Black and Blue | Markmin

𝙵𝚘𝚛𝚝𝚢-𝚘𝚗𝚎.

And then Winter Break was over and everything seemed to click back into place as if it never stopped. Gears fitting together, rusted with age but grooves ingrained into the metal that were perfectly made to keep everything running like clockwork.

It was January now, and technically winter was really just beginning; although, it seemed very much like the season had already gone and went. It was like a lull between winter and spring, but the cold weather would still come in it's unwelcomed chill and Mark would have to grab his coat off of the hanger by his home's doorway.

Yes. His home. Not Jaemin's home; not Jaemin's apartment; not Jaemin's kitchen. It was his too now, and Jaemin had been very adamant about that fact early this morning when Mark had made the mistake of referring to it as 'Jaemin's bedroom'.

"No you dumbo, it's both of our bedroom!" Jaemin had protested, frowning so that wrinkles caressed his forehead in an affectionate manner, "This is your home now, and don't you forget it."

It had warmed Mark's heart to say the absolute least.

He was absolutely obsessed with Jaemin. And the validation that he got from the other - that he actually belonged somewhere - make his chest loosen and he felt light on his feet. The more time he spent with the pink-haired boy, the more he found himself falling deeper and deeper in love. Mark had even put the ring that Jaemin gave him on a necklace so that he could hide it in public but still wear it all the time.

But the warmth that kept Mark fueled and happy had dissipated as soon as they left their house at staggered times, still desperate not to be found out or associated with each other at school. The announcement had worried them, and it had spent many an hour stuck in their head. Plaguing them with unneeded stress when they were just trying to figure out how to survive and best love each other.

Mark wanted the world to stop, he found, as he stepped onto the school's property. He wished that winter break had lasted longer. That he got another hour in Jaemin's arms. That he had another day of lazing about and drinking hot chocolate and relishing in Jaemin's stunning warmth and beauty. That he could spend another moment with Jaemin's lips pressed against his.

The world was cruel; leaving Jaemin's side was crueler.

Oh Mark could just see the look on Jaemin's face if he saw him fishing a cigarette out of his pocket and his fingers fumbling clumsily with his lighter. Renjun waved at him from near the school building, a cigarette already placed between his best friend's lips as they pulled upwards into a smile.

"Hey Mark, surprised you ended up coming in today," was Renjun's greeting as Mark held the lit cigarette in his mouth and put away the enabling appliances, an arm being thrown around Mark's shoulders.

"And why, my dear friend, is that surprising?" Mark raised his eyebrows and took a long, relishing drag of his own personal addiction. It had been a bit. Jaemin was usually on his case. And, yes, he did feel bad for smoking when the younger would be showing up minutes later. But he still struggled, and Jaemin knew that, and Mark was stressed. That was all. He just wanted to relieve himself of some stress before an even more stressful day.

"Well I bet Jaemin's side was warm an-"

Smack.

"Jeez, okay, I get it," Renjun muttered, rubbing the back of his head indignantly and giving Mark the stink eye, Mark looking away in retaliation to the boy's chiding and teasing remark. The courtyard was full. Students maybe eager to see one another again after a long time away from one another. "Speaking of, where is he?"

Mark turned, frowning and looking at Renjun as if he had grown a third head. "So do you want us to be caught or?" Renjun let his mouth drop open in an 'o' shape, his eyes shining with realization and he laughed lightly.