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Donghyuck connects his phone to the car from the front of the car, turning on a playlist that he made for Mark. It's all of the songs that he knows will help Mark calm down.
"Is it ok if I sit next to you?" Donghyuck asks as he gets in on the opposite side from where Mark is sitting.
"It's ok. Can I hold you?"
"Of course."
Donghyuck slides into the seat next to Mark, putting on his seat belt before leaning into the older's side.
"Are you both buckled?" Johnny asks and receives a nod from both of the younger boys.
Johnny starts driving with one hand on the wheel and the other holding Taeyong's.
"Is it alright if we tell the other boys?" Taeyong asks. "Kun is texting me nonstop with questions."
"We can tell them," Mark whispers.
Taeyong nods and turns forward, getting his reassurance from Johnny's thumb rubbing the back of his hand.
Mark uses the rest of the car ride home to calm down. He closes his eyes and rests his head on Donghyuck's.
Donghyuck knows that Mark needs the calm before they go see the rest of their soulmates. He tries his hardest to stay quiet, but he finds himself humming along to the songs. Donghyuck can feel Mark relaxing against him, and he smiles, knowing that he can make the older feel better.
They make it to the dorm in almost 20 minutes, Johnny having taken the long way to get to home. Once they're through the front door, they can see their soulmates spread out in the living room.
"Are you ok, Mark?" Lucas asks, jumping up to stand in front of the younger.
"I'm ok now, thank you Lucas."
Mark wraps his arms around Lucas in a hug and lays his head on the taller's chest.
"I'm glad I could help."
Mark sits with Taeyong and Donghyuck again, the other boys giving their attention to the three.
"We have something to tell you, but it's a little, uh, hard to talk about," Taeyong starts, taking breath. "When I met Mark, that was the last day he lived with his parents.
"I found him in the SM Café with a bruise on his face and something obviously wrong with his leg. His parents are really bad people, and our manager technically had legal custody of him for a while before he was emancipated."
"Wow really?" Jaemin asks.
"Yeah, I couldn't let him back to his parent's, and my manager understood that, so he helped me get him away."
"And you have a restraining order against them?" Kun asks.
"I do." Mark pulls up the document on his phone and shows it to Kun.
"Hm," Kun hums, scanning over the document. "She shouldn't have been as close to you as she got today."
"I know," Mark sighs. "That's why Taeyong and I have these protocols to follow if any of my family get near me."
"That's good," Kun comments, passing Mark back his phone. "I know I don't have your mark, but I do care for you."
"Thank you, hyung. I care for you, too. I really wish my family would just leave me alone, though."
"With extra security, they should," Taeyong says.
********
"Hyung? Can I move into your room?" Mark asks as he walks into Taeyong's room.
"You practically live in here already," Taeyong laughs softly, but invites Mark to sit in his bed anyways. "What's wrong, darling?"
"I'm scared. I've been getting little memories that pop up of what happened vefore."
"You're ok," Taeyong comforts a visibly upset Mark. "We'll get through this like we always do, but you can stay in here as long as you want."
"You sure? Cause it'll probably be a while."
"I'm sure. I've gotten used to having you in here now."
"Oof ok. I'm going to get some stuff, but I will be right back."
"Ok."
Mark leaves the room and goes to his own. He gets a few sweatshirts, none of them his own, and a stuffed dinosaur that Jaehyun had gotten him years ago.
Mark goes back to Taeyong's room and places his stuff around the room. He places Johnny's sweatshirt on Taeyong's desk chair, Yuta's sweatshirt on the bookshelf, and Donghyuck's sweatshirt on top of the dresser.
"Really? Nothing else?"
"Yeah, that's it. I can just go back for clothes."
"True. Come here, baby."
Taeyong beckons Mark over to sit on the bed with him. He pulls the younger into his arms as they lean back against the wall.
"Do you think I'm too old for this?" Mark asks.
"Too old for what?"
"Too old to be acting like this. Shouldn't I be able to sleep on my own? Shouldn't I be able to handle these things on my own?"
"Do you think you should be doing this on your own?"
"I don't know," Mark sighs in frustration. "Maybe. I'm in the middle of the age order but I feel like one of the youngest."
"Does that make you feel bad? Because we can dial it back."
"No. I like it, but I feel like I shouldn't."
"And why's that?"
"I'm older so I should be able to take care of them, right?"
"No, not right." Taeyong looks down and meets Mark's eyes. "You don't have to always take care of them. That's what we're here for. The other older boys and I can take care of them, like how we don't mind taking care of you."
"Really?"
"Yeah. I'd love to take care of you forever."
"Ok hyung. Thank you, by the way, for everything."
"You don't have to thank me, darling, but you're welcome."
Mark moves so he and Taeyong are laying down. He holds his dinosaur tightly and pulls the blanket up to his shoulders.
"Can you wake me up before dinner?" Mark asks.
"Sure. Rest now, you need it."
Mark smiles, knowing that Taeyong will be there when he wakes up.
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