but i like you; markhyuck

twenty four

Mark doesn't shy away the next time he hears Donghyuck's footsteps behind him.

Well, he tries not to.

"Mark."

He's trying to walk as slow as possible, waiting for Donghyuck to catch up to him. But either he just walks too fast normally, or Donghyuck's the slowest walker he's ever met.

"Mark!"

Donghyuck's footsteps grow larger in volume and quantity. Abruptly, Mark stops walking, choosing to turn around and wait for him instead.

But as soon as he turns around, he's met with Donghyuck's wide eyes and the force of his body sending them tumbling to the floor.

Shit.

Instinctively, he grabs onto Donghyuck to steady himself, though it ends up being a lost cause as he ends up pulling him down with him. In the spur of the moment, he pulls Donghyuck's body to his, slinging one arm around his middle and the other around his head, cradling it for the fall. He closes his eyes and braces for impact, grunting as his back hits the floor with the combined weight of both his body and Donghyuck's.

"Fuck, that hurt," he curses. His back throbs painfully, as expected, but he's surprised to feel a warm hand behind his head, cushioning the fall.

He opens his eyes to red hair, tan skin, and big, brown eyes above him.

"Oh, shit, sorry Mark."

He groans, wincing as Donghyuck's weight shifts on top of him. "Your welcome for cushioning your fall, by the way."

Donghyuck averts his eyes. "Sorry. I-I was running and then you stopped for some reason and I couldn't slow down…"

He laughs. "It's fine, Hyuck, I'm just playing. I was waiting for you to catch up to me in the first place."

Donghyuck doesn't respond. Mark stares at him curiously, watching as red blooms on his face, painting his cheeks before trailing down his neck. His pupils waver ever-so-slightly, and from this distance, Mark can hear his uneven breaths, can feel the hot air hitting his neck.

He sits up fully, manhandling Donghyuck into a sitting position. He hears him let out a squeak of surprise. "Hyuck? You good?"

Again, Donghyuck doesn't respond. Mark inspects his face again, except his head is fully turned to reveal his ears, practically glowing red.

And then he realizes.

The hallway is so quiet he can hear their breaths mingling together, his body more exhausted than he initially realized. Donghyuck's body is warm in his hands, his grip surprisingly firm around his waist. He can feel the thin layer of cloth between his hands and Donghyuck's skin, and his mind briefly wanders to the difference in their skin tones, picturing the contrast of his cool, pale skin against Donghyuck's warmer, tanner shade. Something in his stomach swirls, and all of a sudden, he's aware of Donghyuck's weight on his lap, warm and heavy and perfect and, fuck, he wants to kiss him.

But he doesn't.

Instead, he raises an eyebrow. "You can get off me now."

Donghyuck's body jolts in his hands, and Mark rushes to remove his hands from his waist, only just remembering to do so. He stands up in a hurry, and Mark immediately misses the feeling of his weight in his lap. "R-Right. Sorry."

He offers a hand to Mark and helps him stand up. And as he gets on his feet, he's suddenly hit with a wave of clarity, embarrassment washing over him. All of a sudden, he's glad no one lingers in the hallways late after school.