Safe place (Markhyuck)

10

Haechan: Hi

Mark: Hi

Haechan: where are you now?

Mark: I'm walking from job number one to number two.

Mark is quite surprised to see his phone light up and excitedly picks it up.

"Hello? Haechan?"
He asks even though he knows.
"Hi, I hope this is ok. I wanted to hear your voice again." 
The smile that splits Mark's face at the moment is sure to stick around the whole night.
"I'm happy I get to hear yours. How are you feeling? Did you have school today?" Haechan chuckles.
"I'm doing a lot better thanks to you and Jeno and I skipped the whole day of classes. I've been in bed most of the day."
Mark hums as he keeps walking, trying to make it to work on time.

"Can you come over tonight? I want company, if your not busy you know? Like if you are it's ok but..."
Mark laughs which makes him shut up.
"Yes I will Come around nine when my shift is over. Do you want anything?" Haechan thinks but comes up with nothing.
"Just you, I mean just come over and I'll make you something tonight." Mark smiles impossibly bigger hearing him get flustered this time.
"That sounds great. I can't wait for what ever it is."
Haechan giggles.

"Also if you really meant it, I would like to watch those movies with you. I want you to come in with me and watch them if that's ok?" Mark stops dead in his tracks.
"Wait really? Like you are going to be fine with that?" Haechan giggles at the excitement in Mark's voice.
"I've decided that if I want to get better I need to trust more people and where better to start then with you? You are a good friend and you're Jeno's cousin so if he trusts you enough to live in his house then I think you are an alright person. Anyway I want to try tonight, maybe you could come in and have dinner with me?" He asks shyly. Mark is so soft for this boy right now he feels like he's melting.

"Haechanie, I am so proud of you. Of course I want to have dinner with you. I can't wait, I am literally so excited." Haechan can hear it in his voice and he knows his choice to trust him is a wise one.
"Ok I'll let you get to your job, I will start preparing
dinner then. I'll see you in a few hours."

After hanging up Mark can't seem to stop smiling and Jungwoo notices as soon as he enters the cafe.
"Awe someone has a date, am I right?" Mark stops putting on his apron, thinking of what to call it as he's not even sure what it is but he is more excited than he has ever been for a date before.

"Maybe, but I'm not telling you anything about him. He's perfect, that's all you need to know." Mark can't even believe his own words, did he just say that? Does he actually mean it? He always thought of Haechan as a friend, a very sweet and cute friend, but friend. He just lets it go though because honestly he doesn't want to have to ruin their little bubble and tell anyone about his Haechan just yet.

"Oh come on you have to tell me something." Jungwoo says pouting and of course Mark can't resist, he sighs.
"I'll tell you that I met him around a month ago, I think. He's very special and very sweet and we are friends and we are meeting for dinner as friends. Jungwoo belts out a laugh.
"Right." He says walking away. Mark knows it sounds like more but the reason he is so happy is because of the break through. After just this morning thinking the worst, he's now invited to come over for the first time ever. At least that's what he tells himself as to why his heart beats just a little faster when Haechan crosses his mind, which by the way is happening more and more these days.

He shakes it off and gets to work. It's mostly an uneventful evening except for when Winwin and Yuta walked in together. He got a front row seat to one of their dates and he can't wait to tease them tomorrow.
As the end of his shift nears he can feel his heart accelerate, he is excited yes but he is so nervous. He can't help but feel, if he is this nervous, how does Haechan feel? He pulls his phone out quickly.

Mark: hey, how are you doing?

Haechan: I'm ok, I'm nervous as fuck but I'm ok. I think I'm going to wear my carpet out with all this pacing but I'm good.

Mark smiles softly but he is pretty concerned.

Mark: remember, if at any point this is too much for you I will back off. Don't worry about my feelings, just stick with what you are comfortable with.

Haechan: but that is the problem, I need to step out of my comfort zone, please don't let me back out.

Mark is hesitant but in the end agrees.

Mark: ok. I'll see you soon.

When the time finally comes Mark has to stop himself from running, he is so excited but when he gets to his street he slows down considerably. This is kind of a big deal, they are actually going to meet in person. His hands go to his front pockets as he's trying to stop fidgeting when he finally gets to the door. He stands in place for a moment.
He pushes the doorbell and waits, it feels longer than it should so he starts to think Haechan may have changed his mind, but when the knob finally clicks he holds his breath.

Haechan is sweating and shaking as he grips the door knob tightly. When he finally opens it he can only look down as the nerves feel like they are going to swallow him up.
"Fuck." He whispers.
"Haechanie? Are you ok?" For some reason hearing Mark's voice is enough to calm him some. He finally takes some deep breaths and looks up.
"Holy shit." He says quickly. Mark doesn't move, he just lets him go at his own pace but he decides he should maybe just talk since they do that well together.

"So my friends, Yuta and Winwin came in today on a coffee date." Haechan looks up and almost smiles.
"They were so cute together, at least until they realized I was there, then they were all kinds of awkward." Haechan laughs and looks him in the eyes, Mark's breath gets caught in his throat as he sees his beautiful eyes up close.

"Hi." He says awkwardly, Haechan giggles.
"Hi, come in." He steps back and allows Mark to come through the door. He has to take a few deep breaths but he keeps telling himself that Mark is a friend, Mark is Jeno's cousin and he wouldn't hurt him.
"I almost talked myself out of this and thought I could have you come with Jeno and it would be easier but I'm getting tired of easy.
Can you please help me? I want to get better, I want to try to surprise Jeno and you for some reason are helping me so much just by being here." Mark can't help but feel proud that Haechan thinks he is helping so much.
"Of course, you know I will do what ever I can." Haechan pulls a chair out by the table for Mark and sets a plate down. Mark is impressed with his pasta making skills.

"Don't look at it like that, you haven't even tasted it yet. Besides I just threw some stuff together, I didn't have time to get any groceries delivered." Mark chuckles.
"I'm sure it's fine." He looks around a little bit.

"Nice house you have here. It's cleaner than my room for sure." Haechan laughs.
"Well I have no excuse for a messy place when I literally can't leave it." Mark gives him a look that says to stop.
"Not true I've seen hoarding shows where people's houses are absolutely disgusting and they never go anywhere." Haechan shrugs.
"I guess. I do sometimes let it go a little.
So I want to tell you what happened this morning since you seem to be afraid to ask."
Mark shows a look of surprise.
"I tried to go out, I got to the mailbox and then there was a dog barking and a loud car came by and it freaked me out. That's the kind of shit I have to deal with so let me ask you. Do you still want to help me? Do you still want to be my friend? I'm a nut case and I'm very high maintenance and I piss myself off all the time so I'm sure to piss you off too." Mark sits with his arms crossed glaring at him.

"Are you done? I wouldn't be here if I didn't want any of that. I already told you I'm not going anywhere. Now tell me your problems and let the therapy begin." Haechan laughs loudly showing a beautiful light in his eyes and Mark is in awe.
"Fuck, how are you that pretty?" He accidentally asks out loud.
"What?" Haechan asks with pink cheeks.
"Sorry, I'm not trying to be a creep. It's just that you are really beautiful, especially when you are happy." Haechan looks away smiling.
"Thank you. I'm sorry if I seem insecure, I just don't want to get attached, then you leave when it's hard." Mark nods in understanding.
"I understand. I'm not like that, I won't leave. As hard as it is for you to believe, I actually think you are a great person." Haechan smiles and nods before eating a bite.
"Thanks, you're pretty great too." He smiles shyly as Mark smiles and starts eating as well.

To be continued...