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“Has Ms. Kim not mowed her lawn in one hundered fucking years? What the hell!” Donghyuck exclaimed, using his hand to block the sun as he looked at their next venture. “You are so fucking lucky I like money.” ‘And you’, he thought, but brushed off the sentiment, instead choosing to let his eyes pierce into Mark’s side.
“I’m sure it hasn’t been one hundred years.” was all Mark said. Donghyuck rolled his eyes; Mark always seemed to take everything in so calmly. That wasn’t saying that Mark didn’t overreact but the two boys had very different versions of ‘the worst thing that has ever happened ever’. Mark’s was the occasional date he got asked on or when Donghyuck would whisper into his ear catching him by surprise. Donghyuck smiled imagining Mark ears going red as he stuttered over his words, but he pulled himself out of his daydreams.
“You don’t know that.” Donghyuck fought back, never one to give up in a fight, however big or small it was, and especially not a verbal one.
“Know what?” Mark said, cocking his head to the side and looking at Donghyuck through squinted eyes, already aware of the game they were playing.
“She hasn’t mowed her lawn in 100 years.” Donghyuck huffed, crossing his arms over his chest.
Mark nodded at Donghyuck, “Yeah you’re so right, but we're still getting paid.” Mark said through a smirk taking his eyes off the tanned boy and walking towards Ms. Kim’s garage, signaling the end of the conversation. Donghyuck watched the boy walk away, ‘he’s so damn lucky’ Donghyuck thought, eventually following Mark.
After an hour of switching off mowing the lawn Donghyuck felt like he might as well collapse onto the neatly cut grass. Mark wasn’t far off either pushing his black bangs out of his face to avoid sweat in his eyes. Donghyuck had done the last portion of the lawn so Mark got the chance to watch the younger trudge begrudgingly back over to him when he was done. His dark brown hair stuck messily to his face; he had let it grow out that summer and Mark wondered if the boy was regretting that decision now as sweaty strands hung in front of his eyes. Somehow, the exhausted boy looked good like that though. His tan skin glowed due to the beginning of golden hour and the shirt he was wearing, undoubtedly Donghyuck’s older brother Johnny’s, hung off his shoulder a little, revealing pretty collar bones littered with moles. Mark scanned his eyes down to Donghyuck’s legs, gulping at the shorts the boy had decided to wear. They were shorter than the ones most boys Mark knew wore, falling halfway down his thighs and just peeking out past the oversized shirt. Mark couldn’t help but think Donghyuck was pretty - too pretty to be a boy. He had thought about it before, maybe too much. “Dude, let's get out of here.” Donghyuck said reaching out a hand to help Mark up.
“My mom said you could come for dinner, if you want?” Mark said, rubbing the back of his (sweaty) neck as if he hadn’t had Donghyuck over a million times before.
Donghyuck’s eyes widened, a smile finding its way to the corners of his mouth. “Yes of course, stupid. Your mom is a good cook, plus she’s hot.” The shy smile turning into a much more mischievous one.
Mark’s jaw dropped, “Don’t say that Hyuck!” shoving Donghyuck away from him playfully. Donghyuck was always edging on the line of too much for Mark. Finding ways to rile him up and make Mark flustered, it was practically a hobby to the younger. He was just so loud, all the time, in everything he did. The way he dressed, never caring much about what was normal for a boy to wear. The way he spoke, quick witted and without pause as if he had a carefully planned comeback for everything. The way he stood, laidback but graceful and intimidating at times. He was the complete contrast of Mark’s ‘Mark-ness’ as Donghyuck liked to describe it. They balanced each other out perfectly. Mark probably wouldn’t have been able to count the times he had to hold back Donghyuck from doing something too reckless. But on the contrary, Mark had also found himself adopting Donghyuck’s quirks and being less cautious of his own. Laughing a little louder and speaking out more. Mark never really cared much about being popular which maybe made it so easy to click with Donghyuck because he was so willing to do image-wrecking things like come out to the entire school over the intercom during the Friday news in their Sophomore year, for example.
Mark never really thought about his own preference in boys, or girls. It just didn’t seem important to him but when Donghyuck came back from a summer trip to Jeju their Junior year, things had changed. Mark didn’t really know how he felt, he was not used to feeling things like this at all. Maybe it was because he was so used to thinking he was supposed to find girls hot or something, constantly trying to seek out features he liked. Sure, their perfectly trimmed hair was pretty, but he found he liked the messy unkempt look that Donghyuck adorned. Sure, their noses were nice, but Donghyuck’s nose was cutest when he scrunched his face out of distaste. Sure, their tiny waists were cool or whatever, but Donghyuck-.
He was lifted out of his mental rant by Donghyuck punching his shoulder, “Are you even listening to me, shithead?” Donghyuck said. ‘Shithead’ was not a compliment but it still made Mark blush in the goofy way that girls did in movies when their love interest said they looked pretty.
“Uhm, maybe. But say it again just in case.” He said smiling at Donghyuck, hyper aware of how close Donghyuck was to him, their shoulders bumping every now and then as they walked towards Mark’s house.
Donghyuck rolled his eyes but complied. "I was saying that we should listen to something on the record player.” He looked at Mark, his eyes shining at the thought of his own suggestion.
“Oh yeah sure.” It was tradition almost; whenever Donghyuck came over they would set up the record player just outside of Mark’s house and dance (mostly Donghyuck). Mark often found himself just staring at the boy in those moments.
Mark’s house was empty when they got there and the sun had started to set behind the hills, leaving the sky full of pretty pink, orange, and dark blue hues. “Where’s mom?” Donghyuck said casually leaving out the ‘your’ out of familiarity with the space. During the summer, Donghyuck spent a majority of his time at Mark’s house because he had a pool and a nice record player and apparently his mom made the ‘most amazingly superior delicious food’. Before Mark could respond Donghyuck had already taken off his shoes and beelined towards Mark’s collection of vinyl records. Mark had everything from Michael Jackson to Fiona Apple.
Sure, cassette players were nice, but Mark and Donghyuck both had agreed that vinyl would always be superior. 'There was just something about how the music filled the space’, Mark had said one night, Janet Jacksons “Let’s Wait Awhile” playing in the background. Donghyuck was loud and Mark was shy but some nights they could just melt into the ground listening to the music and talk. Donghyuck would stare into his eyes as if no one else in the world mattered in that moment. Before things got to be too much though the song would shift to some pop hit and Donghyuck would start belting out the lyrics and Mark would stare at the ceiling letting any sort of emotional constipation go away and forget that he was falling in the first place. It was a constant loop and Mark never minded much not wanting to ruin the moment.
Mark picked up his record player to help set it up right where the sliding back doors led to a patio and a pool. “This one.” Donghyuck said shoving a beat up album by The Cure into his face. ‘Wish’, He mumbled to himself, remembering when it had come out and he had camped out in front of Wayvies record shop with Donghyuck to get a signed copy. They had been younger then, voices cracking from puberty. Each record came with some sort of memory, some fonder than others. For example, Mark and Donghyuck had gotten into their worst fight ever during spring break sophomore year and now Nevermind by Nirvana was stored out of sight in Mark’s collection because all it did was bring back negative memories of Mark’s overdramatic sulking. At the time Mark probably would have listened to Something in the Way on repeat just to let himself zone out to the slow beat and melodic calmness the song made Mark feel. The song also served as a perfect outlet for his broody teen tendencies but he was past that now.
“Play Friday I’m in love! Now, Now,” Donghyuck said, practically vibrating in anticipation, his eyes big and lips formed into a pout.
Mark looked up at him from where he was crouched next to the record player. “Hmm, What’s the magic word?” He said coyly, something unusual but not unfamiliar for Mark. He had learned many things from Donghyuck and one of those had been how to get the other blushing.
Donghyuck looked at him, astounded and, just as Mark had expected, with pink cheeks. “Prick,” he said defiantly, to which Mark got up from his crouched position to match Donghyuck’s height.
“Well I guess we will just start from the beginning then,” Mark said with a ‘tsk’ and set up the record to start at the beginning. “You know it’s good to appreciate the full-“
“Please, Mark,” Donghyuck wasn't begging but it was very close, and it cut off Mark’s rant about ‘how albums should be appreciated as a whole yada yada yada’ or however Donghyuck liked to put it.
“That's what I like to hear! Isn't ‘Friday I’m in love’ like the most popular track or something?” He wasn't saying it in a critical or degrading way but more just curious because Donghyuck usually knew about that stuff more than him and honestly he liked to hear Donghyuck rant.
“Yeah, and so what?” Donghyuck said obviously getting ready to start a debate on which song was the best on the album.
Mark put his hands up in surrender and gently placed the stylus on to the spinning record. Donghyuck bounced happily at the sound of the first chords of the song and made his way out onto the patio leaving Mark no choice but to follow into the cool night air. He felt sticky from sweat and the cool air was not helping much but he didn’t mind because this is what summer was ‘all about’: the comfortable and uncomfortable his mom had said one time when Mark was much younger and complaining about sand in his pants. Donghyuck was ‘the comfortable’ and his prickling skin was ‘the uncomfortable’.
Donghyuck had gone full ‘lost in the music now’ hips swaying melodically, eyes half lidded, and he was looking at Mark. Times like these Mark didn’t really know how he ended up where he was. Boys like Donghyuck were far too beautiful to be hanging around boys like Mark, but before Mark could get too lost in his thoughts Donghyuck brought him back down to earth. He made him feel stable even though everything felt like it was going too fast these days. “Come here” Donghyuck said words languid like his movements as he beckoned Mark forward. Mark was way too in space to realize the other’s little plan.
When he reached arms length of Donghyuck, he looked over to the pool which was shimmering from the moonlight but still calm as if it was made out of glass. He couldn't even imagine looking at Donghyuck right now, his heart rate picking up as the music hummed in the background. They were really close, Mark could feel the others body heat and smell the sweat and deodorant Donghyuck always wore and he hated to admit it was not a bad smell it was comforting but also exhilarating, and before the moment could be broken by Mark’s cowardness Donghyuck grabbed his wrist and pulled Mark very close, closer than they’d ever been before. Mark had no choice but to look at the other and when he did Donghyuck was already looking at him with a sweet smile on his face. Mark could count Donghyuck moles and he was, in an attempt to not have to make eye contact. 1, 2, 3, “Mark.” Donghyuck said, his name sounded so pretty coming from the younger’s mouth. His tone wasn’t teasing or harsh or even joking and it made Mark look into Donghyuck’s eyes. When their eyes connected Mark gulped, feeling the tension buzz in his veins. “Hi.” Donghyuck said, a giggle coming out just after.
For a second Mark just stared. He was slipping; his heart felt heavy but also light and maybe a little ticklish and after a moment of just Donghyuck, Mark found it in himself to respond, “Hi,” he said, and soon after he felt the hands that were holding his wrist depart and move to pushing his chest. He was falling, less metaphorically and more physically now, right into the pool, disturbing the peaceful water and bringing Mark to his senses. He looked up to see Donghyuck hollering in laughter but Mark couldn't even be mad. Yes, he was fully clothed, but the water was cooling down whatever rush of heat he had gotten from what had just happened. Did he think they were going to kiss? Donghyuck and him? His best friend? Was he disappointed? Yes, maybe a little bit.
Donghyuck, now crouched by the edge of the pool, looked at Mark and let out a breathy ‘whoops’ while he tried to catch his breath. Mark just shook his head, water droplets flying into the air and apparently onto Donghyuck who let out a screech at the water. But Mark wasn’t done, Mark swam over to the edge where Donghyuck was crouched over, distracted by his own attempt to calm down, giving Mark the perfect chance to pull him in. He grabbed Donghyuck’s arm and pulled the other in. Donghyuck yelped but made no attempt to stay out. Now both in the water, standing very close, but Mark wanted to be closer, and something in his brain that had been holding him back for years decided to not butt in today. Still holding onto Donghyuck's wrist he pulled him closer so their chests were almost touching and looked at Donghyuck who was still a little breathless. Donghyuck was looking at him too, smiling bright and loud; it reminded him of the nights Donghyuck and Mark would talk until dawn, but there was something more to this look. Before Donghyuck could say anything Mark spoke, “Sorry, just wanted to return the favour,” his voice light, joking, and Donghyuck stared at Mark for a few more seconds before blinking and looking down to Mark's chest and back up at him.
“I can see your nipples.” Donghyuck said, his voice calm and quiet in almost a whisper. Mark’s eyes widened and he looked down at himself. He let out a ‘hmph’ realizing that the soaked white shirt left little to the imagination. It clung to his wet skin and when Mark looked back up Donghyuck was looking at his practically naked chest too. Of course the boys had seen each other topless before but this felt entirely new. The atmosphere changed the meaning and their closeness only enhanced the odd feeling Mark was feeling. When Donghyuck realized Mark had lifted his head he looked back at Mark, heat rising to his cheeks and painting them a rosy red. Donghyuck was pretty, beautiful even, but with the way the moon lit up his eyes and how his, now wet, dark hair framed his face Mark thought Donghyuck looked ethereal.
Mark had already forgotten Donghyuck’s comment when he quickly let out the words that had been dancing in his mind ever since Donghyuck had gotten back from Jeju. “I think I like boys.” In a very Un-Donghyuck-like manner his eyes widened, resembling Mark’s only a few seconds ago.
“Mar-“ Donghyuck started.
But Mark wasn’t listening and now that he had started he didn’t plan on stopping. “Well maybe just you.” Donghyuck looked as if all the air had been sucked out of him. “Hyuck?” he said, waiting for anything, anything to break the awkwardness settling in the air. He had never thought that he would be confessing. The words served as Mark’s own realization too. Before that night he hadn’t even realized he had anything to confess - at least, he hadn’t put the pieces together.
“You idiot!” Donghyuck breathed out before putting all of his weight onto Mark in a tight hug. Donghyuck’s legs had wrapped around Mark’s waist and arms around his neck.
“Woah” Mark said, caught by surprise, but he quickly found himself gripping the back of Donghyuck’s thighs to hold him up. He liked this; Donghyuck’s chest was warm against his own and his head rested on top of Donghyuck’s head that was shoved into his neck. Each breath he took felt hot against the sensitive skin and made his whole body tingle in an exciting way. “I hope you mean idiot in a good way, whatever that may be.” Wet hair pressed into his cheek as he spoke, faux confidence laced into his words.
Donghyuck lifted his head and nodded looking at Mark, “Yeah in the good way,” pausing for a second to look down at Mark’s lips and then back at him, “Whatever that might be.” Mark could feel Donghyuck’s breath on his face now. The feeling made him look at Donghyuck’s lips, they were full and pretty pink like Donghyuck’s cheeks, very kissable.
“Can I kiss you?” Mark said, his brain to mouth filter failing him (typical). He lifted his eyes until they were staring into the other’s once again.
Donghyuck didn’t say anything in response, letting his actions speak for themselves. It was gentle and a bit clumsy, their noses bumped a little from the new situation but neither of them seemed to care and Mark was thankful. Instead Donghyuck just shifted his head more to the side and let his hands find their way to Mark’s hair. Mark let the younger guide him into a rhythm but before things could get heated their mouths had separated to catch their breaths, if Mark wasn't falling before he definitely was now. It had only been seconds, he assumed, and he wanted more but he was too caught up in admiring Donghyuck’s lidded eyes and parted lips. Donghyuck was done staring though, and he repeated the words that had gotten them into this (really amazing and perfect and good) situation in the first place, “Come here.”
So Mark initiated the kiss this time, a little more experienced than before when their mouths slotted nicely together, much more ease in the move. This was nice, Donghyuck let out a soft sigh on his lips and catching Mark by surprise sucked cautiously on Mark’s lower lip making the older gasp. When Donghyuck was done Mark returned the favour and found himself tugging lightly out the overgrown strands of hair at the back of his head. Donghyuck gasped in return giving Mark the chance to slip his tongue into the others open mouth and it was slimy and hot but Mark didn’t hate it, he thought he could get used to this if he was honest, and before things could move too fast they were parting for the second time now.
Mark quickly found himself kissing Donghyucks face all over and down to his jaw and finally his neck, he must have hit a sensitive spot because he felt Donghyuck tense in what he hoped was pleasure Donghyuck was gripping to his hair tighter now and Mark smiled into Donghyuck’s neck enjoying the feeling as well as the sounds Donghyuck made when he did it again. He pulled away to look at the younger again, his wet hair tousled and lips shiny. “You’re a fast learner.” Donghyuck said breathy and amused.
“You’re a good teacher, I guess.” Mark said back, making the younger bite his lip and shove his face into Mark’s neck to hide the rising blush reaching his ears. They stayed like that for a moment and Mark couldnt help but think about how stupid he was for not doing this earlier.
Donghyuck was nosing at his neck when he murmured “Finally.”
Mark's hand had found its way to the back of Donghyuck’s head, running his fingers through the other's scalp and twirling his fingers around the wet hair in a lazy manner. “Finally?” he said in a way that was asking for Donghyuck to continue.
“I’ve liked you for awhile now Mark.” Donghyuck said, he took a moment to regain composure, lifting his head to look at Mark with a weak smile on his face. “When I was in Jeju I figured it out and my friend convinced me that you liked me back cause ‘we totally act as more than friends’” Donghyuck said, rolling his eyes and continuing, “and I guess I started to believe her but then things weren’t changing and I was thinking about giving up on it. I don’t think it would have been that easy though, to give up on you.” Donghyuck said in one big breath. Mark couldn't even think of what to say, still absorbing the information. To cut the silence - the record they were playing had ended a while ago - Donghyuck continued. “Did something change?”
The thought of Donghyuck needing to change himself for Mark to like him brought him back to the real world and quickly he found himself disagreeing, “No, no, no, Hyuck. I - You, nothing changed. I was just stupid, you’ve always been the one. I only realized when you got back from Jeju. I’m stupid and- and constipated.”
“Constipated?” Donghyuck said, his voice returning back to its bright tone with a hint of amused curiosity.
“Not like shit! Like my feelings, uhm like a metaphor. I wasn't able to get my feelings out and understand them properly like when you can't take a shi-“ Mark was mid-ramble when Donghyuck cut him off.
“I think I get it Mark. No need to go into detail, thanks.” Donghyuck said but the words were filled with admiration and something akin to love, or the teen equivalent.
Mark blushed and let go of Donghyuck’s legs so that he could wrap his arms around Donghyuck’s waist in a hug. “I really like you Hyuck.”
“I really like you too Lee, Now, let's get out of this pool shall we?”