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It was at a night hang out in Chenle's house when the topic came up. Donghyuck had always been deemed to be the last one to get married among his friends, especially if he's going to have the attitude of a person who got woken up at ass o'clock in the morning. In a game of ‘who's most likely to’, Donghyuck had been the choice of many bad questions and it was also the time he felt betrayed the most by his friends.
"Who's most likely to get in trouble just because they're bored?" Jeno asked, looking intently at his friends, spread out inside Chenle's living room.
Without missing a beat, everyone pointed their index finger to Donghyuck, who was sprawled on the ground with his head on Mark's lap, who was also, without a doubt, pointing at Donghyuck, feigned innocence adorning his face.
Donghyuck just shrugged nonchalantly, a playful smile on his face.
"Oh wow, he's even proud of it," Renjun huffed under his breath in disbelief but it didn't go unheard from Donghyuck.
"Yolo, dude. I do whatever I want to do," Donghyuck grinned, stretching out lazily, hand coming up to hold Mark’s hand, "I love making trouble."
From atop him, Mark just sighed, "You love making everyone around you suffer."
"Oh yes, I do, Markiepoo. Especially you," Donghyuck said and a wink came with it, which only received an eye roll and a chuckle from Mark.
"Okay, I got a question," Chenle interjected, "Among us, who's most likely to get married last?" a playful smug look on his face.
"That's a hard question," Jisung said.
Everyone was looking around, looking for someone who would pass the question and after glancing around, they had somehow found an answer for themselves.
"Choose now. One, two, three."
"WHAT?" Donghyuck abruptly sat up, bumping his head against Mark’s, who groaned in pain but Donghyuck's mind was too busy being in shock that he didn’t even feel the pain.
"Why me?" he asked, looking at his friends incredulously, his head whipping around in disbelief.
Everyone - except Mark, bless his soul - had pointed at Donghyuck (poor Donghyuck who pointed at Mark) once again seeming they all agreed on the topic at hand.
"Well, it's obviously not me," Jaemin said, draping his arm around his boyfriend's shoulders. Jeno nodding his head in agreement.
"Mark is literally right here," Donghyuck said, aggressively pointing at his best friend.
"Nah, I don't think he'll marry last," Chenle mused.
"As much as I believe Mark is a big nerd and simultaneously has big dumb jock energy, I'd have to agree with that," Renjun said, shoulders coming up in a shrug.
Donghyuck only stared at his friends in disbelief, betrayal and shock while the game had continued.
—
"Do you really think I'll marry last among our friends?" Donghyuck asked Mark as they walked back home that day, uncharacteristically shy and nervous.
"Does it really bother you so much?" Mark asked with no bite, just genuine confusion.
Donghyuck just shrugged with a nonchalant look on his face, eyes focused on the concrete they were walking on.
"Hey, it's okay if you get married last, at least you get to be ready or get to think about it thoroughly if you were to get married later," Mark assured, voice soft and gentle, nudging his best friend on the side.
Donghyuck only nodded his head at that and stayed quiet, continuing their walk home.
—
Donghyuck hadn't been able to sleep that night, his mind was running a mile a minute. Even when he had eventually gotten the chance to drift off, his mind refused to do so.
A week had passed and the thought hadn't left since. He was feeling restless. It shouldn't have bothered him so much. But, the thing about Donghyuck, is his competitive ass personality that doesn't want to lose and maybe a little bit of insecurity in there, so it did. The thought bothered him so much that he had thought of probably the most insane idea in his and Mark's life.
"Mark wake up, get up!” Donghyuck yelled, shaking Mark’s shoulder. “We're going to Nevada.”
Mark steered awake, his mind still hazy from sleep, voice groggy, "W-what?"
"Up,” Donghyuck just repeated. “We're going to Las Vegas. Right now."
"What? Why?" Mark asked, his senses on high alert all of a sudden.
"We're getting married."
That seemed to wake Mark up from the last bits of sleep in him. He sat up at breakneck speed, enough to give him whiplash but he was too focused on what his best friend had said. Did he hear that right?
"Yes, you heard that right.” Donghyuck pointed at Mark, then himself. A calm look on his face, “We are getting married," Donghyuck casually said as if he was talking about getting a new closet for his room.
"What? What are you talking about? Is this for real? Are you for real?" Mark rambled, his mind not processing the statement properly.
"Yes, Mark. We're getting married. This is for real,” Donghyuck pouted, "Now, get your ass up before I drag you out. We're going to Nevada," Donghyuck said in faux annoyance.
"Right now? We're going now? We're getting married? How are we gonna do that?” Mark asked questions at rapid fire. “We're really getting married?" He was beginning to sound like a broken record at this point.
"Get your ass up now and fix yourself, Mark Lee. I don't want to repeat myself again right now. I'll explain later," Donghyuck said before standing up to leave, "I've packed all your stuff, I think. Just check all the other things you need and then we'll leave right after."
Mark could only gape and nod his head. He wasn't sure if this was a dream or not.
Turns out, it's not. They're really going to Las Vegas. And, apparently, getting married?
"What are we really going to do in Las Vegas, Hyuck?" Mark asked, seating himself inside the Uber Donghyuck had set for them.
"Our wedding," Donghyuck simply said, not bothering to explain.
"Can you elaborate on that. Please," Mark says, confusion and hesitation clear in his voice
A sigh escaped Donghyuck's lip, "We're legally getting married. In Nevada."
"Are you for real? Is this some kind of prank?" Mark asked, confused as ever. "Are there cameras anywhere? Are you becoming a Youtuber?"
Another sigh.
"No pranks, Mark. All real. I'll explain everything you want to know in the plane on the way there."
Donghyuck put his earphones in, ending the conversation. Mark could only nod his head once again, feeling lost and left in the dark. Nonetheless, he would do anything Donghyuck had on his plate. Like he'd always done before, since they were six and seven. Both young and careless of the revolving world around them. No matter what it is, he'd do it.
The drive to the airport wasn't as loud as it should have been, considering Mark and Donghyuck were perfectly capable of making enough noise for a whole crowd. Mark hadn't asked a question since, and Donghyuck hadn't opened his mouth since. Only the faint sound of the car engine and tire screeching resounded inside the vehicle.
Once they arrived in the airport, they only had a few minutes left to board the plane to Nevada.
There was still silence when they both boarded. No questions were asked, no answers were given. Mark knew better than to ask questions now and Donghyuck was glad.
They were a few minutes into the flight when a conversation was up.
"How are we going to, you know," Mark started, "get married?"
Without glancing over his best friend, Donghyuck says, "We go to the Wedding Services office and fill up the marriage license application form and we go right ahead to the wedding chapel, where a marriage officiant is."
Mark gaped at him, shock, confusion and a little bit of amusement clouding his mind.
"You're not kidding? This isn't some kind of joke? We're really going to do it?"
"Yes, Mark. We're really going to do it," Donghyuck says, finally looking at his best friend, eyes full of mischief and a little bit (a lot) of trouble.
"Oh-Okay," Mark stuttered as he nodded his head.
Donghyuck only gave a grin as a reply and continued fiddling on his phone, leaving Mark flustered on his own seat.
When they safely landed in Vegas, they decided to go straight ahead to the office. On their way there, Mark had asked everything he wanted to know and finally, Donghyuck gladly indulged him.
"Number of previous marriages or state registered domestic partnerships," Mark read out loud before he put answers on all the blank spaces on the paper. "Hyuck, why are we doing this again?"
"I've explained it to you, Mark. I don't want to get married last among our friends," Donghyuck said, a pout and a crease between his eyebrows visible on his face.
"You do know that this is a commitment, right?" You should be in love with the one you're marrying goes unsaid. But Donghyuck heard it loud and clear.
Donghyuck hesitated for a second, but he regained himself, "We can annul right after we tell our friends, Mark."
At that, Mark looked at Donghyuck like he grew a pair of dragon heads.
“THEY DON’T KNOW?”
Donghyuck only looked at him, confusion evident on his face, "No one knows. Just us."
"Oh my god. Oh my god," Mark repeated under his breath. "Oh my– that's why they're not bothering me with texts saying we shouldn't do this or this is an absurd idea or, or something like, we probably really shouldn't do this."
Mark looked at his best friend with a face akin to concern.
"Don't you want to do this with me?" Donghyuck asked, his voice is uncharacteristically shy. It's back. The voice he'd let out when he asked if Mark agreed that he'd be the last one to get married.
Mark's face softened and reached out his hand to hold Donghyuck’s own, "No, of course I'd do it with you." He looked at Donghyuck's eyes and smiled, "Let's fill the forms and get married, okay?"
Letting out the bubbling giggle in his chest, Donghyuck nodded his head enthusiastically, "Okay. Let's get married."
As soon as they finished filling up the form, they gave it to the lady at the booth and they waited with bated breath, both waiting in anticipation.
"Here are the contracts, just show this to the wedding coordinator and you'll be good to go. Congratulations," the lady said as she smiled softly at the two boys.
Donghyuck took the papers and thanked the lady and they both walked out, ready to go to the chapel and... get married.
Both boys turned to look at each other wide eyed and mouth slightly agape.
"We're really doing this," Mark said breathily.
"Yeah," Donghyuck responded quietly.
Another minute passed as they only looked at each other and they bursted into a fit of laughter.
"Shall we go now, my very soon-to-be husband?" Donghyuck asked, trying to suppress the laughter bubbling up but, even then, there’s a playful lilt in his tone.
"We shall."
And they bursted into another fit of giggles before they entered the car waiting for them to go to the chapel.
Once they arrived at the place, they gave the contracts to the wedding coordinator and they were asked if they needed rings to go with it.
"Oh, uhm, we don't have to," Donghyuck said - hesitated, his sun kissed face glowing a faint pink, the tip of his ears painted red, his hand coming up to rub his nape. "I actually brought our own rings."
"Oh, well then, that's great. You may stay in the garden while we wait for the wedding officiant to come. Congratulations," the nice lady said, smiling.
As they waited in the garden, Donghyuck opened his backpack and pulled out a small sized blue velvet box and handed it to Mark, who could only, once again, gape at his best friend as he felt his face heat up that he's sure his neck and ears are red.
He opened the box and there it was, two similar silver wedding bands.
"You really planned all this out on your own, huh," Mark said, eyes locked on the rings on his palm.
"Yeah."
"Why didn't you tell me?" Mark marveled, finally looking at Donghyuck.
"It was my secret. I knew you would have disagreed if I had told you earlier. You couldn't really deny anything if you were put on the spot, can you?" Donghyuck said with an amused smile on his face.
Mark could only laugh. "I agree."
Mark took out one ring and observed it closely and his eyes widened in surprise as he saw two little letters engraved inside it.
M&D
He looked at his best friend who was surprisingly, red as a tomato, eyes trained on his feet.
He pulled out the other ring and saw the same two little letters on it but it was slightly different.
D&M
Mark could only look at his best friend in shock, he didn’t expect him to go beyond what he had expected - not that he really had the time to dwell on things to expect. Then he realized, this is Donghyuck. He would always stand a chance of succeeding on his own and everything turning out right. Mark wouldn't.
“We don’t really have to be married to wear those you know,” Donghyuck quietly said, eyes moving to look at the rings. “Best friends can have friendship rings, right?”
Donghyuck finally looked up and locked eyes with Mark, “We can still wear them after we decide to annul.”
Before Mark could say an answer, an employee approached them, informing them that the wedding officiant had arrived and was ready to marry the two of them.
So instead, Mark looked at his best friend-soon-to-be-husband and smiled, “Let’s go?”
Donghyuck smiled back and nodded, “Let’s go.”
—
"Do you, Mark, take Donghyuck as your lawfully wedded husband and promise to love him, honor him, comfort and cherish him, keep him in sickness and health, for as long as you both shall live?”
Mark felt his heart pounding in his chest. It felt as if a few more beats and it'll be ripped off from him. Everything in him is shaking but surprisingly, with a steady voice, he managed to say, "I do."
The officiant repeated the same question to Donghyuck and as the last words were said, Donghyuck nervously looked at Mark, eyes lit with tenderness.
“I do.”
Mark took ahold of Donghyuck’s left hand and shakily slotted the ring on Donghyuck's finger, eyes kept on their hands. Donghyuck, seemingly feeling the same way as Mark, nervously did the same.
Once the rings were nestled snugly on each of their fingers, their eyes locked, both with apprehension and fondness.
"By the power vested in me by the state of Nevada, I now pronounce you, husbands. You may now kiss. Congratulations."
Despite the nerves inside them, after a long minute of staring at each other, they bursted into a fit of laughter.
"God, we've really done it. We're married, Mark Lee."
"Yes, we are."
Still laughing their asses off, they managed to do their unnecessarily long hand shake.
So there they were: Mark and Donghyuck, married at twenty and twenty-one in casual clothes at the Mini Wedding Chapel in Nevada.
As they walked to McDonald's (Donghyuck said he was craving McNuggets) to "celebrate", there was silence between them. As if something needs to be said but neither of them wants to speak about it. But it seemed that Mark had enough.
"Did you really just do this because you don't want to be the ‘last one to get married’?" Mark asked, hesitant, voice laced with seriousness with a look akin to hurt.
Taken aback by his best- husband's seriousness, Donghyuck whipped his head to look at him.
"Yes-no.. I-" Donghyuck stuttered, avoiding eye contact, fiddling with his fingers. "I don't know," he finally settled on saying.
A confused frown made its way upon Mark's face, "What do you mean, you don't know?" he asked ever so gently.
"It's," Donghyuck started, "It's not just that, okay? Maybe I only reasoned it that way because…" he trailed off.
Mark's face softened, his heart beating fast against his chest, taking his husband’s hand in his, he asked, "Because what, Hyuckie?”
Sucking in a deep breath, Donghyuck's eyes fluttered shut as he felt his heart race in his chest. His lashes fluttered open and his eyes looked straight into Mark's own, with a new-found boldness, he shakily lets out, "Because I’m in love with you, Mark Lee. Have been since you stayed with me in the swings that summer night."
His eyes shone like the stars, with life mixed with pain, yearning, hesitancy, and just… love.
And Mark. Mark is so, so in love and overwhelmed that he did the only thing he knew he could do at the moment of vulnerability and hope, he cupped Donghyuck's face and leaned forward for his lips to meet Donghyuck’s soft ones, who seemed stunned but nonetheless closed his eyes and leaned forward to the kiss, his arms closing around Mark's shoulder. It was soft and lovely and sincere. It tasted like secrets, something intimate saved just for the two of them. It tasted like years of yearning and finally having it on your hands. It's hope. It's love. It's for new beginnings. It's a promise.
At that moment, Donghyuck knew. He knew that Mark all felt the same as him.
"So," Mark started as he settled down on the seat across his b– husband, "Are we gonna tell them?"
After the new-found confessions of love, they continued their way to McDonalds. (Donghyuck is still craving nuggets.)
Donghyuck looked at his husband, eyes full of mischief and a little bit (a lot) of trouble.
"Let's just keep it as our little secret for a while."