Chapter Text
Sweat rolls down the column of his neck and drips uncomfortably onto his clavicle. He feels his muscles tremble as he holds his ending position, fighting the urge to reach up and wipe it away. Those few seconds where all he can hear is the thud of his own heartbeat in his ears and the gasping breaths of others surrounding him stretch out for what feels like forever. He lifts his gaze to the mirror and runs his eyes over the picture the members have created with their bodies, trying to find a single limb out of place. Relief washes through him …. They’ve perfected it.
Without anyone saying a single word they all collectively release the tension in their bodies. Some members sliding straight to the floor, the pull of gravity too strong on their exhausted bodies. Others amble to their bags on the other side of the room to retrieve water bottles and phones. Haechan starfishes in the middle of the room, not caring if someone ( cough cough Doyoung) accidentally trips over his sprawled legs.
His eyes are closed and he can feel himself spiralling down into the bone tiredness that comes from overworking himself. His entire body shakes like a leaf and he knows that his right leg is close to cramping. Haechan loves being an idol, he really does. But on days like this where he knows he's pushed himself past his limit, and then some. He starts questioning the pros and cons. Suddenly, he’s broken from the slippery slope of exhaustion by cool water being dripped on his forehead.
Opening his eyes he finds a very sweaty yet still absolutely gorgeous Mark Lee leaning over him and holding a cool water bottle to his burning face. He doesn’t say anything but the relief must be evident in his expression because Mark merely smiles and grabs his hand to haul him up into a sitting position. Mark slips down to rest on his knees in front of him, gesturing for the younger to grab the bottle. Returning his hyungs smile, he gratefully accepts the bottle and quickly unscrews it before downing half of it. The cool water running down his throat successfully shocking his body back into reality before he succumbed to the abyss of exhaustion lingering in his bones.
Movement in his peripheral vision draws his notice back to Mark. After scanning his Hyungs' deliberately blank face he follows Mark's piercing gaze to where he's fixated on the bob of Hyucks throat as he swallows. Haechan watches him subconsciously lick his cracked lips following the movement out of the corner of his own eyes. He gets caught up in the movement. Realizing where he’s currently staring he quickly flicks his eyes back up to Mark’s - only to find the deep brown orbs already pinning him to the floor. Mark gaze seems to look straight through him, into the place inside him where his hidden feelings lie. Haechan feels like he’s been stripped naked and all his secrets have been laid bare in front of Mark.
As if in a trance Mark’s palm comes to rest on Haechans bare knee and he leans further into the other boy's personal space. Caught off guard by the sudden physical contact, Haechan sucks in a surprised breath and promptly inhales a gulp of water. Spluttering he efficiently breaks whatever tension had been created between the two as Mark starts fussing and panicking. Patting Hyuck on the back and slipping into concerned friend mode.
He’s gathered the attention of the other members in the room who come rushing over to dramatically pat him on the back and coo. Mark backs off, standing a few feet away from where he’s now being swarmed by his supportive hyungs.
“ Please guys, I'm ok! Just choked a bit there haha” he tries to placate them but his voice sounds hoarse to his own ears. Taeil who is on his left rubbing his back coos at him like he’s a fussy toddler and Taeyong reaches out to stroke his hair. Any other day he would preen and gloat at having his hyungs undivided attention. But today his cheeks flush red as he makes eye contact with an equally red mark over Johnny's head.
They hold tense eye contact for a few seconds, both trying to absorb what had just happened. Before, Mark is turning away and raising a hand to sheepishly rub the back of his neck. Hyuck watches the tips of the elders ears burn bright red and admonishes to himself that ... no that was not in his head. He actually DOES seem to have some sort of effect on his Hyung, though Mark seems intent to show otherwise.
Somewhere in the background, Haechan registers the choreographer calling out for the last run-through of the day and he feels himself standing and heading into position on autopilot. He raises his head and finds his reflection grinning ear to ear back in the mirror.
Hmm… that's definitely something he will have to explore as soon as he gets the chance, after all, when has he ever given up a chance to tease Mark?