Lost Boys {Book Two}

Alone Together

Donghyuck sat on the floor across from Sicheng and Yukhei.

Despite Chenle and Jisung trying to sleep in the tiny closet just a few feet away, Yukhei had taken it upon himself to provide a sort of entertainment by this thing he liked to call, "Not Shutting Up".

"Just like old times, huh?"

Sicheng sighed as he pushed the needle through Yukhei's skin. "This isn't something you should be reminiscing about."

"Well, I say it is," Yukhei cradled one arm across his chest to keep it out of the way as Sicheng sewed up the large gash on his side. "Besides, why shouldn't I? You used to fix me up every time I hurt myself, which, oddly enough, was back when things were good. Taeil introduced us-"

"I wouldn't say 'introduced'," Yuta interrupted. "I mean, he hadn't planned on it until your stupid ass ran into a fence."

"And if my 'stupid ass' hadn't, you and Sicheng wouldn't have met. So shut up."

Yuta closed his mouth and glared. Sicheng looked up at him briefly, wearing a small smile. It reminded Donghyuck of the way Mark used to smile at him, like he couldn't see any flaws at all. And now all he felt was bitterness.

Bitterness, until he tried picturing Mark. It had been months and already his face was beginning to haze. Donghyuck didn't have any pictures of them anymore, his phone had been lost back at the Target, and he didn't care enough to retrieve it. He didn't have a use for it, but thinking back, he wished he had brought it with him. Only for Mark. He had pictures, videos, old texts that had made his heart flutter, love letters forgotten in the drafts because he was too scared to send them. He wondered if Mark had any of those on his old phone.

Despite not being able to see his face clearly anymore, Donghyuck could still remember his voice, how it was much deeper when he was tired, his high pitched laughter that only Donghyuck (and Johnny, but he was hilarious so Donghyuck could live with that) could get out of him. He spent countless nights lying on his chest, listening to Mark ramble on about school, work, music, life, aliensuntil his voice slowly faded and was replaced with light snores. Mark always fell asleep first, as hard as he tried to stay awake. He complained, saying that he wanted to do that thing in books and movies where the guy watches the girl, thinking how beautiful she is and how he wished that moment would last forever. But Mark never got to do that, Donghyuck did. Donghyuck would sit up whenever he thought Mark was asleep, which he always was, and press a soft kiss to his cheek before laying back down and going to sleep. Mark wasn't a big guy, the only muscle he had was lean, but that's how Donghyuck liked him. Soft and comfortable.

Mark would always say that one day Donghyuck would fall asleep first, even if it was only one time. And Donghyuck nodded, agreeing that there was no way Mark could fall asleep first every time.

But then Mark got sick. Mark was always asleep. He was always just . . . just lying there. His body went limp every time Kun or Johnny would move him, and Donghyuck was so scared that he had passed. But every night when Donghyuck would visit Mark on the shelves that were at that point being used as platforms to rest the dying, Mark would smile and reach out for him. His hands were cold and bony, but still, Donghyuck held them in his own like nothing had changed.
"You're my favorite person," he'd always say, rest his head on Mark's chest.

Mark would press a kiss to Donghyuck's hand. He never said anything, but Donghyuck didn't mind. He heard Mark coughing and wheezing at night, struggling to get a breath of air, and Donghyuck didn't want him straining himself. If he had it his way, Mark wouldn't move at all. He needed to save his strength to get better.

But the dumbass got up. He walked around. He left.

He remembered thinking about all the things he had said to Mark in the past, how many hurtful words he'd thrown at him. Even though he never meant them, he still felt guilty. Donghyuck spent the last couple weeks terrified that he would lose Mark, telling him every nice thing that came to mind when he looked at him. It was easy, as the last mean thing he had said was about Mark's hair when he had bleached and permed it for a dare. But that had been years ago.

Donghyuck felt like he was kicked right in the gut as he thought about the night they left the store, and Jeno disappeared. It wasn't the fact that Jeno was gone that was killing him, but the fact that Donghyuck didn't have a clue if he was dead or alive, suffering or totally alright.

His gaze shifted from the floor and over to the door. If he were to leave, would he be able to find Jeno? Or would he be killed?

Either way, Donghyuck was alright.

"Hyuck," Jisung's voice pulled him from his thoughts. "Are you okay?"

Donghyuck hadn't noticed Jisung and Chenle emerge from their shared room, but the two of them stood side by side and were looking right at him.

Donghyuck lifted his eyes to meet Jisung's. He didn't say a word, and Jisung shifted nervously under his stare. Yukhei reached out from where he lay on the sorry excuse for a couch, without so much as a wince as Sicheng continued to stitch up his wound. "Just leave him, alone, Jisungie."

"We can't just leave him alone," Jisung's voice started to raise. Chenle looked up, startled. "He's not okay, he needs us."

Donghyuck shook his head and stood up. His legs felt like jelly, as he hadn't moved for hours. He quickly composed himself and headed for the door. He knew it was a stupid idea, there wasn't a great chance he would find what he was looking for. But Donghyuck had longed for death for years, it didn't scare him.

"Donghyuck, no! There might be mobs nearby, stay inside! "

He ignored Sicheng, grabbed his jacket off the back of the couch, and unlocked the door. Not that it did much good, the door frame was starting to rot.

"Hyuck-"

"I'll be back later. Maybe."

And without another word, Donghyuck stepped out into the dark.