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Donghyuck is woken up at 4am by the loudest, most obnoxious screech he’s ever heard. His first instinct is, of course, to flip the perpetrator off and go back to sleep. If it’s Chenle (and it probably is) and he’s face to face with a spider, he’ll get over it. His plans are thwarted, though, when the screech is followed by quiet sniffles. It isn’t Chenle.
“Jeno?” Donghyuck calls softly. The sniffling stops for a couple seconds only to come back louder. Yup, definitely Jeno. “Jeno,” Donghyuck calls again. “Why are you crying?”
“M-my town,” Jeno whispers, “I-I ruined everything.”
“Your town? What do you mean your town?” Donghyuck asks. “Oh my gosh, are you, like, secretly the president of the United States?”
“Not funny,” Jeno mutters. “We live in Korea anyway; I can’t run a country from the other side of the Pacific.”
“Sorry,” Donghyuck says. “But seriously, what town? What happened?”
“Well, I’ve been playing Animal Crossing all day—“
“All day? Jeno it’s, what, 4:17am?”
“Okay, all day and all night. I’ve been playing since 4pm,” Jeno admits.
“4pm?!” Donghyuck screeches. He climbs off his bed to sit next to his boyfriend on the floor. “That’s twelve hours Jeno!”
“Yes, oh my god, yes I know. Stop screaming!” Jeno sighs. “I’m very sensitive right now. The tiniest thing could set off the waterfall of tears in my eyes.”
“Sounds like every day with you but okay, go on.”
“No. No! It’s worse today. Right now. Just— okay.” Jeno takes a deep breath. “I’ve been playing Animal Crossing, New Leaf that is, for the past twelve hours. I made so much progress in my town. I called it Dream!”
“Aw, that’s cute,” Donghyuck coos.
Jeno smiles softly, Donghyuck just barely seeing it through the darkness of the room. “Well, in the twelve hours I had been playing I did so much. I accomplished so much. I planted trees and flowers. I dyed my hair. I even paid off my loan!”
“Quick question,” Donghyuck interrupts. “Did you dye your hair blonde? Like, I know your hair is black right now, in real life, but seriously Jeno your blonde hair was such a look.”
“Yeah, blonde hair,” Jeno confirms. “But it doesn’t matter anyway.”
“Why not?” Donghyuck questions.
“Well if you would let me finish my tragic backstory then—“
“Right, carry on.”
“So I did all this amazing stuff in those twelve hours. So much progress. I even caught a fish I had been struggling to catch. Finally! I was one zebra turkey fish closer to a complete museum!” Jeno pauses, sniffling. “B-but right as I donate the fish, m-my game glitches and I lose everything. All of it! Gone.”
“Oh.”
By now Jeno has his head in his hands muffling his sobs.
“Jeno— uh. Babe? My love. The apple of my eye. The very being that helps me get out of bed in the morning. My absolute everything. Cuddly muffin sugar plum prince whom I wish to cherish and hold in my prepubescent boy arms forever.”
“Shut up!” Jeno exclaims, letting a soft giggle escape. Donghyuck lets out a relieved sigh; Jeno is okay. He’ll be okay.
“I speak the truth and only the truth,” Donghyuck replies. “You big softie, I’m so sorry.”
“Don’t worry about it Hyuck,” Jeno says. “There’s nothing you, or I, can do now. It’s done.”
“No! You can’t say that!” Donghyuck yells, putting his arms on Jeno’s shoulders. “You, my friend, are a genius. I only date the smartest people out there. That’s why I passed on Mark.” Jeno snickers. “Can’t you just, I don’t know, hack into the system and get your save data back?”
Jeno gasps, pushing Donghyuck off of him and glaring at the boy. “Are you serious?”
“Uh, yes?”
“No,” Jeno utters. “First of all, you’re so much smarter than I’ll ever be, shut up. Second, even if I could hack into the ‘system’ I wouldn’t.”
“Lame,” Donghyuck mutters. “Why not?”
“Animal Crossing is such a pure, lovely game. I wouldn’t take advantage of it by going behind its back and taking something just to make up for my own carelessness.”
“Well, when you say it like that it makes me understand why people think you’re just a soft weakling.”
“Shut up, you’ve never seen me cry before,” Jeno states, rubbing at his eyes.
“You were literally sobbing six seconds ago sweetie,” Donghyuck deadpans. “But, it’s okay, I forgive you for lying. And, I promise, we’re going to figure this out.”
“I don’t know Hyuck,” Jeno says, looking at Donghyuck with a pained expression devoid of all hope. “I can’t get my data back, and twelve hours of work is a lot. I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to do that much again.”
“Don’t worry about it now,” Donghyuck whispers. “Go back to sleep, it’s almost 5am now. You’re sleep deprived and sad. So sleep, we’ll figure this out later. Okay?”
Jeno smiles and nods. “Okay.”
“Good.” Donghyuck leans forward and leaves a chaste kiss on Jeno’s forehead. “Night, my love.”
“You’re disgusting.”
“Only for you boo boo bear,” Donghyuck winks. “Smooch smooch bitch.”
——
“Mark,” Donghyuck says, turning to his best friend. The two made plans to grab lunch, like, a month ago. And Donghyuck doesn’t blow off plans. Even if his crybaby boyfriend neglected to save after his twelve-hour long Animal Crossing play through. So, like a good boyfriend, Donghyuck made sure that Jeno had food and promised he’d be back later to help him get over it. (Probably with a movie marathon and lots of sugar, or something.)
“Good afternoon Donghyuck,” Mark replies. “How can I be of service?”
“First of all,” Donghyuck begins, “stop talking to me like we’re in medieval times and I’m the prince and you’re just a lowly servant of the palace.”
“Your wish is my command, my prince,” Mark responds jokingly. “Seriously though, what’s up? You seemed tense when we sat down.”
“Okay, we made plans to grab lunch, like, a month ago. And since I’m a good friend I don’t blow off plans. Even if my crybaby boyfriend neglected to save after a twelve-hour long Animal Crossing play through.” Donghyuck sighs. “I got maybe four hours of sleep last night Mark. I’m basically dead.”
“Welcome to my life Hyuck,” Mark scoffs. “But, uh, care to explain?”
“What is there to explain, loser? I got four hours of sleep last night because I didn’t get any more sleep. Aren’t you supposed to be smart?”
“No, genius. Explain about your cry baby boyfriend and his Animal Crossing play through.”
“Oh!” Donghyuck exclaims. “Right! Okay, it’s a long story.” And Donghyuck sits there for about forty-five minutes giving Mark the play-by-play. Jeno woke Donghyuck up with his dramatic sniffling; he tells Donghyuck that he had been playing Animal Crossing—irresponsibly—for twelve straight hours; his game glitched and he lost all of his progress; Donghyuck called him his cuddly muffin sugar plum prince. (Mark didn’t really care for that last part.)
“Wow,” Mark says, rather intelligently. “So what are you going to do?”
“Well at first I suggested we hack into the system and get his progress back,” Donghyuck replies. “But he got angry and told me Animal Crossing is ‘too pure’ and shouldn’t be taken advantage of.” Donghyuck rolls his eyes. “He’s too nice for his own good.”
“He’s right though, Mark reprimands. “You shouldn’t just hack into ‘the system’ as you would say. That’s wrong and unethical.”
“Wow, big word Mark Lee,” Donghyuck sneers. “I’m just gonna pretend I know what it means and move on. Listen, I had a Plan B.”
“Do tell.”
“A movie marathon and lots of sugar, or something.” Donghyuck’s got this super wide grin on his face that he knows has the power to get on Mark’s nerves.
“Hyuck, that’s like, momentary happiness,” Mark says. “It’s like the ‘I don’t really know how to make you feel better but I’m trying I guess’ kind of happy.”
“Okay well, that’s great, it’s not like that’s how I deal with all of my problems,” Donghyuck mutters.
“I’m just saying, it doesn’t work all the time,” Mark explains. “What you need to do is—“ Mark is cut off by the obnoxious, loud ringing of Donghyuck’s cellphone.
“Shit, sorry,” Donghyuck apologizes, checking to see who had the audacity to call him now. “Oh, it’s Jeno.”
“Answer it.”
Donghyuck nods, accepting the call and putting the phone to his ear. “Jeno?” For a couple seconds, he doesn’t hear anything. But right as he’s about to hang up he hears a quiet sniffle. Oh great, here we go. “Jeno? Are you crying?”
“N-no,” Jeno answers, clearly lying. “I’ve literally never cried before, gosh. Why would you ask such a silly question?”
“Babe, you’re, like, the second worst liar I know,” Donghyuck sighs. (Jaemin is the first.) “You’re obviously crying as we speak. So tell me what’s wrong.”
“Fine, fine,” Jeno relents. “I, the idiot, logged back into my Animal Crossing game. And, I don’t know, actually seeing all of my progress gone, while not half asleep? It did something to me.”
“Jeno.” Donghyuck groans. “Jeno, you’re a fool sometimes. I hope you know that.”
“You still love me though, right?” Jeno asks, voice cracking at the end.
“Yeah I’m whipped for you actually,” Donghyuck assures. “But, I thought I hid the game from you.”
“Yeah, emphasis on thought, Hyuck,” Jeno replies. “Sticking it under your bed isn’t really hiding anything.”
“I lose a lot of stuff under there.”
“Naturally,” Jeno snorts. “Anyway, Hyuck, I’m sorry for calling and interrupting. I guess I just needed to hear your voice?” He says it, and yet it sounds like a question. Still, it warms Donghyuck’s heart to hear such words from his boyfriend. “I’ll hang up now then.”
“Don’t apologize for calling me,” Donghyuck says, smiling even though he knows Jeno can’t actually see him. “Mark isn’t that important—ow! Okay, he just kicked me, talk about anger issues.”
“Thank you Hyuck. Goodbye,” Jeno says, hanging up. Donghyuck sighs as he removes the phone from his ear. Before Mark can say anything to him Donghyuck kicks him hard in the shin.
“Okay, ow,” Mark growls. “Unnecessary.”
“You started it,” the younger taunts, sticking his tongue out.
“And you’re immature,” Mark retaliates. “Why am I even your friend? You’re such a child.”
“I’m paying for this meal so I suggest you shut your mouth,” Donghyuck barks back.
“Suddenly my mouth is shut.”
Donghyuck smirks. “Okay well open it again and please help me figure out how to make my lovely boyfriend feel better. Like, what do you do when Yukhei gets like this?” Donghyuck asks.
“Yukhei? He isn’t my boyfriend.”
“Oh? So you broke up?”
“What? No,” Mark splutters, ears turning a deep shade of red. “We were never even dating in the first place. That— that’s nasty.”
Donghyuck nods, “Sounds fake, but okay. But really, please help.”
“So, what you do is, destroy the gaming system.”
“What? No.” Donghyuck glares at Mark. “So this is why you and Yukhei aren’t dating,” he whispers to himself.
“Okay I was kidding, Hyuck,” Mark laughs. “Honestly, the only thing that can heal this wound is time. Just be with him, if you can.”
Donghyuck sighs. “Yeah, I guess you’re right. But thanks for nothing. If I wanted an answer like that I could’ve gone to Jaemin.”
Mark’s mouth falls open. In the cartoons, his jaw would’ve hit the floor. “Huh?”
“Yeah, Mark, I needed an action plan,” Donghyuck says. “You didn’t give me one, so now I am back to square one.”
“You know what? Fine, I’m leaving. Bye Hyuck.”
——
So, getting help from Mark didn’t work out. This was a huge disappointment considering the rest of Donghyuck’s friends were idiots. His only other shot at an okay plan came in the form of Zhong Chenle. And Donghyuck would rather die than ask Chenle for help with anything. But this is for Jeno so he sucks it up and asks Chenle anyway.
Chenle tells him to buy flowers because apparently, Jisung likes flowers. And this information serves no purpose other than to give Donghyuck a clue for what to buy Jisung for his birthday. But whatever. Donghyuck buys the flowers for Jeno. He really goes all out too, spending literally all of his remaining money on them.
“Jeno,” Donghyuck calls, entering their shared apartment. “My sunshine.”
Upon hearing his name (and nickname), Jeno comes out of his bedroom. Except, he looks like a wreck. His hair is a mess. He’s wrapped himself up in his blanket. He’s still wearing his pajamas (which were really just Donghyuck’s pajamas that he stole). And he’s got crumbs from the saltine crackers Donghyuck left him on his forehead, somehow.
“Hyuck, you’re back,” Jeno says, voice impossibly small and wavering severely. “I missed you.”
“I missed you too,” Donghyuck replies. “Here, I got you these flowers. Maybe they’ll help you cheer up.” Donghyuck shows Jeno the excessive amount of flowers he had purchased.
Jeno’s eyes light up, “Donghyuck, you didn’t have to.” His lip starts quivering and that can only mean that he’s about to cry. So much for never crying.
“I wanted to.” Donghyuck sighs, “and I hate seeing you sad. So cheer up?”
“I want to,” Jeno nods. He uses his blanket to wipe away some of the snot running from his nose. Disgusting. “I don’t know why this affects me so much.”
“It’s a game you care a lot about, I understand,” Donghyuck assures. “Listen, if you ask me, the only thing that can heal this wound is time.” Thanks, Mark.
Jeno gasps. “Wow. That’s such a deep and intelligent way to think about this. You’re so smart, I love you.” Seriously, thanks, Mark.
“Oh, it’s nothing,” Donghyuck shrugs. “Here, let me put these flowers in a vase and we can watch a movie or something. And have lots of sugar!” He moves towards the kitchen, a blanket burrito version of his boyfriend trailing slowly behind him.
“I like that idea.”
——
“Hyuck,” Jeno whispers, throwing all of his weight onto his shorter boyfriend’s back. The only thing that stops them from stumbling to the floor is Donghyuck’s grasp on the edge of the kitchen counter.
“Jeno, you’re heavy,” Donghyuck complains, trying to shake the clingy boy off. “Get off.”
“But Hyuck,” Jeno says again. “I haven’t played Animal Crossing in a week.”
“What, are you experiencing withdrawal symptoms?” Donghyuck asks, sarcasm dripping from his voice.
“Perhaps,” Jeno nods. “But aren’t you proud of me?”
“If I say yes will you get off?”
Jeno groans and gets off, instead deciding to turn Donghyuck around and hug him normally instead. “Hyuck, be proud of me.”
“Of course I’m proud of you, you big baby,” Donghyuck assures. He begins rubbing Jeno’s back. “I mean, you were so sad. And now you’re happy. It’s magical.”
“Yeah, I guess you were right,” Jeno smiles. “The only cure for this wound was time!”
“Of course I was right! I’m always right!” Donghyuck definitely owes Mark a few favors. And perhaps Chenle as well, for the flower idea. And when Jeno leans down and leaves a sloppy, wet kiss on Donghyuck’s lips, he knows everything is okay again. (The kiss was gross though.)
——
(“So I found this Legend of Zelda game at the bottom of Jaemin’s laundry basket,” Jeno announces, coming back from Jaemin’s apartment.
“What were you doing in Jaemin’s laundry basket?” Donghyuck asks.
“Not important.” Jeno sits down next to his boyfriend and boots the game up. “Can’t way to play.”
“And ignore me?”
Jeno nods. “Of course,” he jokes.
“Just remember to save your game,” Donghyuck sighs. “Seriously.”)