Clouded Sunshine ⟨Markhyuck⟩ ||Completed

■Chapter thirteen■

//tw: mentions of abuse/suicidal thoughts  

Both Donghyuck and Mark were now seated on the sand. The sun sitting on top of the water and Mark looking over at Donghyuck who kept his head low, playing with the sand using his fingers. The older boy stopped his actions by placing his hands on top of his, gently intertwining them. 

"Take your time," Mark spoke softly, running his thumb over the back of Donghyuck's hand. Donghyuck sat up straight, hand still under Mark's and turning his head towards the waves that caressed the bottom of their heels each time it met the shore. "My mother...she treats me like I'm both physically and mentally ill," Donghyuck started, writing words in the sand with his finger that Mark can not depict. 

Mark was furious, his fists in balls, but he remained as calm as could to let Donghyuck finish speaking. "She does everything she can do in her power to deceive everyone," he chuckled painfully, "Even if it means going to the extent where she'd purposely injure me or drug me." He turned his head towards the older, who was listening to the boy's words very carefully. 

"And it works. But I guess I deserve it, right?" Donghyuck smiled deadly and Mark shook his head rapidly. "No, not at all! No one deserves that!" The younger only scoffed and gave him a 'yeah right' look. "I'm serious, Donghyuck." The said boy only hummed and stared back at the sea. "Why haven't you called the police or told anyone about this?"

Donghyuck rolled his eyes and sassily spat, "If I could, don't you think I would have a long time ago?" Mark does not know why, but he raised his hands in defense, scared that the younger might hit him. "Right, sorry." He has no one to turn to, no phone, he can barely leave the house, he is scared. What can you really expect? 

"She doesn't let me leave the house or speak to anyone when we're outside. I can only go out if I'm getting groceries, which I'm doing," Donghyuck sighed as he explained, pointing to the bags of items he bought. Mark nodded. It explains the reaction he got from the younger at the store a while ago when his mother was present."Aren't you hot? Why are you wearing sweaters and long sleevs? It's deadly out here!" 

"You get used to it after a while. I'm supposed to be anyway since I'm not allowed to wear anything else that shows my skin," Donghyuck said, causing Mark to be confused. Donghyuck snatched his hand from the older's, poking Mark's forehead and pushed it gently, "You aren't too smart now, are ya Minhyung?"

"Hey-" Mark rubbed his forehead, but stopped when he saw the younger rolling up his sweater and pulling it over his head. There the boy sat in a white loose tank top which made Mark gulp, but quickly regained himself once he saw the marks and bruises all over his arms. Mark panicked and instantly grabbed a hold of the younger's arm, strolling his fingers from the top of his shoulder, to the palm of his hand as Donghyuck just watched in shock at the older's actions.

He started softly tracing the younger's scars while Donghyuck spoke, "She injects me with some needle every month. I wear long sleeves to 'protect Donghyuck's skin.' She's been doing it for as long as I can remember and to be honest with you, I don't even know how I'm still alive."

It's very true. He is absolutely clueless on how he is still living today with all the unneeded medication his mother has been giving him since he was a small child. Maybe it was luck. He is not sure, but he really wishes for it all to end completely, both the suffering and living. He's given up on everything, including finding his father. But maybe, just maybe Mark would be able to help him blow the dusty clouds away from the arrays of the sun and help him gain hope.