My Ace

Chapter 24 ♣️

Taeyong was in tears within minutes of the phone call. Mark had no idea what happened and he couldn't hear much, and it didn't help that Taeyong never said a word.

Mark came over and hugged him tight, not asking a thing as Taeyong cried into his embrace. He gently took the phone from Taeyong and put it to his own ear. "Kun?" He said softly.

There was silence on the other end. Then a sniffle. "Lucas left us."

~•~•~•~•~

It was a while before Taeyong calmed down. He asked for space to be alone, and Mark granted him that.

His one request was for Mark to check on Jungwoo in the meantime. He called the younger but went to dial quickly. He called his next source of information, Donghyuck, who quickly picked up the phone. There was sniffles on the other end as Hyuck tried to hide his cries. "Are you okay?" Mark asked.

"No."

"Do you wanna talk?"

"I want cuddles," he cried out. "But Jeno and Jaemin are taking care of Renjun, Jisung's with Chenle. Can't you come downstairs and stay with me for a bit? Surely Tae will understand?"

Mark bit his lip. "I really want to come, Hyuck, but I can't. Do you know how Jungwoo is doing?"

"Doyoung, Johnny, Jaehyun, and Taeil are all with him. The production team... They're not faring well either." The phone call was quiet on the other end for a while. "How's Taeyong doing?"

"He's..." Mark let out a loud sigh. "Not well. In all honesty, Tae and I are on a trip right now. I think I might make the decision to come back early. I care about him, but I don't think I'm the one that can comfort him right now."

"I figured you both were out." There was a long sigh. "Alright drive safe, keep me updated," Donghyuck said.

"I will, see you soon." Mark hung up the phone and went back upstairs to the room. He knocked softly, "Taeyong?"

"You can come in." Taeyong was huddled up in the armchair by the window. "You want us to head back, right?"

Mark sat in the chair beside him. "Yes. I think it would be better for us to go early. You can always introduce me to your family another time."

Taeyong nodded. "I'll text my sisters."

And within the hour they were back on the road with Mark in the driver's seat now. Taeyong didn't say much, just looked out the window the whole drive back. No tears, but no words either. Needless to say it worried Mark quite a bit.

It was already fairly late when they left, and it was well into the night when they arrived back. Mark helped bring Taeyong's things to his apartment, and followed him inside as the older went to his bedroom.

Taeyong sat on the bed, and Mark sat beside him, holding his hand tightly. "I'm gonna send Doyoung up to you, okay?" Mark said.

Taeyong shook his head. "He's upset with me. Can you send Johnny?"

Mark nodded softly and kissed Taeyong on his forehead. "He'll be up in a minute."

"Where will you be?" Taeyong asked.

"I'm going to check on Hyuck. He didn't seem to be doing all too well on the phone earlier. And he was alone then, so I want to check on him." Mark rubbed his neck. "I doubt he'll be willing to let me out of his sight any time soon."

Taeyong hugged him tightly before letting Mark go. While Mark was in the elevator he dialed up Johnny. There was a good chance the older was asleep, but he had a feeling he would still pick up.

"Yeah?" Johnny asked.

"We just got back in the building. Tae wants you to stay with him if that's alright?"

"Yeah I'll go up in a few." It seemed as if the call was over and Mark's finger hovered over the hang up button. "Thank you, Mark. For watching over Tae for us."

"Tae needed someone. I just happened to be the person who was there."

"Still, thank you." Johnny hung up the call.

Mark got off the elevator on his floor to put his stuff away, but stopped in his tracks when he saw a figure covered in a blanket at the base of his door. He dropped his bags in the hall and ran over to the sniffling man and lifted him off the floor.

"Hyuck, you didn't need to wait at my door, I could've come get you," Mark said softly, opening the door for the younger.

"It's fine. I wanted to wait."

Mark ran back into the hall to grab his bags before joining Donghyuck on his couch. Almost immediately the younger snuggled up into his side and Mark let out a big yawn. "How are you doing?"

"Better. I calmed down some..." He not so subtly pointed to his head. "Someone showed up."

"Are..." Mark paused to contemplate if what he was going to say next was rude. "Is Haechan doing alright too...?"

Donghyuck shook his head, wrapping Mark's arm around himself. "He's heartbroken. No one... in there..." He gently motioned to his head again, "has seen him since the news came out... he's just gone." Donghyuck sighed. "It's peaceful for once, but it's empty and hollow without him."

"You two are close, right?" Mark asked.

Donghyuck nodded and Mark yawned loudly. "Are you tired? Of course you are- you've been driving for a few hours right?" Donghyuck sat up, a rather saddened expression greeting Mark. "You should go to bed, I'll be fine."

Mark grabbed Donghyuck's hand and held it close to him. "You can stay with me. I know you're probably telling yourself that you're a bother, but you're not Hyuck." Mark yawned again. "But going to bed doesn't sound like too bad an idea?"

Donghyuck nodded and followed Mark to his bedroom. He had been in one of them before, but the one Mark took him to now seemed different. Last time, Mark had brought him to the largest one in the apartment, now they were on a moderately sized futon packed with things around the room.

Mark rubbed his neck sheepishly. "Sorry for the mess." He stood back up quickly. "We can go to the big bedroom if you want, there should be blankets. And the bed is bigger-"

Donghyuck cut him off quickly and sat him back on to his bed. "We'll both fit here. It's fine." Donghyuck snuggled up close to his chest once they were both comfortably laying down. "Thank you, Mark."

Mark kissed his forehead affectionately as his eyes began closing against his will. "Anytime for you."

~•~•~

Hey everyone! I know it's been a bit since I updated (prior to the ones I just released) and I could give excuse after excuse but first, I just wanted to apologize for taking so long.

Honestly, life had been going really well for me for a period of time. Writing has always been my way to escape life, but when things were good I couldn't find myself reaching to write. But then shit started happening, as it always does, and I found myself writing again to cope. So here I am. Again, I'm sorry to those invested in the story who I've kept waiting. Seeing as how things are for me right now I'll probably be posting quite a bit, but don't quote me on this if I fall through with that.

Enough on me, how are you doing? Anything new and exciting? I hope life has been treating you well, or at least well enough. Just remember that even if today wasn't a great day, you can always make tomorrow better! Thank you all for the continued love and support you have shown my story and myself!

As always,
🫶 Stay Wonderful y'all! 🫶
(Ps. 🫶 < random note that this is my favorite emoji :)