Work Text:
“oh i hope it's you, where every little path i'm takin leads
every back and forth and in between
i hope it's you who's lovin me”
i.
his guitar sits in his lap, the smell of coffee ever-present in the air of the coffee shop. there is a mic stand sat in front of him and a few people scattered around the cafe, only half-listening to what mark is playing from his designated corner as they go about their conversations and work.
there is a boy at the table opposite him, with brown hair and golden skin, a sharp jawline and eyes which haven’t left where mark sits on his stool since he sat down. there is a textbook on the table in front of him, a mug of something which must have long gone cold.
mark huffs out a breath before he sets out playing the final song of his set, lets his hands glide over the strings in familiarity; could play hearts don’t break around here backwards in his sleep after practicing it for so long.
when he’s done he says a thank you into the mic, catches the attention of everyone who hadn’t been paying him any mind before as he steps off the stage with a few people applauding-- the boy surprisingly isn’t one of them.
they don’t talk that first time mark spots him sitting in the crowd; don’t have the stereotypical movie meeting where donghyuck pulls him aside and tells him how amazing his set was and asks him out on a date.
in fact, donghyuck doesn’t even stick around until the end of his performance the first three nights mark sees him in the cafe while he’s performing.
it’s after the third week of donghyuck sitting at the same table he always does, watching mark just as closely, that he finally stays until the end; applauds his set and offers mark a smile as he puts his guitar away and steps off the stage.
they still haven’t said a word to each other, but mark smiles back and chooses donghyuck for the first time of many.
it isn’t a hard decision to make.
ii.
mark isn’t exactly sure when or how he and donghyuck become friends, because it just sort of happens.
one day, mark’s life is donghyuck-less, and the next, donghyuck is blowing up his phone all the time with dumb questions and teasing and endless requests to hangout.
jaehyun asks how they met the first time donghyuck comes to the apartment mark shares with the older boy, and both mark and donghyuck share a glance and shrug, because neither of them really know.
the only thing mark does know about his and donghyuck’s friendship is that there’s something more there.
he and donghyuck are friends, sure, but their friendship is different from mark’s friendship with jaehyun or jeno, or even jaemin, who clings to mark relentlessly no matter how much he protests.
with donghyuck, mark feels different, and there's no particular reason, it's just because it's donghyuck.
when donghyuck calls and asks mark to go anywhere with him, mark says yes without hesitation. when donghyuck texts mark a stupid joke or weird question, mark smiles and shakes his head and answers no matter how foolish he thinks it is. essentially, when donghyuck says jump, mark says how high.
jeno and jaemin giggle whenever mark mentions donghyuck, teasing him about how he's whipped and how he does pretty much anything donghyuck asks.
at first, mark protests, because he's sure that isn't true, there's lots he doesn't do for donghyuck.
a few nights later, though, donghyuck texts mark and he's whining about how he wants mark to come over and cuddle because he's lonely, and it's already 11:30 and mark is cozy in his bed, but he still gets up and goes without thinking twice.
jaehyun is sitting on the couch finishing an episode of whatever show he's watching when mark comes out in his pyjamas, hair messed up and a sweatshirt thrown on haphazardly as he stuffs textbooks and his laptop and clothes into his backpack all at once.
"where are you going?"
"donghyuck wants to cuddle," mark answers, and then he's out the door, key in hand and a promise that he'll be back at some point the next day.
jaehyun watches after him, shaking his head, commenting to himself that mark was so whipped for donghyuck that it's kinda gross.
the next morning, mark’s phone is blowing up on donghyuck’s nightstand. he doesn’t check right away, but he knows it’s most likely jeno and jaemin bugging him to do something.
mark begins to get up to grab it and answer, but donghyuck sighs as he does, wrapping his arms a little tighter around mark’s body, “don’t leave, you’re warm.”
“‘m not going anywhere,” he slurs quietly as he manages to grab his phone with donghyuck clinging to him, putting it on silent and ignoring jeno and jaemin.
“good,” donghyuck replies sleepily as mark settles back down in bed, pulling the younger a little closer and burying his face in donghyuck’s neck
he’s just drifting off again when he thinks to himself that yeah, maybe he is kinda whipped for donghyuck.
he doesn’t tell jaemin and jeno.
iii.
when donghyuck asks mark to be his boyfriend, it doesn't really come as a surprise.
they've been skirting around the topic of them being boyfriend's for a few weeks, and nearly everyone they spend more than ten minutes with just assumes that they're dating because of the way they act with one another.
donghyuck doesn't hesitate to slip his hand into mark's or to settle onto his lap when there aren't enough chairs (or even when there is). mark doesn't think twice before googling something from donghyuck's phone instead of his own, or reaching into donghyuck's bag for something without asking.
donghyuck asks him at night, when they’re just laying down to go to sleep, this time in mark’s bed.
“mark?”
“hmm?” mark’s just starting to drift off, eyes and limbs heavy with tiredness.
“i really like you,” mark’s eyes shoot open, heart beating a little quicker in his chest.
“i really like you too, hyuck,” mark replies, pulling donghyuck a little closer to him in bed.
“no mark, i like you,” donghyuck emphasizes, and mark’s breath catches in his throat.
“ donghyuck .”
mark doesn’t know if it’s how he says the younger’s name, or if maybe he’s just been a little too obvious, but the next thing he knows donghyuck is kissing him.
“i know,” is pressed against mark’s lips as they kiss, a hushed whisper repeating the words until donghyuck stops, pulls back, “be mine?”
mark pauses, looks into donghyuck’s eyes, “i’m already yours, hyuck, i’ve always been yours.”
donghyuck’s lips are back on his before he’s even finished speaking, and as they’re drifting off to bed donghyuck mutters, “mine. my boyfriend.”
mark smiles, pulls donghyuck even closer as sleep starts to take both of them, replies, “yours, hyuckie. ‘m yours.”
iv.
sunday mornings with donghyuck might just be some of the best times of mark’s life.
donghyuck sleeps in later than mark, usually, tan skin on white sheets and body curled so closely into mark’s that he can’t get out of bed even if he wants to.
he usually reaches for his phone as carefully as he can, scrolling mindlessly through twitter or instagram, answering texts from jeno or jaemin that he ignored the night before.
he’s definitely snuck pictures of donghyuck sleeping before, but no one really has to know.
(and they might be mark’s home screen on his phone, because donghyuck looks so peaceful and innocent and pretty when he’s sleeping, and mark kinda wants to see it as often as he can; but again, no one has to know.)
donghyuck wakes up slowly, eyes fluttering and lips turning to a pout as he’s tugged from sleep and whatever dream he’s been having.
“good morning darling,” mark mutters, running his fingers softly through donghyuck’s hair as the younger rests his head on mark’s chest with a groan.
“‘s too early to be awake.”
mark chuckles, “it’s already past 10:00, we woke up too late.”
donghyuck lets out a sound of protest, eyes still closed, trying to get closer to mark if it were somehow possible, “i don’t wanna get up.”
“we can cuddle for a bit. i promised jeno and jaemin we’d go for lunch with them, though.”
donghyuck’s eyes open slowly, then, looking up at mark to press a kiss to his lips, morning breath and all, “you need to brush your teeth,” the younger mumbles as he pulls away.
“and you don’t?” mark teases, tapping the end of donghyuck’s nose with his pointer finger.
donghyuck doesn’t answer, scrunching his nose at the sensation and flopping back down on mark’s chest, “hey, i love you a lot, y’know?”
mark’s chest warms, and not from the heat of donghyuck’s body, “i know, hyuckie. i love you too.”
“but really, i know it's cheesy but you’re it for me, mark. i don’t really know what the future holds for us, but ‘m not afraid of growing up as long as you’re there.”
“donghyuck,” he replies, heart beating a little faster in his chest at the sweet words.
he doesn’t say anything else, but he doesn’t really have to, because they know . they know that they have each other, no matter what happens.
as they shuffle out of bed and get ready for the day, sharing soft kisses and reaching for one another's warmth as often as possible, it’s all they really need.
v.
mark plays for donghyuck more than he plays for anyone else, taking out his guitar and softly strumming his own songs and songs by other artists while donghyuck works on coursework, or even just rests on the couch after a bad day.
donghyuck’s favourite, by far, is hearts don’t break around here.
he begs mark to play it every time the older boy brings out his guitar, and he’s even saved a voice recording of mark playing it to his phone so that he can listen to it whenever he wants, “you sound so pretty singing it,” he insists.
mark prefers listening to donghyuck sing along to his playing, the younger an even better singer than mark, but donghyuck often refuses to sing until mark plays it for him.
and mark is a sucker when it comes to donghyuck - so the younger always gets his way in the end.
and it’s kind of weird, that mark thinks the songs he writes sound better when donghyuck sings them, the lyrics sweeter and melodies clearer. he wouldn’t rather any other person sing along, wants to write a million songs for donghyuck to sing.
he swears that every song he writes is for donghyuck, even if the younger doesn’t believe him, because every song is for donghyuck.
donghyuck is mark’s muse, in every sense of the word - is the reason mark writes and performs, the inspiration behind every cliche lyric about love and romance.
donghyuck is in every word mark writes, every chord and note he plays or sings, donghyuck is everywhere in mark’s music.
he wouldn’t wish for it to be any other way.
if he’s being honest, he wants it to be donghyuck forever.
there’s only one person he sees himself with for the rest of his life, so he hopes, and he prays, that everything leads to donghyuck, because there’s no path he’d rather take than one donghyuck is on.
mark hopes, and he prays, that donghyuck is the one who he loves and who loves him for the rest of forever; until they’re old and gray, in good times and in bad times.
no matter what, he hopes it’s donghyuck.
+
vi.
when mark finally proposes, donghyuck isn’t exactly expecting it.
they’re been together for five years when it happens, both of them long graduated university and settled into jobs that they love.
they’ve just bought an apartment together that feels like it’s long-term and they adopted a kitten, which mark had lovingly named daisy, after moving in.
the proposal is disgustingly cliche, and donghyuck would probably hate it if he didn’t love it, and mark, so much.
mark had planned a date at the cafe where they originally met, where he used to play every tuesday and thursday while they were in school.
the date is perfect, mark buys donghyuck his favourite coffee and a piece of cake, and they hold hands over the table while a girl with a guitar sings in the corner mark used to play his set from.
after they’ve been sitting for about half an hour, mark gets up, saying that he’s going to run to the bathroom. donghyuck nods as he leaves, slipping his phone from his pocket to scroll through twitter while his boyfriend is gone.
he’s not really paying attention to the rest of the cafe, which works in mark’s favour, because he’s able to slip onstage and set up to play without donghyuck noticing.
when the familiar chords of hearts don’t break around here ring out, donghyuck looks up, excited that the female playing the set is going to play his favourite song, even if it won’t be as good as when mark plays it.
except, it’s no longer the girl sitting on the stool but mark , with his guitar in hand and a shy smile on his lips as he dedicates the song to donghyuck, who nearly starts crying because he thinks he knows what’s about to happen.
at the end of the song, mark recites this whole speech about how donghyuck is the only one for him, and how even though he didn’t know from the very second he saw donghyuck, like some cheesy love at first sight movie plot, he knows now.
he tells donghyuck again about how every song mark writes is for him, totally and completely, how he loves him, and wants to love him forever.
donghyuck is definitely crying now and then mark pulls out a box from his pocket and he cries even harder, and he’s not the type to cry easily but mark has turned him into a mess.
donghyuck has been choosing mark for years already, so when mark asks donghyuck to be his forever, he doesn’t even hesitate before saying yes.
it’s an easy decision to make.