"markieeeee!!"
mark was jolted awake by a sudden screech beside his ear. he jumped, eyes snapping open to reveal bambam lying on the floor next to him.
"huh?" he grunted, "markie?"
his voice was still thick with sleep, coming out cracked and deep. bambam smirked, "nice morning voice,"
"bambam..." mark continued, ignoring bambam's comment, "what is going on? why are you here?"
the sun was only just beginning to light up the room, a few strands of light filtering past the dusty blinds that had been set up to cover the window in the room. he knew it wasn't nearly 9am yet, and that bambam was early. he sighed and rolled onto his side.
"markie!" bambam pouted, "i wanna give you a tour! get uppppp"
mark groaned as bambam's loud chatter began to pull sleep away from him, "my name is mark,"
"nope. you're in our team, i'm your senior so i get to call you markie," bambam said, "now get up, i'm showing you wingate."
mark was now fully awake, he couldn't fall back to sleep so he sat up turning to look bambam in the eyes.
the boy's shaggy blonde hair was falling into his face and he grinned, flicking it away, "c'mon markie,"
"bambam, how old are you?" mark asked beginning to clamber off his mattress and stand up.
"18. why?"
"that makes me older than you. in korea, doesn't that mean you have to call me hyung?"
"nope," bambam said quickly, lying through his teeth, "now get dressed, the tour commences in 10 minutes!"
bambam stood up and started wandering aimlessly around the room, taking it all in. a thoughtful look crossed his face as he looked over the graffiti on the door. he walked over to it, and traced his fingers along the lines, eyes beginning to glaze over.
mark was about to speak when bambam whipped around, "now c'mon, get ready my main man,"
"wha-" mark started, wondering why bambam had become so pensive about the graffiti before the boy clamped a hand over his mouth, "no talking. more changing out of your skanky pyjamas,"
mark looked confused, running a hand over his crumped t-shirt self consciously, "these are my clothes bambam...." he shifted uncomfortably from foot to foot.
"oh god!" bambam said, a tad overdramatically, looking mark up and down, taking in his faded jeans and ripped, dirty shirt, "right first stop is my apartment, you're borrowing some of mine."
"no that's oka-"
"nonononono we're getting you new clothes," bambam said, grabbing mark's hand and pulling him towards the door. mark stumbled as bambam continued to lead him out into the corridor, somewhat confused by how bambam had found a set of the keys to his front door.
"bambam it's fin-" he tried to interject again.
"stop it mark, i wanna help you,"
"i really don't need hel-"
"just let me fucking help you mark!"
mark chuckled slightly, in a way moved by bambam and his thoughtful actions, "okay fine, but nothing too fancy okay?"
bambam nodded, "of course! vanilla clothes for a vanilla guy,"
mark just rolled his eyes and followed bambam along the corridor, bambam's palm still gripping his wrist. as it turned out, he and bambam didn't live as far away as it had seemed last night and they arrived at the apartment quickly.
"wilkommen! bienvenue!" bambam cheered, pushing open the door to reveal the same room mark had seen before, it was just as dirty and full of crap, unsurprisingly.
"oh hey gyeomie," bambam said as he entered, "what's crackin bro?"
mark immediately looked uncomfortable, eyes meeting with yugyeom's as the boy emptily stared back at him. he tried to smile but his lips remained frozen in place.
he watched as yugyeom spun his hands around and as bambam smiled, moving his hands too. mark remained confused for a second before old memories twigged in his brain and he realised they were talking in ASL. it was how he had spoken to his brother when he was younger and too afraid to speak- they had both learned ASL to converse with each other.
he grinned, mouth suddenly able to move again, and waved at yugyeom.
yugyeom's brows furrowed, his hands freezing in the middle of a conversation with bambam.
'i learned ASL a while back, you and bambam are talking in ASL right?' he signed.
yugyeom and bambam shared similar expressions of shock as mark let his hands rest by his sides. mark was beginning to think they wouldn't reply to his signing attempt, when yugyeom's face lit up.
really?!?! that's so amazing, i've only been able to talk to bambam for so long! how are you mark?
"i'm assuming you can hear right?" mark chuckled and yugyeom nodded happily, "cool.. well i'm doing okay. still a bit confused on why no-one will leave me alone but yeah,"
yugyeom's smile grew wider and bambam couldn't help but smile too.
it's because we're a family here. and it's always exciting to have a new face. especially when they can sign!!!
yugyeom's hands flew in a flurry of excitement as it finally sunk in that he could talk to someone new.
"yeah, welcome to the family mark! i really hope we can help you settle in okay," bambam said.
"how come you two are so nice? park and jackson are so...."
rude?
"yeah. nothing against them, but they aren't exactly welcoming," mark said, rubbing a hand on the back of his neck. he looked down at the floor anxiously, almost missing yugyeom's signing.
they've been here for so long, since they were young teenagers. it's just a defence mechanism. ever since we met jackson he's been angry but jinyoung used to be like us, i guess. then jaebeom happened..
his face darkened and his hands kept still for a minute before he continued.
me and bam have only been here for a few years. i guess life at wingate hasn't gotten to us just yet.
bambam shook his head, smiling ironically, "oh it's definitely got to me,"
yugyeom sighed
you know what? me too.
bambam shook himself, "but y'know what gyeomie? we got some work to do today, tuan here needs a new outfit, and we need to help him!"
well i think that's a job for you bambam, and not me. but i can help.
yugyeom stood up and walked over to the chest in the corner of bambam's room. he pulled out a hoodie and jeans and bambam sighed, "that's so basic, seriously gyeomie?"
he too walked over to the chest, throwing the hoodie back in and pulling out a white t-shirt and denim jacket, "much better,"
bambam tossed the items over to mark, smiling, "there you go. now c'mon, this tour is long overdue,"
mark clenched the fabric to his chest, it smelled fresh, something he hadn't experienced in so long. bambam smiled slowly as he watched, "you can go to the bathroom if you want."
mark nodded, "i'll be back in sec.. thank you so much bambam,"
we'll be waiting!
bambam's bathroom was smaller and dirtier than his own and mark, whilst thankful to bambam for the clothes and kindness, couldn't help but feel disgusted.
but still, he quickly got changed and burst out the bathroom, at once greeted by applause from bambam and yugyeom.
"who knew there was handsome in you mark tuan?" bambam asked jokingly as yugyeom gestured for mark to spin around. he did, even if it was slow and unsure and yugyeom burst into silent laughter, mouth opening and closing without making a sound.
"let's go!" bambam cheered, "and then sadly for you, we have to meet park,"
mark sighed, "okay then. show me around bam"
"pet names already markie? who would've thought,"
mark punched his shoulder, "well maybe i like you a little bambam," his humour dropped, "i've never had a proper friend before..."
yugyeom smiled grimly.
maybe me and bam can be your first friends then. i'm sure it'd be great- right bam?
bambam nodded, "of course,"
"no it's okay," mark said quickly, "you don't have to do that for me... i... i'm okay with being alone,"
"absolutely not. no no no no no. we are not having you sad."
yugyeom nodded and walked over to mark, dragging him into quick hug before pulling apart to sign:
you deserve a friend mark. and i'm not letting the only person besides bambam who can sign NOT be my friend.
mark couldn't help a smile from drifting onto his face, maybe it wouldn't be so bad at wingate. maybe there were more people like bambam and yugyeom and less like park and jackson.
"on with the tour?" he asked, trying to distract himself from the tears that he could feel gathering behind his eyes.
bambam nodded, "on with the tour!!!"