptious thank you for the ask sorry it took so long 😭
Content warnings: very brief mentions of alcohol, Dick Jason and Damian are little shits, Tim and you are oblivious, cursing, let me know if I missed anything
————
You’re not sure why you keep agreeing to go to these galas as Tim’s date when he shows up late every time. You linger by the buffet that had been arranged for the night, offhandedly sipping a flute of champagne as you wait for Tim to arrive. You’re just lucky that Bruce is the one hosting tonight and Alfred had let you in, otherwise you’re certain that security would make you wait outside for Tim, who was the one who had actually been invited, to arrive.
You’re mind is wandering, thoughts of anything but where you are drifting through your mind when a tap on your shoulder prompts you to turn, a polite smile plastered onto your face that drops the instant you see who tapped you.
“He still hasn’t showed?” Jason questions as he moves to stand next to you.
“Nope.” You pop, sipping your champagne as you survey the crowd with a bored expression. “I swear the next time he tries to drag me to one of these I’m straight up stabbing him.”
“I’ll give you 20 bucks if you actually do it.” Jason quips, looking over at you with a playful look that causes you to give him an unimpressed glare. Jason rolls his eyes and scoffs in response.
“Stop trying to turn them against me.” Tim groans as he suddenly appears next to you, a hand wrapping around your waist as he snatches your champagne from you and downs it.
You deadpan as he hands you your now empty glass and leans half his weight against you, resting his head on your shoulder. “Sorry I’m late, some old ass man wouldn’t stop talking to me.”
“That one CEO who keeps trying to make stupid ass business deals?” Jason asks with a cocked eyebrow, watching as Tim practically glues himself to your side.
“That’s the one.” Tim groans out into the skin of your shoulder, where his face is now hidden.
“You’re not helping the rumors y’know.” Jason teases, wiggling his eyebrows at you as Tim flips him off.
“Fuck off.” Tim groans, Jason pointedly looks between you and Tim before becoming one with the crowd. It never ceases to amaze you how easily everyone in this this family disappears when they wish. You turn your head slightly to look at Tim. It’s clear he hasn’t put much effort into his appearance. The suit he has on is expensive, how could it not be, but wrinkled all the same. His hair is pointing in a million different directions and you swear you see different colored socks on underneath his shoes.
“When’s the last time you slept?” You ask gently as you rake your fingers through his hair, trying to tidy it up.
“Mmm… Thursday.” He slurs, leaning into your touch.
“Tim.” You exclaim, pulling back as much as he’ll let you to look him in the eye. “It’s Saturday evening.”
He rolls his eyes at you. “I’ve gone longer with less.” He says offhandedly, attempting to pull you to be flush with him once more.
You resist his attempts by hastily setting your empty glass down and putting your hands on his shoulders to make eye-contact. “That isn’t healthy Tim.” You say firmly. You’re about to continue lecturing him when you’re stopped by the sight of Bruce Wayne making his way towards you.
You pull back suddenly as Bruce’s hand lands on Tim’s shoulder. “Getting scolded?” He teases as his hand goes to ruffle Tim’s hair. Tim makes an indignant noise and bats his hand away to the best of his ability.
“Tim just told me he hasn’t slept since Thursday.” You say bluntly, Tim giving you a betrayed glare as you shamelessly tattle to his dad, who gives you a mildly horrified look.
“Tim, you need to sleep-“ he begins before he gets cut off by Tim rolling his eyes so hard you swear you can hear it.
“Says the man who’ll work for 3 days straight if Alfred doesn’t intervene.” Tim gripes, giving Bruce an unimpressed look.
Bruce opens his mouth to retort but you cut him off by sharply gripping Tim’s elbow and give Bruce a pleading look. “I can take him to the library and try to make him get some sleep if you cover for him?”
Bruce seems to hesitate briefly before nodding. “Okay okay, I’ll tell everyone he wasn’t feeling well and you went with to take care of him but make sure he actually rests.” Bruce says as he gives you a pointed look.
You nod eagerly and start dragging Tim away. “I will! Thank you so much mister Wayne!”
————
You let out a sigh of relief once the doors to the library close behind you. Tim lets out a soft chuckle. “He defiantly knew what you were doing.” He teases, watching fondly as you sit on a nearby couch and take off your shoes with a groan.
“So? He let us leave didn’t he?” You question, moving to lounge against the arm of the couch.
Tim rolls his eyes but sits next to you anyway. “I’m never hearing the end of this.” He groans as he leans his head against the back of the couch.
“Well you can go back to the party if you want but I’m staying right here.” You quip as you stretch out your legs over his lap, he instinctively starts massaging the muscles of your calves gently.
You both rest there in silence, and you almost start to believe that Tim is asleep, his hands have stilled against your legs and his head is tipped back against the couch, his mouth hanging open slightly. You lean forward slightly, just barley tracing your finger along the edge of his jaw, you eyes trail to his lips, you wonder how they would taste-
Your moment is cut off by the loud sound of the solid wood door hitting the wall with a loud bang, causing you to jolt up and Tim to grab your shoulder defensively only to relax slightly when he sees it’s just Dick and Damian.
“Really Drake?” Damian scoffs as he comes to stand in front of you both. “You barely made an appearance for 20 minutes before you ran off-“
“Oh leave them alone D.” Dick chortles from where he stands by the door, making sure it hadn’t been cracked from Damian’s sudden entrance. “Can’t you see the lovebirds just wanted some alone time?” He teases.
You both start speaking in unison, making comments and claims over how you two are certainly not lovebirds only to slowly trail off at Dick’s satisfied expression and Damian’s look of utter disappointment.
“Honestly why do you waste your time on an imbecile such as Drake when there are better men who would properly date you-“ Damian fails to finish giving you his saged love advice as Tim promptly tackles him to the ground, both of them squawking indignantly as Dick struggles to break them up.
You let out a pained groan and lean back against the couch. You listen to the sounds of fighting and yelling for a moment before speaking in a firm voice that’d you found to be effective from prior experience. “I will give you to the count of 10.” You say threateningly, the pinnacle of both pissed off and strangely calm. You can barely get to the count of two before they’re pushing away from each other, mumbled apologies leaving their lips from their respective spots on the floor.
Dick looks between all three of you in amusement before speaking up. “With that kinda talent you’ve gotta marry into this family.” Dick teases. Tim gives him a look of warning.
You let out a sigh as Dick continues to waggle his eyebrows at you, seemingly unbothered by the death glare Tim is shooting at him. “Why would they want to marry Drake when he refuses to date them?” Damian asks, looking between you all in confusion.
Tim clears his throat awkwardly before standing and giving his brothers his best attempt at an unbothered look through the rosy hue on his cheeks. “Why did you two come in here in the first place?”
Dick gives you a knowing look and shrugs. “We wanted to see where you ran off to.” Damian nods in agreement. “Yes. Titus would be very disappointed if you left before greeting him.” Damian says, giving you a pointed look.
Tim cocks an eyebrow. “What about me? You didn’t wonder where I went?” He asks indignantly.
“No.” Damian says bluntly as he grabs your hand and pulls you to your feet. “Come. Titus wishes to see you.”
You can’t help but laugh as Damian begins to lead you through the empty halls of the manor, Tim and Dick following behind you. Damian informs of what Titus, Alfred the cat, and his other animals have been up to as you walk. You’re not sure you’ve ever heard him speak so long without threatening someone.
————
Somewhere in-between arriving at Damian’s room and sitting down with Titus to let him attempt to curl into your lap you realize that Tim and Dick had left. You had assumed that they would be back shortly but after Damian had fallen asleep against your shoulder you realize that perhaps you should go search them out.
You carefully wiggle out from Damian’s hold, gently resting his head on Titus’ side as they both rest peacefully. You crack the door open and slip out, heading down the dark, eerie hallway towards the sliver of light you see peeking out from underneath Tim’s door.
You raise your fist to knock but stop yourself at the sound of voices. You hesitate a moment, not knowing what to do before you gently put your ear up against the door to listen to who he’s speaking to.
“Seriously dude, you’ve just gotta do it. Like ripping off a band-aid.” You’d recognize that distinct grumble anywhere, that’s clearly Jason.
“They even know about your secret identity! You literally have no reason to keep putting it off!” And that chipper tone is without a doubt Dick.
You hear a quiet grumble and press yourself closer to the door, trying to hear who said what. You hear nothing but quiet words that you can’t make out and sighs and then Tim’s door is swinging open, causing you to crash to the floor with a bashful look on your face.
“Ah, oops?” You squirm under the teasing gazes of the two older Wayne brothers who look at each other a moment before casually stepping over you to leave the room. After a moment they disappear into the hallway leaving you to become embarrassed as you attempt to wipe the nonexistent dirt off the fancy outfit you’d worn to the gala. You stand and fiddle with the hem of your sleeve for a moment, Tim looks similarly embarrassed. He’s changed from his suit and is instead in a large sleep shirt and gym shorts, the strings of which he’s picking at incessantly.
“I uh- didn’t really mean to eavesdrop.” You say quietly, scuffing at the wooden floor with your bare foot.
Tim is quiet in response and you worry that you might’ve upset him, just before you can say something that you’d most likely find embarrassing later however Tim is speaking. “I need to tell you something.” He says it so quietly you have to lean in to hear it, and at the anxious expression on his face you approach him cautiously, giving him your best attempt at a comforting look.
“You can always tell me anything.” You say as you take his hands in yours to keep him from picking at his clothes. His hands are chapped and rough against your soft skin and you can’t help but take a brief moment to admire them.
He takes in a deep, shaky breath before the words tumble out of his mouth so quick you can’t understand him. “Ilikeyouandreallywannadateyouandyou’rereallyfuckingprettyand-“ You have to slap one of your hands over his mouth to get him to stop talking.
“Deep breath.” You prompt calmly. “And slow down. I couldn’t understand a word you said.”
He takes a deep breath at your request and gazes down at where you hold his hands tenderly. “I uh- I really like you and was um… wondering if you wanted to date.” This time he says it so quiet you almost can’t hear his words. Almost.
You cup his cheek softly and bring his face level to yours so he has no choice but to make eye-contact with you. “I was wondering when you would ask.” You say softly, eyeing his lips shamelessly.
Tim’s eyes go wide for a moment before he chuckles softly and leans in to kiss you chastely. He pulls back after a moment and gently rests his forehead against yours. “I’ve been wanting to do that forever.” He whispers against your skin as you hold each other gently in the lamp light of his room.
————
“Oh I’m gonna be fucking rich!” Your moment is cut short by Jason and Dick causing a scene right outside of Tim’s still open door.
“That’s so unfair!” Dick whines. “You read romance novels! You had an unfair advantage!”
Jason thrusts his middle finger in his older brother’s face. “Never underestimate the power of Austen bitch!” Jason chortles as Dick attempts to grab his hand. You sigh tiredly as Tim’s head hits your shoulder with a thump, his arms instinctively wrapping around your waist.
“Do you still have some of my clothes here?” You ask quietly as you watch the two fight.
“I do.” Tim suggests.” Or, since we’re dating now, you could wear one of my shirts to bed.” You snort when you feel Tim wiggle his eyebrows against your skin.
“I’m not sleeping without pants on around your family.” You tease, running your fingers through his hair as he practically melts into you.
“That’s a good point.” He mumbles as he squeezes his arms around you tightly. “This is for me alone.”
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