once again | markhyuck

ꫂ forty

Breathing heavily, heartbeat in a fast pace, sweat dripping down from his forehead, and head filled with questions.

Mark sat there, flabbergasted. His eyes slowly scanned the area. From the sofa he laid a couple of minutes ago, to the familiar interiors in the living room he is currently at. His gaze then settled at the little boy in front of him that's telling out a story about his morning.

"Daddy, you were calling Papa!" The child told him with exaggerated hand gestures and expressions full of emotions. "We were so worried about you!"

Mark still sat there, processing the situation he was in.

The last time he could remember, he was on the floor, crying in Jeno's arms.

The sudden news about losing his lover was what made him be in that position. Mark remembered immediately running off to the floor as to where his husband could possibly be. While doing so, he was having a severe headache. The throbbing pain he felt in his head got worse when the incoherent voices he heard became audible enough the more he ran towards where his lover could possibly be.

It didn't help him when he also had to grieve for his husband's state. Mark didn't want to accept what was happening, but he saw Jaemin and Chenle mourning over the loss of their best friend. He saw the misery in Jeno's and Jisung's face for not being able to do anything. He saw how Renjun was standing there and sobbing at the unexpected situation. He saw his husband's parents running towards their direction, equally looking as miserable as them.

The little boy tilted his head to the side, somehow unhappy at how he didn't get any response from his father. "Daddy, since you're awake, can we play?"

But the first thing Mark uttered out was a name. "Donghyuck..."

Has he gone insane? Literally lost his mind?

Has the loss of his husband made him go crazy that he's starting to cope himself with the memories of the family he made with Donghyuck?

The mention of his other father made the little boy nod his head. "Papa is—"

"Donghyuck!" Mark raised his voice filled with worry. He was still skeptical about the situation, but if this is the only way to meet his lover again, he'd gladly go crazy for it. "Lee Donghyuck!"

However, the tone of his voice scared the boy sitting right next to him. It reminded him of what he would often hear whenever his parents would argue. "Daddy..."

"Love?" Coming out from the kitchen, a man that Mark has been longing for stood there— alive and healthy. "Hey, tone your voice down. You're scaring our baby."

Their baby?

It was only then that Mark stared down at the boy who's in the verge of crying.

"It's... It's okay, Papa." The little boy curled his hands to small fists to stop himself from sobbing. "I'm okay... It's okay."