fic: into the trees (2/2)
Sean Parker, Facebook co-founder
Mark kinda scared me at first. He was this intense guy, coming in with Saverin and some Asian chick, and he had this thing going for him where you want to impress him even though you don’t feel like you should. Which is, like, I don’t even know how he did it, you could make a fuckin’ fortune if you bottled it. It’s stupidly effective. So that meeting-- I think that’s where I gave my greatest contribution. I said to Mark, drop the the. And he did. And hey, Facebook happened.
Chris Hughes
Sean and I have had our professional and personal differences.
Sean Parker
I don’t think he would have gotten far without that meeting. He would have made a million, two maybe. Something to put on his resume when he applied for jobs with Apple and Google after graduation. You wanted to know what I think, that’s what I think.
Dustin Moskovitz
I think about Sean-- in the beginning, he started the thing that made Mark a shitty person for a while. So I’m not happy about that. On the other hand, I think I can attribute some success to him. But yes, we have had personal and professional differences-- Chris said that too? Well, it’s the official thing to say. I don’t hate him, okay? I dislike him, but I, as a person, am allowed to dislike other people.
Sean Parker
Okay. Okay, look, this, what I’m saying right now, this is true, listen to me here. He was a way better friend than I deserved.
-
Sean Parker
Well, speaking of friends and deserving them- do I think Eduardo was in love with Mark. Of course I fucking think Eduardo was in love with Mark. You could see it on the kid’s face.
Dustin Moskovitz
You know, I have an opinion on that, I do. And I’m not going to share it with you. Or actually with anyone. It’s not anyone else’s business, what happened between the two of them.
Chris Hughes
I’m sorry, I don’t-- why does it matter?
Erica Albright
I didn’t fucking break up with Mark because I thought he was in love with Eduardo-- has anything I’ve said so far implied that? No. I broke up with him because it sucked to date him, and I stayed broken up with him because he said terrible things about me on the internet where anyone could see. And I just-- please, don’t.
Sean Parker
You could see it. The jealousy. Eduardo was jealous of me because I was taking Mark away from him. I don’t know if he realized it, though. If he thought that it was a friend-poaching thing, breaking up their partnership for the good of the company. On the other hand, him knowing why he was pissed, that might have made it worse. The whole story of Facebook could’ve changed if Eduardo had been able to name what it was that he felt-- if he didn’t chicken out.
Billy Olson
I kind of thought they were together? But, uh, I spent a lot of the time I was with them really fucking blazed, don’t judge. Like, at first, you could see the tension between them. It was a visible line of electricity, like in a cartoon or something. I guess I figured out that they weren’t together after a while, that it was like, unrequited pining and shit, but it was so fucking obvious, it was physically painful to see. They were both idiots. And that’s coming from a guy who smoked his way through Harvard and majored in art history with a concentration in world music.
Sean Parker
And yes, I think Mark loved him back. But also you gotta remember that Mark was exceedingly emotionally constipated. On the other hand, it’s hard to fuck with someone that way if it’s someone you feel nothing for.
Dustin Moskovitz
It’s why the lawsuits were hard, yes. It’s the main reason.
-
From: esaverin@gmail.com
To: mzuckerberg@harvard.edu
Cc: mark.zuck@gmail.com
Subject: you’re still a jerk
So, I talked to Dustin today. He wanted to... warn me, I guess. That the reporter doing this huge interview story was asking if I was in love with you. If you were in love with me. If we were in love with each other.
I guess this is where I tell you that Dustin knows more than you ever did, at least about that.
This is where it gets embarrassing to type. Actually, legitimately embarrassing, because I am irrationally, paranoidly, at least 80 percent sure that you are going to read this, despite all other evidence to the contrary (and please give me some evidence to the contrary).
Okay. The answer. Yes. Yes, I was.
When I said “I’m here for you,” Mark, I meant that. I was happy you broke up with Erica because it meant you weren’t dating anyone, even if it meant you were angry and hurt and closed off, and it was really fucking hard to not let that show on my face. I don’t know if I succeeded there. I couldn’t tell for weeks if you knew, maybe, and you didn’t want to-- let me down, I guess, fuck up our friendship. Because I was so sure I was going to fuck up our friendship. I’m certain Erica knew about it. I told Dustin, I did, but he didn’t seem at all surprised when I let it slip, and if Dustin got it, then Chris certainly did.
(They’re both going to refuse to comment on that particular aspect of our relationship, by the way. They’re good friends. You probably should have told them that more, if you ever told them that at all.)
Do you know I just sat here for almost an hour trying to bring myself to write that? That paragraph, those sentences. Because they’re fucking true, and I never got to let you know. Even if it was to hurt you.
Because Dustin told me, when I told him, that he thought you might too. Love me, that is.
Jesus, I was so fucking happy about that.
What the hell were you doing in Montana?
I’m not even mad anymore, if you tell me.
(That was a lie. I’m still pretty pissed.)
-Wardo
-
Stanley Andrews, professor of computer science, Harvard University
Yes, I remember Mr. Zuckerberg. Clearly a bright guy, though a smart-ass. We get those here. He walked straight out of my class once, though in retrospect, he must have been doing the Facemash, Facebook stuff then, got some idea or other. As a teacher, I’ve seen hundreds of students. I’ve seen a lot walk out of my class as well. It’s a hard one. Mark was one of the ones who had that spark.
Larry Summers, president, Harvard University
Harvard University is very proud of Mr. Zuckerberg’s accomplishments-- indeed, the accomplishments of all four co-founders-- and regrets Mr. Zuckerberg’s disappearance and presumed death. We will not be commenting on disciplinary actions taken against Mr. Zuckerberg during his time at the university, and would again like the emphasize his remarkable achievements. He would have been welcome back to finish his degree at any time, and we are honored to count him as one of our distinguished members, if not alumni.
Simon Dodd, network administrator, Harvard University
When they woke me up to tell me that the network had crashed-- I thought to myself, no fuckin’ way some kid did that, I don’t care how smart the guys here are, it’s just, it wasn’t possible. Excuse my language, but there was no fuckin’ way.
-
Marylin Delpy
It’s hard, and I didn’t know him as well as some of the others-- but we were friends, and we worked together, he hired me, I’d like to think he trusted me. All I’m left with is that life goes on.
Erica Albright
I really am going to try to dedicate something in his memory. Or, you know, when we add the phrase Facebook stalking to the dictionary, how about that?
I mean, no, I wouldn’t do that. I’ll think of something else.
-
(“So,” the reporters never say, “what was Zuckerberg doing in Montana? I mean-- what’s out there for him? Facebook looking into ranching all of the sudden?”
They never ask that. Maybe they should.)
-
From: barton@intshield.org
To: romanov@intshield.org
Subject: [blank]
hey tasha
hows california?
From: romanov@intshield.org
To: barton@intshield.org
Subject: Re: [blank]
I think we've known each other long enough for you to use an apostrophe.
From: barton@intshield.org
To: romanov@intshield.org
Subject: Re: [blank]
ehhhh, maybe.
stark drive you insane yet?
From: romanov@intshield.org
To: barton@intshield.org
Subject: Re: [blank]
Got to take a jaunt up to NorCal. It was an interesting trip.
Yes, well. It’s unavoidable, of course. It’s him.
That'll be a fun report to write.
From: barton@intshield.org
To: romanov@intshield.org
Subject: Re: [blank]
so the trouble this guy's in is real?
whatever, stark'll consult for us no matter what. he wants to be one of the cool kids, always has. reading his file’s kinda fun. father issues up the ass-- but around here, who doesn’t have them?
From: romanov@intshield.org
To: barton@intshield.org
Subject: Re: [blank]
Yes. Sent off the preliminary report last night. I can see why others would want him. He's not stupid and very soon he's going to be very rich (not like he isn’t already, still).
As for Stark consulting...I don't know. I doubt that anything will change. He'll sell us his tech and his time at some absurdly high markup, just like always. Fury’s coming in, though, so we’ll see if that shakes anything up. And yes, I did read his file. If we ever needed a favor from him, thank god we have access to those pictures from the 1980s.
Not that I advise abusing our clearance at all for fun.
Coulson said he's off to the southwest. How's... hm. Arizona?
From: barton@intshield.org
To: romanov@intshield.org
Subject: Re: [blank]
close. new mexico. puente antiguo, there is *nothing* here, except like, confused diner owners. no good chinese food. I miss new york, and also I miss china.
well. there are angry physicists, but thankfully thats not my problem.
From: romanov@intshield.org
To: barton@intshield.org
Subject: Re: [blank]
That's.
From: barton@intshield.org
To: romanov@intshield.org
Subject: Re: [blank]
awww, you were paying attention, see this is why you're the best spy of all time.
From: romanov@intshield.org
To: barton@intshield.org
Subject: Re: [blank]
You’ve given me better compliments.
From: barton@intshield.org
To: romanov@intshield.org
Subject: Re: [blank]
and you treasure each and every one of them
-
From: romanov@intshield.org
To: coulson@intshield.org
Subject: prelim. report - MZ
Attachment: MZ_report.doc
Coulson,
A few quick points for you.
-threats are real. Investigation of his house/tapping of his phone revealed threatening remarks made to him, and when Mr. Zuckerberg didn't react, they were instigated against his family, as well as Mr. Hughes, Mr. Moskovitz and, somewhat surprisingly (especially as it appeared to be extraordinarily effective), Mr. Saverin. No threats made regarding Mr. Parker, possibly because Mr. Parker is so self-destructive at this point that Mr. Zuckerberg has resigned himself to Mr. Parker’s fate (he is planning another attempt at rehab, if you were curious, from what I got from his personal email).
-his house is pitifully easy to break into, though I'm sure you have no comment regarding that. No traces were left, of course.
-he's worried. He should be amenable to any suggestions you might have. I'd recommend meeting him in person, not electronically; he would most likely dismiss any other forms of communication as a hoax, if it wasn’t caught in a spam filter or roundly ignored.
-Barton is supposed to be on vacation. Why'd you make him go to New Mexico?
From: coulson@intshield.org
To: romanov@intshield.org
Subject: Re: prelim. report - MZ
Agent Romanov,
Barton isn't on vacation unless I say he's on vacation.
Nevertheless, we'll make it up to you.
From: romanov@intshield.org
To: coulson@intshield.org
Subject: prelim. report - MZ
No you won't, and don’t forget that you owe me for Stark. In fact, you owe me one and a half for him.
See you next week to settle.
-
From: romanov@intshield.org
To: barton@intshield.org
Subject: Re: [blank]
Looks like Coulson wants this guy bad.
Still surrounded by angry researchers?
From: barton@intshield.org
To: romanov@intshield.org
Subject: Re: [blank]
oh yeah, lots of angry scientists hither and thither, but it turns out there's an angry norse god, soooo.... that's what’s new and exciting in my life.
of course coulson wants zuckerberg. coulson'll take anyone who can program and isn't tony stark.
From: romanov@intshield.org
To: barton@intshield.org
Subject: Re: [blank]
Yes, Clint, it sounds very exciting. Don't get yourself blown up, I might have gotten us a vacation, after I deal with the situation that's developing here.
From what I can see, Zuckerberg isn't much better than Stark is.
From: barton@intshield.org
To: romanov@intshield.org
Subject: Re: [blank]
vacation! should we go to hawaii? Or-- totally better idea-- alaska?
yeah, but you could beat zuckerberg up with both hands tied behind your back. stark refuses to be scared of people, but zuckerberg looks like he’s never worked out a day in his nerdy life.
From: romanov@intshield.org
To: barton@intshield.org
Subject: Re: [blank]
You have strange taste in vacation locales, but I have heard that Anchorage is nice this time of year.
I could.
From: barton@intshield.org
To: romanov@intshield.org
Subject: Re: [blank]
though I’m not booking plane tickets til i've got coulson in my hot little hand.
From: romanov@intshield.org
To: barton@intshield.org
Subject: Re: [blank]
That's disgusting.
From: barton@intshield.org
To: romanov@intshield.org
Subject: Re: [blank]
aww, didn't mean it like that. you know you're the only one for me. I’d put an emoticon heart in if I thought I could get away with it.
think he reads these?
From: coulson@intshield.org
To: barton@intshield.org
Cc: romanov@intshield.org
Subject: Your emails
Yes. Please refrain from expressing your amorous intentions with emoticons, Agent Barton.
For your information, I am currently seeing a cellist.
From: barton@intshield.org
To: romanov@intshield.org
Subject: Re: [blank]
fuck, now I have to come up with a secret code again.
(also, a cellist, what? I thought he only listened to old school madonna)
-
From: romanov@intshield.org
To: barton@intshield.org
Subject: Re: [blank]
Jesus, Clint, turn down the David Bowie, I can only hear Life on Mars so many times in an hour before I get twitchy and come and find you.
Got into Zuckerberg’s email again-- Eduardo Saverin keeps emailing him at his old college email address.
From: barton@intshield.org
To: romanov@intshield.org
Subject: Re: [blank]
shh you, bowie’s a bamf. managed to get a refund on the plane tickets btw, since you have to go to russia. don’t forget to call this time. when you get back we’re holding coulson hostage until we legit get a month of paid vacation time, airfare and open bar covered by shield.
and ooh! emails! secret college loves! plot twist!
i want to meet this zuckerberg kid, and that’s not even a joke.
-
[from the Vanity Fair article]
Eduardo Saverin declined to be interviewed for this article.
It can be said that a complete picture of Mr. Zuckerberg’s life cannot be drawn without input from Mr. Saverin-- his friend, confidant, defendant, and eventual enemy, certainly personally if not in a corporate sense. Mr. Saverin is part of the reason we have Facebook, in fact, he is part of the reason for Mr. Zuckerberg’s current status, power, and influence.
At a certain point, the story of Mark Zuckerberg is entirely inseparable from the story of Eduardo Saverin.
There is not much information known about Mr. Saverin. He lives in Singapore, he invests in third-party apps, he still remains in contact with Mr. Hughes and Mr. Moskovitz. He graduated from Harvard alongside Mr. Hughes, unlike Mr. Moskovitz and Mr. Zuckerberg, and presumably this time at Harvard maybe have helped save that particular friendship. However, it is not known if he still kept in contact with Mr. Zuckerberg up until the disappearance.
For someone of his wealth and stature, even if only in certain circles, Mr. Saverin is exceedingly private.
-
(“Jesus fuck you are so much better than Tony Stark, I can tell it already” someone says behind him, loud enough to be heard through headphones and the vibrating, repetitive thrum of techno music. Mark startles, turning around and catching his knee painfully on the leg of the desk.
The man is clearly an agent, dressed in black with defined arms and a serious face and short hair. There’s a quiver slung over his back, and he’s carrying a bow, a serious kind, not the type you use to hunt deer with (and hadn’t that been a terrible way to court investors, sometimes Sean had the worst ideas, boring as Powerpoints were).
“Who are you?” Mark asks, sliding his headphones off his ears. He hits control-S, fingers moving instinctively, and sits up a little bit straighter. The SHIELD agents he’s encountered-- and that’s mostly been Coulson and Deputy Director Hill, who is like Erica could maybe be if she was given a lot of power and a gun-- they haven’t been anyone he would mess with. It was easy to screw with programmers. That would be so ill-advised with these guys.
“Special Agent Clint Barton,” the agent says, flashing him a grin. “You don’t know me, but I know you.”
Mark blinks. “That’s incredibly creepy,” he says.
“I do try.” Clint looks falsely modest. “Anyways, I’m just here with a message. My partner, Special Agent Natasha Romanov-- and this is a friendly warning, she is the most terrifying lady you’ll meet, and she’s all the more awesome for it, but that tends to scare people-- wait, okay, this is a tangent, I’m not normally this tangential. My partner wanted me to tell you that your old buddy Eduardo Saverin has been trying to get in contact with you since SHIELD pulled a little disappearing act with you. He’s, ah, not entirely happy with you. But there’s a lot of other things in there she thought you might want to take a look at. Less angry stuff. Though there’s plenty of that, don’t worry. I think Saverin’s been holding some things in for a long, long time.”
“She hacked into my email,” Mark says. “Which one?”
“Of course she did, that’s her job.” Clint waves the hand not holding the bow, dismissive. “The Harvard one. The archives, I guess. And everything was CC’ed to a gmail address? So that one too. She said to tell you you’ve got good security protocols in place, by the way.”
“Tell her thanks,” Mark’s voice is flat. “Do I get to be alone to read them, or are you here to babysit me?”
“What? No, I’m not staying, I gotta go to work,” Clint says. “And, you know, target practice with this thing. But hey, after you read them, I’ll take you out for a drink or three. You’re legal to drink, right?”
“You’re buying,” Mark turns back to the computer. “I’ll be here. You can come and find me.”
“Course you will.” Clint scratches at his shoulder with the bow. “Enjoy. I guess. Tasha only sent me the interesting bits. I could go on, but I’ll leave now.”
Mark thinks that he may have left by way of air vent. Fucking drop ceilings.)
-
From: barton@intshield.org
To: romanov@intshield.org
Subject: [blank]
met zuckerberg today, we’re going drinking later.
From: romanov@intshield.org
To: barton@intshield.org
Subject: Re: [blank]
I’d pay to see that.
From: barton@intshield.org
To: romanov@intshield.org
Subject: Re: [blank]
coulson’s gotta stop sending you to russia for weeks at a time. it’s getting old coulson, if you’re still reading this, and no, I’m not sorry for getting your shiny new asset drunk.
From: romanov@intshield.org
To: barton@intshield.org
Subject: Re: [blank]
I’m impersonating a mob boss (in an internet cafe at the moment in St. Petersburg; as you might expect it’s full of fun). Because all little girls want to grow up to be in the Mafiya.
From: barton@intshield.org
To: romanov@intshield.org
Subject: Re: [blank]
did you pack your yoga pants or is it all sharp blazers from here on out.
-
(“So like, Facebook,” Clint says, and sets a beer down in front of Mark. “You invented it. That’s cool. What’re you doing for us?”
Mark wraps his hand around the neck of the bottle and takes a long sip. “Right now, I’m going through the new security system, mostly. I used to-- in college, I would hack my way into the Harvard network, and they only ever caught me once-- and it was pretty obvious when it happened, I guess you heard about the whole Facemash thing. This is a lot more sophisticated than that ever was, but basically I’m looking for loopholes.” He pauses, considering. “I haven’t reported this yet, because I haven’t uncovered the full extent of it, but whomever built the system? Hopefully you know how that is? Well, it looks like they might have written themselves in a back door.”
“Fucking Tony Stark,” Clint says, and thinks about it. Eventually he laughs. “Don’t report it. Seriously. It’s what we deserve for contracting out computer security to Stark in the first place. Exactly what I would expect of him.”
“Tony Stark’s interesting,” Mark comments. “I tried not to be him, you know, when everything hit me. The money, all that. I think I succeeded.”
“You don’t want to be him,” Clint sighs. “I know they idolize him in those business schools where everyone wears pressed khakis and polos, they look up to him for the shit he pulled and his market acumen, but he doesn’t have too many friends, no matter what it appears. From what your file says, I think you at least had some.”
“Some,” Mark echoes. “Yeah.” He takes another sip of his beer. “If I’m going to be an asshole-- and I had to, for the company-- then at least I didn’t do it hedonistically.”
“And yet you still pissed some powerful people off,” Clint says. “Good job.”
“I was doing that from the beginning,” Mark looks at him, steady. “Not saying that the Winklevoss twins are powerful, but I was the little guy against them. And I showed them.”
“You know,” Clint looks right back. He’s a spy, he’s awesome at this staring bullshit. “I only really skimmed your file.”
“Fine by me,” Mark says, and signals for another beer. “We can talk about something else. I haven’t had too many people to talk to here.”
“SHIELD agents aren’t especially talkative.” Clint grins. “Now me, I’m a special agent. So I can string some words together when I need. Sometimes they even make sense”
“You invited me out tonight.” Mark’s face is quiet, contemplative. Clint looks at him again and remembers that he’s young. He’s twenty-seven, he didn’t finish college, and unlike Natasha, he hasn’t seen or done things to make him grow up. Maybe he grew up way too soon for the business and tech world, a little like Tony, but that’s so, so different. Tony Stark is so incredibly fucked up beyond repair, will probably never be a normal person the way the world views normal people, and that’s okay now, maybe, not that SHIELD has any official opinion on it.
He’s just so young.
“I’m sorry that this took you away from your friends,” Clint says, and means it. “It’s-- I do know what that’s like, Tasha knows what that’s like, and it’s not anything we wish on people.”
“But it probably saved them,” Mark says. “There’s that too. There’s the cost, but then there’s the benefits.” It’s said with a kind of brutal simplicity, like it’s a business decision, and yes, Clint has read Mark’s file. He knows there was a threat to Eduardo Saverin as well.
“You did,” Clint says. “You did save him.”
“Not from his own-- bad decisions,” Mark says, gulping his drink. Clint watches his Adam’s apple bob.
“I think that’s out of anyone’s control, honestly.” Clint shrugs. “I like to think we’re all doing the best we can in some little way.”
“Even for the people you assassinate?” Mark asks, tone unchanging. He’s kind of a bastard, unflinchingly and openly; Clint can appreciate that.
Clint looks at him only from the corner of his eye. “Those are business casualties,” he says. It hits below the belt, right where it was supposed to, and he nods. “Different business, but. You understand.”)
-
From: esaverin@gmail.com
To: mzuckerberg@harvard.edu
Cc: mark.zuck@gmail.com
Subject: check your goddamn email
seriously, this is getting ridiculous over here.
I’m sending messages and no one is answering.
In the business world, that’s considered pretty fucking rude and unprofessional to do that. And you’re a professional. Right.
-
Eduardo, Mark writes, on a piece of looseleaf paper torn from a notebook like he’s back in high school, or even back in college, because he always kept such sloppy notes-- it shouldn’t have been a business decision, you shouldn’t have been a business decision, our friendship, whatever it was or whatever it would have evolved into, THAT shouldn’t have-- well, you always knew I was an idiot, I suppose this is just some more evidence to add to the pile.
-
(He checks his email. They’re at the top, all at the gmail one. He doesn’t check the Harvard one: they might wonder about the login, might get suspicious, and Mark has only had rudimentary training on how not to fuck up when you’re living a spy movie, but he’s not that obtuse.
He checks his email and they’re all right at the top from esaverin@gmail.com, clustered together above spam and offers from things he signed up for years ago.
Mark reads them all, oldest to newest (too bad he can’t sue Vanity Fair when he’s pretending to be dead; too bad that article will hit like a punch to the gut, too bad too bad) and clicks out of the last one, slow and stunned and maybe a little bit awed.
He’s more drunk than he should be for a weeknight. It’s not enough and it’s too much and he wishes he could-- he just wants to touch Eduardo, reassure him it’s okay, before anything else. That he’s here and he doesn’t deserve it and it’s him, too, it was never one-sided. It was never business.
“Fuck,” Mark says, clear as day for the security cameras he knows SHIELD has stationed discreetly around his room, and then he bangs his head down on the desk.)
-
Sean Parker
It’s not some epic Shakespearean love story. It’s not even tragic. They were, jesus fuck, it was just how life goes. I don’t know how Saverin feels now, and Mark-- well, I’m pretty sure how Mark felt, but even with all the social networking and shit that they created, they were only another missed connection. There’s not Facebook love story. There’s only two guys in the wrong places at the wrong time. [pause] And am I sorry about that? For my part in it? No. It was business. There were choices to be made. I mean, I’m not not sorry. It’s that sometimes things are unavoidable. And sometimes they’re not.
-
Dustin Moskovitz
You deal with it. You hope it gets better. Your life isn’t over, life goes on. That’s, right, that’s what they say, and I think they’re right. It sucks, it sucks a lot, but. You deal.
-
Cameron Winklevoss
I never knew exactly what was going on in the geek’s head. He was-- he was so fucking inscrutable, right? And that bothered the hell out of me.
-
Chris Hughes
I miss him.
-
Erica Albright
I mean-- I miss him, I miss him a lot. But you know what it really-- what’s really the issue? I wish that we’d had more time.
-
And this is how it begins again.
Eduardo is sitting reading through proposals and there’s a knock at his door. The girl he hired to do data entry-- Natalie something, competent, with long red hair and a consistently serious air about her-- walks into his office, and she’s holding a gun. Loosely, at her side, and somehow, Eduardo realizes this means that she isn’t an immediate threat, not yet.
She still looks competent, but with an edge of frightening, and he wonders if he should call the police or yell for help or do anything that isn’t continuing to sit in his desk chair and stare at her.
“Mr. Saverin,” she says. “I’m Agent Natasha Romanov, and I’m with SHIELD, an intergovernmental organization. If you want, I can show you my official ID, but right now I’d like you to come with me. There’s something that we’d like you to know.”
She takes him to a nondescript room with a nondescript man. Sitting in the chair to the left, sleep-deprived (but in a way that Eduardo recognizes from college, like he’s been up all night coding and is mad he’s been dragged away from his computer and Red Bull because he was just there on the edge of something good) but alive (alive), is Mark.
“Oh my god,” Eduardo says. His throat tightens. “Oh my god, Mark.”
“Hi, Wardo,” Mark says, and raises a sleepy hand. “Nice to see you.”
“You asshole,” Eduardo says. “Oh my god.”
Mark smiles. “It’s nice to hear you say that, too.” He pauses. “I got your emails. I got all of them.” He reaches across the table and takes Eduardo’s hand. “Me, too,” he says. “Just-- so you know. It wasn’t only you. It was me too.”
He leans across the table, and maybe he’s going for Eduardo’s cheek, but Wardo turns and their lips meet. The suit and Agent Romanov leave.
“I’ll explain later,” Mark whispers. “I promise.”
He kisses him again.
-
(Postscript:
He holds onto Mark for a while-- just holds onto him, feeling a heartbeat beneath skin, warmth and breath in his ear, all those little things that tell you that a person is alive.
“I’m not going to disappear again,” Mark says after a while, a little cross. “And you’re sweaty.”
“Nice,” Eduardo says. “Thanks.”
“I said I’d explain,” Mark says, a little abruptly. “I can do that. When you need me to.”
“I think you must have had a reason,” Eduardo’s voice is slow. “So we don’t need to do that right now.” His hand skims over Mark’s hip and Mark shudders. “You’re tired. So am I.”
“That’s extraordinarily unsubtle,” Mark says, but he catches Eduardo’s hands and squeezes it; with a faint smile, he leads Eduardo away.)