Sunshine | Markhyuck

23: Haechan...is not very smart

Mark pursed his lips as he made eye contact with Haechan, the younger giving a small sheepish smile in return as he sat on his roof. Mark opened the window, thanking the breeze of the night for cooling the itching feeling that had triggered.

"Hyung," Haechan smiled softly. Mark gave an awkward smile as the itching worsened. Haechan's face dropped, "ah, sorry, that doesn't help does it." Mark shook his head reluctantly. He didn't want Haechan to stop smiling at him, but then again, it was less pain if he did.

"why are you out here?" Mark rubbed the back of his neck, taking a seat on his own roof opposite the boy.

Haechan hesitated slightly, "I-I wanted to talk to you."

Mark was taken back, biting back a smile. He wanted to talk to him. He couldn't help but feel giddy. But he knows it shouldn't last.

"Haechan-ah, you can't do this, you know."

Haechan sighed with a nod, "I know but from this distance," he gestured between them, "it shouldn't be as bad right? And as long as I don't smile, we'll be alright."

Mark's heart sank ever so slightly. Really, all he wanted was to be able to be near the boy, to speak with him comfortably without burning or swelling up. He wanted Haechan to smile at him. He didn't want the fucking distance.

Mark nodded, "yeah, that's true."

"And a limited time means limited reactions," Haechan's eyes lit up slightly as he desperately bit down his smile.

"yeah, it does."

Both boys simply stared at one another, a small rush of wind rippling between them as they sat in a sombre silence. The string of longing to just hold one another tied tightly between them yet they weren't allowed to tug.

"I...I want to hold you, hyung."

"I know."

"But..."

"You can't."

Haechan inhaled deeply, standing up and walking over toward the edge of the roof with determination, directly in front of Mark. The elder's eyes widened in fear as the searing pain ran through his body as the boy approached, yet he couldn't move, frozen to the edge of the roof.

The red-haired boy cautiously moved his arm, his hand landing on Mark's. Mark winced as Haechan took his hand into his own, just holding on to him. The only contact they had had since they first met.

Mark wanted to love the feeling of their hands in one another. He wanted to embrace the warmth Haechan radiated, the softness of his skin as the younger ran his thumb across the back of his hand. He wanted so badly to just be able to hold on and never let go.

But it hurt so badly.

Mark couldn't stand it and went to yank his hand away from Haechan's touch, but his grip was too tight. He could feel his skin starting to crackle and blister, his hand and body starting to swell as he held on.

"Haechan-ah," Mark croaked out, "It-it hurts too much."

Haechan tightened his grip, his eyes beginning to well. "Please," he spoke quietly, "please, I want your touch."

Mark bit down hard on the inside of his lip, the pain getting to him as his own eyes brimmed with tears. He wanted to let go but he didn't. It hurt like hell but it didn't. All because of this damn kid.

"Donghyuck," Mark began, the name rolling off his tongue and subsequently the pain lessened ever so slightly. The elder was slightly taken back by what had happened, yet it cause a small wave of happiness to wash over him.

"Donghyuck-ah," the pain lessened yet again. Mark's blistered hand now tightly gripped Haechan's.

"Donghyuckie," Mark smiled. The pain was still far from bearable, but the more he said it, the more his mind was at ease, the more he could tolerate it.

Mark brought Haechan's hand up to his lips, pressing a kiss onto the back of the younger's hand, his lips lighting up like fire at the contact, but he couldn't care less. He moved their hands to his chest, holding Donghyuck's hand there with a pained smile.

"My sweet Donghyuckie," Mark said softly, "you can't be here, you can't be near me, please."

"I know, I just really want to."

"...you could be with-"

"I don't want anyone else."

Mark chuckled, brushing his thumb across his hand, "why do you want the things you can't have?"

"I'm a brat, you see," Haechan joked with a grin. Mark shut his eyes tightly, unconsciously squeezing Haechan's hand. Haechan panicked, mumbling an apology, letting his face fall into neutrality.

"it's fine," Mark nodded. His head swayed as they spoke, and Mark wasn't sure he could hold on any longer.

"Haechan," he addressed the male, the name making him want to itch yet again, "I need to go."

Haechan sighed, his face falling to a frown and Mark wished he could take it back. The young boy nodded at him, slipping his hand out of Mark's and standing up, walking back to his window. Mark watched him as he opened up his window and climbed back in. Haechan turned around, his eyes droopy and glistening as if he were about to cry. "Bye, hyung," the boy waved.

Mark waved back slowly, a soft sad look mirroring Haechan's reflected in his own face as Haechan closed his blinds.

"Bye...Haechanie."

Mark stuttered out a sigh, standing up and walking over to his own window, climbing through as he clutched his hand.

It was bad. It was really really bad.

Mark's hand and part of his arm had broken into hives and blisters, his skin crackled and bleeding in some areas. From a simple touch, Mark had basically deformed his hand, not to mention the eruption of red spots and bumps across his chest and arms, his face practically on fire as it burned through the layers of his skin.

Mark choked, tears starting to fall freely from the pain in his chest. Not even the damn hives and blisters compared to the ache he felt, his whole consciousness sinking to pits of hell, whom which Mark sank with to his floor.

"Hyung," Mark called out miserably, hoping and praying Taeyong could hear his desperate call.

"Yeah?" Taeyong yelled back out from across the hall.

"Please," Mark sobbed, "please help."

Not even a second Taeyong had sprinted down, bolting through the door to find the boy on the floor, clutching at his hand.

"Minhyungie, what happened, what did you do?" Taeyong rushed over, bringing Mark into his chest.

"I..." Mark cut himself off, just sinking into Taeyong, "Hyung, I can't go to school tomorrow."

Taeyong carefully examined Mark's battered hand, "no you can't."

"Hyung, it hurts so much," Mark whimpered quietly, his consciousness fading.

"I know, Minnie, I know," Taeyong rubbed his back as he took his phone out from his pocket. He shot a text to Jeno, asking him to bring Mark's medication.

"Hyung," Mark whined, slowly blacking out in Taeyong's chest. He brushed his free hand across his own chest, clutching at the fabric of his shirt. "It hurts so much."

And with that, Mark passed out.