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Gary and Mark had been together for years at that point. Ups and downs, of course, but ultimately? The two were happy together. It wasn’t until things took a turn for the worst and Gary grew incredibly ill. When he started having pains and fits of nausea, he knew something was wrong. Not wanting to worry Mark, still, he pressed on and ignored it. “Pains happen, right? It’ll pass.” was the thought that constantly came to mind in an attempt to ease his worried mind. And then the hospital trip came. Mark was there the whole while, Gary clutched onto his lover’s hand, trying to hide his fear to keep the younger male at ease. Even he knew that wasn’t how it worked. Mark had always felt so deeply, he knew his partner’s empathy would only seep deeper knowing that something was wrong. It wasn’t until the doctors came in that Gary knew. He knew what was to come was going to be bad. But cancer? He had assumed a bad bout of pancreatitis at most. But cancer.. The elder’s world shattered then and there. Hand clamped tightly in Mark’s, he simply stared. They show it in the movies—That blank, life contemplating stare when a bad diagnosis is tossed in your lap like nothing. But, the reality was so much worse than the dramatics of a film. As the doctor’s left to give the pair time, Gary squeezed Mark’s hand, too terrified to look over at his younger lover. What would happen to them? Where would Mark go—After? The thoughts played and whirred, Gary left swallowing bile that threatened to come up as he just . It was Mark who pulled him out of his head with a soft squeeze of the hand. Gary hadn’t even realized he was crying until he looked over at Mark, feeling the cool, hospital air against the tears running down his face. It wasn’t a cry that left him sobbing, but the sort where he was left sat with silent tears rolling down his face. He couldn’t even find the motivation to fake a smile or anything. All he could do was— “I’m sorry.. I’m so sorry, Mark..” The words had Mark frowning deeply, pulling Gary into a tight hug. It wasn’t until then that the elder broke and clung onto his lover, hiding against his neck as he cried. Sure, there could be some sort of silver lining, but no one was counting on that. No one was giving Gary very long, including himself. Not with how long he had gone allowing himself to feel so poorly. The next step was treatment and that was terrifying Gary to no end alone. The end was a horrible thought, but the risks and pain of treatment were scaring him to the very bone.