The World Stopped Moving {MarkRen} | complete

quatorze

Mark stuffs his hands in his pockets and exhales.

"Do I really look okay?" He asks. Renjun stops beside him and rolls his eyes.

"You look fine." It's at least the fifth time he's had to tell Mark that his hair isn't sticking up, that his t-shirt isn't creased and that he's only visiting his friends, not the president. "They probably haven't showered or changed out of their pyjamas. First year student life and all that."

Mark runs his hands through his hair, dropping them to rest around his necklace instead when he chuckles, short and nervous. "I don't miss student dorms at all." They both laugh. "But I'm just... kind of stressed? It's been a while since I've, you know... had to make an impression. I want them to like me."

Renjun softens. He seeks Mark's hands, but they remain firmly buried in his pockets, out of bounds, so he doesn't push it, careful as ever. "You can always leave if you want to. But they love you already, from what they've heard," Renjun says instead.

"You talk about me?"

The look Mark gives him sets off fireworks in his chest, in his head, all over his skin. Eyes wide and head tilted to the side, Mark is curious.

"Let's just go." Renjun leads the way without answering the question, but the main reason is so that Mark can't see him blush.

When they reach the fourth floor, nerves settle into Renjun's stomach. So he can't even start to imagine how nervous Mark must be. He didn't think it was a big deal when he mentioned meeting his friends to his soulmate. Mark had agreed relatively quickly, too. But now, just a minute away from his room, the voices of his dormmates filtering through the thin walls, he realises that it is a big deal.

"What if Jaemin doesn't like me?"

"Why Jaemin?" Renjun asks. It's another excuse to stall. The elder explains anyway.

"Because you two were a thing. I feel bad," Mark mumbles like a scolded child, even though he's done nothing wrong. Renjun tells him just that, but Mark nibbles his lip, unconvinced. "If we're gonna be together I want to get on with your friends. That's an important part of this whole thing." He waves his hands around and Renjun still has to fight the urge to hold them tight.

"Jaemin likes everyone. He'll like you, and you'll like him. Trust me," Renjun says, stepping closer. Close enough to feel Mark's breath on his lips when the elder releases an unsteady laugh. The flickering industrial lights overhead pale his skin.

The younger is about to suggest they save the hangout for another day when Mark pushes past him to knock on the door with stiff determination.

"Let's just do it," Mark says with another exhale that's no more confident than the last.

"I have a key, you know. I could just-" The door opens, interrupting Renjun and making them both startle.

It's Jisung, and Jeno soon appears behind the youngest with eyes already curled into a charming smile. He had been particularly enthusiastic to meet Mark – a new friend he can induct into his world of video games.

"Is that Mark?" Jisung asks once the door is closed and they're all hanging around, waiting for someone to speak. He leans towards Renjun, tries to be subtle, but the attempt fails and earns him a slap on the shoulder from the Chinese. Mark clears his throat and Jisung splutters, cheeks red. "Sorry! Sorry. I just didn't want to get your name wrong. I wanted to make sure, you know?"

Renjun casts a cautious glance in his soulmate's direction, but Jisung's comment seems to have helped him relax, contrary to his expectations. Mark's probably glad he's not the only awkward one in the room.