Work Text:
Mark stares down at his math homework. Formulas, the ones he has seen many times before. To the point he knows them even in his dreams, that's how well he has learnt them. They aren't weird or new. But oh boy, what is weird is dating Donghyuck. It's incredibly weird in the sense that it's new, something Mark can't really get a hold on.
They have been together for three weeks. At the same time it feels like forever but also like two days, it's kind of weird. Everything seems to be weird with him but luckily Mark is used to complicated. Math formulas are complicated to most of the people but he loves them personally: how one plus one equals two whatever you think of the world.
That's the point. Donghyuck hates maths where Mark loves them. It's boring how you repeat the same things all over again, he would say. Life is all about excitement and doing what you want, and Mark would shake his head, that no, it doesn't work like that. But Donghyuck seems to be filled with rebellion and anarchy.
Mark sighs and rubs his cheek, getting up from his chair just to flop down to his bed. Staring up at the roof, the roof saying hello with its white paint.
The nerd and the bad boy. What a cliche, to be honest. Mark knows what people think of them, what they whisper about them even when he tries to shut it off and close his eyes. He can close them now (which is what he does) but in real life, no. He can't. They are different, it's true, but Donghyuck is strong in the ways Mark isn't.
"You've got a problem, huh?" he'd say when someone would look at them (at Mark) disapprovingly. Mark would just grab Donghyuck's shoulder gently, nervousness swirling in his stomach. Anxiety and fear, don't get yourself hurt.
Mark understands that the other boy isn't probably as strong as he pulls off as. He teases everyone over everything, is popular and gets a lot of girls confessing their everlasting love to him but Donghyuck doesn't let anyone close to him.
Mark is an exception. And that's what he doesn't get. Why would the other boy like him so much? He is just Mark Lee. The weird foreign boy in round glasses and messy hair, the boy who actually studies, the teacher's pet. Lee Donghyuck is the opposite. He is the cool boy in a worn out leather jacket that smells like cigarettes, he knows everyone and isn't afraid to show it. He smirks at girls with a cut in his lip and they giggle and blush furiously.
It's a constant cycle of blushing, blushing and blushing. The younger boy gets him all worked up and flustered in a way it's embarrassing how he has to hide behind his hands and turn away.
"Babe, don't be shy," Donghyuck's would sound so smug and oh lord, the smirk, Mark could hear it in his voice. It has happened way too many times before.
"Don't call me that," Mark would mumble, not daring to look at him.
"I know you like it, babe," he is an asshole. The nicknames never stop. And Mark would never, ever, admit that he likes them.
Dating him is really weird.
And they don't really fit but somehow Mark and Donghyuck make it work. Mark opens his eyes to meet the roof's whiteness again.
✩✩✩
It's the lunch break. Mark is waiting for Donghyuck by the younger boy's locker, leaning against it and staring down at his phone. He isn't really reading or scrolling through anything, just staring at the screen and occasionally tapping it so it doesn't go black. It still gets him nervous, other people knowing and staring. It's horrible, kind of, that they know exactly what he is doing, who he is waiting and what for. Donghyuck doesn't care what others think of him but Mark does, maybe that's why the other seems so protective of him. He doesn't mind it though.
There's rumors, obviously. It's high school, they're a couple, a boy one and well, polar opposites. There's nothing wrong with any of those things (except school) but again, it's expected. First it started with the basic ones like that Donghyuck just wanted a better reputation in the eyes of the teachers and that Mark just wanted to the inner social circle of more cool people. Since Mark isn't very cool. A fact.
Mark jolts from his thoughts when a hand slams to the locker next to his head. He flinches with such force that he ends up slapping Donghyuck's shoulder while the other boy just laughs. Still pinned to the lockers, he looks at the younger boy, biting his lower lip. He should seriously stop with the blushing.
"Stop doing that!" he hisses even though in the end he isn't all that bothered. Donghyuck just knows how much he affects him and apparently will take advantage of that.
"Doing what?" he asks smugly and leans closer which ends up with Mark trying to back off but no, it's pretty difficult with a wall behind him. The whole scene is such a cliche that it's ridiculous. Like straight out of some k-drama, and Donghyuck knows it. He is such an asshole, really. Mark pushes his chest, not really using any force.
"You're annoying," he says and looks away. People are looking at them. It makes his heart beat faster but in the anxious, bad way. Donghyuck seems to notice this and leans away but wraps his arm around Mark's shoulders and starts walking, pulling Mark with him.
The rumors these days are more like Donghyuck doesn't like anything but Mark. Donghyuck would confirm that, probably.
✩✩✩
Mark is wearing Donghyuck's sweater again. It has become some kind of a habit, stealing his clothes because they smell like him and look like him. They make him feel comfortable, safe.
"Why do you smell like cigarettes?" his mom asks him when she comes to the kitchen where Mark is sitting after finishing his homework. His mom in all of her suburbian glory is a beautiful woman with round eyes and a kind smile.
"I'm-- I mean, I don't," Mark is undeniably caught off guard, the pen in his hand. He clears his throat and straightens his posture. "It's the sweater. It's my friend's, mom. You know I would never smoke," he looks at her. A little bit embarrassed but he is pretty positive his mom believes him: Mark is still in the end, to be honest, a parent's wet dream.
"Why are you wearing your friend's sweater?" she asks curiously. To Mark's luck his mom is a pretty open minded person, one, who won't judge him for having friends who smoke. But it's a different thing when he is wearing one's shirt. Mark swallows, turning the pen in his hands. He shrugs.
"Because I like it," it's not a lie. The sweater is light gray, a little bit over sized. Apparently his mom isn't convinced when she smiles mischievously, lifting her brow.
"Mark, honey, please be honest with me, do you have a boyfriend?" and that's enough to make Mark blush and avoid her gaze once more. It's not about that she wouldn't accept him but the humiliation that her sticking her nose in Mark's business would cause. Moms can be really embarrassing sometimes.
"I mean, yeah, I do," it's almost mumbling, the way he admits it.
"Wonderful! When am I gonna meet him? And oh, what's his name?" his mom seems quite excited. Maybe it is because Mark has always been a pretty shy kid and socializing with other teens had been hard after they moved to Korea, with his not-yet-so-fluent Korean skills.
"Lee Donghyuck. And I don't know. Should I bring him over?" Mark puts the pen down to the table and rests his hands in his lap instead, fiddling with the sleeves. His mom nods enthusiastically.
✩✩✩
Donghyuck seems surprisingly calm while they are walking towards Mark's house. When Mark had met Donghyuck's parents, he was a shaking, nervous mess and the way the younger boy had kissed him on the lips right in front of his house hadn't helped a bit. His parents turned out to be really kind people despite of their tattoos and whatever biker stuff they had in their house. Mark shouldn't have had such prejudices towards them.
"Aren't you nervous?" he asks the other boy and they turn to the small trail in front of Mark's house.
"Nah-ah," Donghyuck shakes his head, "How could I be when I know that I'm meeting the parents of the cutest boy I know". Donghyuck should seriously stop with the flirting since Mark is turning into a nervous wreck.
"That's exactly why...," he replies quietly, ignoring the way his own ears feel warm.
After they walk inside and take off their jackets and shoes, Mark leads them to the kitchen where his mom is probably waiting. He thanks all the Gods or the lack of them for his mom and that she didn't insist for those awkward and beyond meeting-the-boyfriend dinners.
"Hi! You must be Donghyuck. I'm Eunmi, Mark's mom. Nice to meet you!" she's polite, a little bit awkward but that must be where Mark gets his impractical traits from.
"Yes, nice to meet you too," Donghyuck smiles sweetly at her even when Mark happens to know the said boy is everything but sweet. It's not too bad though. They exchange couple of words until Mark decides that it's enough and pulls Donghyuck further from her by his arm.
"We are going to my room now. Bye, mom," he says quickly and pulls Donghyuck with him from the kitchen, the boy probably smiling with his trademark smirk.
Mark sits down on his bed and Donghyuck decides to take the chair.
"Your mom is pretty cute," he says, looking at Mark and wiggling his eyebrows, obviously joking but it still riles him up a little bit.
"Oh god, Hyuckie, don't say that!" and Donghyuck seems to be enjoying of his reaction. It embarrasses him even further, why in the world does the younger boy affect him like that. Mark pushes his glasses up his nose bridge.
"Darling, you know you're the only one for me. No mom could never replace you," he singsongs and gets up from the chair just to sit next to Mark on the bed. Mark backs off.
"You're disgusting. Stay away, you dick," he mumbles, cheeks heating up. Donghyuck puts his hand on Mark's thigh and leans closer.
"I love it when you're mean to me," Donghyuck laughs but Mark can't really concentrate on that. The other is so close he could count his lashes and the imperfections on his skin, so close the scent of cigarettes and his cologne is almost insuperable. And Mark can't concentrate to anything after that when Donghyuck kisses him on the lips.
Kissing the other boy is always fun even though most of the time Donghyuck ends up making fun of how red he gets. But Donghyuck is an undeniably good kisser, his lips are soft and gentle against his. Mark puts his hand in the younger boy's hair and swirls his fingers in his brown locks.
"What-- what if-- my mom-- comes in," Mark asks in the between of kisses, looking at the other below his lashes.
"She won't," Donghyuck just says, like he knows how all the moms work, and pushes Mark down to his bed.
Kissing and cuddling afterwards is really, really nice.
✩✩✩
Mark pushes his tongue against his gums, the roots of his teeth. Snap. They fall off. That doesn't make sense, his tongue isn't that strong, right? It's impossible. He looks down at his hands, they are filled with fallen teeth, some more yellow than others. They are kind of sticky in his hands and he tries to shake them off but when they fall to the ground, even more of them keep falling. Something starts ringing, aloud, too loud. It's distracting him from--
And Mark wakes up, interrupted. His phone is ringing next to his head and when he picks it up with his kind of numb hand along with his glasses, he also notices that it's past 2am. And the caller ID is Donghyuck's so of course he picks up.
"Hey... Is everything okay?" Mark answers the call, voice a little bit hoarse. He tries to keep it low so he doesn't wake up his mom or anything. All he can hear from the other end of the call is what it seems like uncontrollable sobs.
"Hyuckie? Are you okay?" he is starting to get worried and more awake.
"I'm-- I'm sorry," Donghyuck sobs with a shaky voice. Mark lifts himself up to a sitting position.
"What's up? Do I need to come there?" he asks even though he doesn't need an answer - he is already getting up from his bed, pulling clothes from his wardrobe.
"My parents... aren't here and-- and I didn't know," Donghyuck sounds so weak like that, "who else to call". Mark pulls on his hoodie and exists his room, heart beating like crazy.
"I'm coming there. Just... Just wait, okay," Mark whispers to the phone. He doesn't even really know what's happening but all he can think of is that something is wrong and he has to help.
Mark has probably never ran as fast as he did on his way to Donghyuck's house. It was cold, windy and all that shit but he couldn't think about it. He couldn't think about the consequences that would come if his mom noticed he ran off like that. But they didn't matter.
The Donghyuck that comes to open the door to now shivering Mark isn't the Donghyuck he knows. He looks so much smaller, weaker, like that, shaking in his pajamas and face stained with tears. Mark pulls him into his arms because that's all he can do when Donghyuck starts sobbing again, mumbling incoherent apologies to his shoulder.
They sit in the kitchen floor in a position that would probably look kind of weird and uncomfortable, their legs tangled together. It's strange seeing Donghyuck fragile like that but it's not like Mark likes this version of him any less.
"I have nightmares. Pretty bad, I'd say," Donghyuck says with a hoarse voice after he calms down. He is still leaning against Mark but he doesn't mind it.
"Wanna talk about them?" Mark suggests carefully but the other one shakes his head.
"Maybe some other time," he replies. Casual, like it's okay when it probably isn't. Perhaps that's what makes him so strong, the ability to pretend that it is. To fake it.
On that same kitchen floor Mark learns some secrets too.
"My parents are pretty chill, as you saw. But sometimes they, I don't know," Donghyuck explains, shrugging and looking away, "drink. Like a lot. And they aren't the best people then. But it's nothing serious". It brings such sadness to Mark's chest it feels almost suffocating. He runs his fingers in Donghyuck's hair, the younger boy doesn't really deserve crap like that.
"I'm sorry," he just ends up saying since Mark has never been especially good with words but Donghyuck just shakes his head: "It's okay". When it really isn't okay.
Mark ends up sending his mother a text, There's an emergency, I'm staying over Donghyuck's. Maybe she will question it but it doesn't seem relevant when the younger boy looks so weak, like porcelain, in his arms.
✩✩✩
It's getting out of hand, the borrowing clothes thing. It escalates to the point where Mark is wearing Donghyuck's leather jacket to the school, or it's rather only around his shoulders. He knows the other's friends most likely tease his boyfriend about it, which is wonderful. He deserves it. No one seems to have a problem with them dating anyone, or it's not as visible anymore, so they are an item as some would say. Mark doesn't really mind it.
He isn't just very good with dealing with jealousy. Donghyuck is still a fairly popular guy for his that mysterious and dark aesthetic even when he is a total dork, and gets girls swooning over him. He is standing in the hallway talking to some girl who looks at him with stars in her eyes. It makes Mark feel sick in his stomach, strong punches of jealousy. He walks up to them and takes a hold of Donghyuck's arm and it's not as gentle as most of the time.
"Hyuckie," Mark says. It's sharp, commanding, very unusual of him. He feels a little bit bad though, the girl must like Donghyuck a lot but he can't help it - he is his boyfriend. And that means he has the right to be a little bit jealous? It's not obsessive but he is just a little bit insecure.
"Mark...?" Donghyuck sounds a little bit confused but Mark just bites his inner cheek and glances at the girl quickly.
"Say bye to your friend, we have to go now," he says and tugs the other boy's arm. Thankfully, Donghyuck says his goodbyes to the girl and lets Mark drag him away.
"I thought you didn't approve this?" Donghyuck says and nods down to his cigarette. He is leaning against the railing of the school roof. He is right, it's too risky, breaking the rules. Mark just shrugs as the reply, tugging the leather jacket tighter around his shoulders.
"I don't," he knows he is being kinda ridiculous and childish but he can't help it, the way he feels insecure about it. Donghyuck just raises his brows and nods.
"Who was that girl?" Mark asks, only partly out of curiosity.
"Just one of my classmates, why? Wait, are you jealous?" Donghyuck asks, sounding a little bit amused. Mark doesn't dare to look at him, it's so embarrassing. Humiliating.
"Yeah. I am," he ends up saying. Mark has always hated that unnecessary drama in the k-dramas where the lead pairing just doesn't communicate with each other.
"I don't want you to replace me," he adds, quieter. He turns away to look at the crappy view the roof offers. The sports ground and buildings, nothing special.
Donghyuck doesn't say anything so for a second Mark is afraid he fucked something up. But then he feels a hand on his shoulder, turning him so his lower back is pressed against the railing. If he wanted to, Donghyuck could push him and he would fall and fall until he would hit the ground but no, he would never do that. Mark knows it. He lifts his hand to Mark's cheek and looks in his eyes.
"I'd never do that, okay?" Donghyuck is blushing. The red shade looks nice on his tanned skin but he must be just embarrassed. Talking about feelings is still hard for him, Mark knows.
They should but the words don't bring absolute security to his feelings but it's something. Mark leans in and kisses him, he tastes like cigarettes. Bitter.
✩✩✩
If Mark thought that Donghyuck was hot before, this was certainly a huge upgrade even to that. There he is, his boyfriend in all of his boyish glory with a swollen lip. And a piercing. Mark is pretty sure his mouth dropped all the way down to the floor.
"You got a piercing?" is the first thing he says to him as Donghyuck sits down on the chair opposite him. They are at a coffee shop for a cute, quick study date which most likely won't consist any actual studying. Mark doesn't understand why the other hates it so much.
"Yup," Donghyuck just says and gets his books from his backpack. Like he just didn't get his lip pierced. What he just did.
"I can't believe. You. Actually. Got your lip pierced," Mark honestly can't get over it. It's not that it's ugly or anything but quite the opposite, it's pretty fucking hot.
"You don't like it?" there's a hint of disappointment in Donghyuck's voice which makes Mark instantly feel a little bit guilty and he shakes his head.
"No, no! It's really nice, I'm just... surprised," he ends up saying. The other boy smiles, and lord, he looks so cute like that. Younger, kind of. Sometimes he forgets it, how there's almost a year of age difference between them. It's not that major in any way but still, it exists.
"Good. I can't kiss you until it heals, though," Donghyuck sighs with a glint of allusiveness in his eyes. It actually almost upsets Mark because again, kissing the other is really pleasant in it's own way.
It's just a plain, silver colored ring on the side of his bottom lip but it's enough to make butterflies fly in his stomach.
It doesn't take a lot of creativity to replace the mouth to mouth kissing with something else. Mark discovers there's a sensitive spot right under Donghyuck's jawbone. When he kisses it, the other boy's breath will hitch and he will laugh breathlessly. Mark likes that.
✩✩✩
Sometimes, Donghyuck is a little bit too reckless for his own good.
Mark knows that he has a bad temper. It's not a negative trait as itself, but it just gets him to bad places. And he knows it's even worse when the matter is about him because Donghyuck just happens to be extremely protective of Mark. Where it's also kind of cute and heart warming, it's also really stupid and somehow scary because it's the thought that if Donghyuck get seriously hurt that time, it's Mark fault.
When Mark hears knocking in his door, he is pretty positive he knows who it is even before opening the door.
"Again?" he sighs when he sees Donghyuck standing there, holding his nose and blood dripping from the between of his fingers. Donghyuck just lets out a muffled, pained laugh and pushes past Mark to his apartment. Again, he thanks his luck that his mom isn't home because well, that would end up with her making a scene out of it.
Mark leads him to the bathroom and points at the floor, telling other to sit there. While he rummages through the cabinets looking for the first aid kit, he opens his mouth again.
"What happened?" Mark asks and sits down to the floor. He takes Donghyuck's wrist and cringes at the sight of blood running from his nose to jaw and down his throat. He places tissues carefully under his nose.
"Another day, another fight," Donghyuck says and he rolls his eyes.
"Stick this in your nose. Why? Don't tell me it was because of me again," Mark says and offers him a small ball of cotton. He isn't very amused.
"No, no...," Donghyuck mumbles. Mark pours disinfectant to a cotton pad and starts wiping carefully the scrapes on the younger boy's cheek.
"What was it then?" Mark glances at him disapprovingly.
"....He told me that he would steal you away from me,"
"You can't be serious," Mark replies. Donghyuck just stays quiet so Mark slaps his arm and he winces, ouch, but Mark can't find himself feeling guilty.
"You're so dumb, what the fuck," he is almost laughing. He moves to cleaning his knuckles that have dried blood on them and Mark isn't really sure if it's Donghyuck's or not. And when he thinks of it, he realizes he doesn't want to know.
Mark ends up holding Donghyuck's bruised hand for the rest of the day. Both of their hands get a little bit sweaty and it's unpractical at times. He also insists on kissing his bruises and cuts so they would heal faster. They both know it's bullshit but Donghyuck isn't stopping him.
✩✩✩
"Okay, and then you-- Donghyuck, I swear to God, if you don't start concentrating now I will kick you out of this goddamn house!"
"But baby, you smell so good,"
"That has absolutely nothing to do with chemistry!"
"The only chemistry I know is the one between you and I,"
"Donghyuck. Stop,"
Tutoring Donghyuck is just the worst. The said boy won't concentrate, asks the most stupid questions that itself don't really make any sense and will try to pull off irrelevant shit like burying his face in Mark's neck. Just to get him to blush and stutter. It's not really that hard.
"Boohoo, you're so stuck up," Donghyuck sighs but Mark sighs even louder and puts the pen down. He turns in his chair to face Donghyuck, which is a big, big mistake. He is smirking and at the same time Mark wants to rip his face off and kiss him senseless. Apparently he doesn't have to choose himself because the younger boy grabs Mark by his neck and pulls him closer. It's not even a proper kiss, just a peck on his lips and he shivers when he feels the ring of his piercing pressing against his skin briefly.
Mark groans frustrated, frustrated, and pushes Donghyuck away from him.
"No," he says. No, his face doesn't feel extra warm. But the boy just wiggles his eyebrows and leans in to kiss him again, more proper this time around. It's that stupid piercing that distracts him so much.
"Yes," Donghyuck says against his lips. His fingertips feel warm against Mark's neck.
"Fuck studying," he adds and pulls Mark up from his chair along with him. Yeah, fuck studying, Mark thinks even though it's kind of against his morals, being the model student and all. But Donghyuck is bad, really bad influence.
But Mark likes it. Donghyuck is complicated but that's fine.