Mark wasn’t happy, at all. That’s the reason why he could be found sitting on the kitchen floor with a pout on his lips. He was angry with his Jinyounggie and angry with his other members. Even though Mark was right there in the kitchen with him, his boyfriend decided to be all clingy with Jaebum and Mark didn’t like that one bit. He didn’t like being ignored and he didn’t like his boyfriend touching someone else or letting someone else touch him. An arm around the shoulders is O.K. sometimes and in front of the camera maybe even a hug but in the confines of their home Mark liked to have him all to himself.

He knew that Jinyoung was a touchy person, he was the umma of the group after all, so he liked to take care and baby the other members as well. Knowing this didn’t mean that Mark liked it though.

Jinyoung and him would often have discussions about that. The younger boy would try to reassure and calm him, telling him all those touches didn’t mean anything and asking him why he just couldn’t believe that he loves him with all his heart.

Mark did believe him, but he also knew that a heart could change and the first spark of a new love was something temporary. Falling in love is always easier then staying in love, that’s a lesson life taught him.

The L.A. native heaved a sigh and got up from the spot on the floor. He went over to Jinyoung and Jaebum who were play fighting over who would stir the soup and meekly pulled at the hem of his boyfriend’s shirt. Mark wanted his attention and he wanted to be babied and he knew that when he showed Jinyoung his puppy eyes and pout the other had no choice but to do what he wanted.

Jinyoung turned to look at him and immediately a soft and gentle expression appeared on his face when he saw how the slightly shorter boy looked.

            “Jinyounggie I’m feeling lonely.” Mark said in the most pitiable voice he could muster. Immediately Jinyoung stepped away from their leader, who was watching the whole thing with amusement, to place a loving kiss on the other boy’s lips and pull him into a hug.

For a moment the older boy buried his head in his boyfriend’s neck and inhaled the scent he was so used to. He couldn’t help but raise his head slightly to look over Jinyoung’s shoulder and glare at Jaebum making the leader, who was shaking his head at the couple’s ridiculousness, leave.

            “Did Jaebum leave the room because you were glaring at him again?” Jinyoung asked softly, his warm voice making the older feel a pleasant warmth settle in his chest. Mark buried his face in the other’s neck again; feeling slightly embarrassed about what he knew the other thought was ridiculous behaviour. Jinyoung’s hands started scratching at his nape and he felt himself melt against his boyfriend, who let out a soft chuckle at that. “You’re a lot like a cat Mark-ah. First you destroy the vase then you pretend to be innocent. And cats are also awfully jealous and territorial animals. I half expect you to start rubbing your neck against me.” Mark raised his head at that to look at his boyfriend with a confused expression.

            “Why would I do that?” Jinyoung’s smile only widened and he pecked the shorter boy’s lips again.

            “Don’t you know? That’s how cats mark their territory.”

In retrospect Jinyoung probably wished he hadn’t said that because starting then Mark would randomly hug him and proceed to rub his neck against the other’s neck and shoulders.

While the other’s found the oldest behaviour odd no one commented on it, but no one really dared to get too touchy with Jinyoung either. They didn’t want Mark to hiss at them.

The first time it happened it was poor Bambam who had to suffer the eldest’s wrath. Bambam was tired after a long day of practice and interviews so he rested his head on Jinyoung’s shoulder, making the older coo at him and wrap an arm around his shoulders.

That was exactly the moment Mark entered the room. He then proceeded to pull Bambam away from his boyfriend while hissing and then hugged Jinyoung glaring at the younger boy.

            “Don’t touch my property I marked it already!” Jaebum raised his eyebrows at the couple while Jinyoung went deep red.

            “You what?” Bambam questioned.

            “I marked him.” Jaebum started snickering and Jinyoung’s blush only deepened.

            “Not like that!” the embarrassed boy screamed at their leader. “He just rubs his neck against me! You even saw him do it!” Jinyoung tried to explain, but his explanations were being ignored. Mark didn’t understand why Jaebum and Bambam found it so funny or why Jinyoung was so embarrassed but as long as they would stop touching him he didn't care.

One evening when the two were alone in Jinyoung’s room the younger couldn’t keep quiet any longer.

            “You know Mark-ah when you get so possessive and jealous you really hurt my feelings.” The older boy immediately looked worried, not understanding why his boyfriend was feeling hurt because of that. “I let you be as touchy with the others as you want because I know you love me and I trust you, completely, but when you don’t do the same it really feels like your doubting my feeling. It’s as if you’re saying your love for me is better then my love for your, or that my love isn’t enough and that hurts a lot.” Jinyoung said in a voice laced with hurt and immediately Mark felt guilty. Guilty and terribly childish and stupid because how could he ever make his Jinyounggie feel this way?

So he laced his fingers with the younger boys and in that moment realised that Jinyoung is still just that. A boy. Probably still naïve and clueless to all the painful experiences that come with love. Jinyoung told him he once had a crush on a girl from his class but that’s as far as his experience with love went. In L.A. things function a bit differently so Mark has been in a few relationships before and none of them ended especially well.

His other hand comes up to along Jinyoung’s jaw and he leans in for a soft kiss, lips just barely brushing against each other.

            “I’m so sorry Jinyounggie.” Mark breathes against the other’s lips. “I didn’t know you were hurting because of my behaviour. It’s not because I doubt you that I behave like that it’s because I doubt myself. I’m greedy and I want you all to myself, I want all of your attention and your love.”

The older boy stopped himself for a moment and averted his eyes. He was now feeling more exposed then ever as he finally tells Jinyoung everything that’s been bothering him. “I’m scared that when you’re being so nice to the others they’ll finally see what I saw long ago and also fall in love with you. And I’m scared that you’ll see that they’re better then me and love them more.”

Mark felt gentle fingers under his chin, coaxing him into raising his head. There was a gentle smile on Jinyoung’s face and his eyes were filled with so much love it almost made the older boy dizzy.

            “As if I could ever love one of those idiots more then you Mark-ah. None of them have what you have and none of them can make me feel this raw and this ecstatic at the same time.”

And for once Mark decided that he should rely on that love.

When Jackson threw an arm over Jinyoung’s shoulder the next day everyone was surprised when Mark didn’t even flinch, he just flashed Jinyoung his brightest and broadest smile making the other’s heartbeat race a mile a minute. Jackson’s arm fell from Jinyoung’s shoulder and the Hong Kong native went over to the oldest boy, throwing the same arm around him instead.

            “No wonder Jinyoung fell in love with you when you smile so prettily.”

Mark just laughed his compliment off and no one noticed the slight frown on Jinyoung’s face.

            “You can touch them as much as you want Mark-ah, but that smile is only for me to see.” Jinyoung said later one when the two of them were sitting in the back seat of their van with linked fingers. Mark bit his bottom lip to stop himself from smiling too brightly. Sometimes a little bit of jealousy is fine.