The only reason Mark even hears the loud thud! and the mumbled  that resonates from the bathroom adjacent to his and Jackson's room is because a) he has his music on shuffle and it happens between the 2-second transition from one song to the next, and b) the walls between said bathroom and their room are not exactly thick, which means Mark has heard more than his fair share of questionable noises, ranging from someone attempting to take a dump in the wee hours of the morning before a very early schedule - "Some of us are trying to sleep, you animals! That's what you get for not eating enough fiber!" Jackson had screamed from the lower bunk - to uhm, more disturbing sounds he could have really lived without  - that one had prompted him to send a try to be quiet next time you knock one out to their group Kakao Talk and had resulted in their stylist constantly complaining about Yugyeom's red ears for the rest of the day. 

 

Mark is about to ignore it (because that's what you learn to do unless you suspect someone has busted their head open or something) and return to rummaging through his make-shift closet for a comfortable pair of pants when he simultaneously realizes two thing: The fact that only him, Bambam, and Jaebum are home - Jackson and Jinyoung are out with Seunghoon hyung getting dinner, and Youngjae and Yugyeom to give Coco a long overdue walk - and that there is no reason for Bambam to use this specific bathroom when there is a perfectly functional one a few feet away in Jinyoung's room. Which means the person in the bathroom is Jaebum. 

 

An injured Jaebum. 

 

.

 

Mark bolts out of the door as soon as the realization hits, narrowly avoiding tripping over Coco's beloved Pikachu toy and busting his own head open in the process. He can hear the faint sound of music coming from the maknaes' room, a stark contrast to the quietness of the rest of the vacant apartment, and frowns when he notices Jaebum's crutches leaning on the wall next to the bathroom door.

 

"Jae?" asks Mark, knocking on he door, "Jaebum-ah, are you okay?" There is a muffled noise and a hiss of pain but no actual reply, and Mark knocks again before a sharp "I'm fine!" resonates from behind the closed door. Mark's frown deepens and he sees Bambam poking his head out of his room from the corner of his eyes. Mark turns around, putting a finger to his lips and motioning the youngest to return to his room, ignoring the tiny jab of guilty he feels at the worried expression on the Thai's face, who hesitates at first but silently does as told. If there is one thing Jaebum hates more than being injured, is being weak in front of people that depend on him. God knows what a worried Bambam buzzing around him would do.  

 

Mark silently thanks his luck when he turns the knob and it moves easily, glad Jaebum's habit of leaving doors unlocked remains intact. Jaebum doesn't look up when Mark comes in or even when Mark shuts the door quietly behind him before turning to look at the younger man. He is sitting on the toilet seat clad only in his boxers, one hand clutching the left side of his head as he glares accusingly at his injured foot. His clean sweats are hanging on the hook by the towel.

 

Mark can sense the frustration coming from his friend, the anger building in the tight clenching of his jaw. In any other situation Mark would have teased Jaebum for it, imitating him or telling him to stop and not dislocate his jaw, but right now there is no ounce of humor in the air and his gaze softens as he looks at the younger man. Mark moves slowly towards him, crouches down by his legs and places a warm hand on his leg.

 

"Why didn't you call me?" he asks softly, running his thumb soothingly over the sharpness of Jaebum's knee, only to have him move away, turning his glare to Mark instead. 

 

"I don't need help, Mark, I'm not a ing invalid," Jaebum snaps at him, voice ice-cold and meant to hurt, daring Mark to challenge what he just said. But Mark doesn't blink, doesn't even flinch at the words. Instead he meets Jaebum's gaze with his own, face the definition of placid. He knows the anger is not towards him but at the situation, knows this is merely a projection of the exasperation that has been boiling within Jaebum since he first got injured during their recent filming. Jaebum had hid it well behind the fast paced hours of their lives, the constant hassle of traveling from one schedule to another, not bothering to control his anger at his own recklessness because he was too tired to care. But it's coming out now as the day comes to a close, as the pleasant shock of achieving a triple crown dissipates away. 

 

But Mark also knows that these are Jaebum's own demons. He can't take them away. All he can do is stay. 

 

So instead Mark waits, remains crouched and let's the coldness of the tiled floor ground him. It takes a moment bu then he watches the fury burning behind Jaebum's eyes subdue, watches as the first traces of vulnerability seep into his brown orbs - the same vulnerability Jaebum tries so hard to hide behind discipline and routine to not stress an already troubled Jinyoung, to not worry the youngsters of the team, to not force Jackson into trying to lift the mood when he himself is tired. It momentarily reminds Mark of the past, back when they had first built this friendship based on their ability to understand each other so effortlessly despite communicate being limited to broken English and Korean. Back then Jaebum wasn't so afraid to let his weaknesses show, didn't hesitate to rest his sweaty forehead against Mark's shoulder and mutter how incredibly tired he was. 

 

Then again, back then he didn't have the load of six others weighting him down.

 

"I... ," Jaebum starts, looking regretful for snapping at the oldest. Mark gives him a soft smile, puts his hand back on Jaebum's knee and gives it reassuring squeeze.

 

It's okay 

 

Jaebum lets out a deep sigh, shoulders dipping down and losing some of the invisible weight that seems to holds him down. He returns Mark's smile tentatively, "I guess I deserve it for getting cocky."

 

"Just a bit," counters Mark good-naturedly, patting Jaebum's leg as he stand up to lean against the sink instead, "Did you trip?"

 

"Over my own ing foot, trying to balance just made it worse," he adds dejectedly, and Mark chuckles at the pout that starts forming on Jaebum's face. "What?"

 

"Nothing," replies Mark, trying to hide his smile and failing miserably. So much for Jaebum saying he wasn't cute.

 

Jaebum gives him a suspicious look but let's it go in favor of trying to stand up again. Mark watches attentively as the younger man uses the edge of the sink to propel himself up, trying not to instinctively reach out to him when Jaebum's injured foot makes contact with the floor and he lets out a hiss of pain. The ankle is bare, likely for the shower Jaebum was planning to take, and while it looks better the swelling is still very much present

 

"Did you take your painkillers?" asks Mark, worried at the way Jaebum keeps grimacing when he moves. Seunghoon had told them backstage that the doctor had given him medication before they left the hospital. He moves to grab Jaebum's arm and help Jaebum when he tries to move towards the shower. 

 

"They said to have it with meals, was waiting for dinner," is all he gets in reply.

 

It takes Mark a second to decide what to do.

 

"Go shower, I'll stay here," he says firmly, not even batting an eyelash when Jaebum turns to give him an incredulous look. 

 

"Mark, I'm fi-"

 

"You told me to take more responsibilities as a hyung ,didn't you?" admonishes Mark in return, giving Jaebum a pointed look once he manages to help him get into the shower, "This is me doing it."

 

"You are not my hyung," Jaebum tells him, deadpan, "we are practically the same age." 

 

Mark shrugs, nonchalant, whipping out his phone and moving to sit crossed legged on the toilet seat, "Don't care. I'm still older than you." That's something the younger man can't argue with. Mark makes himself comfortable on the seat and goes on Twitter to check for updates, only looking up for a brief moment when he notices Jaebum still standing by the open curtain. "Jaebum-ah. Shower. Now."

 

Mark tries not to grin at how adorable Jaebum looks blinking at him with a dumbfounded expression on as it downs on him that yes, Mark did just use the I'm-older-than-thou card on him. It's not easy to leave the leader speechless, and when it does it's usually due to Bambam's crazy antics, considering how stubborn he is, so Mark gives himself a mental pat in the back. 

 

"So bossy," comes the reply when Jaebum snaps out of it, then takes off his boxers and closes the curtain with a yank, but Mark's not fooled at his display of petulance. He can hear the smile in Jaebum's voice, and this time he doesn't stop one from forming on his own face as well. 

 

 

They had won today. Not for the first or second time, but for the third. They had won and gotten closer to the success and recognition they all quietly yearned for. It had taken time but they had done it. Had learned about the way and kept learning. Had strengthened  their bond. He smiles, thinking of what he had told his fans not too long ago, trying to reassure them that they were okay and this was just the beginning. 

 

 

The rest are back by the time Jaebum is done showering and has slipped on his sweats. Jackson's and Youngjae's voices booms from the living room and Mark can hear Coco pawning softly at the bathroom door. Mark gets up and rubs his sore neck, not fussing over Jaebum but keeping an eye on him as he moves towards the sink. The hot shower must have done wonders because Jaebum's shoulders are relaxed, face void of the tightness that had been present when Mark first walked in. Mark lets out a quiet sigh of relief at that and can honestly not wait until after dinner so he can take a shower of his own.

 

"Wait," calls Mark as he moves to open the door when Jaebum slowly grabs his discarded clothes and moves to go out. "Let me."

 

But before Mark can turn the knob a weight drops on his shoulder and a hand curls into the fabric of his t-shirt, fingers brushing against the small of his back. Jaebum's forehead is warm and his hair is still damp where it brushes Mark's ear. He smells faintly of mint.

 

"I'm tired... but I'll be okay," murmurs Jaebum against Mark's back, "let's go eat."

 

The thank you goes said and unsaid, and Mark smiles, turning the knob.