NCT Oneshots {ot23} | open

I saw you smile: MarkMin

▹prompt: smile
▹word count: 4209
▹genre: littlespace, hurt/comfort
▹warnings: bullying

ˑ༄ؘ ۪۪۫۫ ▹❀◃ ۪۪۫۫ ༄ؘ ˑ

"He's not here to defend you now, is he?"

Jaemin finds himself backed up against the wall, wedges between the lockers, his absolute least favourite person in front. His eyes rove around. Even if he were to make it past Hyunwoo's burly frame, three of his sidekicks are hanging around in the corridor. He's trapped. There's no escape from here.

A sting rips through Jaemin's left cheek and his eyes burn with the force of holding back his tears. He grits his teeth hard.

"What, are you going to cry like the big baby you are? Do you want Markie to come dry your tears?" Hyunwoo leans in so close that Jaemin gags from the breath on his face. He fiddles with the sleeves of his hoodie, gripping onto the black fabric in an attempt to ground himself. The world is a little blurry - and not just from his tears - so his mind could break free from its tether at any moment.

Please don't drop. Not here. Just another fifteen minutes. Please.

Jaemin squeezes his eyes shut and prays for his ability to hold himself together. Because he does want Mark to dry his tears and help him into his pyjamas and cuddle him all evening while his mind empties of all the awful memories and terrifying stress that comes with being a second year college student with dreadful parents. He wants Mark to drag Hyunwoo away from him again, like he has countless times in the past year.

But Mark's not here.

"What a wuss." Hyunwoo scoffs. Jaemin receives another slap, on the other cheek this time, and his skin screams in pain.

An imprint of the bully's hand lingers on his face until it seeps through to his insides and makes him want to throw up. The only person allowed to touch him is Mark. His boyfriend. Over the course of his childhood, Jaemin lost more and more trust in his family. He doesn't have any friends besides Mark's group, and luckily they all respect his boundaries. Mark is the only one Jaemin allows close enough to hold his hands and kiss his cheek and run his fingers through his hair after yet another nightmare.

"P-please." Jaemin whimpers, out loud this time. A chorus of laughter erupts in the corridor. He cracks his eyes open to see a small crowd having formed. There are no teachers in the vicinity. Not that they'd do anything anyway except give everyone a measly detention. Jaemin included.

"Freak." 

"Pathetic." 

"Cry-baby."

They always call him names. Some certain homophobic names, too. Jaemin shivers. His hoodie is oversized and so soft and smells of his boyfriend because it's actually Mark's, but in this moment the comforting scent only pushes his mind closer to the edge. Dangerously close.

"Why doesn't he just stand up for himself?"

Because his mind is too loud, too busy, too disorientated to muster the courage to do so. He'd only receive a worse beating if he did. That's always the case at home. The more he disrespects his parents, the worse the punishment. Jaemin knows that rule also applies here.

"His lover boy is usually here by now. Where is he?"

Everyone giggles, smirks at the pitiful sight of Jaemin cowering between the lockers, tears now streaming down his cheeks, legs quivering with weakness from when the bullies kicked at his shins. Mark has an extra rehearsal with the dance club, that's where he is. The key to his boyfriend's apartment digs into his hip and Jaemin remembers how Mark slid it into his pocket, then reminded him with a sweet kiss to get home safely and just let himself in.