Safe place (Markhyuck)

11

"You are actually a good cook, I'm impressed." Haechan scoffs.
"You kind of have to get good at it when you are the only one to cook for yourself." Mark is starting to get annoyed.
"Look I know this is part of you, the self deprecating thing. It's like a defense mechanism, I get it, but come on, just while I'm here can you say something nice about yourself that you actually mean?" Haechan looks down to the floor pouting his lip.
"Well I agree with you that I'm pretty." Mark's face splits into a huge grin.
"Yes yes, that's what I'm talking about. Keep going, say as many as you can think of." Haechan rolls his eyes.
"After you friend. I want to hear what you like about yourself." Mark is stunned and sits there for a few minutes.

"It's not easy is it?" Haechan asks quietly.
"No, sorry. I just see so much more than your, I don't know what you call it but you are more than that." Haechan chuckles dryly.
"My disability? My phobias? My mental illness? Call it what you want." He gets up to clear their dishes and pauses at the sink looking out the window.
"I'm sorry Mark, I'm not very good at this. I'm really surprised Jeno has stuck around for so long. My attitude can be terrible and here I am being shitty to you the first time I have you over." He tries to wipe his tears but they are coming too quickly.

Mark comes up behind him and hugs his waist surprising him. He tries to wiggle out of it but Mark just stands there so he complies.
"Don't fight it, you know you want a hug." Haechan nods his head and puts it down in defeat while Mark lets go and turns him so they are facing each other.
"You have to remember, Jeno and I are related. We are tough, and hard to get rid of. I hate that I'm terrible at telling jokes and I'm sometimes nerdy. I also hate that I suck at romantic relationships." Haechan gives him a confused face.
"I already know things you don't like about you, there are some of mine." Haechan smiles and turns to continue washing dishes so Mark grabs a towel to dry them.

"So tell me about you?" Mark asks quietly.
"Not much to tell, I am in school online and I have like two, or now three friends and I'm a therapists wet dream." Mark cackles making Haechan laugh too.
"You are also really fucking funny. But like what about before all this? What were you like as a kid?" Haechan thinks as he hands Mark the last dish and turns so his back is now leaning on the counter.
"I was loud and I liked to pull pranks on everyone. I was a little shit and mmy parents had their hhands full." He doesn't even realize he's crying again until he feels Mark's arms wrap around him again.

"Sorry." Mark starts to apologize but is cut off by the other.
"Just because literally everything in my life, past, present and future makes me cry doesn't mean you can't ask. If you are walking on egg shells the entire time you won't know the real me right?" Mark nods but doesn't say anything, still feeling sorry for bringing it up.

"Like three years ago my mom and I were home, I was upstairs and she was making dinner. Three men broke in, I was able to call the cops but they didn't make it on time. They raped her then sliced her throat. I saw the whole thing. I'm the coward who instead of trying to help her just hid." He crumples to the floor so Mark goes with him and holds him while he cries.
"Holy shit." Mark says breathless.
"Sorry, I haven't said that out loud in a long time." He chokes out. Mark just shushes him and rubs his back.

After he calms some, Mark pulls him up and brings him to the couch.
"That's fucked, you are not a coward you were a kid. I'm sure your mother would have wanted it that way. How would she have felt if you got hurt instead of her? She probably wouldn't have wanted to live without you." Haechan nods still wiping tears off his face.
"I was 16 technically, almost 17. I was scared, I was selfish, I didn't want to get hurt. I wish I would have done more." Mark sits so Haechan can lay across his lap and plays with his hair as he cries his heart out. Neither may realize this now, but this is good for him. He hasn't been able to let go of the past, his anger at himself, his fear of himself. He hasn't trusted that he is a good person because he didn't step in to save his mother. Mark just holds him for comfort, that is all he can do in this moment. No words will take the pain away.

When Haechan wakes the next morning he is groggy and his back is a bit sore but the most surprising thing is his face is buried in Mark's stomach. He carefully looks up to see Mark with his head flung back over the couch in the most uncomfortable position and smiles softly.
"Mark." He whispers.
"Mark, wake up. You fell asleep, it's morning." Mark's head slowly and painfully moves to look down at Haechan who hasn't moved yet.
"Ugh, my neck hurts." He says with a raspy voice, which Haechan thinks is really sexy. He quickly sits up and goes to take care of his morning routine.
"Go in my closet and pick something out, we aren't that much different in size so something should fit. I'll be out in a minute and you can shower." Mark slowly stands trying to work out the creaks in his neck.

After showering he comes out to find breakfast made for him, Haechan is just pouring some juice as he sits down.
"You stayed, why?" Haechan asks curiously.
"Because you fell asleep in my lap and I didn't want to wake you. I knew I couldn't lock all of your locks from the outside and I didn't want you to wake up and not feel safe." Haechan almost wants to cry again, Mark made a huge sacrifice for him and his peace of mind. He could have woke him or just left but he chose to stay.

"Thank you." He says walking up behind Mark and rubbing his neck. Mark starts to protest but Haechan won't have it.
"You did something really nice at least let me try to get the kink out of your neck before you leave." Mark doesn't argue any more and enjoys it thoroughly.
"What are you going to tell Jeno when he figures out you didn't come home last night?" Mark hums and rolls his neck to the side.
"He would probably shoot me if I told him I was here, he's very protective of you." Haechan giggles.
"I'll just tell him I was out with coworkers and decided to crash at their house." Haechan continues to rub his neck and Mark is loving it.

"Thank you. It feels so much better." He says smiling.
"I probably better head out, I don't want to be late for work." Haechan waits until he stands and wraps his arms around him, taking him by surprise.
"Thank you, for everything. I hope I didn't scare you away last night." Mark smiles and squeezes him once more before pulling back and looking in his pretty eyes.
"Already told you, hard to get rid of." He says pointing to his chest. He grabs his things and walks out, again he is feeling happy so he has to control himself not to skip down the street.