Archive of Our Own

It was the first time Mark was finally going to meet Jeno’s famous work friend, Donghyuck. Jeno had been talking about him for months. Donghyuck this, Donghyuck that. At this point, it was almost like Mark already knew the guy without ever having actually met him.

Mark and Jeno had been friends since school, best friends actually. Neither the different career paths they’d chosen nor adulthood itself had managed to pull them apart. If anything, all the experiences they’d gone through separately had only brought them closer.

Ever since they’d gone their separate ways after high school, Mark and Jeno had made a point of introducing each other to all their new friends. They saw it as a good way to share their lives and make sure neither of them ever felt left behind.

Jeno knew Mark’s coworkers at the newspaper, Chenle and Doyoung, as well as his manager, Taeyong, who was more of a friend than a boss half the time. Mark, meanwhile, knew all of Jeno’s coworkers at the gym where he worked as a trainer: Jaemin and Jisung, who were trainers too, and Johnny, the coordinator. They’d all hung out together plenty of times by then, forming this small, chaotic, ridiculously fun group.

Today’s situation had started four months ago, when the guy who worked the front desk at the gym had quit to chase his dream of becoming an actor. Jeno’s boss had hired a new receptionist to replace him, Donghyuck.

Normally, Mark had met Jeno’s coworkers much sooner, but things had taken a little longer with Donghyuck because the guy refused to hang out with anyone from work.

Jeno was always saying Donghyuck didn’t believe in friendships between coworkers. Mark had always thought that was a stupid excuse. If the guy didn’t want to hang out with Jeno and the others, it was probably because he simply didn’t want to… not because of some strict no-friends-with-coworkers rule.

Still, Jeno never had anything but good things to say about him. He was hilarious. He acted like he didn’t care about anything, but he was actually incredibly thoughtful. He was always cracking jokes. He was good at seeing right through people… In fact, Jeno had said more than once that he couldn’t understand why Donghyuck refused to hang out outside of work when, according to him, they all acted like they’d been friends forever whenever they were at the gym.

But finally, a week ago, Donghyuck had agreed to meet up with them. So they choose next weekend at the set date.

No one really knew what had caused the sudden change of heart, but everyone was just happy that he was finally willing to take their friendship outside the workplace.

When Jeno told Mark the news, Mark’s first reaction was a little bit of dread. He’d already crossed “meeting Donghyuck” off his mental list of future social events he needed to emotionally prepare for, so the news had caught him completely off guard. But once he’d gotten over it, curiosity slowly took over.

It was the same thing that had happened with all of Jeno’s other friends he’d met over the years. Mark wasn’t exactly socially awkward. But he wasn't crazy about meeting new people either.

The plan was to grab a few beers at one of their usual spots, a bar called Cherry Bomb. They normally didn’t put much effort into what they wore when they were just going out for drinks, but since this was going to be Mark’s first impression on Donghyuck, he decided to put a little more effort into it than usual.

A white tank top with a black short-sleeved overshirt thrown over it, baggy jeans that emphasized his waist, black Vans, and freshly bleached blond hair. That was the look for the night.

Unfortunately, bleaching his hair had taken way longer than he’d expected. He was supposed to meet Jeno at 9:30 p.m. at the subway station closest to the bar, and he was already fifteen minutes late.

Mark tried to hurry as much as he could, but the subway ran on its own schedule. It took as long as it took, and there wasn’t much he could do about it.

He’d considered getting an Uber when he left the house, but the second he saw the price, he changed his mind. Being fifteen minutes late was definitely better than spending sixty dollars on a twenty-minute ride.

As usual, Mark was on the subway headphones on, probably listening to some Frank Ocean. The train car was only half full, so he managed to grab a seat. He glanced around. An older woman. A family. A couple of groups of young people who were probably heading to the same street he was, ready to enjoy their night. And then there was this dark haired guy who caught his attention. He was standing near the doors. Slim, long-legged, with a doll-like face that looked like it had been sculpted by the gods themselves. His warm, honey-brown skin practically glowed under the harsh subway lights.

Mark stared for a few seconds longer than he probably should have. And then, as if the guy could feel his eyes on him, he looked up. Their eyes met but Mark immediately looked down at his phone. He pretended to be scrolling, even though he hadn’t actually read a single thing on the screen. After a few seconds, he glanced up again. The other guy was already looking at him. Their eyes met for a second time. This time, neither of them looked away right away. It was brief, barely a couple of seconds, but long enough for Mark to feel something twist pleasantly in his stomach.

Then the guy looked away, turning his attention toward the window as if nothing had happened. Mark smiled to himself before he could stop it. Of course he wasn't the only one staring.

Anyways, he tried to focus on something else. His phone. The window. The advertisements. Literally anything except that guy. The last thing he needed was to become that creepy dude on the train who stared at strangers.

Still, his eyes kept drifting back to him every now and then. And a couple of times, he caught the guy looking back. Each time, Mark pretended not to notice. But, each time, the corner of his mouth threatened to curl into a smile.

When Mark reached his stop, he noticed the other guy was getting off too, along with the groups of young people he’d correctly guessed were heading to the same area.

Mark let everyone else get off before him. That way, he could put some distance between himself and the other guy and avoid giving the impression that he was following him or, God forbid, trying to figure out where he was going.

It didn’t take long for him to lose sight of the guy. For a few seconds, Mark mourned his brief train crush. Then he remembered he had somewhere to be so he pulled out his phone again and opened his chat with Jeno.

me

arriving dude

where are u

jeno

at the main door

im here with donghyuck

Embarrassment washed over Mark as soon as he read the message. Not only had he kept his friend waiting for twenty minutes, but he’d also kept the special guest of the night waiting.

He picked up the pace, mentally regretting every single decision he’d made that afternoon. Suddenly, bleaching his hair was starting to feel like the dumbest idea in the world. Ruining whatever good first impression you could’ve made on someone just because you wanted freshly dyed hair had to be, like, top five stupidest decisions of his entire life.

Jeno’s friend was going to think he was rude, chronically late, and, on top of all that, that his hair doesn’t even look that cool.

Worried, Mark finally lifted his eyes from the ground, trying to spot his friend. The entrance was pretty crowded, so it took him a few seconds to find Jeno among all the people. But when he finally did, his stomach dropped. For a moment, Mark thought he was mistaken. Maybe it was just a coincidence. Maybe that person had simply stopped to ask Jeno something. But the way they were talking made it impossible to keep lying to himself. No fucking way. Was the insanely attractive guy he’d just shared a subway ride with actually Jeno’s famous coworker? The very same guy he was supposed to meet tonight? No. Absolutely not. Please, God, somebody tell him that wasn't him.

Mark slowed down, still holding onto the tiny hope that the stranger would leave before he reached them. Of course, that didn’t happen. When Mark finally stopped in front of them, he couldn’t bring himself to look the stranger in the eyes.

Donghyuck, on the other hand, looked him up and down with a knowing, mischievous grin stretched across his face. “Look who decided to show up.” he murmured.

“Hey, Mark!” Jeno greeted him with his usual warm smile.

“Hey…” Mark replied, trying, and failing miserably, to hide how uncomfortable he was.

“This is Donghyuck, the coworker I’ve told you so much about.” Jeno turned toward Donghyuck. “Hyuck, this is Mark, my best friend.”

In an attempt to keep things from getting awkward, Mark held out his hand.

“Nice to meet you.” he mumbled, barely loud enough to hear.

Donghyuck still hadn’t stopped smiling. He glanced down at Mark’s hand, then back up at him. This time, he gave him a crooked smile. “Likewise.” He held Mark’s hand for a second longer than necessary before finally letting go. Then he started walking. “Come on, let’s go. We’re already late because of our friend Mark.”

“But you were late too!” Mark shot back, immediately following after him.

Jeno looked between the two of them, confused. How the hell did Mark know Donghyuck had been late?

When Donghyuck didn’t respond to the accusation, Mark tried again. “Are you even listening? It’s not all my fault.”

If Donghyuck hadn’t been walking ahead of them, they would’ve seen the playful smile spreading across his lips.

“You guys knew each other already?” Jeno asked, clearly confused.

And that was when Mark realized he’d just given himself away. “No…” he answered hesitantly.

“Then how did you know he was late too?”

Donghyuck turned around to face them, still walking backward. “That’s right, Markie. Why don’t you tell us how you know I was la—”

He never got to finish. Mark grabbed him by the arm and pulled him to the side. “Watch where you’re going. You almost ran into that old lady.” Donghyuck looked toward where Mark was pointing. An older woman with a seriously pissed-off expression was staring at him while shaking her head. Donghyuck gave her a small, apologetic bow before turning his attention back to Mark.

“Anyway…” His smile returned. “Where were we?” He paused dramatically. “Oh, right. Why you knew I was late.”

“That conversation ended like five minutes ago.” Mark said flatly.

“But I wanna know.” Jeno whined in his best puppy voice.

“Well, if Mark doesn’t wanna tell you, I will.” Donghyuck grinned. “See, I was just minding my own business on the subway when suddenly I noticed two very intense ey—”

“OH MY GOD, THAT IS NOT WHAT HAPPENED!” Mark protested.

“Well, that's how I remember it.” Donghyuck’s grin widened. “You were practically eating me alive with your eyes.”

“What?” Jeno's eyes widened.

“It wasn't like that.” Mark quickly defended himself. “I was looking around the subway, and then, when I happened to look at Donghyuck, he looked back at me. That's it. It was a coincidence.” He tried to sound as confident as possible, hoping his voice wouldn't betray how mortified he was.

“And the second time?” Donghyuck asked.

“OH MY GOD! YOU WERE LOOKING AT ME!” Mark screamed.

Jeno was having the time of his life. He’d had a feeling things would go like this from the moment he decided to introduce them, but he hadn’t expected it to happen this fast.

Donghyuck was a natural instigator, and Mark was ridiculously easy to rile up. Jeno had always figured they’d end up arguing at some point during the night. He just hadn’t expected it to happen within five minutes of meeting each other.

“God forbid a poor guy just wants to have a little fun.” Donghyuck said, bringing his wrists together like he was being arrested.

“So you admit it. You were looking at me.” Mark pointed at him.

“No. I didn't exactly say that.”

“Jeno, he totally admitted it, right?” Mark looked to his best friend for backup.

Jeno immediately raised both hands. “Nope. Not getting involved.”

“Come on! You literally just said it!” Mark insisted, desperate to justify himself now that Donghyuck had thrown himself under the bus.

“I said it was fun.” Donghyuck corrected him. “I never said I was the one who started it. Those are two very different things.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Donghyuck picked up his pace. They were almost at the bar. Mark almost kept arguing, but eventually gave up. He simply walked through the door Donghyuck had opened for him. Donghyuck was still holding it open, a smug little smile on his face as Mark walked past. As soon as they walked in, they spotted Johnny and Jaemin already waiting for them at the table, each with a beer in hand. A full one. So probably their second.

“Well, look who finally decided to show up.” Johnny said as the three of them approached the table.

“It was Mark’s fault.” Jeno said with a playful grin.

“Ugh, don’t.” Mark muttered under his breath as Donghyuck laughed.

“What happened, Mark?” Jaemin asked innocently. “Does it have something to do with the fresh blonde look you’re sporting?”

“Yeah, actually. I got distracted bleaching it and completely lost track of time.” Mark squeezed onto the bench next to Jaemin.

As he sat down, he caught Donghyuck smiling to himself before taking the seat directly across from him.

Jeno, meanwhile, waited until Johnny moved to the head of the table before taking his spot beside Donghyuck, passing above him.

“Looks really good on you.” Johnny said. “I’ve always said blond should be your natural color.”

“What’s your natural hair color?” Donghyuck asked.

“Black.”

“Mmh. Makes sense. But I like it like this. Looks cool.” Donghyuck replied casually.

Still, Mark felt the back of his neck getting warm. “Thanks.” he said simply.

Donghyuck flashed him a wide, toothy smile. Mark shook his head with a laugh. Just then, a server came over to take their orders, and the three of them added beers to what their friends already had.

“So, how’s work been lately, Mark?” Johnny asked once the server had walked away.

“Good. Exhausting, mostly. Election season always turns everything into complete chaos.” Just talking about work made Mark’s eyes feel tired.

“What do you do?” Donghyuck asked.

The question caught Mark off guard. He figured Jeno had already told him. Everyone was always saying Jeno talked about him nonstop, so Mark had assumed Donghyuck already knew.

“I tell you, like, four times a day that he’s a journalist, Hyuck.” Jeno complained. “That’s how much you listen to me.”

“Ugh, Jeno! You always ruin my fun!” Donghyuck whined even louder. “Of course I remembered. I just wanted him to tell me himself.”

Mark couldn’t help but find that kind of cute. It was always nice when someone you’d just met actually seemed interested in getting to know you. It wasn’t like Jaemin or Johnny hadn’t cared about getting to know him. They had. But both of them had avoided asking personal questions that Jeno had already answered for him. But Mark preferred it that way. If someone knew things about him, he wanted it to be because he’d chosen to tell them, not because someone else had done it for him.

“So, Mark.” Donghyuck asked again. “What do you do?”

“I’m a writer at Neo News. It’s a relatively new digital newspaper, but it’s growing really fast, so there’s a lot of work.” As Mark spoke, he watched Donghyuck’s expression shift. First, interest. Then, surprise.

“No way…” Donghyuck’s mouth formed a huge O.

“What?” Mark asked, confused.

Donghyuck looked around the table at everyone else. “Why has nobody told me about Neo News?”

Johnny and Jaemin stared at him like they had no idea what he was talking about. Apparently, this was the kind of information they didn’t consider particularly relevant.

“I did, actually. You just never listen, Hyuck.” Jeno complained.

“He probably mentioned it while you were busy playing LoL at work.” Johnny added jokingly.

“You play LoL at work?” Mark asked, raising an eyebrow.

“You have no idea how boring working the front desk at a gym can be.” Donghyuck defended himself.

“Yeah, especially when you refuse to actually do your job.” Jaemin muttered.

“That’s not the point.” Donghyuck waved him off, completely dismissing the comment before turning his attention back to Mark. “The point is, you work at Neo News.”

“Yeah. So what?” Mark asked, already getting tired of Donghyuck’s vague rambling.

“My best friend works there.” Donghyuck paused dramatically, drawing everyone’s attention even though they were already listening. “Doyoung.”

“Bullshit.”

“Your best friend is Doyoung?”

“I refuse to believe that.”

Johnny, Jeno, and Jaemin, in that orden, spoke almost simultaneously.

Donghyuck, however, was only watching Mark’s reaction.

“What?” Mark finally managed after getting over his initial shock. “Donyou… Doyoung-hyung is your best friend?”

“Apparently, that’s hard to believe.” Donghyuck pretended to look offended, but this was actually the reaction he got from pretty much everyone whenever they found out, and he found it hilarious.

“I mean… Wow. Like yeah then I heard about you like… a lot really… but it’s hard to believe... you two are kind of… different.” Mark rambled.

“What do you mean?” Donghyuck knew exactly what he meant. But getting people to list all the ways Doyoung was responsible, shy, and sweet compared to him always made them nervous, and Donghyuck loved making people nervous. He looked at Mark with the biggest puppy eyes he could manage, waiting for his answer.

“Well, Doyoung-hyung is really kind, he cares about people, he’s responsible…” Mark paused, looking Donghyuck up and down. “And you seem kind of… annoying.”

Donghyuck definitely hadn’t expected that answer. Mark hadn’t even hesitated. That almost never happened to him. Usually, people would get nervous under his stare or backtrack once they realized what they were saying. But this wasn’t going to stop him. Donghyuck leaned back against the couch.

“So you think I’m annoying, Markie…” His voice was teasing. “And here I was thinking we might actually get somewhere.” His gaze was suggestive, never leaving Mark’s eyes as he spoke.

“In your dreams.” Mark replied, doing his best to sound completely nonchalant. The implication behind Donghyuck’s words had done things to him that he absolutely did not want to think about out loud.

“Okay…” Jeno suddenly stood up. “Mark, let’s go get another round.”

“But I’m sure a server will come by.” For some reason Mark didn’t want to examine too closely, he really didn’t want to leave the table right then.

“I don’t think so. It’s getting pretty crowded in here. Give it another few minutes and this place is gonna turn into a dance floor.”

Mark couldn’t figure out why Jeno was insisting so much. He had a feeling his friend was trying to get him away from the situation, but honestly, Mark was perfectly fine. Still, he decided to go along with it if it meant getting Jeno to stop insisting.

“Okay. Let’s go.” he said, getting up.

“I’m coming too!” Donghyuck announced.

“No. You’re staying here.” Jeno said.

“But there are four hands and five beers. You need one more person.”

Unfortunately for Jeno, Donghyuck had a point. Still, Jeno was determined not to let him come along. There were a few things he needed to talk to Mark about, and Donghyuck absolutely did not need to hear them.

“Jaemin’s coming.”

As Jaemin got up, a quiet, “You’re so boring,” could be heard from Donghyuck’s side of the table.

Once they’d gotten a little farther away, Jaemin reached for Jeno’s hand to get his attention. “I’m gonna hit the bathroom. I’ll be right back and help carry the beers.”

Jeno smiled and gave his hand a little squeeze. “Thanks.”

Jaemin walked away after giving him a quick wink. Anyone else might have been surprised by the interaction, but not Mark. He knew Jeno and Jaemin had a way of communicating without actually saying anything. They understood each other better than anyone. Obviously, Jaemin had picked up on the fact that Jeno wanted to talk to Mark alone.

When they reached the bar, Mark and Jeno leaned against it while they waited for someone to take their order. That was when Jeno finally spoke.

“Is he making you uncomfortable?” he asked, sounding genuinely concerned.

“Who?” Mark played dumb.

“Donghyuck, Mark. Who else?”

“Oh. No. Why?” Mark kept up the act.

“I don't know… Maybe he came on a little strong.” Jeno sighed. “He’s just like that. He likes messing with people, and you get riled up pretty easily. I thought it’d be funny, but after the face you made back there, I started wondering if maybe he was making you uncomfortable…” The last thing Jeno wanted was for his special guest to ruin the night for his best friend. He’d genuinely thought the two of them would get along. Maybe he’d just misread their chemistry.

As soon as he heard Jeno’s words Mark chuckled.

Jeno couldn’t believe his eyes. Was he laughting at him? For getting worried?

“I was getting hard.” Mark said with a blank face now.

Jeno couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “What?”

“A boner, Jeno. I was getting hard under the table” Mark chuckled again. “That’s way I made a weird face.”

Jeno started laughing along with his friend. He couldn’t believe he’d read the situation so completely wrong. “So I got literally everything wrong…”

“Pretty much.” Mark said, still smiling.

“So you like him?” Jeno asked, genuinely curious.

“I’ve known him for, like, an hour. I wouldn’t say I like him…” Mark paused. “Am I attracted to him? Yeah, obviously. But like I told you, I’m not looking for anything with anyone. I just wanna keep things chill and do my own thing. I don’t need to get myself into some kind of mess.”

“You don’t even know if he’s gonna be a mess, Mark.” Jeno looked at him, exasperated.

“You saw him? His a problem with legs. Pretty long legs.” Mark pointed out.

“Oh my God, Mark! You’re disgusting.”

“He’s a menace, Jeno.” Mark insisted.

“Okay, whatever you say. But I don’t know how long you’re gonna be able to keep that up…” Jeno wondered out loud. He knew his friend and there is no way Mark could keep it in this pants around someone like Donghyuck more than two weeks. Impossible, just by the way he was talking about him right now.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Mark looked offended.

“With a face like that I doubt you can keep your dick in your pants more than two weeks.” Jeno finally spoke up his mind.

“God dammit, Jeno. It seems like you want to fuck him yourself.” Mark cried out.

Just then, they saw Jaemin coming back. Jeno looked him up and down while Mark watched him.

“I don’t need it to.” Jeno said, turning back to his friend.

“No way…” Mark muttered under his breath.

But they couldn’t keep talking. Jaemin had already reached them and was grabbing the beers so they could head back to the table.

Jeno laughed at the look of disbelief on his friend’s face and gave a small shake of his head, silently letting him know he’d tell him later.

Getting back to their table took a little longer than expected because, just as Jeno had predicted, the entire bar had already turned into a dance floor. When they finally made it back, Johnny and Donghyuck were so caught up in a funny conversation that they barely noticed them until they were practically standing right over them.

“Took you long enough.” Johnny said.

“Yeah, well, look what happened to the place.” Jeno said, shooting Mark a quick glance.

Mark sat down without saying a word. Jeno had taken the seat next to Jaemin, which left Mark with no choice but to sit beside Donghyuck.

The five of them fell into an easy conversation, but, as always happened when most of the people in a group worked together, it eventually drifted toward work.

It wasn’t that Mark found it boring. Quite the opposite. He actually liked listening to his friends tell stories, share funny moments, gossip about whatever had happened that week. After spending so much time hearing about the gym, he practically knew everyone there by name; the employees, the regular customers, even the owner. It was almost like he worked there himself. Sometimes, though, the conversation could get a little exhausting. At the end of the day, he didn’t actually work there.

“So you’re friends with Doyoung.” Mark had been lost in his own thoughts, so he hadn’t even noticed Donghyuck turning toward him.

“Huh? Yeah. Pretty good friends.” Mark replied, slightly caught off guard by the question.

“Kind of crazy that, out of every place in the world, you ended up working at the same place as my best friend.”

“Yeah, it is.” Mark agreed.

“So then…” Donghyuck tilted his head. “Has he ever talked about me?”

Mark wasn’t sure whether he was just trying to keep the conversation going or if he was genuinely curious.

“Yeah, actually. A lot.” Mark nodded. “When you guys went to Jeju, when you go karaoke, the places you go out to eat… Stuff like that.”

“Hopefully he didn’t tell you anything bad about me.” Donghyuck laughed.

“What kind of best friend would he be if he went around telling people bad things about you?” Mark wondered.

“Jeno does it all the time.” Donghyuck put on his most innocent face and pointed at Jeno. Donghyuck looked completely innocent, but Mark could tell he was messing with him.

“I’m sure he does.” He said inorically.

“I swear.” Donghyuck quickly searched his brain for a believable scenario—something that could happen to pretty much anyone—and decided to take a shot.

“Like that time you got so drunk you almost got into a fight. He always says he was mortified that night.”

Mark’s eyes went wide. “JENO!”

The other three turned toward Mark, startled by his sudden outburst.

Donghyuck remained perfectly calm, although he was clearly having the time of his life.

“So… you have done something like that?” he asked, laughing.

Mark stared at him in complete disbelief, still trying to figure out what the hell was going on. The other three quickly realized it was just one of Donghyuck’s games and went back to their conversation. Donghyuck laughed even harder, clearly pleased with himself.

“I just made that up. Jeno would never say anything like that about you. He’s always talking you up. It’s like he’s in love with you.”

“Jeno talks everyone up.” Mark said, slightly flushed by the compliment.

“Sure. I bet he doesn’t say that much about me, though.”

“He actually does,” Mark said. “Not very accurate, if you ask me.”

Donghyuck was about to open his mouth, either to complain or keep messing with Mark. They would never know because Jaemin suddenly stood up, gesturing for everyone to get off their asses and hit the dance floor.

Mark was actually a pretty good dancer, but he usually felt awkward dancing somewhere this crowded. He preferred dancing alone at home or at the studio he sometimes went to, although he hadn’t been there nearly as much since starting at Neo News. Still, when everyone else got up, he followed. He immediately started looking for somewhere he could lean against a wall and simply watch while finishing his drink.

As expected, Jeno joined him, while the other three started showing off their best moves.

It didn’t take long for Mark to get completely distracted by Donghyuck. He watched the way he moved, the subtle sway of his hips matching the beat. Sexy without being vulgar. Mesmerizing.

“Nice view.” Jeno’s voice snapped him out of his trance.

“Yeah… definitely.” Mark kept his eyes on Donghyuck for a few more seconds before finally looking at his friend.

Now that they were alone, it was the perfect opportunity to pick up the conversation they’d left unfinished. “So…” Mark gave Jeno an accusing look. “You and Jaemin. What’s going on there?”

“Familiarity breeds affection.” Jeno said plantly.

“Please, Jeno. You’re so boring.” Mark pouted. “Give me something. You don’t have to tell me the whole story.”

Jeno laughed at his friend’s expression. “You already know I noticed him the day he started at the gym. I’m not exactly great at flirting, so I just stayed close and waited to see if he’d make a move.” Jeno paused. “And, well… Tuesday happened.”

“At the gym?” Mark nearly choked.

“Speak for yourself, Virgin Mary.” They both burst out laughing. Mark knew neither of them was exactly innocent, but he’d never imagined Jeno would be bold enough to actually make a move at work.

“I’m happy for you, man. So how’s it going?” Mark asked, wanting to know whether this was something serious or just a hookup.

“You know. Just going with the flow. That kind of thing.” Halfway through his sentence, Jeno stopped looking at Mark and turned his attention toward the dance floor. “The worst part is, since we haven’t put a label on anything, I feel kind of guilty when I do stuff like this. But that’s what happens when you’re into a guy like Jaemin.” As soon as he finished speaking, Jeno set his beer down on the table they’d been leaning against and started walking toward the dance floor.

A guy had approached Jaemin and looked like he was flirting with him.

Mark didn’t worry about it. He knew Jeno wasn’t going to make a scene. He’d probably just politely ask the guy to back off and, as usually happened when people got a good look at Jeno’s muscles, the guy would leave.

“I thought you’d be more fun, Markie.” Mark heard Donghyuck’s voice to his right. With everything going on, he hadn’t even noticed the dark-haired man had moved beside him.

“And why exactly am I not fun?” Mark asked, amused.

“Because you’re not dancing!” Donghyuck sounded genuinely offended.

Mark gave him a half-smile. “You wanna see me dance?”

Donghyuck enthusiastically nodded.

Mark grabbed Donghyuck by the wrist and pulled him around, bringing him closer. Donghyuck’s back was now pressed completely against Mark’s chest, and Mark’s hand resting against his stomach kept him from pulling away. “You’re gonna have to do something interesting if you want me to feel like dancing,” Mark murmured into his ear.

Donghyuck swallowed hard, trying not to think about how obvious his racing pulse probably was beneath Mark’s hand. He turned his head, bringing his mouth close to Mark’s ear. “I don’t do anything to get a man’s attention, Markie. It just happens.” His lips lightly brushed against Mark’s ear.

“You like playing games.” Mark said with a teasing smile.

He deliberately exhaled a little harder than necessary, letting the warm breath hit Donghyuck’s neck.

Donghyuck turned his head again, this time looking directly into Mark’s eyes. “I’m not playing any games. I just don’t want a man’s attention if I have to work for it.”

Mark held his gaze until he finished speaking. Then his eyes slowly dropped to Donghyuck’s lips. He watched as Donghyuck bit down on his lower lip. Mark turned him around effortlessly and leaned toward his ear again. “We’ll see about that, pretty.” His hands settled around Donghyuck’s waist.

Then Mark pressed a soft kiss to the side of his neck before pulling away. “I’m heading out, Donghyuck. Have a good night.”

“You’re leaving?” Donghyuck asked, genuinely surprised. He silently prayed the dim lighting was enough to hide the heat rushing into his cheeks. “Like I said. Boring.” He said as confidently as possible.

“We’ll see each other around.” Mark paused for just a beat. “Or at least, I hope we do.” And with that, he turned around and walked away.

Donghyuck stood there watching him leave, a playful smile slowly spreading across his lips.

For the first time, he found himself wondering if maybe, just maybe, he’d be willing to put in a little effort to get a guy.

- ͙͘͡★

The next time Mark saw Donghyuck, it was completely unexpected.

He was working at his computer when, all of a sudden, he heard a familiar voice. Before he even had time to process it, Doyoung and Donghyuck walked through the door leading into the office where they both worked.

It was already late, around 7p.m. Just like Mark had said, election season meant they were swamped with work, and their schedules basically bent to the whims of whatever was happening in the news. Mark still had a few more hours to go.

“Let me grab my stuff and we can head out.” Doyoung said as he walked over to the computer next to Mark’s.

“Markie!” Before Mark could even answer, Donghyuck had already plopped himself down on the edge of his desk. “Well, fancy seeing you here.”

“Fancy seeing me at my own workplace?” Mark asked, making it clear that Donghyuck wasn’t going to get away with that one so easily.

“Ugh, you really know how to ruin the magic.” Donghyuck complained playfully.

“I’m gonna hit the bathroom before we go.” Doyoung announced before disappearing through the door. The two of them watched him leave, having almost completely forgotten he was even there.

“What are you doing here?” Mark asked, unable to stop himself from glancing at Donghyuck’s legs, which were now barely a foot away from his hand.

“I came to pick up Doyoung-hyung. We’re going out for dinner.” Donghyuck answered casually. Then, barely giving Mark a chance to respond, he added, “You look good in that.”

Mark was wearing a navy-blue short-sleeved polo and a pair of white dress pants. As far as he was concerned, it was just normal work clothes. Donghyuck, on the other hand, thought he looked ridiculously hot.

“You have a thing for office clothes?” Mark asked, his voice taking on a suggestive edge.

“Depends on who’s wearing them.” Donghyuck replied, running a finger along Mark’s shoulder.

“Bold.” Mark placed a hand on Donghyuck’s thigh, using it for leverage as he stood up. He leaned in dangerously close to Donghyuck’s ear. “Too bad you don’t have time for us to have a little fun.” His hand squeezed Donghyuck’s thigh, just a little harder tan necessary, before he finally pulled away and casually started making himself a cup of coffee as if nothing had happened.

That was when Doyoung reappeared. “We good to go?”

Donghyuck was grateful the heat creeping up his neck wasn’t visible. Otherwise, everyone in the office –Doyoung– would’ve known something had just happened.

Mark watched them leave with a smug, teasing smile before the two disappeared through the same door they’d come in through.

- ͙͘͡★

Even though he tried, Mark couldn’t stop thinking about Donghyuck during the two weeks they went without seeing each other. It didn’t help that Jeno kept talking about him constantly, as if Mark could somehow focus on whatever his friend was saying instead of thinking about Donghyuck’s doll face or those ridiculously long legs.

Mark had genuinely tried to get Donghyuck out of his head. But it was like the guy had rented out an entire apartment in his brain.

It had gotten so bad that Mark had even started imagining he’d seen him around the neighborhood.

Once, he thought he’d spotted him at the convenience store closest to his apartment late at night. Another time, on his way home from work. Once while taking out the trash. Another time, he could’ve sworn he’d seen him walking down the street while Mark was at the laundromat… He was pretty sure he was losing his mind.

And the weirdest part was that, while he knew he wanted to see Donghyuck again, he was also actively trying to avoid the idea. Because seeing him again would only make everything more complicated.

Mark was on his way home from work, still lost in these thoughts, when he decided to stop by the convenience store to grab something quick for dinner. Tomorrow was going to be another long day at work, and he had neither the time nor the slightest clue how to cook anything remotely decent.

He was browsing the ramen aisle when a familiar voice startled him.

“Mark?”

That couldn’t be real. His brain had to be messing with him. Why the hell couldn’t he stop thinking about this guy?

Then someone tapped him on the shoulder. “Mark?” the voice repeated.

It was real. Mark couldn’t believe it. He turned around in disbelief, only to find none other than Donghyuck standing right behind him.

“What are you doing here?” Donghyuck asked.

“Shopping. Can’t you see?” Mark said, holding up the things in his hands. “What are you doing here?”

Mark looked far more shocked than Donghyuck did. In fact, Donghyuck seemed almost amused by the whole thing. He mimicked Mark’s gesture, holding up his own groceries. “Shopping.” he said with a smug little smile.

“Yeah, I figured that out. I mean, what are you doing here? In this store?”

“It’s the closest one to my place. I come here all the time.” Donghyuck answered casually.

Mark’s eyes widened. Wait. Were they neighbors?

“Where do you live?” Mark asked abruptly, apparently unaware of how invasive the question sounded.

“Right around here. Number 127.” Donghyuck remained completely calm, unable to understand why Mark was suddenly acting so weird.

“No way…” Mark muttered, more to himself than to Donghyuck.

“What?” Donghyuck asked.

“What number?” Mark asked again.

“Don’t you think you should at least buy me dinner before trying to come over to my place?” Donghyuck teased.

“What number, Donghyuck?”

“Ugh. 758. Why are you acting so weird? What’s so shocking about it?” Donghyuck asked, already getting bored with the mystery.

“I live at 306.” Mark replied, as if that explained everything.

And, apparently, it did. The realization slowly spread across Donghyuck’s face. His previous look of indifference was replaced by pure disbelief, an expression somehow even more stunned than Mark’s had been.

“No way…” Donghyuck said, genuinely shocked. “We’re neighbors? I can’t believe this!”

“Believe it.” Mark said seriously. “I can’t believe Jeno never told me…” he added thoughtfully.

“Why would Jeno know where I live?” Donghyuck asked. “Do you think I bring every guy I meet back to my place?”

“No…” Mark answered nervously this time. “I didn’t mean it like that. I just figured since you guys work together, maybe he knew wh—”

“I was kidding, Mark.” Donghyuck rolled his eyes. Then, with a small smile, he added, “Anyway, nice meeting you, neighbor. See you around.” And with that, Donghyuck turned around and walked out of the store.

Mark stood there completely dumbfounded. So the same guy he hadn’t been able to get out of his head for the past two weeks was his neighbor. Not just someone who lived somewhere in the same neighborhood. Not even someone who lived on the same street... He lived in the same building.

Mark was in serious trouble.

- ͙͘͡★

Mark had gone over to Jeno’s place for lunch that day. He had something to cover that afternoon, so he didn’t have to be at work until later, and Jeno was working a split shift, which meant they could actually have lunch work. Normally, whenever they hung out, neither of them bothered cooking. Cooking wasn’t exactly either of their strong suits. So Mark had offered to pick up some homemade food from a place near Jeno’s apartment that they both really liked.

Once they were sitting at the table, Mark grilled his friend about the whole situation with Jaemin. Jeno had already given him a basic update over the phone, and apparently things were going pretty well, but Mark was nosy, he wanted the full story.

Once Jeno had run out of things to explain, he finally got around to what he’d actually been waiting to ask all day. “So, you guys live in the same building?”

“Don’t even get me started.” Mark answered seriously.

“Come on, man! It’s not that big of a deal.” Jeno genuinely couldn’t understand why his friend was making such a huge thing out of it.

“It’s not that big of a deal?” Mark practically exploded. “How would you feel if Jaemin lived in the same building as you, you knew you could have him, and you had to actively stop yourself from doing anything about it?”

“I don’t have as many rules as you do, Mark.” Jeno crossed his arms. “I don’t even really understand this whole celibacy thing you’ve got going on lately. Is it some kind of kink? You edging yourself?”

Mark shot his friend a pointed look which made Jeno burst out laughing. “Okay, okay, my bad. I can see the forced celibacy thing isn’t exactly working out for you.”

“Stop calling it that.” Mark pointed a finger at him. “I’m just tired of sleeping around. If I’m gonna have something with someone, I want it to be serious.”

“And you don’t think Donghyuck could be serious?”

“I think if he didn’t want anything serious with me, it would break my heart, so I’d rather not risk it.” Mark said it with enough drama to make it sound like a tragic confession.

“Oh my God, Mark! You’ve known the guy for, like, two days. How are you already acting like you’re in love?”

“I never said I was in love.” Mark frowned. “I’m saying I know he’s dangerous, and I’d rather not take the risk.”

Jeno stared at him for a moment.

“So, if I’m understanding this correctly, you’re just a coward, right?” he asked. “You have no problem fucking the first guy who comes along, but the second you might actually have to get a little emotionally involved, you freak out. How exactly are you supposed to get something serious that way?” Jeno knew his words sounded a little harsh, so he tried to soften his tone.

“I don’t like your tone.” Mark said flatly.

“You don’t like what I’m saying.” Jeno shoted back.

“Whatever… Let’s clean up. I gotta go.” Mark stood up and started gathering his plate.

“You’re not even gonna have some tea?”

“Only if you promise you won’t bring up Donghyuck again.” Mark stopped beside his friend, both plates in his hands, waiting for Jeno to agree to the deal.

Jeno looked him dead in the eyes. “Deal. But first, I should probably tell you we’re hanging out Saturday.”

Mark narrowed his eyes.

“Hyuck’s coming.” Jeno said with a innocent smile.

He let out an offended squawk and stormed off toward the kitchen.

Mark had had an insanely long day, so what he saw when he finally got home that night was the last straw. Right in front of him was a huge sign:

“PLUMBING ISSUE FROM THE 4TH FLOOR DOWN. REPAIRS WILL BE COMPLETED TOMORROW MORNING. SORRY FOR THE INCONVENIENCE.”

He couldn’t fucking believe it. After spending the entire day covering news at the National Assembly, literally the longest kind of day any journalist could possibly have, Mark wasn’t even going to be able to take a nice, hot, relaxing shower in his own apartment. What a fucking shitty day.

Mark pulled out his phone and texted Jeno. If he couldn’t shower at home, he just needed somewhere else to do it and Jeno was the friend who lived closest to him. His mind immediately wandered to the other person who also lived nearby but Mark shut that thought down. There was absolutely no way he was going to shower at Donghyuck’s place.

He found it strange that after a few minutes he didn’t get a response so Mark decided to call him. Again, nothing. He called him two more times, but nothing again. It was only on the fourth call that a very irritated voice finally answered.

“What the fuck do you want, dude?”

Mark couldn’t quite understand why Jeno sounded so pissed. Sure, it was late, but it wasn’t exactly the middle of the night. “Wow, relax. Did I wake you?”

“No. What do you want?” Jeno said flatly.

“There’s a plumbing issue. They shut off the water from the 4th floor down, and I need to shower at your place.”

“No.”

Of all the possible answers, that was the one Mark had least expected.

“No?”

“I’m busy right now, Mark.”

Mark paused. He tried to think of what Jeno could possibly be busy with on a Thursday at 10p.m. Then it hit him. “Oh my God. I’m sorry, dude.”

“I seriously can’t stand you sometimes, Mark.” Jeno muttered. “Why don’t you just go to Donghyuck’s? He lives on the 7th floor, right? It’s the most practical option.”

“Fuck no!” Mark immediately replied. “I can’t do that.”

“God, Mark. Don’t be a child. It’s not like he has some contagious disease you’re allergic to.” Mark suddenly heard the sound of the speaker activating. Jeno had apparently switched to speakerphone. “I just told him you’re coming over. Bye, Mark.” Before Mark could say a single word, Jeno hung up.

Mark stood frozen in the hallway for several seconds. His friend had just set the worst trap imaginable. And the worst part? Deep down, Mark wasn’t actually upset about the idea but he immediately shoved that thought aside. Of course he was upset. He wasn’t happy about seeing Donghyuck. And he definitely wasn’t happy about having to go to his apartment. There was no way in hell he was going. But he needed a shower. So what the hell else was he supposed to do?

Mark opened the door to his apartment, trying to come up with literally any alternative. He could go to a public bath… No, Mark hated public baths. He could ask Chenle if he could shower at his place, but Chenle lived 45 minutes away by car. There was no way Mark was going to spend an hour and a half commuting just to take a shower. He also considered calling Doyoung. But obviously, Doyoung would tell him to just go to Donghyuck’s. As if that wasn’t the worst possible option.

Mark collapsed onto the couch, utterly defeated. He finally had to admit that if he wanted to shower without resorting to wet wipes, there was only one option left.

He got back up and gathered everything he needed: a towel, a change of clothes, his body wash, shampoo, and a pair of flip-flops.

Then he headed up to the 7th floor. As he stood in the elevator, doubts started creeping in. What if Donghyuck hadn’t actually agreed to let him come? Maybe he’d told Jeno no. Maybe he was busy. Maybe Mark was on his way up there just to embarrass himself.

Mark almost turned around twice under those thoughts but then he convinced himself that if Donghyuck had said no, Jeno would’ve told him. At least, he hoped he would.

When Mark finally stopped in front of apartment 758, he took a deep breath. He tried to push all his nerves aside and recover some of his usual confidence.

Just then he knocked twice. Donghyuck opened the door just 5 seconds later. And from the second the door opened, Mark had problems. The first one was Donghyuck’s ridiculously short shorts. They left absolutely nothing to the imagination. Mark had imagined what Donghyuck’s bare legs might look like more than once, but none of his fantasies had done reality justice… Smooth, honey-colored… Mark suddenly had the overwhelming urge to touch them. He immediately tried to kill that thought before it became a bigger problem… A physical bigger problem.

“Hi.” Donghyuck smiled sweetly at him.

And there came Mark’s second problem. The oversized T-shirt and messy hair gave Donghyuck this ridiculously cozy look that Mark found way more attractive than he had any right to. Honestly, he probably would’ve been better off washing himself with wet wipes in his own bathroom than putting himself through this torture.

“Sorry if I’m bothering you… I know it’s late...” Mark said, sounding slightly nervous.

“Not at all. I don’t usually go to bed early.” Donghyuck stepped aside to let him in.

Mark was surprised by Donghyuck’s apartment. He’d expected it to be much more chaotic. Instead, it was minimalist, clean and organized. Mark couldn’t help looking around like he’d just walked into a museum.

“You’re pretty nosy.” Donghyuck laughed. “Want me to give you a room tour?”

Mark immediately felt embarrassed. “No, sorry. Just tell me where the bathroom is. I don’t want to bother you any more than I already am.”

“I already told you, you’re not bothering me, Markie.” Donghyuck headed toward the bathroom, and Mark followed. He stopped in front of the door and opened it. “Here you go. There’s everything you need, although I see you brought your own stuff.”

Donghyuck waited for Mark to step inside.

“Have you eaten yet? I was actually about to make dinner. I don’t know if you’re hungry.”

Every hair on Mark’s body practically stood on end at the invitation. This wasn’t something he’d planned for. Hell, it wasn’t even something he’d imagined could happen.

“Oh, no, no. I don’t want to bother you. I’ll just eat at home.” He held up his hands defensively.

“Third time: you’re not bothering me.” Donghyuck smiled. “I’m making japchae. Do you like it?”

Mark had absolutely no idea what to say or how to feel. Part of him wanted to stay. The other part was screaming that this was the worst possible idea he could make. He couldn’t let Donghyuck charm him...

But staying for dinner was just a friend thing. There was nothing wrong with that. Right?

His answer ended up being irrelevant because before he could say anything, Donghyuck closed the bathroom door.

“I’m making enough for both of us!” He shouted.

Mark took a long time in the shower. Not because he was actually showering slowly—God forbid he waste any more of Donghyuck’s water than necessary—but because he spent an embarrassing amount of time standing there, trying to figure out how the hell he was supposed to handle the situation.

When he finally gathered enough courage to leave the bathroom, he found Donghyuck in the kitchen. Mark had to make a conscious effort not to walk up behind him and make some stupid comment he’d regret later. Instead, he simply leaned against the doorway. His eyes unconsciously wandered over Donghyuck’s smooth legs as he desperately tried not to think about things he absolutely had no business thinking about.

“You sure take your time in the shower.” Donghyuck said without looking at him.

“I like to take my time with things.”

Donghyuck turned around with a mischievous smile. “Oh, yeah?” He sucked suggestively on the spoon he was holding before turning back around.

Mark knew it. Self-control and Donghyuck were never going to coexist peacefully. He was going to have to do everything in his power not to fall for the other boy’s games.

“Can I help with anything?” Mark quickly asked, changing the subject.

“Set the table if you want. This is almost done.” Donghyuck gestured toward the plates, silverware, and glasses stacked in one corner. “We can eat in the living room.”

“Great.”

Mark went to do as he was told. Once everything was ready, they sat down and started eating.

Donghyuck suggested putting something on TV, but a simple “What do you wanna watch?” somehow turned into a long conversation about shows, movies, artists… Then it drifted into their personal lives… Work, schedules, families, friends… By the time they realized it, they’d finished dinner quite a while ago and they still hadn’t turned on the TV.

Throughout dinner, Mark noticed several suggestive comments from Donghyuck and did his best to brush them off. But that wasn’t even the worst part. The worst part was that Donghyuck was a ridiculously touchy person. His arm, his leg, his shoulder… Every few minutes, Donghyuck seemed to find an excuse to touch some part of Mark and with every single touch, Mark’s self-control slipped a little further.

He needed to leave as soon as possible. Before he finally gave in and succumbed to Donghyuck’s charms. But he couldn’t. The conversation was so easy, so comfortable, that Mark found himself completely unable to leave the space he’d somehow started to find comforting.

At some point, they’d moved from the floor to the couch without even realizing it, still deep in conversation.

Mark wasn’t entirely sure when it started, but at some point, he found himself gently stroking the leg Donghyuck had draped across his lap while they talked.

He felt the goosebumps rise across Donghyuck’s skin beneath his touch. The reaction only made the movement more addictive.

At first, Mark’s hand stayed safely above Donghyuck’s knee. Nothing dangerous. Nothing he couldn’t justify. So Mark told himself there was no problem. But instinctively, his hand began to move higher and higher. Until his fingers were dangerously close to the inside of Donghyuck’s thigh.

Mark noticed how Donghyuck’s words occasionally caught in his throat, and how he kept glancing down at Mark’s hand, and even if he told himself he should, Mark didn't stop. Instead, he pushed further.

He let his fingers brush against the sensitive skin of Donghyuck’s inner thigh, a slow, deliberate glide that made Donghyuck let out a small, haughty huff, trying to maintain his composure.

"What are you doing?" he asked, with a breathless voice. Donghyuck shifted his legs slightly, but instead of pulling away, he leaned further into Mark’s space. "You think you can just... touch me wherever you want?" His eyes were challenging Mark.

Mark’s gaze darkened. He gripped Donghyuck’s thigh firmly, his thumb pressing into the soft flesh. "I think..." Mark murmured, his voice dropping an octave. "That you've been begging for this since the appetizers."

Donghyuck rolled his eyes, a bratty smirk playing on his lips. "In your dreams, Mark. You're imagining things."

The denial was the spark. Mark shifted, sliding his hand upward until his palm cupped the bulge in Donghyuck’s trousers. He knew he should have stopped right then and there but as he felt the immediate jump of Donghyuck's cock reacting to the touch he knew it would be impossible for him to stop. Mark squeezed, a firm, commanding grip that forced a needy gasp from Donghyuck’s throat.

"Still imagining things?" Mark whispered.

Donghyuck’s boldness wavered. "Maybe... a little." he refused to let Mark win even if his voice was barely a whisper. He reached out, his fingers curling into the fabric of Mark's shirt, pulling him closer. "Is this all you've got?"

Mark chuckled, a low sound of amusement. He loved the bratty streak, but he loved breaking it even more. "Patience, Hyuck. I want to see exactly how much you can take before you stop pretending."

Mark slid his hand inside Donghyuck’s waistband, his warm skin meeting the heat of Donghyuck’s erection. He groaned at the feel of him. Hard, pulsing, and leaking a bit of pre-cum. He wrapped his fingers around the shaft, starting with a slow stroke from the base to the head.

Donghyuck’s head fell back against the sofa cushions while closing his eyes. "Fuck..."

"Look at me." Mark commanded.

Donghyuck opened his eyes, his pupils blown wide with lust. Mark continued the handjob, his grip firm, testing the pressure to see what made Donghyuck whine. He used his thumb to swirl around the head, smearing the pre-cum over the sensitive glans. Donghyuck began to writhe and he started to buck hips instinctively into Mark’s hand.

"Please." Donghyuck whimpered, the bratty facade completely gone, replaced by a desperate need. "Mark, please..."

"Please what?" Mark teased, slowing his pace just enough to make Donghyuck whine in frustration. "Tell me exactly what you want."

"I want... I want you to make me come." Donghyuck gasped, his fingers tightening on Mark's shirt.

Mark smiled. He increased the speed, his hand moving in a rhythmic, steady friction that had Donghyuck sobbing softly. But then, Mark stopped. He withdrew his hand completely, leaving Donghyuck shivering.

"I have a better idea." Mark whispered into Donghyuck’s ear.

He shifted his position, sliding off the sofa and kneeling on the floor between Donghyuck’s legs. Donghyuck looked down at him, confused, until Mark reached up and slowly guided Donghyuck's cock toward his mouth.

Mark teased him first, licking the length of the shaft with long, slow strokes of his tongue. Donghyuck let out a strangled moan, his hands finding Mark's hair and guiding him.

When Mark finally took him inside, he did slowly, swirling his tongue around the head before sliding deep. The sensation was overwhelming. Mark used a combination of suction and tongue work, his cheeks hollowing as he slurped at the head, while his hand continued to stroke the base.

Donghyuck was a mess. His body shaking and his voice breaking into high-pitched moans as Mark worked him. The exploration was intimate, a careful dance of dominance and surrender. Mark looked up to watch Donghyuck’s face crumble with pleasure, feeling the power of having the other man completely undone beneath him.

As Donghyuck reached his limit, his hips began to jerk violently. "Mark! I'm… I'm gonna...”

Mark sucked harder, pulling the orgasm out of him. Donghyuck let out a loud cry, his body seizing as he came, thick ropes of cum filling Mark's mouth. Mark swallowed every drop looking at Donghyuck right in the eye.

As the aftershocks faded, Mark pulled back. "Good boy." Mark whispered.

Not long after that, Donghyuck’s eyes started to droop. Mark decided it was probably time to call it a night and head home. The youngest insisted he wasn’t falling asleep, but his increasingly frequent yawns gave him away.

Donghyuck walked Mark to the door. Mark would be lying to himself if he said he didn’t want to lean in and give him a goodnight kiss right then.

“See you on Saturday.” Donghyuck said with a wink.

“Goodnight, Hyuck.” Mark replied. Donghyuck smiled at him and closed the door just as Mark started walking toward the elevator.

That was when it finally hit Mark. He was so fucked. There was no way he was going to get the image of Donghyuck being a complete mess under his touch out of his head. And there was even less chance he’d be able to stop thinking about how damn comfortable he’d felt just talking to him.

Mark spent another two hours lying awake, thinking about Donghyuck, before he finally managed to fall asleep.

- ͙͘͡★

Mark was grateful he hadn’t run into Donghyuck anywhere in the building all week. Their schedules were completely different, which was probably why they never crossed paths on their way to or from work.

He was honestly thankful for it. At least he wasn’t constantly feeding his own fantasies. But deep down, he knew that every time he came or went, he kept an extra eye on his surroundings, just in case he caught even a glimpse of Donghyuck’s shadow.

Mark had been obsessed with plenty of things throughout his life: basketball, guitar, an occasional celebrity… But never a person. Usually, when it came to people, he got bored pretty easily. That was why he’d never had a serious relationship. And it wasn’t for lack of options. He’d broken more than a few hearts by refusing to commit. It was just that no one had ever caught his attention enough to make him want to stay.

That was why Donghyuck scared him. For the first time in his life, Mark couldn’t get someone out of his head. And what scared him most was the thought that, now that he was finally experiencing this for himself, the other person might reject him the same way he’d rejected so many people before.

Donghyuck was a walking threat to Mark. He was probably just like Mark used to be, and that was exactly why Mark knew what he wanted: to play. Have a little fun with his shiny new toy and then forget about him forever. So it was better to leave things alone. Not push things until they reached the point of no return, where Mark would be the only one getting hurt.

That was why Mark had promised himself he wouldn’t play along that night. He’d act like just another friend, the same way he did with everyone else. Because that was all this was: a night out with friends. Nothing more.

And yet, Mark once again managed to dress dangerously well for the occasion. Not for Donghyuck, obviously. He just felt like putting a little effort into his appearance.

He put on a tight-fitting gray short-sleeved shirt that showed off the muscles in his arms, along with a pair of classic-cut jeans and a belt. He tucked the shirt in to emphasize his proportions. He’d dyed his hair again, making sure it was freshly done, although this time he’d actually done it early enough that he wouldn’t be late.

There were going to be six of them that night: Johnny, Taeyong, Doyoung, Jeno, Donghyuck, and Mark. Jaemin had gone to a course in Busan for the weekend, so he wasn’t in town.

Mark checked the time. He was right on schedule, so he decided to leave without lingering any longer. Knowing his luck, he’d get distracted and somehow end up running late again.

He was walking out of the building when, to his right, he spotted a familiar figure. The figure immediately smiled and walked toward him.

Mark couldn’t help looking him up and down. Donghyuck was wearing a black tank top that showed off his sharp collarbones, paired with black leather pants and a matching blazer cinched at the waist. Four rings adorned his hands, somehow making them look even more irresistible than they already were.

Mark had to snap himself out of his daze as quickly as possible. He didn’t want Donghyuck to realize what that outfit was doing to him.

“What are you doing here?” he asked flatly. He genuinely hadn’t meant to sound rude. It was just the first thing that had come to mind.

“Bad day?” Donghyuck asked, sounding slightly concerned by his tone.

“Like always.” Mark started walking toward the subway station. “Were you waiting for me?”

Donghyuck nodded. “Since we live so close to each other and we’re going to the same place, I figured we could go together.”

“Uh-huh.” Mark didn’t add anything else.

“Okay, but if I’d known you were gonna be this unpleasant, I would’ve just gone by myself.” Of course Donghyuck was annoyed by Mark’s attitude. He could understand if Mark didn’t want to go with him, but that didn’t mean he had to be such an ass about it.

Before Mark could respond, Donghyuck picked up his pace, leaving him behind.

“Donghyuck.” he tried.

Mark called his name again several times, but Donghyuck completely ignored him. The fourth time Mark called out and Donghyuck didn’t even bother turning around, Mark sped up to catch him. When he was finally close enough, he grabbed Donghyuck by the wrist, forcing him to stop.

“Donghyuck.” He repeated his name once he had his full attention.

“What?!” Donghyuck snapped.

“I’m sorry, okay?” Mark said. “Sometimes when I get thrown into a social situation I wasn’t expecting, I get a little overwhelmed…” It was the truth, although Mark conveniently left out the fact that most of his nerves had been caused by the outfit standing right in front of him.

Donghyuck pulled his wrist free, looking straight into Mark’s eyes. “You’re so weird.”

“You’re not exactly normal yourself.” Mark shot back.

The other laughed at that. Childish and stubborn, just like always.

Once they’d made up, they continued walking side by side toward the station. On the way, they talked about work, their lives, and pretty much everything in between. Mark was still a little on edge, but the easy conversation slowly helped him relax.

When they reached the subway, the train was pretty packed. There was only one seat left, so Mark gave it to Donghyuck. “Such a gentleman,” Donghyuck said with a smile to which Mark immediately had to look away.

They spent the ride in silence. Neither of them wanted to bother the other passengers with their conversation. Unable to help himself, Mark started replaying everything that had happened since he’d walked out of his apartment. Donghyuck had been waiting for him so they could go together. What did that mean? Did he want to spend time with him? Once again, Mark’s head was filled with Donghyuck, thoughts of him everywhere. He’d made up his mind to avoid anything remotely controversial throughout the night, and he was already overthinking everything when they hadn’t even made it to the bar yet. But still… What if there was a chance he’d misread Donghyuck completely, and his own assumption that Donghyuck was going to break his heart was irrational?

Mark glanced sideways at him, his eyes instinctively dropping toward Donghyuck’s collarbones. When he looked back at his face, Donghyuck was already watching him. The dark-haired smiled. Then he stood up and started making his way through the crowd toward Mark.

“What were you looking at?” he asked quietly, a teasing smile on his lips once he reached him.

“Nothing. Why’d you get up?” Mark asked, desperately trying to change the subject.

“Maybe you were a little too distracted, Markie.” Donghyuck pointed toward the platform that had just appeared in front of them. “But we’re here.”

“And who was distracting me? You?” Mark asked teasingly.

“Mmh. I don’t know. You tell me.” Donghyuck gave him that same teasing smile he gave him before.

Taking advantage of how close they were, Mark wrapped an arm around Donghyuck’s waist and leaned toward his ear. “Maybe.” He whispered.

Mark knew he’d promised himself he wouldn’t keep playing along with Donghyuck’s games. But at the same time, he also knew that something like this was probably the only way to keep Donghyuck quiet for at least five minutes.

Still, it turned out to be a terrible idea. Because now, seeing the blush spreading across Donghyuck’s cheeks, there was nothing Mark wanted more than to keep his arm around his waist and continue making him blushing.

Luckily, or perhaps unluckily, the subway doors opened, forcing Mark to let go so they could get off.

He figured they’d spend the rest of the walk in silence. For the sake of his sanity. But, as he’d predicted, Donghyuck’s shyness lasted all of five minutes. Before long, he was already telling some story and poking at Mark until he gave in and started teasing him back.

Before they knew it, they’d reached the bar where they were meeting everyone.

It wasn’t far from the other one they’d gone to before, and the two places were pretty similar, but they preferred the music here whenever they wanted to drink and dance.

They found their friends almost immediately. They must’ve just arrived because everyone still had a full drink in their hands.

Mark and Donghyuck headed to the bar to order. Their friends were drinking gintonics, so they figured they’d get the same.

When the bartender finally got to them, Mark ordered for the both of them. As he was ordering, he noticed a guy approaching Donghyuck.

Mark waited long enough to hear what the stranger had to say, and the second he realized the guy wasn’t someone Donghyuck knew, he slipped an arm around Donghyuck’s waist and pulled him closer without even looking at either of them.

Donghyuck stared at Mark in surprise. Then, almost immediately, he smiled, the gratitude in his eyes was unmistakable.

Mark leaned toward Donghyuck’s ear, more to make sure the stranger couldn’t hear him than other thing. “He’s ugly for you.”

Then he grabbed both drinks and motioned for Donghyuck to follow him as they made their way back to where they’d left their friends.

For the first three drinks, the group spent the evening happily catching up, talking about their lives, reminiscing about old stories, and just enjoying each other’s company.

But when they ordered their fourth round, Taeyong decided it was time to hit the dance floor, and everyone followed. Well, everyone but Mark.

As usual, Mark found himself a corner to stand in, and Jeno joined him. The two of them stayed there talking and watching their friends dance. Every now and then, one of the others would come over to call them boring or take a break from dancing and join their conversation for a while.

When they finished their drinks, Mark offered to grab the next round.

He was at the bar when a familiar voice suddenly spoke right into his ear. “I thought you left.”

Mark had realized hours ago that alcohol was going to be a serious threat to his promise not to play along with Donghyuck and to keep his distance. That, and his own self, of course.

He promised himself he would let a little teasing slide, but nothing more. Mark turned toward the shorter boy and brushed a strand of hair away from his forehead. “Never without saying goodbye to you, pretty boy.”

Apparently, alcohol was making Donghyuck braver. Unlike the other times, he didn’t back away.

Instead, he stepped closer to Mark. “I want another one too.”

“Whatever you want.”

“Aren’t you gonna dance yet?” Donghyuck asked.

The question caught Mark off guard. “What?”

“You know… haven’t I earned a dance with you yet?” Donghyuck clarified.

Mark looked at him with a suggestive smile. “Oh, Hyuckie really wants me to dance with him, huh?” He grabbed Donghyuck by the waist and pulled him closer. Donghyuck’s eyes dropped to Mark’s lips before slowly meeting his gaze again. “Don’t say it like I’m desperate. Do you have any idea how many people in here would kill to dance with me?”

Mark laughed at his attitude. “I don’t know, and I don’t care.” His grip tightened around Donghyuck’s waist. Donghyuck let out a small gasp. Mark immediately released him and turned toward the bartender, ordering the three drinks he’d come to get in the first place. When they were ready, Mark grabbed two of the glasses while Donghyuck took his.

Mark assumed Donghyuck would follow him back to where he and Jeno had been standing. Instead, Donghyuck headed straight toward the rest of their friends, who were still dancing. That made Mark felt a little dissapointed, but he knew it was for the better.

“Crowded?” Jeno asked when Mark returned.

“Yeah. Place is packed.” Mark never took his eyes off Donghyuck.

“Please, Mark. You look like a fucking lynx stalking its prey.” Jeno laughed.

Mark finally looked away. “You’re exaggerating. I was just looking around. At everyone.”

“Sure you were.” Jeno shook his head. “Stay here with these. I’m gonna hit the bathroom.” The older nodded.

Jeno had barely taken two steps before Mark’s eyes drifted back toward Donghyuck. And he found Donghyuck was already looking at him. The second their eyes met, Donghyuck made a little come here gesture with his hands. Mark shook his head from across the room and pointed at the drinks. The younger started making his way over anyway. Without saying a word, he turned around and started dancing right in front of Mark, moving his hips to the beat. Mark instinctively placed a hand on his waist. Donghyuck turned his head so Mark could hear him over the music.

“You really are so boring, Mark.”

The problem with that position was that Donghyuck’s face was dangerously close to Mark’s mouth. His eyes dropped there again.

“So what can we do to change that?” Mark murmured into Donghyuck’s ear.

Donghyuck pressed his body closer to Mark’s keeping the same sensual rhythm as the song. Then he turned around until they were facing each other. He rested his hands on Mark’s shoulders and gave him a mischievous smile. “Mmm… what do you have in mind?”

Mark placed a hand on the small of Donghyuck’s back, pulling him closer and leaned toward his ear again. “You really are a menace.”

That was exactly when Jeno came back. Both of them immediately pulled apart like they’d just been caught doing something they definitely weren’t supposed to be doing.

Jeno found the whole situation hilarious. “Don’t let me interrupt.” he said still smiling.

In a rare moment of clarity, Mark suddenly realized what the hell he was doing. He had promised himself he wouldn’t engage with Donghyuck’s games. He was supposed to treat him like a friend. And he had broken every single one of those rules. There was no saving him now.

“I’m actually gonna head out.” Mark said. If he couldn’t control himself, it was better to abandon ship before things got any worse.

“Already?” Jeno asked, surprised.

“But you literally just ordered that drink.” Donghyuck pointed out.

“Give it to one of the hyungs. I’m sure someone will drink it.” Mark grabbed his things. “See you guys.” He said, and he left.

As soon as he got outside, he opened the app to call an Uber. While he waited, he regretted every single bad decision he’d made that night. There he was again, being an asshole, playing into the dangerous game between him and Donghyuck, only to run away like a coward in the end. If Donghyuck ended up hating him, Mark couldn’t really blame him.

“Why do you always do that?”

Mark was so lost in his thoughts that he hadn’t even noticed Donghyuck standing beside him until he spoke. His sudden presence startled him so badly that Mark actually jumped.

“Jesus, Donghyuck. You scared the shit out of me.” He sounded a little annoyed. Mark’d left to avoid problems, and now the problem was standing right beside him.

“That's the last thing I needed to hear tonight.” Donghyuck said, sounding irritated too. “What the hell is your problem, Mark?”

“My problem… what do you mean?” For half a second, Mark considered telling him exactly what his problem was. You. But he preferred to keep that to himself

“Never mind.” The irritation in Donghyuck’s voice was obvious, but Mark had no idea how to calm him down without giving himself away, so he decided to let it go. Surely he’d get over it.

“You heading home?” Donghyuck asked after a brief silence. “Can I share your Uber?”

“You’re leaving already? It’s still early…”

“Yeah. I’m not really in the mood to stay.” Donghyuck looked like he was about two seconds away from simply walking off and leaving Mark there, so Mark decided not to push his luck any further. He didn’t want to younger to walk around alone at night.

“Yeah… well, it’ll be here in two minutes.”

“Perfect.” Donghyuck’s answer was painfully dry.

The rest of the wait passed in uncomfortable silence. At least for Mark. Donghyuck didn’t seem uncomfortable at all. If anything, he looked pissed. Mark had a feeling that if he said even one wrong thing, Donghyuck would start yelling at him.

The same thing happened on the ride home. Neither of them said a word except when the driver spoke to them. And, for some reason, that started getting on Mark’s nerves. Sure, maybe he’d pushed Donghyuck too far. Maybe he’d screwed up. But he couldn’t understand why Donghyuck could be all sweet and friendly with the driver while barely sparing Mark a glance.

When they reached their building, Mark got out first and held the door open for Donghyuck.

“Thanks.” Donghyuck mumbled quietly. But the second he stepped out, he started walking toward the building without waiting for Mark.

The elevator was the worst part. Mark could practically feel the tension hanging in the air. And even though the elevator was relatively spacious, it was still a closed space. Mark was already getting nervous just thinking about it.

Once they stepped inside, Mark pressed the buttons for the 3rd and 7th floors.

“You remembered…” Donghyuck leaned against the wall and crossed his arms.

“Of course.” Mark kept his answer short while doing his absolute best not to stare at the way Donghyuck’s collarbones were practically on display. He turned toward the elevator doors instead. Anything was better than looking at him.

“The more you deny yourself something, the more you’re gonna want it.” Donghyuck said from behind him.

“And what exactly is it that I want?” Mark asked, pretending to be indifferent.

Donghyuck moved closer. Now his mouth was right beside Mark’s ear. “Me.” He whispered it.

Mark turned around. In one quick movement, he had Donghyuck pressed against the elevator wall.

“Why do you have to make this so damn difficult, Donghyuck?” he said, his face dangerously close to his.

“Because otherwise you wouldn’t do shit.” Donghyuck’s eyes dropped to Mark’s lips.

Mark went quiet, waiting for him to look back into his eyes. When he finally did, Mark spoke. “That’s the third time you’ve looked at my lips tonight without doing anything.” He leaned in slightly. “I’m starting to think you’re not a threat at all. Maybe you’re just a coward.”

A dangerous smile spread across Donghyuck’s face. “I don’t go around kissing men.”

“What a shame, sweetheart.” Mark gently caressed his cheek. “Guess you’re the one missing out.” Right then, the elevator doors opened. “Good night, Hyuck.”

Mark stepped away and started walking down the hallway.

Two seconds later, a hand grabbed his wrist. Mark barely had time to register the grip on his wrist before Donghyuck’s soft, full lips crashed against his. The kiss was hot, urgent, tasting faintly of the gintonics they’d shared hours earlier. It deepened fast, tongues sliding, teeth nipping, tasting everything they’ve been craving for the previous weeks.

Mark’s back hit his apartment door; he fumbled the key without breaking contact, shoved it open, and pulled Donghyuck inside by the hips.

The door slammed shut. Mark spun them, pressing Donghyuck against the wood, hands already sliding under the his shirt mapping warm skin. Donghyuck moaned into the kiss, bratty even now, biting Mark’s lower lip before licking the sting away.

Mark guided them to the bedroom. Donghyuck’s mouth still on him, his teeth scraping his bottom lip before sucking it between his own. Mark’s hands slid down to grip Donghyuck’s ass hard enough to bruise. He lifted him, and Donghyuck wrapped his legs around his waist without breaking the kiss.

Mark yanked Donghyuck’s shirt over his head and tossed it aside. He crowded in, mouth trailing down the column of Donghyuck’s throat, sucking marks that would bloom purple by morning. Donghyuck’s hands fisted in Mark’s hair, tugging, urging, but Mark took his time. He gave Donghyuck slow, deliberate licks and bites that made Donghyuck’s hips jerk forward seeking friction.

Mark landed Donghyuck on the bed. He took Donghyuck’s pants off and tried to land beneath him, but the younger man pushed back, shoving at Mark’s shoulders until he was the one on top. Mark let him, watching with dark eyes as Donghyuck straddled his hips and ground down, their cocks sliding together through the fabric.

“Impatient.” Mark murmured. His hands settled on Donghyuck’s narrow waist. His thumbs stroking over the sharp jut of hipbones. Donghyuck’s skin was warm, and Mark couldn’t stop touching every inch exactly like he’d been waiting all night to do exactly this.

Donghyuck leaned down, biting at Mark’s jaw. “You’ve been looking at me like you want to eat me for the whole night. Now you’re just gonna lie there?”

Mark’s grip tightened. “Get on your knees.”

The command made Donghyuck’s breath catch. He slid off Mark’s lap and sank to the floor between his spread thighs. Donghyuck took off Mark pants at the same time as he knelt down. Mark’s cock stood hard and flushed, the head already wet. Donghyuck wrapped his fingers around the base, giving one slow stroke from root to tip. That made Mark exhaled through his nose, watching every movement. Donghyuck’s tongue flicked out, licking a stripe up the underside before taking the head into his mouth. He sucked lightly, hand working the shaft in a steady rhythm. Mark’s hand searched the back of Donghyuck’s head, he rested his fingers there, threading them through Donghyuck’s soft hair. The wet heat of Donghyuck’s mouth was perfect. Tight, warm, and so fucking good that Mark’s thighs tensed.

“Fuck, Hyuck.” Mark groaned, hips twitching upward. Donghyuck took him deeper, hollowing his cheeks, pressing his tongue against the vein. Spit slicked Mark’s cock, dripping down over Donghyuck’s fist. Every time Donghyuck swallowed around him, Mark’s breath stuttered. He could feel the pressure building already and the pleasure coiling tight in his gut.

Donghyuck pulled off. Mark couldn’t take his eyes away from Donghyuck’s shiny and swollen lips. He stroked Mark faster, his thumb rubbing over the sensitive spot under the head. “You like that?” he asked, voice hoarse. Bratty even on his knees Mark thought. But his answer was a low growl. He reached down, wrapping his own hand around Donghyuck’s wrist to guide the pace. Slow, deliberate, dragging out every stroke. Mark’s eyes flicked down to Donghyuck’s cock twitching between his own thighs, leaking onto the floor. Mark loved the way Donghyuck’s body reacted.

“Stand up.” He ordered.

Donghyuck obeyed, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. The older pulled him back onto the bed and crawled over him, pinning Donghyuck’s wrists above his head with one hand while the other traced the line of his ribs.

“Stay.” Mark ordered with a low voice. He released Donghyuck’s wrists and slid down the bed, settling between his spread thighs. Donghyuck’s cock twitched under his gaze. Mark wrapped his fingers around the base and gave one slow stroke, thumb swiping through the bead of precum.

“Fuck, Mark.” Donghyuck’s breath hitched.

Mark stroked again, tighter this time, twisting on the upstroke. Donghyuck’s thighs trembled. Mark watched every reaction. How Donghyuck’s stomach clenched, how his lips parted on a whimper, how his hands clutched the sheets. The sight made Mark’s own cock throb, but he ignored it, focused entirely on unraveling the boy beneath him.

He built a steady rhythm, firm and unhurried, occasionally pausing to rub the sensitive spot just under the head. Donghyuck’s bratty mouth had gone slack, reduced to broken sounds, soft moans, sharp gasps and occasional desperates “Please.” Mark leaned in, licking a stripe up the underside, then took it into his mouth, sucking hard from the begining.

Donghyuck’s hips bucked. Mark pinned them down with his free hand. “Be still.” he murmured around the head. The vibration making Donghyuck whine. Mark took him even deeper. He could feel Donghyuck getting close. The way his cock pulsed, the way his thighs tensed… So he pulled off just in time.

“No, Mark, fuck, I was...”

Mark wrapped his hand around Donghyuck again, stroking fast and tight. “You’ll come when I let you.”

Donghyuck lasted maybe ten more seconds before he shattered, spilling hot over Mark’s fist with a broken cry. Mark worked him through it, slow strokes drawing out every pulse until Donghyuck was twitching and oversensitive.

Mark didn’t stop. He slicked his fingers with Donghyuck’s own release and circled the tight rim of his hole, pressing one finger inside while his other hand returned to Donghyuck’s softening cock. The younger jolted, oversensitive, but Mark was relentless. Gentle but insistent, stroking him back to hardness while stretching him open.

“Mark. Too much. Fuck.” Donghyuck’s voice cracked, but his cock was already filling again, betraying how much he loved it.

“I want to ride you.” Donghyuck said between whimpers.

Mark returned him a mischievous smile. "Think you can do it, pretty boy?"

Donghyuck nodded energetically, although his eyes were closed and his mouth was partially open, as if he was in another dimension.

Mark turned them around, positioning him so Donghyuck straddled his hips again. He kept his work on Donghyuck’s tight rim, pressing in slowly. Donghyuck’s breath hitched, his hands braced on Mark’s chest. Mark worked him open with patience, adding a second finger, then a third, scissoring and curling until Donghyuck was rocking back onto his hand, soft whimpers spilling from his lips. Mark’s cock throbbed against his stomach. Just the sight of Donghyuck falling apart on his fingers could have made him come.

When Donghyuck was loose, Mark withdrew his fingers and lined himself up. Donghyuck sank down slowly, taking Mark inch by inch. Mark’s head fell back against the pillows with a groan. “Fuck, Hyuck, you feel so good.”

Donghyuck’s thighs were already trembling when he bottomed out. He stayed still for a moment while adjusting, then he rolled his hips. Mark’s hands gripped his waist, guiding him into a slow rhythm. Donghyuck rose and fell, the drag of Mark’s cock inside him sending sparks up his spine. Every time he sank down, Mark thrust up to meet him, hitting deep enough to make Donghyuck’s mouth fall open on a moan each time.

Mark watched every expression flicker across Donghyuck’s face. The way his brows furrowed when Mark thrust particularly deep, the way his lips parted on every gasp. Pleasure built steadily in Mark’s core, the sight of Donghyuck riding him, taking him so perfectly, was pushing him closer to the edge faster than he usually does.

Donghyuck’s cock bobbed between them. Mark wrapped his hand around it, stroking in time with Donghyuck’s movements. Donghyuck’s rhythm faltered, his thighs shaking again. “Mark. Fuck. I’m close...” Mark tightened his grip, thumb swiping over the head. “Come for me, sweetheart.”

Donghyuck’s second orgasm hit harder. His hole clenched around Mark’s cock as he spilled over Mark’s fist, cum streaking across Mark’s stomach. The rhythmic squeeze pushed Mark right to the brink, but he held back, wanting to feel Donghyuck come again.

“You think you can come again, baby?” Mark asked.

But anew, he didn’t give Donghyuck time to recover. Mark flipped them, pressing Donghyuck onto his back and hooking his legs over his shoulders. He drove in deep, the new angle making Donghyuck cry out. Mark set a relentless pace, hips snapping forward, the sound of skin slapping skin filling the room. Donghyuck’s body jerked with every thrust. He needed to clutch his hands around the sheets to steady himself.

Mark leaned down, biting at Donghyuck’s throat, sucking marks into the skin. “You’re so fucking tight.” he growled against Donghyuck’s ear. “You take me so well, baby.”

Donghyuck’s cock was already hardening again between them. Mark reached down, stroking him with quick, firm pulls. Donghyuck sobbed, oversensitive. But his body responded, his cock twitched in Mark’s hand. Mark’s own pleasure built with every thrust, the tight heat around him, the sounds Donghyuck made, the way his body arched and trembled...

Donghyuck came a third time with a broken cry, cum spilling weakly over Mark’s fingers. His hole fluttered around Mark’s cock, milking him. Mark kept moving, chasing his own release while pushing Donghyuck further.

He pulled out, flipped Donghyuck onto his stomach, and hauled his hips up. Mark pushed back in from behind, the new position letting him go deeper. Donghyuck’s face pressed into the pillow, muffled moans escaping with every thrust. Mark’s hand found Donghyuck’s cock again, stroking him through the aftershocks, refusing to let him soften.

“Mark. Too much… fuck.” Donghyuck’s voice cracked, but his cock filled again in Mark’s grip. Mark’s thrusts grew erratic, pleasure coiling tighter with every movement. He could feel Donghyuck shaking beneath him, could hear the desperate whimpers, and it pushed him closer.

Donghyuck came a fourth time with a sob, his body going taut, hole clenching hard around Mark. The sensation dragged Mark over the edge. He buried himself deep, groaning as he came, filling Donghyuck with hot pulses. His hips jerked through the aftershocks, pleasure rolling through him in waves.

Mark stayed inside Donghyuck for a long moment, breathing hard. He leaned down, pressing kisses to Donghyuck’s spine, the nape of his neck and the shell of his ear. Donghyuck trembled beneath him, completely spent, but when Mark finally pulled out and rolled them onto their sides, Donghyuck turned in his arms, pressing close.

Mark’s hand stroked down Donghyuck’s back, soothing.

“You okay?” he murmured.

Donghyuck nodded. “Yeah. Better than okay.” He answered with a hoarse voice. He looked up, eyes soft despite the exhaustion. “Do you mind if I spend the night? I’m too tired to move.”

Mark nodded in response but Donghyuck had already closed his eyes, as if he could already guess the answer or at least, he hoped the answer was the one he wanted to hear.

Mark gently brushed a strand of hair away from Donghyuck’s forehead before getting up to look for some wet wipes to clean them both up. He brought the wipes back to the bed and carefully cleaned Donghyuck, who already looked like he was halfway asleep.

Once he was done, Mark lay down beside him and turned off the light. He figured Donghyuck was already asleep because he’d had his eyes closed for a while, and his breathing had settled into a slow, steady rhythm.

Before getting comfortable, Mark leaned over and pressed a soft kiss to his forehead. “Good night, Hyuck.” he murmured. The lack of a response confirmed that Donghyuck was, indeed, asleep.

Mark settled into bed and closed his eyes, doing the same. If there had been a little more light in the room, he would have seen the small smile spreading across Donghyuck’s lips.

- ͙͘͡★

Mark woke up late that day, but when he opened his eyes, he immediately regretted every decision he’d made the night before. Just like he had predicted, Donghyuck’d only wanted to have some fun for a while. And that was why Mark had woken up alone in his own bed.

God, he was an idiot. For one stupid second, he’d let himself think that maybe, just maybe, Donghyuck had wanted the same thing he did.

It took Mark a moment to get himself to move. His hand instinctively reached across the bed, feeling for the spot where Donghyuck’s body had been only hours ago.

Was this what having your heart broken felt like? Getting your heart broken was probably worse than this. He wasn’t crying or anything. But it still hurt.

When he finally managed to summon enough energy to get up—because, honestly, all he wanted to do was stay in bed and drown in his own misery—he grabbed the sleep clothes he hadn’t bothered putting on the night before and pulled them on.

His eyes accidentally landed on the pack of wet wipes he’d left on the nightstand the night before. His heart gave an involuntary little pang. Still, he picked them up and took them with him to the bathroom.

After that, he headed into the kitchen and made himself a coffee. His stomach couldn’t handle anything else right then. He took the coffee into the living room and drank it while staring blankly at a spot on the wall, going over everything he might have done wrong the night before or over the past few weeks. Trying to figure out what he could have possibly done to make Donghyuck leave like that without saying a word. Sure, maybe he’d been a little too harsh at times, always trying to keep his distance. But he’d thought everything had been made pretty clear the moment they kissed. In the end, Donghyuck had been the one to call him out, telling him to stop fighting what he actually wanted.

Mark sat there for a while longer, going over the situation again and again, until he finally told himself enough was enough. He couldn’t spend the entire day sitting there wallowing in self-pity. So he decided to take a shower, get dressed, and go for a walk. Hopefully, getting some fresh air would clear his head.

Mark ended up walking for three hours and getting in some exercise at the calisthenics park along the path near his apartment. The whole time, he tried his hardest to think about Donghyuck as little as possible. He tried to focus his mind in something work-related, or any thought about literally anything else he could come up with but nothing worked. Donghyuck was there the entire time.

When he finally headed home, Mark stopped by the convenience store to grab something to eat. He couldn’t help thinking about the first time they’d run into each other there, when they’d discovered they lived in the same building. Another pang hit his chest.

Unfortunately, he also couldn’t stop himself from hoping that maybe, somehow, the stars would align and he’d run into Donghyuck again that afternoon.

They didn’t. The only people in the store were the cashier who usually covered the Sunday shifts, a father and his daughter, and a group of teenagers.

Mark had no idea what to get because he still wasn’t hungry, but he knew he had to eat at some point or he’d feel even worse. Eventually, he settled on a watermelon iced tea and some gimbap. He also grabbed a bowl of ramen and a sweet snack in case he got hungry later.

Just as he was about to check out, he spotted the ice cream freezer. He decided to also get himself a pint of cookies and cream.

Back at his apartment, Mark put the ice cream in the freezer and left the rest of the food on the kitchen counter. Before eating, he wanted to shower and change the sheets on his bed. It had nothing to do with them being dirty, it was mostly because he didn’t want to be reminded of Donghyuck’s scent anymore.

When he was finally done, he got ready to eat. It was already eight in the evening, and he’d finally started feeling a little hungry, so he decided to also make the ramen.

With the ramen ready, his gimbap and iced tea beside it, Mark sat down at the low table in the living room and turned on the TV. He didn’t really feel like watching anything, so he just put on the first thing Netflix recommended. Mr. Plankton. As soon as it started, Mark thought it might’ve been a terrible choice but little by little, it actually started getting entertaining. For a while, he managed to forget about Donghyuck so that was a win.

Three episodes and half a pint of ice cream later, Mark decided it was finally time to go to bed. Tomorrow would be another day. Better? He had no idea. But definitely another day.

- ͙͘͡★

Mark still felt empty the next day, a dull ache he couldn't quite put into words. It wasn't hopelessness, not even pain. It was something somewhere between emptiness and disappointment. As if, instead of a heart, someone had put a tiny black hole inside his chest that kept him from feeling anything else.

But he had to go to work, which was certainly a good way to keep himself busy. As long as Doyoung didn't mention Donghyuck all day, he would be fine. Though he knew the chances of that happening were practically nonexistent.

Mark went through his morning routine on autopilot, like he did every morning, except this time he had something on his mind to distract him.

The last thing he expected to see when he reached the garage entrance was Donghyuck. Even though he'd spent all of yesterday wishing he would run into him, Mark realized he wasn't actually ready to see him. He cursed his bad luck. They had never crossed paths on their way to work before, and of all days, it had to happen today.

Donghyuck was standing by the door. Mark tried to slip past unnoticed, but at that exact moment, Donghyuck turned around.

“Ma-” he started, but Mark didn't let him finish.

“I’m in a hurry. I’m already running late, okay? We can talk another time.” Mark said without stopping.

Donghyuck seemed to freeze in place, taking a few seconds to process what had just happened. By the time he did, Mark was already away, making his way toward his car.

Donghyuck glanced at his watch. If he remembered correctly, Mark was actually an hour early, just like he'd mentioned during one of their conversations.

“But you’re an hou-” Once again, Donghyuck didn't get the chance to finish. Mark shut his car door and drove away without even sparing him a glance.

- ͙͘͡★

“Hi, Hyuck,” Jeno greeted Donghyuck with a smile as he walked into work.

“Fuck you, Jeno.”

The curt response made Jeno stop dead in his tracks. He had just arrived at work, and he hadn’t seen Donghyuck since Saturday night. As far as he could remember, he hadn’t said or done anything to upset him, so he had no idea where the attitude was coming from.

“Can I ask what that attitude is about?” Jeno asked, trying to sound as calm as possible. Whatever it was, surely they could talk it out.

“I guess you and your little buddy had a great time laughing at me.” Donghyuck got up from his chair. “Stupid Donghyuck, thinking that maybe Mark Lee could actually like him. Was this all some kind of strategy? Did you two plan it beforehand?”

“I honestly have no idea what you’re talking about, Hyuck.” Jeno sounded genuinely confused.

“I told you I don’t do one-night stands, Jeno. So why the hell did you tell me Mark was looking for something more if all he wanted was to sleep with me? I don’t even have the words to tell you how disgusting it is that you would make up this whole elaborate scheme just so he could get into my pants. I swear to God.”

“Why are you saying that?” Jeno asked, still struggling to understand the accusations. “Everything I told you about Mark was true. Or at least, that’s what he told me.”

Donghyuck’s anger only seemed to grow. Not only had Jeno apparently lied straight to his face, but now he was trying to play innocent.

“Yeah, and your best friend just changes his mind overnight. Do you think I’m an idiot, Jeno? Was that the whole point? To prove yourselves that I do one-night stands?” Donghyuck was exasperated. He knew this wasn’t the place for this conversation, but he had no intention of ever speaking to Jeno again, so he wanted to get everything off his chest before cutting him out of his life for good.

“This is why I never make friends at work. Somehow, you always end up getting screwed over one way or another. If I had never agreed to go out that night, I wouldn’t be standing here like a fucking idiot, and on top of that, I wouldn’t have to listen to you pretending you have no idea what I’m talking about. I’m disgusted by you, Jeno.”

“Okay, Hyuc-” Jeno didn’t even get to finish before Donghyuck cut him off.

“Don’t call me that.”

“Donghyuck, please, just listen to me for a second.” Jeno was practically begging now. “I genuinely don’t know what could have happened. The last time I talked to Mark, he told me things that made me think he actually liked you. Can you please tell me what he did?”

“He fucked me and then decided he never wanted to talk to me again. Not even a fucking text. Nothing. And this morning, when I went to try to talk to him, he walked away before he even let me say a word.” Donghyuck sounded a little calmer now, but Jeno knew it was only because he was laying out facts that, admittedly, made Mark look terrible. If Mark had really done that, Jeno was pissed at his friend too.

“Okay, Hyu-, Donghyuck. I’m going to figure out what happened, okay? If that’s really what happened, then I’m already sorry. I swear, I never meant to hurt you.” Jeno’s voice was a mixture of embarrassment and pleading. The last thing he wanted was to see Donghyuck this upset, especially when he had only gotten involved because he genuinely thought he was doing something that would help.

“I don’t give a shit about you, him, or your apologies, Jeno. Get the fuck out of my sight.” Donghyuck sat back down and turned his attention to the computer in front of him.

Jeno considered trying to say something else, but he realized it was probably better to figure out what had actually happened before continuing this conversation. Without knowing the truth, there was no way he could explain himself, let alone give Donghyuck a sincere apology.

As soon as he reached the locker room, Jeno called Mark, but he didn’t answer. He was probably busy, so Jeno decided he would try again after his first class.

It wasn’t until three hours later, during his first break, that he finally managed to get through to him.

“Whatever I’m about to say, please take it the best way possible…” Jeno said without even bothering to greet his friend when Mark picked up. “Are you fucking stupid?”

“What the hell is this about?” Mark asked defensively.

“I walk through the door at work and Donghyuck practically attacks me because apparently you’ve been an asshole again. Why the hell did you tell me you wanted something serious if you weren’t going to follow through with it? It’s your life, dude. And maybe it’s my fault for getting involved where I wasn’t asked, but now Donghyuck is never going to talk to either of us again. You, which I’m guessing you don’t care about, and me, which I actually do care about.” Jeno barely stopped to breathe throw his whole rant.

“What did you get involved in? What are you talking about? He was the one who made it clear to me that it was just a one-night thing.”

“What?”

“On Sunday, when I woke up, he was already gone. And he didn’t show up again until this morning. I guess he just decided to blow me off.” Mark was clearly pissed.

Jeno, on the other hand, was completely bewildered. What the hell was going on?

“Look, dude… I don’t know. I think you two need to talk. You’re both saying the exact same thing, which means one of you, or maybe both of you, completely misunderstood what happened.”

“I have nothing to say to him, Jeno.” Mark’s voice sounded different now, almost defeated, as if saying those words actually hurt him. “I have to go. I’m working.”

“Give him a chance, Mark.” Jeno said before his friend hung up.

Jeno stared at his phone for a moment after the call ended. He genuinely didn’t understand what was happening. How could both of them have come away from the same situation believing the exact same thing about each other? One of them had clearly misunderstood what happened. Somewhere along the way, something had gone horribly wrong in their communication, because there was no way they could both be angry for the exact same reason.

Jeno headed toward the gym’s lobby, where he found Donghyuck sitting behind the desk.

“Can we talk for a minute?” he asked.

“No.”

“Donghyuck, please…”

Jeno would have gotten down on his knees if that was what it took.

“What do you want?” Donghyuck asked without lifting his eyes from the computer.

“I talked to Mark. He’s saying the exact same thing you are, and that’s why he’s angry and didn’t want to talk to you this morning. I don’t know what happened, but somewhere along the way, the two of you got your wires crossed. You’re both angry for the exact same reason.”

Donghyuck finally glanced up.

“He told me that you were the one who left without saying goodbye or explaining anything on Sunday…” Jeno chose his words carefully. He knew that one wrong sentence could set Donghyuck off all over again.

But it didn’t. Instead, Donghyuck went completely still. A few seconds passed before his mouth slowly fell open, as if a sudden realization had hit him. “The note…” he murmured.

“What note?” Jeno asked.

“I left him a note. I wanted him to see it the next morning. I had to leave because I had a family lunch, and he was asleep, so I didn’t want to wake him. I left him a note…” As Donghyuck spoke, the realization slowly spread across his face. “That note must have gotten lost. He didn’t see it and think I was ignoring him…” His expression changed completely. “It was my fault, Jeno…” This time, he looked directly at Jeno, and there was no anger or sadness left in his eyes. Only a mixture of guilt and relief. At least now Donghyuck knew there was a chance he could fix this.

“I’m sorry I got so angry. I really thought-”

Jeno stopped him before he could finish, raising a hand. “Don’t apologize to me, Hyuck. I completely understand why you reacted that way. But please, for the love of God, just talk to each other and stop giving me a fucking headache.” There was no resentment in Jeno’s voice. If anything, he sounded relieved that things were finally beginning to make sense.

“I will! I promise! Thank you for everything, Jeno!”

Jeno smiled at him before walking away.

He genuinely hoped they could fix things. And although he would have preferred to stay as far away from the middle of their mess as possible, there was one last thing he needed to do. He pulled out his phone and sent Mark a short text.

jeno

please talk things out

Then he put his phone away and headed back to work, hoping, more than anything, that his two stubborn friends would finally stop getting in their own way.

- ͙͘͡★

It had been another long day, and Jeno’s phone call certainly hadn’t done anything to make it better. Mark had tried not to dwell on it because the amount of work on his plate was far too overwhelming to let himself get distracted by anything else.

But now he was alone in his car on the way home, and his mind wouldn’t stop circling back to the conversation. Not even his favorite songs playing through the speakers could drown out his thoughts.

His mood shifted from confused, to angry, to sad, and then right back to confused the more he thought about it. How could Donghyuck possibly be angry with him when he was the one who had disappeared? Was he a compulsive liar? But if what Donghyuck was saying was actually true, then what had Mark missed? What could possibly have happened for Donghyuck to believe that Mark was the one who had walked away? But he hadn’t disappeared. Donghyuck had. He knew that for sure.

Mark’s thoughts kept chasing each other around in circles, never reaching a conclusion. Every possible explanation seemed to contradict the one before it, leaving him even more frustrated than when he had started.

The only thing he was certain of was that everything he had done had been a mistake. He should have stayed away from the beginning. It had all been too good to be true. He should have known better.

Mark pulled into the parking garage almost on autopilot. The same thing happened when he got into the elevator. He barely registered pressing the button for his floor, his mind still completely consumed by everything that had happened.

It wasn’t until the elevator doors opened that he finally snapped out of his thoughts beacuse there, standing in the hallway outside his apartment, was the person who had been occupying every single one of them.

Mark stopped for a second. His heart gave an involuntary jolt at the sight of him, but Mark immediately reminded himself that he couldn’t let any of that show. If he gave Donghyuck even the slightest indication that he still cared, he would know. And that was the last thing Mark wanted. Donghyuck had already played with his feelings enough. He wasn’t about to give him the satisfaction of seeing exactly how much power he still had over him.

So Mark forced his expression into something neutral and acted as though he hadn’t seen him at all. He walked right past Donghyuck, pulled his keys from his pocket, and unlocked his door without so much as looking in his direction.

“Mark, please, just listen to me. There’s an explanation for everything.” Donghyuck pleaded behind him.

Mark didn’t answer. He opened the door and immediately tried to close it again, hoping he could end the conversation before it even started. But Donghyuck was faster, he slipped one foot between the door and the frame, preventing Mark from shutting it.

“I left you a note.” He said immediately.

Mark’s expression changed in the blink of an eye. First he felt anger, then surprise, but it quickly changed to anger again. The shifts happened so quickly that Donghyuck might have missed them if he hadn’t been watching Mark so closely.

“Are you a compulsive liar?” Mark asked coldly.

“What?” Donghyuck had genuinely believed that once he explained what had happened, they would be able to clear everything up. He had momentarily forgotten that Mark was probably the most stubborn person on the planet. Once Mark got an idea into his head, convincing him otherwise was practically impossible.

“Just let me explain, Mark.”

“I have nothing to listen to.”

“Yes, you do.” Donghyuck’s patience was beginning to wear thin. “You’re going to listen to me, period. God, you’re acting like you’re five years old.”

The whole situation was starting to feel ridiculous. Donghyuck understood that Mark was angry. He really did. But he had come in peace, and he wasn’t going anywhere until he had explained himself.

Mark stared at him without saying a word. Part of him still wanted to close the door. But another part, the part he was desperately trying to ignore, was beginning to wonder if Donghyuck really did have an explanation. Maybe there was more to the story. Maybe Jeno had been right.

Finally, without saying anything, Mark stepped away from the doorway and let Donghyuck inside.

“Thank you.” Donghyuck muttered, still visibly irritated.

He walked into the apartment without waiting for an invitation and headed straight toward Mark’s bedroom.

“Where are you going?” Mark asked, following after him.

Donghyuck didn’t answer. The first thing he noticed when he entered the bedroom was the neatly made bed. The sheets had been changed. His stomach dropped. There was no way Mark could have missed the note. Unless… Donghyuck immediately dropped to his knees and looked underneath the bed.

“What the hell are you doing?” Mark stood in the doorway, completely bewildered. He would have loved to claim that his eyes didn’t immediately get distracted by the sight in front of him, but that would have been a lie. Donghyuck was practically halfway underneath the bed, his ass sticking up in the air as he reached farther and farther beneath the frame. Mark swallowed and quickly forced his attention elsewhere. This was not the time. Not when he was supposed to be angry.

Not when he was supposed to be proving that he was done with Donghyuck and all the trouble he brought into his life.

“Donghyuck, what are you-”

“Got it.” Donghyuck finally backed out from underneath the bed, a small piece of white paper clutched triumphantly in his hand.

He stood up, brushing the dust from his clothes before turning toward Mark. “There.” Donghyuck held it out to him.

Mark looked at the piece of paper.

“I didn’t leave without telling you.” he explained, his voice softer now. “I had a family lunch I couldn’t miss, and since we went to bed so late, I felt bad waking you up.”

Mark kept staring at him.

“I left you a note.” Donghyuck continued. “I put it right on the bed so you would see it when you woke up. But it must have fallen underneath the bed while you were sleeping.”

Mark slowly took it from his hand. The small piece of paper suddenly felt much heavier than it should have. He looked down at it, his fingers tightening around the edges. For the first time since Donghyuck had appeared in the hallway, Mark didn’t know what to say. Because if the note had really been there… Then everything he had spent the last few days believing was wrong. And, even worse, all the hurt he had felt—the disappointment, the anger, the humiliation—had been built around a misunderstanding.

Mark swallowed hard. He finally looked back at Donghyuck. There was no longer anger in his expression. Just the realization of everything that had happened mixed with relieve.

Donghyuck stood by the edge of the bed, looking at Mark, the crumpled piece of paper still clutched in Mark’s hand. He tried to decipher what Mark’s expression was saying, but it had been completely frozen ever since Donghyuck had pulled the paper out from underneath the bed.

Donghyuck was getting tired of waiting for an answer. He’d come all the way there so they could finally talk things out, and Mark had gone completely silent. Maybe now that there was an explanation, his excuse of “you were the one who left” didn’t work anymore, and he didn’t know how to get rid of Donghyuck without making himself look like the bad guy.

“Don’t you have anything to say?” Donghyuck asked when it became clear that Mark had no intention of speaking. “Maybe your little ‘you left me’ excuse doesn’t work anymore. How are you going to get rid of me now, huh, Mark? How?”

Donghyuck grew angrier with every word. He’d been such an idiot for thinking that maybe Jeno hadn’t been lying to him.

Mark finally looked up at him. “You really believe that?” he asked, a certain fierceness in his eyes. “You really think I’ve spent the last almost forty-eight hours going ‘Oh, thank God Donghyuck left me alone. Lucky me.’?”. Mark stepped closer until he was standing directly in front of Donghyuck.

“Well, I don’t know, Mark. That’s what it looks like.” Donghyuck crossed his arms. “Maybe you even threw the note somewhere yourself so you could claim you never saw it.”

Mark’s eyes darkened. He couldn’t tell whether Donghyuck was deliberately trying to piss him off or genuinely believed what he was saying. Either way, Mark already knew exactly how he was going to prove him wrong.

He stepped forward, his presence looming over Donghyuck, closing the distance until their chests were nearly touching. Mark’s hand shot out, gripping Donghyuck’s jaw firmly, forcing him to maintain eye contact.

"You think so?" Mark growled, his voice low and dangerous. "Do you really think I’d pull a stunt like that?” Donghyuck noticed the change in Mark’s mood. He couldn’t tell if it was his expression or the energy around him, but he knew he liked where things were headed.

“I dunno, Mark. You tell me.” He insolently said.

“You've been making me worry so much for the past few days, Hyuck. Now you're going to spend the next few hours making it up to me."

Donghyuck let out a shaky breath, his bravado flickering as Mark’s thumb pressed hard into his cheek. "Make me." he whispered, challenging him.

Mark didn't hesitate. He slammed Donghyuck back onto the mattress. Before he could react Mark was on top of him, pinning his wrists above his head with one hand. Mark’s mouth crashed against his bruising intensity. It was a battle of tongues, a desperate exchange of saliva and teeth filled with frustration.

Mark tore through Donghyuck’s clothes with a violent efficiency, ripping the shirt open and shoving his pants down his legs. Donghyuck writhed beneath him. He wrapped his legs around Mark’s waist, pulling him closer. He was already leaking, his own cock hard and twitching against his stomach.

"You want this so bad, don't you?" Mark murmured against his neck, biting down on his shoulder. "You've been craving me this whole time, pretending you were the one who was wronged."

"Shut up and fuck me!" Donghyuck shrieked, arching his back, his hips grinding instinctively against Mark’s thigh.

Mark chuckled. He reached down, grabbing Donghyuck’s cock and squeezing it tight. Donghyuck gasped, his head hitting the pillow as Mark began to stroke him with a punishing rhythm. Mark he wanted the friction to be felt, wanted Donghyuck to feel every bit of the intensity. He used his free hand to pinch Donghyuck’s nipples, twisting them sharply.

Donghyuck was already shaking, out of his mouth Mark could only hear a mess of whimpers and curses. As Mark’s hand sped up, Donghyuck’s breathing became erratic. He tried to pull away, trying to maintain some semblance of control, but Mark pinned him harder into the bed.

"Look at me." Mark commanded. Donghyuck opened his eyes, glazed with lust. "You're not going anywhere. You're mine. Every inch of you."

With a final, aggressive series of strokes and a sharp pinch to his nipple, Donghyuck let out a strangled cry. His body stiffened, his toes curling as he erupted, thick ropes of cum splashing across his own stomach and Mark’s hand. He slumped back, chest heaving, his first orgasm leaving him trembling and spent.

But Mark wasn't done. He wasn't even close to be done.

"One." Mark whispered. "That was just the warm-up."

Mark reached for the lube on the nightstand, slathering his fingers in the slick gel. He didn't give Donghyuck time to recover. He pushed two fingers into Donghyuck’s tight heat, stretching him open with a sudden forceful thrust. Donghyuck let out a loud moan, his hips jerking upward.

"You're still tight." Mark groaned, adding a third finger and curling them inside, hitting the prostate with precision. "Did you miss me this much? Is your hole begging for me?"

"Yes... fuck, yes! Please, Mark, just put it in!" Donghyuck pleaded, his bratty persona completely dissolved.

Mark stripped off his own clothes, his thick cock springing free. He positioned himself at the entrance of Donghyuck’s ass, the head of his shaft pressing against the tight ring of muscle. He didn't slide in slowly. He drove forward in one brutal, possessive motion, burying himself to the hilt.

Donghyuck’s scream was muffled by Mark’s shoulder as he took the full length. He felt stretched to his absolute limit, the sensation of being filled completely by Mark sending a wave of euphoria through his system. Mark didn't give him a second to adjust; he immediately began to pound, his hips slamming into Donghyuck’s backside with a rhythmic thud.

Mark was relentless, driving deep and hard, his cock hitting Donghyuck’s prostate with every single stroke. Donghyuck was sobbing now, his voice a mixture of pleasure and overwhelm. He felt the friction building again, the intense stimulation of his prostate triggering a second, unplanned orgasm.

He didn't even have to touch his own cock. The sheer force of Mark’s fucking pushed him over the edge. Donghyuck’s internal muscles clamped tight around Mark’s shaft, squeezing him violently as he came for the second time. Donghyuck’s body shuddering in a prolonged, shaking climax that left him gasping for air.

Mark groaned, the tightness of Donghyuck’s orgasm nearly pushing him over the edge. He felt his own cum pooling at the tip of his cock, the urge to blow load almost uncontrollable. But he stopped. He pulled back nearly all the way out, leaving only the head inside, and held himself there.

"What... why did you stop?" Donghyuck whimpered, his eyes fluttering.

"Because I'm not done with you," Mark breathed, his voice strained. "I'm going to make sure you never again doubt how bad I want you before I let myself finish."

Mark shifted his grip, grabbing Donghyuck’s legs and shoving them back until the smaller man’s knees were touching his chest. This angle allowed Mark to go even deeper. He began to fuck him again, but this time the pace was slower, more deliberate. He ground his cock against the walls of Donghyuck’s rectum, twisting his hips to maximize the friction.

"You're such a brat, Hyuck." Mark whispered, leaning down to lick a trail of sweat from Donghyuck’s collarbone. "But this is want you wanted, don’t you, baby? You want me to show you how much I need you."

Mark increased the speed. He was pushing himself to the limit. His muscles taut, his breath coming in ragged gasps. He could feel himself getting closer, the pressure in his balls becoming almost painful. Every time he felt the orgasm cresting, he would consciously slow down or change the angle, denying himself the release to prolong Donghyuck's enjoyment.

Donghyuck was lost in it. He was floating, his mind a blur of white noise and pleasure. He began to touch himself, his hand working his slick cock in time with Mark’s thrusts. He wanted it, he wanted that third peak, the one that would finally break him.

"Please, Mark... please, I can't... I'm going to…"

"Do it, sweetheart." Mark commanded, his voice a rough growl. "Come for me again. Show me how much you need this too."

Mark hammered into him with everything he had, his thrusts becoming feral. He wasn't holding back anymore. He drove himself into Donghyuck’s ass with a violence that bordered on desperation, his cock slamming into the prostate over and over. Donghyuck’s eyes rolled back in his head, his entire body arching off the bed as he hit his third orgasm. It was the most intense one yet, a crashing wave of pleasure that left him completely limp, his cock spraying cum across the sheets in long, uncontrolled bursts.

The sight of Donghyuck completely broken and spent was the final trigger for Mark. He let out a guttural roar, his body locking up as he finally surrendered. He thrust one last time, burying himself as deep as possible, and unloaded a massive volume of cum deep inside Donghyuck. He groaned, his forehead resting against Donghyuck’s, his breath hot and heavy.

Mark stayed inside him for several minutes, savoring the feeling of their bodies joined and the rhythmic pulsing of his own release. The silence that followed was heavy, but peaceful.

Slowly, Mark pulled out. He collapsed beside Donghyuck, pulling the smaller man into his arms. Donghyuck was still twitching slightly, his skin flushed and covered in a mixture of sweat and cum.

"Still think I want to get rid out of you?" Mark asked, his voice returning to its usual tone, but this time softened by affection.

Donghyuck let out a weak, tired giggle, snuggling deeper into Mark’s chest. "Maybe a little..." he whispered, though he gripped Mark’s arm tightly, making it clear he wasn't letting go.

Mark kissed the top of his head, then gently cupped his jaw, making him look him in the eyes.

“I’m not playing around, Hyuck,” Mark said softly, but with enough seriousness in his voice that there could be no misunderstanding. “I’m not good at talking about my feelings, but I want you to know that I really mean it. I’m not playing around.”

Donghyuck smiled fondly. “Do you know why I finally agreed to go out with you guys?”

Mark let go of his jaw and leaned back against the headboard, bringing Donghyuck with him without loosening his arms around him. “Why?” he asked, intrigued.

“The week before we met, you came to pick up Jeno. Remember? You didn’t come into the gym, but you waited outside for a while. You didn’t see me, but I saw you.” Donghyuck chuckled to himself. “That’s when I thought, He has to be mine.”

“Seriously?” Mark asked, surprised.

“Mhm.” Donghyuck confirmed. “Then we met, and I thought, Oh, so he is the type of guy who sleeps with you once and never calls you again. I don’t do one-night stands, so I figured I should just let it go. But Jeno convinced me that wasn’t the case. That you’d told him otherwise. that you were looking for something serious, and all that. So I thought, Well, why not give it a try?”

Donghyuck paused, as if considering what to say next. “I don’t want to force anything. Maybe a week from now we’ll be at each other’s throats because we just don’t work together. But my point is, I never once thought of this as a one-night thing. That’s what I want to make clear.”

Mark thought about all the times Jeno had annoyed him by speaking on his behalf. He tried to feel outraged that his best friend had talked about his personal life behind his back, but in reality, that one decision might have been the very thing that kept all of this from ending almost before it had even begun. He had a lot to thank Jeno for.

“Look at me, Hyuck.” Mark said.

When Donghyuck looked up at him, Mark kissed him tenderly, nothing like the kisses they had shared before. This one was soft and delicate, almost like a promise.

Mark pulled back just an inch. “Not to be intense or anything, but I think even if we were at each other’s throats, I still wouldn’t let you go.”

Donghyuck smiled at his words before throwing himself at Mark and kissing him much more intensely than before.

For a while, they simply shared the silence, listening to each other breathe, each of them thinking about their own part in the story and how everything had somehow led them to this moment. Mark gently stroked Donghyuck’s arm as he lay against his chest.

“Do you want to stay the night?” Mark asked.

Donghyuck nodded.

“But promise me you won’t leave without waking me up to say goodbye.” Mark said, a teasing note creeping into his voice.

“We haven’t even started anything yet and you’re already teasing me!” Donghyuck said, sounding offended even though he wasn’t in the slightest.

“You were already teasing me before we even knew each other.” Mark replied, remembering when they first met, then he leaning in to kiss him again.

Donghyuck smiled into the kiss.

“What do you want for dinner?” Mark asked when they pulled apart.

Donghyuck looked at him suggestively.

“You can’t be for real!” Mark exclaimed, pulling the younger man back into his arms. “We’re having kimchi jjigae for dinner, and that’s it.”

Donghyuck smiled widely against Mark’s chest. He really did believe this could work.