NCT Oneshots {ot23} | open

Burning Bright: RenMark {Request}

▹request acc: SorenQuinn
▹prompt: renjun tutors mark because mark's grades were dropping and they have a study session late at night after school
▹word count: 3976
▹warnings: n/a

ˑ༄ؘ ۪۪۫۫ ▹❀◃ ۪۪۫۫ ༄ؘ ˑ

The doorbell rings, and Mark presses his face deeper into the pillow. His sheets are all over the place, the bed not having been made for days since school has been beating his ass. His mother gave up scolding him months ago. Mark couldn't say what day it is. He just knows that Renjun is at the door, and he really, really wishes he wasn't.

The bell rings again, and this time Mark's mother calls up the stairs for him to answer it.

"Coming," he groans, the sound barely breaching his lips, and pulls himself up. He straightens his hair in the mirror and smooths a crease out of his shirt. "Fuck's sake," he mutters, giving up.

He makes a point of stomping down the stairs. It's childish – he knows – but it's embarrassing to be tutored by the school's nerd. The one who sits front row in every class, who answers every question, who has read every book in the school library and gives the headteacher suggestions on how to improve things. His mother thought Renjun was lovely when they met at a college open evening halfway across the country. Seeing Renjun there was enough to turn Mark away, but his parents kept talking to Renjun's parents and so he was left with the difficult task of avoiding Renjun's stare. That evening, they called him to sit at the kitchen table and warned him to improve his grades if he wants even the slightest chance of getting into this college that had been his dream for so many years. They even threatened to make him quit the basketball team to focus on his studies instead.

They said Renjun would help. Mark begs to differ.

"Hi! May I come in?"

But Renjun is here, smiling at him on the doorstep, and he has to let him in.

"Lovely to see you!" Mark's mother greets him, nursing a mug of herbal tea to her chest. She shoots Mark a glare, and Mark clears his throat.

"Yeah, thanks for coming," Mark says once the door is shut. He grits his jaw and rolls his eyes, beginning to head back upstairs.

"Mark, aren't you going to offer him something to drink? He's your guest!"

"Oh, it's quite alright, Mrs Lee, I-"

"I didn't exactly invite him over, did I? Plus, you're already paying him," Mark scoffs. He stops halfway up the stairs, crosses his arms over his chest.

Family pictures line the hallway. Renjun's eyes flick over them, and Mark recoils in anger. Dread, even. He doesn't want to study. He doesn't have any studying energy left in him. And he doesn't give two fucks about college. Not anymore. He sniffs, narrows his eyes at Renjun.

"Do you want something to drink?" Mark asks, sharp.

Renjun straightens his glasses then fiddles with a button on his cardigan. "Some water will be fine, thank you."

Mark pours him a glass, then one for himself. They linger in the kitchen for a silent minute. Mark pretends to sip on his drink while Renjun clearly waits for direction from him. From his client, or whatever. Once his mother has returned to the living room, the TV blaring once more, Mark realises he can't delay the inevitable and turns to walk upstairs. Renjun follows.

"We can study in my room," he says, blunt like a warning.

He pushes open the door, marginally stops himself from slamming it in Renjun's face, and his shoulders tense as Renjun takes in the sight of his room.