Let's Play Ball ⟨Markhyuck⟩|| completed

chapter 22

"Peter?"

"Are you okay?"

"Donghyuck?!"

The said male snapped out of his trance to find Mark's hands on his shoulders that were shaking him slightly. The pink haired male had a sad expression on his face as tears reluctantly fell. Donghyuck tried his best not to break down in front of the chocolate haired male, but he failed to do so as Mark enveloped him into a tight hug. Normally, Donghyuck would have pushed away anyone that hugged him or touched him, but he did not feel the need to this time.

Mark whispered reassuring words into the other's ears as Donghyuck cried on his shoulder. He never had someone to lean on or cry on before so the feeling was foreign to him, but at the same time, he loved it so much. It was something he had secretly always longed for but never received it. But with Mark, it seemed as though he always knew what Donghyuck may be feeling.

Donghyuck realized that the boy he had a crush on—his very first crush at ten years old that was a boy at that, thus making him understand that he did not like females in the way he did with males—was sitting right in front of him, engulfing him in the tightest most comforting hug he had ever received from anyone other than his sister Sunny.

"It's okay to cry, Hyuckie. It does not make you seem weak so just let it out," Mark assured the younger male as Donghyuck continued to cry.

He felt so many emotions at once and he did not know how to handle them, except by crying. He wanted to scream and even push the older off of him to leave because he needed time to process everything. But he knew that would not do him any good and he would end up pushing Mark away. And the last thing that Donghyuck never  ever wanted to do was push Mark away.

So he just cried in Mark's arms for hours, the older crying with him from seeing someone he cared about and loved in so much pain.

Donghyuck and Mark had fallen asleep entangled in each other's arms on the older's bed after crying for a while. The pink haired male was the first one to get up, noticing that it was already dark outside. It was a good thing that the light was kept the whole time, but not a good thing for the electric bill. Oops.

Donghyuck had Mark's face pressed against his broad warm chest as his arms were draped around him. He slid his hand that was resting on Mark's shoulder to the older's face, caressing it softly in admiration. Mark's cheeks and nose were slightly swollen and red from crying and Donghyuck found it so precious. He leaned down carefully without waking him up and pressed his lips against Mark's eyelids, then his nose, and then his cheek.

"How did I get so lucky to meet you again after everything that happened?" Donghyuck questioned in a whisper, a small smile appearing on his lips before digging his face gently behind Mark's neck to inhale his sweet scent.

Donghyuck had been up, playing with Mark's hair until the older finally woke up a few minutes before ten at night. He rubbed his eyes tiredly and looked up at Donghyuck who was staring at him with love adamant in his eyes, making him blush.

"S-sorry for sleeping so long. I-I don't really get enough sleep during the night so I-"

Donghyuck placed his pointer finger on his lips to stop Mark from speaking any further.

"I understand, trust me," Donghyuck genuinely responded as he helped Mark sit up with him.

"I know it's late, but are you hungry?" Mark asked the younger who hesitantly nodded his head.

"Okay! We can eat what my mom made today! I'll heat it up for us," Mark excitedly said as he grabbed Donghyuck's hand and pulled him off the bed to run into the kitchen together.

This however, made Donghyuck worry about Mark's calf. But with the older smiling so hard and being all giggly, Donghyuck knew his calf was okay right now and he just allowed himself to be pulled by an excited cute little lion. After heating up their dinner, the two of them ate while talking with one another.

"Why didn't you tell me it was you this entire time?" Donghyuck asked him with a small pout as Mark looked down, smiling sadly.

"I didn't want you to relive what happened...again," Mark stated as Donghyuck grabbed his hand and pressed his lips against it with a smile.

It was true. Both Mark and Donghyuck knew all too well about their past that they not so coincidently experienced together. Mark knew it would crush Donghyuck if he brought it up again because he remembered how much the younger used to talk about his sister and how close they were when they were stuck under the building.

"Mark? Did you want me to make you som- oh? Hello," Mark's mother froze for a second before continuing to greet her son and her son's unannounced friend that would apparently be staying over.

Donghyuck quickly released Mark's hand and stood up to bow at the older's mother respectfully which made Mark's mother giggle and wave her hand in the air.

"No need to be so formal, dear," she stated as Donghyuck stood up straight while Mark stood next to him.

"M-mom! This is Donghyuck," Mark introduced as his mother's eyes widened in realization that the boy who was standing in front of her with her son was the same boy was involved in the incident with him.

"Hi, Donghyuck. It's pleasant to meet you at ten thirty at night," His mother greeted with humor as Donghyuck nervously smiled as he rubbed the back of his head.

"I'm sorry for interrupting your night. I'll be leaving no-"

"No!" Mark shouted which made both Donghyuck and his mother who wore a smug grin look at him. "I-I mean. It's okay if Donghyuck stays over, right?"

"Of course it is. Make yourself at home. I'll leave you to at it then," she giggled and went back into her room but not before sending her son a smirk that made him blush as Donghyuck released a breath he did not know he was holding in for so long.

After they finished eating they headed back into Mark's room and decided on watching a movie until they both fell asleep in each other's arms again. They will talk more about incident another day. For now, the two of them want to live in the moment and be with each other.

Maybe it was not so bad. Maybe Donghyuck did deserve love and affection. Maybe Donghyuck was not so dirty after all...

Or so he thought.

————————————tbc———————————-