Chapter Text
"Huh, won't you look at that," Donghyuck zooms the binoculars a little bit more, trying his best to stay still, "actual human beings are moving in across the street."
"Let me see." He's shoved aside by Mark's lanky body as the boy snatches the binoculars away from him, "Hey, what do you know, this neighborhood is actually capable of inhabiting humans." Donghyuck snorts loudly to Mark's commentary, snatching back the binoculars to get another peek. "I give them one week tops," Donghyuck proposes, he watches through the lens as a young boy with bleach blonde hair struggles to carry one of the boxes out of movers truck.
"We got a youngling, looks about Jisung's age-"
"Where?" The binoculars are back in Mark's hands, "I don't see- oh I see him! Yeah. He does look like Jisung's age. Looks just about as evil as him too." Donghyuck gasps, "You're right! I knew I sensed something..." Mark's evil radar is always on point, Donghyuck doesn't doubt him for a second. Donghyuck remembers the first time he met Mark's younger brother, Jisung, Mark had told Donghyuck that his "evil radar" had gone wild when Jisung was born aka be cautious around him.
They'd been sitting there, at Donghyuck's windowsill on the second floor, creepily getting an inside scope on the new neighbors across the street for about 10 minutes now. It rare to get new neighbors in Donghyuck's neighborhood, considering Mark was the last new neighbor that had moved in next door about four years ago. Yikes, Donghyuck thinks as chills take over his arms, stealing back the binoculars.
A loud, quite obnoxious roar of an engine is heard coming down their street, causing Donghyuck to go into a frenzy and search for the source of noise with the large binoculars stuck to his eyes. He catches a glimpse of black, matte black and- is that a motorcycle? Donghyuck zooms out a bit, much to his mistake because- It's like everything suddenly moves in slow motion as the tall slim figure comes to a halt, removing his black helmet, and revealing the most beautiful face (next to Mark's but he'll never tell him that) he's ever seen.
The motorcycle guy removes his leather gloves, long slender fingers comb through luscious honey colored hair made of silk, his wide eyes look around for nothing in particular. Donghyuck doesn't realize he's dropped the binoculars at this point. He just knows this is the longest slow motion he's ever experienced, as the guy across the street grips his helmet, looking up at Donghyuck's direction and they actually hold gazes for a split second and everything seems magical like in those chick flick movies he used to see with Mark all the time on the low. Donghyuck feels it, the magic. And the hot piece of man dares to smirk up at him with those plump lips?
And then Donghyuck collapses onto the floor. Flat out just collapses, hitting his head on the hard wood floor.
Somewhere in the back of his head he hears Mark saying what? what happened?
"Holy mother of cow what the actual fuck," it's like the air has been taken out of his little lungs, his almost non-existent acne has cleared, his depression is gone, "Jesus mother of wow fuck wow help me Mark I can't breathe." He replays the scene in his head over and over again, hand across his chest feeling his heart, the look he gave Donghyuck (the embarrassment of being caught hasn't hit him yet), the smirk he had on his lips. That guy was gorgeous in all of his black leather jacket and tight black jeans glory.
"See I would, but, apart from not liking you very much, you didn't answer my question," Mark shrugs, Donghyuck glares at him. "Okay sorry I was too busy LITERALLY dying over here, no concern for your best friend wow. I see how it is." Mark grabs the nearest item, one of Donghyuck's shoes, and throws it at his stomach, causing him to flinch and whine. "I was asking if you were okay! You had some coocoo eyes going or something i don't know man it was really weird, looked like you were about to faint."
"THAT's BECAUSE I WAS WHAT THE HECK," Donghyuck's eyes move from Mark back to the ceiling of his room, "I have never experienced such moment in my life, it's like the doors of heaven opened right in front of me, it's like I found the purpose to life- ow!" Donghyuck rubs his leg where yet another shoe was thrown at him. "What was that for?!"
"For still not answering my question!"
"Okay, Mark, son, look here," Donghyuck sits up in a split second, grabbing Mark's arm and pulling him back towards the window ignoring his whiny I'm older than you comment. "Keep your head down idiot we'll get caught," Donghyuck shoves Mark's head down so both of their eyes are barely leveled with the edge of the windowsill. "You didn't care about that a few minutes ago," Mark grumbles, but complies anyway by keeping his head low.
"You see that right there? That is what I call an angel," Donghyuck points to where the guy is now parking his motorcycle into the open garage, "or a really hot demon I have no idea yet, but I'm okay with either one, this is no time to be picky." He looks over to Mark to see his reaction, though he isn't really surprised when he sees no reaction. "Eh he's okay, looks like a walking stick on a motorcycle."
"A WALKING STICK-" Donghyuck sighs in frustration, face palming himself, "Okay whatever, I took art class and you didn't so."
"True. But you can't even see his face that well what if he's really ugly up close?" Mark questions, both of the boys still peering through the window nevertheless.
"But he's not! I seen him up close with my two eyes!"
"Four eyes."
"Four eyes! What more do I need? Those binoculars are HD as fuck bro," Donghyuck sighs again, he needs someone to share this fanboy feeling within him. He knows what he saw and he liked what he saw. I mean, Donghyuck isn't new to crushes, he gets one like every single time he sees a cute boy after finally coming to proper terms with his sexuality two years ago. But still, nobody had managed to impact him as much as this stranger (new neighbor now) has. "It's like love at first sight," Donghyuck whispers, almost inaudibly but Mark catches it.
"Let's go then." Mark pulls him up as Donghyuck begins to panic, "What, go where?"
"To welcome the new neighbors!"
"Mark Lee are you out of your mind?! I'd rather die before I let such god see me, a pathetic peasant-"
"Nope. Let's go." Mark has that triumphant smirk on his lips as he drags Donghyuck out of the room. "Mark please no, please I'll do anything!" Donghyuck screeches, grasping onto the door frame. Mark wraps his arms around his waist trying his best to peel Donghyuck away from the door. Donghyuck could literally feel his heartbeat racing at a million beats per second. He wasn't ready, not now or ever really.
"I just thought he was cute don't do this to me Mark! He SAW ME LOOKING AT HIM LIKE A CREEP," Donghyuck is fake crying now, the worst sobs he could manage, falling to the floor along with Mark as he lets go of the door frame.
"Well that's what you get for being a creeper, now let's go or else I'm telling Doyoung you were the one to tell his girlfriend that he was cheating on her!"
And that is how Donghyuck found himself walking to the house across the street with a nervous, awkward grin on his face and a pumpkin pie forced in his hands. Mark had his arm draped over his shoulder as they walked together, but it didn't help ease his nerves at all. Donghyuck hasn't peeped a word since he was threatened and dragged to the store for a pie and now to his new neighbor's house where he's guaranteed his death by embarrassment. He can feel it.
It's when Mark presses the button and the doorbell rings loudly that Donghyuck's heart begins to race much faster than it was before they even got here. His hands are getting clammy underneath the tin of the pumpkin pie and all he could whisper is, "I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you-" Donghyuck inhales sharply as the door swings open and thanks the lord so much that it was only the young boy with blonde hair from earlier.
"Heyo, we're your neighbors from across the street over there," Mark points his finger over his shoulder and Donghyuck is grateful that he spoke first because he doesn't trust himself at the moment. "Just thought we'd give you a peace offering or something. I'm Mark, this guy is not mute he's just freaking out at the moment because he thinks your brother is super hot-"
Wait.
"Mark. Fucking. Lee. You did not just-"
"Well, nice meeting you, gotta bounce!" Mark is smiling like the little evil demon he is as he sprints to his house on the other side of the street. Donghyuck's cheeks are burning by the second because did that really just happen? "I'm sorry! He's- a bit weird. Gotta go." Donghyuck's chest is contracting as he shoves the pie into the hands of a very confused boy before he's chasing after Mark.
"MARK COME OUT OF THERE!" Donghyuck is banging on Mark's room door with so much rage that Jisung peers out of his room from across the hall. "NEVER! I'M NOT AN IDIOT," Mark shouts back through the locked door. Donghyuck clenches his fists, feeling a mixture of embarrassment and wanting to punch Mark so hard he'll cry for a whole week straight. "Should I even ask?" Jisung pipes up in a monotone voice, Donghyuck sighs and shakes his head in response, Jisung goes back into his room.
Donghyuck takes in three deep breathes, counting to ten in between each of them. Finally, he feels a bit more relaxed to approach Mark again. "Okay, Lee number 2, if you open the door I swear we'll talk about this like reasonable upcoming men." He hears shuffling inside the room, hoping Mark will let his guard down and take his bargain. "You really mean that?"
"Of course I mean it Markiepoo you mean so much to- YOU LITTLE PIECE OF SHIT!" Donghyuck charges at Mark as soon as the door is open, throwing himself onto his genuinely scared best friend. They fall onto Mark's bed, Donghyuck on top of him and placing a pillow onto Mark's face. "You embarrassed me in front of his little brother! Now he's gonna tell him! I can't show my face outside anymore because of you!" Donghyuck is holding the pillow down tighter as Mark's arms are flailing onto his body trying to shove him off.
He succeeds as they both go rolling off Mark's bed and onto the wooden floor, Mark landing on top of Donghyuck harshly, but Donghyuck can't feel pain, not with this rage inside him. "You almost killed me! I was just doing you a favor!" Mark has Donghyuck's arms pinned above his head as he tries reason with his best friend. "Well that was not a favor, I should've killed you while I could! You ruined my life! I hate you so. Much!"
"Mark?"
"Yeah?"
"You know I don't really hate you right?"
"Yeah."
"I'm serious, I was just being self-conscious and all," Donghyuck's voice is soft as he turns over to face Mark, propping himself up on his left arm. They had been laying there, on Mark's small bed, the past hour after their little fight (trust me, this was little compared to other fights go ask Jisung). Neither of them had said a word until now, now that they were both calm. Especially Donghyuck.
"I know."
Donghyuck sighs tiredly, letting his body fall back onto the mattress. A few minutes passed by as they stare at the ceiling when he feels Mark sitting up.
"Hyuck?"
"Yeah?"
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to embarrass you. I only wanted to get you noticed by your senpai." Mark's voice is extra soft, so Donghyuck knows he really means it.
"I know."
He feels Mark plop back into his bed, releasing a sigh of his own.
"Truce?" They say simultaneously, ensuing large smiles from both boys as they look at each other for the first time that evening.
"Truce," they both say together.
It barely hits Donghyuck that the hot new neighbor caught him creeping and that Mark had told the hot new neighbor's little brother that Donghyuck thinks his brother is hot, which isn't a lie, but he wasn't supposed to know that. He feels completely cheated by life, Donghyuck cringes in embarrassment, shuddering at the thought. He decides to let it go one second at a time as he takes a hot relieving shower.
He's settling back into his own bed at 1 AM after spending the rest of the evening and late night playing video games with Mark knowing both of their moms were working late shifts at the hospital this week. Donghyuck idly thinks about what they'll be up to this summer, considering Donghyuck goes back to school for one more year after vacation is over, Mark already graduated.
He thinks about the school year, as he tosses and turns in bed trying to find the right spot to rest comfortably in, and how devastated Jeno was when Jaemin announced he was moving cities just last month. Also how mostly everyone he knew in this damn boring neighborhood like Jaehyun, Sicheng, and Taeyong, even if they were Doyoung's friends, had left for different vacations to other cities or countries. Even Doyoung, his older brother who he won't admit he misses, left for a dream university across the country.
Donghyuck sighs.
Last year was so fun with the whole gang of them, now it's just Donghyuck, Mark, Jeno, and Renjun. And Jisung he guesses. He's still kinda getting used to him even after four years... Plus, Mark doesn't like having to babysit so he doesn't see him unless Mark's mom is home or something.
Donghyuck grabs his phone off the desk right next to his bed. He opens up Instagram, and quickly poses for a grainy night time selfie for his story, writing sleepless nights. A few seconds later he sees a reply from Mark,
minmark
go to sleep you gorilla
hyuckhatesmarklee
don't tell me what to do grandpa
Donghyuck is about to send another message but stops immediately as soon as he hears a familiar engine running down the street. Without another second to spare, Donghyuck literally throws himself off the bed along with his phone, his limbs tangling in the blanket causing him to trip halfway before he reaches the window just in time.
He pulls the curtain aside just a bit, in hopes of not getting caught this time, as he watches his new neighbor pulling into the driveway. Donghyuck stares as the guy stops for a moment, pulling his phone out, staring at it for the longest before he's slamming it harshly into the concrete, the phone undoubtedly breaking into pieces. Donghyuck sits there in the darkness of his room in utter shock, his eyes wide open not caring anymore if the curtain was pushed farther back.
The night is silent again as the guy turns off the motorcycle, taking his helmet off harshly. He opens the garage with a small remote, the lights turning on as he parks his motorcycle inside. Donghyuck lets out a deep sigh, wondering what the heck that was about. Out of all the times he isn't shy why couldn't it be now? Donghyuck gets an urge in his chest to go talk to the guy who's running his hands through his hair in what seems to be frustration. But he doesn't. He doesn't because he's stupid and he's letting his nerves get to him and he wouldn't know how to approach the situation anyways and it's not like someone like him would talk to a silly teenager like Donghyuck.
And then, the guy turns around, looking up at Donghyuck, but again Donghyuck can't find himself to pull away from the window and hide under his bed forever because he is in a complete trance as his now neighbor smiles up at him somberly.
Even when he's in such state he's beautiful, Donghyuck thinks.
The guy sends a small wave in his direction, Donghyuck sending an even smaller, unsure wave back as he watches the garage close, his neighbor disappearing behind it. His heart is beating at high speed again as Donghyuck reaches to touch his face, it's extra warm and he knows he's blushing under the light of the street lamps. Could this be the start of a crush?
Donghyuck doesn't want it to be, all he could think is, damn this hormonal teenage phase.