Mark sighed tiredly. It had been a really busy week. Between classes, preparing for upcoming exams, the modeling class, regular life, and trying to keep Jackson from killing Yugyeom and JB, Mark was wiped out.

Jackson immediately sought out JB and Yugyeom after Mark let it slip that they were in the art class. He found JB first, but whatever JB told him must've satisfied Jackson. Yugyeom was another matter. Mark didn't know what Yugyeom said to Jackson, but Mark, Junior, and BamBam had to hold Jackson back from the younger boy while Jackson kicked in his general direction, shouting obscenities. Afterwards, Jackson completely ignored Yugyeom, unless Mark was around, and then Jackson followed Mark everywhere, an arm slung possessively over his shoulder.

Mark didn't understand why it made Jackson so upset that JB and Yugyeom got to be in the class. Jackson didn't strike Mark as the artistic type, and he had never seen him draw or paint, or even express a desire to do those things. But Jackson was a funny guy, and Mark thought it was best to not try and figure it out. Jackson followed his impluses -- so maybe this was just another one.

At the moment, Mark and Jackson were in Jackson's room studying. BamBam and Yugyeom had showed up randomly, as they usually did, and Jackson immediately started to scowl. The four roommates had been sitting around the kitchen table trying to get a head start on studying for their upcoming exams when the pair walked in. Junior got up to make some food, BamBam stealing his seat, so Yugyeom had nudged Mark over on his chair, wrapping an arm around Mark's waist so make sure he didn't fall off, giving Mark a wink and a soft smile. Jackson had stood up so fast his chair fell backward, shouted that he and Mark needed to study in his room alone because he couldn't focus with all the noise, and pulled Mark forcefully away. Mark could hear JB's laughter echoing after them.

Jackson was clearly in a mood, so Mark simply sat on the floor and continued to study while Jackson stomped around huffing for a few minutes. Eventually he settled down and laid down on his bed, opening his notebook and textbook. It wasn't long, however, before Jackson was whining again.

"You shouldn't go anywhere with just Yugyeom."

"What?"

"If Yugyeom asks you to go do something, you should say no, or invite me to go too."

"What is up with you and Yugyeom anyway?"

Jackson just huffed petulantly before eyeing Mark's position on the floor unhappily.

"Why are you all the way on the floor? That can't be comfortable. Come up here with me," Jackson ordered.

"I'm okay, Jackson."

"Maaaaark..."

Mark didn't want Jackson to be upset again, so he conceded defeat. Jackson immediately moved over so that Mark could lay down with him, their heads at the end of the bed while their feet rested where Jackson's pillows would've been (if they weren't scattered on the floor). Mark settled in comfortably next to Jackson, very aware of the body heat they shared all along the right side of his body. Mark tried to ignore it, though, and went back to studying his science book.

He was absorbed in his studies for a while until he was suddenly pushed flat by Jackson's body weight half resting on top of him. 

"Seriously, Jackson..." Mark started while pushing himself back up on his elbows. Jackson's chin suddenly rested on his shoulder as the boy began looking over his shoulder.

"I'm bored. Do you understand this?" Jackson's voice was right in Mark's ear, and he stopped himself from shivering at the nearness.

"Why don't you try actually studying," Mark said but without any real heat. He could feel Jackson's face forming a pout (holy hell Jackson was lying practically on top of him and his face was so close Mark could feel him pouting) and he  turned his face to give the younger boy an unimpressed look.

But said face was right there.

Mark froze, staring into Jackson's eyes, so very, very close. If he moved ever so slightly, his lips could...

He wasn't quite sure how long they stared at each other, but they broke apart quickly when JB knocked on the door, causing Mark to fall off the bed, startled. JB peeked his head in and announced, "Food's ready. Are you okay, Mark?"

Mark blushed bright red. "Yeah, I'm fine. Let's go eat." He rushed out the door, not looking once back at Jackson.

------------------------------

Jackson wanted to kick Yugyeom's smug, handsome face. It didn't help that the stupid boy was so freaking tall. Life was so unfair! At least he wasn't Mark's roommate, Jackson supposed. He thought back to the almost kiss he had with Mark. He had impulsively snuggled on top of Mark in his boredom, but he hadn't expected Mark to turn his face like that. He could see the deep brown of Mark's eyes, the flawless skin, plump lips...he could've easily leaned in and kissed him. He was about to, if JB hadn't chosen that moment to knock.

Yugyeom was a problem though. Ever since their conversation about the art class, Jackson was hyper aware of Yugyeom and his whereabouts. The little really did have a crush on Mark, just like he had suspected. Jackson had tried to even sneak into the art class that week, but failed. Mark's friend Youngjae was smarter than Jackson had given him credit for. He even blocked all the windows so Jackson couldn't see in. 

He had gone so far that now he was sitting in the maknaes' dorm. BamBam had whined that Jackson was spending all his time with Mark, and discovered that Yugyeom was in his room. Mark was back at their dorm studying, so Jackson thought it was perfect. He could hang out with BamBam while also keeping an eye on the enemy. He didn't know how Mark felt about the young boy, but he never seemed to mind Yugyeom's attention, and that worried Jackson.

They had played video games and messed around, not really doing anything in particular. It was a Friday night, Jackson could tell BamBam was getting restless -- Jackson wasn't on his full game at the moment, too preoccupied with Yugyeom -- but he didn't think anything of it until BamBam shoved a beer in his hand and the younger boy began chugging the one in his own hand.

"What...how do you have beer!?" Jackson exclaimed.

"Just shut up and drink. I'm bored and you aren't yourself. We don't have class tomorrow, so let's just go crazy!"

Jackson did kind of have a headache from trying to keep the youngest and oldest apart. Soon, the pair of them were properly drunk. Jackson was pretty sure he wasn't supposed to let BamBam get drunk, being young and all, but Jackson didn't really care that much. It was more Junior's rule than his.

"Let's take this back to the others. They've been studying and could probably use a break, too!" BamBam said excitedly. A drunk BamBam was an extremely hyper version of himself, Jackson had learned.

They left after BamBam told Yugyeom where they were going, and Jackson didn't really remember how, but suddenly they were at Jackson's dorm suite. JB smirked and Junior scowled at the drunken pair.

"Starting the weekend early, I see," Junior said with a sigh.

"C'mon, you totally want to join us," Jackson wheedled sweetly.

JB had already grabbed a beer and tossed it to Junior. BamBam was skipping around the dorm singing in Thai, loudly, before jumping on Jackson's back. BamBam giggled as Jackson laughed hysterically. For some reason, that was really funny.

BamBam gripped Jackson's shoulders as he gave a couple light kisses to Jackson's neck. "For good luck!" BamBam slurred. That's when Jackson made eye contact with Mark. "Maaaark!" Jackson yelled. Mark didn't respond, however -- he seemed like a statue, staring at where BamBam was nosing into Jackson's neck and clinging, giving another kiss to Jackson's cheek. "You are so buff!" BamBam yelled as he d Jackson's chest, hands wandering. That seemed to snap Mark awake, who (in Jackson's drunken haze) seemed sad, somehow. Jackson quickly dumped BamBam on the couch, where the younger boy just laughed and yelled, "Again!" like a little kid.

"Mark. You are a statue." It felt important for Jackson to say that somehow.

Mark just raised an eyebrow. 

"Don't be weird, Jackson," JB intervened. He handed Mark a beer, which Mark quickly drank. BamBam was back, clinging to Jackson's legs, causing Jackson to stumble and fall. From there on, all Jackson really remembered was being drunk and goofing off. Until Yugyeom showed up, that is.

-----------------------

Mark's heart dropped to his stomach. BamBam was kissing Jackson on the neck and they seemed rather intimate. He couldn't look away, despite how badly he wanted to. Had he missed this? Jackson and BamBam had gotten really close -- did BamBam like Jackson, and Mark hadn't even noticed? Did Jackson like BamBam? Mark felt like the evidence was clear in front of him. BamBam wasn't really the type to kiss people randomly.

Mark was crushed. BamBam was his friend, so if he liked Jackson, Mark needed to be a good friend and be okay with that. But just thinking about Jackson with BamBam made Mark feel sick.

Jackson was going on about Mark being a statue, and Mark didn't trust himself to speak. Thankfully, JB quickly shoved a beer in his hand and Mark had it finished within minutes, quickly grabbing another one. He felt like trying to erase what he saw tonight. Getting really drunk would help.

Mark sat on the couch and quickly accumulated a lot of empty beer cans. He saw Junior scolding Jackson for letting BamBam get drunk, he saw Jackson and BamBam playing around (occasionally calling each other husband and wife), but the only thing that made him a little happy was when Youngjae showed up (clearly called over by JB) and the pair laughed in their own little world in the kitchen. The seat next to him dipped down, and Mark forced his head to look next to him to find Yugyeom.

"This seems a little familiar," the younger boy said, smiling at Mark.

"A little. I promise I won't fall asleep on you tonight, though."

"Ah. Too bad," Yugyeom said. Mark didn't understand what he meant by that. Mark just handed Yugyeom a beer and grabbed a new one for himself. Let Junior nag him all he wanted -- if all of them were already drunk, it seemed wrong that only Yugyeom couldn't be as well. Thinking of Junior, Mark looked around the room for his roommate. He found him play wrestling with Jackson and BamBam -- more Jackson than BamBam though, probably trying to get revenge on Jackson for his poor decisions.

It was nice sitting with Yugyeom. Mark was still really sad, watching the way Jackson and BamBam interacted so closely, each moment proving to Mark that Jackson and BamBam had something special. There was no room for Mark. But Yugyeom was distracting him nicely, making him laugh, drinking with him, and taking his drunken mind off more negative thoughts.

"Dance with me, hyung," Yugyeom said suddenly. Mark giggled and shrugged his shoulders. There was hip-hop music blaring but Yugyeom pulled Mark close into a slow dance. Mark sighed, wishing he was doing this was Jackson, and he felt like his head was just too heavy. He let it rest on Yugyeom's chest and the younger boy gripped him tighter. They weren't dancing very well, both stumbling a bit from being drunk, but it was still nice -- even if Mark was pretty sure Yugyeom's hands had wandered to Mark's at one point. Mark blamed their lack of balance.

An angry shout was heard across the room. Mark turned to see Jackson walking towards them, mad as ever, before he tripped over himself. Mark could hear Yugyeom giggling.

"I think I better go, before Jackson manages to get over here and makes a scene," Yugyeom said, a mischevious glint in his eyes.

Mark nodded. "That might be best. Thanks for the dance," Mark said, giving a small smile.

Suddenly, Yugyeom's face was right in front of Mark's. His hand tilted Mark's chin up and Mark's senses were filled with Yugyeom's lips on his. It wasn't a long kiss, just a press of lips for about 5 seconds, and Mark was so stunned he just stood there, eyes open. "Thanks for the kiss, " Yugyeom said, throwing a smirk over his shoulder towards Jackson, who had gotten back up and looked like he had been slapped.

Yugyeom gave Mark's hand one last squeeze before running out the door, Jackson coming to his senses and screaming bloody murder at the younger boy. BamBam shoved Jackson back down and unsteadily raced after his roommate. Junior stood gaping at the scene, and JB and Youngjae stood quietly from their place in the kitchen.

Mark's brain, sluggish from alcohol, was still trying to figure out what had just happened. "Hey, Mark, you okay?" Junior asked, concern on his face.

"Yugyeom kissed me."

"Yeah, I saw that."

"Does he like me?"

Mark thought he heard Jackson make a strangled noise at that, but when he looked around for the boy, all he found was Jackson's closed bedroom door and no sign of the boy.

"It does seem that way, yes."

Mark didn't know how to handle this. He felt like he should apologize to Jackson, but why should he? It wasn't his fault, and why would Jackson care? Jackson liked BamBam.

The reminder of that last piece made Mark sad all over again.

"I think I need to go to bed." Mark walked into his room without looking at the others, shut the door, and quickly hid under his covers.

Everything was such a mess. He was never coming out ever again!