NCT one shots

lighters & candy »markmin«

Not requested.

Genre: really light angst & fluff.

Hey, it's been months but I'm alive!

So originally it was for my ao3 account (also buysomecereal) but it turned out short enough for me to put it here instead. It's inspired by Troye Sivan's 'Strawberries & Cigarettes' and the markmin edit to this song, check it out. Also I'm not promoting smoking, that's unhealthy!

A norenmin will be out soon btw!

It was nearly 1 AM, stars were almost invisible because of clouds. The street was empty, filled with yellow light and noises coming from the city center. Only two people and a cat could be seen there, each minding their own business.
The dark haired boy breathed in deeply and smiled nostalgically as he walked up to the younger male, leaning his back on the street lamp.

"Hey, Jae."

The said boy just shrugged with a sigh and handed him a pack of cigarettes. "Light my cigarette."

Mark took out a lighter and did as said, giving him cigarette back with a smile. "You look exhausted."

"Yeah. I've been going through some shit lately."

"Wanna tell me what happened?" The boy asked after he sniffled from the cold, lighting his own cigarette as well.

"I think all of my exes decided that it would be great to bump into me one by one this week. And one of them started dating my roommate," Jaemin let out a sigh, bringing the memories back.

"Wow, that's not cool."

"You don't say. And besides that... Actually, never mind, that's it."

Mark furrowed his eyebrows but didn't say anything. He wasn't that close with Jaemin after all, they've been just smoking together every night since the summer started. One day when Mark couldn't sleep, he walked around the neighborhood and bumped into the younger boy. He had puffy eyes and cigarettes but no lighter... That's how it all began, by Mark offering him a one plus giving him sweet, strawberry-flavored candies to cheer him up.

"Wanna tell me something else, then?" The older sent Jaemin a smile.

"Hmm, my mom gave birth to my baby sister last night," the boy smiled back weakly.

"Oh, awesome, are you happy? I remember being jealous when my little bro was born," Mark chuckled.

"I've always wanted a sister! She needs more attention than I do, there's nothing to be jealous about."

"You still need attention, though. We all do."

"Then give me some."

Mark laughed as he put his arm over the boy's shoulders, pulling his closer. Jaemin stared at him with unreadable expression. Maybe if Mark wasn't so focused on his hot breath allover his face, he'd notice the regret in the other's eyes.

"It's cold, you're shaking. Go home, Mark."

The boy blinked in surprise and nodded his head. "Oh... Okay. See you tomorrow, Jae?"

But the younger male just sent him a sad smile and pushed him away, waving with a shaking hand. Mark didn't pay attention to that, waved at him happily and turned around to come back home. He put out the cigarette and walked into the house, his head full of Jaemin. He's been wondering what are his feelings for the boy. You may think he's naive, but he planned to tell him about it. How his cheeks felt like burning when they occasionally hugged, how he felt warmth in his chest when he saw him smile.
Originally, he wanted to do that the next night.