with you i stretched for the sun - markhyuck

fourteen.

When Mark asked Donghyuck to watch a movie with him, he agreed, knowing he needed a break if he didn't want to have another mental breakdown with Mark home.

The movie had been going great, Mark had put on his favorite, Infinity War, and had gotten him his favorite ice cream, and they were lounging on the couch together.

Donghyuck wanted to cuddle with him, but he didn't want Mark to feel his fat stomach when he had been working so hard to get rid of it. So he kept his hands to himself, feeling awkwardly cold by himself on the edge of the couch. Mark had been nothing but nice to him, even though he didn't deserve any of this.

So when Mark threw an arm over Donghyuck, he stiffened, not wanting Mark to touch him but also missing Mark's cuddles so damn much.

In the end, he let himself be pulled closer to Mark, leaning his head on Mark's chest. He was comfortable. Mark was home, and Donghyuck had missed home so much.

He kept his eyes trained on the TV, though his mind was everywhere but the movie. His emotions were running high, and he felt like crying now more than he did before.

So when the movie got to the saddest part, the part with Spiderman, he couldn't keep his tears in. Watching Infinity War got him sad, and once the tears started, they wouldn't stop. Donghyuck pushed himself out of Mark's embrace and strided into his room, closing the door and falling onto his bed.

Not even a minute later, Mark opened the door and settled into bed next to Donghyuck, pulling him close as the tears flowed.

Donghyuck turned away from Mark, burying his head into his pillow. "G-go away, hyung. Please. I can't do this right now. I-I have class at 9. And-and two essays and a reading to do. P-Please go."

"Hyuck, talk to me. I want to be there for you. Let me be your best friend," Mark pleaded, gently pulling Donghyuck's hands away from his face.

"Why do you care so much, h-hyung? Just . . . stop c-caring about me," the younger boy's voice broke on the last word, and he hunched in on himself. His shoulders were shaking with sobs and he was furiously wiping at his eyes.

"How can I stop caring about you, Donghyuck? You're my best friend. I could never stop caring about you," Mark said and Donghyuck's sobs grew louder.

Mark pulled Donghyuck closer, wrapping his arms around the smaller boy. Donghyuck buried his face in Mark's collar, finally letting his feelings out.

"You've been worrying me so much, Hyuck. Did you think I wouldn't notice you trying to completely change yourself? You're perfect the way you are. You don't need to hide your feelings or have muscles to impress whoever you were trying to impress. And you've been so stressed. It's not good for you to get so little rest, Hyuck-ah," Mark scolded gently.

"Y-you noticed?" Donghyuck sniffled through his tears.

"Did I notice you working out twice a day for three hours? Yes. Did I notice you getting less than five hours of sleep everyday? Yes. Did I notice you stressing out about school and crying every few days? Of course I did. Donghyuck, I notice everything you do. I know you've been avoiding me and I don't know what I did wrong, but I'm sorry. I just want us to go back to normal. And I want to know why you're trying so hard to not be yourself," Mark looked Donghyuck in the eyes, wiping his tears away and running a soothing hand through the younger's hair.

Donghyuck broke down again as another wave of tears rushed to his eyes. Mark pulled Donghyuck close, resting his chin on top of Hyuck's head, closing his eyes. He had missed his best friend so much. "How is it possible to miss someone when they were right next to you all along?"