neologize

it's a picnic ! - markhyuck

prompt #3: "it's three in the morning." - markhyuck

mark allowed himself to flop into his tiny dorm bed, the exhaustion seeping in his bones at full force after the long day he'd had.
college had been everything he'd wanted, but some days it took too much out of him. still, it was a friday night, and though he had told donghyuck he'd meet him and his friends at a party tonight, he didn't feel up to it anymore.
he let himself lay there for a few moments, before heaving himself up into a sitting position. he still needed to do some readings for his lectures on monday, and he wasn't planning on doing them over the weekend.
he sipped the coffee he'd grabbed from the nearest cafe on the way home; it was only 9 but he felt like he'd been pulling all-nighters all week, which wasn't far from the truth.
mark settled into his chair before picking up his phone, sending a quick text to donghyuck to let him know that he wouldn't be making an appearance to the party they had all headed to.

mark 10:52 PM

hyuck im not coming to the party tonight.
Im tired and i have homework

he set his phone back down on his desk, yawning as he shuffled through his backpack for his various textbooks and notebooks.
time passed him by quickly, until his was looking around the dark room blearily, only the dim desk lamp lighting his vision. his phone informed him that it was 2:02 and he decided that he couldn't study anymore.
he trudged back over to his tiny dresser, throwing off his shirt and changing out of his jeans. he fell back onto his bed, a tired groan rising out of him.
laying there against his cool comforter, soft pillow under his head, lulled him to sleep.

"mark, wake up!" mark started, sitting upright and scrambling back against his headboard. he rubbed his eyes open, it seemed like it had been mere seconds since he had closed his eyes.
donghyuck was peering at him curiously, breaking into an excited grin as his gaze fell on mark's barely open eyes. he was sweaty, like he had run here all the way. he was still dressed in his party outfit, a blue beach-themed button up and black jeans.
wait a second.
donghyuck was here. in mark's dorm room. in the middle of the night.
suddenly, mark was wide awake, all the exhaustion fading as his gaze swung up to meet his friend's. "what the hell are you doing here?"
"we're going out," donghyuck said cheerily.
mark leaned a little closer and shamelessly sniffed the air around him. surprisingly, all donghyuck smelled like was his cologne and the faint smell of sweat lingered around him. there was no alcohol, though.
"i'm not drunk, mark," donghyuck rolled his eyes and grabbed mark's wrist.
"it's three in the morning. where are you trying to take me?" mark sighed, though he allowed himself to be pulled out of bed.
"surprise. you have to come with to find out," donghyuck smiled, the street lamp from just outside mark's window illuminating his eyes, creating a glimmering sky of stars as he stared down at mark.
"okay, okay. how do i know you aren't trying to murder me?" mark asked, throwing a random sweatshirt from off the floor onto his body.
"you really think i'm gonna kill you?" donghyuck's laugh rang loud and bright, like fireworks in mark's ears. "i mean, i could if i wanted to. we both know i'm smart enough."
mark rolled his eyes, "not helping."
"wasn't trying to," he shot back, sticking his tongue out playfully. then, seriously, "if you really don't wanna come with me, you don't have to. i may accidentally do something stupid and ruin our friendship."
mark was a typically oblivious person when it came to the feelings department. still, he wasn't dense enough to not have the tiniest inkling of what donghyuck was referring to. it also didn't help that donghyuck had been acting slightly different the past few weeks, and it hadn't taken much for mark to catch on.
and, fine. maybe mark had caught donghyuck on the phone with jeno, desperately asking for advice, and he may have overheard the words 'crush', and 'mark' in the same sentence. from there, it was easy to put together.
he still found it endearing that donghyuck was nervous about mark's feelings towards him when it wasn't already ragingly obvious that he felt the same.
but, they wouldn't be mark and donghyuck if they didn't mess around with each other, so he had to pretend he didn't know, and play along with donghyuck's little ploy.
"ready?" donghyuck asked, bouncing on the balls of his feet excitedly. he looked like a kid on their birthday, getting ready to pick out their birthday cake. it was cute.
mark turned away from donghyuck, feeling weird that he was having these kinds of thoughts right in front of him.
he cleared his throat, "yeah, let's go."
there was a throbbing headache starting to build at the back of his head, likely caused by the lack of sleep he had gotten.
they crept out of mark's building silently, each creaky stair sending their hearts into overdrive and eliciting quiet giggles. the caffeine from earlier had mostly left mark's body, but being with donghyuck had the same awakening effect, keeping his brain on edge with new surprises, no boring moment.
"how was the party?" mark asked as they walked down the street. it was 3:15, and there were only a few students out and about, most of them going home from a party, judging by their clothing.
donghyuck hummed, "it was fine. just like any other party. would've been better if you were there."
there it was again. mark couldn't decipher if it was flirting, or if donghyuck just wanted more of mark's company as a friend. he was sure he was overthinking, but that was practically his middle name at this point.
"here we are," donghyuck said proudly as they stopped at their school's largest grass field, one that students used for playing sports, taking naps, studying, and basically everything.
mark was confused, to say the least. he had expected a cafe, or maybe donghyuck's dorm, or even the fast food place they hit up all the time after late night study sessions. not this, though.
in the middle of the field was a red and white tablecloth, a small basket placed on top of it. mark was taken aback.
"a picnic?" he asked, making his way over. there was a single streetlight on just above it, illuminating the whole area dimly. there was just enough light to see that donghyuck had filled the basket with chinese takeout.
donghyuck joined mark, his voice unusually nervous as he asked, "do you like it?"
mark didn't like seeing donghyuck nervous, so out of his element that it almost pained mark. So he gently shoved donghyuck's shoulder with his own, grinning as he kicked off his shoes and took a seat, "of course i do. you got me my favorite 3 am snack."
a familiar smirk returned to donghyuck's face, easing mark's awkwardness, "it's not for you, it's for me. i didn't have dinner."
"for real, though, hyuck. thank you for this," mark pulled out the containers of rice and meat, offering one to donghyuck before digging in.
they ate quietly for a bit, enjoying the comfort of each other and the quiet sky around them.
"if i didn't make a move, you wouldn't have," donghyuck mumbled through a spoonful of rice.
mark stilled, a rosy blush starting to rise in his cheeks, "you knew? about my feelings?"
hyuck snorted, an amused smile taking over his face, "you really think i wouldn't figure out your feelings for me? maybe you should've made it less obvious then."
"hyuck," mark whined, drawing out the name. "well i knew about your feelings for me too."
"i know. i was practically the most obvious person on the planet, begging you to go to dinner with me and flirting with you all the time. you still didn't make the first move," donghyuck rolled his eyes, sending a knowing grin to the older. "i know you're shy."
"what- no, i'm not shy," mark protested and donghyuck giggled.
"and i'm the president of south korea."

when the two finished eating their food, they laid down on the tablecloth, staring up at the sky, millions of stars littered, creating effortlessly beautiful patterns.
"can i kiss you?" mark asked, mustering up all his courage as he looked his best friend in the eye.
it felt right, under the sky, surrounded by no one but grass and trees. the rest of campus was silent as it neared 4.
donghyuck nodded, his eyelashes fluttering softly as he turned towards mark.
mark gently raised a hand to donghyuck's cheek, caressing the warm skin with a featherlight touch, before he tilted his head to meet the younger's lips.
donghyuck put his own hands at the back of mark's head, winding into his hair as their lips touched. mark thought that kissing donghyuck would be playful and maybe rough, but it was quite the opposite. donghyuck kissed mark so gently that it raised goosebumps on mark's skin.
mark parted his lips, letting donghyuck's tongue in, tasting the takeout they had shared just minutes ago. donghyuck sighed breathily, the warm air ghosting over mark's nose, sending another wave of goosebumps rising on mark's skin.
donghyuck pushed himself on top of mark, deepening the kiss, before breaking away and pressing little kissed on mark's jaw and neck.
mark felt like he was on cloud nine, like he was feeling every pleasant sensation ever all at the same time.
when donghyuck finally pulled back, dropping back down on the tablecloth next to him, mark fished for donghyuck's hand, squeezing tightly as they caught their breaths.
"i'm glad you made the first move," mark announced dumbly, his cheeks flushed, hair mussed, and an ecstatic grin on his mouth.