upstaged || markhyuck

30: secret.

they'd been in the broom cupboard for two minutes and mark was beginning to sweat.

donghyuck was leaning back against the other wall, but his thighs were touching mark's and mark was about to scream.

it was claustrophobic, dark and warm, and whilst mark didn't find it particular unpleasant, he didn't want to stay in there for much longer unless he did something stupid.

"quit fidgeting," donghyuck whispered, nudging mark's hand.

"sorry," he mumbled, "i just... don't really like... small spaces..."

donghyuck looked at him, almost saying aw out loud.

"sorry, mark," he said softly, "i didn't know."

"did you just apologise to me?" mark said with a nervous laugh.

"shh," donghyuck said quickly, pressing a finger to mark's lips. "i think chittaphon is still there-"

"these kids, honestly," they heard the thai man huff as he trudged past the door.

the two held their breath, donghyuck clinging to mark's arms as chittaphon's footsteps receded.

"has he gone?" mark breathed.

"i'm not sure," donghyuck confessed, still listening carefully.

mark fumbled for his phone in his pocket, but dropped it between their feet with a clatter.

"shit," donghyuck hissed, hearing footsteps come back up the corridor.

the older boy was shaking a little, and donghyuck slowly slid his hand into his. mark held his breath as the peachy-haired boy gently held his hand, the footsteps slowly disappearing.

"you okay?" he asked.

mark nodded, his cheeks feeling hot and probably bright red, though donghyuck couldn't see in the darkness of the cupboard.

"hey, i swear there's a light-switch in here somewhere," donghyuck mumbled, fumbling along the wall with his free hand. "ah, there we go."

he pressed the switch, a small bulb flickering to life overhead.

"fuck, this thing is cramped," he chuckled, looking around at the boxes piled up to the side of them. he let go of mark's hand to move a couple of boxes, sitting down on one. mark hesitated before sitting next to him.

donghyuck looked at mark before grabbing his hand again and just holding it between them.

"that's a bit better," mark said, laughing nervously. it was a bit more comfortable sitting in the cupboard with the light on, even though his and donghyuck's knees were still touching the way they sat.

"how come you're a stagehand if you don't like cramped spaces?" donghyuck questioned, his brow furrowed.

"i like helping create something cool onstage," mark replied with a shrug, "my claustrophobia usually isn't that bad. and the wings at our theatre are quite big, so i'm okay."

"what about elevators?" the peachy-haired boy asked curiously.

"i won't go in one if there's more than three people already in there," mark answered with a wry smile. "it's kinda lame."

"nah, it's understandable, i guess," said donghyuck, "we're all scared of something."

"i wasn't scared-" mark sighed when he caught donghyuck's knowing look. "okay, but who isn't scared of the dark, too?"

donghyuck scoffed. "true. people don't get my fear, though."

"what are you scared of?" mark asked softly.