Safe place (Markhyuck)

9

"JenoJenoJeno. I need you, I, I, I, can't live anymore I need help. Mmmmmy therapist won't answer what am I going to do?"

When Jeno gets this message he flies out of bed, it was only 20 minutes ago so it should be fine. He barely throws any clothes on as he runs out the door.
"Woah what's got you so rushed this morning?" Mark asks a little concerned.
"Haechan, I need to go now." Mark tries to go with, on instinct but Jeno stops him, Mark understands so he settles for pacing the floor until he gets an idea.

When Haechan sees his phone light up it catches his eye, taking him away from staring at the razor in his hand. He peeks and sees Marks name on the screen. They've never talked on the phone before and he certainly doesn't want to do it this way. He watches as it goes black but lights back up right away. He finally pushes the green button but doesn't speak.

"Haechan?" Mark asks winded but gets no reply. Mark takes his chances and goes with it.
"Jeno just left to see you, he didn't tell me why but he left quickly. I hope you're ok. I wouldn't want anything bad to happen to you, you are my new favorite person to talk to. So I watched guardians of the galaxy last night, for like the tenth time. It's one of my favorites. Yeah I'm kind of a Marvel nerd." Mark almost can't breath when he hears a light chuckle.
"We will have a marathon one weekend. I won't leave your house until we're done, even if I have to sit on your front porch the whole time and watch it on my iPad. Maybe next weekend?" Mark can't see him but his head is nodding vigorously. His smile is as big as it can be. His eyes are glossed over from tears, his heart hurts from the ache of not being normal enough.
"Haechanie?" He perks up, liking the cute name he called him.
"Remember the lion I gave you? It had a note in it, did you find it? Did you read it?" Haechan remembers taking it out and putting it in his pocket so he drops the razor and goes into his hamper and takes out the neatly folded paper and sits back down. He unfolds it slowly and Mark can hear the paper crinkling and he smiles, at least he is listening. When he holds it open and reads it finally he sobs. Not because he's happy or sad but because he's managed to make a really good friend even though he hasn't met him in person. He reads it over and over again until the tears fog his vision.

You are the best person I've met. I don't know how I've gone this long without someone as special as you in my life. Stay strong.

This note is one of the most special he's read yet. He shakes as he finally picks his phone up off the floor, he stares at it for a minute before texting.

Haechan: do you mean it?

When Mark gets it he smiles softly.
"Of course I do. I really like you, and no I'm not flirting. I don't know you that well yet. I mean, I'm not saying that I will, but I'm not saying that I won't, oh god this is not going well." Haechan laughs louder, which makes Mark's heart beat just a little faster. They both hear the door open which brings a huge relief to Mark.

"Text me later, please? I need to know you are alright. I hear Jeno is there so I'll go, bye for now." Haechan waves, even knowing Mark can't see him and wipes his tears, he pushes his note quickly into his pocket and puts his phone down. When Jeno bursts in and holds him in his arms he sobs some more.
"I'm sorry, I'm such a disappointment. I can't get this right." He says hitting himself in the head. Jeno quickly grabs both his hands and pins them to his sides.  After he calms some Jeno gets up and grabs his pills handing him one.
"Can you tell me what triggered this?" Haechan looks down ashamed.
"I went down my steps and all the way to the mailbox, but there was this dog, and then this really loud car and I panicked. I couldn't come back in the house again for a minute."

He stops talking long enough to swallow his pill as Jeno just listens carefully.
"I just want to get better so bad, but I'm never going to get there." Jeno shakes his head smiling which confuses the other. He sits back on the floor next to Haechan and pulls him into his side, rubbing his back.
"What you did was brave, it takes a lot of courage to step out of your comfort zone. I'm amazed and so proud. But please take a few steps next time you are feeling brave like that." Haechan looks at him and smiles a little.

"You need to take your pill as soon as you feel bad ok? That is going to help you, so you don't have to scare me like this, also just have me or someone else you trust with you or on the phone." Haechan can't help but cry again.
"I'm sorry, I scared you. I'm sorry you had to come here for me. You should be at home in bed with Jaemin." He says softly wiping his tears.
"Hey, that doesn't mean I don't want you to call for help when you need it. I just don't want you to get hurt because I love you, your my brother and I need you to be here." Haechan swallows his lump and looks down.

"Did Jaemin get woken up?"
"He was up, in the shower. I didn't have a chance to tell him where I was going but it's ok, I'm sure Mark told him." Jeno chuckles at the end.
"What's funny?" Haechan asks playing with a string on his jeans.
"You scared Mark too, he was going to come with me but I stopped him." Haechan again swallows a lump and feels the tears come back.
"I hope you can see it too, but it just goes to show that people care about you, even the ones that don't know you." Haechan chuckles awkwardly and stands up shakily.

"Thank you for coming so quickly and tell everyone I'm sorry for all the trouble I've caused." Jeno helps him settle into bed so he can rest.
"Take a nap, I'll email your professor this morning." Haechan nods. These attacks are exhausting so he won't argue that he needs sleep. The fact that he was up so early proves that too. He really should know better than to try to do this at five AM when most people are sleeping but he had a sudden surge of confidence.

When he hears his door click he grabs his note and places it under his pillow and calls Mark's number. He almost hangs up when he hears the others voice.
"Haechan? Hello?" Mark asks excitedly.
"Thank you." He hears in a whisper.
"Your welcome, call me or text me whenever you need to ok? I'll be here for you." Haechan can feel tears forming again.
"I'm sorry if I scared you. I'm sorry for not being ok." Mark sighs when he hears the mostly whispered apology.
"Just so you know, you are amazing and I think you are more than ok. Everybody has a set back in life at some point, some people's are worse than others but that doesn't mean there is anything wrong with them. It just means you have a bigger hurdle but we are here for you for every step, every jump. And before you say anything, yes I am sure I will be here for a long long time so you are stuck with me." Haechan sighs softly, which quickly turns into a yawn.
"You go to sleep. I'll talk to you later ok?" Haechan whispers a goodbye before hanging up and falling asleep right away.
Mark is relieved to hear from him and his heart rate is finally getting back to normal. He gets ready for his day at work. He still doesn't know what drove him to wake up as early as he did today, but he's so glad he did.