𝐇𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐎𝐟 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐬 || 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐡𝐲𝐮𝐜𝐤/𝐍𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧

6

When Donghyuck agreed to have a talk with Mark after everyone went to sleep he didn’t expect to be pushed against the wall as soon as the door closed, Mark's eyes dark and intense as he looked at him.

“Hyung? What’s wrong? What did you want to talk to me about?”

Mark shook his head, leaning in close. Donghyuck's eyebrows furrowed, flinching from how tightly the elder male held his shoulders. After a while of them standing like that, though, he started to feel Mark's body shaking. Something had thrown him off—he hadn’t seen Mark act like this in a long time. The last time might have been months ago, when Donghyuck only barely got away from a walker after he pushed Renjun out of the way.

When Mark came to him he was usually calmer, more pensive than frazzled and inconsolable. He would confide in Donghyuck about his fears and his hopes, and in turn Donghyuck would do the same.

This wasn’t like usual.

The only thing that came to mind was that Mark must have lied when he came back with Jaemin tonight, because before then he was fine.

“What did you see Hyung? What happened?”

“Saw the remains of a travelling group.” he closed his eyes tightly, “The remains. They’re all dead.”

Donghyuck wrapped his arms around Mark and pulled him closer, mind reeling. “Where?”

“In the house above the store we went to. There were five of them—they all killed themselves.”

“Shit. Hyung, don’t let that get to you. We’ll never be like them.”

He was too bothered though, the vulnerable look in his eyes reminding him of a younger Mark, one who wondered with tears in his eyes how in the world they were supposed to lead everyone, to take care of the group that put their lives and trust in their hands.

“It would be so easy to be just like them. Who are we kidding? Is it really possible to make it out of this alive? We don’t even know when or if it would ever be possible to stop the walkers before everyone’s dead. The rest of the world has already given up on us—they’re just waiting on all of us to die so they can sigh in relief and know that their lives are saved.”

“We’ll never be like them.” Donghyuck promised, steeling himself. He held Mark tightly. “I’ll make sure of it, that we’ll survive all of this somehow. But for now you've got to breathe. Calm down, breathe slowly, it'll make you feel better.”

Donghyuck took Mark's face in his hands after he spoke, pressing their foreheads together as he slowed his breathing to normal. They stood like that for a while, staring into each other’s eyes and letting what ifs pass between them silently. Donghyuck could tell when Mark finally gave in to his command, ragged breathing slowing to match his. He ran his thumb across Mark's cheekbone in encouragement, glad to see that he wasn't just gasping for breath anymore.

Once Mark was calmer Donghyuck became more aware of their position, how Mark had crowded him up against the wall. He knew he shouldn't think things like that at a time like this so he bit his lip to control himself, ashamed. But Mark's gaze immediately snapped down to watch the way his bottom lip tucked between his teeth, gaze darkening. Donghyuck's breath hitched just the slightest bit at the sight and that was the only sign Mark needed.

In seconds Mark was kissing him, his haste making it more like teeth clashing. Donghyuck was there to steady him though, to properly pull him in, lips moving together slowly. It was passionate and held all of the answers Donghyuck had been looking for, everything incredibly simple when he was in Mark's arms like this, pressed close like they could disappear at any moment.

As time went on they became bolder, hands grabbing at clothes with increasing urgency. He nipped against Mark's bottom lip and parted his lips to allow Mark's tongue inside, shivering as the elder's hands slid under his shirt and left trails of fire wherever they touched. Mark's tongue flicked in his mouth, curling against Donghyuck's own and pressing with just the right amount of pressure that he knew Donghyuck liked.

The longer they continued like this the faster Donghyuck's heart beat against his chest from the implications of what they were doing, but he couldn’t stop himself even if he wanted to.

They stumbled away from the wall as one, clothes falling in forgotten heaps to the floor. When Donghyuck's back hit the bed all of their clothes were off, Mark's naked body looming over him. He seemed more like himself now but Donghyuck could still see worries pulling at his sanity in the low candle light, felt the desperate way that he ran his fingers down Donghyuck's thighs and left bruises on Donghyuck's skin with his mouth.

Nonetheless Donghyuck fought to calm him down, running his fingers down his back and whispering sweet nothings into his ear, talk about peaceful days, easy mornings that lay ahead of them once they got through this. They came together like that; Mark leaning in to hear more and Donghyuck desperate to pull him in close and tell.

Pleasure like liquid fire pulsed through Donghyuck's veins as Mark stared at him, kissed him, pushed prodding fingers inside of him. In return Donghyuck couldn’t keep his hands to himself, memorizing every scar and curve of Mark's body. There was no telling how long he wanted to do this. He’d craved Mark from day one, maybe, when he first saw his smile and confident gaze.

“Don’t disappear, don’t ever go far away.” Mark breathed against the skin of his shoulder when he finally pushed inside of him, intertwining their fingers. “Stay by my side.”

Donghyuck's mouth dropped open in a soft moan, head falling back onto the pillow below him. He fought to get a hold of himself, the pleasure making his it hard to keep quiet. “I won’t go anywhere. I’ll never leave.” he promised once he could open his eyes again, holding Mark's gaze evenly before wrapping his legs around Mark's waist to ground himself. “I’ll always be right here.”

Once Mark started to thrust in and out of Donghyuck words became unnecessary. They communicated through their bodies and through their eyes when their gazes frequently met. It was something that Donghyuck never wanted to forget; becoming one with Mark and understanding him on a level far above anything he’d ever experienced before.

Love.

It was an emotion that he’d never experienced this way, but it swelled within him, filling him with warmth. The force of it heightened everything, pushing him over the edge with Mark's name falling from his lips.

Afterwards they lay together in the bed, rapid heartbeats and heavy breathing loud in Donghyuck's ears from his position against Mark's chest. There was no need for them to say anything, basking in the comfortable afterglow.

“We’ll make it,” he whispered when Mark fell asleep, leaning up to brush hair out of his eyes. Donghyuck was reminded that Mark was vulnerable to him in moments like these. Instead of the strong leader he’d become he looked more like a lost kid, trying to survive with just as much fear and uncertainty as the rest of them. Even if he was the oldest he was young himself, far too young to deal with the responsibilities settled on his shoulders. It made Donghyuck want to protect him, to watch over everyone in order to lessen the stress he knew Mark lived with daily.

“I’ll make sure of it.”