ғᴀʟʟ | ᴍᴀʀᴋʜʏᴜᴄᴋ

ғɪᴠᴇ

The sound of Donghyuck sobbing rang through everyone's ears and they stood by his door, shocked and extremely confused as to why he was crying. Yuta, the one who realised it was his fault, quickly rushed forwards, dropping down to his knees and ran a hand into Donghyuck's hair, patting it down softly and apologised. Donghyuck slowly raised his head up, only to see everyone in the apartment cramped up by the door, staring down at him with a look that he couldn't understand.

Were they pitying him? Perhaps they were glaring at him for ruining their fun. Thinking like that, Donghyuck ducked his head down, shaking it and dismissed the fact that he was crying.

"Don't apologise, I just missed you," Donghyuck lied, tucking himself in the blankets and hoped his lie went unnoticed (which it didn't because of the scoff he heard - who he assumes is Johnny). 

"You sure?" Yuta questioned, running a hand through Donghyuck's hair as the frown only deepened.

"I'm sure," Donghyuck nodded, wiping roughly at his eyes. Why did he always have to be such a killjoy? First, with his humourless jokes, now with his annoying whining.

"Can I talk to you, Donghyuck?" Johnny asked from behind Yuta, his eyes piercing down at the younger when he tugged the blanket off his face. Donghyuck didn't know how to refuse. "Can you all leave?"

Yuta glanced at Donghyuck one last time before getting up from his position on the ground. He pat Donghyuck's arm once again, another apology stringing out of him as he turned to leave the room. By the time he stepped out, everyone had left and returned to whatever they were doing before. Donghyuck felt guilty for wanting them to stay for longer.

"Donghyuck, what was that?" Johnny took a seat on the bed and softly took his hand in his own. "Clearly that wasn't only because you missed him."

"It was!" Donghyuck shook his head, a faint smile on his face. "I just missed him, I really did."

"What did he say to you?" Johnny chose to ignore Donghyuck's constant denial. "What was he apologising for?"

"Nothing! He just made a joke and thought I cried because of that," Donghyuck squeezed Johnny's hand to reassure him, but the older didn't look pleased.

"What was the joke?"

"Can you stop interrogating me?" Donghyuck finally snapped. "I thought you were going to talk to me, but instead you're just throwing questions at me."

"I'm just trying to make sure you're okay, Hyuck," Johnny answered, sighing when Donghyuck tried to pull his hand away from him. "Listen, why don't you come out and sit with us for a while, hm? We were thinking of ordering some food, we can get some for you as well."

So only when they thought of food did they think of Donghyuck. He could feel his stomach twisting because of how hungry he was, but he couldn't just agree so easily. Johnny would know he's hungry despite eating not long ago.

"I'm fine here," Donghyuck tried one last time to pull away, but Johnny was having none of it.

"You're coming out with me right now or else." Johnny threw the blankets off of Donghyuck and scooped him into his arms, carefully angling his leg so that he didn't get hurt. "I'm going go carry you out."

"Johnny! Stop, I can walk!" Donghyuck clutched onto Johnny's neck as he opened the door — with much difficulty — and then led him to the living room (which Donghyuck missed sitting in). Donghyuck's heart dropped at the thought that Johnny could tell how much weight he gained.  "You can put me down now."

"Wait," Johnny said as he raised his foot and kicked Jaemin's leg. "Let Hyuck sit here, the angle will be better for his leg."

Jaemin glanced up before jumping off the seat, bowing down dramatically to allow Donghyuck go sit.

"You okay, little baby?" Jaemin cooed and pinched his cheek.

"I'm not a baby," Donghyuck grumbled, but allowed Jaemin to continue playing with him. He liked the attention especially after being starved for nearly a whole week.

The rest of them in the room were deciding on which place to order from when Donghyuck caught Mark's eyes. The older was staring at him from afar, a strange look on his face. Was he judging Donghyuck? He knew he wasn't quite the sight, but that didn't mean Mark could judge him so openly.

Donghyuck wrapped an arm around himself and sucked his stomach in (which wasn't even necessary, his shirt was loose enough to hang off his shoulders). What was wrong with Mark?

-

"Do you need help?" Mark asked once everyone had gone back to their house or room. After they all ate and watched a movie together, everyone had hurried back to get some rest. Donghyuck was left in the living room, forcing him to try and pull himself up from the sofa.

"Yeah," Donghyuck gulped and held a hand out to Mark, who immediately accepted it and pulled him close. Their intimacy made Donghyuck's breath hitch and heart beat faster, but he tried his best to not show how affected he was.

Mark gently took a hold of his hand and guided him through the room, his head lowered as he followed Donghyuck's footsteps. From days of not speaking, Mark was suddenly by his side again? Was he not put off by Donghyuck's weight? Was he still Donghyuck's friend? Did he still care about him?

"You're thinking too loud," Mark said as he opened the door to Donghyuck's room. "What's wrong?"

"Mark," Donghyuck called out softly once he took a seat on his bed. Mark kneeled down in front of him. "Why were you avoiding me these past few days?"

"I wasn't avoiding you," Mark averted his eyes to the ground and chewed on his lip. He was lying. But for what reason? Was Donghyuck correct in the end? Was Mark avoiding him because he was too much?

"Don't lie," Donghyuck cursed internally when his voice came out as more of a whine than a demand. "You didn't answer my texts properly, never called back, didn't even come to my room. What did I do wrong, Mark? Did I do something? Is it because I'm injured? Is it because I'm —" fat?

Donghyuck doesn't get to finish his sentence before Mark envelopes him in a hug.

"Hyuck, you didn't do anything wrong," Mark said against his shoulder. "It was just— I just—I asked Johnny what I should do to help you, but he told me you needed your space. That you needed time to recover. So I assumed me distancing myself from you would be the best way to give you space."

"That's stupid!" Donghyuck pushed Mark away from himself, but immediately regretted it when he saw hurt flash across the older's face. He didn't want to make Mark mad at him. Especially not when they were talking their issues out. "Why would I need space? Why would Johnny even tell you something as stupid as that?"

"It wasn't just Johnny," Mark flinched. "Everyone told me I was being too much. They told me not to push you into talking to me, or staying with me."

"But I needed you the most, Mark," Donghyuck grabbed Mark's hands and ours him forwards. "I don't care what they said. You're my best friend and if I'm injured and unable to move properly, I need my best friend to be with me. You weren't being too much, you were being enough. You were being perfect."

Mark tightened his grip on Donghyuck and shook his head.

"But they said—"

"I don't care what they said," Donghyuck huffed out and pulled Mark even closer. "What did you want to do?"

"Be near you and make sure you were safe," Mark whispered. Donghyuck let go of the breath he didn't know he was holding. Mark wasn't angry at him. Mark didn't hate him. Mark cared about him. He did, he cared. He wanted to take care of Donghyuck, but was worried he was being too clingy, too attached. That was exactly what Donghyuck wanted.

"And what do you think I want?" Donghyuck leaned in and bumped his forehead with Marks.

"For me to stay with you?" Mark looked at him with expectation and Donghyuck smiled.

"And what do you think I want right now?" Donghyuck continued. Mark swallowed loudly before answering.

"For me to stay with you right now?" Donghyuck nodded and Mark smiled shyly. "With a hug?"

A thought crossed Donghyuck's mind, but before he let it linger for too long, he said,

"Please."