𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗠𝗘𝗠𝗘 𝗚𝗥𝗢𝗨𝗣. ❥ nct oneshots.

johnmark | something in the water (ii)

read part i first!

THE PART II YALL WERE WAITING FOR

(ꕥ)

"mark, you're–"

"leave me alone," mark snapped, pulling at his shirt.

"you could've at least said something."

"i don't need to bother people with myself."

"but mark–" the older cut himself off as he slipped a hand under mark's shirt, the latter feeling his fingers run over each individual rib that he had.

"listen, johnny–"

"yes mark. i will listen." the other pulled away back to his spot. "i want the whole story, start to finish."

"i don't have to tell you anything i don't want to!" mark was raising his voice, but had brought it back to a normal pitch by the end of his sentence.

bad things would always happen if he raised his voice.

"mark, this is for your well-being–"

"well i–" at this point, mark just wanted to go back. scream. just not be here.

ten, who'd been watching this from the bathroom doorway, couldn't decided if he should re-enter the room or not. he settled on entering, as it would give the two something different to focus on.

whatever happened to mark.

~

"mark?"

the boy looked up to the doorway to see johnny.

"i, uh, just wanted to apologize. you obviously aren't ready to talk about whatever happened, and–"

"i mean, you were just worried. so i forgive you." mark said shyly, a small smile spreading across his face.

johnny smiled as well, and mark nearly melted.

~

five months later

it was well into the school year by now, johnny and ten buried in university work. mark, meanwhile, had moved in with johnny's family (much to his request) and picked up a job at a small cafe.

johnny's parents were literal angels (mark's words) and mark had actually wound up giving his first paycheck to them (after them denying the need for it many, many times).

now, mark shuffled to johnny's doorway, knocking on the edge.

johnny looked up from his laptop, seeing mark.

mark panicked. "oh, sorry, was i bothering–"

"no markie, i'm not really busy." johnny moved his laptop off his bed, eagerly patting the empty space beside him.

mark waddled into the room, sitting beside johnny.

"i think i'm ready to tell you."

johnny's eyes widened, but he stayed silent, waiting for the younger to continue.

"on my eighteenth birthday, my parents kicked me out.

it was for two things– one, they thought i was a disappointment for wanting to do music, and two, i'm gay." he realized he hadn't given this information to johnny before, but continued nonetheless.

"they all hated me, and i ended up moving in with my friend kevin. he and his family took care of me, like you guys are now.

even then– my parents would still contact me to say that i was, well, worthless."

this was the part that mark had to stay strong for.

"if i was worthless, then i was just a waste of space. and i thought that maybe if i didn't eat, i would take up less space, and just disappear."

mark pulled up his hoodie just a bit, where you could see the lines of his ribs were still there, but much less prominent.

"and i did. i started disappearing– first i got... skinnier... and then i actually left a few days before you found me.

i used the little cash i had to get food, and i was near here the night you found me.

i was writing by the water, and i had just finished up, so i put my things inside my box and just placed it next to me.

the waves drenched me, and i didn't notice my box was gone until i saw it in the water.

i jumped in after it and grabbed it, but i was so light, the waves carried me out. and i couldn't see anything, as it was so dark.

my muscles started to wear out and i tried swimming towards the only light i could see– ten's summer home. and if you hadn't saved me, i probably would've been done for."

as mark finished his story, tears started to cascade down his cheeks. he wiped at them hastily, not wanting the older of the two to see, but it was too late.

once one tears fell, it turned into another, which turned into almost a whole stream.

johnny held mark closely, the younger's tears staining the other's shirt, but he didn't care. that story would've had to be a lot for mark.

"hey, markie," johnny whispered softly as the aforementioned sobbed into his chest.

"i won't leave you. ever."

TO BE CONTINUED

***

in the next part of this ten is gonna be a jerk

but that's in a while like there's a whole kunten oneshot and nomin, sungtaro, dojae (twice) and luten twice

take a shot every time i write "doorway"

i feel like y'all will love the next os, it's a sungtaro one

kevin is kevin from tbz btw