⋆daddy issues⋆ markhyuck

I.III

Content warning: mention of child abuse

==

Now let's not downplay Mark's effort. The boy has been trying. He has good intentions, he just falls short sometimes and struggles to remember how to be independent. That's the sole reason he's living out "on his own" anyways.

He'd been paying attention to what exactly pisses Donghyuck off and trying his best to not do those certain things as much and he thinks he's doing a pretty good job......at observing Donghyuck at least.

He'd been observing so much that he'd just started to watch Donghyuck on the regular. He was finding himself staring for no reason. He had to admit, the boy is adorable. Every action has Mark melting on the inside and trying to hold him composure on the outside. It's ridiculous how much more interest Mark has for the boy from simply watching him each day. Boy, was he a fucking view.

With the good view, unfortunately, Mark has picked up on other things as well. Donghyuck was a hard worker. Too hardworking. He's always studying and barely eats, so Mark goes out of his way to buy more food each shopping trip so Donghyuck always has food to eat.

One day, he found himself itching to force Donghyuck away from his textbooks just for a little while. He doesn't even know what his major is but it can't be fun to be studying 24/7.

These force trips become so frequent that they became wordlessly implanted into each of their daily schedules. This has forced them to learn to talk to each other outside of the awkward roommate duties and more so acquaintances. Thankfully, neither can say they hate it, especially Mark.

Today was going to be different though, they planned to stay indoors and watch a movie together. Now maybe if they chose the movie ahead of time instead of spending an hour bickering over which movie to watch, they would've actually started but now the electricity is gone and by the looks of it, the whole city is out of light.

But, even in the dark, ideas can come alive.

"So what do we do now?" Donghyuck questions, exasperated from the small disagreement earlier.

They both eye the clock, reading twelve minutes to nine before turning back to each other. "I dunno, just talk I guess." Mark was able to answer nonchalantly enough but he'd been waiting for one of these opportunities for a while. They'd kept good talk before and they finally knew each other's majors and a few hobbies but there was still so much more learn.

"Okay....." Donghyuck muses, not really knowing what to say but before he can express the feeling, Mark is talking again.

"What are your fears? For me, I'm not that fond of heights and rides at amusement parks. It's just not for me." Mark answers with an unmistakable innocence, then waited for Donghyuck to add his thoughts but his voice never came.

"I...don't really want to answer that right now." Was his only response so he asked a different question instead. The basic favourite colour question that they both quickly answer and dismiss until it was Mark's turn again. When they'd both been through around seven questions, Donghyuck was beginning to struggle to keep his eyes open.

He didn't want to fall asleep though, not in the pitch dark.

So the questions ceased and Mark leaned back into the couch, angling his head to peer at the tired boy whose eyes fluttered open ever so slightly every few minutes. Mark began to speak to the still being, that was falling into the softness of the couch pillow.

He didn't know if Donghyuck was conscious enough to hear but he spoke anyway, "Whenever electricity used to go way, like this, it would be the funnest times because my dad would build forts with us and pretend like we were stranded at night. It helped me to not be afraid of the dark even though I was so young, we continued that for years until I didn't want to do with him anymore. But I remember it was fun." Somewhere throughout the mini-speech, Mark turned away from Donghyuck so he was surprised to turn back to the previously heavy-eyed boy now with wide, alert eyes staring right back at him.

His eyes relaxed when he saw Mark looking at him, and he answered softly, "My dad used to chase me with belts when the light went out. He said it was more fun to catch someone that was running away so I don't like blackouts; it brings back bad memories."

Mark doesn't necessarily know how to answer and he doesn't think that they're at the friendship level of much physical contact but he opens up his arms anyway. It's up to Donghyuck to decline, of course, but many people just need a hug sometimes. Thankfully for him, Donghyuck was one of them.

Despite the severity of the situation that led to the hug, Mark can't help but revel in the comfort of Donghyuck's embrace, like it was the best hug he's ever had. Donghyuck's body was so soft and welcoming, he felt as if he was the one being consoled. "I'm sorry that ever happened to you. You didn't deserve it, no one does."

He heard a sniffle. "I'm not crying." The brown haired boy quickly comes to own defence.

"I don't judge crying, it's okay." Mark pats into Donghyuck's back before soothing it out, humming softly.

Then, Donghyuck is pulling away and Mark tries to contain the whine he is about to let out due to the living comfort ball leaving his immediate presence, it ends up coming out as a weird low growl from Mark's throat but they ignore it.

"Sorry about that." He sniffles again and wipes this nose.

Mark reassures him again, it's okay, and ruffles his hair before his hand falls to Donghyuck's thigh. Now, Mark hasn't known Donghyuck his whole life but since he's been watching him this last week, he's thinned out some since he first arrived. It's quite noticeable now that he's really looking.

"Donghyuck, why don't you eat? I buy extra food for you and everything. You need to stop skipping meals."

He doesn't answer for a while but held up his finger to let Mark know he would, eventually. "I'm sorry, I feel guilty eating a lot when other people are paying because..." I know I wouldn't have the money to pay for it... but he doesn't say all that.

They make eye contact, just staring for a while. In the silence of the blackout, they feel no need to be anything but calm with each other.

"Wait, I have an idea." Calm was no longer as the burst of excitement in Mark's eyes lingered and he gives himself praise for his amazing idea.

"Donghyuck?" It's a tentative sound, but the excitement is still there.

"Yeah?"

"Do you want to become business partners?"

++

"You're tired, sleep." Mark pats his chest to invite Donghyuck to rest on him. He now understands Donghyuck's initial hindrance to sleep peacefully in the dark but with someone different -someone instead of Donghyuck's dad- maybe it'll be different experience.

Maybe they've made some new memories in the dark.