daisies, targets, and hard drives (m.h)

parties and dads

Jisung adds Chenle to the group chat after that fateful day of hide and seek, because there's no reason not to. Despite them not going to school with him, Chenle still drops by pretty often or just calls. Which is kinda why he enters Jisung's room on a friday afternoon to the sight of Donghyuck, Mark, and Jisung laid out on the floor (a common occurrence). And Jisung is the only one surprised (another common occurrence). 

“Oh shit, I forgot you were gonna be here for the weekend,” Jisung says and sits up.

Chenle gasps dramatically. “What do you mean you forgot? Are you not happy to have me all to yourself for two whole days? I should just go back home.” 

Jisung stares at him unimpressed and collapses back on the floor as if that two second interaction zapped all the energy he'd built up while laying on the carpet. And they'd been there awhile. Donghyuck counted. He's been trying to keep track of the record. 

“Why are you dressed like that?” Mark asks, and Donghyuck takes a break from staring off into the atoms making up the ceiling to see what he's talking about.

Chenle usually wears some sort of hoodie and sweatpants combo, after all, not much reason to dress up when they never actually leave the house. But today it's different. Today he's actually wearing jeans. 

“Oh? We goin’ anywhere, lele?” Donghyuck asks. 

The smile that overtakes his face is enough of an answer. He goes into detail about some party later on that's being hosted by some seniors he sort of knows. The whole time he speaks in a persuasive tone. “It'll be fun, I promise! We can even—”

“Noooo,” Jisung groans. He actually rolls away from them. 

“C'mon you big baby, we haven't been to one in forever.”

“Noooooooooo.” 

“Excuse my stupid,” Mark says and holds up a finger. “Why are we going so early?” He points out the balcony door to where the sun was still shining. 

“We aren't,” Donghyuck answers for Chenle. “He's just trying to get us to agree to go.” 

“But still why—” 

Wordlessly, Chenle points at Jisung who is still rolling around on the floor and expressing his displeasure. 

“Oh.” 

Unsurprisingly, Chenle gets Jisung to come along through a perfectly detailed best friend ritual. Together, the four of them sort of dress up and unlock a new location. Donghyuck notes that this house is big, not mansion status like Jisung's, but still pretty sizable. It's the kind of house a well off family of six and a dog might settle down in.

Chenle takes the lead, heading straight for the drinks. They pass through a few people to get there but it isn't nearly as crowded as it could be. Whatever toxic concoction is in the punch bowl completely fills Chenle's chosen cup in seconds. Instead of trying it first, he offers a sip to Jisung who makes a face at it but tastes it anyway. He seems to immediately regret it because he screws his face up all stupid and gags even though it's already gone down. Donghyuck laughs at him.

Chenle takes the cup back and drinks some, smacking his lips together once he's done. He thinks about it as he does so, like he's trying to identify every ingredient in the 'punch’. Whatever he concludes must be good because then he nods and says, “Yeah, that's the stuff.”

Donghyuck pours himself a little bit of the battery acid and drinks. It's about as bad as he was expecting, an unpleasant shiver going through him. He raises an eyebrow and gestures with his cup at Mark who declines.